Chapter: 5

Katara is walking straight like a lady full of elegance, with a book on her head while wearing such a heavy dress, the Duke is training her how to be a real daughter of such a noble family. Good thing training her is fast and good, the Duke was surprised when she already can walk properly like a noble, also how to eat properly with elegance, identify whines, etc. She also read different books, the duke said it was basic knowledge of nobles and Ave learned of it that's why she needs to learn it too. Now she wanted to flee and find the Mistress and bring her back if she really knew she would advise following her heart. Why always regret at the end?!

Katara just laughed inside when the duke praised her for being the perfect substitute for her freaking daughter, he was so amused but the process of getting it isn't that easy. Some people really just cared about the result but not what you've been through.

She was also hired to assassinate the royal before, she looked at herself in the full-body mirror around the room while walking. Her hair is a property comb, she's wearing a fancy noble dress. She can't even recognize herself anymore, so much change in her appearance, just wow! She was on a diet, and in a few days, she just ate a few grains of rice because the duke said so.

After she walked in one row again, she heard praise from her teacher. The one duke hired to train her to be noble.

"You're such a talented lady, Mistress…" She just smiles at her, she doesn't know that she isn't the real Ave and the real daughter of Duke.

"Thank you for teaching me…" She thanked her, later on, her teacher already left the room and the duke entered. She took a seat, and the Duke handed her a big brown envelope. She accepted it and looked at it immediately.

"That's is information of nobles you'll be encountered, some of them Ave already met so you need to know where or when so you can interact with them without ruining our relationship and my name." Katara wanted to raise her eyebrows for him to say that he didn't want to ruin his name, now she wanted to tarnish it badly.

She looked at the papers one by one and then read it, truly all of the nobles' information was there even their weaknesses.

"Within three months the selection will be in the Academy, all of the Nobles will be entering the Academy to learn about the royals and how to be one. Your performance in the Academy will be observed, everything you make will be scored. The more you excel the more chances of you being chosen, but I wanted you to stay low. I don't want you to exceed my daughter but of course, you can't do that…"

"I wanted to see my family again before coming to the City." She also demanded, the duke just nodded. Her family didn't know about this, all they knew was she was transferred to the City because the Duke requested her to transfer to be a maid to one of his relatives.

She took a deep breath.

"Your mother will be sent to the City after you enter the Academy, no one should know about this, or else you know what will happen." Katara wanted to laugh as he threatened her again but she just ignored it, it's too early to make a conflict with the Duke. She needs him, for now, to send her mother to the hospital.

Katara hugged her mother for the last time, she was in their home. As she requested, the Duke let her visit her family before she went to the City Academy and attended the  Selection.

She also hugged her father and next to her siblings.

"I'll visit you as long as I can, so please take care of all of you…" She said, Hanna smiled at her.

"Mom the Duke promised me to send you to the hospital in the City in exchange for my departure, so I'll visit you there as often as I can."

"You don't need to do this Katara, I can still manage myself." Katara shook her head.

"No, my work there is just like usual. Nothing changes so I can manage, I just want you to be healthy again so we can be together longer." Her father touched her hair and gently caressed it.

"I'm sorry if you need to do this Katara, I should be the one who's working hard because I am the head of the family." She just smiled.

"We are family so we share some problems right?" She hugs him.

Later on when a carriage of Duke already arrived, one of the guards escorted her. She entered the carriage and the Duke was inside, she let her head out from the window of the carriages and waved to her family. They waved back, so she smiled.

"Are you done?" She looks at the Duke.

"Why are you here Duke? I thought you were busy."

"I'm just making sure if you don't change your mind and escape. I'm glad you're not…" She is stopping herself to roll her eyes as if she'll do that. She already made a deal and once she did that, she never turned back.

The carriage stops in front of the Duke mansion, tomorrow the royal carriage will fetch her. The whole mansion was quiet because there was no one, any maids or other employees because the Duke let them have rest. They can't discover this secret, that's why…

Only a few guards and the head maid are here, people that one who's the Duke trusted with. They enter the mansion, Katara takes a seat in the living room and closes her eyes tightly. She opened her eyes and saw a newspaper on the table, she picked it up and read.

It's an interview of the Royal family about the selection, it seems like she missed the broadcast. She looked at the Prince, he was smiling from ear to ear. It seems like it's not fake, it's a perfect smile but Katara knew it was fake at all and he's just pretending. She also learns how to observe a person's face, expression and how to unmask it. She can't help but smile because maybe she'll enjoy unmasking him, he seems so fun.

The whole Feronia is calling him a perfect prince, he does community service every the end of the month. He was a top student of Feronia Academy, he's smart, good at fighting, and athletic.

Maybe girls flock to him, wish to be with him but not her. It's not like Katara despite him, she just doesn't care at all. But she will not deny,  he's a gorgeous man.

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