Chapter 4

“Do you know what’s most essential to go to the capital?”

“…Money?”

While meals were provided at the palace – since my husband was the Emperor’s cousin – to get to the capital, you had to make reservations, whether by train or magic portal. 

Even if you were a noble governing a territory, you still had to follow the legal procedures.

Moreover, teleportation or similar magic portals were only operational during events and required approval from three senior mages to use. Although they had the advantage of covering a distance that would take a day or more by carriage in just one hour, it was nearly impossible for anyone other than the Emperor or the Tower Lord to use them.

Is this the taste of power?

“It can’t be just money, right? One of Madam’s greatest charms is her unwavering fortune, after all.”

“You’re getting more candid. I do think so too, though.”

“Anyway, she’s not really a lady.”

The high-spirited maid efficiently brushed her hair, giving a fresh reply.

April, the only maid Adriana had brought from the Magnolia Mansion and the only person who knew my true identity.

“So what is it then?”

“But it’s not entirely wrong, you know. By any chance, are you sturdy? Our young lady may not be, but…”

April widened her eyes discreetly and glanced at Adriana’s arms and neck. Her alabaster skin was flawless.

“We’ll probably go by train to the capital. We’ll be reserving an entire carriage for the nobility, so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable to stay for a few days, but it’s not exactly steady.”

“Can you buy a whole train carriage with money? Do you need status for that?”

“After the temples, the railways are the most equal place in front of money. They’re quite proficient at counting.”

April criticized the temples that collected donations for various reasons and added an explanation with a playful tone.

“Originally, His Grace didn’t particularly like that kind of ‘noble’ thing, but in this matter, he followed Madam’s opinion. Our young lady, well, changing dresses in the toilet room was the most arduous part of her daily routine. What if something happened?”

“I heard she received swordsmanship lessons, according to Callian.”

“It was more like a cultural education. She quit that too within a week, saying it didn’t suit her aptitude. The Duke was very displeased. It strained their relationship further.”

“Just for that? But, is there still some distance between them?”

“They dine together once a month, as a gesture of goodwill.”

Dressing up was complete after tying her hair with a ribbon.

April, the only person Adriana had opened up to, didn’t seem particularly surprised that someone else’s soul had entered her body.

She said it was what the young lady had always wanted, so she simply followed suit.

It was a strangely loyal statement, but when I first heard it, it made me more angry than moved.

That’s your situation, but what about me? What about someone who suddenly finds themselves in a rule-of-law country?

“I’ll prepare some medicine in advance. I don’t know how it compares to your original world, but it’s better than nothing. I’m quite sensitive, so even a slight movement can make me dizzy.”

“Isn’t there a medicine that makes you unconscious for a few days?”

“There is, but I’m afraid even this place and Magnolia Street might turn upside down.”

However, no matter how I thought about it, in this situation, April was the only one I could trust even a little. While others might dismiss my actions, odd questions, and lack of proper etiquette as Adriana’s new “concept,” in the midst of this crisis, April was a reliable NPC.

The Crown Prince’s birthday celebration was just around the corner. What does that mean? It means a momentous event is about to happen—I’m going outside the estate for the first time.

Callian’s cousin, the Crown Prince, was rumored to be exceptional in every way, and there wasn’t a day without praise from his teachers. He was said to be so beautiful that the sun would hide its face in embarrassment.

Like most cities, Winter had its share of street vendors selling portraits of the Crown Prince, as well as the Emperor, national heroes, and other famous figures in various sizes and styles.

I had heard that people of my age group often purchased these portraits with their first salaries. But it was the first time I saw a portrait of the Crown Prince when a kitchen maid picked up a fallen one and showed it to me.

Even if it was a result adjusted by power, his handsome features were captivating, making one’s eyes swirl. His thick eyebrows and gentle eyes harmonized like a painting, and his slightly upturned lips were genuinely as soft as a flower.

“How old will His Highness the Crown Prince be this year?”

“I heard he’ll be twenty-four in the upcoming spring.”

“Perfect.”

“What’s wrong with that? Introduce me as a son-in-law to my sister. Oh, by the way, Adriana got married.”

“Even though I know everything, please be careful with your words.”

“Then, is it going to be a second marriage?”

“Madam!”

April let out a squawk and lightly tugged at my hair. It was a gentle pull, but it felt subtly ticklish on my scalp.

Well, April’s nagging wasn’t entirely wrong. Birds might overhear our daytime conversation, but our nighttime discussions—well, I just wanted to enjoy some late-night makgeolli.

There was no one else in the Twilight Room except for April, but what if someone outside, like the servants or an information organization trying to uncover Adriana’s private life, overheard us?

“But I’m genuinely curious, so I have to ask,”

“Yes.”

“Is divorce not allowed in the Empire?”

“It is allowed, isn’t it?”

“How does it work?”

“Are you planning to get a divorce? No matter how much you serve Madam according to her wishes, I can’t assist with divorce,”

“No, I’m just curious.”

I don’t even know what’s for dinner tonight, and they divorced over a trivial matter. When you don’t know what’s going on, it’s best to play it safe, and a complacent husband seemed better than a strained relationship with the original family.

When I thought about it calmly, the Magnolia family had my brother and father, and on this side was my husband. It was 2 to 1 in terms of numbers, so this side was better. Besides, Winter had a developed drinking culture.

“You just need to report it to the government office.”

“Is it that simple?”

“Yes. There may be delays in processing, but… you fill out the paperwork, have two or three consultations with the responsible officer, and it should be done. Oh, but it might be different for nobles.”

“How does it work for them?”

“I don’t know about others, but for Madam and the Grand Duke, they have to go through the Empress herself, who personally gives her blessing for the divorce.”

“Oh my….”

It’s incredible that administrative procedures go straight to the top without intermediate managers. I didn’t come here to suddenly engage in love and war, but just imagining it was a bit terrifying.

Shouting, “It’s not a sin to fall in love!” in front of the Empire’s highest dignity and getting into a fight… It probably wouldn’t happen, but part of me wanted to give it a try.

How thrilling it would be, a love battle in front of the Empire’s sun. Just imagining it makes it a charming and romantic concept.

“Is there a death penalty here?”

“…Do you happen to want to go to the gods?”

“No?”

“Are you perhaps entangled in a divine battle and want to become a rumor in the social circle…?”

“That does sound intriguing. …I’m joking. I’m just curious.”

April’s stern expression didn’t loosen. Doubt flickered in her demure eyes.

It’s really a joke! How on earth did she perceive me over the past six months? The most I’ve done here is toss a corset aside, stroll through the garden in a Schmitz costume, stick a knife into a bottle, and hum a tune. Hmm, ah, hmm…

I haven’t done anything special.

“I’m genuinely curious. Why would you suddenly get a divorce when you don’t know anything?”

“Then what about a remarriage?”

“Oh, no, I won’t! I just chatted because he looked handsome in his portrait.”

“Hmm… Well, the Empire does have a death penalty, but unless it’s a serious crime like treason, it’s rare for a case to go as far as execution. Depending on the severity of the crime, they might administer harsh punishments, from administering strong poisons to tearing limbs, but I’ve never actually heard of anyone having their limbs torn.”

The speed of hair brushing increased once again.

In my original world, I only had a simple crew cut because it was hard to manage. But here, if I don’t cut my hair to make a wig, they meticulously brush it, dry it, and even apply hair oil, so it’s like a paradise.

I wonder if I’m getting used to being treated like this in the upper echelons of the caste system too?

“I’ll have motion sickness pills in my bag. If you need anything else, please let me know.”

“Oh, I do need something.”

“What do you need? The royal palace should have just about everything.”

“Alcohol. Wine. On the train,”

She hadn’t even finished speaking when April’s face crinkled like a folded turtle’s shell of paper. It’s truly a mysterious expression that can’t help but scratch at the human heart.

***

The quickest way to obtain information in this world was to ask April. However, I didn’t know everything about April, and she didn’t tell me everything, so I kept postponing it and eventually found my way to the library in the Holy City.

No, whether you’re the protagonist, a villain, or an extra who’s been transmigrated, how do they all know how to find the library so easily? I know that books are an ocean of information, but for someone like me who’s accustomed to 10-minute snack culture, reading pages of text felt incredibly painful.

Of course, I have to do it to survive. Is this why the education board used to sing songs about reading for 10 minutes every morning in elementary school? So that I would be trained to read properly and use it when I transmigrated!

But even though I can only read in a zigzag pattern, I almost breezed through even short romance fantasy novels!

“Madam, is there something you’re looking for?”

“No, today I’m just going to look around… I want to be alone for a while. Is that alright, Catherine?”

“Of course, Madam. Then please call me if you need anything.”

Catherine nodded politely and left. I wanted to shake my shoulders and tell her to relax in the comfortable lounge, but from my brief experience, I knew that this diligent maid would never accept my recommendation.

The bookshelves were tidier than I expected. The books were categorized by type and sorted alphabetically by name, making it easy to find as long as you knew the title.

I didn’t even know what I was looking for myself…

What are you looking for? My lost future. I’m sorry, but ‘My Lost Future’ is not a book that can be found.

“Oh, never mind!”

My thoughts got tangled up, and some strange jokes came to mind. There’s no one to respond even if I act out a drama by myself. It would have been much more convenient if there were record books that organized all the books, but unfortunately, there weren’t any.

I wondered if there were any records about other worlds and skimmed through the “Magic” section, but the book titles were the same old, and the content… the content was-

“Indented paragraphs, damn it…”

Was it a curse to read in a zigzag pattern since I was a student?

Was it a problem that my vocabulary deteriorated because I only had conversations steeped in memes?

Was it a mistake to get annoyed even by 1-minute advertisements for being too long?

I didn’t expect it to be as easy to read as popular books.

I was prepared to hold onto a thin introductory book for a week, since I didn’t have anything else to do anyway.

But, but! I never even thought that the act of reading itself would be uncomfortable.

The spacing between paragraphs, and even between letters, was too narrow.

There was no indentation, and I felt like I was losing my mind trying to read sentences without any spacing.

Is this even a sentence or a brick wall?

Even in the Empire, there should be publishers. What happened?

Did printing technology not develop here?

The paper is good, though.

Is the book not yet a common commodity?

But the bookstores within the territory seemed to be operating actively?

“Did you like the library?”

“No, um, well, um. It’s just, yeah…”

When I left the library, the sun had already set.

Outside, the dim starlight was pouring in.

My throat felt sore for some reason.

“Are there a lot of books here?”

“Yes. Extensive books are also a pride of the Grand Duke’s family.

I think books that are not here might be in the Imperial library?”

“The palace isn’t some neighbor’s front yard…”

But… a husband who treats the palace like a neighbor’s front yard? Well, that’s convenient.

That’s fortunate. The Imperial Library probably has librarians, so there won’t be as much fumbling around as right now. I might even spend the night at the Imperial Library if things go south.

I might even spend a night at the Imperial Library if necessary.

What would it feel like to stay up all night at the Empire’s finest library?

Just thinking about it was thrilling, and it made me crave makgeolli.

“-So, I brought some alcohol.”

“Huh?”

Callian, who was checking the luggage I personally prepared for our departure to the capital and the specialty products to be presented to the palace, couldn’t close his open mouth when he saw the precious bottles of alcohol in my arms.

“Drinking alcohol in the library and staying up all night, isn’t that a lady’s romance?”

He boldly suggested, or rather, insisted, but Callian remained silent. His parted lips pleased me greatly.