Chapter 2

Heinrich’s nightmare was always the same.

It always began with Livenya standing before a wide-open window.

Whenever the wind blew, loose strands of hair escaped from the neat bun she always wore, fluttering gently in the breeze.

Livenya was someone who valued etiquette so much that she normally wouldn’t allow even a single stray hair out of place. But whenever she was with Heinrich, she let herself relax more than usual.

“Highni, what brings you here? How were your classes today?”

She always kept everyone else at arm’s length, yet she alone called Heinrich by his nickname as though she cherished the very sound of it.

Even knowing that her affection resembled that of an older sister more than a wife’s love for her husband, Heinrich always longed for her kindness.

He wanted to become a man worthy of Livenya as quickly as possible.

He wanted to stand proudly beside her as her husband.

“My lady… I…”

The instant Heinrich stepped toward her—

Livenya’s body was suddenly shoved out of the window.

“!”

Heinrich rushed to the window in horror.

Below it lay an enormous coffin.

Beside it rested Livenya’s lifeless body, looking heartbreakingly small in comparison.

“My lady… My lady… Livenya!”

Screaming her name, Heinrich jolted awake.

…

That dream again.

Ten years had passed since Livenya’s death, yet Heinrich still couldn’t escape the nightmare.

Knock. Knock.

The sound of someone knocking on his bedroom door drew a sharp glance from him.

Wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, he spoke quietly.

“Come in.”

The door opened silently, and the elderly butler entered.

Without offering the usual question of whether he had another nightmare, the butler simply placed a cup of warm tea on the bedside table.

Heinrich drained the hot tea in one gulp before letting out a long breath.

“What time is it?”

“Half past five.”

“About time I got up.”

He swung his legs out of bed as though nothing had happened moments earlier.

“Anything unusual overnight?”

While helping his master dress, the butler answered,

“There has been some unrest near the border adjoining the Hess Barony. According to reports, the people of Hess appear to be mining coal—or something similar.”

“They dare?”

“I’ve already sent men to investigate.”

In other words, the matter would likely resolve itself.

A capable butler indeed.

But today, Heinrich made an unusual decision.

“I feel like getting some fresh air.”

He intended to inspect the situation himself.

The troubled area was only a few hours’ ride from the Baldwin Duchy.

Whenever Heinrich had something on his mind, he often rode horseback for hours, so the request wasn’t unusual.

“I’ll make the preparations.”

The butler quickly readied everything, and before long Heinrich departed the ducal estate on horseback.

---

The Baldwin Duchy was surrounded by a vast mountain range.

One section of those mountains, however, lay at a much lower elevation.

That area marked the border between Baldwin and the Hess Barony.

The Baldwin Knights had apparently already brought the disturbance under control.

The sound of pickaxes had disappeared entirely.

Only a group of filthy miners remained, standing nervously and avoiding everyone’s gaze.

After silently observing them, Heinrich received a report from the commander of the knights.

“It appears they’ve discovered magic stones.”

“Magic stones?”

Heinrich frowned.

“There are magic stone deposits here?”

“That’s what puzzles us as well. They weren’t digging toward this area from somewhere else—they came here directly, as if they knew exactly where to dig. Yet they found magic stones almost immediately.”

The commander shook his head.

“The Hess Barony is poor. They shouldn’t even possess the proper equipment for this kind of mining.”

“Did you ask how they found them?”

“They refuse to answer.”

“…Interesting.”

Heinrich stroked his chin thoughtfully.

There’s something they’re hiding.

Just then—

“Oh, Baron! Please go back to the manor!”

“It’s dangerous! What if Miss gets hit by a flying rock? That terrifying man is here!”

“Shh! Keep your voice down! He’ll hear you!”

The miners suddenly erupted into a panic, repeatedly calling for the “Baron” and “Miss.”

Not only Heinrich but every Baldwin knight turned toward the commotion.

A young woman emerged from among the burly miners.

She looked completely out of place in a mine.

The knight commander leaned in and whispered,

“Your Grace, I believe that’s Baron Hess’s adopted daughter.”

“Nadia Hess, if I remember correctly.”

She had vivid crimson hair and a petite frame.

Beneath her sharp eyes gleamed striking golden irises that seemed almost luminous.

She was undeniably beautiful.

Yet her clothing was far too shabby for someone addressed as “Miss.”

Her skirt had gone out of fashion years ago, and the fabric around the knees was noticeably worn thin.

It suggested she’d spent countless hours kneeling.

It also revealed that her family couldn’t even afford separate clothing for work and outings.

Yet despite her humble appearance, Nadia stood perfectly straight.

She looked less like a poor baron’s daughter…

…and more like a queen who had never bowed before anyone.

After exchanging a few words with the miners, Nadia turned toward Heinrich.

His crimson eyes met her golden ones.

For a brief moment—

Her lips parted slightly.

It almost felt as though Heinrich could sense the warm breath escaping them.

A strange feeling.

Nadia bit her lower lip.

The more tightly she bit it, the hazier her eyes became.

Is she… holding back tears?

Why?

He couldn’t understand why she looked ready to cry.

Nor could he understand why she was desperately trying not to.

Nadia lowered her head in a deep bow.

It was the proper etiquette expected of a baron’s daughter.

Yet to Heinrich…

…it looked as though she were simply hiding a tear-stained face.

“I am Nadia of House Hess.”

“It is an honor to greet His Grace, the Duke of Baldwin.”

Heinrich looked down at the crown of her crimson hair before speaking coolly.

“So the Hess family truly has taken in a clever adopted daughter.”

“I simply didn’t realize she would also possess the nerve to mine magic stones practically on Baldwin territory.”

At those words, the people of Hess visibly paled.

Some whispered anxiously among themselves.

“W-We were too close to Baldwin…”

“What do we do?”

“Shouldn’t we have mined here?”

“They’re not going to arrest Miss, are they?”

“I heard the Duke of Baldwin kills people as easily as eating breakfast…”

Amid the growing panic, Nadia slowly raised her head.

The tearful expression Heinrich had seen moments earlier had vanished completely.

For a moment he even wondered if he had imagined it.

Taking one confident step forward, Nadia spoke clearly.

“Your Grace, while this area appears to belong to the Baldwin Duchy, history tells a different story.”

“It is, in fact, part of the Hess Barony.”

“Explain.”

“The mountain range itself belongs to the Baldwin family.”

“That’s how it’s marked on every map.”

“But three hundred years ago, when House Baldwin and House Hess became joined through marriage, the Baldwin family gifted the lowest section of the mountains to House Hess.”

“It was meant to encourage friendly relations between the two families.”

Her voice was remarkably clear.

Every word was carefully pronounced.

Most importantly—

She wasn’t making an emotional appeal.

She was citing history.

For that reason, Heinrich allowed her to continue.

“As the centuries passed, relations between the two families faded, and ownership of that small parcel of land became unclear.”

“Since the land was considered worthless, even the Hess family paid little attention to it.”

“So people gradually came to believe the entire mountain range belonged to the Baldwin Duchy.”

“But according to the records I’ve investigated…”

“This land belongs to Hess.”

“So the people of Hess have not unlawfully trespassed into Baldwin territory.”

Now it was obvious who had instructed the miners to dig at this exact location.

Even Heinrich, who had received the strict education expected of the ducal family, had never heard such a historical account.

If Nadia’s claim proved true…

Then the Baldwin Duchy had wrongly interfered with the innocent Hess family.

If it was true.

Lightly tapping his forehead with one finger, Heinrich said,

“So you’re merely an adopted daughter…”

“Yet you know the history of Hess remarkably well.”

“And somehow possess information that no one else seems to know.”

It was a polite way of saying:

I can’t simply take your word for it.

Yet Baron Hess beamed with pride and interrupted.

“My daughter absolutely loves reading!”

“And she’s incredibly smart too!”

He couldn’t even distinguish between praise and suspicion.

A remarkably guileless man.

“…Father.”

Nadia spoke quietly, sounding embarrassed.

“Maybe save that conversation for later.”

Baron Hess blinked innocently, clearly unsure what he’d done wrong.

He was so honest that it almost bordered on incompetence.

Yet Nadia merely covered her mouth and laughed, finding him oddly endearing.

For an adopted daughter…

The two of them looked astonishingly close.

Expressionless, Heinrich glanced between Baron Hess and Nadia.

Since she’d presented historical evidence, continuing to argue here would accomplish nothing.

As for their warm family relationship…

It held no value whatsoever to Heinrich.

He raised a hand, signaling for his horse.

Then, in a voice as cold as the wind sweeping across the mountains, he said,

“Baron Hess.”

“Mark the exact boundary line your family claims.”

“Then send all documents supporting that claim to the ducal estate.”

“I will examine the evidence myself and determine whether House Hess’s assertion is justified.”

Baron Hess hurriedly tried to respond.

But Heinrich had already mounted his horse without waiting to listen.

---

“Oh, my heart…”

Baron Hess clutched his chest dramatically.

“Nadia, you should’ve let your father handle that.”

“What would I have said to your mother if you’d been taken away?”

“My legs are still shaking.”

“It’s all right, Father.”

Nadia smiled reassuringly.

“The Duke of Baldwin doesn’t harm people without reason.”

“But the rumors say…”

“They’re wrong.”

She spoke with quiet certainty.

“Really.”

“He’s not that kind of person.”

Oddly enough…

Though today had been the first time she’d ever met Heinrich—

Nadia trusted him completely.

She watched as Heinrich and the Baldwin knights rode farther and farther away.

A nostalgic smile touched her lips.

In a voice too soft for anyone else to hear, she whispered,

“You’ve grown into such a wonderful man…”

“…Highni.”