Beatrice Ravalle was still beautiful. Her luscious silver hair shimmered and sparkled, and her unique pink eyes seemed to enchant people. The lovely lady was like a spring fairy who could have anything she wanted.

However, the Beatrice who came running naturally couldn’t hug Peiron. It was because Peiron was already protectively embracing Kaella.

His expression as he gave his arms entirely to his wife was so fierce that Beatrice, who was approaching, unknowingly hesitated. Kaella tried to look ahead but her view was blocked by Peiron’s thick forearms.

“Did His Majesty the Emperor send you?”

“Then of course, His Majesty sent me here with magic, why are you asking so fiercely?”

Beatrice looked at Peiron with an uncomprehending expression and then narrowed her eyes. This guy has definitely become strange before and after his marriage. He’s so strange that she came here to turn him back to the way he was.

“Wilberk.”

When Peiron coldly and strongly called out to someone, Kaella’s shoulders trembled in surprise. He wrapped his gloved hand around that shoulder and looked for the knight in charge of security at Lucenford Castle. Sir Wilfred, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward.

“It seems His Majesty the Emperor sent someone other than the inspector. Escort them according to protocol.”

Sir Wilfred immediately understood what that meant.

“Yes, Your Highness. Greetings, Lady Ravalle. I am Sir Wilfred, the knight in charge of security at Lucenford. You are the envoy sent by His Majesty the Emperor to this military operation area, correct?”

“That’s right!”

Beatrice lifted her chin and answered sharply. She wasn’t looking at Sir Wilfred but glaring at Peiron.

“Then you must have a letter from him, correct?”

“Don’t you know that my very existence is His Majesty the Emperor’s letter? Didn’t you see how I arrived at Lucenford just now?”

Everyone in Lucenford knew that a person walking out from the golden light was unconditionally an envoy sent by the Emperor.

However, Lucenford, which was constantly waging war against the evil dragon Quasarlante and the northern tribes, was a military operation area, so this kind of sudden and extremely central aristocratic appearance was a dangerous act that interfered with the entire military operation.

It was a story that Kaella, who had come to Lucenford for the first time, wouldn’t know, but she had already lived here for 4 years and knew enough about such things.

“Bi, let’s go inside for now.”

Peiron whispered to Kaella and tried to take her inside.

“No. We can’t just leave a precious guest from Krein to Sir Wilberk alone.”

Although she stepped forward for the sake of Peiron, who insisted on following principles and procedures, there was no way Sir Wilberk could handle Lady Ravalle, who was sent by the Emperor and was a childhood friend of the Grand Duke, alone.

Strangely enough, Kaella grabbed the arm of Peiron who was trying to embrace and take her away.

The arm that was softly but strongly holding her as if embracing her immediately lost strength. That was also very strange, but anyway, it was good. Kaella slowly pushed that arm away and stepped forward.

“I must properly welcome the noble lady sent by His Majesty the Emperor. Come on in, elder sister.”

Beatrice turned her head away from Sir Wilberk with a hmph.

“Bi.”

The sinful man tried to dissuade his wife once more, but the wife who faced the one arbitrarily called her rival in the world went forward.

“The journey must not have been uncomfortable. How is His Majesty the Emperor doing?”

“He is healthy. Kaella, you’re still the same, I see? It’s obvious how you’re living even without asking.”

Kaella gave an insincere smile at the informal speech that immediately popped out as if it were familiar.

“How is Her Majesty the Empress?”

“The same as always. Still unconscious… and showing no signs of waking up.”

Beatrice muttered gloomily. Is that sincere? Or not? Of course, it’s not something Kaella needs to know. She was used to Beatrice Ravalle rushing in like this at all times and turning Lucenford upside down for 4 years.

“His Majesty the Emperor must be very concerned. Is this all the luggage you brought?”

Kaella asked, looking around at the huge pile of trunks. It’s a bit strange. It seems less than usual?

“Yes, this is all… or not? Huh? What?”

Beatrice looked around at the pile of trunks with wide pink eyes and started counting the trunks.

“No, why is there only half?”

This is bad. Beatrice’s face turned pale. The various trunks were filled with clothes, shoes, hats, gloves, and all kinds of clothing and accessories to change into according to the occasion and mood.

It was her armor and weapon. Moreover, it was armor and weapons to deal with the Peiron who had become cold. But more than half of it had disappeared. How?

“It seems some got lost on the way here.”

“Lost, does that make sense?”

The Emperor’s magical tools were diverse in type and all had amazing powers.

The magical tool that always easily moved many people and objects far away at once made the Emperor an even more terrifying being. The Emperor could go anywhere and send troops anywhere.

All people, submit to His Majesty the Emperor, the almighty one. He is the god who rules over us.

“That’s impossible.”

Beatrice muttered the same words several times. It doesn’t make sense. It was something that couldn’t happen.

All magical tools worked properly, and had to work properly. How could a magical tool that had been passed down for hundreds of years to the next generation without ever causing an error make a mistake?

In addition to Beatrice, Peiron, who knew this well, was also lost in thought as he looked at Beatrice and the trunks she brought, which were far too few to be called luggage. And only Kaella gestured with a formal smile.

“Come on in for now. It’s cold.”

The warm welcome of the one who had no interest in their crisis, or opportunity, sounded somehow slightly off-kilter.

*

Beatrice was not flustered. She was the flower of high society, and if she didn’t get flustered, she could make anyone her ally.

A bright personality that was active and laughed well. She had to make full use of that personality, which northerners especially liked, here to bring the distant Peiron back to her side.

And she had to expand her influence in Lucenford to become a duchess better than the grand duchess. Only then, only then could she survive.

From a young age, and until Peiron got married, she had been steadily and faithfully working on it.

She covered his eyes, blocked his ears, and cast suggestions and prohibitions. It was a clever and elaborate prohibition that she had put a lot of effort into over several years, to the extent that no one, not even the Emperor, could break it.

Peiron could not betray Beatrice.

So Beatrice was not flustered. She was just here to make that absolute proposition even stronger. Because carelessness was forbidden.

“The castle is a bit chaotic. There’s a big construction going on. Watch your step. The snow is melting now, so there’s a lot of mud.”

Kaella muttered in a tone that didn’t worry about Beatrice at all and walked on. She seemed to be already familiar with Lucenford Castle and walked on without hesitation.

Unlike Krein, where flowers were in full bloom and it was a little warmer, Lucenford was just barely starting to melt the snow. As a result, the road was muddy, the stone floor was dirty, and the surroundings were very noisy. I don’t know why there are so many kids’ voices.

“I heard you almost died, Kaella?”

Beatrice asked abruptly.

“I heard you ate something wrong. But you seem to be okay?”

Her voice was full of malice. Was she annoyed and hated to see Kaella acting as the Grand Duchess of Lucenford? Was it because she was an unlucky bitch who had everything Beatrice didn’t have?

But why would she act like that when she had Peiron? Kaella couldn’t understand. Wasn’t having Peiron the same as having everything? Then there was no need to constantly prove oneself and struggle. How convenient was that?

“I can walk.”

“No, you cannot walk.”

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice intervened and Beatrice was startled. Yeah. Unfamiliar.

It was unfamiliar for Peiron’s voice, directed at a woman other than her, to be so polite. That ugly Kaella de Chasseur, the annoying little sister who used to whine and follow him around to play every day, he was addressing her with respect?

Beatrice was so unfamiliar with it that she had to double-check who the words were directed at and how. Yeah, like Kaella, she wasn’t someone clumsy. Addressing that boring, always pathetic and uninteresting brat with respect?

“Bi is still receiving treatment, isn’t she? The investigator sent by His Majesty the Emperor will also come soon, so you have to recover well by then. You’ve already walked too much today.”

“I’m fine.”

That sound again. The habit of just glossing over and saying she’s fine when she’s not. How can we fix that habit?

Peiron suddenly wanted to erase Beatrice Ravalle, who always appeared out of nowhere in Lucenford as usual and made everything uncomfortable, from here. Because then it would be comfortable. Because then it would seem as if he had committed no sin.

The brazen son of a bitch, the shameless bastard, was trying to erase his sins as he pleased. Honestly, it was a very interesting situation for others.

The people of Lucenford were already used to Beatrice Ravalle, who sometimes came and went here with an expression that she had no choice due to the Emperor’s magical tool, or with an expression that she was tired and exhausted from the long land journey.

It means they all know what kind of relationship she has with the Grand Duke.

However, the Grand Duke married another woman, the daughter of the very wealthy Count Ostein, and after that precious daughter almost died here, Beatrice appeared again.

Between the two, there was no time to call it a newlywed, and again.

“What are you two doing?”

A mocking laugh burst out.

“What, why are you addressing each other so respectfully? It’s disgusting… Just do it the way you always did! What’s with the formal speech between us? It’s weird.”

Beatrice held her stomach and giggled. It felt ridiculous for them to address each other respectfully when they had been playing together since childhood.

It felt like they were awkwardly playing house, dividing roles like you’re the dad, I’m the mom, in a way that didn’t suit them at all.

It felt like children trying awkwardly to play adult roles. To Beatrice, it was unbearably strange and funny.

Perhaps, the very fact that Kaella and Peiron were married was something strange and ridiculous to her.

“That’s the proper etiquette. It’s very awkward between people who haven’t known each other for long.”

When Peiron tried to say something, unable to bear it any longer, Kaella was faster. He couldn’t dare stop her from speaking.

“I envy elder sister for always being so free.”

“Don’t you think you’re being excessively old-fashioned?”

“Yes. I’m envious. Let’s go now.”

Beatrice looked at Kaella, who said only that with a pale face and walked inside again with light steps. Why doesn’t it sound like a compliment when that bitch who has everything says she’s envious?

‘It’s not sincere.’

She just threw out the answer Beatrice wanted to hear, knowing that she would quiet down if she heard that answer. Ah, I see.

The moment she realized it, her pink eyes narrowed. No way. There’s no way that dull Kaella de Chasseur could have risen to that level.

That couldn’t be. Kaella was always sincerely envious of Beatrice and always jealous.

Because the Peiron she loved always looked at Beatrice. The daughter of Count Ostein never said it out loud or acknowledged it because of her pride. But she says she’s ‘envious’ so easily like that?

“Let’s at least bring the luggage inside for now. And as for the room to stay in… is there one?”

Kaella muttered and then looked at the head maid instead of Peiron, who seemed to have a lot to say. Fabiola Sirens had a troubled expression.

“The situation is not good. As you know, all the rooms are under construction, and Bi is not staying in Bi’s bedroom either…”

That meant Lucenford Castle was in such a state of disarray, but Beatrice intervened.

“Then which room is Bi using?”

Since she was asking the head maid, the head maid had no choice but to answer.

“Bi is staying in the Grand Duke’s bedroom.”

No, that was what Fabiola Sirens, who was strangely bothered by this flighty daughter of the Duke of Monde, deliberately wanted to say.

The reason why she wanted to say such a thing became clear as soon as cracks appeared on the expression of the daughter of the Duke of Monde. The head maid felt a little relieved.

“Peiron’s…?”

They share the same bedroom? Beatrice’s voice trembled involuntarily. Peiron, who knows no woman but Beatrice, no, in fact, not even her, that blockhead shares a bed with Kaella?

The head maid had an expression of what’s the problem. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are a married couple, so it’s only natural for them to use the same bedroom.

Although it was because Kaella collapsed and the Grand Duke carried her directly to his bedroom instead of that dreadful Grand Duchess’ bedroom for some reason and it remained that way, it was an extremely natural thing anyway.

Despite knowing in her head that it was natural, Beatrice was greatly shocked.

It wasn’t for nothing that the Emperor pressured her to go to Lucenford.

Peiron, who should have been thinking only of her, was sharing a bedroom with another woman. There was a problem with the prohibition. Then, what use was Beatrice to the Emperor?

“Then that means Bi’s bedroom is empty?”

No. It shouldn’t be like this. The world was a constant battlefield, and Beatrice had to jump up to that high place, carrying the burdens of a lowly family, a position she didn’t deserve, and even debt.

“Then you can give that room to me. I am an important person sent by His Majesty the Emperor, so it’s only natural to offer the best room, isn’t it?”

So she had to take the position of the Grand Duchess and sit on it, push out the real Grand Duchess, and become the Emperor’s useful hostage and trap to hold Peiron’s ankles again.

Beatrice Ravalle was originally brazen and knew well how to provoke people. And since people don’t change easily, she, who was always naturally loved, couldn’t understand the situation of not being loved.

Peiron felt his self-control completely shatter there.

“Alright.”

Everyone was surprised into silence, and just as Peiron was about to open his mouth, a clear voice answered.

“A precious guest should use the best room. Do that. Head maid, move all of Lady Ravalle’s trunks to my bedroom.”

Kaella still smiled like a painting and nodded her head.