Human hearts were truly strange and fickle. It was rare for everyone to welcome an Ostein merchant ship into the proud and fierce Lucenford.

If it had been like this from the beginning, people would have disliked the Duchess from Ostein for disrespecting Lucenford.

Kaella vaguely knew that, like the lives of common noble women who married into foreign lands or other regions, she would have been welcomed only briefly when spending money. So she didn’t do it.

Peon didn’t miss how Kaella, who was casually sitting on a sturdy wooden box where items had been stored, looked happy but sometimes lowered her head to brush over the items, suppressing a small chest pain and sighing silently.

Sometimes she looked at him. Even when it was a blank stare without any emotion, Peon smiled whenever that gaze touched him. He couldn’t help but smile. It was just joyful to see her.

He had come this far practically supporting Kaella, who had let go of everything while he fussed over her excessively.

She’s a woman who, if left alone, would have just lain still, not eating anything, not doing anything, just waiting for death. The expressionless woman now smiles when she sees people she’s glad to see. Isn’t that enough? It was more than enough.

‘As long as she doesn’t die, that’s all that matters.’

It was enough if she smiled a little sometimes, ate even a little. He didn’t even hope for Kaella to smile at Peon, talk to Peon, ask Peon to do things for her. That was gone. She was a person who no longer existed. He had killed and erased her.

He closed his eyes. Every time he was reminded that she was gone, an unbearable pain arose. Even if he holed up in a cave, cut off his legs, pulled out his intestines, and gouged out his eyes, he couldn’t overcome this pain.

The pain was so intense it blurred even his surroundings, but only the woman sitting quietly like a doll remained clear. The pain stabbing his eyes and gnawing at his brain was constant, and though he was on the verge of tears from the physiological reflex, he endured.

It was already done. He had done it. Always too late, he had lost Kaella, and lost the child he didn’t even know existed.

“The Grand Duke has ordered so much. This color suits you well too.”

“Pack everything up neatly and put it away.”

Kaella seemed to be planning to just pile up those precious fabrics. Peon spoke up without delay.

“No, you should make formal dresses for the Duchess to wear.”

Instead of the woman who just wanted to stay still and quietly wither away, he had to intervene at times. Indifferent blue eyes looked up at him.

She even tilted her head slightly in a cute way. To Peon, who was normally indifferent to what others did, every gesture and expression Kaella made was clearly visible. She must be wondering why that man was acting like that.

She might think it was lingering attachment or guilt that he hadn’t properly understood before regressing. But do lingering attachment or guilt bring on the urge to touch, to kiss, to hold in one’s arms all night long and make love?

“It would be nice to have plenty of summer dresses made. The Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony will be held soon, so think of what you’ll wear in Kline.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Of course, Kaella didn’t need to know his feelings or emotions. The maids scattered, carrying the fabrics while marveling at the sheen of methylamine satin or the delicacy of Volpilen lace. Peon approached Kaella, who was sitting on the sturdy box.

“How was looking around? Was it fun?”

Kaella, who had placed the pearl box and her father’s letter on her lap, looked up at him. Her husband had changed a lot.

He had always been a sharp and strong person, but now he was extremely sensitive and could even lift her with one arm without any difficulty. He seemed to know a lot but pretended not to, turning a blind eye when appropriate.

He was definitely different. He was no longer the dense man who, before the regression, strangely took everything everyone said at face value, except for Kaella.

“I heard the chef is putting special effort into preparing the dinner banquet. They say the merchant ship brought plenty of ingredients too.”

Peon hoped Kaella would be curious about small things.

What’s on the menu for dinner tonight? And tomorrow? Since there are many ingredients brought from Ostein, we’ll be able to taste a variety of missed foods for a while – he hoped she would have such small expectations. Those things would make her live one more day.

The kitchen renovations and ongoing expansion construction were being carried out in that context as well.

He just hoped that making Kaella’s living space more comfortable and luxurious, and making the things she wanted to do become reality, might make her want to live even a little. Peon had no attachment whatsoever to this insufferably cold, desolate, and harsh place.

Kaella, who was just nodding now, probably felt the same way.

The Duchess regained some vitality after meeting people from her homeland. Those who didn’t know Kaella might say that wasn’t vitality, but those who knew her just sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, among the Ostein people, those who had served Kaella closely had tears in their eyes, asking why our lady had become so thin.

“I’m gradually adjusting. I’m trying to be more careful. Don’t be upset, Jenny.”

“You’ve come to such a cold place, miss…”

The climate is different and you’ve been hurt by people, so how could you have an appetite? The tough seafaring men unloaded all the ingredients they had packed onto the ship, and also brought out all the snacks the miss used to like.

In Ostein the sun shines brightly, but here it’s still cool, and even in summer the heat doesn’t last long, they said.

“Our miss used to run around the port so energetically…”

“I didn’t run around. I was always weak.”

“That’s just how my heart remembers it.”

Kaella, with her almost colorless white face, received snacks from the maids who had finished organizing the fabrics. Salty biscuits, dried tropical fruits, and pungent cheese.

“Ah, I missed this so much.”

“Please eat a lot. We brought plenty.”

Kaella brightened up and ate a biscuit with cheese on top. Those who were now offering her plates, urging her to eat more, including Cecil who had made sure the rumors of the miss’s suicide attempt didn’t spread in Ostein, had no idea.

Kaella had craved the food she ate in Ostein again and again while confined in that northern tower. The hunger engraved on her soul never disappeared.

Still, the obsession with maintaining dignity was no small matter, so Kaella chewed the biscuits slowly and thoroughly.

“Jenny, the jerky in Lucenford is delicious. They’re excellent at processing meat. The smoked sausages taste amazing, so make sure to take some.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“I was thinking of sending some jerky too, but Her Grace mentioned it first.”

Regen said to Jenny.

“We preserve meat by salting it. Of course, we could just bury it in snow, but it won’t last until summer. We also have sausages and salami.”

“Is that so? We spend a lot of time at sea, so meat is really important…”

Jenny and Regen started chatting. The two seemed to unexpectedly get along well.

“Your Grace, please eat a little more. You said you wanted to eat, so please have more.”

Cecil and Mary kept urging her to eat more. They even removed the pearl box from Kaella’s lap so she could focus on eating.

Whether this was a hall or dining room, the location didn’t matter. The most important thing was for the emaciated Duchess to consume more nutrients.

“Eat this first.”

It was impossible to eat mindlessly in front of Peon. Even if she wanted to, his presence was much stronger than her craving for food. Why did he choose to starve her to death, of all methods?

Kaella hadn’t just eaten a little of the biscuit, she had nearly gnawed on it. It was still full of mysteries. She didn’t understand why he had saved a woman he had starved to death. It would be easier for him to just kill her.

“I’ll do it.”

Peon reached out and took the plate from the maids. Though they weren’t sure if it was appropriate for His Grace to be with the Grand Duke, the Grand Duke’s orders were absolute.

The maids quietly withdrew and returned to the piled up goods. Only the couple was separated in the busy hall.

“Ah. I remember this. You always held a plate of these and ate them in Kline too.”

“I did?”

Kaella looked up at Peon as he casually took a biscuit and ate it. He nodded and chewed, swallowing the biscuit. He knew Kaella would eat a little more if he ate with her.

“You liked them. The ones with cheese on top. They’re delicious.”

Peon, who now understood why she had liked them, always ate neatly. Though he was a big eater due to his large, solid build and high-calorie job, he never lost his dignity while eating.

Kaella thought for a moment, then put down the small piece of biscuit she had been eating. Peon didn’t say anything.

Instead of urging her to eat more, he tended to bring new food and eat together. Was it because he was the only one who knew her circumstances of having starved to death, or was it something else?

“Here.”

As expected, Peon now held out dried tropical fruit. It was sweet enough even without sugar.

Kaella bit into a piece of fruit and suppressed the urge to eat her fill of biscuits and fruit, sinking into questions. Questions that only Peon could answer.

*

Benjamin “Jenny” Toti, a loyal servant of Duke Adeo de Chasser of Ostein, had originally served the Duke of Ostein from Kline.

Then, upon moving to Ostein, he unexpectedly discovered a new talent – the extremely sea-friendly talent of beating up pirates and sailing ships.

Captain Toti’s notoriety for protecting Ostein was high among pirates, and was also an assurance for merchants that they could safely go to Ostein.

The reason such a man came directly to Lucenford was purely for the sake of the young lady he had often carried on his back and taken on boat rides since she was little.

“Since the young lady came straight here without stopping by Ostein, the people of the ducal family were very sad.”

You think our miss has no one to take care of her or worry about her? Jenny, sitting at the banquet table, spoke only pointed words in his gruff voice.

“When we heard you were ill, the entire ducal residence was filled with crying.”

It was a roundabout way of saying that the Ostein ducal family was in an uproar at the news that their precious young lady had nearly died due to local hostility.

“Our Duke still decided to trust the Grand Duke and restrained himself from coming to Lucenford immediately. The Duke said many times! that he would trust the Grand Duke and endured patiently.”

Jenny and the other members of the Ostein ducal family were saying what needed to be said while not crossing the minimum line.

“Our lady is not only the Grand Duchess, but also the future leader of Ostein. It’s not unreasonable for us to worry when we almost lost the person on whom Ostein’s future depends.”

It was quite skillful to mention only Ostein without stimulating the deep-rooted antipathy towards the Emperor in Lucenford.

“But we are so happy to see you again with such good news.”

At this large banquet where Lucenford nobles were also invited, Jenny clearly pointed out that Kaella was not just some random stone that had rolled in, but the future Duchess of Ostein.

They must have thought the young Grand Duchess looked easy to push around, but she is the precious young lady of the Ostein people, who are no less fierce than Lucenford. If they treat her carelessly, there’s a strong family back home that will come running with their eyes rolled back.

“It seems your health is not good, but I hope you recover well.”

People living by the sea and engaging in trade were quick to gather rumors. That experienced captain must have surely heard during the day that the Grand Duchess had collapsed again.

“My wife’s collapse was a shock to the entire empire. Please tell my father-in-law that I am deeply sorry.”

Peon smiled and brushed off the Ostein people’s glaring and picking a fight. Lucenford, which had nearly killed the newly arrived bride and then falsely accused her, had nothing to say even with ten mouths.

Since the original purpose of requesting merchant ships from Ostein was to elevate Kaella’s position in Lucenford and properly ingrain her status, Peon let that captain speak freely.

Jenny also knew well that Kaella was not only the young lady of Ostein but also the Grand Duchess of Lucenford, so he spoke clearly and firmly just once while keeping within bounds.

Anyway, the people of Lucenford Castle were already absorbed in the high-quality goods they couldn’t use even when they had money because of the butler. The atmosphere was better kept moderately good.

“Our Duke said he would regularly interact with Lucenford from now on.”

It meant that Ostein merchant ships would directly bring the items Lucenford wanted.

“Lucenford leather is usable.”

Lucenford also had quite a few items to take to Ostein. Peon nodded.

“And…”

He gestured to Jenny. The captain, who got up and approached, tilted his head.

“A gold mine has just been discovered, and Ostein’s gold is famous, right?”

The captain from Ostein, famous for gold craftsmanship and trade, met eyes with the young lady sitting next to the Grand Duke.

“Lucenford doesn’t know much about it, so I’d like to ask my father-in-law. Take it along with the leather this time. There are diamonds too.”

Lucenford had always been in the Emperor’s hands, so going through Kline was natural. If a gold mine was discovered in Lucenford, it should implicitly go into the Emperor’s pocket. But he’s saying he’ll trade through Ostein?

“Isn’t it natural for a father and daughter to be close?”

So does this mean the young lady is leading this trade? At Jenny’s gaze, Kaella glanced at Peon once. Her inscrutable husband was just smiling faintly. It was a deal Ostein naturally had to seize as well.

“Isn’t that right, my lady?”

Kaella, who had been quick to calculate as the young lady of Ostein, nodded for now. Peon smiled deeply. Lucenford and Ostein would grow closer.