IBWMD 75

~Chapter 75~

I tried hard to keep a neutral expression and replied:

“I see.”

“Oh, right—”

The head maid smiled faintly as if she’d remembered something.

“We’re grateful you confronted the temple priest on our behalf.”

“It wasn’t a big deal.”

“You exposed the fake relief supplies, and helped support the plan to normalize monster-based food sources.”

“…”

“Thanks to you, the Grand Duke’s estate had time to officially begin supporting the slums.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“I didn’t expect the Grand Duchess to be so knowledgeable about doctrine.”

“…I went to temple school for a bit as a kid.”

Oof. That stung a little.

Even though I felt guilty, the head maid just smiled kindly.

“And despite knowing all that, you still spoke out against the temple.”

“Haha… Well, wrong is wrong.”

“Exactly.”

“Covering up evil in the name of faith is more of a betrayal to the gods, don’t you think?”

“A wise statement.”

I smiled back at the newly warm-hearted head maid, but internally I was sweating.

‘This is bad.’

Revealing that I was a former holy knight would be really hard now.

Of course, if Saint Portou dug just a little into the capital’s records, they’d probably find out.

‘But it’s harder to admit it myself now.’

And that wasn’t even the worst of it.

“Also, going forward, official knights of the estate will take turns guarding you.”

“…What about my current guard?”

“He’ll return to his original position.”

My heart sank.

I knew this would happen.

I thought Karl would have figured something out.

‘…But what if he didn’t?’

What if he just tossed me in here without a plan?

What if he meant for us never to meet again?

As if to confirm that fear, the head maid added:

“You probably won’t see him for a while.”

…My heart was suddenly a mess.

How long was “a while,” exactly?

“…He shouldn’t stir up more trouble before the formal ceremony.”

“Hmm? Sorry—I didn’t catch that.”

I was too deep in thought to hear her last words.

The head maid smiled gently, pretending it was nothing.

“No, it’s nothing. Let me show you the rest.”

“Mmm.”

“Your room is this way.”

As I forced myself to stay composed and turned the corner—

I saw a huge bedroom door.

“Please come in.”

The head maid easily opened the door.

Creak.

I blinked at what I saw inside.

‘This is… the Grand Duchess’s room?’

It looked almost exactly like my old lodging.

It was my old lodging, just about three times bigger.

There were more cute cushions and pillows, and the room was decorated in warmer tones—but overall, it felt just like home.

‘Isn’t this supposed to be the previous Grand Duchess’s room?’

This cozy, inn-like style didn’t seem like it’d match the taste of a noble lady from the past.

‘Did they design it for me?’

Considering how the estate used to treat me, this was a surprising change.

The head maid remained calm as she explained:

“This door leads to the bath.”

“Okay.”

“This one leads to the dressing room.”

There was still one door left.

‘Is that… an office for the Grand Duchess?’

Just as I was about to ask, the head maid said:

“That’s the door to the shared bedroom—the one for the wedding night and other… couple matters.”

Cough! Cough!

I immediately choked.

The head maid casually patted my back a few times.

‘Of course it’s connected to the couple’s room!’

Still… it hits different when it’s right there in front of you.

As I kept coughing and struggling to process it, the head maid added:

“The Grand Duke’s room is on the other side, mirrored with the couple’s room in the middle.”

“Cough! Cough! …Agh!”

‘Dear god.’

I didn’t even believe in a god, but I felt like praying.

It was bad enough that she brought up wedding night stuff, but now I had to deal with the fact that his room was right next door?

At least they didn’t suggest we sleep in the same room. Small mercy.

And he wasn’t even here, thank goodness—

Rustle.

…Rustle?

My head turned sharply toward the sound.

It came from the door to the shared bedroom.

“Is something wrong, Grand Duchess?”

“…It’s nothing.”

I thought I heard something…

‘No way there’s… like, a rat in the couple’s bedroom, right?’

“Would you like to see the shared bedroom? Normally it’s revealed on the wedding night.”

“Huh? No, no.”

“Well, I suppose that excitement is already… never mind.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing at all.”

The head maid trailed off, but I didn’t ask.

I was too scared she’d actually show me the bedroom.

‘I’m already on edge.’

The room beyond the door went completely silent again.

Like I’d imagined the sound.

The head maid returned to her professional tone:

“Oh, and we’re planning a banquet this evening to welcome you.”

“A banquet?”

“Yes. We’ll use the Grand Estate’s main banquet hall.”

“But the Grand Duke isn’t even here, right?”

“True… but this will be a banquet just for you, Grand Duchess.”

“Wait. Just me? I’ll be eating alone?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Wow. Just thinking about it made me feel suffocated.

‘Sitting alone at the head table in a giant hall, stuffing my face…’

I felt full just imagining it.

“…Why not turn it into a celebration for the estate staff instead?”

The head maid raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

I shrugged lightly.

“It’s common, isn’t it? When a new master arrives, they reward the staff.”

Honestly, the idea of the banquet was exhausting.

‘And it’s not right for me to eat fancy food alone when resources are still tight.’

Even though supply issues were mostly fixed, I still felt guilty.

Especially after Karl kept bringing me all that high-quality food.

It felt like I’d already had my fill.

‘Still, where did he even get all that good stuff?’

Just thinking about it made me smell the buttery scent of those cookies…

…Wait. That wasn’t my imagination.

“We thought you’d like cookies, so we prepared some.”

“…”

They were real.

I spotted a plate of butter cookies on the tea table and twitched.

The room, the furniture—everything showed care and thoughtfulness for me.

…But the fact that it reminded me of Karl made things complicated.

I shook my head like I was the lead in a melodrama.

Anyway—

“Yes, let’s go with that instead.”

“But Grand Duchess—”

“I want the banquet to be for the staff.”

My tone made it clear I wouldn’t change my mind.

“Oh, and I won’t be attending.”

“You won’t attend?”

“Right.”

That was already decided.

It’s supposed to be a reward for them.

‘If I sit at the head table, how can anyone eat comfortably?’

Back in the Holy Knight Order, it was an unspoken rule for the captains to step away during group dinners.

‘Not that I ever got to rest—I was always dragged into a lecture with Captain Ista.’

And besides, I’m a Grand Duchess from the capital—just being there would make everyone nervous.

“But it’s your welcome banquet…”

The head maid hesitated a few times, but when I stayed firm, she gave in.

“I’ll pass the message on. Dinner will be served to you separately.”

“Thanks.”

“Please get some rest.”

Creak. Thud. The door closed behind her.

I let out a long breath and looked around.

‘It looks like my old room…’

But no matter how familiar the decor, the air still felt foreign.

The room was too big and too quiet.

It didn’t have the lived-in feel of my old place.

It smelled fancy, like a bookstore, and the view showed the estate garden and training yard—not the market street.

‘This is usually when Karl would come by.’

We’d walk around the market together…

We’d joke around and laugh with the crowd…

“…”

Suddenly, a wave of frustration hit me.

‘He said he’d take responsibility. Is this it?’

‘Should I have gone to the banquet after all?’

Karl was a staff member—he’d probably be there with everyone else.

But I let the idea go quickly.

Even if I went, I couldn’t confront him properly.

‘I’d be at the head, and Karl would be at the far end…’

We couldn’t even talk. If I acted familiar, it’d look weird.

‘So I still wouldn’t get to hear what he had to say.’

‘There’s something I didn’t get to tell you, Elaine… I hope you won’t be too angry.’

‘You probably will be. Really, really angry. But still…’

What was he going to say?

It had sounded really important.

…Suddenly, I felt unbearably lonely.

‘I told myself I wouldn’t get swept up in feelings for Karl…’

But now, here I was—heart aching.

I finally walked over to the tea table with the butter cookies.

The only thing in this unfamiliar place that felt kind, familiar.

The only thing that filled my chest like a feather—soft, but now a little painful.

As I breathed in the sweet scent, my thoughts slipped out without me realizing.

“…I think I miss him.”

Clatter.

There was a noise again—from the couple’s bedroom.

But I ignored it.

I figured it must be my imagination.

There was no way I was opening that door.