HIGOS 06

Chapter 06

[Could anything be this unexpected? Paul dazedly chewed over what Jester had blurted out.

Sex education, he says…

No. On second thought, it wasn’t such an unexpected remark. The couple had consummated their first night yesterday, and for this to come up the very next day, something must have been unsatisfactory.

Nobles usually received education on marital relations before marriage. But Jester had lived as a commoner for over twenty years before being granted a title as an appointed noble. Having not lived the life of ordinary nobles, it was understandable he might not know.

Still, hadn’t he worked at a mercenary band in the capital for quite a long time? The atmosphere of mercenary bands, as far as Paul knew, was quite rough and free. Living among them, he would have naturally seen and heard things—so what on earth didn’t he know that he was making such a request of Paul?

Embarrassed, Paul scratched his head awkwardly and answered.

“Is there a particular problem?”

“My wife.”

“The mistress?”

“She says she absolutely hates it. From her expression, she seemed to find me horrifying.”

That mistress?

Paul thought he had been surprised many times today as he took a deep breath.

The mistress he had met for the first time yesterday was, contrary to his worries, a woman of exceedingly gentle character. Her shy smile and soft way of speaking had moved every servant in the castle who saw her for the first time. Wasn’t his own master, who had seemed busy rolling his eyes the whole time she was being brought in, also among those utterly smitten?

Could it be that the reason she had visited Jester separately earlier was that? To deliver her review of an unpleasant first night? No, if that mistress had actually said such a thing directly, just how serious was it?

He had noticed before that his master had an innocent side unbefitting a man his age or a mercenary, but he hadn’t known it was this bad. Paul swallowed a groan.

“I’m sorry, master, but I don’t think this is something I can help with. I don’t have the knowledge to educate you, and it seems improper to pry into the private matters between a master and his wife.”

Paul declined politely. Jester nodded with an embarrassed face.

“You’re right. I said something unnecessary. You may go.”

“However, master, relations between husband and wife do constitute a considerably important part of a healthy marriage. If there’s some aspect you’re struggling with, then it’s only right that you need to learn. It’s just that I’m not in a position to help, and there’s no suitable person in the castle to educate you, so…”

Jester’s bewildered eyes lit up. Paul, after a little hesitation, seemed to have made a decision and subtly suggested,

“Hmm. Within our domain, there should be a woman who could perhaps help you, master.”

“…A woman?”

What did a woman have to do with secret education? Jester frowned.

“If education is needed, it would be better received from a woman, wouldn’t it? Don’t misunderstand. I’m talking about theoretical education, not practical. However, bringing her into the castle would draw too much attention, so if you permit, I’ll contact her as quietly as possible.”

“So who are you talking about?”

“Lady Fleurette.”

Lady Fleurette.

A famous name. Must he even seek help from that woman? Jester fell into thought with his brow deeply furrowed.

[It just became unpleasant after I did.]

But the moment Cassia’s voice resurfaced, the not-long deliberation came to an end.

He couldn’t continue a marital relationship that forced sacrifice on one side. It seemed he had made a mistake due to some immaturity—shouldn’t he learn?

“Haah… All right. Contact her.”

***

Lady Fleurette.

Once a courtesan of the small rural domain of Greze, she was a figure who had accumulated wealth and fame solely through her own strength. If her splendid skills in bed had been all she had, she would have remained just a country village courtesan, but she was not. To match the standards of nobles, she practiced refined bearing and equipped herself with intellect and etiquette. It was only natural that she became famous as the capital’s foremost courtesan.

No one knew how many nobles she had stolen the souls of with her beautiful face and bedchamber skills. What was certain was that the wealth she amassed entertaining nobles as a courtesan in the capital was at a level commoners couldn’t even touch in their entire lives.

She became someone who chose, rather than was chosen by, nobles. Countless nobles in the capital did not begrudge spending time and money on her. Nobles who wanted to dine with her, see a play with her, or hold her hand once would line up even outside the capital. At that point, Fleurette’s charm must not have been solely about her bedchamber skills.

Fleurette’s glamorous capital life, having male nobles eating out of the palm of her hand, earned her the nickname “Lady Fleurette.” The title of lady, usually attached to noble young ladies, had nothing to do with her origins. It was also a nickname that mocked foolish male nobles.

Lady Fleurette, who had been living a splendid life in the capital, was now staying in her hometown of Greze for a rest cure. It was only natural that she quickly came to mind as a suitable teacher to educate his master, who was utterly hopeless with men and women despite being twenty-four. Paul nodded.

There was, however, one small worry. The reply that came back readily agreeing to take charge of Jester’s sex education wasn’t long in coming, which was a relief, but it would be a disaster if rumors spread among the castle’s servants.

Of course, it wasn’t because of his public image. Nobles openly keeping mistresses and calling on courtesans was everyday life. Even if it became known that Jester had called Lady Fleurette to the castle, there would be no particular problem.

‘The problem is the mistress. If she learns that another woman was brought into the castle during their newlywed days, she’ll be shocked. For now, I’ll make sure the servants keep their mouths shut, and if any misunderstanding arises, I’ll explain it myself.’

He couldn’t very well say, “The master doesn’t know how to do relations and seems to need education,” so he planned to have Jester meet Lady Fleurette quietly for now.

In truth, it was unavoidable for educational purposes—he had not the slightest intention of placing a new woman beside his master when there was a kind and pretty mistress. Lady Fleurette would merely be a good teacher for a healthy marital relationship between Jester and Cassia. There were worries, so he had arranged to attend the lessons together with Jester. So there should be no problem.

Still, Paul remained worried in case the tender-hearted mistress might misunderstand. All the way until he visited Cassia’s room to assign her maids.

But the moment he faced Cassia again, Paul deeply felt that calling Lady Fleurette to educate Jester was the urgent priority.

“…Madam?”

He had clearly heard “come in” and opened the door—was he seeing things?

Cassia, lying horizontally on the bed with her neck stretched out over the edge, was looking at Paul upside down as he entered. Her luscious silver hair was sprawled messily on the floor, and Paul was startled. The sight of her expressionless face, inverted, staring at him—no matter how heavenly her beauty, it couldn’t help but give one goosebumps. What was she doing?

Apparently the permission to enter hadn’t been given when he opened the door. Thinking so, Paul hurriedly closed the door. Then he knocked again—knock knock.

“Madam, it’s Paul. I’ve come because I have something to tell you. May I come in for a moment?”

“Come in.”

He opened the door again, but Cassia was unchanged. She was flat on the bed with a bored expression, her head tilted back, staring intently at Paul.

‘Good heavens! The mistress really was shocked by her first night with the master yesterday!’

If not, there would be no reason for her to suddenly visit Jester in the morning, no reason for Jester to be so shocked and going on about sex education, and no reason for her to receive a servant in such a completely different state from yesterday’s modesty.

No, even so, to show herself this disheveled!

Paul neatly folded up and tossed away his slight worry about having called Lady Fleurette. It seemed he needed to properly educate Jester as soon as possible, even a day sooner, to soothe Cassia’s heart.

“Madam, is something troubling you?”

Paul asked with an awkward smile.

“Hm? Something troubling? No. I’m currently savoring leisure for the first time in my life.”

“…What?”

“I never knew lying around doing nothing could be this satisfying. You too, it’s good to work hard, but don’t forget that you need to rest sometimes. What’s the use of exhausting your body—who appreciates it? You should take care of your health while you’re even a year younger.”

Was this a statement befitting a seventeen-year-old?

Paul swallowed a groan. Seeing her stuck fast to the bed like a lazy, slow bear, radiating the nuance of someone living their second life—her mind had clearly gone completely. All because of that shocking first night.

‘What on earth did the master do to this young mistress!’

Paul looked down pityingly at Cassia as she dazedly rolled about, then clapped his hands to draw her attention.

“Madam, I’ve come to ask which maid you’d like to have attend you. I plan to have them serve in shifts, but if you’d choose someone you particularly like, I’ll train her well. How many shall I bring? Would that be all right?”

“Yes, do that.”

“Yes, then…”

Knock, knock, knock knock.

Just then, there was a playful knocking at Cassia’s door. Paul immediately furrowed his brow.

“Paul, are you in there? Madam, are you perhaps in? I’m called Vita. I didn’t get to greet you yesterday, so I’ve come to pay my respects to the madam now. Could you let me in?”

From the frivolous way she announced herself at the mistress’s bedroom to the rude-sounding tone—the one and only existence in this castle that Paul had absolutely intended never to introduce to the mistress had appeared. Paul shouted urgently.

“Miss Vita, this is rude. I’m currently speaking with the madam, so please go back…”

“Wait, Paul.”

Cassia, who had been sprawled on the bed with a bored expression, suddenly lit up her eyes and rose. Paul tensed.

“Who is it? She says she wants to greet me—how is that rude?”

“Ah, yes. Th-that is, but that person is…”

“Why? Is there some problem?”

Cassia ground her teeth inwardly at Paul’s response, unable to bring himself to answer. Thinking about it now, Paul had gone too far as well. When Cassia first came to the castle, he had been desperate to simply conceal that woman’s existence.

Vita Buckley.

She was from the village where Jester was born and raised, his childhood friend, and a real power in an ambiguous position who had been gifted a room in the castle and settled in from the very day Jester was granted his title.

Bearing the title of the childhood friend Jester cherished dearly, she was called “Miss Vita” in the castle and treated like a young lady. It made no sense by common sense, but Jester and Vita were both people who couldn’t be understood by common sense to begin with. Cassia ground her teeth quietly.

‘Childhood friend, my foot. He brought her in to openly have an affair, didn’t he?’

Cassia’s eyes narrowed as she looked toward the unseen Vita beyond the door.