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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Bridal Lessons
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The Grand Duchess sat as straight as a bamboo stalk.
Despite the sharp gaze that scrutinized her from head to toe, Aracilla calmly walked and stood before her.
"It's been a while, Grand Duchess."
"Why are you so late?"
"My apologies. Had I known you were coming, I would have arrived earlier, but I hadn't received any notice."
At the subtle jab about her unannounced arrival, the Grand Duchess's eyebrow twitched.
*This mere slip of a girl dares to cross me?*
From her slender frame, she produced a surprisingly booming voice.
"It is only natural for a married woman to return home early! What do you mean by gallivanting about outside!"
"Grand Duchess, I was not gallivanting about outside; I was working."
Aracilla calmly corrected her. Not a hint of intimidation showed in her demeanor, which rather confounded the Grand Duchess.
Whether it was Demian's mother, the current Duchess, or any other noble lady or young mistress, no one had ever been so defiant in front of her.
"You are a very headstrong girl."
"Wouldn't anything be better than being weak? By the way, what brings you here?"
Seeing her gentle smile, the Grand Duchess's face hardened as she recalled the wedding.
Yes, this girl was more formidable than she appeared. If so, she had to be even stronger.
"Do I need a reason to visit my grandson and his wife?"
"That's not what I meant. It's just that Demian is currently away on a mission."
A smile touched the Grand Duchess's lips at her words. It was even better that Demian wasn't here. It would be easier to exert pressure on the girl before her and establish her authority.
Instead of Demian, who was rebellious and refused to listen, she planned to break Aracilla's spirit and use her as a docile puppet.
If she could plant her own person closest to Demian, her son, the Duke of Vandermir, would feel a little more at ease.
"That works out well. I came specifically to see you anyway."
"Me?"
"Yes. If you are to be a member of the Vandermir Ducal Family, you must receive an education befitting our house."
Her tone reeked of superiority, and Aracilla's lips merely twitched.
The Hugo Marquisate was also one of the empire's most prestigious families, yet the Grand Duchess of Vandermir seemed to disregard that entirely.
"Especially you. You seem utterly lacking in the ability to manage a household and build a family as a virtuous wife supporting her husband."
"..."
"Did you even receive proper bridal lessons from your family?"
Of course, Aracilla had never received such lessons. Even when her mother, the Marchioness, tried, Aracilla had stubbornly refused, living her entire life far removed from bridal lessons.
She had been a celibate, single-minded woman from the start.
However, uttering such words would only give her more ammunition, so she simply smiled gently and replied,
"My parents raised and taught me well, so you don't need to worry."
"You have a glib tongue."
The Grand Duchess looked at Aracilla with displeasure, then cleared her throat and said,
"To become a person worthy of the Vandermir Ducal Family, you must put in a commensurate effort. From today, I will live with you and teach you, so learn with gratitude."
At the sudden announcement of moving in without so much as a by-your-leave, Aracilla let out a hollow laugh. Only then did she notice the ducal maids lined up behind the Grand Duchess, carrying massive luggage bags.
*She came prepared.*
She quietly stifled a sigh. Was this not the Grand Duchess of Vandermir, the most respected elder within the family?
If she were to flatly refuse and send her away, she didn't know what fault the Grand Duchess would find. She might even speak ill of her to her own family, causing them worry.
*For now, I have no choice but to go along with it.*
It was difficult to refuse at the moment, and there was no justification, so she had to concede for now.
*Let's just wait until Demian returns.*
He was said to not be on good terms with his grandmother, so he wouldn't meekly accept her moving in either.
Rather than unilaterally mistreating her husband's grandmother, it was better for the couple to join forces and drive her out. Aracilla decided to retreat for now, biding her time.
"Understood, Grand Duchess. I look forward to your guidance."
"Yes, I shall endeavor to teach you well."
Observing Aracilla, who smiled meekly, the Grand Duchess's lips curled into a sharp smile.
*I'll make her cry her eyes out before Demian gets back.*
And then, she would surely bring her to heel.
* * *
The next morning, Aracilla woke up as usual and went down to the dining hall. There, instead of her sculpted husband, sat the stern Grand Duchess.
"Did you sleep peacefully last night?"
Aracilla respectfully greeted her. Her attitude, at least, was impeccable. But a person determined to find fault can always find something.
"I had a terrible night! How exactly is this mansion managed? The servants aren't properly trained either."
Having slept perfectly well, the Grand Duchess began to complain. Aracilla, with a tranquil expression, let the words go in one ear and out the other.
*You can talk, I won't listen.*
Skillfully concealing her attitude, she sat down in a chair, and this time, the arrow flew in a different direction.
"How lazy are you, child? To oversleep when I am here!"
"..."
Objectively, Aracilla was neither lazy nor did she oversleep. She usually woke up earlier than others to go to the Magic Tower for work.
However, the Grand Duchess, who was not one for morning sleep, had woken up at dawn and was scolding Aracilla for appearing later than her.
"There is no one more pathetic in the world than a lazy woman. From tomorrow, come to greet me at 5 AM."
Not just waking up at 5 AM, but coming to *greet* her then. What time was she supposed to wake up then?
Aracilla had a lot she wanted to say, but she bit her tongue and nodded. It was a wise decision, as arguing point by point would be endless.
"Yes, understood."
"Do you always leave the Magic Tower at the same time as yesterday?"
"Sometimes it's later, sometimes earlier. But mostly, it ends later."
She had recently finished a research project, so she had some leeway. Once she started a new one, late nights would begin again.
"Hah, you must be out of your mind! For a married woman, instead of focusing on her household, to be crawling back home late at night just because she claims to be working!"
The Grand Duchess slammed her cutlery down in a fit of pique. It wasn't just that she was displeased; her values simply couldn't tolerate Aracilla's behavior.
It was only natural for a married woman to focus on her family, and the very idea of her still attending the Magic Tower was incomprehensible.
"Quit the Magic Tower at once!"
"No."
"What? You truly...!"
"Grand Duchess."
Aracilla, with a chillingly cold smile, softly called the Grand Duchess's name.
"I have no intention of being interfered with on that matter, so please give your guidance on other areas."
At the brazen words, daring to choose which teachings she would accept, the Grand Duchess couldn't burst out in anger.
For a moment, a force emanated from Aracilla that even silenced her.
"...Hmph."
After a long moment, she let out a breath of disbelief, and Aracilla smiled gently and said,
"Anyway, you want me to come home early, right? Understood. I'll leave work early for a while."
Only until Demian returned, that is.
Aracilla elegantly began her meal. The Grand Duchess gripped her water glass, glaring at her with a sharp gaze.
* * *
"Senior, are you leaving already?"
Rudy, who was organizing his papers, widened his eyes upon seeing Aracilla preparing to leave. From another desk, Sally also craned her neck out.
"You're leaving early?"
"Yes, it'll probably be like this for about ten days."
"Is something wrong at home?"
Aracilla chuckled briefly at her junior's worried question.
"It's not nothing."
"Oh! Really?"
"It's alright. It won't take too long to resolve."
Aracilla offered a faint smile, then gathered her handbag and left. From today, she had to leave work early to receive "education" from the Grand Duchess.
She wondered what torments, disguised as education, awaited her.
Aracilla gazed out the window with a blank expression. The Vandermir mansion, characterized by its red bricks, proclaimed its grandeur from afar.
As she stepped out of the carriage and entered the front door, a sharp reprimand immediately flew at her.
"Oh, heavens! What is that vulgar attire you're wearing!"
The Grand Duchess looked at Aracilla's Magic Tower uniform with a horrified expression. Trousers were visible beneath the long, cape-like top.
Only commoners wore trousers. It was unthinkable for a noblewoman to wear trousers.
At least, in the Grand Duchess's opinion, it was.
"Please don't be alarmed, Grand Duchess. It's merely my Magic Tower uniform."
"Silence! Change your clothes at once and come to my room!"
The Grand Duchess, trembling with fury as if Aracilla were walking around naked, spun around and walked away.
Aracilla wasn't pleased either, seeing her uniform—which was more valuable to her than any expensive dress from a high-end boutique—treated with such disdain.
But the Grand Duchess stomped away, so there was no way to argue back.
"Let's go, Audrey."
"Yes, Madam."
Audrey, who had been standing discreetly by the wall, quickly followed Aracilla. At her gesture, a few more maids followed.
They helped Aracilla undress and meticulously adjusted her attire and hair.
Aracilla looked at herself in the mirror. Wearing an apricot-colored high-neck dress with her hair tied low, she looked like a newlywed noblewoman, and yet, not quite.
Perhaps it was because the aura of her free-spirited unmarried days still lingered.
She let out a small sigh and went to the guest room on the second floor where the Grand Duchess was staying.
"You're late."
The Grand Duchess, seated in an antique chair, immediately found fault. Her tone made it sound as if Aracilla had deliberately dawdled for an hour.
"Tsk, tsk, what good is she if she's so sluggish? It seems I was right to decide to personally correct your insolence."
Audrey's expression darkened at those words. No one would be pleased to hear their mistress disparaged in front of them.
Aracilla, however, stood calmly, her head slightly bowed. Her seemingly unaffected expression irritated the Grand Duchess even more.
"A child like you won't learn unless she's taught a lesson physically."
The Grand Duchess motioned to her maid, whom she had brought with her from the capital. The maid then placed a basket of clothes in front of Aracilla.
Aracilla, whose eyes scanned the dress that somehow looked familiar, asked,
"What is this?"
"It's the dress I wore yesterday. Wash it with your own hands. As you do so, you will feel respect for me and recognize your place within the Vandermir family."
Audrey's face turned white. Although she hadn't received bridal lessons, Aracilla was a noblewoman who had received an excellent education.
Ordering her to do a maid's work was a clear insult.
"What, can't you do it?"
The Grand Duchess wore an arrogant smile, looking at Aracilla, who stood unmoving.
"If you dared to become a member of the Vandermir Ducal Family, you should have been prepared for it."
This, too, would feel like an insult to Aracilla, who was also born into a prestigious family, even if not a ducal one.
The Grand Duchess didn't care if Aracilla ran off to tell her family everything. If discord arose between the two families, the marital bond would naturally weaken.
While making Aracilla her pawn was desirable, this method was even easier.
"What are you doing, standing there unmoving!"
