WHM | Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Aileen managed to find time to contact Theorn only on the morning they left for Ribbonsher.

“Mary, you stay here and rest a bit. I’ll take a walk.”

“Where are you going, my lady?”

“I saw an open clearing earlier. I’ll just check it out.”

After a long early-morning ride, the carriage had stopped so the knights could adjust supplies and rest the horses.

Aileen glanced toward Cedric, who was standing with the knights discussing the rest of the day’s schedule.

He stood with one foot resting on a tree stump, frowning as he constantly nodded, then shook his head, repeating back and forth.

If I sneak away for just a moment, he won’t notice.

Once they reached Ribbonsher, she definitely wouldn’t have moments like this.

“Please don’t go far,” Mary said.

Because Aileen preferred to walk alone, Mary didn’t question it much and stepped back easily.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be quick.”

Once she was out of sight—far enough no one would overhear—Aileen stopped and pulled the wooden bird from her cloak.

“Hwikan, deliver the message.”

The bird immediately spread its wings, shot upward, and landed on a nearby branch—

as if it had been waiting for her call.

“What took you so long to contact me?”

“There’s no time for a long talk today.”

“One-sided as always.”

Aileen glanced behind her nervously. No movement.

“What was that avalanche about?”

“I did exactly what I said I would.”

“What if someone had gotten hurt? What if something serious happened?”

“That wouldn’t happen. My calculations are never wrong.”

The shameless arrogance left her speechless.

And he added another line, even worse:

“I thought you’d thank me. But I guess not. Disappointing.”

“I’m never asking you for help again.”

“You say that now. Aren’t you curious what the Baron of Demikalon is doing out in his distant territory?”

“…What is he doing?”

Aileen asked reluctantly.

He really did know exactly how to get her attention.

“He’s preparing troops. Gathering them. That part is certain.”

“What? Where? For what?”

“No idea. Should I take a look?”

Her instincts tightened immediately.

Surely he wasn’t planning to steal the dukedom by force…

Cedric wouldn’t have left the estate unless the borders were stable.

He believed the frontier would remain peaceful for a while—that’s why he dared to come out this far.

“Is it possible for you to find out?”

“If I extend my power. Just like how I’m talking to you right now.”

Meaning that even this conversation was using a lot of his energy.

“Or I could mobilize informants. I’m not the crown prince, but I am a prince—closest to the succession, even if I don’t hold the official title.”

“What about the Third Prince situation?”

“Well… letting it play out isn’t bad. I’m curious what the queen will try next.”

“That’s a terrible hobby.”

He planned to let the queen pile up her sins and then crush her when the timing was perfect.

When Aileen recognized his intentions, Theorn chuckled.

“If the old royal council could understand half as much as you, my life would be easier.”

“You didn’t say this during a council meeting… did you?”

“Why not? They’re boring me to death arguing about pointless etiquette since dawn.”

He truly sounded annoyed.

Aileen suddenly wondered:

Why is he doing all this?

Theorn wasn’t just gaining a little useful information here and there—

He was actively helping her.

Prioritizing her, even.

She was the one who needed the relationship, not him.

“…Why are you helping me so proactively even when I don’t ask?”

“You’re entertaining.”

He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Interesting. Unexpected. You’re always surprising.”

“…Entertaining, you say.”

“And we have a bond, don’t we?”

He sounded almost hurt, like she was being cold by treating them as strangers.

Aileen was suddenly curious how he looked while saying such things.

“The goddess herself tied us together, after all.”

“…I had a dream.”

“A dream?”

“You said you’d ‘submit my complaint.’ Right after that, I had a dream. Too vivid. It felt real.”

“The goddess rarely gives prophetic dreams… but it seems she finds you special.”

Theorn didn’t even consider that the dream might not be prophetic.

He stated it like a fact.

“It could just be a normal dream.”

“If that were the case, you wouldn’t be asking me about it. Must’ve been ominous.”

He understood her far too easily.

“Did someone die in the dream?”

He saw right through her hesitation in an instant.

“That kind of dream is—”

But she never heard the rest.

“Ah. A nuisance approaches.”

The wooden bird stretched its neck upward, then hopped quickly into her hand.

“Don’t ignore the warning.”

That was his final, oddly kind reminder—

And then he disappeared.

Just then—

Crunch.

Twigs snapped and bushes rustled.

“Aileen.”

“Oh—Cedric.”

Aileen quickly hid the bird behind her back and turned around.

Cedric approached, looking around the clearing suspiciously.

“It sounded like you were talking to someone… Did I imagine it?”

“There’s no one here.”

“…I was surprised you came out with a guard.”

“Sir Aaron makes things uncomfortable otherwise.”

Kasel had stayed behind at the main estate too—Cedric had apparently assigned him something.

“Still. Don’t walk around alone.”

Even while speaking, Cedric’s eyes kept scanning the dense trees.

“Don’t ignore the warning.”

Theorn’s voice echoed in her mind.

Aileen clenched the wooden bird harder—the beak dug into her palm.

“Cedric, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

A breeze lifted her hair, briefly blocking her view of his face.

That small moment of blindness gave her courage to speak.

“What do you think would happen… if you knew your future?”

“My future? You mean… if I knew what would happen to me? My fate?”

“Yes.”

Cedric actually thought about it seriously—

And then gave an answer Aileen wasn’t prepared for.

“…I would’ve told my father not to go to that battle.

If I’d known he would die.”

Aileen fell silent.

Of course. Just like she wanted to save her parents, Cedric would have wanted to save his father.

Maybe…

Maybe she could have saved him.

She’d known roughly when Cedric would become the duke. If she’d warned him even a little…

“I think about it sometimes. If only I had stopped him. Or said I’d go with him. Maybe something would’ve changed.”

He smiled bitterly.

“But it’s a past that can’t change now.”

“…Me too.”

Would he blame her if he ever learned she’d known the future but didn’t act?

He wasn’t just a character in a book anymore.

He was a person standing right in front of her—breathing, living, hurting.

Too late for regrets.

Was she selfish for thinking she might have saved his father, now that Cedric’s suffering was real and before her?

“Why are you asking me this?”

“I just…”

“Lord Cedric. We’re ready to depart.”

A knight approached at that exact moment, cutting her off.

Cedric still looked at her, waiting.

But Aileen shook her head.

“Let’s go back to the carriage.”

Maybe she kept delaying this conversation because she still didn’t know how to tell him the truth.

***

The journey to Ribbonsher continued smoothly.

But trouble started the moment they arrived.

“Welcome, Lady Aileen.”

“It’s been a while.”

A familiar steward greeted her politely as she stepped out of the carriage.

“This way, please.”

“Why are you taking me to the annex, not the main guest room?”

Aileen naturally headed for the central entrance, but the steward gestured in another direction.

“Well… the thing is…”

He looked extremely uncomfortable—and sweating.

“As well as… rather difficult to explain…”

Before he finished, loud voices echoed from inside the mansion.

Aileen stopped, confused.

“The marquis’s… relatives have arrived.”

“Oh, I see.”

Of course.

She already knew why they were here.

She nodded, and the steward reluctantly opened the door.

Immediately she saw several nobles inside—

All of them irritated, angry, or loudly blaming someone.

“Steward! Today again— Who is that?”

“This is Lady Aileen Cassier. And may I ask why all of you are here?”

At her polite greeting, the gathered nobles stared at her in confusion.

“Cassier? Why is Cassier—?”

“She’s the lady the late Marchioness entrusted the estate to.”

“Good. Perfect timing.”

A middle-aged man strutted to the front. Everyone else stepped back slightly—he was clearly the representative.

“How can a young lady like you manage the entire Ribbonsher estate?

There are many adults in the family, you know.”

“First, may I ask who you are?”

“I’m Zeon’s uncle.”

Ah. That explained the attitude.

“The late Marchioness must’ve lost her judgment in her old age…

Not even dividing her wealth properly—”

“Yes, we’ve supported this family for years. How could she ignore—”

Aileen stared coldly at the overly decorated woman who chimed in immediately, waving a jeweled fan like a peacock.

“The Ribbonsher estate was already divided once when the previous marquis died. And the current marquis—Zeon—is alive and well.”

As expected, they were here to snatch leftover wealth.

The Marchioness had avoided her relatives for a reason.

“Even so… there are important vacant positions in the house—”

“You don’t understand how many people are required to run a great estate—”

“Yes! Who will manage this huge manor? The finances? You can’t do it alone.”

They had dropped all pretense of politeness.

“And I saw junk piled up in the storage. You should let us handle that.

Give us the keys.”

“That won’t happen. Please leave.”

Aileen didn’t blink.

She could clearly imagine how worried the Marchioness must’ve been—leaving Zeon behind with these vultures circling.

“Don’t be so cold. We’re offering to help each other. Hand over the signet ring, and we can discuss—”

The uncle reached out and grabbed Aileen’s shoulder, trying to pull her inside—

But a hand slapped his away sharply.

Cedric.

He stepped in front of Aileen, shielding her.

“You’re late. And you picked the wrong person to bother.”

His low voice brushed her ear—almost like he was scolding her for not waiting.

When Aileen glanced up, Cedric had already moved forward.

He strode into the room, knights following behind him.

Cedric pushed past the relatives and dropped into an armchair in the reception room with a careless thud.

He raised one hand—and the silver Ribbonsher signet ring gleamed coldly.

“Funny. I’m the one holding the signet ring.”

Unlike the mocking curl of his lips, his eyes were ice-cold.