IMGD 10

Chapter : 10

Several hours before Raindart arrived, an awkward silence filled the room.

Why did she suddenly ask to see me? I thought she didn’t like me…

As I quietly sipped my tea, carefully watching her expression, it was the Grand Duchess Dowager who finally broke the silence.

“You’ve been handling the Grand Duchess’s duties quite well.”

“Huh?”

“Regardless of everything else, I’ve seen enough to know that you’re highly capable. You also have quite the talent for winning people’s hearts.”

“Oh, no! The servants are the ones who have been doing all the hard work.”

“Even so, I still do not believe you are Lylit.”

“There are valid reasons for thinking so.”

Hearing those words, I let out a sigh of relief.

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“…A relief?”

She looked at me as though she couldn’t understand my reaction.

Smiling brightly, I explained,

“I’m going to leave eventually anyway. It made me feel guilty, like I was only going to hurt everyone by making them believe I was someone I’m not. I’m glad that at least you don’t think I’m Lylit.”

“……”

…Did I say something wrong?

Her expression suddenly darkened.

After a long sigh, she spoke again.

“I, too, wish for Lylit to return, just as everyone else does.”

“But too much time has already passed for us to wait only for her.”

“We don’t even know if—or when—she’ll ever come back.”

“I see…”

“So…”

“I intend to make you the Grand Duchess.”

“…Ah, I se—”

“…Wait, what?”

For a moment, I wondered if I’d misheard her.

“You’re… making me the Grand Duchess?”

“Yes.”

“Which is precisely why this Winter Flower Harvest will become a crucial turning point.”

This conversation is going in a very strange direction.

“Grandmother… I appreciate your offer, but I only planned to stay in the North until the magician appears. Besides, Lady Lylit already exists. How could I possibly take her place?”

“The servants already believe you’re Lylit.”

“That’s true, but… the nobles would definitely oppose it.”

“If you perform well during this Winter Flower Harvest, even the nobles’ opposition will lessen.”

That’s not the problem!

But then her next words finally made me understand why she had reached this decision.

“Until now, we’ve somehow managed to endure her absence.”

“But as time passes, that empty place will only become more obvious.”

“Just one year.”

“Give Raindart and me at least one year to prepare someone capable of taking over the Grand Duchess’s responsibilities.”

“Uh…”

“After one year, I won’t ask you to stay any longer.”

“And you’ll be compensated generously.”

Wait…

Isn’t this becoming a double contract?

Things had suddenly become complicated.

According to the agreement I’d made with Raindart, I was supposed to leave once the magician appeared.

Now the contracts overlap.

There was no way I could tell his grandmother about my agreement with him.

“It’s not an easy decision.”

“I’ll give you one week to think it over.”

But…

The truth was, I had only one possible answer.

I had no proper reason to refuse her request.

After wrestling with the unavoidable situation for a while, I finally decided there was no point avoiding it.

If I had to do it eventually, I might as well accept.

Looking at her, I answered,

“I’ll do as you ask, Grandmother.”

“What?”

“I’ll stay here for one year.”

She looked genuinely surprised.

“But you don’t have to pay me.”

“I don’t have to compensate you?”

If I told her I’d already been promised one billion Kent…

She’d probably have my head.

So I put on the most innocent expression I could manage.

“I’m doing this because I want to help.”

“I don’t want money.”

“And besides, I’ll already be receiving all the treatment that comes with serving as the Grand Duchess.”

“……”

The old lady chuckled quietly.

“I think I finally understand why Raindart believes you’re Lylit.”

“Huh?”

“The way you make the people around you happy…”

“It reminds me of that child.”

She took another sip of tea before continuing.

“Would you stay with me a little longer?”

“I’d like to talk with you some more.”

***

“So… you’re really staying here for a year?”

“Well… things just sort of ended up that way.”

“Haha…”

It’s not like I had much of a choice!

“I couldn’t exactly tell your grandmother about our contract!”

“If I did, whatever trust she has in me would disappear.”

“…Only one year.”

“Hm?”

“What did you say?”

“…Nothing.”

“Let’s get ready.”

“The Winter Flower Harvest departure ceremony will begin shortly.”

What was that?

He looked strangely unhappy.

“Your Grace! Everything is ready!”

“Very well.”

At the knight’s report, Raindart gently extended his hand toward me.

“Come.”

I quietly placed my hand in his.

The moment we stepped outside…

Rows of knights stood before us with unwavering expressions.

Raindart raised his voice.

“From this moment, we begin our Winter Flower Harvest expedition!”

“For the people of the North—”

“Eliminate every last one of those creatures!”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

He turned toward me.

“You should say a few words as well.”

“Me?”

“It’s tradition.”

“The Grand Duchess always addresses the knights before departure.”

What am I supposed to say?

“Well…”

“The Winter Flower Harvest is important…”

“But more importantly, please stay safe.”

“Don’t get hurt.”

“Your safety comes first!”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

Their thunderous response startled me.

Why am I even standing here?

Just a few weeks ago…

I had been nothing more than a maid.

“Come, Yurania.”

And now…

I stood beside the Grand Duke of the North—the novel’s second male lead—

As his temporary Grand Duchess.

After the ceremony, we headed toward the training grounds.

“…Will you really leave after one year?”

His voice sounded unusually lonely.

“Huh?”

“Forget it.”

“It was a meaningless question.”

Before I could answer, we’d already reached the training grounds.

“Is everyone prepared?”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

“Then we depart.”

Standing before everyone was the true ruler of the North.

The man who inspired absolute confidence.

The vulnerable side he’d once shown because of one woman had completely vanished.

Even so…

I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.

He was obviously trying his hardest to hide how fragile he truly was.

But…

There was nothing I could do for him.

Because I’m not Lylit.

If only…

The real Lylit were standing here instead of me.

“Yurania.”

Raindart called my name.

“What were you thinking about?”

“I called you several times.”

“Oh… it’s nothing.”

“I was just distracted.”

I hurried over to his side.

“So… why did you call me?”

“Because it’s time to ride.”

The moment he mentioned horses…

I immediately became nervous.

Even in my previous life…

And in this world…

I’d only ridden a horse a handful of times.

Asking for a carriage instead would’ve been embarrassing.

Besides…

My pride wouldn’t allow it.

So all I’d done was secretly practice riding at night with one of the maids a few days ago.

As I anxiously waited for my horse…

Raindart looked puzzled.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“I’m waiting for my horse.”

“…Why?”

He naturally pointed toward his own horse.

“You’ll be riding with me.”

“Get on.”

***

“We’ll take a short rest here!”

At one knight’s announcement, everyone dismounted to rest.

I tried climbing down after them.

But…

My foot couldn’t reach the stirrup.

What?!

Why can’t I get down?!

Even people much shorter than me managed just fine!

As I struggled…

Raindart suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist and lifted me down with ease.

“…If you’re that frightened, of course you won’t be able to get down.”

For a moment, I froze.

Then I noticed everyone watching.

“Duke!”

“I’m fine now.”

“You can put me down!”

Ignoring my protests…

He simply carried me over and gently set me in a chair.

…I shouldn’t have ridden with him.

Sharing a horse hadn’t actually been uncomfortable.

But…

There was something else that kept distracting me.

His body pressed firmly against my back.

Even through our clothes…

I could clearly feel the hard muscles beneath them.

It almost felt like…

Our bare skin was touching.

“C-Crazy… No!”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Is something wrong?”

Seeing Raindart’s worried expression, my brain desperately searched for an excuse.

“Uh…”

“I was imagining riding a horse by myself…”

“And it didn’t go very well.”

“Haha…”

“I see.”

“I heard you’ve been practicing every night.”

“You worked hard.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Y-Yeah…”

Right.

This was just human instinct.

A completely natural reaction to the opposite sex.

It definitely didn’t mean I had a dirty mind.

Rustle.

Something moved inside the bushes.

“Hm?”

“What was that?”

Without realizing it…

I found myself walking toward the sound.

Pushing aside the grass…

I discovered a blue mushroom with a flower blooming from its cap.

It looked…

Surprisingly adorable.

“Pyu?”

Wait.

Why does a mushroom have eyes?

“Duke, there’s a strange mushroom over he—”

“Yurania!”

“Get away from it!”

“Huh?”

Cold air rapidly spread from around the mushroom.

The freezing aura was so intense it felt as though everything would turn to ice.

I tried to run.

But my shoes…

And the ground beneath them…

Had already frozen solid.

The mushroom swelled larger and larger.

It looked ready to explode at any second.

Ah…

So that’s it.

A monster from the Winter Flower Harvest.

Am I going to die…?

Just then—

Raindart threw himself around me without hesitation.

“Duke?!”

“What are you doing?!”

“Let go!”

At this rate…

He would freeze to death instead.

“You’ll die!”

“I don’t care.”

“What do you mean you don’t care?!”

“Let go!”

I pushed against him with all my strength.

But his arms never loosened.

“Never again…”

“I won’t lose you.”

There wasn’t a trace of regret or hesitation in his expression.

He truly believed his own life meant nothing if it could save mine.

Watching him…

My heart ached unbearably.

As though…

I genuinely loved him.

Blue light began swirling around the mushroom.

BOOM!

A tremendous explosion followed.

“Ugh…”

The shockwave left me dazed.

“Duke!”

I quickly got up and checked his body.

But…

“Are you alright?”

Raindart was completely unharmed.

He was still holding me safely in his arms.

Only then did I notice the magical barrier surrounding us.

“Ah…”

A sharp tingling sensation spread across the back of my hand.

Looking down…

I saw an emerald-colored mark glowing there.

“Duke…”

“What is this?”

The instant I showed him the mark…

Raindart’s expression froze.

***

Meanwhile…

Far away, atop the branches of a towering tree…

A man wearing a hooded robe quietly watched Yurania.

“Hm…”

“It’s still too soon.”

He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction while lazily chewing a piece of gum.

A moment later, he dismissed the long-range telescope spell with a smile.

“Well…”

“I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

Watching them with obvious amusement, he murmured,

“Watch carefully, Raindart.”

“Even I don’t know anymore.”

“This time…”

“Will I save that girl again…”

“Or will I let her die?”