Sunday.

  Jade had imagined today’s ceremony.

  She, Josh, and Father Rochester would gather in the hall, beneath windows of fine coloured glass - the only corner of the domus that felt even remotely affluent. It should take only a few minutes. After that, she would bring Josh to the bakehouse and start teaching him the basics: the uses of flour and water, the mechanic of trapping air in pastry using egg whites and baking powder, and the like. She had even planned to give him a lecture on sugar - once she managed to save enough coins to buy the refined white sugar.

  However, when she arrived to prepare the hall, she was caught completely off guard.

  Every member of the clergy in the domus was present. Even Mr. Anderson - who, for some reasons, usually went out of his way to avoid speaking to her - was there. And seated at the very front was the biggest surprise of all–

  “Lord Ashborne?” Jade raised her brows. “Sir, why are you even here? I thought you were supposed to be hid– I mean, staying at your estate until the news clears?”

  “My consultant is taking an apprentice!” the noble-doe beamed, his round eyes sparkling. “Of course I couldn’t miss it!”

  “I’m not your consultant,” Jade muttered through clenched teeth. She dared not raise her voice; doing so would likely disgrace him - or, in a term more familiar to her, make him lose face. That was not something a mere ragged schoolmistress should do to her school’s patron.

  Taking a deep breath, she continued, “Just… sit there and be a quiet witness. It’s nothing complicated. It’ll only take a few minutes. There’s nothing fun or interesting about it, alright?”

  “Alright,” Ashborne agreed cheerfully. He seated himself in the frontmost chair Jade had pointed out. His loyal secretary followed and sat beside him, while he observed everything with open curiosity.

  Jade turned to Father Rochester and whispered, “Father, I thought it would only be you. Why…?”

  “Well,” Father Rochester said gently, motioning for the smiling nuns and monks to take their seats, “you said this was an important ceremony. As important as taking a child as your own son. Naturally, we wished to witness it.”

  “And also,” Sister Miriam added with a chuckle, leaning in to whisper before patting Jade’s shoulder, “we’re curious to see what will happen.”

  What was there to be curious about? Jade was momentarily dumbfounded. Then it dawned on her: there wasn’t much entertainment here. The clergy were probably bored and eager to watch something unusual.

  Nosy, Jade thought. Having come to terms with their meddling, Jade narrowed her eyes, gave a small shrug, and began preparing the tea.

  She didn’t have tea leaves or powder, of course - that sort of thing was expensive. So, she had woken early to pluck edible flowers and brew a simple flower tea instead.

  She glanced around, checking once more: tea ready witnesses present, Certificates prepared in triplicate.

  Now I just need Josh…

  “Miss Jade?” Josh arrived right on time. He peered into the hall hesitantly, clearly startled by the number of people gathered inside.

  “Come in. You’re in the right place,” Jade said, motioning him forward as she sat on the single chair at the front. Father Rochester stood beside her at her request - she had briefly explained the ceremony to him beforehand; he was to officiate.

  Josh swallowed and took a deep breath, straightened his posture as he entered with a basket in his arms. Under the gazes of the many clergy who served the Light, his heart raced as he approached the maiden seated before him.

  When he was only a few steps away, Rochester stopped him. “Son,” he said solemnly, “present your gift to your future master.”

  “Yes, yes,” Josh said hastily. He pulled back the cloth covering the basket. “I-I brought Miss Jade a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, a pint of fresh milk, half a dozen eggs, and a pound cake… It’s not the finest, but it’s the best I could buy.”

  “...Josh,” Jade said softly, her voice gentler than usual, “I only asked you to bring a few pieces of hard tack.”

  “Well,” Josh replied, scratching the back of his head, his cheek flushed under her gaze, “I thought tea deserved a better dessert. And Miss Jade always mumbles about wanting to make a proper cake, so…”

  “Fine. Come and give me the basket.” Jade took it from him and set it aside on the side table she had deliberately moved in from her room. She didn’t own a proper desk - only this small table, which the domus had likely acquired through a devotee’s donation.

  Then Father Rochester instructed, “Son, take the cup of tea… do not drink it.”

  Josh looked confused, but complied, lifting the saucer with the cup of flower tea resting atop it.

  “Now, listen carefully, son,” Father Rochester took up the certificate - a piece of thicker paper bearing the details Jade deemed necessary for today’s ceremony. “Today, Jade Lysmere, having received Josh Brickville’s offering, shall take the boy as her apprentice, student, and pupil. She shall be his master of lecture for his lifetime, to educate, enlighten, and instruct him in her skills, her knowledge, and the means of sustenance.”

  The excitement on Josh’s face slowly settled into solemn resolve as he met Jade’s gaze.

  Father Rochester continued, “Under the gaze of the Light, and with all present as witnesses, this bond between master and apprentice is now forged. The apprentice shall obey and learn from the master, and respect her as one would respect one’s parents. Josh, my son, you may now bow and present the tea to Miss Jade… A simple bow will suffice - there is no need to imitate the manners of the upper class. A simple bow… yes, that will do.”

  Jade accepted the cup and took a sip before setting it down. Then she produced a small, pale pink envelope and handed it to Josh.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  It wasn’t the traditional red envelope - coloured paper, especially red, was expensive, a luxury she couldn’t afford. Pale pink had been the cheapest option she could find that still seemed appropriate. Besides, pink was considered a manly colour here. Close enough.

  “A small token for you to keep.” Jade said with a smile. Inside was a single shilling, and a bookmark made of pressed flowers, with a line of advice written on it: Be honest. Be kind.

  It was the only counsel Jade could offer when she looked at Josh and saw the fire of his ambitious spirit.

  “Th-thank you, Miss Jade,” Josh said, accepting it with an almost blank, dazed expression… as though he had never received a gift before.

  Father Rochester returned the certificate to Jade. He and Lord Ashborne had already signed as witnesses. Jade added her own signature, then had Josh sign as well before distributing the copies so each party could keep one for reference.

  Jade looked at Josh, feeling faintly unreal. She had truly taken on an apprentice - in a world that was still so unfamiliar to her. Still, she smiled and said, “From now on, you shall call me Sif–um, Sensei. Right, Sensei. It’s a foreign term for addressing one’s lecturer.”

  “Yes, Sensei,” Josh replied, breaking into a wide grin as applause rose around them.

  Jade stood, brushing a faint trace of dust from her apron. “Well, since you’ve brought the ingredients, I’ll bake a cake to celebrate. I gotta let you know my true skill, so you know exactly what you’ll be learning from me. It probably won’t be enough to fill everybody’s belly, but there will be at least a bite for everyone. Thank you all for attending and witnessing the ceremony. I’ll send the cake over within two hours.”

  “Miss Jade, you’ve truly opened our eyes to a new kind of ceremony,” Sister Maria said warmly. She was the nun usually responsible for indoor supplies. “I never imagined an apprenticeship ceremony could be so formal and stately.”

  “Thank you,” Jade replied. She wasn’t sure what else to say, but a simple thanks wouldn’t hurt.

  Mr. Anderson approached next, his interest clearly piqued - not by the cake, but by the term Jade had used. “Miss Jade, forgive my interruption, but I can’t help wondering - where does the word ‘Sensei’ originate?”

  Jade blinked and answered slowly, “Um… I believe it’s from the Far East? I can’t quite recall the exact place, but it’s definitely nowhere near Floland.”

  Mr. Anderson - the elder teacher with thinning white hair - asked again, curiosity gleaming behind his spectacles. “If I’m not mistaken, Miss Jade, you hesitated before asking your pupil to address you as ‘Sensei’. Is there another term used for the same purpose?

  “Sharp ears, Mr. Anderson.” Jade nodded. She hadn’t planned to hide it anyway. “Yes, there is. I originally meant for him to use another word, but in the end, I thought ‘Sensei’ sounded better,”

  “And why is that?” he asked

  Jade understood Mr. Anderson meant no offense. In fact, everyone nearby had slowed their steps, clearly straining to listen as they made their way out the hall.

  With a wry smile, Jade replied, “Well, the other term - ‘Sifu’ or ‘Shifu’, however you pronounce it - sounds a bit too much like ‘seafood’... And I’d rather not be called seafood in the middle of the street if Josh ever wants to speak with me.”

  Chuckles and quiet laughter lingered in the hall as the clergy filed out and returned to their respective duties. Even Mr. Anderson left with a faint smirk he clearly couldn’t suppress as he headed back to his classroom. Unlike Jade, his classes followed a different schedule - one he had copied from other ragged schools. Lately, however, he had been seriously considering adopting Jade’s approach, and both he and Father Rochester had been discussing the matter frequently.

  Jade then turned to the noble-doe and offered a polite smile. “Sir, would you like a piece of cake as well? I have only limited ingredients, but I think I can still manage something decent to express my gratitude for your witnessing and signing our certificate.”

  As for Mr. Secretary, Jade largely ignored him. Since the day they had met, this secretary had remained mostly quiet - like a shadow following his wealthy patron - and spoke only when directly addressed. It was clear he had no desire to be drawn into conversation. She could only assume that was simply how secretaries worked here, though she found herself doubting that it once in a while.

  “I would be delighted to accept such a warm offer, Miss Jade,” Ashborne replied with a smile. “If you don’t mind, may I watch you make the cake? I’ve never seen how a cake is made, and… I have a great deal of time today, with nowhere in particular to spend it.”

  Yep, he’s bored and looking for something to pass the time. Jade rolled her eyes inwardly and turned to her newly acquired apprentice. “Josh, move the side table back to my room and buy me a pint of cream. Try the nearby farms first. If you can’t find any, come straight back, I need you with me for the baking.”

  Josh happily accepted the coins and left at one to complete his task, while Jade led the nobleman and his secretary toward the bakehouse.

  The children working on the iron oven project had already gathered and were cleaning themselves in the mudroom attached to the bakehouse before entering. They washed their hands and faces, tied headscarves to keep hair from falling into the dough, and put on sleeve guards and aprons to shield the biscuits from the grime of their everyday clothes - it wasn’t that they preferred to be dirty, but those living in the slums had no extra to change into. For them, water was a commodity too precious to be used for laundry when it was needed for survival.

  Hiring the children had been a hasty decision on Jade’s part, and the nuns of the domus had rushed to sew suitable work clothes for them. Fortunately the garments were simple to make, and the domus had spare fabrics available. Jade had promised to prepare a good supper for everyone in gratitude. The iron oven project was still in debt, after all, and she sincerely appreciated the nuns’ help, and the fact that none of them had rolled their eyes when she asked for kitchen clothing.

  “Good morning, Miss Jade!” The children greeted cheerfully, then hesitated when they noticed the two well-dressed men following behind her.

  Seeing how everyone brushed off dust and donned kitchen attire before entering, Ashborne and Mr. Trent - despite lacking cloaks of their own - brushed themselves off as well before stepping inside.

  “Students,” Jade said, gesturing toward them, “this is Lord Ashborne, the one whose generosity provided the funds so you could have a proper classroom. And this is Mr. Trent, his secretary. Greet them - a polite ‘good morning’ and a slight bow will do.”

  “Good morning, Lord Ashborne,” the children chorused, their round eyes round and shining. “Good morning, Mr. Trent.”

  “Good morning, children,” Ashborne replied warmly. He didn’t mind their lack of formal etiquette - it wasn’t a formal place anyway, and for some reason, he preferred their straightforward manners. “Please don’t let me interrupt your work. I’ll simply stand aside and watch.”

  “Watch?” one child tilted his head. “Why?”

  “Because Miss Jade is making a cake today,” Ashborne said softly, noticing how the children’s eyes immediately lit up. “And I can’t wait to see how she does it.”

  “Really, Miss Jade?” the children asked in unison

  Jade nodded. “Yes, yes. Now get back to work first, I’m still waiting for one more ingredient.” She motioned them inside. “Start the fire, crush the malt, and get the barley washed and prepared for the mush. I’ll try to make some loaves using the starter I kept in the oven… Gosh, I’m not very good at bread. Let’s hope the yeast is kind to me today.”

  Ashborne was puzzled, he had never associated such terms with pastry. As a once-mischievous child who had roamed every corner of his family estate - including the servants’ quarters and the kitchens - he wasn’t entirely ignorant of how food was prepared. But before he could press her, Jade was already lost in her work. He exchanged a look with Mr. Trent, who looked just as lost. His loyal secretary had come from a humble background and held many different jobs before this one, yet even he seemed stumped. Whatever Jade was doing, it wasn’t common knowledge; it was something exclusive.

  “Sensei, I’ve brought the cream!” Josh returned at last, immediately beginning the cleaning routine before entering the bakehouse.

  “Great!” Jade said, her face lighting up with genuine excitement. This would be her first proper cake in this world. “Sister Miriam, please proceed with the biscuits as usual. Josh, stay here with me.”

  The excitement was unmistakable - and somehow, Ashborne carried that image with him long after he finished his slice of cake and returned to his estate.