Seeing Angie and me excited, Mila quickly followed suit, whispering affectionately.

“The furniture is made of maple wood just like in the Blue Roofed Manor. It seems you were destined to be the owner of this room, my lady!”

“Mila, you certainly have a romantic and optimistic perspective.”

At the sudden voice, I turned to see Viscount Nielsen standing there, looking utterly exhausted.

It was clear that Cedrion’s constant presence around me over the past few days had completely ruined his work-life balance.

“Viscount Nielsen! Good afternoon… Though it doesn’t seem like you’re having one. Still, good afternoon.”

“Yes, good afternoon, Lady Odelia. Do you like the room?”

“…How could I possibly say I don’t?”

I ran my fingertips over the maple-wood console, identical to the one in the Blue-Roofed Manor, as I spoke.

A faint sense of satisfaction appeared on Viscount Nielsen’s face.

“So, all of this…”

“Yes. Every craftsman and artisan in Norhart poured their sleepless nights and strength into this, hoping you would become the happy mistress of Norhart.”

As Viscount Nielsen spoke smoothly, the maids of Norhart, who had been watching from the doorway, nodded their heads with puppy-like eyes.

He knew that Cedrion and I were only engaged in a contractual agreement, but it seemed he was saying this for the sake of the servants’ morale.

“You all worked so hard. I would have been fine staying in the guest room, but everyone…”

You put yourselves through so much trouble… The meaning behind my pause was clear to everyone present.

For a moment, silence filled the room.

Since I bore some indirect responsibility for the hardship they endured, I added,

“Haha, when those in power are impatient, it’s always the subordinates who suffer.”

After all, I was the only one here who could afford to speak so freely about their master.

As the maids gave me deeply moved expressions, Viscount Nielsen was quick to respond.

“His Grace helped as well. Normally, lacquer needs to be dried multiple times, but physically, it was impossible to do that in just two days.”

“Oh, my. Is that so?”

“His devotion to you runs that deep.”

At his words, the Norhart maids giggled among themselves, covering their flushed cheeks with their hands.

Well, I suppose getting to witness their master’s love life up close must be a form of entertainment for them…

“Haha, how thoughtful of him…”

Playing my role in this little scandal, I flashed a smile that seemed to come from the heart.

“But what brings you here despite your busy schedule? Thanks to your efforts, the room is already perfect.”

“Ah, the maids asked me to inquire about how you would like your personal belongings arranged.”

“Oh, they could have just taken care of it themselves.”

“They must have found it daunting to handle the belongings of Arcadia’s most beautiful lady. The Norhart maids haven’t dealt with such things in a long time.”

His words were so smoothly delivered that I couldn’t help but chuckle. At that moment, the maids at the doorway eagerly approached me.

“What should we do with this jewelry box? It was in your room—should we place it in the dressing room?”

“This one seems to hold particularly large gemstones…”

“Which dresses do you wear most often?”

The boxes they asked about were all filled with valuable jewelry and dresses that would be easy to sell.

“Hmm, these are all pieces I cherish. Could you store them somewhere safe, like a vault? I don’t exactly have many occasions to dress up like this in exile.”

“That’s true. When we asked Mila, she mentioned you rarely wore such dresses in Mildorf.”

One of the maids glanced at Mila, who smiled sheepishly.

“And your nanny suggested that, since they’re from last year’s fashion, you might want to get rid of them.”

“Ah.”

Odelia Lure, the queen of high society, would never wear a dress more than once.

But for me, the current occupant of this body, and given my current circumstances, such concerns were a luxury.

At the same time, I could sense that my nanny, who had once been delighted to see me dressed in such finery, hoped that my time in Norhart would include new dresses and jewelry for me to enjoy.

“No, just keep them all for now.”

“Then, should we call in the boutique’s madams?”

Viscount Nielsen, watching the situation unfold, quickly asked.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll mostly be staying inside the Grand Duke’s castle anyway. Playing with Angie and tending to the garden wouldn’t be comfortable in dresses like those. Besides, I already have plenty.”

“You think you have plenty of personal assets?”

“Huh?”

At the low, deep voice that seized on my modest remark, everyone in the room flinched.

Turning towards the source of the voice, I saw Cedrion leaning against the doorway.

“When did you…?”

“Your Grace! What about the documents I submitted for your approval…?”

“I took care of them.”

“No, Your Grace, those included matters like famine relief efforts and the exclusive contract distribution ratio with the dwarven artisans—”

“The grain will be imported through a triangular trade deal between the Eastern Continent and the Duchy of Effenbach. As for the dwarven artisans’ guild, we’ll keep the existing distribution ratio but won’t reclaim any leftover gold or gemstones.”

“…You actually reviewed everything.”

Viscount Nielsen’s voice sounded as if he was clenching his teeth.

Since Cedrion was often absent from his seat of power, his aides were constantly busy, yet the time it took for him to sign off on decisions was always frustratingly brief.

Whether his chief aide was grinding his teeth or not, Cedrion strode into the room without hesitation and waved off the maids.

“Yes, yes, then…!”

“Enjoy your private time!”

The maids hurried off to the dressing room, carrying jewelry boxes and clothing chests. Noticing their movement, Mila also followed them out.

With the sound of the door closing, only Cedrion, Viscount Nielsen, and I remained in the room, with Angie in my arms.

“How is it? Do you like it?” 

“You could have just left things as they were. Why go through all this effort to make everything new?”

“I promised, didn’t I? That I would provide a comfortable environment.”

“His Grace never makes empty promises.”

Despite the words sounding like praise, Viscount Nielsen’s tone carried none of it.

“That didn’t really influence my decision much.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

At my sidelong glance, Viscount Nielsen immediately took the opportunity to grumble to Cedrion.

“So, you get along just fine with Franz but not with your own fiancé?

“I just feel bad that you worked the entire ducal household so hard.”

“It’s fine. Everyone enjoyed it. They always grumbled that the ducal residence felt desolate with me being single, saying there was no joy in serving me.”

“Single…? You’re saying you intend to remain single?”

I narrowed my eyes as I asked.

“But you’re the head of the household. What about an heir? Don’t tell me…”

“It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Is that so?”

Although Viscount Nielsen quickly interjected, I didn’t lower my suspicious gaze.

Well, judging by the way he treats me…

‘The way he treats me… what?’

I was startled by my own sudden thought, my face flushing. Just then, Cedrion, who had been watching Viscount Nielsen and me argue with an exasperated expression, spoke up.

“Well, when I was young, I made a promise to someone.”

“…What?”

If Cedrion was bringing up his childhood in front of me, then to Odelia, who had lost all memory of her younger years, it could only mean…

He made a promise regarding an heir with Odelia?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Cedrion changed the subject and gestured toward the doorway.

“Anyway, don’t you think you have too much luggage?”

Even though the maids had carried away plenty of Odelia’s belongings to the dressing room, several boxes still remained stacked in the room.

Since I had packed all the jewelry and dresses left at the marquisate for a well-off future, it wasn’t surprising that there was so much.

“What, are you saying I have no right to complain about overburdening the Norhart staff because of all my belongings?”

“No, what I mean is…”

Though I spoke in a playful tone, Cedrion’s face remained utterly serious.

“Lure was accused of treason, and their lands were confiscated. The only remaining territory, Meldorf, is under a proxy lord who is nothing more than Michael’s puppet.”

“…That’s true.”

“And they supposedly seized all the family’s wealth, yet you still have this much personal property.”

“Maybe they thought these weren’t easily liquidated assets…”

What Cedrion was pointing out was something I had also found odd. However, since it allowed me to live comfortably for the next year, I hadn’t bothered to dwell on it too much.

“If it were truly a rebellion severe enough to bury an entire family, would they have been so careless with confiscating assets?”

“I thought that was strange too, but…”

“Now, put all these circumstances together.”

Cedrion took a step closer to me.

“A superficial seizure of assets. The nobility of Arcadia unable to criticize the royal family’s questionable decision. And even in Belvo, a gag order regarding you.”

His shadow fell over my face.

“This isn’t a proper punishment. It’s proof that even the royal family isn’t acting in good faith. Which means…”

I swallowed dryly, drawn in by his serious tone.

“The safest place for you is Norhart.”

“Yes, since Norhart is essentially outside the jurisdiction of the kingdom.”

Viscount Nielsen chimed in. Angie, nestled in my arms, gazed up at me with her delicate golden eyes.

***

“Oh dear, you. Stay out of trouble for a while, okay?”

“Meow.”

The gardener who had returned to Meldorf effortlessly lifted the calico cat over the estate’s outer wall.

The cat landed softly on the other side, not even bothering to look around before striding toward the entrance.

Its destination was the most secluded room in the estate.

The moment it leaped inside, the cat transformed into a young man.

A tall figure with white hair tinged with dark roots and golden hues, draping over his shoulders. He picked up the clothes that had been haphazardly tossed onto the floor and put them on one by one.

“There’s a rumor that a certain intelligence guild, which holds complete control over Belvo’s underworld, is called ‘Raven.’”

The lingering echo of the Norhart Grand Duke’s voice still sent a chill down his spine.

‘That’s why I hate humans with sharp instincts.’

Letting out a wry chuckle, he fastened the cuffs of his shirt.

‘That gardener bastard guessing my name was one thing. But then again, I shouldn’t have assumed all humans were mere contractors.’

Knock, knock.

As if waiting for him to finish dressing, a knock sounded at the door.

“Um, Steward?”

“Yes?”

“You’ve been summoned to the study as soon as you return.”

“The proxy lord?”

Steward Raven was one of the few people who never jokingly referred to Baron Alterman as the true lord of the estate.

“There is also a guest awaiting you.”

“…Ah. Understood.”