The North was a land conquered by the Empire hundreds of years ago.

Now, although the natives and the newcomers coexisted in a mix, they continued to have poor relations with the Emperor, who strictly prohibited moving to other places even though migration here was allowed.

The northern people claimed that the Emperor, who had ordered them to stop the evil dragon Gwasalante, was continually provoking Gwasalante. They were proud and hated the Emperor for throwing young Peon here without proper support.

As closed off as they were, their xenophobia was severe, and at the same time, they had a great sense of victimization that the central government would ignore them. The target of this victimization became the young Grand Duchess who had been stripped of her title and expelled.

At least with Peon, they had the pride of having raised him. He came as a young child and literally grew up rolling with the northern soldiers and learning northern traditions. He was a proud son of the North and also someone who could advance to the center.

But the Grand Duchess who came to Lusenford after turning twenty was not. She was just a sophisticated central noble who looked down on them.

“You don’t need to receive greetings or anything. Don’t worry about it.”

Peon’s face was already hardened as he spoke clearly and firmly to the new Grand Duchess.

Those damn stubborn people. Swallowing the curse lingering on the tip of his tongue, he slowed his pace in case the Grand Duchess following him, dragging her heavy cloak, might find it difficult.

With a group of Lusenford Castle people lined up behind as well, he deliberately used honorifics when speaking to Kaella.

After regressing, many things were now visible to his eyes. Indeed, Peon mercilessly judged that he had been a hopeless fool who needed to die properly at least once to come to his senses. And the people of Lusenford were even worse.

Starting a power struggle against a Grand Duchess seven years younger than the Grand Duke by leaving her out in the cold?

Even though before the regression she had been a Grand Duchess without background whose family had disappeared, now she was the only daughter of the wealthy Duke of Ostein and the future Duchess of Ostein!

‘Whether the background is grand or humble, they just don’t like the Grand Duchess, that’s it. I see.’

I understand. I understand very well what they’re thinking. Peon was now sick and tired of it to the point of nausea. It wasn’t easy for him to boost their pride and coax them into becoming an elite army while soothing these stubborn people.

Sometimes he knew they thought of him not as the Empress’s son, but as a son of the North, a child they had raised. Still, he endured and endured. What other choice did he have but to endure?

But the Grand Duchess had also been enduring. Had he not known that? He had known. There was no way he couldn’t have known. Nevertheless, he had remained silent, indifferent, and uninvolved, so he was guilty. There was no room for mitigation.

“No, of course I should do it.”

But looking at Kaella answering docilely, Peon tried to recall what she had been like ‘at first’.

Before the regression, when she first came here, what had she been like? He remembered her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, eager to do anything. But it was the first time he had seen her muttering so expressionlessly and indifferently.

“We must receive greetings, Your Highness. If traditions and etiquette are broken because of me, you will be criticized.”

“They’ll say I’m blinded by a woman?”

Peon chuckled, and Kaella flinched.

“What does it matter if I’m criticized? I don’t care.”

It sounded like he had heard a lot because of Beatrice, so Kaella lowered her gaze for a moment.

The dim and cool interior of Lusenford Castle, the stone path that made a thud with each step, the frost forming white on the specially made windows, and the early setting sun – everything was familiar and tiresome to the point of sighing.

But it had to be done. Kaella, who was seeking a way to die that would cause the least harm to her father, knew well that she had to do what needed to be done.

That way, she could die with a clear conscience. It was quite tiring to have to worry even after death. Couldn’t she just die? But Ostein rested on her shoulders. She couldn’t.

“Still, we should greet them.”

If the Grand Duchess insisted, the Grand Duke wouldn’t stop her. However, if it had to be done, the Grand Duchess should sit in her place in the audience chamber within Lusenford Castle and receive greetings from the people she would command.

She received them while wrapped in the Grand Duke’s cloak, which he had personally draped over her, urging her to keep wearing it because it was cold. Next to her sat the Grand Duke, who had complained of being tired from the journey, watching people with piercing eyes.

“We sincerely congratulate you on your marriage. Welcome to the North.”

Fires were lit in the audience chamber, and the lights were brightly illuminated. The wealthy Ostein princess, wearing the Empress’s large ring, received the greetings of the bowing northern nobles without emotion.

She only smiled formally and was not as radiant as Beatrice. Yes, Kaella had a powerful point of comparison. It was Beatrice, who had briefly come to Lusenford when they had to sell even the building materials of Monde Castle.

“She’s plainer than Lady Lavalle.”

Immediately, whispers could be heard saying that Kaella wasn’t as pretty as Beatrice. Women’s beauty was always subject to evaluation.

“She doesn’t smile much either.”

This was a jab implying that, judging by her expression, she didn’t like coming to Lusenford.

“She’s the Ostein princess, they say. With gold overflowing, would this please her?”

In the end, her wealth and status as the Emperor’s niece were thorns in their eyes, and disgruntled murmurs, like a hazy poisonous fog, settled thickly on the floor and crept towards Kaella.

“His Highness seems to be caring for the Grand Duchess already.”

“If Ostein provides military funds, even I would do the same.”

Peon examined one by one the faces of those who had come to ‘observe’ the Grand Duchess, whispering far behind. When would he cut off those necks? When would he remove those people from this place?

Despite cursing the Emperor more than anyone, behind his back, those who took money from Kraine and sold out Lusenford in hopes of somehow debuting their children in central social circles, those who were originally spies planted by the Emperor, those who raised their voices saying we should fight but fled as soon as war broke out – they are all visible.

They all needed to be weeded out. Peon would raise his sharpened sword against those vile and irresponsible fellows who were all talk but took no responsibility. Would his guilt be lessened even a little if he beheaded those bastards and offered them to Kaella?

How could it be? Peon simply had to protect the one by his side safely and send her back to Ostein. He had to send her before the storm hit. He had to promise an eternal farewell.

Even if just thinking about it was painful.

*

Perhaps only healthy and energetic people feel anger or a desire for revenge when seeing unpleasant faces again.

Coming back to Lusenford Castle, where she had put in all sorts of efforts, and seeing those old faces again, Kaella just felt utterly exhausted. She was tired because she knew well that no matter how hard she tried, sometimes getting angry, sometimes pouring out her sincerity, what wouldn’t work simply wouldn’t work.

All sorts of dismissal and harsh words, contemptuous looks and poured shame would bring even a proud king to his knees. What could a Grand Duchess without backing have done?

“Your Grace, here is the menu for tonight’s celebratory banquet. Would you like to review it?”

Even amidst all this, the head maid who had persistently followed her caught up with her. ‘Review’, was it? The Grand Duchess had no authority over this menu.

It was just for show. It seemed that today’s banquet would be full of unique and traditional foods from the northern region. Kaella smiled bitterly as she scanned the list and said,

“I get sick when I eat Tur Berry, so I won’t be able to eat this dish called Perenko.”

At those words, the head maid who had just bowed her head politely immediately raised her eyes.

“But Your Grace, this is Lusenford’s traditional welcoming dish for guests and the main course. You must eat it.”

Was she in her 50s? As Kaella tried to gauge the age of the head maid, which she could barely remember now, she smiled faintly.

“I know, but didn’t I say it would harm my health?”

“Could it be that you haven’t tried it enough? If you eat a lot, you’ll develop immunity. You should try everything.”

Kaella stared blankly at head maid Doris Windgood, who had always tried to teach the young Grand Duchess.

She was one of the many people who claimed to be of northern noble origin and to have raised Peon personally. She was overflowing with pride for Lusenford and believed it was her duty to instill Lusenford’s traditions in the Grand Duchess.

“…I’ll inform the chef for now.”

It was unthinkable for a head maid to be stubborn when the Grand Duchess had said no.

Kaella just looked at the head maid, having neither the worth nor the strength to reply, and the head maid withdrew, slightly startled. But the head maid had literally only said she would ‘inform’, not that she would change the menu. She was a person of great stubbornness after all.

‘Not bad.’

For tonight, when all the northern nobles would gather to celebrate the Grand Duke’s marriage, it wasn’t bad.

After dismissing the head maid, Kaella looked around her new room.

It was a stiff, dogmatic, utterly hideous and tacky room that the head maid had decorated entirely to her own taste. All the objects placed in the room seemed to be shouting outdated virtues at Kaella: ‘You must be chaste and docile!’

She smiled weakly and then sat on the hard chair to begin writing her first and last letter to her father.

*

The name of the girl born in Ostein who had become an errand runner for the Ostein ducal family solely due to her cleverness and diligence was the common name Mary.

Mary, the youngest and lowest-ranking of the three dedicated maids who had somehow ended up following the young lady to the cold Lusenford, stood alongside the other maids, anxiously watching her lady who was attending the evening banquet.

For Mary, the titles ‘Young Lady’ or ‘Miss’ were still more familiar than ‘Your Grace’. And once an Ostein young lady, always an Ostein young lady. There were no exceptions other than later changing to Duchess of Ostein.

‘Mary, if you happen to return to Ostein, please deliver this letter to my father.’

What could the young lady be thinking, handing the letter to Mary and not the other maids? Mary prayed for the Grand Duke, who had taken such good care of the young lady throughout the long journey to Lusenford, to return quickly.

But the Grand Duke was now out with the knights, performing the ceremony of lighting the flame.

So the young lady, left alone, was now silently listening to the northern nobles all clamoring about ‘how historic and delicious’ this dish called Perenko or Peko or whatever it was.

It started like this. The young lady, no, now the Grand Duchess, hesitated upon seeing that tough-looking and unappetizing meat dish and called for the head maid.

“Didn’t I say I can’t eat Tur Berry?”

The Grand Duchess asked very quietly and with dignity.

Of course, Mary and the other maids from Ostein were seeing this Tur Berry thing for the first time, so they only learned now that their long-served young lady couldn’t eat it, and they just stood with wide eyes.

“Ahem, Your Grace!”

However, the head maid, taking advantage of the Grand Duke’s absence, sharply raised her voice.

“Perenko is a traditional dish eaten by the people of Lusenford, imbued with our pride! Although it’s cooked with Tur Berry, can’t you just remove it and eat? Now that you’ve come to Lusenford, it’s only proper that you eat the dish we’ve prepared with such care!”

In an instant, all eyes turned this way, and Mary was terrified. With the knights momentarily gone, the remaining older nobles and ladies looked this way, and a nearby northern noble asked,

“What’s the matter? Does Perenko not seem like an interesting dish to you?”

To Mary, it was such an obvious trap question that even the maids serving the young lady were surprised and all looked up. But the young lady from Ostein, known for her intelligence and wisdom, strangely gave an honest answer at that moment.

“It’s not that, it’s just that Tur Berry is an uncomfortable food for me.”

“Why, how can that be? It’s a fruit that grows in cold places.”

“When I eat it, my body itches and it’s a bit hard to breathe…”

Before she could finish speaking, all the loud-voiced people gathered at this banquet began to expound on how good Tur Berry was for the body, which was honestly shocking to Mary.

No matter what, how could they so openly contradict the words of the Emperor’s niece and future Duchess of Ostein! Is this not the Crania Empire? How can they be so rude to such a noble person?

“It’s good for your health!”

“Of course. Eating Perenko brings peace for a year. It’s an important dish for praying for peace in Lusenford.”

“Uncomfortable, where is it uncomfortable? Oh, that’s just because you’re not used to it! Eat a lot! You have to eat a lot to overcome it!”

“Yes, that’s right. You overcome it by eating, don’t you? Your Grace, the Grand Duchess, now that you’ve come to Lusenford, you should start by learning brave courage!”

“Eat! Please eat! If you slowly empty one plate, bite by bite, before you know it, you’ll be able to eat a whole basket of Tur Berry. Isn’t that right?”

“Of course. All this talk about not being able to eat something is just a sales tactic by doctors trying to sell medicine.”

Amidst the clamor about Perenko this and Tur Berry that, all sorts of admonitions disguised as encouragement poured out. It was as if something terrible would happen if she didn’t eat.

The maids from Ostein were stunned, their mouths agape. This was extremely rude treatment of the young lady! The northerners were large in stature with booming voices, and it seemed the small and delicate Kaella might be swept away, or worse, crushed.

No, in Mary’s view, the young lady already seemed crushed. Her face had turned pale, devoid of expression.

Even more chilling was when the nobles who had been showering her with words suddenly fell silent, and in that quiet moment, the head maid declared as if she were a judge,

“Please do not disregard our sincerity, Your Grace. It would greatly pain us. Aren’t you becoming a person of Lusenford now?”

How can such a thing exist? Cecil, the most senior of the maids who came with the young lady, was about to step forward, but the young lady stopped her with a gesture under the table. Mary could only pray for the Grand Duke to return quickly.

“I am a person of Lusenford too. I just hope there won’t be any severe illness from eating. That would be embarrassing.”

The young lady pulled up the corners of her mouth in a smirk with her pale face. The three maids, unable to move due to the order, didn’t find it amusing, but a loud “Ha ha ha!” erupted.

“How bad could it be? If you’re a person of Lusenford, you’ll overcome it bravely!”

“Of course! What’s a little illness compared to the cold of our Lusenford?”

“Even if you’re embarrassed, we’ll pretend not to notice!”

The word Lusenford was stuck to the end of every sentence, to the point of making one’s eardrums ring.

Knowing well that the people remaining here were particularly loud-voiced, Kaella moved her fork. She put the dry meat full of Tur Berry preserves and juice into her mouth and chewed.

“How is it? It’s fine, right? You were worried for nothing.”

“When you come to Lusenford, your courage increases! It must have been a bit difficult in the South!”

The maids from Ostein were at a loss for words at this incredible scene.

Kaella repeatedly put the tasteless meat in her mouth and chewed slowly, expressionless. When she first married, she had taken a small bite, realized something was wrong, immediately spat it out, and never touched it again.

The Grand Duchess had been firmly branded here too, all because of one dish that was cooked in mountains once a year and mostly left uneaten.

No matter how much she said it made her throat sore and breathing difficult when she ate it, everyone insisted that ‘the weak and cowardly southerner dares to disrespect Lusenford’.

Thinking about it, she should have just eaten it all and died right there. What foolish dream had she been dreaming? It’s not even funny that she had the stupid thought that God had taken pity on her and brought her back to life.

This place is still the same, and she’s just a young Grand Duchess. No matter how hard she tried, the gazes of the head maid and the chef were always terrifying.

The young Grand Duchess, who found it difficult to adapt, had no adults to turn to for help and struggled with experiences she’d never had before.

After enduring and enduring, she regretted watching the maids she had brought from Ostein fall ill one by one from the cold, and one even dying from a fever. She should have just sent them back home.

Perhaps now she could send them back.