That night.

For the first time in her life, Astrid lay under the night sky, using the stars as her ceiling and the cool air as her blanket.

After a simple dinner of jerky, fruit, and bread, the group lit a campfire and lay down early. Cradoc explained that they needed to wake at dawn and should sleep as much as possible.

But Astrid’s mind was far too clear. The dazzling stars above her, the crisp night air, the occasional sounds of animals and insects, and the crackling of the firewood—all of it kept her awake.

Even with a blanket, the cold seeping up from the ground stole any chance of sleep. Only two days had passed since her reunion with Caleb, yet it felt like a whirlwind.

She couldn’t suppress her excitement. The burning pain in her palms and the terrible muscle aches throbbing through her body couldn’t dull her elation.

The ground she lay on was a mountain near the border of Hestian and Croatan, a gateway to a new world.

‘Just yesterday, I was worried about being sent to the underground prayer room or facing an inquisition….’

The sudden chance for escape and the new life awaiting her—Astrid could hardly believe it was real.

She feared that if she fell asleep, she’d wake up to find it all a dream. Listening to Cradoc’s loud snores, she tossed and turned restlessly.

“You’d better get some sleep while you can,” came a low voice behind her.

“…!”

Startled, Astrid froze.

“What’s the matter? Did your palms split open?”

The voice belonged to Caleb, tinged with an air of disapproval. Panicked, Astrid shot up and waved her arms vigorously.

“No, no! I’m fine! If I woke you up, I—!”

“…Hush.”

Caleb grabbed her arms, and Astrid froze in place. As he flipped her hand to inspect the injury, she held her breath, unable to move.

Holding her wrist with one hand, Caleb rummaged through his bag with the other, pulling out a clean cloth and some herbs.

“Lord Caleb, I-I can handle it!”

“Didn’t I tell you to call me Caleb? Astrid.”

At the sound of her name, spoken so naturally, Astrid’s already large eyes widened further. No matter their engagement, such an intimate way of addressing her felt excessive.

The name Caleb had been left unused for so long, the last person to call him that being Fabiola. Hearing “Astrid” in his voice brought her nervous babbling to an abrupt halt.

Seeing her reaction, a fleeting smile crossed Caleb’s lips.

“She’s like a puppy.”

She reminded him of a small, white dog the maids had once raised in his domain. Her timid yet endearing behavior, frozen in surprise, stirred a sense of both pity and amusement.

Caleb thought to himself that though he had come to acquire a fiancée, it felt more like gaining a much younger sister.

He couldn’t help but worry. Could this girl truly fulfill the role of a duchess? Uncertain, he decided to offer her a piece of unsolicited advice.

“Here’s a tip.”

“Pardon?”

“Trying to solve everything on your own is a bad habit. At least in Cliff, it won’t work. Keep that in mind.”

“…Oh.”

“It’s rare for them to come down to the estate, but monsters do show up occasionally. It’s a dangerous place. Not that I’m trying to scare you.”

His low voice rested lightly on Astrid’s shoulders.

“I just…”

“You didn’t want to trouble anyone, did you? And yet, you plan to ride a horse at dawn tomorrow, hands blistered and torn. Are you going to meet my people with your hands wrapped in bandages? That would hardly reflect well on me.”

“…Oh.”

As he applied a poultice of crushed herbs to her wounded hands and wrapped them in bandages, Caleb’s tone was unexpectedly calm. His quiet admonition made Astrid reflect on her actions.

She had thought enduring silently was enough. But she now realized it could lead to causing even greater inconvenience.

“I’m not alone anymore.”

Lost in thought, Astrid’s expression caught Caleb’s attention. Clicking his tongue, he muttered, “Relax that face of yours. What’s a young person like you worrying so much about… Tsk.”

“Do you think… is it really okay for me to have left like this?”

Astrid finally voiced the worry that had been weighing on her mind. Caleb chuckled softly at her serious expression.

“Don’t worry. I already sent a chest of Blissan jewels and several crates of the finest imperial wine to that old man. The Holy Kingdom couldn’t care less whether you ran away or vanished.”

“…Oh.”

“See? Isn’t it better to get it off your chest?”

Having lived her life alone, Astrid was used to enduring quietly, thinking it wouldn’t change anything to complain or ask for help. Caleb’s words, and his encouragement to share her burdens, brought her a new realization.

He was right.

“I won’t endure recklessly and end up causing trouble anymore,” Astrid said, her resolve clear.

At her immediate response, Caleb’s dark eyes curved into a long smile.

“…Oh.”

Astrid couldn’t help but exclaim softly at the sight of his smile up close—it was stunningly beautiful, enough to take her breath away.

“You’re a good girl.”

Caleb’s large hand landed gently on her head, stroking it lightly before moving to pat her cheek. When his hand withdrew, an inexplicable sense of emptiness lingered.

The warmth of his touch was both comforting and slightly bittersweet.

‘…Pity. It must be pity. He’s always been kind, even from the start.’

Cradoc would’ve been aghast to hear it, but Astrid truly believed Caleb was a good person.

Caleb Lionel. He had breathed new life into her once-dead existence, becoming her savior.

Whether as an informant or a duchess, Astrid resolved to fulfill whatever role Caleb required. Her expression grew determined as she vowed not to expect anything from him in return.

Perhaps it was her serious expression that amused him; a low chuckle resonated above her head.

***

The next morning.

As the cold dawn air hit her, Astrid let out a groan. She’d tried to sit up as usual, but her body protested. Hearing her faint cry, Cradoc rushed over.

Already dressed and ready to leave, he looked prepared to depart at any moment. Caleb was no different. The realization that she had overslept and was now displaying such weakness made Astrid’s cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“My lady, are you all right? Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing, I—oh.”

Astrid stopped mid-sentence, sensing Caleb’s gaze on her, and shrank slightly.

“You don’t look well. Riding for such a long time was too much, as I warned. The future duchess cannot be treated so carelessly,” Cradoc said, shaking his head while subtly chiding Caleb.

Startled, Astrid waved her hands frantically.

“No, Sir Cradoc! That’s not it. It’s just… a bit of muscle soreness. Not bad, really! Just a little. A very little!”

“What do you mean a little? I completely forgot to check your hands yesterday—oh?”

Cradoc’s gaze landed on Astrid’s hands, which were tightly wrapped in bandages.

“Well, this is…”

“What are you two dawdling for? Let’s go. If you don’t want to go hungry, hurry up.”

Caleb, already mounted on his horse and fully prepared to leave, called out to them.

“Oh, sorry! I’ll get on my horse right away…”

As Astrid frantically gathered blankets and bundles to load onto the horse—

“Allow me, my lady! I’ll take care of that for you.”

“No, it’s fine. I can do it mys—”

“Sorry, but I don’t have time to wait around. Let’s go.”

“…Ah.”

Before she could finish her sentence, Caleb had already ridden up beside her. Extending his hand, he wordlessly offered to help. Reflexively, Astrid placed her small hand in his.

Her body was effortlessly lifted into the air and settled in front of him on his horse.

“Good. Let’s move.”

With Caleb’s signal, his horse picked up speed, responding instantly to its master. Cradoc quickly gathered the reins of the other two horses and followed close behind.

‘I feel dizzy.’

Perhaps it was because this horse was taller than the one she’d ridden the day before, or because they were moving at a faster pace. Or perhaps it was the solid presence of the man behind her. Astrid couldn’t tell.

The closeness was overwhelming. Her heartbeat thudded so loudly that she feared Caleb might sense it through the small space between them. She barely dared to breathe.

After two hours of riding through the tension-filled journey, the trio finally left the forest and entered a village.

They arrived at Alberc, a small border village nestled between Hestian and Croatan. Caleb stopped his horse in front of a modest inn called The Arch of Triumph.

“The Arch of Triumph.”

Astrid, her curiosity piqued, squinted at the inn’s sign to study it carefully. Written in Hestian, it was also translated into Croatan and the Empire’s common language below, suggesting that the inn catered to travelers from various countries.

As she focused intently on the sign, forgetting even the tension from her proximity to Caleb, she suddenly felt herself being lifted. Before she realized what was happening, her feet were gently set on the ground.

“…Ah!”

The one who had unceremoniously deposited her was Caleb. Astrid widened her eyes in surprise, but Caleb, unbothered, simply turned to unload the luggage. Of course, he didn’t forget to offer a dry remark about the inn’s name.

“Calling this place The Arch of Triumph is absurd. It’s laughable every time I see it.”

“Apparently, it’s named after the path the Hestian Holy Knights took after their victory in the Crusades. Or so they say—believe it or not.”

“Ah, during the Bloody Crusade under His Holiness Julius II in 627?”

“Perhaps. I don’t know much about Hestian history—it’s not my area of expertise. Shall we go inside, my lady?”

Cradoc lightly replied to Astrid’s comment and politely gestured for her to enter. Meanwhile, Caleb had already strode past them into the inn.

“I’ll head in first!”

Snatching the luggage from Cradoc’s hands, Astrid dashed after Caleb.

“My lady! Please let me carry that for you!”

Cradoc called out in vain, but Astrid was already out of sight. A lady carrying her own belongings and running—it was unheard of, even in Croatan, where etiquette was relatively relaxed.

“Ha. She’s as quick as a flying squirrel.”

Cradoc had worried whether someone so frail-looking could endure even a month in the harsh Cliff territory. But the future grand duchess seemed far more resilient than he had anticipated.

That was good news, both for Caleb and for the people of Cliff. A satisfied smile crept onto Cradoc’s face as he followed after them.