The Duke finally makes me meet his aids. They're all from the North, and they follow him around during the year.
«You can trust them,» he says. «Especially Pericle.»
Pericle is his first assistant. He is older than the Duke, yet he follows his orders obediently.
«Pericle will explain to you any detail of the court you're not familiar with. He'll also tell you about the people that will interact with you and the etiquette that is in use in the Empire.»
«He's the etiquette teacher,» I utter. Finally, the person that has been used as a threat has a face.
«You don't need a teacher,» the Duke chuckles. «Just a couple of explanations.»
When the sun is high in the sky, we walk in the garden of this wing of the palace. Indeed, there aren't many people here. Only a few girls, reading on a bench or walking alone and enjoying the feeble rays.
