~Chapter 21~
Unbelievable. He’s pouting like a child.
To Mary, Cedric looked like a boy desperately trying to win Eileen’s favor.
He didn’t even seem to realize how he was acting—or how he appeared to others.
It was almost… cute.
“I’ll make sure to tell Lady Eileen that you were looking for her.”
“She’s just going to avoid me anyway.”
“Cedric Lowell. Don’t pick on my maid—talk to me.”
Right then, a familiar voice came from the doorway.
Both Cedric and Mary were glad to hear it, though for different reasons.
“I wasn’t picking on her. I just asked where you went because you’re avoiding me.”
Still, Cedric immediately lowered his shoulders a bit and glanced at Eileen.
It was clear he was trying to appear less threatening, despite his tall and solid build from sword training.
‘That’s exactly what makes him funny.’
Mary smiled to herself.
He looked like a dignified noble when giving orders to knights, but now, he was just a boy hoping for a smile or compliment from Eileen.
Of course, Cedric probably thought he looked totally cool and composed.
“I’ll get going now. You two can talk privately.”
Mary really hoped they would talk things out smoothly.
Even though she had only been here a few days, she was sure there was no one more suitable for her lady than Cedric Lowell.
Eileen glanced back at Mary disappearing down the hallway, then let out a sigh.
While going up to the study earlier, she’d noticed through the window that Cedric wasn’t in the training grounds anymore. That uneasy feeling had made her turn back from the library.
‘Avoiding him isn’t really like me,’ she admitted to herself.
She made the decision to simply approach Cedric and have a conversation because his pursuit had recently become more intense.
“Why are you so desperate to see me? Do you have something to say?”
“You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I told you I’d keep my distance. I was only avoiding you because I didn’t want to bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me.”
“Okay. Got it.”
She turned around to leave, thinking the conversation was over—but Cedric quickly grabbed her shoulder.
“Wait…”
Startled by his touch, Eileen froze. Cedric realized his mistake and immediately stepped back.
“I… have something to say.”
But even after starting, he hesitated, feeling nervous under Eileen’s steady gaze.
“I’m sorry. For whatever I did wrong… Actually, I think I messed up in a lot of ways… Uh, that’s not what I meant. Anyway, I’m sorry.”
Why did he always stumble over his words in front of her?
Dodging enemy arrows felt easier than this.
Eileen kept watching him quietly for a long moment.
Still holding the doorknob, she leaned gently against the door.
“You don’t need to apologize.”
“But I don’t want you to avoid me.”
Despite all his thoughts going in different directions, Cedric knew one thing for sure:
He didn’t want things to stay awkward between them.
Now that she was staying here, he just wanted her to feel comfortable.
And if she thought he did something wrong, she could just say so and tell him off. That would be fine.
“Is that really what you want? Why? We’re going to break off the engagement anyway.”
Her words sounded like an accusation—you’re the one who said you didn’t want me.
Cedric had said that. But that was before he really knew what kind of person Eileen Cassiar was.
“But we haven’t broken it off yet.”
No, this wasn’t right. Cedric tried to find a better excuse, quickly scrambling for words.
“I mean, since you’re already living here, I just think… it’d be nice if you could be comfortable. No need to go through all the trouble avoiding me…”
That sounded even worse.
Even as he spoke, he wasn’t sure what exactly he wanted. It was confusing.
But when he saw Eileen give a faint smile, he felt a bit of relief. Maybe his apology had worked.
“Alright. I’ll live comfortably. If that’s what you want.”
“You don’t need to ask me. Just do what you want.”
At his repeated reassurance, Eileen narrowed her green eyes, tapped her chin thoughtfully, and suddenly said,
“Then let’s start by changing the head chef. And we’ll need to replace half the servants, too.”
“That’s the first thing you want to do?”
“Yep. I’ve wanted to say that since the moment I got here.”
She looked genuinely satisfied, as if a burden had been lifted.
Cedric was puzzled. He never knew what was going on in her head.
But there was one thing he had learned: Eileen Cassiar was never wrong.
When you really thought about it, she was usually right.
And in this case, Cedric completely agreed with her.
“…Sometimes I feel like the chef is trying to assassinate me with salt.”
“You knew and still didn’t fire him?”
“Well, everyone deserves a second chance. And I like dried meat anyway.”
“Cedric. If you’re always that forgiving…”
“I won’t be a proper head of the house, right?”
But that wasn’t something he wanted to hear right now.
It wasn’t that he hated being scolded—it’s just that he wanted her to see him as someone capable and reliable.
Like back when he first brought her out of the Cassier household.
He wanted to see those green eyes filled with trust in him again.
“I know. I’m really strict with the knights during training.”
He simply chose to overlook some other things—out of convenience.
“Of course you are.”
Watching her frown made Cedric smile.
She was acting like her usual self again, and that gave him a strange sense of relief.
This—this version of Eileen Cassiar—was the one he wanted to see.
That was all.
***
Eileen actually liked staying here, surprisingly.
Considering Cedric had bought this house in a hurry when he arrived in the capital, it wasn’t bad at all.
Though most nobles in the capital probably wouldn’t like it.
The estate was wide, probably to make space for sword training. But the house itself was smaller than the Cassiar mansion.
Except for the shiny, renovated ballroom, the rest was old—worn-out stair railings, an inefficient layout, and even a dusty basement.
It was a very old, outdated place.
“Sitting here like this reminds me of my childhood.”
But Eileen didn’t mind. She actually liked that about the house.
It reminded her of the little house on the edge of the city she’d mentioned to Cedric.
That house was also very old-fashioned and plain—a small two-story building that was somewhat inconvenient to live in.
But it was a gift from her grandmother when the maid who had raised her left to get married.
Back then, Eileen often visited the house with her grandmother and stayed for a few days at a time.
No one will be there to greet me anymore…
That maid never had children, and the house eventually became Eileen’s.
Even with a caretaker, it wouldn’t feel the same as before.
“No one would believe how much you used to love running around as a child.”
“You remember? I used to sit here and wait for my father to come home. Grandma eventually gave up scolding me.”
“Of course. You always get your dresses covered in dust. Just like now.”
Mary gently suggested they go inside since it was cold.
But Eileen rested her chin in her hand and pretended not to hear, gazing down at the noisy first floor.
The knights of the ducal household were coming back inside, chatting among themselves.
One of them seemed to sense her eyes on them and suddenly looked up.
