YSGD 16

Chapter 16

“Gasp!”

“Oh my!”

Before I could say anything, the wooden door slowly creaked open with an ominous sound.

Standing there was Garnet, one hand holding a tray and the other gripping the doorknob, clearly having rushed in in a panic. Beside her, Lia was staring with her mouth agape, her eyes filled with the same shock.

“Madam! You’re safe!”

“O-Of course I am. I just dozed off for a moment and missed the timing to answer, that’s all…”

I jumped up and shot forward like a bullet, placing myself right in front of them.

Only then did Garnet, having confirmed that I was unharmed, lower the hand holding the doorknob and apologize awkwardly.

“I was worried you might be in danger, so I lost my composure without realizing it… I’m so sorry, Madam!”

Garnet looked like she was on the verge of tears.

I hurried another step toward her and waved my hands frantically.

Then I grabbed Garnet’s hands, inspecting them this way and that as I spoke.

“It’s fine! Hahaha. The doorknob’s really old. This works out well—we should replace it with a new one. More importantly, are you hurt? Did any splinters fly off, or did a thorn get stuck in you…? That would be terrible.”

“M-Madam…!”

The maids looked deeply moved.

But they couldn’t have known.

In truth, my exaggerated gestures were a desperate attempt to draw their attention away from Ternox…

While everyone was caught up in the soft, emotional moment, I subtly glanced back at the table.

But Ternox was still there, sitting as boldly as ever!

You crazy dragon! Are you trying to get us both killed?

At some point, my evaluation of him had reached the level of “crazy dragon.”

Completely unaware of my inner turmoil, Garnet spoke in a voice trembling with emotion.

“Your generosity has made me fall in love all over again, Madam. Thank you so much. And I’m truly fine. What’s more important is your meal.”

“Today’s menu includes potato stew, which you really love, Madam! You should eat it before it gets cold!”

Clearly touched, Garnet and Lia spoke almost like a rapid-fire volley.

I was amazed they could talk that fast.

Was this… the power of love?

The fact that all that affection was directed at me felt both burdensome and warmly reassuring.

At least the maids will listen to what I say…

In my previous life, I was often blamed or misunderstood over things that weren’t my fault.

Maybe that was why I’d grown timid without even realizing it.

Gathering what courage I had, I took a step back.

Into the space I vacated, Garnet and Lia entered the cabin with gentle movements, carrying the tray.

“…Huh?”

“Madam, please sit down. You must be hungry.”

And with no particular reaction, they began setting the food on the table.

Even though a complete stranger—no, a dragon—was sitting right there in front of them!

My eyes went wide, and Ternox, arms crossed, let out a snicker.

[Are you stupid? I’m a dragon, you know?]

Judging by the maids’ lack of reaction, it seemed his voice could only be heard by me.

“Damn it…”

So it’s invisibility?

You’ve truly become a real invisible dragon.

Must be nice to have your childhood wish come true.

Grumbling only in my head, I trudged over and sat at the table, feeling oddly deflated.

The meal, now twice as plentiful as it had been on the first day, no longer surprised me.

As I scooped up a generous spoonful of still-steaming potato stew, my eyes met Lia’s, who was standing quietly across from me.

Lia smiled softly, then spoke as if she had just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, the territorial festival is coming up soon.”

“A festival?”

“Yes. In Celeste, a small spring-welcoming festival is held around this time every year.”

Although the cold weather still lingered, once a certain date passed, it supposedly turned warm as if by magic and spring arrived.

It sounded like the equivalent of Ipchun back in Korea.

Garnet added that in Celeste, there was a tradition of holding events at this time to wish for the arrival of spring.

So basically, a spring-welcoming festival.

…Just hearing about it was exciting!

Noticing the spark of life returning to my previously dead-fish eyes, Garnet smiled.

“Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I didn’t even know there was a village. I mean, of course there would be people living here, but still.”

“Well, you’ve been staying in the cabin ever since you arrived, Madam… You’ve never really seen the village. It must feel stifling.”

Huh? I hadn’t said I felt stifled.

Looks like being a homebody didn’t disappear just because I got possessed.

What I’d considered a fairly relaxing recuperation must have looked like confinement to others.

And a festival in a ropan world—the kind I’d only read about and imagined?

Who wouldn’t want to go!

As my cheeks twitched with anticipation, the dragon sitting across from me wore a strangely subtle expression.

Soon after, a crooked smile spread across his face.

What’s with him now?

But at the moment, that immature uncle lizard who lived only to tease his niece wasn’t important.

I poked at my salad with a fork, sinking into thought.

“But… would it really be okay for me to go to the festival?”

“Wouldn’t it be proper, procedurally, to get the Grand Duke’s permission?”

That nominal husband who’d told me to stay out of sight was tripping me up again!

I’d intended to live quietly as he wished, but it was also true that I hesitated, since I hadn’t gone outside the ducal estate at all since arriving here.

The maids would handle guiding me, of course…

But that, too, was part of the problem.

They were extremely overprotective.

I mean, they’d broken down the door just because I’d hesitated to answer for a moment!

At this rate, am I going to be escorted while trapped inside a ring of hand-holding maids like some kind of ganggangsullae?

The fact that such a scenario felt realistic was the real problem…

Still, maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.

In a ropan world, festivals are practically guaranteed to come with incidents.

Of course, I didn’t seem to be protagonist material, but…

There’s no harm in being careful, right?

Before I knew it, my mind was firmly set on “I’m definitely going to the festival.”

“Shall I ask on your behalf through the head butler?” Lia added cautiously when my hesitation dragged on.

But I was a duchess in my own right.

It didn’t feel right to burden the maids with that.

Besides, wasn’t this the kind of thing that didn’t even need such an obvious inquiry?

With my quick wits spinning at full speed in matters like this, I let out a confident “muahaha” laugh.

“No. I’ve got my own way.”

* * *

A few days later, on the day of the spring-welcoming festival, at the ducal castle.

“Hi, Tia.”

“Hi. Are you going to the festival today too?”

“Of course! I’m just about done, so I’m going to change clothes and head out.”

“Let’s go together! Want to meet by the side gate?”

“Sounds good.”

The maids, their faces brighter than usual, chatted cheerfully as they carried laundry baskets.

Was it because of the upcoming festival?

Even within the usually quiet ducal castle, a subtle sense of anticipation was building.

The time between lunch and evening.

Ordinarily, fatigue would be showing on the servants’ faces, yet today they were brimming with a vitality unlike before.

That was because the generous lord of Celeste had granted most of the staff an afternoon off, just for today.

With everyone except essential personnel planning to head to the festival, the atmosphere grew even more festive.

“…Ha.”

And the very man who had bestowed that leave upon everyone—

Grand Duke Xenos Celeste himself—was sitting in his study, handling paperwork.

Though he was the lord of the territory, today’s festival was truly for the commoners.

Xenos’s role was simply to ensure that everyone could enjoy it safely and happily, so he had arranged for additional knights to be stationed around the plaza.

“It’s already this late…”

Beyond the large window of the office, whose curtains were drawn wide open, the glaring sunlight had already begun to fade.

Soon, the world would be wrapped in a blazing red sunset.

The spring-welcoming festival, which usually began at noon, continued until midnight.

After the sun fully set, the festival’s highlight—the lantern-floating event—was scheduled to begin.

Xenos had never personally released a lantern himself…

But from the window of his study, he could clearly see the colorful lanterns drifting down toward the river.

Quietly watching them alone every year was one of his small pleasures as a lord.

Having worked since before sunrise, he was just about to take a brief rest.

“…?”

Something caught Xenos’s eye as he set down his pen.

It was a small envelope wedged among the documents.

Hidden amid the mountain of paperwork, it was as if it didn’t want to be found.

“…What is this?”

Without realizing it, Xenos had been the victim of a stealthy “letter-slipping,” but even so, he didn’t think much of it at first.

He felt a momentary sense of puzzlement at the unsealed envelope.

Then—

“….”

As Xenos opened it without much thought and skimmed its contents, his expression gradually grew subtle.