TGDWDS 35

Chapter 35 

Eventually, after he left, Anais remained outside the greenhouse.

Only then did a sigh escape her lips.

“Phew.”

Her scattered thoughts finally began to settle.

Just then, her maid Anne approached from behind.

“Madam. Now that you’ve finished looking around the greenhouse, would you like to take a look around Violet Hall?”

“Sure. I feel like walking a little.”

Hayangi, who had woken up from its nap, began walking alongside Anais this time.

After a while, Hayangi started competing with Sarah to see who could walk faster.

Whenever Hayangi hurried along, it almost sounded as though tiny pyok-pyok noises were coming from its feet.

“Look at this. I’m faster. Come on, Hayangi, hurry up! Oh! Oh! You’re catching up!”

“Ppyak!”

Hayangi trotted along on its short little legs.

Every now and then, however, it turned around to make sure Anais was still there.

Anais maintained a certain distance behind it, silently letting Hayangi know that she was right there.

Then she asked Anne, who was following behind them.

“By the way, is the Grand Duke ill? The chief physician came looking for him, too.”

“Ah. It’s probably because His Grace hasn’t received even a basic medical examination since returning to the Grand Duke’s residence.”

Apparently, the Grand Duke was so busy that he didn’t even have time for a medical checkup.

As they continued talking, a large grayish-white building began to appear beyond the bushes.

“I’m here! I won!”

“Ppyak! Ppyak!”

“That is Violet Hall.”

Sarah and Hayangi decided to play in the garden in front of the hall.

Anais entered the hall with Anne.

“This is used to receive guests of the Grand Duke’s residence and to hold banquets.”

The inside of the hall was decorated with jewels in various shades of purple and elaborate chandeliers, befitting the name Violet.

The overall color scheme was similar to that of the greenhouse.

Perhaps the Grand Duke liked this particular color.

While Anais looked around, Anne spoke.

“From now on, Madam, you may use this place however you wish.”

“……”

Anne was talking about Anais’s responsibilities as the Grand Duchess.

Managing the hall and residence and overseeing the household accounts were duties normally expected of a noblewoman.

Anais realized that this was what the Grand Duke intended and said,

“If there are other things I’ll be responsible for besides banquets, please let me know.”

While staying at the Grand Duke’s residence, she needed to do whatever she could to be useful.

She had to avoid her death.

And to accomplish that, she thought it was better to be honest.

“To be honest, I’ve never managed such a large residence before, so I won’t be able to take charge of everything from the beginning. But I’ll learn. So please tell me what I should do.”

Anne lowered her head and answered neatly.

“There is no specific duty that Madam is required to perform. However, His Grace ordered us to assist you in doing whatever you wish to do.”

At that moment, Anais remembered what the Grand Duke had said at the campsite.

“…You can do whatever you want, Anais. From now on, whenever you’re with me, I hope it will always be that way.”

She had deliberately covered those words up and pretended they meant nothing.

But the more she did so, the kinder and warmer the Grand Duke became.

What on earth does he want from me? …What could it be that makes him treat me this well?

Unable to shake her growing suspicions, Anais spoke.

“…I see. Then I suppose I can gradually find things I can help with.”

“Then how about managing the residence?”

Anne continued explaining carefully.

“Before leaving for a monster hunt, we inspect the residence to make sure there’s nothing that needs repairing, that we have enough food, and that our defenses are complete.”

“All right. I’ll try.”

By managing the residence, Anais thought she could learn the layout of the Grand Duke’s estate and become familiar with the servants as well.

Having made a plan for what she would do, Anais left the hall.

In the garden right outside, Sarah and Hayangi were running around together.

“Come on. Let’s go now, Hayangi. Sarah.”

“Ppyak!”

“Yes, Madam!”

They returned to the main building together.

After getting out of the carriage, Anais looked at Hayangi and said,

“You had quite a fun time, didn’t you? You’ve gotten really close to Sarah, too. Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

“Ppyak!”

Hayangi was covered in dirt from rolling around on the ground.

A smile appeared on Anais’s face as she looked at it.

As she headed upstairs toward her bedroom, she repeated the explanation Anne had given her in the carriage.

“The Grand Duke’s residence is divided into four buildings: the East Wing, which houses the library; the West Wing, which contains the banquet hall and greenhouse and where guests stay; the main building, where Madam resides; and the annex, which is used for storage.”

It made Anais realize once again just how enormous the Grand Duke’s residence was.

These were things she could never have known from the small map she had brought from the viscount’s household.

Then she suddenly realized something strange and tilted her head.

“…Come to think of it, I haven’t encountered any of the other servants.”

Aside from the designated servants—Anne, her maid; Sarah, her escort; and Henry, the chief physician—she hadn’t seen anyone else.

It was strange for such a huge residence to have so few people in it.

Anais looked around again, and Anne lowered her head.

“Starting tomorrow, as you manage the residence, you’ll have the opportunity to meet various servants.”

“…Did something happen here that I don’t know about?”

Anais asked casually.

Anne immediately answered.

“Everyone is simply busy preparing because the monster-hunting season is approaching, so they haven’t had a reason to come to the main building. You don’t need to worry.”

Anne quickly finished her explanation.

Sarah merely gave an awkward smile.

Seeing the two of them, Anais felt that something was definitely going on.

But she didn’t press them further.

If they were deliberately hiding something, Anais didn’t particularly want to find out.

She simply nodded and returned to her room.

Diego’s Study

Beneath dark bookshelves stood a large ebony desk.

Stacks of documents waiting to be reviewed were neatly piled across it.

They were matters that needed to be handled before the upcoming monster hunt.

Diego looked up from the papers.

Across from him, a man with reddish-brown hair and glasses was checking documents.

A trustworthy person.

That was how Diego defined him.

He spoke.

“After this marriage, there will definitely be rats sneaking into the Grand Duke’s residence to gather information. What did you find out?”

The moment Diego finished speaking, the man raised his head.

It was his aide, Alec Hugo.

He answered,

“The count’s family has been quiet, while the Crown Prince and the viscount’s family seem to be preoccupied with investing in a new business.”

“Throwing money into a sinking ship without even realizing it. How promising.”

“When should we make it blow up?”

At Alec’s calm question, Diego answered with a crooked smile.

“It would be appropriate once the Empress’s influence gets the Emperor himself to take an interest in that damned business.”

“Yes. I’ll make the arrangements.”

The outcome was already obvious.

Diego twisted his lips and muttered,

“Pouring all the money they gained from the marriage into that business. Serves them right.”

One of his eyebrows rose at an angle.

“What about the High Priest?”

“Ah. I was actually about to report that. The High Priest suddenly left his position unofficially, so we’re investigating.”

It was an unexpected development.

Diego’s brows drew together seriously.

“Make sure to find out whether the High Priest is trying to contact Anais. She’ll probably be considered the easiest person in the Grand Duke’s residence to approach.”

“Yes. I’ll keep watch.”

“If there are any signs that Anais is being threatened or intimidated, inform me immediately.”

Alec hesitated for a moment before lowering his head.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

On the journey to the Grand Duchy, from the way Diego had cared for Anais to everything that had happened since then, Alec carefully pondered what the Grand Duchess truly meant to him.

Meanwhile, just as Diego began reviewing the documents again, there was a knock on the study door.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and a gray-haired butler named Alfredo entered with his head bowed.

He was carrying a tray.

“Medicine sent by the chief physician. It’s what you usually take after a mana overload.”

“Put it there.”

The medicine was placed on the table Diego indicated with a nod.

Immediately afterward, a question came.

“How is Anais?”

“She has gone up to her room.”

“And have you checked all the servants?”

Diego’s voice was sharp.

Alfredo lowered his head and answered clearly.

“Yes. I checked once again, but none of the servants possessed poison or any medicine capable of causing a fatal injury.”

“For now, keep a close watch on anyone who approaches Anais.”

At that moment, Butler Alfredo’s eyes sharpened.

He finally realized the reason the Grand Duke had suddenly changed so drastically over the past few months.

Replacing all the servants.

Strengthening security throughout the Grand Duke’s residence.

Even renovating unused buildings such as the greenhouse and hall.

Those incomprehensible actions had all been for the safety and convenience of the Grand Duchess.

Just as they were now.

Alfredo opened his mouth to deliver the rest of his report.

“Madam said that starting tomorrow, she would like to help manage the residence.”

“Really? When is she starting, and where will she begin?”

The moment Alfredo finished speaking, questions poured from Diego one after another.