Upon passing through the welcoming procession and entering the garden of the duke’s castle, Olivia sank into the carriage seat as though drained of energy.

And then she rubbed her cheeks with her fingers. They were sore, perhaps from smiling so much.

Sore, but.

It was still good.

Olivia’s lips kept curling up. She hadn’t expected her first greeting with the duke, to whom she was so nervous about meeting, to be this pleasant.

With her cheeks flushed, Olivia looked out of the window. A massive duke’s castle, never before seen even in the aristocratic catalogs, was waiting for me.

What would life be like in the duke’s castle? Whatever it would be, what was certain was that I would fall very much in love with this place.

.

.

.

“……All of Vicander is ready to serve you with all our hearts.”

But when she alighted at the entrance of the castle, Olivia’s mind was brushed by Sobel’s words. The look of Sobel, who didn’t answer my question about loyalty, also.

Servants lined up at the entrance. The middleaged butler at the very front was staring at Olivia with a blank face, not even bowing.

His light blue eyes, resembling the autumn sky, flickered slightly. Was it a sign of protest against me? Olivia, who was calmly looking at Beserny, was taken aback for a moment.

Those eyes were not protest but.

Tenderness. No, even more.

“……Beserny.”

At Edwin’s call, the butler Beserny blinked in surprise as if waking up abruptly. It wasn’t just Beserny who was startled by Edwin’s voice. Olivia also watched Beserny, feigning calmness.

“Oh dear, I didn’t even realize I was staring so rudely. I apologize, Miss. You’re just so beautiful.”

Beserny, with strawcolored hair starting to go gray, neatly arranged with a jewel pin, grabbed the hem of her neat green dress and curtseyed.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss. You must have had a hard time coming such a long way. I am Beserny, the butler of Vicander.”

Beserny’s voice was somehow familiar. But before Olivia could look at her again, Beserny snapped her fingers—with a sound like a dash.

“I’m also known for excellent needlework and called the magician of the North.”

At the same time, a brilliant flame sprang from Beserny’s fingertip. Olivia’s eyes widened.

The magician of the North. I’ve heard of her. Beserny, the outstanding magician believed to have settled in the tower. Even when recruiting excellent magicians to investigate the abandoned mines, I could not hear a single piece of news.

Beserny was a magician of Vicander.

Olivia struggled to steady her slightly bewildered mind. As a magician, she should be greeted formally, but since she introduced herself as a butler first, I couldn’t discern how to address her.

Noticing her confusion, Beserny kindly spoke first.

“Please call me Beserny comfortably, Miss. No one here sees me as a magician. Just a butler with excellent needlework.”

Beserny winked proudly at Edwin. Olivia glanced at the robe Edwin was wearing at the boasting tone of her voice.

That sloppy and fancy needlework. Could it be.

“……The floral pattern on the robe is quite splendid and pleasing to the eyes. Could it be. Beserny, did you do the embroidery?”

At those words, Beserny’s expression became even more triumphant. Edwin’s lips thickened with an uncontrollable smile as he watched Olivia and Beserny.

(This is a time separator.)

“You must be tired. I’ve prepared hot bathwater for you. The people of the North are lively and must have been noisy. We will wait outside while you relax your body in the tub.”

Hot steam filled the bathroom. Olivia looked around the bathroom with slightly dazed eyes.

Beautiful patterns were carved on the edge of the large bathtub with ivory pillars, and white and black marbles decorated the walls.

Rose petals swayed on the water surface following the ripples. A fragrant scent rose from the water sprinkled with aromatic oil. I had not thought the journey was tough, but my body relaxed in the hot water.

The Vicander Duchy continued to show unexpected appearances.
The procession welcoming me. A butler telling me I’ve worked hard.

Though I’ve never seen them before, all the eyes that warmly looked at me.

Somehow, my nose felt tingling. It’s not like the water from the bath went into my nostrils. Olivia submerged her body below the water. The hot heat fogged up her vision little by little.

Perhaps.

I didn’t know it was here.

A place full of people who would accept my best.

Just like Edwin. And then.

“……Mother.”

It’s been a very long time. The voice that slipped out moistly soaked in. Olivia chuckled lightly, her shoulders shrugging, her nose bridge reddening.

(This is a time separator.)

An ordinary bar with wine glasses hanging upside down. Dressed neatly in shirt and trousers, Winster repeatedly looked over the documents. A hint of confusion passed over his eversmiling face.