The road to Klein was the same one Kaella had used to come to Lucenford. Though she had been to Lucenford twice, she had never traveled in reverse to Klein.

As they got closer to Klein, the days grew progressively warmer. The cool breeze soon disappeared without a trace, and beautiful flowers bloomed profusely.

From inside the carriage rolling slowly out of concern for Kaella’s health, she occasionally glanced at her husband. Unlike when heading to Lucenford before, instead of leading the front, he now rode his horse beside her carriage like an escort knight.

While traveling a road she had never taken before, Kaella realized an unexpected fact anew.

Lately, she sometimes forgot that she had to die. It was also fun to look at the scenery outside the carriage. Rarely, but occasionally, she would put down her utensils after eating without feeling regret.

“My lady. Kaella.”

She felt a bit of joy when flowers that Peon occasionally picked or bought from girls selling them by the roadside occupied her lap.

Kaella looked at the colorful poppies covering her lap. Peon always brought flowers and watched Kaella’s expression. Though it was hard to tell if she was smiling or not, she didn’t furrow her brow. To Peon, that was a smile.

“We’ll be staying in Poppyhill today.”

“Yes.”

“Are you not tired?”

“I’m fine.”

Sometimes she forgot the terrifying fact that her husband was the son of a dragon. She sometimes forgot that she was now powerless, unable to do anything.

She even sometimes forgot the fact that her husband was preventing her from dying. Though many things were still bothersome and she was indifferent to many matters, the position of Grand Duchess wouldn’t leave her alone.

Before her regression, it was a position that kept her bound, unable to do anything, but now it had become an important role where things wouldn’t run smoothly in the castle if she put off what she disliked. It was true that Peon had made it so, but at the same time, it was normal for the position of Grand Duchess to be like this.

“Welcome, Your Grace, Your Highness. Thank you so much for stopping by Poppyhill.”

Poppyhill was the mansion of the Soros Lord, located on the way from Lucenford to Klein, where the current Count Soros, William Beckham, and his wife Sophie lived.

As soon as they heard rumors that the Grand Duke of Lucenford would be passing through Soros, they sent a message to the Grand Duke’s side first, requesting that he stay for a day on his way through. It was a request that Peon, who was already worried about Kaella, couldn’t refuse.

“It’s an honor to have you here.”

William Beckham was a well-built man in his mid-30s who loved swords very much but lacked the skill to match. Thus, having abandoned the path of knighthood early on and entered the path of a civil official, he was widely respected for his steady personality.

His wife Sophie Beckham was the same age as her husband and from the Sinner family, a niece of the Countess Sinner who was one of the Empress’s chief ladies-in-waiting. Sophie, like her husband, had a steady and modest personality, and considered it a great honor that the Grand Duchess was visiting.

“Thank you for providing lodging to passing travelers.”

“Oh my, you’re too kind. We were unfortunately in Klein when you passed through on your way to Lucenford after your wedding last winter, so we felt very guilty about not being able to serve you on your return journey. We’re glad to be able to host you this time.”

“You’re the one being too kind.”

There were few nobles this friendly to Peon. Moreover, there were almost none who welcomed him sincerely and humbly like this, rather than with mere lip service.

“Please come inside, Your Highness. You must be tired from coming all this way?”

The Grand Ducal couple received unexpectedly lavish hospitality from the Count and Countess of Soros. Fodder and water were immediately prepared for the horses, and so much food was brought out for the knights, servants, and maids that the tables seemed about to break, while the table where the Grand Ducal couple sat was filled with soft music and comfortable topics of conversation.

The Count and Countess of Soros seemed to know that Kaella had suffered a terrible ordeal as soon as she arrived in Lucenford, but they didn’t mention it out loud.

It was also a great embarrassment that the Grand Duke of Lucenford couldn’t keep a tight grip on the castle, allowing insubordination to occur. Instead of talking about the past, they chose conversations about the future.

“All of Klein is in a stir. With your marriage and now His Highness the Crown Prince’s engagement, joyous events seem to be happening one after another.”

“What scale is the engagement ceremony said to be proceeding on?”

Peon asked.

“Well…”

A slightly troubled look appeared on William Beckham’s face, which had been responding smoothly and gently until now.

“It hasn’t been decided yet, Your Grace.”

The answer came from his wife Sophie. She seemed to have steeled herself for something.

“Not decided yet…? Still?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Why? Isn’t this something His Majesty the Emperor is overseeing?”

Peon, who was speaking on behalf of Kaella who hardly intervened, couldn’t understand. The Count and Countess of Soros looked at each other with awkward expressions, then at the Grand Ducal couple. Kaella also tilted her head as she looked at Sophie Beckham.

“The Marchioness of Schroez has been put in charge of the overall engagement ceremony.”

Sophie, who had neatly tied back her blonde hair, finally touched on the core issue. At the mention of the Marchioness of Schroez, Kaella roughly guessed the situation, but Peon, born a knight, still didn’t understand.

“But what’s the problem that even the scale hasn’t been decided?”

It wasn’t that Peon didn’t know the Marchioness of Schroez. No noble was unaware of the one who had borne a somewhat decent son among the Emperor’s countless concubines and managed to hold on until now.

“Well, it’s her first time being in charge of an event held by the Imperial Family.”

“But she must have seen it before.”

“That’s true.”

While the Count and Countess held back their words a bit, Peon looked at his wife who was silently cutting the salmon grilled with lemon and cream sauce into small pieces. Kaella didn’t look curious at all.

“My lady, please enlighten this foolish husband.”

Kaella looked at Peon with a bit of surprise, then at the Count and Countess who were looking this way. The Count and Countess seemed surprised by the Grand Duke’s infinitely courteous attitude towards the Grand Duchess.

“Ah.”

After hesitating a little, Kaella gave the answer she already knew.

“The Marchioness of Schroez is a person who lacks confidence in herself.”

“I understand what you mean, but isn’t an Imperial event something that can be done by consulting with the chamberlain and getting help from the staff?”

At Peon’s words, William Beckham exclaimed with admiration and laughed.

“Only you two would be able to pull off an Imperial event so easily. That’s why His Majesty the Emperor is calling for you both. It seems the Marchioness of Schroez is having a lot of difficulties.”

“When she plans something, rumors spread the very next day. Then things change due to this and that rumor. Then that becomes a rumor again.”

Ah, so that’s why she lacks confidence in herself. In other words, it also meant she was easily swayed.

“We should start by changing the person in charge of security.”

“Actually, it’s because the Marchioness of Schroez keeps seeking opinions from various people that words keep leaking out.”

Sophie Beckham made an expression of humble regret that seemed to say, ‘You all know what I mean, don’t you?’

*

The Count and Countess of Soros provided as much information as possible to the Grand Ducal couple before they arrived in Klein. What the current social situation was like, what the Crown Prince’s position was like – with just a slight hint, Kaella, who knew the social world well, caught on to all the stories hidden behind it.

She thought it had been a very informative mealtime. The food was delicious, the Count and Countess were very kind, and the bath water was just right and warm. Though they would have to leave for Klein again when day broke, taking a moment of comfortable rest was very important.

His Majesty praises the Grand Duke very much these days. He says that you handle various matters excellently, and always orders the Crown Prince to learn from you.

But even during this comfortable rest, Kaella recalled one by one the words that Sophie Beckham, the Countess of Soros, had been saying. On the surface, it sounded like praise for the Grand Duke of Lucenford, but Sophie Beckham had no such intention.

That meant that while the Emperor’s love was leaning towards the Grand Duke of Lucenford, the heir who would become the next Emperor would be wary of the Grand Duke just as much.

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Peon lifted her out of the bathtub and wrapped her in a large towel.

“You’ll fall asleep in the tub at this rate.”

Kaella looked at Peon with eyes that didn’t understand. She was lost in thought, not drowsy.

“Your eyes were glazed over.”

He chuckled and kissed her eyes while personally attending to all sorts of care. This had been happening since Lucenford, so she ended up just lying there, thinking it was the usual.

No matter how many times she tried to call for a maid, Peon would just say he enjoyed personally washing and dressing her, so don’t stop him. She had tried to dissuade him and push him away many times, but it didn’t work.

She didn’t have the strength to shake off a man who held on to the end even when she tried hard to grasp opportunities to die. There was no choice but to give up and not use strength she didn’t have.

The Count and Countess of Soros seemed to think the Grand Ducal couple were especially close because they were newlyweds.

“Let’s go to sleep quickly.”

While wiping off the moisture completely and drying her hair, Peon kept kissing Kaella’s face. Even this had become so familiar now that Kaella just stayed still in his arms.

“Your Grace.”

Peon looked down at the blue eyes that mumbled in his arms. She called out but then hesitated for a long time. Cutely. Peon decided to coax and cajole out what Kaella wanted to say, from the habit and hesitation stemming from past memories that it was better to keep his mouth shut to avoid trouble, and from laziness.

“Yes. What is it? Do you have something you want to say? What is it?”

Then she eventually speaks reluctantly. Because Peon could be so persistent at times that it was better to just answer him, having learned that he would behave stubbornly enough to make it troublesome.

“When we go to Klein… I don’t think I’ll be able to say this kind of thing.”

“Yes. What is it?”

Kaella looked at the son of the dragon, then towards the window. Just from the short movement of her eyes, Peon guessed what she was thinking.

“No one’s listening. No one’s peeking either.”

“But there are eyes and ears everywhere, aren’t there?”

The Emperor’s eyes and ears were spread throughout the Crania Empire, and their focus was often directed at Peon and Lucenford. The closer they got to Klein, the more clearly their words and actions would be seen by the Emperor.

“Don’t you remember, Kaella? What happened to the trunk Beatrice brought?”

Beatrice had made a fuss that not even half had arrived. Kaella looked up at Peon with sleepy eyes.

“Is this not enough? Then did you hear that story? Where my mother was found when she collapsed?”

“In the room where the magic tools were…”

“What was the state of the magic tools then?”

There were some hushed whispers. Very secretly. But Kaella, who frequently visited the Imperial Palace and was working in place of the Empress at the time, naturally heard those secret rumors.

They say it was blackened as if burned by fire. But there was no fire.

It sounded just like rumors that the Empress had set fire to the secret room where she had gathered magic tools, so those who spoke were strictly warned to keep their mouths shut.

“The Emperor isn’t a magician. Without magic tools, he’s nothing. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

He smiled and comforted her.

“It’s okay. Even in the Imperial Palace of Klein, if you have something you want to say, say it freely. It’s okay even if you shout.”

“That’s not it, I wanted to be careful of eavesdropping ears.”

“I know. You would.”

What is this? Kaella felt a bit uneasy about Peon’s strange reaction. It wasn’t sarcastic, but he seemed a bit tired.

“If you’re tired, I can tell you later.”

“No. What you say is never tiring. Keep talking. What were you worried about?”

“…When we go to Klein.”

“Yes. When we go.”

“I think factions will split.”

“Ah. Because of what the Count and Countess of Soros said earlier.”

“Yes. You’ll be in trouble.”

“If I’m in trouble, you’ll be in trouble too.”

Husband and wife are one body. The Grand Duchess of Lucenford’s actions greatly influence the Grand Duke’s future.

“What should we do?”

Peon asked his wife, who was just going to stop there.

“What do you think? What should I do? After all, the next Emperor will be the Crown Prince, and I’m just an illegitimate child.”

Even amidst this, the kisses landing on her face didn’t stop.

“Count Soros is on my mother’s side. Since his wife is the niece of my mother’s chief lady-in-waiting. It’s clear that when the Crown Prince inherits the throne, my mother’s people will lose their connection, but since the Emperor seems to favor me a bit and provoke the Crown Prince, they’re attaching themselves to me. I know that much.”

“Then, if you handle it yourself…”

“Handle it myself, in what way?”

Again. Again. Kaella saw a strange look pass over Peon’s face once more.

“Wouldn’t it be enough if Your Grace fulfills your role…”

“As the Empress’s illegitimate child and a card that can always be used when war breaks out, you mean?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Legally, that’s my position, Kaella. I’m not being sarcastic, it’s just the truth. In social circles too.”

Peon’s eyes sank quietly.

“There are implicit rules and behaviors required by one’s position. Count Soros has his position, I have mine, and you as the Princess of Ostein have yours… especially our Grand Duchess is very faithful to her position.”

Kaella realized that this strange feeling was a kind of chilling sense of discomfort.

“I’m getting a bit tired of that now, Kaella.”