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Luna, an overworked Engineer, had an unfortunate end. Her spirit, feeling wronged, fights Death for a second chance in life. Death grants her the wish, but with a catch.
She gets to live a new life in a new w...
Some weeks after my alchemy studies started with the princes, I was graced with a surprise. To be more precise, an unpleasant surprise. The new tutor would be finally come to teach both me and Jenni the arts of etiquette and social conduct.
My brain had been so preoccupied with alchemy and trying to understand its complexities that I had forgotten completely about the tutor nonsense. Now I would have to waste my precious time learning these shitty things... great.
On a misty morning of the day, the tutor was finally arriving, Jenni and the Duke seemed to be in good spirits about it. Even Fanny was hopeful, thinking I would give up alchemy to concentrate on becoming a lady. She was very wrong and was I dreading the ordeal I would pass.
I was never good at things that gave me little interest, and though engineering had been difficult it was challenging enough to occupy my mind. Just like alchemy. So great was my excitement and interest that I felt soon I could do a small experiment and replicate the easiest alchemy recipe on the book the girls had offered to me.
But now, I had to learn to eat as the fancy people did and move like all those suck up ladies... uh.... my head was exploding already.
That afternoon, the family went to greet the new member of staff. As a tutor, the lady would have great authority over us children. Her decisions were final unless the Duke revoked it. He was still the lord of the manor after all.
When the long, skinny woman stepped outside a dusty and simple carriage, bearing polite smiles, in a discreet brown dress and wearing a simple bun as hairstyle, I knew she would be tough to soften with cuteness. She did look, however friendlier enough compared to other people I had met outside the Mountnero manor.
Lady Beatrice was her name and that was how we "children" would have to address. And almost on the same second as she arrived, she was already formulating our study plans. For the little I had heard from her talk with the duke, I was in deep shit .... the amount of work that lady was going to cause. Oh, Goddess!
She was quick in her introductions to us before concentrating herself only on the Duke. And it was then that her eyes shone brightly as sparkling stars. Ahhhhhh she was smitten by him, of course, she was. Poor lady, that bastard would never look at her.
Unfortunately, it was the sad truth, and while she talked incessantly at him, begging for attention in her own way, he had always his eyes on us, his children.
When her insistence grew bigger, he finally took her to discuss our studies at his office.
However, it could have been the sun, but I thought I had seen her turn slightly to me and smirk. Uh... that didn't seem good... but when I looked again she was back to her normal and friendly self. Smiling cordially to me.
So one may understand my reluctance over the new classes, when Lady Beatrice came to our study room bearing a shiny and well-made stick, one I remembered the Duke bearing when he performed that laughable punishment on me. However, something told me that on her wouldn't be a pretend one.
The room, which was a square with walls painted in cream white and with a window turned to one of the big gardens, turned cold as I watched the lady move to the big oak table me and Jenni shared in the middle of the study.
One on each side, we looked carefully as the new tutor approached the table with a severe expression. When she finally reached the end of the table, she positioned the dreadful object on the table and I was able to see how pretty and well done it was. Made of dark wood, its head was filled with pink and purple stones, shining with such intensity it almost blinded me.
"My Girls." She started by giving a warm smile. "As your tutor, I am allowed by norm to punish any unruly pupils." I turned my eyes from the stick to her and then finally to Jenni, who had a serious expression on her face, as well. "However, I pride myself on never having had the need to use it." She finally let go of the stick and positioned her clasped hands by her stomach.
"Lady Beatrice, I am sure papa is against physical punishment. It was the same with my later tutor." Jenni talked in a calm and collected manner, looking at our tutor with a smile, colder than usual.
"Indeed Lady Jennifer, your father, the Great Duke, has requested to avoid any physical punishment and it shall be done. I always believed it to be only for the extreme cases." Lady Beatrice leaned into Jenni to acknowledge her and her opinion, still very friendly.
And I always believed it to be used by the abusers.
"I was thinking of separating both of you, as Lady Lucreatia..." she gave me a side glance."... is way too behind in knowledge, but the Great Duke told me you, Lady Jennifer would not mind to lead by example and that way would be easier for your sister. I hope you don't mind this arrangement." She said in a natural voice.
No way in hell will you take my Jenni and leave me alone to this shit!! I will follow her lead, thank you very much!
Also never thought the duke would sound so rational! Thank Goddess for such a miracle!
"Very well then let's start. There is much to do and a lot to review." She said chirpily as she took the stick a kept it away and secured it in her dress.
I looked at the instrument with caution, though unlikely to be used, unless Lady over here had a death wish, I noticed she had kept it close to her. Way too close to her, for my taste.
But as the torturous tutoring went on, with numerous failures on my part and such, she never once failed to give a reassuring smile neither she ever came close to pick up that dreadful stick.
With that, I was able to relax a little, even if all seemed so... strange and unsettling.
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So what did you think of the chapter? A little short, I know... but a new character was introduced! What did you think of Lady Beatrice?
By the way, if the chapter is not of the best quality, forgive me as on vacation is hard to edit (if it is too bad I will edit it again soon). Sunday I return from my vacation and everything will be back again (i hope... XD).
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Some suggestions while you wait for the next chapter:
My blog: http://andreasousa.com
My podcast (has the blog chapters): A writer's journey (on Spotify)
Do you like that I give suggestions? I always feel this space is to connect with my readers and let them know about other things that they may enjoy... I hope is not too much XD
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