The Villainess Princess Wants To Live In A Gingerbread House ​

[The Sweet and Luxurious Engagement of Grand Duchess of Pesheranskaya and Duke of Sedvoyer! A Love Story of the Century]

Alexei quietly set aside the newspaper he had finished reading and smiled.

Yesterday was Anastasia’s engagement ceremony. Traditionally, engagement ceremonies were held at the home of the bride-to-be, so Alexei easily chose the most beautiful garden in the royal palace for Asha’s engagement venue. It could have been set by Lake Bishti, but Yuriev and Irina had graciously conceded.

The empire’s top meteorologists had painstakingly selected a day with no rain, snow, or clouds, and the flowers, as if waiting just for that day, had burst into full bloom.

“Does it feel bittersweet?”

“How could it be sweet? It’s only bittersweet.”

Alexei replied to Cyril’s question, turning his gaze to the window.

The gathering included nearly all the royal family members, nobles, and Asha’s friends, including Emperor Alexei himself. Anastasia, in a beautiful dress meticulously crafted by Joel Alman, and Karnov, holding her hand, made a very fitting couple.

As Anastasia moved, the hem of her dress sparkled, as if a cluster of stars followed her. The two, who promised a future marriage amidst everyone’s blessings, seemed nothing but happy.

The sweet and tangy cake named “Asha Cake” disappeared as soon as the reception began.

While the elders, who had overindulged in drinks, bothered Karnov, Anastasia tried her best to lose at a Kerum game against Yekaterina.

“What do you think Asha is doing now?”

After the ceremony ended, Anastasia spent the rest of the day chatting with her friends, and Karnov spent time conversing with Alexei.

“She’s in the kitchen. It seems everyone over drank yesterday…”

At this, Alexei held his forehead and laughed out loud.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic, spices, and vegetables, then add a generous amount of clams. When the clams open from the heat, pour in plenty of white wine. Once the spicy clam broth starts to simmer, add the pasta and cook it through.

Asha, holding her throbbing forehead, looked down at the pasta dish, which was almost like a clear clam soup.

“I’m dying…”

Natalya, sitting across from her, looked equally pale. Lyudmila was sitting with her back straight as if she were pale, But that was because she became an adult once more last night without others knowing. The hand holding Lyudmila’s spoon trembled slightly.

“Never again… I swear I’ll never mix alcohol again.”

“No, Lyuda. Our hangover isn’t because we mixed drinks, but because of the amount we drank…”

“I swear.”

Natalya quickly responded with a pale face, not forgetting to give Asha a somewhat resentful look. This time, Asha looked even more aggrieved.

“It’s not about mixing drinks. Anyone would… how many bottles was it, anyway, drinking that much…”

As Asha held her forehead, trying to recall how many bottles they drank yesterday, Natalya lifted her plate with both hands and drank from it.

“Natalya!”

“Ahhh.”

Asha called out to her reproachfully, but Natalya was focused on her plate. The sound of slurping flat noodles echoed across the table. Asha sighed and wiped Natalya’s mouth with a napkin. Lyudmila sighed even more deeply at the sight.

After finishing every drop of the spicy pasta soup and slumping back in their chairs, Lyudmila sighed.

“What will we do at Asha’s wedding? It’ll be worse than this.”

“Indeed… We should start training in advance.”

“Or we could just not drink…”

Asha’s words fell on deaf ears.

“So, where will the wedding be? Will it be at the palace too?”

“Yes, having the engagement at the palace was really nice.”

Lyudmila smiled faintly with her pale face.

“Do you like it being at the palace?”

“Of course. Everyone can see how much His Majesty cherishes Asha. Although Asha…”

Feeling shy about speaking honestly, Lyudmila added softly,

“…Asha doesn’t need to prove to anyone that she’s loved… because… just by existing… she is…”

Hearing those words, Asha, who had stood up to hug Lyudmila as usual, clutched her forehead and sat back down. Lyudmila, who had been smiling back, briefly held her stomach. Then Natalya suddenly spoke.

“Asha is lovable just by existing?”

“N-Natasha!”

“Why do you stop mid-sentence?”

Natalya slurped up the soup from the clam shell and tossed it into the silver basket. Lyudmila’s face turned red as she gulped down cold water. Natalya poked Lyudmila’s cheek playfully before clutching her stomach and drinking more water.

“But Asha, don’t you need to prepare the grand duchy residence now?”

“The grand duchy residence?”

Asha, feeling hot inside from the spicy pasta and yesterday’s overindulgence, took a deep breath and widened her eyes at the sudden topic. Natalya, who had been drinking cold water, frowned and answered.

“Soon… when you marry Karnov.”

It was a peculiar tone, somewhere between disapproval and acceptance.

“Then you’ll have to move out of the palace and live in the grand duchy residence.”

“Um, I guess so? But Karnov already has his duchy residence…”

“Still, you need your own home.”

Asha was about to say that the palace would suffice but suddenly closed her mouth. The palace wasn’t really her home; it was closer to Alexei’s home. She was essentially a guest there.

“That’s true. So, you know, I’ve always thought that we could use the second floor of our pastry shop as the grand duchy residence…”

“Asha.”

“I mean… I only thought about it a long time ago…”

Asha waved her hands in defense. Laughing at her, Natalya gulped down another glass of cold water and signaled outside.

A waiting attendant quickly brought in something. It was a large rolled-up paper. Natalya wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, straightened her clothes, and spread out the scroll. It was a simplified map, with several places marked in blue ink.

“Hmm?”

“Asha, is there a place here that catches your eye? One of the blue-marked spots.”

“What… what is this?”

“A map?”

“No, what are these marks?”

“Land?”

Asha pushed Natalya aside and looked at the silent Lyudmila.

“Lyuda, why the sudden map? What are you and Natalya talking about?”

Lyudmila cleared her throat, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Ahem. Natalya and I did some research, and these are nice places where you can immediately buy land and build a residence. Any of them would be fine. Of course, if His Majesty has a preference, we can go with that.”

Lyudmila said, pushing her long hair behind her ear and bending over to explain the map.

“There’s a small hill behind this one. If you build a pavilion, the breeze would be great. This place is elevated, so you get a full view of the Vichegda River.”

In her gentle voice, Lyudmila explained each spot, describing the scenery, the surrounding trees, and the distant sounds.

“If you start preparing now, the grand duchy residence should be ready before the wedding, right?”

“Well, yes, but…?”

“We want to buy the land for the grand duchy residence. Please discuss it with His Majesty and choose a spot.”

“What? No, no! It’s fine. You don’t have to buy land.”

“It’s not much. Don’t worry.”

“It’s not much…”

“In comparison to that ring, it’s a bargain.”

Natalya spoke with a cheeky grin. Asha laughed heartily and looked at the sparkling ring on her finger. The diamond ring Karnov presented at the engagement was stunningly beautiful, unlike anything she’d seen before. When it first appeared, everyone had momentarily held their breath at its brilliance.

“Then you two can just get the land for the grand duchy residence together. Nothing else!”

“What? Why, why?”

“You’re being unfair, Asha!”

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“I guess I’ll have to return my ‘human oak barrel’ title.”

Karnov, who had stayed at the palace after the engagement ceremony, came to greet Asha and looked around at the three people at the table. Lyudmila avoided his gaze out of embarrassment, and Natalya widened her eyes, while Asha, looking slightly pale, waved her hand.

After Lyudmila and Natalya greeted Karnov and Asha, they left. As Asha saw them off, Karnov placed his hand on her arm and clicked his tongue.

“How many bottles did the three of you drink?”

Karnov tilted his head slightly and brushed Asha’s fallen hair aside. Asha sighed, leaning against his arm.

“Prying into a lady’s secrets? Karnov, that’s not very gentlemanly.”

“My secrets were published in a magazine for the entire capital to read, but your secrets remain nobly guarded, I see.”

Karnov grumbled. After all, the items he supposedly used for his proposal—though half of it was nonsense—had been advertised and sold for quite some time.

Everyone knew Karnov’s spirit was the spirit of death, but the fact that it was actually the spirit of time hadn’t spread much, contrary to Asha’s hopes.

His power hadn’t disappeared or changed. The essential ability to kill remained, so people didn’t bother to learn about his ‘true spirit.’ Yet, the fact that such articles were published indicated that people’s prejudice and fear of Karnov had significantly diminished.

Asha was delighted by this alone. Karnov didn’t care how others perceived him, but he was satisfied with Asha’s happiness, so he didn’t take down the article.

“So, what secret plans did you ladies enjoy?”

Despite referring to it as a secret plan, Karnov’s voice was light and cheerful. Today was the first day after their engagement ceremony. The first day after publicly vowing to marry Asha.

Karnov thought he could laugh at anything today.

“My friends want to buy me a house.”

‘Is that so?’

Karnov paused for a moment.

“…What house?”

“My friends looked into land for my grand duchy residence.”

Asha said, drawing her shoulders together and laughing joyfully.

“They said I should have my own residence before getting married.”

“Hmm… Is that really necessary?”

“I thought the same. We already have Karnov’s mansion in the capital, so is it really needed? But then I realized it is. If I fight with Karnov, I won’t have anywhere to go.”

Karnov reconsidered his earlier thoughts.

“…If you fight with me and need to go somewhere, you can go to the palace.”

“Running to my cousin right after a fight with my husband doesn’t seem right.”

“More importantly, we won’t fight.”

“What? Karnov, that’s ridiculous. Of course, we’ll fight.”

Asha looked at Karnov as if he were saying something foolish. Karnov stared blankly at his fiancée, who looked like a dream but was more realistic than anyone he knew. Asha spoke firmly.

“After living apart for over 20 years and suddenly living together, of course, we’ll fight. A lot.”

Asha let go of Karnov’s hand and demonstrated alternating punches with her fists. Karnov opened his mouth, closed it, then slowly lowered her hands and spoke.

“Even if we fight… you shouldn’t leave the house… If it comes to that, I’ll leave.”

“But it wouldn’t be right for you to leave every time we fight. Hmm, should we take turns leaving?”

“…”

“…Is that not right either?”

“…No, we should think about not fighting…”

“Oh.”

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

The topic of the grand duchy residence having come up, Asha tried to subtly suggest using the second floor of her pastry shop as the grand duchy residence, but it was promptly dismissed. Alexei smiled at her suggestion and pretended not to hear.

Instead, Alexei took the land information brought by Asha’s friends seriously. He added a few conditions to narrow down the options. First, he excluded any locations beyond a certain distance from the palace. He also considered the character of the noble families near the potential sites, narrowing it down to about three locations.

“You want me to visit them myself?”

Asha looked up, surprised, with a piece of buttered and toasted bread in her hand. Alexei, sitting across from her, scooped a large spoonful of cream cheese with his right hand and extended his left hand to her.

“Since it’s where the grand duchy residence will be built, you should choose a place you like.”

As he spread cream cheese on Asha’s toast and handed it back to her, he replied,

“Those two had a good idea. Since it’s where you’ll live, it’s best if you see it and choose for yourself.”

“Me, see it…”

Asha, about to say she wouldn’t know what to look for, nodded instead. The thoughtfulness Alexei showed in this matter was a gift in itself. She didn’t want to ruin the moment with her doubts.

“Okay. I’ll choose carefully.”

Asha replied earnestly. Alexei turned and smiled, then took out a handkerchief and wiped the cream cheese from the corner of Asha’s mouth. Asha blushed and looked away.

“I can clean myself, you know.”

“I know, I know. Our little pea has grown into a big bean.”

“I’ve been a big bean for a long time.”

“But to me, you’ll always be a little pea. I’m worried you’ll roll away and disappear if left alone.”

Alexei said seriously, furrowing his eyebrows. Asha, listening quietly, burst into laughter.

“I won’t disappear, of course!”

“If you disappear, I’ll be unable to do anything while looking for you.”

“I said I won’t disappear…”

Asha gave Alexei a disgruntled look, but Alexei just smiled.

“I think it’s nice if you stay in the palace, too.”

This time, Asha spread cream cheese on Alexei’s toast and smiled. Alexei, seeing her face, gave her a knowing look.

“More than anything, I don’t want people to think I’m stingy about giving you a house, so it can’t be helped.”

“There are people like that?”

Asha, eyes wide with surprise, jumped up. Everyone was used to her sudden and energetic actions, so no one was startled.

“I’m so loved by Alyosha! Who wouldn’t know that?”

She immediately threw herself onto Alexei’s lap, snatched the toast he was about to eat, and nibbled on it.

“It’s because you don’t go out and boast. It would be nice if you did.”

Alexei flicked her nose.

“I thought I was boasting a lot?”

Asha replied in an aggrieved voice. But Alexei wasn’t swayed.

“Then you’ll have to boast more.”

“H-How?”

“When the grand duchy residence is built, everyone will know.”

“…!”

Asha opened and closed her mouth, then looked around desperately for someone to calm Alexei down. But everyone avoided her gaze.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“Your Majesty, you have taken care of Asha… Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya since her childhood, but building her a luxurious grand duchy residence might be a bit excessive, don’t you think?”

Alexei, stifling a laugh, pushed the documents aside. If anyone else had said this, a chill that even Fafnir couldn’t handle would have descended on Alexei’s smile.

But the person in front of him was expressing a different kind of desire.

“Hmm. Asha has been with me since she was young, so I must ensure she is well taken care of, Uncle.”

“Well, that’s true, but shouldn’t you leave something for us too?”

Alexei had remained silent about Anastasia’s grand duchy residence, so all the relatives had been eyeing it, hoping to have a hand in it.

But suddenly, Alexei was holding Anastasia’s hand and looking into land for her. All the remaining family members in the capital were surprised and rushed over.

“Uncle, you have plenty of things to take care of. There’s no need to worry.”

“It doesn’t seem that way… It looks like you won’t leave anything for us…”

Maxim muttered, a mix of anxiety and dissatisfaction on his face. Alexei smiled reassuringly.

“If I don’t leave anything, you can still help Asha in other ways, can’t you?”

Maxim had a look of defeat. This young emperor was clearly going to fill Anastasia’s residence with his own heart.

“To Yuriev… No, never mind.”

It felt awkward to mention that his younger brother might be upset if he didn’t properly help build the grand duchy residence as a wedding gift for his niece. Maxim quickly changed the subject.

“More importantly, Your Majesty, now that Asha… Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya will be leaving the palace… You should also…”

This was the true purpose of Maxim’s visit to the palace. And Alexei, sensing the forthcoming topic from the preamble, smiled faintly.

“Indeed. The palace will feel quite empty.”

Maxim smiled wryly.

“Your Majesty…”

He couldn’t force the emperor to talk if he didn’t want to. Recognizing Maxim’s expression, Alexei spoke calmly.

“If the emperor’s marriage is announced, my sister’s marriage will become a side note or a joke.”

With no consort yet for the young emperor, everyone had been eyeing the position and pestering Alexei about it. Maxim, out of concern for his nephew being alone in the vast palace after Anastasia left, had cautiously broached the subject.

“While that might be true…”

The emperor’s marriage was a significant national matter, more important than anything else. Naturally, attention would swiftly shift to it.

Who would unexpectedly become the empress, which family would gain power by the emperor’s side, and how would the future power dynamics play out…

“After Asha’s wedding is over and she’s happily settled, I think it’ll be fine to take it slow.”

“Your Majesty, Asha has always been happy by your side. Even if Duke of Sedvoyer makes her unhappy, she’s the kind of person who would find happiness anyway.”

Feeling urgent, Maxim hurriedly spoke, forgetting to refer to Asha as Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya. Alexei smiled softly at him.

“That’s why I feel reassured. I can watch over her as she settles into her new place without feeling anxious.”

Maxim completely gave up on discussing Alexei’s marriage.

“It seems like someone who’s not even married yet already has a daughter…”

Alexei chuckled quietly. He joked that if Asha were truly his daughter, he would have spent an entire month drinking tea with the Duke of Sedvoyer, just to keep an eye on him.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

The location for Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya’s grand duchy residence has been decided. To the south flows the Vichegda River, and on very clear days, you can see the distant peach tree forest beyond the river.

The design and planning of the residence were entrusted to Mura Aylau. This genius artist possessed extraordinary talent in nearly every field, including architecture.

Among the construction materials, the timber was sourced from the Sedvoyer estate, famous for its high-quality wood. Other rare materials were obtained by merchants who were friends with Anastasia, her longtime friends, and relatives.

As the construction began, an old, large carriage appeared on the site of the grand duchy residence.

“Hey, we’re from Lake Bishti. Let them know. You know, Prince Yuriev’s place…”

“Contact? Who should we contact?”

“What?”

“If you’re from Lake Bishti… Prince Yuriev? But this is the grand duchy construction site, so should we contact Grand Duchess Anastasia? Or perhaps Mura, the chief designer…”

The workers’ murmuring could be heard. Galya, a healer from a village near Lake Bishti, stifled a rising sigh.

He was driving the carriage because he knew the most about the Lake Bishti area. Denis accompanied him because he was the brightest and most cheerful person among the villagers.

Of course, Galya had been reluctant to join this trip and insisted that no one would welcome this idea, but his objections were ignored.

“The lady’s pastries are so delicious… Could we buy some this time?”

“Denis, not ‘lady,’ it’s Grand… no, Grand Duchess. Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya! Remember! And we can’t buy any. This month’s voucher lottery is over.”

“Seems like you checked the voucher lottery, healer.”

“…”

“By the way, that name is so complicated. That’s why I brought you along, healer.”

“Brought? More like kidnapped? Ugh… It’s frustrating being a healer.”

“Why? You know a lot; that’s great.”

“Because I can’t kill people…”

“You’re not supposed to kill people even if you’re not a healer.”

Denis wagged his finger and laughed heartily. Healer Galya leaned against the carriage, staring at the ground with lifeless eyes.

The villagers of the lower part of Lake Bishti always felt indebted to the mansion’s family. They had saved the village from a massive fire and took on the task of treating the injured—the family of Prince Yuriev.

But the mansion’s children returned to the capital as soon as the fire was under control, and even Prince Yuriev and his wife Irina left for the capital shortly after. The lakeside villagers, burdened with unpaid debt, were disheartened until they heard the news.

They are building a new house for the young lady in the capital!

The villagers were excited. This was the perfect opportunity to repay the favor. A grand house would require many materials, and surely there were things they could contribute.

Timber, freshly cut from the mountain behind the village, was stacked in the village center. There were nails and hammers made by the village’s only blacksmith, hinges beautifully adorned, slightly scorched from the fire, stones for paving, and bulbs for flowers to plant in the garden.

But healer Galya wanted to tear his hair out and stop them.

‘These fools…’

The person they called ‘the lady of the mansion’ was the emperor’s cousin, granted the title of grand duchess. Even the emperor was personally overseeing this grand duchy residence.

The lakeside villagers probably think that the pillars will be made of unheard-of wood and the floors covered with marble as white and shiny as cream. How could the small scraps they’ve gathered from their tiny village be of any use?

Even spending money to transport those materials to the capital seemed like a ridiculous joke. But the villagers were quite serious.

—As the healer mentioned, it’s a big construction project, so small contributions might be helpful, even for building a storage shed…

They would likely even use marble for the storage shed floors!

Healer Galya wanted to shout that out loud, and he did several times, but no one listened. Instead, they tied him up with the cargo and sent him to the capital, reasoning that he was the most knowledgeable person in the area and could explain things well.

And the transportation costs the villagers pooled weren’t enough to bring the cargo back, so they ended up bringing it all the way here.

‘I hope no one accuses us of bringing garbage here. What would I tell the villagers if that happens?’

Could he lie and say everyone at the mansion received their gifts joyfully?

Galya sighed and buried his head in his hands. The villagers weren’t foolish for making this decision. They might be naive about the city’s devious ways, but they weren’t idiots.

The reason they prepared these gifts was because Yuriev and Irina had always been happy with any heartfelt gift.

The couple, who suddenly appeared in the mansion on the hill, were clearly of noble status and had mysterious stories, but they got along well with the villagers.

They shared the things their daughter sent from afar and distributed expensive buttons to help make children’s clothes. They gladly accepted gifts of eggs, potatoes, and handmade lanterns from the villagers…

The villagers didn’t prepare these gifts thinking they would be of great significance. They felt compelled to repay the kindness with their best efforts, so they filled a carriage and sent it to the capital.

Then people came running down from above. Seeing their urgent faces, Galya just blinked.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Galya had no idea that his foolish expression while looking at the suddenly gathered people, and the shabby carriage behind him, would be captured on the canvas of a great artist.

And he certainly didn’t know that the painting would be titled “God’s Messenger Brings Materials to Build the Angel’s Mansion”

“Oh my goodness! What is all this?”

Asha’s eyes widened as she looked around. Hearing that someone from Lake Bishti had arrived, she rushed over as soon as her shop closed, only to find a large carriage in front of the mansion site. Standing awkwardly next to it were two familiar faces.

“A-ah, young lady… no, princess…”

“You should call her Grand Duchess.”

“Uh, Grand Duchess?”

The two whispered about Asha’s title, and the one with the fiercer gaze cleared his throat and greeted her.

“G-Grand Duchess, my name is Galya, and I am a healer in the village. This is Denis, a farmer. We heard you are building a mansion, and we wanted to repay the… favor… kindness we received last time by bringing these materials…”

Galya’s face reddened as he glanced at the carriage filled with what looked like shabby wood and miscellaneous items.

“You didn’t have to go through all this trouble… You brought all these from Lake Bishti?”

“Y-yes, that’s right…”

Asha stared at them in amazement, stammering her thanks. Seeing that Asha might go on expressing her gratitude all day, Karnov gently guided her towards the carriage.

As the old cloth covering the carriage was pulled away, a variety of neatly organized materials came into view. Asha opened one of the boxes. Phoebe, perched on Asha’s shoulder, fluttered down and landed on a shiny, polished hinge.

<These are from that fire…>

“Oh…”

Asha felt a rush of emotion, as if water had been poured over her heart. The items the villagers brought were all that remained after the fire, and they had gathered the most precious ones to bring here.

As Asha stared at the box filled with hinges and small items for a while, Galya and Denis fidgeted nervously. Then Asha, with a bright idea, whispered to Karnov. Karnov blinked briefly and then nodded.

Asha turned to them with a radiant smile.

“We’re planning to build a new Central Firewatch Station in the capital… How about using these materials for that?”

“W-what?”

Galya and Denis stared at each other, bewildered by the sudden proposal, while Asha beamed at them.

“After contributing to the firewatch station, we’ll issue a certificate of appreciation and erect a monument with the names of the donors. How does that sound?”

“Hmm. That sounds good,” Karnov nodded. Yet, the two still looked confused. Asha smiled at them.

“All of these materials survived the fire. Using items that withstood flames to build something that will prevent future fires is meaningful. Of course, we won’t give everything to the firewatch station.”

Asha began sorting through the small metal parts, causing Galya’s eyes to widen.

“Oh…”

“Could you give me the names of the villagers for the donor list on the monument? I’ll also send wedding invitations along with that.”

“What?”

This time, Denis’s eyes widened. Karnov gently pulled Asha back with a wry smile.

“Grand Duchess, proceeding on your own can overwhelm people.”

Asha touched her cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.

“By the way… you know, I’m getting married. To this person.”

Asha pointed to Karnov beside her. Karnov rubbed his eyes with his hand.

“There’s no one in the empire who doesn’t know that, Asha…”

“Some might not know.”

Asha nudged Karnov aside and addressed the two.

“Anyway, about the invitations. They aren’t ready yet, but they’ll be finished soon!”

Galya hurriedly tried to wave his hand, but Asha was quicker.

“I actually have a favor to ask.”

Galya’s eyes widened again.

“We’ve been growing fig trees at the palace for a few years, and I’m thinking of expanding this more professionally. I thought the area near Lake Bishti would be perfect considering the climate and soil.”

Asha explained that she wanted to discuss this and hoped they could attend the celebration to brighten the event since they would become business partners. Galya and Denis blinked for a long time.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“Did we miss anyone on the list for the monument?”

“Just to be sure, we’ll have to go back to the village and double-check.”

Galya scratched his cheek as he spoke.

From Galya’s perspective, it seemed like every single royal family member in the capital had shown up on the day they visited. Everyone they had met at the fire scene, including Anastasia, was there.

Yuriev and Irina were especially delighted to see the villagers from Lake Bishti after such a long time, and so were the others. They were genuinely surprised and pleased with what the villagers had brought, leaving healer Galya feeling bewildered.

The news that some of the materials would be used for the firewatch station genuinely astonished them.

Using materials that survived flames to build a structure to prevent future fires was, even to the cynical Galya, a rather grand idea. And then came the even more surprising news: an invitation to the Grand Duchess’s wedding!

Although the story was that they wanted to develop a fig orchard near Lake Bishti, Galya thought it was also an excuse to invite them to the wedding, even if it was true. But he couldn’t dismiss Denis’s enthusiastic outcry about bringing all their relatives.

“Still… The talk about the wedding invitations was probably just polite, right?”

“Most likely… Yes.”

Despite Denis’s excitement at the time, he seemed more composed once they boarded the train back. Healer Galya shrugged.

“The wedding will be busy, and it’ll be hard to think of us. And even if they remember, it could be a problem.”

Galya joked to avoid the sadness of not receiving an invitation.

“What? What’s the problem?”

“We don’t have anything to wear! We can’t attend the princess’s wedding looking like this. People will be shocked and run away, calling us country mice!”

They laughed heartily at this. Meanwhile, Galya thought that selling the chest of pastries they received from the princess to the nobles would be enough to buy clothes for the wedding, though he didn’t say it out loud.

Denis, too, had no intention of selling the chest of pastries he held dear. And so time passed, and as they pondered how to divide Asha’s last pastry…

A large carriage arrived from the Lake Bishti branch of the Postal Service. It carried wedding invitations, new clothes, and train tickets for all the villagers, sent from the capital.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“Marriage… doesn’t seem easy at all…”

“Your Grace, you must be very tired. Please take a break.”

Lise glanced at the mountain of pancakes and signaled to another maid standing at a distance. The maids silently approached and began stacking the pancakes neatly.

Asha had been busy choosing invitation designs, selecting and sending invitations, making her wedding dress, and participating in the grand duchy residence’s completion ceremony.

The grand duchy residence, built in white with soft blue accents and golden decorations, was luxurious. It had a large pond in the garden, a spacious terrace facing the sunset for hosting musical performances, a hall for displaying paintings in the north, and a large, bright kitchen in the south where Asha could make and experiment with pastries. For her frequent camping trips with friends, a quaint forest was created behind the mansion. Everyone who saw the mansion was amazed, knowing how much the emperor cherished his cousin.

Since the completion ceremony, Asha had been subtly melancholic, even though she tried not to show it. Today, she had spent the entire day making pancakes with a dazed expression.

“It’s just that… leaving Alyosha behind is making me so anxious…”

Watching the grand duchy residence being beautifully built was pleasant, but as it neared completion, she realized that the construction would soon be over, and her wedding would follow, meaning she would leave the palace.

“It’s not that I dislike the wedding. In fact, I’m really looking forward to it, but…”

Asha’s voice dropped, and her shoulders slumped.

“Did my grandfather feel this way when he left the palace? Leaving Alyosha behind weighs so heavily on my heart…”

Lise, lips parted, then smiled as she had a bright idea.

“How about visiting His Majesty? Seeing him and talking before the wedding might help.”

“Ah… should I? It’s been weeks since I last saw him.”

Preparing for the wedding was a never-ending cycle of making one decision only to revisit it, or choosing one thing only for another option to appear. She hadn’t visited Mikhail for several weeks.

“If you talk with him, His Majesty might have some good advice, and it would cheer you up too.”

“Maybe… The invitations are all chosen, the grand duchy residence is complete, and the wedding dress is almost finished…”

While Asha considered visiting her grandfather, Lise awkwardly tidied the pancakes. In the capital, only Asha viewed the cold and steadfast young emperor as serenely as a lotus floating on water.

When Mikhail left the palace, his greatest concern was not Alexei, whom he had trusted and raised as the next emperor for over a decade, but his granddaughter Anastasia, whose innocent bloom made it impossible to look away.

And now, for the first time before her wedding, Anastasia seemed slightly wilted. Lise imagined Mikhail rushing to confront anyone who made his granddaughter sad, shivering at the thought.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Asha, who had baked some of Mikhail’s favorite pastries and brought a small pot with rare seeds, intended to surprise him with an unannounced visit—Mikhail’s butler thought all the family members acted the same. When she saw another carriage already there, her eyes widened.

“Uh? What’s this? Isn’t this Karnov’s carriage?”

“Ah, yes… Duke Sedvoyer is here.”

“Right, it’s Karnov’s carriage. But why is Karnov here? I didn’t hear anything about this…”

“W-well, His Majesty sometimes… calls him over… or he comes by himself… so…”

The butler was at a loss. Asha narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the butler’s behavior.

“So did Grandpa call him over today, or did he come on his own?”

“Today… His Majesty asked him to come over…”

Asha tilted her head, examining the butler’s face.

“So what are those two doing together?”

“Talking about… Your Grace…”

Asha sighed, took off her hat, handed it to the butler, and directly entered the mansion. She let out another sigh when she saw the two men looking like they’d been caught doing something wrong.

“What are you two doing!”

“Oh, Asha.”

“You came without notice…”

Mikhail tried to compose himself, standing up and glaring at the butler discreetly. The butler silently felt wronged.

“I just came to talk to Grandpa, but you’re here with Karnov?”

“Ahem. Duke Sedvoyer just dropped by for a visit.”

“…drinking in the middle of the day?”

Before she even finished her sentence, the butler swiftly cleared away all the drinks in the reception room.

“You need to know how much your soon-to-be husband can drink.”

Asha eyed Mikhail skeptically. Mikhail tried to meet his granddaughter’s gaze but quickly looked away. In the meantime, Karnov cleared his throat and stood beside Asha.

“Asha.”

Asha alternated between looking at Karnov and Mikhail, then whispered to Karnov. Nothing escaped her eyes.

“Karnov, Grandfather didn’t bother you too much, did he?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Anastasia Kayeruth, my ears aren’t deaf yet.”

Mikhail grumbled, and Asha slumped her shoulders with a deep sigh.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Asha grabbed Mikhail, offering him sweet treats, a cute potted plant, and some good-natured scolding, as Karnov watched with a subtle smile.

The love between Karnov and Asha had its share of trials and tribulations. Natalya’s confrontations and Lyudmila’s curious glances were just the beginning.

Dimitri sometimes abruptly questioned Karnov about the future governance of Pesheranskaya’s estate—staring intensely if he didn’t get a satisfactory answer. Occasionally, Ilya would shyly invite him over, saying the Emperor had sent him good tea leaves to share.

Of course, the biggest challenge was the constant balancing act between worry, affection, trust, and uncertainty regarding his granddaughter.

Mikhail would suddenly summon Karnov for late-night drinking sessions—hoping to see him slip up, though it usually ended with Mikhail nursing a hangover the next day. He even conspired with retired General Wilhelm Elmin to send Karnov to teach special lectures at the Magistrum Academy for a year.

The Magistrum Academy was located on the southern outskirts of the capital, a half-day journey from the palace.

Karnov didn’t have to respond to these meaningless antics, but he went along with Mikhail’s whims without complaint. It was almost a competition to see who cherished and loved Asha more.

“Asha, I’m really fine.”

“Karnov…”

Karnov wrapped his arm around Asha’s shoulder and lowered his eyes as he spoke. Mikhail glared at him but quickly coughed when Asha turned to look.

“No matter what, calling Karnov over to bother him without telling me is too much.”

Mikhail pursed his lips, wanting to berate someone for troubling whom. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to give the young Duke of Sedvoyer a hard time, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so.

The young duke, confident in Asha’s love and attention, willingly endured all of the emperor’s whims.

The fact that Karnov showed his loyalty to Mikhail as much as Asha cherished and loved him made Mikhail even more agitated.

In strict terms, if anyone was being troubled, it was the young duke, believing in Asha’s influence and, in turn, bothering Mikhail, rather than Mikhail oppressing him.

But Mikhail had his pride and couldn’t complain about this to his granddaughter. So he swallowed his frustration.

“That cunning duke…”

Asha couldn’t help but laugh at the strange descriptor for Karnov. After a round of complaints and grumbling, Mikhail quietly asked Asha as they stepped into the garden.

Karnov decided to leave early, not wanting to interrupt Mikhail and Asha’s time together. Mikhail didn’t insist on keeping him and let him go.

“Where’s your chick? You came alone?”

“Phoebe? Phoebe’s been sleeping a lot lately. Maybe she’s growing.”

Asha looked at Mikhail as she gently brushed the garden grass with her hand. She wasn’t going to be distracted by his attempt to change the subject.

“So what were you two talking about?”

“We were discussing the empire’s affairs.”

“Really?”

“For us, you are our empire.”

Asha stopped in her tracks, surprised. The wind that surrounded them tousled her hair. Mikhail was gazing into the distance, not at Asha, but it only made his sincerity more apparent.

In the moment of natural silence, Asha spotted a patch of Terenis flowers in the garden and led Mikhail there. She picked the delicate petals and returned to the terrace, where she began grinding them in a small mortar.

“So, you were talking about me over drinks in the middle of the day?”

“Of course. The man marrying the Grand Duchess of our empire must prove himself.”

“Prove what?”

“That he is determined to make you happy.”

“And if he isn’t?”

“He will be severely reprimanded.”

Asha grinned mischievously.

“You wouldn’t break off the engagement?”

“…If you are happy, I cannot do that.”

The emperor raised his chin proudly.

“If you are happy, then it doesn’t matter who it is. I’ll make them worthy to stand by your side.”

Asha laughed loudly, taking Mikhail’s hand and carefully placing the crushed Terenis petals on his fingers.

“So, what about Karnov? What do you think of him, Grandpa?”

“Hmm. He’s already quite decent.”

“But you’ve known about him for about ten years now, haven’t you?”

“Still, wouldn’t you understand an old man’s desire to be sure?”

“I do~ I get it~.”

Asha gently caressed Mikhail’s wrinkled fingers, looking up at him while placing the red petals on them.

“That’s all well and good, but what if you end up with a hangover?”

“I didn’t.”

“You know lying doesn’t work on me.”

“…”

Asha tied leaves around Mikhail’s fingertips, looking pleased with herself.

“All done.”

“Never thought I’d be playing with flower dyes…”

In his youth, who would dare play such tricks on the future emperor? And who would now fiddle with the stern emperor’s hands?

“Doesn’t it feel nice since I did it? I only did this for Karnov once.”

“What? You did it for him first?”

“Oh, come on. That was ages ago.”

“So that’s why he silently held out his hand?”

“Of course~ If I want to do something, even Karnov Neustadter must comply.”

Asha boasted playfully, and Mikhail burst into laughter.

“Yes, of course, he should.”

Mikhail laughed heartily, perhaps pleased that the man who would be his granddaughter’s husband was so compliant. As Asha untied the leaves, Mikhail quietly asked,

“So what’s troubling you and brought you here this time?”

“Nothing like that.”

Asha looked up at Mikhail with wide eyes, but just as Asha could see through Mikhail’s lies, he wasn’t fooled either.

He had learned how to express love from his granddaughter, and the thing he knew best was her expressions. Asha, feeling a bit embarrassed, avoided her grandfather’s gaze and fiddled with his fingertips.

“It’s just… leaving Alyosha behind suddenly makes me worried. But if I say that, people might think I don’t want to get married…”

Mikhail widened his eyes in surprise, then laughed.

“Wait, you came all the way here to say you’re worried about the emperor?”

“Of course, I’m worried! Once I leave, Alyosha will be alone in the palace.”

“There are hundreds of attendants and numerous officials and nobles coming in and out daily.”

“But they’re not Alyosha’s friends.”

“The emperor doesn’t need friends.”

“That’s a lie.”

Asha sighed, letting Mikhail’s words pass over her as if they were a given.

“So far, Karnov has stayed in the capital, but he’ll have to spend time in the north in the future…”

“And that’s what worries you?”

Asha nodded. Mikhail quietly observed his granddaughter before lowering his gaze to their hands, now stained red from the flower dyeing process. Her fingertips looked like tender fruit.

“An emperor isn’t so fragile.”

If Alexei were fragile, Mikhail would never have abdicated. He gently covered Asha’s hand with his own. Her hand disappeared under his, easily hidden from the world’s harshness.

He wished he could protect her forever from the world’s hardships…

He could, and he had the means. But he didn’t, because his granddaughter was Anastasia. She worried about Alexei being alone in the palace, feeling melancholic about leaving him behind.

No one could escape their own thoughts, ideas, or achievements. There was no one who could love others with a god-like benevolence. Anastasia’s worries stemmed from who she was.

If left alone in an enormous house, no matter how luxurious the crown on her head, she would feel lonely.

Wrapped in luxurious clothes and power, she would feel cold if alone, assuming Alexei would feel the same and worrying about him.

How could he confine such a granddaughter out of selfishness? Even in a cage, she would worry about the cold outside, and while breaking free, she would worry about him being hurt by the shards.

“Not only fragile people feel loneliness. You felt it, I did, and so did Karnov, Mom, and Dad.”

“…”

Mikhail, feeling a pang of guilt, fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

“Even if you feel lonely, you can’t live your entire lives in each other’s shadow. You need to go out, bask in the sunlight, and become stronger.”

Asha pouted slightly, not quite liking his words. Mikhail frowned.

“You’re old enough now; why still make such childish faces?”

“Bleh-beh-beh.”

“You’re about to get married.”

Mikhail looked like he might give her a playful flick on the forehead, but he held her hand instead. A gentle breeze passed between them as they continued their quiet conversation.

Will Alyosha really be okay?

He will be.

What if he’s not?

You will come running.

What if I’m too late?

Whenever you arrive, it will be the perfect time.

“So you must be happy.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been unhappy in my life.”

“What do you mean ‘think’?”

“There were times I worried and felt sad, like now.”

“…The emperor will do well. With time, he too will have a spouse and children.”

“…”

“The Emperor has grown up with you since he was young. He knows how to avoid wasting energy on doubting and comparing people, and he knows how to hold on to happiness.”

These were things Mikhail had learned too late. But Alexei, his grandson, already knew them, having learned from this girl by his side for a long time.

How not to fear falling from a very thin rope. How to balance on that rope. And how to safely jump off that rope and land on the ground when it seemed he had to stand alone.

“Weren’t you worried, Grandpa?”

“I was.”

“But you insisted on going north anyway?”

Mikhail cleared his throat and gently pushed Asha’s nose.

“I was worried… but I trusted just as much.”

He knew better than anyone that his children had grown up well.

Perhaps Yuriev and Irina wouldn’t agree, but Mikhail was determined to believe this. He wouldn’t say he single-handedly raised them.

Even if they stumbled and fell, he believed they would rise firmly, knowing that life would inevitably bring tears, but they would wipe them away.

He believed they could live a life where they would unfold an umbrella on rainy days and splash in puddles, and stroll through the garden on sunny days.

He had known and believed this since he abdicated. He knew that the best he could do was provide the umbrella and arrange the garden.

“You should trust the Emperor too.”

“The Emperor?”

Asha asked as if she knew nothing. Mikhail fell silent for a moment, then, with a softened expression, tousled her hair.

“Your Alyosha.”

Mikhail could no longer call his grandson by name, now that he was the Emperor. But this much, he thought, was alright. Asha smiled as if she had no other choice.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“Lyudmila, you must have a lot on your mind. You’re quite close to the Grand Duchess, aren’t you?”

The lady who had invited Lyudmila to the tea party asked with sparkling eyes, seemingly a bit envious of Lyudmila’s close relationship with the Grand Duchess Pesheranskaya.

These days, the talk of the capital was undoubtedly about Anastasia’s grand duchy residence. Designed by Mura Aylau and meticulously overseen by the Emperor, the grand duchy residence was said to be heavenly beautiful, a tale already widespread in the capital. Added to this were legendary stories—people bringing materials from afar to repay past kindness—that further fueled the gossip.

“Indeed, it is so. Competing with Lord Karnov is no easy feat, though.” Lyudmila said as she tilted her teacup. The other ladies exchanged glances with bright eyes.

As her fabric business thrived, Lyudmila became one of the wealthiest ladies in the capital. What would someone like her give as a wedding gift to her dear friend?

“Yes, yes. Have you heard the rumors about the ring Duke Sedvoyer is preparing?”

“Oh, certainly.” Lyudmila thought of Natalya’s worried expression and smiled inwardly.

Rumor had it that Karnov Neustadter had commissioned a ring so magnificent that it would overshadow even the colossal engagement ring, and he intended to present it to Princess Anastasia on their wedding day.

Hearing this, Natalya had been full of concerns. What gift could possibly surpass that grand and dazzling ring?

“A ring painstakingly made by Mura Aylau must be incredibly beautiful.”

Since Asha’s engagement, Mura had been busier than ever. A genius artist and jeweler, Mura excelled in almost everything except what she couldn’t do. The thought of a ring crafted by Mura left people in a daze.

“Oh! Speaking of which, I recently read an interesting article about how wedding customs in the south differ from ours.”

The lady who spoke glanced at Lyudmila, thinking she would know various things from traveling across the continent for her business. Lyudmila’s eyes widened as something came to mind.

“Right, there’s a tradition in the Kingdom of Kirelete. They say a bride should have something borrowed, something new, something old, and something blue at the wedding for a happy marriage.”

“Yes, that’s what I heard.”

The idea seemed good, and the ladies’ eyes sparkled with excitement.

“A new item is usually the wedding ring…”

“So how about finding something borrowed, something old, and something blue to give?”

The special meaning of the gift would make it incomparable, regardless of its value.

“Thank you for the great advice! I’ll be sure to tell the Grand Duchess that you all helped.”

With Lyudmila’s added words, the tea party became even more warm and delightful. As soon as it ended, Lyudmila prepared some materials and headed to the Marquisate of Tataricha.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

“Lyuda, Lyuda!”

Lyudmila, who was looking through the materials she had brought with her in the carriage, was startled by the voice shouting from outside the moving carriage and opened the window.

“Na-Natalya?”

Natalya, riding a bicycle, was keeping pace with the carriage.

“Where are you coming from?”

“Asha’s shop! Today, my mother found some ceramic figurines that would be perfect for decorating the shop.”

Wouldn’t tasks like that usually be done by attendants?

Lyudmila thought so but didn’t voice it. She was more surprised by Natalya’s hand gestures outside the carriage window.

“Are you saying we should ride a bicycle to the mansion from here? That’s ridiculous.”

“I’m the one driving the bike, so what’s ridiculous about it?”

“It’s not about who’s driving… And I have separate materials to carry…”

“You can ask the coachman to take care of that!”

Lyudmila tried to resist the temptation but eventually gave in. The coachman, used to Natalya’s antics, stopped the carriage with a knowing look. Lyudmila cleared her throat a few times, adjusted her dress, and sat on the back seat of Natalya’s bicycle.

“Here we go!”

“Be careful!”

Natalya started pedaling, and the wind brushed past their ears, making their hair and clothes flutter.

“What brings you here?”

Natalya asked while pedaling from the front. Feeling a brief sensation of flight as they quickly passed a small bump, Lyudmila answered with a slightly flushed face.

“I came up with a great idea for Asha’s wedding gift. It came up during today’s tea time…”

“Wow, I was just worried about that!”

“It’s a story from the Kingdom of Kirrete. They say that for a happy marriage, a bride should have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”

“Oh!”

“Karnov’s preparing the wedding ring as the new item, so I thought we could prepare the rest together.”

“Great idea!”

Then, suddenly, Natalya’s pedaling speed increased.

“Whoa! Natalya!”

Lyudmila couldn’t help but let out an unrestrained scream. Natalya, now even more excited, pedaled enthusiastically all the way to the mansion.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

The people of the Bagration household weren’t bothered at all by the sight of Lyudmila’s wind-tousled hair. They knew it was their young lady’s doing. A maid who had been watching the wild bicycle ride from a distance stood behind Lyudmila as she sat down.

“Lady Lyudmila, shall I brush your hair?”

“Please… please do.”

Lyudmila’s voice was a bit hoarse from shouting, and she looked tired. Natalya, having worked up a light sweat, had a refreshed expression like a racehorse that had run freely.

“I was the one driving, so why is Lyudmila like this?”

“I should toast to our friendship and my foresight.”

“Why?”

“When the bike sped up, I anticipated you saying something like that and screamed in advance. Thanks to that, I’m calm now.”

Even if it wasn’t for that, Lyudmila would have hit her, but Natalya laughed heartily, finding it amusing. Lyudmila sighed deeply and shook her head.

“Natalya Bagration! Did you run your errand properly… Oh, Lady Lyudmila?”

At that moment, the Marchioness of Tataricha, who had been coming down from the upper floor with large strides, saw Lyudmila and widened her eyes in surprise before almost flying down to meet her.

“What brings you here? Did you come to see Natalya? She hasn’t caused any trouble, has she?”

“No, Marchioness.”

Lyudmila quickly spoke to reassure the familiar and worried Marchioness.

“I had an idea for a wedding gift for the Grand Duchess, and I thought I’d discuss it with Natalya.”

“Really?”

The Marchioness’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“What have you decided on?”

“We’re about to discuss that! Mother, why don’t you rest in your room? No, we’ll come to you.”

“Oh, dear. You grew up so fast, already pushing your mother aside… Wait! Wait! Don’t go so quickly, let me join the conversation. I’d like to be part of it too.”

“What?”

“What?”

The two of them blinked at the Marchioness of Tataricha in surprise.

“Ahem. As you both know, I’m very close to Mura Aylau… and she’s preparing a wonderful wedding gift for the Grand Duchess.”

The Marchioness quickly spoke, revealing that she had been thinking about this for quite some time.

“Although the Duke commissioned it, there’s still the ring and the grand duchy residence. But I haven’t prepared anything yet…”

Natalya looked at her mother with a slightly exasperated expression.

“Mother, the only thing that can compete with Mura Aylau’s artwork is her own paintings.”

“But a meaningful gift would be enough!”

“You should come up with that yourself.”

“You’ve received help from Lady Lyudmila too. I’m also a Bagration, so I’d like some help.”

“But Lyudmila is my friend! Why are you doing this, Mother?”

“Well, I gave birth to you, so half of me is Natalya, isn’t it?”

“That’s nonsense! Even if half of me is Mother…”

“See, if we put our halves together, we become one.”

As Natalya’s mouth opened and closed in protest, Lyudmila intervened with a smile.

“We do have several things to prepare, so it would be wonderful if the Marchioness could help us.”

“Lyuda!”

“I’m so glad my daughter has a friend like Lady Lyudmila.”

“Mother!”

“No, Natalya is a very dear friend to me as well.”

Natalya looked at her mother and her friend holding hands in disbelief. The Marchioness smiled at her daughter’s expression.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll intrude on your discussion. Just let me know if there’s anything I can help with after you’ve talked.”

The Marchioness gently pushed the two into the study. Once the door closed, Natalya started to grumble, but Lyudmila spoke first.

“If we encounter any difficulties, the Marchioness is willing to help.”

“Half of that is true. Losing to Mura Aylau would really hurt her pride, but she’s not very handy. In fact, Mother is better at breaking things.”

“Oh…”

It’s always awkward to respond when a friend joked about their own parents. Lyudmila trailed off.

“Anyway, what were we talking about? Something old, something borrowed, and something blue?”

“Oh, yes. That’s right. I have a few ideas.”

Lyudmila unfolded the documents she had received from the coachman.

“There’s a tea plantation in the southern part of the empire.”

“Hey! I’ve seen this before. It’s the label on the tea Mother sometimes drinks…”

“Really? It’s a famous place. The label is blue, so I thought of giving the plantation to Asha.”

“But you can’t get married with a tea plantation.”

“So I thought we could give her the deed…”

Realizing the absurdity of her idea, Lyudmila trailed off.

“…But if the deed got lost during the ceremony, it would be a problem.”

“It would.”

Lyudmila pursed her lips and set aside the tea plantation idea, bringing up another one.

“Let’s think about the blue item later. For the borrowed one…”

However, Natalya spoke first.

“For ‘something borrowed,’ do we give it to Asha and tell her it’s borrowed? Use it at the wedding and then… ask for it back?”

“Oh…”

They both fell silent for a moment, unable to shake the feeling that it seemed a bit stingy.

“It’s not that we’re being stingy…”

“Asha wouldn’t misunderstand, but…”

“…”

“…”

Feeling a bit down about the borrowed item, the two moved on to the next idea…

“Something old…”

“You’re talking about something worn-out?”

“Strictly speaking, something made in the past…”

“…”

“…”

Lyudmila buried her face in her hands and mumbled,

“With this, we can’t compete with Karnov Neustadter…”

It was uncharacteristic of Lyudmila, who had always referred to him as ‘Duke Sedvoyer’ or ‘Lord Karnov,’ to reveal her competitive spirit so openly. Natalya quickly waved her hand.

“But didn’t we say that these items have special meanings?”

“Yes, we did. Something old represents a connection with past relationships. It means we’ll stay friends with Asha even after she gets married. Something borrowed signifies that we’ll always be there to help Asha. And something blue stands for trust, loyalty, and such.”

Natalya nodded enthusiastically, reversing their usual roles.

“Asha will think it’s wonderful and be delighted.”

Lyudmila replied gloomily,

“But a diamond ring is just incredibly impressive on its own.”

“…”

That’s true…

Natalya also sat next to Lyudmila and buried her face in her hands.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

While Asha’s friends were pondering her wedding gift, Asha herself was deep in thought.

“Can one person bake a cake for hundreds of guests at a wedding?”

“…”

“And it’s twice—once in the morning and once in the afternoon for the reception.”

“…”

“The biggest problem is that the person baking the cake is also the bride…”

“Even if you say it like that…”

Pavel looked like he was about to cry, causing Asha to burst into laughter.

“Alright, I’ll stop teasing.”

“If it brought you joy, Your Grace… I’m just happy…”

Asha laughed as she tapped the counter, then finally composed herself. She had been teasing Pavel, but she was also set on making her wedding cake herself.

“I planned it to be a cake that could be prepared in advance. Do you want to see, Pavel?”

Asha opened her organized notebook and glanced around. Phoebe was dozing off in a teacup on the windowsill.

“The main cake will be simple and elegant, with three tiers. The layers will be sweet to highlight the flavor, soaked with syrup, and the cream will be light and clean.”

“Is this a bird decoration?”

Pavel asked about the bird figure atop the three-tiered cake design. Asha glanced at Phoebe to ensure she was still sleeping soundly.

“Yes. I’ll make it with marzipan, shaped like a bird. And we’ll bake small cupcakes for each guest, decorated with icing made of lemon juice and powdered sugar to resemble bird feathers—specifically, the tail feathers, fanned out as if the bird is resting on a snowy hill.”

When guests eat the cake, they can take the cupcakes, and I can prepare everything in advance. What do you think?”

“Oh! Now I remember where I’ve seen that bird! It’s the one behind the portrait of the first empress, isn’t it?”

Pavel seemed pleased to have guessed correctly. Asha, on the other hand, was taken aback.

“A bird behind a portrait?”

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

Asha walked slowly through the large room lined with portraits of past emperors, reaching the end. The oldest portrait, depicting an elderly woman, had faded slightly with time.

The old woman sat in a plush teal chair. Her firmly set lips and raised eyes suggested discomfort with the ornate crown on her head.

The old empress had haphazardly lifted her dress to her knees, revealing what appeared to be military boots. The crumpled dress’s pattern resembled bird feathers.

The tail feathers extended backward, leaving only a faint shape on the canvas. Though blurred, the shape resembled the bird in Asha’s cake design.

“It’s true…”

If Asha had paid attention to her lessons with Alexei from the beginning, she might have seen it before. But she had been focused on baking pastries, so she was only seeing it now.

<When did they paint me?>

Phoebe, yawning on Asha’s shoulder, asked curiously.

“You don’t know?”

<I wandered around back then, hoping to find a human to contract with. It didn’t last long, but the artist must have seen me faintly.>

Normally, Phoebe would have been proud to be in the first empress’s portrait, but now she was just curious.

Asha understood Phoebe’s feelings. With the World Tree’s seed gone, nothing could be completed perfectly. Spirits and humans, and their lives, would always be incomplete. The little bird could never regain its original form.

“Such a free-spirited pose.”

Asha changed the subject. Phoebe, captivated by her image in the painting, didn’t notice and quickly regained her usual prideful demeanor.

<I remember that time. That woman practically cultivated this vast land alone. Who would dare challenge her?>

Asha understood Phoebe’s words. As the empress who founded the empire, no one would have dared to tell her not to paint her portrait like that.

<Why did you come to see this painting?>

“Oh? Well… Grandfather’s portrait will be hung here soon. I wanted to see where it might go.”

Asha pointed to an empty space near the entrance.

<So the old oak tree will be here soon…>

The chick, the size of an adult’s fist, blinked its black eyes and spoke with a tone of regret. Asha gently rubbed the chick’s head.

“I’m getting married soon too.”

<I know that!>

Phoebe chirped loudly, then suddenly stared at Asha’s face and began to whimper.

“P-Phoebe?”

<This little one is getting married…>

“Why suddenly… Phoebe, are you crying? Really crying? Oh, no… Don’t cry, okay? Phoebe…”

<Oh nooo!>

“Should I not get married?”

<Don’t say things you don’t mean!>

“Ahhh!”

Phoebe squawked and flew up, pecking at Asha like a scolding. Asha covered her head with her arms and ran out of the portrait room.

The attendants watched with smiles as the Grand Duchess played tag with the brave chick.

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

A while ago, Yuriev was granted the title of “Marquis of Bishti,” but Irina returned to her role as the Deputy Commander of the Royal Knights before she became the Marchioness of Bishti.

Of course, there was some noise about it. A knight who had been away from the field for decades came back, not just as any knight, but as the mother of the Grand Duchess most favored by the Emperor and the wife of the late Emperor’s most cherished prince. People talked a lot about this. How could a marchioness and a member of the royal family wield a sword and sweat profusely?

On the other hand, some said that even if she was a former knight, she couldn’t just return to duty after a 20-year hiatus. The former issue was resolved by the royal family not paying any attention to such talks. Valery might have been a bit concerned, but he couldn’t say anything to his younger brother’s wife, who had unmatched physical prowess among the royal family.

The latter issue was settled by Irina proving she hadn’t neglected her training for the past 20 years. She dueled with every knight except the captain and defeated them all. This duel, endorsed by Emperor Alexei, put an end to the controversy when Yuriev placed a flower crown on Irina’s sword after she bested everyone.

“Young and healthy!”

Irina smiled as she was greeted with applause from the Marchioness of Serenetev, Dmitri’s mother, upon returning from her duties with the Knights.

“Marchioness.”

Irina gracefully dismounted her horse and clasped hands with the Marchioness, who eyed her mischievously.

“Aren’t you a marchioness yourself? Oh, I forgot, Deputy Commander? Lady Irina, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

The Marchioness playfully lifted her skirt in a mock curtsy but looked somewhat pale and frail.

The Marchioness of Serenetev had been bedridden for days after fuming over those who gossiped about Irina’s reinstatement, only recently getting back on her feet.

“Come inside. The air gets chilly in the evening.”

“I just came out hearing the sound of hooves.”

The Marchioness was one of the most ardent supporters of Irina and Yuriev’s marriage and had quietly helped them through their challenging early married life.

“But what brings you here? Is it about Asha…”

“Oh, no, no! It’s not that.”

The Marchioness waved her hands dramatically.

“The Marchioness of Tataricha visited a few days ago. You’ve been so busy, she came to me first. She had a good idea for a wedding gift for Asha and wanted me to share it with you.”

The Marchioness said this as she led Irina, who still seemed a bit confused, inside.

“Don’t tell Asha. It’s a surprise gift.”

The Marchioness winked. Irina nodded.

“Everyone, bring the things we brought.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The Marchioness brought Irina inside as if it were her own home and gestured to the servants she had brought along.

“Do you remember? Long ago, before you got married, I promised to make your wedding dress.”

“I had it all ready, but then the bride disappeared,” the Marchioness of Serenetev said with a laugh, which quickly turned into a small cough. Irina promptly asked a servant to bring some warm tea.

“Since you were heading off to live in the remote countryside, giving you something like a wedding dress seemed impractical. It would be heavy and a burden. I thought about sending it later by carriage, but I doubted you would use it for your ceremony. And if you didn’t sell it, it would just be another burden, and who knows what trouble it might bring…”

She worried that someone with ill intentions might cause trouble for the young couple if they knew they had an expensive dress. Irina smiled softly at her friend’s concern. The Marchioness looked at Irina, then sighed briefly.

When Mikhail’s eldest son, the crown prince, died, the threats and pressures on the second prince’s frail consort were immense. Irina, the lover of another prince, Yuriev, had been a source of support. She alone understood the burden that fell not on the prince himself but on his spouse.

“So I just kept it. I didn’t want to throw it away. But then, giving it now seemed… awkward.”

The Marchioness pushed a small, shallow box placed atop a chest toward Irina.

“Then the Marchioness of Tataricha came to me with an interesting story. Apparently, it was Lyudmila’s idea, Asha’s friend.”

The Marchioness spoke passionately, her earlier frailty forgotten.

“Those girls were thinking hard about a wedding gift for Asha. They learned it’s not an imperial custom, but the meaning was so lovely that I jumped up and thought, ‘This is it!'”

“What is it? And please calm down, Marchioness. You’ll make yourself sick again.”

“Oh, just listen. They said the tradition is to give the bride something blue, something new, something old, and something borrowed. Each has a wonderful meaning. The groom will take care of the new item, and the friends will handle the blue one.”

So, the task for the ladies was to find something borrowed and something old.

“When I heard it, I thought, ‘This is it!'”

“Alright, but please drink your warm tea first.”

“I’m drinking it. Do you know why I thought, ‘This is it’? Open this quickly.”

The Marchioness gulped her tea and handed the flat, small wooden box to Irina. Irina, concerned, gently opened the latch.

“…Oh, it’s a veil.”

“It’s yours.”

“What?”

“I made this veil to go with your wedding dress. So it’s yours. It may be about 20 years old and not the latest fashion, but how about lending it to Asha?”

“Oh…”

“The meaning of lending something is ‘I’ll always be there to help the bride.’ Isn’t it perfect for a mother to give? That’s why I came here so quickly.”

Seeing that Irina couldn’t respond immediately, the Marchioness of Serenetev hastily added, thinking Irina might reject the idea for being old-fashioned.

“I know it’s not quite right as it is. That’s why I’m planning to send it to Joel to have it altered. He’s good at that, isn’t he? I brought gloves. The Marchioness of Tataricha is lending a hair ornament. We’ll have everything altered to lend to Asha. And for something old, we’ll ask Asha’s grandfathers. What do you think?”

“Asha’s grandfathers will probably insist on giving something top-notch…”

“Well, they are the oldest among us. Push a bit.”

Irina burst into laughter. At the same time, the Marchioness, who had been studying Irina’s expression—if Dimitri had seen it, he would have been shocked to realize his mother could be so considerate—spoke cautiously.

“And once Asha’s wedding is over… how about having a wedding yourself?”

Irina’s eyes widened at the sudden topic.

“What? No, it’s not something I care about.”

Irina waved her hand. If she had wanted a lavish wedding that befitted a prince, she wouldn’t have left the palace when Yuriev did.

“So you don’t dislike the idea of a ceremony?”

“Well…”

“If you don’t dislike it, why not have one?”

“A wedding ceremony?”

Irina laughed as if hearing an amusing story. The Marchioness gestured outside.

“Think about it for Yuriev, I mean, for the Marquis of Bishti, and for your father.”

“Neither of them cares about such things.”

Irina laughed, waving her hand, but the Marchioness shook her head seriously.

“I guarantee they’d be the ones crying the most. Their tears might flood the Vichegda River, causing the Emperor to have to pay for flood damages.”

Irina laughed at such a joke but fell silent at the Marchioness’s serious face.

“When Asha’s wedding is over, and everything settles down… just think about it. If it’s just that you don’t care about weddings, it might be fun once you try it. If not, you don’t have to do it again.”

“Helping Asha prepare made all the fun vanish. There’s so much to do.”

Irina laughed. The Marchioness continued.

“Imagine if Asha couldn’t have a wedding and had to live in the countryside.”

“…”

“And Asha might not be entirely at ease with it.”

“…”

Feeling guilty for having the luxurious wedding her mother could never have, it was perhaps inevitable for the daughter, who had received so much love, to feel indebted. The Marchioness urged.

“Think about having a wedding, Lady Irina. It’s not such a bad thing. And be sure to have Joel alter the veil. It was the latest fashion 20 years ago…”

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

These days, Asha was incredibly busy with a whirlwind of tasks. With the grand duchy residence completed, it needed to be furnished, even if it wasn’t going to be used immediately. Maxim and Valery quickly competed in this regard.

For less important rooms like guest bedrooms and storage, they showed the rooms to furniture craftsmen to make them as fitting as possible.

However, for the bedroom, reception room, and entrance furniture, Maxim and Valery brought catalogs, offering to furnish the rooms with Asha’s choices.

Unfortunately, their plans failed spectacularly. The now fully retired Yekaterina stepped in, offering to gift her grandson’s bride a splendid bedroom, reception room, and central hall. As a highly respected elder in the empire, Yekaterina Neustadter’s offer couldn’t be refused. The two men had to reluctantly concede.

It was Asha’s job to console her uncles who returned defeated. Meanwhile, she also tested the wedding cake and continued running the Pesheranskaya pastry shop as usual.

Additionally, she cast suspicious glances at her two friends, who seemed to be keeping a secret from her. Finally, Joel began fitting the dress with the finest silk from Dharannez.

Writing and sending out all the wedding invitations, discussing honeymoon destinations, and deciding where to live after the wedding were almost like fierce battles.

— Should we live in the grand duchy residence first?

— Sure, let’s do that.

Even though Karnov readily agreed to Asha’s suggestion, she hesitated.

— Or should we live in the duke’s residence first?

— That sounds good too.

— You know I hate it when you say everything is fine, right? 

— But it really is fine…

Karnov looked aggrieved. For him, the location didn’t matter. What mattered was being with Asha. So he wasn’t lying.

Because of this, Asha had to carefully read the light in Karnov’s eyes beyond his agreeable expressions to make her decisions. Later, she asked various options, preventing Karnov from answering and only reading the light in his eyes to decide.

Everything proceeded smoothly, and now the wedding was only a few weeks away.

“Ouch, ah, mother! Ouch!”

“How does that feel? Refreshing?”

“Ouch!”

Asha, who returned from work to her villa instead of the palace, stretched out after receiving a special massage from Deputy Commander Irina for her tired daughter. Irina then brought a warm, scented blanket and covered Asha with it.

“Our princess, you’re wearing yourself out just to get married.”

“Hehe…”

Seeing the joyful fatigue in her daughter’s eyes, Irina couldn’t say more and just sighed with a smile.

“It feels like just yesterday you were a little cotton candy ball, and now you’ve grown so much…”

“From eating Mom and Dad’s love?”

Irina gently brushed her daughter’s pink hair as she playfully said “Mom and Dad” with a smile.

“And from eating a lot of your friends’ friendship, our princess.”

“Huh? Natasha and Lyuda?”

Irina nodded and adjusted the blanket over Asha’s shoulders.

“The Marchioness of Serenetev told me that lending something on the wedding day has a good meaning. The Marchioness of Tataricha told her.”

“Oh…”

“So I decided to join in.”

Irina said this as she pushed a wooden box, a gift from the Marchioness of Serenetev, toward Asha.

“She said I should lend this to our princess. I’d love to give it to you, but…”

Asha’s eyes widened as she slowly opened the box. Inside was a beautiful lace veil that would softly trail to the floor when worn. Tiny diamonds and pearls adorned the edges of the lace, making it look like sea foam. Asha wrapped the beautiful, transparent, white waves around herself and smiled brightly.

“Oh my! It’s so pretty! But…”

Asha gently touched the new veil, which was clearly her mother’s but had never been used. She decided to voice what she had been thinking for a long time.

“Mom!”

“No.”

“What?”

Asha looked at Irina with bewildered eyes, having been cut off before she could even speak.

“No.”

“How do you know what I was going to say?”

“Whatever it is, no, princess.”

“But, Mom… Listen to me.”

“I’m listening~!”

Irina said as she took the veil from Asha and began to tidy it up.

“Mom!”

“Let’s talk about it after your wedding, okay?”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!”

“I do.”

Irina kissed her daughter’s cheek. She knew Asha had realized the veil had never been used and was going to suggest sharing the spotlight on her wedding day.

Irina didn’t want that. She wanted her daughter to be the brightest star on her wedding day. She wanted all the light and petals in the world to shine just for her daughter. She was overwhelmed by the desire to be that petal.

“Do you know what my dream was, princess?”

Asha blinked. Irina gently stroked Asha’s hair.

“A life of pride.”

A life of loyalty to those who deserved it, protecting them, and facing anyone without shame.

“In pursuing my dream, I sacrificed you for a long time, without even realizing it…”

The impoverished life she led with Yuriev after leaving the palace was a realization of her dream and pride. It was a journey to protect noble values, and the hardship was a sweet reward.

But was it the same for her daughter?

It couldn’t have been. Asha had no choice in any of it. She didn’t choose to be born as their daughter…

“I achieved everything I wanted, sacrificing you along the way. I did everything I wanted, without lacking anything. Truly.”

“I never felt like I was sacrificed.”

Irina, with teary eyes, hugged her daughter, who had grown up but still seemed small. Asha had achieved so much, even when she went to the palace alone at the age of ten.

What if she had been born in the palace? What if she had caught the emperor’s eye and received his love from the beginning? What if, for the past ten years, she and Yuriev had lived not for their own pride but for their unborn daughter? What kind of future would have awaited them?

Shouldn’t parents have done that? Not just loving their daughter’s smile but opening up her future?

Was the pride they achieved by clipping their daughter’s wings for ten years truly pride?

Asha looked Irina straight in the face.

“Being able to be with Mom and Dad until I was ten made me who I am today.”

Their attention was entirely focused on Asha, without a drop spilling out.

Asha was happier having a small fountain just for her rather than owning a grand central square fountain for everyone. Even if it was as small as a sink.

Irina held her daughter’s hand tightly, seeing the love radiating from her.

“If there’s one thing this mother wants, it’s to sit in the mother’s seat at your wedding as a knight of the empire.”

She had almost achieved that. She had regained the knight’s title she thought she’d never see again, and her daughter was about to get married.

Asha looked at Irina, took a deep breath, and then slumped her shoulders.

“After the wedding, I’ll do what I want.”

“Of course.”

Always do what you want, my princess.

Irina brushed Asha’s hair and kissed her forehead. Asha grumbled, “You won’t let me do what I want now,” but she couldn’t help but give in when Irina said, “Let me win just this once because I’m your mother.”

━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━

While the mother and daughter enjoyed a quiet time together, two men stood side by side in the garden of the villa, looking up at the sky.

“Time flies, doesn’t it?”

It was Yuriev who asked the question. The one being questioned was Karnov. After dropping Asha off at the villa where Yuriev and Irina were staying and preparing to leave, Yuriev had caught him, suggesting they chat for a bit.

“Ah, it might feel different for you. Has it been long?”

“Hmm. I don’t know.”

Yuriev had never spoken to Karnov in a difficult manner, whether he was a mere prince without a title or now as a marquis.

Karnov had no thoughts about it. To be precise, he had no interest. His interests were already set.

Yuriev patted Karnov’s shoulder with a chuckle. Karnov thought that father and daughter both laughed a lot.

“I heard you visited His Majesty the other day.”

“He seems to be feeling quite lonely these days.”

Yuriev laughed again. Describing Mikhail’s attempts to keep his grandson-in-law in check as loneliness was amusing.

“He likes gardening these days. Asha gave him a potted plant, so I brought him more flowers and trees.”

Yuriev laughed loudly. Along with the flowers and trees, there would have been a huge growth of weeds. He imagined Mikhail standing in front of the garden, holding the back of his neck in exasperation.

“You must be feeling mixed emotions with your wedding approaching… It’s a strange feeling for parents, having an only daughter getting married.”

Although he never considered his daughter his possession, the feeling, if he had to define it, was like losing her. Yuriev smiled wryly.

“Even though I think she picked a good husband…”

He knew there wasn’t anyone better. As a husband, Karnov was better than he was. What Yuriev gave Irina was impoverished pride, while Karnov would give Asha abundant joy.

No, looking back, Yuriev realized he hadn’t given Irina anything. Everything had been Irina’s achievement. Yuriev himself and his pride were part of Irina’s accomplishments.

“It feels unsettling that our princess is getting married so soon.”

“I understand.”

Karnov spoke softly. Yuriev smiled gently.

“Do you know why I feel this way?”

Karnov didn’t answer. Yuriev lowered his gaze from the stars to the deep darkness of the forest.

How did his daughter appear to Karnov?

In the darkness, even a small light would have been very visible…

“Well, I’ve achieved everything I wanted. Alexei has become a fine emperor, and we live in the same city as our princess. She’s running the pastry shop she always dreamed of, so all that’s left is for her to be eternally happy.”

Yuriev paused for a moment before speaking again.

“Our princess has a ‘happiness box.'”

Though sudden, Karnov listened carefully. Strange metaphors and descriptions were Asha’s specialty, and Karnov was familiar with them.

“She puts it in a basket with something important. When she was young, she placed it in the ‘parents’ basket.”

Yuriev smiled, adding, “To our princess, our happiness was the most important.”

“But now…”

Yuriev trailed off and looked at Karnov. The young man with amethyst-like purple eyes looked back at him.

Karnov was silently listening to Yuriev’s words.

“When she was young, that happiness box was only one, but not anymore.”

Yuriev said, glancing at Karnov with a reluctant nod.

“She has one for Irina and me, one for other family and friends, one for ‘Asha.’ And…”

“…”

“And one for you. That young girl, who once hung all her happiness on us, now has, maybe an even bigger box, for you. Do you understand what that means?”

In the dark garden, fireflies began to spread their light. Karnov opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again.

Yuriev spoke decisively.

“You must be happy.”

“Ah…”

“I’m saying you can’t rely on our princess for all your happiness. The happiness she creates for you can’t be everything. You…”

Yuriev’s words quickened, and he took a deep breath, joking that he should have brought a tea table for this conversation.

“You must find happiness on your own. Of course, seeing her will make you happy. She’s our princess, after all.”

“…”

“But you must have your own happiness that won’t crumble even if Asha sheds tears.”

Asha had placed her happiness box on her parents, other family and friends, and Karnov, but she also placed it on herself.

That happiness could not be broken by anyone else. Only Asha could protect, nurture, and grow it.

“You must not put all your happiness boxes on the Asha basket. At least one must be on the ‘Karnov Neustadter’ basket. As lovely as our Asha is, she can sometimes only focus on work. Even then, you must be happy so that our daughter doesn’t suffer from unnecessary guilt.”

Though Yuriev’s tone became stern and lecturing towards the end, it was clear he was joking. Karnov looked at Yuriev for a moment, then slowly nodded.

The dark forest was no longer dark, filled with fireflies that resembled a Milky Way leading to Asha’s window.

At that moment, unnoticed by anyone, in the garden behind Mikhail’s mansion, the small leaves from the pot Asha had given, sprouted by Karnov, and carefully repotted by Mikhail, were growing vigorously.