Zoella

Part 63

As time went by like the flow of the river, it was in the mid of spring now. All the flowers were in full bloom. In the garden's gazebo, Zoella enjoyed her tea time with Amelia and Noah.

"I heard you have difficulties in your dance class today too, Zoe."

At the sudden of her Mother's words, Zoella almost choked while she was sipping her tea.

"I wouldn't call it difficulties, Mother. She was like a pretty doll made of log."

Zoella glared at Noah's teasing tone. Ever since they became close, Noah wasted no time to begin teasing her.

"Come on, it's not like I can be good at anything I do. Besides, who would've thought that dancing was this difficult? It's more difficult than swordsmanship."

"Also really different from the dance I did at the festival."

She grumbled the last sentence in a whisper that Noah and Amelia couldn't hear it.

It had been a week since Zoella started her dancing lesson. And yet, she still didn't make any progress in it. Even Madam Stefield who supervised Zoella's lesson was quite surprised to see Zoella struggling.

Since Zoella was quite fast in learning etiquette, Madam Stefield thought she would have no problem with the dance lesson.

Which didn't turn out as she wanted it to.

"Slowly, my dear. Though, I'm okay even if you don't want to learn it. You also don't have to dance if you don't want to."

Amelia said calmly as her hand caressed Zoella's hair.

"But, Madam Stefield said all debutants have to dance at least once?"

"Why would you care about such a thing? No one would talk bad about you and even if they are, I'll cut their tongue off."

"Noah."

Noah looked away as he sipped his tea nonchalantly. Although he said it in a joking tone, Zoella felt like he would actually do it.

"Don't worry, baby. Your Brother didn't dance at his debutante either so why not?"

"Mother!"

Zoella chuckled at Noah's annoyed face. But that expression didn't last long. Zoella frowned when some thoughts hit her brain.

"But why? Brother is kinda handsome and I'm sure some ladies would love to ask him to dance."

Noah's face looked dejected when Zoella said kinda handsome instead of only handsome. His Sister didn't know that Noah was considered one of the best grooms in the Empire.

A lot of ladies were head over heels for Noah. Not only because of his face but his polite personality and his position as The Royal Knight Captain made him seen as a perfect man.

However, up until now, there were no ladies who could capture Noah's heart yet.

"Well, before the music even started, your Brother hid in the palace's garden, slipped into the carriage, and stayed there until the banquet is over."

"Mother, why did you tell her that?"

Noah looked really flustered but he couldn't stop Amelia.

"Just a precaution. If she does something like you did then me and your Father would know right away."

"Say Brother, which way should I take to quickly run away?"

"No run away for you. If you're bored, tell me and I'll take care of it. Understand?"

Amelia and Zoella laughed freely as they felt satisfied after teasing Noah.

That day at 3 p.m., Zoella went to the training ground to meet her teacher and Tyrael. Since she had a dance lesson right after etiquette, Hayes had no choice but to push back the schedule for her training and conclude the equestrian class.

Zoella didn't have any complaints as she was already good at it.

"There you are, Zoe."

"Yes, but where's Tyrael?"

Zoella looked around the training ground but she didn't catch a glimpse of that elf today.

"He's training with other Knights. Let us sit down first."

Hayes sat cross-legged followed by Zoella on the ground. His disciple seemed a bit confused because usually, Hayes would have her spar with Tyrael.

"As you know, your debutante will be held soon in the palace. And I'm sure Madam Stefield has taught you everything you need to know like how to deal with ladies and stuff. You still train your mana control, right?"

Zoella nodded with her forehead wrinkled. She didn't understand how her debutante related to mana control.

"You can do flight magic, right? Invisibility and concealment?"

"I can manage but it's still hard for me to do them."

"Then I need you to train those magic more. In debutante, you will meet many kinds of nobles. Honest ones, hypocrites ones, sly ones, disgusting ones, and many more."

Based on how Hayes talked about nobles, Zoella knew that her teacher didn't like them very much. But strangely, he kept acting polite around her parents.

And Zoella could guess that Hayes was behaving like that not solely because they were her parents.

"Teacher, when we first went to Academy and you suddenly ran off, could it be you don't want to meet nobles?"

"Yes. I'm sure you already know the reason after what you've been through in Academy. But their parents are so much worst. Of course, there are proper nobles like your family but the others are shit. They want respect but they've done nothing to earn it."

Zoella couldn't say anything to him. What her teacher said just now sound so serious that Zoella didn't have the courage to retort.

"Anyways, there will be some nobles who approached you with a political purpose in mind. Or even something deeper than that."

"Like what?"

The corner of his lips raised.

"Who knows?"

"Oh, come on teacher."

"You gotta figure it out on your own. Just be wary."

Zoella pouted her lips at her teacher's riddle-like words. It wasn't enough that he told her to train those difficult magic but also made her curious about something she didn't even know.

"You're too much, teacher."

"Don't fret. You will know once you meet them. You're my disciple after all."

'What's that get to do with this?'

Zoella wanted to say it out loud but she knew that her teacher wouldn't say anything at all and most likely tried to avoid the topic.

"You can start your training now."

"Okay but why those magic?"

Zoella asked as she took Hayes's outstretched hand.

"Just in case you run into big trouble. Oh, and you can use simple magic to you know, 'defend yourself'."

A playful smirk was carved on his handsome face. Just seeing that smile was enough for Zoella to understand what he meant.

"I can use it?"

A similar smile appeared on her face.

"Why not? Now, start with flight magic."

Hayes's last sentence made Zoella's smile drop instantly. His teacher really wasted no time if it was about her training.