RAMHM Chapter 62

The Grand Duchess's Bedroom

Novian's bedroom was submerged in complete silence. Yesterday, Jimskehr, whom he'd sent to Count Acacia's estate, had returned in disgraceful condition. Enraged, he'd formally filed a protest with the Emperor and requested sanctions against Rhodness.

But the response from the Emperor was absurd. The Imperial Second Knights led by Rhodness were currently occupying the Count's estate under the pretext of investigating the 'Baroness Kuroseida disappearance case.'

Jimskehr doubted his own eyes at the Emperor's response that arrived at dawn. Even to his eyes, Rhodness's occupation of the Count's estate was an act with very personal feelings involved.

Moreover, whether the Emperor had heard from the Crown Prince that Novian wanted to keep Bliea close, he'd even added a note to leave Countess Acacia alone. It was quite customary for the Emperor to attach a handwritten note to the end of official letters—Novian stared down at it for some time.

"Your Grace. What shall we do?"

"..."

He'd thought Rhodness wouldn't stay still, but he hadn't expected him to be this blatant. Already the second time he'd used the expression 'my woman.' Initially, the plan had been to bring Bliea in, keep her under surveillance so she wouldn't act recklessly, and send her to the estate temporarily when the time was right.

He'd never had the slightest intention of placing Bliea—with whom there were many political uses—in the Grand Duchess position. Since Bliea herself had said she was using Rhodness out of greed to stay by his side, he'd believed she'd have no complaints.

After the funeral ended, Novian would stay at the estate more often than the capital anyway. For the Grand Duchess position, he'd planned to eventually bring in a young lady from a more advantageous family. But if Rhodness wanted Bliea and was even thinking of placing her in an Imperial Princess position, the story changed.

Didn't that mean Bliea would have a choice? If it were the usual Bliea, she would have run over yesterday evening despite the rudeness. Having granted her such a long-held wish, she would have quite brazenly loaded a carriage full of luggage and come, saying she hurried before his heart changed.

"Sir Jimskehr. What did your father say?"

"...Pardon?"

"This morning everyone wasn't guarding the front gate as if they'd planned it together. Didn't he say anything to you?"

He had. Jimskehr's face reddened, recalling Count Raelon, his father, whom he'd encountered at the front gate on his way back to the Grand Ducal Estate yesterday with wet trousers.

"I apologize."

"Not an apology—I want to know what he said."

'Since the Grand Duke ignores us like dogs, we have no choice but to use other methods,' was it? Count Raelon had been part of the Crown Prince's faction since before Novian became Grand Duke—so strictly speaking, he was the Crown Prince's force, not Novian's. He'd always viewed the young and inflexible Crown Prince faction leader Novian unfavorably.

Jimskehr's eyes rolled as he chose what to say to Novian. But Novian seemed to understand everything from that brief silence and didn't press further. It was a conflict he'd have to face eventually anyway. As long as they were loyal to the Crown Prince, not him.

'Either way, I need to resolve the Bliea problem first.'

He could no longer let Bliea run wild, nor let Duke Castagna try to influence her.

"Your Grace?"

When Novian silently rose from his seat, Jimskehr flinched and approached.

"I'll go to the Count's estate myself."

Even if it meant clashing with Rhodness, he had no choice but to bring her. He could say he received the Emperor's command late, and as the Count family's lord he had superiority—so there was justification. Tap-tap. Just as he grabbed the jacket carelessly draped over the chair, a knock sounded on the previously quiet study door. Novian's and Jimskehr's gazes simultaneously turned to the opening door.

"Your Grace, Countess Acacia has arrived."

At the butler's report, Jimskehr looked at Novian in shock. Novian's face, unlike the rock-hard expression from moments ago, had clearly softened. Jimskehr thought this was quite unusual.

After seeing off Rhodness, who left with a face full of worry to investigate the disappearance case, I headed to the Grand Ducal Estate. Not knowing what might happen, I brought only Yona and a few maids for now.

As if it were true that Novian had instructed them to prepare my room in advance, the Grand Ducal Estate servants weren't greatly surprised. However, Annie and her group weren't visible—only Marge greeted me. I naturally handed the hat I'd been wearing to Marge and looked around at the bustle.

"My bedroom?"

"I'll guide you."

Novian's voice came from the upper stairs.

Unlike my expectation that he'd be furious from yesterday's commotion, his expression was slightly flushed. But rather than reassuring me, that appearance made my heart grow cold. Seeing his flushed face—thinking of being with his mistress in this well-decorated Grand Ducal Estate with my corpse beneath his feet—my expression couldn't help but harden automatically.

Perhaps not noticing me, Novian's face was brighter than any expression I'd seen recently. I laughed quietly and placed my hand on his outstretched hand. Reading the anxiety that must have tormented him all last night in Novian's hand that gripped tightly, I—

"This will be the bedroom you'll stay in from now on."

Where he took me wasn't my original bedroom but the room next to it. Upon entering, I saw walls covered in the terrible pink that was Bliea's taste.

Before I could frown, butler Gaspar followed in and began explaining everywhere how much effort he'd put in. The large window where sunlight poured in abundantly. The terribly intense pink curtains hanging there and the chiffon curtains added for romantic atmosphere. The antique and massive console—worthless explanations continued about what wood it was made of and how top-quality it was. Listening with a bored expression, I immediately waved my hand.

"That's enough. Leave."

"Pardon?"

"Do I need to say it twice?"

Gaspar trembled as if struck by lightning, then read Novian's expression and left the bedroom. I naturally released Novian's hand and approached to sit on the new pink bed.

"Was the designation as prospective Grand Duchess only in name?"

"Something else doesn't please you, it seems."

"Yes. The Grand Duchess's bedroom is this next room. Did you think I wouldn't remember a place I've visited once?"

"No. You can't go there right now."

"Why not?"

"Come if you want to."

'If you want to,' he said. Speaking as if it were his own room made me stare at him with a confused expression. Novian, meeting my gaze, opened the bedroom door that Gaspar had closed and spoke to me.

"Right now that's practically my room. Come if you want to sleep together."

"!"

"Rumors of clinging to the prospective Grand Duchess before the former lady's funeral even ends aren't particularly pleasant to me either, but I'll try my best to keep word from leaking."

It wasn't a funny joke at all, but he laughed lowly, spouted something about resting, and left.

"Rest?"

To say such things and then tell me to rest—was he in his right mind? I bit my lip for a moment, dumbfounded, when not long after, Yona came running in frantically.

"My lady, His Grace the Grand Duke is preparing to enter the palace?"

"Never mind. I won't go out to see him off."

"Yes. But His Grace told all the servants except me to return to the Count's estate."

"I expected as much."

I looked down from the window at the massive carriage at the Grand Ducal Estate entrance. Soon I saw Novian climb into the carriage with hurried steps and depart.

"Yona. Call Marge."

Marge, summoned to me, answered my questions at length. The Grand Duchess's bedroom—after the theft incident, Novian had it cleaned in his presence and kept the door locked so no one could enter.

"Dammit. He locked the door?"

"Y-yes!"

"I understand for now. You may go."

Only after Marge left did I look at Yona blinking in surprise and covered my mouth.

"Did I just say 'dammit'?"

"Yes. I thought you were attending His Highness the Second Prince."

"Blast. I was planning to scold him about his rough language someday, but instead I've been influenced."

"......"

"...Did I just say 'blast'?"

"Yes, but that much is fine, isn't it, my lady?"

Yona, having spent just a few days with Rhodness, Neil, and the others, seemed quickly accustomed and smiled. I slowly walked around the room covered in pink, lost in thought.

I didn't know how much freedom I had within this Grand Ducal Estate, but before Novian drew a clear line, I'd intended to search the Grand Duchess's bedroom and study first. Because they were places where I had justification to say I wanted to go. But the bedroom door being locked—easier than the study—meant wasting this golden time with Novian away from home.

"Yona. Take out the plainest clothes from my luggage."

"...Plain clothes?"

"Yes."

The Grand Duchess's bedroom had a structure connected to the Grand Duke's bedroom through a bathroom in the middle. Therefore, if I entered Novian's bedroom, I could enter the bedroom through the bathroom. Conveniently, the bathroom door could only be locked from inside the bathroom—so once inside the bathroom, entering the Grand Duchess's bedroom was only a matter of time.

Tap-tap.

Just then, a knock sounded on the bedroom door. As Yona read my expression and opened it, head maid Sophie walked in very slowly, leaning on her cane. Behind her followed Annie's group, practically burying their eyes in the floor.

"Welcome to the Grand Ducal Estate, my lady. I am head maid Sophie."

"You may call me Lady Bliea until I officially become Grand Duchess, head maid."

"Thank you."

Sophie looked at the wide-open luggage with gentle eyes.

"You could have the servants organize your luggage."

"Ah, my maid will do that, so don't worry. Actually, I was just about to go see you."

"Do you have orders?"

"Prepare bathwater."

As Sophie's gaze naturally turned to the clock on the wall, I laughed lowly. Because people usually bathed before bed.

"Before His Grace the Grand Duke arrives, I'd like to prepare ahead."

Whether understanding my meaning, Sophie's drooping eyes widened and her wrinkled cheeks flushed slightly.

"L-Lady Bliea?"

"There isn't much time to spare for welcoming one's husband, is there?"

Yona, who'd been rummaging through the luggage looking for my clothes, raised her head. Seeing Sophie's and Yona's eyes shaking intensely, I smoothly raised the corners of my lips.

"I'm going to wait for His Grace the Grand Duke in his bedroom ahead of time. You all understand, don't you?"

What a spectacle it would be—the mistress who'd seduced the Grand Duke waiting for him in his bedroom the moment she entered the Grand Ducal Estate. If I could enter the Grand Duchess's bedroom under the pretense of waiting for him, it would be perfect.

"The, the Grand Duke's bedroom?"

"Of course. We're about to become husband and wife, after all. Prepare the bathwater."

"Then, then the bathwater..."

"I'd like to use the bathroom in His Grace the Grand Duke's bedroom."

I would search the Grand Duchess's bedroom until Novian returned. That was my plan.