Eldric left the room with a questioning look. He usually never spent more than five minutes with his fiancée, yet this time, he was genuinely intrigued.
As soon as the door closed, Veloria snorted, waving her hand.
"He thinks I'll desperately guard my reputation to avoid ridicule? Ha! I've already died once; my reputation can't kill me again."
Fina, still standing in the corner, nearly dropped the tea tray.
"Your Grace! You mustn't speak so casually about… death."
"Relax." Veloria picked up a small pastry from the table and bit into it leisurely.
"From now on, I won't waste energy on things that don't bring profit. I have a new target, Fina."
"Target…?"
Veloria held the pastry aloft as if pointing to the sky.
"Wealth."
Fina's jaw dropped. The Duchess was talking about riches? Wasn't she usually preoccupied with the latest dresses from the royal boutique?
"Starting tomorrow, we'll go to the city market. I want to know the prices of wheat, fabrics, metals—anything that can be traded. If there's a business opportunity, we'll take it."
"Your Grace… that's—it's not a noble's duty!"
Veloria grinned.
"Precisely because it isn't, no one will expect me to do it. Isn't the best strategy to move where the opponent least expects?"
Fina covered her mouth, beginning to realize that this new Duchess resembled more a war captain than a court lady.
The next day, news spread fast: Duchess Ardent appeared at the city market, accompanied by only one maid.
Merchants nearly dropped their scales in shock.
"Your Grace… buying vegetables?!"
"She… haggling?!"
Veloria bent down to inspect the quality of wool, pressing the fibers lightly, then said casually,
"Too thin. Won't survive the winter. Give me half the price, or I'll find another seller."
Fina covered her face with both hands, almost fainting. The merchant paled and quickly lowered the price.
Within an hour, Veloria had walked from stall to stall, leaving a trail of chaos in the market. Merchants were stunned, nobles gossiped, and even commoners whispered:
"Duchess Ardent… has changed."
Veloria only laughed quietly to herself.
Good. Let them all be confused. If I'm too predictable, I'll die the same way as the old Duchess. No, this time I'm in control.
That night, Veloria returned to her chamber. The crystal lights reflected soft illumination on the walls, yet her eyes remained sharp, contemplating her strategies for the days ahead.
"All right, Veloria," she murmured, staring at her own hands, twisting her engagement ring that felt heavy.
"If I truly want freedom, wealth, and to survive this drama… I must start with the most sensitive matter: Eldric."
Fina sat in the corner, still trying to calm herself after the market commotion.
"Your Grace… you mean… Duke Eldric?"
Veloria leaned back, crossing her legs on the sofa. A faint smile, yet sharp eyes.
"Yes. No, I won't insult him. He's fine… but he's not my path. There's no profit here. No gold, no strategy. Only… drama."
Fina blinked.
"But… he's your fiancé, Your Grace! What if he gets angry?"
Veloria shrugged casually.
"If he gets angry, it means he doesn't understand his own value. And me? I'm mature enough to handle someone's temper."
She stood and walked to the large window. From here, she could see the palace grounds lit by lanterns. The shadow of Duke Eldric moved in the distance, looking serious as always. Veloria stared for a moment, then turned to Fina.
"Starting tomorrow, I will show my stance. No more pampering, no chasing, and… no longer bowing to romantic drama."
Fina nodded slowly.
"So… you truly want… to keep your distance from him?"
Veloria nodded.
"Not just to keep distance for avoidance. I just want to ensure that every step I take… benefits myself. If Eldric can adjust, fine. If not… so be it. I'll survive, grow wealthy, and be smarter than the old Duchess."
Fina looked at her in awe, yet with fear. The once gentle and graceful Duchess Ardent now resembled a war captain: strategic, cold, yet captivating.
Veloria tilted her head, a sly smile appearing.
"Tomorrow I'll meet Eldric, but not to argue or apologize. I'll merely assert… who controls my life now."
She smiled faintly.
"If the old Duchess would die at the ballroom, I will take control of the ball… and everyone will see, I am no longer a puppet of drama."
As night deepened, Duke Eldric's shadow remained faint on the palace grounds. Veloria knew tomorrow would mark the first chapter of her total transformation. This time, she was in control.
With her head held high, eyes gleaming, and secret plans in mind, Veloria fell asleep. No fear, no confusion—only one goal: live, grow rich, and be free from the futility of a fiancé's drama.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the tall window of Veloria's chamber. Her silver hair shone, messy from sleep, but her eyes blazed with determination.
Veloria Ardent, taking a deep breath, and stared at the training chair she had prepared the night before. With deliberate movements, she rolled up her sleeves, looked at the wooden sword on the floor, and said to herself:
"If the old Duchess could die at the ballroom, I will survive. And… I will win."
Fina, her faithful companion since the previous night, arrived carrying a light breakfast.
"Your Grace, are you… really going to start training now?"
Veloria looked at her seriously.
"Training isn't just exercise. It's survival. And hey… this body is weak, so I must force it to follow my muscle memory."
Fina nodded, worried but impressed. Veloria inhaled deeply and began with light warm-ups. Squats, push-ups, stretches—all performed with discipline, even though this Duchess's body was clearly unaccustomed.
"Don't worry, Fina," Veloria said with a faint smile.
"I may fall three times, but I'll rise four. That's a soldier's rule."
During training, she imagined her modern life: the cramped apartment, intense workouts, weapon drills, and meager earnings. All of it fueled her determination. This time, she didn't just want to survive—she wanted to make this Duchess's life profitable.
"First, the body must be strong," she murmured, swinging the wooden sword.
"Second, the mind sharper than court intrigue. And third… money."
With the wooden sword in hand, Veloria began repeating classic movements: sword swings, footwork, horse stance. Her body wavered, but her soldier instincts remained, adapting to this fragile new frame.
Fina held her breath, watching the new Duchess fall and rise, yet continue to move.
"Your Grace… you are truly different," she murmured.
Veloria looked at her, restraining a smile.
"Just call me the upgraded version. If the old Duchess was only beautiful, I am beautiful and deadly—at least symbolically."
The next morning, news spread quickly: Duchess Ardent appeared at the city market, accompanied only by a single maid.
Merchants almost dropped their scales in shock.
"Your Grace… buying vegetables?!"
"She… is haggling?!"
Veloria bent slightly, examining the quality of wool fabric, pressing the fibers lightly before speaking casually,
"Too thin. Won't last the winter. Give me half the price, or I'll take my business elsewhere."
Fina covered her face with both hands, nearly fainting. The merchant paled, then hastily lowered the price.
Within an hour, Veloria had walked from stall to stall, leaving a trail of chaos in the market. Merchants gaped, nobles whispered, even commoners could only murmur:
"Duchess Ardent… has changed."
Veloria chuckled softly in her mind. Good. Let them all be confused. If I were too predictable, I would die the same way as the old Duchess. No, this time I hold the reins.
That night, Veloria returned to her chamber. The crystal lights reflected softly on the walls, but her eyes remained sharp, planning the next days' strategy.
"All right, Veloria," she muttered, staring at her own hands, twisting the engagement ring that felt unusually heavy. "If I truly want freedom, wealth, and escape from this drama… I must start with the most sensitive matter: Eldric."
Fina sat quietly in the corner, still trying to calm herself after the market commotion.
"Your Grace… you mean… Duke Eldric?"
Veloria leaned back, crossing her legs on the sofa. A thin smile, but her eyes were sharp.
"Yes. No, I will not insult him. He's… fine. But not my path. No gain here. No gold, no strategy. Only… drama."
Fina blinked. "But… he is your fiancé, Your Grace! What if he gets angry?"
Veloria shrugged casually. "If he gets angry, it means he doesn't understand his own value. And me? I'm old enough to handle someone's anger."
She stood, walking to the large window. From here, she could see the palace courtyard lit by lanterns. Duke Eldric's shadow moved in the distance, looking as serious as ever. Veloria watched him briefly, then turned back to Fina.
"Starting tomorrow, I will show my stance. No more pampering, no more chasing, and… no more bowing to romantic drama."
Fina nodded slowly.
"So… you really want to… keep your distance from him?"
Veloria nodded. "Not to avoid him. I just want to ensure every step I take… benefits me. If Eldric can adapt, fine. If not… so be it. I'll survive, be rich, and smarter than the old Duchess."