And when the engagement between the Chester and Blanche families happened to come up, she’d put forward Chartia instead of Rosenia, whom the Emperor had designated. Hoping that perhaps she might react even a little, like that time.

That reckless gamble succeeded.

She didn’t know if the Chester child had truly been the catalyst, but as a result, Chartia’s illness was cured. So Olivia had no intention of reversing her decision, even if it went against the Emperor’s will.

“Did His Majesty say nothing about your decision?”

“He was worried things might go wrong, but I persuaded him well. What matters isn’t the partner but the engagement itself.”

“Then what remains is…”

“Only Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

Olivia and Roderick fell silent, thinking of one formidable woman. Though Chartia was a precious existence they wouldn’t trade for anything, to others—especially the Grand Duchess—she likely wasn’t.

Unlike Rosenia, who received only praise, Chartia had ruined her debutante ball due to her illness, and her notoriety had only grown since then.

“…Will Tia be hurt?”

Roderick, imagining the worst case, murmured worriedly.

Perhaps she would be. But Olivia didn’t regret her decision.

“Tia smiled at me. She said… she was grateful.”

In truth, there had been countless moments too difficult to endure. However.

[Thank you, Mo…ther.]

When her child smiled like that, Olivia could shake off all her accumulated suffering.

If she could see that smile, even if she returned to the past, she would repeat the same thing.

Olivia’s clenched fist trembled. Roderick, who’d been quietly watching his wife’s agitation, gently wrapped his hand around hers.

“Yes.”

Like Olivia’s resolve, Roderick felt the same. For their child, they could endure anything.

So for now, they decided to think only of the happiness this miracle had brought.

* * *

The day of her date with Julian, when even summer’s muggy wind made her heart flutter like a spring day’s breeze.

Chartia kept silent between two maids in heated debate, struggling to suppress her excitement.

“This hair ornament will suit you better.”

“But it’s too heavy. You’ll definitely be uncomfortable.”

Her personal maids Marie and Jane were seriously selecting accessories. Jane firmly shook her head, displeased with Marie’s choice.

After fierce discussion, the two finally agreed to pin an ornament with sapphires arranged in a flower shape in her hair.

“How is it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty. Thanks.”

Chartia, looking at herself in the mirror, smiled with satisfaction. Both their shoulders flinched simultaneously. Still unaccustomed to her showing emotions, they’d react with surprise whenever she smiled brightly or initiated conversation.

But they seemed to welcome the change.

When she requested one thing, they’d fret about not bringing ten.

If there was one drawback, they worried as much as her mother.

“Um, won’t this be too hot after all?”

Jane, making final adjustments to the dress, cautiously expressed concern.

It was definitely thick material for summer wear. But today was her first date with Julian! Beauty took priority over comfort.

“This much is fine!”

She’d declared that so boldly in front of the worried maids.

But the moment Chartia stepped outside, she regretted her choice.

‘Hot! No, scorching!’

They called the Empire’s summer the season of the sun. It wasn’t a metaphor—it was literal.

Even with Julian kindly coming to pick her up, the heat made it hard to feel happy.

“I’ll escort you to the carriage.”

Meanwhile, he looked so radiant in his neat attire that it was regrettable.

“Please do.”

Chartia answered weakly, gripping her innocent dress hem. The dress, with poor breathability and cumbersome to boot, was raising her discomfort index endlessly.

‘Beauty or not, I should’ve worn something lighter.’

Just when Chartia was having belated regrets about the sweat trickling down her spine.

Suddenly, shade fell over her body. Julian had subtly shifted his position to stand in the direction the sun was casting.

The piercing sunlight was blocked in an instant. In the shadow as large as his frame, she looked up in a daze.

“The sun is stronger than expected.”

When their eyes met, the corners of his eyes curved gently. Chartia swallowed an internal scream and quickly lowered her eyes.

‘Good heavens.’

If kindness and affection were crimes, this man deserved capital punishment.

Chartia covered her flushed cheeks with both hands. Now she was heating up for a different reason than the weather.

The fact that he casually closed the distance when he’d kept it like someone whose life depended on etiquette made the heat worse.

Julian, thinking Chartia’s reddened face was purely due to the weather, looked down at her with a concerned expression.

“I heard you don’t enjoy going out. Please tell me if it’s difficult.”

However, he seemed quite hot too, faintly furrowing his brow. For Julian, who’d been born and raised in the cold, barren North, the capital’s summer wouldn’t be familiar. Especially in that state with his shirt buttoned to the collar.

Such neatness despite the weather. Inwardly admiring, she nodded.

“I will.”

Chartia, answering with a smile, boarded the carriage with him.

She’d already conveyed the destination to the coachman. When she lightly knocked on the carriage wall, it soon began rattling toward their destination.

Inside the carriage was quiet except for occasional noise from wheels colliding with the stone pavement. Julian, who wasn’t talkative to begin with, would habitually smile slightly whenever their eyes met, even while gazing out the window.

Chartia didn’t bother making conversation with him either. Just facing him in the same space wasn’t boring. Besides, the act of going out itself was enjoyable enough.

Watching the street scenery glimpsed through the curtain gap, she lost track of time.

The carriage slowly passed through the crowded downtown and soon entered a quiet area. 

Though the scenery was gradually becoming dark and desolate, he seemed to have no questions whatsoever.

It clearly wasn’t an area nobles would frequent, yet how could he be so calm without knowing where they were going?

Finally, Chartia was the one who broke the silence first.

“Aren’t you going to ask where we’re going?”

Only then did he let out a short “Ah” and answered sheepishly.

“I thought anywhere would be fine.”

Whether he completely trusted her or was fearless due to his strength, it was truly an innocent answer.

“What if I took you to a secluded place with bad people?”

When she asked mischievously, his bright blue eyes fixed on her. After pondering briefly, he soon curved his lips smoothly.

“Then I’d have to work hard to protect you, my lady.”

His conclusion left Chartia speechless. Judging by his straightforward attitude, he meant nothing by it, yet she kept wavering.

Chartia cleared her throat unnecessarily and replied, feigning composure.

“It’s a safe place.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I’m sure you’ll like it.”

She affirmed with a confident attitude.

However, at the destination they finally reached, there was only one shabby building. The walls even had numerous dents from weathering head-on, and the barely hanging wooden sign looked precarious, ready to fly away with one strong gust.

“Here we are!”

Chartia led him inside the shop, undeterred by the shocking exterior.

Creeak.

When the door opened, the hinges made a dying sound. The moment she stepped in, the smell of old paper hit her.

“This is…”

“As you can see, a bookshop.”

This place, ‘Forest of Print,’ which she’d had Sir Aaron find, was a bookstore. Since books were precious items, most were sold in shops with excellent security and luxury.

However, ‘Forest of Print’ was a used bookstore where you could find novels about customs written by unknown authors, books from other continents, and sometimes even old tomes.

One flaw was that most were in poorly maintained condition. Still, it would be a welcome place for him.

‘Because Julian loves books!’

Though skilled enough to earn the title of Sword Master before coming of age, he preferred harmless reading over swordsmanship that inevitably harmed others. 

His hobby of collecting old books in particular was premium information known only to the Chester family’s butler who’d served Julian since infancy.

Due to this secret hobby, in the original story, he coincidentally encounters Rosenia here.

Quite fatefully, too.

On the same day at the same time, both happened to discover this bookstore, and the book Rosenia was looking for happened to be in a high place, and quite by chance Rosenia misstepped on the ladder while taking out the book, and with even more amazing timing, Julian, who happened to be passing by, caught her.