‘Has he finally gone mad? Or am I so exhausted that I’m seeing things?’

Elvin, looking utterly drained, gazed at Grand Duke Eustace, who had been grinning foolishly since earlier. When the Grand Duke finally arrived at the office near lunchtime, he seemed to be in an unusually good mood.

“Did something pleasant happen, Your Grace?”

Unable to contain his curiosity, Elvin asked absentmindedly before immediately regretting it. Recently, anything that pleased the Grand Duke had been related to Lila.

“Would you like to know, Elvin?”

As expected, the Grand Duke broke into a wide smile before Elvin could even finish his thought. He was itching to boast about Lila patting his head that morning.

“No, I’ve suddenly decided I don’t want to know.”

Elvin shook his head sternly. If he didn’t stop this now, he’d inevitably be trapped into listening to at least half a day’s worth of stories about the Princess.

That would mean yet another late workday, an outcome Elvin was determined to avoid today.

“Come on, just listen a little. This morning, Lady Lila―”

“Yes, yes. Lady Lila delighted Your Grace in some way. As your aide, I’m deeply moved by such a happy occasion.”

Elvin quickly cut him off.

“Since Your Grace is in such a cheerful mood, surely you can finish work quickly without distractions today. That, too, makes me happy as your aide. Now, please take a look at the report Johan sent over.”

“…You’re so harsh.”

The Grand Duke pouted, disappointed. If Aria had seen this, she would have exclaimed, “The Grand Duke has such an adorable side! Oh, I feel so inspired!” and caused a commotion. Unfortunately for him, Elvin was not Aria.

“Now, now, let’s get to it. We have a lot of work to do.”

Elvin snorted and began placing a stack of documents in front of the Grand Duke: a thick report, testimonies, Johan’s letter, and pieces of evidence.

“Sir Swan is recovering steadily. While there may be lingering effects due to his age, the doctor says there are no major issues.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Dame Huon, who sustained the most severe injuries, is heading to the capital with Johan. The families of deceased tenants have been compensated with medals and condolence payments, while the injured have received medical aid and additional compensation.”

“Hmm.”

The Grand Duke skimmed the report as Elvin spoke. Johan, known for his meticulous nature, had conducted a thorough investigation without overlooking any details. While there was no decisive evidence, the traces and clues strongly pointed to the Emperor as the mastermind behind the incident.

“So, it was the Emperor, as expected.”

“Goes without saying.”

Elvin replied curtly, his expression darkening as he recalled the incident outlined in detail in the report.

Sir Swan, the former captain of the Eustace family knights, had recently retired due to old age and was managing the estate as the Grand Duke’s deputy. He had been ambushed by an unknown group while returning from a neighboring estate, where he had negotiated a winter hunting agreement with local representatives. Swan had been accompanied by five hunters and five merchants.

Their opponents were too numerous to be mere bandits and moved with the organization of a military unit. Even for Swan, it was impossible to protect the estate’s residents while fighting against roughly thirty marauders.

At the critical moment, the mage Huon sacrificed herself to cast a power-amplification spell. As a result, she lost an eye and an arm. Swan also sustained severe injuries to his back and legs, and three residents lost their lives, leaving significant casualties.

“They always target my people like this.”

Tap, tap. Pale, slender fingers drummed against the report.

“How should I repay this?”

His narrowed blue eyes shone coldly. Watching the icy aura emanating from the Grand Duke, Elvin swallowed nervously. Although the Grand Duke worked his people tirelessly, he was famous for fiercely protecting them.

Years ago, he had bankrupted a count’s business after the count insulted one of his knights—a story still widely recounted.

He’s not going to storm the palace immediately, is he? Elvin anxiously observed the Grand Duke. When Elvin first became his aide, he had been utterly shocked by the Grand Duke’s open contempt for the Emperor.

It didn’t take long, however, for Elvin to adapt. Working as the Grand Duke’s aide, it was impossible not to share his disdain for the Emperor, a truly vile and despicable man.

“Your Grace.”

“Emma?”

Fortunately, Elvin’s fears were unfounded. Emma entered the office at the perfect moment, interrupting the tense atmosphere. The Grand Duke, who had just radiated an icy demeanor, now greeted her with a warm smile as radiant as spring flowers.

“What brings you here?”

“I’ve compiled the list of fabrics and jewels Miss Aria requested, discussed the budget with the treasurer, and finalized the accounts. Since the expenses will come from your personal funds, I’ve come to request access to the vault.”

“Good work. Spend freely. Everything—fabric and jewels—must be the finest.”

“Of course.”

With a casual wave of his hand, the Grand Duke sent a soft white light toward Emma’s hand, granting her the access she needed.

“Also, the knight commander has brought Miss Aria Shuie’s two apprentices to the mansion. Hans is currently guiding them.”

“Are they trustworthy?”

“The investigation shows they’re clean.”

Emma handed over neatly compiled documents detailing the background check on Miss Aria and her apprentices.

“What about Lady Lila?”

“She’s taking a short nap. Count Uther’s family sent some excellent flower tea yesterday, and I was thinking of serving it to her when she wakes up.”

“That’s a wonderful idea.”

The Grand Duke nodded in satisfaction. Entrusting Lila to Emma had been a wise decision, as always.

“Now that you’re here, let’s discuss Lady Lila for a moment. It seems Hans still hasn’t found a tutor for her.”

“My apologies.”

At the Grand Duke’s remark, Emma bowed her head with a regretful expression.

“We’ve had to restrict our movements and contacts to avoid drawing attention. With Your Grace in seclusion, everyone’s eyes are on us. Moreover…”

Emma trailed off.

“Despite our precautions, rumors about Miss Aria have already spread.”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

The Grand Duke shrugged. He had anticipated that news of Miss Aria would leak eventually.

“Since I hired her as our exclusive seamstress and paid her cancellation fees under our name, it was only a matter of time before one of the affected nobles—someone both perceptive and loose-lipped—spread the word.”

He muttered with a knowing look.

“Will this be alright?”

Emma asked with a worried expression. Bringing Aria in discreetly had been partly to avoid the Emperor’s scrutiny. She feared that this would alert the Emperor, making the situation dangerous.

“There’s no issue. We couldn’t keep Lila hidden forever anyway. This just accelerates the timeline. Still, I suppose I’ll have to make an appearance at the palace soon to divert attention.”

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue in mild frustration. His decision to remain in seclusion had been a deliberate move to unsettle the Emperor and Crown Prince while allowing him time to enjoy Lila’s company. However, if rumors persisted, he had no choice but to act.

“When do you plan to appear, Your Grace?”

Elvin, ever mindful of schedules, opened his notebook.

“Let’s start next week.”

“Conveniently, there’s already an envoy from the palace here. I’ll convey the message.”

“Do that. Inform them that my health has improved and that I’ll soon be able to attend the council meeting. That should stop them from pestering me further.”

The Grand Duke muttered with an exasperated expression. The Emperor’s endless emissaries were becoming tiresome.

“Once Johan returns, we’ll proceed with preparations for Lady Lila’s ennoblement ceremony. Come to think of it, wasn’t he supposed to arrive today?”

“It seems the arrival has been delayed; he should reach us tomorrow.”

“Then, Emma, discreetly spread some rumors in advance. Make sure that by the day after tomorrow, word of Lady Lila is widespread in the imperial capital.”

“Understood.”

“Now, all that’s left is to finalize a tutor.”

The Grand Duke stroked his chin, lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly, as though struck by inspiration, he exclaimed, “Ah!”

“How about making Huon Lady Lila’s tutor?”

“…! That’s an excellent idea,” Elvin and Emma replied simultaneously.

“Dame Huon has experience as an associate professor in the Academy’s Department of Magic. Coming from the East, she could also teach Lady Lila the language from that region.”

“Good. Then let’s ask Huon about it. If she agrees, we’ll appoint her as the tutor.”

The Grand Duke laughed heartily, pleased to have resolved the matter so quickly. Today seemed to be going unusually well.

“Kind and capable—our Grand Duke.”

Remembering the events of the morning, the Grand Duke’s lips curved into a faint smile. He idly ran his fingers through his hair, recalling the spot where Lila’s hand had brushed.

“Kind and capable? What’s that about?”

“It’s a magical chant my mother taught me!”

“A chant? Such magic exists?”

“Yep! Whenever I do something good, she pats my head like this and says, ‘Our Lila is so kind and capable!’ It makes me feel incredibly happy!”

“Really? But when my parents pat my head, they call me their cute little son.”

“Then next time, ask them to say ‘kind and capable.’ It’s a spell that feels as uplifting as flying through the sky!”

The Grand Duke drifted into nostalgia, remembering those dearly missed days. Though Lila herself had forgotten teaching him the chant, it truly was as she described—a spell that brought immense joy.

That evening, the Grand Duke’s staff whispered tales of the Eastern warrior who had saved him from a ruthless assassin. As the story spread from one person to the next, it became increasingly exaggerated, swiftly circulating throughout the capital.