The First Female Duke

Chapter 12

Dear Paulina:

I received your letter three days ago, when I was about to go to a party, but when Leila handed me this letter I decided to put off the party - surely you are more important aren't you?

My decision proved to be the right one, and look what I read in the letter, Edith, my sweetie, is coming to school in Sofia! Is there any news more delightful than that? Since she was born, I've only seen pictures of her but I've never been able to give her a kiss or a hug, which I have to say is a real pity, but it's good to know that this pity is about to be fulfilled.

After I heard that Edith had awakened a dual magical gift of fire and light, I realized I wasn't surprised at all, she's your daughter, of course she'll be as good and beautiful as you are - I can't wait to meet her.

Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered something - regarding Edith's accommodation, are you planning to have her stay in Sofia? Although Sofia's accommodations are always good, what if we have better options? Luxembourg, for example, would be very welcoming to Edith.

We're like sisters, your children look like my children, so it makes sense for Edith to stay in Luxembourg, no questions asked, right?

I know you won't say no, so it's happily settled.

As Polina saw this and gave a timely smile, Fanny came in just in time, her hand holding a delicate white porcelain cup of Polina's usual black tea, and Fanny gently placed the cup next to it-a position that Polina could reach with her outstretched hand.

Fanny smiled as she watched the lady holding the parchment in her hand, she knew she was in a good mood now.

Polina took a sip of her black tea and then continued to read.

On the other hand, I have a son, a year older than your sweetheart, who also goes to school in Sofia.

Bridges has a very good temper and is very gentle and considerate (Polina raised her eyebrows slightly at the word gentle and considerate), so when Edith comes over, he'll be able to take good care of her. Bridges should be passable looking as well, I heard that there are some girls in their school who are pursuing him, of course I know that these girls must be totally inferior to our sweetheart Edith. Besides that, Bridges is a very good swordsman and rider ......

Polina cried and laughed as she watched her best friend spend a large portion of the letter and praising her son in a salesy tone, and knowing her best friend ...... Polina skipped right to the front and read the last few lines of the paragraph.

Bridges and Edith, my son and your daughter, don't you think they are very compatible? If they can be together in the future, I'm sure the God of Love will give them his truest blessing, and I know you must think so too, right?

Polina smiled and thought to herself, trying to abduct my daughter so easily, there is no such good thing in the world.

She swept her eyes, the letter has come to the end.

Judging by the current situation, Clark and Waverly were due for a marriage as well.

I think you know what I mean.

May the beauty remain as it always has.

Yours faithfully, Jolene.

Polina pondered for a moment, finally putting down the parchment in her hands, her slender fingertips tapping the tabletop gently as she wrinkled her brow, seeming to be thinking about something. Fanny stood aside, of course she would not make a sound to disturb, the room was quiet for a moment.

After a while, Polina seems to have made a decision, she inclined her head to Fanny:

"Get Edith over here."

Edith was at the stables, of course-she always stayed there lately, so Fanny found her almost effortlessly.

Edith was taking a brush to the mane of a date-red pony, which Fanny knew was a pureblood given to Madame by Mademoiselle, who loved it so much that she had named it Lilian.

And Mademoiselle's chaperon was standing by and was watching Mademoiselle move.

Unconsciously, Fanny frowned; she was a precise judge of character, and from the very first time that Miss Hall had come to Tugmart, Fanny had seen that she was not going to be a loyal, meek and competent chaperone - she hadn't seen the slightest bit of reverence for Willey in her eyes.

And that must have been obvious to Her Ladyship early on, but Her Ladyship didn't say anything about it. It was natural that she, as a maid, should not cross her master to pick on more than she could handle.

Fanny was the housekeeper of Tagmart besides Kant, so if she wanted to, she could naturally do an impeccable job in terms of etiquette and hospitality. Therefore, Fanny did not slant her eyes at this moment, and naturally repeated Polina's words after coming to Edith's heel.

"The young lady has sweated from riding, it would be best if she changed her clothes before going to the madam." Fanny said lovingly, looking at Edith like she was looking at her own child.

Edith smiled sweetly at her and nodded.

Fanny looked to Penny again and gave her a soft nod of greeting, respectful and polite.

But Penny was sensitive enough to see the scrutiny in the housekeeper's gaze-just as Miss Willey's two personal maids had secretly scrutinized her.

Penny did not wish to delve into the meaning behind the gaze-it was bound to be unpleasant for her.

Handing the brush to the maid next to her, Edith turned to Penny, "Mom called me, I need to leave for a while."

Seeing Penny nod, she asked, "What are you going to do later?"

Penny glanced at the inky green grass at her feet and smiled, "I'll ride a horse then!"

"You can ride my Lillian!" Edith said smugly as she stroked the mane of the date-red pony.

Penny nodded, but when Edith left, she didn't ride Lilian.

Because the horse wasn't letting her get close.

Polina saw Edith enter and smiled, waving her over, and Edith obediently snuggled up to her.

"A letter just arrived from your Aunt Jolene."

"Aunt Jolene?"

"That's Mom's best friend, and of course, her alter ego is the Duchess of the Clarks."

Now Edith knew, Clarke, there wouldn't be anyone in Estara who hadn't heard of the family name, one of the four dukes of the empire, an ancient nobility with a longer history than they had in Vril.

"What did Aunt Jolene say?" Edith said good-naturedly.

Paulina then smiled, "Your Aunt Jolene said you wished you could stay in Luxembourg when you go to school in Sofia."

"Luxembourg? Is that the one with the biggest and most majestic castle in Esdara, Luxembourg?" Edith remembered that was how it was described in the book.

Polina nodded, "Does baby want to go?"

Edith's eyes rolled, "Of course I want to see the legendary Luxembourg, but would it be inappropriate to stay ...... for long!"

Polina laughed and pinched her nose, "Your Aunt Jolene and mom are like sisters, don't worry, she'll treat you like her own child."

"Also, your Aunt Jolene has a son ......"

Edith tilted her head, waiting for the rest of her sentence.

But Polina paused, and said only, "I have heard that the boy has a good temper" Irene's exact words were "gentle and considerate," but Polina was always in doubt as to the truth of the statement, "and that when you get to Luxembourg you must get along well with people, and not throw a little temper to bully them. "When you get to Luxembourg, get along well with them, and don't be a bully with your little temper."

Edith was not happy, she felt that she had always been a good and well-behaved child, and her temperament was nothing to speak of (?), so how come her mother had made a point of explaining that she was a good girl? , how come her mom even made a point of explaining it, as if she would be able to have a feud with Aunt Jolene's son.

"Don't worry mom, when the time comes I'll definitely give in to him if we really get into any arguments." Edith promised with conviction.

Polina smiled, she stroked Edith's head and said:

"That's not necessary, he's a year older than you, he's sort of your brother!"

Edith thought to herself, this is great, picking up a cheap brother for nothing.

Polina had a smile on her face, but a deep thought crossed her eyes. With her understanding of her daughter, if the Clark family's intention to marry Willey were to be told, perhaps she would not even go to Luxembourg because of avoiding suspicion. Better to wait a few more years! Although it is said that marriage with Clark is the best choice for Villey, but if her daughter is not willing ...... she will not force it in any way.

"Edith?" Polina suddenly called out and Edith looked up quizzically, "I don't remember you having a wand handy."

"Yes mom." Edith responded, suddenly her eyes lit up as if she remembered something, "Are you going to give me something mom - like a good wand?"

Paulina smiled and nodded at her but didn't deny it.

Edith watched as her mother stood up and brought down a delicate box from the doily in the study.

She remembered that it hadn't been in that spot, which meant that it had only been there recently?

Polina placed the long box on the table, took out her wand and reached out, and the lock on the box snapped open.

"Edith, come here." She shouted.

Edith looked curiously inside the box, and although she had a feeling about it, she couldn't help but let out a small gasp when she saw what was inside.

Inside the box lay a delicate and small wand quietly.

Edith looked over to Polina, and only after Polina gave her a small nod in her direction did she reach down and take the wand out of the box.

It was wonderfully warm and cool to the touch, and as Edith scrutinized it, the wand was made of some unknown material, like white jade with a warm luster. The size of the wand was just right, the Willey coat of arms was engraved on the handle, and a pure, bright red crystal was set on the top of the handle.

Edith reached out and touched the red crystal, and sure enough, she felt the magic of Pumbaa, "It's a fire magic primordial stone." She affirmed.

It's just that, she's a dual fire and light system, and this wand seems to be set with only one protolith? But thinking about how rare light-type protoliths were, Edith thought it was understandable again.

As if she could see Edith's doubts, Polina reached out and brought the wand over, and with a gentle twist at the handle, the handle was actually twisted down by her! Then Edith saw that there was a raw stone hidden inside the handle. A light pale yellow color.

"It's Light." She said in surprise.

Polina explained to her, "This wand was acquired on the battlefield by a certain generation of Willey's house masters, it was originally a Light-type wand, and this extremely high quality Light-type raw stone was in here to begin with."

"But later on, there has been no magician who awakened the light-type talent in Villey, so this wand has been collected in the family's treasury."

"But luckily, it waited for you."

A strange feeling suddenly rose in Edith's heart as she gently stroked the alabaster staff, as if she had established a connection with it in the underworld.

"Then, from now on, we'll be the best partners." Edith said softly.

Polina looked at her gently, "Considering that you're a fire and light dual system, I asked the master forger to set another fire proto-stone on the outside of the wand, so that it doesn't look conspicuous."

Edith understood what her mother meant, if two raw stones were inlaid on the outside of the wand at once, one of which was an extremely precious light system, who knew if any bad guys would get greedy?

In contrast, fire-based stones were much more common, and although they were also very precious, they wouldn't be too noticeable in the end, and they were just right for her status.

Edith took the wand in her hand and whispered a string of incantations, and the tip of the wand lit up with a red light.

-An illumination spell that couldn't be simpler.

But Edith looked at the bright red color and smiled softly.

"I'll put it to good use." She said with certainty.

Paulina stroked her hair, relief and anticipation in her eyes:

"Remember what you said today."