Chapter 22
In front of the mansion, seven carriages were lined up in a row, and more than thirty knights stood as escorts. I couldn’t hide my surprise.
So this is what the class of a Grand Duke looks like.
“Why are you just standing there, my lady?”
I flinched.
Once because he used formal speech…
And once because he called me “my lady.”
A tingling feeling ran from my tailbone all the way up to my head.
Rubbing my goosebumped arm, I quickly looked around.
As expected, there were many watching eyes. Even some palace servants sent by the Emperor were still here.
Every time this happened, Kyleen always spoke formally to me, but I still couldn’t get used to it.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen him properly, too.
Kyleen had been incredibly busy preparing for our trip to Winterford.
Every night I fell asleep first, and every morning there were only traces showing he had slept beside me. Talking face-to-face like this was the first time since our wedding.
He pulled a pocket watch from inside his coat, checked the time, and frowned.
“Caspian. Dylan. The train leaves soon, so hurry up.”
At his words, Dylan bowed, then ran to Caspian and Greta to say something.
Then suddenly, a hand appeared in front of me.
Startled, I looked up. Kyleen gestured toward the carriage.
Ah… an escort.
I gently took his hand and climbed into the carriage with his support. Kyleen didn’t get in; he stayed outside with Dylan, checking the luggage one last time.
Thanks to Torfaz warming the air beforehand, the large carriage interior was filled with warm heat.
Since we were heading to cold Winterford, I wore warm layers, but the heated carriage quickly made sweat form on my brow. I loosened my scarf and even removed my thick coat.
I was wondering whether I should take off the thin jacket inside as well when the carriage door opened.
Kyleen stepped in without even glancing at me and sat in the seat opposite me. Then he tapped the wall behind the coachman.
Soon, the carriage began moving toward the train station.
The capital mansion was close to the station.
The train we would board was puffing out steam like it might leave at any moment.
It felt like just yesterday I had run away and came here, seeing the tree branches sprouting new buds… but now only bare branches remained.
Ah, right. I was arrested here.
I looked around the station filled with bitter memories, watching the luggage being loaded when Dylan approached me.
“We still have some time before departure, but the wind is cold. You should board first. Please enter the Rosemary Suite among the first-class rooms.”
Kyleen was standing with Caspian, talking in very serious tones. Dylan noticed where my eyes were looking and adjusted his glasses.
“The Grand Duke will be using the Rosemary Suite as well. Since… you’re a married couple.”
There was a sharp edge to his voice.
Caspian joked with me and treated me casually, but Dylan always felt like he kept a distance.
Once he finished speaking, he didn’t hesitate and returned to Kyleen and Caspian.
Hmph!
Glaring at the back of his head, I took strong steps and boarded the train.
First-class rooms had huge windows. I plopped down onto the seat and neatly folded my scarf, looking outside.
People hurried across the platform to board the early morning train.
I felt anxious, nervous, and excited all at once—knowing I had to live in a land I had never been to before.
Trying to settle my restless heart, I searched my bag for a book I hadn’t finished yet. Just then, the door opened.
Kyleen walked in.
When he saw me inside, his eyebrows drew together. Then he stepped back and checked both sides of the hallway.
He must not have heard that he was to travel with me.
“Come in quickly. Cold air is getting in.”
Kyleen entered the room with a displeased expression, as if he had no choice.
Even as he removed his scarf, his stiff expression didn’t change.
Did he really have to show how much he disliked this? Honestly… I only put up with it because his face is exactly my type.
I turned sharply toward the window. My breath fogged the glass without me meaning to sigh.
The train departed, the capital’s scenery passed, and soon wide plains came into view.
“What kind of place is Winterford?”
“A cold place.”
Kyleen answered without looking away from his documents.
We didn’t say a word until the train had completely left the capital. I was the one who couldn’t stand the silence any longer and finally asked something—only to get such a reply.
I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
If he was going to say that, why even answer?
Everyone in the Empire knows Winterford is cold.
“And?”
“A barren place.”
“More?”
Kyleen finally lifted his head from the papers.
“…More?”
His sharp look scared me enough that I quickly added “sir” at the end.
“You’ll see when we arrive, but because it’s so cold, agriculture never developed. And unfortunately, it doesn’t even have a Torfaz mine. So it’s a very poor region. There isn’t even a single temple that worships money. That should tell you enough.”
Without looking at me, he continued unexpectedly.
“They hunt to make preserved meat or treat leather to sell. But that alone isn’t enough for the people to live comfortably.”
I nodded.
Before we left, I’d seen a map in Kyleen’s study by chance. Winterford took up a huge area at the very top of the Empire. A vast land… but poor.
That was Winterford.
“Are you worried?”
I shook my head.
“It’s still a place where people live.”
Kyleen’s hand stopped turning the page.
“Other than the fact that I can’t stand the cold very well… I’m not worried.”
In fact, this was a good thing.
If Kyleen could lead such a harsh land well, he would gain the trust of both the people and the entire Empire.
A lord trusted by the people is someone no one can treat lightly.
It would strengthen Kyleen’s position.
It would be the stepping stone that could turn him into Emperor.
Of course I was worried about moving to a new home, but the excitement was just as big.
“By the way, you seem to speak formally to Dylan and Caspian.”
“Huh? Well…”
From the very first meeting, I had embarrassed myself in front of them, and as a baron’s daughter, how could I speak casually to the crown prince’s aide or knights?
Even though I married Kyleen and became the Grand Duchess, they knew it was a contract marriage.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t easily speak informally to them.
“Dylan and Caspian may be my hands and feet, but now that you’re the Grand Duchess, it’s not right for you to speak so formally.”
Show your dignity as the Grand Duchess.
When he added that quietly, I wanted to argue whether speaking formally ruined my dignity…
But then I remembered the nobles whispering that I was just a baron’s daughter who suddenly rose in status by marrying well.
I closed my mouth.
Kyleen watched me for a moment with an unreadable expression. When I nodded, he returned to his papers. Silence filled the room again.
The sound of the train running on the tracks, the occasional horn, and the footsteps in the hallway echoed faintly.
The scenery outside stayed the same. Kyleen’s paper-turning was steady and repetitive.
Without realizing it, my eyes closed…
And when I opened them again, I rubbed them hard.
Outside the huge window was an endless white landscape, except for the sky covered with dark clouds.
I had felt cold while sleeping, but…
When I placed my palm on the window, I felt the chill spread through my hand.
My warm skin left fog in the shape of my hand on the glass.
I blew on the window, making it fog up and disappear quickly.
On the white canvas-like glass, I drew little shapes with my finger.
“How much longer?”
I asked Kyleen, who was still reading papers exactly as before.
“About three hours.”
He didn’t look at me, only glanced at his pocket watch before slipping it back into his coat and staring outside.
We had left early in the morning, yet the sun was already tilting toward the snowy horizon.
We had been traveling for a long time.
Three hours, huh…
Stretching my stiff body, my stomach suddenly growled loudly.
Kyleen finally turned his head to look at me.
Ah…
Being hungry wasn’t embarrassing, but the sound had been too loud.
I placed a hand on my belly and smiled awkwardly.
Kyleen shook his head and began organizing the papers he had been reading.
He neatly stacked them on the empty seat, then stood up.
“W-where are you going?”
He didn’t answer.
After a long moment, he returned with a basket of food.
He opened the small table and began placing the food on it—warm bread, fish soup, and neatly sliced fruit.
“For you, Grand Duke?”
The amount looked too small for two people.
Did he… eat very little?
Squinting suspiciously while lifting a piece of bread, Kyleen let out a short laugh like he couldn’t believe me.
“Everyone ate three hours ago, except for the person who slept so deeply she wouldn’t notice even if someone carried her away. Dinner will be served an hour before we arrive, so I only brought something light. Just eat without worrying.”
Ah… I see.
Everyone had already eaten.
Thinking that, I lifted the bread to my mouth—but suddenly froze.
“I do NOT snore.”
“Sure. Let’s say that.”
As Kyleen sat down agai
