The Rose Faction was persistent. They were like weeds. No matter how much they were trampled, they somehow managed to scatter their seeds and unfailingly sprout new shoots when spring came.

As society became impoverished due to war, the voice of the Rose Faction gradually faded.

Then the war ended and the world changed rapidly. The advancement of technology made life more abundant but also brought various problems.

That’s when the Rose Faction began to raise their voices again.

At first, the queen ignored them. She was afraid of losing the hard-won peace if she drew her sword.

And there was no justification.

She couldn’t behead people just for gathering among themselves and printing and circulating something like a ‘Charter of Freedom and Equality’. At most, she could imprison them, but if she did that, the prisons would burst.

So she chose coexistence. As long as they didn’t directly challenge the system, the queen intended to leave them be.

However, the false peace created by this precarious coexistence soon shattered.

“The Rose Faction has attacked the Denver militia. Several guns have gone missing too.”

“Are you certain it was their doing?”

“The queen believes so. And she’s judged that they’re planning an uprising.”

Given that this information came from the queen’s dogs, it was likely to be true.

“But why Miss Jane?”

Cain took out a cigar. When Nathan lit the end of it, he inhaled deeply.

Cain tended to smoke cigars when he was displeased with a situation.

“We need a story that will captivate people. Jane is perfect for that.”

The Whitney family, great nobles who nonetheless supported the Rose Faction, and the daughter of that noble family who met a miserable end seven years ago after providing them with war funds.

If that daughter came forward and chanted with the people, ‘A rose in the right hand, bread in the left.’

“She would become their focal point. People would be enthusiastic and Jane would become a star. That’s what the queen fears.”

Even if their army doesn’t form, they can’t just sit back and watch as their ideology surfaces and spreads widely.

“Are you marrying her for surveillance purposes? Is that also why you assigned Black Hawk Saul as the young lady’s footman?”

Black Hawk referred to the secret operatives of Cain who worked underground.

They would carry out any dangerous task without hesitation at Cain’s word.

Cain nodded decisively, but Nathan believed there was another reason.

Because Cain’s attitude towards Jane was different from his usual self.

The Cain that Nathan knew was kind to women. He was the epitome of a gentleman. Whether he had feelings for them or not, whether they were commoners or nobles, he didn’t discriminate.

But how was he with Jane? From what Nathan had briefly observed in passing, Cain was colder than winter icicles.

“Repack this letter in an identical envelope and send it to the Caden household.”

The letter flew at Nathan so suddenly that he barely managed to catch it just before it hit the floor.

Cain chuckled at Nathan’s awkward appearance.

“That’s what you get for daydreaming.”

What an elegant way to warn me not to let my mind wander in front of you.

Nathan grumbled inwardly but replied obediently.

“I’ll send it right away.”

Like a good subordinate, he immediately carried out the order.

Left alone, Cain lowered his head over the desk to work.

The light green envelope was still there. To leave no trace, it should be burned.

“What a bother.”

Before setting fire to the envelope, Cain stared at it for quite a while.

At Jane’s name, at that neat handwriting.

Though she had become a completely different person, her handwriting alone remained exactly the same as when she used to whisper love to him.

Annoyingly so.

* * *

Jane received Merche’s reply that evening.

I’m sad to part ways with you, teacher. Since you’ve entered the Hastings household, it must be good news, right? Please let me know if there’s any good news. May I write to you occasionally? Wolfgang is writing a letter for you.

Despite Jane’s sudden resignation, Mrs. Merche was kind. Jane’s nose stung at the affection permeating every part of the letter.

Although she had planned to leave the capital as soon as her contract with Cain ended, Jane wanted to continue her connection with Mrs. Merche.

Jane took out stationery to write a reply. However, responding to Merche had to be postponed.

“The person in charge of your education has arrived, young lady.”

Michelle spoke quite politely. But the hostile attitude flowing through her entire body had not disappeared.

It seemed she would have to educate the servants first thing after the wedding.

“Show them in.”

“You must go yourself, miss. Mrs. Themis is waiting in the Fleur Room.”

“Mrs. Themis, you say?”

Michelle nodded.

Jane swallowed hard.

It seemed Cain was determined to give her a hard time.

If Mrs. Themis was truly to be her teacher, there was no time to hesitate.

She was a person who couldn’t tolerate even the slightest wait, with not a shred of patience.

Jane and Mrs. Themis had a connection. An ill-fated one.

Jane clenched her fists and stood up.

“Lead me to the Fleur Room.”

Although she never wanted to meet that person again, there was no avoiding it now that things had come to this.

* * *

Baroness Anna Themis.

She had made a name for herself in the past as an etiquette teacher.

In particular, she had a knack for correcting ladies’ posture and gait.

Many nobles lined up to take lessons from her.

Thanks to Baroness Themis, Baron Themis, who had no special abilities, could walk with his head held high.

Naturally, the Themis barony revered Baroness Themis. Given the circumstances, Baroness Themis’s nose was in the air.

But her popularity did not last forever. It was because of Lady Whitney.

Lady Whitney entrusted the education of young Jane to her, trusting only in Baroness Themis’s reputation.

Baroness Themis’s teaching style was very oppressive. And she frequently resorted to corporal punishment.

For Lady Whitney, this was unacceptable.

On the day Jane was struck with a cane for twisting her ankle while wearing shoes, Lady Whitney drove Baroness Themis away.

Not stopping there, she raised issues with all of Baroness Themis’s actions and words that had been suppressing Jane.

When Lady Whitney set out to bring down Baroness Themis, places seeking her services disappeared.

Just when it seemed she had been forgotten by high society, she returned as an etiquette teacher a year before Jane moved to the capital.

Baroness Themis appeared with a letter of recommendation from a prestigious family. A few families who wanted to forge connections with the recommending family entrusted their children to Baroness Themis.

From then on, she repackaged her past.

Somehow, Lady Whitney became an unreasonable person who lost her senses over her child, and Baroness Themis became an unfairly victimized teacher who lost her job due to overbearing parents.

Nevertheless, the young ladies learning from Baroness Themis were very few.

Who would have thought she’d be included in that small number.

Jane swallowed a sigh.

“Your posture has become terrible.”

A paddle with a pentagonal leather tip attached to a birch handle flew in without mercy, striking Jane’s waist.

It had been so long that Jane almost hunched over.

Punishment as soon as she entered the room, Baroness Themis hadn’t changed at all over the years.

“May the goddess’s glory be with you. It’s been a long time, Baroness Themis.”

Whack.

This time it was Jane’s thigh.

“You should bow lower, Jane. Push your back foot further back. You need to do it properly to have your debutante ball. Your name was Michelle, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, madam.”

“You may leave. I’ll report the content of the education to the duke separately.”

Michelle turned and left without a hint of hesitation.

The words about reporting to Cain stuck in Jane’s head.

She could easily imagine what Baroness Themis would say to him.

Unladylike, lacking grace, impossible to have a debutante ball with just two months of preparation, vulgar, and so on.

Imagining Cain nodding along to Baroness Themis’s words, Jane felt a surge of defiance.

Jane gritted her teeth and lowered her posture a bit more as instructed.

Jane wondered how long Baroness Themis would make her hold this position.

When she was young, she had held it for a full hour before collapsing.

Now her body was heavier, and the heels she wore were higher. Honestly, she didn’t think she could last even 30 minutes.

But she didn’t want to give in. She was determined to hold out as long as she could.

She didn’t want Cain to evaluate her as a woman lacking in perseverance.

“Jane, from now on there are only two things you can say in front of me. ‘I understand,’ and ‘I’m sorry.’ Your legs are shaking.”

Smack, the paddle flew in. Despite the burning pain, Jane didn’t even flinch.

“You’re as stubborn now as you were then.”

Baroness Themis was the one who had taught Jane the bitterness of life. Yet she criticizes her for being stubborn? Jane was dumbfounded.

“Let’s see how long you can hold out.”

Baroness Themis pulled up a chair and placed it in front of Jane.

It was just the right distance to swing the paddle while sitting.

Jane sensed that the order to release her posture wouldn’t come easily.

One word of apology would suffice, but Jane disliked that.

Patience was Jane’s strength, and after rising from rock bottom over seven years, she had developed a stubborn streak.

Even if it was a fight with a foregone conclusion, she wouldn’t be the first to back down.

Sweat began to form on Jane’s forehead.

* * *

“Where are you taking that meal?”

Another maid spoke to Michelle as she moved with a tray.

“A great person has arrived, you know. Unlike us who actually work, she apparently can’t move a muscle after just a few hours of education and wants her meal brought to her room.”

“A great person? Who? Ah… that young lady from the Whitney family!”

“Young lady? What young lady? I saw her unpacking earlier and she’s far worse off than us. Shabby dresses, not a decent piece of jewelry. If we went out side by side, no one would know who the young lady is.”

“Watch your words. Butler Norbert said she’s to be the duchess and we should treat her with respect.”

Michelle shrugged her shoulders, implying that would never happen.

Worried that Michelle’s loose tongue might cause her harm, the maid who had spoken to her quickly waved her away.

Michelle climbed the stairs, swaying her voluptuous hips from side to side.

‘The food will spill everywhere if she moves like that.’

The maid watched Michelle with concern.