Duke Sentoren had no chances of falling for Riv, and she had no expectations or delusions of such.
Rather, it was a matter of what she would talk about with the Duke Sentoren and how she approached him that mattered most.
“Will the future be any different if I contact him?”
Riv couldn’t miss even a trivial variable that could change the future.
Even if she could not break the ten-year engagement between Princess Marianne and Duke Sentoren, she still had to find a breakthrough.
‘Can I get out of this palace with Duke Sentoren’s help?’ Riv considered the thought judgingly before discarding it. The possibility of that plan succeeding was too low.
Queen Selina and Princess Marianne would never let a maid who knew their secret life.
Riv would have been warned if she stood out. ‘As Miss Katana, you should not meet Duke Sentoren.’
Her appearance was pretty noticeable.
Miss Katana, a corpse-like woman, donning a giant black dress, like a despised omen of death.
Even if Riv changed her dress and tried to escape, she could not change her scent, so she would be pursued by the Guard’s hounds.
‘Let’s do what I can for now.’ Riv was lost in thought.
She’d been called a witch and revived with a magic tool. Riv checked the clock. There was still some time left before the royal library closed.
Decisively, she took the road to the royal library, seeking out books mentioning witches and magic.
Riv lived in a time period where wizards, witches, and magic had long disappeared, so she was forced to rely upon written records instead.
“Is it true that I’m a witch?”
Riv’s biological mother Shana had been called a witch, or so the rumors went on when Riv was younger.
If this was due to lineage from her maternal side, then that would be the end of her search.
Shana died the day Riv was born. Riv didn’t know where her nanny was. Neither her nanny nor birth mother was within reach. She was, as she had been for most of her life, on her own.
There was not enough time to find information about the past. Riv borrowed some books where magic was mentioned and flipped through them all night, giving up on tracking her biological mother’s lineage.
One of them described a wizard’s magic tools.
“Magic tools are mostly disguised as old, insignificant objects, antiques, etc. It can also be found in old warehouses, attics, or antique shops, and are not easily destroyed.”
To invoke these magic tools, one had to inject mana into the tool and activate them. Witches and wizards were the only ones who can inject mana.
Wizards and witches carried mana stones and magic tools that could amplify mana in the form of accessories.
If Riv was a real witch and the Duke’s ring was a magic tool, then, “Is it a tool that contains the wondrous ability to turn back time?”
That was the only explanation she could think of from what she read in the books about magic tools.
There was no other explanation for the phenomenon of traveling back through time.
The magic of reversing time could be far more significant and powerful than Riv had originally believed.
If the Duke’s heirloom was a magic tool, what was the possibility of Duke Sentoren being a wizard?
What if Duke Sentoren’s mansion had other magical tools and books hidden?
Riv decided to investigate that after she found a way to meet him.
However, it would be difficult with her identity as ‘Miss Katana’. She still couldn’t think of a way to approach him.
The hunting competition was just around the corner. Riv went to Anna after a long period of consideration.
It was afternoon, around tea time when Riv approached Anna.
Anna was cleaning silverware for Princess Marianne’s tea time. The other maids were mobilized to clean up the drawing-room in preparation.
Riv sat down next to Anna and asked, “Can I help you, Anna?”
Marianne wouldn’t be back any time soon because she went to the seamstress for a new outfit.
Anna looked at Riv.
“Riv, do you have something to ask me?”
Riv was a bit nervous, but this made her smile. Anna had always been quite sharp and perceptive.
As she cleaned the silverware, Riv asked, “Anna, what do you know about Duke Sentoren?”
Anna’s hands stopped moving and she gazed at Riv almost assessingly.
Riv was tall and broad enough to wear a large black dress like a mountain. She also had a weird scent that was somewhat stinky.
It was strange that Anna was not wary of Riv, because she’d seem suspicious to anyone, with an appearance like that.
Riv made up a quick excuse.
“Anna, I think I’ll be sent to Duke Sentoren on an errand for the princess. I don’t know anything about her fiance, and I was just wondering what he’s like.”
“He sometimes sends gifts to her.”
Anna did not let her guard down for Riv and spoke succinctly.
Although Duke Sentoren regularly sent gifts or formal letters, he never visited Marianne directly.
“If you’re curious about the Duke, ask the princess or one of the other maids.”
“I don’t think Princess Marianne will answer me. All of the maids are busy. I don’t want to go to the Duke and accidentally make a mistake.”
Riv flushed, looking embarrassed, and Anna was reluctantly convinced in her ploy. It was certainly true that Riv was scheduled to visit Duke Sentoren for an errand.
Before Princess Marianne’s birthday and after the hunting competition, Duke Sentoren sent her many gifts and handwritten letters.
Princess Marianne’s representative was to visit the Duke in return and deliver a reply.
The princess’ representatives were usually limited to her direct maids, which were only Elle and Riv.
Elle was too busy, so Riv had to go instead.
Anna’s vigilance, which reminded her of various circumstances in the past, eased slightly. Anna admitted, almost ruefully, to Riv, “I don’t know much about Duke Sentoren either.”
The information Anna revealed was familiar to Riv.
Duke Sentoren’s full name was Lionel de Sentoren. Despite being 28 years old, he was respected widely by the elder aristocrats among the court for his talent and skill.
Duke Sentoren was a prestigious man who trained powerful soldiers and knights and was known as the best soldier.
He was also the only son of a well-off family.
A few years ago, Lionel succeeded the old Duke Sentoren when the couple died in a terrible accident.
“But Anna, why does Princess Marianne hate him?”
Anna hesitated when Riv asked this. Riv came only recently to Princess Marianne while serving Queen Selina, so it was understandable that she didn’t know much about the events between Marianne and Duke Sentoren.
Anna asked, “Riv, you’ve never seen Duke Sentoren up close before, have you?”
“No, I haven’t.” Was his appearance somehow of significance?
“Do you know what kind of boys Princess Marianne likes?”
“Yes, they’re cute and gentle.”
Marianne preferred pretty, almost androgynous boys because she was short and thin.
She always chose men as pretty and gentle as women, not rough and masculine ones.
“Duke Sentoren is handsome, but he is also very masculine and tall. He has a wide red scar on his left cheek, and his eyes look fierce. You won’t even be able to meet his gaze the first time.”
“Ah.” That sounded like the complete opposite of what Princess Marianne favored. No wonder she didn’t like him.
He was one head taller than the average man while Marianne was half a head shorter than the average woman.
Their heights would differ by more than 40 centimeters.
Anna said dryly, “They are about ten years apart. When she was eight, Duke Sentoren was already a young man.”
As a young adult, he must have made a strong impression.
His intimidating gaze alone would have been more than enough for little Princess Marianne to fear him.
“Besides, Duke Sentoren’s estate is in the southern part of Montel.”
“Oh.”
Anna didn’t elaborate, but Riv understood enough.
Princess Marianne loved fair-natured boys and even hated the knights for being barbaric. The countryside was also extremely repugnant to her, because of its lack of sophistication.
The Duke of Sentoren’s appearance was the opposite of Marianne’s ideal type, and he was said to be a very barbaric and violent man.
He had been in the southern estate for more than a year and a half.
“Duke Sentoren has characteristics that Princess Marianne hates,” Anna’s story continued, but it did not contain anything Riv did not already know.
Anna had no idea if his family members were wizards or witches.
‘Is the heirloom really a magic tool?’
Would she know if she meets Duke Sentoren?
Riv looked down at the huge, puffy black dress she wore. She couldn’t go meet anyone properly with this look. Anna, who was responsible for Marianne’s wardrobe and outfits, seemed to be able to help.
Riv guiltily requested Anna, “Can you do me a favor?”
“What?”
Riv leaned close to Anna’s ear and whispered, “I need a dress.”
“Dress? What color and size?”
“I don’t care about either. All I need is a dress.”
Anna looked at Riv’s huge dress with a mysterious look on her face.
“Are you going to wear it yourself? I think you wear dresses a size too big…” Anna seems to have noticed something odd while looking Riv over.
Riv’s face, neck, and hands were too skinny for her huge dress.
Anna’s complexion changed.
“If you want a dress to wear, I think I should check the size.”
“Really?”
“Tomorrow I have to visit women’s clothing stores and hat and shoe shops on Princess Marianne’s behalf. The princess ordered a lot of high-end hats and accessories.”
“Oh.”
“The nanny and I had left the tattered dress for repair, so we have to retrieve that too.” Anna took a breath.
“So you’ll have time to pick out a dress. What are you going to use it for?”
“I’m going to wear it for a while at the palace. Anything will be fine as long as it’s not worn out.”
Anna sighed deeply at Riv’s words.
“I don’t know if it’s because you only have that old dress and don’t spend much, but you’re not that poor for a maid.”
“It doesn’t matter. Money isn’t an issue. Is there a dress that fits me better than this?”
Riv and Anna looked at Riv’s huge dress and her form concealed underneath it. It just so happened that the other maids were coming back from their respective tasks.
Riv whispered to her quickly, “Come to my room at night after work.”
As agreed upon, Anna crept into Riv’s room after work ended.
As soon as Anna entered, she pulled out a measuring tape and urged Riv, “I can’t measure you on top of that ugly thing you’re wearing. Take it off.”