The next morning, as Clive left the Grand Duke’s residence early, he made a request to Madam Hannon.

“I’m sure you’ll handle it well, but please pay special attention.”

Though he didn’t specify who, the subject was obvious.

“Yes, Your Grace. I keep it in mind, so please don’t worry. About what you asked me to prepare yesterday, is that still needed?”

She was referring to the perfume. Clive slightly furrowed his brow and opened his lips to say something, but quickly closed them and nodded. 

After watching Clive’s carriage depart, Madam Hannon headed to the guest palace where Eirene was staying. Not long ago, when Clive was writing the invitation for Eirene, he had called for Madam Hannon.

“My fiancée knows very little about the ways of the world. No, that’s not right. She knows nothing. She’s completely ignorant. So please be understanding if she makes mistakes.”

“Of course. But hasn’t the Phineas family been known for their thorough education of their children?”

“That’s ancient history now.”

“Still, she must have received basic instruction.”

Madam Hannon had seen nobles raised so preciously that they lacked manners, but someone lacking general knowledge was a first for her.

“That’s precisely the problem. If Miss Phineas doesn’t know something, teach her, and make sure to inform the dedicated maids in advance so she won’t be embarrassed if she makes a mistake. And remind them to be discreet.”

The conversation had ended there, and with no further information, Madam Hannon felt somewhat tense when greeting Eirene. However, the Phineas lady proved perfectly suitable to be the Grand Duke’s fiancée. 

Her appearance, demeanor, and conduct were all impeccable. Then again, their meeting had been brief, so hasty judgment was unwise. Clive Bainfelt wasn’t one to speak nonsense, and his renewed request today suggested there might be something to his concerns. 

But what if she truly lacked education? That could be remedied with new instruction. Still, something about the young lady Madam Hannon had seen yesterday tugged at her heart.

When Matilda knocked on Eirene’s bedroom door, a response came from inside. Entering, Matilda greeted Eirene, who was already up and standing by the window.

“Miss, did you sleep well?”

“Yes. I slept well, thanks to you.”

Matilda wondered why the bedroom was so bright, then noticed all the curtains were drawn back and the window where Eirene stood was open.

Though concerned about the cold winter morning air, the young lady, wearing only a shawl over her nightgown, didn’t seem to mind the chill.

“Did you open all the curtains yourself, Miss?”

“It felt stuffy. Oh, have I taken your job? I’m sorry. I didn’t think of that.”

“No! Not at all!”

Matilda shook both her hands and head vigorously. Not opening the curtains in the morning wasn’t a problem. Of course, it would be an issue if it continued, but this was just once. 

She was simply surprised because, having served young ladies from various noble families before, she had never encountered this. 

It was rare for them to be awake before being woken, and even when curtains were opened, usually only one window was uncovered.

“The curtains are quite heavy in winter. I was worried it might have been difficult for you.”

“They did look heavy. But moving around helped clear my mind. Seeing the sun improved my mood too.”

Matilda couldn’t quite understand how seeing the ordinary sun, which rose every morning and stayed in the sky until evening, could improve someone’s mood. 

When she tried to close the window, Eirene stopped her.

“Leave it. The fresh air makes my head feel clearer.”

“Aren’t you cold?”

“Not at all.”

Though the white breath coming from her mouth made her look colder than before, Matilda couldn’t close the window against the young lady’s wishes.

“Then I’ll prepare your washing water.”

As Matilda closed the bedroom door, she encountered Madam Hannon.

“The young lady was already up and had opened all the curtains. I’m going to prepare her washing water now.”

“She opened the curtains herself?”

“Yes!”

Madam Hannon asked to confirm this unexpected situation. It wasn’t something a noble young lady should do. Clearly, Clive’s request hadn’t been without reason.

“Did she sleep comfortably last night?”

“Yes. When I greeted her this morning, she said she slept well.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“No. But Madam, does seeing the sun make you happy too?”

“Well, I’ve never thought about it. Why?”

“The young lady said so. She must really like the sun.”

Matilda remarked that the young lady was unusual and went off to her duties. Madam Hannon paused with her hand raised to knock on the bedroom door. She debated whether to speak to Eirene. 

With the marriage still ahead, she hesitated to nag about small matters. Clive had asked her to teach what Eirene didn’t know, and Madam Hannon had intended to do so, but now that the moment had arrived, she wavered. 

Still, she concluded it would be better coming from her than someone else. When she knocked, a clear voice answered from inside. Eirene, who was sitting in a chair by the window, turned her head with a faint smile.

“I hope your first night at Dervel Palace was comfortable.”

“Yes. I slept very comfortably. It was the first time I felt…”

Eirene broke off mid-sentence, turned her head toward the window, and changed the subject.

“It’s thanks to your thoughtful preparations.”

“I’m glad you were comfortable. Miss, we should close the window now. The morning air is cold.”

“You’re saying the same thing Matilda did. I like it, but I shouldn’t cause worry.”

Before Eirene could rise to close the window, Madam Hannon approached and closed it first. Acting naturally, she slowly shut the window while bringing up the curtains.

“Miss, you can ask Matilda to open and close the window curtains for you.”

“So I did do something wrong.”

“Not wrong. It’s simply something a young lady shouldn’t do herself.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Eirene accepted the correction gracefully. Smiling to herself at her needless concern, Madam Hannon carefully studied the young lady’s face as she turned back toward the window. Serene. That was the most fitting description. 

Though the shadows on her face were somewhat concerning, it might have been Madam Hannon’s imagination. The more she looked, the more different Eirene seemed from the young lady Clive had described. 

Sensing Madam Hannon’s gaze, Eirene turned her face.

“Is there something else you wanted to say?”

“No. I was just admiring how beautiful you look sitting there.”

It wasn’t a lie. Eirene possessed an indescribable beauty. She looked somewhat like the Snow Princess trapped in a tower from children’s fairy tales.

“That’s nice to hear.”

“I’m not saying it merely to please you.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Anyone listening might think her arrogant, accepting the compliment about her beauty matter-of-factly, but the young lady seemed to believe Madam Hannon’s praise wasn’t sincere. 

Realizing further explanation would sound defensive, Madam Hannon changed the subject.

“Miss, please move to the fireplace to warm yourself. Your nose is red.”

With her pale skin, the redness stood out prominently. When she lightly touched the tip of her nose, her hand movements were stiff, suggesting it too was frozen.

“Quickly now.”

Madam Hannon took Eirene by both arms and helped her up. How long had she been sitting in the cold draft? Her skin felt like ice through the nightgown.

“You must return home in good health. If you fall ill, His Grace will be blamed.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Eirene pulled her chair closer to the fireplace and sat down. Madam Hannon threw in a few logs. The well-dried wood crackled as the flames spread. 

Her red nose quickly returned to its normal color, but her skin, whiter than snow, remained without a healthy flush. For some reason, this troubled Madam Hannon, who stayed by Eirene’s side for quite some time.

“It’s nice that His Grace returns earlier because of the guest at the residence.”

Madam Hannon remarked as she delivered the perfume Clive had requested.

“I’ve come home early plenty of times without guests.”

He opened the perfume stopper and gently swirled the bottle below his chest. Seemingly pleased with the scent, he sprayed some on one wrist and rubbed it against the other. 

After smelling his wrist, Clive stood beside Madam Hannon and asked:

“How is it? Can you smell the perfume?”

“Yes, subtly.”

“What about the cigar smell?”

Wondering why he suddenly asked about cigar smell, Madam Hannon quickly realized the reason.

“It’s slightly mixed in, but the perfume covers it well enough.”

“So you can still smell it?”

She guessed that his sensitivity about smell since yesterday was because of Eirene.

“Did the young lady say she dislikes the smell of cigars?”

Clive, who had been continuously sniffing his wrist, paused and nodded slightly.

“That’s fortunate. Perhaps you should quit altogether.”

“That’s out of the question.”

Apparently, Eirene’s presence wasn’t significant enough for Clive to make such a change. However, Madam Hannon could foresee that with time, the situation might reverse.

“What did Eirene do today?”

“She spent all day looking outside.”

“All day looking outside?”

“She occasionally opened and closed the window. Actually, she wanted to go outside, but I discouraged it because the weather was too cold.”

The guest palace, located behind the western side of the main palace, didn’t offer much to see. In spring, there would have been neatly arranged lawns and colorful flowers, but winter was bleak. 

Even the forest, which maintained some greenery, consisted solely of trees and wasn’t much of a spectacle. 

Yet Eirene gazed at this ordinary, almost tedious scenery with curious eyes, treating it like a welcome sight or something she was seeing for the first time. Each time she opened the window, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, seemingly longing for fresh air.

“By the way, Your Grace, might the young lady have poor eyesight?”

Eirene shaded her eyes with her hand even when the sunlight wasn’t strong. During the brightest part of the day, she stayed far from the window. 

Finding this strange, Madam Hannon recalled that all the hats prepared for Eirene had veils. She had been wearing a veiled hat when she arrived too.

“I forgot to mention that to you. She’s sensitive to sunlight, so please take special care. Were there any mistakes?”

“There were minor ones, but she was mostly quiet, so nothing happened. You needn’t worry. She’s an excellent lady.”

Upon reflection, the morning incident wasn’t even a mistake. She wanted to open the curtains because it felt stuffy, and perhaps she didn’t want to bother the maid at such an early hour. 

It was a mistake born of consideration. How one treats those beneath them reveals their character. Eirene wasn’t demanding with Madam Hannon, Matilda, or any of the guest palace staff. 

While not overtly friendly, she wasn’t unfriendly either. She didn’t hesitate to express gratitude or apologize, which made her sufficiently admirable in Madam Hannon’s eyes.

“I didn’t expect you to call her excellent. I’ll trust your judgment. Now, shall I go meet my fiancée?”

“She’s waiting in the reception room. When I informed her of your return, she came to the main palace.”

“Eirene came to meet me?”

Clive asked with a surprised expression. His slightly widened eyes quickly returned to their normal size, but his mouth revealed his pleasure. 

Madam Hannon hoped the young lady would open her heart to him soon. And she wanted to see it happen: the transformation of a man from a snake-emblemed family into an obedient wolf. No, not a wolf, but a dog. 

Whatever the case, what did it matter? One of the two would surely be possible.

Seeing Clive enter, Eirene rose from the sofa and greeted him.

“Welcome back, Your Grace.”

He slowly shook his head from side to side. Oh dear. She had forgotten their agreement to use his name. Apparently annoyed by the “Your Grace,” Clive didn’t return her greeting and sat on the sofa.

“I’m not used to it yet, so ‘Your Grace’ came out first.”

“If you’re not used to it, you should keep it in mind.”

“I understand, Clive. I won’t forget.”

Clive leaned languidly against the backrest, his long legs stretching out and appearing even longer. He possessed a superior physique. 

She had always known his face was handsome, but his body revealed new aspects depending on the situation. 

His large build sometimes made him look like a bear, then his sleek movements resembled a lion. And now, with his narrowed eyes staring intently, he was unmistakably a snake.

“Eirene, there’s something I don’t understand.”

“Please tell me.”

“Did you really live only in the basement?”