The meal Winter prepared for Lillisian was truly modest.

Befitting a declining viscount family.

Grumbling inwardly, Lillisian ate everything without leaving a single morsel because she was so hungry.

Perhaps life would have been better as a privately owned slave.

At least then she could freely buy snacks with her own money.

After clearing the empty dishes, Winter set the tray on the floor, approached Lillisian, and placed her hand on her forehead.

It felt as if the usually calm Lillisian had disappeared somewhere, replaced by a strange woman sitting in her place.

“Your face is definitely Lady Lillisian’s, but perhaps you lost your memory when you collapsed? Amnesia?”

Though she knew it made no sense, her mistress was certainly acting strange today.

Lillisian smiled awkwardly and slumped back onto the sofa with cotton stuffing poking out.

“Lillisian Redwin. The only daughter of a declining viscount family. Father started businesses with no capital, and thanks to that, all that remains is this small house. How about that? Do I still not seem like Lillisian to you? Ah, it’s such a sad story I hate to even mention it, but I dropped out of the academy.”

Winter scratched her forehead with an embarrassed smile.

“You seem too different. Suddenly saying you want to cancel your courtship application and all.”

“I just came to my senses because my courtship application was approved today. Me, a Grand Duchess? And a ghost bride at that!”

“This is what you wanted, Miss. You need to steel your resolve.”

The implication was that it was already too late to turn back.

“Yes, I know. But that’s how people’s hearts are. Did you see that Black Wolf earlier?”

“Miss, they say night talk is heard by mice. What if someone hears you?”

Winter made a shushing gesture with her finger in surprise.

‘Black Wolf,’ the nickname of Grand Duke Ryan Hilton, was something that should never be spoken aloud.

“Who would hear us in this house besides mice?”

Winter was the only person attending to Lillisian.

Winter nodded, quickly agreeing with her words.

Lillisian glanced at Winter’s expression and slowly surveyed the inside of the residence.

Where might Lillisian’s room be?

If she asked about the room’s location, Winter would probably take her straight to the hospital.

Though she wasn’t sure if they could afford hospital fees.

“Miss, get a good night’s rest today. When the Viscount arrives tomorrow, peace will be over.”

Now that she had been selected as the Grand Duchess, the grand ducal family would provide a new residence and living expenses to the viscount family.

Winter couldn’t help but sigh at the thought of seeing the Viscount’s smiling face.

“Yes, Winter.”

After Winter disappeared into the kitchen with the tray, Lillisian rose from the sofa and opened every door she could find.

Each room looked the same as the next.

The room with at least an old bed in it seemed to be her room.

As soon as Lillisian entered the room, she threw herself onto the bed.

—Creak.

Lillisian quickly sat up on the bed in surprise.

Fortunately, the bed’s legs didn’t break.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lillisian tied her hair into a ponytail and began frantically rolling her eyes.

“Wait, let me think. I have to think.”

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she absently stroked her chin.

“Should I find Shurkan first?”

She shook her head.

At this point in the story, Shurkan of the Imperial Knight Order hadn’t appeared yet. He had met Lillisian at the academy but left to subjugate monsters in the borderlands on the Emperor’s orders.

Shurkan would appear around the time Lillisian was imprisoned by the Empress’s schemes.

Only then would he shed belated tears of regret and, after watching Lillisian disappear as dew on the guillotine, throw himself off a cliff.

It was an absurd flow with no plausibility whatsoever, but to the author, supporting characters were mere plot devices.

“Hmm, so I don’t even know where Shurkan is right now?”

She clapped her hands together and cleared the air.

“Come on, focus!”

As her self-talk increased, the wrinkles on Lillisian’s forehead grew deeper.

“So I have no choice but to become the Grand Duchess. How terrifying is Empress Marienne?!”

Lillisian shuddered.

It felt as if Empress Marienne from the novel’s cover was glaring at her.

Lillisian quickly rummaged through drawers for paper and pen, and began writing down her thoughts one by one.

Trying to think only in her head meant repeating the same thoughts over and over without reaching any conclusion.

[Things I Must Do After Becoming Grand Duchess]

[First, do not seek affection as the Grand Duke wishes]

In the original work, Lillisian eventually harbored feelings for the Grand Duke and sought his affection. That must have provoked Empress Marienne’s jealousy.

The current Lillisian was confident she wouldn’t even make eye contact with the Grand Duke.

[Second, do not take interest in the affairs of the grand ducal household]

If she could live freely without obligations despite being the Grand Duchess, what could be better?

Not having to participate in the grand ducal affairs and not having to use her brain wasn’t a punishment but a gift, wasn’t it?

Plus, they would provide an allowance for maintaining dignity.

Her previously dejected face quickly brightened.

Writing it down, she realized the conditions weren’t particularly bad.

If she could just avoid catching Empress Marienne’s eye, she might somehow manage to preserve her life.

Lillisian carefully folded the paper.

Crisis is opportunity.

A saying she always kept on her lips. She never expected to use it here.

Anyway, until she met her favorite Shurkan, there was absolutely no chance the Grand Duke would appear attractive to her.

“Miss. I’m coming in.”

Winter kicked the rattling door firmly and entered the room.

“You should go to sleep now. Tomorrow you need to go to the Drifin ducal residence early in the morning.”

“Drifin ducal residence?”

Duke Enoch Drifin? Lillisian’s eyes sparkled.

Enoch Drifin was the sub-male lead who had aroused maternal instincts in many female readers.

Someone had left a newborn baby in front of the ducal residence, and the Duke, who had lost his wife early, adopted the child as if by fate on his way back from the funeral.

A sub-male lead with an incredible backstory.

But why? In the novel, Lillisian and Enoch never met.

“By the way, what about the child’s mother?”

Winter tilted her head, pondering the meaning of Lillisian’s words.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Ah, nothing. Just talking to myself.”

Lillisian closed her mouth tightly while smoothing her chest.

The identity of Enoch Drifin’s adopted daughter Jamie Drifin’s birth mother was shrouded in mystery in the novel.

She had almost revealed the novel’s ending.

“Then, Miss. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Winter formally straightened the bedding before closing the door and leaving.

Perhaps because the tension had eased, drowsiness washed over her.

Let’s sleep first and think about the ducal residence or whatever later.

※※※

Indeed, thoughts should be organized in advance.

Because Winter woke her up early in the morning, Lillisian had to wash hastily in a half-asleep state and board the carriage.

After hearing from Winter what she had to do, her face turned pale and hadn’t regained its color.

Lillisian’s assigned task for today was none other than being ‘Lady Jamie Drifin’s home tutor.’

Why would a wealthy ducal family entrust their precious ducal lady to a viscount’s daughter?

Without explaining the reason, Winter waved goodbye with both hands to Lillisian, who had stuck her face out the carriage window.

After traveling for a long time on bumpy roads, the carriage stopped in front of the ducal residence.

A gray-haired woman was already outside, watching the carriage come to a stop.

It was Maple, the head maid of the Drifin ducal family.

As soon as Lillisian got out of the carriage, Maple grabbed her hand and pulled her to a corner.

Usually in such cases, unpleasant words would follow.

Lillisian looked at the head maid with a pouty face.

You may not know, but Lillisian already knew the head maid’s identity thanks to the original work.

Head maid Maple was none other than the real grandmother of Lady Jamie Drifin and also the mother of Countess Sabeline Pristin.

She was also the one who had abandoned Sabeline’s child at the ducal residence.

After cautiously surveying the surroundings, Maple whispered in Lillisian’s ear.

“Lady Jamie is in a very bad mood today. Just pretend to knit a few times and let her do as she pleases.”

K-knitting?

The purpose of Lillisian’s visit today was knitting.

Knitting scarves and hats—Lillisian had been knitting day and night for her livelihood, and as word spread about her knitting expertise, she visited the ducal residence once a week as a home tutor.

Of all the possible skills, why did it have to be knitting?

Lillisian looked down at her hands—blessed by God to be called a knitting master—with empty eyes.

She had never knitted once in her life.

She wondered if her body might remember, her expression on the verge of tears.

The only fortunate thing was that today she only needed to pretend to knit.

After letting out a small sigh of relief, she took heavy steps into the ducal residence.

“Wow……”

Yes, this is what a ducal residence should be. A splendid mansion made of marble from the first-floor lobby unfolded before her eyes.

Perhaps due to operating several businesses, Duke Drifin had amassed enormous wealth.

She couldn’t close her gaping mouth for quite some time.

“Lady Jamie’s room is on the second floor.”

Butler Shimes, who had appeared behind Lillisian at some point, quietly informed her.

This was because Lillisian was thoroughly examining the first floor with round eyes as if entranced.