Ilyin’s fever eventually went away, but she still felt muscle pain. This she had to endure on her own, as the doctor, who’d come running from outside the castle walls, emphasized that those from the Empire had to take medicine from there. Then she heard the resident doctor of the Delroses shout in anger to the maids outside the thick doors, “How would herbs, grown in cold and shadow, heal someone from outside?!”

“Should I tell him to go elsewhere?” One of the maids asked quietly.

Ilyin shook her head at the Delrose maid, who then bowed before going to stand by the wall until she was needed again. They were much more reserved than the Blue North maids, and Ilyin looked at their shiny red bracelets.

Ilyin had drifted in and out of sleep after Den had left, and when she’d finally awakened fully, all the maids had been replaced by those of the Red Delroses. The ones being yelled at were from the Blue North, and Ilyin sighed, feeling sorry for them as she glanced at the Delrose maids who all stood against the wall like statues.

“Lady.” She heard a knock at the door and the maids instantly answered it, unlike the Blue North maids who would’ve taken their sweet time. Ilyin wondered who would refer to her like that after she’d been married, and then saw that it was Milo from Ecid, as the door was opened for him.

“Greetings, mistress. I heard that you have not been well.”

“That is true, Milo.”

He straightened his posture at the door, and Ilyin smiled as he bowed and handed the maid something. “This is a medicine often used at the capital, so it won’t discomfort you. However, if you feel an itch…” Milo was speaking loudly to be heard from the door, and his explanation was dragging on.

Ilyin waved at him, beckoning him to enter the room, “Come in and speak.” She thought Milo was following the Empire rules by being so loud because he worked for them and felt grateful for his position. However, Milo blinked at her words in confusion.

“I beg your pardon?” He looked perplexed. “M… me?” Ilyin also blinked as Milo stammered.

“Yes.”

Milo’s face turned pale at her words. “Are you asking me to enter the Duchess’s room in front of the Delrose maids?” Milo looked flabbergasted as he said that that would be like asking to be beheaded by the Duke.

“What on earth do you mean?” Ilyin remembered Den’s words in the awkward atmosphere earlier. Had he not said that it was acceptable for a man to enter her bedroom here?action

***

Idith had good hearing and couldn’t help but overhear the maids chattering as he took care of the overdue work at the estate since Aden wasn’t able to.

“Did His Highness spend the night?” A Mille maid was gossiping, and it was Idith’s job to inform Aden of the rumors that concerned him.

“Yes,” the other maid answered confidently.

“Is this because she is from the sunny lands?”

“Perhaps, do you think so too?”

While the words were spoken fast, Idith could still make out what they were whispering about.

“Lady Elena was also from outside.” The Blue North maid answered and Idith narrowed his eyes at seeing the estate’s undisciplined state. Their whispers were foolish, even if the owner of the estate went out often. Aden was furious with the Blue North, to the extent that being chased out would be a light punishment for them.

While the Delroses had been enemies with the Blue North for a long time now, Aden’s response had been strangely passionate. Idith thought removing the Blue North maids from Ilyin’s side had been a good idea, but Lidan had almost run away from the room after coming to complain about it. The Blue North’s actions, from when the bride’s carriage had first arrived, had been punishable. Still, his master had been waiting with patience.

Aden de Biflten’s rule was to pounce at the critical moment. However, things were different this time, as the decision to remove the Blue North maids had been too light and rushed. Aden would’ve chased the Blue North maids out in the cold with only thin clothes, and they would’ve frozen there for everyone to see.

“Greetings, mistress. I heard that you have not been well.” Idith heard Milo say.