Kaela never lets her tears fall. Tears are troublesome to deal with – wiping them away, calming the reddened nose and eyes, and getting everything back to looking normal was all too cumbersome.
She had thoroughly learned in her past life that no one cared when she cried, and they would only mock her more. Tears were a weakness. Therefore, in Lusenford, where enemies were everywhere, she must never show any weakness.
However, seeing the flower bouquet with the sky-blue ribbon that the child clearly treasured made her nose sting with emotion. That’s why throughout the carriage ride back to the palace, Kaela kept her head down, looking only at the bouquet on her lap, trying to calm her feelings.
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
But the voices calling out to her and the waving hands from outside wouldn’t let her keep looking down. Sometimes they would call for Peon, the war hero, and sometimes they called for Kaela too.
When she would look up in surprise, people would remove their hats and slowly bow their heads, while children would wave their hands more energetically and shout louder. Kaela had never experienced Lusenford’s atmosphere being this relaxed before.
“Our Highness is quite popular.”
And hearing Peon speak like this was also a first, making it hard to adjust. This person who had always been so taciturn now smiled whenever their eyes met and initiated conversations.
“I should work harder too.”
“Still, as an outsider, I can’t replace Your Highness. The true owner of this domain is not me but…”
“That’s not what I meant. You’re so popular that I need to work harder before my position becomes boring in comparison.”
What nonsense. Peon said with a slight smile. It felt strange to have him sitting across from her in the carriage instead of riding a horse. It was strange how he would pick her up when she tried to go to the Grand Duchess’s chambers, carry her to his bed, and lie down with her.
It was strange how he would say nice things and listen attentively.
She should have been afraid of unfamiliarity. She should have been terrified of being forcibly taken away and locked in a tower to starve to death. But her dull mind kept forgetting. Instead, she found it unfamiliar, awkward, and fascinating.
Foolish girl without any sense. Crazy girl. A stupid girl who gets excited just because a man treats her somewhat nicely.
Even though she tried to criticize herself and stay alert, the environment was changing so drastically that forgetting happens faster than remembering.
Even when she stayed still, more people sought her out, and with just one step outside, greetings came from everywhere. Every corner of Lusenford Palace was changing according to Kaela’s instructions, and even the smallest pieces of furniture were placed according to her taste.
The Lusenford Palace, which had been cold, difficult, and even hideous, was continuously becoming more and more pleasant.
“Where will you stay when you go to Crania? Will it be at that townhouse where you used to stay?”
He had thought that far ahead? Then it seems he plans to let her live until they reach Crania. Peon smiled.
“That’s right. Mother has been maintaining it, and I’ve already notified them that I’m coming up, so they’re probably making repairs.”
The townhouse where the Grand Duke of Lusenford stayed whenever he visited Crania was completely different from Lusenford Palace. Kaela remembered visiting there when she was around twelve.
“Did Her Majesty the Empress do this?”
“Mother bought that townhouse and gave it to me. There wasn’t really anywhere to stay when traveling from Lusenford to Crania.”
Although her young son had received the title of Grand Duke, the Empress was troubled that he didn’t have a proper townhouse in Crania, so she spent her private funds.
The year he turned fifteen, the Empress managed to purchase the townhouse through a proxy while carefully managing the Emperor’s moods – the same Emperor who had ruined her life.
“The location is good, and the Imperial Palace has been managing it.”
That’s why Beatrice could freely come and go to that townhouse, using her mother’s position as the Empress’s chief lady-in-waiting as an excuse.
“After marriage, I took over the management. It should be comfortable enough for you to stay in.”
That place needed to be a quiet space where Kaela could rest in Crania.
“…I didn’t expect to return to Crania so quickly.”
“Neither did I.”
The man replied briefly, anxiously wondering how to protect Kaela in Crania and how to minimize her thoughts of death.
He hadn’t expected this either. Everything had been changing since the regression.
****
Kaela had never experienced such busy days in her life. Just when she thought she could catch her breath, the next task would rush in.
Even when she tried to avoid looking at the expansion construction, there were always matters that required the Grand Duchess’s attention. Regen would follow her around, and the head maid would come running.
On top of that, with Ostein merchants arriving, she had been pleasantly surrounded by people from her homeland whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, treating them as guests. And now, after sending them off, they were told they needed to go to Crania.
“Then we’ll keep these fabrics well-stored, and you can have new dresses made when you go up there, Your Highness.”
Lady Fabiola Silenster said with a very serious expression.
“No, I can just take the clothes I have.”
“Your Highness, I may be from the countryside and don’t know much, but I do have ears to hear. I hear that all the noble ladies coming to Crania are in a frenzy getting new dresses made and buying new jewelry sets.”
“Where did you hear that from?”
“People have been flocking to the gold mines. Many noble ladies have been directly inquiring about our gold mines.”
Ah. The discovery of the massive gold vein in Lusenford had such connections.
Indeed, the nobles gathering in Crania were those with great power and influence in the empire, so they were very sensitive to information about new jewels and luxury items. Moreover, gold mines were wealth itself.
“Your Highness, you are our face. I hope you can do everything possible.”
It was also the first time hearing such words, so Kaela couldn’t respond immediately. Regardless of what she said, Lusenford Palace was already bustling with activity.
“Let’s select some of the best fabrics to take with us, and buy the rest in Crania. These are precious fabrics imported from Ostein, and they’re perfect for summer – it would be a waste not to use them.”
Peon, who had walked up from behind while she was momentarily confused, spoke on her behalf.
“Ah, that’s a good idea. Then this cream-colored and blue fabric…”
“That butterfly-like color would be good too. It suits My Lady well. And that light purple one.”
He decisively selected fabrics to take to Crania along with Lady Silenster. His determination to turn them all into dresses for Kaela was evident.
“No, that blue one should be for Your Highness’s formal wear!”
It wouldn’t do for only the Grand Duchess to appear magnificently dressed. It wasn’t just the noble ladies who were frantically having dresses made in Crania.
The gentlemen too would be desperate to have their best formal wear made according to form and specifications, while still showing their individuality and wealth. Even down to their gloves, gentlemen pride themselves on how sleek yet soft and comfortable they are.
Kaela had to look after her husband, who showed no interest in his own clothes. She couldn’t let Peon stand there glumly in his characteristic black attire at the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony. Previously, the Empress had taken care of this, but now that Peon was properly married, it was naturally Kaela’s responsibility.
“I have plenty of formal wear that Mother prepared for me, My Lady.”
Peon shook his head, speaking in a polite and courteous tone. Tone was very important to Kaela. Lowering it removed formality and brought people closer. Raising it built walls along with formality. That’s why she used honorifics with him.
Therefore, Peon especially used honorifics and treated Kaela with utmost courtesy when in front of subordinates. This was based on his principle that others would respect Kaela more if he showed her respect.
The casual way he spoke when alone with Kaela wasn’t meant to be disrespectful. Since they started as older brother and sister, it was natural for her to speak informally to him. He was waiting for Kaela to speak casually with him. He was waiting for her to respond naturally like when she was young, responding to his gentle words.
Peon, the already insane son of the mad dragon, was now doing everything he hadn’t done before.
He elevated the Grand Duchess, whom he had made nonexistent, to the most revered position in Lusenford, and returned to the past that he had ignored since their marriage.
This might just be a futile struggle to reverse an irreversible past, whether brazenly or through ugly desperation. He knew that. But he had always been ugly and brazen, and he was simply living as he was now.
“I’m fine, please make formal wear that suits My Lady.”
Lady Silenster, as head maid, had to look after both the Grand Duke and follow the Grand Duchess’s instructions. She shifted her gaze to the Grand Duchess.
The Grand Duchess, still seeming as delicate as beautiful frost that melts in winter sunlight or like the morning mist rising over the lake these days, barely shook her head. That meant no.
The Grand Duke, most sensitive to the Grand Duchess, shifted his gaze back to his wife at that moment. Kaela, who usually had to be coaxed and persuaded to do anything and rarely expressed her own opinions, was slightly shaking her head.
“Is it not allowed?”
Peon’s lips curved slightly upward. After some consideration, Kaela firmly answered.
“No.”
“Why is that? Fabrics are the ladies’ domain, I just need to wrap something around myself.”
“That… that won’t do.”
“It won’t?”
“No.”
Peon turned completely toward Kaela and waited for her to say more. Left with no choice, Kaela spoke.
“Although I don’t know the scale of the engagement ceremony, I think…”
She paused, her blue eyes glancing at him. Was she being cautious? That would pain his heart. Or was she wondering why this man was acting this way? What’s with him suddenly? As he waited, Kaela continued.
“…it will still be a properly arranged engagement ceremony. It’s a royal engagement after all, happening after a long time.”
True, Kaela and Peon’s wedding was held at a royal wedding standard. But it was a marriage without engagement, and the current Emperor also married without engagement. Of course, that was inevitable since he had stolen and forcibly married someone else’s lover.
So for a royal engagement ceremony to be held, one would have to go back to the previous Emperor’s era. It was long ago. The Emperor, who valued appearances, would likely be planning to hold an extravagant engagement ceremony for the Crown Prince, whose legitimacy was already weak.
“Therefore, Your Highness must also dress according to protocol.”
The Crania Empire strictly regulated attire for each level of gathering, so they needed to prepare appropriate clothing for the numerous events accompanying this engagement ceremony. Not just clothing – gloves, capes, boots, hats, and belts all needed to be prepared.
“I cannot have only my attire made.”
Kaela spoke clearly in a small voice. Peon smiled at the fact that she had expressed her opinion well.
“You’re right, My Lady. Shall we have them made together then? I don’t know much about these things, so please teach me.”
What nonsense about not knowing. He had no trouble selecting fabric for Kaela’s dresses earlier, but now he’s playing dumb.
“That red fabric would be good for Your Highness’s cape.”
“Then shall we make your dress to match? It would look good together.”
“No, just for Your Highness…”
“Ah, do you want to appear as though we’re strangers? I’m hurt.”
“That’s not it…!”
As the Grand Duke smiled and led the Grand Duchess by the hand to the pile of fabrics, chatting along the way, the head maid quietly stepped back two paces. Though she worried about the physically weak and generally unenthusiastic Grand Duchess, she would be fine as long as the Grand Duke was there. The Grand Duchess had attended to the castle a bit more than yesterday. That was enough.
Ten days later, the Grand Duke and Duchess completed all preparations and hastily departed for Crania.
****
“The Grand Duke of Lusenford is coming.”
“I hear His Majesty the Emperor has been eagerly waiting for him?”
“They haven’t been married long, yet he’s coming again so soon.”
“He’s one of the few people His Majesty relies on now. I heard he drove out some foreign tribes again?”
Rumors spread quickly in Crania. With the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony upcoming, nobles had already packed their bags and arrived in Crania. This was despite the fact that most of them clearly wouldn’t be invited.
“He’s worthy of trust. He guards the borders thoroughly, has never lost a battle, and moreover, he’s the beloved son of Her Majesty the Empress.”
The nobles’ evaluation of the Grand Duke of Lusenford in Crania changed as capriciously as the Emperor’s whims. One moment they looked down on him as an illegitimate child, and now his status had transformed to ‘the beloved Empress’s son.’ The nobles had their reasons for elevating the Grand Duke of Lusenford.
“He seems politically astute too. Just look at how he married the Princess of Ostein without any fuss – shows quick judgment.”
“Everyone knows that the Princess of Ostein is far better than a Duke’s daughter who may be everyone’s sweetheart but is deep in debt.”
“It’s fortunate that the Princess of Ostein came. Have you heard the news?”
“What news?”
“They say the engagement ceremony preparations at the Imperial Palace are a complete mess. This is the second time the Keruzhan envoys are coming, and it will be totally different from their first visit. Don’t get your hopes up.”
The engagement preparations were so poor that people were gossiping about it. Due to lack of security, whenever something was decided, the next day everyone in Crania’s social clubs and salons would be discussing the decision.
In any case, people’s assessment was clear. The Crown Prince’s mother, the Marchioness of Schroz, who was currently preparing the event, was ruining it due to lack of experience.
“We should just look forward to the tiara the Grand Duchess of Lusenford will wear.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if His Highness the Crown Prince learned a thing or two from the Grand Duke of Lusenford?”
And naturally, such words reached the young Crown Prince’s ears. For Crown Prince Gregory, the twenty-one-year-old heir apparent, it was humiliating.
