Caroline's steps on her way to the office suddenly stopped.
"Jansen? What are you doing on the third floor?"
Jansen, who usually went in and out of the office and worked on the first and second floors, rarely came up to the third floor.
"Oh, I was just taking something to give to the Grand Duchess by order of His Highness the Grand Duke."
"Jeremiah to Karina? What's that?"
"It's jewelry to wear on the day of the banquet."
"Are you saying that Jeremiah asked Karina to give the jewelry?"
"Yes."
Caroline glanced at the item Jansen was holding with surprised eyes.
"..."
It was obviously a luxurious jewelry box.
'No way.'
Caroline suddenly felt uneasy.
"Then I'll be off."
"Wait a minute."
Caroline nodded and stopped Jansen as he was about to pass by.
"I'll get it for her."
"Yes? Your Highness?”
Caroline smiled brightly and stood in front of him firmly.
“I was just about to go see Karina.”
Caroline said and nodded to the maid next to her.
The maid quickly snatched the necklace box that Jansen was holding.
“Now hurry up and go. You’re already very busy preparing for the charity event.”
“Oh, but...”
Jansen hesitated, looking embarrassed.
“Whoever brings it doesn’t matter? And wouldn’t it be better to have someone there to look at these women’s accessories?”
“Oh, I see. I understand.”
Jansen nodded, agreeing with Caroline’s words.
It was also true that he was very busy preparing for the charity event that was about to open. When Jansen went down to the first floor, Caroline snorted and opened the jewelry box.
“Oh my, my.”
Caroline’s eyes widened.
Inside the jewelry box, a necklace with a radiant emerald, earrings that matched it, and a hair ornament each showed off their presence. An exclamation of surprise and admiration escaped her mouth.
“It’s so pretty!”
As luxurious and beautiful as the jewelry was, Caroline was extremely offended.
She could not dare accept the fact that Karina would have these things.
‘How could I give this to that woman, Karina, without being crazy?’
Caroline’s eyes narrowed.
‘It’s just a pearl on a pig’s neck anyway.’
Caroline could not stand to see this necklace become like that.
‘Of course, it’s the masterpiece of a lifetime made by Master Paulo, who else would look good on me?’
The haughty Caroline sincerely thought so.
Caroline closed the jewelry box again.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid who was close to her followed Caroline silently as she walked to her room.
***
“Time really flies.”
Mikhail exclaimed as he looked at the carriage procession outside the window.
“A regular meeting in the north... uh... what did you say?”
“A regular meeting and a charity event to check the status of the northern support project.”
Karina answered Mikhail’s question.
“Yes. When you said it in such a difficult way, I thought it was some kind of very quiet and solemn gathering.”
Mikhail continued with a look of disgust.
“Now that I look at it, the scale of the charity event seems to be comparable to the capital banquet?”
Karina said, looking at the many people outside the window.
“It’s only natural because they intentionally prepared for many people to gather. But...”
Karina looked at Mikhail and asked.
“How do you know the scale of the capital banquet? Have you ever been there?”
“Ah...”
Mikhail answered with an awkward smile.
“It’s just... I stayed in the capital when the banquet was held. I often heard people from the capital talking about how big and splendid the banquet held at the imperial palace was.”
“You imagined it after hearing people outside the palace talking about the palace banquet.”
Karina snickered.
Those who couldn’t attend the banquet must have been longing for it.
It was obvious that they heard a much-exaggerated version of reality.
However, Karina didn’t bother to break his imagination.
“I’ll take you to the New Year’s festival in the capital city that’s about to open. You can go there and see for yourself.”
When the new year came, a grand New Year’s event was held in the capital to pray for the prosperity and stability of the empire.
All the nobles of the empire had to attend the New Year’s event.
Jeremiah, who stayed in the north, was no exception.
So Karina had to go to the capital with him.
The New Year’s event would be Karina’s first official event in the capital as the Grand Duchess.
“Yes?”
However, Mikhail’s expression was ambiguous after hearing Karina’s words.
“No, you don’t have to do that.”
Mikhail gently turned his eyes away, refusing.
‘Are you scared because it’s the New Year’s event of the empire?’
She thought that it might be burdensome for a non-noble to participate in such a large national event.
However, if she divorced and left the Grand Duke, Mikhail would lose his job and become a wanderer again.
Before that happened, she wanted to do something helpful for the person who had been her escort.
Just participating in a national event like the New Year’s event and showing his face to the nobles would be a great benefit to him as a magician.
But there was no need to make that decision now.
'We can talk about it later.'
Karina turned her gaze to the mirror in front of her.
Karina, who had finished dressing up and preparing for today's event, did a final check. Karina wore a neatly designed dress in light pastel tones today.
It didn't have many beads or decorations, but it was made of luxurious silk material. The thin lace covering her collarbone and neck added elegance. A sheer fabric that shone gently like waves in the light was added over the hem of the skirt, giving it a sophisticated feel that wasn't dull.
Karina's red hair was curled with a heated iron and let down naturally.
She put a small flower-shaped hair ornament on the side of her hair.
"You look so beautiful today,"
Mikhail praised.
"Thank you. You look great too."
Mikhail was Karina's escort, so he was neatly dressed in a knight's uniform instead of a banquet dress.
"You didn't like it at first, but now you're wearing it well."
Mikhail laughed jokingly at Karina's words.
“I got used to it after wearing it.”
“Thank goodness. Anyways.”
Karina asked with a serious expression.
“Did you memorize the list of nobles and their faces that I gave you?”
“Yes. I did memorize them because you told me to, but...”
Mikhail scratched his chin and trailed off.
“Why? Are you confused already?”
“No. That’s not it. I still don’t understand why you asked me to memorize this.”
Instead of giving a clear answer to Mikhail’s question, Karina simply repeated that it was absolutely necessary.
“Take this.”
Karina handed him a single pure white calla lily.
“...It’s a flower?”
“When you’re done with what I asked you to do, put this flower in the vase on the table in the corner of the entrance to the event hall.”
“...Oh, that’s what you gave me to use it for.”
Mikhail’s expression, which had brightened after receiving the flower, turned sullen again.
“Just do as I tell you for now. It’s very important to me, so don’t make a mistake. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not that hard.”
Knock.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Your Grace, you must go down now.”
The maid came in and told them that it was time.
“Understood.”
Karina, who was slightly nervous, took a deep breath and left the room with Mikhail.
Karina and Mikhail went down to the central auditorium that had been decorated as an event hall.
Many people were gathered and talking, and the noise could be heard outside.
Just before entering the event hall.
Jeremiah, who had been waiting for Karina in front of the auditorium door, noticed her and looked up.
“You’re here.”
“Yes.”
Karina had to enter the event hall with Jeremiah. She had to make up for what happened at the last banquet and show that the Grand Duke and his wife were still in good health.
She had already expected that to be the case, so she had no particular complaints about that part.
“Let’s go in.”
However, Jeremiah didn’t budge at Karina’s words to go in.
“What’s wrong?”
Karina looked up at Jeremiah with a puzzled look.
“...”
Jeremiah stared at Karina's neck without saying anything.
Then he muttered softly.
"...Necklace."
'Necklace?'
“...You didn’t wear it.”
Karina looked down at her chest at those words.
Karina was wearing a necklace with red rubies densely embedded along the chain she was wearing today.
‘It was so thin that I thought it was a decoration on my dress?’
“I did? This is a necklace.”
Karina tapped the ruby necklace and looked up at him again.
However, Jeremiah only narrowed his brows and didn’t answer.
‘What.’
Karina frowned slightly.
“...”
Jeremiah, who had been staring at Karina with his mouth tightly shut, turned his gaze.
He checked Mikhail, who was standing behind Karina and opened his mouth.
“Have the escort magician wait outside the venue during the charity event.”
“...Yes?”
Karina asked back, flustered by the sudden change of topic.
“Why do you have to do that?”
“There’s no need to have an escort inside the banquet hall since I’m here.”
“...”
She wanted to refuse, but she had already asked Mikhail to do something anyway.
At this point, she thought it would be better to let Mikhail act freely.
“Yes.”
Karina answered obediently.
She looked at Mikhail, and he couldn’t hide his discontented expression.
However, when he received her gaze, he nodded as if he understood and stepped aside.
‘I hope Mikhail does well.’
Karina looked at Mikhail’s back with a worried look.
Jeremiah held out his arm in front of her.
His gaze told her to quickly link arms because they had to enter.
“...”
It was a natural procedure for entering, but she couldn’t hide her nervous expression.
Karina tried to minimize the area of contact.
And she linked arms so that they touched only as much as was really necessary.
The door opened and she entered the central auditorium with him.
As soon as they entered, everyone’s attention turned to Karina and Jeremiah.
On one side, many people, including representatives of the vassals, professional businessmen in various fields, and people involved in support projects, were waiting to greet Jeremiah.
'It's amazing.'
As soon as she saw the large crowd, Karina almost made an expression of disgust without realizing it.
'It's just for show anyway, so let's just endure it for a little while.'
Karina had to stay next to Jeremiah for a while.
Karina tried to keep her expression straight and lifted the corners of her lips.
As soon as Karina and Jeremiah sat down, people crowded around them.
"Meet Their Highnesses the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess."
"You two look so wonderful and beautiful today."
"The venue seems brighter with you two here."
Karina mechanically accepted the greetings and compliments that continued.
At that moment, an old couple with white hair approached Jeremiah.
'Ah!'
Karina knew who they were right away.
"Jansen? What are you doing on the third floor?"
Jansen, who usually went in and out of the office and worked on the first and second floors, rarely came up to the third floor.
"Oh, I was just taking something to give to the Grand Duchess by order of His Highness the Grand Duke."
"Jeremiah to Karina? What's that?"
"It's jewelry to wear on the day of the banquet."
"Are you saying that Jeremiah asked Karina to give the jewelry?"
"Yes."
Caroline glanced at the item Jansen was holding with surprised eyes.
"..."
It was obviously a luxurious jewelry box.
'No way.'
Caroline suddenly felt uneasy.
"Then I'll be off."
"Wait a minute."
Caroline nodded and stopped Jansen as he was about to pass by.
"I'll get it for her."
"Yes? Your Highness?”
Caroline smiled brightly and stood in front of him firmly.
“I was just about to go see Karina.”
Caroline said and nodded to the maid next to her.
The maid quickly snatched the necklace box that Jansen was holding.
“Now hurry up and go. You’re already very busy preparing for the charity event.”
“Oh, but...”
Jansen hesitated, looking embarrassed.
“Whoever brings it doesn’t matter? And wouldn’t it be better to have someone there to look at these women’s accessories?”
“Oh, I see. I understand.”
Jansen nodded, agreeing with Caroline’s words.
It was also true that he was very busy preparing for the charity event that was about to open. When Jansen went down to the first floor, Caroline snorted and opened the jewelry box.
“Oh my, my.”
Caroline’s eyes widened.
Inside the jewelry box, a necklace with a radiant emerald, earrings that matched it, and a hair ornament each showed off their presence. An exclamation of surprise and admiration escaped her mouth.
“It’s so pretty!”
As luxurious and beautiful as the jewelry was, Caroline was extremely offended.
She could not dare accept the fact that Karina would have these things.
‘How could I give this to that woman, Karina, without being crazy?’
Caroline’s eyes narrowed.
‘It’s just a pearl on a pig’s neck anyway.’
Caroline could not stand to see this necklace become like that.
‘Of course, it’s the masterpiece of a lifetime made by Master Paulo, who else would look good on me?’
The haughty Caroline sincerely thought so.
Caroline closed the jewelry box again.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The maid who was close to her followed Caroline silently as she walked to her room.
***
“Time really flies.”
Mikhail exclaimed as he looked at the carriage procession outside the window.
“A regular meeting in the north... uh... what did you say?”
“A regular meeting and a charity event to check the status of the northern support project.”
Karina answered Mikhail’s question.
“Yes. When you said it in such a difficult way, I thought it was some kind of very quiet and solemn gathering.”
Mikhail continued with a look of disgust.
“Now that I look at it, the scale of the charity event seems to be comparable to the capital banquet?”
Karina said, looking at the many people outside the window.
“It’s only natural because they intentionally prepared for many people to gather. But...”
Karina looked at Mikhail and asked.
“How do you know the scale of the capital banquet? Have you ever been there?”
“Ah...”
Mikhail answered with an awkward smile.
“It’s just... I stayed in the capital when the banquet was held. I often heard people from the capital talking about how big and splendid the banquet held at the imperial palace was.”
“You imagined it after hearing people outside the palace talking about the palace banquet.”
Karina snickered.
Those who couldn’t attend the banquet must have been longing for it.
It was obvious that they heard a much-exaggerated version of reality.
However, Karina didn’t bother to break his imagination.
“I’ll take you to the New Year’s festival in the capital city that’s about to open. You can go there and see for yourself.”
When the new year came, a grand New Year’s event was held in the capital to pray for the prosperity and stability of the empire.
All the nobles of the empire had to attend the New Year’s event.
Jeremiah, who stayed in the north, was no exception.
So Karina had to go to the capital with him.
The New Year’s event would be Karina’s first official event in the capital as the Grand Duchess.
“Yes?”
However, Mikhail’s expression was ambiguous after hearing Karina’s words.
“No, you don’t have to do that.”
Mikhail gently turned his eyes away, refusing.
‘Are you scared because it’s the New Year’s event of the empire?’
She thought that it might be burdensome for a non-noble to participate in such a large national event.
However, if she divorced and left the Grand Duke, Mikhail would lose his job and become a wanderer again.
Before that happened, she wanted to do something helpful for the person who had been her escort.
Just participating in a national event like the New Year’s event and showing his face to the nobles would be a great benefit to him as a magician.
But there was no need to make that decision now.
'We can talk about it later.'
Karina turned her gaze to the mirror in front of her.
Karina, who had finished dressing up and preparing for today's event, did a final check. Karina wore a neatly designed dress in light pastel tones today.
It didn't have many beads or decorations, but it was made of luxurious silk material. The thin lace covering her collarbone and neck added elegance. A sheer fabric that shone gently like waves in the light was added over the hem of the skirt, giving it a sophisticated feel that wasn't dull.
Karina's red hair was curled with a heated iron and let down naturally.
She put a small flower-shaped hair ornament on the side of her hair.
"You look so beautiful today,"
Mikhail praised.
"Thank you. You look great too."
Mikhail was Karina's escort, so he was neatly dressed in a knight's uniform instead of a banquet dress.
"You didn't like it at first, but now you're wearing it well."
Mikhail laughed jokingly at Karina's words.
“I got used to it after wearing it.”
“Thank goodness. Anyways.”
Karina asked with a serious expression.
“Did you memorize the list of nobles and their faces that I gave you?”
“Yes. I did memorize them because you told me to, but...”
Mikhail scratched his chin and trailed off.
“Why? Are you confused already?”
“No. That’s not it. I still don’t understand why you asked me to memorize this.”
Instead of giving a clear answer to Mikhail’s question, Karina simply repeated that it was absolutely necessary.
“Take this.”
Karina handed him a single pure white calla lily.
“...It’s a flower?”
“When you’re done with what I asked you to do, put this flower in the vase on the table in the corner of the entrance to the event hall.”
“...Oh, that’s what you gave me to use it for.”
Mikhail’s expression, which had brightened after receiving the flower, turned sullen again.
“Just do as I tell you for now. It’s very important to me, so don’t make a mistake. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. It’s not that hard.”
Knock.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Your Grace, you must go down now.”
The maid came in and told them that it was time.
“Understood.”
Karina, who was slightly nervous, took a deep breath and left the room with Mikhail.
***
Karina and Mikhail went down to the central auditorium that had been decorated as an event hall.
Many people were gathered and talking, and the noise could be heard outside.
Just before entering the event hall.
Jeremiah, who had been waiting for Karina in front of the auditorium door, noticed her and looked up.
“You’re here.”
“Yes.”
Karina had to enter the event hall with Jeremiah. She had to make up for what happened at the last banquet and show that the Grand Duke and his wife were still in good health.
She had already expected that to be the case, so she had no particular complaints about that part.
“Let’s go in.”
However, Jeremiah didn’t budge at Karina’s words to go in.
“What’s wrong?”
Karina looked up at Jeremiah with a puzzled look.
“...”
Jeremiah stared at Karina's neck without saying anything.
Then he muttered softly.
"...Necklace."
'Necklace?'
“...You didn’t wear it.”
Karina looked down at her chest at those words.
Karina was wearing a necklace with red rubies densely embedded along the chain she was wearing today.
‘It was so thin that I thought it was a decoration on my dress?’
“I did? This is a necklace.”
Karina tapped the ruby necklace and looked up at him again.
However, Jeremiah only narrowed his brows and didn’t answer.
‘What.’
Karina frowned slightly.
“...”
Jeremiah, who had been staring at Karina with his mouth tightly shut, turned his gaze.
He checked Mikhail, who was standing behind Karina and opened his mouth.
“Have the escort magician wait outside the venue during the charity event.”
“...Yes?”
Karina asked back, flustered by the sudden change of topic.
“Why do you have to do that?”
“There’s no need to have an escort inside the banquet hall since I’m here.”
“...”
She wanted to refuse, but she had already asked Mikhail to do something anyway.
At this point, she thought it would be better to let Mikhail act freely.
“Yes.”
Karina answered obediently.
She looked at Mikhail, and he couldn’t hide his discontented expression.
However, when he received her gaze, he nodded as if he understood and stepped aside.
‘I hope Mikhail does well.’
Karina looked at Mikhail’s back with a worried look.
Jeremiah held out his arm in front of her.
His gaze told her to quickly link arms because they had to enter.
“...”
It was a natural procedure for entering, but she couldn’t hide her nervous expression.
Karina tried to minimize the area of contact.
And she linked arms so that they touched only as much as was really necessary.
The door opened and she entered the central auditorium with him.
As soon as they entered, everyone’s attention turned to Karina and Jeremiah.
On one side, many people, including representatives of the vassals, professional businessmen in various fields, and people involved in support projects, were waiting to greet Jeremiah.
'It's amazing.'
As soon as she saw the large crowd, Karina almost made an expression of disgust without realizing it.
'It's just for show anyway, so let's just endure it for a little while.'
Karina had to stay next to Jeremiah for a while.
Karina tried to keep her expression straight and lifted the corners of her lips.
As soon as Karina and Jeremiah sat down, people crowded around them.
"Meet Their Highnesses the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess."
"You two look so wonderful and beautiful today."
"The venue seems brighter with you two here."
Karina mechanically accepted the greetings and compliments that continued.
At that moment, an old couple with white hair approached Jeremiah.
'Ah!'
Karina knew who they were right away.
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