Special Story 9

“Hearing that you were coming a long way, we decorated the Grand Duchess’ chambers. Please, come take a look together.”

Yvonne was led straight away to her chambers by the head maid, with the maids following closely behind, carrying the travel bags one by one from the carriage.

Once inside the room, the maids showered Yvonne with endless praise.

“Oh my! The Grand Duke has brought back such a lovely mistress.”

“There were simply too many people at the wedding, so we only got to see you from afar. Seeing you up close, you’re even more breathtaking.”

With praises pouring down on her, Yvonne’s face turned beet red in an instant. The maids wore warm, contented smiles looking at the cute Grand Duchess.

Before they could even manage to open a single bag, the door swung open and Dante’s voice rang out.

“Yvonne.”

The Grand Duke had tracked his wife all the way to her private chambers.

Barely any time had passed since they parted ways. The maids all curled their lips into round shapes and chuckled softly.

“It seems he missed his wife already, even though they were apart for just a brief moment.”

“You truly are newlyweds.”

“We’ll go finish sorting the rest of the luggage.”

The way they swarmed out of the room clearly showed their determination not to interrupt the couple’s time alone. Yvonne’s cheeks were now hot enough to radiate actual heat.

With firm, heavy strides, Dante walked right in and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“Aren’t you tired? Did the people give you any trouble?”

“I’ve only just barely finished greeting them.”

With her cheeks stained crimson, Yvonne looked just like a well-ripened peach.

‘I bet it would even taste sweet if I licked it.’

If his tongue touched her, Yvonne would probably jump in shock. Dante forcefully suppressed the urge to pop her cheek right into his mouth. He’d just have to save that for nighttime.

The tension she had felt upon arriving in an unfamiliar place melted away at the sight of Dante. Yvonne broke into a shy, gentle smile and leaned against him.

“Everyone is welcoming me so warmly.”

“That’s because they’ve all been desperately waiting for me to get married.”

Dante frowned slightly. Their hopes didn’t just end with mere nagging; they often translated into actual actions.

‘It was absolute madness.’

No sooner had he come of age than the vassals began arranging meetings with their own daughters and pressing him heavily on the succession. Disgusted by their terrifying obsession, Dante had vowed not to set a single foot back in the territory until the issue was resolved.

And yet, Yvonne brushed off that headache-inducing situation with a gentle smile.

“They’re good people.”

“How so?”

“It means they earnestly wished for Dante’s happiness.”

“You really…”

Dante let out a faint chuckle and pulled Yvonne into his embrace. As long as he had this small woman smiling within his arms, the world held no more terror for him.

“Whenever I look at you, an old maxim comes to mind.”

“What maxim?”

“That the world itself isn’t beautiful, but rather the eyes of the person looking at the world are.”

“What are you talking about? I’m not nearly that saintly.”

“You’re an angel. I’ve never met anyone kinder than you.”

Yvonne felt embarrassed by Dante’s praise, but Dante meant it from the bottom of his heart.

‘I must protect Yvonne so that she can continue to look upon the world happily and beautifully from now on.’

Dante vowed deep within his heart.

Playing absentmindedly with Yvonne’s small hands, he continued, “I’d love to show you around the castle myself, but I’m just as unfamiliar with its nature as you are. I’ll have Sarah show us around together later.”

“Sounds good.”

“And about the bedroom…”

The real reason Dante had rushed over in such a hurry was none other than the bedroom. Dante carefully weighed his words.

“My room is at the end of the hallway. It’s a bit far from here.”

Among the nobility, even married couples did not share the same bedroom. The Christopher Grand Castle was no exception, so naturally, their respective chambers were set apart.

Dante had come looking for Yvonne the moment they parted because he had grown anxious, worried that they might end up sleeping far apart for their entire stay here.

Hearing that, Yvonne blinked calmly and nodded.

“Ah, is that so?”

“Mm.”

“……?”

Not yet grasping the underlying meaning, Yvonne blinked innocently. Since this wasn’t the reaction he had hoped for, Dante swallowed a groan.

‘Could it be she actually wants us to use separate rooms like this?!’

That won’t do! Clearing his throat with a fake cough, Dante casually tacked on another sentence.

“Wouldn’t it be a hassle walking back and forth between my room and here every single day? If you’ll allow it, I’d like to share your bedroom instead. Just like we did at the Grand Duchy.”

“Huh?”

Realizing what the actual issue was only then, Yvonne widened her eyes like a rabbit.

“I-I naturally assumed you would. Aren’t married couples supposed to share the same bedroom? Huh? Come to think of it, there are only my bedroom slippers and nightwear here.”

Satisfied at last, Dante broke into a bright smile and pulled Yvonne into a hug.

“That’s right. It’s only natural for an affectionate couple. Though it seems the people downstairs don’t think we’re all that affectionate of a couple.”

“T-that can’t be!”

Filled with the determination to help Dante, Yvonne resolutely clenched both fists.

“We’ll need to stick even closer together while we’re staying in the territory. A devoted display from the Lord and Lady brings a sense of stability to the people downstairs, after all.”

“A great idea.”

How did she manage to use only the prettiest things to say?

He had resolved to save his expressions of affection for after the sun went down, but Dante ultimately couldn’t hold back and pressed his lips against Yvonne’s cheek.

When he gave her cheek a light, playful lick, Yvonne jumped in absolute shock just as expected, her face flushing red like a tomato.

That reaction was cute too, causing Dante to burst out into a loud laugh.

***

Ever since then, Dante tailed along closely behind Yvonne wherever she went, leading to rumors spreading widely across the territory about the devoted Lord and Lady.

While helping Yvonne with her morning hair and attire, the maids couldn’t hold back their gasps of admiration. Except for the morning styling hours, Dante stayed glued to Yvonne’s side practically all day, leaving no prior opportunity for such a chat.

“The Grand Duke’s possessiveness is truly immense.”

“I honestly thought the Grand Duke was a cold man with neither blood nor tears. To think he could be so sweet and affectionate.”

At their words, Yvonne offered a shy smile.

“Dante has been gentle and attentive ever since the first time we met. When I was in danger and terrified, he stayed by my side to reassure and encourage me.”

“Oh my.”

The Imperial family had been spreading the rumor that Dante—while out on a mission under Bentley’s orders—had merely happened to rescue Yvonne when she fell into danger during the return of the former princess’ bloodline. Since it would be troublesome if her own words conflicted with that official rumor, Yvonne covered for it with just a shy smile. Naturally, such a reaction only made the people around them view the Grand Ducal couple as even more romantic.

Tilting her head back to make it easier for the maids to braid her hair, Yvonne asked, “By the way, what is the Christopher Territory famous for? Any local specialties?”

“Well.”

The maids tilted their heads.

“We produce a lot of beans here, but I suppose you aren’t looking for a specialty like that, right?”

“Beans…….”

Yvonne had asked about local specialties for none other than the purpose of planning a festival for the Christopher Territory. If it were flowers or trees that bloomed exclusively in the Christopher Territory, it would have been easy to brainstorm, but beans?

‘A bean festival sounds a little bit funny, come to think of it.’

Even if she tried coming up with other ideas, she knew next to nothing about the Christopher Territory, so there was zero progress. Tilting her head in thought for a moment, Yvonne asked again,

“Are they beans with unusual colors? Or perhaps they look very unique?”

“They’re just ordinary green beans. They’re actually scheduled to be served at breakfast this morning.”

“Ah, I see.”

Come to think of it, they showed up at every meal, so she had a rough idea of what beans the maid was talking about.

‘So those green beans really do grow in abundance here, huh?’

Beans were a nutrient-rich crop, so it was a good thing they cultivated well. The real question was whether they could somehow utilize those beans to create a regional festival.

Yvonne asked with a serious expression.

“Are there any special dishes made from beans?”

“We do have things like bean pudding made from them, though I hear it doesn’t really suit the tastes of people from the capital.”

“Would I be able to try some later?”

“Of course. I’ll let the chef know.”

After securing the ends of her hair tightly with a ribbon, the maid offered a polite bow and stepped back.

“We are truly delighted that the Grand Duchess is taking an interest in our territory.”

“It’s only what I ought to do.”

Feeling a bit self-conscious, Yvonne replied while nervously fiddling with her tightly braided hair.