The duchy was sure in an uproar, gossipers. had their ears ready to hear the new revelation.

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“The duke is still in love with Baroness O’Dea.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I heard the duke and duchess fighting about that last night. The duchess was nearly in tears.” ‘Lies, it was the duke who refuted the claims who was in tears, but I needed to help the Baroness get her glory yet again’ (Gena’s thoughts.)

“I never thought the duke would betray the duchess like this.”

That is how the story of the Duke and the duchess’s fight started, and those small ripples might cause an avalanche in the icy north.

The next morning, all the vassals had sat down together with the royal family to on how to compensate for the attack on the north. The emperor had agreed to take full responsibility for financing the rebuilding of Brendina. The wizard had diagnosed Azura with fatigue because of her bad training method.

“Ah, her grace, good morning. How was the meeting? Oh, I heard it is soon. Lady O’Dea’s birthday is for the duke preparing a party for her?”

“Gena?”

“Your Grace?”

“Why would my husband throw a party for Lady O’Dea?”

“Well, since it is rumored, she is his daughter he might want to show solidarity with the O’Dea family to lay the rumors to rest?”

“Gena, are you perhaps nonsensical?”

“You Grace?”

“That is not it. It does not seem you are the dumb one, you in fact think of me as stupid? I wonder why?”

“How would I dare your grace is the wisest woman I know.”

“So, is it Gena who is an idiot?” Gena is seen trembling from the menacing glare that could make a strong knight. cry, and before the duke who had just witnessed this confrontation could interfere, she was on her knees and had already peed herself.

“What is going on here?”

“Your Grace, her grace was threatening me.” Gena cries.

“Mag?”

“Why would I threaten a lowly person like her when I can just kill her?” the duchess rolls her eyes at the scene of a trembling Gena, “I was just asking why she thought my husband should throw Lady Olivia O’Dea’s birthday before she peed herself.”

“But your grace, your wife was just…”

“Gena, do you perhaps think my wife is an idiot? Is it because she is a knight? You assume she only knows how to fight?” as the question she had just heard from the duchess left the duke’s lips, Gena knows she is in an inconvenient situation.

“I apologize for my miscommunication,” she tried to plead to the duchess, but she had already left.

“Huh, is it the Baroness who put you to this? If it is, then please make sure she employs you and, if not, find a new job because you are fired.” The calm tone of the duke was always seen as scary, because just like the duchess, being calm in an unfavorable situation meant they were truly angry.

“And Gena will not be receiving a recommendation letter. In fact, I will be informing every one of the ways she speaks ill of her employers. Thank you for your arduous work until now.”

As she sees the duke walk away, she cannot help but cry out, she knows the Baroness will not help her even if she were the one who caused her job. Tears could be seen, and the other maids laughed at the pitiful scene.

“Good morning your Majesty.”

“Ah, Jalen, you are here. Why are you late? Has my father left yet?”

“No, your majesty, his majesty is still in a meeting with the vassals.”

“Ah, you think he will take me with you?”

“Does your majesty wish so?”

“No, I still need to learn a lot from the north, but my father is a bit of a blockhead, and he might decide against my wishes.”

“Just speak to the duke. I am sure he might convince your father. In the meantime, you are requested in the library, you are starting your succession training as scheduled.”

“Wait, is, um, well, perhaps is Lady Azura awake?”

“Yes, Lady Azura fortunately woke up today and she is feeling better, but it would be hard to meet her since she was put on bedrest by the duchess.”

“Oh, is that so, that is less troublesome.”

“I see, we should head to the library. Sir Alisud does not like waiting.”

___________________________________________________________

“What do you mean, Gena?”

“Well, I was fired.”

“Why did that woman fire you? If ou were being discreet with your words. She would not have known, she was a barbarian with no etiquette.”

Belmar O’Dea, a woman whose beauty cannot be refuted, she has always been known as the northern star, even in her days where she was the duke’s girlfriend. But one day they had a fight and like usual she had broken up with him, hoping for him to come back like he usually does. But instead, he announced an engagement with an unworthy woman a month later.

“But she is not really dumb, Baroness, and the duke does seem to care for the duchess very much.”

“Stop talking nonsense Gena, Dean Neferpitou only has me in his heart.”

Even with the engagement, she still held on for the time he came back to her. She even married a Baron who was close to the duke to make him jealous, but the duke still remained focused on the unworthy woman.

“Baroness, I do not think the duchess is the opponent you want to go against.”

“Shut up you, you don’t know anything, I do not fear that woman.”

For Belmar, she was always superior to Magnilda in every way, even when they were still young, she was told she was more beautiful than Magnilda and was already the flower of the north before she reached the age of 16. 

Even when Magnilda was known as the knight, she lacked feminine attitude which made it hard for men to find her attractive (well that is what Belmar thought, since Magnilda had not found a boyfriend at the age of 18, which was the marriageable age.) the only thing that Magnilda had that Belmar didn’t have was a husband like Dean.

“I will solve this myself.”

“Can the Baroness employ me?”

“You want that woman to come kill, my whole family, why should I reward you when you fail your assignment?”

“But Baroness.”

“Leave me. Do not show your face to me again.”

Still in her delusions the duchess hatches another plan to climb the ranks yet again. But on the other hand, like She has been coached for her whole 11 years of her life. Olivia O’Dea came across a promising mine, which stands to bear enjoyable fruits.

“Olivia O’Dea greets his majesty the emperor.”

“Lady Olivia, it has been a while.”

“Oh, Sir Valen, I didn’t see you. It has been a while.”

“Lady Olivia has grown a lot; the Baron must be proud.”

“My father tells me how beautiful I am every day. Not as beautiful as his majesty who shines bright.”

“I see the lady is taught well”. The emperor replies, “Lady O’Dea, how old are you?”

“I am eleven years your majesty.”

“I am about to have a troubling request.”

“Your majesty’s request can never be troublesome.” She smiles as her mine starts to show diamonds.

“You are close to age to my son. Would you please take care of him during his stay here?”

“Oh, Your Majesty Kaldor would not like what you are doing.”

“It is okay, Sir Valen, the crown Prince and I are already close enough, so I will abide by his majesty’s order.”

“I will be very grateful Lady O’Dea.”

“Your majesty is the life of the empire; it is us who are grateful to him.”

Coincidentally bumping into his majesty, the emperor made Olivia happy. It might have even opened a new opportunity to leave the cold North and be the highest-ranking woman in the empire. Walking away, she was already planning her wedding with Kaldor, making her blush profusely with each step.

“Ah, your majesty, Good morning.”

“Duchess, how is your daughter?”

“She is feeling a lot better,”

“That is good. I was worried if illness had been severe since the Archimage was called.”

“I did not think calling the Archimage was too much. The emperor might be unaware of how to raise a child. Since he sent him to his death, but I am not as dumb as his majesty.”

“Duchess, that is not a way to talk to his majesty.”

“Ah, Sir Valen, I see you have been well.” She ignores the scolding. “I really hope his majesty does not get too comfortable with this lenient punishment for attacking the north. My husband is just spineless sometimes.”

The two could only see her signature black hair which flows so beautifully like a river after the rain, but as calm as the sea. The Duchess Magnilda Neferpitou, a woman not swayed by power, a woman the duke is lucky to have.

“Mother, mother have you heard?”

“My flower, you look happy today. Did that conceited prince finally pay attention to your beauty?”

“No, even better, his majesty the emperor asked me to be friends with his son. You know what that means?”

“Of course, that means you are the next crown princess. Oh my, how lucky that his majesty recognizes you.”

Belmar rushes to the kitchen, “Come, we need to make a feast to celebrate this. Your birthday needs to match your next position as a future empress.”