Published: August 15, 2025
Two weeks after the death of Duke Alfred Granado.
At the end of spring, my twentieth birthday arrived.
However, it was not to be celebrated. Dilz must observe mourning for four months until the duke’s state funeral, followed by seven additional days. In other words, all ‘celebratory’ events like festivals, social gatherings, and weddings were completely forbidden.
Of course, in individual homes or in the rural villages far from the royal capital, people might quietly mark birthdays... but we were family. Here in Granado Castle, bearing the Granado name, we could not simply say “Congratulations!”
“—Even without the law binding us, I wouldn’t be in the mood for a celebration anyway,” I murmured, lightly touching the rose placed on the table—a gesture of a heartfelt, albeit modest, celebration.
Hearing this, Tunic exclaimed from behind me, “Ehh!”
She mischievously twirled her half-done red hair around her finger, pouting.
“That’s such a waste! Your long-awaited twentieth birthday—let’s secretly celebrate it, just a little.”
“No need. Besides, I never really had the custom of celebrating birthdays.”
“That’s exactly why!”
Tunic, weaving ribbons into her hair, seemed a little annoyed.
“Lady Marie, you’ve always been treated like this at your family home, and last year you were in Ips for the birth. This year is finally your chance, right? All the attendants were looking forward to this day. We even thought up all kinds of surprises.”
“Really? Well, even just the thought makes me happy.”
“Don’t joke around! The engagement ceremony was all about entertaining nobility—it wasn’t really enjoyable.”
…Was that so? Surely the attendants were all busy, but once the banquet settled down, I had the impression everyone ate, drank, and made merry.
Well, I can understand Tunic’s point.
But I doubt any of us in all of Dilz were dissatisfied. Alfred Granado was that kind of man.
Going back two hundred years, Siegfried, the founder of the Granado family, was the younger brother of the King of Dilz at the time. The branch family separated about 180 years ago.
At the height of war, Siegfried was ordered by the king to lead troops into the enemy country, Sphain. He first built a formidable fortress at the southernmost tip of Dilz’s territory, right on the border with Sphain, and took up residence under the title of margrave. From this base, he amassed troops and advanced southward into Sphain lands, expanding his stronghold with each conquest, eventually securing the southernmost tip of the continent. Granado was the name of that land, making it not a surname but a badge of honor for a hero.
After peace with Sphain was established and fifty years into the post-war era—a time when most citizens had forgotten the heat of battle—the Dukes of Granado ruled vast southern lands but rarely appeared on the political stage. Nonetheless, Siegfried’s heroic tales became legendary, retold with colorful embellishments in paintings, novels, and plays, beloved by the entire nation.
Alfred, his descendant, was much the same.
That’s why I had no complaint about the long mourning period. Only one thing—Lord Cyrus was very busy and often away from Granado Castle. And he hadn’t taken me along.
“Lonely, isn’t it?” Tunic said loudly, almost voicing my feelings.
“It can’t be helped. Lord Cyrus is the chief mourner overseeing the state funeral. He must be swamped. Yet he manages to come home nearly every day.”
“On the contrary, it might be more efficient if he stayed a few days straight to get everything done quickly.”
“I think he does it to let me sleep. Lisa won’t stop crying all night unless held by me or Lord Cyrus.”
—Yes, the hardest part of childcare is putting the baby to sleep at night. Until she falls into a deep slumber, she must be held. If she’s not fully asleep, she starts crying the moment she’s put in the crib.
Until now, Mio had played with her during the day, which helped, but she was currently out traveling with Lord Cyrus. We even asked a maid experienced in childcare, but no one else could soothe Lisa besides Mio or me.