Roger, the Duke of Astel and Serena’s father, returned to the ducal residence proudly, his magnificent blonde hair and blue cape fluttering.

“Welcome, Your Grace. Have you been well?”

The eldest butler rushed to greet the true master of this ducal residence.

“Can’t you tell by looking at me?”

Everyone nodded at his nonchalant reply, as if he had been living in the ducal residence all along.

“A carriage carrying my luggage will arrive later. They’re all rare items, so handle them with care. This time, the harvest was truly bountiful. Silver wolf pelts, rhinoceros horns crafted by ancient tribesmen…”

“Yes, I’ll take care of everything meticulously. Of course, I’ll prepare an inventory as well. Fortunately, we still have rooms available in the annex.”

“I’d like to fill that annex completely, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Roger, belying his middle age, reminisced about his latest adventure with eyes shining like a boy’s.

Perhaps due to always freely pursuing his dreams, he looked much younger than his age and had a handsome face that suited his cheerful and pleasant smile.

“Oh, and there are some things that need to be stored carefully…”

It was quite remarkable in a way that Roger, having just returned after a long time, showed interest only in his trophies without asking about the domain or Serena.

“Father!”

Serena called out to him as she hurried down the stairs. Only then did Roger’s gaze turn to his only daughter.

“Oh, yes.”

At his indifferent and casual greeting, Serena curtsied slightly. Given that Roger had been living as he pleased without even sending a letter of concern, this brazen indifference was not surprising.

“It’s been a truly long time since I’ve seen you.”

There was a sting in Serena’s words, but Roger merely maintained his dashing smile.

“But I came at the right time, didn’t I?”

Roger’s confident words brought back memories of when Serena first became herself. The moment she opened her eyes in this story, guided by a mysterious but arrogant voice, after meeting a futile death in reality.

“What time are you referring to?”

In her past life, she often fantasized about entering a wonderful and beautiful story to become the protagonist. Of course, like any protagonist, beauty, nobility, and love were all supposed to be her natural destiny.

“Do you mean after you irresponsibly sent a letter saying you’d leave my already ruined engagement to others’ opinions?”

Serena pressed, but Roger still wore his calm smile. If she had become a proper protagonist, she wouldn’t have met such irresponsible parents.

“I took your side as much as I could.”

“With one irresponsible sentence?”

“The Crown Prince probably sought the same opinion from the imperial family and the papal office. It would have been meaningless for me alone to oppose there.”

It was frustrating because he wasn’t wrong.

“I wrote it meaning I wouldn’t completely agree, at least.”

“Then of course you’ll oppose it for my sake, right?”

For the first time, Roger’s eyes widened.

“Why would I?”

“What do you mean, why? I’m your only daughter.”

When she entered this story and became Serena, people around her thought she had changed after suffering from a high fever.

Of course, her father wasn’t by her side even then. Naturally, she had never relied on such a father, but now she wanted to use any means possible.

“I know.”

“Is that all? I never wanted to be engaged from the start. Besides, it’s been 6 years since the engagement ceremony, so it’s all invalid now.”

Hmm, Roger made an ambiguous sound.

“I decided to abandon my fiancé when I came to the Astel domain after that dreadful engagement ceremony.”

She had already learned too well in her past life how miserable it is to be abandoned by someone.

And when she first abandoned the existence of her fiancé, a new life unfolded. In reality, a life where no one judged her by appearances or confined her to a mold was happy.

“An engagement with the imperial family isn’t so light a matter.”

“Yes. That’s why I decided not to marry anyone. It’s already an invalid engagement, and if I live as a single woman, there won’t be any problem with the imperial family’s honor.”

There was another real reason why Serena insisted on remaining single, but it was also true that she shouldn’t harm the imperial family’s honor on the surface.

If a woman who had once been engaged to the imperial family married another man, that could be problematic in its own way.

“Serena, you seem to be forgetting something… You are a duke’s daughter.”

“Who doesn’t know that? I’m even acting as the duke now.”

In any era, marriage was a contract that required sacrificing one’s freedom. Having never lived freely according to her own will even once, she wanted to live only for herself, at least in this story.

“You must have seen Astel’s prosperity, right? No matter where you were wandering, you couldn’t have been unaware of our Astel’s specialties.”

“Yes, you were an excellent acting duke. Far beyond my expectations.”

Roger readily admitted, but it wasn’t particularly pleasing.

“However, before being an acting duke, you are a duke’s daughter.”

Roger’s expression, as resolute as if he had already decided the answer, kept making Serena’s heart feel heavy.

“And the Crown Prince’s fiancée.”

Why does everyone else easily call Serena the Crown Prince’s fiancée when she herself has never considered herself as such since that unpleasant engagement ceremony?

“So, that engagement…”

“I heard on my way back. Both the imperial family and the papal office have approved it, haven’t they?”

That was a fact Serena couldn’t change.

“Moreover, His Highness the Crown Prince personally came to this ducal residence to meet you.”

“He was an uninvited guest. And I never agreed to this marriage.”

Hoo, Roger let out a short breath.

“It’s an engagement recognized by the imperial family and the papal office. No one else’s permission is needed anymore.”

His voice was firm and his expression was stern. No matter how much he enjoyed wandering, he too was a noble of high birth.

“Father, I’ve led this Astel more prosperously than anyone. I don’t need marriage.”

“Listen well. The reason I entrusted you with the role of acting duke was to protect you from the negative public opinion after the engagement ceremony at that time.”

All the notable nobles of the capital attended the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony. And they all clearly saw the Crown Prince’s anger and Serena’s arrogance. Even the scene where they became enemies rather than engaged.

“I wanted you to distance yourself from the social circles of the capital and spend some quiet time in our domain. …Until the engagement becomes a marriage.”

Serena looked at her father with a dumbfounded expression, but Roger didn’t change his countenance at all.

“Six years? What of it? Did you believe that some customary law could break the promise between the Tern Imperial Family and the Astel Ducal Family?”

Serena felt that the Roger standing before her was like an enormous wall. It wasn’t just Lucas that she had underestimated.

“But you never said anything like that. No, how many times did you even talk with me in the first place?”

“Do I need to spell that out for you to know? You are the daughter of the Duke of Astel. That alone is explanation enough.”

From the beginning, Roger, who held the noblest status next to royalty, was not an easy opponent.

Therefore, he was full of duty and loyalty to the imperial family, as well as the stubbornness that he couldn’t let his only daughter live as a single woman.

“What was that letter about? I… I thought at least you wouldn’t agree to maintain the engagement.”

“My ambiguous answer was a rebuke to His Highness the Crown Prince for dragging it out for six years, and a message to cherish you more in the future.”

Serena was momentarily at a loss for words. She had run out happily, hoping that something might change if Roger came, but he turned out to be an even more pressing presence than Lucas himself.

“The connection between His Majesty the Emperor and our Astel Ducal Family is deeper than anything else. Unfortunately, I only have you as my child, so that engagement was a natural result.”

“…Didn’t the two of you make a bet on the battlefield, and His Majesty the Emperor lost, resulting in my marriage talks as a penalty?”

“Huh? You believed such a jest?”

Roger chuckled.

“It’s true that His Majesty lost a bet, but we didn’t arrange the marriage talk just for that reason.”

Well, it was the marriage talk of the Crown Prince, who would become the future Emperor, and of a noble ducal family. Serena felt like a fool for believing such a story.

“If His Highness the Crown Prince hadn’t taken action, I was about to step in myself.”

Roger’s voice was clear, and his eyes were firm. Seeing him exude dignity and grace different from when he wore his jovial smile, she felt pathetic for having underestimated her opponent just because of his wanderlust.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Roger laughed nonchalantly at Serena’s stiff expression.

“You as a single woman, the daughter of a duke? You’re more naive than I thought.”

Now there was not a single person left to take Serena’s side. Roger’s sudden return only confirmed that fact more clearly.

“Don’t worry about the Astel domain. I also have some quiet work to do for a while, so I’ll take care of it directly as the duke now.”

With the real master back, Serena, who had been acting in his stead, had nothing to say.

“You should prepare to leave soon.”

“Already? You’re completely driving me out.”

“We can’t prepare for the royal wedding here.”

For everyone except Serena, the Crown Prince’s upcoming royal wedding was a foregone conclusion.

“I’ve asked Marquis Sherwood. He’s my cousin, and the Marchioness is a woman who understands propriety, so she’s perfect for the job.”

“What if I refuse?”

Defiant blue eyes stared clearly at Roger.

“Hmm, you really do take after your mother.”

Roger flashed a dashing smile. As she was now, Serena couldn’t surpass her father, who was far ahead of her in both years and experience.

It was the same as not being able to prevent the upcoming wedding.

One thing was clear now: Serena could not escape the marriage to the Crown Prince.