“So, is it time for the finishing touches?” inquired Christine, sipping on her tea. Jeanette was visiting the woman in Duke Pablo’s townhouse.
“Yes,” she replied firmly. “Her Highness is used to doing the karate stances, and she can finish the walks without any problems! Her bouts of anemia have decreased drastically, and I think her complexion has improved a lot too!”
For the past month, Meltia had exercised every single day with Jeanette. They progressively intensified the training, and the princess’s stamina had noticeably improved. Her voice was even more vigorous than before, and her cheeks, which had once been pale and unhealthy, had regained a rosy gleam. Meltia had once been a sickly, frail beauty, but now she had developed a vibrant, lively spirit, which made her look all the more at the peak of her beauty.
“In that case, she shouldn’t have any issues attending a ball, right?” Christine prompted. Jeanette nodded energetically. The duchess almost returned the gesture, but then... “Pfft! Tee hee!” She started laughing and covered her mouth with her hand.
“What’s so funny, my beautiful wife?” asked Duke Pablo as he entered the room.
Christine laughed even harder, turning her gaze to her husband.
“Hee hee! Listen, Layton. Jeanette and I were just talking about Tia.”
“Ah, right, the princess ordeal. So has Claus managed to return home safely yet?”
“Not yet. We’re in the middle of coming up with a strategy for that,” Christine clarified. “But gosh, Jeanette is so funny. She actually managed to get that selfish child to practice karate!”
“Ka-ra-te?” the duke repeated in confusion.
Jeanette’s eyes lit up.
“Yes! It’s a martial art from the Far Cast, and the perfect method of strengthening your stamina!” she explained, tightening her fists and thrusting them out. “Sei! Sei!”
Duke Pablo watched her with wide eyes.
“You got Her Highness to do that?”
“I told you! Isn’t it hilarious? Tee hee!” Christine giggled. “This is a feat only Jeanette could’ve accomplished. No other lady would’ve been able to make Tia practice karate—the thought wouldn’t even cross their minds! Just how are you able to do such things?” The duchess continued laughing. The incident must’ve tickled her funny bone.
“It’s not such a big deal,” Jeanette replied bashfully. “I got her to do it by using the prospect of her dancing with Lord Claus as bait.”
“It’s even funnier that that worked!”
“But how is Her Highness practicing karate related to Claus’s rescue?” the duke questioned in puzzlement.
At that, Jeanette and Christine exchanged a look with each other and smirked.