Lorraine seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking.

“The subjects the young lady wishes to learn are all those typically studied by noble sons. Even if she learns them, they may prove to be useless.”

Lorraine continued with a serious expression.

“Of course, as someone who studied a variety of disciplines at the academy, I am capable of teaching the young lady. It’s not as if we’re delving into higher education. However, I wonder if it’s acceptable for a noble lady to be rumored to be learning such subjects, madam.”

“Ah…”

Elicity felt a slight dizziness. Though she had been unaware of Bella’s interests before her regression, she hadn’t realized just how little she had known.

‘Come to think of it, my daughter always listened to me well.’

She followed instructions, studied the subjects she was told to, and ascended to the position of queen as expected.

And then, she died.

Suppressing the suffocating feeling, Elicity gently pushed Lorraine’s hand off the notebook.

Then, opening the notebook, she read through the educational curriculum Lorraine had planned.

The first thing that caught her eye was, of course, the subjects Bella had requested.

<Mathematics, Military Studies, Diplomacy>

There was one additional subject in the humanities, but these three were certainly unusual for a noble lady to study.

In fact, it was even questionable whether a ten-year-old child would find such subjects suitable for her age.

At best, one might argue that mathematics could be useful in daily life, but military studies and diplomacy were subjects chosen by noble sons who aimed to enter politics.

After a long silence, Elicity lifted her head and met Lorraine’s gaze.

“What do you think, Miss Lorraine?”

“About what?”

“You said these subjects would be useless for a noble lady. Do you then believe they should not be learned?”

“That is…”

Lorraine shook her head inwardly. The reason noble sons studied these subjects was precisely because they were useful.

However, historically, in Madonia, noble daughters had never been allowed to pursue careers or enter politics.

Lorraine stared at Elicity intently for a while before speaking her true thoughts.

“No, they are necessary.”

“And why is that?”

“The education noble daughters receive is, at most, etiquette, embroidery, flower arranging, and musical performance. It’s as if they are being crafted into nothing more than beautiful pieces of art.”

Lorraine continued without hesitation.

“But when the time comes for noble ladies to seize opportunities, I wonder if such an education will truly be of any help. On the other hand, the subjects the young lady wishes to study will undoubtedly be beneficial.”

At last, a smile appeared on Elicity’s face.

“That was the answer I was hoping for, Miss Lorraine. I, too, do not believe these studies are worthless for women.”

Elicity quietly closed the notebook. She shifted her gaze from Lorraine and looked into the distance.

“I never imagined my child would be interested in such subjects. But I do not wish to prevent her from learning them. The future is uncertain, after all.”

In fact, just before her regression, gender discrimination in Salita had begun to fade, and women had started inheriting noble titles. The king and queen of Salita even ruled together in a joint monarchy.

Isabella, too, became the queen of Salita and ruled alongside the king. The people of Salita praised Bella as an excellent queen.

‘But my daughter was scorned by the King of Salita…’

Because she was too intelligent.

The King of Salita favored submissive concubines and mistresses, and he always resented Bella, who was more capable than himself.

Whenever Bella offered advice, he accused her of overstepping her bounds. When she gave counsel, he mocked her for not behaving like a proper wife.

‘I told her to endure such a marriage… What a foolish mother I was…’

Never again. Never again would she allow her daughter to suffer such a miserable marriage.

Reaffirming her resolve, Elicity handed the notebook back to Lorraine.

“Let my child pursue what she desires. I will no longer concern myself with others’ opinions.”

After discussing Bella’s education a bit more with Lorraine and seeing her out of the study, Elicity summoned Retia.

“Retia, I have an errand for you. Go into town and purchase a few dresses that are currently in fashion.”

Retia’s eyes widened in surprise, and Elicity cleared her throat awkwardly.

“The truth is, there’s a tea party in a few days, but I don’t have the time to visit a boutique myself.”

“Then why not summon a madame to have dresses custom-made? My sense of fashion is entirely unsuited for high society.”

“High society isn’t all that different.”

Elicity replied indifferently, then lowered her gaze as if slightly embarrassed.

“And… lately, my fashion sense has been lacking. I don’t really know what young women wear these days. So, I leave it to you.”

For a moment, Retia found herself silently agreeing.

Lately, Elicity had been wearing oddly dull colors, dresses that seemed fit for middle-aged noblewomen, or gowns so conservative they left no room for exposure.

Of course, even though Elicity was in her twenties, there were no laws against her wearing dresses suited for older noblewomen.

However, in high society, such choices would certainly invite gossip.

To remain at least moderately fashionable in noble circles, one had to dress according to their age.

Moreover, the Duchess was exceptionally beautiful. Retia, who had always thought it was a waste for her to hide such beauty beneath dull dresses, quickly nodded.

“Yes, I understand.”

***

As the evening glow faded, Retia returned to the mansion with a happy expression.

“I’m back, madam.”

Behind her stood attendants carrying three large boxes.

“Inside these boxes are the three dresses I carefully selected. I made sure they were packed meticulously so that not a single wrinkle would form.”

“Well then, let’s take a look.”

And just as quickly, Elicity regretted her decision.

“My lady! You look absolutely stunning.”

“Truly! Oh my… Buying these dresses was completely worth it.”

“As expected, madam suits ornate dresses with patterns and lace far better than plain outfits.”

Though the maids and Retia showered her with praise, Elicity felt exhausted.

“Retia, how am I supposed to educate a child or manage the duties of a duchess in such an elaborate dress?”

She lifted her sleeve slightly. Black pearls embedded in the lace shimmered as they swayed—an unbearable distraction.

“But lace-heavy designs are the trend these days.”

“Why not try this one on?”

This time, it was a dress with a bodice that clung tightly to the body, emphasizing the chest, embroidered with a vivid red rose pattern in gold thread.

Horrified, Elicity frantically shook her hands before even trying it on.

“My goodness. This is in fashion? It’s utterly indecent.”

However, Retia did not back down and continued to persuade her.

“Madam, just try it on.”

“It is particularly popular among noblewomen. Why are you so strict with yourself?”

Even Olivia, who usually remained silent, spoke up for once.

“My lady, lately, you have only been wearing such somber outfits. Dressing in brighter colors naturally brings brightness to one’s daily life.”

“Olivia. I am the Duchess. I must maintain dignity. These kinds of dresses…”

“Dark-colored dresses are actually trending in high society these days, madam. Red, in particular, is considered bold and confident—many esteemed ladies are wearing it.”

Olivia was so passionately persuasive that Elicity found herself at a loss for words. Feeling slightly flustered, she turned her head abruptly toward the final dress.

“…Let’s just look at the last one.”

Fortunately, the last dress suited her taste perfectly.

A delicate shade of green fabric was layered with fine lace, giving it an airy appearance. The only embellishment was a single large obsidian stone placed at the chest, and the sleeves were secured at the wrists, ensuring they wouldn’t get in the way.

The only concern was the fully exposed shoulders.

Elicity had always worn dresses that buttoned up to her neck—beyond dignified, entirely devoid of exposure.

As she hesitated, Olivia, who had already grasped her concerns, quickly added,

“If the host of the tea party does not set the trend, she may become the subject of gossip.”

She had a point.

And considering her pre-regression self, an older duchess might have been able to get away with her usual attire, but given Elicity’s current age, the dresses Retia had chosen were far more appropriate.

In the end, Elicity reluctantly nodded.

“Alright, then. Have them placed in my wardrobe.”

***

At that moment, Alex was completely overwhelmed, sorting through the flood of letters arriving from all over the territory.

Even though the former Duke of Zeroden had left a solid foundation, the current duke’s youth and background as a fallen noble seemed to make some officials uneasy. Some of them, as if testing his patience, stirred up trouble at least once every season.

Among the letters scattered across the table, a few required immediate attention—some dealt with natural disasters, while others concerned the corruption of gluttonous officials.

However, the biggest problem of all was that despite having only recently returned from the royal palace, another summons had already arrived.

Alex glared at the royal messenger before him as if he were ready to kill.

Lowen, concerned for his superior who was staring at the king’s envoy as if he wanted to slice him in two, felt like he was going to die of worry. However, he knew that if he spoke up now, he would surely become the target of Alex’s wrath, so he kept his mouth shut.

“So, why on earth is His Majesty summoning me again? Is it because the Salitan envoy wants to see me? If so, tell them I’m too busy.”

The messenger felt as if both the duke’s words and gaze were piercing through his very soul like a blade. His legs trembled, but he somehow managed to stand upright and move his lips.

“N-no, that’s not it. His Majesty wishes to discuss military supplies.”

“Military supplies?”

“Yes. The details are in this letter…”

Alex snatched the letter from the trembling messenger’s hands. His crimson eyes scanned the golden parchment swiftly, his expression twisting with displeasure.