“Lady Anette, I apologize for yesterday evening as I was unaware of your preferences. The room has been prepared again, so from tonight onwards, you may officially stay in the Grand Duke’s chamber.”

Perhaps due to being upset about last night’s incident, tonight an older maid guided me to the room instead of Lady Egritte.

Instead of the vibrant and abundant southern-style arrangement, a calm and orderly layout caught my eye. So this must be the northern style arrangement.

“This room was also personally decorated by Lady Egritte.”

“Did Lady Egritte also hang that painting herself?”

Even though it wasn’t the once-a-week visit he had insisted on, Darius was in my room.

“Yes, she said that bright flowers would suit a newlywed couple’s room well.”

“Even so, to use Annemarie flowers… Remove that painting.”

Seeing Darius looking displeased, the maid hurriedly took down the painting and left.

“What’s wrong with the painting? It looked pretty to me.”

“The flower is beautiful, but it bears no fruit, so it’s considered ominous for couples hoping for children.”

Ah, so it was like the peony flower associated with Queen Seondeok in our country.

“It’s strange that Lady Egritte would make such a mistake. Or perhaps she doesn’t know the meaning because she has no children herself.”

‘If it’s the latter, that’s even scarier. Someone who constantly talks about heirs has basically cursed you to be childless like her.’

Regardless, I carefully laid out pillows on the bed.

“Anette?”

“I’ve never shared a bed with someone else before, so it feels uncomfortable. I think it’s best if we divide the space.”

Why should we sleep so close together when the bed is this large?

“I’ve divided it favorably for the taller Grand Duke. Well, it’s a bit unfair to me, but I’ll endure it.”

Surely we won’t end up clinging to each other in the morning after going this far!

“Then, good night, Grand Duke.”

I quickly pulled the blanket up to my head and closed my eyes. But then someone’s arm lightly draped over my body.

“Grand Duke!”

Darius responded with a bewildered expression.

“What am I supposed to do with the water jug on your side?”

“If you drink water before bed, you’ll have to use the bathroom at night.”

I grudgingly handed him the water jug.

“There, is that okay now?”

“Wait, what if you get thirsty while sleeping?”

“I won’t get thirsty. From tomorrow, I’ll put water jugs on both sides of the bed. So neither of us will have to go back and forth.”

“What if one of us knocks over the jug while sleeping?”

“Are you going to do that?”

“No. But there’s no rule saying someone else won’t.”

We glared at each other sullenly.

“Don’t be so childish about water.”

I protested, hugging a pillow for dear life. Another morning disaster like before absolutely could not happen again.

“I’m the one who wants to be sure. I don’t want to hear that it wasn’t my fault for embracing you in the morning when you’ve clearly drawn a line with pillows.”

“I really didn’t do that! How many times do I have to say it!”

Before I knew it, I angrily threw a pillow at him, which Darius caught with surprising reflexes.

He smirked.

“This pillow is mine now.”

Who described this male lead as a serious, lonely, and wounded northern Grand Duke?

“This is ridiculous, really!”

I grabbed pillows within reach and started hitting him, and Darius immediately counterattacked with pillows in his hands too.

Huh? Is the talented full-power male protagonist actually attacking a fragile extra character? Where has the morality of this land gone?

“Just let me hit you once!”

Although the spacious bed wasn’t prepared for this purpose, we advanced with pillows in hand anyway. It was a midnight pillow fight.

Poof poof.

If you forgot the situation for a moment, the snow-white goose feathers flying from the torn pillows looked romantic.

Finally exhausted, I lost my grip on the pillow and collapsed into Darius’s arms. It was an irresistible force.

Splash, the bed shook greatly as two adults fell over.

“Haa, ha…”

“…”

I thought Darius would tease me again since I lost, but for some reason he was quiet this time.

‘I don’t know. I’m so drained I can’t think of anything.’

The fact that I wasn’t searching for how firm the abs were on the male lead’s chest I was pressed against showed I was truly on the verge of collapse.

“You said it was uncomfortable to share a bed with someone else.”

“What?”

He lightly embraced me. The firm body of the male protagonist, whose existence I would have searched for if I had even a little energy left until just now, clung to my skin, flaunting its presence.

“It seems you really did snuggle up to me this morning after all.”

What an unfair thing to say!

Darius pushed me away with an inexplicably smug expression. Ah, how annoying.

“Anette.”

As I came to my senses and separated from Darius to prepare for bed, he called my name intently.

“You’ve used up your energy before bed, so don’t come over tonight. I’m scared to open my eyes in the morning.”

“Eek!”

It seems you truly want a second round of the pillow fight. Very well, I shall burn through flesh and blood to give it to you.

Forgetting all dignity, I grabbed the edge of a pillow and started hitting Darius wildly with the feather pillow, but Darius curled up under the bed sheets and chuckled even as he was being hit.

* * *

“Anette, did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

Only you slept well, only you.

Swallowing my discontent, I answered halfheartedly. Darius asked in a puzzled voice:

“Your eyes are bright red though…?”

I quickly rubbed my eyes.

“It’s just dry eyes from the morning.”

I hadn’t slept a wink last night. I had planned to keep my eyes wide open, watching, and if Darius’s body rolled over towards me in his sleep, I would wake him up immediately to show him the evidence.

But no. Darius slept soundly. Like a baby lamb. With good sleeping habits.

I felt like biting my nails.

‘Then why on earth did we wake up facing each other affectionately the day before yesterday? Could it really have been my subconscious? My desire for a handsome man I can’t see in reality?’

As the list of definite suspects narrowed, I buried my face in my palms, denying reality.

This can’t be real. How can I punish my own subconscious? Unless it was Darius’s subconscious…

“Anette? Are you alright?”

Just as Darius put his hand on my shoulder and tried to look at me.

“Good morning, my lady. My lord.”

Knock knock. The maids entered the bedroom to attend to the morning duties.

And then.

A maid’s eyes widened at the sight of the messy bedding.

“Oh my? Why are all the pillows like this…?”

“Ah, that’s…!”

I couldn’t possibly say it was the result of a pillow fight we had thoroughly enjoyed like children with a new bedroom.

“Th-that.”

“Come to think of it, I heard thumping noises from the bedroom last night.”

Isn’t that too casual a way to say you were watching the lord’s bedroom? Even if it is the second night of the honeymoon?

The maids looked at Darius and me with sparkling, expectant eyes. Darius sighed and lowered his gaze.

“The new lady already likes me too much.”

Darius’s long black eyelashes glinted with arrogance underneath.

“Kyaaah!”

Wow, wow! What is he saying now? I’m in a position where I can’t deny it because I need to create the image of being on good terms with the Grand Duke to establish my position, right? This is unfair media play!

“Ho-hohoho. Of course I… li-like the Grand Duke.”

“Begging me to come every night, trying to cling to me in the morning. Haa, I’m in trouble. I don’t know how much I should indulge the new bride’s whims.”

“Oh my, oh my. You two get along so well! What a well-matched couple!”

To think that not being able to tell the truth! Could be this painful!

The truth is different! This is clearly a false accusation!

When the maids weren’t looking, I conveyed my feelings by pinching Darius’s waist hard.

And after hearing that six top-quality goose down pillows were ruined in one night, Lady Egritte said this through a maid:

“Since we have no more pillows to give you, you two lovebirds should just sleep using each other’s arms as pillows. You don’t need pillows anyway, right?”

* * *

“Is there any unused land in the castle? Somewhere a bit secluded and out of sight.”

“Hmm, you mean uncultivated land? There’s quite a bit of that right now.”

Darius suggested we take a walk in the castle gardens today, but I declined. Hearing that reminded me that I needed to plant the cotton seeds I brought from the south.

‘You have to try farming to know about it.’

Rich soil would be good, but since it’s a top secret matter, it would be better to grow it in the castle first rather than elsewhere.

“We had a vegetable garden last year, but nothing’s been planted yet since it’s still winter. If you’re planning to plant something, my lady, you can use it.”

“Yes, it looks good.”

‘If it’s about growing plants, I should probably call the gardener and ask first.’

“Can you call the gardener?”

“Ah, the gardener Hans…”

But the maid’s face suddenly darkened as she was guiding me smoothly.

“Last year when the castle’s finances were tight, we had to reduce staff, and Lady Egritte cut the gardener position, thinking it wasn’t necessary for now.”

‘My goodness, to think they’re that short on money.’

That was Lady Egritte’s excuse.

The North had always been a barren and poor land.

‘And you’re planning to squeeze this meager living even more!’

In the original story, Lady Egritte squeezed what little there was, not taking from abundance. That’s why even if Lady Egritte was thoroughly shaken down, the North wouldn’t suddenly become rich.

The reason the female protagonist was treated as a lucky charm was because the North had suffered so much.

‘So I need to see with my own eyes just how poor it is.’

This is my land until the female protagonist arrives. I’ve poured all my dowry into this place! That was my entire fortune!