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~Chapter 67~
Beside the Duchess, who was buried under a mountain of documents, the ducal household’s chief secretary and head butler were diligently assisting her.
Riden’s gaze naturally drifted toward the Duchess at the center of it all.
I’ve never seen her like this before.
The Duchess, seated at her desk, was reviewing the list of replies to the ball invitations. Unlike her usual dazzling attire, she wore a practical working dress. Even her hair—always immaculate—had a few loose strands, a testament to how long she had been absorbed in her work.
…She’s magnificent.
There was something compelling—almost alluring—about her intense focus.
What could be requiring such concentration? Riden thought, her curiosity piqued.
Just then, the secretary, who had taken the reply list from the Duchess, turned back.
“Madam, I believe you should review this. You marked Lady Garfang as attending, but she has yet to confirm her presence.”
The secretary cautiously reported the discrepancy. Samantha, still looking at another set of documents, didn’t even glance up.
“My secretary must be getting old.”
Startled, he blinked.
“Pardon?”
“Lady Garfang will attend. Even after five years, her habit of taking an eternity to decide hasn’t changed.”
“Oh!”
Samantha scribbled her signature on the document she was holding, then leaned back in her chair.
The secretary’s expression showed he now realized his mistake.
“Lady Garfang has always been the last to respond, yet she always attends. If I still have to remind you of our guests’ habits, it must mean my secretary is indeed aging. Butler.”
The butler, standing opposite the secretary, bowed quickly.
“Yes, madam.”
“From this month, increase the staff welfare budget. If I succumb to stress from managing senile young employees, who will bear the responsibility?”
The secretary, flustered, bowed his head repeatedly.
“No, madam. I will stay sharp. There’s no need to—”
Samantha set aside her document and spoke in a low, dangerous tone.
“Are you out of your mind? You dare question how I spend money?”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“So the senility has already arrived, not just approaching? Butler.”
Her expression was one of utter disdain.
The butler bowed even more deeply.
“We’re too busy to spare him now, but once the ball is over, give him three months’ paid leave. Perhaps the rest will refresh his withered brain.”
“As you command.”
The secretary could no longer protest. Wearing a crestfallen expression, he left the office.
“Next.”
The butler presented the next set of work to the Duchess.
From her place on the sofa, Riden observed the scene and quietly pulled out the small notebook she always carried. She wrote,
Solution: Money.
Samantha’s sharp tongue might have been harsh, but in the end, the welfare budget had been increased, and the secretary had been granted three months of leave. No one appeared dissatisfied.
I really do need to earn more money, don’t I?
Though the taxes collected from her county already made her wealthy, she didn’t have the kind of financial freedom that allowed the Duchess to solve everything with money.
The dessert shop was successful, but that was still on a small scale.
I’ll need to manage the county well and develop it further.
Only then could she live as stress-free as the Duchess.
Riden’s gaze inevitably returned to Samantha. Behind her, a wall lined with bookshelves held ancient tomes, genealogies, and meticulously organized territorial management documents.
The Duchess was the master of all of it—a seasoned veteran.
Instead of staying secluded with Victoria in the annex office, I should really be here learning her methods…
As pleasant as the knights’ hearty shouts from the training yard were, failing to manage her county properly would crush her dream of commanding a strong order of knights one day.
Just then, Norman, who was examining Riden, asked,
“You were startled by a small noise and nearly fainted, correct?”
“Yes.”
Before she could elaborate, Norman gave a gentle smile.
“I’ll write a prescription. For you, my lady, the prescription is mango sorbet.”
Understanding the meaning behind his words, Riden smiled back.
I wasn’t sick to begin with!
“Though you’re naturally a bit frail, as long as you take care of yourself, there’s no major concern. Your pulse is steady, and your temperature is stable. So, enjoy some mango sorbet made by the ducal pastry chef, and then you’ll be free to rise.”
“Thank you, Norman.”
Norman bowed to the Duchess and left.
The butler, who had heard everything, promptly ordered the servants to bring the dessert.
Riden sat up slowly on the sofa and gazed at the Duchess.
“It’s a relief it’s nothing serious.”
The Duchess gave a brief, indifferent remark before returning her attention to the documents.
This was truly a first.
Her cool demeanor made Riden strangely impatient.
“Um, Duchess…”
“…?”
“Is there anything I can help with? If you’ll permit me, I’d really like to assist. Though I worry I might only get in the way.”
“Help…?”
Unseen by Riden, Samantha and Merrick exchanged a glance.
A knowing, satisfied smile spread across their faces.
From the next day, Riden began reporting to the Duchess’s office.
Her seat was placed to the Duchess’s left.
As Riden naturally made her way to the spot where she had started working the day before, Samantha quietly suppressed a smile.
How commendable!
“My lady, I’ve brought the samples,” Victoria said, setting down a basket of scented candles on Riden’s desk.
Her assigned task was to choose candles that would scent the ballroom during the ball.
Before smelling them, Riden studied the flower arrangement plans. If the floral decorations used strong-scented blooms, she would need to choose milder candles.
“Thank you, Victoria. I’ll need to test them outside one by one. Shall we go?”
She rose, basket in hand, unwilling to fill the office with fragrance samples, when the head maid entered with unfortunate news.
“Madam, someone from the Flora Trading Company has come. They say they can no longer supply crocuses and peonies.”
Samantha’s brow arched.
“They claim the flowers were ruined by an unexpected frost and are simply unfit for sale. What shall we do?”
“We can’t decorate the ball with damaged flowers. Tell them to compile a list of flowers they can supply immediately.”
Samantha exhaled a quiet sigh as she looked down at the flower arrangement plans.
Both crocuses and peonies were statement flowers; removing them was not an option.
Yet replacing them with similarly colored alternatives would be disappointing.
I’ll have to contact Helena.
She was about to reach out to the Empress to request rare imperial blooms when Riden softly interjected.
“Duchess.”
In an instant, Samantha donned the gentlest expression imaginable.
“Yes, dear? Are you curious about something? This work must be unfamiliar to you. If you ever feel it’s too much, just say the word.”
Riden hesitated, the uncertainty evident on her face.
“I’m not sure if I should ask this… but forgive me, how much money—or rather, how many jewels—do you possess?”
The blunt question froze the room.
The staff working in the office cleared their throats awkwardly.
Samantha, on the other hand, beamed more brightly than ever.
“Oh my… you’ve developed an interest in my fortune, have you?”
She considered it a most promising sign.
To covet the duchy’s wealth was, in Samantha’s mind, tantamount to aspiring to become the future Duchess.
Do you desire the ducal estate’s wealth?
Take it. I’ll give it all to you.
“You’re not only wealthy, Duchess. Your jewelry collection is the largest in both the Eastern and Western Empires, isn’t it?”
Samantha gave a soft, incredulous laugh, as though the question were absurd.
“Go on. Open that little mouth and tell me you covet it.”
Truly, I’d give it all to you.
Say you want it, dear, and it’s yours.
“That’s not what I meant…”
Riden could clearly feel the change within herself.
Where once the Duchess’s predatory expression and sharp words would have made her flinch, now…
If she doesn’t speak like that, it almost feels boring.
When the Duchess was sweet and gentle, it felt like a spicy hotpot missing all its spice.
At first, it had been overwhelming, but now she almost craved it.
Riden grinned and continued.
“No, that’s not it. I was just thinking… must it really be flowers?”
