TGDWDS 33

Chapter 33

The Grand Duke opened the carriage door and picked up Anais’s luggage for her as he spoke.

“I’ll make arrangements for Hayangi to stay in your bedroom for the time being.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s go.”

There was something cold about the Grand Duke’s tone. Strangely, his face looked pale and devoid of color.

The Grand Duke was different from usual. He had always matched his pace to Anais’s, but now he was walking so quickly that she had to hurry to keep up with him.

Thud. Thud.

The cold sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the Grand Duke’s residence.

Quietly following him, Anais thought once again.

…He looks sharp. Is he on edge? He looks like he could explode if I touched a nerve…

Just then, the Grand Duke’s footsteps abruptly stopped.

Anais had already arrived in front of her room.

Beneath the sparsely placed lamps, a thick carpet covered the hallway. The door in the middle of it looked extremely sturdy.

The Grand Duke flung the door open. Then he casually placed her luggage on the table and said,

“Then get some rest.”

Seeing him turn around abruptly, Anais asked,

“Are you going to work?”

“Yes. I rarely come to the bedroom, so feel free to use it comfortably.”

Before Anais could say anything else, the Grand Duke left the room.

Bang.

The door closed heavily with a rather dull sound. Not even the sound of the Grand Duke’s footsteps could be heard inside the quiet bedroom.

Left alone, Anais looked down at Hayangi, who was asleep in her arms, and whispered,

“…Now that you’ve brought me all the way to the Grand Duchy, are you finally showing your true colors? This feeling that I’m trapped in this room is just my imagination, right?”

Several days had passed since Anais arrived at the Grand Duchy.

Anais had not seen the Grand Duke since the first night. After slamming the door and leaving, he had not returned to the bedroom, just as he had said.

She had never run into him during meals, in the daytime, or even in the evening. If there was one fortunate thing, it was that she wasn’t actually confined to her room.

“…Hayangi. At this point, he’s just avoiding me, right? Don’t you think so?”

“Ppyak?”

Hayangi tilted its head along with Anais.

A smile escaped Anais’s lips at the adorable sight.

“The more I look at you, the cuter you get. Well, I suppose this is more comfortable. It’s better than pretending to be kind while hiding his intentions.”

He had probably needed a political marriage and had tried to win her over for that reason.

The reason behind the Grand Duke’s inexplicable kindness had finally become clear.

Thanks to that, Anais’s heart had become remarkably calm.

“We just need to be careful until we leave this place. Nothing must happen. Understand, Hayangi?”

“Ppyak?”

Hayangi tilted its head again.

Anais smiled softly and stroked Hayangi.

The moment her hand touched it, Hayangi purred happily. Anais had assumed that a wyvern resembling a dragon would be violent, but perhaps because it was still a baby, it was surprisingly gentle.

Watching Hayangi, Anais took out the pendant that had belonged to her mother from inside her clothes. She clenched it tightly and murmured,

“I have to survive safely. I absolutely must.”

“Ppyak!”

She had always been alone.

But not anymore.

Anais smiled as she looked at Hayangi, who refused to leave her side.

“Here. Eat well.”

Fresh chicken that Sarah had helped her obtain was placed in front of Hayangi.

“Remember this well. I’m your owner and your mo…ther. All right? I’m the one who gives you delicious food, too, so remember that.”

“Ppyak!”

Hayangi rubbed its face against the back of Anais’s hand.

Then it began eating.

Perhaps because of the imprinting, taming the baby wyvern was not particularly difficult.

Although it had happened completely by accident, it felt as though Anais had gained a new family member.

Anais looked down at Hayangi with a fond expression.

Around lunchtime, Anais’s personal maid, Anne, came to the bedroom and made an unexpected suggestion.

“Madam, if you don’t mind, how about having lunch in the greenhouse of the Grand Duke’s residence today?”

“The greenhouse?”

Anais blinked, wondering if there could really be a garden in this freezing Grand Duchy.

“It’s warm, and above all, the scenery is beautiful, so I thought it might be a good place for you to change your mood.”

Anais’s gaze naturally turned toward Hayangi.

The wyvern was asleep inside a basket that looked like a small nest.

“Can Hayangi go there too?”

“Yes, Madam.”

For some reason, the maid’s eyes sparkled sharply, much like they had when Anais had changed into a dress.

Anais smiled awkwardly.

“Th-that’s a relief. Then I’ll go.”

“Yes. I’ll make the preparations.”

Anne bowed politely and left the room.

Watching her retreating figure, Anais thought,

It definitely feels like they’re keeping an eye on me, but why are they taking such good care of me?

Perhaps because they were acting on the Grand Duke’s orders, all of his servants were equally puzzling.

I need to keep my guard up.

Anais narrowed her eyes, but when she saw Hayangi sleeping peacefully, she smiled.

Then she very carefully prepared Hayangi for the outing.

Meanwhile, after leaving the bedroom, Anne opened her brown eyes wide.

She mentally organized everything she had learned.

She prefers warm fabrics. She seems to like the greenhouse. Most importantly, she cares deeply for the wyvern. Very important.

The carriage carrying Anais arrived at a place filled with lush, green trees.

Anais got out of the carriage while carrying the basket in which Hayangi was sleeping.

Looking around, she murmured,

“Some trees have adapted to this cold weather, too.”

“Surprisingly, they have! Madam, shall I carry Hayangi for you?”

Sarah approached her and spoke brightly.

It was obvious that she wanted to get closer to Hayangi.

“Would you? Thank you.”

Anais handed Hayangi over to her.

Meanwhile, Anne spoke.

“If you follow this path, you’ll reach the greenhouse.”

With her hands now free, Anais walked between the trees.

After a while, a chilly breeze blew through.

Then came the rustling of leaves.

Whoosh…

A chill ran past her ears. Anais raised her head and looked toward the direction the wind was moving.

“…What’s over there?”

There was a fork in the road hidden behind the trees.

“Oh. That path leads to the Violet Hall! I heard they decorated it very beautifully.”

At Sarah’s words, Anais murmured,

“If it’s a hall, then it’s a ballroom.”

“They recently finished renovating it, so you might want to take a look after lunch.”

Anne lowered her head as she explained.

Having satisfied her curiosity, Anais nodded and walked along the opposite path.

A short while later, they came upon a dome-shaped glass greenhouse.

Once inside, Anais exclaimed in surprise,

“It’s really warm.”

“Wow. This is my first time here, too, Madam! I heard they use magic stones to maintain the temperature.”

Whether Sarah’s words were true or not, the deeper Anais went into the greenhouse, the warmer it became.

As though trying to escape the cold, Anais naturally walked farther inside.

When they reached roughly the center of the greenhouse—

“…Huh?”

Anais caught a familiar scent.

“Those flowers… Aren’t they the ones that were in my bedroom?”

“Yes. They’re lilac trees. I heard they’re good for calming the mind and body, so they’re used to decorate the Grand Duke’s residence.”

Anne answered in a calm voice.

Looking around, Anais saw that the center of the greenhouse seemed to be filled entirely with purple lilac trees.

“I’ll leave Hayangi here and wait nearby! Please call me if you need anything, Madam.”

Sarah stepped away, and Anais followed Anne toward a nearby table.

The moment she sat down, Anais’s eyes returned to Hayangi.

Hayangi stirred slightly and wrinkled its nose.

Anais wondered if the flower scent was bothering it and watched carefully, but Hayangi soon fell asleep again.

“It has probably gotten used to the lilac scent after smelling it throughout the Grand Duke’s residence.”

Anne had approached without Anais noticing.

Anais was relieved to hear that.

“Oh, I see. Thank you, Anne.”

Only then did her eyes move toward the scenery inside the greenhouse.

Everything was bathed in purple.

Looking at it, Anais murmured,

“The Grand Duke must like lilac trees.”

“I’m not entirely sure, but these are the only trees he keeps close to him.”

Anais found that surprising.

She had assumed he wouldn’t have any interest in plants such as flowers or trees.

“This greenhouse was also recently expanded. His Grace ordered them to plant lilac trees, so it was arranged this way.”

Apparently, the Grand Duke had a hobby of tending to gardens.

Meanwhile, Anne began taking out the food she had brought and placing it on the table one item at a time.

“I brought a variety of things because you don’t seem to have much of an appetite.”

There was roasted chicken, fresh cheese, warm bread, and even the creamy potato stew with whipped cream that Anais particularly enjoyed.

Anais had expected to have a simple lunch, so she looked down at the food in surprise.

“The chef prepared these specially because you were told to gradually increase the amount of food you eat.”

Those had been the words of the Grand Duke’s personal physician, who came every day to check on Anais’s condition.

“Madam, in order to adapt to the cold of the Grand Duchy, you need to eat more than you do now and become healthier. That way…”

The physician’s unfinished words continued to echo in Anais’s ears.

The care she was receiving for the first time felt strangely unfamiliar.

Anais lifted the corners of her lips despite the slight tremble they had made.

“Thank you, everyone, for taking such good care of me.”

However, Anne lowered her neatly tied brown head and said,

“Not at all, Madam. Everything was arranged by His Grace, the Grand Duke. We merely followed his orders.”

After saying that, Anne stepped back.

Anais was momentarily stunned.

Her violet eyes trembled ever so slightly as she replayed Anne’s words in her mind.