Amy was busy giving various instructions to her maids Rita, Mary, and Cecil even during the meal. Having finished their meals early on the butler’s orders, they eagerly rushed off to carry out the head maid’s commands.

“Amy, try some of this.”

Noah pulled over the dish in front of him and placed it before her. Amy looked at the golden-brown roasted pheasant but remained still, reluctantly reaching out to pull off a leg after a moment.

“…Aren’t you going to eat it?”

When Amy just held the leg, Noah narrowed his eyes. Amy had no choice but to take a bite.

“!”

Amy’s eyes widened. Seeing her reaction, Noah grinned.

“Delicious, isn’t it?”

“Yes…”

Honestly, Amy hadn’t expected much since the grand duchy was in the countryside. But surprisingly, the food was very tasty. As Amy began eating faster, Noah and the butler smiled contentedly.

“Amy prefers apple cider to wine, right?”

Noah switched Amy’s glass for one filled with apple cider. He had instructed the butler to prepare it in advance. Amy made a sour face as she chewed her food.

‘I’m not sure who’s taking care of whom here.’

Then, after swallowing her food, she carefully said:

“I can eat on my own, so please hurry and eat, Your Highness. You’ve hardly touched your food.”

“Alright, I will.”

Only after confirming that Amy was eating a balanced meal did Noah pick up his utensils.

‘His Highness is particularly attentive to the head maid’s meals.’

Joseph watched them from the side and thought this with a smile. The two had a heartwarming closeness that was pleasant to see. Just then, his eyes met Amy’s, and he had to clear his throat and avert his gaze.

“By the way, now that the Grand Duke has arrived, we should hold a banquet. When do you think would be good?”

At the topic Amy brought up, Noah furrowed his brow slightly in displeasure.

“Can’t we just skip it…”

“That won’t do. It’s your first meeting with the northern vassals.”

Amy cut him off. It was obvious that the northern natives would look down on the young Grand Duke, and if they canceled the banquet on top of that, who knows how much they’d gossip and make a fuss. Amy steeled her resolve once again. She would never allow her master to be disrespected.

“In about two months would be good.”

Joseph, who was beside them, said cautiously. He explained that by then, the harvest would be over and tax payments would be completed, so it wouldn’t be burdensome for the vassals to come to the grand duchy. Noah and Amy nodded in agreement that this would be suitable.

As the meal was ending, Rita approached to inform them that the inner chambers were prepared.

From Amy’s perspective, Noah still seemed quite tired, perhaps not fully recovered from the journey’s fatigue. On top of that, he had gotten into a physical altercation with Dwayne, so it was surprising he hadn’t face-planted into his plate.

They decided to retire early and concluded the dinner. Amy climbed the inner castle stairs with Noah to personally inspect his chambers.

‘They said Melvin was skilled…’

The Duke’s room, which the maids had prepared, was neat and elegant. Expensive tapestries and vases, an ebony wardrobe, and plush bedding were all arranged to Noah’s taste. Amy was satisfied.

“Sleep well, Your Highness.”

“…Amy.”

Noah, who had finished preparing for bed and was lying down, blinked his eyes heavy with sleep as he gazed at her.

“Yes, Your Highness. What is it?”

“…Are you happy… coming here?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Amy was momentarily at a loss for words. Noah continued in a drowsy voice:

“If I… become a great Grand Duke… will Amy be pleased?”

He was a boy who had never once shown signs of struggle during the arduous journey. Though he might have reason to dislike how she was arbitrarily shaping his life, he was also her lord who trusted and followed her without complaint.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Amy’s voice trembled slightly as she answered. Noah smiled comfortably before closing his eyes and mumbling:

“I’ll do well. So that Amy will be satisfied. So…”

His voice gradually faded until it fell silent. He had fallen asleep. Amy gazed at his peaceful face for a moment before exhaling deeply and extinguishing the candle. A soft voice echoed in the inner chamber:

“Sleep well, Your Highness.”

The grand duchy’s hall was bustling with servants, maids, and guards having breakfast. The topics of conversation were similar. They discussed the Grand Duke and head maid they had seen for the first time yesterday, as well as the captain of the guards and his subordinates.

“Sir Dwayne was really handsome.”

As one maid murmured with a dreamy expression, Mary snorted.

“You must not have seen him getting crushed by the Grand Duke.”

“Come on, that’s impossible. They’re so different in build.”

Those who weren’t at the training grounds and hadn’t witnessed yesterday’s events dismissed Mary’s words as a joke. Mary smirked, lifting just one corner of her mouth.

“It’s true. Why else would His Highness call him ‘pudding’?”

“Pudding!”

The maids burst into laughter. Just then, Amy entered the hall.

“Oh, Head Maid!”

Mary and Rita rushed over like puppies wagging their tails to greet their mistress. Amy looked down at the two smaller women and smiled gently.

“I can eat on my own, so finish your meal.”

“Yes…”

The expressions of the two melted. Rita thought to herself that their head maid was much more handsome and cooler than that Dwayne or whoever. Mary, who had grown up with Rita since childhood and could read her like a book, seemed to be thinking the same thing as she nodded.

As the two sat down and began scooping up their oatmeal porridge while gazing admiringly at Amy, Melvin the butler entered the hall.

“You’re up early.”

“Did you rest well?”

After exchanging greetings, Amy and Melvin sat side by side and continued eating in silence. Amy, who finished her porridge first and set down her spoon, asked him:

“Have there been any recent attacks from the northern mountains?”

“Ah, there haven’t been any lately.”

Melvin answered, inwardly surprised. Beyond the northern mountains lived a barbarian tribe that would invade the Grand Duke’s territory for no reason. Even though there were no casualties, since it happened at the border, Melvin had requested support from the imperial palace several times.

However, not only did they not provide support, they didn’t even seem to listen, so at some point, he stopped bringing it up altogether.

‘How did the head maid know about that?’

Melvin didn’t know that Amy had exaggerated this fact to help Noah become Grand Duke. Amy nodded as if she understood and stood up from her seat.

“As I mentioned yesterday, please guide me. I’ll be in the outer castle, so come there.”

“Understood.”

Amy left the hall, acknowledging people’s greetings as she went. Admiring gazes followed her, but she walked briskly, lost in deep thought.

Vernon, who had finished his meal early and was waiting, approached Amy as she entered the outer castle.

“You’re going to look around the castle?”

“Yes.”

Vernon’s face showed a hint of puzzlement. Amy confirmed that there were no listening ears nearby and lowered her voice.

“We need to find something in the grand duchy’s underground. It’s top secret, so we’ll move quietly.”

“Understood.”

The captain’s eyes immediately sharpened, seeming to understand it was a special mission. As they waited for the butler, they exchanged thoughts on their impressions of the grand duchy. Vernon spoke with a tired expression, cracking his neck from side to side:

“That habit of his isn’t going away… sigh.”

Amy immediately realized the captain’s troublemaker was Dwayne and frowned.

“What now?”

“Well, you see…”

Once the topic was broached, complaints poured out one after another. Apparently, with his flashy appearance, Dwayne had already made dates with not only the village girls but also the maids of the grand duchy. The number was close to ten already. The captain had politely advised him to restrain himself until they adjusted to the place, but the person in question absolutely refused to listen, which was causing him concern.

Amy let out a groan.

“Should we prepare for a scandal?”

“The strange thing is, there’s never been such an incident.”

The captain’s jaw jutted out. Not only that, but his lips were also pursed in a pout. See that? Amy narrowed her eyes.

‘He seems envious right now?’

Amy pretended not to notice and said:

“It must be uncomfortable for someone as devoted as Captain Vernon.”

“Ah, y-yes. That’s right.”

The captain flustered and stumbled over his words. Amy clicked her tongue inwardly and turned toward the butler who was approaching them.

“Shall we go now?”

The butler looked back and forth between the two and asked:

“But where did you want to see…”

Amy headed towards the stairs inside the outer castle as she spoke:

“The underground prison.”

“Pardon?”

The two men’s eyes widened. The butler hastily said:

“No, why there… It’s still under repair and dangerous.”

Captain Vernon frowned and asked the butler:

“Are there any prisoners?”

“Not at the moment.”

Amy continued walking without stopping and said:

“That’s fortunate if there are no people.”

“…”

Noticing that Amy had already made up her mind, the two men exchanged glances and silently stuck close to Amy. Perhaps nervous, the butler spoke in a low voice:

“We need to go down these stairs.”

Although they had only descended one floor, the air quickly became humid. Amy placed her hand on the wall to avoid stepping on the cracked and pitted floor. The stone walls were also damp with moisture. After looking around, the three went down another floor.

As there was no more light coming in, Captain Vernon pulled out a pine torch from the wall, lit it, and held it high. The blazing torch illuminated the eerie interior of the prison.

“What are you planning to do here?”

Melvin’s voice echoed as if they were in a cave. He was shrinking his neck, seemingly frightened. Captain Vernon looked around every corner and asked him:

“Has the butler never been down here?”

“No. I’ve lived in the grand duchy for 40 years, but during that time, not a single person has been imprisoned…”

Oh? Amy and Captain Vernon turned to look at him simultaneously.