In a small villa at the western corner of the town lived the beloved Viscountess, who, unlike the perverse and cruel nobles depicted in many legendary novels, was simply a noble widow yearning for a peaceful life. In her early thirties, she possessed a luxurious beauty and an elegant, dignified demeanor. Her daily activities consisted of planting flowers and tending to the garden, as well as playing with some ornate instruments that the townspeople could not comprehend. Her estate housed the only family doctor in town, and whenever the townsfolk came seeking help for minor ailments, Viscountess would warmly receive them and have the doctor treat them free of charge, earning her a considerable reputation.

Viscountess's real name was Sophia Wall, and after marriage, she took her husband's surname, becoming Sophia Richardson. However, few people remembered this surname, as she was originally the young lady of the "Demon Wolf" family, one of the empire's three great noble factions. After marrying the obscure Viscount Richardson, everyone felt she had married beneath her station. Although her own intentions were unknown, the servants working at Viscountess's estate preferred to announce her original surname to outsiders, and over time, only her maiden name was circulated.

There was no doubt that Viscountess was a noblewoman with a tranquil heart and a willingness to help others. Of course, if anyone foolishly thought that Viscountess, living alone, needed the comfort of a man, they would soon learn that she was a high-level warrior with the strength of a level-seven swordsman. Her family's martial arts, the renowned "Heaven-Devouring Demon Wolf Strike," was enough to instantly defeat any self-proclaimed strongman in town—a fact proven when she first moved here. It was well known that she kept to herself, rarely interacting with outsiders except for occasional strolls in town, and few nobles from outside ever came to visit her.

That summer, the dense forests, as always, shielded the town from the outside heat and much of the world's clamor. One day, a lavishly curtained carriage entered Viscountess's estate, signifying that she was finally receiving a guest from the outside world. According to bystanders near the estate at the time, the visitor was a noble mage clad in a magical cloak. Of course, some gossips claimed it was a pervert or a leper who insisted on wearing a thick cloak even in such weather.

Viscountess's new guest quickly became the talk of the town, but in any case, three days later at dusk, people finally saw the "subject of discussion." She was a young woman with long golden hair and a noble bearing, around twenty years old, tall and slender. She addressed Viscountess as "aunt," and during their walks outside town, she smiled gracefully at her side. According to rumors from the estate's servants, this young woman was also a lady of the Vol family, a powerful mage, and a teacher at the noble academy in Danma City. It was said that she would marry a promising young noble next year, and had come here to relax before the wedding.

The new noble lady was named Verna Wall, and for a long time afterward, she lived quietly here. Occasionally, people would see her helping Viscountess trim the flowers and plants in the estate, or practicing mysterious magic in the backyard. She was a plant-type mage; some had seen her chanting mysteriously in an open space, after which thick vines would quickly grow, and others had witnessed her making flowers bloom out of season. For the first few months, this beautiful and noble mage stayed within Viscountess's estate, rarely going out. Only in the autumn of that year did she gradually begin to interact with the townspeople. However, until her eventual departure, few ever truly got close to her—there was an aura about this noble lady that made others unconsciously feel inferior.

Of course, "few" does not mean "none"...

The first time she crossed paths with him was at the end of that summer.

She had come to this remote town to escape an arranged marriage, but that did not mean she truly had the courage to run away. No matter where she hid, she knew that by next year, she would still be sent back to marry that foolish earl. Outwardly, she appeared resolute and calm, but in the end, she was not as decisive as her seemingly delicate aunt, and could not bring herself to give her body to a man just to escape marriage—though her aunt always insisted she had felt more for the late Viscount Richardson than people imagined.

As a child of a great family, she had always lacked freedom despite her glamorous appearance—something she had realized from a young age. Although she had worked hard at magic since childhood and become an outstanding magic teacher, she was still not a demigod or martial saint. When the family's interests required it, she was still thrown out like a dispensable chess piece. Heh, this was something she had expected all along, wasn't it...