Chapter 8

The next morning, after finishing breakfast, Rebecca, the governess, arrived.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Rebecca. My name is Sarah Granchester. I look forward to working with you."

Sarah, nervous, greeted her as politely as possible, trying not to be rude. She even attempted a curtsy, though it was just a mimicry.

"Thank you for your polite greeting. I am Rebecca Olson, your governess. I also look forward to working with you."

Rebecca, with her light blonde hair loosely tied up, was a very beautiful woman. Her slightly husky, gentle voice, her composed dress, and especially her kind smile made her appear charming. Her curtsy was much more graceful than Sarah’s.

"Miss Rebecca, I heard that you were childhood friends with my father and Uncle Robert. Is that true? You don’t look that old at all."

Arthur, if he were alive, would be 27 this year, and Robert is 30. However, Rebecca looked no older than her late teens.

"Oh, Sarah, you’re very perceptive. I am actually the same age as Arthur."

"Really!? No way!"

In fact, the aunt in the capital was supposed to be one year older than Robert, making it clear that Rebecca was a threatening thirtysomething.

"Hehe, thank you. But I have a little secret."

"A secret?"

"I have a fairy friend."

"Wow, that’s amazing! So you receive the blessings of the fairies?"

"Oh, you know about the blessings of the fairies."

The blessings of the fairies are a fairy magic that slows down the aging process of the person they contract with. Fairies occasionally form contracts with humans they like and lend them their power, but since humans have shorter lifespans than fairies, the fairies cast a spell to stay with them as long as possible.

It doesn’t make one immortal. One still ages slowly but surely, and the spell doesn’t prevent illness or injury, so it doesn’t guarantee a long life. However, maintaining a youthful appearance is a common desire among many people, and noble families often hire skilled adventurers to find fairies.

"That’s so cool. I’d like to meet a fairy too."

"Then I’ll introduce you to my friend sometime. But Sarah, it’s impolite to ask someone’s age on the first meeting."

It seemed that the etiquette lessons had already begun. Rebecca smiled like a young girl and started guiding Sarah.

"I’m very sorry."

Sarah hurriedly apologized. She remembered that in her previous life, some countries were very conscious of age, while in others, asking about age was considered rude.

'Come to think of it, Japan was relatively age-conscious, but in Europe and America, I remember avoiding asking about age. But in some African countries, people might have asked a lot. Cultural differences really matter.'

Working in a trading company with frequent overseas trips, Sarah had been taught by her seniors that understanding the culture of the country was very important, and in some cases, it could even be a matter of life and death.

"It’s okay. Let’s take it one step at a time."

"Yes, Miss Rebecca."

"Hehe, actually, this is my first time being a governess too. We might have to feel our way through, but I’ll do my best to teach you everything I know. Let’s work hard together."

"Thank you very much."

After finishing their greetings, the two decided to discuss their future plans while drinking tea in one of the pavilions in the garden, as the weather was nice.

"I heard that you grew up in the lower town, but your speech is very polite. With a little practice, you should be fine as a marchioness’s daughter."

"Really? That’s a relief."

"Yes, really. However, you need to learn the choice of words and the unique phrases used by the nobility."

"That means I need to broaden my knowledge."

"You’re very perceptive. It’s difficult to converse without knowing the other person’s status, family structure, and background. Also, without knowledge of history, literature, theater, and the language of flowers, you won’t be able to tell if someone is complimenting you or being sarcastic. In other words, you need to have a good education."

'Indeed, in my previous life, I always checked the information of the attendees before each party. Some seniors even investigated the hobbies of the families of business partners. The factional relationships were also complicated.'

"It sounds very challenging. Can I really do it?"

"Many things can be overlooked when you’re young. However, ignorance can lead to hurting others, and a lack of education might make you unaware of sarcasm. If such mistakes continue, it will be difficult to live in noble society."

Sarah could understand this. In her previous life, at parties of "so-called celebrities," she often saw subtle sarcasm being exchanged. Although she was just a trading company employee, she observed these interactions calmly from the side.

'Being a part of it!?! That sounds super complicated!!!'

"I’m starting to get scared."

"To avoid that, noble families start educating their children from a young age."

Sarah felt a bit gloomy.