Sikar Blake avoided the nightmare story by suddenly pretending to be too tired and falling asleep.

Now that I thought about it, Sikar’s loud chatter about our second “first night” must have been because he learned that Vika Lamberst had told me about the nightmares.

So that’s why he talked so much—to shut me up.

But I wasn’t the type to just back down quietly.

The moment Sikar took my hand to help me down from the carriage, I looked at him and asked,

“So, why do I have nightmares?”

Sikar made that startled expression again, avoided my gaze, and, feigning indifference, grabbed my shoulder and steered me toward the mansion.

“Madam, we’re late. You haven’t forgotten today is the day Roen and Jeremi Iker move into the Duke’s mansion, have you?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten. But….”

“Then let’s go inside quickly. We must guide them so they can settle in comfortably.”

Unless I’d just heard nonsense, Sikar definitely said he would “guide” them?

“Did you just say you’d guide them?”

“Of course.”

Sikar hurriedly wrapped his arm around my shoulder and rushed me into the mansion.

“Come on, let’s go. Our guests are waiting, aren’t they?”

“How shocking could the reason possibly be for you to act like this….”

“It’s not shocking at all. That’s why.”

If it weren’t significant, he would’ve just told me. Anyway, there must be some reason.

For now, as Sikar said, the priority was showing Roen and Jeremi Iker to their rooms, where they’d be living together in the mansion from now on.

Though it had been a while since we returned to the Duke’s mansion, it still operated its infirmary and, thanks to good management, remained unchanged.

Even the roses Sikar had planted in the backyard were still there.

“I’m glad these roses grew well even while we were away.”

“Aren’t those the flowers I gave you, Madam? I had people take care of them.”

“They weren’t given to please me—they were given to tame me.”

“But in the end, I was the one who got tamed.”

Hmm. True enough.

Meanwhile, at the dining table, Roen was eating as casually as Durion.

Durion had always been the only one to scarf down meals at the table, but Roen matched his pace, and the sight of them both eating hurriedly together somehow suited them well.

“After eating only temple food, now I’m eating palace food and Duke’s mansion food too—my appetite’s gotten so good it’s a problem!”

Roen had always been someone who ate heartily, it seemed.

Anyway, while the two were distracted with eating, only Jeremi remained calm.

Jeremi wasn’t usually this composed, but compared to the eccentric Durion and Roen, he appeared relatively calm.

“Even without Vika, Durion won’t be bored.”

“That’s right. Bringing the two of you here was truly a good decision. You’re more than enough to fill Vika’s absence.”

“Madam, you must miss Vika a lot, don’t you?”

“What do you mean ‘must’? I already miss him right now.”

“If you have a child, you’ll miss Vika less.”

When Sikar mentioned children, I remembered his nightly insistence on sharing chambers and blushed deeply.

“Wh-who said I wouldn’t have one?!”

I glared and walked off, and Sikar trailed behind me like a puppy.

“So starting today, we prepare to have a child immediately, right? Right?”

“You must be crazy. Seriously. Stop it!”

“Madam, where are you going? Let’s go together!”

Where? I’m running away from you.

I chuckled softly and dodged Sikar, heading toward Roen’s room.

“I’ve gathered what I thought the priestess might need, but I’m not sure if it meets your approval, Madam.”

The wardrobe was packed with robes and nightgowns for Roen.

“Since Lady Roen also likes dresses, not just robes, please include some dresses next time.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“The curtains and bed sheets are soft and nice.”

“All prepared with top-grade materials.”

“You’ve worked hard preparing these, Andrea. Of course, even without me saying anything, you’d handle it well—but still, please pay a bit more attention while the two of them stay here.”

“Of course, Madam.”

No sooner had my conversation with Andrea ended than Roen came in with quick steps.

“Wow! Is this really my room?”

Seeing Roen so happy made me smile involuntarily too.

“Yes, Lady Roen. You’ll be staying here from now on. I’ll send your assigned maid, so please rest comfortably.”

“After living in a small dormitory, seeing such a big room is unbelievable. Thank you so much, Duchess.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I want to live here for the rest of my life!”

If Roen truly lived here forever, I’d be sincerely grateful and honored.

“If you do that, it’d be an immense honor for me, Lady Roen.”

“Oh my, I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

“Uh… but where did Lord Jeremi go?”

“Ah, Lord Jeremi went with the Duke to the training room.”

Ah, right. Since Jeremi’s a mage, he’d naturally prefer the training room over a lodging room.

Roen’s expression, bright with smiles just moments ago, quickly turned gloomy.

“Come to think of it, I must leave soon too.”

“What?”

“I promised to find the Sacred Grass.”

Ah. The Sacred Grass….

“I asked the Princess for just one week, but I’m not sure how she’ll respond.”

“She’ll probably agree. The Princess tends to listen quietly, after all.”

“That’s true. She’s reserved, but not entirely without that side. Right?”

Seeing Roen brighten up again made me smile too.

“But Duchess, you must really love roses.”

“What?”

“You planted roses even when you lived in the palace. And here too, the whole garden is full of roses.”

“Ah. It’s not because I like them….”

At that moment, Sikar entered with Jeremi and said,

“I planted them because my wife resembles a thorny rose.”

Roen’s mouth dropped open as if she’d heard the most romantic tale.

“How romantic.”

Romantic, my foot. I wanted to say he planted roses to tame me, but I didn’t want to shatter Roen’s fantasy, so I just smiled vaguely.

Sikar probably said that for the same reason—he didn’t want to break her illusion.

After the conversation ended, I noticed Jeremi behind Sikar, looking dazed.

“Lord Jeremi, why that expression? You look exhausted.”

“Exhausted? Of course. Trying to build muscles like Durion, even though I’m just a mage….”

Sikar suddenly seemed to choke mid-sentence and couldn’t speak further.

“Ee… mwee….”

Jeremi scratched the back of his head awkwardly and laughed.

“Haha. The Duke occasionally says strange things.”

Ah, so Jeremi must’ve temporarily silenced him with magic. How’s he planning to handle the aftermath?

Anyway, Sikar probably meant to say that Jeremi started exercising after hearing Roen say knights looked cool.

It seemed Jeremi secretly wanted to impress Roen.

I curled my finger into a circle toward Jeremi, signaling I’d handle it.

Meanwhile, the magic wore off, and Sikar opened his mouth again to say something to Jeremi—so I quickly covered Sikar’s mouth with my hand.

“Come outside with me for a moment, Duke.”

“Mmph!”

“Then, Lord Jeremi, Lady Roen—please rest comfortably.”

After bowing to the two, I stepped into the hallway and immediately removed my hand from Sikar’s mouth. Predictably, Sikar turned around angrily, ready to charge at Jeremi.

“That Jeremi….”

So I had to stop him.

“It’s not something to get angry at Lord Jeremi for. You should’ve pretended not to notice back then.”

“What is this love doing to people? Completely ruining them. A muscular mage? Mages should keep their bodies light to handle magic easily.”

“Who knows? Maybe he’ll become the first muscular mage.”

“He’ll just end up a mage with pathetic skill and nothing but muscles.”

Sikar spoke as if Jeremi were pitiful, but for some reason, I thought he looked cool.

If anyone could become Leccador’s strongest, most physically robust mage, it’d be Jeremi.

It wasn’t our first night—but it felt like one. Since it was our first night back at the Duke’s mansion, perhaps it could be called a first night.

As I changed into my nightgown and waited for Sikar, I heard a tapping at the window.

‘Who could possibly be tapping on a window at this hour in the solemn Duke’s mansion?’

But when I went to the windowsill, I saw nothing.

When I opened the window, the curtain fluttered and twirled around my body, then I gently slid downward.

Before I could scream, I landed in someone’s arms. I looked up and saw Sikar holding me, gazing down.

“Sikar?”

Come to think of it, this scene resembled the day I first came to the Duke’s mansion—when I tried escaping by sliding down the curtain and got caught by him.

Sikar held me tightly, wrapped in the curtain, unable to move, and said,

“Do you remember the day we first met—when you tried to escape me and I caught you?”

“I remember….”

“If you ever try to run from me again, or if it seems like you’ll disappear from me, I’ll hold you just as tightly now and never let go. Even if you fight me and leave home, I’ll drag you back like this.”

His eyes, completely devoid of humor, showed sincere, desperate longing.

Perhaps because of his sparkling gaze, my heart raced strangely—even though today had been utterly exhausting.

Sikar soon smiled and leaned his face toward me.

“So now, it’s okay to like me a lot again.”

“Didn’t you say not to like you because you were worried I’d disappear?”

“Now that Seo Yeon has returned and we know the condition for disappearance, it means you can like me freely.”

Sikar gently lowered the strap of my nightgown, hidden within the curtain.

“So, shall we have a child soon too?”

I quickly grabbed the slipping strap with my hand.

“H-here? Outside…?”

“Of course, we’ll go inside.”

Sikar wrapped me tightly in the curtain, carried me like a bundled gift, and headed into the mansion.

I hoped no one saw us—but in the distance, I spotted Roen and Jeremi watching us.

The moment Roen saw me, she hopped up and threw her legs into Jeremi’s arms.

Poor Jeremi, suddenly burdened with Roen, bent his waist nearly in half.

After that, as we entered the mansion, I couldn’t see what happened to them.

As Sikar climbed the stairs, he kissed my forehead and said,

“Tonight will be a wonderful night. And tomorrow too. And the day after that.”