~Chapter 60~
Theo Arwyn faithfully carried out Eileen Cashier’s “request.”
Part of the reason was simple curiosity—he wanted to know how well Cedric Lowell really understood the woman by his side, Eileen Cashier.
Saving the dying sacred tree of the royal palace was only a secondary motivation.
“…You could at least give me one more hint,” he muttered quietly as he took off the glove on his left hand for the first time in a while.
He still did not understand what the goddess who had given him this power truly wanted.
Was Eileen really the person he was supposed to find?
If the goddess wanted him to gain knowledge, why not give it to him directly instead of through a woman wrapped in layers of mystery?
“Maybe that’s exactly why.”
Watching Eileen’s calm attitude, he realized that she never used the knowledge she had for her own gain.
In every sense, she fit the role of a prophet—cautious, composed, and unshakable.
“How does her power even work?”
Just as he had no intention of revealing the oracle’s message to her, she too seemed unwilling—or perhaps unable—to explain exactly how she could “see the future.”
“Though it seems like my help won’t really be needed…”
Still, when Theo used his divine ability to locate Cedric and finally arrived at the battlefield, the situation was already under control.
He couldn’t quite understand why Eileen had been so worried.
“—Aaron! Over there!”
Cedric shouted, slashing down an enemy and spotting one soldier trying to escape in the distance.
But before the man could get far, snow suddenly fell from the trees above, burying him completely.
Through the swirling snow, Cedric caught sight of something shimmering—silver threads glinting in the air.
When he turned to follow them, he was met by someone completely unexpected.
All eyes turned instantly toward the new arrival. Whispers spread among the soldiers, but the man in question looked unconcerned.
Cedric stepped forward and spoke first.
“I thought you had returned to Arwyn.”
“The problem there has been resolved,” Theo replied calmly. “So I thought I’d come and offer help here.”
The Lowell territory was already far away from Arwyn, and using his powers to travel this far had clearly taken a toll on him.
Theo hid his burning left hand beneath his sleeve.
“Lowell matters can be handled by Lowell,” Cedric said firmly.
Of course, Theo knew that. Despite being allies, Arwyn was rarely attacked, and the proud Lowell family had never liked relying on outside help—especially not Cedric.
“I came because someone asked me to,” Theo said.
“Someone asked you?” Cedric repeated, frowning.
“Yes. Someone who worries about you a great deal.”
Cedric’s mind froze for a second. Only one person came to mind—Eileen.
But how? What connection did she have with Theo Arwyn of all people?
She was supposed to have already left for Ribbonshire by now.
“Eileen?” Cedric asked sharply.
Theo neither confirmed nor denied it, which only made Cedric more uneasy.
His hand gripped the sword hilt tighter.
“Why would Eileen…” Cedric muttered under his breath.
Why would she go this far?
How did she even persuade Theo Arwyn to come here?
What did they talk about?
No—he didn’t want to know. He almost hoped they hadn’t talked at all.
It was always like this.
Eileen moved quietly, circling around him, acting before he could catch up—leaving him feeling like he was always one step behind, chasing after her shadow.
With a sharp sound, Cedric drove his sword into the ground.
The brief relief he’d felt knowing she hadn’t left yet vanished instantly. Seeing Theo Arwyn again only made his nerves tighten.
And the thought that Eileen might have chosen to rely on someone else—Theo—made his chest twist painfully.
Even the small comfort of knowing she cared about him was crushed under a wave of irritation.
“Any enemies left?”
“None, sir.”
“Double-check,” Cedric ordered curtly.
His voice had grown short and clipped, his thoughts tangled and restless.
No matter how hard he worked, it never felt like enough.
The feeling was stronger than ever today—the pressure to be perfect, the disappointment that he still hadn’t reached his ideal, and the quiet fear that he would once again fail to protect what he wanted to protect.
All those thoughts weighed on him heavily.
“Do you… think I can’t protect you?”
Was that how Eileen saw him—as someone unreliable, someone who couldn’t even protect himself?
Ever since she had been injured, that fear had never left him.
He was afraid that his pride and overconfidence might one day lead to disaster.
And yet, despite everything, he was managing. He could do it. He wouldn’t lose anyone again.
“My lord,” Aaron called softly, approaching.
Cedric realized he had been standing motionless for a long time, his fists clenched tightly.
“Let’s go back,” he said at last, exhaling deeply, trying to release the weight pressing on his chest—but it refused to lift.
“I trust you, Cedric.”
Eileen’s voice echoed in his mind.
She had said that once, yet it never truly felt like she believed it.
If she did, would she have brought Theo Arwyn here?
If she trusted him, she would have simply left for Ribbonshire—no, he didn’t even want to imagine that.
The truth was, that short note he left—“You can go”—had been written on impulse. He hadn’t really wanted her to leave.
At the end of all his tangled thoughts, one simple truth remained:
He just wanted to see Eileen again.
Yes, that was it.
He wanted to sit beside her again, even if she looked bored or annoyed by him—just to be near her, to exist in that small, quiet space together.
“Maybe I should try convincing her,” he said suddenly.
Aaron immediately understood what Cedric meant.
He knew Eileen was soft when it came to Cedric—if he simply asked her not to go, she probably wouldn’t.
“That’s a good idea, my lord,” Aaron said with a faint smile.
Cedric didn’t need advice; he needed a bit of courage.
***
But when they finally returned to the estate, Eileen Cashier was gone.
Cedric’s heart sank immediately.
So—she really had left Theo Arwyn behind and gone herself. That was her farewell.
“…So she really decided to leave,” he muttered.
“Lady Cashier only said she’d be gone for a short while,” apprentice knight Ruth explained quickly.
Following that, Cedric went straight to the inn where the Marchioness of Ribbonshire was staying—but found no trace of Eileen there either.
That was when a strange, uneasy feeling began to creep in.
Eileen wasn’t the type to lie or leave without packing anything. Something was off.
Back at the manor, Cedric frowned deeply.
Behind him, Theo—who had quietly followed—spoke in a low voice.
“Are you going to chase after her?”
Theo’s tone carried a hint of curiosity, though he was clearly as baffled by the situation as Cedric.
Eileen had vanished completely, without a word.
“She wouldn’t just disappear,” Theo thought. It didn’t make sense.
“This doesn’t seem like something you need to involve yourself in, Your Highness,” Cedric said flatly.
Theo smiled faintly. “Your fiancée owes me something, that’s all.”
Cedric turned sharply, then strode off, clearly deciding to go after her.
“Whatever it is, the Lowell family can repay you. You don’t need to follow us any further,” Cedric said firmly.
Ah. So Cedric Lowell really didn’t know how much Eileen knew.
Her strange, secret power—the knowledge she possessed—was something she had never shared with the person she trusted most.
It was ironic.
Both of them cared so deeply for each other, both tried to protect each other, yet somehow, they always managed to miss the mark.
Even in their sincerity, they kept drifting apart.
