Chapter 48

That faint ticklish feeling made Dylan smile without realizing it, but he quickly straightened his face and shook his head.

“There is no need to apologize. But there is one thing I want you to remember. When you meet His Majesty, you must always stay alert and cautious. What worries me most is that His Majesty seems to have taken quite a liking to you.”

“Is that… a bad thing?”

Her innocent question made Dylan rub his forehead, looking troubled.

Of course, he should have expected it. The way Agnes loved Noah already revealed the kind of person she was.

She was someone who cared for what she cherished as though it were glass, polishing and protecting it so not a single scratch could appear.

But there were people who, instead of cherishing what they liked, tested it and cornered it.

Dylan knew better than anyone how cruel his sister, Emperor Cali, could be toward those she claimed to love.

Instead of explaining it all, he simply nodded and said quietly,

“His Majesty cherishes all her kin. Her only child, Wilhelm, her sister Serene, and… me as well. If she did not care in her own way, I would have died long ago.”

Agnes frowned slightly. The words sounded strange to her.

“But, Your Grace… if she cares about you, how could she still… knowing what you go through…”

Her voice trembled with confusion, as if she were facing something incomprehensible.

“There are people like that in this world,” Dylan said softly.

He leaned a little closer and spoke in a low tone.

“So please be careful around His Majesty. Whenever possible, I will accompany you when you meet her.”

“…All right. I’ll be careful.”

Agnes was still bewildered, but she nodded to show she would heed his warning.

Once they left for the North, she would rarely see the Emperor anyway. Whatever interest the Emperor had in her was likely temporary. She only needed to stay cautious through the wedding.

Hearing her firm answer, Dylan finally seemed reassured. He straightened his posture again.

“And one more thing. You cannot avoid matters related to Noah, but for anything involving the wedding or the banquet, perhaps you should entrust more to Gavelin.”

“Gavelin?”

When she repeated the name, Dylan frowned slightly.

“Does Gavelin not listen to you?”

“No, no! It’s not that at all.”

To be honest, in the early days after she came to the ducal estate, there had been some of that.

Gavelin had never been openly rude, but the atmosphere he gave off had said it all. It was as if he were thinking, ‘So someone like this will become the Duchess of Vasteron.’

Yet after the day she shielded him from the Emperor’s gaze, he had never once shown even a hint of such arrogance again.

She didn’t know what he truly thought, but outwardly, he treated her with impeccable respect as the future lady of the house.

“Gavelin already helps me quite a lot. I don’t want to overwork him.”

As she said it, Agnes recalled Dylan’s earlier words about her having no sense of self-care and hurried to add,

“I’ve been busy with the wedding preparations, so he’s been taking care of the duties a lady of the house would normally handle. He’s probably one of the busiest people in the mansion right now.”

“He is not as busy as you.”

Dylan rubbed his chin, his tone firm.

“Agnes, Gavelin is a serious work addict. The more work he has, the happier he becomes, so you can assign him more.”

“What? But if that’s true, then all the more reason not to…”

“I’ve warned him many times, but bad habits die hard. If this continues, he’ll start inventing new work for himself. Use him a little more before we leave for the North, and once we arrive there, you can help him fix that habit.”

Agnes couldn’t help but laugh.

“All right then. I’ll give him a little more to do.”

“Good.”

Dylan stood and reached out his hand to her.

By now, the sight of him offering his hand to escort her had become familiar. Agnes smiled and placed her smaller hand atop his.

He lifted her hand and brushed a gentle kiss across her knuckles, speaking in a calm voice.

“Remember that there are people who worry about you. Me, and Noah too. I noticed earlier how much that little one worries for you.”

Agnes looked up at him, startled.

To her, Noah had always been someone who needed her protection and care. She had never once thought that the child might worry about her.

The thought made her heart soften. A quiet warmth spread within her, and she smiled.

“Thank you for telling me. I’ll do my best not to make either of you worry. I’ll try not to overdo things.”

She tightened her hold on his hand slightly, gratitude filling her chest.

It meant more than she could say that someone was paying attention to the child’s quiet feelings. It was a kind of comfort she had never known while raising Noah under Rickman’s shadow.

Dylan had no obligation to care for them, yet he did. In his own way, he looked after both mother and son with quiet responsibility.

* * *

The next day, Agnes followed Dylan’s advice and went to see Gavelin to ask him for a few more tasks.

It felt awkward, almost as if she were passing off her own duties, but Gavelin accepted everything without hesitation.

Watching his calm expression made her feel guilty. She ended up taking one of the documents back.

Gavelin raised his eyes toward her, confusion flickering in them.

“Is something wrong?”

“If you at least acted tired, I’d feel less guilty giving you all this work. But you look so unaffected, it scares me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means you don’t even realize you’re overworking yourself.”

She shook her head helplessly.

“But I’ll still ask you to take care of this one. And once we’re in the North, let’s find a more efficient way to divide the work. The Duchess and the steward will have plenty to discuss.”

She said it playfully, her eyes curling into a smile. Gavelin blinked, taken aback.

He had assumed she didn’t think much of him, and perhaps she didn’t at first. But she had always treated him with kindness.

‘The Duchess and the steward will have plenty to discuss.’

That single line made him realize she had thought about their working relationship far more deeply than he had expected.

After she left, he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling strangely sheepish. The way he had once watched her with suspicion for Dylan’s sake now felt childish.

Still, he wasn’t bold enough to call her back and apologize for it.

Instead, he opened the stack of documents she had given him.

‘Let’s just do the work she entrusted to me.’

When all this was over, he would find the right moment to apologize properly.

* * *

The busier one was, the faster time passed.

Agnes could hardly remember what day it was anymore.

Even the Emperor’s attendant, who had once made her uneasy, no longer bothered her. She no longer cared whether the woman was there to help or to observe.

The attendant herself was too busy now, running about to assist with preparations for the wedding.

And so, fifteen days went by.

At last, the day of the wedding arrived.

Agnes woke at dawn, bathed, and began to get ready.

According to Sharon’s report, everything was in perfect order, even the carriage that would take them to the cathedral and the ballroom.

Her wedding dress had an elegant neckline and gently draped shoulders. The full bell-shaped skirt accentuated her slender waist, while gold embroidery flowed from her shoulders to the hem, giving her an air of regal grace.

The maids who helped her dress could not stop exclaiming in admiration.

“Look at this embroidery. The colors are stunning, but I’ve never seen stitches this intricate before.”

“It must have taken days to complete even this small section. It looks like jewels.”

“Not everyone can pull off a gown this magnificent. My lady, you look truly beautiful. His Grace will fall in love all over again.”

Tiny diamonds adorned her gown from chest to waist, sparkling whenever the light touched them, illuminating her pale face.

When she placed the sheer veil, embroidered with lace and delicate flowers, over her hair and set the jeweled tiara in place, she looked like the most radiant and ethereal bride in the world.

Standing before the grand cathedral within the Imperial Palace, Agnes held her bouquet and lowered her gaze.

‘Hoo…’

She let out a deep breath, but beneath the veil, her cheeks remained stiff with tension.

She thought about everything that would change after this day, and quietly waited for the doors to open.