The next day after the meal, the butler reported to Elody on the financial status of the duchy and castle. Elody listened along to the butler, agonizing as he spoke. Caville was peacefully eating snacks beside Elody, lost in thought. The sound of his crunching was sweet.

But Norman's expression, however, was dark. “The former Duke, his highness, has raised taxes so much that's why. . . things are. . .off.”

Elody nodded at Norman's sometimes evasive answers. The situation was not good because the former duke wasted a considerable amount of his assets. The tax rate in the kingdom was raised too high because the duke wanted to exploit the fruits of his fertile land. However, he raised the taxes too high and people left.

“. . .I think next year there will be a lot less taxes you can collect,” Norman said with a worried look.

“Okay, thanks. If I have any more questions, I'll call you separately.”

“Yes, Madam.” At Elody's words, Norman bowed his head and went out. Norman was full of hope. For some reason, everything seemed to go well. It was a strange feeling. The former duke and duchess weren’t interested in the circumstances of the territory, and only wanted alcohol. And their successor was a young child who feared adults. Under these circumstances, it was fortunate to have such a mature girl in charge.

In fact, Norman hadn’t expected much from the girl. The thirteen year old was eager to help Caville adapt to castle life. A thirteen year old young lady is thinking about the situation and finances of the duchy. Wow. Norman once again praised himself for being very right in his decision to betroth Elody to Caville. The young duke, Caville, did not lock himself in his room crying like before, and he was less wary of adults, and smiled from time to time.Norman was uplifted with hope.

Strangely, Elody's expression calmed his nervousness. How can I be so relieved by a young girl’s blank expression. Elody had an unusual ability to put people at ease. Even the servants of the castle, who were concerned about Elody’s extravagance, seemed to have eased up their guard. In addition, Elody was nice to her servants. Maybe that's why all the servants seem to like the duchess. In particular, she was very polite to Norman, the butler. Elody kept on being polite even though Norman asked to be treated as a servant. Normal was bound by tradition, and still had his old loyalties to the last duke. Norman took out his handkerchief and poked it around his eyes. As he got older, he seemed to cry a lot. He felt like everything was going to be alright.

It had been a long time since he felt that hope.

***

“What? Hidden safe?” Norman asked.

A few days later, Norman looked down at Elody, who had just come by.

“Yes! Follow me!”

Elody led Norman, explaining that she had found the hidden duke's safe. Norman followed Elody, walking with quick steps, a surprised look on his face. Elody spent the rest of the day trying to find the safe. Where did she find it? She had a hard time finding it because the novel didn't show exactly where it was. At last she found the safe left by the previous Duke, Caville's grandfather. The safe was found in a dusty study used by Caville's grandfather. There was a secret door under the desk in the study.

It's locked. Where's the key? The safe was tightly locked, but Elody didn't need a key. She just took a long iron stick and utilized the principles of the lever and fulcrum. To put it simply, she just tore off the lock by force. The wooden lid opened with a harsh, cracking sound. Wow!

When the safe opened, Elody looked inside and saw a huge number of gold bars, gold coins, and jewels. Of course, it was not enough for the people in the castle to live on for the rest of their lives, but it was enough to offset what they’d lose in taxes this year. And there was a letter. It was a letter written by Caville's grandfather to the former Duke.

Perhaps after his death, he thought his son, a lout, would find the safe.

“Ah. I can’t believe it.”

Norman wept as he read the letter. Elody looked at the butler and turned to the gold bar and got stars in her eyes. I'll have to spend this money wisely, Elody agonized. First of all, this should be for Caville. . .

“Norman, am I allowed to use this treasure?”

“Yes. Of course, the Duke's properties all belong to the Duke and Duchess.”

“Then, please reinforce the knights with some of these gold coins.”

“What?”

“I don't mean to be extravagant. But I have to use it for the things I have to do.”

“. . . That's right. Madame.”

Norman, who just stopped crying, nodded at Elody. She was so innocent.

Elody clicked her tongue inwardly at Norman, nodding his head gently. Norman had an ingenuous and loving personality. He must be a poor judge of character, that's why he brought Elody.

But now that I'm Elody, I should say that he is a good judge. Norman didn't even ask or question why she was reinforcing the knights. He trusted Elody unconditionally. If I ask him to buy a jade mat, I believe he'll spend all his fortune. Rather, it was Elody who worried about Norman. The Duke's knights were numerous, but they hadn’t had much training since the former Duke's death. Elody wanted to strengthen the knights who would fight alongside Caville in the future.

That way, Caville and the knights will be safe. Of course, there was another reason behind her order. The former duke was an irresponsible lord with no interest in the duchy. Nevertheless, he was still a duke. Meanwhile, the current duke is nothing but a young child. Hence, it is inevitable that the duke might be looked down upon by other nobles. By reinforcing the knights, the duchy would be protected from other noble’s schemes. Besides, Elody had found the perfect person to lead the knights. She knew just who to ask.

“You want me to be the temporary head of the knights?” Brienne Vedos was dumbfounded as she looked down at Elody.

“Yes, until Caville grows and up and is ready to lead.”

“I'm overwhelmed by teaching the Duke. I do not think I have enough time to train an entire army of knights.”

“Why do you pretend to be so busy? I don’t recall you ever having a wife and children.”

Brienne paused and looked at Elody with surprise. She didn’t expect a young girl to have such nerve.

“You don't even have a lover,” Elody chided,

Brienne looked down at Elody with a hurt face.

“Sir Vedos, I humbly ask you to obey my request for Caville.”

“However, to organize the knights, the amount of money you would need. . .”

“We have enough money, so call the knights and resume training for now. You can recruit apprentices and guards to reinforce the army.”

“I see.”

Placing talent in the right place, Elody thought. That was the most important.

Elody took Caville's hand and headed for the castle, satisfied with the work she’d given Brienne.

Then she started her own work.

“So, the princess and the prince lived happily in a cookie house.”

It was Elody's job to read a fairy tale to Caville while he had his snacks. Brienne probably would have grumbled at book reading. However, this was important for Elody, and it was important for Caville's proper personality and development. Caville was so underdeveloped that he couldn't do anything alone. Even though he was seven, Elody spent most of the day with him. They played together in the garden and made many things out of soil.

They also made simple toys with small pieces of fabric that the maids had thrown away.

“It was fun, huh? Shall we read one more today?”

After reading all the fairy tales, Elody closed the book.

Caville lit up while watching Elody flip the book closed.

“It's nice to have a cookie house. Wife! Do we not have a cookie house?”

“Huh?”

“We don't have a house?” Caville asked with a peaceful face.

“What are you talking about? This is our house.”

“This place?”

“Yes, this is our house, not the orphanage. Here we are, this is where you’ll live, forever.” I'll get divorced and go out. Caville nodded at Elody's words.

“Then won't I go back to the orphanage?”

“Why are you going there? Caville, this is your house.”

If someone has to go out, that will be me. Of course, I'm not visiting with good intentions, but for revenge. Caville's face brightened by the reassuring words of Elody.

“I love living here with my wife. . .forever!”

“Yes, well. . .”

It was a little bitter to hear this, knowing that Caville would fall in love with the princess.

“I wish I had a cookie house!” At least Caville's innocence made Elody smile peacefully.

“No, Caville, the cookie house. . .”

“Huh?”

“I'll be crowded with ants.”

I don't like ants. . .

Caville looked a little sullen with Elody. I didn't want to destroy his childhood innocence like this, but I had to say something. Caville developed a sweet tooth ever since he came to live here. Maybe it's because he hadn’t had sweets in the orphanage. Elody strictly controlled the snacks for Caville's health. That way, you will be well grown. Huh? Come to think of it. . .

“Caville, do you want to stand up?”

“Huh?”

“I think you got a bit taller.”

It wasn't long after he started eating well, but he seemed a little bigger than before. People said kids grow up every time they open their eyes. . .I'm proud of you. Caville still had a long way to go compared to other kids his age, but iElody was proud of how much he’d grown already. Elody led Caville to the wall.Then she marked a spot on the wall to record Caville's height.

“Let's mark your height here every year.”

Elody measured her height too. Of course, she was definitely bigger than Caville.

“When you become an adult, you will grow taller than me.”

Caville opened her eyes as if surprised by Elody's words. He looked cute.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

In the original story, Caville was described as a very tall handsome man. Thinking about that already made her happy.