When I opened my eyes again, I was in the Wilboyer Grand Duke’s mansion.

My body felt heavy, and I could barely move my fingers. The doctor gave me water, and I was finally able to speak.

“It’s been four days since you arrived at the mansion.”

“Already…”

“They asked to be notified when you woke up. I’ll step out for a moment.”

The doctor, neatly dressed but notably deferential and cautious, quickly left the room. I wanted more water, but there was no maid in the room.

The wall decorations were of high-quality wood with elaborate engravings, but the curtains were plain, and the bed sheets were soft but without embroidery. I didn’t know much about the Grand Duke’s household, but I had heard it was quite large.

Even if they lived modestly without extravagance, there should have been at least some minimal decorations, but none were visible.

The intentional neglect was evident.

‘Well, I am a Beltoa after all.’

This was to be expected.

Liam too was wary of me until he received my blessing.

I need to quickly treat Liam’s younger sibling and leave some petals behind. To prepare for after my death.

Since it’s different from having the blessing forcibly taken, I started to recall the things I needed to do one by one.

Perhaps because my body was weak, fatigue set in quickly. As I closed my eyes, feeling drained all over, I heard the door opening.

A short, graying middle-aged man entered. He looked nothing like Liam.

“You’re awake.”

His dignified voice was polite but lacked warmth.

“I am Kendrick Herdman, the head butler of the Wilboyer Grand Duke’s mansion.”

Ah, this person doesn’t like me.

I immediately sensed his hostility. I was used to it.

“The Wilboyers do not neglect any guest. Though hastily prepared, we will move you to a room with better sunlight once you regain your health. I hope you have a comfortable stay during your time here.”

He maintained courtesy towards a guest who should leave soon while clearly drawing boundaries.

I felt the same way. This is not a place for me to stay.

“I’ll be in your care during my stay.”

“Wow, the princess is quite something. Most people are intimidated by Kendrick’s aura, as he once commanded the frontlines. As expected of a princess.”

A man entered the room, clapping slowly. With hair reaching his shoulders, he exuded an atmosphere opposite to Liam’s.

If Liam was winter, this man was spring.

Behind him was a familiar face.

Hal, meeting my eyes, waved his hand slightly.

“Sir Ethan.”

The head butler’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

The man called Ethan grinned at me.

“I know you have urgent matters to discuss, but the guest just woke up. Let her have some water at least.”

“I already had some. Where’s Liam?”

It was daytime. Given Liam’s personality, I thought he would rush here first when I woke up, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Master Liam has gone to the capital.”

I wonder if his sibling’s condition is still alright.

In my previous life, I only knew that Liam was in Glisia when he received news of his sibling’s death in autumn, but I don’t know the details of their condition.

As I was thinking about what I should do next, a white ball of fluff jumped through the door. It climbed onto the bed where I was lying.

“Falken!”

It didn’t climb on top of me as I lay there, but wagged its tail next to my head.

I had worried that Falken might have been left on the mountain when I collapsed. Its fur was shinier than when I saw it on the mountain, and it had grown bigger in the meantime.

My hand sank into its fluffy fur. It smelled pleasantly of sunlight.

“You’ve been well. Liam brought you here.”

In the past, I couldn’t even touch Falken. It never left Liam’s side and ignored me when I reached out.

Now it showed affection towards me from our first meeting.

What could I have possibly done to make it like me so much?

“Kendrick, I’ll take it from here. You must be busy, so leave it to me. If you interfere with everything like this, your subordinates will dislike it.”

“As you wish. Then I’ll take my leave.”

After the head butler Kendrick left, Hal, who had been quietly smiling, sighed and slumped his shoulders.

“Why is he suddenly taking charge when he usually leaves things to Bruno and only attends to His Grace?”

“It’s because of Beltoa.”

Though his lips smiled, Ethan’s eyes towards me were cold.

I had heard about this man called Ethan before.

“Ethan would have sneered, saying your skills were only this much.”

Liam had mentioned him one day, leaning against the wall with bandages around his waist.

He was Liam’s cousin and loyal servant who died saving Liam when the Duke went mad, unleashing his abilities.

Liam missed this man quite a lot. He must have relied on him greatly.

“Ethan.”

Having only heard his name before, I called out to him without thinking, feeling somewhat glad.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed as his smile deepened.

I had heard that he smiled more when he was wary.

“Ah, yes. This person is Master Liam’s cousin. He holds military command within the domain.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Ethan approached the bed and gazed down at me. Despite his gentle appearance, his eyes coldly examined me.

“I wondered why Liam brought the princess, but was it a honey trap? However, even I won’t fall for this pretty face.”

“Sir Ethan.”

“I’ve greeted you, so I’ll be going now. Don’t keep talking to a sick person for too long. Keep your business brief.”

After glancing at me, Ethan left.

“Though he seems frivolous, he’s quite capable. Thanks to Sir Ethan, Master Liam can move about freely outside.”

Hal was someone who had scolded Liam and even ordered me, a princess, around.

I thought he would complain or scold me, but Hal avoided looking at me properly. Like a child who had done something wrong.

‘Ah, he must have seen the blessing as we crossed the border.’

Hal awkwardly cleared his throat and came to the bedside as if nothing was wrong. His left hand and left foot moved simultaneously.

“Shall I help you sit up? Would you like some water?”

“I’d like some water.”

He put the end of the reed stuck in the cup to my lips.

As I sucked on the reed as the doctor had fed me earlier, water entered my mouth.

It was quite convenient to be able to drink water while lying down.

“The Grand Duke’s domain has many items for patients.”

This meant there were many patients suffering from abilities.

Though he was watching my reaction, his tone was gruff.

He seemed to be struggling with how to treat me. While my blessing was clearly beneficial, he couldn’t simply be happy about it.

“As you might expect, the people of the Wilboyer mansion don’t welcome the princess.”

“Yes.”

“The older folks are especially harsh, but the Grand Duchess was unexpectedly adamant.”

In my third life, Liam hardly mentioned his mother.

“The Grand Duchess is the younger sister of His Majesty the Emperor. She went to the capital with young master Kyler. She said there were many skilled doctors in the capital, but well…”

“Then Liam too?”

“Yes, to escort the Grand Duchess and young master Kyler.”

Hal heaved a big sigh, slumping his shoulders.

“From what I heard from Bruno, she vehemently rejected, um, the princess, so persuading her won’t be easy. She tends to be quite stubborn when it comes to young master Kyler’s matters.”

While some mothers turn away from and deny their children, it seems the Grand Duchess is someone who shows more affection to her sick child.

“Ah, Bruno is the son of the head butler you just met, and he works as the deputy butler of the mansion.”

As I was stroking Falken, my arm grew heavy and I stopped. Noticing this, Falken pushed its head under my hand on its own.

Though my body was tired, I couldn’t help but smile at its cute behavior.

“There will be some territorial behavior for a while. They won’t openly harass you, but I’ll make sure it doesn’t get too bad.”

“It’s fine. This much is enough for now.”

Something about my words seemed odd to Hal, as he looked around the room with a displeased expression.

“The mansion staff aren’t that cruel.”

He then moved his lips as if to say something. It seemed he had something to tell me but didn’t voice it. Instead, Hal changed the subject, looking at Falken.

“What should we do with that wolf? It’s still a cub, but it’s a wolf. It’ll grow quickly. Master Liam just said to leave it with the princess before he left. He wouldn’t let us cage it either… We’ve prepared a sturdy enclosure though.”

“It’s well-behaved, so can’t we raise it as it is?”

I remember it quietly following behind Liam and sitting still unless given an attack command.

Now that it’s small and affectionate, wouldn’t people find it cute?

But Hal vehemently disagreed.

“Well-behaved? Well-behaved, you say? Look at this arm. And my hair too. That beast even pulled out my hair!”

Falken made a soft whining sound.

It looked at me with innocent eyes, as if it knew nothing.

“Wow, to think a beast could act! I gave it meat and brought it milk, but it only bites!”

Quite aggrieved, Hal glared at the growling Falken and complained at length.

He looked as if he was begging for Falken’s affection.

As the commotion relaxed the tension and my body grew heavy, a visitor arrived.

Someone knocked.

“Ah, they said they’d send someone to attend to the princess. Come in.”

The door opened, and a woman with a tall stature, intense red hair, and a neat dress entered.

Her image was different from what I remembered in my third life, so I wasn’t sure at first if she was the person I recalled.

Hal provided the answer.

“Aaagh! Why, Reina, why are you here?”

I had seen her in my third life.

She was one of Liam’s close associates, a female knight whom the people of Glisia called the Blood Witch for her ruthlessness in smiling while beheading people.

The expressionless female knight grasped her dress hem and smiled sweetly.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Reina Morgan, and I will be attending to the princess from now on. Please feel free to command me if you need anything.”

Seeing her greet like a well-mannered young lady, Hal turned pale and stepped back.

Liam’s sharp sword had come to attend to me. And she gave me a big shock as soon as we met.

Reina smiled broadly at Hal.

“By the way.”

“No! Don’t say it!”

Hal’s cry was in vain.

“I quite like this Hal Lund. He might behave unpleasantly at times, but I’ll be careful not to act rudely.”

“Aah! Reina Morgan!”

A cry of despair echoed through the room, as if it was something he didn’t want revealed.

My first impression of the Wilboyer Grand Duke’s mansion was truly unexpectedly lively.