In the meantime, I checked the covers of the books on the tray and clicked my tongue inside my mouth. Most of the books piled up were romance novels. Of all things to choose, why these? I wasn’t pleased. When I was already reeling with my insides twisted from the love affairs before my eyes, did I have to see such things even in print?

“Yes. It’s urgent, so hurry as much as possible. I’m embarrassed and don’t want to be caught, so you specifically must come, not anyone else.”

But there was no choice. I could hear the head librarian calling for me from far away. Fortunately, the young librarian seemed to take my words about not wanting to be caught at face value and simply bowed his head silently.

When I returned to my room and waited about two hours, the young librarian appeared groaning while pulling a book cart. I hurriedly let the child inside and personally poured and offered a cup of warm tea.

“You worked hard. Have some tea before you go.”

The young librarian, not knowing what to do, wiped his sweaty hands on his pants before taking the teacup with trembling hands. He did slightly furrow his brow while raising his arm, probably because the shoulder I had gripped hurt, but there was no groan.

I liked that patience and softened my voice a bit.

“I hear your sister is ill and the medicine costs are high. The money you receive working as a librarian isn’t enough to pay for medicine, is it?”

It would have been better with more time. However, unfortunately I didn’t have much leisure.

“I’m thinking of bringing you in as a servant at the Giverny estate. You just need to report to me what you hear and see there. Isn’t it quite simple?”

I coaxed him gently like a kind hunter. Of course, it might not be as simple as it sounds. Princess Louisa, the estate’s owner, is from Gorgon after all.

Gorgon is one of the few countries on the continent that still permits slavery. Unlike servants, slaves are treated as their owner’s property and can be handled freely without restraint. The duchy’s circumstances are different, but I didn’t think the princess, accustomed to Gorgon’s customs, would treat servants very generously.

“Then Your Grace wishes me to act as a spy?”

The librarian child asked me my purpose clearly despite trembling. He probably guessed the answer was already decided from the moment his sister was mentioned, yet his audacity in trying to buy time somehow was rather interesting.

“If you promise to take responsibility for the medicine costs as you said…… I’ll comply.”

The answer came around when the teapot was nearly empty. I calmly set down my empty teacup at the voice I heard while wondering whether to order more tea.

“I promise.”

Click. At the sound of the door opening, the knight guarding the corridor glanced this way briefly before turning back. I persistently watched the child disappear rattling the cart before returning to my room.

And as soon as the door closed again, Herot clung to me with an anxious face.

“Your Grace. What do you mean by this so suddenly without warning? And a sister? Then the task you ordered me the other day, could it be……”

I affirmed matter-of-factly.

“Tell Sir Serge I’m grateful.”

Serge Roland is Herot’s lover. I haven’t properly seen his face yet, but a few days ago I conveyed an address to him through Herot. If there’s a woman, take her to the Job household. That was the entirety of my order. It wasn’t a difficult task. Bringing in new maids through recommendations like this happened often enough. So neither Herot nor Sir Serge would have suspected anything unusual. However, in any case, the fact that I had used the two of them was undeniable.

“Tell him to request something if he wants anything. Surely he didn’t help me without at least that much calculation.”

When I pushed away the empty teacup and added coldly, Herot’s face crumpled like someone who drank salt water.

“How can you say such things? I would have complied if you had just told me the reason.”

But I was sincere. My kind and faithful old friend was foolishly loyal to the point of not knowing how to flee even facing an obvious ending. Even while I was going mad moment by moment locked in the tower, Herot alone stayed by my side to the end. All she gained from it was a miserable death.

So this time it shouldn’t be that way. My ending is already decided, so there’s no need to be swept up and repeat the mistake. I shook her off and turned around.

“Why should I? I’m the grand duchess. I’m someone who can do anything even without a reason. Or do you also find me ridiculous like the princess? If so, return to the estate anytime. But don’t think about running your mouth carelessly.”

“Such…… I don’t understand at all why you’ve suddenly become so cold, Your Grace. If I’ve done something to hurt your feelings—”

“It’s not that, so don’t think uselessly.”

This was the first time in my entire life I had taken such a cold attitude toward Herot. Even while speaking, each word stung like thorns sprouting on my tongue. I pointlessly flipped the hourglass this way and that, fixing my gaze on the colored sand trickling down. Otherwise, I felt like she would inevitably catch on that I was acting right now. Herot had truly mastered recognizing my excuses since childhood.

“I’m tired, please leave now.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, once I opened my lips, my tongue rolled smoothly like it had been oiled.

“Your Grace.”

“Didn’t you hear me say leave?”

Herot, who had been hesitating and dragging out time, finally gave up her spot when I finally snapped in anger. Having brought up even the princess and insisted on my pride, it would have been difficult to hold out any longer.

However, even though things went as planned, I didn’t feel refreshed. Even trying to take a nap pointlessly only made me more alert, so I eventually gave up on sleeping and sat up abruptly.

That’s when the books piled in a corner of the room caught my eye. I went before the pile of books like I was possessed. Without any particular desire to choose, I roughly picked up the book on top of the pile. When was it that I pulled over a nearby chair, sat down, and turned the cover?

That day, I read the book through to the end in one sitting.

The content was ordinary. It was a predictable plot where a young noble who lost everything to false accusations returns to reclaim love and honor. However, the only reason I endured the boredom to the last page was one thing. The woman who forgot her fiancé and married his enemy. I was too curious about the fate of that woman who even bore and raised a child.

My Odil.

However, I don’t want to tell you the ending right now. It’s no fun if you know the fate in advance, right? What strikes us without warning, reason, or logic. That is fate.

If logic and rationality must be added, it can no longer be called fate. So Odil. You should definitely know this too.

This time, even that fate is on my side.

※※※

Originally, Warlock’s political arena doesn’t discriminate between men and women. However, I was born with little interest in academics, so I didn’t bother showing my face at meetings discussing government affairs unless you were absent.

But today was a bit different. It was the day Father returned.

“Let’s begin the meeting.”

Count Clark, the finance minister, declared the opening while looking around the assembly. Perhaps because of me showing my face after a long time, the meeting hall’s atmosphere was somewhat unsettled. But my gaze was directed at only one place.

The uniform buttons filled tightly to the neck were extremely solemn, and the firmly closed thick lips were stubborn, proving lofty honor.

Ah, Father.

I was finally relieved only after seeing with my eyes that you were alive. The past tragedy was still vivid in my mind, so even the exchanged letters couldn’t completely wash away my distrust.

In the past, the Job household was annihilated before I died. The reason was mixing abortifacient tea leaves into the pregnant princess’s tea.

— How dare they try to harm royal life!

— It’s definitely the Job household’s doing, at the grand duchess’s instigation!

By that time, my reputation was already ruined beyond any means of repair. To the point where nothing would change even if the goddess herself manifested.

Gorgon didn’t miss that opportunity. They intended to remove Father, who was a thorn in their side, and replace Warlock’s political arena with their friendly forces. The presence or absence of guilt was no longer any issue.

They hired mercenaries to pressure the eastern border. The frightened citizens wanted them to comply with their demands as quickly as possible, and the noble faction, empowered by public opinion, finally swung their swords at our flag.

But Odil. Even that news I heard a day later. It was the day after an unusually tumultuous dawn. After staying up all night unable to sleep due to inexplicable anxiety. I fainted at Herot’s voice delivering the news. And.

— Your Grace! Are you conscious? Do you know who I am?

— Yes, I know. Herot, Herot. But I heard something strange, Father, Father—

When I opened my eyes, another day had passed. The only ones left were scraps who survived by marrying into other families or changing their names. From that day on, the Job household was completely erased from Warlock’s history.

By then, I couldn’t understand at all. What exactly had I done wrong?

All I could do isolated in the dark tower was chew on hatred. If even laughter was heard from outside, my insides would turn over, and there were many times when I wanted to tear my chest to shreds because I couldn’t breathe for no reason. The reason I didn’t was because I could meet Arthur if I fell asleep.

But dreams are just dreams. Every night I enjoyed heavenly happiness beyond compare, but when I opened my eyes in the morning, I was mercilessly thrown onto the cold stone floor. While lamenting that it would be better not to dream at all like this, even such thoughts felt like sins and tormented me.

While such terrible days continued, finally ‘that thing’ spoke to me.

“……Ha. Your Grace!”

But ‘that thing’s’ voice isn’t this frivolous. Thanks to that, I did snap to attention. Withdrawing my reminiscence, I pulled up my gaze that had been fixed on the tabletop and stared straight ahead.

“Ahem, I asked for your opinion on a new agenda, but it seems Your Grace is quite fatigued.”

Perhaps only my absence was dissatisfactory, Count Wig’s face, who had stood up awkwardly, clearly showed displeasure. One of Marquis Gladi’s great followers, he was short with thick flesh, so at a glance he looked like a squat dwarf doll erected to commemorate a festival.