“Are you really Lord Rohan? The guildmaster of Hindenburg!”

Claude had an unfamiliar face that she had never seen before.

“Let me formally greet the Duchess Temnes, who has become the mistress of Lowen Castle. I am Rohan, the guildmaster of Hindenburg.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

She even spoke politely using honorifics to Rohan, who was a commoner and her subordinate.

“You’re the one who wrote the Hindenburg Continent Exploration journal!”

“That’s right. Have you read that book?”

“Yes! I bought them all! I even brought every single one when I came from Belmond to Lowen. They’re my most prized treasures.”

This was news to Kaian. He knew she had come empty-handed, but not that she had carefully brought along books written by Rohan.

‘Those are her most prized treasures?’

Even more than the jewels he had given her?

Kaian felt displeased.

“My, I never imagined there would be such a beautiful lady among those who support and encourage my adventures.”

“Oh, such words…”

Seeing Claude’s face turn even redder at being called a ‘beautiful lady’, two lines formed between his brows.

“Lord Rohan is much more handsome than I imagined.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I thought you’d be much older with a bushy beard.”

Come to think of it, Rohan’s earlier appearance in a frock coat reeking of stale sweat was unfamiliar.

He must have gotten a haircut and shave in the meantime, as he now revealed a clean-shaven face with neatly trimmed short wheat-colored hair, and intelligent-looking black eyes under well-groomed eyebrows.

Dressed in a crisp white shirt with a stiff collar and a neat suit, he could have passed for the son of a noble family who had studied abroad.

“I’ve never seen you dressed like that before.”

At his blunt remark, Rohan sheepishly scratched his head.

“Haha. I thought my usual attire might seem disrespectful when meeting the famous Duchess from Belmond, so I put in some effort.”

Rohan’s words meant he had dressed up out of consideration for Kaian, who was essentially his employer, but to Kaian it sounded like he had dressed up to impress Claude.

“You look like a turkey dipped in oil.”

“…Pardon?”

As Rohan, who had never received such a harsh comment from Kaian before, stood puzzled trying to grasp the context,

Hannah entered the reception room where they were greeting guests, carrying an armful of books.

“Oh my. The lady.”

“It’s alright.”

Rohan quickly went to the entrance and took some of the books from Hannah’s arms.

“I’m strong, so I don’t need help.”

“Hahaha. You jest.”

Another person who misunderstood Hannah’s sincere words as a joke.

Rohan’s eyes widened as he placed the books on the table together.

“This is a first edition.”

The Hindenburg Continent Exploration had a blue cover for its first edition, and subsequent editions had yellowish-brown covers.

The yellowish-brown covers were made of undyed material, while the blue dye was an expensive import from the Sol continent, making blue-dyed fabrics, leather, or paper all more expensive than others.

“I really love this book. Look here. The book is a bit worn out from reading so much. It’s the story of getting swept away while riding a boat at the waterfall.”

“Hahaha.”

“But I couldn’t get a first edition of just one book.”

Claude made a rueful expression.

“Which book do you mean?”

“The most recent one. I was a bit ill, so…”

When she was organizing her remaining life after contracting Herzol and preparing to leave for Lowen, Claude lost the will to buy new books. She even wrote in her will to leave these books, which would fetch quite a price if sold as first editions, to Hannah.

“I’ll give it to you.”

At Rohan’s words, Claude jumped up from her seat.

“Really?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Ah. Haa. My goodness. Hannah, hold my hand. This isn’t a dream, is it?”

Kaian, greatly displeased by the situation where they seemed lost in their own world, called for the butler.

“Yes, my lord.”

“I’m hungry. Is the meal preparation far from done?”

“It’s all ready. This way.”

Kaian strode towards the reception room door, then abruptly turned back.

He pulled Claude’s hand to link arms with him.

“Let’s go.”

Claude, looking back and forth between Rohan and the books on the table, was half-dragged along.

“But I haven’t gotten his autograph yet.”

“Do it after dinner. You’re still a patient. You need to be careful.”

Though it had been over a month since a doctor last visited the castle, he treated her as a patient when necessary.

“The autograph…”

“We’ll continue the conversation after the meal if there’s time left.”

After supper, it would be time to go to bed. There would be absolutely no time to continue talking.

Kaian spoke to Hannah.

“You join us for the meal too.”

“What? Me?”

Hannah, as the lady’s maid, had never once dined at the same table as her mistress.

“I heard you were quite active during the festival? The butler told me. Rohan isn’t of noble birth either. I don’t mistreat capable people, so dine with the lady today.”

Being allowed to sit at the same dining table as the head of the household was a great honor.

It was something that might happen once in a lifetime, if ever, when one grew old and quit working due to poor health after serving the same master for life, so Hannah’s eyes widened.

“Th-thank you.”

Even the usually composed Hannah bowed her head, trembling slightly.

“Shall we?”

As Rohan held out his hand as if to escort her, Hannah took it demurely, unlike her usual self.

‘Not a chance.’

Kaian led the way with Claude, trying to calm his bubbling emotions.

It was true that Hannah was very capable and had kept her word to devote her soul to Temnes for the past two months, but the reason he invited her to supper was because he couldn’t bear to see Rohan conversing with Claude throughout the meal.

It was human nature to naturally pay attention to one’s counterpart when numbers were matched.

Without being told, Rohan moved as if it was obviously his role to escort Hannah when he pulled Claude along.

“Kaian.”

“What?”

As he turned his head, his wife who was holding onto his arm was looking up at him with sparkling eyes.

“You’re really wonderful.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, to be so considerate even to my maid. Hannah is a friend to me. She really was a friend until I came to Belmond Castle. When I was young.”

“I see.”

“We’ve had meals together in my room before. I’m happy.”

Claude removed her hand from his arm and took his hand. She kissed the lord’s ring on Kaian’s finger.

“Thank you, Kaian.”

He felt a bit awkward, not expecting her to be so moved.

However, he was secretly pleased that he had completely succeeded in turning Claude’s attention, which had been focused on Rohan, back to himself as he had hoped.

“Where did you meet Rohan? How did you think to invest in a ghost guild with no track record?”

“Rohan first came to find me when I was marching west from the Kurban Plains.”

“You mean he came to the battlefield?”

“That’s right.”

Meanwhile, behind the two who had momentarily forgotten about them, Hannah and Rohan exchanged subtle glances.

Kaian had unwittingly brought together a couple that deserved to be blessed.

The dinner table was very lively.

Kaian and Claude sat side by side at the head of the table, with Rohan and Hannah facing each other on their left and right.

‘The atmosphere is certainly much better.’

Unlike when Irena sat alone next to Claude, matching the number of guests had been a masterstroke.

‘Kaian is good at things like this.’

He was lacking nothing as the master of a great castle.

Throughout the meal, Claude observed Kaian’s manners as a host and inwardly resolved to do well herself in the future.

After all, as the lady of the castle from now on, she would have many occasions to receive guests.

However, during the meal, the butler entered with an uncharacteristically tense face, carrying an envelope on a plate.

“Master. I think you should see this now.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a telegram from the royal palace.”

The envelope bore the golden seal indicating it was sent by the king.

Claude’s eyes widened.

She had heard that telegrams sent by the king of Oberon came with the royal golden seal attached, but she had never actually seen one before.

Even Rohan craned his neck to peek at the envelope at the head of the table.

“I see.”

Kaian slit the edge of the envelope with the letter opener on the plate and took out the contents to read.

Claude became worried when she saw him immediately furrow his brow upon reading the telegram.

‘Could it be bad news?’

Noticing her concern, Kaian relaxed his expression as soon as his eyes met Claude’s.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“No. It’s nothing, just a troublesome matter.”

It was a rather odd reaction for an urgent message sent by the king.

“We are commanded to attend the king’s birthday ball at the royal palace.”

“The king’s birthday ball?”

“Yes. Take it to my study.”

As he put the telegram back in the envelope and placed it on the plate, the butler withdrew.

“But why do you look like that?”

“It will take at least two weeks just for the round trip.”

It would take a week on horseback from Lowen to the capital, or nine days by carriage depending on the weather.

“Two whole weeks?”

Claude sighed, wondering how she would endure fourteen days without Kaian.

“Why that expression? Of course you’re coming along too.”

“Really?”

“Why do you think Valky… I mean His Majesty the King sent such an invitation? He’s telling the newly wedded Temnes and Belmond to come and give thanks to the king who ordered our marriage. On his birthday… ahem, on the king’s birthday.”

Kaian was clearly annoyed, but Claude suddenly felt excited.

“I see. I’d like to see the capital.”

“You would?”

“I only stayed at an inn for one night on the way to Lowen. I want to look around.”

“Do you like traveling?”

“I’ve never traveled before. Coming here was my first time leaving Belmond. I want to try traveling.”

“Well, I suppose most noble young ladies aren’t allowed to wander around before marriage.”

Kaian looked at her as if she was cute.

“This is the first time you’ve pleaded like this for something you want to do.”

“I don’t mean to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble. We can travel slowly, resting at a few places on the way up and down. About a month in total, coming and going.”

“Really?”

Watching the cheerful couple, Rohan looked at Hannah.

“Those two…”

…don’t look like enemies at all, do they?

Understanding the unspoken latter part perfectly, Hannah replied.

“They’re newlyweds.”

“I see. Haha.”

The meal ended in a bit of a muddle due to the sudden telegram.

Rohan and Kaian headed to his study, while Claude, escorted by the butler, was on her way back to her room when a question suddenly occurred to her.

“When is the lord’s birthday? Do you know?”

When she asked the butler, he nodded.

“Of course.”

“When is it? I’ve been married all this time without knowing my husband’s birthday.”

To her embarrassed question, the butler answered smoothly.

“The day after tomorrow, my lady.”