A Second Divorce is Difficult - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Chapter 4 – Part 17

“Teacher!”

“Palman!”

Ruby warmly greeted Palman.

Palman, dressed in a slightly lifted dress, bent her knees and greeted Ruby. Finding it cute, Ruby smiled and returned the greeting.

“Now you really look like a lady.”

Ruby complimented Palman as she watched her sip her tea.

“Really? I’m so nervous just thinking about going to the capital. Will I do well at the parties?”

Although she said she was nervous, Palman’s expression revealed undeniable anticipation and excitement.

“Of course. Even if you can’t think of anything in your mind, habits can’t lie.”

“I hope so.”

“You will, Palman; you’ll be the most noticeable. Who knows, you might find someone to marry soon?”

“You, too.”

Palman blushed but was secretly looking forward to it.

“When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow.”

“You must be excited.”

Ruby clasped their hands together in a soothing gesture.

“Go rest quickly. It’s going to be a long journey.”

“Yes.”

After finishing a brief tea time, Ruby stood at the door to see her off.

“Teacher, I’ll definitely write you a letter when I get to the capital. You must reply.”

“Sure. But what did the teacher say?”

“When writing a letter, address it as ‘To my dear teacher.’ If you ever need to use a name, send it as ‘Teacher Margaret,’ right?”

This was the constant reminder Ruby had given Palman.

“I’ll be looking forward to your letter.”

Ruby waved her hand reassuringly as Palman rode away on the carriage.

“Teacher!”

As soon as Palmon’s carriage left, a group of children younger than Palman greeted Ruby, holding hands with each other.

They were Ruby’s students.

“You’re here. Let’s go inside.”

Initially, Ruby mainly taught Palman, but lately, she has been teaching the children in groups.

Of course, most of the children were not learning social etiquette for their debuts in the capital’s social circles. It seemed that Palman’s changing appearance made the children uncomfortable. Thus, Ruby had to deal with awkward encounters with their parents.

Eventually, they compromised, resulting in a more affordable group lesson.

It was a decision that satisfied everyone—the children, their parents, and Ruby.

A year had passed since Ruby settled in Zenfield.

* * *

“Welcome, Aaron.”

Of course, there were still private lessons.

Aaron took over the individual lesson position left vacant by Palman’s departure.

At first, he lingered around the mansion where Ruby lived for several days.

“Who are you exactly? Why are you loitering around someone else’s house?”

Unable to tolerate it any longer, Dominic questioned whether he was a strange person. Aaron blushed, expressing embarrassment.

“May I ask why you want to learn? Not because it’s strange, but so I can decide how to conduct the lessons.”

Ruby asked, handing him tea.

“There’s someone I want to look good for ……, and I want to be worthy of her.”

When Aaron answered, Ruby waited a little longer, but it seemed he had no intention of saying more. His answer concluded the conversation.

Ruby didn’t need to know more, so she didn’t ask further and proceeded to determine the lessons.

Aaron was about Ruby’s age, so it was much harder for him than it was for the kids, and she had to correct even the smallest things to break habits that were already set in stone.

As a result, it was not uncommon for Ruby to hold his hand. At first, he felt awkward and embarrassed, but now he’s used to it and is more concerned with remembering the posture she’s correcting.

“Relax and stand comfortably again.”

Aaron let out a sigh, releasing the tension from his body.

“Can you try adjusting the pose by yourself this time?”

At Ruby’s suggestion, Aaron adjusted his pose alone. Although it was more natural than before, it was still not perfect.

“Like this.”

Ruby corrected his posture for the last time, making it quite convincing. However, there was a slight tremor in his fingertips and other areas. Aaron turned his head as if frozen in place.

“Aaron, you look like a gentleman now!”

Ruby applauded, and Aaron shyly fiddled with his hair.

“Shall we call it a day?”

Ruby said. Only now did Aaron let out a deep breath, relieving the tension in his body.

“It’s not easy to maintain the pose.”

Learning from scratch and correcting already-established habits were two different types of education.

“Still, you’re doing well. It’s incredibly fast progress.”

Ruby also knew the feeling of having to practice intensely, having undergone Marie’s harsh training and nagging every day to correct even the smallest mistakes.

“Do you need any help today?”

Just as Dominic brought juice for Aaron when his lesson was finished, Aaron asked if there was anything he could help with.

Although he was paying Ruby for his class, Aaron wanted to continue helping after finishing the lesson. Because if he helped, the task might be completed more quickly.

“N……”

“The wooden chair is broken; do you think you can fix it?”

Before Ruby could say no, Dominic jumped in and said.

“The chair broke?.”

‘The one that was fine until morning?’

Ruby looked at Dominic in surprise, and she winked at her.

She must have broken it again because Aaron was coming.

“We can do that; he doesn’t have to go through all that trouble.”

Aaron quickly stepped forward and declined, saying, “I want to help. I’ll see what I can do.”

While saying this, Aaron rolled up his sleeves. Dominic led him to the area where the broken chair was.

“Fortunately, it seems like it just needs a little fixing.”

Aaron squatted down in front of the chair and tried to piece together the broken leg.

Dominic looked at Ruby with a puzzled expression.

Meanwhile, Aaron brought a hammer and nails. After fixing various things before, he knew well where to put things.

Aaron grabbed the chair and headed out of the mansion. He usually did this kind of work outside, just in case it got dusty.

“See? He wants to help himself. You don’t understand people’s hearts too well.”

“Dominic.”

She was just about to scold her for having strange imaginations.

“I’ll go and help!”

Dominic, sensing the scolding, quickly moved away.

She went to Aaron’s side and began exchanging a few words. She was counting the number of nails he’d lined up in the name of protecting the nails he’d put down, since she’d unnecessarily avoided Ruby when there was nothing she could do to help him.

“Maybe we should ban romance books for a while.”

Ruby, who sighed with a mixture of absurdity and cuteness, went to the kitchen to fetch dried meat for Aaron.

That’s how another day passed in Zenfield.

***

“Are you not going to the luncheon gathering this time either?”

Petiz inquired while brushing Arlen’s hair.

“Eli and Viscount Vance seem busy.”

“Can’t you have a luncheon with the Emperor alone?”

Petiz asked casually, seemingly curious.

“There are people’s eyes, and Her Majesty probably wouldn’t like it either. It’s better not to create unnecessary attention.”

Apart from the friendship they had since childhood, their relationship seemed suspicious when viewed objectively. She was the daughter of Duke Miles, a high-ranking noble. A private meeting between the two could easily seem strange to others.

“I’m sorry. I must have thought too lightly.”

Petiz quickly apologized.

“No, everyone just tends to overcomplicate things.”

Arlen reassured her with a gesture not to worry.

“When will we be able to have a gathering again? Have you heard any news?”

Arlen muttered while looking at Petiz in the mirror, who was gently touching her hair.

“I haven’t heard any particular news about Marquis Grit. To be honest, it’s been quiet lately. It seems like he’s not even in the mansion. Not in Marquis Grit’s, nor in the other mansion.”

Petiz whispered the information she had found for Arlen.

“And that’s why there was no reply.”

Arlen murmured in a worried tone.

Pete was moved by her warm-hearted concern for her friend.

“My friend told me to keep it a secret only between us.”

Petiz approached her.

“It seems like Marquis Grit’s wife has disappeared. There are rumors that she ran away.”

Petiz added, whispering, as if it were gossip circulating only among the maids.

“Ran away? Marquis Grit’s wife?”

But Arlen was so surprised that he asked aloud. Petiz hastened to caution her, shushing her.

“Sorry, I was so surprised. Is it true?”

Arlen apologized, her eyes showing an apologetic gaze.

“That’s what I heard. They say she might be thinking of a divorce. As you know, there have been many rumors about Marquis Grit and his wife not getting along well.”

“Yeah.”

Arlen knew better than anyone else. She had seen it up close and even intentionally fueled the rumors at the party.

But Petiz, unaware of this fact, continued to speak.

“It seems like Dowager Grit is determined. Especially at a time when there are many negative rumors about Marquis Grit in society, helping won’t be of any use and will only cause disturbance.”

“Is that so?”

Arlen pondered for a moment. Then,

“Petiz, since I can’t have lunch with His Majesty and I haven’t attended any parties lately, how about having a party at the mansion after a long time?”

In fact, Arlen had not attended a party for a long time. Eli had accompanied her to parties held in the capital, but she was reluctant to have Viscount Kane Vance, who had taken over the role, as her partner.

“Oh, that sounds great.”

“Really?”

Arlen, who looked sulky for not being able to attend the luncheon with the Emperor, quickly recovered and began writing the names she intended to invite on a piece of paper.

Petiz looked at Arlen with a somewhat indulgent gaze.

People might think that Arlen gets along well with anyone, but that’s not the case when seen up close from Petiz’s perspective. She was someone who didn’t like going to parties alone but also didn’t participate in just any gathering. Considering Lady Miles’ name and her unmarried status, her careful and picky approach to choosing a partner made sense.

Of course, because of that, she had hardly attended any parties recently.

“If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll take my leave.”

As Petiz left the room, she noticed that on the list Arlen had cheerfully written, the name of Lady Marie Grit, the Dowager Marchioness, was included.