‘Hoo, disintegrate.’

Daphne trembled as she remembered that time.

She should have answered with something cool.

It was because Kael left the room quickly while she was stuttering.

“Right, Milady. The letter you’ve been waiting for has arrived.”

Mariel handed out a letter while clearing away the finished potion bottle.

On the surface, it looked just like any other thank-you letter. But not on the inside.

It was a letter from the young lady of the Marquis of Elmyre, whom Daphne had been waiting for.

“Finally!”

Immediately after opening the seal, Daphne read the letter.

Several pages of the letter were written with thanks.

Each word contained sincerity.

‘I guess so. I found ten billion jenny and saved her life.’

Even for the Marquis of Elmyre, ten billion jenny was enough damage.

Moreover, the young lady of the Marquis of Elmyre was the only daughter.

How grateful the marquis must be for saving such a daughter.

On the last page of the long letter, these words were written.

[When the time comes, I would like to visit the Shadow Castle to see the Grand Duchess and thank her. Please invite me if you have a chance.]

“Done.”

Daphne laughed.

After the period of the red moon, Daphne was planning to hold a ball in the Shadow Castle.

The last time she invited nearby nobles for dinner was a rehearsal for this ball.

‘I haven’t made my debut in society yet, so I should open it under Mister Zegman’s name.’

It didn’t matter too much.

The question is who will come to the ball.

‘If it were Kael’s original image, no one would have come even if invitations were sent out randomly.’

But now that has changed.

Kael’s reputation rose a little among the nobility by catching a nationwide swindler.

In addition, there is a justification for ‘thanks.’

Not even the emperor would be able to stop the nobles from attending the Grand Duchy of Bertrand’s ball.

‘And the young lady of the Marquis of Elmyre is an influential person that is even recognized by the central society.’

Not only was she a trendsetter, but she was popular with women and young ladies of a similar age.

So even if she comes, she won’t come alone.

She will bring in similar people.

‘There you go, there you go. It’s perfect.’

Daphne grinned.

In this way, she planned to take steps step by step so that it would not be strange for Kael to become emperor in the future.

‘Anyhow, I’d like to find the genius before that.’

The demon processing genius, Eddie.

Actually, she had been looking for them for a while, but hadn’t been able to find them yet.

‘There were a few people who sewed clothes whose names and nicknames were Eddie, but they weren’t.’

Hmm. As she stretched her arms out, a thought popped into her head.

‘Oh, perhaps. A hidden genius, is it something like that?’

Why, people like that.

They didn’t have any special features or skills, but it turned out they had a hidden talent.

They made clothes for the first time that led to the latest fashion trends.

“No way.”

Daphne laughed. She must have been tired.

‘Forget it. The genius will show up someday.’

Before that, she just had to create a new genius.

‘I couldn’t do it before, but I can do it now that I have Adne.’

“Mariel, bring some tea and something to eat.”

“Should I brew strong tea?”

Knowing what she was thinking without telling.

Mariel immediately noticed that Daphne was tired.

“Yes, and will you call Sir Leon on your way out?”

“Yes, understood.”

She took a break and stretched, and Leon came in with a knock.

“What did you call for, Milady?”

“Oh, you came quickly. Sir Leon. I’d like to pay a visit to Sir’s house, is that okay?”

“You mean my house?”

Leon asked back.

That was because a person like the grand duchess wouldn’t have to go to an escort knight’s house.

“If you want to adjust your clothes, you can call my father.”

“No, not your father this time.”

Daphne’s eyes gleamed as she looked at Leon.

“I’m curious about the younger siblings that Sir always brags about.”

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

The invitation was made quickly.

Hearing that she was curious about his younger siblings, Leon immediately nodded and the visit was decided to be the next day.

Leon’s clothing store was in the village just below the Shadow Castle.

“Milady, may I stop by the shop for a moment?”

There was a snack shop at Leon’s fingertips. Daphne nodded.

“Of course.”

Daphne stopped the carriage and jumped off quickly.

The cape made of fluffy fur fluttered in dynamic movements.

“Welcome!”

When they opened the door and entered, there were many delicious-looking snacks on display in the shop.

Candies and chocolate were displayed near the checkout counter because they were expensive items.

“This and this. And ginger cookies.”

Leon selected the snacks with familiarity.

“Are these your younger siblings’ favorite snacks?”

“Yes, I always buy them snacks on payday. My younger siblings love it so much.”

Leon grinned.

He already seemed happy to think that his younger siblings would like it.

But there was something that even Leon stopped at.

It was candy and chocolate.

‘It’s expensive.’

Daphne, who glanced at the price tag, clicked her tongue.

She took the wagon trade from Count Hins, and she took the sugarcane farm certificate from Count Brighton, so the price will go down soon.

It was still too expensive for ordinary citizens to thoughtlessly buy.

But she was someone.

Isn’t she the Grand Duchess of Bertrand, Daphne Bertrand?

“Give me all the candies and chocolates here!”

Daphne exclaimed proudly. The shopkeeper’s eyes widened.

“Y-you mean everything?”

“Yes. Everything.”

The shopkeeper’s hands that packed the candy and chocolate became busy.

“Milady, this is too much.”

Leon waved his hands. Daphne raised the corners of her mouth when she saw Leon like that.

“Can’t I do this for my escort knight? Don’t worry, Sir Leon!”

“Milady… I didn’t expect you to think of me that much.”

As Daphne raised her chin confidently, Leon cried as if he was moved.

“Huhu, this is it.”

Daphne grinned and picked up a jar of candy.

It was a product that contained only star candies in a pretty glass jar.

“Please wrap this separately. I will give it as a gift.”

Give it to Kael.

Daphne often brought sweets to Kael after learning that he liked sweets.

Then, even if he was embarrassed, he did not refuse.

‘It undoubtedly feels like I’m taming an animal.’

Daphne smiled proudly as she watched the ribbon being tied beautifully to the glass jar.

“Excuse me, by the way.”

The owner of the snack shop asked carefully, handing the star candy directly to Daphne.

“Are you the new Grand Duchess?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Ahh! As expected, I was correct.”

When Daphne affirmed, the snack shop owner’s face brightened at once.

Then he quickly took off his hat and bowed.

‘I should have come down to the village and shown my face at least once.’

For some reason, the owner of the snack shop seemed to have a lot to say.

This was also the job of the aristocrats or aides who managed the territory.

“Do you have something to say?”

Holding his hat tightly at Daphne’s question, the owner nodded.

“Please take good care of His Grace.”

Whether it was the high taxes, or high wheat prices these days. That’s what she was thinking.

Words completely different from what she expected came out.

“His Grace?”

“Yes, he is a very good person.”

The owner continued with an emphasis on very.

“I am well aware of the rumors out there about His Grace, but! It’s not all true. His Grace is a very good person.”

The owner went on desperately.

“When the demons come out day and night, he defeats them and listens to us well. Other nobles don’t do this.”

That was a fact that Daphne knew.

Many of the nobles who manage their territory did not listen to the commoners.

“So please take good care of His Grace.”

Daphne got into the carriage and fiddled with the jar after paying the storekeeper.

‘Kael is loved and supported by the common people.’

That’s why the shopkeeper came forward and told her about Kael first.

At least it was certain that Kael was loved by the people of Bertrand.

‘But something’s strange.’

Daphne’s head tilted to the side.

Kael’s hatred of the imperial family? That made sense.

Hasn’t the imperial family openly hated and discriminated against the Bertrand Grand Duchy for generations?

It also made sense to aim for the throne. It was a situation that wouldn’t end without a complete reversal.

In a last-minute situation of being cornered, he started a war by overdoing it, even devastating the territory.

She understood. But not now.

‘He said it would be nice if Bertrand could be this lively in the South.’

In addition, a person who looks after the territory and is loved is aiming for the throne even by abandoning such people?

‘Absolutely not.’

Spending time with Kael and being by his side told her.

Kael is a person who sacrifices himself, not a true ‘villain’ who achieves his goals at the expense of sacrificing the others around him.

‘At first, I thought it was because Kael’s personality was twisted due to a series of bad incidents.’

She felt that something more important was hiding.

Daphne tightened her grip on the jar.

“Milady, we have arrived.”

Leon announced their arrival.

Lean got out of the carriage with everything except for the candy to give to Kael.

“Your big brother is here, worship me!”

Like an animal that brought prey, Leon kicked through the door and shouted loudly.

And he was slapped on the back right away.

“Again, again! You’re going to break down the door again by kicking it!!”

“Argh! Snacks, snacks are falling. Little sister!!”

“Snacks! Wow!! There’s candy and chocolate too!! Brother! Did you get a bonus?!”

“Youngest! Don’t eat anything that has fallen on the floor!”

“Hey, eat, eat! Put it in your mouth! If you don’t do it now, Sister will take it all away!!”

“Woof! Bark, bark, woof, woof!”

In addition, she could hear the barking of a dog from inside the room.

…She just opened the door, but her mind went blank.

Perhaps the same goes for Mariel, as her pupils lost focus.

“Wait, guest, guest!! An important guest has arrived!”

Leon shouted as he continued to be slapped on the back. Then the woman who was slapping his back laughed.

“An important guest would be Sir Wessler. Haven’t we seen him a couple of times?”

“Woof!! Woof!!”

“No! She is the Grand Duchess!”

“What?”

The chaos was brought to a halt by Leon’s words. The hand that was hitting his back stopped in the air, and the children who ate the chocolate that had rolled under the table looked at the door in unison.

“Wow. She is the real grand duchess.”

The chocolate in the youngest’s hand suddenly fell with a thud.

Daphne smiled awkwardly as everyone looked at her.

“Hello.”

You’re very… very lively, everyone.