|A few days later|
It was barely eleven o'clock in the morning. Hina walked towards the study room, mentally ready for her first history lesson. The head maid had informed her about the tutor's arrival, leading her to the study room, where her tutor waited patiently.
Hina pushed the door open to the sight of a middle-aged man who immediately acknowledged her presence.
"Good morning, lady Hina. I am Mr Otake. It's such a pleasure to make your acquaintance"
The middle-aged man stood up from his position, greeting her with a slight bow of his head.
"Good morning, Mr Otake. The pleasure is all mine." Hina returned the greeting.
Mr Otake was short and slightly plump, with dark greasy hair, parted to one side. His beady eyes were close-set and he had a large nose. He was neatly dressed in a V-neck sweatshirt and black trousers, making his appearance seem more like that of a stereotypical math teacher.
Hina settled down adjacent to him, placing her hands on her leg as she listened to him speak.
"I will do my best to make sure that you learn everything there is to know under my supervision, lady Hina," he said, his accent confident and plummy.
"En. I look forward to learning a lot from you." she liked his personality already.
The class began with an introduction to the Empire's history. The hour went on with discussions about the Emperors and how they came into power through blood lineage. It was smoothly easy for her to understand his teachings as she had been reading about them on her own.
The fascinating lecture eventually came to an end.
"I must say, I am very impressed by your enthusiasm, lady Hina. It is not every day a teacher finds a student as studious and intelligent as yourself" He told her, a satisfied smile on his face.
'Thank you for the compliment, Mr Otake. It's all thanks to you" Hina returned the smile.
"It's a shame that the class is already over. I enjoyed teaching you, lady Hina. Until next week then"
"Yes, indeed. I look forward to another interesting class next time. See you next week, Mr Otake" Hina gently waved at him as he departed.
[Of course, I'm an excellent student]
Studying was all she was good at doing in her other life. She would drown herself in her academics. Always reading, always studying from sunrise till sunset, trying to fill the insecurities she had by attaining better grades. Children with good grades never got sent back to the orphanage by their adoptive parents, so she felt the need to do so to show that she was worthy of them. Unlike her peers, she never had time for parties or relationships. In due time, it eventually became a habit she couldn't break away from. However, she didn't think it was a bad thing since it helped her to get to where she was.
_____
With her schedule for the day now cleared, Hina returned upstairs, retreating to her room. She had been served her meal in the room, saving her from the stress of having to go downstairs for lunch.
Hina took out one of the novels she had stacked on the shelves, reading to pass the time. A discreet knock on the door disturbed her focus.
"It's Suki, my lady" she called out, waiting for Hina's permission before entering.
"Come in"
Suki slowly entered the room, pulling the door closed behind her as she walked towards Hina.
"Is something wrong?" Hina asked, noticing the glum expression Suki wore on her face. It was the first time she had seen the bright girl look so beat down.
"It is about the investigation you requested of me, my lady" Suki informed her.
"I see. Is the investigation complete already?" She asked, placing a page holder in the book as she set it down beside her.
"Yes, I have gotten the information you requested, my lady..."
"Judging from your expression, I'm guessing it's nothing good"
Suki remained quiet, holding onto the document tightly.
"Let me see what you've gotten" Hina demanded.
Suki obediently handed over the file.
Hina skimmed through it, reading through the detailed notes and examining the pictures. She was impressed by how much information Suki had acquired in such a short period. If she was in the modern world, she would make for an excellent private investigator.
From the documents Hina read, she had picked up detailed reports that piqued her interest.
Emi Chiba had been formerly engaged to a nobleman through an arranged set-up by her father. The engagement was suddenly called off by Emi two years ago, right around the time when the merchant kicked out his second wife. Emi had since been in a secret relationship with the merchant for almost two years. The two even had a private room in the merchant's hotel that they frequented now and again. The report even noted the room number- room 222.
Hina glanced at the pictures one after the other. Some showed the two of them at the reception, some were of them having a meal together and a few even caught the two making out in the empty stairway of the hotel. They had all been recently taken.
[Got you]
"These pictures, when were they taken?"
"Two days ago, my lady"
"I see.."
[Interesting. Is this what they call "fresh stock"?]
"...Are you okay, lady Hina?" Suki asked with a solemn tone. She had hoped for the young lady to only see and hear good things, but the outcome of her findings had left her astonished.
"En, I'm fine" Hina replied.
She was unsurprised by the fact that the merchant was having an affair.
Even in the original novel, he was a cheat. Sleeping around with everything in skirt.
[Once a cheat, always a cheat]
Despite his nice attitude towards Hina now, she didn't expect that side of him to change too. As a matter of fact, she didn't mind at all since it kept him busy outside the house.
Suki was surprised by how cool the lady was despite such eye-opening findings. Even she had been shocked and livid by the news. Disappointment clouded her thought by the mere sight of the merchant. She had not expected him to come up while she ran a background check on lady Emi. To think that he would be a cheat? Undoubtedly, lady Hina was too good for him.
"You've done well, Suki. I'm impressed. I'll make sure to reward you. You may go now"
"Ah...yes, lady Hina" Suki replied dumbfoundedly, not sure if it was okay to leave the lady alone.
Despite the quantity of information Hina now had, she still couldn't remember the name "Emi Chiba".
[Was I mistaken?]
"I'm sure it sounds familiar.." she searched through the storyline in her head, trying to find a connection somewhere.
["If I had known you'd be this useless, I would have married Chiba's daughter!"]
There it was. It was finally all coming back to her. In the original novel, whenever Hina was beaten or assaulted by the merchant, he would call her names and talk about how there were so many other women he could have married other than her.
"Chiba's daughter.."
[That's why I couldn't remember her. She was a nameless character with no scenes]
Hina couldn't help but laugh at the realisation. Both then and now, "Chiba's daughter" was one of the merchant's mistresses.
Now it all made sense; the glinting malice and jealousy that lingered in Emi's eyes. She must have broken off her engagement with fantasy thoughts of getting married to the merchant, especially with his second wife out of the picture. But instead, he took in someone else. A young girl from nowhere with no prospects to offer. She must have been angry. Curious even; wanting to see the young girl that stole the position she had longed for. It must have sickened her to her stomach to have to address the child as "Lady Hina", the Lady of the house. Hina finally understood where Emi's hatred stemmed from but that didn't mean she was going to tolerate it.
[I can't believe a nameless side character has been giving me such a headache]
Hina pondered over what to do with the information as she planned her next step.