A month had passed.
If it was short, then it was short; if it was long, then it was long.
But for Rudell, that time now felt very long.
“Spring is really here.”
On the road to the Duchy, Rudell sighed while gazing at the vibrant green plains. Compared to the cold and barren Duchy he had come from, the climate here felt like paradise.
“I wonder how Leje is doing.”
It had only been a month since they parted.
Yet Rudell could think of nothing but Leje.
It wasn’t that he missed her or anything like that.
It was simply that he worried about what kind of big trouble that headstrong lady could get up to without him as her brake.
“Looks like the young master has fallen for the duchess.”
“Huh?”
Just then, the coachman, who had been stealing glances at Rudell while he stared blankly out the window, spoke up, causing Rudell to look at him with a confused expression.
“Wasn’t that the case? I thought it was clear since you only talk about Duchess Lagrind every day.”
“No, it’s not like that…”
If someone asked if he had no interest in Leje at all, that would be a lie.
She was beautiful, capable, and above all, one would never be bored with her around.
But right now, he just didn’t have the luxury to care about that.
Especially since he was on his way to the Duchy for a very specific reason.
‘Today is the first crisis.’
March 28th, Year 1321 of the Continental Calendar.
It was the pivotal moment when all events in the original story began.
And if there were no other intervening factors, the Duke of Lagrind would tonight fall into a coma while trying to fend off assassins targeting Leje.
That would leave the position of head of the Lagrind Dukedom vacant, with Leje stepping in to fill that role.
The absence of her father, the weighty status as head of the dukedom, and the chaotic internal factional strife of the dukedom – all of these factors would converge to shape Leje’s cold and composed personality.
In other words, the cold behavior Leje exhibited in the original story wasn’t truly her nature.
“I can’t just let that happen…”
There were plenty of reasons why he shouldn’t let that incident occur.
To stop the Church of the Eaters of Death.
To prevent the Lagrind Dukedom from weakening.
To spare countless lives from death.
However, more than any of those reasons, the first thought that sprang to his mind was different.
He didn’t want to see Leje sad.
Duchess Lagrind had passed away after giving birth to Leje.
Leje was left with only her duke as family.
If even that duke fell into a coma, how heartbroken would Leje be?
To be honest, Rudell didn’t think he could bear to see Leje crying in such a situation.
“Phew…”
‘Can I do this?’
The enemies were strong enough to put even the duke, who was among the top five in military power in the kingdom, in a coma.
Even with his Shadow Magic, Rudell, who was only fifteen, knew it wouldn’t be easy to face them.
“I have to do this.”
As Rudell shook his head vigorously while staring out the window.
If he didn’t do it, then who would?
He despised pain, but he hated seeing someone close suffering even more.
Especially if that someone was Leje.
And so, with a firm resolve in his heart, Rudell headed towards the Lagrind Duchy.
*
Since returning from the Duchy, Leje El Lagrind had been busier than ever in her life.
Three months of vacation followed by a mountain of classes and assignments.
“Ugh…”
No matter how superhuman she was, the endless wave of classes and assignments was hard to handle.
Plus, with the academy’s entrance coming up, she had to attend social events to build relationships with other nobles, leaving her feeling more drained than ever.
“I’m exhausted…”
But today would be the end of it.
Fifteen years old.
After today, she would officially be recognized as an adult and a member of the dukedom.
That meant she wouldn’t need to attend classes or do assignments anymore.
That meant she could invest more time in herself from now on.
What should she learn next?
Magic? Or Swordsmanship?
Or maybe that trendy thing called Magic Engineering?
Whatever it was, she was ready to embrace it.
“Miss, it’s time to get ready.”
As she was pondering her future plans, the door to her room opened and Alma entered, bowing her head.
“Already?”
Looking at the clock, time was nearing eleven in the morning.
The banquet would start at noon.
Even starting to prepare now would be quite tight on time.
“Ugh… banquets are just a hassle.”
“Miss.”
“I know, I know.”
Speaking sharply to Alma, Leje stood up.
What could she do even if she found it annoying?
That was the fate of someone born as a duchess of the dukedom.
“Everyone, come in.”
At Alma’s words, maids started bringing in dress racks with the gowns Leje would wear.
As Leje took her place in front of the mirror, the maids started dressing her up.
“I hope you don’t try to run away this time.”
“I’m grown up now, you know? And what year are you talking about?”
“Not sure.”
Alma avoided Leje’s sharp gaze as she replied.
Leje found her irritating but had nothing to say in return, huffing slightly as she turned back to the mirror.
‘If I hadn’t slipped away back then, I wouldn’t have met Rudell.’
Their first encounter was still clearly etched in Leje’s memory.
Thinking of escaping from a banquet celebrating her birthday as a duke’s daughter…
In retrospect, it was an utterly reckless thing to do.
Of course, she held no ill will since it led her to meeting Rudell.
“Miss, could you turn your head to the left?”
“Huh? Okay.”
Just then, while Alma held various dresses to Leje’s body, she spoke.
Leje turned her head at her request and…
‘You’re thinking about that Weinstein young master again, aren’t you?’
Looking at Leje’s expression, Alma thought so.
Rudellheit Weinstein.
The more she saw him, the more interesting he was.
Even when he was being dazed, he would occasionally pose sharp questions that surprised Alma every time.
He could seem like he was acting without a plan, yet he was always prepared when it mattered, and that had helped many times.
‘He seems to appeal to Miss.’
In contrast to the other nobles who cowered under authority, he showed little reaction to Leje’s status.
At first, she thought he was just a rascal trying to take advantage of her power, but over time, her view of Rudell had grown more favorably.
However, what she liked the most was that…
“Are you thinking about Young Master Weinstein?”
“Eh? No way! That can’t be! I never thought about that guy!?”
Was there a better topic to tease Leje than Rudell?
“Is that so.”
“Did you ask that on purpose?”
Alma replied in a flat tone to the flustered Leje, who narrowed her eyes.
“Miss, if you move, it’ll be hard to dress you.”
“Ugh…!!”
The sight of Leje frozen in place was so amusing.
As the head maid and her exclusive handmaid, Alma had always to show a serious face, so she hid her smile behind a facade.
“By the way, haven’t you heard from Rudell?”
“No, it seems he hasn’t arrived yet.”
The distance between the Duchy and the surrounding lands was at least a day’s travel by carriage.
She had received a letter stating he departed yesterday, so he would probably be nearby by now, if not having arrived.
Just then, while Alma was focused on dressing Leje…
knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door…
“Come in.”
At Leje’s words, a maid entered the room.
“What is it?”
“You’ve got a visitor, Young Master Weinstein, who has just arrived.”
“…!!”
“What shall we do?”
At the same time, a smile crept onto Leje’s face.
Seeing this, Alma asked, “Shall I tell him to come in?”
“Of course.”
An answer already set in stone.
As Alma nodded at the maid, she bowed politely and stepped back out of the room.
With a click, the door closed…
“What should I wear? He likes light green, should I wear a light green dress?”
With an excited face, Leje started picking out clothes as Alma barely held back her laughter.
How could someone who usually acted so headstrong turn into a perfectly ordinary girl when it came to Young Master Weinstein?
“Rather, I think this outfit suits you better.”
“Really? Now that you mention it, it does seem like it…”
With a faint smile that Leje couldn’t see, Alma brought another dress to her…
Leje tried on the dress, her cheeks tinted with light pink.
