“Well, isn’t there something fun to do?”
The human heart is truly fickle. Despite the major incident that had occurred, after spending several weeks resting like this, I was starting to feel bored.
I got up from the bed. Today, too, my hair was completely disheveled from rolling around in excitement over Lionel’s romance that transcended social status. Roughly combing it down with my hands, I walked over to the window.
I perched one leg on the sofa and opened the window behind it. As I breathed in the fresh air coming in, my mind cleared.
In the vase on the windowsill, lavender-colored lilacs were in full bloom. The Grand Duke had been sending flowers every day since we returned alive.
“Do you sincerely wish for me to become the Grand Duchess?”
After tapping the flowers that resembled the color of my eyes, I stretched and went outside.
“Irena? Lionel?”
I called out to people as I headed to the drawing room, but no one responded to my call. Only freshly prepared snacks and tea were temptingly placed on the table. It seems Irena had prepared them and left.
She was busy as the only maid I had brought. When Irena wasn’t around, I could spend time doing other things, but right now, Sion was gone, and so was Demian.
Which meant there was no one to entertain me.
“By the way, I wonder if they received the letter I sent. I’m worried.”
Lionel had been disappearing lately to meet Lady Deswin, not showing his face at all.
That bright face of his asking if it was okay to be absent to meet her.
“Sigh. They say raising children is all for nothing. After all the years we’ve spent together.”
Although I was displeased, I didn’t say anything for the sake of those who were busy burning their youth brilliantly.
Lady Deswin had become kind to me as if she had never been hostile. All the arrows that used to fly at me in social circles were now directed at her. Thanks to that, the rumor that I had been rejected by the Grand Duke was quietly buried beneath the surface.
Anyway, for these reasons, the only person who played with me these days was the Grand Duke. I even found myself looking forward to dancing with him at parties. It also helped that parties became a bit more enjoyable as people who used to pick fights with me disappeared.
The Grand Duke protected me more actively than before. If anyone showed signs of approaching to insult me, he would defend me excessively as if he would exterminate three generations.
[It seems the Horn Count’s family hasn’t learned manners.]
[Your Highness.]
[I forbid the Horn Count’s family from entering social circles as of today until they learn the etiquette of treating a noble lady.]
Good heavens.
[Your Highness! This is unfair!]
[Your Highness. Isn’t that too harsh?]
Both the Count’s son and I were shocked, but the Grand Duke was firm.
[Not at all. He insulted you, so it’s a deserved consequence.]
This was the measure taken by the Grand Duke when he saw the young count, whose dance requests I had rejected four times, turn red-faced at the fifth rejection, claiming it was an insult. For reference, this was before he had even said anything to me.
Such incidents were repeated a few more times after that. The nobles, who were quick learners, became extremely friendly to me. They even went to great lengths to make a good impression on me.
Due to the Grand Duke’s attitude, the rumors about me becoming the next Grand Duchess gained strength again.
It seemed that in their minds, my options were limited to either being rejected or becoming the Grand Duchess.
Gifts I had never received before began piling up in my room. It was my first taste of the true flavor of power.
I picked up an elegant silk that had appeared in the drawing room. It was an expensive fabric not produced in the Empire. When I opened the box next to it, a golden vase emerged.
“I should tell Irena to return all of these.”
There might be some ulterior motive. Money is good, but accepting such things was inappropriate.
As I wandered around the room thinking about various things, there was a knock.
Who could it be?
“Lora, are you in there?”
“Your Highness?”
“I’ve come to discuss something with you.”
“Please come in.”
These days, the Grand Duke would come in person if he had something to say. Without sending his antenna servant.

***

Hmm. It’s well-brewed.
I was fully exercising my tea-brewing hobby that I had diligently developed with Lionel recently due to boredom.
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious.”
I listened to his briefing for this week over the properly brewed tea. It’s been two weeks since we sent the advance party, so it’s about time for an answer.
“There’s no special news yet.”
“I see. That’s concerning.”
The Grand Duke agreed and pressed the bridge of his nose, perhaps feeling tired. It was understandable since he spent all day handling official duties and receiving reports related to the Blessed Land, except for the time he spent with me.
“Since the advance party is making slow progress, I think I need to go out on an expedition to check personally.”
“But if we wait for the capital nobles to prepare, it will be quite late.”
“That’s why I intend to contact the Imperial family first.”
“The Imperial family?”
“So they can prepare in the capital first.”
His tone was nonchalant, as if saying something insignificant. The capital is going to be in an uproar.
“Then we could depart right at the end of the northern social season.”
“That’s right.”
The Grand Duke leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. A deep shadow fell beneath his long eyelashes. He had been looking very tired recently, so I silently sipped my tea. It was meant to let him rest for a moment. After briefly closing his eyes, the Grand Duke lazily spoke while still leaning back.
“Lora, do you have time?”
“Why?”
“I was thinking of going out for a stroll.”
I wondered if he had gone mad from exhaustion. I worriedly examined his overall condition, but his eyes were clear, and he didn’t seem to lack strength anywhere.
“Well, alright.”
Since no answer was coming even as I worried, it might be better to go out.
“Where are we going?”
“How about the lake?”
“Let’s bring snacks too.”
“Sounds good.”
I was bored anyway.
We promptly called a maid to prepare snacks, then left the room.
“We’re going on horseback.”
“Yes, this is the gentlest horse.”
“Yes. It’s very docile.”
He handed me the reins of the gentlest white horse among the Grand Duke’s exclusive steeds.
So I mounted the white horse, and he got on a pitch-black horse. Seeing me handle the horse skillfully, the Grand Duke soon increased his speed.
“Wow. This is refreshing.”
“If we ride for about ten minutes from here, we’ll reach the lake.”
“A lake?”
“Yes. It’s very beautiful.”
Indeed, people shouldn’t stay indoors all the time. As we rode quickly, the air that had become warm turned into a breeze that brushed against my skin.
After riding for a few more minutes, we began to see water glistening and sparkling in the sunlight.
“It’s so beautiful. Just like viewing from Eslina’s house.”
It was a scene as beautiful as the lake at Eslina’s mansion. We slowed down and approached slowly, tied the horses to a tree, and brought them water.
The Grand Duke skillfully took out a basket and cloth and spread it on the grass.