The next morning.

Astrid awoke in peak condition. Although she had collapsed after neutralizing the Cliff’s Tears, her body felt lighter and more refreshed than ever before.

She even clearly remembered Caleb carrying her to this room, which meant there probably hadn’t been any serious issues.

‘Was Duke Caleb very angry…?’

Recalling the previous night, Astrid’s ears drooped slightly like a scolded puppy as she remembered Caleb’s parting words.

“When you wake up, be prepared. You’ll face consequences.”

The warning replayed in her mind, causing Astrid to bite her lips nervously.

“Maybe I should just pretend I don’t remember? Or simply apologize? No, I might genuinely not remember… If I bring it up first for no reason…”

As Astrid muttered nervously to herself, fidgeting in place, there came a sudden knock at the door.

Knock, knock.

Startled, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Good morning, My Lady!”

“Did you sleep well last night, My Lady?”

Matilda’s bright greeting accompanied Edith, who carried a basin of water into the room.

“Oh… Good morning.”

Astrid forced an awkward smile as she returned their greetings.

“How are you feeling? Any headaches or nausea?”

“Hmm, not at all. Actually, I feel unusually great, almost too good.”

“Excuse me?”

At Astrid’s sheepish reply, Matilda’s expression faltered slightly in surprise.

And it was true—Astrid’s pale, small face practically glowed, radiating freshness like a rose glistening with morning dew. Her clear, dewy skin and sparkling eyes appeared more vibrant than ever, almost unnaturally so.

“You do seem well, which is a relief,” Matilda said with a slightly uneasy smile.

‘Why is that? Did I make some kind of mistake…?’

Seeing Matilda’s ambiguous expression, Astrid grew suspicious. However, with Edith urging her to begin washing and dressing, she didn’t have time to press further.

All she could do was obediently follow Edith’s instructions, lifting her arms or turning her head as needed. Yet, her mind was entirely preoccupied with one pressing concern—how to face Caleb.

“All done, My Lady! What do you think? Since it’s just breakfast, I kept the accessories minimal and went with an elegant dress that’s simple but refined. Do you like it?”

“Oh, thank you, I like it.”

Though Astrid’s reply was distracted, Edith’s face lit up with satisfaction at the compliment.

“Um, Matilda?”

After a moment of hesitation, Astrid tentatively spoke up. Matilda immediately nodded in response.

“Yes, My Lady? Please feel free to say anything. Do you need something else?”

“Well, it’s just…”

“Yes?”

Astrid hesitated, and Matilda’s expression grew more curious. However, she waited patiently, which prompted Astrid to let out a small sigh and continue.

“I was wondering… Is Lord Caleb very upset? Did I… perhaps make a mistake last night?”

“Ah…”

At the mention of the previous night, Matilda’s expression turned stiff, as if recalling something she would rather forget.

“Pfft!”

“…Edith?”

“Apologies, My Lady, pfft… I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“It’s fine, but could you tell me? Did I do something wrong last night?”

Seeing Matilda’s awkward face and Edith struggling to suppress her laughter, Astrid felt certain she had done something embarrassing.

She gulped nervously as she waited for Edith to speak.

“Mistake? No way! You were the star of the night, My Lady! The entire Cliff estate is abuzz with your exploits. The knights at the banquet, and even the servants, are still talking nonstop about your boldness!”

“…Ah.”

“You emptied a bowl bigger than this wash basin in one go! Even Sir Helman, who’s notorious for his temper, said he was impressed by you!”

“…Um.”

Edith’s excited recounting caused Astrid’s face to darken with each passing word.

“You were so daring! After downing the bowl in one shot, you held it above your head, shook it clean, and not a single drop fell out! People are calling you as bold as any knight!”

“…Good heavens.”

“And at the end, you raised your leg onto the table and were about to climb on top when…”

“…Oh no.”

Astrid groaned, burying her face in her hands. Based on what Edith described, it was clear she had completely blacked out.

Never mind being a duchess; even an ordinary lady of noble birth wouldn’t behave so recklessly.

‘Should I just pretend the side effects of the drink made me ill?’

Though it felt like a cowardly excuse, Astrid was desperate to escape the looming embarrassment. She was still weighing her options when the door suddenly burst open with a loud thud!

A tall shadow loomed in the doorway. Leaning casually against the doorframe, Caleb stood with one arm propped up.

He stared at Astrid with an intense gaze, his shirt partially unbuttoned, leaving several undone. The sight was enough to make Matilda gasp in dismay.

“Lord Caleb! There’s still time before breakfast. Even if you are engaged, barging in unannounced is hardly appropriate…”

Matilda began to scold him, her eyes widening as she took in his disheveled appearance.

“Lady Matilda.”

“…Yes?”

At Cliff Castle, the only person who ever called her “Lady” was Caleb’s mother, the late Grand Duchess. It had been so long since she’d heard the title that she’d almost forgotten it existed. Hearing it now from Caleb’s lips, Matilda stiffened and fell silent.

“I know well that you were an etiquette instructor in your younger years, but surely, if there’s a need for such lessons, the person in question is someone else, no?”

Caleb’s gaze, initially fixed on Matilda, slowly shifted to Astrid. Feeling the weight of his persistent, almost demanding stare, Astrid finally opened her mouth.

“…Good morning, Lord Caleb.”

Her tension peaked under his unyielding scrutiny, his arms crossed as he silently assessed her.

Gulp. Struggling to appear composed, Astrid swallowed hard. She worried he might hear her heart pounding faster and faster.

“In Cliff, minimal courtesy suffices. No need for such formal greetings, Astrid.”

“…Understood.”

His remark about courtesy was undoubtedly directed at her, yet when she greeted him formally, his response was a cold rejection.

‘So, he’s upset after all,’ she thought.

Half embarrassed, half anxious, a faint blush spread across Astrid’s pale cheeks. Caleb’s gaze landed squarely on the pink tint that colored her face.

‘Wilting after just a word. There’s no way I can reprimand her properly like this.’

Though she tried to appear composed, standing straight-backed and confident, Caleb had already noticed the faint tremor in her blue eyes.

“Let’s eat,” Caleb said.

At his words, a simple meal was served on a table in one corner of the room. Bread, soup, a few fruits, and warm tea—humble fare.

“…How’s your health?”

“Very well!”

Tearing into a piece of bread, Astrid responded swiftly, keeping an eye on Caleb. He smirked slightly, studying her face with interest.

“Your cheeks are still flushed.”

“T-That’s…”

‘It’s because of you,’ she thought, but there was no way she could say that aloud. Lowering her head, Astrid spooned some soup into her mouth. Despite her dry throat and lack of appetite, she found herself eating surprisingly well.

Caleb, having already finished his portion, propped his head up on one arm, his elbow resting on the table. It wasn’t a particularly polite posture for mealtime, but no one dared to criticize him.

In his casual, almost insolent stance, he quietly observed his fiancée seated across from him.

‘Like a little rabbit,’ he thought.

The way her small lips moved as she chewed made Caleb’s eyes briefly soften with amusement. Even her startled reactions and her cautious eating resembled a rabbit. It was hard to believe such a small, delicate woman had managed to finish so much food the previous day.

‘What am I to do with her?’

Though he wasn’t particularly angry, he felt it necessary to scold her properly at least once. The audacity of drinking an unknown liquid, especially after passing out from a single glass of wine, was reckless.

It seemed his rabbit-like fiancée had the guts of a lion.

“…Um.”

Having finished her meal under Caleb’s intense gaze, Astrid quietly set down her fork.

“…Yes?”

Caleb raised an eyebrow, his expression prompting Astrid to hold her breath. Throughout the meal, she had wrestled with a dilemma—should she wait for Caleb to bring up the topic, or should she address it first?

Hoping to avoid the matter entirely had been futile. Apologizing properly seemed the best way to move forward.

But now that she had made up her mind, meeting his fiery gaze made it hard to speak. Still, there was no more time to delay.

Recalling a phrase she had once read in a book on strategy, Astrid resolved to act: The best defense is a good offense.

“I feel the need to clarify something, as I think you may have misunderstood…”

“…”

“I’m not as reckless as you might think.”

“…Oh?”

The memory of her passing out after a single glass of wine was fresh in Caleb’s mind, and a small chuckle escaped his lips.

“Is that so, My Lady? Then, what would you have done if it had been poisoned?”

His sharp tone made her flinch, but Astrid pressed on, determined to explain herself.

“I-It’s not as if I just blindly drank something someone handed me…”

“Oh? Then?”

“‘Cliff’s Tears’… It’s a renowned remedy, produced exclusively in the Cliff domain.”

Caleb’s eyebrow twitched upward at her unexpected answer.

“How did you know that? Did Matilda tell you?”

“No, I read about it in The Encyclopedia of Herbs. It was one of my favorite books to read as a child. I used to spend time in my father’s study, reading books while he worked…”

Recalling fond memories of the past, Astrid’s blue eyes sparkled as if filled with stardust. Watching her, Caleb’s lips subtly curved into a faint smile.

“Ah, so you acted because you felt confident, did you?”

“Well… I can’t say no. But that doesn’t mean I was entirely right, either. I just wanted you to understand it wasn’t a rash decision. It was… a necessary step for me.”

“…Hmm.”

“Isn’t that why you didn’t stop me?”

Astrid looked Caleb squarely in the eyes, her tone serious. In other words, she was arguing that what had happened was tacitly approved by him.

“Well…”

Caleb tilted his head slightly, gazing at her with quiet intensity. She keenly noticed the faint smile now gracing his lips, unlike earlier.

“You told me to grab hold.”

“What?”

“When someone tries to take what’s mine, grab hold of it. And if they try to pry my hands open, strike them down.”

“…”

“The position of the Grand Duchess of Cliff is mine. I’m willing to do much more to earn the recognition of the people here. I have nowhere else to retreat to.”

Her words, spoken with unwavering eyes, were surprisingly bold.

Three years ago. The image of a young girl, weak and dying after that wretched ceremony, resurfaced vividly in Caleb’s mind.

He thought she wouldn’t remember, feverish Astrid she was back then. But she had remembered his offhand remarks and was now throwing them back at him.

‘A rabbit with the heart of a lion, is it?’

The unexpected words left him a bit startled but also pleased. If she had this much determination, he felt confident that she could take root and thrive in this barren land as the Grand Duchess of Cliff.

“Fine. An impressive argument.”

“…”

“But what needs to be reprimanded must still be reprimanded.”

“Why, why is that?”

“Your first duty as the Grand Duchess is your safety. Someone who can’t take proper care of themselves will only become a burden in Cliff.”

“…Oh.”

“You thought taking medicine made it fine? Then you should’ve stayed alert to the end. Rambling nonsense about worms and whatnot, trying to climb onto the table… What if you’d fallen and gotten hurt?”

“T-that was—!”

Caught on something she’d felt guilty about all along, Astrid’s face turned bright red, like a ripe tomato.

“But… well.”

“…?”

“I do acknowledge your courage in not backing down from a challenge. It was a boldness befitting the Grand Duchess of Cliff. As you said, I’ll take that into consideration.”

“…!”

“But there won’t be a second time. Above all else, prioritize your safety. That’s not advice; it’s a request.”

Caleb placed his large hand on Astrid’s head and ruffled her hair roughly, Astrid though punishing her.

The once-meticulously styled hair that Edith had painstakingly arranged was now a complete mess, but Astrid couldn’t muster a single complaint.

“Well then, have a pleasant day, my lady.”

“…!”

Before she could react, Caleb kissed the back of her hand unexpectedly. Her eyes widened, resembling a startled rabbit, which only made Caleb chuckle before he casually left without waiting for her response.

Coming and going entirely on his terms—what a man devoid of any sense of courtesy toward his fiancée.

Thump, thump.

Despite it all, Caleb was the only man who could make Astrid’s heart race like this. The pounding of her heart echoed on the back of her hand where his lips had lingered. She had learned that the heart resides on the left side of the chest, yet—

This is strange.

Wherever his touch had been, she felt the pulsating beat of her heart. It was utterly inexplicable.

***