Chapter 29: I’m the Grand Duchess?
If he recognized me, the entire plan could fall apart.
He might misunderstand why the Grand Duchess is acting suspiciously out here in the borderlands.
“You… You’re the blacksmith’s daughter, right?”
I instinctively nodded. The soldier snapped his fingers and let out a hearty laugh.
“That blacksmith always said he’d never let us see his daughter. Now I know why—this makes sense. She’s way prettier than I imagined. No wonder he was so protective!”
Fortunately, it was my looks that surprised him. I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
“But soldier, your leg seems to be bothering you. Are you alright?”
“Such a kind heart. When did you even notice how I walk?”
“Is it badly injured?”
The soldier sat on a rough wooden box and rolled up his pants. A deep gash ran along his shin, with fresh blood oozing out.
“Damn orc claws are sharp. But hey, for a real man like me, this little scratch will heal up with just a bit of spit.”
But the wound looked too deep for that.
“You don’t have any medicine?”
“Medicine’s for weaklings like your kind. We Kurcians don’t need that.”
He puffed up proudly.
But what he didn’t know…
That kind of mindset is exactly why Kurcia falls.
Kurcia has many temples.
Its history is interwoven with the divine, earning it the name “land of the gods.”
So, people heavily rely on the divine powers of saints and priests.
When they’re sick, they simply visit a nearby temple to be healed.
That deep reliance hindered the development of medicine. For them, there was no need for medical advancement.
But what if divine power disappears?
There would be nothing left to heal them.
If there’s no temple nearby, they’ll have to endure illness on their own.
“I’ll apply some medicine for you.”
I decided to start selling herbs to these people. If I have to pay millions to extract the territory’s people from Kurcia, that money should come from their own pockets.
“I told you I’m fine.”
“Tsk. You’re clearly in pain. With a wound like that, you won’t be able to bathe or walk properly for days. And didn’t you say orc blood is poisonous? If that gets into your wound, your leg might rot.”
The soldier finally fell silent.
I opened my basket and pulled out herbs with healing and detoxifying properties.
“You think you can treat this with some weeds?”
The soldier snorted at the sight.
“They’re not weeds, they’re medicinal herbs.”
“If I go to a temple, they’d heal this in seconds.”
“Then why don’t you go?”
“…Hmph.”
I carefully applied the herbs to the long cut, then wrapped it with a clean cloth. I handed him a pain-relief potion I had prepared in advance.
“Drink it all.”
The soldier eyed the brown liquid with deep suspicion.
“Is it poison?”
“Why would I heal you only to poison you?”
“…This color looks suspicious.”
To ease his doubt, I opened the bottle for him myself.
“Just think of it as something good for your body and drink it down.”
Eventually, he gulped it and started coughing violently.
“What kind of water is this bitter?!”
“It’s a potion. Medicine is supposed to taste bad.”
“You Requians are insane. You drink this stuff thinking it’ll help?”
Like a child tasting medicine for the first time, the soldier dramatically stumbled around the barracks.
Watching him tell the others with wide gestures, I figured the potion had taken effect.
“You don’t seem to be in pain anymore. You’re walking just fine.”
“I’m not in pain… huh?”
The soldier finally realized and moved his leg around. Shock spread across his face when he noticed the pain was completely gone.
“Did you infuse this with divine power?”
“In Requies, divine power is so rare that even royalty can barely receive it.”
“You’re telling me that just some plants and dirty water stopped the pain?”
He looked at me full of doubt.
“All I did was apply the herbs.”
“But the wound hasn’t even closed yet…”
Blood still seeped slightly through the cloth.
“It’ll take at least a week to fully heal. I’ll give you herbs, so apply them daily with clean cloth.”
“Only a week?”
“Yes. And if you keep taking the potion, it’ll heal faster.”
After calling it muddy water earlier, the soldier now carefully tucked the bottle deep into his coat.
To them, medicine was practically a new world.
Kurcia had temples, but pharmacies were rare.
In the near future, the temples will fall.
The divine power that flowed from the Pater spring would be cut off.
Once that power disappeared, healing through divine means would become impossible. A plague would spread throughout the empire—excluding the Opil Kingdom—killing a third of the population.
Those who witnessed mass death would begin to invade neighboring countries in desperation, plundering them for medicine.
There’s even an episode where Violet saves Serdis from one such raid, bringing them closer.
“I’ll come again tomorrow.”
There was no way I’d let this opportunity go to waste, not even for Violet and Serdis’ romance.
If anything, I’d milk it for all it’s worth.
When I got home, I ran into Lily. I felt awkward facing her, but avoiding her wouldn’t solve anything.
“It’s cold. Let’s talk inside.”
I quickly headed in and caught her giving me a side-eye as I passed.
Clearly, Lily had taken a serious dislike to me.
Inside the drawing room, I handed her a warm cup of tea.
She sat with arms crossed, staring out the window.
“Are you still upset?”
I asked gently.
I only tried to discipline her a bit because I wanted to get along during my stay. There’s no point in being enemies with someone who’s family to Hertian.
“Who’s upset?!”
She shouted, whipping her head toward me.
“Are you mad I didn’t take your side?”
“No?! What kind of person do you think I am?”
She casually spoke informally, scratching at my nerves. But I was a kind sister-in-law. I could let it slide.
“I heard that woman was a territory resident the Duke specially recovered from Kurcia. Shouldn’t we, as fellow Blandecheans, treat her better?”
She slammed her teacup down hard enough to almost shatter it.
“Fellow territory resident? That woman knowingly lived with and had a child with the enemy. She’s a traitor.”
“She was practically dragged off as a slave. Starving and exhausted—any place that offered her shelter would’ve seemed like salvation.”
“I’d rather die than cling to people like that.”
With that cold remark, she stood, clearly done talking.
“And Sister-in-law, don’t bother with me. You and Hertian aren’t even a real couple anyway.”
“Why do you still think that?”
Even after our wedding night, she was convinced it was all fake.
“Hertian has someone else he loves—”
Just then, the butler knocked and entered.
“Milady. The merchants have all arrived.”
Lily muttered something under her breath and left without a word.
I hadn’t caught what she said.
With a stunned look, I turned to the butler and sighed.
“Sigh. Teenage girls are exhausting.”
My heavy heart lifted at the sight of the herb-filled wagons.
“Milady!”
At Bonisa’s call, all the merchants turned their heads.
“Miss Annette?”
“It’s been a while. I’m no longer a noble lady, as you can see.”
“I was so busy with the family business, I didn’t hear… Your Grace, the Grand Duchess!”
The merchants bowed respectfully.
I had summoned representatives from three families—people we’d often dealt with because of my sickly younger siblings.
“Thank you for buying so many herbs we couldn’t get rid of.”
“I should be thanking you for offering them at such a great price.”
I bought up most of the herbs they had, but that didn’t mean the capital ran dry. Requies has plenty of herb farms.
“I heard the north is cultivating herbs separately. Is there a particular reason?”
“Those are for the territory residents. These are for… something else.”
“May I ask what for?”
“It’s a secret.”
They didn’t need to know I was selling them to Kurcians.
Even if it’s business, people frown on trading with enemy nations.
“Anyway, you dried these herbs well. Great quality.”
I proudly smiled, touching the piles of herbs stacked in three wagons.
Now these herbs will turn into gold.
At that moment, Hertian came down to the lobby, perhaps having heard the news.
“Dear… what is all this?”
His eyes widened at the mountain of herbs.
“That’s houttuynia, long pepper, and sage.”
They were common, but widely used herbs.
They reduced inflammation, healed wounds, and relieved pain.
Very ordinary in Requies.
I whispered only for him to hear.
“I’m starting a business with them.”
He tilted his head, confused. Herbs weren’t known to be lucrative unless you scammed someone like Baron Melson.
“Why are you suddenly starting a business?”
Hertian led me into his office. It was warm now, unlike before. I eagerly explained everything to him.
“According to the budget, a huge sum is sent to Kurcia every year. If we want to rescue all the territory’s people, we’ll need at least seven billion. But draining the estate’s funds like that is risky. And it breaks my heart that our people are still stuck abroad waiting to return.”
“So you’re starting this business to earn that money?”
“Yes!”
I smiled brightly, thinking he’d be impressed.
“This is not something you need to worry about.”
“…What?”
But instead, his expression darkened.
“You don’t have to bear this burden. It’s my responsibility as the Grand Duke.”
“But I’m the Grand Duchess.”
“It’s just a contract. You shouldn’t overwork yourself. I’ll have dessert sent to your room—please rest.”
I knew he was worried. But hearing “just a contract” still hurt.
I forced a smile and tried to persuade him.
“It’s really nothing. I won’t be doing any heavy lifting. Just approving some paperwork.”
“Your concern is appreciated. But I’ll handle this. I don’t want this matter to trouble you.”
“I want to do it.”
“Please don’t worry. Just take it easy.”
For the first time, Hertian and I clashed.
I understood—he was worried since I’d collapsed once already.
And to him, the Grand Duchess was just a façade. He didn’t need a woman to run the household.
It would seem strange for me to involve myself in the estate’s affairs.
I couldn’t bring myself to say the real reason—how cold and drafty the Grand Duke’s castle was.
“I’ll handle this myself.”
