~Chapter 20~
“It’s obvious you’re distracted.”
Cedric gripped the sword handle tightly.
Eden frowned and gave him a serious warning.
“You’ll make your injury worse.”
“I’m already healed.”
“Really? No pain at all?”
“What, do you want me to be bedridden over a light wound?”
“Of course not.”
This time, Eden dropped the formal tone, replying with a casual voice.
“Remember that time you twisted your ankle during practice and still insisted on training?”
“That was when I was a kid.”
“Well, you’re still just as stubborn.”
Eden and Cedric were close since their trainee knight days—they were around the same age. After becoming an official knight, Eden had kept a respectful distance, but he’d sometimes let that go when Cedric wanted to talk more casually, like now.
“I’m not that reckless anymore. Don’t worry. And don’t go running to Cassel, either.”
Cedric didn’t even want to imagine how long Cassel would scold him if Eden said he was overdoing it.
Knowing Cedric hated Cassel’s nagging, Eden chuckled.
“As knights, it’s our duty to report the state of the young master we serve.”
“You’re being way too serious.”
“In any case, I’m glad you’re fully recovered.”
“You talk too much today. Even during a duel.”
Cedric suddenly struck harder than expected, and Eden stumbled back.
“Whoa…”
Eden almost lost his balance, and before he knew it, Cedric’s sword was at his neck.
He raised both hands in surrender.
“I give up. You said your skills got rusty while resting, but I don’t think so at all.”
Despite saying he wasn’t moving well because of his injury, Cedric had been dueling with all the knights at the mansion and winning easily.
Cedric lowered his sword and swept his messy hair back as he watched Eden surrender.
“Let’s stop for today.”
His breath was visible due to the cold.
But compared to the north, this cold was nothing—he didn’t even need the shirt he was wearing.
“It’s a good time to stop. No point in overdoing it.”
Most of the knights had already sat down on the ground, quietly protesting that the training should be over.
Just as Cedric was about to make them stand up for more practice, something caught his eye—the hem of a dress.
“Eileen.”
He hadn’t even finished whispering her name before the woman turned around and quickly disappeared back into the mansion.
There was only one person here with such fine clothes and black hair.
“Where are you going?”
“Just remembered something I have to take care of.”
Cedric tossed his wooden sword aside and hurriedly walked through the main entrance into the mansion.
But Eileen Cassiar was nowhere to be found. Only a quiet hallway greeted him.
“Where did she go…?”
Frustrated, he ruffled his hair, sighed deeply, and sat on the stair railing with his arms crossed.
“Is something wrong, sir?”
“Eileen’s gone.”
“I just saw her. I think she was heading to the study.”
“You greeted her?”
Cassel was coming down the stairs and answered, making Cedric frown.
The fact that Cassel had casually spoken with Eileen—when Cedric hadn’t even seen her in days—didn’t sit well with him.
Just as Cedric was about to go up the stairs to finally see her—
“Sir, someone from the Cassiar family is here.”
“Send them away.”
Cedric cut him off instantly, clearly annoyed.
“Should I just say you’re busy?”
“No. Tell them to stop coming. Eileen’s never going back to that house.”
“…Understood.”
Just thinking about the Cassiar family made Cedric feel like he was burning up inside.
“I can’t even see her face. Who do they think they are, coming to see her?”
Cedric muttered while glaring up the stairs, then suddenly stormed up, skipping three steps at a time.
Cassel, left behind, shrugged and mumbled to himself.
“I guess the young master messed up again.”
He knew Eileen was clearly trying to avoid Cedric.
She even planned her day to avoid being in the same place as him.
‘She must have her reasons…’
Cassel was actually impressed that Cedric realized so quickly that Eileen was avoiding him.
“In any case, it’s better to resolve things quickly.”
Cassel recalled the short conversation he had with Eileen the night before.
“Is there anything making you uncomfortable? If anything’s lacking, please feel free to tell anyone here.”
He expected her to just say she was fine, but she hesitated. She clearly had something on her mind.
“You can speak freely. After all, in this mansion, you’re the most important person after the young master. You even have the authority to give orders.”
“Me?”
“Did someone say something to you?”
Had a knight dared to treat her poorly? He didn’t think so, but if anyone had, he was ready to punish them.
“It’s not that… I just noticed the mansion’s general management seems a bit poor.”
Eileen brought up an unexpected topic, carefully choosing her words.
“If there’s someone in charge, maybe they need to be checked on to make sure they’re doing their job properly.”
Her hesitation didn’t match her usual composed self.
“I’m not trying to overstep. I just… happened to notice.”
Listening to her soft, measured voice, Cassel thought,
She would become an excellent lady of the house.
If things didn’t get resolved soon, he felt he’d have to step in and support her.
He shook his head and went on his way.
***
Cedric rushed down the hallway and burst into the study, determined to finally talk to Eileen.
How was it that they lived in the same house, yet she was impossible to find?
“Eileen Cassiar!”
But his expectations were crushed.
The study wasn’t empty—her maid was inside, organizing books.
Mary looked startled as Cedric entered, breathless, scanning the room.
“Miss Eileen just left.”
“Just now? I saw her coming this way.”
“She went out again. She said the air felt stuffy in here.”
Actually, Eileen had planned to spend the morning in the study and quietly return to the guesthouse once Cedric finished training.
But Mary decided to lie to protect her lady.
He’s following her around like a puppy… I do feel bad for him.
Still, she couldn’t betray her mistress.
“Where did she go?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe for a walk?”
“In the middle of winter?”
Unlike the graceful Eileen, Mary was terrible at lying.
She didn’t have the skill to smoothly escape situations like these with casual lies—only Eileen could do that.
“…Just for a moment… it’s not that cold… maybe?”
“Why is she avoiding me?”
“Avoiding…? No, she’s not.”
Ugh. This was the situation Mary hoped to avoid.
The worst part was that she didn’t even know why Eileen was avoiding Cedric.
Miss Eileen, why are you putting me through this?
She couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful toward Eileen, who had vanished after telling her to distract Cedric.
Not that Cedric was scary or anything.
To Mary, he actually seemed cheerful and easygoing.
“Does she hate seeing me?”
“She never said anything like that.”
“Then why won’t she talk to me?”
