Maybe this is the chance? Kaella thought as she looked down at her red and bruised body. They were traces filled with pleasure, desire, and some obsession. It was the same whether it was the Peon she experienced before her death or the Peon she experienced this time.

However, when morning came, unlike the man back then who acted as if nothing had happened and was very displeased with the fact that the Grand Duchess was in his bedroom, the current Peon was a completely different person.

Since he seemed to be in a good mood, since it seemed to be okay now, maybe she could send the youngest maid Marie to Ostein with the excuse that her child was a little sick, while watching his reaction.

Thinking about it, Kaella laughed in disbelief.

‘This is pillow talk.’

Kaella never thought the day would come when she would do this. People should not live long and see, but die once and see. Even if you wake up in the past after dying, it’s the same that your husband holds your leash.

Kaella wrapped her body, which was complaining of muscle aches, tightly in clothes, looked at the documents even for a moment, and called Darinka, who was the busiest these days, to hear her story.

Of course, rather than appealing to Darinka about how difficult the situation was, she diligently applied ointment to erase the traces left by the Grand Duke on the Grand Duchess’s skin.

“You need to rest a bit today. You shouldn’t have relations.”

Of course, hearing this from Darinka, she couldn’t help but blush.

“The Grand Duke is busy too. Not today.”

Peon was also too busy to even raise his eyes today, just making Kaella eat her meals. That’s how the aftermath of war is.

He had to look after households where there was wailing, check on the wounded, and repair the oil-splattered fortress and the half-burned fortress gates.

He had to replenish the used military supplies and maintain the weapons. In addition, he had to dig up more information about Volga, Vineland, and Delgard, so even ten bodies would not be enough.

Kaella knew well how he would handle what kind of work now, having learned it well over the past 4 years, but she knew it was safe to never show that she knew.

If she showed even a little bit that she knew, she would likely be accused of being the emperor’s spy. So she just said he was ‘busy’. But Darinka, whom Kaella didn’t know at all for the past 4 years and only found out this time, had an expression that it couldn’t be.

“The person who barged into his wife’s room right after the war ended and did this to you, he’s not going to come today. Please make sure to tell the Grand Duke, Your Highness.”

Well, it can’t be. Kaella prepared for the night she would face alone, resting her body that was aching but pleasantly refreshed. She would be able to meet Peon tomorrow night at the earliest. Then she would casually bring up the story of Marie.

For the Grand Duchess who woke up late, the day in the busy Lucenford Castle passed faster than usual.

Beatrice must have been quiet wandering around somewhere, and Isidore Dakiten must have been busy with his own work. So Kaella rested very well, unusually for the Lucenford in the aftermath of the war. She would rest well, have dinner quietly, and then go to sleep.

“How is your body, B?”

However, the moment Peon appeared at the dinner table, which was clearly meant for her to eat alone, all expectations were overturned.

Lucenford Castle already had many guests. When the lord did not come out to the spacious and chilly restaurant where meals were served from time to time, Kaella had to fill the seat. So she came out, but Peon, who must have been busy going back and forth to Pueten, entered the restaurant.

“Your Highness.”

“It’s cold here, why did you come out? You should eat warmly in your room.”

His eyes were filled with worry as he walked over and checked her body first.

“There are many guests, so I thought I should come out even if it’s me.”

When she gave the model answer, Peon sighed and lowered his voice.

“They are uninvited guests that you don’t need to care about, Kaella. You should take care of yourself first.”

Kaella momentarily forgot what to say at the sudden familiarity in his tone.

“Are you okay? I heard the doctor came. What did he say?”

She had never experienced Peon like this before, so she didn’t know how to behave safely at all. So she became even more reserved.

“He said it’s okay.”

“He couldn’t have just said it’s okay.”

His violet eyes reflected red in the fireplace light. When Kaella hesitated a little, those eyes narrowed.

“He said… not to do it… today.”

“Do what?”

Kaella couldn’t answer and tried to convey with her eyes. It was too embarrassing for a virtuous noblewoman to say.

“Ah.”

Peon looked down at her with a slight smile.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m fine.”

“Fine? Even though you’re fine, you don’t want to speak comfortably to oppa like before, I guess.”

Where did that suddenly come from? Kaella looked up at Peon, taken aback. She reflexively thought.

How should I answer at times like this to be safe? Whenever unexpected questions came up, the habit of always hiding her true feelings and only looking for safe answers felt very old.

It felt so old that it seemed she wouldn’t be able to shake it off until she died. Kaella was destined to die young, so of course it would be like that.

“Are you upset and angry about something?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then you just don’t want to?”

He was still smiling and asking kindly, as he once did to his young sister. But that made it even more dangerous. At times like this, Kaella chose the relatively better answer of ‘self-blame’.

“I’m afraid I might make a mistake.”

She had to humbly answer that she knew very well that she was stupid, as everyone pointed fingers at her. Then it was a little better.

“I… have a poor memory… I often forget, so I’m afraid I might make a mistake.”

“Your memory is indeed poor.”

Peon made an unreadable expression.

“It’s true. My memory is not good.”

“Is that so? How much?”

But even this, if it doesn’t work, there’s no choice. She just had to take all the attacks, contempt, and insults that came flying.

“You forget easily?”

Kaella closed her mouth. If she answered hastily, she would make a mistake. It was better to be sparing with words.

“I wish that were the case.”

The words that came out like a sigh sounded like some kind of wish. Not knowing what it meant, Kaella watched Peon’s reaction. Does it mean to forget everything? She was confident in that. She was a natural at turning a blind eye, plugging her ears, shutting her mouth, and pretending not to know.

“Kaella. By any chance…, I’m asking just in case.”

“Yes.”

“By any chance…, do you have anything you want from me…or anything to say…things like that?”

There were many things she wanted. If by any chance she made a mistake, she wanted to tell him not to make her die painfully, as she would die on her own. That was wanting a lot.

“Things you want to say… or things like that.”

Peon, who was speaking with difficulty, met Kaella’s eyes.

“…Nothing?”

It wasn’t something that could be said easily. Even if he told her to say it, Kaella wasn’t someone who would say everything. They were not that kind of couple to begin with.

“No.”

Peon smiled bitterly at Kaella’s cautious expression, which showed she had no idea what he was talking about.

“Right. I said something strange. I’m sorry. Don’t mind it.”

It was really strange. Peon knew it very well too.

“You can speak however you like too. It’s just…, I was reminded of the old days.”

He quietly looked down at her and gently kissed her white, clean forehead.

“I want to get closer.”

Now it was too far. It would probably be far forever. Peon sat at the table, sensing some kind of end. Ironically, there were only the Grand Duke and Duchess in the restaurant today.

Since the war had just ended, the ladies not involved in the battles stayed at home, and there were only knights running around in the castle to clean up, so no one was interested in Beatrice Lavallee.

Isidore Dakiten must be busy preparing to leave after finishing his investigation.

Thanks to that, the dining atmosphere was a little more comfortable. At least it meant Kaella wouldn’t have a hard time digesting.

Peon was extremely kind to Kaella after spending last night, and the food was delicious.

“I couldn’t tell you yesterday, but I’m really glad you came back victorious.”

A safe topic and safe words that were always pondered over several times, thinking ‘Is this much okay?’, were placed on the table. Peon focused on Kaella, who spoke slowly and carefully in a small voice.

“Were you worried about me?”

He leaned his body towards Kaella and grinned. It was a smile that contained a much more private and intimate meaning than the Grand Duchess ordinarily worrying about the Grand Duke. The two were not even in that kind of relationship.

“No, that’s…”

At the desperate obsession with never crossing the line, reflexively speaking as soon as the words popped out, Peon’s expression visibly turned sulky.

“You’re saying you weren’t worried?”

“No, no, that’s not it…”

Kaella even waved her hands.

“So you were worried?”

She couldn’t say no again to the face that had brightened up again.

“Of course I was worried.”

Wouldn’t that be the virtue of the Grand Duchess? But Peon laughed like a boy even at the formal, restrained answer.

“I see. You were worried about me.”

“…It’s natural, isn’t it?”

That’s not necessarily true.

Peon answered as comfortably as when they were just brother and sister a very long time ago.

“Why?”

“Because I’m the ‘Loser of the North’?”

He said that nickname as if it were a joke. But even the Loser of the North got injured and sometimes lost. Kaella recalled the harsh life in the North that she had experienced for 4 years before she died.

“Who doesn’t fail?”

“There’s no one who doesn’t make mistakes either.”

“War is dangerous, isn’t it?”

Peon nodded, put down his fork, and brought over a glass of red wine to drink.

“…It’s dangerous.”

His gaze turned to the wine glass. The wine he took just one sip of looked dark red.

He must have been in a considerable hurry. In the afternoon, he played with tea, and now it’s the wine he drinks at dinner.

“Is the wine…not to your liking?”

At Kaella’s cautious voice, he raised his head to see her looking at him with a tense expression. What should he answer? After thinking quietly, Peon barely opened his mouth.

“It’s unique.”

“It’s Blanu wine I brought as a dowry. I thought it would be good to bring it out since you must be tired, but does it not suit your taste?”

The Grand Duchess, who should have had a much longer and more familiar time calling him Brother Peon and using informal speech than the time she used formal speech, finds formal speech much more comfortable.

And the wine she brought as a dowry and even personally chose for today contains poison.

When Peon remained silent, Kaella picked up her own untouched wine glass with an anxious expression.

“No, don’t drink it. Don’t drink it. It must have been stored incorrectly. It’s spoiled.”

“What? That can’t be.”

“No, it’s spoiled. Don’t drink it.”

Peon spoke firmly and took Kaella’s glass so that she couldn’t even touch the wine, and called the servant.

“The wine is spoiled, so clear it all away and dispose of it properly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The servant moved quickly right away.

“…I’m sorry, I should have managed…”

“No.”

When the startled Kaella reflexively apologized first, Peon cut her off.

“It’s not your fault, Kaella.”

He spoke firmly.

“You only ordered it, it’s not your fault that it was mismanaged. It’s okay. We can just bring another bottle.”

The newly brought Blanu wine and new glasses had no problems at all.

“See? It’s fine. I guess it was just that one bottle that had a problem. Sometimes only one bottle goes bad, you know.”

Peon drank the fragrant southern wine very bitterly, watching Kaella barely feel relieved by his consolation. Lucenford was full of traps aimed at Kaella, and Kaella was already scared.

What made her so scared? And who is spreading the poison? The suspicion is obvious, but should he start by searching for physical evidence? No, the physical evidence would have been cleanly erased anyway, so it’s not necessary. He would just have to handle it quietly and surely.

But even if he handles it, unless Kaella leaves this place, these things will keep happening.

No matter how much you try and put in effort, what doesn’t work doesn’t work. Once it’s ruined, there’s no second chance, and since he’s never paid the price for what’s already happened, there’s no future either.

Peon swirled the glass and looked into it.

“I’m planning to expand.”

Kaella raised her head.

“The kitchen renovation is already underway, so in addition to that, I’m going to expand the entire castle and further fortify the fortress.”

The man who had flatly refused, saying there was no room for expansion before he died, mentioned expansion first after dying and waking up. It’s not like Pueten was all breached like before he died and a battle took place in Lucenford.

“…It will cost a lot of money.”

Peon barely raised his head and looked at Kaella. His gaze, which was always straight and clear, was faltering.

“Even if it costs a lot.”

His throat was clogged. Suffocating, he had to forcibly pull out his voice.

“Thinking of the distant future, it’s a necessary investment, isn’t it?”

That’s what you said, Kaella.