The next day, Saena slept in again.

Her somewhat regular daily routine was pushed back again. Getting up late in bed, Saena held her waist.

‘Everything aches…’

Today seemed like a day she really needed a massage.

“Madam? Did you call for me?”

“…Come in.”

Just then, Darielle arrived. It was amazing how she always seemed to know exactly when Saena would wake up.

“Would you like to have breakfast first?”

“Today… that thing we talked about before. Could we start with the massage?”

“Ah! Of course! I’ll prepare it right away.”

The masseuse Darielle brought was truly amazing. Her knotted, stiff, and creaking body melted away.

“Wow…”

After receiving a full-course massage, her whole body felt so relaxed that she almost fell asleep again, but she resisted.

“Was the massage alright?”

“Ah, yes. It was wonderful.”

“I’m glad.”

Actually, Saena was so used to being alone that she thought having someone attending to her would be uncomfortable, but Darielle’s sense of distance was so excellent that she barely felt any discomfort.

“Then I’ll check if the meal is ready. In the meantime, would you like to look through these? They’re letters for you, Madam.”

“Oh? Alright.”

Darielle was the perfect maid who maintained Saena’s personal space while seeming to read her mind and scratch her itches.

‘…So capable!’

In just a few days, Saena had deeply internalized Darielle’s existence.

After Darielle left, Saena put on her robe and sat in her private reception room. A maid brought freshly brewed tea, apparently already instructed by the efficient Darielle.

Brushing her disheveled hair to one side over her shoulder, Saena examined the box of letters.

“Ah, it’s from Sister Kiki. And Sister Evian too.”

The replies seemed to have all arrived together, having been sent around the same time.

Saena opened the envelopes with excitement. Both letters expressed understanding despite feeling disappointed about her sudden departure, along with various updates about their recent lives.

They seemed to be keeping her informed so she wouldn’t fall behind on news in the central society while she’s away.

The next letter was from Floria.

[We parted without saying goodbye.

I don’t know when you’ll return to the capital!

I think I’ll need to stay at my territory before the social season too, so visit if you have time.

Or I could ask my brother to let me visit you~]

So Floria is going to her territory too?

And judging by her mentioning her brother (perhaps naturally) and asking him for a favor, she seems to know about the warp gate.

Given that it’s a month’s journey even on the fastest horse by land, her casual suggestion of visiting implies as much.

‘I miss them somehow.’

Reading her friends’ letters made her both happy and nostalgic. She missed their gatherings and chatter together.

Though she would see them again in the capital, it couldn’t be right away, so she couldn’t help feeling wistful.

The last letter was from the Princess.

The letter felt surprisingly thick for what she expected to be a formal reply to her acknowledgment of the wedding gift.

Saena broke the seal and took out the letter sheets. It wasn’t just one page.

The content was unexpectedly filled with casual conversation, surprising her again.

[…I am so curious about how it feels to marry someone you love…]

…Eh? Someone you love?

‘Why would she make such a misunderstanding.’

Saena tried to objectively review the process leading to her marriage.

‘Hmm… I can see why she’d think that.’

From the unusually short preparation time for a noble marriage to Constantine’s recent public behavior, she realized most people would probably think that way.

She couldn’t exactly explain the various circumstances that led to their marriage, so she had let people think what they would, but realizing people saw them as a couple who married for love made her feel strange.

[…If the opportunity arises, and if you’re comfortable with it, I’d love to hear directly about everything from your first meeting to how it happened. I already feel it must be so romantic…]

As she continued reading, Saena found herself smiling slightly.

Noble blood or not, a princess was still a woman — she felt a sense of camaraderie. The casual tone and sentences felt friendly, as if writing to a friend.

‘…Perhaps the Princess is also in love.’

Though she wasn’t certain, her relationship with that guard definitely didn’t seem casual.

‘Wait, what do I mean by “also”?’

Though she and Constantine got along well, they weren’t exactly in a relationship to discuss love.

‘What does it matter if it’s not love.’

Saena was very satisfied with the present.

She had avoided marriage to the Prince, and Constantine was an excellent husband.

Far better than she had expected or imagined.

Having seen how he treated Elizabeth in her past life, she had thought it would be enough if he just maintained proper courtesy toward his wife even if he wasn’t particularly warm, but well.

He was kind, considerate, and even warm.

What more could she ask for?

‘But can it work out… with the guard?’

She suddenly felt concerned, worried about the class difference making it impossible.

While Hebeta’s position valued spirit power more than social status, the position of the Princess’s consort was different.

“Ah, this…”

Once she realized this, worry and sympathy suddenly washed over her.

The deeper the feelings, the harder it would be later. What could be done about this?

She suddenly wondered whether she should write her reply pretending to be very happy, or just moderately so.

In the end, Saena wrote her reply mixing appropriate truth with careful vagueness, while expressing her genuine feelings in parts unrelated to Constantine.

* * *

Several days passed.

After meeting the nanny, Constantine changed subtly and embraced her every night with something like desperation.

Acting as if someone was chasing him, he swept Saena along, making every day exhausting for her.

Well, it seemed only Saena was exhausted.

‘How many hours does he even sleep in a day?’

She had never seen Constantine fall asleep before her. She was always the first to pass out, and when she woke up, Constantine was already up.

Not just up, but fully washed and dressed.

And not just any clothes, but attire so sharp from head to toe that looked as though he could enter the imperial palace immediately.

Even at home, he wore stifling clothes that covered his entire body, and looking at how crisp and unwrinkled they were, she wondered if he ever sat down in them.

She thought at least his hands were bare, but that seemed to be only in front of her — in his office or outside the bedroom, he always wore gloves.

Of course, no noble would walk around in a bathrobe at home (this was thoroughly taught to everyone), but it was strange that he would stay at home in such uncomfortable attire.

‘…Is it really mysophobia?’

Though she would think it wasn’t when she saw how freely he touched her, seeing such behavior made her wonder again.

“Selective mysophobia? That’s strange too…”

She couldn’t understand what it meant.

“Saena. Sleep more.”

“Mmm…”

Every morning, finding Constantine in his crisp uniform made her feel somehow guilty just for having sleepy, dazed eyes.

“Are you going to work?”

“Yes.”

“You seem extremely busy. Do you have a lot of work?”

Constantine smiled with a peculiar expression, sat on the edge of the bed, and pressed his lips to her forehead.

“…Rising with the sun is too natural for me.”

Not just morning, but waking up right after sunrise — to Saena, it seemed more like an ascetic practice than mere diligence.

“You should get enough sleep. It’s partly my responsibility. There’s no need to be conscious of my habits.”

He kissed her forehead once more and stood up.

His face showed some lingering attachment, but he didn’t sit back down.

Come to think of it, even after spending nights exploring her, he would always leave the bedroom decisively at sunrise.

‘What a diligent person…’

More than diligent, he was responsibility incarnate. No, perhaps even a workaholic.

Others might envy him for being a duke, the master of a Guardian Spirit…

But if they knew he had to work like this from dawn without rest every day, would they still be envious?

‘I feel guilty too.’

Saena resolved that she should start living more busily too.

Since becoming a Duchess, she felt like she hadn’t done anything. All she did every day was in bed…

‘…Mmm.’

She felt very embarrassed.

‘Still… just one more hour of sleep.’

Getting up at dawn every day like Constantine was impossible.

Saena didn’t overestimate her stamina.

* * *

After sleeping a bit longer than an hour, Saena finished her meal quickly and got ready. Then she immediately requested a meeting with Nadia through Darielle.

“I have things I need to do, and I want to help where I can.”

Now that the adjustment period was over, it was time to work.

“But since I won’t be staying only at the main territory, I don’t think I need to be involved in every area excessively. So I’m not sure how much I should do.”

“Regarding that matter, His Grace said you should do as you wish.”

“What? His Grace did?”

“Yes.”

He had already given instructions about such matters?

Occasionally realizing such meticulous consideration that bordered on thoroughness made her feel strange.

“Is His Grace in his office now?”

“Yes.”

Nadia only gave short answers to questions asked.

“Madam, why don’t you visit him for a cup of tea? His Grace would like that!”

Saena hadn’t known what she was hoping for when she asked, but Darielle provided the answer.

“Shall I prepare a tea set?”

“……”