“Th-then what should we do?”

Overwhelmed by Amy’s spirit, Dwayne clasped his hands in front of his chest like a fanatic encountering a god and his eyes sparkled brightly. Seeing how easily he trusted people, Amy thought she could understand why others kept wanting to tease him.

‘Well, it’s not a crime to be gullible…’

Amy spoke firmly.

“Sell me.”

“What?”

Dwayne stared blankly at Amy, his gaze sliding from top to bottom. Then he made an ambiguous expression.

“I don’t think you’d fetch much…”

“Where are you looking?”

As Amy glared at him as if he was crazy, Dwayne flinched and lowered his eyes. Amy clicked her tongue and continued speaking.

“If you sense anything even slightly strange, should the head maid know about it? Just say one word. That’ll be enough to nip most things in the bud.”

“Should the head maid… know about it…”

Dwayne repeated it several times as if memorizing it, then nodded with a bright face. Then he pulled down the corners of his mouth and opened his eyes wide.

“Head maid, how can you like me so much?”

“I try to help and you spout nonsense…”

“Huh? What did you just say?”

“I said I hear a dog barking somewhere.”

Amy brushed off the hand she had placed on Dwayne’s shoulder as if wiping off something dirty. Then she took a step back and raised her index finger at Dwayne for emphasis.

“Remember this. The head maid does not condone gambling. Got it?”

“What’s gambling? What’s condone?”

“It’s what Jack and Bradley are afraid of.”

“Wow, then should I write that on my forehead and walk around with it?”

“…”

After staring blankly at Dwayne for a moment, Amy let out a groan. She should have just stayed out of it from the beginning…

Amy looked off into the distance and suddenly put on a surprised expression.

“Oh my, it seems His Highness is looking for me?”

Then she grabbed her skirts and hurriedly left the spot. It was a quick movement, as if her survival depended on it. The clueless Dwayne cheerfully waved behind her.

“Goodbye, head maid! I’ll live more carefully now so you won’t have to worry about me anymore!”

“Saying things you’d only say to your parents…”

Amy shuddered and moved her feet even faster to get away.

As the sun set and dinnertime approached, Amy went to Noah’s office. Noah smiled when he saw her.

“You worked hard today too, Amy.”

“…Your Highness as well.”

Ah, it’s still hard to get used to. Amy sheepishly scratched her cheek. Noah would sometimes casually express gratitude to his subordinates like this. He did it especially often with Amy.

“But earlier when I was leaving the office to go to class, I saw Amy…”

Noah stood up from his seat and closely examined Amy.

“You were running in a hurry. Did something happen?”

“Running? Me?”

Amy was puzzled, then hummed thoughtfully. She didn’t usually run unless it was for something urgent, but she did seem to have run a lot today.

“Hmm, there was an unfamiliar person in the direction you were going. He looked like a noble man…”

Noah’s eyes narrowed slightly. Men around Amy’s age were always a subject of caution for him. Especially if Amy was rushing towards them…

“Ah, it was Viscount Burton.”

Amy’s face immediately turned sullen. She pulled down the corners of her mouth into an S shape.

“You’ve heard the news, right? The one and only child of Count Coleman who went on a foreign trip while his father was on his deathbed. That Viscount Burton came.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, Melvin might have mentioned something. He had heard it with one ear and let it go. Noah’s expression softened as he asked probingly.

“Amy, you seem to have negative feelings towards him?”

“Apparently he went to the Empire for his trip. He came back with all sorts of strange rumors, saying things like I’m deliberately seducing Your Highness to plunge the Grand Duchy into ruin. Really…”

“You seduced me?”

Noah’s expression became strange, as if he had heard a very interesting story. Amy kicked a stone at her feet.

“No, how does that make any sense? He even said I switched from the Crown Prince to the Grand Duke after being rejected? And you know what else he said? He said he’d keep an eye on me. Watch me for a lifetime and see if anything comes of it.”

Amy ranted, forgetting Noah was beside her, then belatedly came to her senses.

“Oh, Your Highness. I mean, I’m not trying to disrespectfully judge a guest…”

As she stammered in embarrassment, Noah nodded with a serious expression.

“I understand what you mean.”

Then he smiled as if to say not to worry.

“Let’s go quickly. The guest must be waiting.”

“Yes…”

Amy tilted her head as she looked at Noah’s smiling face. That expression seemed oddly familiar… Where had she seen it before?

“I am Spencer Coleman. I apologize for not being able to attend Your Highness’s coronation ceremony.”

Spencer behaved politely in front of Noah. Not just his words, but his actions overflowed with respect and reverence. Amy had expected it, but Joseph and Melvin, who had worried that a commotion might break out, secretly felt relieved.

Noah stared at Spencer for a moment before speaking slowly.

“Are you the son who left his old father on his sickbed to go on a foreign trip?”

“!”

The smile disappeared from Spencer’s face as if it had been wiped clean. His eyes shook wildly before suddenly turning towards Amy. Amy, who had taken a sharp breath in surprise at Noah’s words, belatedly met Spencer’s eyes.

‘Did you put such nonsense into His Highness’s ears?’

Wow, what’s the use of keeping your mouth shut when your eyes speak volumes? Amy was dumbfounded.

Noah raised one eyebrow.

“I said it myself, so why are you glaring at my head maid?”

“Ah, that’s not… Ahem, Your Highness, I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, but it’s a misunderstanding.”

“I heard it directly when I visited Count Coleman’s territory?”

“Pardon?”

Spencer had come straight to the Grand Duchy from the Empire without stopping by his home in Count Coleman’s territory. So he didn’t know the detailed circumstances.

“Well…”

“Our head maid even delivered funds praying for the Count’s recovery, yet the son knows nothing.”

“!”

Spencer, who needed to be recognized as the Count’s heir by the Grand Duke, silently bit his lip. Seeing the Grand Duke already completely taken in by the witch-like head maid, his future looked bleak.

Then Noah spoke.

“By the way, what happened with the timber contract?”

“Ah, I brought a new contract. Since Count Coleman has stepped back from the front lines, it will be processed with my seal…”

Spencer’s face brightened at the changed topic. Noah stared at his face and exclaimed in admiration.

“You seem very satisfied that your father has stepped back from the front lines.”

“…”

Noah walked past the speechless Spencer and sat down in the seat of honor. Spencer took a deep breath before quietly sitting down next to Noah.

“…”

Amy bit her lip to hold back laughter. Noah might be indifferent to strangers, but he was never rude. Yet he was clearly acting this way to avenge the insult Amy had received from Spencer.

‘That’s right, isn’t it? I’m not imagining things, am I?’

The moment Amy raised her gaze that had been fixed on the floor, her eyes met Noah’s. Noah slightly raised one corner of his mouth and winked.

“Pfft.”

Amy ended up letting out a snort. Mrs. Weaver next to her whispered in surprise.

“Head maid?”

“No, I just choked…”

At that moment, her eyes met Spencer’s, who had been watching her. He had apparently witnessed what had happened between the Grand Duke and Amy, and was glaring at her with a completely crumpled face.

‘…He must think I’m a witch again.’

Though it left a bitter taste in her mouth, she still felt good.

And so began the first meeting between the heir to Count Coleman’s territory, the largest domain in the north, and the Grand Duke who ruled over him, on such a discordant note.

“We’ve agreed to ship all the timber in stock. Since the weather has warmed up, we can start construction right away.”

As the ice melted, the water level in the rivers rose, making bridge repairs urgent. New bridges needed to be built or reinforced before the heavy summer rains, and the water-resistant and sturdy black oak from Count Coleman’s territory was perfect for the job.

Spencer tried his best to gain the Grand Duke’s trust that he had lost, or rather never had in the first place. Regardless, Noah maintained his distance in his interactions with him. Every time Spencer sensed this, he despaired.

Amy, sitting at the opposite end from Spencer with Noah in the center, thought as she chewed her food.

‘Why is he trying so hard to get on the Grand Duke’s good side?’

Of course, he needed to make a good impression to be approved as the heir and receive the title of Viscount Burton. But there was something excessive about his behavior that couldn’t be explained by just that. At that moment, Joseph, sitting next to her, leaned in and whispered.

“Head maid, I had a brief conversation with Viscount Burton’s aide earlier…”

“Oh, and?”

Amy’s ears perked up. Joseph lowered his voice drastically to avoid being overheard by Spencer sitting two seats away.

“Well, it seems Viscount Burton was completely smitten after hearing about the speech His Highness gave at the banquet.”

“…So, he admires our Grand Duke?”

“That’s right. He’s desperate to be by his side… I apologize. He earnestly desires to become close to him.”

“Hmm…”

Amy gazed at Spencer.

‘Our Grand Duke was quite impressive then. He really put those nobles who looked down on him for being young in their place.’

Feeling proud for no reason, Amy mouthed silently.

‘At least he has good taste…’

At that moment, Noah reached out his arm to wrap around her shoulder and pulled her towards him. Then he said gently.

“Amy, if you lean like that, you’ll make Joseph uncomfortable.”

“Ah…”

When she came to her senses, she realized she and Joseph had been whispering with their heads so close they were almost touching. Amy quickly pulled away from Noah’s embrace and smiled awkwardly.

“Ah, I was just receiving a work report.”

Noah smiled along with her.

“That sort of thing should be done in the office. At a proper distance, okay?”