Chapter 11

Clink.

“Welco…”

What?

Tulla, the owner of the small general store, almost bit her tongue as she turned toward the door.

When someone dressed in such noble finery appeared in a street so shabby that even shadows rarely fell here, Tulla thought some aristocrat must have taken a wrong turn.

But that face.

“G-G-Grand Duchess…!”

Without realizing it, Tulla dropped to her knees, trembling so hard she barely noticed the pain in her bitten tongue.

“It is an honor to see Your Grace!”

“Rise.”

The commanding voice fell upon her head.

Shaking, Tulla forced her weak legs to support her as she stood.

‘Time to make this quick.’

Seres glanced around the dim, dusty shop. The place was so neglected that dust blanketed every corner her eyes touched. Old tools and scraps of cloth of uncertain origin cluttered the shelves.

It seemed the shop served as both a pawnshop and a seller of odds and ends.

‘Perfect.’

Her sharp gaze swept over the shop until it stopped on one spot.

“Bring me that.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am…?”

Tulla jerked her head up, then hurried toward the direction Seres indicated.

A moment later, she returned hesitantly, clutching a grayish bundle of fabric covered in dust and cobwebs.

“Is… is this what you meant…?”

“Yes.”

Feeling Linburton’s encouraging stare behind her, Seres took the bundle from Tulla.

The cloth was so old and tattered that even Tulla’s hands shook as she held it out.

‘Tch.’

Seres frowned at the rag, then steeled herself as she remembered her purpose.

This was all for the House of Eisenhart.

And for her son, Demius.

Seres tossed the ragged dress in front of Melissa and recited the line Linburton had prepared.

“This is the kind of clothing that suits you.”

“Ah!”

Tulla gasped and quickly covered her mouth.

Who was she speaking to?

Eyes wide, Tulla followed the Grand Duchess’s gaze.

Between the gleaming suits of armor worn by the guards stood a small young woman.

She was so tiny that her presence was almost lost among the towering figures surrounding her.

‘What could she possibly have done wrong?’

For Her Grace herself to come to this place and speak such words, the woman must have committed an unforgivable crime.

Tulla stood frozen, terrified that the fire of wrath might spread to her as well.

Then she heard a small voice.

“M-Mother.”

Melissa’s lips trembled as tears welled in her clear eyes.

Even Tulla, who had been planning to slip away quietly, paused at the sight.

Then Melissa cried out, her voice full of emotion.

“I knew it! Mother, you’re always so thoughtful! I actually needed something I could wear comfortably, and you knew exactly what to get!”

“…!”

Tulla’s eyes went wide.

Mother?

Did that mean this young woman was the Grand Duchess’s daughter-in-law?

While Tulla stood in stunned silence, Linburton was staring in disbelief for a different reason.

Meanwhile, blissfully unaware of their reactions, Melissa pressed a hand to her chest and smiled brightly.

“This is exactly what I needed!”

In truth, the clothes Demius had prepared for her were all far too fancy.

Whenever she walked around the castle or chatted with the servants, she had felt self-conscious.

She even worried about staining the hem of her dress when she went to watch compost being made at the far edge of the fortress grounds.

And now her mother-in-law had given her something practical to wear. How wonderful.

“Thank you so much. I’ll wear it well!”

Her radiant smile seemed to light up the dusty shop itself.

The sharp gleam of that smile pierced Seres’s chest like little needles. After several seconds, she finally turned away and muttered under her breath.

“…Let’s go.”

“…Yes.”

‘That little stray cat.’

Linburton handed Tulla a pouch of coins and hurried after Seres.

Though the sun had yet to set, the shadows stretching behind them as they walked toward the carriage seemed unusually long and heavy.

Tulla stared blankly at their departing figures until a sudden realization struck her.

“…So that’s what it was.”

Of course.

The proud Grand Duchess herself had come all the way to this humble alley just to find clothing suitable for her beloved daughter-in-law.

“What a benevolent ruler!”

Tulla pictured the moment Melissa had called her “Mother.”

Now that she thought of it, the girl’s small frame had a surprising strength to it, and those seemingly innocent eyes gleamed with intelligence.

“I don’t have time to waste!”

Tulla quickly flipped the sign on her door to “Closed” and ran off toward the tavern.

Those drunkards were probably already deep in their cups again.

She grinned with excitement. For once, she would be the one spreading the news first instead of hearing it last.

She would tell everyone herself—

The Grand Duchy finally had a daughter-in-law!

* * *

‘What a terrible mistake.’

Back in the Grand Duchess’s office, Linburton smacked his forehead with his palm.

They should have returned from their outing with their arms full of shopping bags.

If they had forced Melissa to carry all that weight herself, she would not have come back smiling like that.

He ground his teeth in frustration.

Not only had she dared to charm their young master, now she had disturbed the composure of their mighty Grand Duchess as well.

A sin worthy of execution.

However—

‘No. It’s too early to be angry.’

Linburton took a deep breath to steady himself.

That was only the first attempt.

There would be many more chances to make that stray cat walk out of this castle on her own.

As his resolve burned stronger, Seres finally spoke from behind her desk.

“Linburton.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

After a long silence, Seres murmured, almost to herself,

“…I’m beginning to wonder if this is right.”

Seres von Eisenhart.

The ruler of the duchy and the undefeated general of a hundred battles.

It had been only a few hours since she began this so-called operation to drive Melissa away, yet she already felt more exhausted than after any war she had ever fought.

It was not a matter of physical fatigue but of spirit.

She would have preferred to face a massive monster or an army of bandits rather than this.

Doing this to a small girl like that felt…

Felt deeply wrong somehow.

Linburton froze at the sight of her troubled expression.

To think that his liege could look so pained, and that he had failed to notice, he felt unworthy of being her servant.

He immediately dropped to one knee.

“From now on, I will handle everything myself. Please, Your Grace, do not trouble yourself further!”

“No.”

Pressing a hand to her throbbing temple, Seres answered firmly.

“That’s not what I meant.”

A faint, bitter smile touched her lips.

How pitiful that her worsening health had made her so weak-minded that she would say such things.

She sighed softly and shook her head.

“Forget what I said, Linburton. I wasn’t trying to lay the burden on you.”

“But, Your Grace—”

He tried to protest, but Seres raised a hand, silencing him.

After a moment, he lowered his head again, fists clenched tightly.

Watching him, Seres’s lips curved into a weary smile.

How strange, to find herself speaking her thoughts aloud like this.

She clicked her tongue quietly and said,

“Do not worry.”

A faint smile touched her face.

“There will be no mistakes next time.”

Yes. There would be none.

Next time, she would make sure that girl left this place of her own will.

Seres rubbed her aching forehead again and turned to the stack of papers on her desk.

Even in pain, she forced her focus back to her duties.

Linburton watched her in silent awe, his hands still clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

‘Your Grace…’

He bit his lip, then finally raised his gaze.

Her orders were absolute.

But his duty was also to ensure her peace of mind.

For that, he would endure any pain.

Even if it meant disobeying her command.