2. Designing a New Life

Several days after their agreement, Edith again visited Duke Devion’s residence.

This time, it was to move in, as they had agreed to hold the wedding soon, even though they weren’t married yet. Feeling slightly intimidated by the grandeur of the enormous Ducal residence, she straightened up and slapped her cheeks lightly.

‘…This is the first step.’

The first great step to returning to her world and fulfilling her younger sibling’s dream! With that shout, she felt invigorated. She stepped through the wide-open gates with her small luggage in hand.

“Welcome, Miss Edith. I’m William, the butler of this mansion, tasked with serving you. Please, feel free to call me Bill.”

The first person she met was an elderly butler with white hair and eyebrows.

The butler had a kind smile, yet he did not seem easygoing. He had an upright posture and impeccably neat attire.

‘He’s like a kindly but formidable school principal.’

Since they hadn’t had the chance to exchange greetings properly during their first encounter, this was their first formal meeting.

First impressions matter.

Drawing on her social skills honed through experience, Edith greeted him with a bright smile.

“Hello, Butler Bill. I’m glad to see you again. I look forward to working with you.”

“Please, speak comfortably. It’s odd to hear the future mistress of the Duchy speaking so formally to a butler like me.”

She felt a bit embarrassed by the butler’s polite advice.

Despite having been in this world for over a decade, she still found it hard to fully embrace the class system. It was easier when dealing with higher ranks, a situation she was more accustomed to, given her life mostly spent in the bottom position.

However, situations like the current one, where she was the superior, were somewhat awkward for her.

‘…Being a noble, I never even had a single servant to command.’

For a fallen noble with no remaining wealth, having servants was a luxury. Edith hardly even identified with being a noble.

“I’ll try my best, Butler… no, Bill.”

“You’ll get used to it soon. May I take your bag?”

“No, I’ve got it! It’s fine.”

“Then, please follow me. I will show you to your room.”

Edith followed Bill into the mansion. They passed through a large lobby reminiscent of a ballroom and ascended a spiral staircase to the second floor. Although she had thought they might go higher, Bill led her into a corridor on the second floor.

‘The second floor! That’s convenient if it’s close.’

She was relieved as she was flustered about whether she was going to be put on a high floor. As a tutor, she was usually assigned a room in the upper part of the house, which wasn’t easy to go up and down daily.

Soon, Bill politely pointed to a door in the middle of the left corridor.

That seemed to be her room.

“….?!”

Edith’s eyes widened in astonishment as she opened the door and entered the room. She looked around the room in surprise, gulped hard, and then turned around.

“Um… Bill. Is this the right room?”

She asked cautiously, wondering if the butler might have made a mistake. The room was excessively large, and there was a huge bed that could fit three or four people and was luxuriously furnished.

“Yes. This is the room you will be staying in. If you prefer another room, please let me know at any time.”

Hearing his reply, Edith stared blankly at the room. She had seen many mansions while working as a tutor for various noble families, though she had never seen a room this spacious.

Well, there was an exception for the bedroom where the master and mistress stayed…

‘…Bedroom? Surely I won’t be sharing a room with the Duke?’

A sudden thought made her turn pale.

“That, do you know which room the Duke uses?”

“The master’s bedroom is located in the center of the opposite corridor, and his office is at the end.”

It was a needless worry!

Edith stroked her chest in relief. Of course, it wasn’t strange for a married couple to share a room. Except for the significant fact that they weren’t really a couple.

“If you would prefer a room closer…”

“No! That’s fine.”

Edith quickly refused. When she said it, she realized her face had turned red from the hasty response. But she had to say it.

“Understood. Shall I contact your previous residence for the rest of your belongings?”

“This is all I have.”

Edith gained her composure and showed her small bag somewhat sheepishly. In this room, the small luggage she brought from the capital seemed terribly meager.

“That’s all right. A light load is better for a long journey. The master has asked to have a talk with you this evening when he returns. Will that be all right?”

“Yes, that’s fine. I’ll do that.”

Fortunately, the elderly butler smoothly changed the subject. Grateful for the escape from an embarrassing topic, Edith quickly nodded.

“There are pulls throughout the mansion, so please call on us whenever needed. I hope you have a comfortable time here. I’ll leave you now…”

“Wait, Bill!”

Edith called out as the butler politely bowed and was about to leave.

“Yes, Miss Edith?”

“Um, that…”

She hesitated, pondering whether it was appropriate to ask that question. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to go ahead.

“What kind of person is Duke Devion?”

Her knowledge of Duke Devion was extremely limited.

A great wizard, at odds with both the temple and the Magic Tower, with a dangerous younger brother rumored to be possessed by the devil.

To add, he was rich and handsome…?

That was all she knew. Beyond that, she didn’t have much information. Though she expected to learn more about him over time, she wanted to know if there were any important things to be aware of beforehand.

“The master is a truly perfect individual, capable of handling anything on his own. He has been like that since he was young.”

“Ah…”

However, the response Edith received didn’t provide much insight into her plan. She was a bit disappointed but quickly changed her perspective.

‘What else would a butler say about his master? Of course, he’d say he’s perfect.’

Realizing her question was wrong from the start, Edith was about to gracefully end the conversation when the butler added quietly.

“Which perhaps makes him a lonely man.”

With this word, the old butler bowed politely again and exited, closing the door behind him.

Edith stared blankly at the closed door for a moment, surprised by his words.

* * *

Knock, knock.

About an hour after hearing that Duke Devion had returned, Edith went to his office.

“Duke, I heard you were looking for me.”

“Come in.”

With his brief invitation, she cautiously opened the door and stepped inside, then stopped in her tracks.

‘…The Ministry of Magic?’

The familiarity of the scene left Edith speechless. The Duke’s office in his mansion was indistinguishable from the office in the palace’s Ministry of Magic. Everything from the furniture to the arrangement of objects and the overall atmosphere was exactly the same.

For a moment, she wondered if the Duke had magically transported the palace here. But the view outside the window clearly belonged to the mansion, and even for a great wizard like the Duke, moving the palace would be insane.

‘First of all, wouldn’t that be illegal?’

Surely, moving the Emperor’s residence without permission would not be tolerated!

Scanning the perfectly symmetrical interior, she concluded that this was not magic but rather a result of the Duke’s obsession.

“Is there anything about your stay that makes you uncomfortable?”

Duke Devion was sitting with his back to the window just like the day they met and dressed in his usual neat attire. Facing him, Edith paused at the strangely familiar setting, then quickly smiled.

“No, not at all! You’ve given me a wonderful room. Thank you for your consideration. And dinner was delicious. The chef is really talented.”

This was sincere. The dinner was so varied and full of delicious food that she couldn’t help but feel glad about her decision to marry the Duke.

“I see.”

Although his reply was brief, Edith didn’t mind. With her experience in various service jobs and as a tutor in this unfamiliar world, she knew how to manage conversations well. The Duke had done his part in responding appropriately.

“Have you had dinner, Duke?”

As she asked kindly, as she had always done, the Duke, who had been watching her with an expressionless face, tilted his head slightly.

“No, I haven’t. Why do you ask?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by his unexpected question, Edith blinked in confusion.

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