“I hope you don’t touch me without my permission from now on.”
Embarrassed by Pamela’s defiance, her mother and the godfather stared at her with their faces burning in shame.
After a while, the red-faced godfather shouted,
“Ho-how dare you!”
“Pamela! What are you doing? Apologize now!”
The mother, who finally came to her senses, followed the godfather, yelling angry admonition at her.
“What do you mean? I just said what I wanted to say.”
“How dare you!”
“Hurry up and apologize to him! Don’t you know who managed to get you into the convent dressed in such nice clothes?”
‘I know, but why do you defend such a lecherous man? I’m your daughter.’1
“I am well aware.”
Neither his mother nor Harman spared any money and effort for Pamela.
The dresses and shoes she was wearing now, and the things she would take to the convent were the very proof.
It was a little old and not expensive enough for real aristocrats to use.
She still enjoyed the luxury that ordinary people could not enjoy…
‘…but in the end, they’re all for your sake, aren’t they?’
“Then, hurry up and apologize!”
“You should be nicer to me instead.”
“What?”
If Pamela, her daughter, got involved with a higher standing family, her fortune would be guaranteed.1
In other words, her mother was investing in her future.
“I told you, you should nicer to me. You both want me to be a good product, don’t you?”
“What are you talking about …”
“If you want to increase your product’s value, be careful handling it. You don’t want your product to be dirty, right?”
“…”
As Pamela grew older and matured, she knew she would attract the godfather’s lustful desire.
If Pamela, a convent graduate, weren’t deemed valuable enough. She would have to become a substitute for her mother.
Therefore, Pamela, who wanted to avoid it, tried her best and was recognized for her value as a product.
“Don’t worry about your expectations, because it won’t fail.”
Of course, everything was for herself.
Pamela smiled when the carriage shook loudly. The sudden propelled the chair of her mother and Pamela’s away. The weighty godfather’s butt was attached to the chair. Nonetheless, he still swung to one side and hit his head against the carriage door.
The godfather’s hat, which had been crooked to one side, fell to the carriage’s floor.
“What’s going on!”
The godfather covered his growing shame with an angry roar.
“I’m sorry,” replied the horseman, who heard the godfather’s voice outside.
“Son of a bitch! Stop colliding with the carriage in front of you,” said the seething godfather, before bursting open the carriage door.
Maybe he’s going after the carriage he almost collided with.
“Hold it! This is Harman’s carriage!”
As if he had already forgotten the argument that had been going on until now, the godfather got out of the carriage without the help of the horseman and rushed to the opposing carriage.
Thanks to this, the mother and daughter were left in the carriage.
Come to think of it. This accident had happened before. Pamela had forgotten, but it happened ten years ago. Even then, the godfather stormed out of the carriage door, leaving Pamela with her mother in the carriage.
And what happened next?
After a moment of recalling the hazy memories, she saw a familiar logo on the side of the carriage.
“Pamela! What are you doing? What did you do earlier?”
“I’m going out for a minute.”
“Pamela! You!”
“Let’s talk again later…”
‘Although I don’t know if you can.’
Taking no notice of her mother’s fuming call, she turned towards where the godfather headed. A large, clean carriage came into her sight, contrasting with the old one she rode.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
A bright, pleasant voice emanated from inside the large carriage that made the godfather feel ashamed.
At the same time, the door opened, and a luxurious dress caught my eye.
“Our horseman must have been speeding up as he was on his way.”
The girl dressed in a luxurious dress, of the same age as Pamela, came into their sight.
Once a year, the convent and monastery, which belong to the central church, would welcome girls and boys that of seventeen years old as students.
However, the purpose of their education differed.
Women in the kingdom could only be educated in a convent. In contrast, the men would be educated before entering the imperial academy, not the monastery. Thus, the monastery had a slightly more religious image than the convent. The boys who entered the monastery were mostly aiming to be a church member.
“Welcome, did you have any trouble getting here?”
“Well, not really.”
“Is that so?”
Mother Cabine, a nun in charge of the convent and monastery here, bowed respectfully to a boy.
Even though their convent was the most prominent in the kingdom of Corpris and the best educational institution for women, they didn’t have many cases in dealing with people of high status.
Opportunities like this are rare!
Today she had to payed her respect to the little boy without a fault.
“The room is the biggest and the best place in the monastery. It’s a little far from the lobby on the first floor, but the room itself isn’t that far away, so it’s easy to move around.”
“I see.”
“Yes, I told them to bring the meal to your room, unlike another student, and—”
“Whatever, where’s my escort’s room?”
At the boy’s question, she repeated the answers she had prepared in advance.
“Of course, the escort’s room is ready. I thought it’d be convenient to stick his room by your side.”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“…yes, and then-“
“That’s enough. If I need anything, I’ll tell you.”
The boy shook his hand, annoyed with her constant words. His escort received his signal and stood beside the boy, blocking her from his view. Her mouth trembled slightly at the apparent refusal.
“…yes, then please take a rest.”
Cabine, who was chasing after the shadow of the boy, saw him disappeared under the guidance of the escort. She could only sigh at his ceasing back.
“Mother, I …”
“They are an important guest. Listen to everything he wants, and make sure you don’t get upset at him. When he makes troubles, report to me right away.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Cabine has been having a headache since she saw a list of new girls entering the convent today.
The girls who could adapt smoothly were okay, but the problem was with the troublesome girls.
It was a substantial issue for her, who valued perfection.
Cabine rubbed her forehead when Hana, the nun standing next to her, said bitterly.
“I don’t understand. I can’t believe he’s coming to the monastery, not the academy.”
“Well, we don’t have any say in it.”
Cabine was quick to shut the conversation down because she was afraid Hana would spout out useless nonsense.
“Even if you say this now, you need to be careful in front of him.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
They would be in trouble if the words caught his ear.
As the nun said, they didn’t know why someone like him came to this monastery, but it didn’t matter.
“Don’t worry. The boy is going to get better in the future.”
“Will he?”
“He’s still seventeen, isn’t he?”
He’s just a little boy.
Even if he behaved like a hedgehog with a bunch of thorns, it was apparent that he would gradually be a little off guard over time.
As usual, if she held onto God’s love and treated the boy with kindness and love, he would someday open his heart.
He’d trust and follow her like a mother. If that were the case, the monastery, and Cabine, who had raised the boy in her arms, would get generous donations.
“Very good, I was happy to hear that the Lady of Chlyna was coming to the convent, but she-“
“Excuse me, sorry for interrupting your conversation.”
“…!!!”
Mother Cabine and the nun, who was smiling, were startled at the sight of the man. He who had come to their side was the one guarded the boy earlier.
He had broad shoulders and a heavy build hidden under the lightweight armor he donned. His inscrutable eyes stared at the two.
“Do you have anything to say?” she forced a smile and looked around quickly.
Fortunately, there was no ‘he’ next to the escort.
Their beating heart calmed down little in relief.
It would have been a disaster if he had been listening to their conversation.
If those things happened…
Cabine shook her head at a terrible thought.
However, she wasn’t relieved yet. This man in front of them might deliver the conversation to him.
How long had he been here? Did he hear the conversation? Or…
Cabine stared at the guard, who introduced himself as Tatavile, cautiously. The man turned towards her with an unreadable expression.
…did he not hear their discussion?
There must be some resentment if he had heard them talking about his master.
Isn’t he the boy’s guard?
The guards of the nobility were supposed to step forward for the safety and honor of their masters.
That was the reason for their existence.
“The Lord said to deliver this message.”
“Ah, yes. Say it,” said Cabine, who was observing the guard’s expression. She nodded her head with an even more benevolent smile than ever.
Still, he delivered the words without any change in his countenance.
“First, don’t wake me up until I wake up by myself.
Second, do not enter the room without my permission. Third, only Tatavile will be assigned to serve as my guard. Fourth…”
The guard, who was continuing his speech in a low voice, suddenly stopped talking.
What is it?
Cabine and the nun waited anxiously for his next words. They were agitated at the guard’s silence.
They had dared to talk about his master. He wouldn’t forgive them easily.
What kind of punishment would he give them?
Cabine wanted to ask right away, but she didn’t have the nerve.
“I’ve forgotten the fourth one… I’ll ask again.”
“Then… I’ll leave first.”
Fortunately, his guard wasn’t very bright.