Arina’s biological mother, the former Grand Duchess Mary, was said to have died of illness when Arina was very young.

And the former Grand Duke of the North, Baikal, never remarried until the day he died.

Part of it was due to his deep love for the late Grand Duchess Maryrina, but there were also various political and superstitious reasons.

But who knows what went on behind the scenes? It’s hard to believe a powerful noble who lost his wife early would remain alone for the rest of his life.

At first glance, the age difference between Mary and Arina didn’t seem significant—at most, two years?

An illegitimate child! Mary, the Great Witch of the Snowfields, was an illegitimate child of the Renslet Duchy!

The puzzle pieces seemed to finally fall into place.

Still, the former Grand Duke Baikal, what a remarkable man! Not only did he break the pattern of producing only sons, but he also fathered two children!

This was something I only learned after coming to High Castle.

The Renslet family had historically been cursed with few heirs.

It was to the extent that people speculated it might be an actual curse: the family only ever had one son per generation, and no previous Grand Duke or Duchess had ever lived to old age.

So it wasn’t a curse, after all. Just an incredibly persistent jinx that the previous Grand Duke Baikal managed to break.

I nodded involuntarily.

This also explains why Mary had relative freedom from the witches’ rules.

Still, giving the illegitimate child the nickname of his deceased wife? The former Grand Duke Baikal truly seemed like an eccentric.

That’s why the Great Witch of the Snowfields, Mary, could become the focal point of the Northern Resistance!

In the original history, Mary appeared in the North long after this time—20 years after Arina and the senior knights went missing in the Abyss.

Why she remained quiet for 20 years, why she didn’t reveal her true identity—those questions remain unanswered…

Not that it mattered anymore, since history had already been entirely rewritten.

Speaking of which, doesn’t Arina also have two circles in her heart? Wait… Could it be? Are Mary and Arina…? No, that’s ridiculous.

For a moment, I considered the possibility that Arina and Mary might be the same person, but the thought was quickly relegated to the lowest priority.

No matter how peculiar Arina might be, it was hard to imagine a Grand Duchess working as a low-level employee.

This wasn’t some kind of reality TV show like Undercover Boss.

“Hem, hem! But I do understand your intentions, Master.”

While I was lost in my thoughts about the original timeline, Mary suddenly cleared her throat awkwardly and spoke.

“You’re saying that spreading this fertilizer will restore the land’s fertility and make crops grow abundantly, right?”

“That’s correct. It’ll thrive even in the harshest climates, and more land will become cultivatable.”

“Really?!”

“I guarantee it.”

“!!”

Arina seemed as excited as if it were her own achievement. Indeed, she truly was an illegitimate child of the Ducal family.

“If that’s true, the name of the late Grand Duchess Maryrina will carry even greater meaning for the people. She was already beloved as the ‘Mother of the North.’”

“She was that beloved?”

“Oh, you might not know this. It was she who established the current low tax rates. She also restricted the domain taxes of Northern nobles and abolished toll fees.”

“…!”

“Which is why it’s too precious to simply let go. It would stir memories and longing among the people, boosting their loyalty. …If only it weren’t perceived as just fertilizer.”

She sounded genuinely regretful.

“Hmm… Hearing that, it does feel like a waste.”

I felt the same. For someone like me, tasked with strengthening the North to defend it from the Empire, the loyalty of the Northerners was crucial.

Is there a good way to utilize this…? Let’s see, there must be… Yes, there is!

After a moment of thought, I remembered a marketing strategy from Earth. My eyes lit up as I spoke to Mary.

“In that case, how about this?”

“Do you have an idea?”

“In situations like this, you usually incorporate a narrative or storytelling to promote the product. It’s called going viral.”

“Vi…ral?”

“I’ll explain once I’ve drafted a concept. We’ll likely need the Grand Duchess’s permission, too.”

“Understood.”

Still, I was cautious about making bold claims. I couldn’t fully trust Mary just yet, nor did I have explicit approval from Grand Duchess Arina.

“Let’s take the completed detector and the fertilizer outside.”

Instead, I decided to bring the unexpectedly early-finished detector and fertilizer outside.

“But before that, aren’t you hungry?”

It occurred to me that we hadn’t had a proper meal yet.

Since we finished work early, we had some time to spare—a perfect opportunity for a quick meal and some rest.

“Yes, I’m hungry.”

Mary nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling more than ever.

I feel a bit guilty. I should’ve given her breaks and snacks in between.

Her eager response made me feel like a ruthless employer.

“I need to eat too. Let’s eat together.”

“Yes!”

Gulp!

Her loud swallow betrayed her anticipation.

What should I cook this time?

Her eager gulp sparked my chef’s instincts.

With Arad Salt making my name famous, her expectations must be high.

Providing good food is the foundation of workplace welfare. Companies that skimp on that never thrive.

I need to prepare something special for my hardworking employee. But what would be best?

My brain went into overdrive.

It’s not a great time for an elaborate meal…

The building’s kitchen and dining area were on the second floor, equipped with a magical refrigerator powered by ice-attribute mana stones. I mentally reviewed the ingredients I’d prepared there.

Got it! This’ll be perfect.

After deciding on the menu, I asked Mary to wait on the first floor and headed upstairs.

Roughly 40 minutes later.

What is he making?

Arina found it increasingly difficult to maintain her composure.

The entire building was filled with a delicious smell unlike anything she’d ever encountered.

She wanted to go upstairs and see what it was, but she restrained herself, as she hadn’t been invited.

It’s been a while since I last ate Arad’s cooking.

Not since the stew she had in the Abyss.

Although she enjoyed the fine dishes prepared by the main castle’s chefs, which used Arad Salt, something always felt lacking.

Of course, she couldn’t exactly summon Arad just to cook for her. He was a noble Count with far more important responsibilities.

“All done! Come up!”

At that moment, Arad’s voice echoed from upstairs.

“Yes!”

Arina nearly ran to the second floor.

“Wow…”

There, on the table, was a golden dish radiating an intoxicating aroma.

“This smell… It’s absolutely heavenly.”

While its appearance was stunning, the aroma was what truly captivated her.

“Go ahead and eat. I doubt you’ve had this before.”

“Indeed. It seems to be a chicken dish…”

Arina inspected the golden, crispy chicken and the side dish made from radishes. She’d never seen anything like it, even in Haven’s finest restaurants.

“That’s right. Here, have some beer too.”

To top it off, Arad placed a glass of beer in front of her.

“What’s this dish called?”

“It’s called chicken.”

“Chicken…?”

Was this another dish from the Golden Age?

Arina gazed at the chicken with dreamy eyes, scanning the table for cutlery.

“Hurry and eat.”

Arad picked up a chicken drumstick with his hand and took a bite.

Apparently, it was meant to be eaten by hand.

Eating like this indoors feels oddly rugged.

Finding the experience amusing, she grabbed a drumstick and took a bite.

“!!”

The savory, salty, slightly spicy flavors overwhelmed her senses. The texture was even more divine: a perfectly crispy exterior with tender, juicy meat inside.

Her refined palate, already heightened by Arad Salt, was taken to an entirely new level.

Munch, munch, munch.

Before she realized it, she was devouring the chicken with one hand and sipping beer with the other.

The old woman was right—going undercover was the best decision I ever made!

She resolved to show up at Arad Company every single day from now on.

***

Meanwhile, around Arad’s building:

“What the heck is that smell?”

“I’m starving…”

“It must be Sir Arad’s cooking. Insane, really.”

The three senior knights who had their positions reassigned overnight from enforcers to Frostblade knights—Eothe, Carrot, and Logie—were hiding nearby, enduring the torment.

“We absolutely have to visit Sir Arad later, even if it’s just a private matter.”

“I noticed Sir Balzac also seems to miss Arad’s cooking…”

“Let’s make sure to visit together with Sir Balzac. Definitely!”

Their stomachs growled incessantly, and they couldn’t stop salivating.

But they were elite knights, professionals among professionals.

“Gold and Silver just stepped out of the building.”

“Looks like the meal’s over.”

“Lucky them…”

Despite the maddeningly delicious smell, they maintained their composure, focusing on their assigned mission through hand signals.

“Gold is carrying something.”

“He’s got a large sack full of what looks like soil.”

“Silver is carrying a large box.”

The subjects of their secret protection were two individuals. Their code names were Gold and Silver.

Gold was Arad Jin, the newly risen noble of the North. Silver was a VIP suddenly added to their watchlist yesterday.

“To carry such a large, heavy box with ease… Didn’t they say she’d mastered some magic?”

“She’s got some strength, too. Well, even if she’s an illegitimate child, noble blood is noble blood.”

“Now that I think about it, she has an oddly similar aura to the late Grand Duke. Actually, she even seems to resemble Grand Duchess Arina.”

“But the late Grand Duke… What a remarkable man. When did he manage to sow those seeds?”

“If we had to name the greatest achievement of the late Grand Duke Baikal, it’d be that he fathered two children for the first time in Renslet history!”

“Is the Renslet family’s jinx of scarce heirs and short lives finally broken?”

The sudden addition of a top-priority protection target, a person who exuded an aura similar to the Grand Duke, a woman of childbearing age allowed close to Arad, and the approval of both Arina and Isabelle—it was no surprise what thoughts crossed their minds.

It seemed Arad wasn’t the only one speculating about Mary’s true identity.

Only the masterminds behind this plan, Isabelle and Arina, remained oblivious to how it appeared to others.

Unaware they were being watched by Frostblade knights, Arina and Arad brought their completed items outside and engaged in conversation.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave for the day, Master. And that dish, chicken—truly the best I’ve ever had.”

“I’m glad you liked it. I’ll make it more often.”

“Really?!”

“Yes, it’s not a particularly difficult dish to prepare.”

“Wow…”

“Now wipe your mouth. By the way, I’m impressed—you ate five whole chickens in one sitting.”

“Hem-hem! I have quite an appetite.”

“Clearly. I’ll make sure to prepare more food next time.”

“Hahaha, thank you so much!”

From a distance, even the Frostblade knights couldn’t help but notice how close the two seemed to have grown overnight.

“So it was a honey trap?”

“Wasn’t Sir Arad already on good terms with the Grand Duchess? Is this really okay?”

“Shh! The Grand Duchess and Lady Isabelle must’ve thought this through. That’s probably why they assigned Lady Mary here.”

Apparently, their thoughts weren’t much different from anyone else’s.

There was no need to use the mind-altering magic of the necklace on them.