Their vacation at the grand ducal residence had ended.

In a week, Madam Callian would transport supplies through the snow tunnel she had created to the Forest of Demonic Beasts. The knights who had come with her would end their short vacation and return to relieve the other knights.

Throughout winter, they would make three round trips in total, and knights who were not Ice Wall Knights but would travel with them for transport were being selected.

This was a kind of practical training experience.

A notice was posted announcing that a competition to select knights for this practical experience would be held in a month.

Soldiers and ordinary citizens practiced swinging wooden swords whenever they found an empty space while working, and such sights were occasionally witnessed even at the grand ducal residence where snow did not accumulate.

The previously quiet grand ducal residence was filled with vitality.

It would have been good if only vitality filled the air, but Helbaitz had also started acting up.

While taking a light stroll around the mansion with Benji and Love, I happened to see Madam Callian training the knights.

At that moment, a black object shot like an arrow toward Callian.

Callian and the surrounding knights didn’t seem to notice, as they didn’t move at all.

Just as I was about to cry out in surprise, Callian swung the scabbard she was holding. Simultaneously, I first saw something bounce off the ground, and then belatedly heard a thud.

[Callian!]

Goodness, it was Helbaitz.

But then Benji darted out from behind me.

Her speed was so fast that my dress hem fluttered lightly.

Benji revealed her legs, took out a shuriken, placed it between her fingers, and threw it toward Callian.

Callian easily deflected it and defended herself. As if anticipating this, Benji grabbed a nearby sword and attacked without pause.

Left, right, up, down—she used many irregular tactics like throwing objects to distract attention and aiming for the ankles, but Madam Callian blocked all of Benji’s attacks.

The knights’ reactions were also interesting.

They remained focused on their own training regardless of whether Benji was attacking Madam Callian or not.

As if such situations were everyday occurrences for Callian.

“Still, rushing in when someone else is launching a surprise attack seems unfair.”

[It’s an excellent tactic!]

“Helbaitz……”

Helbaitz was suddenly beside me. With his dignity as the Black Dragon nowhere to be found, he was grooming his ruffled feathers just like a cat.

[Next time, I’ll employ a strategy where that maid attacks first, and then I’ll strike from behind.]

Even so, it seemed like they couldn’t even touch her fingertip given the difference in skill.

Out of consideration for Helbaitz’s pride, I refrained from saying that.

I calmly walked away while watching Benji pounce on Callian with such momentum that she seemed to be flying.

***

“I wonder why.”

I had witnessed Helbaitz’s failed attempts to ambush Callian about seven times.

Even now, as soon as Madam Callian appeared, he emerged from somewhere and launched a joint attack with Benji.

By now, their perfectly synchronized movements made them look like a pair that had practiced together for quite some time.

“You deliberately attack Madam Callian when I’m around, don’t you?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?”

“……Why?”

“When he attacked her without you present, she beat him soundly like someone beating dust out of a rug. Madam Callian considers Helbaitz as your pet dog, or rather, pet bird.”

“So he attacks when I’m around because he gets hit less?”

“Yes.”

Love’s clean-cut answer made me sigh.

“If you knew, you should have stopped him……”

Just then, a servant watching the scene even cheered them on.

“Helbaitz, fighting!”

Helbaitz’s existence was supposed to be a secret, but now everyone knows.

No one associated him with the Black Dragon from the founding myth. They only saw him as my pet.

“Isn’t that the bird the Grand Duchess keeps? A chicken?”

“Look at that waddling tail. So cute!”

“The lady is quite interesting. Making a chicken and a maid attack Madam Callian to try and defeat her.”

“She’s really unique.”

In the end, I was the only one who seemed strange.

“I heard that chicken likes dark chocolate cookies. Yesterday, Bril showed him cookies and called him over, and he came to eat them. There were peanut cookies next to them, but he pushed those away with his foot.”

“Oh, how adorable! I should bake some tomorrow.”

Even rumors about which cookies he accepted and which he rejected had spread.

I thought he seemed fatter somehow.

Despite increased activity from attacking Madam Callian, he had become rounder. I had worried that his body was swollen, but it was needless concern.

“Let’s go, Love.”

“Yes.”

***

Hydrangeas bloomed lushly in the flower garden. Each flower was as big as my head, and when I cut two of them, they filled my arms.

I had people to give these flowers to.

It would be nice to go out to the garden and give the flowers, but with so much snow piled up, Kaien would make a fuss if I went outside, so I decided to stay within the grand ducal residence.

On the wall of the long gallery where sunlight streamed in well hung portraits of the previous Grand Duke and Duchess who had protected the Blemer grand ducal family. It was more lavishly decorated than the portrait gallery in the capital’s grand ducal residence.

There was already a visitor there.

“So you were here, Madam.”

When I spoke to her, Madam Callian’s eyes quickly scanned behind me. I unconsciously checked if Helbaitz was around.

I tried to hold back my smile, but it must have shown because Madam Callian coldly stepped back.

“I’ll get out of your way.”

“It’s fine if you stay. Two people are better than one.”

I placed the two hydrangea blooms on the console beneath the portraits.

“The flowers were so beautiful and fresh that I wanted to show them to Kaien’s parents.”

Madam Callian didn’t leave.

Though she startled at small sounds, probably worried that Helbaitz might suddenly appear, the silence wasn’t unpleasant.

“You must have known the previous Grand Duke and Duchess, Madam Callian.”

“Yes, I was at the grand ducal residence the day the previous Grand Duke was born. My late husband adored him like a younger brother. He was a weak person who cried a lot when my husband died.”

I tried to ease the awkwardness by talking about someone we both knew, but Madam Callian’s gaze eventually turned toward me.

“The previous Grand Duke and the current one have such consistent tastes. I wish they had chosen wives with more consideration for the grand duchy.”

Her tone was calm despite clearly expressing disapproval.

Sometimes even the kindest words don’t sound pleasant because of the intention or thoughts behind them. Yet despite her negative assessment of me, I didn’t hate Madam Callian.

“I had hoped the Grand Duke would choose someone strong-minded to lead the grand ducal family with him.”

This person truly wishes for the well-being of the people in the grand duchy.

“The residents of the territory laugh and joke, but they all carry pain from demonic beasts. They live with the fear of not knowing when they or their families might die because of demonic beasts. That’s how threatened they are by the Forest.”

Forty years ago, she was only 28 years old.

At that age, she jumped into the battlefield, beheading demonic beasts and beginning to protect the border.

Could that really have been done solely out of revenge for her husband?

“So I wanted someone the Grand Duke could trust and rely on in emergencies, someone who could protect the grand duchy in his place.”

A belief that encompassed a person’s entire life.

A strong heart that would never waver.

She was someone who burned her life to protect the people of the grand duchy.

“Not someone like you.”

Madam Callian’s cold gaze turned toward me.

She leaned her upper body closer to me.

“Be vigilant. My popularity exceeds the Grand Duke’s, and if I wanted, I could swallow this place whole at any time.”

A soft voice of warning.

Her flashing eyes even held killing intent.

“Guard the grand duchy by keeping me in check.”

For a moment, Madam Callian’s eyes widened. In those pupils, I was reflected smiling gently.

Isn’t it said that the more you cherish and love a child, the more independently you should raise them?

Thinking that even her coldest evaluations and harshest words were for the sake of the grand duchy, I felt both grateful and sad for Madam Callian, who had walked a single path so stubbornly.

A life where she had to shoulder everything.

A person who was driven to take responsibility.

“Do you hate that I’m an outsider, not from the grand duchy?”

“Yes.”

Her answer was concise and without hesitation.

“Are you dissatisfied that my family has no power?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re quite honest.”

Thinking that her attacks had failed to inflict any damage on me, Callian straightened her back and spoke indifferently.

“You may tell the Grand Duke.”

“I don’t plan to. That way, you’ll feel sorry for treating me so coldly.”

One end of Callian’s eyebrow rose.

“I’m glad you’re by Kaien’s side, Madam.”

I spoke in her manner of speech and laughed softly.

The Forest of Demonic Beasts is a great burden and threat to the grand duchy. It’s a greater danger than the neighboring country that shares the border.

But what if it were no longer a danger?

When I was following the litups demonic beast pack with Kaien to save Aaron, I wondered what if I could transfer my power to objects like a priest’s holy power.

What if I could control it, not just by putting on and taking off the bracelet?

Then perhaps I could control the demonic beasts and make the Forest of Demonic Beasts safe.

[If you can handle the power well, you could command beings influenced by that power.]

As Helbaitz said, if someday I could command demonic beasts……

It’s a simple hope without alternatives, so I couldn’t speak it aloud, but I dream of that day.

“Next year—no, it would be the year after next. After the baby is born and my health improves, I’ll visit the Igmal border that you protect with Kaien the year after next.”

“Do you not even know where we’ve been through?”

This time, Callian truly spoke as if she found me pathetic.

“I know where the border you guard is. I’ve also heard about you passing through the Forest of Demonic Beasts.”

She’s really stubborn.

I’m showing goodwill, but she won’t open her heart.

Since she’s not someone I can defeat with strength, I played a small prank.

“Madam Callian, you should establish your own people at the grand ducal residence. Your information is outdated.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ivy.”

“Kaien!”

Just then, Kaien came looking for me.

I lightly ran to him as he stood at the end of the gallery, and the surprised Kaien approached.

“I told you not to run.”

“Did you come to get me?”

“Did you come to give flowers?”

“Yes. They seem pleased. Come see.”

When I pulled Kaien by the wrist to the portraits of the previous Grand Duke and Duchess, Madam Callian stepped back with a surprised expression.

Kaien stared at the portraits for a moment, then smiled and wrapped his arm around my waist, kissing the top of my head.

“I see. They’re happy with the flowers.”

“Aren’t they?”

“Your hands are cold. Let’s go back to our room.”

Though it wasn’t cold indoors at all, he took both my hands, blew on them to warm them, then wrapped his arms around my legs and lifted me.

“Put your hands on my chest. Madam Callian, will you be staying longer?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then we’ll go ahead.”

Kaien strode out of the corridor. Callian stared blankly as we moved away.

“He used to hate them……”

I faintly heard Callian’s muttering.

That’s when I remembered.

At the capital’s grand ducal residence, Kaien even hated looking at the portraits of the previous Grand Duke and Duchess.

I grabbed his shoulders and looked down at Kaien with fresh eyes.

“Why?”