Chapter 71
Cedric left like that—but even after a long time, he still didn’t come back.
What’s Diana’s condition now? What on earth is Cedric thinking…?
Aileen couldn’t sit still. In the end, she jumped up and began pacing anxiously around the room.
Night had grown deep long ago.
“Milady. There’s something I need to tell you.”
Mary, who had been unusually quiet at Aileen’s side, suddenly spoke up.
“What is it?”
Mary bit her lip—a behavior very unlike her. Aileen immediately sensed something was wrong.
“That snack earlier… I’m the one who made it. It wasn’t from the kitchen.”
“…What?”
“I didn’t make it alone—we worked together. Lady Diana asked me to watch while she baked it, so I helped her. It was this morning. We let it cool and brought it later.”
“You’re saying it wasn’t made in the kitchen?”
“No. She wanted it to be perfect so she could surprise you. She said she wanted to taste it with you. Together.”
“She said… she wanted to taste it together…”
This made things worse. No wonder the baron had looked so confident.
If someone tampered with the dough or added something, Aileen could no longer argue that her people never touched it.
But something… something feels wrong…
Aileen suddenly sank onto a chair, deep in thought.
Mary watched her, then spoke firmly,
“Milady, I’ll take responsibility for everything.”
“Don’t say that.”
Aileen snapped out of her thoughts and immediately cut Mary off.
She understood exactly what Mary meant—and that was why she rejected it so firmly.
“We’re both innocent. We didn’t do anything.”
“…If I say I acted alone, then you might avoid taking the blame.”
Aileen looked straight into Mary’s eyes. Fear was in them, but no hesitation. She truly meant it.
“Don’t even think about it. What we need is the truth.”
“If what you said is right, this whole thing is a trap. And if we’ve fallen into a trap…”
“There’s always a way out. We just have to find it.”
At that exact moment—as if Aileen’s words were a signal—there was a knock, and the door opened.
Between the knights guarding the entrance, Sir Dane—the baron’s loyal underling—appeared.
“There is an order to bring Lady Cassier’s maid.”
Aileen instantly stood up and stepped in front of Mary, shielding her without even realizing it.
Her tone became sharp.
“Was that Cedric? Or the baron?”
“The young master.”
“Why isn’t he calling for me? And why won’t Cedric come himself?”
“I’m only carrying out my orders.”
His emotionless eyes landed on her. As if saying:
Whatever you’re thinking, do you really think you can change anything?
Trying to understand the situation, Aileen asked again, softening her tone purposely.
“Is Diana awake? Is she alright?”
“…They haven’t identified the poison yet, so the detox is slow.”
His gaze drifted past Aileen—to Mary.
As if silently implying the obvious:
He wants your maid to tell him where the poison came from.
“Mary didn’t put poison in anything.”
“Whoever did, the order is to clarify the exact sequence of events.”
“Then take me too. I was there.”
“Young master ordered you to stay here.”
So it was Cedric’s decision.
For some reason, he kept pushing her away—refusing to give her any chance to speak, explain, or help.
“I’ll go, milady. You stay here.”
“Mary…”
Her maid stepped forward. Aileen instinctively grabbed her arm.
“Remember what I said.”
It meant: Do not confess to something you didn’t do.
Not even to “protect” me.
“You doing that would not be protecting me.”
Aileen was not the type to let her people sacrifice themselves for her—especially when neither of them had done anything wrong.
“…Yes.”
Mary answered quietly and left.
But Aileen felt no relief.
She paced again. She had to find a way to break through this situation.
She forced herself to go over the scene from the beginning.
Slowly, one piece at a time.
“…She didn’t eat it.”
After a long silence, Aileen finally realized something.
The biscuit—the one Baron Chester picked up from the floor.
The one he implied Diana dropped.
“Diana didn’t… eat that.”
It had broken into two pieces, but its shape was still intact. Aileen trusted her memory.
Diana probably never ate the poisoned biscuit at all.
“And Diana said she wanted to taste it with me. She would never take a big bite on her own first. She’d brag about it first… and then offer it to me.”
That was Diana’s nature.
But then what was the crunching sound?
Something had made a loud crackling noise—like something being bitten.
Aileen assumed it had been the biscuit.
But now…
She was eating something else…?
And then Aileen remembered—
Sa… s…
Diana had tried to say something before collapsing.
She had tried to tell her what she actually ate.
“I have to tell Cedric.”
Aileen sprang up again.
She had to share this. No—she had to insist on it.
The entire investigation had gone down the wrong path from the very start.
Aileen yanked the door open and stepped out. Predictably, she was stopped.
“I need to see Cedric.”
“You must stay here.”
“Then tell him this: Diana never ate that biscuit. Whether it had poison or not isn’t the real issue.”
The two knights exchanged looks—guarded and skeptical.
“We were ordered not to leave this post.”
“Use some flexibility. One guard is enough to keep me from leaving.”
They didn’t even twitch.
Of course—they had assigned knights she barely knew, on purpose.
At last one said,
“…We understand. Please go back inside.”
The door closed.
Aileen doubted they’d convey her message properly.
And even if they did… Would Cedric listen before something happened to Mary?
Before the baron made his move again?
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Cedric as a person.
But this cold, distancing way he was dealing with her—
She couldn’t understand it. It made no sense.
“This won’t work.”
It felt like the wheel of fate was turning exactly as before.
Would Aileen Cassier ultimately be cast out for “trying to harm Diana”?
Losing her place in Lowell.
Losing Mary, who followed her all the way here.
Why… why…?
Everything she thought had changed after meeting Cedric suddenly felt like an illusion.
As if she were returning to square one.
***
Meanwhile
Cedric checked Diana one last time.
She lay still in bed—almost as if asleep—but the cold sweat on her forehead and her fast, shallow breathing showed she was far from resting peacefully.
Is this really improving?
“We are detoxifying her, but slowly. And…”
“And?”
“It’s definitely not a normal poison. Our usual antidotes aren’t working well.”
If they knew exactly what the poison was, they could treat her better.
Obviously, whoever used the poison would know that.
But…
Cedric did not think Aileen was responsible.
That was why he hadn’t gone to her.
Even if they argued—even if they misunderstood each other—there were moral lines they both knew neither would cross.
Even when they disliked each other, he never once thought Aileen was a bad person.
At the very least… That’s what Cedric believed.
“Cedric.”
As he steadied himself and walked through the hall, someone called him.
“Uncle.”
“You heard, didn’t you? Aileen’s maid…”
“Questioning the maid is the first step.”
Cedric answered sharply, but Chester immediately countered.
“Isn’t it obvious the maid is the likeliest culprit?”
“There are many who wish to harm me and the Lowell family. Even Aileen is no exception.”
Which meant he needed to step in personally and uncover the truth.
Separating Aileen from the matter was intentional.
Even if—just in case—
Her maid had acted alone. Or was bribed.
Or did something “for Aileen.”
Then Aileen needed distance from the affair so she wouldn’t be dragged down with her.
Cedric knew Aileen might resent him for this.
But he couldn’t ignore Diana lying unconscious.
So he shut Aileen out—not to discard her, but to shield her from consequences and complications.
He needed to keep her out of the storm for her own safety.
“Cedric. This might be an opportunity.”
“What opportunity?”
“To sever imperial involvement from Lowell—and for you to inherit the duchy immediately.”
Cedric didn’t understand why his uncle suddenly brought that up, so he stayed silent.
Chester continued,
“It’s the perfect excuse for a one-sided annulment.”
“Aileen did not harm Diana, Uncle.”
“Cedric.”
“I said she didn’t.”
He wasn’t saying this just because he trusted Aileen.
He also didn’t want her to leave.
Cassel had told him he disliked this engagement in the beginning.
Maybe that was true back then.
But now, it didn’t matter.
“Think realistically. What’s best for the duchy? If your father were alive—”
Cedric stopped walking.
“I am not my father.”
He didn’t know what his father would’ve done.
But this time, Cedric Lowell would make the decision.
And he was going to stick to it.
“I’ll handle this my way. I will receive recognition as the duke.”
“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t rely on the empire’s approval. If you give them an inch, they’ll keep interfering forever.”
Chester’s gaze shifted.
Cedric followed his line of sight.
A massive carriage stood in the courtyard—adorned with the golden crest of the imperial family.
“…The imperial administrator has arrived.”
Cedric’s face hardened.
Of all times—they had chosen the worst possible moment to come.
