The meeting of the nobles felt like an eternity. Even though the day had passed, the king still received some written protests.

Albert was exhausted. How could he not, this problem came like a hurricane without stopping. This commotion had the theme of nothing but one thing, namely about him adopting a child.

Amidst the bustle, her cousin - The Duchess of Adanard - invited him for tea time. Of course, Albert didn't reject it. Maybe, a few cups of tea could relieve his fatigue.

"What do you think, Your Majesty?"

The Duchess of Adanard looked so young. She had lived for nearly half a century. However, she had clear blue eyes, as well as gorgeous blonde hair. Life was still full in her.

Albert sighed heavily. His eyes drift to his cousin.

"Please, Anna. Forget the formalities."

Anna laughed softly in response, her hands pouring the warm liquid into two cups. He sat opposite the ruler of Rosewell, but there was no awkwardness between them.

"Very well, I understand, cousin," she said. "So, what do you think?"

"The kid, Anna," Albert replied.

His hand moved to lift the cup and tasted it quietly. The warm liquid that calmed one's mind, gave it a distinctive aroma. Albert immediately recognized what kind of tea he was holding. A clear but dark brown color, it felt just right. Anna was indeed the best person at making tea.

"Honestly, I don't understand how they panicked so much, just in the presence of a small child," Albert continued later.

Again, Anna chuckled softly, "Who wouldn't panic? The throne looks too attractive to ignore, doesn't it?"

Something like that made Albert almost spilled his tea. The words that came out lightly, the Duchess' face looked serious for a moment.

The King looked at his cousin. He could barely believe what his ears were hearing. Was that woman also eyeing the throne?

"You too, Anna?"

"What?" Anna herself looked surprised. That sentence made the duchess laughed again, "No, no. Seriously, remember when I rejected the title of a Duchess? The peerage was too much trouble. But I must."

"Ah ... I remember, yes ... you were always like that." Albert replied quietly. "Yes ... if you remember, you didn't speak yesterday. I wonder, what do you think, Anna?"

There was some relief in Albert's heart, a small fact for him, that Anna had not been involved in waiting for his death. However, Albert was also curious, what kind of thing was on his cousin's head.

"Ah yesterday, huh?" asked Anna. She joined in enjoying the brewed tea, sipping the warm liquid slowly, "Really, I don't want to talk into a situation like that. Too messy."

Anna was the most gentle woman Albert knew. She didnn't like violence or arguments. Albert understood that Duchess did not wish to argue with the nobles under such circumstances.

"If I talk about the child you took, I pity him."

Her body sat quietly, she didn't have the same worries as the other duke.

"Maybe to some, this looks like a laudable thing like saving a child from a rough street, but to me ..."

"For you, how?"

Albert asked. Somehow, he wanted to hear it from this cousin. From someone who was not thirsty for power and wealth.

"To me, it felt like saving someone from hell, to take him to another hell."

"Maybe you're right, their lives will be difficult."

Albert massaged his forehead slowly. Dizziness was the only thing he felt.

"The nobles won't accept this easily."

"People like Earl of Gloucester certainly feel that they are above the clouds, who wants to bow their head to a child born without royal blood?" Anna sighed softly.

He stared at his reflection in the teacup. Albert must have realized the truth in the duchess's sentence.

They, who were born into noble families, naturally felt better than people born among commoners. If they lose their title, they are not necessarily able to live better than those commoners.

Nobles were always that arrogant. Pride seemed to be taught to them. Not to bow your head to a lesser degree was an unwritten rule. Some of them barely appreciated the life below them.

Anna could not imagine what would happen to a child who had nothing and suddenly had everything. What kind of humans could wealth and power create.

However, a moment later, The Duchess smiled again. There was still a long way to go for them, for the child too. There was no point in thinking about everything today. Maybe everything would be all right

Anna looked at Albert, before she spoke.

"So what have you done?"

Anna's question took Albert briefly out of his focus on nobility. The King smiled, then spoke.

"Ah, I put him under Madam Almayer. For now, Darius should at least understand how to read and write."

***

Madam Karen Almayer had reddish brown hair, brown cuts. He looked much older and duller than she was. Her age was not yet forty. Yet, many people thought so.

She showed almost no human emotions and looked gloomy every day. But perhaps because of that lack of emotion, Madam Almayer was known to be the best in terms of order and justice.

The single woman was a teacher to the sons of the King as well as the boys of the nobility. She never differentiates or discriminates against foster children.

The son of the king or the son of a noble, whoever disobeys, will anger Madam Almayer. This may be a factor in the high success of Madam Almayer's students in reading and writing.

The two children were fortunate enough to be under the guidance of this woman, they would grow up tremendously.

Madam Almayer taught them how to write today. As adopted children of The King, they should at least be able to write letters properly and neatly. Good handwriting was a sign of integrity. Books, pieces of paper and feathers were provided for both. They sat in front of wooden chairs and tables.

Darius was very careful in staining the white paper. He considered carefully each word to be written. He spent a lot of time reading each book provided before writing non-stop in a very neat manner. However, the two brothers were very different.

Unlike his siblings, Lucius didn't even open the book his teacher provided. What he did was look at Madame Almayer and try to draw the face of the teacher on the paper. He was too bored to write, or even read. That was the reason.

Madam Almayer had taught the children of the aristocrats for more than ten years. She memorized the movement very well. The move of Lucius' hand could not have been a move to write. With short and graceful steps, Madame Almayer was standing beside the king's second child.

"What are you doing?"

Lucius looked at Madame Almayer. He looks like an angel. He smiled with a friendly handsome face. Those clear green eyes that were so innocent. Blonde hair. Like a con man. If the teacher wasn't Madam Almayer, maybe Lucius' behavior would be forgiven. But really, Madam Almayer was not affected by that smile, on the contrary, the woman's face grew sour.

"I ask you a question," said Madame Almayer. "What are you doing?"

"Write, as Madame Almayer wants," answered Darius. He pretended to be his brother. There was not yet significant difference between the two. Darius was sure, the teacher couldn't tell them apart.

Madam Almayer frowned. He looked at Darius, then Lucius. One of them writes neatly and the another draws. They were so similar that Madam Almayer could not tell the difference.

"I called Lucius," said the woman again.

"Yes, and I am Lucius," Darius replied.

They stared at each other in confusion. Darius' eyes did not reflect a lie. It was hard to know.

"And I am Darius," said Lucius at last, convincing Madam Almayer of a lie.

Madam Almayer frowned again. Was she the one who had forgotten their traits? However, after she noticed, there wasn't any difference between the two.

They were like an individual split in two, but with very different personalities. The teacher then scolds the second child as Darius.

Of course, reports of this behavior would later reach Albert's ears. Madame Almayer's lesson finished at one in the afternoon. The dull woman came home after Darius and Lucius thanked her for her studies.

"Darius!" called Lucius to the twins who were tidying up everything. "You saved my name!"

The first child glanced at his brother. He sighed softly.

"This is the first and last time I will help you," replied Darius.

"Oh, I hope you're kidding," Lucius replied easily. A chuckle became the end of the sentence.

"Didn'tl you earn from your mistakes today?" asked Darius.

He stared at his brother, wondering why Lucius had not yet realized their current position.

"No, not at all," replied Lucius with high confidence, "too much trouble, why should we study when you can get someone else to study and write your letter?"

"You will not know what is written is true or not, if you do not study by yourself," replied Darius.

However, he had given up on explaining. Darius can't do anything about his brother.

"What is clear, if you do something like that, try not to get caught," continued Darius again.

"Darius is too serious about this, really."

Even though they were brothers, if they were telling the truth, the two of them didn't understand what was going on inside each other's heads.

"You know ... life here won't be as easy as you might have thought," said Darius again. For now, that was all he could say.

"What do you mean...?" Lucius asked, but Darius had already walked out of the room. They have several schedules waiting for their next activity.

"Hey, Darius!" shouted Lucius, chasing his tardiness.

***

Anna looked at Albert in disbelief at what she heard. She knew the name Almayer. The family was known for being emotionless. However, they were good teachers.

"Almayer? Really?" asked Anna.

"I need them to learn fast," said Albert, "besides, Darius doesn't seem to mind that woman."

"Of course!" exclaimed the woman, "even if he object, I'm not sure, he will say ..."

Anna finished the tea in her cup. Followed Albert's glass which had been empty.

"Then, I heard you also took a girl. What about the girl?"

Albert was silent for a few moments. His face seemed to be in deep thought for a while. He wondered whether he should tell the truth to Anna, his cousin. Then, he found a decision to hide it now.

"For now, I just put it to learn manners as a Lady first," Albert said calmly.

"Ah, of course, she is a girl. If possible, I would be interested in meeting that girl next time," replied Anna.

The sky was almost too bright when the two of them decided to end their schedule.

"I must return to Adanard for now," Anna continued.

"Of course, of course. Your visit is very much awaited. Be careful," said Albert.

And so, their little tea party was over.