After savoring tea with the empress, Marchioness Miranda carefully set down her teacup.

“So, I hear the Marchioness of Sherwood will be assisting with Lady Astel’s royal wedding preparations?”

“Yes, I have been entrusted with this most honorable duty. Though I am lacking, I will do my utmost best.”

With a graceful smile, Miranda looked much younger than her age and her eyes sparkled with intelligence.

“The marchioness is a role model in our empire’s social circles, so you are well-suited to prepare for the royal wedding.”

“You flatter me. Sadly, Lady Astel lost her mother at a young age, and since Duke Astel and our marquisate are cousins, I have been given this important responsibility.”

Adeline nodded and took another sip of tea. In contrast to Miranda’s excessively humble and polite demeanor, her red-painted lips and the jewels adorning her neck were quite lavish.

“The marchioness is always too modest.”

“I merely strive to fulfill my duties as Your Majesty the Empress has always taught.”

Indeed, befitting a leading figure in social circles, her way with words was quite impressive.

“I haven’t particularly taught you anything.”

Originally, Empress Adeline had led the noble ladies, but since giving birth to Princess Luana at a somewhat late age, Miranda had taken over that role.

“Your Majesty is always so gentle and benevolent, so naturally…”

“Let’s stop with the mutual flattery.”

Adeline gently cut her off. She didn’t want to bring up the tedious feelings she had when leading social circles before.

“It’s been a while since the engagement ceremony, so we need to hurry with this royal wedding.”

“Yes. I agree.”

“We’ve set the date for the royal wedding with the papal office for the first day of next month. Do you think the lady’s preparations can be completed by then?”

There were only about 15 days left, but Miranda was certainly capable of accomplishing it.

“Yes. I will make sure of it. In fact, the young lady of the duke’s family will be arriving at the mansion soon.”

“That’s good.”

The crown prince’s marriage was a national event and was classified as a royal wedding, just like when the emperor married.

Naturally, the Ministry of Rites took care of everything, and the empress merely supervised, so there wasn’t much for the bride to prepare.

“His Majesty the Emperor is against an extravagant royal wedding. Also, since we have deep ties with the Astel ducal family, he said there’s no need for a dowry and he won’t accept wedding gifts.”

This was also a way to expedite the royal wedding. If they followed all the imperial etiquette, the already delayed marriage could be postponed for another year.

“I heard the same from Duke Astel. However, they’ve sent a carriage with just a few of the lady’s everyday items and cherished possessions, which I will carefully inspect.”

Originally, this was a role Serena’s mother should have fulfilled, but she died of postpartum complications soon after giving birth to her, so Miranda had no choice but to step in.

“Above all, please pay attention to the health and mindset of the lady who will become the crown princess.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Adeline smiled at Miranda’s docile response.

Both of them clearly remembered the chaotic engagement ceremony, but now that the royal wedding was decided, they could only hope for things to go smoothly from here on.

For the first time in her life, Serena experienced carriage sickness. Usually, she rode horses in Astel, and even when she occasionally took a carriage, it was for a short time on flat ground, so she never thought it would be difficult. But the journey to the capital was not easy.

“Please… I’ll ride a horse to the capital and wait there, can’t I just pretend to arrive by carriage from there?”

She pleaded like this several times, but both Anna and Peter absolutely refused and tried to console Serena.

“I feel like I’m dying… I’m nauseous… I want to get off…”

If the schedule had been more generous, they could have rested at places along the way, but now they had to arrive at the marquis’ house as soon as possible to prepare for the royal wedding.

“My lady, please endure a little longer. We’re almost there.”

“How many dozens of times have I heard that! If time is of the essence, riding horses would be faster, so why must we all suffer like this… Urgh.”

No matter how much she complained about the pain, they only took short 5-minute breaks at most, so Serena was going mad.

“How could a duke’s daughter ride a horse? Besides, you’re traveling for the royal wedding, so you absolutely cannot leave this carriage.”

Anna diligently rubbed Serena’s back, seeing her pale complexion, but it didn’t improve her mood at all.

“I suppose this is what the rest of my life will be like.”

A life of just enduring time, unable to do this or that, inside a luxurious carriage emblazoned with the Astel ducal family crest.

“Oh my, you shouldn’t say such things. And we really are almost there.”

“I… don’t want this.”

Just imagining it, she didn’t have the confidence to endure such a terrible life, like this motion sickness.

Moreover, Serena already knew well that there was supposed to be another original protagonist for this story. The problem was that this was all she knew about this story.

“Marchioness Sherwood is renowned in social circles. She will surely take good care of and help the young lady.”

Serena wasn’t interested in such things. In any case, the preparations to become the crown princess wouldn’t reflect a single grain of Serena’s wishes. She had already experienced something similar at the engagement ceremony, so it wasn’t particularly new.

“My lady, look… I think that’s the marquis’ mansion over there!”

This time, Anna’s words weren’t a lie, as a brightly lit mansion could be seen through the window.

Even though it was the middle of the night, the luxurious mansion with lights shining from every window stood out even in this neighborhood where only nobles lived.

“It’s such a splendid and luxurious place, isn’t it?”

“I don’t care as long as I can get out of this carriage.”

Fortunately, Serena’s wish came true not long after.

As Anna had said, this luxurious mansion was their destination, and a group of people had come out to the entrance to greet Serena, having heard Peter’s advance notice.

“Welcome.”

Unlike Serena, who hurriedly got off as soon as the stuffy carriage door opened, the marchioness’s greeting was very calm.

“It is an honor to welcome the young lady of Duke Astel. I am Miranda, Marchioness of Sherwood.”

Miranda curtsied gracefully, lifting the layers of her dress. Then all the young ladies and employees standing behind her bowed as well.

“We greet the young lady of Duke Astel.”

It made Serena, who had just jumped out of the carriage without even receiving assistance, feel almost like a barbarian.

“…Yes.”

Serena barely responded and gave a light curtsy. Even though she had just endured a long carriage ride, Miranda inwardly sighed at the sight of Serena’s disheveled hair and wrinkled dress.

“I apologize that the marquis is not here today to greet you. Instead, let me introduce you to my daughter and the head maid who will be attending to you for the time being.”

Serena wanted to lie down somewhere immediately, but this well-mannered lady gave her no chance.

“Laura?”

When the marchioness called her name, a young lady who still looked girlish came forward and curtsied politely.

“It is an honor to meet you, young lady of the duke. I am Laura, daughter of Marquis Sherwood. It is a great honor to meet you.”

She must have been properly taught by her mother, as she was the very picture of a textbook young lady. Serena nodded towards Laura, and then the head maid came forward from behind and curtsied.

“I am Nora, head maid of the Sherwood marquisate. Though I am lacking, I will be attending to you for the time being.”

Fortunately, there seemed to be no more people to greet. The marchioness stepped forward again and smiled kindly.

“You must be tired from your long journey. We’ve prepared a place for you to stay, so how about resting well tonight?”

“Yes, that would be good.”

Serena answered as if she had been waiting for this and took a deep breath of the cool autumn night air. The stuffiness from being confined in the carriage had somewhat dissipated, and as she stretched widely, her stiff body loosened up.

“Where should I go?”

Everyone was at a loss for words at the young lady’s excessively casual behavior, but the person in question didn’t seem to care at all and asked cheerfully.

“Nora, please guide the young lady.”

Miranda barely gathered her wits and ordered, and Nora guided Serena and her party.

“The rest of you may withdraw.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Left alone at the entrance with Laura, Miranda openly frowned.

“My goodness, it’s worse than I heard.”

Her quietly whispered voice was filled with contempt and exasperation.

“Laura. You must never look at or remember such behavior.”

“Yes, mother.”

Laura, 18 years old with honey-blonde hair and intelligent dark blue eyes resembling Miranda, responded with dignity.

Indeed, her appearance befitting a masterpiece created with Miranda’s life’s work made her momentarily forget Serena’s rudeness from earlier.

“No wonder there was such a commotion at the engagement ceremony…”

Tsk, Miranda clicked her tongue. If she were a young lady who knew what shame and disgrace were, it wouldn’t have been strange if she had stopped eating and died after that engagement ceremony.

“Really, there’s nothing I can do.”

Seeing Serena’s appearance today, it seemed she had spent very comfortable and pleasant days, far from stopping eating.

Moreover, the uniquely tall height that had surprised people at the engagement ceremony was still imposing.

“Mother, the wind is cold. Let’s go inside. You must be tired from visiting the imperial palace today.”

A smile spread across Miranda’s face at Laura’s gentle voice. Fortunately, her daughter was the opposite of Serena in every way. Although she had given birth to and raised her, she was more and more satisfied the more she looked at her.

“Yes, my daughter.”

Miranda put her arm around Laura’s shoulders as they entered the mansion. A grueling schedule would begin tomorrow.

“Sigh… Even though the young lady is in that state, I must at least make her follow in your footsteps somewhat.”

Having seen the engagement ceremony, she was somewhat prepared, but seeing Serena’s state today, that level of preparation wasn’t enough. Of course, this was something Serena hadn’t considered at all.