I could finally understand the meaning behind what he said just before my regression.
Right now, Kayan was only a viscount in name—he didn’t know a thing. There was no one to teach him, only people eager to deceive and mock him.
‘Even in our past life, he was often looked down on, wasn’t he?’
But seeing this state in person, rather than vaguely guessing from within the princess’s palace, made my chest feel even heavier.
It already seemed like he had fallen victim to a grand real estate scam.
‘Well, at least this place is full of strong people, so it’s perfect for me to stay.’
Since I had been exiled, Anna would definitely attempt to assassinate me. However, her dark magic wasn’t that advanced yet, and the knights under the Barcklith family were more than capable of defending against that level of threat.
The Emperor, of course, seemed completely unaware of this.
In our past life, the Emperor never realized Anna was dabbling in dark magic. My brother had suspected it, but he failed to uncover any evidence and left for the East.
“There wasn’t a single shred of proof, so I couldn’t tell His Majesty. If I did, it would only worsen his health and backfire.”
That’s why he warned me to be cautious until the end.
“I’ve asked Simon to investigate, so once he finds solid evidence, His Majesty will be informed. Until then, I need you to stay in the palace, Ivnoa.”
‘Asking Simon to investigate was like entrusting a cat with a fish.’
By now, Simon probably already knew. He was just pretending not to.
While I was lost in thought, Kayan spoke seriously.
“Um… Your Highness, how about using this room?”
Amidst the noisy crowd of burly knights surrounding me, he alone looked solemn.
“This seems to be the largest room available…”
I smiled awkwardly and said,
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but this is the master’s room. I can’t use it.”
It was clear Kayan had no idea about the typical layout of noble houses in the capital.
The Barcklith mansion in the North had been built differently from most noble estates due to its harsh natural environment and lighting issues.
“…Is the location of the master’s room supposed to be fixed? It wasn’t like that in the North…”
Kayan looked flustered, so I quickly reassured him.
“No, no! It’s admirable that you haven’t forgotten the North even in the middle of the capital! Such determination is a good thing!”
But no matter how admirable his determination, I still couldn’t take the master’s room.
“Give me the room at the far left of the third floor, the one with a balcony and bathroom. That’s where most distinguished guests usually stay. The smaller adjoining room can be for my maid.”
“…Ah.”
Kayan’s ears turned red.
“Please wait a moment; I’ll have it emptied right away.”
“Emptied? Why would you need to empty it?”
“Well… I liked that room, so I was using it.”
“What? Why would the heir stay in a corner room?”
“I just liked the view…”
Kayan trailed off, and I cheerfully exclaimed,
“Wow! An heir who appreciates his surroundings—how flexible and open-minded!”
But no matter how flexible he was, I couldn’t take the room from him.
I quickly tried to fix the situation.
“Then I’ll take the room opposite it. It should have a similar layout.”
“…Understood.”
Of course, I didn’t feel entirely at ease.
This was part of what nobles referred to as “etiquette.” For eight years in our past life, Kayan must have been openly ridiculed by the people of the capital, completely unaware of why he was being mocked.
‘He’s not someone who should be treated like that.’
I felt a pang of regret.
‘In the North, he was a genius who could outperform most adult knights.’
Even more tragic was that, in our past life, even the people loyal to Kayan eventually perished.
At fifteen, Kayan had been left alone in this desolate viscount estate. I could only imagine how painful that must have been.
‘You said you wanted to become a proper noble.’
I could understand now why he said those words at the end of our past life.
‘This time, I’ll make that happen for you.’
Resolving myself once again, I vowed silently.
‘I’ll turn the Barcklith viscountcy into a noble family that no one can look down on.’
Since I was already planning to sever ties with the Duke of Cerno, I needed a new noble family to support me.
Rather than aligning myself with strangers, it was better to work with people I could trust, even if it took a little more effort.
And so, my room was finally decided.
The knights, who had been eavesdropping nearby, started shouting excitedly.
“Oh! Should we stock it with swords of every kind?”
“No, no! Her Highness has always wanted to learn spears. Let’s set up spears as decorations!”
“What nonsense! She’s too short for spears right now!”
It was then.
A thin voice echoed from the end of the hallway.
“E-e-everyone… y-you… y-you’re being too much!”
Everyone turned to look in surprise. The voice belonged to none other than my maid, her expression showing she had mustered up every ounce of courage in her life.
She had just arrived, having brought all my belongings from the palace in the royal carriage.
“N-n-no matter how m-much you say she’s b-b-been punished! S-still!”
Her fists were trembling as she shouted.
“I-I-I didn’t expect dresses, jewelry, or ornaments! B-b-but this is too much!”
The hallway fell silent as though cold water had been poured over everyone.
After a moment of stillness, Hans was the first to speak, his pupils shaking as he carefully asked,
“…Your Highness, were you punished?”
“Ah… yes.”
“Why?”
“Well, I had a bit of a fight with my half-brother.”
At the word “fight,” Hans and the knights swallowed hard.
The atmosphere grew so heavy that even the maid couldn’t say another word.
In the tense silence, Hans asked with a serious expression,
“Just how extraordinary is that prince? If he managed to fight with Your Highness, he must be skilled with a sword, right?”
For the first time in a long while, I felt like people were truly listening to me.
The maids at the palace never paid attention to a word I said, so this feeling was refreshing and nostalgic.
This kind of warm conversation—when was the last time I had experienced it before my regression? I smiled brightly and chattered away as if I had gone back to my childhood.
“Skilled with a sword? He’s not even worth a punch in that regard—just a rookie.”
“Huh? Then did you go easy on him when you fought?”
“Go easy? Not at all. He came at me like he was ready to snap his spine in half.”
Warmth began to rise from deep within me.
Friendly conversations, concerned expressions, and genuine care…
The loneliness and emptiness I’d felt when leaving the conference room, brushing past Hugo’s people, seemed to melt away completely.
Even the lingering discomfort from that bland chicken pie was fading, replaced by a lightness in my heart.
I felt certain that as long as I could protect these people, I’d gladly ignore my mother’s will and throw myself into action without hesitation.
Hans widened his eyes and asked,
“Holy… Is that prince still alive?”
“Unfortunately, yes. He’s perfectly fine and clinging to his mother’s skirt. In the palace, you could stab a royal in the gut, and they still wouldn’t die.”
Finally, there was a loud thud as someone collapsed.
The maid, overwhelmed by shock, had her legs give out beneath her.
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