Roger gave them no time to linger. His request to at least witness the Harvest Festival of the Astel domain was declined, and it was decided that Anna, Lily, and Peter would accompany Serena’s envoy.

“You always seem to receive help, don’t you?”

Late at night, Roger summoned Peter to his quarters and offered him wine. Normally, Peter would have declined, but as it was the night before their departure, he did not refuse.
“I’m simply fulfilling my duty. I can’t forget the favor of the previous Duke who saved our fallen house and me.”

“Haven’t you already repaid that favor to my father? How can one measure the merit of setting you up as the commander of the Astel Knights?”

At Roger’s words, Peter gave an awkward smile and nodded in agreement with a tilt of his head.
“When my father passed away and I ascended as the Duke, it was your loyalty to me that kept the discipline of the knights stable. Thanks to that, I too was able to live freely….”

“It’s hardly just because of me. It’s all due to the dignity of the Astel Ducal House.”
The Astel Ducal House was a family as venerable and noble as could be compared with the history of the Tern Royal Family. Thanks to this, the current Duke, Roger, was able to maintain his position robustly without giving up his freedom and adventures.

“Still, my gratitude towards you is always insufficient. Even after stepping down as the commander of the knights and laying down your sword, you volunteered to become the steward of our ducal house, didn’t you?”
As with the courtiers of the royal family, the steward of a house as powerful as the Astel Ducal House was also acknowledged with a prestigious and high position, wielding quite remarkable authority in their own right.

“Thanks to your leadership of the Astel Ducal House, I was able to live freely. And yet here I am, making another shameless request.”
Serena would become the official Crown Princess after the state funeral and would live in the royal palace. Even if he was an indifferent father, he couldn’t help but think deeply about Serena’s situation and the future of the ducal house.

“Peter, I haven’t been a good father. You’ve probably been more of a father figure to Serena than I have.”

“That’s not true.”
Roger was not brazen enough to claim he would act the part of a father now. Since losing his wife, he had never been devoted to his family or the ducal house, and he had to acknowledge that.

“The Crown Princess needs someone she can trust. Especially if she’s as unpredictable as Serena.”
At the age of 24, Serena was considered a spinster for quite some time, but in her father’s eyes, she still seemed like a child.

“Lady Anna has already decided to enter the palace with a young maidservant.”

It was traditional for a wet nurse or maidservant to accompany someone when they got married, so it wasn’t surprising.

“However, I can’t be fully at ease given Serena’s assertive nature. Originally, I had asked you to accompany the journey to Duke Sherwood, but….”
Now Roger’s true intentions had come to light.

“Do you wish for me to enter the palace with Serena?”

Peter immediately asked. Since the spouse was not from a noble family but the Crown Prince, it was not at all excessive for a servant to accompany her.

“If Your Grace permits, I would like to accompany Serena.”

“Is that so? That would put both Serena and myself at ease.”
At Roger’s pleased expression, Peter nodded his head. Even if Roger had not asked, Peter had planned to follow Serena of his own accord.

“Actually, I was going to ask. I’ve also grown old now, and other than serving Serena until the end… I have nothing else to do.”

Although he could not presume to take on the role of Serena’s father, to him, who had no family, Serena was already more precious than anything else.

“Thank you, Peter.”
Roger set down his wine glass and abruptly took Peter’s hand.

“Please take good care of Serena.”

He had been an indifferent and irresponsible father, but his affection for Serena, who was born from the woman he had loved his whole life, was deep.

“That girl is strong and vibrant. That’s why she’s not someone any ordinary nobleman could handle. However, if it’s the crown prince, he might be a match for her.”
Roger loved Serena in his own way, a selfish manner that only Peter understood. For that reason, Peter nodded and took his hand in return.

Though their approaches were different, both men cherished Serena equally.

Upon the duke’s orders, Anna and the young maids were busy packing, and thanks to the efforts of everyone in the ducal house, they were prepared to depart for the capital two days later.
“Do we have to go right now? The harvest festival is next week; we could at least stay for that,” Serena protested to Roger until the end, but her opinion was naturally not accepted.

“Don’t worry about the Astel territory. Now that the real duke has returned, there’s even less to worry about.”