Chapter 13

After visiting the Grand Duchess’s chamber, Kallieon appeared more composed. The attitude of being unable to concentrate throughout the meeting, as if he were angry, had vanished. Instead, he seemed to feel a sense of relief. He even looked healthier than usual.  

“How is the eastern Mage Tower?”  

“They say the repairs are almost complete. It should just need a final inspection.”  

“Why did the defenses fail? Isn’t this the second time since last year?”  

“That’s correct.”  

“Did you just let the same problem repeat itself?”  

Kallieon said with great anger. As the Grand Duke of the North, he was someone who prioritized the safety of the residents of Serpiewood above all else.

However, the reason for such intense anger was that if the eastern defenses collapsed, the Grand Duchess’s chamber, where Asterope primarily resided, would be in danger. The monsters attacked at a speed far faster than humans. They could strike at Asterope in an instant, and it would be difficult to defend against curses or magic directed at her.  

The vassals, aware of this, nudged each other as if urging one another to do something about it. Kallieon never let things slide when he was genuinely angry. Especially when issues arose from careless handling, there was no chance of leniency. Not only could they lose all their possessions, but their entire family might be chased out of Serpiewood n*ked, potentially becoming food for goblins. As the vassals exchanged glances, Sommer stepped up to speak.  

“This issue arose when all the magical tools were replaced with new ones last year. It seems the usage of the newly introduced magical tools is complicated, leading to malfunctions.”  

“Are you saying there wasn’t a single person who could handle them properly?”  

“It’s a chronic issue within Serpiewood. Unless we have proper negotiations or exchanges with Babel, the same problem is likely to repeat next year.”  

Kallieon pressed his forehead at Sommer’s words. It was a problem without a sharp solution.  

Babel was a small kingdom with the continent’s best magic school. Wizards flocked there not only from Lenirune but from all existing countries. However, it was more of a community of wizards than a nation. All wizards operated based on personal interests, centered around the Grand Mage.  

Naturally, the most popular place in Lenirune was the capital, Sodel. Everyone wished to reside there, hoping to catch the eye of the Imperial Family.  

Thus, other territories suffered from a consistent shortage of wizards. The number of wizards was not large to begin with, and the skilled ones all gathered in Sodel, leaving very few behind.  

The remaining territories had to struggle to bring in wizards who were neither skilled nor humble. Among them, Serpiewood was one of the unpopular regions.  

First, they feared Kallieon’s cruelty and coldness as the Grand Duke of the North. Second, they were dissatisfied with having to focus solely on border defense. No matter how large the sum offered, the wizards would refuse to go to Serpiewood for those two reasons.

They wanted a place where they could showcase their abilities splendidly, even if it meant earning a little less money.  

“It’s a troublesome issue. I’ll visit Babel directly soon. It’s meaningless to continue exchanging flattery in letters.”  

“Your Grace, you’re going in person?”  

“Of course. It’s been a while since I last saw Raendy.”  

Kallieon smiled as he thought of his long-time friend. Raendy, the Grand Mage and ruler of Babel, had a special relationship with Kallieon. Due to his eccentric personality, Raendy had no close friends. He was the type of person who would abandon the Imperial Emperor’s inauguration ceremony to engage in ten-hour conversations with a beggar he met on the roadside.  

He wouldn’t tolerate anyone mishandling magical tools or disrespecting wizards. Regardless of his title or location, he would slap faces or cast curses without hesitation.  

Kallieon was an exception to this. It wasn’t due to any historical event; it was from the moment they first met. Raendy and Kallieon recognized each other at first glance and respected each other’s uniqueness and territory.  

“I’ll send diplomatic correspondence to Babel to coordinate schedules.”  

Duke Appen, who handled diplomatic affairs at Serpiewood Castle, spoke up. Kallieon nodded and continued.  

“Continue monitoring the eastern border until the problem is fully resolved.”  

“Yes, Your Grace.”  

“Chester will continue to guard the Grand Duchess.”  

“Continue? Does that mean I won’t even be able to go on patrol?”

Chester couldn’t contain his emotions for a moment and spoke out. Kallieon looked at him with a fearsome expression.  

“Do you dare to express dissatisfaction with my judgment?”  

“How could I be? Just… please rotate the duty. The Grand Duchess doesn’t even like me much.” 

“That’s even better.”  

“Your Grace!”

Chester pleaded once more, as if asking for reconsideration, but Kallieon raised his hand to silence him. At that gesture, Chester bowed his head deeply. Sommer smirked slightly and spoke.  

“On days with good weather, the Grand Duchess will take a walk around the Serpiewood territory.”  

“Are you speaking of walking with the Grand Duchess, Your Grace?”  

“Yes.”  

“Was that a request from the Grand Duchess?”  

“Why does that matter?”  

Kallieon replied sharply to Sommer’s question. Sommer then lowered his head and continued.  

“I apologize. It was an impertinent question.”

“It doesn’t matter whether the Grand Duchess requested it or not.”  

Sommer quickly met Chester’s gaze. Chester slightly shook his head. This meant that speaking up now wouldn’t persuade the Grand Duke. Seeing that expression, Sommer chose not to say anything further. Instead, one of the important vassals, Duke Terderu, continued.  

“Your Grace, isn’t it too soon for the Grand Duchess to tour the estate in her still-unstable condition? She has only recently recovered and still finds Serpiewood unfamiliar.”

“I understand your concerns.”

“…….”  

“However, I will accompany her wherever she goes. Does anyone still wish to voice their worries?”

At Kallieon’s words, the retainers bowed their heads. They seemed to think there was no point in adding anything further. Kallieon himself had doubts about her actions. However, he chose to observe and confirm things with his own eyes. He wanted to address issues together with her.

Recalling the sparkling gaze of Asterope, Kallieon’s lips curled into a smile. The retainers and senior knights caught sight of his smile. Unease began to spread among them.

* * *  

Asterope finished dressing up and strolled through the castle. While waiting for the banquet to be prepared, she decided to explore parts of the castle she hadn’t visited before. She focused on safe locations first. The library was her first stop, followed by the banquet hall.

The library was packed with books. Most of them were about tactics that Kallieon read. There were also many books related to the seasons, agriculture, and culture of Serpiewood. However, Asterope wasn’t particularly interested in the books. She glanced around the space and then left.  

“Are the books ever damaged by the weather?”

“No, Your Grace. Due to Serpiewood’s climate, book preservation is challenging. Thus, the library was the first area His Grace renovated after taking charge of the estate.”

“What did he do?”

“The walls are specially constructed. Materials resistant to temperature changes and humidity were meticulously processed and layered.”

Asterope nodded vaguely as if to say, “Is that so?” It didn’t matter to her as long as Kallieon’s cherished books were safely stored. After all, it was a space she wouldn’t use often. As the Grand Duchess, her duty was merely to ensure that there were no shortcomings in such matters.  

The maids carefully held her dress, watching the path so she wouldn’t trip. The banquet hall was quite far from the library due to the layout of the space. However, it was close to the dining hall. It was spacious and tidy. The interior, decorated with transparent glass crafts characteristic of Serpiewood, was devoid of clutter. Yet, it didn’t appear perfect.  

In particular, it was evident that the space had lost its vitality due to not being used for a long time. To Asterope, it looked like a dull space. There were no splendid curtains, nor even a banner depicting the symbol of Serpiewood.  

For Asterope, who had attended every party in high society, this space felt like an empty void.  

“When was the last banquet at Serpiewood Castle?”  

“Six months ago, Your Grace. It was held to celebrate His Grace’s victory in a war near the border, hosted by His Majesty the Emperor.”

Asterope recalled the banquet from six months ago, where she had only briefly appeared, feigning a stomachache, before sneaking away. That night, she had met Villish in the garden for a secret rendezvous, sharing sweet kisses and whispers.

“Your Highness, today is the happiest day since I came to Serpiewood.”  

That’s what Asterope had told Villish. She wished she could erase that memory entirely, as if it never happened—just like Kallieon’s rebellion, which had been nullified.

‘It would have been better if time had returned to the day of the wedding.’  

If that had been the case, Villish wouldn’t have had the chance to flirt with her at all. She would have nipped it in the bud. Perhaps then, revenge would have been impossible. Asterope thought for a long time before looking at the Gorgon sculpture.