Serena got up and opened the window wide, habitually looking at the clouds hanging over the distant mountains.

“Another fine day today.”

Leaving the stuffy capital for the Astel duchy was an excellent choice. She could escape the social circles’ attention towards her as the new Crown Princess, and above all, she could live a fulfilling life.

“…It’s been nearly 6 years.”

Almost 6 years had passed since that cold engagement ceremony. Now, all that remained was the memory of a little boy with fierce eyes, but the time to meet him in person was approaching.

“Still, divorce would be easier than breaking the engagement.”

For the past 6 years, Serena had roamed the estate more freely than anyone, meeting many people and doing whatever she wanted.

In the Imperial social circles, rumors circulated that Serena had given up after missing her prime marrying age, but she already knew well that others’ words held little weight.

“But it’s unfair to say the Crown Prince doesn’t return to the Empire because he doesn’t want to marry me!”

Serena clenched her fist vigorously.

They were equally displeased, so why did no one ask for Serena’s opinion and only pity the Crown Prince! The forced engagement was mutual, after all.

“Well… that will end soon too.”

Serena, who had become engaged to the Crown Prince at eighteen, was already twenty-four. By the aristocratic standards of this era, she had long passed marriageable age and was considered hopeless.

However, this also meant that Serena’s plan was progressing smoothly. With a Crown Prince so disinterested in his fiancée, breaking the engagement should be quite easy.

“Oh my, you’re already up?”

Anna entered the bedroom with an unchanged appearance and smiled at Serena.

“You’ve always been diligent, but recently you’ve been waking up especially early. Aren’t you tired?”

“There’s so much to do. Sometimes before bed, I even wish morning would come faster.”

Anna shook her head as if disgusted and set down the washbasin. Serena quickly finished washing her face with splashing sounds and roughly rubbed it with a towel.

“You’re so energetic today too, my lady!”

As soon as she arrived at the duke’s estate, Serena became like a different person, lively and bright.

And instead of spending time on elaborate grooming and braiding her hair, she became more interested in various matters and actively began managing the estate.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s truly a pleasure to see.”

Serena finished brushing her teeth alone and changed into simple activity clothes. Since coming to the estate, all her shining dresses had been shoved into the closet, and this was the result of barely dissuading her from wearing pants.

“Just a moment, let me tie your hair.”

“I can do it myself.”

“Don’t take away my minimum duties.”

At Anna’s stubborn words, Serena pouted but quietly let her do her hair. Even though she said to just tie it in one simple ponytail for easy movement, Anna always insisted on putting in pretty pins to fulfill her duty.

“Where’s Peter?”

“He should be here soon.”

The daily routine at the Astel duchy was always similar. Serena woke up early regardless of holidays and started her day by hearing the butler’s report.

“Greetings, my lady. Good morning.”

As usual, Butler Peter came and gave Serena a simple greeting. Unlike Anna, he used a somewhat more formal address.

“Right on time today too. Any new news?”

Blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her face was as innocent and pure as a child’s, but at the same time, it radiated a shrewdness surpassing any lord.

“Is the report on the Astel Berry harvest amount not in yet?”

“The harvest is finished, and the report is being prepared…”

“Everyone must be busy making jam, so send some idle maids from the mansion to help.”

With her wavy platinum blonde hair tied up high and adorned with a cute pin, Serena’s beauty couldn’t be hidden even in a simple dress without any decorations.

“As you ordered last year, we’ve already sent them.”

“Well done. I’ll entrust you with inspecting the aging room this year too. We can’t ruin the great accomplishment after such a good harvest.”

Serena’s bright, hearty smile made her more beautiful than when she was excessively adorned according to Imperial customs. Her natural beauty was enough to make anyone on the street turn to look.

At twenty-four, she should rightfully be treated as a grass widow in the Empire, having long passed marriageable age, but she proved once again that others’ words were of no use.

“It’s already been 4 years since the Astel Berry, hasn’t it?”

Anna remarked, as if suddenly finding it amazing.

“It’s still wildly popular in the capital, right?”

Six years ago, when Serena came down to the duke’s estate on a whim, she ignored the butler’s suggestion to renovate the mansion first and set out to explore the estate.

The tranquility of the Astel estate, which had been flowing peacefully alongside the great mountain range and long river, was shattered with Serena’s arrival.

−What’s this?

Serena never stopped asking questions as she rummaged through the estate.

−Where does the estate end?

Serena, in a simple dress with comfortable shoes and holding just a parasol, soon became a famous figure as she surveyed the entire estate.

−Hmm… Are there no local specialties? How do people make a living here?

No matter how much they tried to dissuade her, she wouldn’t listen, so Anna and Butler Peter had no choice but to follow her with their hands up.

−We work hard to make a living…

An old man who had been nodding off answered the sudden question from the young lady.

−Astel has lots of fruit!

On the day a young farm boy who didn’t yet know proper etiquette said that, Serena declared she would find out what kind of farming was being done throughout the estate.

−I’m curious about how the people of the estate live.

And that was just the beginning.

−How many households are there?

As Serena’s questions multiplied, so did the number of busy people in the estate. Fortunately, the real owner of the estate, the Duke, was still busy wandering, so there was no one to stop Serena’s solo act.

−Finally… I think I understand Astel estate a little.

On the day she summarized the answers to her month-long questions, Serena smiled with satisfaction.

−It’s inefficient, but there’s potential!

Serena’s eyes sparkled more than ever as she muttered incomprehensible words to herself. And then an unprecedented transformation occurred in the Astel duchy.

Serena issued an order to directly hire suitable people for necessary jobs, regardless of status.

−I beg your pardon, but all the people of this duchy follow and serve the Astel ducal family name.

−So?

−You need only give orders.

Butler Peter gave very sensible advice, but Serena didn’t budge.

−What I want is not servitude, but a rational employment relationship. I need people who can think and act for themselves, not those who blindly follow orders.

Until then, Serena was just an odd young lady. Neither the butler nor any of the estate’s residents knew what a rational employment relationship was.

−First, we need to find Astel’s unique strengths.

Serena, as if suddenly growing wings, didn’t stop bringing changes.

−Good. Let’s hold a harvest festival and have a competition there!

At first, no one paid attention to the words of the slightly off-kilter young lady.

The village elders questioned among themselves whether she was really the Crown Prince’s fiancée, while the adults just thought they shouldn’t upset the higher-ups.

“The Astel Berry was the first thing I contributed to the estate.”

Serena returned to reality and smiled nostalgically.

“When I first came to the estate and suggested holding a harvest festival competition, only the children truly participated.”

“Yes, that’s right. Back then, no one knew what you were trying to do, my lady.”

Anna couldn’t forget the bewilderment of that time either. To think that the ducal lady engaged to the Crown Prince would not only leave high society but also hold a harvest festival competition.

“How’s the situation this year, Peter?”

“As for the harvest festival, the excitement for each category is tremendous. The whole estate is abuzz.”

Serena lifted one corner of her mouth in a satisfied smile. Considering that the winner of the first harvest festival was just a 12-year-old peasant boy named Mark, it was quite a remarkable development.

−You…

−Yes, I’ve gathered five types of berries! They’re the most common in Astel, but also the most delicious!

At first, when Serena held the harvest festival, it was like children’s play. However, Serena didn’t get angry or disappointed, but looked at the opinions and crops of the four participating children.

−What’s your name?

−I, I’m… Mark!

Seeing the nervous boy, Serena stroked the child’s messy hair with her bare hand, without even wearing gloves.

−Good, you’re this year’s winner, Mark.

−What? Me…?

−Of course, I should give you a prize. In the name of the Duke’s representative, I’ll give Mark, the winner of this year’s harvest festival, three times the taxes he paid this year.

Those words lit a fire in the heart of every citizen. That spark blazed fiercely and showed results in the next year’s harvest festival.

“People tend to become greedy when something is called special.”

That was the same in any world. Even in her past life, people would go crazy over words like luxury brands or limited editions.

“Actually, the Astel Berry is just jam made from five commonly grown berries with a name attached to it.”

“It’s natural since it bears the noble name of Astel.”

Anna’s words were only half right.

“Yes, and to avoid tarnishing the name of Astel, we must always produce goods of consistent quality.”

The power of a brand is stronger than one might think. Serena used the famous Astel name while simultaneously building trust that anything bearing that name guaranteed quality.

“Speaking of which, a merchant is coming this afternoon. He wants to invest not just in Astel Berry, but also in Astel butter and fruit wine.”

“Next year, our first fruit wine will finally be mature.”

“Yes, thanks to your ladyship’s foresight.”

Peter didn’t treat Serena as just a ducal lady or the future Crown Princess. Since Serena began governing the duchy, his true master became Serena, not the Duke.

“I heard that for this harvest festival, the children are preparing a play for you, my lady.”

“…They didn’t have to do that.”

For just six years, the changes Serena brought to Astel were too great.

The Astel berries, which used to become waste with each passing season, became treasures bringing money to the estate when processed according to Serena’s careful consideration, made into jam in sterilized jars with pretty labels attached.

And Serena didn’t spare investing in the future, using part of those profits to build wine aging cellars or establish schools.

“Thanks to your ladyship’s arrival, Astel has become more prosperous than any other place. This prosperity will continue in the future… right?”

There was a deep meaning in Peter’s words.

“Of course. I still have so much I want to do. So I should prepare to visit the Empire soon.”

“Yes.”

Even without Serena saying more, everyone knew her true intentions.

It was her determination to completely break the biggest shackle restricting her.