Perhaps noticing her prolonged gaze outside, Julia excitedly informed her that all the land they saw along the way belonged to Simon.

Lucia corrected her: "Actually, it should be said that all of Andalusia belongs to the Duke, including the lands of other barons and knights. The land near the castle is the Duke’s private estate and the main source of income for the Gonzalez family, which the Duke inherited."

Ambitious to become the next housekeeper, Lucia had been diligently improving her knowledge. She was one of the few literate maids in the castle and had a fairly detailed understanding of the Williams family.

However, Maria wasn’t particularly interested in...