The journey from the Duchy of Caladbolg to the central capital, Silventrium, was swift.

Had we taken a carriage, no matter how mercilessly they pushed the horses and coachman, the journey would have taken over ten days.

Thanks to the magic train that raced along the tracks spanning the continent, however, the trip took barely two days.

To claim this wasn’t fast would be nothing short of an insult—no, a joke—at the expense of magitech, the very field that had solidified the empire as the continent’s ruling power, leaving other nations unable to even dream of surpassing it.

By the time we arrived in Silventrium, the sun was dipping beyond the horizon, signaling the arrival of night.

Had this been a leisurely journey, we would have booked a train that arrived in the morning or afternoon. But there was no time for that now.

After all, we were racing against time upon receiving the news that Mother-in-Law—was in critical condition. At a time like this, what did it matter when they arrived?

Besides…

’Just before the train entered the station, the sky was pitch dark. But now that we’re here, it doesn’t even feel like the sun has set,” Aslin remarked, stepping off the train and leaving the station with an amused scoff.

“I suddenly feel like a country bumpkin.”

Even considering that it was just before midnight on the eve of a weekend, the sheer brilliance of the cityscape made it easy to forget what time it was.

‘Four years ago, it wasn’t like this.’

Four years—a long time, yet also a short one.

Even someone like me, who spent more time lurking in back alleys than keeping up with the trends of bustling streets, could tell how much Silventrium had changed.

The moment Aslin and I stepped beyond the station, we were greeted by an overwhelming tide of people filling the city streets.

It was nearly midwinter, yet the people here—unlike those in the north—experienced only the faintest hint of the season. Dressed in light yet sufficiently warm attire, they walked with brisk steps, their colorful garments trailing like vivid strokes of a painter’s brush.

And assisting this vibrant display was the city’s dazzling illumination, so bright that it made one forget it was night.

When I left this place four years ago, magitech lighting, still in its infancy, had only been installed around the Imperial Palace.

Now, somehow, it had spread across the entire capital, banishing the darkness.

Had I been alone, I might have murmured something nostalgic to myself.

“Even just thinking back on our time in the Duchy of Caladbolg, the state of Count Pale Road’s territory feels all the more outdated. But coming here…”

“Geographically speaking, that place is closer to the capital than our duchy, so it’ll catch up sooner or later.”

“That just means Lize will have to bear the burden. As her older brother, I can’t help but feel responsible.”

Playing the role of an older brother who had never once stepped foot in the capital due to his frail health, all I could do was feign the demeanor of a clueless country noble.

Though I said as much, my eyes were busy taking in my surroundings, assessing just how much Silventrium had changed since I last set foot here.

‘It’s been a while… Feels good to be back.’

Back in my days lurking in the back alleys, I could only look upon the bustling city with envy, admiration, and bitter resentment. Now, even after all this time, it had changed far less than I expected. That familiarity was oddly comforting.

Yet at the same time…

‘Still, it sure has changed a damn lot.’

Even as I took in the nostalgia, I couldn’t ignore how much the capital had continued evolving, refining itself with relentless progress.

Had time allowed, I would have liked to stand here and take it all in until I was satisfied.

Unfortunately—

“Let’s hurry. The villa is just a little further ahead.”

Before I could get too lost in reminiscing, Aslin, having finished surveying the cityscape ahead of me, urged me onward.

Suppressing my lingering wistfulness, I followed her lead, leaving behind the dazzling city streets and stepping toward our true destination for this journey.

The Caladbolg Ducal Villa Wasn’t That Far From the City Center.

With the trained strides of Aslin and me, the distance was no more than a twenty-minute walk at most.

That said, there was no real need to walk.

A mode of transportation that could cut even those twenty minutes in half had become all the rage across Silventrium.

At the heart of that trend was none other than the automobile—the pinnacle of magitech, a vehicle that moved not with the power of animals like horses, but through an engine refined from a magical energy source.

Fast, smooth, and incomparable to carriages in terms of comfort.

It was no wonder that for nobles living in the capital, walking was no longer the primary means of transportation. Nearly all of them now relied on automobiles when traveling within the city.

But Aslin and I didn’t even entertain the thought of taking one.

She had insisted that walking among the common people, seeing their daily lives with our own eyes, and remembering the responsibility to protect them was important.

I wholeheartedly agreed.

“Spending a whole month in the north must have done something to me. This winter breeze feels like spring now.”

Given the weight of visiting his gravely ill mother, the least I could do was lighten Aslin’s mood with some casual conversation.

“That’s why Mother stays here in the villa rather than the duchy—it’s better for her health.”

“….”

…And yet, I sometimes made the mistake of unwittingly making her mood worse.

“You wouldn’t guess by looking at me now, but Mother’s health took a sharp turn for the worse after she gave birth to me. She used to love the sight of the northern snowfields, all blanketed in white every winter… but she couldn’t even enjoy that as much as she wanted. That’s why she stays in the central region, where the climate is more manageable.”

With every step, Aslin’s voice carried a mixture of nostalgia and emotions too complex for me to fully decipher.

Even though the conversation carried a somber weight, it revealed a side of her I hadn’t seen before—a side that genuinely loved and cherished her family.

And with that realization, my already growing affection for her only deepened.

‘…I envy her.’

She had been loved by her family and, in turn, had learned to love others.

I never had that.

A mother, huh…

I had no fondness for my birth father, who treated me as nothing more than a tool.

But the mother who gave birth to me—the one I couldn’t even remember—what kind of person had she been?

My older brother once told me that she suffered terribly giving birth to us and passed away within a year. He admitted that even he had no memories of her.

Still, I couldn’t help but wonder.

And with that curiosity, certain thoughts began to take shape.

A trivial thought, really.

My so-called father had always called me a misfortune and had no qualms about abandoning me.

Did my mother feel the same way?

Would she have cast me aside just like he did?

It was a fleeting, inconsequential question.

And yet—

“Why do you look like that?”

“Mm. I think I got too lost in the quiet atmosphere. My steps slowed without me realizing it.”

It was just a passing thought. But even so, it had distracted me enough that Aslin noticed, forcing me to come up with a clumsy excuse.

A question I would never get an answer to.

After all, the only people who could tell me the truth were long gone from this world.

Well, what could I do? If there really was a realm of the afterlife, I’d just have to ask her then.

“It’s quiet, but we should hurry. This area isn’t the safest place at night.”

“Not that there’d be any vagrants foolish enough to pick a fight with the two of us.”

“I’m more concerned that I might not hold back if I’m in a bad mood.”

And so, shaking off the unwelcome thoughts, I followed Aslin’s lead, making our way toward the Caladbolg Ducal Villa.

Though it was only a twenty-minute walk, the surroundings subtly changed with each step we took.

The lively, vibrant streets of the bustling district, where night was not an end but the beginning of more festivities, slowly gave way to a calmer, more subdued atmosphere.

Here, night marked the close of the day rather than an excuse for revelry.

“We’re almost there.”

Even if Aslin hadn’t mentioned it so calmly, I would’ve known.

This was a district second only to the Imperial Palace in grandeur.

One of the four major zones within Silventrium, known as the Dignity Zone, where nobles and the newly rich resided.

And among the many grand estates within the Dignity Zone, the most extravagant and eye-catching one stood before us.

“My Lady, we have been expecting you.”

A refined yet disciplined group of servants greeted Aslin with a deep bow.

We had finally arrived at the Caladbolg Ducal Villa.

It was a magnificent villa.

The kind of residence that exuded sophistication at a glance.

I hadn’t been able to fully appreciate its beauty, as we were quickly ushered inside by the servants the moment we arrived.

But even so—

‘Just how far has the House of Sword fallen for the Count Pale Road’s estate to be even more run-down than the Duchy of Caladbolg’s villa?’

That thought came to mind unbidden.

Compared to Pale Road’s estate, where I had once stayed, this villa wasn’t just on par—it completely overshadowed it in every possible way.

Naturally, it wasn’t large. No noble would dare build an estate larger than the Imperial Palace unless they wished to be charged with blasphemy. There was a limit to how big a villa could be.

But even with that limitation, this one was relatively small compared to the capital’s trend of expanding estates to the very edge of what imperial law allowed.

Not that it could ever be considered small in an absolute sense.

Despite its relatively compact size, the villa still carried the dignity of the Caladbolg name in every aspect of its architecture.

“A fine villa indeed. The insulation and heating are so well done that I could tell the moment we stepped inside.”

“Fufu, you noticed? As I mentioned earlier, Mother’s lungs are especially weak. A few years ago, Father had the entire villa renovated to ensure she wouldn’t be exposed to the cold air.”

“…I see.”

As Aslin and I spoke, it became even clearer—

Despite the imposing grandeur of its exterior, the villa’s interior was warm and inviting.

So much so that I couldn’t think of another estate that could compare in terms of sheer comfort.

I couldn’t speak for the Imperial Palace since I had never been there, but even excluding that, this place stood at the top of the Dignity Zone.

As we continued walking through the villa, we eventually arrived at the entrance of the family reception hall.

“My Lord and My Lady are expecting the Young Miss and the gentleman she has brought with her.”

The head butler of the villa, who had been guiding us, informed us of the Duke and Duchess of Caladbolg waiting inside.

…Wait.

Not just the Duke, but the Duchess as well?

Hadn’t they said she was in critical condition?

“…Mother is waiting as well? I rushed here the moment I heard she was gravely ill. What’s going on, Olson?”

Aslin must have sensed the same discrepancy I did, as she immediately turned to question the butler.

“You’ll understand once you step inside.”

But Olson, a seasoned and composed man, simply responded with a faint smile of quiet amusement.

“….”

At that, Aslin turned her gaze toward me.

She said nothing, but I could tell what she was thinking.

“….”

I gave her a slight nod, silently conveying my support.

Seeing this, Aslin took a deep breath, then closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them.

“Olson, please inform Father and Mother that I am here.”

With that, she finally announced her intent to enter.

“As you wish.”

Olson bowed slightly in acknowledgment, then—

Knock, knock.

With an elegant motion, he rapped on the door.

“My Lord, My Lady, the Young Miss and her husband are here, requesting entry into the family hall.”

His refined voice carried clearly into the room.

“Let them in.”

A deep, commanding voice responded immediately.

‘That must be the Duke of Caladbolg.’

There was no mistaking it.

That powerful voice, carrying a force that could silence lesser men, made it obvious where Aslin’s own commanding tone came from.

Then—

“Welcome back to the villa, My Lady. It has been a long time.”

With a fluid motion, Olson opened the door.

As Aslin and I stepped through the threshold—

“…You have arrived.”

The first figure to greet us was a cold-eyed, dignified man with the same deep blue hair as Aslin, his expression stern and unreadable.

And beside him—

“You only come back when I have to summon you? Our daughter is such a terrible child.”

A woman stood there, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out in mock indignation.

Aside from her hair color, she was the spitting image of Aslin.

Or rather, it was Aslin who had inherited her looks.

A stunning beauty whose age was impossible to guess at a glance.

…So that’s where Aslin got her rare, unexpectedly adorable expressions.

“Uhh… I mean, Mother. How could you greet your daughter like this when she rushed here upon hearing you were ill?”

Caught between relief and embarrassment, Aslin protested her mother’s behavior.

And that was how, a month after our wedding, I finally met the rest of my in-laws.