WFMW 26

Chapter 26 The Denial Phase of Falling in Love (2)

March 26, 2024

Hearing Cedar’s muttering up close, Heil’s eyes widened in shock.

“Did you already know he wasn’t human!?”

“Well, his aura feels… different.”

Cedar looked at Heil with a dismissive gaze, as if to say, “You didn’t even notice that?”

Feeling wounded by his superior’s indifference, Heil clutched his aching chest.

Without paying him any mind, Cedar turned to Jacques and asked in his usual curt tone,

“So how did your hidden identity get discovered after all these years?”

Jacques replied awkwardly,

“My lady… uh—mph!”

He couldn’t finish. Cedar, realizing Jacques was about to mention Nellie, quickly covered his mouth.

“Captain?”

Everyone stared at Cedar in confusion, startled by his lightning-fast movement.

Cedar stayed silent for a beat, then suddenly snapped at the nearest knight.

“And what makes you think this is a good time for idle chatter? Seems today’s a fine day to tighten up discipline.”

“N-no, sir!”

“We’ll head back at once!”

When Cedar said he was “tightening discipline,” it meant he’d make them train until they dropped.

Panicked, the knights all rushed toward the training yard in a stampede.

Heil tried to sneak away with them, but Cedar grabbed him by the collar.

“You stay here.”

He’d better make sure Heil kept his mouth shut about Nellie.

If that troublesome younger brother hears that Nellie’s awake, things will get messy.

Of course, she was a great mage—her brother couldn’t harm her easily. But Nellie looked so frail to Cedar that he couldn’t help but worry.

When Jacques and Heil were the only ones left, Cedar warned them both to keep Nellie’s condition secret. Heil bristled.

“Isn’t that unfair, sir? Sir Jacques’ identity seems like a much bigger secret, but you’re protecting only the lady’s?”

It sounded like a fair complaint at first—until you thought about it.

Cedar’s brow twitched.

“Did I ever blab about Jacques’ secret? Seems to me it was your loose tongue that did that.”

“Th-that’s…”

Heil’s face flushed crimson. Cedar was right—he had no excuse.

He’d overheard that Jacques was an elf while staying at Cedar’s mansion and had immediately spread the news in excitement when he learned elves were close to spirits.

Cedar clicked his tongue at his foolish subordinate, then looked down at Jacques, who was trying not to laugh.

“Speak your wish. If you want me to erase their memories, I’ll do it.”

At that, Heil’s face turned pale.

“E-erase our memories? How would you even—?”

“With my fist?”

“I already forgot! I swear I forgot!”

Getting punched by a Swordmaster could easily crush his skull.

As Heil trembled, Jacques stepped forward and bowed slightly.

“It’s fine. I trust my comrades to keep this secret.”

“Sir Jacques…”

Moved by Jacques’ gentle words instead of scolding, Heil’s eyes grew moist. Straightening his back, he declared loudly,

“I’ll make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut! On my name and honor!”

“…”

Cedar sighed, staring at Heil with a look of weary disbelief.

Did the man not realize that every word he said only made him less trustworthy?

Well, if the person in question doesn’t mind, it’s not my business.

Cedar glanced sidelong at Jacques, who was quietly chuckling, then turned away.

Still, he thought, it might be wise to learn more about elves—and what kind of uproar could follow if their existence became public.

Once Jacques had calmed Heil down, he smiled serenely at Cedar—an expression befitting an elf.

“Archmage, you have quite the keen eyes.”

It was meant as a light remark, but Cedar’s response was sharp as a blade.

“Don’t bring her up.”

“Oh?”

Jacques widened his eyes slightly.

Cedar Granite was as rational as his cold, heavy expression suggested. But the way he immediately cut off any mention of Nellie was purely emotional.

And there was only one emotion that could explain that.

“Jealousy, perhaps? Sir Heil said something similar, but I didn’t believe it.”

In other words—love.

Cedar, already troubled by the very thought that day, exploded.

“Jealousy, my ass! It’s called responsibility—as her guardian! You think I’d let you lot bother that frail woman?”

The first virtue of a knight: to protect the weak—women, the elderly, and children.

And Cedar had just basically said, “You people can’t even uphold that.”

Stung, Heil stepped out from behind Jacques.

“You’re being so heartless, sir! You trust Sir Jacques but not the rest of us!”

That complaint didn’t even sting. Cedar scoffed.

“Don’t make me laugh. You can’t even keep a minor secret like her recovery, yet you’re all talk.”

“Ugh…”

Unable to argue, Heil groaned, pouting.

“Honestly, I don’t even get why we have to keep it secret. Even if she’s a beauty who could charm anyone alive, who’d dare covet the captain’s wife? You’re just blinded by love.”

“What?”

Cedar’s expression turned thunderous.

Jacques quietly stepped aside. Cedar took no such courtesy—he reached out and flicked Heil’s forehead.

“You’ve lost your damn mind.”

“Aaagh!”

It was a simple flick, but from Cedar it sounded like a gunshot.

Heil doubled over, clutching his forehead as if it had split open.

Cedar looked down at him coldly and said, enunciating each word.

“Keeping her recovery secret is purely for her own personal reasons. I can’t tell you what they are because it’s private.”

“Wait, so there really is a reason? And it’s hers?”

“What did you think it was?”

“I thought you were just too lovestruck to think straight…”

“You—”

“Eek! Violence is never the answer!”

Cedar merely raised his fist, but Heil was already shaking like a leaf.

In the middle of their scuffle between “violence” and “nonviolence,” Heil finally shouted,

“But you made me misunderstand! Why else would you glare at me every time I talked to her?”

“Because you always spout nonsense, that’s why.”

“That’s just overprotective!”

“That’s—”

Cedar froze mid-sentence.

He’s right. This really is strange.

His own family history was just as complicated as Nellie’s, and he hadn’t wanted her to know.

But so what if she found out?

He already knew her past, didn’t he?

None of this makes rational sense.

That realization suddenly left him exhausted. Cedar waved a hand dismissively.

“You’re right. From now on, Heil—you’ll take care of her meals. No need to report to the order; stay at the mansion and assist her.”

“What? All of a sudden? I thought you were going to take a break yourself!”

He had been—he’d planned to look after the sick woman himself until she recovered.

“I’ve changed my mind. Keeping some distance might be better.”

“But—”

Heil’s pupils wobbled with confusion. He turned to Jacques as if asking whether he’d just made things worse. Jacques merely shrugged.

Leaving his bewildered subordinate behind, Cedar strode off.

As he walked down the hall, he grabbed a nearby training sword. His head was too full—he needed to move.

Heading toward the training yard, he clenched his jaw.

Love? Don’t make me laugh. It’s not that. She’s just small and fragile—that’s all.

And Heil would take good care of her, as ordered. Nellie didn’t seem uncomfortable around him anyway.

A little distance will set my mind straight again.

With that thought, Cedar walked on, the veins on his hand standing out as he gripped the sword’s scabbard.

Meanwhile…

The current Duchess of the Granite family, Lady Briar, had once been nothing more than the duchess’s maid.

The duke and his wife had married purely for politics. The duchess, a princess from a foreign nation, could barely speak the Empire’s tongue.

Briar had taken advantage of the cold distance between the two.

“Her Highness sent me to comfort the duke.”

Under that pretense, she had entered his bed—and by the time the deception came to light, her belly was already swelling.

No punishment came.

Bearing Cedar was the greatest stroke of luck in my life.

Had the child been a girl, she would’ve been cast out with a modest sum. But Cedar was a boy—a son with the duke’s face, talent in swordsmanship, and the ability to wield aura.

The duke couldn’t bring himself to disown such a child. He kept Briar in a separate villa.

After the duchess’s death, he eventually took Briar as his lawful wife.

Now the duke had long since collapsed and lay unconscious, leaving Briar as the one in control of the Granite family.

Nothing stood in her way—

Except one thing.