* * *

Although the decision had been unavoidable at the time to prevent Jerome from going rogue, things had become more bothersome than anticipated.

I clenched my fist tightly, while Marchen, unaware of what the future held, remained relaxed.

After some contemplation, I carefully spoke up.

“Marchen, is there any chance you could arrange a meeting with Lady Freya?”

“With Lady Freya?”

Marchen hesitated at my sudden request before finally responding.

“It’s possible, but… would you pretend to be my lover in front of Lady Freya?”

“…Why?”

“Don’t ask the reason.”

Pretending to be lovers?

I looked at Marchen with a suspicious gaze; his request was even more questionable than mine.

‘Well, it’s not like he’s asking me to actually be his lover. As long as it’s just a fake act, it should be fine.’

Just as I was about to nod, Jerome blocked me with his arm.

His voice was firm yet gentle.

“The North always has bad weather and is full of dangerous monsters.”

“…”

“You need to consider that before you answer.”

I looked at Jerome, then nodded.

Duke Carmen had said that the only way for Jerome to defeat Carlisle now was to fully master the will of the sword.

But Jerome hadn’t reached that level yet.

If we lost time and failed in the preliminary rounds, then Carlisle and Luke would end up facing the rogue divine beast.

But considering the situation, I was the only one who could stop the rogue divine beast with Maya’s weapon.

So perhaps it was better to take the risk and act first.

‘Besides, this might be a chance to acquire Maya’s stone.’

I took hold of Jerome’s arm, lifted it away, and spoke up.

“I want to go. I want to head to the North.”

“Why?”

“Because of Lady Freya…”

“And why do you want to meet Freya?”

The smile vanished from Jerome’s face.

He tapped the table with his finger as if deep in thought and then spoke.

“This is unlike you. Wanting to head to the North without any clear reason. Unless you have a man hidden away up there?”

“…”

“You’re making me want to ask you all night why you made such a choice.”

Jerome’s mood turned icy, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

He looked ready to bite, not just nibble, if I gave him no answer.

Suddenly, I recalled something Ber said once.

“Oh, that snack? It’s called ‘Rakmolli’ and is only available in the North. It’s a delightful dessert with a cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth, leaving a subtle fruity aftertaste…”

As soon as I had a plausible excuse, I blurted it out.

“Actually, I wanted to try the Northern dessert, Rakmolli. And since the Starlight Festival is about to begin up there, I thought it’d be nice to see it too.”

“…”

“I thought if I said I was going to meet Lady Freya, the Duke might give permission more easily.”

In the now-tense silence, I swallowed.

Traveling to another region required significant funds.

Not only would we need to hire mercenaries to cross borders safely, but we’d also need carriages for the servants traveling with us.

For commoners, it was normal to live and die where they were born.

Even wealthy nobles viewed leisure travel as a luxury unless absolutely necessary.

Wanting to go North just for a festival and some Rakmolli could make me seem extravagant, even to Jeanne.

Marchen, who’d been watching me with a blank expression, finally spoke.

“Jerome, you’ll need to make a lot of money.”

Despite being cast as a frivolous spouse, I could only accept the reality in silence.

Jerome, with a teasing smile, responded to Marchen’s remark.

“If I weren’t planning to make plenty, I wouldn’t have married.”

Though neither Rakmolli nor any other snack mattered to me, Jerome seemed to be in a better mood, so I left it at that.

Watching the two of them as they started planning the Northern trip, I thought to myself:

‘Yes. If we wait for Luke to act, it’ll be too late. I should go first and stop the divine beast Parak from going rogue.’

I clenched my fist, seeing Marchen’s current, confident self alongside the despairing Marchen in the original story who lost his beloved sister.

After taking a deep breath, I firmed up my resolve.

‘And I’ll obtain Maya’s stone.’

---

The same day Marchen asked me to act as his fake lover, I returned to the mansion and requested an audience with the Duke.

Citizens of the Kaisar Empire often traveled to the warm Southern regions with scenic beaches, the fruit-laden East, or the vast plains of Sacre for relaxation.

However, Duke Carlotte, who looked at me as though I were insane for wanting to go to the cold, monster-filled North, spoke.

“Are you out of your mind? With each day, your demands grow more outrageous. No.”

The Duke waved his hand dismissively, not even bothering to hear the rest. I had expected this reaction.

If I were Duke Carlotte, I’d also have tried to dissuade my foster daughter from going alone to the North.

Gazing at the Duke, who wouldn’t even look at me, I quietly smiled.

‘Maybe it’s time to try acting like a saintess again.’

But I had a plan.

If I claimed to go North for a vacation, I’d obviously be turned down.

However, if I were going to meet Freya, it would be different.

The Duke had adopted Jeanne from Sacrea with the intention of raising a prominent saintess, after all.

Freya was revered even by the temple with their high standards.

Given the Duke’s focus on family reputation, he would have no reason to refuse if Jeanne could establish a connection with Freya.

With a deep sigh, I spoke in a troubled voice.

“To be honest, I wish to meet Lady Freya.”

The Duke’s quill halted mid-sentence, and he looked up at me with a blank expression.

“…What did you say?”

“Last night, I saw Maya in a dream. More specifically, she granted me a divine revelation.”

Upon hearing the word “revelation,” the Duke’s eyes flickered.

Seeing his reaction, I celebrated internally.

He’d taken the bait. With a gentle smile, I continued.

“Maya told me that a great star protecting the North is in danger and that I must warn her. If the great star of the North is in peril, it must be Lady Freya, don’t you think?”

“…”

“If I convey the revelation to her and she averts danger, it would be a good opportunity to raise awareness of the Efilia Dukedom in Lady Freya’s eyes, wouldn’t it?”

The lie I’d concocted flowed smoothly.

Perhaps because my survival depended on it, my acting and lying skills seemed to be improving.

Tilting my head slightly, I awaited the Duke’s response.

He looked at me with wide eyes, then suddenly smiled.

“If that’s the case, why didn’t you say so earlier! I’ll fully fund all the supplies you’ll need. Also, since it’s the North, you should hire a strong mercenary company.”

“The Howard family’s mercenary corps will accompany us, so that should be sufficient. The one proposing the journey will arrange the necessary supplies; I only need your permission, Duke.”

The Duke grinned wickedly and rubbed his chin, as though already plotting how to leverage Lady Freya politically.

I’d felt it at the tailoring shop, but I was grateful he was an ally.

As an enemy, he would have been difficult to face.

“Wait, the Howard family? So… you’re going with Jerome?”

The duke, who had been mumbling to himself for a while, finally asked, and I replied, my voice trembling without me even realizing it.

“It’s not like we’re going together. It’s just that Jerome coincidentally has some business up north as well…”

I forced a smile, naturally slipping in another lie.

The duke, watching me, leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced.

“You two seem strangely attached these days. I hear Duke Michael still holds a lingering attachment. The Howard family wouldn’t be a bad match for you, so you should give it serious thought.”

“Think about what?”

“An engagement.”

The smile vanished from my face.

Despite my attraction to Jerome, the idea of an engagement was something I wanted to avoid.

Engagement would quickly lead to marriage, and both families would inevitably expect children.

If it came to that, it would only be a matter of time before my secret – that Jeanne is actually male – was exposed.

As I stiffened, the duke continued.

“A few days ago, I happened to have some business at the academy and met him. Contrary to the rumors, he’s quite an impressive young man. He was even at the top of his class, I heard?”

“…”

“With that level of magical ability, you’d think he might have neglected his studies. But I just so happened to read a thesis he wrote on ancient languages, and his knowledge in linguistics seems considerable as well.”

I looked at the duke, surprised by the way he kept emphasizing “coincidentally.”

“But… didn’t you give me a year? At least for this year, I’d like to focus on life at the academy instead of an engagement.”

I worried I might sound too forward.

Even if I’d earned Duke Carlotte’s favor, as someone not his own blood, Jeanne was more vulnerable to falling out of his grace than Cedrick or Marie.

After speaking my mind, I anxiously checked his reaction, only to see a faint smile.

“It feels like just yesterday you could barely speak properly in front of me. Now, you seem to be growing into the role of a true lady of the house.”

“…”

“Come closer.”

Hesitantly, I stepped forward.

The duke rummaged through a drawer and pulled out something, placing it on the desk.

It was a mana stone with a bluish glow.

Surprised, I looked up, and he gestured with his eyes for me to take it.

“This is the rechargeable mana stone I promised before. It’s still a work in progress, not quite perfect yet… but with this, you’ll be able to use basic magic. It should be enough to protect yourself in emergencies.”

“Yes, this is more than enough.”

“…”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

For Jeanne, who was born without mana sensitivity, this mana stone was like a marvel of modern technology, almost akin to a smartphone.

Holding it tightly in both hands, I smiled brightly—this time, a genuine smile, not forced or faked.

The duke, saying nothing, turned his attention back to his work.

“If you understand, then you may leave. Stop lingering around.”

“Yes, I’ll stop lingering and take my leave now.”

At my sudden obedient tone, the duke looked up with a suspicious expression.

Bowing my head, I swiftly exited his office.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I immediately clapped a hand over my mouth, barely containing my excitement.

“Finally, I can use magic!”

Of course, I’d still need to study a spellbook, but that could come later.

The thought that I could finally wield “magic” like in the fantasy novels filled me with glee.

I chuckled darkly, already making plans.

“Just you wait, Jerome. I’ll start by learning defensive spells so your brainwashing won’t work on me!”

* * *