Chapter 17

"Miss, where should this go?"

"Um, please put the fragile items in that wooden box. Then, gather the books from there to there in one place."

"Miss Melfiela, please seal this luggage after checking it."

"Yes! I'll do it right away."

For the past few days, my room in the annex had been overflowing with packed luggage. This was due to the Duke's instructions to move my laboratory to the Galbreath territory as it was. The sorting of the luggage was being helped by the servants of Marshar Raid and the knights of Galbreath.

The day the Duke arrived at the Marshar Raid territory on a Grissheld Dragon, after a discussion between Father and the Duke, we officially became engaged. The speed at which this happened, even the word 'engagement,' seemed almost unreal after the three years of no talk. When Father called me to the parlor and showed me the enchanted engagement contract, I couldn't help but take the Duke's hand and check the back of it. The contract was so strongly enchanted.

"Is it alright for you to do such a thing, Your Grace?!"

"Don't worry, Melfiela. This is proof that this engagement will not be broken."

"But..."

"I wanted to respond to your sincerity and resolve. Keep it a secret from Chaos. He's quite troublesome."

With that, the Duke gently stroked my cheek, and I couldn't say anything more. I think the Duke is being too considerate of a daughter from a much lower-ranking baron's family. I don't know what a typical engagement is like, but this one is not normal.

As I busily gave instructions, the sound of spurs clattered, and a Galbreath knight entered the room. The person in black knight's attire was Mullan, who had brought the souvenirs on the Grissheld Dragon.

"Miss Melfiela, the Royalmoodler has been safely moved outside. As per your instructions, it will be air-transported by the dragons while still frozen."

"Thank you, Mullan. Since it's better when it's rock solid, please transport it without casting a spell to block the cold."

"Understood!"

I decided to take the Royalmoodler meat to the Galbreath territory. Since no one here would eat it, it would be a waste to leave it. Whether thawed and eaten or smoked, there were many ways to enjoy it. The spices the Duke brought were delicious. I heard that there were many unknown magical creatures and rare spices in the Galbreath territory. Perhaps there were even cooking methods to make carnivorous magical beasts delicious.

"By the way, what about the golden fur of the Royalmoodler?"

Mullan brought me back from my daydream. Despite his young age, Mullan was the captain of the Galbreath Dragon Corps. He readily accepted my unreasonable request to transport the frozen meat, which was a good person.

"I'll leave the golden fur here. It's going to get colder, so I'll have someone knit warm coats for Father and my step-brother."

"Then I'll leave it with someone here."

"Yes, please do."

Mullan seemed to want to say something, but I thought this was fine. Lady Celia would refuse to accept it if she knew it was a gift from the Duke of Galbreath. But for my three-year-old step-brother, she would reluctantly use it. After all, the golden fur of the Royalmoodler was something that a mere Baroness of Marshar Raid could never obtain.

"Miss Melfiela, are these all your clothes?"

"Um, are these all regular dresses? Please include all the work dresses too."

"Even the dirty ones?!"

"Yes, all the dirty ones too."

After packing all the research materials, it was time to pack my personal items. From dresses to shoes to undergarments, I stuffed all my belongings into rough bags. Unlike my research materials, I had few personal items. I didn't particularly enjoy luxury or fashion, so I didn't need the dresses and accessories that typical noble daughters would have. I had three new dresses made to find a fiancé as Lady Celia suggested. The rest were either remade from my mother's dresses or gifts from Father who couldn't bear to see me without them.

(Okay, just a little more. I need to move the luggage outside before the carriage arrives.)

I was about to move to the Galbreath territory. The carriage was coming soon, and I had to be ready by then. This was the result of the Duke's insistence during his three-day stay, "Marshar Raid's winter is too long. Are you asking me to wait until spring?" The Duke said that the land of Galbreath was special and that I needed to get used to it. Since the Duke had already returned to his territory, I was left to hurriedly pack with the Galbreath knights he left behind.

(Still, moving to the other party's territory right after the engagement... Do engaged couples usually live together so soon?)

Normally, there would be a period of bridal training or preparations before the wedding. I had lost my reliable mother, and Lady Celia, the lady of the house, was hiding in her room, afraid of the Duke. The servants were just servants, and Father only said, "Do as the Duke says." I looked around the mostly empty room, searching for something useful. I opened a dusty sewing box, but the needles were rusted, and the half-sewn towel was crumpled. It seemed useless now. I wondered if I could handle being the Duchess of Galbreath... While sewing wasn't the only qualification for a duchess, I couldn't have refined conversations at tea parties, and I lacked dignity.

"Miss Melfiela, please seal this box."

"Yes, I understand."

As a result of everyone's efforts, the wooden boxes containing my mother's research books and my new materials were piled up outside. I checked each one and sealed them with magic. The seal was made by the Duke and would explode if anyone other than me tried to open it. It would be a disaster if it accidentally exploded. I warned the servants not to open them, but did my luggage really need such protection?

"Ah, I want to carry this myself."

"As you wish. Then, to your hand luggage."

"Thank you."

A servant wrapped a small portrait of my mother and me in soft cloth and placed it in my bag. My mother, who had devoted herself to the study of magical creatures, never wore fancy clothes or jewelry. However, in the portrait, she had emerald-like eyes that shone brightly, and she was very beautiful. I inherited her green eyes, but I wasn't as beautiful as she was. My mother had lustrous, light red-tinged golden hair, which I always envied.

(I wonder whose curly red hair I inherited.)

My red hair would become a mess if I didn't take care of it. I remembered that the Duke seemed to like my hair, often touching it during his stay to enjoy its texture. According to Chaos, "His Excellency likes cute things and fluffy small animals." ...So, in the Duke's eyes, I'm a small animal. If he likes fluffy things, maybe it's okay if my hair isn't perfectly maintained.

"Miss, the carriage from the other side has arrived. Your father is waiting at the main house."

As I was lost in thought in the empty room, the butler, Hermann, came to call me. Hermann, who had served the Marshar Raid family since before I was born, was one of the few people who always treated me kindly. After Father remarried, all the maids were replaced by Lady Celia's servants, who didn't want to interact with the girl who ate magical creatures.

"Thank you. We can't talk for long, so let me say goodbye here. I'm sorry for causing trouble without being as accomplished as Mother. And thank you for eating my cooking from time to time."

"...I was just doing my job."

"Yes, that's true. Please take care of Father, Hermann."

I closed the door of the room for the last time, almost instinctively reaching for the magic lock before realizing I probably wouldn't return to this room.

(...Well, unless this engagement fails.)

I followed Hermann out of the annex and entered the main house where Father was waiting. In the parlor, instead of Father, Lady Celia, who was supposed to be convalescing, was waiting.