"Nanny Qiao," Clara gestured her over, "come learn this technique. I can't be massaging Emily every time. If I do, I'll be charging extra."
Nanny Qiao stepped forward nervously. She had never seen such a method before and felt it bordered on inappropriate. Her expression was as solemn as if attending a funeral.
Meanwhile, Emily wailed endlessly during the massage, her cries echoing through the courtyard. Anyone hearing it might think she was being beaten.
That night passed dreamlessly. Early the next morning, Clara called Emily out of bed.
Getting up early wasn't a problem for Emily—she was used to rising at this hour for morning reading.
But someone please tell her—why was archery even more exhausting than horseback riding?!
Nanny Qiao could hear the groaning from the backyard and couldn't understand why her young lady was so determined to put herself through such suffering.
And yet, Emily never once voiced the thought of giving up.
The feeling of holding power in her hands was addictive.
Especially the thrill when she managed to hit the target with a single arrow—no embroidery or brushwork in her boudoir training had ever given her that kind of satisfaction.
By rights, neither horseback riding nor archery could be mastered in a matter of days.
But Clara had promised results. With time tight and goals ambitious, all she could do was throw Emily into a crash course of intense, near-brutal training.
In just a day and a half of relentless drills, Emily had achieved basic archery stance and accuracy. Horseback riding took half a day more.
There was just one day left before Master Ding and his son returned.
So Clara took Emily up into the mountains for a final practical lesson—tracking, riding, and hunting together.
When they chased down a weasel and Emily managed to shoot it under Clara's guidance, she felt her very soul tremble with exhilaration and freedom.
Clara told her that as long as she continued practicing the basics diligently, she'd have enough skill to defend herself in a crisis.
And that, in time, she'd be able to ride and control any horse she encountered.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the two of them journeyed back. Emily rode her horse along the narrow path by the green rice fields, watching Clara carry the day's quarry ahead. Her voice rang out expectantly:
"Will I be as strong as you someday?"
Clara's reply, as always, refused to coddle. "No."
Emily pouted, resigned. "Fine, be that way."
Still, she couldn't help asking, "Why not?"
"You don't have my strength," Clara said plainly, "and you don't have my experience."
"Fair enough." Emily had to admit—those were gaps she couldn't close anytime soon.
Then she suddenly asked, "Clara, have you ever killed someone?"
She didn't know why the question came to her. Maybe it was the look in Clara's eyes earlier in the forest—sharp, cold, inhuman for a split second as she drew the bow. It had made Emily's scalp prickle.
Clara paused in her stride, then slowly turned around.
She gave Emily a faint, mysterious smile. "Why don't you guess?"
With the setting sun at her back, her face was cast in shadow. Only those deep, dark eyes were visible—like still water hiding unknown depths.
Emily's breath caught. Goosebumps rose along her arms. Her young face seemed to blanch. It was like looking into a void—unnerving and uncanny.
The rice fields fell into a strange, eerie silence.
Then Clara let out a soft chuckle and turned back around. "Let's go."
"O-okay!" Emily stammered, tugging her reins and calling softly to her horse to speed up.
By the time they returned to the Ding estate, night had fully fallen.
Butler Hugh and Nanny Qiao were waiting anxiously by the gate. The moment they saw the two silhouettes approaching, they hurried forward.
"Miss, the master and young master have returned!" Nanny Qiao's tone was a mix of joy and worry. "They're waiting in the dining hall to have dinner with you."
"They're back early?" Emily exclaimed, leaping off her horse.
Nanny Qiao nodded. "Yes, they're already seated. They've been waiting for you."
Emily, in her rough riding clothes with her hair tied into a high ponytail and Clara's homemade short bow slung over her shoulder, looked nothing like a proper lady. A streak of moss from the forest still smudged her cheek.
Nanny Qiao gasped and rushed forward to drag her off to change.
But Emily, thrilled to hear her father and brother were home, couldn't wait. She hurriedly turned to Clara.
"Clara! Bring that weasel to the dining hall—I want to show it to them!"
Clara noticed the stiff look on Nanny Qiao's face and suddenly felt that something was off. Still, she nodded, "Alright. You go first—I'll be right there."
Since Master Ding was back, her job as the temporary bodyguard was essentially done.
Clara led the horse back to the stable, only to notice Butler Hugh following her.
He gave her a pointed look.
"What is it?" she asked.
Quietly, Butler Hugh said, "Miss Clara… the master and young master already know about the riding and archery training."
"And?" Clara said casually.
Butler Hugh sighed. "It seems the master isn't… particularly pleased."
Clara handed the reins to Giles and picked up the day's quarry. "So the butler came personally to warn me? To help me brace myself for a possible scolding?"
He gave a small, helpless smile. "Exactly. The master asked you to join them for dinner. Best to freshen up quickly—don't keep them waiting."
"Understood. Thank you, Butler Hugh." Clara gave him a polite smile and went to clean up.
Not that she had much to change into—just two outfits to her name. She swapped her sweaty clothes for the only other clean set, washed her face, tied her hair, and brought the two weasels to the dining hall.
Emily had arrived before her. She hadn't had time to do more than wash her face and change into a skirt.
She now sat primly at the table, head lowered, nervously shifting her toes under her seat.
Master Ding and his son were already seated. It was clear they were waiting on Clara.
Clara stepped inside, offering a smile and polite greeting before handing the weasels to Emily.
Emily's eyes widened—she hadn't expected Clara to actually bring them.
Earlier, she'd rushed over to share her excitement with her father and brother. But as soon as she'd entered, her brother had frantically winked at her in warning.
Too late.
Her father had already furrowed his brow and scolded, "Running around like that—where is your grace and composure as a proper lady?"
Seeing her startled expression, he softened slightly but remained stern. "Sit."
At that moment, Emily had prayed with all her heart that Clara wouldn't show up with the weasels.
But heaven had not heard her prayer.
Clara handed over the game with a smile. "Miss, aren't you proud of your catch?"
Emily could only whisper, "Let's set them aside for now."
Bea quickly stepped forward and carried the two lifeless weasels away.
Felix looked between his sister and Clara in surprise. He hadn't expected that after just one month away, his little sister could already ride and hunt.
Master Ding's eyes narrowed. The sight of the game animals had rattled him far more than the earlier news that his daughter had been galloping outside the manor and roaming the hills like a wild child.
Seeing the father and son both frozen in disbelief, Clara cleared her throat. "So… should I sit, or not?"
As if only just remembering her presence, Master Ding composed himself, biting back his frustration. He gestured for her to take a seat and muttered a few polite words of thanks for her "hard work."
(End of Chapter)
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