Amalie von Mainbach, later Amalie von Benno Baumeister, was the second daughter of the Mainbach knightly house. At eighteen, she entered an arranged marriage with Kurt von Benno Baumeister, the Baumeister family's eldest son. The union produced two sons, Karl and Oskar. Kurt treated her adequately for the first three years but neglected her for a mistress once heirs were secured. Widowed at twenty-seven after six years of marriage, her focus shifted to securing her children's future prospects, threatened by societal stigma.

Kurt's younger brother, Wendelin von Benno Baumeister, intervened. He promised knight peerages and territories for her sons upon adulthood. Roughly two months after Kurt's death, Wendelin's father, Artur, and Margrave Bleichröder arranged for Amalie to serve as Wendelin's "sex educator," a customary role for widows preparing noblemen for marriage. Accepting initially to ensure Wendelin kept his promises to her children, Amalie developed genuine romantic feelings for him. Their discreet relationship included outings to the capital where Wendelin courted her traditionally, gifting dresses, accessories, and luxury furnishings for their private meetings.

Despite societal expectations demanding an end after Wendelin married his five official wives, the relationship continued covertly with his wives' tacit approval. They permitted limited contact, initially restricting Wendelin to one day per week with Amalie. She eventually relocated to Wendelin's mansion as head housekeeper, while her sons lived with the Mainbach family to prepare for their titles. Wendelin treated her as a wife despite the lack of formal marriage, defending her against labels like "the spoils of killing his brother."

Encouraged by Wendelin's other wives and retainers who recognized his commitment, Amalie later bore him a daughter, Rosina. Unlike Wendelin's other partners, Amalie possessed no inherent magical ability, and intimacy with him did not enhance her mana. However, Rosina inherited magical aptitude, proving the trait could manifest in descendants. Intellectually, Amalie was highly educated, skilled in complex mathematics and literacy—abilities rare in Baumeister territory. This led to regular correspondence with Wendelin's similarly educated brother, Erich.

Her closest companions within Wendelin's household were fellow older members of his romantic circle, Therese von Philip and Lisa Exler. They offered mutual support, particularly concerning childbearing and social standing. Wendelin explicitly valued her equally to his official wives, dismissing age-based criticisms. Amalie's journey from a politically arranged wife to a loved partner culminated in her acceptance as Wendelin's sixteenth wife.