🌷 Chapter Fourteen –
Ernest was Yvonne's childhood friend who lived with her in the same village when they were young, and his role was the so-called second hero in the novel.
He was someone who couldn't forget Yvonne, who suddenly left her hometown, so he would follow pink-haired women thinking it was her, thus gaining a bad reputation as a playboy.
In the novel, he was working for Hugo because of Yvonne's request, but at the same time he wanted to leave the job because he was angry and jealous of the hero.
It was the most unknown and useful chess piece set up in Yvonne's story to facilitate the course of events.
He acted more like the villains Annette and Theodore, except he was on the protagonist's side.
Annette thought about such a move and examined it.
She was thinking that if she could create a small opportunity in his heart, by offering to help him get Yvonne, Theodore would be able to use him as a useful weapon even if he was not an ally.
“Hans is very opposed to bringing him.
We have found out where he is, so if you convince Hans, I can bring him.”
“Just that?
Instead of Mr.
Hans, it will take more time and effort to convince Ernst.
He is not a man that money can buy.”
The requested person has not yet been brought.
Annette had to think of a way to convince both Hans and Ernst.
While she was thinking, Theodore walked around the library and took out notable books.
“Do you choose books to read?”
"I?"
"What do you do?"
“The reason you need to know letters is because you have to learn many things about this world.
You don't think you're finished just because you can read, do you?”
When Hans told him that Annette was illiterate, Theodor realized her fundamental problem.
She didn't know much about the Odentia Empire.
It was great to learn the letters on their own, but any stupid person could have learned them if they had the time to do so.
However, reading a book to gain knowledge was a completely different matter.
Annette's usefulness has been confirmed immediately, but her brain intelligence has not yet been confirmed.
Fortunately, there was intelligence in her instincts, so her learning potential seemed possible.
So you have to learn almost everything.
“First of all, history and politics.”
Theodore prioritized learning.
Annette looked at the titles of the books he had taken out and stacked on the desk.
Most of them were thick books about the history of Odentia.
Annette pulled out three of the books Theodore had chosen.
“I've already read those three.”
"actually?"
“There's not much to do in the villa.
So I read most of the books on the bookshelf in the middle.”
Annette pushed the book “Audentia and the International Situation” away from her after Theodore tried to push it in front of her again.
“Also, history and politics are not my priorities to learn.”
“So what are your priorities?”
“I already know the most important part of the empire’s history from reading Two Coffins.
Politics is done by intuition anyway, and it’s also something I can manage moderately.
The most pressing thing for me is culture and etiquette, that’s because I can only know that through experience.”
Annette knew the atmosphere and main history of the Lider community from her memories as a reader.
Although it was a very rough content, it was possible to understand it to some extent by reading many historical books because the history had a similar flow in each country, and only the names of the characters were different.
However, the field of culture and art was very different.
In novels that deal with the love theme of the main characters, the culture and history of the empire are not described in depth.
Annette did not even know the name of the theater founded by the Emperor or the most famous musician in Lieder, nor did she know who the most vociferous actors were, nor had she ever heard of a social scandal.
Such things can only be learned through people and not through books.
If you don't know history and politics, you can look a little ignorant and divert the attention directed at you to the other side, but if you don't know gossip you will be treated as someone who does not have common sense.
Education was urgently required for Annet to become a Grand Duchess, but this had a sufficient lead time.
But if she entered Lider's social world now, Annette would never be able to speak normally.
No matter what you say, doubts will arise around her.
“Once you return to Laidre, I will take the necessary measures to obtain the title of Marquis for you.
Therefore, you must not be ignorant of history and politics in order to be able to seize the family title and use it to your advantage.”
“Of course I will learn politics as well.
But that is something we can overlook when I am in the company of the Grand Duke anyway.
Even if my political skills are not enough, Your Majesty will do everything in his power to make up for it.
I am more in need of the knowledge that I need to use it when I am left alone and have to fight.”
Theodore turned his gaze to the bookshelves in front of him.
It was full of boring history books like “History of the Rise and Fall of the Continent,” “Nobles’ Lieder,” and “Treatise on the Geography of Odentia,” but there was definitely no book that taught a person how to sleep and eat.
Most people who read and write books are aristocrats, who want to write a history book that reveals their superiority and achievements, so they are not interested in writing stories about people's lives.
But as Annette said, she didn't even know how to walk properly.
An aristocratic lady in society was often judged by how elegantly she knew how to drink tea rather than by how much she could carry on a deep conversation.
Courtesy and polite speech were a method developed to divide the common people and the nobility, as well as to determine ranks among the nobility.
Annette's social standing was at the top of society, but her level of aristocratic decorum was at the bottom.
She was at the level of a newborn baby who could die instantly if thrown into a social parlor full of nobles.
After much thought, Theodore looked around the bookshelves and took out all the few etiquette books.
“Let's start with that first.
Etiquette is subject to change, but you can learn the old-fashioned way of drinking tea from the book.”
Annette quickly leafed through the book he had chosen to check out.
“Yes.
First of all, I will study the theory on my own, but please think about how you can train me to apply it in real battle.”
“I will look for someone who can act as your teacher.
You must know how to pretend to be noble, but you must also learn pomp and vanity.”
Annette had to inherit the title of Marquis, but at the same time she had to rise to the position of Grand Duchess.
The Grand Duchess will be one of the most prestigious positions in the social world, and will attract all kinds of attention towards her.
Annette's original reputation was already a problem, but since she married Theodore, it was clear that all angry eyes would be on the loud-mouthed woman.
If Annette could stand those looks, she would be able to keep her mouth shut and reduce the people in her social circle, but Annette had to control the noble, not stay away from him.
To do this, she had to display an aristocratic attitude more noble than any other aristocrat; she had to become more noble than any other nobleman.
Those who are accustomed to living by trampling on the common people will not bow their heads to anyone below them.
They believe that the more arrogant they are, the more valuable they become.
“Speak more arrogantly and boldly than anyone else.
Do not bow your head before anyone important.
Do not smile or be kind to others.
You should not praise people without a strong reason, and even if you encounter an enemy on your way, do not avoid him and wait until the opponent leaves first.
If someone stabs you with a knife to kill you, shoot him and kill him with you.”
Theodore continued to tell Annette how to live.
“Act in an arrogant manner so that no one can be arrogant towards you.
Even when others insult you from behind, force them to respect you to your face.
Do not show your feelings under any circumstances.
If you show your fear and anger, you are giving them a chance to destroy you.”
In short, this meant not ignoring others but crushing them.
Annette opened her mouth, blinking from time to time as she listened to what Theodore was saying.
“So, simply put, this means that I must act like His Highness the Grand Duke.”
Annette summed up his words very easily.
Theodore became confused by Annette's rash words.
Judging by her innocent expression, it seemed like she didn't mean to attack him.
“You are a living example of everything I have already said, so why do you explain it in such difficult words?
If what you say means that I should become arrogant towards others, then I will become just like you.”
Theodore knew what he looked like to Annette, to her, he was an arrogant and rude person.
Theodore never felt that his actions were wrong, and he never regretted anything he had done in his life so far.
However, looking at the eyes that undoubtedly evaluated him innocently, he felt like a sinner without any excuse.
It was enough for him to say that he was behaving in a manner worthy of kings to defend himself, but somehow it was difficult for him to utter even a single word.
So Theodore decided to end the conversation here.
It was embarrassing to end a conversation in which someone despised his character without a reaction from him, but there was no way to refute her words.
“I will send you the family tree of the royal lineage and the nobility yearbook with Hans.
Save all the seals of the families and the names of the people who rule them.”
"Good."
Annette replied easily.
Her calm attitude was annoying.
She never thought that her assessment of Theodore was wrong and she had no intention of apologizing to him in the future.
Instead, she continued to question Theodore again.
“If I looked at the genealogy of the royal family, would I find Your Highness’s name in it?”
“……My name does not appear in the official genealogical manuscript.
It may appear in personal diaries kept by individuals, but if they are caught by mistake and find the name in it, it will be considered treason.
So they will not show it to anyone.”
“Why?”
At this point, Theodore wanted to remove Annette's innocent expression from her face.
“Because I am the son of a concubine.”
“But anyway, Your Highness’s mother eventually earned the title of Second Empress, right?
Since you are the son of the Emperor and Empress, shouldn’t your name be written with your family members?”
“Are you trying to make fun of me now?”
Theodore couldn't stand her questions any longer and finally stopped her from speaking.
Annette noticed his unusually frowning expression and tilted her head in confusion.
Since she still didn't know what she had done wrong, Theodore calmed his nerves and patiently explained the matter to her.
“Only the son of the First Empress is the legitimate son of the Emperor who has the right to inherit the throne.”
In the genealogy of the imperial family, only the legitimate son is recorded.
It was the same when a person inherited the throne, and it was the same in the documents.
Theodore sighed and wished Annette would stop asking questions at this point, but she didn't react the way he wanted and asked another question.