[IFITAOAMV] Chapter 60

In the end, I couldn't resist any longer and had to accompany Edwin.  

“Relax and focus on your lesson. I’ll be beside you, watching over you,” Edwin said proudly.  

Can you concentrate on a lesson with a dragon sitting next to you? I was more worried about whether the etiquette teacher could teach properly.  

Resigning myself to whatever might happen, Edwin suddenly picked me up.  

“Alright, let’s go.”  

Go like this? Horrified, I tapped Edwin’s shoulder.  

“Put me down.”  

“Why?” Edwin asked, sounding a bit sulky.  

“It’s the first time we’re meeting the teacher today. After all, she’s an etiquette instructor, so I must greet her properly.”  

“No need for you to greet anyone. My bride should only receive greetings.”  

So many things were wrong with that statement, but I kept my mouth shut. I already knew from experience that trying to reason with him was pointless.  

When we entered the parlour, a finely dressed lady awaited us. Upon seeing us, her eyes widened, and she forgot to stand up.  

My face flushed with embarrassment, but I couldn’t look away, afraid it would seem disrespectful.  

“An etiquette teacher who doesn’t know the basics? How do you expect to teach properly?” Edwin said in a condescending tone.  

Finally snapping out of her daze, the lady quickly stood up, startled.  

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Maria Ashlyn,” she said, her elegant gestures betraying her profession as an etiquette instructor, though she couldn’t quite hide the trembling in her hands.  

Edwin merely nodded and headed for the sofa. In the meantime, I gave the lady a small, awkward smile, and she returned it despite her obvious discomfort.  

I worried Edwin might sit me on his lap again, but to my relief, he placed me gently beside him.  

“Baroness, you know why you’re here, right?”  

“I understand. I’m here to teach the future duchess proper etiquette.”  

The baroness tried her best to speak calmly, though she couldn’t meet Edwin’s eyes.  

“This lovely woman here is my bride.”  

“She’s truly beautiful. It’s an honour to meet you,” the baroness said, smiling softly at me after Edwin’s introduction.  

“Angelina, it’s nice to meet you,” I responded, and as soon as I finished my greeting, Edwin cut in.  

“The lessons will be daily, but only for an hour. My bride is delicate.”  

“...Understood.”  

“My bride is easily startled, so ensure the lessons are always filled with praise and conducted gently.”  

The more Edwin spoke, the more awkward the baroness’s expression became. Meanwhile, I felt like a child attending a parent-teacher meeting for kindergarten. I wanted nothing more than to disappear into a hole out of sheer embarrassment.  

“And one last thing. My bride is essentially me. You know how to treat her, don’t you?”  

Edwin’s smile was bright, but his sharp blue eyes carried a warning, causing the baroness to pale instantly.  

‘Just as I thought.’  

I had a feeling the baroness would bolt and refuse the job. Even coming to the duke’s mansion took more courage than most people had, and now I wondered if we’d ever be able to find a teacher willing to stay.  

I sighed inwardly.  

“If you satisfy my bride, I’ll pay you double what I originally offered.”  

At this unexpected offer, the baroness, who had looked ready to flee, suddenly seemed much more focused, her eyes sparkling with different intensity.  

“There will be no disrespect. I will do my utmost to teach her properly.”  

The baroness had instantly transformed into a dedicated teacher, which relieved me somewhat, though now I was curious about how much Edwin had originally offered her.  

“So, when should we start the lessons?” she asked.  

“Right now.”  

“Understood.”  

After she responded, there was a brief silence. The baroness, who had seemed to relax a little, began to look confused. Edwin’s expression had also changed.  

“Why aren’t we starting?” he asked.  

“Um... will Your Grace be staying as well?”  

“Of course. Where would I go when my bride is here?”  

“Then... will you be observing every lesson?”  

Edwin nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and the baroness went pale again.  

‘I’m so sorry. I tried to stop him, but it was impossible,’ I apologised to her in my head.  

“I dislike people who take my money without working for it,” Edwin said, pulling out a pocket watch and smiling.  

The baroness snapped to attention, quickly rising from her seat. “W-We’ll begin right away. Let’s start with greetings. Would you come here, please?” she asked, motioning for me to stand beside her.  

“I don’t think you need to learn greetings,” Edwin muttered, frowning.  

The baroness looked flustered, so I leaned over and whispered to Edwin.  

“If I learn how to greet properly, I’ll know whether others do it correctly when they greet me.”  

They might make a mistake and embarrass me if they don’t follow proper etiquette.