Serena was welcoming the morning with an unusually gloomy expression. Normally, this would be a time of excitement and joy due to the harvest festival, but because of Lucas’s intrusion, there was no time to enjoy it.

“Ah! When he said the wandering knight had an imperial pass, I should have lied and said I was sick.”

As always, regret comes too late. And Serena was never good at lying in the first place.

“It doesn’t make sense for the acting duchess to be unwell when Astel is so prosperous and filled with joy for the harvest festival.”

“Anna always says the right things.”

Phu, Serena sighed and grumbled simultaneously, looking at Anna like a child. Even Anna didn’t know where this pure face and eyes got the strength to raise the entire domain.

“Well, you are now engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince. Even if you were indifferent in the past years, that fact hasn’t changed.”

Serena knew this too. The engagement vow exchanged with the Pope’s blessing in the imperial chapel was not something easily broken.

Even if it was a daughter-in-law obtained because the Emperor lost a bet with his friend, the Duke.

“I was a penalty prize. A light bet’s penalty between men on the battlefield!”

“If you were lacking, there wouldn’t have been an engagement ceremony even if it was a bet.”

Buu, Serena puffed her cheeks for no reason.

“Still, I don’t like it!”

Now that she had become a lady, unlike her past life, many people bowed their heads to her.

“It’s annoying and I don’t like it.”

“You can’t avoid an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince. I prepared several dresses last night.”

“Why?”

“Even if you didn’t know at first, now that you know he’s the Crown Prince and you’re having an audience, you need to dress appropriately.”

Seeing Anna’s serious face, Serena couldn’t bring herself to say she disliked it, and she just felt annoyed at Lucas for no reason.

“Why is everyone so selfish?”

Serena grumbled with a voice full of dissatisfaction.

People would sweet-talk when they needed something and turn cold when that need disappeared. In her past life, she couldn’t say anything even when the wounds from such people festered and burst.

“You mean His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Him and everyone else! For example, His Highness the Grand Duke Farel.”

“Ah… That’s right.”

Anna gave an appropriate response while receiving the dress hanger brought in by a young maid.

Although the dress was far from sufficient considering Serena’s status and Astel’s wealth, it was more formal than her usual attire and, above all, it was a dress that would nicely reveal Serena’s natural beauty.

“I’ve only prepared five dresses for now. What do you think, my lady?”

Serena’s expression was indifferent as she looked at the dresses displayed on the mobile rack.

“Which one of those is the most comfortable? Not the ones that tightly cinch the waist or have too voluminous skirts.”

It was truly a difficult question, but Anna didn’t lose her smile.

“The blue dress hanging third has an aesthetic that gradually deepens from top to bottom. And with elegant patterns embroidered in silver thread, it’s graceful without being excessive, and you’ll look beautiful.”

“Hmm.”

Serena briefly glanced at the dress.

“Well, I guess so.”

“I also think this is the most suitable.”

The top of the dress was almost white, but it became bluer towards the bottom, and it matched well with the color of Serena’s eyes.

The design was simple, but Anna judged that the silver embroidery made it just right for this situation, neither too plain nor too elaborate.

“Shall we go with this one?”

“Oh, sure.”

Of course, Serena had no thoughts on the matter.

“Then, let me help you dress. Lily, come here and lend a hand.”

“Yes, madam.”

Lily was the daughter of a long-time retainer of Astel who became a maid at Anna’s request after Serena arrived here.

“My lady, the dress.”

As the two women spread out the dress for easy wearing, Serena reluctantly stepped into the middle. Then quickly the dress came up and the buttons were fastened one by one.

“For accessories…”

“That’s enough.”

Anna nodded without asking further.

“However, you must have a fan and gloves.”

Serena in the dress reflected in the long mirror looked much more beautiful than usual. If only her face wasn’t frowning, it would have been even more so.

“Why?”

“It’s the etiquette for an audience with royalty. All noble ladies and young ladies must have a fan and gloves.”

“It’s autumn now. It’s cold enough at night, why a fan?”

“It’s said that a noble lady speaks not with her mouth, but with her fan.”

This time, it seemed Anna wouldn’t back down easily.

“…Do you have something picked out?”

“Of course.”

Seeing Anna’s bright smile, Serena reluctantly nodded.

“I chose gloves that go above the elbow for formality, but if you’re okay with it, gloves that come just to the elbow might be good too.”

“Yeah, I think that would be good.”

Even to Serena’s soulless reply, Anna didn’t lose her smile for some reason.

“Today, let’s leave your hair long. I’ll put a platinum branch pin above your left ear.”

“Uh…”

Serena was still uninterested in dressing up. However, Serena’s appearance after being dressed up was indeed their pride and joy.

“You look so beautiful with just a little adornment.”

“Not gallant?”

“You’re beautiful!”

As Anna insisted, Serena smiled slightly.

“But everyone says I’m gallant.”

“They must not know the beauty of your slender and voluptuous figure, my lady.”

Indeed, by modern standards, Serena was definitely a beauty. No, more than that, she would be a world-class supermodel material.

“Enough.”

But she wasn’t the person from her past life. Just a big woman, a strong woman, and one who couldn’t receive any praise for being neither this nor that.

“I’m sturdy. I know that.”

Serena still hid behind such words.

Former gymnast. Former volleyball player. Former temporary PE teacher.

‘Wow, she’s really big!’

The place she barely got employed was as a PE teacher at a nearby middle school. And that was temporary.

‘Hey, I heard if you get hit by her volleyball spike, you’ll get a fracture.’

The students were quite annoying.

‘No, I heard she was a gymnast.’

‘Are you crazy, what kind of gymnastics with that body?’

Indeed, did something like talent really exist? There wasn’t even a way to confirm it. The only thing certain was that effort and sacrifice weren’t necessarily talent.

“You are slender and beautiful, my lady. Rather, you have dignity.”

Anna’s warm words were sincere. At first, that alone was enough to make Serena think it was good to have come to this world and become Serena.

“Thank you, Anna. But… most people don’t see me that way.”

It was an infuriating section to think about again. The reason why Serena regarded Grand Duke Farel as an enemy came to mind.

“Ha, Farel, renowned for generations of warriors, needs a strong woman like me?”

The reason for Grand Duke Farel’s proposal greatly irritated Serena. No, she barely held back from cursing out loud as soon as she heard it.

-To continue the lineage of our Farel, we need a strong and sturdy woman like you.

That was what she heard at her first meeting with Grand Duke Farel.

-Please, bear a child as gallant as you…

Before the Duke could finish his words, Serena, unable to hold back, splashed the water from the teacup she was holding, but he laughed loudly instead.

-Yes, I need such a brave woman! I like you.

Hyde’s reddish-brown hair and reddish eyes had been consistently following Serena since then.

The current peace was found only after Serena, unable to bear it anymore, sent a letter a few months ago as the acting duchess of Astel, banning entry to the domain.

“Hmm.”

Serena cleared her throat, seemingly embarrassed for getting heated up for no reason.

“Anyway, it’s just that I dislike the Grand Duke, there’s no need to avoid the guild. Especially if it benefits our Astel.”

Serena was a wise ruler who tried to exclude personal feelings as much as possible in official matters. Anna nodded at these truly right words.

“More importantly, my lady, it’s almost time for the audience.”

“Ah… Right.”

She felt refreshed after a good sleep with no distracting thoughts, but that was useless as long as Lucas was staying.

“Requesting just a night before, he’s better than the Grand Duke.”

When Serena prohibited his approach, Grand Duke Farel sent countless carrier pigeons, provoking her anger.

Of course, those carrier pigeons were now trapped in cages, getting plump and raising excellent offspring. It was Serena’s belief that useful things should be used, regardless of anger.

“Well, let’s go.”

Serena said, adjusting the uncomfortable dress skirt.

“No, not yet.”

Anna looked straight at Serena’s face with a slight smile.

“Just a moment, just a moment will do.”

Anna took out a small box from her bosom and applied its contents to Serena’s lips with her little finger.

“Rouge? I don’t want it!”

“No, it’s not that.”

Serena’s lips, which were originally pinkish, now had a shine and a more petal-like color.

“It’s for moisturizing.”

Singgut, Anna smiled.

“Because it’s autumn.”

“Ah, I see.”

The two women just smiled, closing their mouths, looking at Serena’s face nodding innocently and naively.

“Here’s your fan. You know the etiquette, right?”

Serena looked at Anna with an awkward expression.

“Umm. I’ll just hold it well.”

The fan was an essential item for noble ladies, and they could communicate like sign language through the movements of the fan among themselves.

“Or should I keep it open?”

“In that case, it could convey too many meanings.”

Serena, who hadn’t even opened a single book on socialite studies, let alone studied it, couldn’t know such things. Fortunately, since the other party was just the Crown Prince, it would probably be okay.

“Um… I’ll just keep it folded for now.”

It seemed to be an uneasy start to the day.

Everyone except the two people involved thought so.