Lady Felice’s Secret Class - Chapter 1

At first, she thought he was a statue.

That was until the man spoke.

“I’d like to buy the flowers you’re holding. How much are they?”

Wearing a dark navy frock coat, he checked his pocket watch before asking. His tone was polite, but he couldn’t conceal the weariness in his chiseled face.

Felice flinched and couldn’t take her eyes away from his face, like an ill-mannered lady. It wasn’t until he tilted his head slightly and raised an eyebrow at her that she snapped out of it.

The man let out a short “Ah” in surprise when he noticed how frozen Felice was, then smiled knowingly.

“Lady?”

Felice glanced down at the bouquet of flowers she was holding, then lifted her gaze to meet his.

“Ah… yes. I’m afraid these flowers are not for sale.”

Due to her profession, she had developed a bad habit of observing people, especially when something seemed off. As she unwittingly came to a conclusion about him, she quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“Oh, I see. But I do need flowers right now. Would you consider selling them to me?”

By now, any hint of weariness had vanished from the man’s face. With a refreshing smile, he nodded and politely asked her again.

His soft voice, with an oddly firm tone that was pressuring, made her lips twitch. His accent was noticeable in every word. It made Felice certain he was someone from the royal family.

“…Are you in a hurry?”

Felice asked as she stared at him.

“Ah… yes. I am.”

The man answered somewhat reluctantly, as if caught off guard by the question.

Felice lowered her gaze and noticed the pocket watch in his hand, then handed him the bouquet.

Even in the history books Felice had secretly read in her grandfather’s study, not all royal family members were recorded. The Buford royal family had produced many descendants over the centuries, and even men who had undergone noble training might not know them all.

So, the man standing before her was likely from a more distant branch of the royal family.

Coincidentally, today was her grandfather’s memorial day, and giving flowers to a royal family member who had been beloved by her grandfather seemed almost fateful.

“I hope the sun of the Buford royal family always shines brightly. In that sense, I’ll just give you the flowers.”

“No, I must pay you…”

“It’s fine. Well then, I must be going.”

Felice curtsied, just as she had when she first met the Queen five years ago at her debutante.

Then, she quickly turned to leave. She had to pay respects to her grandfather and hurry to the Duke’s residence for work.

* * *

“So, does that mean I shouldn’t be obsessive?”

Under the large linden tree at the Duke’s residence, Madam Vanessa leaned forward slightly. Though it wasn’t quite like her, she appeared somewhat hasty. But there were only two people sitting in the area, including Felice.

“Yes, Madam. The nobility always speak of Madam as if you are clouds just out of reach, don’t they? Right?”

Felice responded to the Duchess’s question with a gentle smile.

“Indeed…”

Once widely known in high society, Madam Vanessa nodded at Felice’s words.

“Then do the same with your lover.”

Felice lowered her voice as she responded.

Currently employed as a tutor in the Duke’s residence, Felice was listening to the private concerns of her employer, Madam Vanessa.

Madam Vanessa was one of the most famous figures in the Empire and was often regarded as a perfect couple with her husband, in Trouville. However, beneath the surface, there was much to uncover.

The well-known Duke Vanessa was a notorious womanizer, carrying on affairs with several courtesans a day, while three of the six children under Madam Vanessa’s care were illegitimate offspring the Duke had brought home from his affairs.

This led to immense stress for the Madam, who, by chance, became captivated with the Rain Ballet company that she happened to see. She then fell for the ballerino playing the lead role.

The problem came next.

The ballerino didn’t reciprocate her affections as deeply as the Madam had hoped.

According to Madam Vanessa, his gestures of affection were limited to a gentle smile and occasional physical contact. He never whispered sweet words of love, nor did he clearly express his desires.

Desperate, Madam Vanessa ultimately hired Felice as a tutor.