"Since Father had promised Felicia an education worthy of being an Empress, he had granted you access to my training for the heirship. Since I forced him to let you join me, you ought to thank me for that." Alexander said while eating breakfast.
It was yet another day after all the ruckus she made. This morning was peaceful and very quiet, except for Helena constantly throwing Felicia a shady look in her eyes, it's more than peaceful here.
"You should be glad for your father instead, Felicia. He let you join Helena and Alexander. Nothing will ever be disgraceful if an Empress doesn't know anything other than etiquette." Duchess Tyren said, aiming her snide remark towards Felicia who was quiet.
The Duke wasn't here as he was told to visit the Emperor for some businesses that Rachelle doesn't give a fuck about it. "I should, when his grace arrives I shall," Felicia said, not minding them at all.
"But has your daughter perfected the arts of etiquette?" She suddenly burst out, looking directly at the Duchess Tyren who didn't expect her to fuel the fire that she had ignited for Felicia to burn instead, the fire was then directed towards Helena who was only quiet on the other side.
Seeing the Duchess speechless, she smirked at her, nodding her head in satisfaction. "As expected." She commented and continued to eat her breakfast with delight. Oh, how fantastic it is to ruin someone's day.
"Alex dear? Aren't you gonna reprimand her? She talked back to me, how disrespectful it is!" Duchess Tyren exclaimed, fanning herself while enraged at Felicia who provoked her.
"Why should I, Mother? It was you who tried to trip her over the water. All she did was to talk back, I don't see anything wrong with talking back." Alexander commented as he didn't bother to look in her direction, focusing on his plate.
"Wow, he's playing the role of a brother perfectly. How wonderful, should I reward him?" Rachelle thought to herself while stealing a glimpse of Alexander who wasn't trying to speak anymore.
Meanwhile, the Duchess remained enraged, feeling embarrassed as Alexander didn't defend her like the usual thing that he would do. Instead, he protected Felicia.
"Dear... did I do something that could upset you?" The Duchess Tyren asked, holding the table napkin as she shed fake tears in her eyes, wiping them with the table napkin she took.
Alexander then frowned, looking at her with an obviously vexed expression. "None, mother. If you could just close your mouth and focus on our food, that would be much appreciated. Let us observe the right conduct over the table." He even said to her that made the Duchess' face scowl at his cold reply.
Just staring at the Duchess, failing to have Alexander in her hands, makes her laugh loudly but decides not to. She looks like she's about to poop a big boy out given the fact that her expression looks awful.
"I've lost my appetite. I shall go and wait for the teacher." Helena said as she stood up from sitting, making her chair back down. Everyone looked at her for her rude actions but she just left, not bothering for her expressions to ruin the ideal characterization of herself.
"Oh dear... I wonder if someone upset that child. Dear me." The Duchess said who was surprised when Helena suddenly left them at the table. "Well then since I'm done, I shall take my leave. I was invited by the Countess Herman for tea." She added, standing up and leaving the two of them.
"Rude," Rachelle mumbled to herself as she took the pleasure of eating her breakfast in peace. Since the two annoying mosquitoes left the table, she's comfortable eating big.
"It's not my fault that she was the one who opened up the argument. I didn't." She thought to herself as she only focused on eating.
After her meal is done so does her preparation to start studying in order to know more about this world. Although she had started to understand the basic concepts just by being in this family, there is still a lot to understand in this world.
Alexander brought her into a room, to be exact, he brought her to their library, where Helena was sitting and chit-chatting with a strict-looking professor who screamed that he knew everything.
"Seems like a baron." She thought again, following Alexander behind. "Ahh, I greet the Young Lord Alexander. It's so good to see you again!" The man uttered with such happiness in his voice that it sounded like an exaggeration just to raise his favour.
"What a lovely morning to you too, Viscount Margrave," Alexander said, bowing his head in respect. The viscount's eyes then fell on Felicia who was on Alexander's side standing still. When his eyes looked over at her, Felicia bowed her head in response, greeting him.
"I greet the Viscount Margrave," Felicia said after showing her curtsy towards the viscount. He's not a royal blood and definitely not someone whose rank is much higher than them so she didn't stay still, only acknowledge him.
This made the man's expression falter, turning sour before immediately changing his expression back to happy-go-lucky. It seems that Rachelle had managed to put a crack on his displayed appearance.
"Ohh, a new face. Who are you, young Lady? And why are you with the young lord?" Viscount Margrave asked, questioning her identity. Rachelle stopped herself from acting sassy at this point as it sounded so rude not to know someone's identity.
But what can she do? All the information about her seems to have been blocked by the Duchess as she wasn't known everywhere.
"What you asked is quite rude, Viscount Margrave. It's funny how you know my step-sister over there while you never bothered to know me beforehand." She said, acting hurt because of him.
Poor innocent man, facing trouble just as she had just arrived in his class. "I didn't mean to offend you but I really have no idea—"
"Brother... I'm feeling awful at this point, did the Duke really tell him that I'll be also taking up class with you? Oh dear my heart is torn apart. I can't believe this." She said, wiping her fake tears while facing Alexander who was surprised because of her actions.
"No... It's partly my fault for not introducing you to him and the others. Viscount Margrave, is the first-born daughter of the Duke and the late Duchess, Felicia Vivianne Del Montague. Felicia is the instructor of financing." Alexander stated, introducing the two of them.
Clearly, Rachelle had already put a wedge in their connection with the instructor after putting him in a tight spot just now. However, it is not her fault as he looks very cocky just by staring.
"It's a pleasure to meet the eldest daughter of the Duke. I apologize for my behaviour earlier." He said but Rachelle couldn't find sorry in his voice. Rather, his eyes were darting at her with mockery and disgust as if she did something.
Rachelle's eyes then gaze on Helena, looking at her with a smug expression plastered on her face before turning her head back again in front. That bitch, it seems that she had manipulated some words to make this instructor despise her.
"No worries, Professor. I, too was rude." She said, not making any apologies either. Since he wasn't able to show how sorry he was, why would she apologize then? No reciprocating of feelings then.
"Well then, shall we start?" The instructor said as he began to walk in front, followed by Alexander and her. As soon as she was able to sit at her designated table, the class had already started without any hurdle.
Rachelle thought to herself that their subject might be a little too hard for her to understand, that everything was complicated given the fact that she didn't originate here. But all of her expectations were ruined, crashing down when it was relatively easy to understand.
He was discussing the most basic things of all!
Felicia looked over at Alexander, he wasn't showing any signs of having troubles but it was clear on his face that he didn't quite understand the lesson. Her eyes then gaze on Helena, having troubles with the teaching but it was so easy that she could understand.
Is it because her country had made education so formidable? Or is it because she failed to understand it more? But even though she's trying to complicate the matters more in her head, it always leads her that the lesson is too easy.
"I'm not complaining about it at all... it's just that I know I failed subjects and I know I'm not smart in my country but even someone from the streets knows this shit." She thought to herself once again.
Viscount Margrave who was teaching in front of them suddenly looked at Felicia with confusion in her face. A smirk grew on his face, the new girl looked like she didn't understand anything at all, was she perhaps dumb?
"Is there something wrong with my lessons, lady Felicia that you look like you do not understand a single thing? Oh, maybe because this subject is new to you and you find it hard to comprehend." He said, mocking Felicia right in her face.