“The previous Grand Dukes never even set foot in the main castle…”

“To think the young Grand Duke would completely renovate the old castle and even come to live here.”

Rita lowered her voice as she spoke.

“You know what? I heard from the butler… They’re going to reassess our salaries too.”

“Surely not to lower them?”

“I don’t think so.”

As Rita grinned, everyone’s faces lit up with emotion. The idea that servants would be freer and more comfortable without a master is spoken by those who don’t understand. Who would want to be abandoned?

Moreover, without a master, it’s difficult to share grievances or receive necessary supplies in a timely manner, leading to stagnation. Inevitably, things begin to crumble from within.

Those who had their first taste of the master’s attention were beside themselves, like insects trapped in a honey pot. Even before seeing their faces, their fondness had skyrocketed, and now they were face to face with a handsome man and beautiful woman who seemed to have stepped out of a painting. How moved they must have been.

“I’m going to dedicate my life to the Grand Duke’s castle.”

Cecil, who frequently threatened to quit more often than she burped, clenched her fist. People nodded solemnly and added their own thoughts.

“My grave will be right next to yours.”

“Let’s not do that. We should all die together. And be buried together.”

“Along with the Grand Duke and the Head Maid?”

As the conversation spiraled out of control, Rita clapped her hands to bring everyone back to reality.

“You’re getting too carried away. Come to your senses.”

“Oh… right…”

Ignoring the awkward responses, Rita spoke seriously.

“I think the south-facing slope of Mount Habel would be good for the graves. Any objections?”

Mary whispered to Cecil.

“Come to think of it, Rita’s the craziest of them all.”

Amy and Joseph toured the village with Morton, the captain of the guard.

The main street and square, always muddy before, now had neat stone paths. The completed artisans’ houses were built with shops on the first floor and living spaces from the second floor up. Warehouses and kilns were attached according to each profession’s needs, just as they had ordered.

As they toured the village, people gathered around them. The news that the Grand Duke and his subordinates had arrived spread quickly. The domain’s residents followed them with faces full of goodwill.

Amy and Joseph finished their inspection with satisfaction.

“Did you say you’re retiring right away?”

On the way back to the Grand Duke’s castle, Amy asked Morton, the captain of the guard. He bowed and confirmed.

“Yes. From the beginning, it was a position beyond my capabilities.”

That was true. Morton, who had become the captain of the Grand Duke’s guard due to his brief service as a guard in another domain in his youth, said he could now live peacefully. He was an honest man who knew his place.

“You’ve worked hard all this time. We’ll make sure your retirement pay is generous.”

Amy turned to Joseph for confirmation, and he nodded. Then, in a small, careful voice, he asked.

“You’ve spent so much money renovating the castle… Does the Grand Duke still have funds left?”

As Joseph was to be in charge of accounting as well as being an aide, they would have to share the financial situation with him anyway.

“Yes. I’ll let you know the exact amount when we get back.”

Joseph exclaimed in admiration.

“The Emperor must care for the Second Prince after all. To send such an enormous amount of funds…”

“To be precise, the Grand Duke earned it himself. Once you start work properly, you’ll understand, but the Emperor only gave a hundred thousand gold.”

Amy shook her head, remembering how shocked she had been when she checked the amount given as if it were a favor. Like father, like son – how could they be so petty?

Joseph’s eyes widened in surprise. It was understandable, as a hundred thousand gold was barely enough for round-trip travel expenses to the North.

“I see…”

Joseph became gloomy and took off his glasses to clean them. It seemed to be his habit when deep in thought. Similar to Amy’s habit of touching the brooch on her chest when troubled. After walking silently for a while, Joseph sidled up to Amy again just as the entrance to the Grand Duke’s castle came into view.

“Earlier, when I was separated from you, Head Maid…”

“Yes?”

Amy nodded. While she had gone to inspect the workshop of women spinning wool yarn, Joseph had waited outside, conversing with influential villagers.

“According to what I heard then… it seems our Grand Duke has made a very good impression on the domain’s residents.”

“A good impression?”

Amy’s ears perked up. Joseph chattered excitedly.

“On the way here, didn’t His Highness say he wanted to perform an act of charity to commemorate his ascension as Grand Duke? So I advised him to repair and reactivate the broken charcoal kiln while waiving usage fees.”

“That’s right.”

“In addition, His Highness granted an exemption for up to five bundles of firewood per person for heating.”

Amy nodded contentedly.

“That’s right. Heating is essential in the North.”

“Word of that has spread, and people’s goodwill has greatly increased. The village elder tipped me off.”

Despite his timid personality, Joseph was surprisingly good at socializing. Although he was shy, people tended to approach and talk to him first. Amy had benefited considerably from this aspect of his on the way to the North. She glanced at Joseph, whose face was flushed with excitement.

‘This is why I decided to bring this person in.’

During the plague in the empire of her past life, Joseph was an aide serving Duke Esmaine. Despite being discriminated against for having mixed blood, he deeply cared for the domain’s residents.

However, Duke Esmaine distributed fake medicine to the residents, claiming the real medicine that was good for preventing the plague was too expensive. As a result, countless people were wiped out by the plague.

Despairing at this, Joseph pleaded guilty to the Emperor, saying it was his fault as an aide. Consequently, he was cruelly killed by Duke Esmaine, who was thoroughly disgraced.

After hearing this story, Amy decided to bring him along when she returned.

‘My judgment wasn’t wrong.’

Joseph was an upright and righteous person. Amy spoke gently.

“It must be thanks to the appropriate advice from the aide.”

“Ah, no, not at all…”

Joseph’s face turned bright red. From the moment Amy first sent him a letter with various instructions, he recognized her as someone on a different level from himself. And that thought was further solidified as he witnessed her superhuman feats on the way to the North.

“In any case, it seems His Highness will be able to settle in smoothly.”

“Y-yes. There are rumors that people really like how generous he is, not just making small gestures but granting full exemptions.”

“That’s good. It’s a good start.”

The two entered the Grand Duke’s castle in good spirits. As they crossed the drawbridge over the moat and passed through the large castle gate, gazes converged on them from all directions. At that moment,

“Hahaha!”

Suddenly, a boisterous laugh rang out from the guard post above the castle gate. Amy involuntarily frowned. It was a sound she had heard many times before.

“What is Lord Dwayne doing up there…?”

As Amy muttered to herself, a maid who had been watching her with shining eyes nearby quickly came forward and said,

“He’s training the guards. The new captain of the guard, Lord Vernon, ordered it.”

“I see.”

If Vernon ordered it, then… Amy thanked the maid with a nod and headed towards the inner castle, parting ways with Joseph.

‘There’s something urgent I need to do…’

There was a reason Amy chose the Northern Grand Duchy as the Second Prince’s new home. She was eager to confirm it quickly.

Looking up at the sky, she saw the sun had already descended close to the ground. It would be dark soon after sunset. Amy thought regretfully.

‘I guess I’ll have to do it tomorrow.’

As she entered the inner castle, crossing the wide courtyard, the butler Melvin approached and stood by her side, as if he had been waiting for her. Amy asked casually.

“Where is His Highness?”

“After touring the castle, he went to the training ground.”

Amy’s steps faltered.

“The training ground?”

What business could he have at the training ground on the first day of arriving at the Grand Duke’s castle? Amy tilted her head in confusion and stopped. Melvin, quick to read the situation, guided her to the training ground.

“The training ground has been repaired too, right?”

Concerned that Noah might trip on a hidden stone, she asked. Melvin waved his hand in front of her.

“The floor has been smoothed with blue stone, and we’ve fully stocked necessary items like training dummies and wooden swords.”

“Once the blacksmith arrives, we’ll be able to repair simple weapons and horseshoes within the castle.”

As they chatted and rounded the corner past the storehouse, the wide training ground came into view. Amy narrowed her eyes when she saw Noah standing in the center.

‘He’s not even wearing his cloak.’

Although it was early autumn, it was already winter in the North. Amy’s steps quickened. And then, as she set foot in the training ground, her eyes widened at the unexpected scene before her.

“Impossible.”

One of the guards watching from around the training ground muttered. His nearby colleagues quietly agreed. Next to them, Ethan was clutching his hands, trying to suppress his emotions.

“…”

In the center of the training ground stood the newly arrived Grand Duke. The boy, barely in his late teens, was looking down expressionlessly at a muscular man sprawled on the ground.

“Wow, is this for real?”

Dwayne laughed as he sprang to his feet. However, contrary to his bright smile, his eyes told a different story. He had casually explained Southern martial arts to Noah earlier, and then immediately goaded him into a sparring match. He believed that one learns more from physical confrontation than from theory.

Noah had readily agreed to the proposal. This was the result.

“Let’s go one more round.”

Dwayne said through gritted teeth to Noah, who looked disinterested. Noah snorted lightly.

“You’re like pudding – hard on the outside, soft on the inside.”