“He’s really my old friend, but he’s crazy. By the way, I heard he was strongly rejected by his wife, so why is he going there again? The current Ruan could meet plenty of good young ladies.”

Watching Harman grumble as he got up holding his neck, Tablo said.

“Well, in his own words, since he’s a bad guy and trash to his wife anyway, he’s going to beg and beg for forgiveness with a thick skin until she forgives him.”

Hearing that Ruan would beg Mercian, Harman looked at Tablo in disbelief and said.

“Beg and beg again? Ruan? That tough Ruan who wouldn’t utter a single word or groan even when tortured after being captured by the enemy commander in war? He’s begging a woman who can’t even hold a sword. By the way, can Ruan do it well? He’s fearless even of God in war, but he doesn’t seem to know much about women.”

Tablo nodded vigorously in agreement with Harman, who spoke worriedly.

“That’s what I’m saying. Your Highness, Ruan actually knows too little about women. So he said he’s going to use his connections to attack the lady’s weakness.”

“Using connections to attack the lady’s weakness? My goodness, no matter how much of a man he is, isn’t it too petty to target a powerless woman’s weakness?”

“He said now’s not the time to worry about being petty? He’s so worried that if he cares about face like that, he’ll really lose his wife. Who in the world would have guessed? That the great Ruan would change so pettily because of his wife.”

Harman asked curiously at Tablo’s words.

“By the way, what is this weakness of the lady?”

“Your Highness, how would I know even if I’m friends with that guy? Even when I stayed at his house for a while, he would glare at me like he wanted to kill me if I acted even a little friendly with the Duchess.”

“Is the lady that charming?”

“Well, are you that curious, Your Highness?”

“Ah. Crown Princess, what brings you here?”

Harman, who had been sitting with Tablo, jumped up with a surprised expression when he saw Leticia entering the training hall and hurriedly approached her.

“I came to stretch my body after a long time, but it seems I came for nothing. I’ll take my leave, so please continue listening to Lord Tablo about the charms of the Duchess.”

“Ah. No. Leticia, I suddenly want to have a sword match with you after a long time.”

Harman tried to stop Leticia, who was about to leave the training hall with a haughty expression, but immediately regretted his words.

“Oh? Really?”

Seeing Leticia’s eyes light up at the word “match”, Harman smiled awkwardly and said to the servant.

“Of course. Go and bring the swords.”

As the servant went to get the swords at Harman’s words, Tablo went to Harman’s side and quietly asked with a worried expression.

“Will you really be alright? What are you thinking, someone who has never won against the Crown Princess even once?”

Unlike Harman, who had only learned swordsmanship 3-4 years ago during secret crown prince lessons at Biselluk’s request, Leticia was so skilled with the sword that it was said she was born holding one.

She had held a sword since she started walking and was such an outstanding swordsman that she even instructed female knights in the Alomande Kingdom until her marriage.

At first, Harman thought he could beat a woman no matter how good her swordsmanship was, but after being thoroughly defeated, he avoided sword matches with Leticia as much as possible.

However, Harman didn’t want to upset Leticia, who had come to see him, and the only way to keep her in the training hall was a sword match.

“Well then, we’ll use wooden swords today, so at least I won’t accidentally stab Your Highness.”

Harman unconsciously gulped as he watched Leticia walking towards him with wooden swords from the servant.

***

Canoloup Duchy.

“What do you mean? You’re moving?”

Ruan nodded at Edward’s question and spread out a map.

“This is?”

“This is Phenomenon Village where the lady is currently living.”

Edward couldn’t hide his joy as he smiled and said at Ruan’s words.

“The Madam? My goodness, so the Madam has been living in such a remote place far from the capital. That’s why we couldn’t find her no matter how hard we looked.”

Clea made a puzzled expression at Edward’s words and said.

“But why are we moving there? Surely the Madam isn’t saying she won’t return to the duchy? Is she saying she doesn’t want to see us either?”

Edward waved his hand as if that couldn’t be the case at Clea’s words and said.

“How could that be, Clea. The Madam probably can’t forgive the master for deceiving her. There’s no way she doesn’t want to see us.”

Charles nodded at Edward’s words and said.

“Butler, I think so too. If the master was my husband and deceived me by pretending to be dead, I wouldn’t see him for the rest of my life.”

“Charles, you’re still a child without a husband, why are you saying such things. But I agree with what you’re saying. The worst man in the world is one who deceives his wife. Especially faking his death. The Madam is kind, so she at least sent the master back to the duchy like this. If it were Ed, he probably would have had a leg broken.”

Charles clapped her hands at Clea’s words and said.

“That’s right, Head Maid. I think so too.”

Edward took Clea’s hand solemnly at her words and promised.

“Don’t worry, Clea. I will never deceive you. That will be the case in the future too.”

“Of course, Ed. If you did, you wouldn’t survive.”

Listening to Edward, Clea and Charles’ words, Ruan muttered in disbelief.

Sigh. Hey guys, I’m still here you know?

“Yes, I know. I know I’m a bad guy and will never be forgiven. That’s why I got leave from His Highness today. Within 6 months, I will definitely get my wife’s forgiveness and bring her here. But right now my wife is very angry, so I think it will be too difficult for me alone.”

Edward nodded at Ruan’s words and replied.

“Well, we’re ready. Master, when do we leave?”

“What?”

Ruan made a puzzled expression at Edward’s words that they were already prepared, and Clea smiled and answered.

“The Grand Duchess came by a few days ago and said that with the master’s usual behavior, he would never get the Madam’s forgiveness, and that he would surely ask for our help, so we should pack in advance. And she said it would be difficult to bring the Madam back if not everyone here went down. So we’ve already decided among ourselves who will go to the Madam. The four of us – me, Ed, Charles and Jean – will go down. The luggage is already loaded in the carriage, so we can leave anytime, Master.”

Really, Aunt can be scary sometimes when she’s like this.

Ruan nodded at Clea’s words and replied.

“We’ll leave tonight.”

“Yes, then I’ll prepare some food to eat on the way down at night.”

“Ah, and you should start reading these from now.”

“What are all these?”

As Ruan looked at Edward, Edward put a pile of books on the desk and said.

“These are some things we prepared for the master. [500 Ways to Appease Your Loved One’s Anger] and [Words to Make Your Lover Happy], [There Has Never Been a Man Like This. A Man Who Wants to Live Only for You], [The Moment You Feel the Joy of Living as Her Slave, You Become the True Winner]. Especially this book is said to be a must-read for men who want to capture their lover’s heart, as it’s the best-selling book in the empire.”

“Ed, no matter what, giving such lowbrow books to the Duke…”

Cassel, who was entering the duchy, frowned as he saw the books Edward was handing over.

But Ruan received the books preciously and said.

“Thank you, Ed. I’ll make sure to read them as you said.”

“Yes, Master. Then I’ll finish the rest of the preparations.”

As Clea, Charles and Edward left, Cassel, who was coming in after them, said with an astonished expression.

“Duke, surely you’re not thinking of reading such lowbrow books that young ladies or idle wives of the empire read?”

What? What’s with that look? Is he really going to read those books?

At Cassel’s question, Ruan suddenly stood up, bringing the books as if they were precious treasures, and said.

“Cassel, if I can turn my wife’s heart, I can read hundreds of books like this.”

“But will you really be alright? You said the lady firmly rejected you.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll beg and beg until she forgives me.”

“Y-You’ll beg, Duke? To the lady?”

Cassel couldn’t imagine Ruan begging Mercian.

“Of course, if I can bring her back, such a thing is not difficult. I think I’d be truly happy even being her dog.”

Damn Ruan. Really an enviable dog.

Cassel sighed with a gloomy expression as he recalled Ruan, who always barked at him when nestled in Mercian’s arms.

If you wanted to keep your wife that badly, you should have listened to Lord Tablo or Aunt from the beginning. Tsk tsk,

Cassel thought to himself, recalling Ruan ignoring Olivia’s advice.

“Cassel, I’m the one who wronged my wife. Not you.”

“Pardon?”

“Of course I regret not listening to Tablo and Aunt, but I don’t want to be criticized by you too. Stop thinking unnecessary thoughts and leave, will you?”

W-What? Can he read minds or something?

Cassel hurriedly changed the subject as he looked at Ruan, who spoke as if he had read his thoughts.

“Not at all, Duke. Then I hope your plan succeeds. I’ll be going to the palace to work now.”

At Ruan’s words, which were cold unlike when talking about Mercian, Cassel bowed and quickly left the study.

.

.

.

Phenomenon Village, Mercian’s house.

“I’m not dreaming now, am I?”

“Oh my! Madam! Is it really you, Madam? Do you know how much I missed you after you left without saying anything to us? Sob sob sob.”

Charles, who had discovered Mercian standing blankly, approached her crying and hugged her tightly.

“Charles. Is it really you, Charles?”

As Mercian looked at Charles as if she couldn’t believe her own eyes, Charles also nodded and said.

“Of course it’s me. Head Maid, Butler, Chef. It’s really the Madam!”

“Oh my goodness, it really is the Madam!”

“Madam!”

At Charles’ shout, Edward, Clea, and Jean, who had been giving instructions to carry the luggage, happily approached Mercian.

“What brings you all here so suddenly?”

“Oh, we moved here today.”

“What? Moved?”

As Mercian looked puzzled at Clea’s words, Jean approached Mercian with a basket full of food ingredients and asked.

“Madam, let’s talk slowly first, where is the kitchen here?”

“Huh? Kitchen? It’s over there.”

At Mercian’s words, Edward said to Jean.

“Jean, go and prepare the Madam’s breakfast first. The Madam must be hungry.”

“Yes, Butler. Madam, please wait a moment. I’ll show off my skills after a long time.”

“Oh? Thank you, Jean.”

Ah. But that’s our house.

Mercian watched Jean enter her kitchen at Edward’s words.