“The root cause is giving my wife time to adjust to the harsh Northern climate. I felt it would be wrong to bother her further, so I let her be. As a result, we have just been sleeping quietly at night.”

Hertian hesitated to continue, turning his body.

Truthfully, he could have blamed Shuwelri, but he intentionally blamed Anette. Because Anette never understood his feelings.

“Is her health truly alright? Anette always prepares Your Grace’s medicine.”

“I have arrhythmia.”

“What is arrhythmia?”

Confused by the unfamiliar term, she immediately asked.

“It’s a condition where the heart beats irregularly. She has been consistently making medicine for me since she noticed my heart was behaving strangely. She doesn’t know it only acts up in front of her.”

Blushing at Hertian’s confession, Shuwelri was at a loss for words.

“I should have never let Anette remain so ignorant.”

She should have stopped her from focusing solely on academy research. She should have allowed her to socialize and date freely. No, she should have educated her properly before marrying her off.

She mumbled in a soft voice, making a resolution.

“I will sternly speak with Anette.”

“Don’t. I should be the one to make the effort to solve this.”

Hertian slightly shook his head. His sad eyes looked down.

“Your Grace, sometimes you have to carve your own path.”

Shuwelri stared intently at the Duke, her eyes burning with determination. He, in turn, held the Countess’s hand in agreement.

“Will you help me?”

“Of course. Anytime!”

Watching the wellmatched couple, Lucas thought to himself.

“Aren’t they going to cause an accident behaving like that?”

(This is a time separator.)

Tears flowed as soon as she saw the familiar face after so long.

“Betty!”

My dedicated maid, Betty.

“Miss Anette!”

Originally, Betty was to continue serving me in the North, but she had returned to the capital after my mother passed away.

“You intentionally called me ‘Miss,’ didn’t you?”

“You will always be ‘Miss’ to me. Hehe.”

She smiled brightly, her face more haggard than before.
“Even so, I shall address you as Your Highness, Countess, so you’re not inconvenienced.”

“Your face has changed a lot since we last met.”

Gently stroking her emaciated face, I sniffled.

“Why did you lose so much weight, looking so distressed?”

The always chubbyfaced Betty was gone, replaced by a stickthin girl.

“My mother passed away, and my siblings wanted to move, so we’ve had a hard time.”

She tried to smile through it.

“Then you should have contacted me. I could have found a way to help.”

No, I should have asked Betty first when she returned to the capital.

“But it’s all sorted now. I’ll buy a lot of delicious food when I get my salary!”

“Why wait for your salary? Here, you can eat all of this. That’s why I brought it.”

It was good that I brought plenty of things Betty likes.

She chattered while looking at the afternoon tea set on the table.

“I’m the only one who takes care of me, Your Highness, Count.”

“Right? Come to the North anytime once things are settled. I’ll buy you lots of delicious things.”

I stuffed a cookie into Betty’s mouth. She then fumbled for a while and took a comb from the vanity.

“Are you going to comb my hair?”

Betty nodded vigorously.

“Have you adjusted to the North? You found it cold and difficult at first.”

She asked while gently combing my hair. Old memories came back, and I closed my eyes.

“It’s still cold, but the castle is being repaired, so it should get better.”

“I heard from Bonisa that you’re using your own money to repair the castle.”

Bonisa often sent letters to the worried Betty.

“Anyway, how did you manage to earn such a large amount? I was really curious!”

Betty asked with curiosity in her voice.

“All I know is herbs. I just sold a lot of herbs where they were needed.”

I didn’t mention trading with the people of Kurushia. I didn’t want it to reach my parents and make a fuss.

Betty did not ask for more details. She seemed to quickly sense that I didn’t want to talk. Instead, she kept combing my hair. I felt somewhat guilty, like I had crossed a line.

“Most of it was used to bring back the residents captured by Kurushia. I couldn’t easily talk about it, as it’s a matter the Count is concerned about.”

Betty laughed faintly at my words.

“I understand Your Highness. Now you’re a person of the Count’s house, not the Baron’s. I’m happy you’ve become a responsible adult.”

I felt a tingling in my nose and rubbed it as I continued to speak.

“The business was also done for that reason. You’ve seen the castle, you know how many cracks and holes there are. I had no choice but to step in since all the money from the estate goes towards the repair costs.”

“Is all the cost covered by the estate’s funds? Honestly, shouldn’t the Emperor be contributing?”

I had thought about it, but my views changed after this trip to the capital.

‘The Emperor can never be a shield for Hertian.’

Asking him for help with estate matters was something only possible in dreams. Therefore, I erased all expectations from the Emperor and the royal family.

“It’s a matter of the estate, so we should solve it ourselves.”

Betty murmured, nodding her head.

“If the Count becomes the Crown Prince, the cost issue will disappear.”

“Betty, don’t talk like that…”

I abruptly stopped, struck by a thought. Betty wasn’t wrong.

I had been shortsighted.

‘There’s no law saying Hertian can’t become the Crown Prince.’