After completing the tour of all the outlying villages of Collina Rosa.

Frost quietly called Leo, the commander, Lewis, Cassandra, and Yuriella to the conference room of the grand duchy’s villa located in the city center.

“Hmph. I knew Delilah would be like this. I’m not surprised at all.”

Lewis, who had transformed into the joyful maid Delilah using the archmage’s illusion magic, rested his chin on his hand and shot a sharp glance at Yuriella as she entered the conference room.

– Yuriella! You’re the best!

Ren, the yellow parrot that followed Yuriella in, pecked fiercely with its sharp beak at the black cat that had already claimed her lap.

“Who was the idiot that brought that noisy bird on the trip?”

As Frost frowned, Yuriella lowered her head.

“I’m sorry. I thought when the sick children see Ren during treatment, they might forget their pain and endure it better…”

It was Yuriella’s idea to bring Ren on the honeymoon.

In fact, when treating injured children, taking Ren out of the cage made the children so captivated by him that they would imitate his words, give him treats, and forget their pain, which was very helpful for treatment.

“Well done! That’s a really good idea!”

As Frost quickly changed his words and smiled like sunshine, Leo turned his head away as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

– Yuriella! You’re the best! Yuriella is awesome!

While Ren enthusiastically chanted the new treat-summoning spell taught by the butler, he persistently harassed the mangy cat Yuriella had picked up from Red Hill.

– Meow! Meow! Meow!

The cat, with its shabby fur standing on end, leaped up and struck Ren sharply with its fluffy front paws.

“Stop it, Ren! Nero, you stop too.”

Commander Leo glared at the grand duchess as she scolded the parrot and cat.

Leo’s expression was just as twisted as Lewis’s at Yuriella joining the meeting.

Cassandra waved her hands at the parrot and cat and shouted.

“You two, if you keep causing trouble, I’ll turn you into dung flies!”

[Black mage, you shut up too! If you keep bothering Yuriella, I’ll blow all three of you into ice shards!]

Aerie puffed out her small cheeks and pointed her mouth sharply.

Ren paid no attention and swooped down towards the black cat.

– Yuriella! You’re the best! Yuriella! You’re awesome!

Yuriella, who had caught the cat before the parrot and hugged it tightly to her chest, scolded Ren sternly.

“Ren! You’re banned from treats for 3 days! Cassandra, take Ren back to the butler.”

As Cassandra caged Ren, who was flapping his wings in rebellion, she said ominously,

“Should I cast a curse to make it unable to even chirp?”

“Cassandra. Why don’t you just write ‘black mage’ on your forehead and walk around? You’re also confined for 3 days! Get out.”

“I was just worried they might disturb Your Grace—”

“You talking about curses is what’s bothering the Grand Duke. If you harm His Grace even by a hair’s breadth, I’ll behead you on the spot.”

The grand duchess drew her thumb across her throat and then pointed her index finger sharply at the door.

“Your Grace…”

[What are you dawdling for! Yuriella said she can’t stand the sight of you! All of you, get out!]

“Aerie. You get out too.”

Yuriella turned her finger to point at the wind spirit.

[Why? Why? Why?]

“Can’t you see I’m in an important meeting with the Grand Duke?”

Yuriella narrowed her eyes fiercely and nodded towards the conference table.

[I know. It’s an important meeting. That’s why Aerie must hear it too!]

Yuriella shook her head vigorously and pointed resolutely at the door.

But when she turned her head to look down at the black cat on her lap, her gaze was incomparably affectionate.

“Nero. You know you’ll be kicked out too if you cause trouble.”

Though her tone was stern, her touch was infinitely gentle as she stroked the scruffy, fluffy stray cat.

[Hey! What about Nero? Nero did wrong too!]

“Nero is small and pitiful.”

Nero purred and nuzzled deeper into Yuriella’s arms. He had clearly noticed Yuriella’s weakness for small and pitiful things.

The black mage and wind spirit glared at the stone—no, cat—that had rolled in as they left the room.

Frost also glared coldly at Nero’s skinny back and gritted his teeth.

“Shall we start the meeting?”

He was displeased that the cat had monopolized his wife’s embrace, which he alone wanted to enjoy.

The fact that the cat was named ‘Nero’ for the very inadequate reason that it was black, and that the one who named it was none other than the inadequate archmage, also irked him to no end.

Frost’s blood boiled as he watched Nero, who had stubbornly followed his wife all the way from Red Hill and made his nest on the small, cute cushion on her bed that he could only dream of.

Wondering if some sinister magic might be at work, he had asked the black mage to examine it, but it turned out to be just an ordinary stray cat.

Even he, the wielder of the holy sword Ielo, and Aerie the wind spirit hadn’t sensed anything unusual, so they had missed the chance to quickly throw it out.

‘Now I’m even losing to a stray cat.’

As Frost let out a deep sigh, Lewis and Leo also sighed and shook their heads.

‘Now he’s even jealous of a stray cat.’

Whether aware of the three men’s thoughts or not.

Yuriella’s bright red eyes sparkled as she burned with enthusiasm.

To think they had been plotting to depose that bastard Emperor Justin for so long.

Her heart pounded, and her chest swelled with pride. The former grand duchess’s famous sword, tightly gripped in both hands, flashed with green aura as if ready to strike down the enemy at any moment.

“What should I do? Just tell me! I can do anything well!”

“You can do anything well? For example, what?”

Lewis crossed his arms askew and asked sarcastically.

“Ah! Our sister-in-law is good at acupuncture. But if you give acupuncture to treat the enemy, wouldn’t that be disadvantageous to us?”

The world’s most handsome man, who could even steam-cook the beautiful emperor, clicked his tongue and shook his head left and right.

According to his cousin, his sister-in-law was the owner of the holy sword Aerie. But with the wind spirit having lost its holy sword, all she could do was heal his brother. And even that was not entirely trustworthy, given that she was the daughter of Duke Grande.

Though he couldn’t openly object since his brother trusted her so much. Stealing his brother’s heart was one thing. Whether she was fit to assist in their great work was an entirely separate matter.

Commander Leo also twisted his lips and snorted.

“Well, you could use acupuncture to send secret messages to the enemy. I could even train you. But by the time the training is over, won’t our mission be long finished?”

Knowing the secret of their great work was one thing. But was there really a need for Grande’s daughter to accompany their every step?

Yuriella wilted at the two men’s openly dismissive attitude.

Frost took advantage of his wife’s momentary lack of attention towards the mangy stray cat to quickly grab it by the scruff of its neck and hug it tightly to his chest, blocking its escape.

“Yuriella. You have already been of great help. You opened Cassandra’s mouth that had been shut for 6 years. You made her spill the secrets of the imperial palace’s black magic barriers and weaknesses. So just put the sword away. I will never create a situation where you actually have to wield it.”

The grand duke did not forget to shoot a murderous glare at Lewis and Leo, warning them to take back their ill-chosen words to his wife if they didn’t want to die.

The warning seemed to have been properly conveyed, as the two men’s bodies trembled slightly.

“Ah, well. If sister-in-law hadn’t healed our brother, the North would have fallen. And if something had happened to brother, I would have truly ended up in a coffin this time. Thank you, sister-in-law.”

“Of course. Everyone is unanimously cheering that Your Grace seems more like a saint than even the saint candidates, given the love and mercy you showed in Collina Rosa this time. Your Grace is truly the mother of the North!”

It wasn’t wrong.

In fact, while touring Collina Rosa, Yuriella spared no time in listening to the stories of people suffering from the aftermath of the suppression.

People shed tears at her calm comfort and consideration. They were moved by the warmth of her directly holding their hands and patting their backs, rather than the distant, mysterious saint. Their wounds that had been festering in their hearts were healed.

But to Yuriella, who had been all excited about the thought of helping with the Grand Duke’s great work, the two men’s words provided no comfort.

“You don’t have to try to console me. Instead of being helpful to those with important responsibilities, I wasted time and caused trouble. I was thoughtless.”

Frost glared fiercely at Leo and Shavell, then placed his hand over Yuriella’s.

“My dear, that’s not—”

“I’m sorry. I was too happy, too excited, and I went too far. I should be more than grateful just for you sharing such an important secret with me, a mere rolling stone. To think I uttered such nonsense as asking my lord to give up his place for me…”

“More than grateful? Please don’t misunderstand—”

Yuriella’s slender index finger firmly pressed against Frost’s lips.

“A truly loyal subject should think of their usefulness before the lord commands, and find a place to die for their master on their own.”

Frost, flustered, removed Yuriella’s finger and stammered.

“What do you mean by subject? And what’s this about a place to die? Yuriella, I—”

But before he could finish his sentence, Yuriella knelt on one knee before Frost.

Then she gripped the sword hilt with her left hand to pull the sword, and tightly grasped the blade with her right hand as she swiftly drew the sword.

Blood dripped from the hand that had drawn the sword.

Yuriella placed her bleeding right hand on her left chest and began to make the oath of loyalty she had not been able to utter before.

“Your subject Yuriella swears to serve Grand Duke Frost Ielheim as her lord and devote her loyalty. Your will shall guide every step I take.”

She deliberately omitted the surname ‘Ielheim’ from the oath. The promise to leave his side when her usefulness ended was still valid.

“I will give my life for Your Grace’s intentions.”

She drew blood from the hand that had already sworn loyalty to the emperor, erasing the past oath. And covered her burning heart with a new oath.

Frost gritted his teeth, knelt before Yuriella, took out a handkerchief and carefully wrapped and tied it around the bleeding wound to stop the bleeding.

Yuriella gazed intently at the blue eyes peeking out from under the lowered silver eyelashes, then smiled and said,

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

“I don’t know what you’re thanking me for. It seems like you’re the one who has done all the things I should be grateful for.”

The low voice that escaped from between his tightly pressed, neat lips was a little grumpy and a little wet.

Somehow, he had expected this.

That the moment he shared the secret with her, she might treat him more distantly, like a subject. That she would no longer see him as a man.

Even with such a premonition, he ended up letting her step into his secret.

For some reason, he thought she would be happy to hear those words. That she would smile sincerely…

“Your Grace, you have given me a reason to live today. You have given me a goal to follow, and hope that tomorrow can be happier than today.”

Yuriella smiled.

Yes. I want to be happy.

I want to no longer be tied down by past mistakes, and passionately burn everything for you again.

This time, I’m confident I won’t regret it. Because the one I serve is you, Frost Ielheim.

When all the great work is done, I want to receive a remote and modest fief as I wished when I was Solas, and live quietly as a forgotten person, tending a small garden and fishing. It would be perfect if my old subordinates came to visit occasionally.

Lewis glanced at his cousin and inwardly clicked his tongue.

For a lord who had received such an admirable oath of loyalty, his expression looked terribly pitiful and sorrowful.

Leo narrowed his eyes as he watched Yuriella stand up with the Grand Duke’s support.

He almost shed tears, moved by Her Grace’s oath. It was more beautiful and touching than any knight’s oath he had ever seen.

But he soon tilted his head.

He remembered what his late father had said.

Son, be suspicious of things that are too beautiful. If something seems too beautiful to be true, it’s probably fake nine times out of ten.

That’s how Her Grace looked now. Too perfect to be true! And not just Her Grace herself.

Would the wind spirit beg just anyone to be its master, and would the empire’s greatest black mage burst into tears just because she was forbidden from being a maid for a few days?

Not only that, the archmage had even changed his face to be Her Grace’s personal physician, and the emperor had even thrown a tantrum to see Her Grace’s face just once before she woke up. Why?

His master, despite his reputation as the wielder of the ice sword, was now even jealous of a stray cat, completely beside himself.

Her Grace seems suspicious.

As he went through the suspicious things one by one, an uneasy feeling welled up.

Yes. How long have we known her? How well do we know her? Didn’t we invite her too hastily to something that would change the empire’s fate?

Come to think of it, there have been an unprecedented number of rolling stones entering the grand duchy lately.

Her Grace. Aerie. The archmage. Cassandra. And even the mangy cat.

Commander Leo’s dark gray eyes flashed with a sharp light for the first time in a long while.

If the Grand Duke of Ielheim was the guardian of the North, the Angelus Knights were the guardians of the Grand Duke and the grand duchy.

‘I think it’s time to start sorting through these stones.’