After the Baron Locke siblings were removed, peace came to Hadellus Castle.

What’s a little disappointing is that the Grand Duke condoned Baron Locke’s mistake.

‘The bill is still under review, this is it.’

If an abuse case occurred while the case was being reviewed, it would be difficult to hide it on purpose. So the Grand Duke is still leaving the Baron alone.

But he won’t just stand still.

Wouldn’t the Grand Duke have warned the Baron that he would crush him on the day he visited the Baron and made fun of him?

It was clear from the silence of Baron Locke’s personality so far.

Apparently, it is said that Lady Locke didn’t take a single step out of her room. She must have been very shocked that the Grand Duke had abandoned her.

After all, she has been dating the capricious Grand Duke for three years. She was also his lover before he got married.

‘So you didn’t know that you would be thrown away so easily because of me.’

Well, anyway, after the Locke siblings were removed, Akid’s future became a little brighter.

The Grand Duke seemed to be sorry, so he secretly took care of Akid after that.

What did he say this morning?

I remembered a conversation we had at breakfast with the four of us after a long time.

The Grand Duke said indifferently during the meal.

[Next time, if someone is rude to you, don’t stay still.]

I glanced at the Grand Duke who spoke without hesitation even in front of the Grand Duchess. The Grand Duchess’ complexion was carefree, no different from him.

‘As expected, it seems that the two of them have reached an agreement yesterday.’

Like in the original story, even if the Grand Duchess didn’t receive any deposit, he must have made some kind of deal.

Akid blinked his eyes in response to the Grand Duke’s unexpected remark and responded firmly.

[Didn’t you tell me to live like a dead rat at that time?]

The Grand Duke wiggled his eyebrows at the remarks that subtly blamed himself.

[That doesn’t mean you have to stay still.]

He added as it was still not enough.

[I’d rather you hit him. It’s much easier to deal when you hitting someone than you getting hit.]

[…I will keep that in mind.]

‘You’re teaching him something very good. What the hell are you telling my innocent Akid to?’

As I recalled the Grand Duke’s ridiculous advice again, I was speechless.

Of course, I don’t like him being hit, but him hitting someone because he doesn’t like it is just too much of an asshole.

Akid was very similar to the Grand Duke in appearance, but his personality was different.

The Grand Duke is a free-spirited man and very narcissistic.

On the other hand, Akid had a bad habit of interpreting anything negatively because he grew up reading the situation and behaving from a young age.

‘It’s okay. As long as I am here, Akid’s childhood will not be miserable.’

A smile spread across my lips when I thought of Akid for no reason.

Then Hannah came into the bedroom with a basket of flowers.

“What are the flowers for?”

“Ah, it’s soon the day of the flower festival, so I brought it to change the mood.”

“Flower festival? In this weather?”

I blinked my eyes as I pointed to the cold wind blowing outside.

Although the cold season had passed, it was still early spring.

Even though the flowers were sparsely sticking out their heads, the weather was unreasonable to hold a flower festival.

Seeing my stupid expression, Vivian smiled softly and said. “You haven’t been in Delus for a day or two, what’s wrong with you?”

“Hmm?”

“It’s a flower festival only in mouth, but it’s actually a day to sow seeds.”

“Sowing seeds?”

“Hey, is our Young Madam sleepy today? Why do you keep pretending not to know?”

When Vivian asked with her eyes wide open, I squinted and turned my eyes. Then Shuli explained.

“Yes. Since the land of Delus itself is so difficult to flower, there are even events where we voluntarily sow seeds.”

Hannah also trimmed the flowers and put them in a vase.

“When you first came to Delus, you ran away because it was a cumbersome event, so you don’t remember?”

“Ah, right. It was last year. Hmmm, then you won’t know.”

Vivian stuck out her tongue as if she had just remembered it. Shuli, who was beside her, sympathized.

“Actually, it must have been even more hectic at the time since you had just gotten married.”

“Yes. I guess so.” I evaded this crisis by putting my words on a situation that the maids took care of and understood.

Hannah looked at me and said seriously.

“You can’t run away like last time. You might be harshly scolded by the Grand Duchess again.”

“O-Of course! I’ll make sure I listen to her now and do well as a wife.”

“Oh my, really? You don’t mean to embarrass the Grand Prince on a whim again, are you?”

I shouted out in annoyance at Vivian’s provocation.

“No, it’s not! How much I like Akid!”

“Oh my gosh, our Miss. Now it seems that you are going to acknowledge the Prince!”

As Hannah was listening, she spoke brightly, as if it was good news to hear.

“Are you pretending to be interested and not grumbling all this time? Oh my gosh.”

When I couldn’t say anything, Vivian shrugged her shoulders and continued.

“Tsk, tsk. How careless. If it had been someone other than the Grand Prince, would he have run away right away? These days, if you act like that, he’ll have more desire to go away.”

“Sheesh, Vivian you…”

I trembled when I heard that Akid would have run away.

I got even more annoyed because I remembered that I was trying to run away last time, saying that I would divorce him.

Then Shuli lightly patted my back and spoke softly.

“Fufufu. How cute. Ignore Vivian. Because she’s jealous of Sir Akid.”

“Shuli, what do you mean?”

Vivian jumped and shed her eyes, yet she didn’t make any excuse that it wasn’t like that.

I ignored them and fell into deep agony.

Anyway, it’s a big deal because there’s a lot of shits here and there.

Even the children I brought from April Castle believe and act like this, but Akid will believe in my change.

‘It will take quite some time to convince the people of the Grand Duke.’

Feeling a bit tired, I shook my head.

After a while, I brought the flower festival back to the topic.

“So what should I do that day?”

***

Akid was sitting on the terrace reading a book.

After the disappearance of Baron Locke, his life returned to normal. He no longer had to go through the night to study and prepare, and the new tutor was pretty good.

Besides, the Grand Duke had even given him a swordsmanship teacher.

‘Did he really mean to tell me to hit someone?’

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard the clear laughter of a girl from beyond the terrace.

It was the sound he heard from Loena’s bedroom, which was right next door. Akid immediately recognized that the laughter was Loena’s laughter.

“She seems to be talking to the maids.”

It was the sound of a particularly clear laugh, which kept him paying attention.

Akid got up from his book and walked closer to Loena’s bedroom terrace.

He was desperate, something he wouldn’t normally do. Even in the bedroom with the lobby in between, they could see each other through the adjacent terrace.

Of course, it was a bit far-fetched.

Perhaps the window was left open, so the whispering voices subtly crossed over to Akid’s terrace.

It wasn’t clear what exactly they were talking about. He could only guess that they were having a pleasant conversation.

‘Aren’t those the maids who came together from April Castle?’

Akid roughly guessed anything other than Loena’s voice. It was Loena, who had been very close with the three of them since she came to the castle.

Although she didn’t open her heart to other servants, they were the one whom she relied on.

Akid decided to go back again, not wanting to eavesdrop on her private life.

Just then, Loena’s strong voice was heard.

“How much I like Akid!”

“…!”

Akid held his breath at the sudden confession. She shouted so loudly that it was heard so clearly.

Akid choked and let out a cough.

“Cough! Cough!”

Akid leaned against the wall, barely holding back his cough. He was so startled that his heart was pounding. He covered her mouth tightly in case she could hear him and took his breath.

‘Did I just hear that wrong?’

Akid was confused. It was definitely Loena’s voice.

However, the content was too unexpected to be called her remarks.

It was something she would never have said if she was the girl he knew.

[I really really hate you! Don’t even come close to me!]

Every time she opened her mouth, she was the wife who said she didn’t like him. Not only with her words, but with her actions, she also showed her dislike for him.

It was like that.

[Come on, Honey.]

When Akid recalled the nickname Loena had uttered implicitly, his face heated up.

It was such a shocking remark that it took him a long time to recognize it because it came out so naturally.

But after that, he felt a little sad when she called him ‘Akid’ again.

‘Is she upset? But why?’

Akid was confused as he messed up his thoughts.

It just made him even more embarrassed because Loena kept showing new sides.

Moreover, it was strange that she suddenly said she liked him now. Is she trying to lie again?

“Haa…”

Akid sighed deeply. He tried to understand her, but he didn’t quite understand.

She didn’t see his parents because she abused him like she used to.

The problem is that, on the other hand, she treated him so kindly.

‘What is Wife thinking?’

Naturally, Akid’s head was filled with Loena. Then he suddenly remembered what she had said.

[It is true that I hated Akid, but it wasn’t that I hated you with my whole life.]

At that time, Loena seemed to change the subject.

Her voice was all quivering, especially when she said ‘I hated Akid’.

Like a person who tells a lie she didn’t want to. As a quick-witted Akid, her change was just strange

Akid stood there for a long moment, leaning against the wall on his side of the terrace for a long time.

After a while, he tumbled back to the table and sat down on a chair.

But he never again thought he would open the book. Just fiddling with its cover and biting his lower lip.

After a while, Akid mumbled a little.

“When she said she hated me…”

Akid lowered his head, his face reddened.

He didn’t know how many times he had heard someone say ‘like’. Embarrassed, he patted the back of his head for a bit and let out a deep sigh.

He felt pathetic that his heart melted at just that single word.

How long had he been doing that, when his heart calmed down.

Knock, knock.

“Akid. It’s me, Loena.”

Loena knocked on Akid’s bedroom door.

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