Episode 124

Seeing the two carriages parked below, I immediately went down the stairs.

“I wonder what you’re doing here,”
came a voice.

“I could say the same to you, Your Grace.”

Soon, from the corridor, I could hear Ludwig and Arzen exchanging words.

The two of them, not yet aware of my presence, were already engaged in a tense standoff.

“I’ve been Sierra’s partner countless times before. Unlike you, I didn’t just show up out of nowhere,” Ludwig said.

“Just because you’ve partnered before doesn’t mean you’re automatically her fixed partner, does it? I hear you didn’t coordinate with her beforehand this time either,” Arzen retorted.

Why were the two of them even here?

The person involved — me — was flustered at their sudden arrival, but they were too busy bickering.

Apparently, Ludwig had assumed he was obviously my partner, while Arzen had come completely unaware of that.

‘Today, I was planning to attend the festival escorted by Father, to present the Blessing of Terium…’

I stared at the two of them, bickering without even knowing the situation, my gaze growing cold.

“You’d better not waste your time here,” Ludwig said sharply.
“It would be wiser for you to leave.”

“I’m here to formally ask Sierra to be my partner. The decision will be hers.”

I let out a small sigh and continued down the stairs.

“You two, what are you doing?”

At the sound of my voice, both of them turned their heads toward me at once.

“…….”

“…….”

And then they fell silent, unable to speak.

I tilted my head slightly, wondering why their reactions were so strange.

I had expected a simple greeting, maybe a compliment about how the dress suited me.

The dress Nella and the maids had spent countless meetings designing — they were even now peeking at us from upstairs, dying to see the reactions.

“Is the dress… not good?”

At that, from up the stairs, I heard someone muttering, “No way!”

Ludwig recovered first, stepping quickly toward me.

“No, not at all. It’s just… you’re so beautiful that I was momentarily speechless. You look truly stunning.”

Seeing the flush on his neck, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

Then Arzen, who had also approached, pushed Ludwig aside and said,

“You look great, Sierra. You seem… somehow different from before.”

“Really? Well, I did recover from my illness.”

Arzen lightly touched my hair as he spoke.

“I’ve known you for a long time, but today you seem…”

“Seem what?”

While Arzen hesitated to finish his sentence, Ludwig intervened and seized the hand that was playing with my hair.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t touch her so casually.”

At Ludwig’s words, Arzen replied incredulously,

“Sierra’s not complaining, so what’s it matter to you, Your Grace?”

“It matters very much.”

“What kind of nonsense is that—!”

The two immediately started bickering again, and from upstairs, I could hear the maids, including Nella, giggling in satisfaction.

I sighed and stepped between them to mediate.

“Anyway, sorry to both of you, but today, I’m going with Father.”

“With the Duke?”

No sooner had I said it than Father’s voice called out from behind.

“There you are, Sierra.”

Father glanced at Ludwig and Arzen in turn, then smiled warmly at me.

“It’s time to go.”

“Ah, it’s already time. Yes!”

I nodded briskly.

“You two should hurry too if you don’t want to be late.”

“Understood.”

“Y-yeah, I will.”

In the end, the partner dispute was neatly settled with each going their own way.

The three carriages departing from Drenihan traveled side by side toward the Imperial Palace.

Father clicked his tongue as he looked out the window at the Karsian and Selber carriages trailing behind.

“If anyone bothers you, just tell me. I’ll handle it myself.”

He didn’t mention any names specifically, but it was obvious he was referring to Ludwig and Arzen.

“Haha, it’s not that they’re bothering me. They just showed up a little unexpectedly today.”

“Speaking of which, the Grand Duke has been coming and going from Drenihan as if it were his own home. Was something going on?”

At that, I quickly schooled my startled expression and replied calmly.

“Something going on? No, nothing like that.”

The first thing I saw upon waking from the curse had been Ludwig.
And it had been him who pulled me back from the terror of thinking I might never return to this world.

Because of that, I had gotten swept up in emotion and done things I normally never would have.

“…….”

Remembering that moment, I instinctively rubbed my ear, which felt like it was burning.

Seeing that, Father’s expression darkened even more.

“Looks like I’ll need to have a separate conversation with the Grand Duke.”

His voice, low and heavy, even carried a faint hint of killing intent.

Since it was Ludwig, I wasn’t too worried — but if it had been anyone else, I would have been genuinely concerned for their life.

“Father… do you not approve of Ludwig?”

“Whoever you bring, there’s no one who would fully satisfy me.”

“Haha….”

“But if I had to choose one… it would be the Grand Duke.”

At his words, I turned to him, surprised.

Father, still looking like he deeply disliked the idea, gazed out the window and said,

“When you were under the curse, he stayed by your side the entire time. Even when the physicians had given up, he refused to.”

“…I see.”

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I like it.”

“Naturally.”

I burst into laughter, then said,

“But actually… there’s something I need to tell you, Father.”

“What is it?”

* * *

“The Duke of Drenihan, Serkan Drenihan, and the Little Duke, Sierra Drenihan, are entering!”

At the attendant’s booming announcement, all eyes turned toward us.

I entered the hall with my arm linked through Father’s.

Immediately, murmurs spread among the crowd.

“Did he just say ‘Little Duke’?”

“You didn’t hear? After receiving his title, the Duke immediately designated his daughter as successor.”

Though I was still often referred to interchangeably as ‘Little Duke’ and ‘Duke’s daughter,’ in formal settings, I was now introduced as the Little Duke.

Thanks to that, those who hadn’t yet heard the news widened their eyes and began whispering busily among themselves.

“But wasn’t she supposed to be terminally ill? Isn’t passing the title onto her a bit much?”

“Maybe he just wants to let her experience everything she wants while she’s still alive.”

“Still, isn’t that irresponsible? Especially coming from the Duke of Drenihan. Their vassal houses alone are too many to even count, yet he’s handing the position to—”

Amid the confused crowd, a calmer voice interjected,

“Think about it, everyone. Patients with Lisbeth disease rarely live past their early twenties. In other words, she’s just a successor in name — she likely won’t live to actually inherit.”

“Oh… that makes sense.”

“Right. Duke Serkan is still in excellent health. It would be decades before he’d actually pass on the title. By then, the young lady would already…”

I was speechless at how they so freely mixed fact and baseless speculation, with no regard for what they should or shouldn’t say.

Then someone widened their eyes and pointed.

“Wait — what’s that mark on her neck?”

That remark triggered a wave of gasps.

“Is that… the Blessing of Terium?”

“But the Duke only inherited that from the previous Grand Duke less than half a year ago, and now he’s already passed it to his daughter?”

It was exactly as intended.

Even without saying a word, they noticed and were thrown into a frenzy.

Soon, a crowd swarmed around Father and me like clouds gathering before a storm.

“Duke, is it true you’ve passed on the Blessing of Terium?”

“Are you seriously preparing for succession?”

Seeing that the scene had built up nicely, Father turned to the crowd and spoke.

“Since everyone has shown such great interest, I’ll take it as a reflection of your heartfelt congratulations.”

Since we had entered just before the imperial family’s entrance, nearly all the nobles of the Empire were gathered.

In this grand setting, Father made the official announcement.

“For those who were unaware, allow me to make it clear. My daughter, Sierra, has been formally designated as the heir of Drenihan and has inherited the noble Blessing of Terium.”

Now that I bore the Blessing of Terium, I wasn’t just a Little Duke in name — I held an influence equal to that of a true Duke.

Amid the stunned crowd, Father smiled leisurely, eyes gleaming.