“Miss Russell. Are you really alright with walking?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m sturdier than I look.”
At Olivia’s firm words, Winston looked at Victor as if there was no helping it and signaled for him to go ahead. Victor, who had been sulking as if offended that Winston would not tell him what they had discussed in the carriage, approached Masha.
“His Highness says to go in first. Please get in the carriage.”
“Oh, please don’t address me so politely. I am not a lady-in-waiting but a maid.”
“We haven’t formally introduced ourselves yet, after all.”
Masha nodded with a look of surprise and turned to Olivia.
“Young Lady, let me fix your scarf again.”
Except for the cold being beyond imagination, it seemed it would be a life no worse than her days at the Brown ducal residence. Masha grinned broadly as she adjusted Olivia’s wool scarf, then departed first with Victor in the carriage. The carriage carrying them passed through the main gate and headed far off to the underground carriage house of the residence.
“Then, this way.”
Olivia gladly accepted Winston’s offer of his arm once more and walked slowly. Seeing a man who showed no more kindness than necessary go this far, it seemed he had at least decided to truly treat her as an honored guest rather than cast her out immediately.
“I will say it again, but it will not be a place worth admiring.”
Olivia pretended not to hear Winston and waited for the heavy main gate to open.
* * *
The news that the Grand Duke’s carriage, which had gone out to receive a sudden guest, had returned was delivered to all the servants working throughout the residence. Marilyn, the head maid, who had come out to the central hall of the residence upon hearing the news, saw the servants who should have been standing in a line at the entrance instead clinging to the few glass windows, and shouted.
“What is everyone doing instead of standing at the entrance?”
“Head Maid. Please just overlook it for today. It’s because we want to catch a glimpse first, even like this.”
The distance from here to the residence’s entrance was so far—how could the guest’s figure possibly be visible? Marilyn let out a sigh, but such things were hardly going to reach the servants’ ears.
“Look, look, they’re walking over there. The one who headed to the carriage house must be Sir Victor, right?”
“Wait, wait. I understand everyone is excited about a guest after so long, but……”
“Head Maid.”
Just then, a maid who had lost out in the scramble for a spot approached Marilyn and delivered some news.
“The guest His Highness the Grand Duke is bringing is that eccentric noble lady.”
“Eccentric noble lady?”
“Surely you know?”
“It’s the nickname of the Duchess who had that noisy divorce.”
“That’s right. That’s exactly it!”
Marilyn’s large lips stretched wide open as she thought for a moment. Covering her mouth with both hands, Marilyn asked the maid back.
“An honored guest, that person?”
“The butler told me a little while ago. As expected, you didn’t know either, Head Maid.”
“Butler, what is the meaning of this!”
Just then, old butler Dale, who had dropped a tremendous bombshell and briefly stepped away, returned. He smiled awkwardly and, as if there had been no helping it, raised and lowered his eyebrows and spoke.
“His Highness said to inform you when the residence’s gates opened. That she might not be an honored guest.”
“Then, you’re saying that noble lady is inside right now? And we have no preparation whatsoever?”
“Marilyn, just do as usual. There’s no need to make such a fuss.”
“I would need to have received a guest before to do as usual!”
Dale conveyed to Marilyn exactly what Winston had said. In truth, the thought that everything was ruined now that things had come to this also dominated his mind.
“……Moreover, she is no longer a Duchess either.”
“Good heavens, Butler. She’s not just anyone—she’s a person who was a Duchess. What good could come to His Highness from showing her this shabby residence!”
Marilyn pressed her head, saying it would have been a disaster if even the guest room had not been decent.
“B-but, why is that person coming here?”
While Marilyn and Dale were raising their voices, a maid who had been caught in the middle could not overcome her curiosity and threw out a question. Come to think of it, it was strange. How had that noble lady ended up coming here? A divorced noble lady, and an unmarried Grand Duke! In that moment, a single reason rose in everyone’s minds.
“Surely……!”
* * *
Olivia looked at the desolate garden spread out before her and briefly doubted whether this was a dream.
“It’s exactly like the illustration in the travelogue. To think I would actually see this!”
“……Surely you don’t mean the northern travelogue?”
“Yes. It said that when snow falls, you can see a garden dazzlingly white, and recommended this place. I hadn’t heard there was a wall, though.”
Only then could Winston understand Olivia’s unusual reaction. Come to think of it, the fact that she had shown profound interest in the North on the day he happened to meet her also came to mind.
“I see.”
An abandoned palace in a forest full of coniferous trees. The residence where the Grand Duke now stayed was the main palace of a small kingdom that had once had Libien as its capital in the distant past. Seen from afar, the residence showed its age, but as it had been the palace of a kingdom, it was incomparably splendid compared to ordinary residences. Even the garden, without a single blade of grass, looked intentional.
“You still remember the contents of such an old book.”
“Of course. There was a time when I could not even imagine being able to come here in person. So I read the book over and over.”
Until the spine wore down. Olivia smiled faintly, recalling the book that was even now in her luggage bag with her clothes. Would her past self have ever imagined such a day would come?
“I’m excited. When will it snow?”
Winston briefly furrowed his brow at the word snow, but Olivia, unable to take her eyes off the approaching residence, did not notice the change.
“There will be news before long.”
Olivia’s eyes sparkled as if she had heard something tremendous. She looked back at the Grand Duke’s garden she had crossed all this way. She was already looking forward to how beautiful this space would be when covered in snow.
“A long-cherished wish is finally coming true.”
“It is not as magnificent a sight as you think, so you had best not expect too much.”
“For the master of Libien to disparage this place.”
“Great expectations bring great disappointment.”
“Hearing you say that only makes me more excited.”
At those words, Winston also let out a small laugh. He wondered how long the thoughtless words of an ignorant young lady would last. It was a fleeting moment, but Olivia, having witnessed the smile on his lips, marveled inwardly. So even that terrifying face had moments when light entered it.
“Let us meet again later.”
With those words, Winston returned to his expressionless face. And at last, the two came to a stop before the Grand Duke’s residence’s enormous main gate. Winston, who had been about to order a servant to open the door, felt the weight on his arm and looked at her.
“Are we going in right away? What about the back of the residence? I’m curious about that too……”
Winston, eyebrows twitching as he looked at Olivia as if gauging something, turned his head and spoke. Just then, the enormous iron gate opened on both sides.
“If you are not staying only for today, let us put it off until next time. I am extremely cold.”
“Ah, um. Yes. Then may I go look around anywhere? Only the places in the book, of course!”
When Winston nodded after thinking for a moment, Olivia secretly sniffled and inwardly cheered.
“Welcome, Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
Olivia, entering the Grand Duke’s residence with Winston’s escort, had her gaze stolen by the interior, neatly decorated unlike the crude exterior. Whether the book’s content that every part of the residence was no different from a museum was true, old stone statues and carvings etched into the walls decorated the vast space.
“Welcome to the Grand Duke’s residence.”
The sound of the servants’ greetings lined up on both sides shook the entire residence. Startled, Olivia unknowingly clutched Winston’s forearm. Fortunately, her expression at least remained composed, so Olivia could offer a gentle smile to the old butler who greeted her.
“I am Dale Butler, the butler. I will serve you comfortably during your stay.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And this is Marilyn Grenville, the head maid.”
At the old butler’s gesture, a woman of good build standing to one side took a step forward.
“Young Lady, it is an honor to meet you.”
“For the time being, Marilyn will be exclusively attending to you, Young Lady.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
Marilyn bowed once more with a broad smile that made her large lips stand out. When the brief welcome and introductions were over, the old butler gestured toward the stairs leading to the second floor, offering to guide the way.
“The guest room has been prepared on the second floor of the residence. You must be weary from the long journey, so I will guide you to your room.”
Olivia, who had been about to gladly follow Dale, looked at Winston, who had blocked her path with a single small step. His gaze was fixed on her without the slightest deviation.
“Dale, I will guide her myself.”
