Marcus stayed at the Roselle Duchy for three more days.
Not because Catarina asked.
Because he refused to leave until he saw actual changes implemented.
On the second morning, he found her in the garden. Having tea. At ten in the morning. On a Tuesday.
"You're not working," he said, surprised.
Catarina looked up from her book. A romance novel, he noticed. Not a military report.
"I delegated the morning tax assessments to my chief accountant."
She smiled. Actually smiled. "As you insisted."
"How does it feel?"
"Terrifying. Also wonderful." She poured him tea without being asked. "Sit. You're making the roses nervous."
Marcus sat. The head gardener was trimming hedges nearby, humming.
When had he last heard anyone in this duchy hum?
"You look better," Marcus observed.
"I slept eight hours last night. First time in three years." Catarina's smile turned wry.
"I kept waking up convinced the duchy was on fire. It wasn't."
"Shocking."
"Revolutionary." She sipped her tea. "My advisors think I've lost my mind."
"Have you?"
"Possibly. But I'm delegating to them anyway." She gestured to a folder on the table.
"Viscount Aldridge reviewed the eastern trade routes.
His analysis was excellent. I'd been doing it myself for years."
"And?"
"And he found three inefficiencies I'd missed because I was too tired to see them."
Marcus felt a swell of professional pride.
This was what life coaching was about. Helping people help themselves.
"You're smiling," Catarina said.
"I'm pleased the intervention worked."
"Intervention." She laughed. "You mean the night you made me cry for two hours?"
"Technically, you needed to cry."
"I suppose I did." Catarina's expression softened.
"Thank you, Marcus. For seeing what I couldn't."
The gratitude in her voice made Marcus uncomfortable. "Just doing what anyone would do."
"No one else did it in four years."
"Then they weren't paying attention."
Catarina looked at him with something Marcus couldn't quite read.
Warmth? Fondness? Appreciation?
Probably just relief. Relief that someone had helped her fix her workaholic problem.
This is good. A healthier Catarina means a stronger duchy.
A stronger duchy means better military alliances.
Better alliances mean Theodore can save the world.
"Lord Marcus!" Liliana's voice cut through the garden like a bell. "There you are!"
Marcus turned. Liliana marched toward them with the determination of a general. Her pink dress fluttered aggressively.
"I need to speak with you. Privately."
Catarina raised an eyebrow. "Liliana, Lord Marcus is..."
"Is being borrowed. Thank you, Sister!" Liliana grabbed Marcus's arm and dragged him toward the hedge maze.
Marcus looked back at Catarina helplessly. She just smiled into her tea.
✧✧✧
Liliana pulled Marcus deep into the maze before releasing him.
"What did you do to my sister?" she demanded.
Marcus blinked. "I helped her delegate?"
"You did something. Sister is acting weird."
"Weird how?"
"She's smiling! She took yesterday afternoon off! She laughed at dinner!"
Liliana poked Marcus in the chest.
"Sister doesn't laugh. Sister works and looks exhausted and is perfect and terrifying."
"That sounds unhealthy."
"Of course it's unhealthy! But it's how she's always been!" Liliana's eyes narrowed.
"Then you visit and suddenly she's reading novels in the garden like a normal person.
What kind of magic did you use?"
"No magic. Just conversation."
"About what?"
"About the importance of self-care and delegation."
Liliana stared at him. "You made my sister cry."
"She told you?"
"The maids told me. They heard her sobbing."
Liliana's expression shifted from suspicious to vulnerable. "Was it bad?"
"It was necessary."
"Did you hurt her?"
"I told her the truth. It hurt because she needed to hear it."
Liliana studied him carefully.
She was fourteen but her eyes were sharp. "You're different than the rumors say."
"I get that a lot lately."
"The old Lord Marcus wouldn't have cared if Sister worked herself to death." She stepped closer.
"Why do you care?"
Because I need her duchy's military strength to help Theodore save the world from demons.
"Because no one should have to carry everything alone," Marcus said instead.
Liliana's eyes got suspiciously shiny. "She's been alone since Father died.
I tried to help but I was too young. Too useless."
"You're not useless."
"I'm fourteen and obsessed with dresses while my sister runs an entire duchy."
"You're fourteen. You're supposed to be obsessed with dresses." Marcus put a hand on her shoulder.
"Catarina needs you to be her sister, not her assistant. You're already helping by being yourself."
Liliana sniffled. "Really?"
"Really. She mentioned you yesterday. Said seeing you happy makes everything worthwhile."
That did it. Liliana burst into tears and hugged him.
Marcus patted her back awkwardly. "There, there."
"Thank you for fixing my sister," she sobbed into his jacket. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"I just gave her permission to take breaks."
Liliana pulled back, wiping her eyes. "Whatever you did, it worked. She's different. Better."
Liliana smiled through her tears. "You know, you'd be much better for Theodore than me."
Marcus's brain screeched to a halt. "What?"
"The engagement. It's stupid.
Theodore likes swords more than people and I like parties more than politics."
She waved a hand airily. "But you and Sister get along. You should marry her instead."
"That's not how arranged marriages work."
"It should be." Liliana straightened her dress.
"I'm going to tell Mother we should cancel the engagement."
"Your mother is dead."
"Sister, then. Same thing."
"Wait, no, the engagement is politically important..."
But Liliana was already skipping away, humming.
Marcus stood alone in the hedge maze, wondering how that conversation had gotten away from him.
She's just being dramatic. Teenage girls are dramatic. The engagement stands.
He hoped.
✧✧✧
Marcus returned to Silverwood Manor the next day.
Theodore met him at the entrance, fresh from training. "Brother! How was the duchy?"
"Productive."
"Duchess Roselle sent a letter. She agreed to the military cooperation framework."
Theo waved the parchment. "She seems much more amenable to alliance discussions than before."
Marcus smiled. Finally, political progress. "That's excellent."
"Did you fix something?"
"I helped her reorganize her administrative priorities."
"Ah." Theo nodded like this made perfect sense.
"She mentioned you in the letter. Said your 'invaluable insight' helped her see things differently."
Good. Strong political relationships help Theodore.
"That's diplomatic of her."
"She also asked when you'd visit again. Something about 'continuing our discussions.'"
Theo handed over the letter. "Is this about the engagement?"
Marcus skimmed it. The formal portion about military cooperation was brief.
The postscript was three paragraphs about book recommendations and questions about leadership philosophy.
And at the very end:
I'm already anticipating our next conversation. The duchy feels quieter without your perspective. C.
"It's about political advisory," Marcus said firmly.
"Advisory." Theo looked skeptical. "Brother, you're not very good at politics."
"I'm good at helping people."
"That's different than politics."
"It's related."
Theo shrugged.
"If you say so. Anyway, she seems happier. The letter is less formal than usual."
Marcus read it again. Theo was right. The tone was warmer. More personal.
Because we've built rapport. That's good for Theodore's future alliances.
"Happiness makes better allies," Marcus said.
"Does it?" Theo looked genuinely curious. "I thought strength made allies."
"Happy, healthy leaders make better decisions. Better decisions mean stronger territories."
"That makes sense." Theo brightened. "So you made Duchess Roselle happy to strengthen our alliance!"
"Exactly."
"You're better at politics than you think, Brother."
Marcus smiled. At least someone understood his strategy.
Even if it was his completely oblivious brother who didn't realize the political maneuvering was supposed to benefit him, not Marcus.
It's fine. This is all going according to plan. Sort of. Mostly.
"Did Professor Ashwood send anything?" Marcus asked, changing subjects.
Theo's expression turned confused. "She asked about you too. Wanted to know if you'd be at the academy next week."
"For what?"
"She didn't say. Just asked if you'd be attending." Theo tilted his head. "Are you advising her too?"
"We've had some discussions."
"About me?"
Theoretically.
"About teaching philosophy and work-life balance."
"That doesn't sound like it's about me."
Marcus's brain scrambled. "It's indirectly about you. Better teaching methods benefit students."
"I suppose." Theo didn't look convinced. "You've been very helpful lately, Brother. To everyone except yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"You're always helping other people. Professor Ashwood, Duchess Roselle, me." Theo's expression turned serious.
"When do you help yourself?"
The question hit harder than expected.
When I save the world by helping you form alliances, that helps me. Obviously.
"Helping others makes me happy," Marcus said.
"Does it?"
"Yes."
Theo studied him with those earnest blue eyes. "You look tired, Brother. More tired than when you arrived."
"I'm fine."
"Is it?" Theo put a hand on Marcus's shoulder.
"You're allowed to be tired too, Brother. You taught me that."
When did I teach you that?
"I appreciate the concern, but I'm managing well."
"If you say so." Theo didn't look convinced. "But if you need help, I'm here. The way you're here for me."
He walked away, leaving Marcus standing in the entrance hall feeling uncomfortably seen.
I'm fine. Everything is going according to plan.
Catarina is healthier and more politically cooperative.
Seraphina is opening up about her teaching philosophy.
Theodore is growing as a person.
Everything is fine.
Marcus ignored the small voice that whispered he was lying to himself.
He had a world to save. His own wellbeing was secondary.
Just like always.