Chapter 74

"Lady, we will arrive soon."

At Mari's whisper, the tension in her shoulders tightened. She wanted to excuse her trembling as the carriage's shaking, but the fine carriage was moving smoothly with little jostling. Taking a deep breath, she slightly pulled back the curtain and looked out the window. The city, surrounded by massive walls that dwarfed Eilsford, was drawing closer. It was the capital, a place she thought she would never return to. The capital, where the imperial palace was located, was the pinnacle of the empire—wealthy, splendid, and vibrant. No matter where she looked, it was a dazzling and magnificent city. Among them, the most dazzling was the imperial palace, but the mansions of the prestigious capital nobles were also very splendid. Not far away, the mansion of my own family, the Vain Marquessate, was famous for its size and beauty. The carriage, which had been moving, stopped, and when she looked ahead, a soldier was checking the identities of the people at the city gate. Most passed easily, but some were rejected for not meeting the strict criteria. Those who were rejected immediately raised their voices in protest, and the soldiers repeatedly and stubbornly said no, leading to several tense standoffs. As a result, the line waiting for inspection moved excruciatingly slowly. It seemed that spectators and merchants from all over the country had gathered to celebrate the Emperor's Silver Jubilee. Several noble carriages were also mixed in the long line, presumably summoned by the Emperor.

'Of course, none as splendid as ours...'

The brilliance of the carriage caught the eye of a man directing the inspection at the city gate, who approached our carriage with quick steps.

'He must be the captain of the guard.'

He seemed startled by Altear's terrifying face as he led the group on horseback, but soon cleared his throat and bowed.

"I am the captain of the guard. May I ask which family you are from?"

Thinking it was a procession from a high-ranking family due to the extraordinary carriage, he seemed ready to provide convenience.

"Eilsford Baron."

"Eilsford Baron, you say..."

The captain of the guard frowned at Altear's answer.

'A country baron is not someone the captain of the guard would bow to and provide convenience for.'

From the way the captain ignored the ordinary noble carriages and only spoke to us, it was clear what kind of 'convenience' he was offering. I cautiously opened the carriage window, worried that Altear might be offended by the captain's high-handed attitude. After all, I am from the Vain Marquessate, and in the capital, that name carries weight, allowing me to handle the situation smoothly. However, before I could say anything, the captain of the guard bowed deeply with a broad smile.

"Baron Eilsford!"

His greeting seemed strangely warm. Altear, who was the subject of this greeting, and I, were both taken aback, but the captain of the guard continued to speak.

"His Highness the Third Prince, who passed through the city gate not long ago, gave strict instructions. He said you are a close friend and should be treated well."

"…A close friend?"

Altear frowned, puzzled, but the captain of the guard, busy bowing, didn't notice his terrifying expression.

"Yes! He emphasized it so much… I've been waiting for you every day, Baron."

The captain of the guard rubbed his hands busily, almost as if he was afraid his fingerprints would wear off.

'If he's this enthusiastic, the Third Prince must have really spoken well of us.'

Suspicion and caution rose sharply. I knew he wouldn't offer such kindness without a reason.

"Such a distinguished person shouldn't have to wait on the street… Please tell me your destination, and I will clear the way for you."

"I am going to my wife's family home, the Vain Marquessate."

"Ah! The Vain Marquessate!"

The captain of the guard, already bowing, became even more respectful. A baron who is a close friend of the prince, and a baroness whose family is the Vain Marquessate—this was a significant power for an ordinary captain of the guard.

'Of course, we can't rely on both sides of this power…'

But the captain of the guard wouldn't know that. Neither Altear nor I had any intention of correcting him. If he was willing to provide convenience, there was no reason to refuse.

'After all, everyone is tired from the long journey.'

Anna had already been lost in thought inside the carriage, and even Mari, who usually hid her fatigue well, looked worn out. Everyone would want to unpack and rest as soon as possible.

"Please follow me. Using the West Gate will be closer to the Vain Marquessate."

Following the captain of the guard's guidance, the atmosphere became much quieter. Some of the nobles waiting in line grumbled, but I ignored them. From then on, everything went smoothly. Entering the capital through the West Gate, the appearance of a major city, distinctly different from Eilsford, unfolded before us. It was a familiar sight from my childhood, but for the Eilsford natives, it must have been a whole new world.

"Wow!"

Anna, who had been lost in thought, was now pressed against the carriage window, marveling at the capital. Even the ordinary houses and streets seemed new and exciting to her. Her amazement reached its peak when the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Vain Marquessate, and she finally got to breathe the outside air.

"Wow! This is the Vain Marquessate? Your family home, Lady?"

Anna whispered in my ear as she helped me out of the carriage, still gazing at the mansion with wide eyes. The Vain Marquessate, unlike the rugged and massive Eilsford Castle, was a delicate and splendid mansion. Unlike Eilsford Castle, which had been neglected and deteriorated, the Vain Marquessate had never been left unattended and shone brightly. The difference was evident even from the outside, and the gardens and interiors would be even more impressive. Despite the efforts to renovate Eilsford Castle with the money from the magic stone trade contract, it was still difficult to compare with the Vain Marquessate, which had been meticulously maintained over a long history.

"Why did you leave such a place to come to Eilsford!"

Anna whispered, clearly disbelieving. If it were her, she would never leave such a beautiful mansion. Her excited and breathless demeanor was a bit endearing. Without siblings, I imagined what it would be like to have a younger sister. In comparison, Mari seemed more like an older sister.

While I was lost in these thoughts, Altear was also waiting for someone to greet us, observing the mansion. With his mouth firmly set, Altear's expression was inscrutable, showing no signs of being overwhelmed by the massive mansion, unlike the other Eilsford people.

'As expected of Altear.'

Feeling proud of my composed husband, I smiled, and then I heard hurried footsteps from not far away.

"Oh, my niece has arrived!"

It was my uncle. The smile on my face vanished instantly. My uncle, Avar Vain, was still the same. A man in his late forties with brown hair and blue eyes, he was noticeably overweight, a result of his lavish lifestyle since becoming a marquess. By his side, as always, was the beautiful Melissa.

"It's good to see you after so long, Nadia!"

My uncle grabbed my hands and greeted me warmly, appearing genuinely happy to see his niece.

'Of course, that's not his true feeling.'

"I'm also happy to see you after so long."

I forced a smile in response. Then, my uncle's attention quickly shifted to Altear beside me. He must have been more interested in Altear from the start, only greeting me first to avoid drawing attention.

"Meeting my nephew-in-law! You must have had a long journey!"

My uncle grabbed Altear's hand and laughed heartily, but his eyes darted to the carriage and horses we had brought, evaluating them. I could see a glint of greed in his eyes when he saw the beautiful carriage, though it was a fleeting moment that most people wouldn't notice.

"Welcome, Baron!"

Melissa, who hadn't even greeted me, turned to Altear, sending him a sparkling gaze. Mari's eyebrows twitched in disapproval, but if she were the type to care about such things, she wouldn't have been so openly rude.

At least my uncle was mindful of appearances. He cleared his throat and stepped in front of Melissa, addressing Altear.

"We shouldn't leave you standing here. I've prepared the best room in the mansion for you. After that, we should enjoy a banquet. Right?"

"Thank you for your hospitality, but staying in the room my wife used before marriage is sufficient for us."

"Wh, what? 'Us'… You mean you and Nadia will share a room?"

"Yes. In the East, couples share a bedroom."

Altear's words made my uncle's eyes widen.

"Moreover, the room Nadia used before marriage…"

"Yes. It would be more comfortable for my wife to stay in a familiar place. There's no need for a different room. I find this arrangement sufficient."

It wasn't an unreasonable request. Daughters who return to their family homes often use their old rooms.

'But my room…'

It wasn't a typical noble lady's room.

'After my uncle inherited the title, I was forced out of my original room.'

Naturally, it wasn't a well-furnished, comfortable room. It was dark and damp, close to the servants' quarters. The condition of the furniture was poor.

"Although I've heard that couples in the East share a bedroom, things are different here. Nadia can use her old room, but you should use the room I've prepared…"

My uncle, wiping his cold sweat with a handkerchief, tried to come up with a solution. However, Altear shook his head again.

"I'm also new to this place and find it scary to stay alone."

"Scared to stay alone?"

"Yes. I'm so scared that I want to share a room with my wife. It would be a comfort."

Altear repeated that he was scared with a completely unafraid expression. Despite his tall stature and good physique, he showed no signs of embarrassment at saying he was scared to sleep alone. I looked at him in disbelief, and he calmly held my hand.

"Who will comfort me if I have a nightmare? Only my wife can."

'Nightmares…'

Unless he was causing nightmares in someone else's dreams…

I suppressed a hollow laugh and saw my uncle, who was trying to figure out how to salvage his disrupted plan. Finally, he gave in.

"Alright. If you're scared… it should be fine."

"Father."

Surprised by his agreement, Melissa tugged on my uncle's arm. Even the clueless girl seemed to realize that showing '