OPDPS 59

The Grand Duke’s birth mother had died when he was young, so the previous Grand Duke’s wife was technically his stepmother. Since the Grand Duke was still unmarried, her title as “Grand Duchess” was only nominal—some addressed her by that title, while others simply called her Lady Merel. She was in charge of managing the household, so Aeryl would need to stay on her good side.

“Congratulations on your safe return, Your Grace.”

Lady Merel was the first to bow in greeting. The servants behind her followed in unison, bending at the waist.

“Welcome home.”

The precision of their movements was like that of well-trained soldiers. Even the staff here carried themselves differently from those in the Imperial Palace, who tended to be more gentle in demeanor. The Grand Duke merely glanced over their greetings with a cold expression.

“I heard this campaign was another great success. The people of the domain must be pleased.”

Lady Merel spoke in a flat tone. Though the words themselves were positive, perhaps because of her voice—or her deliberate emphasis on “the people of the domain”—the remark didn’t sound especially kind.

“Yes.”

The Grand Duke answered curtly. He used honorifics out of formality, but there was no trace of respect. Aeryl glanced between the Grand Duke and Lady Merel. Even as they spoke, their eyes never met, and their expressions remained stiff.

‘They don’t get along.’

Aeryl was quick to catch on to such things. An eldest son who had come of age and inherited the household, and a stepmother with a young son—it was a difficult combination for harmony.

“And who is this unfamiliar face? It’s the first time Your Grace has ever brought someone into the inner quarters.”

Lady Merel turned her gaze to Aeryl, and he could feel her assessing him.

He put on his kindest expression. Usually, that disarmed wary people and won them over—something he’d learned during the long journey north. But it was useless this time.

“Aeryl Aden. He will be handling medical matters in the inner quarters from now on.”

At the Grand Duke’s words, Lady Merel’s face twisted in displeasure.

“What did you say?”

She glared at Aeryl, eyes blazing. Guess the nice expression didn’t work. Aeryl was a little taken aback—but it soon became clear that the reaction wasn’t about him personally.

“This is the first I’m hearing of this. You’re bringing someone—a physician—into the inner quarters without even consulting me? How could you make such a decision?”

Lady Merel snapped.

“Do I need your permission to decide who may enter my castle?”

“I am the Grand Duchess of Asirion!”

“The former Grand Duchess, to be exact.”

The Grand Duke cut her off. His tone was so icy it made the air around them feel brittle. Lady Merel clenched her fists, trembling with humiliation.

Normally, managing household staff was the right of the mistress of the house. But since Lady Merel was a stepmother and the widow of the previous Grand Duke, her authority was somewhat ambiguous.

The Grand Duke and Lady Merel stared each other down. Her eyes burned with fury, while his remained cold and emotionless. With the two most powerful figures in the inner quarters at odds, no one dared to intervene.

‘I… do not exist…’

Aeryl tried to erase every trace of his presence, worried that a stray spark might land on him. I should’ve stayed back. I didn’t need to come closer just to say hello. And there was someone else in a similarly awkward position.

The boy standing beside Lady Merel—presumably the Grand Duke’s younger half-brother—had the same black hair and blue eyes, though he still looked more like a child than a youth.

The boy looked like he was about to cry in the tense atmosphere. Then, as if making a brave decision, he straightened his posture.

“E-excuse me! Your Grace! Mother!”

The Grand Duke and Lady Merel both turned toward him. To raise his voice in this situation—definitely the Grand Duke’s brother. Aeryl silently applauded his courage. But it didn’t go well.

“Do you have something to say?”

“Uh, well, um…”

“Haven’t I taught you not to mumble and to speak clearly? It’s shameful for a bloodline of House Asirion to be this timid.”

The boy’s face turned paler and his shoulders slumped. At this point, someone should’ve knelt down to meet him eye to eye—but the Grand Duke only watched indifferently. Lady Merel was no different.

“Sorel.”

Unable to bear it any longer, the Grand Duke finally spoke. At his stern voice, the boy flinched—and burst into tears.

“Snff, I-I’m sorry…!”

He barely managed to apologize before running off. Lady Merel’s face flushed red with anger, and she shouted,

“Hiel!”

Aeryl realized a beat too late that that was the Grand Duke’s name. The Grand Duke stepped forward, as if to shield Aeryl, and spoke.

“Your Grace, Lady Merel.”

“Is that really what matters right now?”

Lady Merel clenched her fists and trembled slightly.

“Your Grace. Sorel is your only blood relative. Yet you couldn’t wait to hear the child out and scolded him like that? That was truly too harsh of you!”

She glared at the Grand Duke and Aeryl for a moment, then stormed out after her son.

“……”

“……”

A brief silence settled over the lobby. Only Aeryl seemed surprised—everyone else stood in place with calm, expressionless faces, as if they were used to this kind of scene.

You can tell what the rest is like just from one part. He could easily imagine what the atmosphere in this household was normally like. A hostile stepmother and a half-brother… this family didn’t seem to be an easy one to live with.

‘I should’ve just stayed in the outer quarters.’

His future looked bleak. He had a feeling life in the Grand Duke’s castle wouldn’t be smooth at all.

***

Knock, knock, knock.

Aeryl slowly opened his eyes at the sound of knocking. An unfamiliar ceiling came into view.

‘Ah… the Grand Duke’s castle.’

It took him a moment to remember where he was. After Lady Merel stormed out yesterday, the Grand Duke had left for the outer quarters for work, and Aeryl had been shown to the room he would be using from now on.

He’d looked around the room, taken a bath, and sat down on the sofa to catch his breath.

‘Must’ve fallen asleep like that.’

When he stood up, he realized he’d been lying on the sofa. He hadn’t even used the perfectly good bed. What a waste of a rare chance to sleep comfortably. Either way, it was already the next morning.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking came again.

“Just a moment.”

Aeryl quickly got up, straightened himself out, and tied the strap that held his glasses in place. Only after doing so did he feel at ease. When he opened the door, the butler was standing there.

“Good morning. We prepared the room in a hurry upon hearing of your arrival. I hope it was to your satisfaction.”

“Yes, thank you. I was able to rest well.”

“I’m glad to hear that. This is the girl who’ll be assisting you from now on.”

At the butler’s gesture, the girl who had been standing silently behind him stepped forward and bowed. She looked to be in her late teens, wearing a plain, monochrome dress.

“My name is Connie.”

“I’m Aeryl. I look forward to working with you.”

Aeryl returned the greeting, though he found it curious. When he had looked around the room yesterday, he’d noticed that it was immaculately clean, with all the necessities already prepared. The butler must’ve known in advance and gotten everything ready.

‘So the butler knew, but Lady Merel didn’t…’

There were clearly internal power struggles at play. This household had its own complications. Thankfully, Aeryl was no stranger to such conflicts. It might be a bit of a headache to stay neutral, but he wasn’t too worried.

‘I’m only staying until spring anyway. What could possibly happen?’

He dismissed the thought lightly. The butler soon excused himself for other duties, and Aeryl got ready and stepped outside.

“I’ll give you a brief tour of the main parts of the castle, and then take you to the infirmary.”

Aeryl’s eyes widened at Connie’s words.

“There’s an infirmary? I heard there hasn’t been a doctor in the inner quarters for a long time.”

“There was still a room for it. We cleaned it and stocked it with everything you’d need. Just over the past few days.”

“I see.”

“Yes. Really… just the past few days…”

Connie’s face darkened as she recalled the memory. Aeryl had a strange feeling—as if knowing the Grand Duke’s exact instructions might be dangerous.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, please follow me.”

Thus began Aeryl’s exploration of the Grand Duke’s castle with Connie as his guide. The castle was divided into the East Wing, Central Wing, and West Wing. Lady Merel and the young lord stayed in the East Wing.

“You’ll need to get permission from the head maid before entering the East Wing.”

“Understood.”

Apparently, the East Wing operated separately under the head maid’s management. The West Wing housed the servants’ quarters, storage rooms, and various facilities. Aeryl would likely only go there if a patient needed treatment.

The Central Wing’s first and second floors contained the reception rooms, library, study, and dining room. Aeryl’s infirmary was located on the first floor, and his living quarters on the second. For reference, the Grand Duke used the third floor.

“You mustn’t go up to the third floor,” Connie warned.

“Only the butler and a few assigned servants are allowed up there, and even they tread carefully and leave quickly when His Grace isn’t around.”

The Grand Duke, being a Swordmaster, was extremely sensitive to others’ presence and disliked being disturbed. That’s why he used the entire floor alone.

‘If no one else is ever up there, it’ll be easier to find him when I need to.’

Aeryl was well aware that he would be the exception to that rule.