A Day In The Grand Duchess’ Life (1)

These days, Alicia had been waking at dawn and only falling asleep when dawn was near again.

The Grand Duchess of Tessen had many things to do.

The Grand Duchess’s most important duty was holding audiences.

Many people wanted to meet Alicia, now the Grand Duchess of Tessen, and offer their greetings.

As Tessen became a grand duchy, meetings with the imperial family grew more frequent, and the formalities she had to observe became more complicated.

Alicia began receiving visitors from morning for the flood of guests and only finished in the evening.

Even aside from audiences, the Grand Duchess had a mountain of tasks.

Because she was still new to being the Grand Duchess of Tessen, there were even more tasks and people to meet.

For a while, audiences were her most important duty, so she organized and reviewed them over dinner.

Her overall impressions of the people she met today, and what to be careful about when meeting them again.

She listened to reports about the people she would meet tomorrow and prepared.

Only when night fell could Alicia finally begin the rest of her work.

Just as she was about to discuss new matters—

Click.

The door to her private office opened.

Reichardt walked in through the open doorway.

The expressions of the people in the room faltered awkwardly upon seeing him.

“Your Grace.”

Daisy reacted first.

“Your Grace, when did you arrive?”

Henrik offered etiquette, and Connie, seated beside him, rose to her feet.

“Your Grace has come—why did no one bring word? Shall I prepare a meal?”

Connie smiled, trying to usher Reichardt out.

Juan and Ren, standing off to one side, pretended not to notice.

“Everyone, withdraw.”

Reichardt said firmly.

He slipped in among the people gathered around the table and sat down beside Alicia.

Alicia, who had been reading reports, only lifted her gaze after Reichardt sat next to her.

“Rei?”

Reichardt offered a smile to Alicia, who looked pleased to see him—then turned his gaze coldly over the faces around them.

“Withdraw.”

Reichardt repeated to everyone.

“Uh, I still have work—”

Alicia tried to stop Reichardt.

Henrik and Connie looked at Alicia with desperate hope.

“Rest.”

Reichardt spoke gently while meeting Alicia’s eyes.

But the hand that snatched the report from Alicia’s grasp was nothing but ruthless.

“…….”

“…….”

Henrik and Connie’s faces went dark in an instant.

Reichardt looked down at the report he had taken, then shifted his eyes to the side.

His gaze toward Henrik and Connie was full of reproach.

“Your Grace.”

“Your Grace, we—”

The two tried to say something.

Reichardt waved his hand and drove the Baron and Baroness of Rens out.

As they withdrew at the flick of his hand, Henrik and Connie’s faces were full of longing.

“Your Grace.”

“Your Grace…”

No, party!

From their faces as they looked at Alicia, a yearning for a party erupted.

Your Grace, party! Party! Party!

Reichardt knew very well how much the Baron and Baroness of Rens wanted to host a party.

Henrik had already narrowed down candidate venues.

According to the reports, there were even detailed sketches for how to decorate the party space.

Connie had prepared examples for what to arrange in advance—clothes, jewelry, paintings, music—depending on the situation.

It was an impressive level of preparation.

If Alicia chose only the invitation list, they could hold a party as soon as tomorrow.

Reichardt wanted to destroy every party plan they had left behind.

But because they had worked hard for him for a long time, and because he cared about them, he settled for shoving it aside.

“Baroness of Ronoc.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Cut the Grand Duchess’s daily audience count in half.”

Daisy nodded as she wrote Reichardt’s words into her notes.

There were far too many people who wanted to meet Alicia, and far too little time.

Because Alicia spoke with visitors at length to show sincerity, she could not increase the number of audiences any further.

“Yes.”

Alicia carried out the Grand Duchess’s duties diligently.

She had great affection for her work.

“How long does each audience usually take?”

“Rei.”

Alicia felt an ominous premonition and called to Reichardt.

Reichardt did not answer.

He urged Daisy to respond with a look.

Daisy valued Alicia’s manner in audiences highly.

But she thought Alicia was overly kind.

“If it’s short, about one hour and twenty minutes. Usually, about two hours.”

“Finish within an hour.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Daisy faithfully wrote down Reichardt’s order.

“Daisy.”

Alicia called Daisy with displeasure.

“Alicia, you need to rest.”

Daisy looked at Alicia’s face, which seemed to be pressing her, with worried eyes.

Since the wedding, Alicia had not taken a single day off.

“Baroness of Ronoc. Once the audience schedule ends, do not set foot in the residence. The rest of you as well.”

Reichardt said, gripping Alicia’s hand.

“……Yes.”

Startled, Daisy almost asked again, then answered slowly.

Annie, standing beside Daisy, widened her eyes as if something precious had been stolen from her.

She was so shocked she could not even speak.

“What?”

“Your Grace.”

Juan and Ren tried to point out the unfair command.

The two had been waiting to discuss Tessen and knightly matters, and today they had only managed to exchange greetings with Alicia.

Not only were they being kicked out on the spot—they were being forbidden from setting foot in the residence after evening from now on.

“All of you, withdraw.”

Reichardt spoke with a look as if asking why they were still here.

“We take our leave.”

“…We will withdraw.”

Daisy offered etiquette and led Annie out of the office, Annie still looking dazed.

“We withdraw.”

“We withdraw.”

The two knights looked like they had much to say, but they did not disobey and withdrew first.

Alicia could only stare at Reichardt, who had made her office desolate in an instant.

“Alicia.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Reichardt gave a faint smile at the distant form of address.

“From now on, I will forbid parties for one year.”

Reichardt said in a stiff tone.

Alicia snapped her head to the side.

“Is that an order, Your Grace?”

“Yes.”

Reichardt answered flatly.

Audiences were not easy, and party preparations had many difficulties, but Alicia had still been enjoying her work.

Reichardt’s face drew close to Alicia’s sulky expression.

“I’m holding back from banning parties for life.”

“W-what did you say?”

“You have to play with me.”

Reichardt grumbled with a scowling face.

He looked like he had endless complaints about the world.

“…I—”

Alicia remembered that since the wedding, she had never once entered the bedroom before Reichardt.

These days she was far busier than Reichardt, who was summoned to the imperial palace at dawn and returned at night.

She had vaguely assumed they had little time together simply because they were both busy.

“There are people at the imperial palace who want to meet the Grand Duchess too. Do you know? Those bastards hear the backlog order, then line up in front of my office trying to cut in. I feel like I have as much power as anyone, you know.”

Reichardt whispered with a disgusted face.

“Who….”

Alicia began to ask, then suddenly realized.

The Emperor—and the High Priest.

The Emperor had not filed an audience request, but the High Priest had.

Because of that, the office had gone on high alert a few days ago.

Alicia had decided that even the High Priest would be received according to the proper order.

The Emperor did not request an audience, but Eleanor sent trivial letters saying she missed the Grand Duchess of Tessen.

Because the Emperor’s handwritten letter arrived, the office had been thrown into uproar.

Henrik and Connie said she should go to the imperial palace at once.

Alicia sent Eleanor a single sheet of music and a few fruit candies.

Eleanor replied that Alicia must be busy as a newly made Grand Duchess, so she should not worry about the palace.

“The imperial family is planning a celebratory party to commemorate the Grand Duchess of Tessen.”

Reichardt spoke in a low voice, his face gloomy.

“What are they commemorating?”

“They told me to come to you and find something worth commemorating.”

Fatigue spread across Reichardt’s face as he answered.

“So what did you do?”

Alicia asked, stroking the weary Reichardt.

“I ran.”

Reichardt said firmly.

“Well done.”

Alicia praised him even more firmly.

In the end, a party the imperial family prepared meant acting under the Emperor’s command.

“The Great Temple requested to hold a thanksgiving banquet in Tessen. I refused.”

“Well done.”

“They sent the fifth request today, and today was my fifth refusal. They’ll probably ask again the day after tomorrow.”

“Refuse again.”

“I will.”

Reichardt realized the conversation was becoming more and more about work and fell silent.

He wrapped one arm around Alicia’s shoulders, slipped the other under her knees, and lifted her up.

Alicia rested her face against Reichardt’s shoulder.

“I can walk.”

At Alicia’s words, Reichardt subtly adjusted the weight he held.

“Even if Alicia doesn’t host parties, for the next year you’ll be too busy attending parties.”

“I won’t hold any parties.”

Alicia answered quickly.

She wanted to bring life back into his gloomy face.

“Open the door for me.”

Reichardt left Alicia’s private office and headed for the bedroom.

Whenever he stopped before a door, Alicia opened it.

“I can walk.”

As Alicia opened the bedroom door, she wiggled her foot.

“I know.”

Reichardt answered, lowering his head and bringing his face close to Alicia’s lips.

Smiling, Alicia kissed the cheek that came close.

Reichardt closed the bedroom door with his back and headed for the bed.

His cheek remained near Alicia’s lips.

Alicia caught his splendid jaw with her hand and kissed the cheek that begged for affection.

Sweet sounds rang out the entire walk.

After setting Alicia down on the bed, Reichardt kissed the lips that had kissed his cheek.

Just as the kiss was about to deepen, Reichardt’s face cooled sharply.

“Wait.”

He whispered as he pulled his lips away.

Footsteps hurried up outside the door.

“Your Grace, Your Grace.”

At Henrik’s urgent voice, Reichardt and Alicia sat up on the bed.

“Come in.”

At Reichardt’s permission, Henrik opened the door and came inside.

“The imperial palace has urgently ordered the two of you to enter the palace.”

Henrik’s face was taut with tension, and at the same time a strange excitement flickered across it.

“What happened?”

“The Empress suddenly felt labor pains, so a birthing chamber has been prepared. Quickly—let’s go. The carriage is ready.”

Before Henrik could finish speaking, Alicia and Reichardt ran out of the room.

Watching the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess pass him in an instant, Henrik spread a satisfied smile.