Magnus was silent for a moment.

Because if that was the case, it was a different story.

It was said that one should not disturb the dead.

For Magnus, who had lived on the battlefield, respect for the deceased was of utmost importance.

“…I thought that, but there’s no need to forcibly change to a light hair color. I think the color one likes best is the best choice.”

So Magnus hastily added.

“……?”

The maid’s eyes widened again.

“So where is she?”

“…Ah, on the terrace.”

“I see.”

Magnus also hastily retreated.

The maid’s head tilted slightly as his behavior looked exactly like Serena’s from earlier.

Since Magnus wasn’t as intimidating in atmosphere or expression as Serena, she could think a bit more calmly.

At least she knew that what Magnus had just said wasn’t meant to scold her.

So, it was closer to comfort.

‘…Ah, could it be?’

The maid’s eyes widened.

Then, was the last thing the duchess added, which seemed like teasing, also comfort?

She looked towards the terrace once and then left the banquet hall to fix her attire.

‘…It’s really difficult.’

The maid who still couldn’t understand shook her head.

* * *

Magnus, who had come to the terrace looking for Serena, quietly observed her as she leaned on the railing, holding a glass of water and looking up at the sky.

‘What is she thinking?’

She looked so normal when she was just standing still like that.

Sensing the deep contemplation beneath that seemingly blank expression, Magnus inwardly swallowed a sigh.

‘She must be regretting it.’

She must have realized that her words were too harsh.

Serena had been acting a little strange recently.

‘Come to think of it, she used to say extreme things like going to a convent in the past.’

He was a bit worried that she might be regretting too much even now.

Magnus, who had been wondering if she was considering going to apologize in tears like last time, shook his head.

‘The party food looked delicious, I wonder if I can eat it?’

Serena was thinking that at that exact moment.

‘It looks like cream bread, ah, I want to eat cream bread.’

Looking at the brightly risen large moon, she also thought of cream-filled bread.

“Ahem.”

Magnus cleared his throat to make his presence known to her, who showed no sign of turning around and only gazed at the sky with melancholic eyes.

“……”

She didn’t seem to hear.

“AHEM!”

Magnus raised his voice a bit more.

“……”

Still no response.

At this point, it becomes somewhat embarrassing. He clenched his fist unconsciously in confusion.

“Serena!”

“Ah.”

Serena blinked at Magnus’s call.

“You’re late? Did you finish your work?”

“Mm, yes. Did anything happen to you?”

“No.”

“…Nothing happened?”

“Why?”

He wanted to ask what she meant by nothing happened.

Magnus’s brow furrowed slightly as he opened and closed his mouth.

“I’m asking because I heard it was noisy outside just now.”

“Ah, so you heard. So what?”

Serena, who had her back turned, turned around and leaned on the railing as she asked.

“Are you alright?”

“Me? I’m fine. It’s just that the maid cried.”

Serena shrugged her shoulders.

Magnus thought that she was either really unbothered or doing an excellent job of pretending to be unbothered.

He had heard people badmouthing her all the way here. There’s no way she couldn’t have heard.

“You… said the right thing.”

“Huh?”

“I mean it was sound advice.”

Serena looked a bit surprised.

She didn’t expect anyone to realize that it was advice.

‘He shows qualities of an excellent teaching assistant.’

Serena thought as she stared at Magnus.

That strong mentality to consider that as advice! It was truly admirable.

“The Crown Prince and Crown Princess will be here soon.”

“We should go in then.”

“…Are you going to apologize?”

Serena’s eyes widened at Magnus’s question.

‘Is she going to kneel and apologize again like that?’

‘This man really loves his lord tremendously.’

The two had different thoughts.

Serena nodded.

“I should.”

For a bright and hopeful tomorrow.

“Definitely.”

For a life of easy living.

“…I see.”

Magnus held back from asking if she really had to do it.

He had been considering directly explaining the situation to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess and apologizing on her behalf with some appropriate deal, if that was okay.

‘If I had said something like this, she would have been displeased.’

Magnus turned away bitterly, not even thinking that Serena would have welcomed it with open arms.

If Serena had known, she would have wept on the floor.

* * *

“It’s been a while, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

When the party was in full swing, Serena approached the couple, who had stepped away from the crowd, after taking a drink for courage.

The Crown Princess flinched, and the Crown Prince hid her behind him, glaring fiercely.

“……”

And Magnus, who had been waiting and dealing with others who approached, thinking they would go greet them together, was simply at a loss for words.

‘Does she not want to go together?’

Magnus felt his mood plummet significantly.

Murmurs could be heard from all around. All of them were either cursing her or talking about her eccentric behavior.

Magnus knew too.

That Serena wasn’t a kind woman. That she wasn’t someone who was gentle or cared about others’ feelings.

He knew that she had caused quite a lot of trouble and that many people here had been wronged by her.

Yes. He knew it in his head, but seeing her being openly cursed like this again made his mood sink.

‘…Nothing happened, she said?’

Is this what the surroundings of someone who had no problems look like?

He felt a bit suffocated by the gazes felt from all around and the stifling hostility.

‘How can this not bother her at all?’

Shouldn’t she show some reaction, whether it’s getting upset or getting angry as usual, or doing something?

‘…Why is she so nonchalant?’

The old Serena at least got angry in situations like this.

Usually, when she felt these kinds of gazes, she would get angry and ruin the mood, which is why Magnus thought, ‘It should be fine for about 30 minutes.’

She used to be quiet as long as no one bothered her.

But, what is high society?

It’s a place full of people who don’t feel satisfied unless they’re biting and tearing at someone.

No matter how scared they are, eventually, as time passes, they can’t help but start talking one by one.

“…What’s the occasion that you came to greet us? What’s the matter?”

“I was hoping you could spare some time after the party ends. I have something to tell you.”

“Denied.”

The Crown Prince’s face contorted.

He glared at Serena with a murderous expression.

He hadn’t forgotten the fact that his lover and now wife had almost died because of Serena.

And how she had thoroughly mocked that mercy right in front of him.

“I wanted to talk about what you mentioned before.”

Serena spoke towards the woman who was hidden behind the hostile Crown Prince, with only half her face peeking out.

“Are you ignoring my words…!”

Serena was excellent at ignoring people right to their faces.

“Please, Your Highness the Crown Princess.”

And she was also excellent at recognizing who she needed to impress.

That’s right.

Serena knew very well that Rosia Lucky, the Crown Princess, had the Crown Prince wrapped around her finger.

So she wasn’t very scared.

Because if she tells her not to do something, she wouldn’t be able to do anything in the end.

“If it’s about what you mentioned before, could it be……”

The eyes of the Crown Princess, Rosia, widened.

It was an unexpected type of conversation request.

“Alright.”

“Rosia!”

“But, Your Highness. She came to us directly. I made a promise, and if she’s decided to keep it, I have an obligation to listen.”

As expected of a saintess.

She subdued the Crown Prince with a single word.

And with a heart as vast as the ocean, she doesn’t match well with Serena.

“Yes, then I’ll see you later.”

“I’ll wait in the reception room. I’ll send someone.”

“Alright.”

Serena returned to her original spot without lingering and looked at the table.

She still wanted to eat.

But glancing around, it seemed no one was eating, as if it was just for decoration.

‘I am a duchess, I am a duchess, I am a duchess.’

If she wasn’t a duchess, she would have just eaten regardless of appearances or anything else.

Feeling a gaze, she turned her head to see Magnus.

‘I’m doing well, right?’

Feeling somewhat proud, I nodded slightly with a smile as if seeking agreement.

Then Magnus turned his head away abruptly.

‘That jerk.’

Contrary to my expectation that he would quickly go somewhere else, he approached Serena.

“How could you go greet them alone?”

“I didn’t go alone to greet them…?”

“Then what was that just now?”

“To make an appointment.”

Magnus looked at me with an expression that seemed to say, ‘What nonsense is this again?’

“No, I made an appointment. Why would I take you to make an appointment?”

“…It would be better to have at least me by your side than being alone.”

“Why is it better to have you by my side?”

“……”

Magnus tightly closed his mouth.

“Don’t you feel uncomfortable here?”

“I do feel uncomfortable…, but it’s what a duchess should do.”

Well, it was in the contract.

I didn’t say that part out loud out of consideration for those around us, but Magnus seemed to have guessed the words I had omitted.

“You’re really… unbelievable.”

“…Suddenly attacking me.”

“I’m saying you don’t have to pretend to be fine like that.”

After saying that, Magnus turned away with an angry expression and strode towards the Crown Prince.

‘…What on earth.’

Serena thought as she stood there, bewildered.