“Are you really Rohan? Owner of the Hindenburg!”
Claud had an unfamiliar face that he had never seen before.
“I would like to offer my formal greetings to the Duchess of Temnes, the hostess of Rowen Castle. My name is Rohan, Lord of the Hindenburg.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
She even spoke politely and respectfully to Rohan, a commoner and subordinate.
“You are the one who wrote Hindenburg’s Continent Exploration!”
"You're right. Have you seen the book?”
"Yes! I bought everything! When I came from Valmonde to Rowen, I brought every copy with me. It is my most precious treasure.”
This was the first time Kaian had heard of this. He knew that she had come to the wedding with empty hands, but she had carefully brought books written by Rohan with her.
'That's your favorite treasure?'
More than the jewels he gifted her?
Kaian became uncomfortable.
"This... I never imagined that among the people who cheered and supported my adventure was such a beautiful lady.”
“That kind of thing...”
As he looked at Claudel, whose face turned even redder at the words 'beautiful lady', two wrinkles formed between his eyebrows.
“Rohan, you’re even cooler than I imagined.”
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I thought you were a much older man with a bushy beard.”
Now that Kaian thinks about it, it was his first time seeing Rohan wearing a frock coat soaked in musty sweat.
He had a clean-cut face as if he had recently had a haircut or shave. His wheat-colored hair was short and neat, and his dark eyes, visible from beneath neatly trimmed eyebrows, looked intelligent.
Wearing a sharp-collared white shirt and a smart suit, it was almost believable that he came from a prestigious aristocratic family who had at least studied abroad.
“This is my first time seeing you dressed like that.”
When he blurted out Rohan scratched his head shyly.
"Haha. As I was thinking of meeting the famous Duchess of Vermont, I was worried that my usual attire might seem rude.”
What Rohan meant was that he dressed up for the sake of the reputation of Kaian, who was his employer, but it sounded to him that he dressed up to impress Claudel.
“It’s like a turkey in a grease trap.”
“... Yes?"
It was a time when Rohan, who had never heard Kaian's harsh words, was confused as he could not understand his context.
Hannah came into the reception room where the guests were being greeted, holding an armful of books in her arms.
"Oh. The Lady.”
"It's okay."
Rohan quickly went to the entrance and took the book from Hannah's arms.
“I’m strong, so I don’t need help.”
"Ha ha ha. Even jokes.”
The number of people who saw Hannah's seriousness as a joke increased.
Rohan's eyes widened as he moved the book onto the table.
“This is the first edition.”
The first edition of Hindenburg's Continental Exploration was published with a blue cover, and subsequent editions had yellowish-brown covers.
The yellowish-brown cover was a cover that had not been dyed with dye, and the blue dye was an expensive dye that came from the Sol Continent, so all fabrics, leather, and paper dyed blue were more expensive than others.
“This is a book I really like. Look at this. I've seen so much here that the book has opened up a bit. It’s a story about being swept away while boating at a waterfall.”
"Ha ha ha."
“But I couldn’t find the first edition of just one book.”
Claudel made a bitter expression.
“Which book are you talking about?”
“The most recent one. I'm a little sick...”
When she contracted Herzol and was forced to leave for Rowen, putting the rest of her life in order, Claudel lost the will to buy new books. As it was the first edition, she even wrote it down in her will to leave this book, which would be worth a lot of money if sold, to Hannah.
“I will give it to you.”
At Rohan's words, Claudel jumped up from where she was sitting.
"Really?"
"Yes, Duchess.”
"Ah ha. Oh my God. Hannah, please hold my hand. This isn’t a dream, is it?”
Kaian was very uncomfortable with the situation as if they were in their own world, so he called the butler.
"Yes, My lord.”
“Is the meal ready yet?”
“We are ready. Come this way."
Kaian walked toward the living room door with long strides, then suddenly turned around and came back.
He took Claudel's hand and crossed it around his arm.
"Come on."
Claudel took turns looking at Rohan and the book on the table, and was half drawn to him.
“I haven’t received an autograph yet.”
“Let’s eat dinner. You are still a patient. You have to be careful.”
Even though the doctor had been out of town for over a month, he treated her as a patient as needed.
“Sign...”
“After we finish eating, if we have time left, we will continue talking.”
After dinner, it was time to go to bed. There is no time to continue talking. Never.
Kaian said, looking at Hannah.
“You too, eat together.”
"Yes? Me?”
Madam's maid, Hannah, had never once pretended to be the Master.
“Your performance at the festival was amazing, right? I heard from the butler. Rohan is also not of noble status. I do not treat competent people poorly, so please spend today with my wife.”
It was a great honor to be allowed to sit down for a meal by the head of the family.
Hannah's eyes widened because she knew that if she served one master all her life, she would get old, her health would fail and she would have to quit her job.
“Yes, thank you.”
Even though she was bold, she trembled a little and lowered her head.
“Shall we go?”
When Rohan held out his hand as if to escort her, Hannah held his hand cautiously, unlike her usual self.
'No problem.'
Kaian walked ahead with Claudel and tried to control his rumbling stomach.
Hannah was very capable and that she would give her soul to Temnes. It was true that she had kept her word for the past two months, but the reason Kaian had invited Rohan to the dinner was because because he didn't want to be seen talking to Claudel.
It was human instinct to automatically care about the other person if he guessed the number.
When he dragged Claudel out without even asking him to, Rohan acted as if it was his job to escort Hannah.
“Kaian.”
"Why?"
“You look really cool.”
When he turned his head, his wife, who was walking holding his arm, was looking up at him with her eyes sparkling.
“You even take care of my maid like this. Hannah is a friend to me. She was really a friend until I came to Castle Valmonde. When I was young.”
“I see.”
“We once ate together in my room. I'm happy."
Claudel removed her hand from his arms and held his hand. She kissed the matriarch's ring on Kaian's finger.
"Thank you. Kaian.”
He was a little embarrassed because he didn't expect her to be this thrilled.
However, as he had hoped, he felt proud because he had completely succeeded in diverting Claudel's attention from Rohan to himself.
“Where did you meet Rohan? How did you get the idea to invest in something like a ghost top with no track record?”
“The first time Rohan came to me was when I was marching west from the Plain of Courvain.”
“You mean you came to the battlefield?”
"Yes."
Meanwhile, behind the two people who had been forgotten for a while, Hannah and Rohan exchanged subtle glances with each other.
Without even realizing it, Kaian had joined a couple who deserved to be blessed.
The dinner party was very friendly.
Rohan and Hannah sat facing each other to the left and right of Kaian and Claudel, who were sitting side by side at the head table.
'The atmosphere is definitely much better.'
Unlike when Irena sat alone next to Claudel, it was a godsend that she guessed the number of guests.
'Kaian knows this well.'
As the owner of a large castle, he had no shortcomings.
Throughout the meal, Claudel observed Kaoan's manners as host and encouraged herself to do better in the future as well.
If she stays as the Lord and Lady from now on, she will have to deal with a lot of guests.
However, during the meal, the butler came in with an uncharacteristically nervous expression and an envelope on his plate.
"Master. I think you should see it now.”
"What?"
“This is a telegram from the royal castle.”
The envelope had a golden seal attached to it, indicating that it had been sent by the King.
Claudel opened her eyes wide.
“I would like to offer my formal greetings to the Duchess of Temnes, the hostess of Rowen Castle. My name is Rohan, Lord of the Hindenburg.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
She even spoke politely and respectfully to Rohan, a commoner and subordinate.
“You are the one who wrote Hindenburg’s Continent Exploration!”
"You're right. Have you seen the book?”
"Yes! I bought everything! When I came from Valmonde to Rowen, I brought every copy with me. It is my most precious treasure.”
This was the first time Kaian had heard of this. He knew that she had come to the wedding with empty hands, but she had carefully brought books written by Rohan with her.
'That's your favorite treasure?'
More than the jewels he gifted her?
Kaian became uncomfortable.
"This... I never imagined that among the people who cheered and supported my adventure was such a beautiful lady.”
“That kind of thing...”
As he looked at Claudel, whose face turned even redder at the words 'beautiful lady', two wrinkles formed between his eyebrows.
“Rohan, you’re even cooler than I imagined.”
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I thought you were a much older man with a bushy beard.”
Now that Kaian thinks about it, it was his first time seeing Rohan wearing a frock coat soaked in musty sweat.
He had a clean-cut face as if he had recently had a haircut or shave. His wheat-colored hair was short and neat, and his dark eyes, visible from beneath neatly trimmed eyebrows, looked intelligent.
Wearing a sharp-collared white shirt and a smart suit, it was almost believable that he came from a prestigious aristocratic family who had at least studied abroad.
“This is my first time seeing you dressed like that.”
When he blurted out Rohan scratched his head shyly.
"Haha. As I was thinking of meeting the famous Duchess of Vermont, I was worried that my usual attire might seem rude.”
What Rohan meant was that he dressed up for the sake of the reputation of Kaian, who was his employer, but it sounded to him that he dressed up to impress Claudel.
“It’s like a turkey in a grease trap.”
“... Yes?"
It was a time when Rohan, who had never heard Kaian's harsh words, was confused as he could not understand his context.
Hannah came into the reception room where the guests were being greeted, holding an armful of books in her arms.
"Oh. The Lady.”
"It's okay."
Rohan quickly went to the entrance and took the book from Hannah's arms.
“I’m strong, so I don’t need help.”
"Ha ha ha. Even jokes.”
The number of people who saw Hannah's seriousness as a joke increased.
Rohan's eyes widened as he moved the book onto the table.
“This is the first edition.”
The first edition of Hindenburg's Continental Exploration was published with a blue cover, and subsequent editions had yellowish-brown covers.
The yellowish-brown cover was a cover that had not been dyed with dye, and the blue dye was an expensive dye that came from the Sol Continent, so all fabrics, leather, and paper dyed blue were more expensive than others.
“This is a book I really like. Look at this. I've seen so much here that the book has opened up a bit. It’s a story about being swept away while boating at a waterfall.”
"Ha ha ha."
“But I couldn’t find the first edition of just one book.”
Claudel made a bitter expression.
“Which book are you talking about?”
“The most recent one. I'm a little sick...”
When she contracted Herzol and was forced to leave for Rowen, putting the rest of her life in order, Claudel lost the will to buy new books. As it was the first edition, she even wrote it down in her will to leave this book, which would be worth a lot of money if sold, to Hannah.
“I will give it to you.”
At Rohan's words, Claudel jumped up from where she was sitting.
"Really?"
"Yes, Duchess.”
"Ah ha. Oh my God. Hannah, please hold my hand. This isn’t a dream, is it?”
Kaian was very uncomfortable with the situation as if they were in their own world, so he called the butler.
"Yes, My lord.”
“Is the meal ready yet?”
“We are ready. Come this way."
Kaian walked toward the living room door with long strides, then suddenly turned around and came back.
He took Claudel's hand and crossed it around his arm.
"Come on."
Claudel took turns looking at Rohan and the book on the table, and was half drawn to him.
“I haven’t received an autograph yet.”
“Let’s eat dinner. You are still a patient. You have to be careful.”
Even though the doctor had been out of town for over a month, he treated her as a patient as needed.
“Sign...”
“After we finish eating, if we have time left, we will continue talking.”
After dinner, it was time to go to bed. There is no time to continue talking. Never.
Kaian said, looking at Hannah.
“You too, eat together.”
"Yes? Me?”
Madam's maid, Hannah, had never once pretended to be the Master.
“Your performance at the festival was amazing, right? I heard from the butler. Rohan is also not of noble status. I do not treat competent people poorly, so please spend today with my wife.”
It was a great honor to be allowed to sit down for a meal by the head of the family.
Hannah's eyes widened because she knew that if she served one master all her life, she would get old, her health would fail and she would have to quit her job.
“Yes, thank you.”
Even though she was bold, she trembled a little and lowered her head.
“Shall we go?”
When Rohan held out his hand as if to escort her, Hannah held his hand cautiously, unlike her usual self.
'No problem.'
Kaian walked ahead with Claudel and tried to control his rumbling stomach.
Hannah was very capable and that she would give her soul to Temnes. It was true that she had kept her word for the past two months, but the reason Kaian had invited Rohan to the dinner was because because he didn't want to be seen talking to Claudel.
It was human instinct to automatically care about the other person if he guessed the number.
When he dragged Claudel out without even asking him to, Rohan acted as if it was his job to escort Hannah.
“Kaian.”
"Why?"
“You look really cool.”
When he turned his head, his wife, who was walking holding his arm, was looking up at him with her eyes sparkling.
“You even take care of my maid like this. Hannah is a friend to me. She was really a friend until I came to Castle Valmonde. When I was young.”
“I see.”
“We once ate together in my room. I'm happy."
Claudel removed her hand from his arms and held his hand. She kissed the matriarch's ring on Kaian's finger.
"Thank you. Kaian.”
He was a little embarrassed because he didn't expect her to be this thrilled.
However, as he had hoped, he felt proud because he had completely succeeded in diverting Claudel's attention from Rohan to himself.
“Where did you meet Rohan? How did you get the idea to invest in something like a ghost top with no track record?”
“The first time Rohan came to me was when I was marching west from the Plain of Courvain.”
“You mean you came to the battlefield?”
"Yes."
Meanwhile, behind the two people who had been forgotten for a while, Hannah and Rohan exchanged subtle glances with each other.
Without even realizing it, Kaian had joined a couple who deserved to be blessed.
***
The dinner party was very friendly.
Rohan and Hannah sat facing each other to the left and right of Kaian and Claudel, who were sitting side by side at the head table.
'The atmosphere is definitely much better.'
Unlike when Irena sat alone next to Claudel, it was a godsend that she guessed the number of guests.
'Kaian knows this well.'
As the owner of a large castle, he had no shortcomings.
Throughout the meal, Claudel observed Kaoan's manners as host and encouraged herself to do better in the future as well.
If she stays as the Lord and Lady from now on, she will have to deal with a lot of guests.
However, during the meal, the butler came in with an uncharacteristically nervous expression and an envelope on his plate.
"Master. I think you should see it now.”
"What?"
“This is a telegram from the royal castle.”
The envelope had a golden seal attached to it, indicating that it had been sent by the King.
Claudel opened her eyes wide.
She had heard that telegrams sent from the King of Oberon came with a golden seal symbolizing the royal family, but she had never actually seen it.
Even Rohan lifted his head to take a peek at the envelope at the head of the table.
"I get it."
Kaian cut a slit in the paper with an envelope knife placed on a plate, took out what was inside, and read it.
Claudel was worried when she saw that he frowned as soon as he read the telegram.
'What's so bad?'
Kaian must have sensed her concern, and as soon as Claudel's eyes met his, Kaian expression relaxed.
"What's wrong? What’s going on?”
"No. It’s nothing special, just annoying.”
It was quite a strange reaction for a response to an urgent message sent by the King.
“They ask me to attend the King’s Birthday Ball held at the royal castle.”
“The King’s Birthday Ball?”
"Yes. Bring it to the office.”
As he put the telegram back in the envelope and placed it on the plate, the butler left.
“But why do you look like that?”
“Just going back and forth will take at least two weeks.”
From Rowen to the capital, it would take seven days by horseback, or eight days by carriage, depending on the weather.
“Is it every two weeks?”
Claudel sighed, wondering how she could survive 14 days without Kaian.
“Why do you look like that? Of course, we are going together.”
"Really?"
“... Why do you think His Majesty the King made this invitation? Temnes and Vermont, who became husband and wife, came to say thank you to the King who ordered their marriage. On his birthday... Hmm, on the King’s Birthday.”
Kaian looked annoyed, but Claudel suddenly felt excited.
"Yes. I want to go to the capital.”
"Yes?"
“When I came to Rowen, I stayed at an inn for one day. I want to take a look.”
“Do you like traveling?”
“I’ve never traveled before. This is my first time coming here since I left Valmonde. I want to travel.”
"But... Normally, noble ladies wouldn’t let you wander around before getting married.”
Kaian looked at her like she was cute.
“This is the first time I’ve asked you to do something like this.”
“I don’t mean to embarrass you.”
“It’s not a problem. You can go up and down slowly as if you were traveling, taking a break at a few places. I go back and forth for about a month.”
"Really?"
Looking at the two friendly people, Rohan looked at Hannah.
“The two....”
... No matter how Rohan looks at it, he doesn't seem like an enemy.
Hannah, who clearly understood the omitted afterword, answered.
“They're newlyweds.”
"Yes, haha..."
The meal ended in disarray due to a sudden telegram.
Rohan and Kaian headed to his office, and as Claudel was returning to her room with the butler's escort, a question suddenly occurred to her.
“When is the Lord’s birthday? Do you know?”
When Claud asked the butler, he nodded.
"Of course."
“When? I didn’t even know my husband’s birthday until now.”
To her shy question, the butler answered calmly.
“It’s the day after tomorrow.”
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