~Chapter 25~
The light in Cedric’s office stayed on late into the night. Eileen stood outside, staring up at the glowing window.
She walked around the neglected back garden anxiously, sighing deeply. Her thoughts were spinning in circles.
Don’t interfere. Interfere. Don’t interfere. Interfere. Interfere… yes, interfere.
This argument had been looping in her mind over and over again.
It was hard to reach a conclusion.
Her lips were turning blue, and her body was starting to shake in the cold.
A knight standing near the entrance must have noticed and finally approached her with a thick fur cloak.
“It’s still very cold, my lady.”
The knight, who rarely spoke, looked older than most. He was quiet and serious.
‘What was his name again…?’
Eileen remembered that Cedric often asked this knight’s opinion when he wanted someone other than Eden or Cassel. Even when Cedric had to leave the mansion, he always made sure this man stayed behind with Eileen.
“Sir Aaron, right?”
“Yes.”
Then silence.
He didn’t pressure her to go inside or try to convince her. He just quietly stood by her side.
Still, he seemed a bit uncomfortable being watched so closely.
Eventually, Sir Aaron spoke up with a thoughtful expression.
“Master Cedric will be fine.”
“Do you think so?”
Eileen gave a faint, bitter smile.
She knew better than anyone that Cedric wasn’t someone who would fall easily.
Logically, she understood this too.
But she was still afraid. Afraid of making things worse by stepping in when she shouldn’t.
“But in war… there are always unexpected dangers.”
She knew Cedric wouldn’t let his guard down. His sword skills were exceptional—she had seen it herself many times.
But still, there’s a big difference between being prepared and being completely blindsided by betrayal.
“Sir Aaron.”
“…”
Eileen bit her lip, unable to find an answer. In the end, she asked something she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear.
“Do you think Cedric… would listen to what I say?”
As soon as she said it, she regretted it.
“Forget it. That was a silly question…”
“He always listens.”
His reply was longer than she expected.
Sir Aaron looked her in the eye and spoke clearly, like each word was important.
“Maybe even more than he realizes himself.”
“You’re making it sound like I mean a lot to him.”
“Because you do.”
But that only seemed true when it came to simple things—matters within the mansion or Cedric’s personal life.
Still, even if he ended up hating her forever…
Even if her actions didn’t change anything in the end…
If she could help protect him, even just a little, then maybe it was worth it.
A kind of repayment.
Cedric had insisted he didn’t need anything in return, but Eileen didn’t believe in favors without cost. She knew he was keeping her safe—ignoring the Count of Cassiar’s constant messages.
“It’s time to go inside.”
After tearing up leaves in her hand from nervous thinking, Eileen finally made her decision.
A decision she might deeply regret later. But she couldn’t walk away from it now.
***
Eileen walked through the quiet hallway and up to Cedric’s office. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Knock knock—
“Come in.”
When she entered, Cedric was organizing papers on his desk. Without looking up, he spoke.
“Did you think of something else to discuss? I’ve already made my decision about the troop placements…”
“It’s me.”
“Eileen.”
Cedric looked up right away.
Maybe it was the flickering light—or maybe it was real—but he seemed taller, and his features more defined than when they first met just a few months ago.
“Do you have something to say?”
Eileen walked to the table in the center of the room and slowly looked over the map showing the entire northern region.
Demikalon, Winston, Fynikel, Panamanha…
Among those unfamiliar noble houses, one name stood out clearly in her mind.
The ones behind the assassination must be the Fynikel family.
Cedric had brushed it off, but they were still a major house in the northeast.
That was more than enough reason to suspect them of being behind the attack and having a spy in the duchy.
“There’s a traitor in your knight order. He’s working with the Fynikel family.”
Cedric looked at her like she was speaking nonsense, then let out a short laugh.
“What are you talking about? A traitor? You think someone is leaking my information? Not a servant or maid, but a knight?”
“Yes. It’s Sir Eden.”
The smile faded from Cedric’s face.
Eileen gripped the hem of her dress tightly, then let go.
She pulled out a half-burned piece of paper she had hidden in her pocket.
“This is the proof. Cedric, Sir Eden has been regularly passing your information to the enemy.”
“No way. Eileen.”
He took the paper and read it. His face turned cold.
[…Completed with no trouble. The wolf has fully recovered. No suspicion.]
It was Eden’s handwriting. Cedric had known him for almost ten years—he couldn’t mistake it.
“Where did you get this?”
“From the fireplace. It hadn’t completely burned and was buried in the ashes.”
“You broke into his room?”
“That’s not the point, Cedric.”
This was why she hadn’t wanted to bring it up. She hated that she had to cross lines to get this evidence.
Mary… I told you not to do it yourself…
Her maid had gone instead of her.
What if you had gotten caught?
I asked one of the cleaning maids when the knight’s room would be empty. Don’t worry.
…Still, thank you.
I’m sorry I couldn’t find more.
Mary said she couldn’t risk leaving traces, so she had only taken a quick look. Finding the paper was pure luck.
“Sir Eden would never betray me.”
“Cedric. You have to at least consider it.”
“Why did you even start suspecting him?”
“Because when you told me what happened that night, you said Sir Eden arrived first and killed all the assassins.”
“That’s possible!”
Cedric was completely rejecting the idea. He couldn’t accept it.
He had come to terms with servants betraying him—but not Eden.
Eden had been in the meeting room just earlier. He had even volunteered to take the most dangerous route with the smallest army.
“Sir Eden once saved my father on the battlefield. He got hurt protecting me!”
“But we have to question everything now. You said the assassins were dressed as your servants. You know as well as I do—there’s no way they could’ve pulled that off unless someone on the inside helped them. And they showed up right when you were alone at the ball.”
Eileen had to press harder.
She believed Cedric would survive in the end. At least, she hoped so.
But things might not go as expected.
“‘We’? Eileen Cassiar, there’s no ‘we’ between you and me.”
Cedric was more upset about his knight being accused than anything else.
“What do you even know about the knights? About Eden?”
It was a cruel thing to say.
Words that couldn’t be taken back—words that would leave a scar for a long time.
Cedric didn’t seem to regret saying it at all.
In fact, he went even further.
“I know the north best. I know the knight order best. Stay out of it.”
“Are you serious?”
“This is just a piece of paper. You’re the one jumping to conclusions. I don’t know what kind of fantasy you’re living in…”
His words were cold and unbending.
Eileen didn’t even notice her tears at first.
Only after one drop slid down her cheek did she wipe it away and clench her teeth.
“I just don’t want you to die. So use your precious skills and survive, will you?”
She slammed the door and walked out.
Only then did Cedric begin to realize what he had said.
Even in the middle of all that harshness—she had wished for his safety.
