Lady Felice’s Secretive Lesson

Claude Buford sat in the kingdom’s first-floor reception room, momentarily staring at the bouquet of flowers in his hands.

It was a bouquet he had received from a passing woman, just like a charitable donation.

Her cheerful smile contrasted with the condescending attitude she displayed, almost as though she was pitying him like a beggar being given money. She hadn’t even accepted payment, as if to scold him for not being able to buy the flowers himself.

Despite his efforts to hide his identity, Claude had been recognized as a member of the royal family. A woman, dressed in a mixed-fabric gown that looked like something a housekeeper would wear, offering charity to a royal family member.

“Then what’s with the remark about wishing the royal sun shines brightly…?”

Claude glared at the flowers. Despite his irritation, he couldn’t bring himself to throw them away. The reason he had kept them was because of his aunt, Madam Depende. She had insisted that he show sincerity, even going so far as to threaten him to take at least a bouquet with him on his fourth introduction.

“I hadn’t planned on preparing any form of sincerity, but I didn’t expect to receive this kind of charity from a woman I’m meeting for the first time.”

With a sigh, Claude took his pipe, but when he saw the door open, he set it down again.

“Hello, I’m Claude Racliffe.”

Introducing himself as Racliffe, not Buford, Claude stood up from his chair.

No matter who the woman Duchess Depende had introduced for the fourth time was, Claude had to make an effort to at least ask her for an after-meeting, purely out of courtesy.

* * *

[“Following Miss Felice’s advice, he reached out to me first! Thanks to that, I was able to spend a mesmerizing time with him on a beautiful evening at sunset. I’m truly grateful. By the way, there’s another place where Miss Felice is needed. Please reply. The compensation will be generous, I assure you.”]

Felice read the letter from Madam Vanessa and smiled gently. Though she felt a slight pang in her chest for having aided in such questionable actions, the current letter, in contrast to Madam Vanessa’s appearance at first, seemed much more vibrant.

Of course, the success of the Duchess’s romantic endeavor and the accompanying payment had played a significant role in the smile on Felice’s face.

Moreover, with the promise of another job, it was impossible for her not to smile. She picked up her pen, wrote a formal reply expressing how happy she was that her advice had been helpful, and then, without hesitation, asked for the specific terms of the next assignment.

[“The fee is 10,000 francs. That’s enough to pay off Baron Kelton family’s debts with some extra left over. However, the confidentiality of the person who requested the service must be strictly maintained. If you accept, I will provide more specific details. How does that sound?”]

Felice’s mouth dropped open at the 10,000 francs mentioned in the letter.

Considering that she earned only 2,000 francs a year as a tutor, this offer was enormous.

Felice swallowed hard.

The amount she had managed to pay off over the past year, by not eating or buying anything, is 1,000 francs. Of that, 600 francs is the principal. Her father’s debt amounts to a staggering 8,000 francs—so it might take over ten years to pay it off… And now, 10,000 francs?”

Felice swallowed hard.

“She didn’t even give me any information about the client before I accepted…”

Felice gripped Madam Vanessa’s letter tightly.

The painting she had started as a side project two years ago had turned into a money-losing venture, with no income in sight.

Despite this, she couldn’t bring herself to let go of painting. Without it, she felt as though there was nothing left to hold onto in her heart.

“This is something I have to do.”

Felice picked up her pen.

* * *

Two weeks later, Felice stood before the historic Saint Brahm Palace.

Since accepting the commission, she had received a reply from Madam Vanessa.

[The Queen herself is requesting help from Miss Felice.]

That day, Felice had stared at the letter, frozen as though she had turned to stone. She wasn’t sure how many times she had read it.

She pulled at her hair in frustration at the things she can’t undo. It was too late for regrets—she had come too far.

“Hmm, Miss Felice?”

As she berated herself for not thinking more deeply about what the 10,000 francs meant, she heard the voice of Sir James and turned to look.

“…Yes?”

Sir James, with his stern expression, looked Felice up and down before narrowing his eyes. He didn’t say anything but instead guided her.

With her shoulders stiff with tension, Felice walked like a wooden puppet. She hadn’t been this nervous even when teaching the much younger noblewomen, but her body was tense.

This was her first time coming into the palace since her debutante after so many years, so she told herself it was understandable. However, the sweat soaking her palms and the way her eyes darted around without restraint were beyond her control.

“Hmm, is Duchess Vanessa not accompanying you?”

As they entered the long gallery of the Brahm Palace, Sir James asked. The eyes of the nobles who were also waiting to meet the Queen briefly shifted from Felice to Sir James.

“Yes, Madam has some business to attend to today…”

“I see.”

Before Felice could finish, Sir James interrupted, his gaze sliding from the top of her head to her feet once more.