~Chapter 66~
Chester Lowell briefly crossed Eileen’s mind as a possible suspect, but quickly faded away.
‘He hasn’t even met me yet, and he hasn’t come to the estate either…’
The only things he knew about her were the things Cedric had told him, so it didn’t seem likely he would make a move without understanding her first. Especially not in such a complicated, risky way that would easily expose him.
So then, who could it be?
‘For now, I’ll talk to Cedric.’
Eileen needed to compare what Ruth knew with what Cedric knew, checking for inconsistencies.
Ruth seemed to have misunderstood her pale face and trembling hands as a result of the cold.
“Come inside quickly. You’ll catch a cold if you stay out here.”
The “big trouble” he was worried about was probably more about himself than Eileen, judging by his tone.
Eileen hid her complicated feelings and smiled faintly.
“Okay. You should go inside too. Sir Dane might be looking for you.”
“If you need anything, just call me anytime.”
Watching Ruth’s innocent, almost naive personality, Eileen was reminded of someone.
After returning to the Duke’s estate, she had expected Diana to rush to meet her, but instead, Diana was quietly watching from a distance.
“Diana.”
Even now, she could spot the familiar blonde at the edge of her vision, but when she called out, Diana didn’t come forward.
She was probably hiding just behind the wall.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but my door is always open. You can come by anytime.”
This, too, was probably influenced by Chester Lowell’s actions.
Ever since he made his appearance, everything had been getting complicated.
Cedric seemed oblivious to all the oddness, while Eileen couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
This situation was frustrating.
“I’m just wondering… maybe I’m becoming a bother?”
Just then, unexpectedly, Diana peeked her head out and spoke, but trailed off at the end.
Diana probably wanted to hang out with Eileen. Cedric seemed busier than ever—actually, it seemed like he was always busy now. Diana knew she shouldn’t disturb him, but then she had nothing to do and found herself aimlessly wandering around.
“No, not at all. Can’t you see I’m bored? I’m just as bored as you.”
Eileen’s calm face remained unchanged, as serene and clean as ever.
‘She definitely doesn’t hate me.’
Who would try to push away the person their fiancé cherishes? Chester Lowell’s words didn’t seem very credible.
And if there was something that made Diana resemble Cedric, it was definitely her straightforward manner of speaking.
“Do you hate me?”
“All of a sudden? Why would you think that?”
Instead of holding her frustrations in, Eileen preferred to let them out and address them openly. It was more comfortable that way.
“No, I was just thinking maybe you’d get tired of me being here.”
“Well, do you want to stay here forever?”
As she passed Diana, Eileen asked a question that didn’t make sense at first.
Diana automatically followed her, and Eileen smiled when she saw the giant snowball Diana had made.
“Are you making a snowman?”
“Yeah. Since Cedric couldn’t make one with me, I was rolling it alone.”
Eileen looked down at Diana’s bare hands, which were not even wearing gloves, and then took off her own thin leather gloves and handed them to her.
“You’ll get frostbite.”
Diana took the gloves, standing there for a moment, and in the meantime, Eileen found a chair, brushed the snow off, and sat down.
“It’s not like I’m supposed to be here. Especially if there’s something you want to do.”
Her gaze was meaningful, as if telling Diana she understood what she truly cared about.
“…I think I want to become a healer. Maybe.”
“Then you should become a healer.”
Eileen’s response was casual, as though it wasn’t a big deal. But Diana now had the courage to answer.
“To do that, I need to go to a city beyond the mountains. There’s a training center there for healing arts.”
This was something Diana hadn’t even told Cedric. She had thought he wouldn’t take it seriously, and he’d dismiss it by saying it was too dangerous to leave the Duke’s estate.
“You can go there.”
Eileen spoke seriously, without any teasing, making Diana realize that Eileen wasn’t mocking her.
“…But what if I change my mind about becoming a healer?”
“Then you can come back.”
Eileen had observed Diana carefully and knew that she would likely never want to return if she went. But that was fine.
“I told you, no matter what you do, this place is your home. And Cedric will always care about you.”
That was Diana’s greatest fortune. Eileen made sure not to say it with even a hint of jealousy, as it was important for Diana to know that she had a place where she belonged.
“You can do anything. You can go anywhere. But there will always be a place for you to come back to.”
Having a family that would always welcome you, a warm home, was a precious thing.
Especially when that ‘home’ was the Duke’s household, capable of supporting her in every way.
“…You’re not saying that so I’ll leave, are you?”
This time, Eileen laughed. Diana’s cleverness was evident, but she always showed her honesty at critical moments.
Even when she didn’t speak, her attitude and eyes revealed everything, making it impossible for Eileen to even think about arguing with her.
“Can you leave right now? You’re still too young.”
“No. I’ll be sixteen soon. That’s the minimum age requirement. Cedric’s birthday comes first, and then mine, so it’s not far off.”
“…Cedric’s birthday is soon?”
That meant they had known each other for about a year now. There were only three years left.
“Yeah. Are you going to tell Cedric?”
After rolling the snowball, Diana tilted her head and asked, looking up at Eileen.
“If you want, I’ll tell him.”
“If you tell him, he’ll take it seriously. Cedric never listens to me seriously.”
“If you want to have a serious conversation, you should start by showing him the herbology books you’ve been studying.”
“…I’ll think about it.”
Leaving home would stir both excitement and fear in Diana, and it seemed like she hadn’t yet made up her mind. But that was fine.
“I just want you to know that I don’t hate you.”
“I know. I’m not an idiot. The Baron is a bit strange.”
“What are you planning to do if I tell the Baron about that?”
“Ah…”
Exactly. Diana’s transparent gold eyes, filled with betrayal, were shining with disbelief as she gave Eileen a pitiful look.
Eileen found this new side of Diana refreshing. It was similar to how she felt when she first met Cedric but also different.
“What are you two talking about so happily without me?”
“I thought you were busy.”
“Cedric! Aren’t you busy?”
He shrugged at her barrage of questions and immediately crouched down, starting to roll snow into a ball.
“I just stepped out for a moment. You can’t skip the things we do every year.”
Now that he was here, Eileen wanted to talk to him about the conversation she had with Ruth, but it wasn’t the right time.
‘I don’t even know how to bring it up.’
It seemed like someone was trying to kill her. But Cedric’s uncle, Dane, had intentionally left the investigation unfinished.
Perhaps it was easier to let someone else deal with her threats, removing her quietly.
These thoughts seemed too far-fetched, but they still gnawed at her.
“Cedric, you’re strong.”
“I can beat Caymon in arm wrestling now.”
“Really? That bear-like knight? No way.”
Amid their banter, Cedric finished his snowman and put the head on top, his arm muscles clearly showing.
“Impressive.”
“Want me to show you how strong I am?”
As he pulled up his sleeve, Eileen quickly responded, “I’ll politely decline. I know well enough.”
She smiled at his disappointed expression and turned her gaze elsewhere.
But then she caught sight of a figure standing by the balcony railing, and their eyes met. It was Cedric’s uncle.
‘What is he up to…’
Eileen narrowed her eyes and stared at him, but he soon disappeared into the building.
He hadn’t even figured out Diana’s personality before trying to sway her. If he knew his attempt had failed, he should back off.
But something told her he wouldn’t, and that was the problem.
