The opportunity came only once, and Peon had lost it forever before realizing what he truly wanted.

The moment when Kaella looked at him even a little would never come again. He knew it. Though he said he knew and didn’t want more, he was already suffering from deprivation.

“Don’t you dislike me?”

“I don’t dislike you.”

Kaella, who only asked that question once more, tilted her head as if it was strange and impossible, then closed her mouth. She didn’t ask further, nor did she say anything else.

But she probably didn’t understand. She wouldn’t believe what he said. He didn’t say it hoping she would believe him. There was no need for Kaella to believe words that sounded like obscene excuses even to his own ears.

Today, she only spoke the words she had buried deep inside after Peon told her to, then went back to living as usual.

Peon also lived as usual. On the outside, he played the role of a proper Grand Duke, taking care of Kaella’s every move and making sure she was never left alone.

Watching over her while she slept was his job. On this deep night when the castle, which was bustling with rare visitors, had fallen asleep, Peon was once again watching over Kaella, unable to sleep as usual.

She slept as if dead, and while watching her, he would sometimes get chills and put his hand under her nose or check her pulse.

It had become a habit since she collapsed. He had done so throughout the time when he forcibly held onto the life that was barely hanging on in her frail body. It was a series of anxious moments and sudden frights.

You starved me to death.

Peon couldn’t bring up the story that hurt Kaella, saying he would take the punishment first. So he waited without even asking.

He already had a hunch. But even if he guessed, expected, and prepared, facing Kaella, who couldn’t even express resentment and started with the premise “I know you’ll kill me because you hate me,” was an experience that shattered and destroyed Peon.

‘Are you asleep?’

Are you sleeping well? Are you having nightmares? He was anxious because he couldn’t protect her in her dreams. No, it might be better for her to be alone even in her dreams. His appearance would only be unpleasant.

I’m most afraid of being hungry and cold. I hate it terribly.

She, who rarely expressed herself, said it so many times that after her regression, she chose a quick death. How much must it have hurt?

Peon closed his eyes. His consciousness flew to the time that had now vanished but clearly existed, seeking Kaella rather than his stupid self who didn’t even know what crime he had committed.

There was nothing but pitch-black darkness. Amidst the darkness, teeth chattered and bone-chilling cold was added. Exposed defenseless to that cold, a splitting headache and pain that ached throughout the body were added. It hurt so much he couldn’t breathe.

It was only for a moment. It was far from enough for him to dare to know all the despair, misery, pain, and hunger she must have felt.

Peon remained in the darkness until morning came. For so long that his body trembled, frozen cold, clawing at the tightly closed door until his nails came off and he was covered in blood without even realizing it.

Because his indifferent wife wouldn’t even give him punishment, he had to seek out and swallow the pain himself.

*

The Ostein merchant ship, which had unloaded all its goods, was now fully loaded again with new goods securely fastened.

As the port bustled with activity in addition to the expansion construction, Lycenford moved towards the warm summer, forgetting about the war and the unfortunate execution, just as it had always done.

However, the Grand Duke, still in the midst of winter, was quietly guarding the Grand Duchess’s side today as well.

“Your Highness. News has just arrived from Kline.”

Peon, who had already heard Regen’s footsteps running behind him, stretched out his arm without even turning around.

His gaze remained fixed on the Grand Duchess, unwavering. Regen placed a letter decorated in gold and red on the Grand Duke’s outstretched hand and stepped back. Anyone could see it was a letter from the Emperor.

“Was it sent through a magic device?”

“Yes.”

It happened occasionally. Like when Beatrice came, after a dazzling flash of golden light disappeared, the letter left in its place shook the entire Lycenford.

The contents were usually full of implications that the Emperor was always watching this place as if looking at his palm, so this time too, the entire population of Lycenford would probably be on edge again. Regardless, Peon carelessly tore open the letter.

Even as he opened it, he didn’t forget to look at Kaella once more before seeing the irritating contents. Then he quickly read through the Emperor’s personal letter.

“It seems our Emperor has no one to rely on.”

Peon handed the letter he had finished reading to Kaella. Kaella tilted her head again but accepted it since he gave it to her. She must be wondering why he was giving this to her.

Anyway, she’s cute. She reads diligently when given something. She eats when told to eat, and sleeps when told to sleep. Outwardly, she seems to be gradually getting better. The maids, Darinka, everyone was relieved.

The only man who wasn’t relieved didn’t take his eyes off her as she read the letter. After reading it slowly and carefully, Kaella raised her head and looked at him again.

Though her complexion was still thin and pale, without a trace of a smile, Peon kissed her cheek at that moment.

He wanted to kiss her lips, not her cheek, but fearing that the well-behaved Grand Duchess might startle and move away, he kissed her cheek and naturally pulled away.

Kaella, who was a bit slow to react, belatedly opened her eyes wide, blinked, and glanced around at the people nearby.

“I don’t want to go to Kline because I’m busy.”

“Are they calling for you?”

Regen asked, startled by Peon’s muttering.

“They’re telling us to come quickly. It seems the Crown Prince is getting engaged.”

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Lycenford were to hurry to Kline. To summarize, that was it. Even before carefully selecting and sending polite invitations to the noble guests who would attend the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony, the Emperor summoned the Grand Duke and Duchess first.

Because the Emperor had killed all the royals with succession rights and ascended to the throne alone, the size of the Krania Imperial family was miserably small.

So the aging Emperor had no choice but to cling to his half-brother, the Duke of Ostein, who had no succession rights, and even the Empress’s illegitimate child.

There is no Empress by the Emperor’s side. He must be afraid of his aging body. His grown child doesn’t meet his expectations.

So he was urging them to come quickly. He was in such a hurry that he didn’t send a messenger with the letter, but sent it through a magic device, just like when he sent Beatrice last time.

“At least this time the letter didn’t fly away half-destroyed and arrived properly.”

Someone’s trunk flew away half-destroyed, but it seems the magic device’s performance is still usable. Or maybe it can handle a letter even if it can’t handle an enormous trunk with a person.

“Is he summoning Your Highness because the expansion has started?”

Regen asked cautiously. Even while working as a secretary, he had never forgotten that the Emperor’s eyes and ears were here.

“Regen. Try to grow that small liver of yours a bit more while I’m gone.”

The Grand Duke joked with a smile, but that smile didn’t linger long on his lips before disappearing.

Originally, the Grand Duke was a serious person but also knew how to joke and laugh cheerfully. However, since the Grand Duchess had gone back and forth between life and death twice, he hardly ever smiled.

“Are you going? The expansion has just begun, what will happen?”

“What else?”

Peon turned to look at Kaella. She was still holding the Emperor’s personal letter and looking at it quietly.

“You’ll have to take good charge of the expansion construction.”

“Pardon? Me? Am I not going to Kline?”

“You’re not going. Make sure to build the outer walls solidly. Don’t forget to consult with the knights.”

“Of course. I’ll do my best.”

Regen could certainly handle the wall construction.

“Don’t get too excited.”

He had tried to answer as cautiously as possible, but it seems his voice couldn’t help but sound excited.

“You know I have a small liver, but still. If I go to Kline, oh my, it would be overwhelming.”

“It’s not that you dislike Kline, you’re excited because I won’t be here, right?”

“Well, that too.”

Seeing him answer like that, it seems Regen’s small liver had grown a bit.

“We won’t leave right away.”

“Honestly, I’d prefer if you left slowly, if only for Her Highness’s health.”

Even now, Darinka visited once a day without fail to examine Kaella. The chef consulted with Darinka to decide on the Grand Duchess’s meals, and the preparation was also very careful.

It was clear that the Grand Duchess, who had just gotten out of bed and was only taking one walk a day, would find the long journey to Kline difficult.

“Should we not go?”

Peon muttered abruptly.

“Should we not go, dear?”

He sounded as if they could ignore it if our lady didn’t want to go. Regen might think the Grand Duke was joking, but Kaella knew it wasn’t a joke.

“How can we not go?”

Kaella was barely moving due to a sense of responsibility, but Peon was glad even for that. If she would do her duties and go on living, even without her heart in it, that was enough. The rest he could manage by holding onto her.

“We have to go.”

They had to go even if she collapsed on the road. They couldn’t disobey the fearsome and absolute imperial order.

“But let’s go slowly, without rushing. You’re weak.”

The thought of whether the son of a dragon could go to Kline briefly crossed Kaella’s mind, but she just dismissed it. Peon had gone to Kline often before.

He wasn’t any less the son of a dragon then either, so there was nothing new to worry about. However, if it was discovered that her husband was the son of a dragon, then death would be the only outcome.

“Um, Your Highness.”

Regen would usually speak to the Grand Duke, but unexpectedly, he called out to her. Kaella turned to look at Regen, slightly surprised.

“Excuse me, but I have one request before you leave. I hope you could appoint a steward before you go.”

Knowing full well how much the Grand Duke doted on the Grand Duchess, and above all, that he had delegated the important authority to appoint the steward to the Grand Duchess, Regen made his request politely.

“I’ve been handling the duties together with the head maid in your stead, but still, having a steward would ensure the castle is properly managed while you two are away.”

“Is the workload too heavy?”

At this unexpected question, the young secretary hesitated.

“To be honest, that’s not the case, but shouldn’t a steward’s job be done by a steward? I’m not a steward.”

“Then you should become the steward.”

Regen Nerkel, a young secretary who had just entered his mid-20s and was praised as the first promising figure to emerge in Lycenford in a long time, failed to immediately understand what the Grand Duchess said, despite his accumulated excellent performance.

He stared blankly at the Grand Duchess, who was writing a new reply to send to the Duke of Ostein before the merchant ship departed, as if he couldn’t understand what she meant.

“…Pardon?”

“Your Highness. Didn’t you employ Secretary Nerkel to fill the gaps where the steward wasn’t working?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Peon looked down affectionately at Kaella, who now spoke her mind without any sign of caution, and nodded.

“My lady understood right away.”

“I realized it when I saw that the castle affairs were running smoothly without any problems, even though the head maid took over the duties the steward had taken, and Secretary Nerkel filled in the remaining gaps.”

She also newly realized that the steward had been diligent only in unnecessary areas and terribly negligent in the rest.

“You’ve worked with His Highness for a long time, so it should be fine. You can continue doing what you’ve been doing. Only your title will change.”

“Pardon?”

Kaella looked at the still dazed Regen.

“You really need to grow your liver a bit.”

That’s definitely not a brain problem, but a liver problem. Peon nodded beside her.

“Indeed. I wonder if I should have taken him to more battlefields.”

“I thought you had taken him enough.”

To Regen, the Grand Duchess’s casual reply sounded like a guess, but to Peon’s ears, it sounded like she was recalling old memories.

“I’m sorry for creating troublesome and annoying work, my lady. I should have resolved this.”

If he had even hired someone to do the work the steward wasn’t doing, Peon could have resolved the steward issue. No, he should have.

But Kaella instinctively shook her head. She knew that without a justification as significant as her collapse, it would have been impossible to remove even the steward Peon had nurtured. Replacing people and punishing them was that difficult.

“No, I just added words to the measures Your Highness had already prepared.”

But Peon’s circumstances were not her concern, were they? Kaella quickly cut off her thoughts on that matter.

She wasn’t grateful that he had dealt with the steward and head maid, and saved her life. She didn’t want to know. Or she wanted to erase his circumstances that she already knew from her mind.

She only wanted to remember one thing. He had confined her in the north tower, and she had been imprisoned. A husband had treated his wife like a criminal and confined her.

“I didn’t do anything.”

So Kaella said just that, cutting it off.

“I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again in the future.”

Lycenford Castle, which Peon was newly and firmly establishing according to Kaella’s thoughts, was finally running properly.

“…Pardon? Um, Your Highness, I’m not yet… not yet ready for such an important position…!”

Regen, who had finally come to his senses, cried out belatedly.

“It’s already too late, Regen.”

“B-but, since I’m slow and have a small liver, wouldn’t I be unable to be a steward?”

Regen timidly tried to argue, but the Grand Duchess only said frightening things.

“You’ll get better and better as you work in the position.”

There was no way out for Regen.