♡ TL: Khadija SK
✧✧✧✧✧
Ernest was Yvonne’s childhood friend who lived in the same village as her when they were young. His role was what is called the second male lead in the novel.
He was someone who could never forget Yvonne, who suddenly left her hometown. Because of this, he chased after women with pink hair, thinking they were her, which led to his bad reputation as a careless womanizer.
In the novel, he worked for Hugo at Yvonne’s request, but at the same time, he wanted to quit the job because he was angry and jealous of the male lead.
He was one of the most unknown yet useful chess pieces set up in Yvonne’s story to facilitate the flow of events.
He acted in a way similar to the villains Annette and Theodore, except that he sided with the main characters.
Annette thought through this step and examined it.
She considered that if she could create a small opportunity in his heart by offering him a deal to help him win Yvonne, Theodore would be able to use him as a useful weapon, even if he wasn’t an ally.
“Hans is strongly opposed to bringing him. We have found his location, so if you convince Hans, I can bring him.”
“Just that? Convincing Ernest will take more time and effort than Mr. Hans. He’s not a man who can be bought with money.”
The desired person had not yet been brought.
Annette had to think of a way to convince both Hans and Ernest.
While she was thinking, Theodore moved around the library and pulled out some notable books.
“Are you picking out books to read?”
“Me?”
“What are you doing?”
“The reason you need to know letters is that you must learn many things about this world. You don’t think it’s over just because you can read, do you?”
When Hans told him that Annette was illiterate, Theodore realized her fundamental problem.
She was ignorant of many things about the Odentia Empire.
It was impressive that she learned letters on her own, but anyone foolish could learn them if they had time to do so.
However, reading a book to gain knowledge was a completely different matter.
Annette’s usefulness was confirmed immediately, but her brain’s intelligence had not yet been verified.
Fortunately, there was intelligence in her instincts, so the possibility of her learning seemed feasible.
So, she needed to learn almost everything.
“First of all, history and politics.”
Theodore prioritized learning.
Annette looked at the titles of the books he had pulled 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 these three.”
“Already?”
“There’s not much to do in the villa, so I’ve read most of the books on the middle shelf.”
Annette pushed away the book “Odentia and the International Situation” after Theodore tried to push it in front of her again.
“History and politics are not my priorities for learning.”
“What are your priorities then?”
“I already know the most important part of the empire’s history from reading the novel, and politics is based on intuition anyway. It’s something I can handle moderately. What’s more urgent for me is culture and etiquette, as I can only learn that through experience.”
Annette knew the general atmosphere and main history of the Laider society from her memories as a reader.
Although it was very rough content, it was possible to understand it somewhat by reading many historical novels, as history followed a similar flow in every country, with only the names of the characters being different.
However, the field of culture and art was entirely different.
In novels dealing with the romance of the main characters, the empire’s culture and history were not deeply described.
Annette didn’t even know the name of the theater founded by the emperor or the most famous musician in Laider, nor had she heard of the most notorious actors, and she was entirely unaware of any social scandals.
Such things could only be learned through people, not books.
If you didn’t know history or politics, you might seem a bit ignorant and could divert the attention directed at you elsewhere, but if you didn’t know gossip, you would be treated as someone without common sense.
Education was urgently required for Annette to become a grand duchess, but there was enough time for that.
However, if she entered the Laider social world now, Annette would never be able to engage in normal conversation.
No matter what she said, doubts about her would arise.
“Once you return to Laider, I will take the necessary steps to grant you the title of marquis. Therefore, you must not be ignorant of history and politics so that you can seize the family title and use it to your advantage.”
“Of course, I will learn politics as well. But this is something we can overlook when I’m with the Grand Duke anyway. Even if my political skills are lacking, Your Grace will do everything to make up for it. What I need more is the knowledge I must use when I’m left alone and forced to fight.”
Theodore turned his gaze toward the bookshelves in front of him.
They were filled with boring history books like *The Rise and Fall of the Continent*, *The Nobles of Laider*, and *A Study of the Geography of Odentia*, but there was certainly no book that taught someone how to sleep and eat properly.
Most people who read and write books were aristocrats, who wanted to write a history that showcased their superiority and achievements, so they didn’t care about writing stories of the common people.
But as Annette had said, she didn’t even know how to walk properly.
A lady in society was often judged by how elegantly she could drink tea, rather than by how deeply she could carry on a conversation.
Etiquette and polite speech had been developed as a way to distinguish between commoners and nobles, as well as to determine rank among the nobility.
Annette’s social standing was at the top of society, but her level of aristocratic refinement was at the bottom.
She was at the level of a newborn child who could immediately die if thrown into a social salon full of nobles.
After much thought, Theodore looked around the bookshelves and pulled out the few etiquette books.
“Let’s start with this first. Etiquette is subject to change, but you can learn the old way of drinking tea through the book.”
Annette quickly flipped through the book Theodore had chosen to check it.
“Yes. First of all, I will study the theory on my own, but please think of how to train me to apply it in real combat.”
“I will find someone who can work as a tutor for you. You must know how to pretend to be a noble, but you must also learn grandeur and arrogance.”
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 would be one of the most prestigious positions in the social world, attracting all kinds of attention.
Annette’s original reputation was problematic, but since she had married Theodore, it was clear that all the angry eyes would be directed toward the loud woman.
If Annette could endure those stares, she would be able to keep their mouths shut and reduce the number of people in her social circle, but Annette had to control the nobles, not avoid them.
To do this, she had to show a more noble attitude than any other aristocrat. She had to become more noble than any noble.
Those who were used to living by stepping on commoners would not bow their heads to anyone beneath them. They believed that the more arrogant they were, the more valuable they became.
“Speak more arrogantly and boldly than anyone else. Do not bow your head to anyone. Do not smile or be kind to others. Do not praise people without a strong reason. Even if you encounter an enemy on your way, do not avoid them; wait until the opponent leaves first. If someone stabs you with a knife to kill you, shoot them and kill them with you.”
Theodore continued telling Annette how to live.
“Act arrogantly so that no one can act arrogantly toward you. Even when others insult you behind your back, force them to respect you to your face. Do not show your emotions under any circumstances. If you show fear or anger, you give them the opportunity to destroy you.”
In short, this meant not ignoring others but crushing them.
Annette opened her mouth, blinking occasionally as she listened to what Theodore was saying.
“So, simply, this means I should act like your Grace the Grand Duke.”
Annette summarized his words very easily.
Theodore became confused by Annette’s blunt words.
Judging by her innocent expression, it seemed she didn’t intend to insult him.
“You are a living example of everything you’ve just said, so why explain it in such difficult words? If your words mean that I should become arrogant toward others, I will just become exactly like you.”
Theodore knew how he appeared in Annette’s eyes; 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 into the eyes that judged him so innocently and without doubt, he felt like a sinner with no excuse.
It would have been enough to say that he was acting in a manner befitting royalty to defend himself, but somehow it was difficult for him to speak even a single word.
So, Theodore decided to end the conversation there.
It was embarrassing to finish a conversation in which someone was despising his character without reacting, but there was no way to refute her words.
“I will send you the royal family tree and the annual book of nobles with Hans. Memorize all the family crests and the names of the ruling figures.”
“Alright,” Annette replied easily.
Her calm demeanor was irritating. She never thought her evaluation of Theodore was wrong, and she had no intention of apologizing to him in the future.
Instead, she continued questioning Theodore again.
“If I look at the royal family tree, will I find your name in it?”
“…My name does not appear in the official genealogy manuscript. It may show up in personal journals kept by individuals, but if they are accidentally caught with my name in it, it would be considered treason. So they wouldn’t show it to anyone.”
“Why?”
At this point, Theodore wanted to wipe the innocent expression off Annette’s face.
“Because I am the son of a concubine.”
“But in any case, didn’t Your Grace’s mother eventually receive the title of second empress? Since you’re the son of the emperor and the empress, shouldn’t your name be listed with the rest of your family?”
“Are you trying to mock me now?”
Theodore could no longer bear her questions and finally stopped her from speaking.
Annette noticed his unusually grim expression and tilted her head in confusion.
Since she still didn’t understand what mistake she had made, Theodore calmed his temper and explained the matter patiently.
“Only the son of the first empress is the legitimate son of the emperor with the right to inherit the throne.”
In the royal family’s genealogy, only the legitimate son is recorded. It was the same when someone inherited the throne, and it was the same in official documents.
Theodore sighed, hoping Annette would stop asking questions at this point, but she didn’t behave as he wished and posed another one.
✧✧✧✧✧
