The inside of the carriage was suffocatingly silent.

It was natural, as I had kept my mouth shut the entire time.

Luna looked like she wanted to talk about what happened in the classroom.

However, she couldn’t even utter a word, suppressed by the atmosphere I was emitting.

‘Was my death that shocking to Ruspell?’

I felt no regret over my own death.

I had simply followed the predetermined ending.

Naturally, the memory of my death was neither frightening nor painful.

Rather, I had struggled to hold back a wide grin at the thought of returning to the world I originally lived in.

Since I took my death lightly, I assumed others would be similar.

Even Undine had cried her eyes out when she saw me again, but hadn’t she gotten over it quickly enough?

But perhaps that was because Undine was a spirit.

Spirits generally don’t dwell much on human death.

But to Ruspell, my death was not light.

The weight of the guilt was so heavy that he was willing to throw away his life.

Suddenly, I thought of Leonhart, who had become so desolate.

‘Did Leonhart change because of me too? What about Owen? Is Owen okay?’

“Y-your Grace…”

Instead of Luna, Fiache called me in her cute voice.

‘I’m sorry, Fiache. Unnie isn’t in a good mood today, so I don’t feel like talking…’

“I… I m-made n-new friends.”

What! She already made friends?

How many? Did she get along well with the other children? Were there any bullies?

“R-Ry, Ryan and T-Tan and Za, Zanakiel.”

Luna, glancing at me while adding softly.

“They are all young masters.”

Oh, our Fiache. As expected of a protagonist.

One girl and three boys. A very familiar composition.

I had noticed it since the title of Chapter 1 was ‘Three Men, One Woman, Different Dreams’, but…

‘How is there not a single bit of progress from Part 1?’

Fiache continued excitedly.

“R-Ryan is v-very, very t-tall and p-pretty. He s-says his d-dream is to be a s-sword master.”

Tall and pretty Ryan is the warrior role.

“T-Tan is v-very k-kind. When I first saw him, I was s-surprised because I thought he was an a-angel. When I get close to Tan, I feel a l-little s-sleepy. I think it’s because he makes people feel at ease.”

Kind Tan, like an angel, is the priest role. The feeling of sleepiness and comfort must be due to Divine Power.

“Za, Zanakiel is… um, he d-doesn’t talk m-much. B-but he was the first one to o-offer me his ch-chair. He s-says he has mama? Or was it nama?”

Oh, the gentlemanly Zanakiel must have already manifested his mana. He’ll be a promising future mage.

‘How are the characters’ traits exactly the same as in Part 1?’

The only difference is that the protagonist is a saintess.

‘To think they’d copy Part 1, which failed miserably because they had nothing original to write. Truly impressive.’

As I let out a deep sigh, Fiache stopped talking and looked at me.

“Um… s-should I s-stop talking?”

No, keep talking.

Hearing your voice seems to make me feel better.

“Fiache.”

“Yes?”

“As your sponsor, I have the right to be involved in all aspects of your life. Do you understand what I mean?”

“N-no…”

“I mean that from now on, you are to report everything that happens at the Academy to me.”

“R-report…?”

“Keep talking.”

“Ah, yes!”

Fiache chatted excitedly until she ran out of things to say and fell silent.

The carriage became quiet again. The depressing thoughts I had briefly forgotten returned.

Swallowing a sigh, I cast my gaze out the window.

We happened to be passing through the Grand Plaza. I saw a large crowd of men gathered there.

‘Strange.’

Their physiques were no joke.

Every one of them was burly and muscular, with tanned, glistening skin.

Their foreheads were tightly bound with white cloth, and they wore similar clothes, almost like uniforms.

‘They don’t look like protesters…’

Noticing my gaze, Luna looked outside and explained, even though I hadn’t asked.

“Looking at their work clothes, they are laborers dispatched from the Construction Guild.”

“Construction Guild…”

“I heard they were going to renovate the Grand Plaza. Seeing it like this makes it feel real.”

Renovation? Only then did the surrounding situation come into view.

Construction materials were piled up around the Grand Plaza, and white tents that looked like offices were set up here and there.

I raised my eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

“You know that the Grand Plaza is being extensively renovated to commemorate His Majesty’s 56th anniversary, right?”

How could I not know?

I had risked my life to stop the insane plan to build a gold statue of myself in the center of the Grand Plaza.

“It seems they are about to start the construction. I heard they plan to work on other parts first without waiting for the jewels to be ready.”

“Jewels?”

“It seems the Imperial Family bought up all the top-grade jewels available on the market for the construction, but it’s still not enough. These days, the dress shops are buzzing with talk about how hard it is to find jewels.”

Why on earth would so many jewels be needed for the Grand Plaza construction?

Suddenly, a chill ran down my neck.

As if reading my mind, Luna continued.

“Ah, I heard the jewels are materials to be used for the statue of the hero, Adella Helsington. I heard it was passed unanimously by the Noble Council.”

“…!”

My expression instantly contorted.

They had decided to make the statue?

I cast my gaze toward the clear sky visible through the window.

‘That’s strange. I definitely attended the nobles’ council and voted against it…’

Why was the result different from what I knew? Where did my vote go?

Thinking I was interested in the construction, Luna continued her explanation softly.

“But the bigger problem than the supply of jewels is the process of melting the gold. There are rumors that they are recruiting fire-attribute mages because there aren’t enough blacksmiths.”

“…”

“I wonder how much gold they are melting that they’re mobilizing magic. Everyone is looking forward to it. They say it will be a truly magnificent sight once the statue is erected.”

Not magnificent, but a spectacle.

A 10-meter gold statue has no artistic value other than the price of the gold it weighs.

Rather, it would be an eyesore and the reflected glare would make it difficult to even look at it.

To build such a thing in the Grand Plaza. Are the nobles of this country that brainless?

‘Wait. The timing doesn’t match.’

The noble council meeting was held only a few days ago.

And yet they are already preparing to collect and melt gold?

That’s nonsense. They must have been preparing in advance.

‘The Noble Council was just for show. The Statue Creation was decided regardless of the meeting’s result.’

“Construction hasn’t officially started yet, but since laborers are seen often and construction materials are arriving one after another, it really feels like the renovation is happening.”

Indeed.

Since it was planned anyway, why did I bother casting a lonely dissenting vote only to get strangled by Leonhart?

Just then, several men poured out of a tent installed in the Grand Plaza.

Judging by their dazzling attire, they seemed to be nobles.

[Huh? Rianne, do you see Leonhart among those people? Why is he there?]

I had already been glaring at Leonhart before Undine even sent the telepathic message.

He was a head taller than anyone else; how could I not notice him?

If possible, I didn’t want to meet Leonhart. I tried my best not to stand out.

Because I understood the murderous intent he held toward Adrianne.

Honestly, I didn’t want to be murdered.

‘But if you act like that, I can’t avoid you! Unanimous, my foot! Is the noble council a joke?!’

I tapped the wall of the carriage with my palm. Luna asked with wide eyes.

“Do you wish to get off here?”

“Yes.”

The carriage came to a sudden halt.

“Master, I shall accompany—”

“Stay in the carriage with Fiache.”

“…Yes.”

Leaving Fiache and Luna behind, I stepped out alone.

The gazes of passersby shifted toward me.

They seemed surprised that a glittering woman appeared from an extraordinary carriage.

Whispers could be heard from all directions.

I increased my walking speed. Fortunately, it was right next to the Grand Plaza, so I quickly approached the group of nobles.

“Huh? Isn’t that the Duchess Ivrante over there?”

“First His Highness the First Prince, and now the Duchess? The interruptions never end.”

“Be quiet. If you speak carelessly, His Highness might have to apologize again like last time.”

 

Perhaps because they were nobles who supported Leonhart, the atmosphere was not welcoming.

I pushed through the piercing glares and approached Leonhart.

Only then did Leonhart turn his head to look at me. His brow furrowed immediatly.

“Duchess Ivrante, I believe I made myself clear last time. YIt seems you weren’t listening.”

The part about avoiding you? I wanted to listen to that.

If you weren’t trying to build a statue of me, we wouldn’t even be facing each other right now, would we?

[Level 2: (Lifting your chin with a haughty expression) I heard you perfectly, Your Highness. I simply chose not to obey.]

“I heard you perfectly, Your Highness. However, I simply could not obey as there was something I needed to tell you. I ask that you spare me a moment of your time.”

I wondered if I had modified the instruction too much, but fortunately, there was no penalty.

My physical condition was already at its worst due to the penalty I received in Ruspell’s laboratory earlier. I was essentially holding on by sheer willpower.

Therefore, I had to be careful. Unless I wanted to faint in the middle of the street.

Contrary to my wishes, Leonhart was cold.

“I have no time.”

“Do you not also have much to say to me, Your Highness?”

“I do not.”

“Your Highness.”

“I said I have no time. This is the third time I’ve told you.”

I thought I was speaking softly and humbly while suppressing my anger, but Leonhart was not cooperating at all.

Looking at his eyes, filled with distrust, I could more or less tell.

‘I’m not trying to play tricks on you either! Just talk to me for a second!’

I get that you don’t want to speak with a woman who branded you as a live-in son-in-law and stalked you for twelve years, but that’s not my fault, is it?

I forced the corners of my trembling lips upward.

“Very well, Your Highness. If you wish, I will speak here.”

“Go ahead.”

“I heard the statue project has been approved. I’m fairly certain I voted against it. How exactly did that happen?”

“Did you come here to threaten me, then?”

“I have no intention of interfering with Your Highness’s plans. I’m only asking that the statue project be withdrawn.”

“Stop wasting my time and leave.”

[Level 2: (Sneering) Then should I file a formal complaint? That a member of the Imperial Family ignored the official opposing vote cast by a Duchess at the noble council meeting.]

It was a command that was practically picking a fight.

However, already feeling irritated, I followed the command exactly.

“Then should I file a formal complaint? That a member of the Imperial Family ignored the official opposing vote cast by a Duchess at the noble council meeting.”

“By all means. Just don’t bring it to me.”

“Your Highness!”

It was then-

[Level 3: (Shaking your head as if he is pathetic) Is this really how Your Highness intends to deal with your guilt over failing to protect Adela Helsingten? This isn’t the Academy. Surely you know how to separate public matters from private ones.]

“……!”

The heat that had been boiling at the crown of my head suddenly vanished.

‘Was that it?’

I had been wondering why Leonhart was insisting on this despite knowing I would hate it…

‘Were you also feeling guilty about my death? Like Ruspell?’

In the end, I was the cause of Leonhart’s change as well.

I couldn’t even utter a word. That command was nothing less than a knife aimed directly at Leonhart’s wound.

[Level 3: (Shaking your head as if he is pathetic) Is this really how Your Highness intends to deal with your guilt over failing to protect Adela Helsingten? This isn’t the Academy. Surely you know how to separate public matters from private ones.]

The command appeared again.

I shook my head and stepped back.

“Why stop mid-sentence? Please continue.”

“W-wait… D-don’t come closer!”

“Others might think I am threatening the Duchess right now.”

Leonhart let out a smirk and approached.

The nobles who had been watching us also laughed, seemingly finding the situation absurd.

But I couldn’t hear anything.

‘My heart… I-I can’t breathe.’

Gasping for air, I reached out my arm to block him from coming closer.

“Th-That’s… w-we’ll t-talk about that… l-later…”

Before I could finish my sentence, a surge of blood rushed up.

“……Cough!”

I hurriedly covered my mouth, but it was useless.

Blood sprayed from my mouth.

“What on earth… Blood?”

Leonhart’s voice quickly faded away.

I felt my body tilting forward.

“Your Grace!”

My consciousness was sucked into a deep darkness.

Leonhart reflexively caught Adrianne as she collapsed.

The moment he realized what he’d done, his elegant brows twisted into a frown.

He had never intended to catch her.. His reflexes were too good for his own good.

“Fuck.”

Just as he was about to throw her away in disgust, a man over 2 meters tall whispered secretly.

“Your Highness, there are many eyes watching.”

It was Ashir, the second son of Count Beyat, who had applied for the Demon King Expeditionary Force along with him.

With top-tier swordsmanship and a sharp mind, he served as Leonhart’s bodyguard and advisor.

“However.”

“Setting aside the fact that you appear hostile toward the Duchess, the sight of you throwing an unconscious woman onto the ground could be seen as a lack of character. The Duchess might use it as a pretext later.”

People inside and outside the Great Plaza were paying attention to Leonhart.

No matter how Leonhart acted here, rumors would spread in an instant.

The renovation of the Great Plaza was a core part of the Emperor’s birthday celebrations.

Since Leonhart was in charge of such a crucial task, the other Imperial Princes would not look upon him kindly.

They were already finding every possible excuse to delay the construction; he could not provide any more ammunition.

Suppressing his irritation, Leonhart asked.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Use the Duchess to your advantage this time. There is nothing wrong with appearing to be on good terms, is there? Take her back to her manor.”

“……Me?”

“Of course, Your Highness must do it.”

“Shi—”

“Stop swearing.”

“Ha……”

Leonhart glared at the unconscious Adrianne in his arms.

‘Is she really unconscious?’

He examined her closely, but it didn’t seem to be an act.

Still, it was equally absurd.

‘No, why did she suddenly vomit blood and collapse while speaking perfectly fine?’

Was this revenge for the time he strangled her?

If so, it was remarkably effective.

Instead of killing Adrianne with his own hands, he had to carefully escort her back to her manor.

Leonhart closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

“To the Ivrante Estate… we go.”