“So you died in an accident in a place called South Korea that no one has ever heard of, and then woke up here?”

Odin, who had been listening quietly to my explanation, asked after pondering deeply for a while.

“Yes.”

I nodded gravely, and Odin’s expression grew even more perplexed.

“And you’re saying this place is inside a novel?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m telling you!”

“Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream?”

“It wasn’t a dream!”

“That can’t be. I’ve lived here for hundreds of years.”

Odin tapped the table firmly with his tail, as if refusing to accept this one fact.

“And what? You receive notifications? That makes no sense.”

“Why not?”

“I did tell you not to sleep. But I never imagined it would go as a message. Do you mean it came as a letter?”

“Well, it’s like a kind of program system… ah, never mind.”

There was no point explaining further—this was beyond Odin’s comprehension. Even I wasn’t confident I could properly explain what a ‘program’ was to an ancestor in this romance fantasy world.

“Oh! I was also told I have a secret birth history.”

Odin frowned deeply and raised his head at my words.

“Why do you have so many secrets!”

“…I wonder.”

“What kind of birth secret? Have you discovered anything?”

“Not yet. They’ll tell me when I achieve something.”

“…What’s that?”

“It’s like points I get for being a good grand duchess.”

“Ahhh.”

“Don’t tell me you actually understand?”

When I asked in surprise, Odin swallowed a blueberry and answered glumly.

“I have to understand eventually, don’t I? What choice do I have?”

“Really?”

“You immediately understood that I’ve been wandering around this castle for a long time, didn’t you?”

Fair point. From someone who has experienced transmigration, the world is full of mysteries. Whether it’s me accepting a ghost without question, or Odin who claims he returned to the past and manifested as a baby lion.

These things have never happened before, so we couldn’t just respond with “That’s impossible!”

“Anyway, I’ve confirmed you’re not that child, so that’s enough. I wasn’t mistaken after all.”

“What was she like?”

“The energy was different. She always walked around with a dark expression. You’re more like…”

“Bright?”

“Like a foal released in a field. Just learning to walk.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s a compliment.”

Odin looked at me for a moment, then hesitantly rolled a single blueberry with his front paw and pushed it in front of me.

“If I’ve spoken carelessly to you before, I apologize. Here, eat this and forget about it.”

“Haha! What is this?”

“This is all I can give you. I used to have a lot, but after death, I found I had nothing.”

“Hehehe. Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll enjoy it.”

As I burst into laughter and popped the blueberry into my mouth, Odin grinned and sat near the plate.

“I was uncertain whether you were that child or not. From now on, I’ll treat you more generously.”

“…Really?”

“No, I’m just saying that. I’ve never been that way. Now give me that meat.”

Odin nudged me as he pointed to the lamb chops.

“Tch, fine, fine. You totally seem like the generous type.”

“You brat. Do you realize you also have a personality where you grumble while saying whatever you want? But you won’t be able to abandon me. I know too many things that could help you.”

“I bet you can’t go to anyone else either? Since no one else can hear what you’re saying.”

Even as I said this, I cut the remaining meat with my knife and placed it on Odin’s plate.

“But I know you secretly care. I’m grateful for that. That’s why you had dresses made for me, right?”

“That was because I was afraid you’d ruin this family’s beautiful clothing culture.”

“Tch, so grumpy. Now, please tell me. How did they really meet?”

As I crossed my arms on the table and asked, Odin took a sip of water as if preparing to begin his story.

“It was a marriage arranged by the imperial family.”

Odin began.

“The imperial family?”

“Throughout generations, marriages of the Hedegen family’s eldest sons have required imperial approval. Since the founding of the nation, our family has been the only one with the Grand Duke title. The marriage of the grand ducal family is tied to the Empire’s honor, so it was predetermined. Love between men and women sometimes renders judgment terribly poor.”

“Who established this arrangement?”

Odin remained silent for a while at my question.

“…Don’t tell me it was you?”

“When I made it, I never expected this outcome!”

Odin shouted indignantly.

“I never dreamed that this promise would lead to losing Carlo, who grew up to be the most excellent person in my family!”

Though Odin always grumbled that Carlo wasn’t much, his eyes now showed fear of losing him again.

I finally understood why Odin had gone to such lengths to intervene in his grandson’s death.

He seemed to feel immense guilt for losing his beloved grandson through the political marriage he had arranged with the imperial family.

“Didn’t you realize that letting the imperial family decide could lead to connections with families you didn’t approve of?”

“Such a thing had never happened before. Until now, when the eldest son of the Hedegen family found a woman he liked, he would send a letter directly to the imperial family requesting permission.”

“Ah, so they weren’t simply informed who to marry?”

“That’s right. The imperial family has always given their consent. When our family decided on a marriage partner, they always respected our choice first. During the social season, couples naturally match up, so typically around that time, they would meet a woman they liked, and once they decided to marry, they would tell their parents and then seek imperial consent.”

“So it was called a political marriage but was actually similar to free love.”

“Exactly! But suddenly they connected us with such a trashy… such an unexpected family!”

‘Such a trashy’… I could once again feel how much Odin despised the Azanie comital family.

“…If not me, then perhaps the person you mentioned earlier…”

“Hm?”

“That Carol…ina Grenville, would he have married her?”

“Perhaps. Though I can’t be certain whether Carlo favored Carolina or not.”

“I see…”

If the imperial family hadn’t ordered the Hedegen family to marry into the Azanie comital family, the Grand Duke might have lived happily with another noble lady whose family had good relations with his.

I quietly set down the blueberry I had been sharing with Odin and briefly imagined the face of the Grand Duke, who was away from the castle on busy business.

“But why did the imperial family order this marriage? What benefit could come from connecting the grand ducal family with the Azanie comital family?”

“They probably suggested it would be the first step toward harmony between hostile noble factions.”

“Was it the Emperor’s idea?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know whose mind it originated from, but the Emperor did issue the order. Shortly after, he fell ill and collapsed.”

“So now…”

“Now the Empress is serving as regent.”

This meant the invitation from the imperial family was most likely from the Empress.

Not only was she currently the most senior member of the imperial family, but typically, organizing social gatherings was the wife’s responsibility.

Perhaps it was a plan devised together with the Count of Azanie.

“When I go to the palace, I’ll observe the atmosphere carefully. To keep the Grand Duke safe from danger.”

“Take care of yourself first. I can’t leave this castle, so I don’t know much about the world these days, but be careful. The imperial people are no ordinary individuals.”

“Yes, yes.”

I wiped away the water droplets on Odin’s mouth and offered my hand in cooperation.

“So please help me a lot from now on. We’re in the same boat now.”

Odin stared at me for a moment, then extended his front paw and placed it on my index finger.

I held his adorable paw and pretended to shake hands for a moment.

“But what do you plan to do staying here? The original Lea who was in that body put sleeping pills in the tea, so eventually you’ll be revealed as an accomplice. Then it’s straight to prison.”

“That’s why I’m actually… planning to escape.”

“What?”

“It’s impossible for me to stay here! I need to save money and leave. But before that, I’ll do a good job as grand duchess and introduce him to someone wonderful.”

“I can’t believe this. Wait, money? Come to think of it, you mentioned before that you don’t have any? Why not?”

“Well… um, apparently she sent it all to her family.”

“……”

Odin squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in his front paws with a sigh, as if there was no answer.

“So that’s why you tried to buy everything from the dress merchant before. I wondered why you were being so extravagant.”

“You once told me to steal jewels too.”

“I said that knowing you couldn’t do it! You clearly can’t do bad things. Hah, divorce in my family.”

“Isn’t that better than having a criminal continue living here?”

Odin remained silent at my question, deep in thought.

He seemed to think it was unacceptable to have such a member in his family.

“…Then will you take me with you?”

“What?”

“As you know, you’re the only one who can understand me, and Carlo annoyingly can’t stand me. If you run away, what am I supposed to do?”

“Ah…”

“Will you take me with you?”

“Well, yes. Two is better than one!”

“Good, that’s settled. Let’s try to smuggle out a lot of things.”

What? I looked at Odin with a mixture of temptation and shock at his proposal, which made me doubt my ears.

“…Pardon?”

“With me around, you’ll get a lot of help.”

W-well, of course.

Is this what it’s like to have the owner personally provide a list of things to steal?

“There are many expensive items in this castle, so if we divert one or two, they should be worth quite a bit. And ask Carlo for some money too. To think I’ll be living outside the castle! After wandering only inside for hundreds of years, the day for adventure has finally come!”

I looked worriedly at Odin, whose eyes were already sparkling with anticipation for an exciting adventure. Is this really okay?

“Are you finished eating?”

“Yes, I’m full.”

After finishing our meal, we were eating dessert and looking at the garden when I saw two maids running somewhere.

Looking closely, they were the kind maids who had brought me snacks before!

“Just a moment?”

Feeling delighted, I wrapped a few snacks in a handkerchief and stood up from my chair.

“Odin, enjoy these while you rest!”

“Hmm…”

Odin walked to the edge of the table and watched Lea’s retreating figure beyond the railing.

“Look at that. How could someone like that do anything bad…?”

Watching Lea heading toward the maids with her dress fluttering, Odin suddenly raised his head.

As if he had discovered something, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.