The Scholar and The Crown

3

Maude

"Maeve's decision was a total shock for us too. We didn't know why she suddenly decided to resign this early," Laura, the girl with chestnut-colored hair who greeted me earlier, said.

Lady Laura of House Norlington is one of the three etiquette tutors here. Laura is my friend from the countryside; our families are friends too. It's no surprise that she's here, as her family is known to be among the best etiquette teachers in the kingdom, much like mine.

"I didn't know you were the one they'd send," she said, plopping onto my bed.

"I didn't expect it either," I replied blandly, still feeling salty about Maeve's unexpected departure and how it upended my life.

"Looks like you literally had no choice," she laughed.

"I didn't really have a choice. Father had already put my name on the contract without informing me," I said, frustration evident in my voice.

"How about Mavis? I thought she would be Maeve's substitute."

I sighed. "Luck was on her side. She's terrible at History, so Father didn't even consider her."

Laura laughed loudly again.

"So, what's your plan?" she asked seriously.

I stopped rummaging through my suitcase and looked at her. "Teach those brats until the end of the selection, then boom! Return home," I said, continuing to unpack.

"Pfft! Brats! You'd be dead if you said that in front of those women," she laughed again.

"I wasn't supposed to be here. I'm not even competent in my field. I didn't get to my doctoral level or become a professional tutor. And my father just volunteered me. Is he trying to embarrass his lineage of scholars?" I ranted, plopping onto my bed.

Laura looked at me seriously. "Doctoral level or not, you're a bright scholar, Maude. I've seen it. Although most of the time, you skipped your classes to attend others you weren't supposed to be in," she teased.

"Don't worry about teaching those noble ladies. We're just tutors here, tools to help the selection process. Once it's done, the crown princess will receive proper lessons from the palace's exclusive tutors," she informed me.

"I guess that helps. Thank you! But..." I trailed off.

"Hm?"

"Why is this room decorated with pumpkins?!"

I had noticed it earlier. The ceiling featured an intricate mural of pumpkins intertwined with vines, their bright orange hues contrasting with the rich green foliage. The walls were adorned with delicate pumpkin-themed wallpaper, showcasing various stages of the pumpkin's life cycle, from tiny blossoms to fully grown gourds. Some of the furnishings, like the headboard of the bed and the legs of the desk, were carved with elegant pumpkin motifs. The throw pillows on the plush armchair bore embroidered pumpkin patterns, and even the lampshades had subtle pumpkin-shaped trims. In short, my room was an ode to pumpkins, awash in shades of orange and green, creating a cozy yet vibrant atmosphere that screamed my childhood obsession.

"Oh, that. It's a privilege the Crown Prince gave us tutors. To feel comfortable, we can have a room designed as we wanted," she explained. "Mine is all pink, just so you know," she winked.

"Huh? I didn't request anything."

"Maybe it was Count Maven," she suggested.

But looking at all this, did Father forget that I'm already 25, not some 15-year-old girl obsessed with pumpkins?

Still, I couldn't deny that seeing pumpkins made me feel at ease.

"Maude, I can't help but notice, but it looks like your mother forced you to wear a formal dress," she observed, looking me over.

I didn't even want to remember how my mother forced me into these clothes. I rarely wore formal dresses, preferring my fitted linen shirts, vest, and pants. But I was in the palace now, where everything needed to be formal.

"It's chaos," I said, standing up to pull more things out of my suitcase.

"I could imagine," she laughed.

"So, everyone, this is. . ."

Laura nudged me while we stood in front of the other tutors in the living room.

"I'm Maude from House Robinson. I'm Maeve's twin sister and will be her substitute in tutoring. Nice to meet you all," I said, bowing slightly.

"Wow, she really doesn't look like Maeve," commented a light-brown-haired girl.

"We're fraternal twins, to be exact. Maeve looks more like our mother, while I've inherited my father's features," I explained.

"She does have a resemblance to Count Maven," someone whispered.

"Oh, I didn't mean any harm. I'm just amazed. It's my first time seeing twins that aren't identical. I'm Maisei of House Gracia. Nice to meet you, Lady Maude," she said, standing up and bowing.

"Ah, it's okay. Also, Maude is fine," I smiled.

"She's also an etiquette tutor like me," Laura added.

"I'm an etiquette tutor too, Mabel of House Altyne," another girl said, bowing gracefully.

No way, an actual noble lady! House Altyne is here in the capital. I thought they joined the selection, but I was right and wrong at the same time.

"That's the etiquette tutors. Now, we move on to the team for royal duties," Laura pointed to the people on another couch.

"Thomas Lauren, my lady," a guy with slicked-back hair introduced himself.

"Karen of House Davidson, nice to meet you!" said a bubbly person with two braids.

"Rebecca of House Andallion," added a girl with freckles.

"And Robert Illus."

"Nice to meet you all!" I bowed again.

"You look about my age," I commented. I had expected the other tutors to be older, thinking the palace would prefer more experienced tutors.

"Prince Sylas ordered tutors around his age, so the ladies wouldn't feel awkward," Robert explained.

"You know what, have a seat and let's chat so you won't feel awkward around us," Maisei suggested, and I obeyed.

The conversation was full of laughter. I hate to admit it, but I had fun on my first day at the palace.

👑📚

Author's note:

Hi, this is Merritt and I just want to thank LostCalypso for making this story's new book cover! Thank you talaga ng marami, hulog ka ng langit.

Also, to take this opportunity to thank you, yes you, the reader for making this far. Thank you for your support!