Civil Servant in Romance Fantasy

I was stuck in a dilemma. Should I call her ‘Your Grace,’ or simply ‘Beatrix’? I wasn’t sure which was the right choice.

Considering the nobles’ mindset, societal decorum, and her dignity, the former seemed correct. However, the latter felt more fitting when thinking about her happiness and our relationship as an engaged couple. Either way, there were bound to be consequences. It was a frustratingly complex problem.

“Baby?”

Ah.

It wasn’t until I heard her voice that I realized my mistake. She had spoken first, and I hadn’t even replied. That was rude, regardless of our respective statuses.

What was worse was that I noticed a faint unease flickering in her eyes from being ignored. It was subtle, but the fact that she felt it at all was a problem.

It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if I had just responded immediately and called her ‘Your Grace.’ It might’ve been slightly disappointing, but she would have understood given the many eyes watching us. But hesitating to the point where she became anxious, only to then address her with a stiff title? That would likely hurt her feelings.

Specifically, she’d probably start thinking, ‘Does he not want to acknowledge our relationship in front of others?’ and nurse that wound silently.

That’s highly likely.

It might seem like a silly misunderstanding, but I couldn’t afford to take any chances. The Mage Duchess had already had her self-esteem hit rock bottom once during the potion incident. She was delicate, like fragile packaging, and I had to handle her with care.

“Yes. I’ve been well, Beatrix.”

I responded a little late, smiling but still polite. Even in this situation, my final shred of sanity kept me from speaking too casually.

Using her real name had its justifications. We’ve exchanged rings, after all, so addressing her with a formal title just felt odd at this point. On the other hand, speaking informally to someone a hundred years my senior would be absurd. It would probably be fine after years of marriage, but using informal speech right now would be awkward.

This level of formality seemed like a reasonable compromise—using her name but maintaining respect. I should stick to this approach when we’re in public. It was a balance both she and the nobles could accept.

—Or so I thought.

“Th-thank goodness… I’m so glad to hear that.”

The moment I called her by name, the unease in her eyes vanished, and she began to fidget, her ears twitching nervously. Her face turned a shy shade of red, unmistakably the appearance of a woman in love.

What? Why was she reacting like this? I didn’t even speak casually and just called her by her name. Did she take being called by her name more seriously than informal speech?

“…”

And next to us, I could feel Iron-blooded Duke’s silent shock. He seemed too flustered to even laugh or gasp.

The other nobles weren’t any different. The previously bustling surroundings, filled with greetings and requests, fell silent for the first time.

Damn it.

I misjudged the situation. I thought calling her by name would be surprising but still acceptable. But apparently, even that was sacred ground to these nobles, like she was Voldemort or something. Well, she is a wizard.

But now that I thought about it, it made sense. To these people, she’d been the Mage Duchess for over a century, a figure who served multiple emperors. They probably never even imagined that someone would address her by name.

This was a disaster. If just using her name caused this reaction, then what would happen if I spoke informally? Beatrix might blush, but the nobles? They might all die of shock.

“…It seems like you two are very close. It’s heartwarming to witness. My congratulations in advance on your upcoming wedding, Your Grace.”

Finally, one of the stunned nobles managed to speak. No matter how confused they were, they still knew how to say the right thing—that was a noble’s instinct.

“Indeed. I was concerned about the challenges Your Grace and the Executive Manager might face, but it seems my worries were for nothing.”

“A difference in species is no small matter, but overcoming that only makes the bond stronger, wouldn’t you agree?”

Others quickly followed suit once one person broke the silence.

Smiling awkwardly, I endured the flood of compliments and flattery. Everyone present likely had Beatrix’s name etched into their minds by now, but no one brought it up. It seemed like everyone silently agreed to just let it pass.

Meanwhile, I kept my gaze away from the Mage Duchess’s still twitching ears, as though looking at her directly might bring about some catastrophic consequences.

“Beatrix, I was thinking of greeting the rest of my in-laws. Would you care to join me?”

I carefully spoke up in the midst of this strange and awkward atmosphere. If this went on any longer, it would just become another dark moment in the Mage Duchess’s memory, and the nobles might reach the point where they’d have to pretend they hadn’t seen anything at all.

“Yes, let’s go together. When else would we get the chance to gather like this?”

Even the Iron-blooded Duke who had been silent supported my suggestion. His face still showed faint signs of confusion, but at least he managed to speak properly.

Since Marghetta was going to marry me, there was no way the Duke could distance himself from the Mage Duchess. Figuring it was better to stay with family than get caught up with the nobles, he seemed to decide this was the more logical course of action.

“That sounds good. I’d also like to greet them, too.”

Thankfully, the Mage Duchess nodded without any objections.

Yes, it was better to stay among family. Stirring things up while with the nobility would only cause unnecessary attention.

That said, it was only better in the sense that we were avoiding the worst-case scenario. This was hardly the best solution—it was more like the lesser of two evils.

“There’s so many people I’m meeting for the first time. It’s a pleasure to see you all.”

And so, the family members (from all three in-laws) who had been chatting peacefully fell silent at once as the Mage Duchess, the social outlaw and a natural disruptor of order, joined the conversation.

The Mage Duchess rarely left the Magic Tower, only making appearances at events like the New Year’s Ball. Even then, she would only show up for a day and disappear immediately. So, most people present had never even seen her, let alone spoken to her.

Just seeing this rare figure up close was enough to make their hearts race. But for her to address them first, and formally no less? They wouldn’t be blamed if they fainted on the spot.

“Your Grace, please feel free to speak casually.”

The first to recover was Count Flanbell, and he made a sensible suggestion only to be met with:

“How could I? We’re practically family now.”

The Mage Duchess answered with a gentle smile, leaving everyone even more confused and forcing them into silence once again.

In the broad sense, you could indeed say we were all family now. But among that family, she was by far the oldest. Didn’t that mean she should be allowed to speak informally?

Of course, no one had the courage to suggest to the Mage Duchess that she could speak casually because she was the eldest.

“You must be Louise.”

The awkward silence was broken by the Mage Duchess. She approached Louise, who had been cowering at the sight of the Mage Duchess, and spoke in a warm tone.

“Y-Yes! I’m Louise Naird of the Naird Barony!”

Naturally, just because the Mage Duchess spoke kindly didn’t mean Louise could relax. Even though Louise was used to mingling with royalty, future saints, and other high-ranking figures, those people were the exceptions and not the norm.

Despite Louise’s stiff, overly formal response, the Mage Duchess gently stroked her cheek.

“You’ve grown up beautifully. You seemed so frail the last time I saw you, so I was worried.”

This remark caused a stir among the onlookers. Louise and the Mage Duchess should have been meeting for the first time, yet the Mage Duchess’s words made it sound like they were already acquainted, and from quite some time ago.

Louise’s parents, in particular, reacted even more. To hear that their precious only daughter had met the Mage Duchess before… they must have been dizzy with confusion.

“Uh, Your Grace… Forgive me, but have we met before?”

That didn’t mean that Louise was unaffected by the situation. She was likely racking her brain, trying to remember if she had ever seen the Mage Duchess even from a distance.

Unfortunately, her efforts would be in vain. It was true that Louise had met the Mage Duchess before, but she had never seen her true form.

“Of course, you’ve seen me. Though not in this appearance.”

With those words, the Mage Duchess’s long hair, which had trailed the floor, began to shorten. Her pristine white hair transformed into a vibrant blue, and even her pointed ears, a symbol of her elven heritage, were reshaped into the ordinary ears of a human. The transformation was mesmerizing.

Louise’s eyes widened in shock.

“T-Teacher…?”

“Haha, indeed. It’s been nine years since I last saw my pupil. It’s good to see you again.”

The Mage Duchess gently patted Louise’s head as she stood there, dazed. Then, she shot me a playful smile.

That wasn’t necessary.

Her sudden revelation of their teacher-student relationship caught everyone off guard, but I understood her reasoning and lowered my head slightly in gratitude.

To be honest, Louise was the one who held the lowest rank among the women I had exchanged rings with. Marghetta was from a ducal family, as was the Mage Duchess. The 1st Manager came from a marquisate, and even Irina was the daughter of Count Yorun, a major figure in the Gold Duke’s faction.

The 4th Manager held a knightly title and was one of the key assets of the Special Service Agency—none of them were people anyone could afford to offend.

On the other hand, Louise was simply the daughter of a baron. Even though she was set to inherit the title, she was still just a local young lady with little connection to power. But now it turned out that this seemingly ordinary baron’s daughter was the only disciple of the Mage Duchess? It almost felt like something out of a light novel, but this was real.

“A teacher and her student falling for the same man… It’s quite an interesting twist of fate.”

Her words struck like a dagger, and I lowered my gaze quietly.

I sounded like some kind of shameless womanizer when she put it that way.

***I felt exhausted. The Emperor unexpectedly handed over some of his titles at the end of the year, and now he had ordered me to attend the New Year’s Ball. I could tolerate him passing down his responsibilities, but I wish he’d at least give me some warning next time.

Still, I could endure it. After all, what was happening in front of me was quite an amusing spectacle.

“It seems there will be a great celebration in the Empire soon.”

At those words, all the imperial nobles turned their attention to where I had been looking.

“You speak the truth, Your Highness. With the Executive Manager surrounded by so many companions, it truly is a time for celebration.”

“Haha, who would’ve thought we’d see the legendary tale of the Gold Duke playing out again?”

Once they grasped the situation, the nobles began adding their own remarks, smiling all the while. It was a minor addition to the conversation, but it made the moment all the more satisfying.

If this had been in the past, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it nearly as much. I honestly thought the Executive Manager had lost his mind when he talked about a joint wedding and the idea of a ‘first wife.’ Thankfully, he’d since come to his senses and felt embarrassed about those comments. What a relief.

I owed a lot to the Minister of Finance for giving me that crucial piece of information. He really was a loyal servant.

“Count, don’t you think you should go as well?”

Feeling warm-hearted at the thought of such loyalty, I turned my attention to Count Tailglehen.

Several imperial families had approached me after my father had stepped away, and of course, Count Tailglehen was among them.

“It’s fine, Your Highness. The New Year’s Ball is long, after all.”

The Count shook his head calmly and declined my suggestion, explaining that there would be plenty of opportunities to meet later.

But was it just my imagination? I could sense an unspoken determination in his otherwise expressionless face, a firm resolve to avoid going over there at all costs.