Oh, I also need to talk to Wyatt about letting Burns Trading Company manufacture the hot water bottles. Maybe it’d be better to wait until he’s actually used it. I’ll talk to him about it tomorrow! Oh, I should also let my father know about the bottles and the study session.
I spoke to my father, who listened with a smile as I told him about how I would be tutoring Samuel in classical literature. Once I mentioned that I would also be tutoring Prince Keith, his expression changed to one of surprise.
Yeah, I’m shocked too. I really think the palace tutors should be teaching him.
“Have fun teaching them, Patience,” my father said.
That’s all you have to say?! Gosh, you really are a strange one, father. The only people I enjoy teaching are my little angels.
I received a reply to my letter from Countess Northcourt stating that she would send a carriage to pick me up. Eva would arrive later, after serving lunch at our house.
I only had a little time left, so I spent it with my brothers picking strawberries in the greenhouse. I wanted to bring them as a gift for the Northcourts.
The Northcourt carriage arrived, and Mary and I got on. Do I really need an attendant when I’m just visiting a relative? Mary was carrying a bag filled with fabric for making hot water bottle covers. She was probably going to sew them while waiting for me.
I guess it might be good that she’s coming along, since it’ll be warmer there than in our house.
The Granger home had just barely gotten to the point that it was no longer outright cold. I decided to focus on the idea that we were conserving energy by not burning so much firewood.
Oh, Aunt Lilianna is out front to greet us. She seems pretty anxious.
“Patience, is it true that Prince Keith doesn’t like cake?” Aunt Lilianna asked, completely forgoing any greetings to check what the second prince would enjoy.
“Yes, he’s never once eaten the desserts they serve at the salon. However, he said the pancakes were good when we had them at the summer palace. Eva knows how to make them, so everything will be all right.”
“I see,” she replied, finally seeming to calm down a bit.
Mary proceeded to hand the basket of strawberries over to a butler.
“Oooh, strawberries!” Samuel exclaimed. “The Grangers’ strawberries are delicious!”
You’re eating our strawberries, Samuel? Those are merchandise!
“Where are you manners, Samuel? They are indeed beautiful, though. We should serve them to Prince Keith as well.”
That’s fine, but does she remember that this is a study session?
“Aunt Lilianna, we will be using the hanon for today’s study session,” I explained. “Would it be all right if we gathered in the children’s room?”
There was a huge commotion after that. Every member of the household staff was gathered to clean the children’s room once more and replace the chairs and tables with more luxurious furniture.
While that was going on, I was in the drawing room with Count Northcourt and Samuel drinking tea. Aunt Lilianna seemed busy overseeing all the changes.
“Thanks to you, Samuel has not only gotten to join the music club, but he’s also been blessed with good friends,” Count Northcourt remarked. “I’m grateful to you, Patience.”
That’s right—Daniel, Valdische, and Klaus are all in Class A, so they come from good families too.
“On top of that, you’ve even invited Samuel to a study session with Prince Keith,” the count continued. “What an honor this is.”
You’ve got it all wrong. I was originally planning to tutor Samuel alone, but Prince Keith forced his way in. Though that was the truth, I wasn’t going to share that with the count.
The children’s room on the second floor appeared to be ready, because Aunt Lilianna returned downstairs.
“I think it’s time for lunch. We must be done before Prince Keith arrives in the afternoon.”
The study session is scheduled for the afternoon. He’s not going to show up in the middle of lunch. Whatever, I’ll do as she says.
“Please remember that Prince Keith is here for a study session, Aunt Lilianna,” I said after we finished lunch.
“Gosh, I know that. Samuel said the same thing to me as well. Even then, you will need some tea during your break, no? I think it will be rude to serve tea in the children’s room.”
Understood.
“In that case, we shall come downstairs to the drawing room for tea,” I replied. “I think a break after roughly two hours of studying will be good.”
Samuel looked disgusted, but since his parents were right there, he refrained from complaining about studying.
After lunch, we waited for Prince Keith to arrive in the drawing room. This feels so awkward. Samuel also looked bored.
“Aunt Lilianna, would it be all right if I used the hanon to practice the songs I will be using for our study session?”
She raised a brow.
“My, Patience! You haven’t practiced? You mustn’t come so unprepared. Go upstairs and practice.”
Samuel wanted to join me, but his mother stopped him. He apparently had to be there to greet Prince Keith when he arrived. Being upstairs wouldn’t prevent him from doing that, but I wasn’t going to point that out to my aunt.
Sorry, Samuel!
The children’s room had been transformed into a resplendent space. The chairs and tables had been replaced by much more gorgeous pieces. Aunt Lilianna must have worked really hard to make this room nice.
I began playing some Dehn songs on the hanon. These don’t seem too difficult. During my previous life, I’d enjoyed singing karaoke, so I decided to try singing the songs.
“Dehn really does sound similar to classical Emperado,” I remarked. Singing the songs made their connection even more apparent.
Since I was still a beginner when it came to speaking Dehn, I’d brought a dictionary with me to go over any of the lyrics I didn’t understand.
Wow, this song is actually a really passionate love song.
I continued playing a few other songs while looking up the meaning of the lyrics.
“Prince Keith has arrived,” a servant announced, so I rushed downstairs.
“Welcome, Your Highness,” Count and Countess Northcourt both greeted their guest.
Wait, he brought Ralph and Hugo too? They’re all greeting each other. I guess they’re happy to have the sons of good nobles over.