Chapter 25

‘I still don’t understand why the Common Script is Hangul and the Buke Script is Chinese characters.’

At first, Doha had been extremely confused.

She had wondered if it was just her eyes playing tricks on her, but when she casually asked others, they confirmed that this was simply how the world worked.

Perhaps it had something to do with how this world recorded the time of birth for individuals.

‘The culture and aesthetics are closer to modern Europe, so I suppose it’s not entirely strange.’

Thanks to this, Doha didn’t need to formally learn the Buke Script—she could already understand every book in the library.

Buke Script, essentially Chinese characters, was composed of phonetic sounds and meanings. Even if she didn’t know the pronunciation, she could still grasp the meaning of the text.

And as for pronunciation? That was easily solved. Bunny was already a native speaker of this world’s language, so all Doha had to do was match the sounds to the characters.

‘When I learned Hangul as a child, I studied the Thousand Character Classic at the same time…’

If she had mastered that as a child, then fully learning Buke Script would take—at most—a month.

“Today, we’ll be learning etiquette for high society.”

Liden placed his finger on a passage in the book, pretending to guide her through the text.

“If you meet someone at a banquet whom you recognize but have not been formally introduced to, what should you do?”

Doha looked down at the passage he was pointing to and responded.

“I don’t know. Should I wait until they greet me first?”

“Correct.”

Of course, the book actually said the opposite.

「Those of lower status are not permitted to greet their superiors first.」

“Since most people you meet will have a lower status than you, you must wait for them to initiate conversation first. A noble of high standing must never lower themselves by speaking first.”

Oh, sure. That makes perfect sense.

‘If I actually followed this, I’d get scolded by higher-ranking nobles for being rude, and mocked by lower-ranking ones for having no dignity as a noble lady.’

Doha held back a laugh and nodded seriously, pretending to take it all in.

“Rather than following trends, be the one to set them. Particularly, a simple and modest wardrobe will serve as an inspiration in the lavish social scene. The higher your status, the more virtue there is in frugality.”

Frugality, my ass.

The book explicitly stated that one should dress in accordance with their status.

Sure, it also mentioned that restraint in fashion could be more elegant than excessive opulence—but outright dressing modestly was nonsense.

In high society, draping yourself in jewels and extravagant fabrics from head to toe could actually earn you a better reputation.

‘Then again, it’s not entirely wrong.’

The social scene did revolve around trends.

If simpler dresses—like chemise gowns—happened to be in vogue, then his words would hold weight.

‘The problem is that a young noblewoman making her debut has no power to set trends.’

The social world was like tightrope walking.

No matter how high one’s status, failing to follow the unspoken rules even once meant immediate ruin.

If she followed Liden’s advice to the letter, she would be met with thinly veiled insults to her face and mockery behind her back.

This entire lesson was like this—the same as always.

Liden didn’t teach entirely incorrect information.

After all, if he made Bunny embarrass herself too often, his own qualifications as a tutor might be questioned.

Instead, he strategically mixed truth with falsehoods, just enough to make her fail at just the right moments.

‘He deliberately blends fact with lies to manipulate the situation.’

It was a devious and insidious method.

‘I think I’ve had enough of this.’

Feigning boredom, Doha half-closed her eyes, letting her posture slump.

Then, as if she could no longer be bothered, she pulled her feet up onto the chair and crouched in her seat.

Not just improper for noble etiquette—it was inappropriate for basic human decency.

Yet, Liden merely let out a helpless chuckle, as if he had long given up on trying to correct her.

“That concludes today’s lesson.”

“Yay!”

Doha immediately sprang to her feet, practically cheering in excitement.

Liden’s snake-like eyes narrowed as he smiled.

His small irises, exposing an unusual amount of sclera, gave him an unsettling look—one that became even eerier when his eyelids lowered.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Be sure to review what you learned today before you sleep.”

As she watched him, Doha quickly took in his sharp jawline, lack of facial fat, prominent bones, and numerous scars and moles.

‘I’ve never seen someone with such an obviously cursed fate.’

She smiled sweetly at him, her expression brimming with warmth.

‘You’re going to have a hard time finding good fortune.’

In other words—

Liden’s destiny was one of misfortune.

What exactly determines one’s luck?

A righteous heart.

A positive mindset.

The ability to recognize one’s shortcomings and the effort to correct them.

A disciplined life, kindness toward others, and generosity without ulterior motives.

But most importantly—

One must ruthlessly cut off toxic individuals who seek to use them.

Because associating with bad energy will inevitably taint your own fate.

‘Honestly, if a person lives their life properly, then things like astrology or fortune-telling aren’t absolute.’

What you give will one day return to you as fortune.

‘But Viscount Liden…’

Doha had tested him today.

And the result? Exactly as expected.

He hadn’t changed one bit.

He was already cursed with misfortune in his later years, yet he kept twisting his own fate even further.

* * *

A week had passed.

During that time, Doha had endured Liden’s nonsense lessons with great patience.

But she had tolerated it for this very day.

Today, she put on Bunny’s old, ragged chemise dress—the same one she used to wear when she was confined in the castle.

“Young Lady.”

At that moment, Candice approached her and bowed her head.

“Everyone has gathered.”

“Then, shall we go?”

Today was the tea time for the Lily Society, a social club led by the Grand Duchess.

It was a charity group dedicated to supporting orphanages.

Normally, their meetings were held at a mansion in the capital, but since imperial banquets weren’t in season, the Kredel estate had been chosen as the venue.

The main reason?

It was simply the closest location to the capital.

Doha walked leisurely through the garden, as if she had merely come out for a stroll.

On a whim, she plucked a few flowers.

Then—

“Ah!”

Through the glass greenhouse, she made direct eye contact with Fluvia.

The Grand Duchess’ face stiffened in shock.

“Mother!”

Doha brightly waved her hand before running straight into the greenhouse.

She threw the door open without hesitation.

“Ah! Young Lady!”

A nearby servant, waiting outside the greenhouse, gasped and tried to stop her—but it was useless.

After all, Bunny wasn’t called a master of escape for nothing.

“Here! I picked some flowers for you, Mother!”

With her dirt-stained hands, Doha shoved the flowers toward Fluvia.

Both Fluvia and the other noblewomen inside blinked in stunned silence at the sudden intrusion.

“Th-Thank you, dear.”

Fluvia, momentarily frozen, quickly composed her expression and accepted the flowers.

“But this place is…”

“Wow! Hello!”

Doha cut her off mid-sentence, turning cheerfully toward the other noblewomen.

“I’m Ophelia Kredel!”

“…….”

“…….”

According to “The Basics of Social Etiquette”, the rule was clear:

A person of lower status must wait until a superior addresses them before they can introduce themselves.

While Ophelia was a direct descendant of the Grand Duke, she technically held the title of Young Lady, which placed her below the titled noblewomen present.

Of course, in reality, the daughter of a Grand Duke commanded far more respect than any countess or marquess.

But at least on the surface, she was supposed to show deference and humility to the noblewomen present.

Yet right now—

Her introduction was a blatant declaration that she considered herself superior to them.

‘I’m just following exactly what Viscount Liden taught me.’

With an innocent smile, Doha handed out flowers to the noblewomen one by one.

As she did, she carefully studied their faces.

Since this was a charity club, most of them were kind-hearted women with naturally warm dispositions.

“It’s such a pleasure to meet you all! This is my first time meeting noble ladies like this. I’m so excited!”

She beamed radiantly, bouncing in place like an overjoyed child.

“T-Thank you.”

Though clearly perplexed, the noblewomen reluctantly responded to her overenthusiastic greeting.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“We’ve heard so much about you. To finally meet the Lady of Peace in person…”

There was no hostility in their expressions.

After all, from the moment Doha entered, she had given off the impression of someone who knew nothing about etiquette.

Rather than seeming disrespectful, she came across as an uneducated child.

“We heard you were very ill.”

“Oh dear, you must have suffered terribly to look like this…”

Doha could almost hear the unsaid words behind their sympathy.

“Did she receive no etiquette training at all?”

A Countess, after giving Doha a once-over, murmured hesitantly.

“I heard she had a contagious disease.”

If that were true, then she must have been isolated for a long time to prevent spreading the illness.

That would certainly explain why she was so hopelessly unrefined.

Now, rather than finding her annoying, the noblewomen felt pity for her.

“It’s fine. She may be a little behind other noble children, but if she works hard, she’ll catch up in no time.”

The Countess reassured the others.

Doha tilted her head, as if she didn’t quite understand.

“Of course! A Kredel would never fall behind!”

“She will undoubtedly grow into a noble young lady of grace and refinement.”

One after another, the noblewomen earnestly comforted her, encouraging the clueless girl with bright eyes.

“Me?”

“Of course! You’re already a noble symbol of this era!”

Doha, blinking in innocent confusion, suddenly lit up with excitement.

“Wow!”

Her radiant smile bloomed like a flower.

“Thank you!”

Then, without hesitation, she grabbed the Countess’ hand.

Her hands—rough as sandpaper, as if she had spent her life doing hard labor—were far from the delicate hands of a noble lady.