TMH Ch#08

When she made a face that showed she didn’t understand, the little golem excitedly began to chatter about everything it had learned while she was asleep.

<“Andyone said so. Since you gave birth to me, you’re like my mom. He said I should always listen to my mom.”>

“—Andyone said that?”

<“So I cleaned. It’s all clean now.”>

Looking around at the golem’s words, she realized she was indeed in the lord’s chamber within the castle that she had ordered cleaned before passing out.

Karia was lying on a bed, but only the frame and hard base remained — the sheets and cushions were gone.

The room had been cleaned just as mentioned, with only cobwebs and dust cleared away.

Feeling a chill, she looked at the wide-open window, realizing the golem had understood her command to ventilate the room too. While old and broken furniture was still visible, it was at least not the worst scene she had imagined.

<“Are you happy? It’s clean now, so you’re happy, right?”>

“—Well, yeah. At least the dust is gone.”

Karia replied reluctantly in a sour tone, but the golem was thrilled, bouncing around the room with joy.

“I think you’re more excited than I am.”

<“Mom is smiling, so I’m happy! I’ll clean more!”>

Even though she hadn’t given any further orders, the golem eagerly bustled about the room, glancing back at her after each task as if seeking praise.

Karia couldn’t hold back a laugh. It wasn’t a golem — it was more like a puppy wagging its tail for a compliment.

Yes, expecting a newborn creature to be like Andyone had been too greedy of her. It may have failed as a proper golem, but it was undoubtedly endearing.

“Mom, huh…”

<“Master, are you awake?”>

As she leaned back on the bed, watching the little golem’s antics fondly, Andyone called out from beyond the window. He bent at the waist and poked his head inside to look at her.

Seeing him — the one who must’ve persuaded a newborn golem all on his own while she was unconscious — Karia felt both proud and sorry.

“You must have had a hard time, Andyone.”

<“Not at all. I’d do anything for you, Master…”>

<“What about me?”>

As Andyone and Karia began talking, the little golem scurried over and cut in.

Guessing it wanted praise, she placed her hand on its head and patted it. But the golem shook its head roughly and pouted.

<“That’s not it! Andyone is Andyone, and you’re Mom. But what about me? What am I?”>

“You mean… a name?”

The golem’s eyes sparkled. Karia was momentarily troubled — she had no talent for naming things.

Golems usually disappeared after completing their assigned task, so there had been no need to give them individual names.

Andyone only had a name because, as a guardian of the castle, he had to deal with visitors. His name was just the most common one at the time.

So, Karia saw no real reason to name the golem before her.

“A name…”

But not everything in life needs a reason. It wasn’t too hard, and since it had done its best to help, giving it a reward wouldn’t be so bad.

Karia looked at the golem and let out a thoughtful “hmm,” then finally snapped her fingers and spoke.

“Alice.”

<“Alice?”>

“It’s the name of a curious little girl. It suits you perfectly.”

A girl whose curiosity led her to follow a rabbit, eat strange food, and cause a ruckus in a foreign land.

Karia thought the name was perfect for the wild creature in front of her and admired her own cleverness — forgetting, of course, that the name had become a dated classic, and all the women once named Alice were now elderly.

<“Alice, Alice… That’s right! I’m Alice!”>

The mini golem hopped with joy and hummed a tune. It was off-key and offbeat, but its happiness was obvious.

Seeing Alice so thrilled made Karia happy too.

Yes — until she left Rubaltberh Castle that evening, she had been in an unusually good mood.

—

“You must’ve gone mad.”

That is, until she returned to the Pandeon estate and faced the ever-strict Grand Duchess.

“How dare a Duchess spend the night away without informing anyone? Do you want to be cast out?”

“Such a warm welcome, Grand Madam.”

“How vulgar. You don’t even know when to joke.”

Karia looked up at the face of the Grand Duchess of Pandeon. In her memory, this woman had been terrifyingly cruel. But now—

With her own eyes, she saw the truth.

An old, frail body. Empty threats that couldn’t possibly follow through. A face plastered with irritation — not even her scolding seemed threatening anymore.

“I used to live in fear of this?”

The Grand Duchess always wore her collars high and held her chin aloft, full of pride. She constantly bragged to Karia about how long and noble the Pandeon line was, and how many great men it had produced.

After over thirty years of serving the family, pride was understandable.

But the problem was that she always compared Karia to her noble lineage to demean her.

She called Karia a bastard child of uncertain origin, claimed she was no better than the commoners and had no manners.

“My poor son, to have married someone like you. If not for royal orders, I’d never have allowed such a ridiculous union. You married above your station, so you should be thankful and obedient.”

What the Grand Duchess wanted was submission.

“You may be the Duchess, but you don’t deserve that title. Don’t even think about wielding power in this house.”

She had tormented Karia all these years, afraid the young mistress would steal her influence — for a pathetic sense of authority that Karia never even tried to take.

Karia now saw her posturing — every tiny attempt to maintain dignity — as laughable.

“What did you just say?”

“Oh dear, I was talking to myself, but I guess you heard.”

Karia had no intention of hiding her feelings and replied with a radiant smile. The Grand Duchess’s face twisted in fury.

Once, Karia would’ve noticed even the slightest shift in that expression and bowed her head — but not anymore.

Pandeon couldn’t afford to abandon her. She wore enough gold to rival a mountain, and it was thanks to that wealth that the ducal house still stood.

If she divorced, Pandeon would lose both direct and indirect support from the royal and archducal families.

The duchy could not survive on its own. Pandeon’s lands were barren, with long winters and little income. It was never a place where wealth grew easily.

Had they been wealthier, they wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage in the first place.

“You asked why I stayed out overnight? After lying in bed for so long, I went out for a walk. It got later than I expected. And I didn’t bother informing anyone — after all, everyone seemed far too busy to care about a Duchess who woke up after five days.”

“What did you say?”

“I heard the Pandeon motto is ‘Handle your own affairs,’ right? I thought I’d try living by it as the lady of the house.”

Karia smiled sweetly as if saying, See? I did well, right? The Grand Duchess’s pride boiled with rage. How dare this once-docile girl act up all of a sudden?

Her voice echoed through the hall, shaking the ceiling.

“What nonsense is that?! Do you think I’m joking?! Oh, ancestors! How could you allow such a vulgar, brainless woman into our family?!”

“No need to blame yourself, Grand Madam. I only ended up here because our ancestors squandered the family fortune and the previous Duke failed miserably at managing finances. This isn’t your fault.”

“What?!”

SLAP!

A sharp sound rang out.

A slap, unexpected and without hesitation, froze the room. The servants held their breath, afraid to get caught in the storm. The maids clicked their tongues, having expected it.

“Say that again.”

“—Ha, you raised your hand against me?”

“What’s that arrogant look?!”

A bitter taste spread in her mouth — blood. Karia calmly spat it out onto the floor.

The Grand Duchess had expected her to go quiet after a slap. But Karia stared back with blazing red eyes.

The older woman flinched at the intensity, startled by those gleaming crimson pupils.

“So she really did hit her head when she fell down those stairs…”

Ashamed of having shown fear, the Grand Duchess bit her lip and raised her hand again — but this time, Karia didn’t stay still.

“You— You dare not let go?!”

“I can’t.”

She had grabbed the old woman’s wrist before she could hit her, clutching it so tightly it felt like the bones would snap.

Karia wasn’t that strong, but

the pressure alone was enough to rattle the Grand Duchess. She called out in panic:

“Steward! Steward! Call the knights — now!”