“I hear you are exceptionally wise, and now I see you are gifted with both grace and talent.”

“I am grateful you think so, Your Grace.”

Blair smiled and offered the modest reply she had grown accustomed to.

The Grand Duke seemed to hesitate for a moment, then said something unexpected.

“I wonder…… how Rhea is doing.”

A deep longing passed through his eyes for a moment. The rumor that Grand Duke Clovitz had come to miss his daughter in his later years appeared to be true.

“Queen Rhea is in good health.”

At Blair’s brief reply, the Grand Duke let out a quiet sigh and nodded.

After that, Grand Duke Clovitz exchanged a few more words of formal welcome and then gestured to his chief chamberlain.

“You must be tired from the long journey, so I won’t keep you. The chief chamberlain will show you to your rooms. Rest comfortably until the banquet this evening.”

Following the chief chamberlain through a colonnade lined with arched pillars, they soon came upon a large building that looked like a separate palace.

“The two of you will be staying in these rooms.”

It was a room in name only. In practice, it was a guest suite as large as a small townhouse.

Separate rooms for Tilda and Lady Miller were attached, and the suite was divided into a sitting room and a study as well, making it remarkably spacious and comfortable.

“We have also prepared the rooms on either side of the guest suite for your escort knights to use freely.”

“Thank you for the consideration.”

Tilda, who had been gaping at the lavish suite, quickly composed herself and expressed her thanks. The chief chamberlain departed, and Lady Miller, quick as ever, enlisted the escort knights to unpack the luggage without delay.

“Then I’ll go get settled as well.”

Ernst kept patting his stiff back, sore from the long ride, and crossed over to the room prepared for the knights.

“Shall we go in.”

Kalintz passed through the sitting room and opened the largest and most ornate door.

Following him inside, Blair was struck once again by the beauty of the room.

True to the only country capable of refining dargon, dargon gemstones appeared everywhere from the chandelier to the decorative cords on the curtains.

What caught her eye most of all was the large circular bed. Red velvet and sheer lace had been layered and draped long from the canopy, and between them, silver thread woven with dargon gems glittered.

“Isn’t this a bit much?”

Blair looked at the decorations she had never seen the like of and said it in surprise.

“Whoever decorated this room seems very eager to remind us we’re newlyweds.”

Kalintz had already walked over to the bed and held up something resting on the covers as he answered.

“What is that? A wreath?”

Looking more closely, it was a wreath woven from olive branches and wheat stalks, commonly used as symbols of fertility.

“Whoever it was, they seem to be hoping we’ll have a healthy heir.”

“……They have a great deal of enthusiasm. Perhaps too much.”

Blair murmured, trying to look unbothered despite the embarrassment creeping in.

But Kalintz was watching her expression closely for some reason. She was growing increasingly aware of that peculiar gaze when—

Knock knock.

“May I come in for a moment?”

Lady Miller knocked at the door, which was a relief. Blair seized the opportunity and threw the door open.

Lady Miller stood in the doorway holding a tray piled with figs.

“A Valian attendant brought this just now.”

Blair looked down at the tray with a mildly puzzled expression. It was customary to serve a variety of fruits together, so the fact that it held nothing but figs was unusual.

“In Valia, there is a custom of presenting figs first when an honored guest arrives. It is a wish for their health and wellbeing during their stay.”

Lady Miller added the explanation and set the tray on the table.

“You seem to know Valian customs well. Are you from here?”

At Kalintz’s question, Lady Miller paused for just a moment. But she answered in her characteristic calm tone.

“A distant relative of mine lives in Valia.”

At that, Blair suddenly remembered Lady Miller mentioning Ariela at the Founding Festival banquet.

“Come to think of it, you know quite a bit about Valia, don’t you? You mentioned before—”

“No, Your Highness. I don’t know it that well.”

Lady Miller cut her off flatly. So firmly, in fact, that Blair felt slightly embarrassed.

“Then please rest. I will come to help you prepare before the banquet.”

Lady Miller said it stiffly and left the room.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“Not particularly.”

“I was about to bring up the royal alchemist, since you seemed to know her. Maybe she’s just tired from the journey.”

“Who?”

Kalintz asked at Blair’s murmur.

“The alchemist. The one who came during the Founding Festival.”

Blair said it vaguely, not quite wanting to say Ariela’s name. It seemed a petty jealousy still lingered somewhere in her heart.

“You mean Ariela?”

Does that woman not have a surname. He says her name so readily.

“That’s right. She recognized her right away as a royal alchemist.”

Blair soothed her quietly souring mood and spoke.

“……Is that so.”

“What?”

Kalintz seemed to be turning something over in his mind, and Blair asked with a puzzled look.

“It’s just that Ariela has been a royal appointment for less than a year, so it’s odd that she knew. And she’s from another country.”

“She probably heard through her relative. She said she has family in Valia.”

“A distant relative usually means someone you’re not in contact with.”

Hearing it put that way, she had a point. If they were close enough to exchange news, you would not call them a distant relative.

“It might not have been through a relative at all. You said she’s a highly skilled alchemist.”

Blair had noticed Lady Miller’s reaction a moment ago, but part of her wondered if the woman was simply tired.

“Well. That could be.”

Kalintz murmured quietly and then walked to the terrace, throwing the glass doors wide open.

Beyond the terrace stretched a cool expanse of green forest, and a surprisingly refreshing breeze came through despite the heat.

The wind tousled her hair pleasantly, and Blair settled comfortably on the edge of the bed.

With no idea whatsoever what would happen in that bed before the night was over.

❀❀❀

The welcome banquet began as the fierce sun turned the sky a deep red. The banquet hall was set up in an outdoor hall behind the central palace, giving it a wonderfully different atmosphere.

“I have prepared this to welcome our honored guests from neighboring lands. Please enjoy yourselves freely.”

Grand Duke Clovitz raised his glass and offered a brief toast. Duke Willer Brienne smiled and spoke in a familiar tone.

“It has been so long since I enjoyed a banquet watching a sunset like this, Your Grace.”

“That is because you have been away too long, Willer.”

“I have had rather too much in my hands to find the time, I’m afraid. But my heart has never changed. Just like this ring Your Grace bestowed upon me.”

Duke Brienne even waved his hand to show off the dargon ring, polished to a deep blue sheen.

After that, he continued his conversation with Grand Duke Clovitz in a noticeably more exaggerated manner than usual.

He’s openly displaying his closeness with the Grand Duke.

Blair was watching the duke’s every move carefully.

What kind of deal had he made with the Grand Duke in the past, and what was he scheming now.

She had been deep in thought for some time when Kalintz spoke quietly beside her.

“You don’t need to be so on edge already. He won’t whisper anything openly at a gathering like this.”

Blair had thought she was handling her gaze naturally enough, and looked back at him with a slightly guilty expression.

“Was it that obvious?”

“Not enough for anyone to notice. Unless there’s someone who pays as much attention to you as I do.”

The unexpectedly flustering remark nearly made Blair choke.

“……You don’t have to do that when it’s just the two of us.”

Blair dabbed her mouth with a napkin and murmured.

Lately Kalintz had been saying things like that even when they were alone, and every time he did, Blair was terrified of letting him see how her heart was reacting.

But Kalintz asked back without changing his expression at all.

“What do you mean.”

“That…… performing on purpose. We don’t have to do that when it’s just us. It’s supposed to be for appearances.”

“That wasn’t a performance just now.”

The sheer confidence of it left Blair speechless.

Not a performance? So he really means it? Why?

Seeing Blair’s face full of questions, Kalintz curved the corner of his mouth and said,

“If it’s for show……”

He reached out and gently tucked a strand of Blair’s hair that had fallen loose behind her ear. Then, with a soft curl of his eyes, he lingered at the tip of her ear.

“This is the kind of thing you’d do.”

The low voice at her ear made Blair’s pulse quicken. She was staring at him with flustered eyes when a high-pitched woman’s voice came from nearby.

“My. I heard that the Prince of Eiron is especially devoted to his princess consort, and it seems that’s true.”

Ilena, the wife of Count Jake Roman, said it with an interested look. Count Roman chimed in beside her.

“Oh, the two of them are so tender with each other. They were lovely to watch at the Founding Festival as well, my dear.”