“Um, was the engagement ceremony originally supposed to feel like this?”

The Emperor, with his arms folded, furrowed his brow, recalling the two who had just left after their rather childish quarrel.

“Isn’t marriage originally full of ups and downs?”

Serena’s father, Duke Roger, calmly said, having watched the whole thing unfold.

“The Duke is right. There’s no marriage without a battle in this world. So, shall we not toast to the fulfillment of our agreement?”

“I was planning to leave for the west immediately…”

“Don’t do that; come and have a drink with me tonight and tell me the tales of your wanderings. It will be perfect if you watch the Crown Prince’s departure ceremony tomorrow morning and leave.”

As there was no further reason to refuse, Duke Astel nodded. Then the Emperor, abandoning all formalities, slung his arm around the Duke like in the old battlefield days, and they disappeared side by side.

Regardless of how the parties felt, the strategic marriage between the Emperor and Duke Astel had safely taken its first step, and nothing could have been more important than that.

(This is a time separator.)

The Emperor and Duke Astel immediately agreed to keep the two separated for a while. Thanks to this, Serena was able to return to the Duke’s estate right away and was also exempt from attending the Crown Prince’s departure ceremony the next day.

“Mi, Miss…”

Anna, who had been silent in the carriage, finally opened her mouth to Serena, who was changing clothes.

“You must be very tired today? You don’t know each other yet, and people’s words are too…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Surprisingly nonchalant, Serena answered, then gulped down the water from the table as if her throat was parched.

“Well, it might be better for me to go to the battlefield than him.”

Recalling the sharp eyes of the boy who had glared at her to death, she couldn’t help but think he was extraordinarily feisty. But being so small, could he even properly wield a sword?

“Besides, even if I’m a bit tall, he was very short, wasn’t he?”

The Astel Dukes had always had many warriors, and Serena’s father boasted a strong build.

“Even being 4 years younger, it looked like I would win even in a sword fight. It’s not my fault; it’s His Highness’s fault for being so small.”

Perhaps irritated by a few words overheard in the guest seats, Serena directed her arrows at Lucas.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is still growing…”

“He was shorter than the lieutenant standing beside him. Normally, lieutenants are the same age as their lords, so who are they fooling?”

“He will grow soon. And this battlefield won’t last long, so you’ll see him again in a year.”

That wasn’t true.

According to her memory, Lucas returned from the battlefield at the age of 20.

And that was only because the Crown Prince strongly insisted on staying away from the palace and stubbornly refused to return.

Perhaps one of the reasons was the existence of his taller and impertinent fiancée.

“I don’t know when he’ll come back.”

However, even if he did return, their relationship would not change much. Even as the years passed and Lucas became the Emperor and Serena the Empress, there was nothing between them.

“I’ve only been engaged so far; my status hasn’t changed.”

She didn’t know about other things, but she was sure that she needed to cherish the present. Waiting for an insignificant fiancé, who would return after 6 years, seemed far less rewarding than other things.
“My father has entrusted me with the estate.”

Unlike during the engagement ceremony, Serena’s eyes sparkled with anticipation and joy.

“Really? Was it not just a ceremonial remark?”

“It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I’ve been given a chance to do something.”

Serena’s life had already been decided, but she still had the choice of how to live it.

[Meanwhile, the Empress of the Empire had her wedding at an age well past her prime, and the relationship between the couple was so cold that there was no hope for an heir. It was only natural for the Empire’s nobility and the royal family to start looking for the next Empress candidate.]

Serena’s life was described so simply in the original work. Her relationship with the little boy she had met today would be chilly for the rest of her life, and the delay of her wedding was entirely due to his late return from the battlefield, but it was written as if she was a poor Empress to anyone’s eyes.

“Rest well today.”

“I will. There’s plenty of time.”

Serena was in no hurry.

“I’ll clean my father’s office tomorrow and make room for myself.”

“Tomorrow?”

But she also had no intention of delaying it too much.

“Yes. Since he has finally entrusted me with the estate, I must do something.”

With a bright smile, Serena’s face was full of vitality.

Even though it was a fertile estate passed down from generation to generation, surely there must have been places that needed Serena’s touch, as Duke Roger was always out and about.

“Yes, I will let the steward know.”

Anna, considering Serena’s moodiness after the engagement ceremony, nodded her head.

Six years later, no one could predict how much change Serena would bring as the acting Duke.

Not even Serena herself.