I needed to grasp the situation accurately if I wanted to live my remaining days without worrying about anything.

I had to be clear about what I should be concerned with and what I could ignore.

If I came to learn Norhart’s secrets related to Angie, it would entangle me deeply with the Grand Duke. But simultaneously, I trusted that he would make every effort to ensure my safety.

‘The original novel depicted him as a paranoid man with a twisted personality, but the Grand Duke I’ve encountered so far seems simply cautious.’

It was best to trust my own experiences and judgments. After all, original stories tend to be biased toward the protagonist.

With Michael so openly hostile toward me, the Grand Duke was the most reliable person I could turn to.

“Alright. Let’s go. Moving out, I mean.”

The conclusion had already been decided without my input, so I raised both hands in surrender.

“But… there’s a barrier. Is it really okay for me to move? Won’t it block my movement or trigger some massive alarm across all of Meldorf?”

At my cautious question, the Grand Duke’s lips curved into an unfamiliar shape—a smirk.

“What use is that man’s magic against me?”

His smile was laced with unmistakable derision.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, considering you once sought to make him king, but one of the many reasons he is unfit for the throne is his abysmal magic skills.”

“Huh?”

The original novel had described Michael’s magical talent as exceptional. Was that wrong too?

“If that weren’t the case, how do you think I’ve traveled back and forth between Norhart and Meldorf so frequently?”

Speaking lightly, he drew a large circle in the air before us with a sweep of his arm.

The space along the curve distorted, and as the circle expanded to the size of a wall—

“We meet again so soon. Have you recovered well, my lady?”

“My goodness, Viscount!”

The space warped, revealing Viscount Nielsen standing on the other side.

Behind him stood a line of attendants who appeared to be from the Grand Duke’s estate.

“Alright, everyone, let’s move all of the belongings in this mansion to the East Wing of the Grand Duke’s castle. We must ensure that Her Grace, the future Grand Duchess, does not shed tears of longing while gazing at Norhart’s unfamiliar landscapes.”

“Yes, sir!”

Clap! As Viscount Nielsen clapped his hands, the attendants behind him moved through the portal created by the Grand Duke, entering this side.

A number of servants poured in—almost as many as those in the Marquisate’s residence at the royal palace—and began organizing the mansion under Nielsen’s command.

I was so startled by the sudden influx of people that my vision spun, and all the color drained from my face.

“W-What…?”

“M-Maah…!”

“U-Ungh, Angie.”

“Mmaah!”

Angie, nestled in the Grand Duke’s arms, began to whimper, reaching out toward me. Even in my dazed state, I instinctively took her from him.

“There, there. Be good now. Daddy’s busy, so shall we stay with big sister for a bit?”

As I spoke, Angie snuggled against me. I patted her back gently and—hmm…

‘Comfort…’

Had I unconsciously grown accustomed to holding her?

As soon as I cradled Angie, my dizziness subsided.

‘I almost collapsed in front of the Grand Duke. That would’ve been embarrassing.’

Deep breath in, and out… I decided to focus on the positives.

I might have to adapt to a new social life at the Grand Duke’s estate, but I’d get to spend more time with Angie, and my living conditions would likely be more comfortable.

‘He said I could have a garden, I’d be free from Michael’s surveillance, and even if Lure is a criminal, the Grand Duke’s reaction suggests there’s more to the story…’

Yes. It was a sudden decision, but there was no real downside for me.

Smiling at the thought, I turned to the Grand Duke.

“I’ll help you, but you need to hurry and bond with Angie, alright?”

“…We haven’t even signed the contract yet, and you’re already like this.”

His brow creased slightly as I grinned.

“Wait, wait, wait!”

Dame Gwendolyn, who had been holed up in the study, came rushing over, seemingly just now hearing the news. She fixed the Grand Duke with a firm gaze.

“Your Grace, with all due respect—”

The Grand Duke gave a slight nod, as if to say, ‘Go on.’

“The Lady must not, under any circumstances, use teleportation magic, magic circles, or portals!”

She then turned to me with a pleading look.

It was because of the severe side effects I had suffered after arriving in Meldorf via teleportation from Belvo. Though she couldn’t openly disclose my condition, as my physician, she must have felt the need to voice at least a minimum level of concern.

At her words, the Grand Duke’s lips curled in slight amusement.

“I understand that my fiancée is frail, and I respect her physician’s opinion… but comparing those crude spells, created by those unworthy of Arcadia’s first bloodline, to mine is quite insulting.”

Crude spells? That teleportation magic circle had transported me across a vast distance in an instant—how was that crude…?

I barely had time to be bewildered by his arrogance before—

‘Oh. I see now.’

In the end, I arrived in Norhart without any motion sickness, fainting, coughing up blood, or experiencing any pain at all.

The Grand Duke, a descendant of the Great Mage Arcadia, possessed magic on an entirely different level. Considering how he disregarded Michael, it wasn’t merely a matter of bloodline.

And now, standing before me was the entrance to the Grand Duke’s castle in Norhart.

Behind me, in the drawing room of the Blue Roof Manor, Norhart’s servants were busily preparing for the move.

‘I never thought I’d leave this house so soon…’

Having lived here the longest since coming to Meldorf, I had grown somewhat attached to it.

Maybe that’s why I kept glancing back and forth, hesitant to step away from the magical portal.

“Welcome to Norhart, my lady.”

At that moment, the Grand Duke approached, gently taking my empty hand.

“This really is Norhart, right?”

“I thought you might be tired from the long journey, so I brought you directly to the castle. Perhaps I should have shown you the gates first.”

His expression remained stoic, but it seemed he was trying to make a joke.

The man known as the ‘War Demon of the North’ was trying to put me at ease. I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Greetings, Lady Odelia. I am Margaret Lillet, the head maid of the Grand Duke’s estate.”

A woman who appeared to be in her fifties approached and offered me a courteous greeting.

Several others stood gathered near the castle gates, seemingly to welcome me.

The head maid smiled warmly and stepped closer.

“My lady, may I take the baby?”

“Ah, well…”

If she was handed to a stranger, Angie would probably start crying.

I hesitated, unsure whether to let go.

Then, the Grand Duke stepped in closer.

“Angie.”

His voice resonated softly, and at that moment, two golden eyes—each a slightly different shade—met in midair.

“If your mother holds you and fails to fully display your beauty during your first meeting with the Grand Duke’s household, only you will be at a loss. So endure for just a moment, understood?”

The Grand Duke said this to Angie before handing her over to the head maid with a precise and measured gesture.

Angie, who had instinctively scrunched up her face as if about to cry, instead—

“…Hush.”

With a sigh, she merely puffed out her cheeks as if she had understood his firm words.

As I watched in astonishment at the unfamiliar sight of Angie allowing herself to be held by a complete stranger, the Grand Duke lowered himself to my eye level and extended his hand.

“Odelia, my beloved fiancée.”

“…We’re not engaged yet.”

“Welcome once again to Norhart.”

I grumbled about the contract still needing to be signed, but I nonetheless placed Odelia’s delicate hand atop his palm.

A faint smile of satisfaction crossed the Grand Duke’s lips as he escorted me inside the castle.

With my back straight and my chin lifted, I walked with elegant steps down the long entrance hall, embodying Odelia’s poised demeanor. On either side of the luxurious marble-floored entryway, lined with opulent carpet—

“Lady Odelia, welcome to Norhart.”

“Welcome!”

The castle’s servants, neatly arranged in a row, all bowed toward us.

My heart pounded at the sight of them. But this was a different kind of nervousness from when I was on the verge of fainting.

‘I thought I had forgotten for a moment…’

Back when I first entered this body—

The servants at the Marquisate who concealed cruel smiles behind their polite expressions. The hands filled with resentment that deliberately handled my clothes roughly when dressing me, or carelessly tossed my belongings while preparing my luggage for Mildorf.

‘That was because Odelia’s cruelty was widely known in the royal capital. What if the people here already despise her as well…?’

Though I wasn’t the one who committed those misdeeds, I was the one who had to bear their consequences. Enduring their cold stares would be entirely my burden.

With apprehension, I carefully observed the faces of the servants, wondering if I would detect any traces of scorn toward the notorious villainess.

Yet, as I occasionally met their gazes, most of them looked as though they were in awe, overwhelmed by the sight of the kingdom’s most beautiful woman.

Much like how Mila, Paul, and Hans had reacted when they first saw me.

‘Since Flora’s arrival, Odelia only began actively committing atrocities over the past year. Perhaps the recent rumors haven’t spread this far…?’

That was a relief.

Realizing that the people of Norhart might be unaware of Odelia’s infamous reputation, I finally began to feel at ease.

‘Now that I think about it, they all seem kind and well-mannered.’

Not only that—the architecture was stunningly elegant and exuded an air of refinement. Just as I was admiring Norhart with newfound appreciation—

“The Crown Prince must be blind. How could he let go of such a beauty?”

“Rumors really can’t be trusted. How could someone this gorgeous possibly be so wicked…?”

“Hey, she can hear you.”