Astrid’s long hair, which had grown over time, now rippled softly down her back, golden waves glinting like sunlight on the sea.

Edith brushed the gleaming strands carefully with a large brush, her motions tender.

“Your hair has grown so much.”

“…Ah.”

A faint smile graced Astrid’s lips as her eyes, half-closed, seemed to recall a distant memory.

When Edith and she first met, her hair had been cut short like that of a young boy. Since that day, Edith had washed her hair every evening using water infused with various herbs and petals.

When Astrid had subtly suggested it wasn’t necessary to continue the routine, Edith’s response was always firm.

“Your Grace! Please don’t take this joy away from me. Watching you become more beautiful under my care is my greatest reward.”

The tension in Astrid’s tightly wound nerves seemed to relax under Edith’s meticulous touch.

“…I like it.”

“Right? The physician said brushing helps improve circulation. Apparently, it’s good for your health. I’m so glad you like it, Your Grace…”

“I like you, Edith.”

“…What?”

Astrid, who had been closing her eyes, now looked up at Edith. Her calm blue gaze was filled with warm affection, causing Edith to blush deeply.

“I like you, Edith. Matilda, too. And Cliff… I like them all.”

There was no further explanation, but Edith seemed to understand why Astrid had said such things. Overcome with emotion, Edith lowered her head slightly.

“…Your Grace.”

She couldn’t cry in front of Astrid, who was trying so hard to remain composed. Rubbing her stinging eyes, Edith quickly rose to her feet.

“Shall we try on the dresses first? I’ve chosen three for now…”

Knock, knock.

The sudden knock startled Edith, who froze. Calmly, Astrid answered in her place.

“Matilda? Come in. I was just about to try on the dresses…”

The silhouette in the doorway was large enough to block the entire frame. Leaning against the doorframe and staring at her wasn’t Matilda.

It was Caleb, her husband, who had returned.

“Lord Caleb, the Grand Duchess hasn’t yet finished changing…”

“Do I need permission to enter my own room?”

“Your Grace, that’s not what I meant…”

As Edith hesitated awkwardly; a gentle hand touched her shoulder. Caleb patted her tense shoulder as if to calm her.

“You can fasten the dresses later. For now, could you leave me alone with the Grand Duchess, Edith?”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

After a moment of hesitation, Edith bowed her head respectfully and left. Suddenly left alone, the room was filled with the awkward atmosphere between the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, meeting again after two years apart.

Feeling a sudden chill, Astrid crossed her arms around herself as if to shield her body from the sharp, piercing gaze directed at her.

Noticing her defensive stance, Caleb frowned slightly and took a step forward, closing the distance between them. The movement was swift.

Thud.

“…!”

Astrid looked down at the tablecloth that had suddenly landed on her shoulders, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. A tablecloth—not even a robe—was now draped over her. The absurdity left her speechless.

“This isn’t because I’m cold—”

“Cliff’s summer is different from Hestian’s. It’s chilly in the mornings and evenings. Surely, you’re not planning to attend the banquet dressed like that?”

Caleb’s gaze swept over the delicate, airy chemise she was wearing, his expression darkening. His unflinching eyes bore into her, making her body feel unnervingly stiff.

‘What am I, caught in a spider’s web?’

She hadn’t done anything wrong. Why should she feel like running away? But eventually, Astrid turned slightly, seeking to escape his unrelenting stare.

“…I know. I’ve lived in Cliff for three years now. I’ve endured two summers without you here, so of course, I know.”

Her voice trembled faintly, and Caleb frowned at the sound. He wanted to look at her face immediately, but he couldn’t; Astrid had turned her body away from him as if to avoid him.

“Tsk.”

Caleb clicked his tongue, and instinctively, Astrid flinched. Her already small frame seemed ready to disappear beneath the tablecloth.

“What are you, a snail?”

Caleb immediately extended his long arms and pulled Astrid out from under the tablecloth. He then cupped her small, pale face in his hands, regardless of whether she kept talking or not.

“Before, you told me to cover it, and now you’re throwing it…!”

The warmth from his hand on her cheek stole the words from Astrid’s lips.

‘Was it always this face?’

Caleb stared at Astrid’s face as if entranced. Her delicate features were in perfect balance, harmoniously placed within her slender face. The youthful innocence had faded, replaced by the mature beauty of a woman.

She was as elegant and beautiful as a noblewoman, yet like a freshly bloomed rose, she also exuded a sense of freshness and purity. However, Caleb’s words were not honest admiration but a reprimand.

“You’re pale. Still so thin. Have you been eating properly? I thought you’d have grown a lot by the time you turned twenty, but you look the same.”

“……”

A sharp pain pierced Astrid’s chest the moment Caleb finished speaking. She had to bite her lip to avoid letting out an embarrassing groan.

Caleb’s careless remark, still treating her like a child, stung. He might have said it without thinking, but for her, it wasn’t so simple.

‘…It’s me who likes him, not Caleb. To him, I’m still just a child.’

Perhaps she had been too excited. She might have become vain, accustomed to Edith’s constant praise, and had hoped, deep down, for something more.

“This year, you were like a pure lily, a beautiful young lady, but now you’ve added elegance and splendor, just a spoonful of each.”

“…Edith, thank you, but could you stop now? If someone hears, my face is burning.”

“Indeed, I agree with you. When the Grand Duke returns, he’ll surely fall in love right away. I’ve never seen such a beautiful lady, both inside and out.”

She remembered the embarrassing praise Edith and Matilda had given her before she left for the palace. It made her feel both shy and awkward, but she couldn’t deny the feeling of anticipation that blossomed in her heart.

‘I’m no longer that child. Maybe he’ll look at me now. I promised myself I wouldn’t expect anything, but…’

It was a futile expectation. Now, facing Elena, she could instantly understand what it meant to be a mature woman of beauty, even without needing to explain.

‘With someone like Elena by his side, there’s no way he’ll see me as a woman.’

Caleb had been feeling strange since earlier. It was because Astrid seemed distracted, her attention seemingly elsewhere, despite him being right there.

‘…What’s going on in that little head of hers?’

What irritated him the most was the sight of her biting her small, red lips. They looked as if they would burst any moment and bleed. He didn’t want to see them get hurt.

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell her to leave her lips alone. But then he decided against it. After all, he had come back after two years carrying an unwelcome burden himself.

If Astrid’s lips did get injured, he knew it would be his fault. So, he felt it was unreasonable to say anything to her about it.

‘Maybe… I’m more surprised than I thought.’

His gaze lingered on Astrid’s small, red lips. Though he was usually honest when surprised, he had long been used to keeping things inside. Those lips, so small and delicate, looked pitiful in a way.

Caleb knew better than anyone what kind of things Astrid had been doing as a Grand Duchess for the past two years.

‘She’s done more than enough for me. She’s protected my territory and my people.’

He looked down at his beautifully grown wife. Her long, curly, golden hair now cascaded over her back.

Still small and lovely, but there was an unmistakable maturity in her face that hadn’t been there before. Though he had never thought deeply about the beauty of women, it was clear to him now.

At twenty, Astrid was an incredibly beautiful woman—one that any man would desire.

Her growth was so dazzling that anyone passing by would turn to look at her at least once. He felt both proud and grateful to her.

She must have struggled so much adapting to a strange land on her own. He wanted to thank her for taking care of the territory and the people while he was away. And he wanted to tell her she had grown so well and deserved recognition.

“…Astrid.”

When Caleb finally spoke in a voice that sounded half-broken, she asked a sudden, unexpected question.

“Do you like Elena?”