The Grand Duke’s palace was in an uproar. The Grand Duke, who had left with firm resolve to confess his feelings to the Head Maid, returned in a flower carriage with the Head Maid and his aide. The Head Maid’s eyes sparkled, saying the differentiated service was wonderful, while the aide and the Grand Duke returned with gloomy faces.

The maids clicked their tongues.

“I didn’t think the Head Maid was like that, but she’s quite ruthless.”

“I heard too. Can you believe she dragged Joseph the aide to that flower tea house and made him report the festival results to His Highness?”

“I heard Joseph the aide realized His Highness’s intentions and was trembling…”

“He’s already so afraid of the Grand Duke. His courage must have shrunk to the size of a bean.”

“But the Grand Duke’s disappointment must be worse. Oh, what to do about him…”

While the employees felt very sorry for the Grand Duke, this incident remained a popular saying that struck the Grand Duke’s palace for a long time.

For instance, when something planned yielded unexpected results, people would say:

“What a flower tea-like situation this is.”

Even when someone’s hard work came to nothing,

“Just think you rode the flower carriage and forget about it.”

Whenever Noah heard such talk, he remained silent, while Amy tilted her head in confusion, not understanding.

As summer was ending, the Grand Duke’s palace was in turmoil again. Before the castle gates even opened, several figures in hooded robes stood neatly in front of the guard post in the dim dawn.

“They were inside before the gates even opened?”

Vernon, the guard captain who rushed over in shock, along with the guards and knights, watched as they slowly lowered their hoods to reveal their faces, except for the smallest one. Their skin and hair color were noticeably lighter compared to the locals. And then…

“What’s that?”

People murmured. Their ears were slightly pointed. It was a distinctly different feature from the Imperial or Duchy people.

“You are…”

Melvin was astounded. His face turned pale as he quickly whispered to Vernon.

“They’re the Biscon clan!”

Vernon was startled.

“What? The foreign race from beyond the Black Mountains?”

As people fell into confusion, the slender woman at the front of the Biscon clan took a step forward.

“!”

The commotion instantly subsided. There was a strange aura about that woman. A captivating feeling that not only drew people’s gazes but also took their breath away.

The woman who came forward, her nearly white-blonde hair swaying, looked around with ice-blue eyes. Tense people swallowed dryly. At last, she spoke in a low but refreshing voice.

“We’ve come to see the one who offered the sacrifice.”

It was in the continental common language, but the intonation was so flat it felt like listening to a foreign language. People automatically looked at the guard captain, the highest-ranking official present. Vernon, maintaining his vigilance, nodded to Jack.

“Go and inform His Highness and the Head Maid.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jack and a few guards rushed off to inform Noah, who had just risen from bed, and Amy, who was preparing Noah’s meal in the kitchen. Amy clenched her fist.

“Finally!”

Amy immediately ran to Noah. Noah was just coming out after getting dressed. The two shouted simultaneously upon meeting:

“The magical artifact!”

Amy wiped the sweat from her forehead, her eyes sparkling.

“Everything’s going according to plan. My role here will soon be over.”

“!”

Suddenly, Noah’s face turned pale. Unaware that he had frozen, Amy excitedly checked his attire. Then, urging him to hurry, she turned and started walking. But Noah remained still. Only then did Amy notice and look back.

“Your Highness? Why are you standing still? We must go see the Biscon clan.”

Noah forced a smile as he looked at her face full of anticipation.

“…Right.”

The two walked briskly towards the castle gates. Their minds were busy with their own thoughts.

Amy was preoccupied with how to sweet-talk them to bring maximum benefit to Noah, while Noah was pondering how to keep her by his side. Before they knew it, they were right in front of the gates.

“Where are they?”

Amy hurriedly asked a guard, as the clan members were nowhere to be seen.

“They’re in the reception room.”

He added that Vernon had put them in the guard post’s reception room and was now scolding the knights and guards for failing to properly guard the gates. No wonder they had heard wailing from the training grounds on their way.

“Your Highness. Just a moment.”

Amy turned to Noah and stepped close, pressing her body against his. Noah reflexively reached out to wrap his arm around her waist. Amy grabbed his forearm and whispered in his ear.

“I’ll handle the conversation with them.”

“…”

But there was no response. Noah remained motionless with his lips tightly sealed. Finding this strange, Amy pulled back her head and looked up at Noah directly.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“…No.”

Stepping back to create distance from Amy, Noah quickly rubbed his face with his hands. Feeling her warm breath on his ear and her heartbeat against his chest, his body had escaped his mind’s control.

Noah muttered something in bewilderment.

“Amy, did you put on perfume?”

“No. Where would I find time for that? Besides, you don’t like it.”

“…Right.”

Noah nodded absently. How she knew he disliked artificial fragrances was beside the point, but how could a person smell so nice? No, was there anything about Amy that he didn’t like?

Amy tilted her head.

“Did you hear what I said? I told you I’d handle the conversation with them.”

“Go ahead.”

As Noah nodded readily, this time Amy stared at him quietly. Feeling awkward, Noah touched his face.

“What? Is there something on my face?”

“…I was thinking how grateful I am that you go along with my sneaky behavior.”

Amy spoke softly with sincere emotion. Looking into Amy’s eyes, as blue as an ocean brimming with gratitude and pride, Noah felt as if someone was tickling his heart.

As he struggled to control his rising smile, Amy, having already composed her emotions, spoke politely with a clear face once more.

“Shall we go then, Your Highness? I’ll escort you to this historic moment of first contact with the Biscon clan.”

“Alright.”

Noah felt his heart ease a bit. Right, what did it matter if Amy was thinking of leaving? As he’d decided before, he would simply follow her.

The two opened the door to the reception room and entered side by side. The Biscon clan members inside slowly rose from their seats.

“…”

The woman who seemed to be the leader remained seated, quietly observing them. Noah raised an eyebrow in curiosity, then immediately frowned. Her gaze was fixed not on him, but on Amy. The look in her eyes was quite meaningful, making Noah feel a chill run down his spine.

“Are you the Biscon clan?”

Noah asked in a neutral tone as he stepped forward, naturally shielding Amy with his body. Only then did the woman’s gaze shift to Noah.

“…Are you the Grand Duke?”

The woman slowly stood up and gracefully bowed. The rest of the clan followed suit and bowed as well.

However, the smallest person, who was still hooded and hadn’t shown their face, remained still until the person next to them urged them on, only then reluctantly bowing their head.

That person kept glancing this way hesitantly, and although it wasn’t certain due to the hood, their gaze seemed to linger on Noah.

Noah nodded indifferently, while Amy bowed in return.

“We saw the letter Your Highness left with the sacrifice.”

The woman spoke slowly, looking back and forth between Noah and Amy. As Amy was about to answer, Noah suddenly raised his hand to stop her. In the silence that fell over the reception room, the woman noticed the wariness in Noah’s eyes and raised one corner of her mouth.

“Your Highness possesses a wariness uncharacteristic of Imperial people.”

It wasn’t a mocking tone. Rather, there was a hint of admiration in her words. Noah silently snorted and twirled his index finger, indicating to get to the point without unnecessary words. The woman chuckled and opened her mouth again.

“As written in the letter, we’ve come to prove that the Biscon clan is not ungrateful.”

“…”

Noah glanced over his shoulder at Amy, asking if this was true. Amy nodded silently. There was indeed such content in the letter she had left at the ancient god’s altar.

‘To put it simply, I wrote like this.’

Amy averted her gaze from the Biscon clan members who were staring at her coldly and looked into empty space.

‘I know it was a childish provocation… but I thought this much was necessary to make them come.’

There was no other choice, she thought. Amy’s face was still too soft to brazenly glare back with wide eyes.

Sensing Amy’s awkward position, Noah stepped in to smoothly wrap things up.

“I’d like to express how extremely pleased I am to meet you like this. I am Noah Noidelman, the Grand Duke and lord of this place.”

Oh, Amy’s mouth formed an O. Noah had used the modifier “extremely.” Well, such an expression was fitting for these guests. Amy unconsciously covered her mouth with her hand and thought deviously.

‘Thinking about the money they’ll bring…’

Imagining Noah sleeping on a bed full of gold coins and jumping from piles of gold to piles of jewels, Amy’s shoulders shook with barely contained laughter. Suddenly realizing the silence around her, she snapped back to attention.

“…”

Not only the Biscon clan but even Noah was looking at her with incredulous eyes. Quickly composing herself, Amy spoke in a businesslike manner.

“Your Highness, let’s not do this here. Please go to the hall.”

“…Alright.”

Noah’s expression as he answered clearly said, ‘Amy, it’s already all been exposed.’