How long had he been standing there?

Like a stopped clock hand, I looked at him. He returned the gaze, then turned his eyes to Arcadia behind me.

“Sir Nugent, this is a special meal for me, but I wanted to share it with you.”

“Thank you, Your Grace. Wow, this looks really delicious! Can I share it with my Adjutant?”

“Go ahead.”

The Duke handed over the dessert and turned away coldly.

“What’s that about? Did I do something wrong?”

Arcadia asked me.

“I don’t know.”

I truly didn’t, so I said just that.

Every day, as we rode further, we entered colder air.

The central city of the North, Hailway, lies at the empire’s northernmost point.

The Duke’s castle is situated in the middle of a high plateau, across the ‘Terra’ river that runs through Hailway.

Realizing our proximity to the plateau, I followed Arcadia in changing the horses’ flat hooves to sharp, pointed ones and rode across the frozen river.

In my past life.

I briefly viewed the desolate landscape from the top of the castle I had infiltrated secretly.

The scenery, fresh in my memory like a picture seen just yesterday.

In that image, the territories of the former Kingdom of Ventus, now subjugated by the Empire, stretched out to the near North.
And beyond that, further north where the Empire borders the heathen Ssangtus Empire, was obscured in fog.

As we rode for a while, the gray Duke’s castle’s highest point, the spire, emerged atop the plateau.

‘Finally arriving.’

The moment to verify Julia Nugent is near.

Has Medea’s gift already arrived, or is it still en route?

Upon arrival, I must check with eyes and ears, and if necessary, with a sword.

About twenty minutes into our full-speed ride, a group of people appeared by the riverbank.

“It’s a welcoming party!”

Bran shouted as he raced ahead.

Soon after, I arrived at their forefront with the knights.

At the front of the procession was a man with short platinum hair and green eyes, slightly older than Arcadia, if judged by appearance.

‘Could it be Infidel Nugent?’

Infidel Nugent, the eldest son of the Nugent earl’s family, the chief administrative officer assisting the Duke in the North.

“That man is Infidel Nugent, the eldest son of the late Hern Nugent, who was the Duke’s deputy,” Bran boasted to me, offering precious information.

I quickly scanned them all with my eyes.

Behind the earl stood several nobles, likely representatives of each vassal family. And behind them…

Stood a slender middle-aged woman with softly tied light green hair.

Wearing a calm green coat matching her hair, she had a basket-shaped brooch on her chest.

‘There she is, Hans’ sister, Llewene Axel.’

I confirmed the letter and brooch I had carefully brought in my pocket.

The quality guarantee and seal remained warm.

“Your Grace! Have you arrived?”

Everyone bowed as the Duke dismounted his black horse.

“Is everyone safe? Are the people well?”

“Yes, Your Grace. Thanks to your preparations, everyone could spend a warm winter,” Infidel Nugent answered respectfully.

“The credit is yours, Earl Nugent.”

“You flatter me.”

Llewene Axel hurriedly brought a thick fur coat and offered it to the Duke as if presenting a gift.

“Your Grace, it’s still cold in the North. What will you do if you catch a cold?”

Her voice was much younger and warmer than expected.

“Oh, Llewene. Have I worried you again?”

“I almost fainted when I heard you were poisoned.”

It seemed like a mother scolding her child.

The Duke gave the housekeeper a warm smile.

‘Similar to Hans but different.’

I watched Llewene Axel contentedly.

“Brother.”

Arcadia approached his brother. Infidel looked at his brother with joy.

“Are you hurt? All good?”

“As you can see, too healthy for my own good.”

The brothers embraced each other.

“I owe the Duke a debt I can never repay. Please forgive my late gratitude, Your Grace.”

Infidel knelt on one knee to the Duke.

‘He heard about you taking poison for Arcadia.’

The early messengers must have relayed the events from the estate well.

‘The relationship with the Duke and Arcadia seems good. That’s fortunate.’

But.

No matter how much I looked around, I saw no young woman like me.

‘Didn’t Julia Nugent come?’

Just then.

A carriage drawn by white horses approached us from afar.

Infidel Nugent’s face paled.

‘Who dares to ride in a carriage not even the Duke uses in this North, coming to greet us?’

A dazzling white carriage adorned with gold halted right in front of me.

Everyone’s gaze focused as the coachman bowed humbly to the Duke.

Then, standing up, he opened the carriage door for its passenger.

The woman who stepped out had beautiful, luxuriantly cascading platinum hair.
Soft silver lace gently wrapped around her long neck.

A red satin dress flowing gracefully along her elegant figure.

The skin of the woman in the dress was as white and translucent as snow.

Even the pure white fur draped over her shoulders seemed dull next to her clear face. A woman with green eyes, the same as Arcadia’s.

Could it be…

“Julia! How dare you come in a carriage!”

Infidel Nugent scolded her in a low but stern voice.

“It’s fine, Earl,” the Duke said, watching her with his usual impassive expression.

Then, boldly, she lifted her head and smiled, approaching the Duke.

She lightly lifted the hem of her dress and bowed gracefully.

‘This woman is Julia Nugent…’

Arcadia frowned, unable to hide his discomfort.

She also gave a light bow to her brother Arcadia before speaking.

“Your Grace, you must have had a hard journey.”

Her tone could make someone think he had been on a trip rather than a battlefield.

I slowly approached Arcadia’s side and said to him in a voice loud enough for Julia to hear.

“Commander, it’s truly fortunate. If His Grace hadn’t taken poison to save you, you wouldn’t have been able to reunite with your sister today. His Grace’s kindness is as vast as the sea.”

“?”

Arcadia looked at me as if I had eaten poison.

I signaled with my eyes for him to play along.

“It’s that sister you’ve been longing to see. She’s truly a beautiful lady.”

The words felt embarrassingly insincere, but it was necessary. If she knew about the Duke taking poison for her brother, she wouldn’t have come so arrogantly in a carriage.

“Who is this woman?”

Julia asked, looking at me. Arcadia replied.

“My adjutant.”

“She’s wearing a mask. Not a pleasant sight.”

“…”

Quite direct.

I smiled nonchalantly and responded.

“Sorry, taking it off might be even less pleasant.”

Her gaze changed in an instant.

“So you’re that… woman from the South.”