"Very good, Micha. Just remember not to let your chin dip too low." I set my teacup down and glanced over to Harper, who started joining me for my lessons two days ago. I've been a bit nervous having her here, but she's actually been very supportive and even gives me additional advice. "It's okay to look humble, but you don't want to look like you're bowing." Mmm, when Ronak popped in a few days ago and told Giselle that I am to bow to no one but occasionally the emperor, it must have left quite the impression. She's been incredibly strict about the position of my chin ever since. I thought she was taking things too far, but even Harper agreed with her. I… didn't realize it mattered how much of an angle my chin was in relation to my chest. "Let's move on from posture and etiquette. How has your embroidery been coming along?"
Harper stood and retrieved my bag for me from the classroom's counters. She even went as far as to unzip my bag before handing it to me. She was taking her position as my lady-in-waiting very seriously. "I decided to add some grass and flowers." I had finally finished the rabbit I had started a while ago. Honestly, I was extremely impressed with how it came out. Hopefully, Giselle thinks the same.
"Oh, how marvelous!" She flipped it over and looked at my stitching. "It's like you were destined to use a needle. Besides blending your color shifts a tad bit more, I'm very impressed."
Harper seemed rather curious, so she leaned over and looked at my rabbit, too. "This is your first time?!"
"Why, yes. It is." I politely smiled as the two of them admired my piece. Embroidery was the one thing that I wasn't struggling with as I tried to absorb knowledge like a sponge. I thought I was a talentless omega, but it turns out I'm not half bad!
Giselle handed my finished piece back to me. "You should attempt something a bit more complex for your next one."
"About that, I'm not sure if it's common here, but when my family celebrates Winterfest, we give small gifts to each other. I was hoping that you could show me how to embroider a handkerchief. I want to put Ronak's crest on it." I knew I would be taking on quite the challenge. Embroidering on something that will be visible from both sides is a lot different than embroidering on a hoop that will hang on a wall, and the back won't be seen. I really wanted to take on the challenge, though. His mother had been granted the name Abraxos when she got married to differentiate her from the royal family, despite her despicable husband not taking the name. Ronak told me that he decided to discard the previous duke's name and take the last name of Abraxos when he was young as an act of defiance. Ever since he told me that, I've been really wanting to give him something with his family crest on it.
"Giving gifts is a common practice here, too. I think that's a marvelous gift to give the Archduke." I showed Giselle the black handkerchief I selected from a vendor, and she went about teaching me different techniques I needed to master before I started. Even Harper seemed extremely interested in the advice. Yeah, this was definitely my favorite part.
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Ronak
I stood near the entrance to the classroom listening in as Micha learned. I didn't particularly like the classroom. It only brought up negative memories for me, but having it completely gutted and refurnished helped. Also, seeing Micha happily learning helped to erase old scars.
"You don't need to use the word please when writing orders down for an attendant," Giselle said. She didn't sound annoyed with Micha or anything, but she probably found his gentle nature slightly frustrating to deal with. He wasn't the type of student you wanted to scold because he'd probably burst into tears, and I warned Giselle. If a single tear leaves his eyes because of her, she might not be able to see her children ever again.
"I-I can't say please? Does that include all the staff?" Heh, of course, Micha was struggling with such a thing. Fuck, he's cute.
"That's…"
"That's just the way Micha is." Both Giselle and Harper flinched as I turned the corner and stood in the doorway. "I don't see anything wrong with him saying please. He's terribly polite, even to people who don't deserve it. Asking him not to say please is like asking him not to breathe." As I spoke, Micha drifted over to me like a bee attracted to honey. He even wrapped himself around my arm and snuggled close. Mmm, I didn't mind that behavior at all. He's been a lot more clingy ever since I left. He says it's just because he was scared, but I think it's because he's finally started accepting the fact that he has feelings for me.
"You're done with your interviews early?" Micha peeked up at me curiously with his large golden eyes. I love the way his large plush eyelashes flutter when he blinks.
"Only a little early. I figured I'd come see what you were doing." A pleased smile formed on Micha's face as I looked down at him, and his emotions turned all warm and fuzzy.
"Just learning about household management." Yeah, I knew that they learned about household management during this time of day. It was part of the schedule that Giselle submitted to me.
"Mmm, that's good. Are you ready for lunch?" A little bit of excitement coursed through Micha. Pft, despite being a good student and a quick learner, he was just like any student. The moment the time was up, he wanted nothing more than to scurry away.
"I'll see you two tomorrow." He called as I pulled him along with me. I turned left instead of right, and Micha's excitement increased. "Ooh, are we going to the observatory for lunch again?"
"We both enjoy it, so why not?" Micha was terribly cute when I first showed him the observatory. I felt bad for not showing it to him sooner, but it wouldn't have been a pleasant experience with construction noises going on in the background. The funniest part was when I started telling him about plants, he quickly spun in my arms and put his hands over his mouth. He told me that I can only tell him about five plants each time we visit, so there's always something new to explore. I thought he was being a bit silly, but my pounding heart made me nod my head and go along with his antics.
The observatory was the biggest one I've ever seen a noble having. It ran the entire width of the estate, or I guess castle, as Micha calls it. Besides, where it touched the castle, it was completely constructed out of glass panels. I liked how you could look out and see the tall pines. Right now, they were heavy with snow, but during the other seasons, they provided shade and swayed with the wind. Between nobles giving me rare plants and my own attempt at collecting interesting varieties, I had quite the selection. I had even gone out of my way to get soil from where the plants naturally grew so they had a better chance of surviving in my observatory. I even had magic devices made to help regulate the temperature and humidity around the plants. In other words, my plants were thriving, and seeing Micha get excited over them made me feel like my efforts were justified.
Micha's emotions were almost suffocating as we entered the observatory. He mentioned last time we were here that he'd love to have a tea party at the little white gazebo that I had built in the center. I didn't care as long as the guests respected the plants. This place had become one of my safe havens as a child, and I didn't want to see it get ruined.
"Are you liking your lessons?" I asked, realizing that as we walked down the path, I had fallen silent. Fuck, my mind was all over the place.
"They're not too bad. Giselle isn't rushing me to learn things, but we're progressing at a decent pace, or at least I think it's decent." It was more than decent. I wasn't joking when I said Micha was a good student. He picked up on things easily and followed directions flawlessly. Even for etiquette, where I thought he would struggle, according to Giselle's reports, he's picking up things at a good pace.
"That's good, and how are you adjusting to having Harper around?" Micha had expressed to me a few days ago that it was strange having someone follow you around all the time, but it was just something he had to get used to. He struggled to get used to Olivia, but now she doesn't bother him, and I assume it's going to be the same case for Harper.
"I like her. She's a lot quieter than I was expecting. Woah! Look, it's blooming today!" Micha pulled away from me and slipped through my fingers as he ran over to the blossom that was closed shut yesterday. Mmm, I hate it when he does that. Can't he just stay close?
"Don't get too close." Micha had practically stuck his face into the large, dark pink blossom. It wasn't dangerous or anything, but I doubt it was a flower he'd want to go sniffing. "It causes drowsiness." Micha flinched and took a few steps back. Pft, I couldn't help but chuckle at how cute he was. "You'd have to breathe in a lot of it, but people have used its blossoms to help alleviate sleeping problems." Before Micha was in my life, I'd occasionally use it to force myself to go to sleep. These days, Micha is my substitute for the blossom. I don't know why, but he makes me feel so calm and relaxed that sleeping isn't a problem anymore. At first, it stressed me out because I slept so heavily that I wouldn't know if an assassin came in the night, but now I don't mind it at all.
I wrapped my arms around Micha so he couldn't escape again and rested my head atop his as we looked at the blossom. One of its unique features was that at the end of each of its five petals, they curled a little. It gave the flower a funny look before it bloomed. "Does it do anything else?" Was he referring to the other parts of the plant?
"No, not really. Only its pollen is particularly useful."
"That's okay. I think its beauty makes up for it." Yeah, sure. Just don't make any flower arrangements with it. If I walk into my office and see you passed out next to them, I'll just take you to our room and teach you a lesson. A small smile formed on my lips as I thought about the type of lesson I'd teach Micha. Micha became a bit fidgety in my arms, so I released him, but grabbed hold of his hand as we continued our walk to the gazebo. "Did your interviews go well?" He asked, drawing me from my thoughts.
"I reduced the list of twelve down to three…" Mmm, he probably noticed that I was avoiding talking about them. "The three in question interviewed rather well. They even agreed to my conditions."
Confusion started to swirl around Micha. "Shouldn't you hire all three of them then?" He looked up at me with puzzled eyes. I guess I should… We went to so much work just to get all twelve candidates here at the same time. We didn't have enough room to house them here at the estate since we only have seven available rooms at the moment, so instead we rented them rooms at the Cerulean Meadows Inn. I preferred it that way, though. There wasn't a fucking chance I was going to let twelve unmarked alphas into our estate unmonitored. Micha was mine.
We walked up the stairs of the gazebo as I thought. "I wasn't expecting to go from only household staff to six employees in the span of one month." Micha gave me a slightly perturbed look, but giggled as I helped him into his chair.
"You can't keep running a dukedom and Elutra by yourself. I forbid you." Micha had quite the cheeky grin forming in the corners of his lips as he looked up at me.
I leaned down, placing a hand on the back of his chair and one on the table as I hovered above him. "You forbid me?" Who did this little brat think he was telling me what to do?
"Y-yeah! I forbid you from doing everything by yourself from here on out-!" Before he could finish his order, I leaned down and stole a kiss from his soft lips.
Micha clearly wanted more because he leaned up, trying to steal more kisses as I pulled away. "Are you my naggy wife or something?" I teased back.
"N-no, but I'm going to be your naggy husband one day." Micha wrapped his arms around my neck, dragging me back down towards him. His lips met mine, and I wanted nothing more than to consume him whole. Forget lunch. I should push it to the ground and put Micha on the table so I can have him instead.
Despite wanting to give in to my desires, I managed to pull away before Micha's soft tongue lured me in anymore. I glanced at Micha and saw him angrily stick out his bottom lip. "Your heat cycle has definitely passed, and yet you're acting like this? Are you trying to cause problems?" I raised my eyebrow and stood fully up.
Micha's cheeky grin returned as I walked over to my seat. Fuck, I know it's proper for me to sit across from Micha, but would it kill them now and then to put our two seats closer? "Noooooo. I would never cause you problems." This little brat. He's lucky he's cute.
"I didn't realize improving your confidence would make you so problematic," I grumbled as I picked up my fork.
"Ooooh, you like the problems I cause." Micha mimicked me and picked up his fork. Apparently, his manners had been thrown out the window today because he happily chomped on the cucumber salad with that annoying grin still plastered on his face. He was trying to get a reaction out of me, wasn't he?
"You're not completely wrong." I liked most of the problems Micha caused for me. I liked that he made me want to skip morning training, and I liked his terrible manners. I even liked all the extra work he's caused me, but I don't love it when the little dummy goes chugging weird things and ends up puking. I could do with a lot less Micha vomit in my life.
I let out a heavy sigh and started eating my own food, but it was hard to ignore Micha's intense gaze. He rested his elbow on the table and then leaned against his hand as he started to spin his fork around his fingers, as he did with his harvesting knife. "Come on. Don't hide things from me. Something is obviously bothering you. You're not usually so indecisive." Have I become that easy for Micha to understand?
"It's not that I'm being indecisive. I have the intention to hire the three of them… I'm simply struggling to find it in me to trust them with important documents. Yes, the three of them come from loyal families, and they interviewed well, but… people who seem just as good as them have caused plenty of problems for me in the past." A bit of sadness appeared in Micha as he listened to me. "You don't need to feel upset, I just… don't want it to happen again." There had been too many maids, attendants, and people I thought I could trust who went and stabbed me in the back just so they could turn around and lick the previous duke's shoes. It was disgusting, and I was sick of it. To think that that could happen again with someone I had hand-selected made me furious. It wasn't just me that I had to worry about anymore. I had Micha in my life now, and I wasn't going to let anyone hurt him.
"Couldn't you build up to that level of trust? Start them out with simple things and work up to letting them handle sensitive documents?" Micha didn't get it at all. He's never had someone intentionally build trust with him just to have them stab you when it matters most.
"I… could…" I was afraid that I was overwhelming Micha with my feelings of unease. I didn't want to try that method at all. I already knew what I wanted to do, but I don't know if Micha will approve of it. I didn't want to keep too many secrets from him, though. Every time he stares at me with his wide, honest golden eyes, the lies I've told in the past eat away at me. I didn't want that feeling to keep growing, though, otherwise there will come a day that I can't bring myself to look into his eyes, and I don't want that to happen… "I don't think I can hire anyone unless I use my spell on them…" I wasn't looking directly at Micha, but I was all too aware of the feeling of sadness building up inside him.
"I'm not saying you should or shouldn't, but if you ask them and they say no, then what would you do?"
Shit. He's so innocent… I can't let people hear about my awful spell and let them go freely on their way. They'd tell everyone who listens to them about the type of spell the archduke has. I'm sure some people would brush it off, but it would end up planting seeds of distrust between me and others… He clearly misunderstood when I said that Blade, Thorn, and Myles agreed. They agreed to be loyal to me, so I put the curse on them as a way to prove their loyalty. They didn't know about the spell before I cast it… "Then they would sign a non-disclosure agreement, and I'd refuse to hire them." Fuck, another lie… It's… for his own good… He doesn't need to know the details… "I'm only bringing this up so you're aware of my plans… I didn't want you to find out after the fact and be upset." I needed Micha to pick between me cursing a few people to work for me until they die or me doing the work of multiple people until I die… It was harsh, but that was the only solution I was comfortable with. I just… No, I can't bring myself to trust others… It never works out…
"I think I would be surprised, not upset, but if they agree to it willingly, then there shouldn't be a problem." Mmm… part of it will be willing… They'll willingly pledge their loyalty… Shit… I should never have brought this up with Micha. I should have known that it was going to go south. "Are you going to do the same thing to Brynn and Harper?"
I couldn't even bring myself to look at Micha out of the corner of my eye anymore. My gaze was fully on the glass of wine I had picked up and was swirling about. "I would feel far more comfortable if they were, but… I'll let you decide what to do with Harper. If I were to bind her to me with my spell, she wouldn't respond to your requests very well… I'd prefer it if you used your spell on her, but I won't force you…" It was risky leaving Harper to have free will, but I couldn't be the one to make that decision. It was something Micha had to choose on his own. "I just don't want to see you get hurt-"
Micha rose from his chair and rushed around to my side of the table. I was a bit startled as he grabbed my head and pulled it over to rest against his chest. His small heart was beating at a steady pace, and just hearing it made me feel a bit calmer. "Ronak, Ronak, Ronak." Micha mumbled as his fingers wandered up and started running through my hair. I couldn't help but close my eyes. He smelled delectable. "I thought you got rid of all the rats, and here you are worrying about rats of the past." Mmm, that's because the rats of the past made sure to leave plenty of scars; they weren't nice rats, Micha… "Never did I think I'd get the chance to comfort you." Oh… I guess I did feel a little more at ease with him cuddling me. Though he was messing up my hair quite a bit…
I turned my head so I could look up at Micha. The moment I saw his face, I knew that tears were brewing in his eyes. "There you go again. Feeling sad on my behalf." I reached my hands up to cradle Micha's face, and he collapsed down into my arms. His arms wrapped around me, and he snuggled his head into the crook of my neck as he let out a sad blubber.
"I-I didn't realize you had such a hard time trusting others…" And that makes you cry? Oh, what a silly omega I have…
I pulled Micha's legs up and over mine so he was sitting in my lap instead of being draped between my legs. I carefully pulled him away from me and admired his red face. "It's not the end of the world, and I trust some people…"
"Really?" He sniffled.
"Yeah… I trust Gerard, Olivia, and you…"
"They're bound to you because you summoned them, and I'm bonded to you. We don't count."
"Oh… Well, I think you count. You still have lots of free will despite being bonded to me."
"B-but-"
"Are you not the spicy omega who broke my bedroom window and ran away?" Micha's face turned a deeper shade of red, making me chuckle. He was so pretty when blushing.
"M-must you bring that up?"
A smile started to form on my lips. "Oh, I'm never going to let you live that down. It's pretty funny in hindsight." Micha let out a disgruntled sound and buried his face back into my shoulder.
"You're mean." He grumbled before letting out a hiccup.
"Yep, so terribly mean." A big mean liar…
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Micha
"Alright, are you ready to begin?" Ronak asked as he held a polearm in his hands. I thought we were going to practice spells again today, but instead Ronak had me sit on his cloak as he showed me the basics of using a polearm.
"You know how to use that?" I asked while tilting my head to the side. Ronak turned to where I was sitting and gave me an annoyed look.
"Yes, I obviously know how to use it. It's not my primary weapon, but I've trained with a multitude of weapons." Oh, that's neat. I didn't know Ronak knew how to use anything besides his twinblades.
"Now pay attention." He held the polearm up and showed it to me. "Polearms are incredibly useful because they increase your reach and allow you to keep your enemies at a distance." Ronak took a wide stance and skillfully struck the training dummy with his polearm.
"But can't I keep my enemies at a distance with spells and teleporting away?" I asked.
As if to prove his point, Ronak snapped his fingers and appeared in front of me. I had to crane my neck as he towered over me. He's gotten better at teleporting; he didn't stumble at all. "How many times while sparring have I gotten within arm's distance of you?" He snapped.
"Quite a few times…" I know he was trying to be intimidating, but I just wasn't finding him very scary. I reached up and poked his thigh, causing him to take a step back.
"Exactly. If you learn how to wield your summoned weapon, then when people get in close range, you'll have a way to attack and even defend besides always running away or using a shield." Ooooh… I get what he's getting at now. I-I'm pretty good at running away though…
"Now…" Ronak took a few steps away and continued talking me through the basics. I thought it was a bit odd that I couldn't wield my own weapon so I could have hands-on practice, but I'd better stop questioning Ronak. He might absolutely lose it. While not a bad teacher, he clearly wasn't used to questions. Apparently, the esquires just know to shut up and listen. "Micha, are you paying attention?"
"Yep! Is it my turn?!" I excitedly bit my upper lip and stared up at Ronak with wide eyes. I didn't want to just sit here the entire time! That's boring.
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Ronak
I let out a long and arduous sigh as I stared down into Micha's big golden eyes that were sparkling with excitement. He barely paid attention, much less is he ready for a weapon to be thrust into his hands… I turned my head over to where a knight was milling about. "Bring me another practice polearm." I snapped, causing the knight to flinch. Within moments, the knight rushed over with a polearm and handed it to me.
"Here you go, sir." He said before nodding his head and scurrying off across the training field.
I turned my attention back to Micha. "While it's blunt, you still need to be careful." It was a different style of polearm than what Micha was able to summon, but it wouldn't matter. The two weapons would function essentially the same. This one was simply the most basic of polearms, and it even had blunt edges for training. "Okay, see if you can hold it as I showed you." I passed the polearm over to Micha, and he peered up at the long weapon. To be a little fair, the weapon wasn't sized for him at all. He was a bit too short to be using it, but I didn't think that it would be a problem-
The moment Micha tilted it to the side so he could hold it properly, his eyes went wide, and the heavy metal blade swung down with such force that it dug into the ground. I blinked in surprise and was struggling to find words for what happened when Micha attempted to lift it again.
He was doing what I showed him. His right hand was at the bottom of the grip, so it could direct his attacks, and his left hand was towards the middle… Well… It was attempting to be near the middle. Once again, the polearm was too big for how short Micha was…
Micha managed to lift it into the air for a moment, but with a rather cute grunt, he let go, and the weapon dropped to the ground. Micha was overwhelmed with embarrassment as I looked at him suspiciously. There's no way he's that weak… right? Those training weapons are heavy but… They're not that heavy…
"Wh-why?!" Micha whined as he kicked the polearm with his foot. I had to clench my lips closed to prevent myself from laughing. He was being far too cute. I stepped forward and picked up the weapon with ease. I opened my mouth to speak, but Micha angrily puffed up his cheeks and glared at me like an angry kitten. "Don't say it!" He snapped.
"All I was going to say was that we need to find you a more suitable substitute." I awkwardly coughed as I tried to cover up my snickering. Shit, I didn't even stop to think about the fact that he wouldn't be able to use one of our training weapons… I glared over at the knight who brought me the weapon. "Charles!" I snapped.
"Yes, sir?" He asked as he jogged over to us.
"Do we not have any smaller polearms?" The knight gave me a puzzled look and then gave Micha a small side eye. Hey, keep your eyes over here, or I'll pop them out of your head.
"I'm afraid that is the smallest one we have…"
I let out a slightly annoyed grunt and glanced over to Micha. I guess we don't really get esquires as short as Micha… "Then bring me some leather strips."
"Ugh… okay…" Charles zipped off to the armory as I turned back to Micha.
He looked incredibly upset as he dejectedly flopped onto my cloak that was still on the ground. His embarrassment was almost palpable. This wasn't how I wanted things to happen... I walked over and squatted down so I could pat the top of Micha's head. "It's not your fault we don't have any suitable weapons for you."
"I-I'm so weak and p-pathetic." He was a damn omega. Was he expecting to be as strong as an alpha?
"No, you're not." My hand slid to his back, but instead of rubbing it, I started poking him repeatedly. My pokes ended up wandering to his side, and Micha started to squirm around.
"Th-that tickles!" He squealed as he rolled to face me.
"There. That's much better than looking depressed. Come on, on your feet." I helped Micha up and glanced over to the knight who had returned with an armful of leather straps. "Summon your weapon." Had I known things were going to go this poorly, I would have started with this instead of upsetting Micha.
Micha furrowed his brow, but held out his hand and summoned his polearm. Huh, it is only a little taller than him. I can't believe I didn't notice that yesterday. "What are you doing?" Micha slightly sniffled as I started wrapping his blade with the thick leather straps.
"Until we get you a properly sized practice weapon, you can use this one, but the blade has to be wrapped so you don't hurt anyone. You don't want to accidentally hit me and make me bleed, do you?"
"No!" Micha yelped while giving me an annoyed look. I knew he wouldn't, but I figured I'd tease him a bit.
I waved off the knight who was holding some additional straps and glanced over to Micha. "There, poke me with it." I held out my arms, and Micha gave me a baffled look. "We've gotta see if I've done a good job wrapping it."
Ever so gently, Micha reached over and poked my arm with the blade. Gosh, having him wield a weapon is a complete waste of time, isn't it? He wouldn't hurt a fly.
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Micha
I can't believe Ronak made me poke him with my weapon! What if it ripped through the leather and cut him?! I'd never be able to live with myself!
"Alright, show me your stance." Ronak set the two heavy polearms down and watched me as I stepped in front of the dummy. I put my left hand towards the middle of the pole and my right hand near the end. I even made sure that both my thumbs were pointing forward like Ronak's were. "Not too bad." Ronak came up behind me and pulled my shoulders back. Then he pressed on the back of my knees, making me squat down a bit more. "If you stay too rigid, then it's hard for you to make quick movements."
"Right…" I should have known that. I was just nervous to have a weapon in my hands.
"Now," Ronak's arms wrapped around me, and his hands laced over mine. I felt my face starting to turn pink as Ronak continued to talk. "When you thrust your weapon forward, it's not just your arms that move. You take a step forward with your left leg, but keep your right leg planted. Now your hands." Ronak gently squeezed my left hand. "This hand needs to hold the shape, but not grip onto the pole. Think of it like an anchor." Ronak brought our right hands forward, across my chest, as the polearm slid through my left hand and returned to its original position as he brought it back. "Are you listening?"
A-am I listening?! Ugh… I don't know! R-Ronak was being far too charming! Between him holding onto me and the low, raspy tone his voice took on while teaching me, I-I was being overwhelmed! It even felt like his pheromones were teasing me as they tickled my nose. "Y-yeah!" I squeaked.
"You're supposed to be paying attention, not thinking lewd thoughts." I let out a rather embarrassing yelp as Ronak gently blew into my ear. "As punishment…" He released me, and I didn't even want to look at him. My embarrassment was written all over my face. I-I wasn't thinking lewd thoughts, b-but I admit that Ronak teaching me was a bit too stimulating. I glanced over as Ronak dragged the training dummy closer to me. "You need to strike this fifty times, and you need to have good form, otherwise I won't count it."
"F-fifty?!" I squeaked. Th-that's so many! My arms are going to feel like jelly by the time I do fifty of them!
"Normally, new esquires have to strike one a hundred times a day before they can move onto anything else. If anything, fifty is going easy on you." Th-this smug jerk! The smile on his face was truly annoying as he leaned against the low stone wall with the two stupid heavy polearms. "Now, now. Staring at me isn't going to make this go any faster." I let out an annoyed huff and turned towards the training dummy. I'll show him! I lunged forward just like he did, and I thought I did an excellent job extending the polearm forward, but all of a sudden, an annoying gnat decided to comment. "No, no, no. You can't step forward with both legs. You have to keep your right leg semi-planted so that if you need to take a step back, you can. If you're moving forward with both legs, then the chances of you tripping increase. Try again."
I nodded my head and did as he said, but the movement felt a bit odd. Obviously, I wasn't doing something right because I heard Ronak take a breath. Before he could start correcting me, I gave him an annoyed look. "I-I'm trying! Give me a second!" Ronak, relentlessly teasing me, was not helping me to focus. I took a deep breath and focused my attention on the training dummy. With another step, I lunged forward; this time, it felt much more natural, and my polearm actually struck the target.
"Better." I flinched as Ronak's voice came from next to me instead of a little ways away. "Now you just need to remember to move back into the original stance when you're done with the movement. You don't just poke the enemy and leave your weapon there." Ronak snickered as he pulled my polearm back from the dummy. "Now repeat. This is a basic attack that should become ingrained in you."
"Okay!" I did what he said and did the movement over and over. Sometimes Ronak would stop me and correct my stance or give me advice, but overall, I thought it was going smoothly. Besides the fact that I was getting pretty tired by the time I got to fifty. Gosh, and esquires do this a hundred times a day?!
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"Uuuggghhhh." I groaned as I lifted my teacup to my lips. My poor arms feel like jelly! Especially my right arm! I don't think I'll even be able to carry that heavy book of noble information after tea. Olivia or Harper will have to help me.
Ronak snickered, so I shot him a dirty look. It was his fault that my arms felt tired. "Guess you're feeling far too tired to accept this, huh?" Ronak brought a chocolate lava cake out from his storage, and I let out an audible gasp.
"Nope! I'm not tired at all!" I exclaimed as I sat up in my chair.
"I thought you did rather well for that being the first time you've used a weapon." Ronak set the cake in front of me, and I had to do a double-take. That's it? No tricks or unfair conditions? I just get to have this?! I picked up my fork and was about to dig in when Ronak opened his mouth. "But if you get turned on in the future during training, I'll find something particularly saucy for you to wear on the weekends."
My lava cake gooped off my fork and fell back into the white ramekin. There it is. Ronak's annoying little deals that he makes with me. I angrily puckered my lips and glared at him. "F-fine! But if you get turned on during training in the future, then I get to make you wear something embarrassing!" How does he like that-!
Ronak stood from his seat and let out a gravelly growl as he leaned across the table. "Oh, really? Is that how you want to play this?"
"Y-yeah!" I nervously squeaked.
"Then I'll make sure I find something truly shameful to dress you up in when you fail." My face turned the shade of Ronak's eyes as he stared down at me with hungry eyes. "I doubt you're even brave enough to look at said catalog."
"I-I won't have to! I'll just tell Kas what I want." It was like my brain was melting as I thought of Ronak wearing straps that accentuated his chest. I-I don't think I could look at a magazine or vocalize what I want, but I might be able to send Kas a letter, and he could figure out my gibberish. Yeah… I could handle that…
Ronak sat down with a grunt. "Okay, but no crying when you lose."
"I'm not going to lose!" Nope, nope, nope! I'm going to show Ronak that he can't get away with playing games all the time!
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"Good morning, Micha." Giselle and Harper said in unison. Ugh, it wasn't very good. I felt tense all during training because I thought for sure that Ronak would try something. He was oddly quiet… What sort of treachery is he planning for me?
I waved my hand so Giselle and Harper would stand. "Good morning indeed, though why are you two in the hall?" And why was Olivia with them? This was incredibly peculiar. Usually, we met in the little classroom, and Olivia wouldn't show up until it was time for lunch.
"The Archduke permitted us to tour the staff areas so you can acquaint yourself with them. While you wouldn't be going into them often, it is good to know where they are and what shape they're in. As the mis… master of the house, you'll need to at least be familiar with how the house functions, so when problems arise, you can deal with them." She almost called me a mistress, didn't she? Pft!
"I will be guiding you today," Olivia said with a polite bow. Olivia was always polite, but it seemed like she was trying her best to be extra professional.
"Thank you, Olivia, that will be perfect." I made sure not to bow my head as I thanked her. That way, at least I maintain my status while still being nice. I think it drove Giselle a bit nuts that I was so nice, but Ronak expressly told her that it was fine as long as I was dignified while doing so. It did make me feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but I was getting the hang of it.
The classroom wasn't all that far from the staff area, thanks to the hall that ran between rooms. I-I still can't believe I got turned around with such a simple layout. I-I really am a mess when panicked.
"These are our kitchens. Please excuse the mess as lunch is being prepared." Olivia opened the doors, and all the chefs paused, bowed, and with a quick wave of my hand, they resumed working. That was, except for one.
"Greetings, my name is Tulin. It's an honor to have you three on a tour of the kitchens. If you have any questions, do ask." He bowed again, and I noticed his dark orange hair neatly tucked under his hat. As he stood back up, his dusty blue eyes glanced over the girls before coming to rest on me. Honestly, he seemed to be rather curious.
I wanted to ask if they had any cookies lurking around, like at the capital estate, but I figured that now wasn't the time. "Nothing needs to be replaced, does it?" A big part of managing the households is making sure that everything is functioning correctly and budgeting so that needs are met. I figure that Ronak already has all of this under control, but it's not like I can't ask.
"Not at all! If anything, our new ovens are roaring to go, and we are grateful to be able to use such top-of-the-line magic devices." I blinked a few times and glanced over to the double ovens. They sure did look particularly shiny.
"You recently got new ovens?"
"Why yes! The archduke wanted us to have all the equipment necessary in order to make sweets that are to your liking. It's been quite the change of pace getting to make sweets, but we've been enjoying it." My cheeks turned a bit pink. Ronak replaced the ovens because the old ones weren't fit to make sweets? What a dork! I-I mean, I'm grateful, but I'm sure I would be horrified to know how much those things cost…
"Well, thanks… Everything has been delicious…" I kept my head up despite wanting to hide my rather pink cheeks, and I noticed that I got quite a few glances.
"Y-you're welcome!" Tulan and a few other chefs got little smiles in the corners of their lips, which made me happy, but that didn't mean I wasn't feeling rather embarrassed.
Giselle took a step forward, distracting Tulan from my embarrassment. "May we see the food ledgers?"
"Why yes, of course." Tulan looked away from me and quickly hurried over to a large set of doors. He retrieved from beside them a large notebook that seemed to have tabs along its edge. "Here it is." He said as he placed it on an empty counter in front of us. "If you have questions, I'd be happy to answer them."
Giselle waved her hand, and Tulan took a step back. Giselle started to flip through the pages, but came to a slow stop. "They're… even alphabetized and… you can remove the pages of this book and replace them, can't you…"
"Why yes. I was rather surprised when the Archduke brought it for us to use, but it's incredibly useful."
Giselle looked up at Tulan for a second before glancing over to me. "I can't say I'm too surprised that the Archduke has everything so organized, but look here." I leaned over, and Giselle started showing me how our kitchens kept track of incoming and outgoing food. I was surprised that they kept track of it even down to ounces. It seemed like a bit much, but with as many staff and employees we had, it was important to keep track of such things. Tulan even offered information here and there and told me that he was the one in charge of writing up a report every week on the expenses. That would be the thing I would keep track of in order to make sure budgeting was being tracked. It seemed rather complex, but Ronak's system was clearly working well.
After bidding farewell to the kitchens, we headed downstairs to check out things like the laundry rooms, staff accommodations, and food cellar. To no surprise, Ronak had similar record-keeping systems monitoring everything down here, too; it was impressive. I have to imagine he has this exact process happening at each estate, too. Even Giselle was jealous; I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to incorporate some of Ronak's ideas into her own home. Honestly, Ronak had everything functioning so smoothly that I was worried I would make a mess of things once I took over. Gosh, how does the bar just keep getting raised?
"Do you have any questions?" Olivia asked as we headed back upstairs.
I noticed Harper share a look with Giselle, but Giselle shook her head no. I wasn't exactly sure what the context of their silent conversation was, but it was clear that Giselle didn't want Harper to ask a question. "Have preparations for the winter social begun?" Harper asked, much to Giselle's dismay. Oof, I've never seen Giselle frown so deeply.
"Of course. My lord has been working tirelessly to make sure that things are arranged for it." Olivia responded, probably clueless about what was happening behind her.
"Ah, I see." She responded dryly.
Olivia paused on the stairs, causing the rest of us to come to a halt, and looked back at Harper. "Please do not jump to conclusions. The little lord will be included in parts of the preparation. My lord simply didn't want to overwhelm the little lord at this time. He is more than welcome to help where he sees fit when he is comfortable with his position, but for now, it is far more important for him to adjust to living here."
"I apologize if my response came off wrong. I was simply curious." Harper nodded her head, but the atmosphere as we walked back to the classroom was a bit uncomfortable. It was pretty obvious that both Giselle and Harper thought that they should be helping me plan the winter social because they've been casually mentioning it for the past few days, but I didn't know the first thing about the winter social. I shouldn't be sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong. Besides, it would just be Giselle and Harper making all the decisions while I struggle to keep up. I actually preferred Ronak taking charge and leaving me to focus on other things.
The little bit of tension that had formed between us dissipated as we rounded the corner and found Ronak leaning against the wall. "Are you skipping out on your meetings again?" I teased as I split from the group and wandered over to him.
"No. I was simply dropped by to see if you were done." I wound my hand through Ronak's and leaned in a bit closer so I could get a whiff of his pheromones. Hehe, he smells so good. He also seems to be in a decent mood. That's good. I was worried he'd still be stressed.
"There's still a bit of time before my lessons are done," I said as I glanced out the window at the sun that wasn't quite at its peak.
"Mmm, well. I wanted you to come meet the new employees before lunch, so lessons are done for today." Oh, I'm fine with that. That meant he had finally decided what he was going to do about the new hires. I didn't like him stressing about things. Ronak liked to poke fun at me for bottling up my emotions, but he was the king of bottling up emotions. I could easily tell that deciding what to do had been weighing heavily on his mind, and I didn't like knowing that Ronak carried such a burden. He was opening up to me more as time went by, but he was still incredibly reserved and private. "Harper, you need to come as well since you'll be working in close quarters with the others. Giselle, you're dismissed for the day."
Ronak's comment was met with two very polite, "Yes, Archduke Abraxos."
"Are we going to the grand parlor?" I asked as Ronak guided me down the hall.
His hand gently squeezed mine as we walked. "Mmm, no. I don't think you've been to the parlor we're going to. Technically, it sits underneath our room."
"Oh, so is it rounded too?"
"It's completely round." Ronak snickered as we headed down the hall that led mostly to business rooms. There was the waiting room, the document library, a small parlor, the office Ronak uses for meetings, and… honestly, I've never gone further than Ronak's office. He was right, I've never been down here, not that I really had a reason to. Ronak walked me past another door that I didn't know where it led before stopping in front of Gerard, who opened the door for us.
Huh, it was completely round, just like Ronak said. Inside were three sofas that sat around a rather large, ornately carved square coffee table. At the head of the three sofas sat a smaller one made for two. Don't get me wrong, just because it was made for two didn't diminish the fact that it was far fancier than the other three sofas. Clearly, it was for us because no one sat at it. The other three sofas were occupied, well, they were before their occupants got up to bow. Gosh, how does Ronak not get tired of people bowing to him? I get that it's respectful, but it just feels like a bit much.
Ronak guided me over to the seat for two and helped me to sit down before sitting beside me. I couldn't help but pull his arm towards me so I could play with his hand. I-I was a bit nervous about meeting our new employees. "Sit," Ronak grunted as he squeezed my thumb. Hey! I'm playing with your fingers, not the other way around!
Harper sat next to Brynn while Benedict sat next to, I think his name is Soyer? Honestly, I didn't have a clue who the other two guys were. I'm pretty sure they were older than us, but not by much. Ronak did exactly what he said he was going to do and found younger people.
It was an interesting collection of people, that's for sure. Simply, the stark difference between Harper's bright teal hair and Brynn's dark brown, almost black hair was quite the contrast. Benedict also had dark brown hair, but his was a bit lighter in color compared to Brynn's. Huh, maybe brown hair is an Ebonhold thing because even Soyer has brown hair; however, his is rather light compared to the other two.
"As per your request, Micha, I have hired assistants," Ronak said as he waved his hand at our new employees.
"Good, you can't keep working yourself to death," I mumbled to him as I squeezed the tip of his middle finger.
Ronak grabbed hold of my pointer finger in return as he gave me a slight side eye. "Anyway, introductions are in order." Ronak gestured to the sofa where Brynn and Harper sat. "Harper is Micha's lady-in-waiting." Harper raised her hand and politely smiled towards the guys. Though I couldn't help but notice the blush in her face. "She is to assist and support Micha as he settles into his future position." Ronak then gestured to Brynn. "This is Brynn. She is our estate librarian. While she is currently working to bring order to the main library, she will also take up the duty of keeping the document library organized and cared for. This includes having the correct documents prepared for meetings, organizing new documents, and retrieving required documents when needed." Brynn nodded her head while Ronak turned his attention to the second sofa. "This is Benedict. He is the estate mage. Currently, he only works on projects that I give him; he is not to accept any requests unless they are reviewed by me." Ronak turned to look at me. "He will be living in the tower next to the kitchens since it is currently unoccupied." Oh, so that's why there has been construction in that tower.
"Okay, that sounds fine." It's not like either of us really wandered over there, and it was isolated enough that I doubt I'd really run into Benedict all that often. Though… is he going to give Ronak annoying looks of admiration every time he's around? It's terribly irritating.
"Next is Soyer. He's Tian's son." That's what I suspected. So this must be the bookish son who wanted the librarian position. "This is Tristian," Ronak said as he gestured over to the first guy I didn't recognize. His hair was light green, but his eyes were a deep purple that stood out against his pale skin. He had glasses and looked awfully studious. I couldn't help but peek over at Harper. Was this the guy her father didn't approve of? "And lastly, this is Hans." Hans was rather muscular-looking, nothing compared to Ronak, though. I'm surprised he wanted an office job. His skin was rather tanned, and his hair was dark blue. His nutty brown eyes curiously looked across the way. Was he looking at the girls? Hmmm, interesting. "These three will be assisting me. For now, they will be staying in guest rooms, but I am in the process of arranging permanent homes in the small nobles' district Ebonhold has. You haven't…" Ronak wiggled his fingers around in my grip, and I turned to give him a slight glare.
"Nooo. I've been a very good omega." Besides, I already had a stupid amount of pillows that I stole from the capital. I tried to mimic Ronak by letting out an annoyed grunt, but it ended up sounding far too cute.
Ronak must have chosen to ignore my behavior because he resumed addressing everyone else. "I mostly work in my upstairs office…, but that might have to temporarily change until you three get used to your assigned tasks. Your desks are located just through there." Ronak said as he pointed to the doorway we hadn't come through. "When I am upstairs, whether for work or for personal time, you are not permitted upstairs unless Gerard is present. The only exception to that rule is Brynn. You are welcome to work on the two upstairs libraries two days a week, but Gerard needs to be notified, and you are only to be found in those libraries."
"Yes, sir," Brynn responded with a bow of her head. Hmm, I wonder if Ronak cast his creepy spell yet. I'll have to ask him later.
"While you all are staying here, meals will be served in the grand dining hall, and any further accommodations can be requested through Gerard." I glanced over to Ronak and noticed him looking at me. "Oh, remember to take your inhibitors and suppressants. Those are required while on the property. Also, this goes for the alphas; if you value your life, you had better not find yourself alone with Micha. He's mine. The faster you find someone to bond with, the better."
"Ronak…" Gosh, did he have to be so possessive? It was a bit much sometimes.
"What? Your safety is my priority. I'm not having anything happen in our own home. I won't tolerate it." I mean… I appreciated the concern, but I just felt like Ronak was worrying about nothing- Gah! My thoughts were interrupted as Ronak reached over with his free arm and patted the top of my head. H-he's really gotta stop doing that in front of people. "For today, Harper and Brynn can resume duties while the rest of you settle in. Duties will start tomorrow. Gerard will give you more details during lunch." Ronak rose to his feet and held his hand out for me.
The moment I stood, though, Ronak snapped his fingers, and we appeared in our bedroom's main living area. The table had been set, and the delicious smell of food drifted over. "You need to warn me before you teleport like that."
"Oh, how the tables have turned." Ronak laughed as he pulled me over to the table. "So what did you think of our new employees?"
"Mmm, I don't really know them, so it's hard to say, but as long as they do their jobs and they do them well, then I'm happy," I responded as Ronak helped me into my seat.
"I hope it pays off," Ronak grunted. I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him down for a quick kiss.
"Sure, it will. You just have to have a little faith. Did you use your spell then?" Ronak's eyes immediately drifted away from mine, and his teeth clenched. Mmm, he totally used it. "You don't need to feel guilty. I don't think you're the type of man to abuse your power over them. Strict, yes. Cruel, no."
Ronak's eyes finally drifted back over to me, so I flashed him a bright smile. "You're so damn innocent and pure."
I stuck out my bottom lip and slightly glared at Ronak. "I-I'm not that pure and innocent," I grumbled under my breath. I've only been racking my brain all morning on how to seduce you after lunch… "I think you're overreacting a little bit. I'm not upset that you used your spell on them. Maybe this will be a good way for you to start trusting people."
"Trusting people is for the birds," Ronak complained as he stood and wandered over to his seat.
"Tweet. Tweet." I giggled, causing Ronak to glare at me. Pft, such a sourpuss. I'm sure he'll come around as the things of his past stop haunting him.