The newly built tower was located on the western border of Arendia, close to the center of the continent.

Guinevere stood at the top floor of the tower, gazing at the barren landscape stretching out in all directions.

“Are you pleased with it?”

“Yes.”

Guinevere patted Hedel’s shoulder.

“Well done.”

“Thank you.”

Hedel wore a rare expression of joy. Not only him, but the other mages also cheered.

“We did it!”

“Praise us too!”

Guinevere nodded as if she understood. That alone was enough to make the mages jump for joy.

Honestly, they had all been so focused on their individual research that they had never confirmed how much they could achieve with magic.

This tower, built with everyone’s united effort, could truly be called the essence of magic.

Siod had mixed feelings about the tower, a masterpiece created through the first-ever collaboration of mages.

“Why the expression?”

Guinevere asked, looking at him. Siod cast a barrier so others couldn’t hear and answered honestly.

“I’m not sure how He will take this.”

The only one Siod would refer to as ‘He’ would be the Lord of the dragon race. Guinevere lowered her eyes with a stern expression. After a moment of contemplation, she made a small protest.

“This is nothing. It’s just… like a cat tower.”

It was just creating a playground for the stray cats she had been collecting one by one, as her house had become a mess. She didn’t think Lord would be wary of this.

“You could easily destroy this if you wanted to, right?”

Even Guinevere could annihilate this tower and all its mages in one go if she set her mind to it. So it shouldn’t be a threat to the dragons. However, Siod thought differently.

“You might not know, but dragons are very timid.”

That’s why they chose to be wary of humans and live in hiding. The dragon race might be the only one in this world that chose to become obsolete despite possessing the greatest power and intelligence on earth.

“But they’re lazy. Well, nothing much will happen while I’m here.”

After he leaves, another dragon might come and try to dismantle it by causing internal strife among the mages or making them disliked by other political factions…

Siod swallowed his words and grinned. Guinevere looked at him suspiciously before giving up on thinking. Instead, she gave him a warning.

“When William grows up enough, I’ll pass on the duke’s position to him. He needs power instead of magic. When that time comes, I’ll protect this tower.”

“…Even if it means opposing the dragons?”

“Yes.”

My cold and affectionate Guinevere. Just a moment ago, she said it was just like a cat tower, but now she’s willing to risk her life for them. Siod smiled bitterly.

How did he end up loving such a woman?

“Then is this tower our newlywed home?”

“Nonsense again.”

*

Guinevere had no intention of teaching William magic in this life. Instead, she planned to pass on everything else she could give him except magic.

The noble title and territory, power and wealth that even the emperor couldn’t ignore. That way, he should have no problem protecting his family for a lifetime even without magic.

Siod was quite helpful with this plan. He was more noble-like than Guinevere. He was also very helpful to Guinevere, who was attending social events like hunting competitions for the first time.

“How is it?”

Guinevere turned awkwardly. She had thrown off her usual long black dress and was wearing a jacket and bustle dress that nobles often wore for walks or picnics.

“It looks like what you always wear.”

Siod clapped. It was a more reassuring comment than a superficial compliment about her beauty. Guinevere sighed openly.

“I feel like people will look at me strangely.”

“Who?”

“Just… because I’m wearing clothes I don’t usually wear…”

“We can gouge out their eyes if they do.”

Siod said with a bright smile. Guinevere retorted that he was crazy, but inwardly felt her tension ease.

To integrate William and Larisa into noble society, Guinevere had to squeeze herself in there first.

In fact, she had never thought about this in her previous life. She believed William would become a great mage like her.

But if magic couldn’t save or protect him, she had to find another way.

And it was surprisingly thanks to Larisa that she realized power could be another means.

‘The Rodante family’s carriage, birthday party, attending the entrance ceremony… Everything went well when we did as Lara suggested, right?’

She was a true blessing. Actually, it was just doing the obvious things that they hadn’t been doing until now, but without Larisa, she wouldn’t have known even those obvious things.

Guinevere decided to admit that she was an idiot who knew nothing but magic. So this time, she intended to utilize everything she could.

“Check one more time. It’s perfect, right?”

“I told you it is.”

“When was the last time you participated in social activities? It would be troublesome if it’s too classic.”

“I asked them to make it in the latest fashion. And what’s wrong with being a bit classic? I guarantee everything you do will become the new trend.”

“Hmph.”

Cheeky fellow. Leaving behind Siod, who was complaining about why she wouldn’t believe him when he was telling the truth, Guinevere went down to the lobby. There, she found Larisa who had already come down and was waiting.

“Larisa.”

“Mother!”

Larisa called out with flushed cheeks.

“You look like a princess.”

“You look like an angel.”

Larisa standing there in an ivory dress left no other words to describe her except ‘angel’. Guinevere smiled with satisfaction and praised the maid standing behind Larisa.

“You have good skills.”

“Th-Thank you, my lady.”

Was it Daisy? Thanks to Larisa’s daily chatter, she had managed to memorize at least the name. Guinevere said to the butler,

“Assign this maid as Larisa’s exclusive lady-in-waiting.”

“Pardon? But my lady, usually unmarried young ladies don’t have lady-in-waiting. It’s a privilege for married women…”

“Who cares. That’s how the Rodante family does it.”

“Understood.”

Assigning a lady-in-waiting to a young child she’s sponsoring when she doesn’t even have one herself. Siod inwardly sighed and whispered to Guinevere.

“Only princesses have lady-in-waiting among unmarried women. What if the emperor gets upset?”

“Why would the emperor?”

“He might think we’re imitating the royal family.”

“He gets upset over such trivial things? The royal family has nobles as their lady-in-waiting. Would they nitpick about assigning a commoner maid as a lady-in-waiting?”

“If they want to find fault, they can find fault with anything.”

“I am Guinevere Rodante.”

Siod shrugged and stepped back. That insane confidence. That’s why I fell for her. It seemed Guinevere would be confident even in front of Lord.

“Well then, shall we depart?”

Guinevere got onto the carriage, escorted by Hedel. Siod swallowed his disappointment and escorted Larisa into the carriage. Then he stepped back with a bitter face and said,

“Have a good trip then.”

“Teacher, we’ll be back!”

Siod waved to Guinevere, who didn’t even look this way, and Larisa, who was waving like a puppy.

Watching the back of the departing carriage, Siod felt utterly miserable. He wanted to be the one escorting, not Hedel. Or at least let him escort Larisa as her tutor.

Guinevere didn’t allow any of that. She just cunningly extracted information about the hunting competition schedule and etiquette to observe, and left him behind.

Even though he had classes at the Academy and it would be troublesome to miss them as a new professor, he couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

“How can I win her back…?”

No matter how much he thought about it, his sins were too great, and Siod let out a sigh that could sink the ground.

*

The spring hunting competition was nothing short of the biggest event for nobles who had been looking forward to the warmer weather. It was also the only time when the imperial hunting grounds were open to the public.

Therefore, the spring hunting competition was an event attended by almost all nobles in Arendia. Seeing the long line of carriages stretching out on both sides, Larisa asked,

“Why aren’t those carriages moving?”

The answer came from Hedel.

“They’re waiting for their turn.”

“What about us?”

“The Rodante family doesn’t need to wait. The six great families, including the imperial family, can use the King’s Road. If you go straight on this road, you’ll reach the imperial palace, and if you go further, you’ll reach the imperial hunting grounds.”

Upon arriving at the hunting grounds and getting off the carriage, people were swarming from the entrance. Guinevere held Larisa in her arms while Hedel led the way, clearing a path.

Surprised by the scale of the event, Larisa shrunk her shoulders and whispered softly,

“Is it really okay for me to be in a place like this?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“But…”

Larisa clutched her uncomfortable dress skirt and made a tearful face.

“I’m just a back alley rat.”

“You are Larisa Rodante.”

Guinevere adjusted her hold on Larisa and said emphatically. But Larisa just buried her face in Guinevere’s shoulder, trying hard to swallow her sense of burden.

She didn’t expect to come to such a place without William. She thought they were just going on a picnic when they said they were going somewhere, she didn’t expect such a bustling event… She resented the adults who hadn’t told her anything.

In fact, even Guinevere was attending such an event for the first time, so she was obediently following Hedel’s instructions on this and that, but Larisa didn’t know this.

Not long after entering the venue, a familiar face appeared.

“Oh my, Lady Rodante is here too.”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Guinevere slightly bowed her head while holding Larisa. The Empress naturally glanced at Larisa as well.

Larisa wanted to greet her according to the etiquette she had recently learned from Siod, lifting her skirt, but Guinevere wouldn’t put her down.

“Mother, please put me down.”

Larisa whispered.

“What? No, there are too many people here, you might get lost if we’re not careful.”

“But I need to greet her…”

“What did you say? I can’t hear you.”

Liar. She could hear everything. Larisa pouted her lips. Regardless, Guinevere adjusted her hold on Larisa and didn’t put her down.

She knew Larisa found etiquette difficult. She didn’t want to intimidate her from the start. The Empress smiled as if she understood everything and said,

“She’s still young, there’s no need to be so formal yet. Lady Larisa.”

“Your Majesty the Empress, I’m sorry.”

Larisa bowed her head, thinking, oh well. At this, the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting began to chuckle, saying how cute she was.

“You’re already acquainted with our Lizzy, right? Would you like to join us?”

Princess Elizabeth, standing a step behind the Empress, gave an eye greeting.

‘I don’t want to…’

No sooner had she thought this than Guinevere said with a resolute face,

“I’m sorry, but we plan to participate in the hunting competition now.”

“Oh my.”

The Empress looked surprised. Traditionally, a hunting competition is where men hunt while women enjoy a picnic among themselves.

However, Guinevere couldn’t care less about such customs.

“I’m going to win first place.”