I completely closed the box containing the organized documents and locked it with a padlock.

Now, I’ll put this in the storage over there…….

Right, I should mention the second letter.

Actually, I wrote this second letter before the first one.

In the letter, I wrote to Lunaweather Elin Baden, recommending her to succeed the title above Baron Baden.

I also included condolences for his mother’s death and informed about his father’s current condition.

I also wrote that I could save Wilhelm York Baden.

Lunaweather is, in fact, a person I’ve never met even once.

I only heard that before I got married, she fled to a convent, shuddering at her parents’ misdeeds.

Although I had never seen her face, I sent her letters every year. Of course, enclosing a modest donation.

Convents are always poor places, and without donations, it’s an environment perfect for starving to death.

It’s not that I was particularly kind to her.

‘I was just shouldering the responsibility as a duchess that my husband had thrown away.’

Anyway, Baron Baden is a vassal of Daiern, and aren’t the vassal’s family within Daiern’s fence?

Fortunately, that seems to have built up tremendous goodwill towards her.

Upon receiving my letter, she didn’t ponder long before sending a reply. The content was that she would accept the title.

I immediately sent the appointment letter. Her first assignment was the Daiern Imperial Mansion currently under construction.

Her lodging would be in the Imperial Mansion that she used to live in, now owned by Sir Joseph.

She will stay in the VIP room there.

And then I again held in my hand the two letters that had just arrived for me.

The letter to Lunaweather contained a report that Wilhelm York Baden had been safely sent to the convent, and that she was carrying out the task I had entrusted well.

And about this second letter…….

“No matter how I think about it, it’s easy. I didn’t expect Nergal to so readily invite me to visit Landgritz.”

He even said that he too would end the social season early and return.

That if I received this letter, I could visit Landgritz immediately.

Really, why is it so easy?

“……But this is sincerely speaking, my lady.”

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Sir Joseph opened his mouth.

“Baron Landgritz will be more favorable to you than you think, my lady.”

Only then did my gaze turn to Sir Joseph.

Judging by my intuition, that wasn’t just a rough guess, but a tone of knowing something.

Meeting my gaze, Sir Joseph lightly winked.

“Are you speaking as a returnee?”

“If you’d like to hear in detail, please say so anytime.”

“……”

I didn’t particularly want to hear it right now.

I don’t believe in the theory that there are separately defined bad people and good people in the world, but I’m not easygoing enough to consider the circumstances of someone who treated me badly.

Anyway, if someone wrongs me or those around me, they’re a bad person.

Nergal is a bad guy to me in that sense.

“Well, planning the visit schedule to Baron Landgritz seems more important right now. And……”

There’s one more important thing I need to do.

“Karl’s entrance exam for the Academy is also not far off.”

Soon, winter will end in Daiern and the sowing season will come.

Right around that time, that is, from the end of February to the last month of March, is when the Academy’s entrance exams are held.

Why isn’t the exam date specified?

This is because in a class-based society, the way nobles and commoners take the exam is not the same.

Generally, entrance exams are held on a set date at the Imperial Library in the capital.

But nobles can take the exam in a more comfortable way at their own residences.

‘Of course, I’ve heard there are rules to prevent cheating.’

Since the dates of the entrance exams overlap with the social season, in fact, most exams are held in the capital.

But there are cases that don’t fall into that majority.

Kardiel’s case is like that.

For some reason, an examinee who is not staying in the capital on the exam date. It inevitably takes time for the exam supervisor to visit.

Ah, by the way, this privilege is limited to imperial nobles.

Nobles from regions outside the Kalant Empire must all take the exam on the same date without exception.

“How is Karl these days?”

Kardiel’s studies are still being managed simultaneously by Sir Joseph and Sergei.

‘Well, given the various events that have happened, it would be more accurate to say that Sergei is in charge.’

Nevertheless, it’s not that Sir Joseph doesn’t care about Kardiel’s studies.

Rather, he checks the child’s learning level every day more actively than I do. It seems he’s also consistently giving swordsmanship lessons every dawn.

The problem is this. Kardiel’s gaze towards Sir Joseph is not the same as before.

“The young duke will pass the Academy entrance exam comfortably enough. There’s no need to worry about merely passing or failing the entrance exam.”

“No, that’s not it.”

I narrowed my eyes as I faced Sir Joseph.

“I mean the relationship between the two. Karl still gives you a triangular look when he encounters you. He does that every morning at breakfast and every evening at dinner, doesn’t he?”

“Ah.”

At the mention of triangular eyes, Sir Joseph silently creased the corners of his eyes.

“It wouldn’t be strange if children didn’t look kindly on someone who was caught with the ulterior motive of trying to take their precious mother’s side, would it?”

“……”

So it’s still the same.

“Even so, the young duke is someone who distinguishes between public and private matters. Apart from disliking me, he follows my teachings well, so there’s no problem.”

A sigh came out involuntarily.

It’s fortunate if there hasn’t been a serious incident of refusing to learn, but this still won’t do.

……Moreover, the children’s problems don’t end here.

“The problem is Lady Euphemina.”

“……”

As he spoke, Sir Joseph lightly extended his finger and pointed at my nape.

I startled and pulled up the high collar covering my neck even higher.

‘Ah, really…….’

In an instant, my back became drenched with cold sweat.

A problem related to Euphemina that I didn’t want to recall, which had happened recently, replayed in my mind.

No, actually, Euphemina alone isn’t the entirety of my worries.

Chersion too was a lovely angel of trial making my head throb these days.

First, I should talk about Chersion.

So, about half a month ago, at the beginning of February.

That day, a tremendous snowstorm poured down on Daiern Castle.

It was because the snow hurricane, which I had only heard about in reports until then, was passing through Daiern Castle.

From the morning, fierce winds accompanied by snow fog continuously beat against the windows reinforced with boards.

This region wasn’t prone to severe snow hurricanes, so as long as one stayed quietly inside the castle during this period, accidents wouldn’t occur.

But the human heart isn’t so easily controlled.

When an unwelcome visitor knocks on the window, concentration on the text is broken, so it’s indeed a bit irritating.

“Mother.”

“Chelsy?”

I’m sorry. It turns out it wasn’t the snow hurricane knocking on the door.

I smiled kindly at Chersion, who had poked his head into the office.

“What were you looking at?”

“Ah, a letter came regarding the Academy entrance exam schedule.”

I slightly lifted the entrance exam notice sent to Kardiel from the Academy to show Chersion.

On the envelope’s surface, a huge sealing wax impressed with the emblem of the Tower of Honor and the Academy gleamed majestically.

Seeing that, Chersion scurried into the office.

“They say the person supervising the exam will arrive in Daiern at the end of this month. Since that’s when Karl’s important exam is, you and Euphy shouldn’t disturb Karl while he’s studying.”

“Yes, I understand!”

To Chersion, who responded brightly, I allowed him to examine the envelope more closely.

As Chersion was fiddling with the intricate pattern of the seal stamp, he suddenly rolled just his eyeballs to gauge my reaction.

‘Hmm? Does he have something to say?’

Then suddenly, I remembered that Chersion had said he had something to tell me a while ago.

I had forgotten about it as I was busy dealing with other matters, but it seems this lovely child had also been waiting for me to have a bit of free time.

“Chelsy, do you need some tea?”

The child then shook his head vigorously. At that, I couldn’t help but pinch and stretch his chubby cheeks.

Loretta soon brought warm tea and strawberry tart.

It was a pretty dessert with white powdered sugar piled up on bright red strawberries, reminiscent of the snow falling outside.

“So, Chelsy. You have something you want to tell Mom?”

After taking a sip of tea, I drew out the story from Chersion. At first, Chelsy hesitated, saying “Well……” before finally blurting it out.

But that one sentence…….

“I, I want to become a great magician like Sir Joseph!”

Became the start of my first worry.

And about my second worry…….