IWJACM Chapter 29

Of the three, the one who bore the deepest grudge was Alfredo.

Failing to properly see to the one great occasion of his master's life—for a steward, that was unforgivable. And not just any occasion, either—a marriage! The arrival of a Grand Duchess! It should have been staged grander than an imperial wedding, befitting the Kyrstan name—it should have!

The Grand Duke, having finally arrived before the castle, brought his horse to a stop. The household staff bowed in unison as their master dismounted lightly from his saddle.

"Welcome home, Your Grace."

The Grand Duke clapped Alfredo and Sover each on the shoulder.

"Anything of note?"

"Nothing beyond the minor matters already reported by letter. Only that the approvals awaiting your signature have piled up somewhat."

As payment for more than a year's absence, a solid month of brutal paperwork awaited the Grand Duke without mercy. Rezet gave a wry huff, as though he'd expected nothing less.

"You've labored well enough, this while."

Genuine emotion swept across Alfredo's and Sover's faces.

"All the hardship was Your Grace's to bear. What did we do but loll about the estate, eating well and calling it work?"

The Grand Duke Kyrstan was a good master. Setting aside the fact that his near-total lack of expression made his intentions difficult to read, and the occasional small, inexplicable whim his servants couldn't quite make sense of, he was not, on the whole, a difficult man to serve.

He never vented his spleen on those beneath him, and—unlike what the rumors outside liked to say—rarely turned cruel. Rarely—that is, setting aside the times he dealt punishment to the guilty himself. But such small faults hardly counted as blemishes here in Lothier.

The Grand Duke was frequently away from Lothier, and whenever he returned, he came bearing an almost absurd quantity of imperial rewards and spoils of war, like gifts. This was precisely why Lothier grew wealthier by the day. Ever since Rezet Kyrstan had become lord of the territory, Lothier had been enjoying a golden age unlike any before it.

"Your Grace."

Lady Phaetyson, who had waited quietly to the very last, stepped forward.

"I'm glad to see you returned safely."

The elderly woman, her softly wrinkled face set with dignified green eyes, bowed to Rezet.

Rezet's gaze eased ever so slightly, barely perceptibly. Rebecca Phaetyson was among his closest confidantes, one who had known him nearly as long as Emperor Noyre himself.

"Nothing of note."

"Nothing of note is precisely what Your Grace has, I should think. I received word from Sir Ruben some time ago already. That, at long last, this Lothier has finally gained a mistress of the house."

Lady Phaetyson's fiery temperament was well known throughout the household. When she dispensed with the customary preamble and went straight to the heart of the matter, Alfredo and Sover both instinctively held their breath alongside her.

Setting aside their misgivings over their lord's marriage, everyone at Lothier Castle was, without exception, curious about the Grand Duchess.

They were the ones who, once a month, had been forced to receive women sent from Van Yela's capital. Among the women openly sent for the express purpose of being taken as his wife, no small number had come from Van Yela's most distinguished houses.

And yet the Grand Duke had never once so much as glanced twice at any of them, not even the ones who held beauty, wealth, and honor all at once. He generally accommodated the Emperor's demands, even the unreasonable ones, without much resistance—but there was exactly one command he never once obeyed so easily, and that concerned marriage and the matter of an heir. He had seemed, until now, to have absolutely no intention of ever marrying at all.

And now, overnight, such a man had taken a wife. And not just any wife—the princess of a fallen empire.

Everyone at Lothier had made every preparation to receive the Grand Duke and his bride properly, and yet none of them had let go of a thread of suspicion.

Just then, the carriage door opened. Every gaze turned toward it.

The Grand Duke walked straight to the carriage and extended his hand toward the opening. A small, white hand emerged and settled upon it.

A moment later, a figure with a hood pulled low stepped down from the carriage. As she reached to push the hood back, the Grand Duke caught her hand and stopped her. He was seen to shake his head. The woman hesitated, but withdrew her hand from the hood's ties.

A disappointed murmur rippled through the assembled staff. Their first chance to glimpse the famously beautiful princess of Argan's face had slipped away, and for nothing.

The Grand Duke led her toward the castle. Alfredo hurried forward and bowed with proper courtesy to the approaching couple.

"Welcome to Lothier, Your Grace. I am Alfredo Burken, head steward of Lothier Castle. Should you find yourself in any discomfort during your stay, please do not hesitate to call for me at any time."

"It's good to meet you."

The Princess's voice was quiet but clear. The Grand Duke murmured low beside her.

"Speak plainly."

"Ah—I will."

The Princess of Argan seemed a quiet, gentle sort by nature.

"I look forward to serving you well."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Alfredo attempted to straighten from his bow. But just as he was rising, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the woman's face, half-hidden beneath the hood. His mouth fell open on its own.

"Alfredo. Pull yourself together."

Had his master not warned him so bluntly, he might have stayed frozen in that awkward half-risen posture for who knew how long. Alfredo scrambled to compose himself at once.

"My—my apologies."

But the Grand Duke had already blocked the Princess from his line of sight. Alfredo swallowed hard against a dry throat and mouthed silently at the other staff members, their eyes bright with curiosity. A man would have to be made of actual stone not to fall for a face like that!

Rezet guided Elise into the castle, explaining calmly as they walked.

"Unpack your things and take a look around the castle at your leisure. The bedroom is at the top of the keep. If the climb proves difficult for you, I'll have a separate room prepared on a lower floor instead."

"I don't think that will be—necessary."

Elise, looking up at the impossibly tall keep, momentarily found herself at a loss for words.

Lothier Castle was built in an entirely different structure from Argan's imperial palace. It looked less like a castle and more like a fortress.

"This region has suffered frequent invasions from neighboring nations since ancient times, hence the design. For safety's sake, it's customary for a lord's bedroom to be placed at the very top of the keep."

Just the staircase visible through the tower's outer windows was, on its own, staggeringly extensive. Elise felt daunted by the sheer, dizzying height of the tower's stronghold, but forced herself to answer bravely regardless.

"I suppose I'll have to climb it once to see for myself how it goes."

"As you wish."

Rezet did not press her further on the matter.

"Then shall we start from the bottom and make our way—"

"No. You should go and see to your duties, my lord."

But Elise shook her head firmly.

"Aren't you busy?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You've been receiving reports from your knights this whole while. The matter of Ughel's raid, and estate business besides. I imagine there's a great deal of work waiting for you, so there's no need to concern yourself with me as well."

Simply touring the castle was something she could manage well enough on her own. Rezet's eyes narrowed, displeased.

"It would be best if you familiarized yourself properly with the castle's layout. Lose your way in here and you could end up in the dungeon by mistake. Once you're in, it's no easy matter getting back out."

Her considerate gesture kept being turned back on itself. Elise asked, puzzled.

"Then I'll simply ask Sir Ruben. Yvessa's with me as well."

"Ruben failed to keep watch over you properly."

"This is your own castle, isn't it? Is it truly so dangerous here?"

"Any threat from outside is, of course, beneath consideration. But has it occurred to you that the others here know nothing of you whatsoever? It displeases me—leaving Your Highness in the hands of those who know nothing of your circumstances beforehand."

"Then it's all the more reason to start learning now, isn't it. I can hardly have you at my side constantly. Who knows how many hours a tour of the castle might take."

"Then why concern yourself with something like—"

"I don't want to be pulling you back and forth over something this trivial."

"Trivial? Your Highness has only just set foot in this castle."

"No, that isn't—what I meant is—"

Their soft, back-and-forth murmuring had, by degrees, turned into a full squabble. Alfredo, Sover, and Lady Phaetyson traded a subtle glance among themselves. Their master had always been stubborn enough as it was, but their newly arrived mistress proved no less formidable.

"As I said before, there are things I'm capable of handling on my own. If it truly concerns you so much…"

The Princess sent a look toward them, plainly asking for help.

"I'll ask the steward or the head of household instead."

Alfredo, who had still been half-lost in a daze, snapped abruptly back to attention.

"I will attend Her Grace, my lord."

Seizing the opening, the Princess quickly released the Grand Duke's hand. She never noticed Rezet—staring fixedly down at his own empty hand—as she turned to Alfredo instead.

"I'd like to simply look around the keep briefly today before heading up to my room. Would that be alright?"

"Of course. I'll introduce you to the maids who'll be attending you as well."

"Thank you. I'll go on ahead, then, my lord."

Rezet's displeasure had not yet faded. He answered, though reluctantly.

"Do not overexert yourself."

"Don't worry."

"Alfredo. Show her around for about half an hour, no more, then take her straight up to the bedroom. The physician will be along shortly."

"Yes, my lord."

At the mention of a physician, Elise tilted her head. Another examination?

The chill that had plagued her for days after the lake had vanished entirely by now, cleanly, as though it had never happened—thanks to him warming her whenever he found a moment to spare. By her own judgment, her condition was hardly poor, though it seemed his opinion differed.

"Now that we've arrived at Lothier, the physician will prepare fresh medicine for you. If there are any herbs that don't agree with your constitution, you must be sure to tell him without leaving anything out."

"I will. My lord, that's enough now. I'll bear it in mind, so you needn't worry any further."

Alfredo, glancing carefully between the two of them, judged the moment and interjected smoothly.

"Shall we be on our way, then? Your Grace."

Elise, guided by Alfredo, hurried her steps forward at once. Any further back-and-forth, and she was liable to exhaust herself entirely before she'd even seen the castle.

Rezet found it difficult to tear his eyes away from her retreating figure. Sover cautiously ventured a word to him.

"Perhaps Your Grace ought to rest from the journey first before heading to the study? Alfredo and Lady Phaetyson will look after Her Grace well."

"The address."

"Sir?"

"Treat her as the Princess. She won't be tied to the title of Grand Duchess for long."

Rezet said it bluntly, then turned away from the castle.

It was a puzzling command, its true meaning impossible to guess at. He had gone and taken his vows as husband before God—and now he was saying not to address her as Grand Duchess?