Surprised by the unfamiliar expression on the Duke’s face, I blinked back at him. In the background, knights who had gathered were looking at me – or more precisely, at my face.

Suddenly, I felt a breeze on my usually covered face.

What’s happening?

Then, Arcadia’s shocked face appeared beside the Duke.

“Hey! Are you okay?! Why didn’t you dodge? You could have!”

“Arcadia!!!”

The Duke’s voice was filled with immense anger.

That snapped me back to reality. Along with it came the pain from Arcadia’s elbow hitting my chest.

“Uh…”

An involuntary groan escaped my lips, causing Arcadia’s already pale face to blanch further.

“Are you okay? I thought you would dodge…”

“Medical Unit! Hegel!”

The Duke urgently called for the medical officer.

What luxury is this?

I’m now lying on a spacious and plush hammock under a large tree.

After the medical officer confirmed my ribs weren’t broken, someone lifted me up.

It was the Duke.

As effortlessly as holding a feather, he carried me to this hammock.

Then, I examined my half-mask that had come off during the fall. The strap had broken off upon impact.

I could feel the knights looking at my face.

It must seem strange, two different halves of a face joined together.

“Are you really okay?”

The Duke, having returned to his expressionless state, asked.

“Yes, thank you, Your Grace.”

I tried to get up, but the Duke stopped me.

“Rest a bit more.”

“No, I’m fine now. It’s more comfortable to get down.”

“Is it so?”

Indeed.

It’s overwhelming for Duke Zion Belphast to be this attentive to me. That’s why I felt a bit uncomfortable.

In my previous life, I was the main instigator of his downfall.
As I was about to get off the hammock, I saw Ergo approaching me. He was somewhat hastily carrying something wrapped in white cloth towards me.

Reaching me, he glanced up at the Duke, who nodded in approval. Then, Ergo knelt on one knee to match my eye level.

Confused, I alternated my gaze between the Duke and Ergo.

“What’s the matter?”

“You’ve proven yourself, far more than expected, Miss Esdel,” Ergo spoke. Unlike when we first met, his eyes now held warmth towards me.

A twinge of something went through my chest.

“Did I really prove myself?”

My voice unintentionally sounded eager.

“Indeed. I take back what I said about taking your sword skills lightly.”

“Miss Esdel, you have a talent for the sword. Even if you can’t cook meat or chop vegetables, you’re excellent. No, extremely excellent,” Mobius, who had come to my side, said with a broad smile.

Relief washed over me…

But those who had the authority to confirm my ‘proof’ remained silent.

Cautiously, I looked at the Duke and Arcadia, who had approached upon seeing me get up.

Arcadia spoke.

“Are you okay, Silver Hair?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you have silver hair. You and me, both silver.”

“?”

I didn’t quite agree.

The Duke then said, “Lieutenant Nugent has platinum blond hair, close to silver, whereas Miss Esdel’s hair is like moonlight. They don’t seem the same to me.”

“? Is that so?”

Arcadia responded with a slight pout. The Duke looked at him and smiled subtly.

“Regardless, thank you for your efforts in confirming her proof, Lieutenant Nugent.”

“It’s nothing. I’m just relieved she’s okay. Otherwise, I would have been branded a violent criminal against women.”

Despite his complaint, his eyes were smiling.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. It was an honor to be allowed to cross swords with you.”

I meant every word.

Then, Arcadia lightly patted my head and gently stroked it.

Huh? What’s this?

The Duke addressed the knights.

“Today, Miss Esdel has proven her worth. As per her wish, I acknowledge her as one of the people of the North. Do you all agree?”

“Yes! We agree!”

Everyone shouted in unison.

What? Had they all agreed on this while I was lying in the hammock?

The sudden kindness felt a bit strange.

But… I was happy.

A person of the North.

Those words from the Duke penetrated my heart.

The words I truly longed to hear.

Being acknowledged as a person of the North meant more to me than ‘the only thing I wanted’.

“That’s why, although it’s not finished yet, I intend to grant her wish.”

“!”

I looked at Ergo. He unwrapped the white cloth, revealing a silver half-mask that shone like the sun.

Uncontrollably, I looked up at the Duke, who nodded at me.

Ergo said, “I made it in advance as the Duke instructed, even if you hadn’t proven yourself. It’s still incomplete, but try it on. We need to make adjustments for a perfect fit.”

Trembling, I took the mask he offered.

My silver hair-like mask. Noble like moonlight.

Slowly, I put the mask on my face. It perfectly covered the distorted left side of my face. The part wrapping around my head and mask was incomparably softer and more comfortable than the previous one.

“Wow!”

Suddenly, a gasp-like sigh erupted from among the knights.

Startled, I looked up.

Why are they reacting like that? Is it because my eyes are an unfamiliar sky blue? Or because my silver eyelashes are too long? Or did I get a wound on the right side of my face during the fight?
Amidst my whirlwind of thoughts, Yora, standing among the soldiers, shouted out.

“Esdel, you’re… so beautiful!”

“You really are beautiful!”

“Why didn’t you wear a mask like this earlier?”

The knights, one after another, began to speak up. Then, several of them even started whistling simultaneously.

Truly, there are so many first experiences here in the North.

Unknowingly, my cheeks reddened.

Just then, the Duke called out to Arcadia and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Arcadia, since when have our knights become so brazen as to whistle at a woman?”

“What? Your Grace?”

“From now on, tell the knights not to whistle like that. It’s not respectful to the person concerned.”

The Duke spoke calmly, but his brow was slightly furrowed.

Huh? Why is he angry?

I know a little about the Duke from my past life. That expression means he’s very angry. But why is he angry? There’s a peculiar feeling in his anger that I can’t quite pinpoint.