Chapter 15

Blackie continued speaking.

[Even though it all looks like the same water to you, Master, to me every drop feels different. Just as the water you drink and the rain that falls from the sky are not the same. I can tell them all apart.]

“Like a water taster?”

[You could put it that way. However, I can also turn the water you drink into rainwater.]

“Then can you purify contaminated water too?”

[Yes.]

If something like this had existed in my past life, it would’ve been revolutionary.

Water pollution was a major social issue in that world.

In this one, even rainwater collected from outside was clean enough to drink.

Still… it was clear Blackie was an extraordinary divine beast.

[But purification takes a lot of power, so I can’t do it right now.]

Blackie drooped, looking dejected.

[I’m actually a very powerful divine beast. Really. I can protect Master from any danger, and also…]

“I know. You’re amazing. My divine beast is incredible.”

As I patted him gently to comfort him, Blackie rubbed his face against my hand.

When he was in human form, he had an icy, doll-like impression—but in beast form, he was surprisingly affectionate.

“The seal can’t be helped. I’ll earn lots of money and raise you properly. At this rate, you’re already the strongest divine beast in the world.”

Yes, this is more than enough.

Even with his powers sealed, he was still useful.

I had Ruse to raise, the household to manage, and now Blackie too.

There was certainly a lot to take care of.

We decided to keep the fact that Blackie was a divine beast a secret.

A contract with a divine beast would cause a storm across the entire continent.

Every noble house would spare no expense trying to recruit the contractor.

But Blackie was still weak, and the Balfruga House wasn’t strong enough to protect me if things went wrong.

Someone might try to kill me out of madness just to take the divine beast—or kidnap me and crush the family.

So Blackie became, officially, a lizard I picked up somewhere.

As I headed to my office, I immediately showed Blackie to Bella, who had come to find me.

“I’m going to raise a lizard.”

The large wings on Blackie’s back were now shrunk and pressed tightly against his body like vestigial remnants.

His pale, ice-white body looked mysterious, but it was believable enough to pass as a well-fed lizard.

“A lizard? Where did you get it?”

“I found it in the castle.”

“In the castle? A lizard in this cold place? I’ve never seen that before. Are those wings? Lizards have wings?”

Bella pointed at the small wings pressed against his back.

“Hm. Maybe it’s a mutation from the cold? Anyway, I want to raise him. I already named him. Blackie.”

Despite the name, his white body and blue eyes made Bella look slightly confused, but she soon nodded as if accepting it.

“People say naming something the opposite of its appearance helps it live longer.”

Even now, it was still a terribly uncreative name.

I silently apologized to Blackie once again.

“How do you raise a lizard like this? Does it eat insects?”

Blackie shook his head desperately in my hands.

“I’ll look into it.”

“Yes, please do. But you have to take responsibility for it, My Lady.”

“Don’t worry.”

“That lizard really hit the jackpot. Becoming your pet…”

Bella laughed while looking at Blackie.

“Oh right! I came here to tell you something. My Lady, Lord Treon has returned.”

“Treon?”

“You know, the one who went to the orphanage to bring you back!”

“Ah… that guy!”

Wait. Would he even like me…?

With Treon’s return, Ruse and the retainers gathered in the grand hall of the castle.

Behind Ruse hung the massive crest of the Balfruga House, unchanged—as if my contract with Blackie had never happened.

Ruse and I sat side by side on the highest platform to receive him.

Normally, a returning retainer wouldn’t warrant such attention—but this time was different due to the nature of Treon’s mission.

“Sir Treon. I have brought the imperial appointment letter as commanded.”

Treon respectfully presented the document to Ruse.

It officially recognized Ruse as the Duke of Balfruga.

After our marriage contract, Treon had immediately rushed to the capital and secured imperial confirmation of Ruse’s position.

Though our first meeting had been unpleasant, his loyalty to Ruse was genuine.

“Good work.”

Ruse spoke with feigned authority.

Then he took the document from Treon—and handed it to me.

“Ruse, it’s yours. You should keep it.”

When I placed it back into Ruse’s hands, he tilted his head.

“It’s yours, so it’s basically yours anyway, sis.”

I wanted to praise him endlessly like usual—good boy, cute, adorable—but Treon’s gaze was sharp.

As if saying, How dare that thief of a woman try to take the Duke’s property.

Even though it was a brief encounter, I could tell.

That man… didn’t like me.

“So Treon is basically the steward of this castle?”

“Yes, My Lady.”

Birche said as she brushed my hair.

I had thought her request—asking to serve me for a day as a reward for gathering information—was a joke.

But she had seriously asked for a “day of service privilege.”

When I asked, Why is serving me a reward?, the maids reacted intensely.

“Being able to stay by My Lady’s side is the greatest reward!”

After enough back and forth with Bella, today had apparently been chosen.

As a result, I was being served like royalty.

Normally only Bella served me, but today even off-duty maids had gathered, along with Birche.

Seven people were attending to me.

As I drank tea prepared by Birche, admiration erupted around me.

“How can My Lady be so elegant even when drinking tea?”

“She has such dignity for her age. Truly destined to be the mistress of the house.”

“Other ducal ladies probably don’t have this kind of grace at her age.”

…They were definitely wearing rose-tinted glasses.

Even while listening to their chatter, my mind was occupied with the man I had seen today.

Treon Ivaropa.

A refined-looking handsome man, one of the key retainers of the male lead in the original story.

In the original, he was the male lead’s steward and advisor, deeply knowledgeable about household affairs and continental politics.

If I hadn’t existed, maybe he would’ve been the one guiding the male lead.

He clearly didn’t like me—but I understood.

From the beginning, he probably saw me as a decoy bride meant to buy time until the male lead matured and took over the Balfruga House.

In the original story, when the male lead fell in love with the heroine, Treon was the one who led the effort to remove me.

If the male lead and I ever fell in love… that would probably be the worst-case scenario in his eyes.

The thought passed quickly, but when I imagined Ruse’s innocent, lovable face, my conscience ached slightly.

Love with Ruse?

That was impossible.

“Lady My Lady is so kind, even taking care of a lost lizard.”

“My Lady, the lizard still isn’t eating. Is it okay?”

One maid waved some grass in front of Blackie.

With a pink ribbon tied around his neck, Blackie looked at me desperately.

[No grass… I can see insect bite marks on it… I don’t like this ribbon either…]

“Just bear with it… I’ll remove it later…”

I silently replied to him.

“Yes. He only eats what I give him.”

“He recognizes his owner! How smart!”

“To be My Lady’s pet, that level of loyalty is required?”

“Of course. Nothing about My Lady is ordinary.”

While everyone was chattering, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

At my answer, the door opened—and Treon entered.

Seeing the room full of maids, he frowned in displeasure.

“What is going on here? Birche, what are you doing here?”

Uh-oh. This looked bad.

A duchess being served by seven maids in a struggling castle.

“I’m serving My Lady.”

Birche replied calmly, making Treon’s expression darken further.

“You’ve abandoned your duties…?”

“Are you really one to talk? Show some respect in front of My Lady.”

At Birche’s words, Treon shot me a sharp look.

Then, perhaps restraining himself due to my position as Duchess, he bowed properly.

“My apologies, My Lady.”

“Mm.”

Ah… this was difficult.

If I could just kick Treon out, things would be easier.

But I needed him to manage the household and support Ruse’s growth.

Treon glanced around the room and spoke again.

“My Lady. Considering the castle’s finances, having this many maids is—”

“Oh my! Steward! I’m the only maid My Lady has!”

Before he could finish, Bella interrupted.

“That’s right! We just came because we missed My Lady!”

“It’s not even a working day today! We don’t need to report how we spend our rest time!”

The maids collectively shut Treon down.

His refined smile from earlier was completely gone.

At this rate, he wouldn’t get a word in.

I carefully spoke.

“Why did you come here, Treon?”

“I heard My Lady discovered Frugga’s embezzlement and removed him. May I ask how you found out?”

His tone was polite, but his gaze was sharp.

He was suspicious of me.

He probably thought another house had fed me information, and I was trying to take over Balfruga from within.

“I just saw it in the ledgers. I handled it properly afterward.”

“But My Lady, acting so freely is problematic.”

“Ruse—no, the Duke himself approved it.”

“…Understood.”

Treon nodded, thinking something over.

Then he bowed and left the room.

“…Sigh.”

Working alongside someone who disliked me was already exhausting.

What on earth happened to this castle?

Only one month.

In the short time Treon had been away, the castle had changed dramatically.

The cold, lifeless atmosphere had warmed, and repairs had been made everywhere.

New servants had appeared, and Frugga—the former administrator—had long been dismissed.

On top of that, thanks to the deal with Marquis Leholas, the house now had money.

The biggest change was in meals.

Previously, they had thin soup and hard bread.

Now, there was rich, warm soup full of ingredients and soft bread.

And the most surprising thing…

The orphan girl brought in as a marriage partner.

Felia, was it?

Pink hair and clear, water-like eyes.

A pretty, clean face that had seemed harmless enough to choose.

He had assumed she’d be useless in the castle alone—but now everyone seemed enchanted by her.

Everyone said things like, “My Lady is amazing!” or “Thanks to My Lady, the castle has improved!”

Not a single bad word was spoken.

Of course, her accomplishments were impressive—but that made it even more suspicious.

Could a fifteen-year-old orphan girl really do all this?

Most orphans he had seen couldn’t even write their own names properly.

It was important not to shatter the servants’ illusions—but first, there was something more urgent.

The most important thing is to correct the Duke’s mindset.

When he saw the Duke casually hand over the imperial appointment letter and say it was all hers, he had been shocked.

He must just be confused due to his young age.

It was a retainer’s duty to correct a lord’s mistakes.

Creeeak.

The door opened.

Treon, who had been alone in the study, stood and bowed.

The master of Balfruga House—and his lord.

“Thank you for granting me the honor of educating you, Duke.”

Ruse’s gaze slowly turned toward Treon.