Everything seemed sweet and peaceful with the expedition group. But back at the castle, tension was brewing.
Nadia's sudden disappearance had not gone unnoticed. Servants whispered, rumours spread. It was clear she had left without informing everyone, likely to avoid being stopped.
Of course, Grace wasted no time taking advantage of it. She approached Gordon, trying to persuade him to hand over Nadia's seal, clearly planning to use it for something questionable. In her mind, Nadia must have run away while Glenn was gone.
Gordon shut that idea down, stating that Nadia was with her husband. Instead of easing her worries, that only made Grace more suspicious. Now she was even suggesting that Glenn himself might be in danger because of Nadia.
A bold claim, and not a very smart one. Thankfully Gordon did not entertain any of it. He brushed off her accusations without a second thought, which left her completely baffled, wondering how Nadia had managed to win him over.
Not long after, Glenn and his troops returned, and right on cue Grace was there to greet him with a polished smile and warm congratulations. As soon as she spotted Nadia close behind, she immediately put on a relieved act, and asked why she had decided to join him on the battlefield.
Nadia did not miss a beat. With flawless delivery she softly claimed she had simply missed her husband too much to stay behind.
Grace was clearly thrown off by that innocent answer, but she recovered quickly. Changing her approach, she scolded Nadia for interfering with Glenn's duties. It was a clear attempt to put her in her place.
Before it could land, Giscard stepped in. And instead of backing Grace up as she expected, he did the opposite. He reminded her firmly to show proper respect to the Marchioness. After all, Nadia had not just followed Glenn out of impulse. She had come out of concern for everyone.
The other knights chimed in, openly approving of Nadia's presence, which left Grace completely stunned. Not long ago these same men had been the first to doubt Nadia. Kindness, brains and a bit of charm went a long way.
What really made Grace's head spin was when Glenn pulled Nadia closer, firmly reminding everyone that she was now the lady of the house. No room for debate.
And then there was the pair of them. Nadia out there in soft pink, looking like a literal angel, and Glenn beside her. This was not a couple. This was a power move.
So as they walked into the estate together, Grace just stood there, mentally collapsing. Because suddenly it hit her. Nadia was about to take over the house, win everyone over, and soon have an heir. And Grace was about to be demoted to a background character, along with her son.
That was not concern. That was pure, premium, top-tier greed.
While Nadia was unwinding in her room later, a knock broke the silence. Lisa stepped in and informed her that the bath was ready.
Nadia called her over with a bright smile. She excitedly showed off three adorable accessories and asked Lisa to share them with Yuri and Aideen. Lisa hesitated, clearly unsure whether she should accept something so personal. But Nadia insisted, cheerfully explaining that it was her way of thanking them for their kindness.
In this new life Nadia had learned something important. There was no use wasting effort on people who already disliked you. It was far better to appreciate those who genuinely cared.
Lisa was touched, and before long the three maids were gathered together, happily chatting about how kind and thoughtful their lady was.
Naturally, the conversation shifted to Glenn. More specifically, to how distant he still was. The concern was mutual. And so the trio silently agreed on one thing. It was time to intervene.
Soon Nadia sank into a bath filled with red petals, admiring the effort the maids had put into preparing it. She thought it was a sweet gesture.
What she did not realise was that this was only phase one of their plan. Because moments later, someone else walked in.
It was Glenn, in a robe.
Startled, Glenn immediately turned away and explained that his own bath was under repair, so he had been directed here instead.
Nadia awkwardly smiled as it all clicked. Lisa's earlier wink suddenly made perfect sense. Trying to salvage the situation, she told him it was clearly a setup, and offered to finish quickly so that he could use the bath.
He nodded and began to leave.
Then he stopped. It dawned on him. The maids must think he had been too harsh towards her, and this was their way of fixing it.
So instead of walking out, he stayed, and stepped into the bath with her. He explained that leaving now might make it seem as though he was rejecting her again.
Nadia was caught off guard by his reasoning, but she smiled and agreed. How was she this composed with a man like him right there? They were in the flirting stage, but it was still buffering.
As if things were not tense enough, she casually suggested they wash each other, like a proper married couple. And yes, her eyes definitely wandered for a second. Purely by accident, of course.
That was when she noticed the scar across his chest and instinctively reached out. Glenn quickly caught her hand, his face heating up as he grew visibly flustered. This situation was way outside his comfort zone.
Sensing the awkwardness, Nadia offered a safer alternative. They should just talk.
That seemed to help. Glenn took the opportunity to finally say what he had not until now. He thanked her sincerely for everything she had done — the prosperity, the stability, even the strength of his army. It all traced back to her efforts.
She felt proud of herself. No one had ever acknowledged her like that before.
With a playful glint in her eyes, she thanked him in return. Caught off guard, Glenn asked why.
She smiled warmly and answered, "Thank you for marrying me."
Now he was blushing from ear to ear.
The next morning at breakfast, Yuri and Lisa were practically glowing with satisfaction. In their minds the plan had been a total success. After all, the couple had not left the bath until almost sunrise.
Mission accomplished. Or so they thought.
Thanks to that long soak, Nadia looked completely refreshed, as though she had just had the best sleep of her life. Glenn looked as though he had fought a war overnight and lost. Not a single minute of sleep.
Well, that settled it. He was catching feelings faster than expected.