At the very least, forms of address were an important matter in House Keilos.
Because they were, in and of themselves, a contest of wills between her, who wanted a divorce, and the old generation.
It was a pointless battle of nerves, since it did not lead to a divorce anyway.
Especially since status could exist one moment and be gone the next, and was not reissued just because someone new arrived.
Liselotte savored a bite of cake, her shoulders trembling slightly at the pleasant sweetness.
“It’s a relief that good people came this time.”
At those words, the air in the room, which had been frozen tight with tension, loosened noticeably.
Chewing her cake, Liselotte gave instructions to Marsha.
“Could you go tell Ail? I want to have small mailboxes installed throughout the estate.”
“Mailboxes? If there is something you need relayed, I can deliver the letters.”
Seeing Marsha hold out her hand, Liselotte waved one hand lightly.
“No, it’s not for me to use. It’ll be for the employees within the ducal estate.”
The Keilos estate had a large number of employees, befitting its scale.
No matter how much attention she paid to things herself, gaps were bound to appear.
But when problems arose, it was also not feasible for them to report each one separately to Liselotte or Eren.
It was difficult to ask for help face to face, but putting some distance between them made things a little easier.
“I’d like them installed in visible places so they can be used even if it’s not their assigned post. We’ll collect and review them regularly, and any parts that can be coordinated will be reflected.”
“I’ll ask Sir Ail to have them installed as soon as possible!”
Perhaps because of what she had gone through with the head maid, Marsha was brimming with enthusiasm.
With new people coming in, it was necessary to slowly change their perceptions.
That the North was a better place to live than expected, and that Eren, with nomadic blood flowing in his veins, was not such a frightening person.
There was no way to forcefully erase the vague anxiety deeply rooted within them.
The only option was to change their perceptions slowly, over time.
After finishing the introductions to the new employees along with the desserts, Marsha led the maids out of the room.
“All right, everyone, disperse to your assigned positions!”
“Yes.”
Hearing the small reply echo down the corridor, Marsha hurried off to deliver Liselotte’s message.
The moment Marsha disappeared from sight, the maids let out the breaths they had been holding in.
“Phew, wasn’t the Princess supposed to be absolutely terrifying in the Capital?”
“I heard she went through maids like nothing even up here in the North…”
Liselotte’s notoriously horrible temperament was well known even in the Imperial Palace.
Attending one Imperial banquet was enough to see it, so the maids had all picked up bits of prior information here and there.
They started talking over one another, saying, “You too?” “Yeah, me too!”
“The rumor that she made people stand for five hours straight and give presentations on the latest dresses just because they didn’t know the trends?”
“And that she’d have tea poured out again and again endlessly if she didn’t like it?”
One maid, who had been huddling with the others and whispering, asked in surprise,
“You all knew that and still came to work for House Keilos?”
“It couldn’t be helped. My mother is sick, and the medical fees are no joke. The Ducal House pays really well.”
“Right, you said you’re from the East? It’s easy enough to get by there that everyone flocks to the East, which makes jobs hard to come by.”
“Yeah. I came prepared to grind myself down for just two years because of the money.”
“But the benefits are better than expected…”
They exchanged glances with dazed expressions and continued,
“Doesn’t the Grand Duchess actually seem like a pretty good person, unlike the rumors?”
***
Just as Liselotte was intently reviewing the mailbox placement plan Ail had brought her, a horn sounded, blaring as if it were tearing through the sky.
Ail reacted first upon hearing it.
“It seems His Highness has returned!”
“Oh, perfect. There are many newly hired people too, so we can greet him together.”
“I will have them assembled separately.”
Ail was noticeably brisker in his movements than usual.
He looked eager to show Eren the people he had personally selected and receive praise.
Watching Ail stride off down the corridor in long, decisive steps, Liselotte formed a faint smile.
‘Is he really that happy…?’
Then, from behind her, a deep voice rang out.
“What are you staring at like that?”
Startled, Liselotte flinched, her shoulders jumping as she turned toward the direction of the voice.
Eren stood before her, wrapped in a thick robe.
The chill from outside still clung to him, making only the area around him feel cool.
She subtly craned her neck to check behind him, but aside from Ferento, who was awkwardly smiling with the corners of his mouth raised, there was no one else.
‘Did he come up first?’
Liselotte beamed at him, seeing him after a long while.
“I was just about to go out and greet you. Welcome back.”
“Yes.”
He replied curtly, his gaze shifting past Liselotte’s shoulder.
It almost felt like a glare.
‘Did Ail come back?’
She followed his line of sight and turned her head, but the only thing there was an empty corridor.
Unfortunately, it seemed he and Ail, who had rushed off to greet him, had missed each other.
‘Then what is it?’
Just as the silence was about to become awkward.
A fluffy mass of white fur suddenly filled her vision.
“Please accept it.”
Only after hearing his low voice did Liselotte realize that the white fur was a gift.
She took it without thinking, and the white fur brushing against her skin felt as soft as cotton.
It was so clean that, when it caught the light streaming in through the window, it almost seemed as though the tips of the fur were sparkling.
Despite being large enough to completely cover her shoulders, it was so light it was barely noticeable.
There was no ornamentation to the craftsmanship. It had been carefully processed, but with no expensive clasps or accessories, it looked plain.
It was, quite literally, an item that faithfully served its original purpose of insulation.
Staring quietly at the fur, Liselotte asked,
“What is this?”
“You seemed sensitive to the cold. It’s made from a monster’s fur.”
‘Wow… To think a day would come when I’d be wearing monster fur.’
As she examined it with fascination, Eren continued,
“If you’d prefer ornaments, I can have a boutique brought in later.”
She had assumed monster fur would be filthy, something that rolled around mountains and fields endlessly.
But the fur was so flawlessly white that she found herself thinking it was actually pretty.
True enough, the spoils obtained from hunting monsters in each region were mostly imbued with magic, so they were sold for quite high prices.
Some were even used as materials for fashion.
‘Liselotte was always well versed in high-end goods like these…’
Like a walking catalog, one might say.
Perhaps that was why he had picked up a pelt while he was out on the subjugation.
Its flat shape looked suitable for use as a shoulder-draping cape.
‘He said he’d repay me for backing down on the divorce…’
She had been worried he might give her a solid gold angel statue, but instead she had received a gift with far better taste.
Draping the fur loosely over her shoulders, Liselotte asked,
“How is it?”
“…”
He was not someone who gave easy answers, no matter what he was asked.
For some reason, his expression looked even more fierce.
It was already hard enough to look up at him because of the overwhelming difference in their physiques, but with him holding his head stiffly and looking down at her, he felt even more intimidating.
Well, there was no rule saying that someone had to offer compliments just because they had given a gift.
Ferento, who had been fidgeting and watching from behind, burst out after the silence dragged on for three seconds.
“You’re beautiful! It suits you very well! As expected, the results show from how carefully His Highness wielded the blade!”
“Oh, isn’t it just something you hunted and had made?”
“Of course not! Killing a monster without damaging its fur is impossible without considerable skill!”
Oh, she had thought he simply picked it up while subjugating.
Perhaps feeling stifled, Ferento began rattling on as if he were Eren’s spokesperson.
“His Highness is not someone who usually subjugates monsters while leaving something of this size intact. Normally, he is so terrify–“
Ferento, who had been speaking rapidly, quietly shut his mouth.
For some reason, he glanced at Eren as if frightened.
As for Eren himself, he remained just as he always was, cold and indifferent.
