I had returned to my usual office.
Upon returning to the capital, I had to face a mountain of paperwork that awaited me.
There were many tasks to deal with, such as the distribution of the escaped farmers who had been sent to the capital earlier, and those who had been escorted back to their villages upon return.
I pulled out the next piece of paper from the stack.
Looking over it, I saw that the development of prosthetic limbs was progressing smoothly.
Ideally, I would have liked to speed up the work by involving the carpenters who had fled, but this is a very secretive place, and I cannot fully trust them. It might take a bit more time, but there’s nothing that can be done…
However, it would be a waste to leave them idle, so I’ve assigned them to work on the reconstruction of a ruined village. The restored village will serve as a new base for the farmers who fled and were taken in. It’s truly two birds with one stone.
As I was handling the affairs, there was a knock at the door of my office.
I glanced at the knight who had been working nearby. Our eyes met. The knight nodded, paused their work, and walked toward the door.
“It’s Lady Melia,” the knight informed me.
Melia? That’s unusual.
“Let her in,” I said.
The door opened, and Melia entered.
She walked up to my desk, bowing lightly as she did.
“Actually, I have something I would like to ask you, Your Grace…” she began.
It was rare for Melia to come speak directly. She had a slightly troubled expression as she glanced around the room.
“If possible, could I ask you to have the others leave?” she requested.
At that, the knight reacted with a start.
Well, it’s understandable. Melia had been a maid serving the previous Duke of Baltia. The knights probably felt wary. But from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t seem like someone who would be a problem.
“Alright, I’ll give the knights a 30-minute break,” I said.
Looking around the room, I informed the knights, and they all left the room one by one.
“So, what is it you want to discuss?” I asked as I picked up my tea cup and took a sip of the now-cold tea.
“Excuse me for asking, but… have you considered having an heir with Lady Leila?”
I coughed, the tea having caught in my throat.
I see. So that’s why she asked the knights to leave. It’s a dangerous subject to bring up with someone from outside the family, especially when it comes to succession issues. But given Leila’s circumstances, Melia must have had the courage to bring this up.
But… hmm.
“Don’t you think it’s still a bit too early for us?” I replied.
From my perspective, based on my previous life, I still feel like we are both too young. It feels like it’s too soon.
Melia looked confused as if she didn’t quite understand.
“I don’t think it’s too early. I think it’s the right age,” she said.
Well, I guess from the perspective of this world, she’s right. I’m just being influenced by my previous life’s sensibilities.
“Isn’t it more dangerous not to have an heir?” she added.
She’s right… If something were to happen to me, there could indeed be problems with the governance system.
Honestly, I couldn’t come up with a response. Seeing my silence, Melia looked at me with a concerned expression and asked,
“Do you dislike Lady Leila?”
“That’s not it,” I said firmly.
That much, at least, I could make clear. I think she would make a wonderful wife. But the guilt of being the one who killed her parents binds my heart. It might not have been a direct vengeance, but it’s still a part of my family’s sins.
“…Your Grace, it would be nice if I could say that you don’t need to worry about such things, but I understand it’s difficult. However, if there’s one thing I can say, it’s that compared to before, Lady Leila smiles much more often. Seeing that, I personally want to thank you for your part in it.”
“I see…” I said, a little hesitant.
Seeing my discomfort, Melia gave me a gentle smile.
“Do you like Lady Leila?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Have you told her how you feel?”
“…No.”
Melia paused for a moment before taking a breath and continuing.
“Please tell Lady Leila how you feel. And I would also like you to listen to her feelings as well.”
“Understood… I’ll talk to her tonight.”
It seemed like Melia was happy that I agreed, as she smiled warmly.
“I apologize for overstepping. Please forgive me,” she said, bowing her head.
Her actions were all for Leila’s sake, so I didn’t feel the need to reprimand her. I told her, “It’s fine.”
“Thank you for your time, Your Grace. I’ll take my leave now,” she said.
She grabbed the hem of her maid’s uniform and gave a respectful bow before leaving the room.
Left alone, I leaned back in my chair and gazed up at the ceiling.
Women are strong, no matter the era or world…
