Chapter 78

Perhaps because Aunt Amalia put in a word for us, I received a letter from Lady Racine of the House of Viscount Satisford. It said she would send Angela’s equestrian instructor on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. My father relayed only that much, but I received a letter of my own as well. Inside, she invited me to the Satisford estate for tea.

“Father, what should we do?”

I showed the letter to my father to seek his judgment.

“Hmm, she is sending an equestrian instructor to us. It would be best to go and pay our respects once.”

It would cut into my time with my brothers again, but it was for the sake of their riding lessons. Since I can go anytime, in cases like this, I choose to accommodate the other party’s schedule.

“Mary, please deliver this letter to the House of Viscount Satisford.”

I wondered if she knew where the mansion was, but it seemed I needn’t have worried. Mary delivered the letter promptly and returned with a reply.

“I’ve been invited for tea at the Satisford estate the day after tomorrow. I’ll need a gift to bring along.”

I can’t bake cookies without butter and sugar. Would roses be sufficient?

“Do you think roses would be alright?”

The Satisfords are supposedly wealthy, so they likely have roses of their own, but as it’s just a small token, anything should be fine.

“How about roses along with the sheet music for the new song you composed, My Lady? When I visited the mansion, the sound of Hanon exercises was echoing through the halls.”

Angela was being made to learn music intensively, likely influenced by Princess Margaret’s love for it. However, her classmate Princess Jane is active and loves horse riding. It would be a pity if Angela loved music but was terrible at riding. I’ll ask Lady Racine if I can invite Angela to the Music Club once I see how she’s doing.

I was only thinking such things because I am terrible with horses. I can manage to make one walk slowly. Or rather, the horse just walks on its own.

On the afternoon of the visit, I made a bouquet of roses and neatly transcribed a simple version of my new song and several pieces I had performed at the Music Club to bring as a gift. The distance wasn’t far enough to justify renting horses for a carriage; it was right in the neighborhood. However, our mansion definitely won in terms of sheer size. Or so I thought until I saw the interior—it was completely different. It was warm from the moment I stepped into the entrance hall.

My cousin, Viscountess Racine, looked exactly like Aunt Amalia. In other words, she had the “Granger look.” Does a wealthy lifestyle make one’s personality gentle? She seemed very easygoing.

“This is the first time I’ve met my cousin Patience. Normally, I wouldn’t have children present, but since Angela is around the same age, I thought it would be alright.”

I didn’t mind at all. Though we are cousins, Racine is much older than me.

“Yes, after all, we will be studying together at the Royal Academy next year.”

Angela was a lovely young lady with blonde hair and grey eyes. Like Racine, she was the soft-spoken type.

“This is your first cousin once removed, Patience Granger. She serves as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret.”

Angela gave a graceful greeting.

“I am Angela Satisford. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Patience.”

I worry she might be run ragged by Princess Jane.

“Lady Angela, I composed this song myself. I am a member of the Music Club at the Academy.”

Angela received the new sheet music with a look of joy. I started to worry again that this girl might not get along with Princess Jane. But I had underestimated the resolve of the nobility.

“Mother told me that you have entered the dormitory, Patience. Do you find it inconvenient?”

Wait, are they putting this gentle young lady into the dorms too?

“I was raised in the Granger house to do things for myself, so I don’t find the dormitory inconvenient. Besides, I can use lifestyle magic.”

They are absolutely determined to make Angela a lady-in-waiting for Princess Jane.

“Does Princess Margaret not find it difficult?”

I couldn’t exactly say that far from being difficult, she was relieved to be away from the Queen’s watchful eyes.

“She mentioned that the maids clean the Special Suites.”

I can’t imagine Angela being able to clean.

“My, so there are Special Suites. Are you in one as well, Patience?”

I hate rich people. There’s no way we have that kind of money.

“No, the Granger family tradition is one of simplicity and fortitude, so I have a standard room. However, the schoolmates of Prince Richard and Prince Keith all brought their own furniture into the Special Suites.”

I really wish someone would do something about that carriage traffic jam, though.

“I see, so even for a Viscount’s house, a Special Suite is acceptable.”

Probably. Racine likely used the high-class dining hall (the Salon) herself, so no explanation was needed.

“Angela, you must work hard at your riding from now on.”

I thought Racine was the easygoing type, but she really is Aunt Amalia’s daughter.

“Patience, please come again when the Viscount is home.”

Apparently, he is busy managing their territory right now. Does a port town ever have a slow season? I wondered about such things as I successfully completed my visit.

On Tuesday and Thursday, the equestrian instructor arrived at the mansion with a pony and a horse. Now I have to do riding training too. Why?!

“My Lady, please keep your back straighter.”

On top of that, the instructor is a Spartan. To choose such a strict teacher… Racine is serious about getting Angela into the Riding Club.

Nasius has learned to ride the pony, and Henry has even challenged the horse. He’s better at it than I am. Physical Enhancement is incredible.

“At this rate, we won’t need the pony for him next time.”

Are you sure, Nasius? But he’s full of motivation. He really is a boy. I’d be happy with a pony for the rest of my life. In medieval stories, I think clergy and ladies rode donkeys; I wonder if there aren’t any donkeys around?

Just when I thought I was free from riding practice, a letter arrived from Saries Monterracy.

“He says he’s off duty tomorrow, so he’ll come in the afternoon to give swordsmanship instruction.”

I think I’ll just watch. Since Aunt Amalia took it upon herself to volunteer him, I was worried whether Sir Saries would actually show up. Well, I don’t know if he’ll keep it up, though.

My cousin, Sir Saries, was a pleasant young man. He had the brisk attitude and booming voice characteristic of an active-duty knight. He is the very definition of a “fine young man.” For my tastes, he’s a bit too grown-up, but most young ladies would look upon him with favor. (Since I’m a shotacon, you see).

After a brief greeting with my father, the swordsmanship instruction began immediately. I watched from the sidelines, worried the boys might get hurt. Father is holed up in his study. Now that the fireplace is lit, his “shut-in rate” has increased significantly. I’d like to make him exercise a bit.

“Nasius, we start with how to hold the sword. Yes, hold it like this.”

Sir Saries’s instruction is far more thorough and kind than he looks.

“Patience, I am used to instructing the squires who enter the Order, so I am accustomed to this.”

Ah, it must have shown on my face. I see, he’s used to teaching. That’s a relief.

“Henry, you have Physical Enhancement. Watch closely.”

Whoosh! He made a sound of cutting the air that you wouldn’t expect from a wooden sword. Henry’s eyes turned serious.

“Now, you try.”

It was completely different from when George was teaching him. Henry made a sharp, small whistling sound as he swung.

“Yes, keep practicing your swings like that.”

Next was instruction for Nasius. It started with the grip, then how to swing up, swing down, and footwork.

“If you can do this much on your first try, you’ve done excellently. Nasius, you have Wind Magic. You can strengthen your sword by wrapping it in wind. But for now, just practice your swings. I’ll check on you next time I come.”

So he is coming back. I’m grateful. An active knight truly is different from George the manservant.

“Thank you very much,” the two said, and Sir Saries laughed off their gratitude.

“Sir Saries, thank you. It’s not much of a reward, but please at least stay for tea.”

He spent his precious day off teaching swordsmanship. I have to at least serve tea. We don’t have sweets, but I’ll have them bring out some sandwiches.

“No, the Order feels a debt of gratitude toward the House of Granger. This much is fine.”

The Order feels a debt of gratitude? I have no idea what he means.

“Oh? Was Patience too young to know? Nobles like Marquess Copperfield—those obsessed with noble supremacy—suggested that only high-ranking nobles should be allowed to enter the Royal Academy. Viscount Granger opposed this, risking his career to protect the right of lower-ranking nobles, the knight class, and commoners to enroll. There are several knights from the knight class in the First Order, and nearly everyone in the Sixth Order is from that class. Everyone is grateful.”

Wait, isn’t my father’s argument the correct one? King Alfred himself puts his own children in the dormitory, so he isn’t a noble supremacist. But surely there were many nobles who agreed with Marquess Copperfield. So Father protected them at the cost of his job. It’s noble, but… the sacrifice made by Mother and Patience was huge.

“I see. I did not know.”

Perhaps sensing my shock, Sir Saries finished his tea quickly and departed.

I finally learned the reason for my father’s dismissal, and it was an unavoidable situation. If it were some kind of false accusation, I could investigate and clear his name, but it was a dismissal he accepted with resolve. Based on the way King Alfred spoke at the Summer Palace, there seemed to be a desire to do something about it, but for now, we can only wait.

With all that happening, I completely forgot about Liliana, Countess Northcote, who was supposedly coming to make an “unreasonable request.”