And so, we formed an alliance over the Hosan fruit.

It was to help solve Dante’s cold hands and feet problem as soon as possible, and to hopefully aid in breaking the generational curse of short lifespans in the Richter family.

The digestive supplements he hastily prepared for me weren’t exactly a token of our alliance… He said he had made them in advance to give to me later.

It’s quite touching, actually.

I played with the dew on my glass as I turned my gaze to the window.

Under the clear blue sky, my herb garden and Dante’s flower garden stood out amidst the well-maintained grounds.

Ah, damn it.

Seeing that is making my compulsion act up again.

Cold water, head-banging, supplements.

It seems none of it was working after all.

At last, the long-awaited day of the royal family’s visit dawned.

“Whew. How do I look?”

“Perfect. You look like the perfect Duchess.”

“Okay. You mean I look normal, right?”

Fortunately, I chose the most elegant-looking dress from those that arrived just in time.

After styling my hair to look simple yet classic so it wouldn’t stand out too much, and applying makeup that looked natural, as if I wasn’t wearing any, I finally looked properly like a Duchess.

Good. At least the external preparations are done.

I went to find Dante to discreetly check on his state of preparation as well.

“I’m here, Serpina.”

“Wow. It’s so noisy today.”

“Everyone does seem busy… but I didn’t think it was that loud. Is it very noisy?”

Seeing Dante answer so seriously, I leisurely applauded as I corrected myself.

“No. Your face is noisy. Your beauty is absolutely dazzling. Every day is a beauty festival with you.”

“Ah.”

With a brief sigh, Dante fiddled with the nape of his neck.

Oh my. He must be embarrassed.

I now knew that was a habit that emerged whenever Dante felt shy.

More importantly, his beauty really is dazzling today.

His black hair was only half tied back, which made me wonder if it was an attempt to capture both sexy and cute at the same time.

And it was very successful too.

Other than that, he was only wearing a clean white shirt neater than usual and a light bowtie, but that alone elevated the atmosphere.

Whose husband is this amazing one?

For now, it seemed we could succeed in setting the tone with appearances.

As I was internally gushing, Dante, having suppressed his shyness, casually spoke up.

“Serpina’s face is a mess too.”

…Oh dear.

I was momentarily at a loss for words.

“When you say it like that, it makes it sound like my face is literally a mess.”

“Ah. Is that not what I meant?”

“It’s not quite right… But I got the meaning, so it’s fine.”

Right. Let’s just take it as a compliment.

I firmly linked my arm with Dante’s. I could feel his taut muscles momentarily contract before slowly relaxing.

The sensual feeling was so vivid where our bodies touched that I felt my own cheeks flush.

But that’s beside the point.

What’s important now is…

“It’s time to set out. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready.”

“Good. We’re going to show the imperial family how happily, joyfully, and lovingly we’re living together. We’ll show them that the North is better than the capital. Now, let’s go!”

We advanced, burning with enthusiasm.

It was almost time for the First Princess and Second Prince to arrive.

“Hmm. Somehow the atmosphere here seems to have changed a bit too.”

Inside the carriage crossing the garden of the Richter mansion.

Chelsea murmured as she looked around the garden, her face half-hidden behind a fan.

It used to feel a bit more desolate, but now it was, how should I put it?

It felt lived in.

Meanwhile, what’s that? Chelsea’s eyes narrowed as she spotted something that looked like a field in the corner of the garden.

“It seems you’ve been here before, sister?”

“I came here once when I was young. When the current Duke was still a little boy, Father sent me and Isaac here to be his playmates.”

She answered while keeping her gaze fixed on the unidentified field.

Despite her perfunctory answer, Joshua continued the conversation undeterred.

“Playmates? That doesn’t suit you at all.”

“Yeah. It didn’t suit us. We lived here for a month, but we never even acknowledged each other until the end. Isaac even fought with the previous Duke, though I can’t remember what it was about.”

That little rascal causing trouble wasn’t anything new.

As she added the words in a humming tone, the carriage came to a stop.

The two exchanged a quick glance before getting out of the carriage.

“Well then, shall we take a look? Let’s see how well our Duke and Duchess are living.”

As Chelsea gently closed her eyes, Joshua clicked his tongue.

Thinking that although she was his sister, there were times when she felt like a snake.

‘By the way, I wonder how that woman is doing.’

Joshua thought of the Duchess as he stood before the enormous Richter mansion.

How that frail woman trembling at the wedding would be enduring here.

In his imagination, the Duchess had become even thinner and more haggard than at the wedding.

Knowing how painful it is to endure living in an unwanted place.

He found himself unconsciously wishing that she would have some good things happen to her from time to time.

…Yes, that’s certainly what he thought, but.

“It’s such an honor to have you visit us. My husband and I have been looking forward to this so much.”

“My, I didn’t expect such a warm welcome.”

“Of course we should welcome you. The Princess and Prince have come in person to congratulate us. Hoho.”

“Hmm. The Duke must be so happy and reassured to have such a good wife.”

What in the world was this scene?

Joshua couldn’t hide his surprise.

The frail woman from his imagination was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was a bold woman confidently dealing with his snake-like sister with a smile.

Her cheeks, which he had expected to be pale, were fair and full of life, and her green eyes sparkled like summer foliage.

The change was so drastic that the frightened appearance he had seen at the wedding felt like a dream.

Chelsea jabbed Joshua in the side as he stood frozen in shock, unable to say a word.

It was a silent pressure to stop looking so dumbfounded.

Only then was Joshua able to come to his senses.

“Well then, you must both be hungry. Shall we go eat?”

“Sounds good. Let’s go, Joshua.”

“Yes, sister.”

He wore a dazed expression once again at the sight of the Duke and Duchess walking arm in arm affectionately.

Moreover, the surprises didn’t end there.

The meal, which he had expected to be cold, was unexpectedly convivial.

Originally, the Richter family had strong resentment towards the imperial family.

Moreover, since his sister Chelsea was similar to an undefeated conqueror wherever she went, he thought it would be as uncomfortable as having a meal with their father and all their siblings gathered.

But his expectations were spectacularly wrong.

“My goodness. The Princess is so amusing.”

“Nonsense. The Duchess is much more entertaining.”

Hahaha. Hohoho.

Although Richter and Joshua didn’t speak much, the conversation between Chelsea and Serpina was enough to make the gathering lively.

“By the way, I noticed something interesting in the garden earlier. It looked like some kind of field…”

“Ah. That’s the vegetable garden I tend.”

“A vegetable garden tended by the Duchess?”

The voice full of doubt was Joshua’s.

He had been wearing only a gentle smile while keeping his mouth shut the whole time, but this time he couldn’t contain his surprise.

Serpina nodded lightly with a smile.

“Yes. It’s a vegetable garden I tend myself. I mainly grow medicinal herbs.”

“My, that’s a unique hobby.”

“I suppose it is a bit strange? But once you get into it, it’s quite fun and rewarding. It’s also a good hobby for mental health. These days, my husband joins me too.”

Cough, cough.

Chelsea, who had been lightly sipping her tea while listening, coughed up her drink.

She was so surprised that it went down the wrong way.

Joshua pushed a glass of water towards Chelsea, who had been coughing into her handkerchief for a while.

After moistening her throat with water, Chelsea lightly wiped her mouth and her eyes sparkled.

“Duke Richter tends a vegetable garden? My goodness. Could I take a closer look at that garden? It would be lovely if the Duchess could guide us.”

“Of course. I’ll guide you. Let’s go together after the meal.”

“I’d like to join and see it too, if that’s alright?”

Serpina responded to Joshua, who had interjected with a gentle smile, with a smile and a nod.

“Of course. You’re welcome to join.”

After the meal, the three headed to the vegetable garden as promised.

Dante had some urgent matters to attend to, so the three decided to tour the garden without him.