In this poor Lusenford, the word “expansion” ended up being distorted to mean not expanding the fortress, but the Grand Duchess wanting to live in luxury in a larger room.
It ended up that way because the Grand Duke, who initially accepted and agreed with the Grand Duchess’s opinion quite favorably, turned his back.
There were several reasons. The mainstream opinion in Lusenford, which thought that only minimal expenses should be made with minor touch-ups, didn’t match with the Grand Duchess’s opinion to fix everything one by one as money became available.
The Grand Duke, who wanted to add only military functions, clashed with the Grand Duchess, who said that the entire facility should be renovated. Everyone recognized the need for expansion, but in the end, the money issue was bigger.
In addition, the most decisive factor was the information the Grand Duke received secretly.
It was information that the reason the Grand Duchess kept intervening actively was because of the Emperor’s secret order to weaken the military function of Lusenford and renovate the castle to be closer to a palace rather than a fortress, making it vulnerable to defense.
The Grand Duchess was trying to hand over Lusenford, which the Grand Duke had barely managed to shape into a fortress, to the Emperor.
“I regret that I couldn’t be of help. But I don’t think we can do much more even if we stay longer, and it might rather be a burden.”
Peon barely listened to Sir Isidore Dakiten’s words, who officially announced the end of the investigation as the Emperor’s inspector and said he would return to Crania. Before regression, he kept thinking about the expansion-related issues.
Looking back, Kaela put her heart into everything to the point where one would want to stop her. Even though she kept falling ill in this cold place, she tried her best to make Lusenford a livable place.
Her misfortune was that her husband was already lost to brainwashing. Kaela de Chasser was terribly unlucky.
She lost her only family to the Emperor’s hands, was robbed of the inheritance and title she should have rightfully received from the Emperor, and even her husband turned out like that. She was so, so unfortunate.
“I think the best way we can help Lusenford is to hurry back and report everything to His Majesty the Emperor.”
The Grand Duchess, unaware of being deeply controlled by the spell to the point of not even noticing the fabricated evidence, still tried her best.
“I will definitely tell him that the entire castle needs to be expanded.”
Based on experience, the Emperor would not like the idea of Lusenford arming itself. So he sent fake evidence about Kaela through Beatrice to make Peon stop the expansion. No, was it Beatrice’s independent action?
It was a quite complicated memory. Perhaps the reason why the expansion, which was going well, was suddenly overturned was because he recognized Kaela’s efforts that she was trying so hard?
[I should have been the only one to look at! I told you not to look away! If I even put a taboo on you, you should have just obeyed without a word, why did you waver because of that stupid woman and rebel against the taboo to make this mess!]
He was clearly shaken badly. He was a lowly being, brainwashed by the spell, and yet still swayed by what was good and beautiful.
“Thank you.”
Even if Isidore Dakiten argues to the Emperor about the necessity of expanding Lusenford Castle, the Emperor won’t care. He’ll probably just let them do it on their own without any support.
To the Emperor, Peon just needed to do what he was told well and not dare to rebel. The seed of a dirty dog just needed to act like a dog, not speak like a human or bark recklessly at its master.
“…I’m sorry, hyung-nim.”
Maybe it’s because he’s a dog. Peon didn’t quite like Isidore Dakiten. He disliked him more because he knew that apology was Isidore’s best.
After all, he was the heir to a family that produced an Empress despite not being royalty, had a bright future ahead, and was a quite decent man who knew how to maintain conscience and chivalry. It was annoying that such a man was freely acting like an older brother to Kaela.
It was even more annoying because he knew that Kaela would never call Peon “oppa,” that dear old title, unless she completely lost her mind.
“Don’t worry about it and go quickly.”
“Yes. Take care of your health, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
“Travel safely, Sir Dakiten.”
Kaela, standing next to Peon, was only faithful to her role as the Grand Duchess. How had Kaela reacted when he mentioned the expansion last night? She had responded passively, with an expressionless face, saying “Is that so?” and then remained silent.
Was she really the Kaela he knew before the regression? Did she come back together? Or was she just the Princess of Ostein with no such memories at all?
‘That can’t be.’
If that were the case, she would have called him “oppa” freely when they were alone, just as she had done before the regression.
[One should use the appropriate title for one’s position. Can’t Her Highness distinguish between public and private matters?]
[Why call me that when we’re not even siblings? Stop it, it’s unpleasant. We’re not that close.]
He had spat out such well-fed words with contempt and disgust in his eyes, not even hiding his expression, regardless of who heard. Even if it was because of the taboo, there was no room for excuse. By Lusenford’s logic, the one who suffers is weak, and weakness is a sin.
He should have died instead. Peon thought he should have. If he hated Kaela so much but didn’t have the ability to save his mother and was just barely hanging on, he should have died.
What’s the point of living longer when all you do is hurt the people you care about and tarnish your honor? He had only extended his life a little, a very little, by trampling on his weak wife. Now that his head was clear, it was too shameful.
“Farewell.”
“Travel safely.”
One of the unwelcome guests who had barged into Lusenford finished their business and left. The people of the castle watched the departing imperial inspectors with anxious eyes in silence.
The war started during the sowing season. They say they’ve repelled it this time, but who knows about the next.
In the midst of this, no one knew what the inspector who came to look into the incident of the Grand Duchess from the south collapsing would say to the Emperor. If Lusenford was held responsible, they would have no choice but to suffer the consequences.
However, the Grand Duke showed no sign of concern and turned back to focus solely on the aftermath of the war. He tended to the wounded and called in stonemasons and carpenters to repair the Fueten fortress.
Yet he gave the strange order not to stop the construction of the kitchen in Lusenford Castle.
“How much money is going into the kitchen construction, in this situation…!”
Some people whispered. But because the Emperor’s inspectors had thoroughly examined Lusenford Castle for a while, others silenced them.
“How do we know what they’ll say in Crania? We should at least pretend to be making repairs. We need to show our sincerity.”
The new head maid, with a bundle of keys at her waist, continued to move busily throughout Lusenford Castle.
Now was the time to sow seeds and deal with the aftermath of the war. Because no one had the luxury to pay attention to tea parties or plays, naturally, they didn’t care about the only remaining unwelcome guest, Beatrice Ravalley.
The local nobles who would have shown interest in her, wanting to know about the sophisticated trends of the so-called ‘Crania social circle’, had all put their names on the list of casualties in this war. The women were busy preparing for funerals, weeping sorrowfully.
Unfortunate events kept happening in the gloomy Lusenford. In the morning, the Emperor’s inspectors quietly left, and in the afternoon, a sudden mass food poisoning occurred.
****
“Stomach ache?”
Peon, who happened to be in the Grand Duchess’s office, took his eyes off the butler who reported that several people were complaining of stomach aches and looked at Darinka who had come in together.
“What’s the cause?”
“We’re currently investigating, but it seems they all ate something together. However, it’s difficult to investigate as everyone is suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhea…”
It meant they didn’t even have the strength to speak.
“How many have fallen ill?”
“It’s quite a large scale. Nearly twenty people.”
It was strange that the castle employees were suffering from food poisoning when there was so much to do. Was it following the formula that epidemics always follow wars?
“It’s clearly from eating something bad.”
Darinka, whose skills were guaranteed enough to be the Grand Duchess’s physician and who supervised all medical activities in the castle, was certain. Peon nodded as she spoke, knowing she was aware of even the nutritional status of the children running around the castle with runny noses.
“I see. Are the others who haven’t been identified alright?”
“We don’t know yet. Some people might show symptoms later. We’re continuing to prescribe medicine.”
Peon’s brow furrowed.
“I understand.”
“I will also join the investigation.”
“You?”
Peon was puzzled when the butler stepped forward.
“Isn’t it my duty?”
“Go ahead.”
Peon nodded and sent the two out again.
“…He’s come back to life.”
In the now quiet Grand Duchess’s office, only Sir Renard had the personality to leisurely say what he wanted. Peon tended to leave him be no matter what he said, and in the end, it was Kaela who looked at Sir Renard with questioning eyes, seeking an explanation.
“I’m talking about the old butler. When the inspectors were turning the office upside down, he looked half-dead, and I thought he might finally retire, but as soon as the inspectors left, he sprang right back to life.”
Sir Renard, pointing out what everyone had noticed, chuckled as if amused.
“Ah, don’t worry about it, Your Highness. He’s always been like that.”
Kaela was worried? Peon’s gaze immediately turned to Kaela.
“I wasn’t worried.”
She answered quietly and gently.
Peon also knew that the butler was always like that. Isidore had already discreetly informed him, the head maid was investigating like her life depended on it, and he was also holding onto the butler’s misconduct that he and Kaela had discovered together.
It’s just that the priority had been pushed back due to the work that not only filled the Grand Duchess’s office desk and table to the brim but also spilled onto the floor.
If he made even the slightest misstep, Peon would grab him by the scruff of his neck and throw him outside the castle walls. Everyone in this room, except Kaela, expected the butler wouldn’t last a week.
He wanted to clear it all away. He wanted to clear everything away.
That was also his desire, which made his current mood subtly dirty. He wished he could clear away anything that bothered him. Just like the poisoned teapot he had cleared away in his office before coming to the Grand Duchess’s office.
Tea, wine, then tea again. It was already the third time. They were persistently diligent. Probably Beatrice.
Peon had no intention of drinking the poison that would sting his tongue, nor did he plan to collapse conspicuously after drinking it and let her run wild. With the food poisoning on top of everything else, he had neither the time nor the luxury to investigate that poison now.
What he was most concerned about, focused on, and paying attention to was Kaela.
“Shall we continue our previous conversation then, Your Highness the Grand Duke?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Watching Kaela, who had been very passive and distant, reluctantly focus on the castle blueprints, he pondered and pondered again. He could no longer deny it. Kaela was already a different person, too different to just close his eyes and ignore.
So, he needed to confirm whether she had really regressed like him or not. How could he properly confess and apologize? And he steeled himself again and again to face the void gaping inside him.
‘After confirming, if it’s true, then…’
She would be angry. He would have to give her all his weaknesses, promising not to cause her any harm. For example, from his most hidden secret that he was the son of the evil dragon Gusalante, to the fact that he dared to love her…
‘No, no, that won’t do. She’ll find it disgusting. I can’t make it any more unpleasant.’
Even if that emotion, which couldn’t be called love, was a terribly fatal weakness and a way to properly hold his leash, Kaela would only be upset. Moreover, how dare he enjoy the privilege of confessing his feelings?
He had to apologize to the best of his ability. It was already an unforgivable sin. Peon agonized over and over again.
“Then let’s expand this area entirely…”
“That’s an area that needs to be handled by an expert, expanding the stable…”
“While we’re at it, let’s add another tower to that side of the castle wall…”
All the problems with the castle that Kaela had pointed out before the regression came pouring out.
Though he already knew all of this, these were matters that required tremendous attention. And Kaela, watching her husband trying to discuss such a huge issue as expansion with the Grand Duchess, what was she thinking?
She didn’t smile, nor did she frown or show any signs of fear. She was just consistently indifferent and calm.
Peon knew he had to memorize that face now while he could. It’s a face he won’t be able to see once he confesses. Probably never again in his life.
****
Before they knew it, the sun had set and it was very late in the evening.
“Let’s take a break.”
Besides the expansion, there were too many things to discuss, and the meeting continued endlessly even at this hour. When Peon muttered while rubbing his tired eyes, everyone except the ducal couple left the office.
They wanted to go out and get some fresh air. For Peon, rest meant Kaela, so since she didn’t leave, he also stayed sitting there silently.
“Your Highness.”
Kaela carefully called out to Peon. He turned his head to look at her, his body sunken into the chair.
“It’s a very trivial matter.”
“Please, speak.”
“The youngest of my maids seems to be homesick.”
“Oh dear…”
Peon’s reaction wasn’t bad. He was listening attentively to what she was saying. This seemed promising. She was about to say that she would send the maid back at her own expense, so he needn’t worry.
There was a knock on the door, and Lady Silenster, the head maid who had gone out to do some work and catch her breath, quietly entered.
“I apologize for interrupting your conversation. The butler says he must see the Grand Duke.”
“Why?”
The head maid shook her head. It meant she didn’t know. Kaela’s eyes turned to Peon.
“Tell him to come in.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After the head maid left, Peon turned back to Kaela.
“It must be worrying that your young maid is homesick.”
“Ah, yes…”
Right. They were talking about Marie. She was going to say she would send her back first.
“Are you alright, Your Highness?”
“I… I’m fine. Of course, I’m fine.”
As she was answering, the butler entered. He bowed his head and then glanced at Kaela.
“Um, Your Highness the Grand Duke. I would like to speak to you alone, if I may.”
It was a look implying she should take the hint and leave. It meant the young Grand Duchess wasn’t yet in a position to be involved. Kaela, following the habit ingrained in her for four years, was about to stand up immediately. It’s an absurd thought, but this is Lusenford.
“If my wife doesn’t know about it, I don’t need to know either.”
But a gentle yet firm hand stopped her, and a cold voice lashed out at the butler.
