Chapter 1

 𝕍𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝟟:

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕟𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤

[Dear Duke Serpente,

First and foremost, I apologize for my delayed response. I have been occupied with preparing for the graduation speech and organizing the farewell party.

Another factor contributing to the delay was that Oppa's handwriting showed no signs of improvement. To ensure convenience for the recipient, I suggest leaving it in the hands of your aide.

The only thing left for me now is to return soon. It seems likely that I'll arrive just in time for Oppa's birthday. I hope the weather remains favorable.

Have you settled on a name for the new hotel you are constructing? I've been discussing it here as well. I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing how splendid it will turn out. I'm also curious about the changes in Oppa and Benya.

I hope you aren't indulging in excessive drinking these days. Please work on getting rid of those bad habits, including your ill temper.

Though Oppa may take pride in his nickname, please be aware that it seriously affects my stable mood and my healthy sense of humor.

I still haven't been able to get in touch with Benya. He must be incredibly busy. Is he spoiling Oppa too much? The heartless young master has no choice but to return and see for himself how well Oppa is doing.

I must finish packing, so I'll conclude my letter for today. By the time Oppa reads this, I will have already boarded the ship.

To be honest, I can't believe that after seven years, I'm returning to Cherkesha. Nevertheless, I trust in you and eagerly await our reunion.

P.S. I've picked out a present for Oppa and Benya, but I can't guarantee you two will like it.

With love,

Sasha.]

At six o'clock in the early summer morning of June 1729, amidst much chatter and commotion, the butler at the Serpente Duchy's residence swiftly moved upon seeing the sender's name on the letter.

As instructed, he hurried to his boss's bedroom and knocked vigorously.

"Your Excellency, a letter has arrived from Vibrato."

Silence echoed from behind the heavy door. It appears that the aftermath of last night's celebration and revelry still lingered.

Even the persistent reminder about a three-hour restriction was ignored at this point. The head butler renewed his determination and cautiously retrieved the mail.

This time, he made his way to the garden in the east wing. There, he spotted a man leisurely strolling amid the colorful flowers.

"Sir Aide."

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Butler. But why do you seem so tense? Is something wrong?"

"It seems His Excellency is the one ailing, not me."

In response to the butler's straightforward answer, the aide clicked his tongue in mild annoyance.

"It seems he had quite a night."

"That's right. By the way, where is the young master now?"

"He's at the hotel. He had some matters to attend to."

"Good. Then, could you please deliver this letter to the young master? It's of great importance."

"No, Mr. Butler, are you trying to pass this responsibility to me again? I may be an attendant, but I'm not here to run your errands."

"It's not that kind of problem. It's a letter from Vibrato. Don't you remember what happened last time? I trust only you, Sir Aide!"

The aide's expression softened a bit at the solemn request, though he still appeared suspicious.

"If the young master asks if His Excellency checked it first, what should I say?"

"What else can you say except that His Excellency couldn't do it? That's the truth we prefer."

"Of course, that's true, but I'm also saying that His Excellency didn't wake up until the sun was already high in the sky."

In reality, the sun was just rising, but they both seemed oblivious to that fact.

"Why are you so worried? It's not like this is the first time you've done this."

"Who said I'm worried? I think you should come and get some fresh air, Mr. Butler."

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible. You know how busy I am with redecorating this new home. Please hurry!"

Thus, the chief aide of the Serpente Duchy's residence took the troublesome mail that had arrived from across the sea and set off for the nearly completed new hotel.

However, upon arrival, the young master in question had already disappeared.

The construction overseer greeted the aide with a sympathetic expression as he struggled to find the words.

"Oh, were you looking for Sir Prince?"

"...What other reason would there be for me to be here at this hour?"

"Unfortunately, he left just a little while ago. If only you had been ten minutes earlier..."

The aide contemplated once more that they couldn't quite adapt to each other's tone. The fact that the underground family was involved in laying the groundwork for a hotel that should have been strictly aristocratic from the start was something they found hard to accept.

"Well, he'll return eventually, but if you don't intend to wait until then, I can do it for you..."

"I'd love to, but it's a letter from Vibrato."

"Ah, it's from that lady. I heard she'll be returning home soon, but they must be busy."

"That goes for you as well."

"But who is she really? I mean, everyone is making such a fuss about her."

Do you genuinely not know? For a moment, the aide gave the supervisor a suspicious look.

When the incident occurred four months ago—there's no way they didn't hear about it when the servants secretly opened and passed one of the letters from Vibrato amongst themselves.

However, the chief aide chose to be understanding. In the midst of living in the lair of cancer and poisonous snakes, maintaining a kind heart that transcends social status is of utmost importance.

"She is the daughter of the nanny of His Excellency and the Young Master."

The supervisor's expression turned sullen as if he had expected something more.

"I know that, of course, but I have a feeling that there must be more. Some secret about her identity, perhaps..."

"She's a knowledgeable individual who studied abroad."

"Something more, something beyond that..."

"She's also the one who receives a month's worth of pocket money, which is equivalent to both your and my yearly wages."

"As expected, life is unfair. Don't you think?"

"It's your ass that's not fair."

* * *

"To the cream bread dormitory, cheers!"

"Long live the cream bread dormitory!"

"Who didn't get their picture taken?"

"You have to write a letter there too."

"Did anyone lose their badges?"

Noise filled the air. Different kinds of students were everywhere—some tearing up books, others exchanging addresses belatedly, a few already toasting, and others taking care of friends who missed their graduation photos.

Laughter and tears echoed throughout our once solemn dormitory, which now turned into a lively mess.

"What am I going to do? I can't believe it's really over!"

My roommate, whom I had lived with for the past seven years, came over with twinkling brown eyes and hugged me by the shoulder.

Phew, I can't believe it either. That my life here is over and that tomorrow we'll be boarding the ship to return to the Empire.

"Sasha put down that ginger ale and try this cocktail I made."

"I have to leave early tomorrow."

"It's just one drink, who cares? I'm counting down all the drinks, and this one's a new addition."

"You have a point."

I'm not sure what or how they mixed it, but it looks delicious with its deep blue color shining.

The rumor that I'm a strong drinker is a complete misunderstanding, but I don't feel the need to explain everything as we're parting ways soon, right?

"What are you planning to do once we return to the Empire? Are you going to work for Serpente too?"

"I suppose so."

"Oh right, Peanut saw you and asked me to stop by the dean's office. Want to go together?"

Peanut was our dorm supervisor's nickname, given the peanut-sized birthmark on the side of their nose.

I shook my head while sipping on the sweet cocktail that looked so different from its taste. It's probably evident, but they want me to go back and bid farewell.

"Anyway, you'll be fine. I wish my family had connections like yours."

My roommate, Marian, hailed from the same Cherkesha as me.

Most of the other students at our academy were children of the commercial bourgeoisie like her, and at her family's level, ascending the social ladder was a lifelong goal.

No matter how much money one has, the desire to climb in status permeates the times. Most of the classes taught here were related to that as well.

Compared to these friends who entered school around the age of 11 and graduated at 18 or 19, I was like an older sister.

Well, I'm already twenty-three! I've lived longer than in my previous life, so this should be considered a successful life. Waaa. I even got a diploma.

I didn't feel much regret.

It might be because I couldn't socialize with them due to my dedicated studying, but there's no way a person like me could have found friends with whom I could openly share my feelings.

I feel a mix of relief and a bit of nervousness. Tomorrow, I'll finally be back.

I'm eager to see how much Lethias and Benya have changed. What if they don't recognize me? I think it'll be amusing, just like before.

During the past 7 years I've been here, a lot has happened in the Empire. Even the War of Honor, which broke out 5 years ago and ended in 2 years, was remarkable...

A war between the Cherkesha Empire and the Fzeia Kingdom.

At that time, most of my classmates from both countries argued and waited for news about their respective families every day. Afterward, there was no such tension anymore.

The same went for me, who had been anxious for a while. Benya also participated in the war.

I still vividly remember the feeling of despair when we lost contact.

Well, in the end, Benya came back alive, and our country emerged victorious, so it was a happy ending. In the meantime, our duke got engaged to Count Orsini's daughter.

Hmm, come to think of it, in the original story, Lethias had a fiancée and fell for the female lead, right? Regardless of the importance of the political marriage, he still chose that doomed path. Tsk tsk.

* * *

"Bye bye~!"

"Let's write to each other!"

"I'll contact you when I get to the Imperial capital!"

"Go home safely!"

I remember when I boarded a ship to come here from the port of Valencia seven years ago.

The port of Lothern, where we eagerly waved our hands and then found our way, seems even more crowded now. It must be because many academy graduates are returning home at this time.

The passenger ship heading to Cherkesha is the luxurious Rembrandt, starting its first departure this time.

I presented my boarding pass, got on board, handed my suitcase to the crew, and bid farewell to Marianne, who was in the second class, before heading to the first-class deck.

Well, it's all about appearances. No one here knows I'm not of noble birth. In a place like this, it would be polite not to reveal my true identity even if someone asks.

I brought the presents for the Duke and the Young Master in a separate bag to prevent them from getting damaged in my luggage.

Ah, finding a suitable gift for aristocrats who already have money and honor was quite a challenge. In the end, I decided on a souvenir sold at the festival market I visited the other day.

The amount of pocket money Benya sent me each month left me with a spare, so I could afford expensive gifts, but I thought it would be better to buy local specialties instead.

When one is already adorned with the finest valuables, what's the meaning of gifts like expensive cufflinks or neckties?

It would take more than 15 days to reach the Port of Valencia from the Port of Lothern.

When I came to the other side seven years ago, I mostly stayed in my room except for meal times, but this time, I plan to enjoy the journey a little. That's why I chose a first-class room.

"W-welcome, lady! Please show your boarding pass, and we'll guide you to your room."

They seem nervous. And why is the kind guide blushing? Well, I'm used to such reactions to some extent.

"Here it is."

"A-ah, thank you for using the special room. Please come this way."

... Let me correct that. It must have been a special room they had arranged for me. I heard there are only two special rooms on this ship.

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