Chapter 12 - Cannot Read Or Write

"What did you say?!" A girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes like a wolf got up from her seat in rage when she heard her maid.

"That b*tch is looking for teachers and knights? She? The girl who had given up on everything and was pretending to be a fool all this time, she wants to study now?" Cecilia Whittemore paced up and down, her brows furrowed together. Her heavy pastel blue gown with the tight corset underneath was wearing her down but she had just gotten ready to go out. Now that she had just gotten this news, she did not feel like going out anymore.

"What do you think Samantha, is she planning to take over the Duchy from me?" Cecilia, the beautiful intelligent second young miss of the Whittemore family suddenly could not make sense of the situation. From her spies she had sent to her younger sister's place, that girl was wasting away her days. Why did she suddenly start taking interest in her studies?

It was already a waste that she, the most beautiful girl in the Kingdom could not be a crown princess candidate just because of her age. Her fate was set to be married off to one of the heirs of the other two dukedoms. However, as the eldest legitimate child, she could at least vie for her dad's duchy. And pray that her younger sister would not become crown princess ultimately.

But if that idiot decided to compete for the duchy, then what about her? She would neither have the crown, nor duchy.

Samantha Livingston, the daughter of Count Livingston under the care of Whittemore duchy and lady in waiting for Cecilia Whittemore rolled her eyes internally. She really could not understand the jealousy this lady harbored against her younger sister who could not be a threat to Cecilia in any manner.

Even if that girl was coveting the duchy, there was still young master Whittemore. That was the kid Cecilia should worry about the most.

On the top of that, Emmeline was already twelve. Even if she were to start studying right now, there was no way she could cover the material Cecilia has studied in a few years and catch up to her.

Samantha was forced to serve as the lady-in-waiting for this lady, but at moments like these, she really wanted to run away. Whether she answered positively or negatively, she was going to get scolded anyway.

She sighed and adjusted her olive green plain gown before putting forward her thoughts to the miss. She could not bear this girl pacing back and forth, it was increasing her own anxiety.

"Lady Whittemore, I don't think you should be worried. Her image is still the worst, she can try to repair it. But you know how the Imperial family still hate her. So, even if she is studying to leave a way out for herself, you should only focus on your education. She cannot take what is rightfully yours," the lady-in-waiting replied calmly. She was older than Cecilia, and even though Cecilia threw her tantrum often, she still listened to Samantha's advice.

She had chosen Samantha out of everyone in the peerage precisely because of her abilities to analyze the situations and her foresight. If she was reassuring her that there was nothing wrong in it, then probably there was not. But Cecilia still could not help but be worried.

"R-Right? I think you are correct. I will just keep an eye for now," Cecilia heaved a sigh of relief. She had to put more spies in that part of the castle. The only problem was that Emmeline only had one maid who looked after everything. Why was everything so difficult when it came to her younger sister?

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In the room, Anna had put papers in front of Emmeline with the resume of scholars she was yet to offend or had offended the least. Kim Su Won did not realize but Emmeline had not even put any effort in learning the written language at all. And this was not even close to Korean, what was she going to do?

She stared at the foreign letters in hopes that the language would come to her naturally just like the spoken one came. But she could not make any sense at all, and it was embarrassing to ask Anna about it.

"A-Anna…," she contemplated a bit more before giving in. Her fingers could not help but fiddle with each other in nervousness. She would only be wasting her time by staring at these curved alphabets she had no idea about. Better to admit her fault and start learning from there.

"Yes miss!" Anna was not sure what the problem was. She had not realized that her miss was unable to read because original Emmeline would either tell her to read and write stuff for her when it came to official communication or pretend to read books, if she ever read any.

"I am too embarrassed to say this but I do not know how to read or write," Kim Su Won confessed. Yeah, that was a better thing to do, especially if Anna was going to be her closest confidant in the future.

"Oh no, did you forget the alphabet with your amnesia? But you remember how to speak," Anna was even further confused. She tilted her head, not being able to make sense of what her miss was talking about.

Kim Su Won shook her head left and right. "I am saying I never knew how to read and write in the first place." She scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

"Say what?" Anna was shocked out of her mind to hear this!