The woman walked straight towards Amy’s group. Then she struck the table with a thud.

“Hello, Head Maid? I’m Viola.”

“Huh…?”

Amy, who was dumbfounded at the woman greeting her cheerfully, opened her eyes wide the next moment.

“Ah, Viola! The maid from the Fallon Barony in the Empire!”

“Yes. You remember me. I’m honored.”

Amy tilted her head towards Noah and whispered.

“She’s the maid who worked at the lord’s mansion of Baron Fallon where we met Captain Vernon and Lady Weaver.”

“Ah, she was the one who was whipped by the baroness.”

As Noah also recognized her and nodded, Viola’s face brightened. She chattered to Amy.

“As I told you then, I quit soon after. Now I’m traveling with my fiancé.”

Viola gestured behind her and a quite handsome man bowed his head awkwardly at them.

“!”

Rita and Cecil, with wide eyes, poked each other’s sides repeatedly. Even by their harsh standards, Viola’s fiancé seemed to exceed expectations.

Amy said with a smile:

“Did you come to see the northern festival?”

“Yes. I hesitated a lot about whether to come, but I’m really glad I did. The village is so beautiful, there’s so much to see, and the people are kind… Above all, the streets and houses are so clean and well-maintained that it was really pleasant. It was worth the money.”

She spoke passionately, even blushing as if it wasn’t just empty words. Seeing this, everyone from the Grand Duke’s residence felt a tug at their hearts. Meanwhile, Amy recalled the spotless, pure white temple that had been thoroughly renovated.

“Hey, Viola. Where are you getting married? Have you already decided on a place?”

“Oh, no. Not yet. Neither of us has any particular ties, so we’re just planning to do it wherever we like.”

Amy’s eyes lit up brightly. She grabbed Viola’s hands and said enthusiastically:

“The temple in this village is quite impressive, how about taking a look at it?”

“The temple here?”

Viola opened her eyes wide. Amy’s mind was racing.

‘They say the average age in the north is high because young people have been going to the Empire to find jobs?’

So if we could stimulate the wedding business this time to make money, and provide funds and support for them to settle in the north…?

‘To mine the black gold under the ground, we need a lot of manpower.’

Noah, seeming to understand Amy’s thoughts, chimed in from beside her:

“If you don’t have any ties, consider settling here. We’ll treat you well.”

“Oh, really?”

Amy and Noah grinned with identical expressions. Viola was bewildered, wondering what this was all about. Just then, Lady Weaver, returning from the restroom, recognized Viola and greeted her cheerfully.

“Isn’t that Viola?”

“Lady Weaver!”

The two were so happy to meet again that they held hands and stamped their feet. As Amy watched this scene with satisfaction, Noah glanced at her and said to Viola:

“Today is the last day of the festival, do you plan to leave right after finishing sightseeing?”

“Ah, no. We were thinking of staying one more day…”

She looked back at her fiancé as if asking for his opinion. Amy asked:

“What’s your fiancé’s occupation?”

Viola then made a proud expression.

“He worked in mines. Though young, he’s so capable that he even managed a famous gold mine in the east.”

“!”

Amy’s eyes widened. She looked back and forth between Viola and her fiancé, clenching her fist under the table. Isn’t it fate when exactly the manpower you need just rolls in on its own?

Rita spoke to Viola:

“You know, there will be a dance time in the square after sunset… Are you going?”

“Ah, yes. They say there’s a gift for the most impressive dancing couple, so we’re planning to go.”

Viola smiled brightly, clearly looking forward to it. Lady Weaver also praised Viola, saying she was known as a great dancer in Fallon territory. Amy exchanged a subtle glance with Noah and casually said to her:

“Ask your fiancé. How about staying at the Grand Duke’s residence tonight?”

“Pardon?”

Viola’s eyes widened. She looked at Amy and Noah in bewilderment. Amy smiled enticingly.

“Since you’ve met Lady Weaver after so long, to catch up… Oh, James works here too.”

“Oh my, really?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’d really like you to stay at the Grand Duke’s residence. To see Ethan too.”

“I see, I’ll ask.”

Viola went to her fiancé with a flushed face. In the meantime, Amy shared her thoughts with Noah. Noah smiled, saying it was a good idea.

Soon Viola returned with her fiancé. They had gladly agreed to stay at the Grand Duke’s residence. Everyone left the tea house and headed for the square.

“There’s still some time until the dance time, and there’s a place with beautiful scenery nearby. Want to go see it?”

“Oh, sure~”

Viola and her fiancé brightened at Cecil’s suggestion. Amy called Rita over with a gesture and whispered:

“Rita. You’re responsible for bringing Viola and her fiancé to the castle. Got it?”

“Oh, Head Maid, we’re locals here. We’ll give them a proper tour, so don’t worry.”

“Alright… I trust you.”

After getting Rita’s assurance, Amy took out a small money pouch from her bosom and handed it over. Rita received it with glee. Then she took Viola and her fiancé off somewhere.

Amy turned to Noah and said:

“What should we do now? Do you want to return to the castle?”

Noah stared at Amy for a moment, then asked slowly:

“Are you done with everything?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s look around a bit more. Just the two of us.”

Somehow the tone was strange, but Amy nodded without thinking much of it.

“Alright. Your Highness.”

“Are you going to call me that here?”

“Ah, then Lord Noah.”

“…Still the same.”

Reminded of when they went to the central market in the imperial capital before coming to the north, the two smiled at each other. Amy looked Noah over anew. Though barely half a year had passed since then, the Noah before her eyes had changed so much it was hard to find traces of his appearance from that time.

Just then, someone shouted loudly from ahead, approaching rapidly.

“Ah, make way~ I won’t be responsible if we collide!”

The moment Amy turned her head in surprise, Noah’s arm gently wrapped around her waist and pulled her towards him. Amy suddenly found herself in Noah’s embrace.

The next moment, a man carrying a large load brushed past her. If Noah hadn’t caught her, she would have been inevitably bumped into.

“Are you alright?”

Noah looked down at her and asked gently. Amy, uncomfortable with being so close to him, pushed against his chest with both hands and stammered:

“Ah, I-I’m fine…”

She took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. Fanning her flushed face was an added bonus. As Noah gazed at Amy meaningfully, suddenly someone called out to them from behind.

“Hey, miss, young man!”

Thinking ‘Surely they can’t be calling us?’, they continued on their way, but again there was a bustling voice urging from behind.

“You there, pretty and handsome couple! Why don’t you turn around when I’m calling till my throat is sore?”

Only then did they turn to see an old woman’s face brighten as she crouched with a small box in front of her by the roadside, looking at them.

“…Are you talking about us?”

Noah pointed at himself in confusion. The old woman nodded and beckoned them over.

Amy and Noah looked at each other and shrugged. She was clearly a wandering fortune-teller. They didn’t rent stalls or shops, so they didn’t pay taxes to the Grand Duke for operating from street stands.

‘But I guess it’s because of people like this that the festival thrives more.’

The two willingly went in front of the fortune-teller and crouched down with the box between them.

“From the looks of it, you two are madly in love, tsk tsk what a shame. You’re destined to part.”

The old woman, wrapped in a worn woolen robe, clicked her tongue and abruptly separated them.

“…Amy. Remove all the street stalls.”

Noah’s expression completely changed as he spoke in an ominous voice. Amy tapped his arm to calm him down and whispered quietly so the old woman couldn’t hear:

“The festival ends in half a day anyway. And you were the one who originally allowed street vendors to operate.”

“…I shouldn’t have done that.”

Noah glared at the old woman. His gaze was quite fierce, so the old woman pulled the cloth covering her head to hide her face and muttered as if making an excuse:

“No, you should listen to people till the end… Who said you’d part completely? Adversity, yes. I meant there would be adversity that would make your relationship even stronger.”

Amy had already lost interest and was looking around. The dance time seemed about to start soon…

Unable to trust the old woman, Noah narrowed his eyes and asked:

“Then if we overcome that adversity, what happens next?”

“Why ask? You’ll live happily ever after, of course.”

“…”

Only then did a shy smile appear on Noah’s face. Amy noticed people starting to move towards the square and poked Noah’s side.

“Let’s go now.”

“Alright.”

Amy stood up and handed over a copper coin as payment. As the old woman grumbled that it was too little, suddenly Noah took out a silver coin from his pocket and flicked it with his finger. The coin that flew through the air landed neatly in the old woman’s hand.

“!”

“Lord Noah!”

The old woman and Amy were surprised at the same time. The old woman grinned, showing her few remaining teeth. As Noah turned to walk away, Amy quickly followed after him, nagging:

“Why give such a large amount for what’s all lies anyway…”

Just then, the fortune-teller shouted from behind:

“Wait!”

“Yes?”

The two turned back in surprise. The old woman thrust out her chest and shouted:

“I’ll tell you one more thing specially.”

Then she raised her hand and pointed at Amy.

“You there, young lady, take good care of your body.”

“…What do you mean?”

Amy tilted her head, confused by the strange tone. Then the fortune-teller said solemnly:

“It’s a boy.”

“…”

Noah’s mouth fell open as he lowered his eyes to stare intently at Amy’s belly. Amy, who had been blinking in speechlessness, scrunched up her face and shouted:

“You just wasted a precious silver coin!”