A summons came from the Duchess. It was the same place as before.

Arasila immediately informed Demian of this news. Since he had asked her to tell him if any problems arose, she faithfully complied.

“I will go in your place, so please rest at home, my lady.”

“No. Going together will better show how strong our relationship is.”

In truth, Demian did not want to create a situation where Arasila directly clashed with the Vandermir ducal family. The underlying anxiety that Arasila could give up on the marriage at any time still remained.

But seeing Arasila who had stubbornly come along to the coffee house, he felt a bit confused.

Was this aggressive behavior due to her combative personality, or was there another reason?

“No matter what the Duchess says, I will handle it, so please just watch quietly, my lady.”

“No, why do you keep telling me to stay quiet? If that’s what you want, bring a doll instead.”

“I’m saying this out of consideration for you, my lady.”

“I don’t need such frustrating consideration.”

As the two were engaged in light banter, the Duchess appeared 15 minutes late for the appointed time.

Arasila, who spotted her first, smiled brightly and greeted her.

“You’ve arrived, Duchess?”

However, the Duchess’s gaze was fixed on the person next to Arasila. She had a bewildered expression seeing Demian sitting there, though she hadn’t called for him.

“Demian, why are you here?”

“You’re late, Duchess. If you call someone, please be on time.”

The Duchess’s cheeks flushed at being openly called out for her tardiness. She turned her head sharply to glare at Arasila.

“Did you call Demian, my lady?”

“Yes, since you didn’t say to come alone.”

“That’s an implicit agreement! How could you not hold back for even a moment and run off to…”

The Duchess pressed her forehead, expressing her exasperation. She had come determined to give a thorough scolding today, but things had gone awry from the start.

With Demian Vandermir present, the Duchess could not freely intimidate Arasila.

“Both you and I are busy people, so let this be the last meeting before the wedding.”

Amidst this, Demian clearly drew the line to prevent any such meetings in the future. The corners of the Duchess’s mouth trembled.

“Demian, you really have a talent for speaking hurtfully to your mother.”

“Is that so? I also feel hurt that I only become your son in moments of disappointment.”

“You…”

A fierce glaring match ensued between the two. Arasila sat blankly, watching the scene. She had no intention of intervening.

“What did you call me for today?”

When the glaring contest finally stopped and the ordered tea arrived, Arasila asked.

“Lady Hugo, come live with us in the ducal territory.”

The Duchess unilaterally announced. Arasila, who was about to pick up her teacup, stopped her movement. She firmly shook her head.

“I’m sorry, Duchess, but that’s impossible as I’m currently working at the Magic Tower.”

The Magic Tower was in the capital. Moving down to the ducal territory would mean she’d have to quit naturally, as she couldn’t commute.

It was a three-day carriage ride from the ducal territory to the capital.

“What are you saying? Of course, you should quit the Magic Tower when you get married.”

“I have no intention of doing that.”

“What did you say?”

The Duchess’s eyes gleamed sharply, sensing an opportunity. She gestured exaggeratedly as she argued.

“Then who will support Demian? Who will take care of the household? My lady, if this is how it is, I have no choice but to oppose the marriage again.”

Arasila found it absurd to hear the Duchess speak as if she had ever approved, pretending to be a mother with great maternal instinct.

Demian felt the same, listening to her speak as if she were a mother with great maternal affection.

“I’m not marrying to support your lordship, Duchess.”

“What does that mean? I wonder how the Hugo Marquis family raised their children…”

The Duchess clicked her tongue softly. Arasila, who had instantly become someone who didn’t receive proper home education, didn’t hold back and retorted.

“They taught me not to meddle in other people’s sons’ affairs. Also, to speak the truth even to elders if they talk nonsense, saying it’s not talking back.”

“Are you saying I’m talking nonsense?”

The Duchess, sharp about such nuances, lit up her eyes fiercely. Arasila smiled softly.

“I never said that, but if you felt that way… I wonder whose fault that is?”

“Lady Hugo!”

The Duchess, who had burst out shouting, barely calmed herself and spoke again.

“Either come down to the ducal territory to live with us and learn from me, or break off the engagement. Choose.”

“I will choose. Lady Hugo will live with me in the capital.”

Demian intervened and answered firmly on her behalf. The Duchess frowned and glared at him.

“Demian, you stay out of this. This is what I’m saying as the mistress of the Vandermir ducal family to a new family member coming in.”

“Since when have you been so eager to treat me as family? If you’re not going to educate her to be the next mistress after you, let’s stop this.”

The Duchess bit her lip hard. Of course, she had no intention of educating Arasila to be the next mistress.

That would be tantamount to acknowledging Demian’s succession.

“I’m sorry, Duchess. If this is his lordship’s will, I have no choice but to follow.”

Arasila said with an exaggerated gesture, covering her mouth and smiling. The corners of her eyes curved annoyingly round.

“After all, isn’t the best support listening well to one’s husband?”

“…!”

The Duchess clenched her fist tightly under the table. There was a reason she had tried to bring Arasila to the ducal territory.

The plan was to intimidate her using the current Duchess Vandermir in the ducal territory, and join forces to scare Arasila away.

But if Demian acted as a shield like this, and if Arasila didn’t budge an inch using Demian as an excuse. The Duchess had no way to deal with it.

‘It seems your promise to protect wasn’t just empty words.’

This would make it difficult to call out Arasila separately in the future. The Duchess swallowed her rising anger with effort. There was no justification to press further.

“Then, I’ll see you at the wedding venue next. Let’s go, my lady.”

“Yes, my lord. Duchess, stay healthy until then.”

The polite greetings at every turn were most infuriating. Unless she was mocking people, she didn’t forget to greet even when it was fine to just leave.

The Duchess couldn’t stop the two from leaving and trembled with her body.

And when she returned home, she vented her anger greatly in front of her husband and son.

As he listened to his wife exaggeratedly inflating Arasila and Demian’s words and actions and pouring out her grievances, the Duke lit a cigar.

“So, in conclusion, you failed to stop their marriage again today?”

“…I’m sorry, dear.”

Deflated by the sharp question, the Duchess glanced at her husband.

For all her boasting that she could stop it, there had been no results so far. Rather, she was only making their resolve firmer. The Duke extinguished his cigar and spoke.

“It seems we should stop just trying to intimidate with words. In fact, there are various reasons why a wedding can’t be held, aren’t there?”

Besides voluntary cancellation, there were plenty of reasons in the world why a wedding couldn’t be held. A cruel smile appeared on the Duke’s lips.

“For example, if a major accident occurs where the bride gets hurt, the wedding would naturally be canceled, right? If such situations repeat, they would feel uneasy and eventually oppose the marriage altogether.”

In truth, the Duke didn’t want to use this method until the very last resort. It was dangerous to mess with a daughter of a noble family.

But as the situation was unfavorable, he had to bring it up directly. And as much as the risk was great, the effect would be certain.

“Dear, you really are a smart person.”

“I know. And I’ll take care of this matter myself, so you stay put.”

“Yes, I understand!”

The Duchess nodded, looking at the Duke with loving eyes.

Without any guilt about hurting someone else’s precious daughter, she was just full of trust in her husband.

The wedding preparations progressed smoothly. The wedding dress and formal attire were decided, and invitations were sent out to everyone.

After Demian’s warning, the Duchess no longer called Arasila out. Thanks to that, extremely peaceful days continued.

All that remained was to draw up the prenuptial agreement and file the marriage registration.

“Kids, I’m leaving.”

“Yes, senior! Take care!”

Receiving farewells from her juniors, Arasila left the Magic Tower. As the wedding approached, meetings with Demian to discuss the prenuptial agreement clauses were increasing.

The juniors who didn’t know the details thought she liked Demian enough to leave work early to see him, despite being a workaholic, but it wasn’t a bad misunderstanding, so she just left it be.

As Arasila came out to go to the Knights’ office, today’s meeting place, her eyes fell on a carriage with a red hawk flag.

What? Why is that there?

As she was puzzled for a moment, a servant standing in front of the carriage approached and bowed politely.

“Good day, Lady Hugo. I’ve come to escort you as instructed.”

Arasila narrowed her eyes and looked the unfamiliar servant up and down.

“Who instructed you to escort me?”

“Lord Vandermir, my lady.”

The servant answered without hesitation. Arasila was a bit surprised since Demian had never sent a carriage and people separately before.

Lord Vandermir isn’t such a considerate and sensitive person, is he?

Moreover,

‘I clearly said I’d be a bit late because I was stopping by home.’

It was somewhat incomprehensible that he suddenly sent someone without saying anything. Arasila pondered, “Hmm,” and asked.

“Did Demian Vandermir really send you for me?”

“Yes, my lady. Please get in quickly.”

The servant who opened the door urged, holding out his hand. Arasila signaled her own carriage waiting a little distance away to leave.

And without taking the servant’s hand, she got into the carriage alone and asked a final question.

“Where did he say to bring me?”

“To the mansion, my lady.”

I see. Arasila nodded briefly and closed the carriage door. Soon, the carriage started smoothly.

She roughly gauged where they were heading by the scenery outside the window. The carriage that seemed to be entering a bustling area was gradually moving towards a less populated area.

‘Come to think of it, it was strange that they became quiet just with Lord Vandermir’s warning?’

Isn’t the ducal family desperate to push that damned eldest son who will become a traitor in the future? To prevent Demian’s succession, it would be right to obstruct this marriage with all their might.

But to just pressure with words a few times when meeting and end it there. Even if Arasila were in the Vandermir ducal family’s position, she wouldn’t have done that.

‘Well, let’s see what they’ve prepared.’

Arasila’s lips curved up pleasantly as she tapped the window frame. Despite walking into the trap on her own feet, she wasn’t afraid at all.

Although she was currently focused only on research without any particular missions, she was actually a magician with outstanding talent in offensive magic.

In other words, she had enough power to protect herself.

Eventually, when the carriage stopped in a shabby open space surrounded by trees, Arasila drew the curtains to cover the windows. This way, she couldn’t see the other side, but they couldn’t see her either.

Staying still in that state, sure enough, a reaction came from the outside first.

Bang bang bang!

Someone thunderously pounded on the carriage door. Blue eyes calmly turned towards the door.