Chapter 33
Calvados arbitrarily assumed that,
“The only one capable of kidnapping Princess Marinenest is Indigentia.”
So he only sent a request for assistance to Mashalats.
‘Seeing that I only sent a request for assistance to Mashalats, it seems that they moved on their own to prove their innocence.’
He felt that he shouldn’t be underestimated just because he was still young.
Meanwhile.
‘It’s over.’
Renold felt it instinctively.
It was like the sensation felt by a herbivore on the verge of death.
Daphne suddenly broke in and the situation was reversed.
In fact, it wasn’t unexpected that Daphne would testify to the facts.
But she had been imprisoned in the basement alone until a while ago.
‘I thought she couldn’t say anything because she was terrified.’
He thought she would only recover after the rift between the Indigentia and the Marinenest had deepened.
But it was already too late by then, so the two heads of state must be very upset.
He was planning to dig into the gap and block Daphne’s testimony.
‘But to think that she would recover so quickly like this, just how…’
Renold only stretched his dry lips and rolled his mind, but he had no idea.
It was obvious.
The reason Daphne was able to recover so quickly was because of Ellia, whom he ignored so much.
“Sister Ellia, we are going back now.”
“Yes?”
Daphne glanced over Renold’s side and shivered as if she was fed up.
In fact, she has never been carried since she was born.
Even her nanny didn’t pick her up.
She was ignored because she couldn’t use magic.
Yet Ellia gave Daphne a piggyback ride without hesitation and took her to another place, saying,
“You have to keep your heart together.”
‘Otherwise, I was afraid that I would have to testify.’
She knows that only she knows the whole story, so she must reveal the truth.
But apart from knowing, she was also afraid.
As she remembered the prison in which she was held before her return.
Fortunately, Ellia prioritized calming Daphne.
[It was really scary, wasn’t it? It’s fine now. Ah. I’m Ellia. that… The one who’s going to marry Cedric…]
Not only did she quickly introduce herself, but she also talked politely and diverted the topic to another place.
She didn’t let Daphne ever think of that dreadful cellar.
‘It’s the first time I’ve felt so warm.’
Ellia even sat her down on a sofa and squatted down, making eye contact with Daphne throughout the conversation.
‘Dad didn’t even do this to me.’
As if she was fascinated by that strange feeling, Daphne’s heart quickly calmed down.
Before and after the return.
It was the first time something like this had happened.
“Let’s go quickly. I’m so scared here.”
It was a very casual voice, yet Ellia couldn’t resist Daphne.
Daphne took Ellia’s hand and went back to the original room.
And there was one person watching it.
It was Calb.
He bit his lower lip as Ellia left the room with Daphne without saying a word to him.
It was the first time he felt this way.
‘Somehow, a very precious thing was taken away…’
No, it feels like a very precious thing is running away.
And the feeling of having to watch that.
‘…It doesn’t feel good.’
He needs to get it done quickly and go to Ellia.
Calib frowned and turned his head.
“Then come back again.”
Cedric asked to continue the punishment of the traitor.
The one who sat on the highest title was the Grand Young Lord, Calib.
He was the youngest of those in this position, but unfortunately it was like that.
Cedric took a step back as Calib took a step towards Renold.
He sentenced Renold under the weight of gravity.
“The crime of daring to kidnap Princess Marinenest and cause strife between Indigentia and the Marinenest family is by no means small. This is a clear betrayal, and I’m going to formally put you on a noble trial.”
Each word of the Grand Young Lord fell heavy.
There was absolutely no chance that the Marquis would survive as long as the Grand Young Lord himself had said that he would hold a trial.
All who take part in this work will be sentenced to death.
This fact is known, while no one can speak.
“Ugh…”
“H-Have mercy…”
All they could hear was the sound of Jeryl and the Marchioness crying.
Nonetheless, no one felt sorry for them.
This is how the abduction of Princess Daphne Marinenest came to an end.
***
A week later, the trial results came out.
“As expected, this is what happened.”
I muttered softly as I looked at the results of the trial Cedric gave me.
With the death penalty for the family, Renold was beheaded.
“We must hurry down to the Grand Duke’s territory.”
At Cedric’s words, I quietly nodded my head.
We were still in the capital’s townhouse awaiting the results of the trial.
However, now that the execution is done, we have to go back to the Grand Duke’s Castle.
Because I can’t show anything bad to Calib.
“Calib must be sad.”
“Yes, because he really liked the food in the capital.”
Cedric sipped tea and looked back at Calib, who was feeding the birds in the garden.
Phew, he has other senses, so why can’t he get things like this?
“No, Cedric.”
“Yes?”
“Rather than liking the food in the capital, he liked going out with us.”
We went out into the downtown area every day while we were in the townhouse.
As other children held their parents’ hands, we held hands and looked around.
We ate lemon honey candy every day and drank lemonade sold by the children in the residential area.
We wandered aimlessly in the park, and when we ate, we went to any restaurant that stood out to us and ate out.
Just like ordinary people.
“Calib loved this peaceful time, spending time with his family.”
“Family…”
At my words, Cedric put on a mysterious expression.
I just shrugged my shoulders lightly with a look of uncertainty.
It was because I knew well that although Calib was also Calib, Cedric was also a very lonely person.
Over the past week in the capital, Cedric and I have become quite close.
It’s nice to eat out with Calib, but the problem is that Cedric can’t taste it.
So, when Calib fell asleep, we gathered in the kitchen as if we had promised.
Potato pancakes, fried rice, omurice, pancakes, sandwiches…
I think I did most of the food that could be eaten as a late-night snack.
I made a late-night snack for Cedric, then he sat down with me and talked while eating deliciously.
Those short hours of the night, two hours each day, were very peaceful.
It’s a pity that those times will disappear if we go back to the Grand Duke’s Castle
Cedric said.
“If I go back to the castle, I feel as sad as Calib.”
“Yes, me too. The capital was really noisy and fun.”
“No, Ellia.”
It was a time when I looked at Calib with my chin resting while answering without much thought.
Cedric pulled my hand with my chin on it and made me see him.
When I looked at him in wonder, he smiled with his hydrangea-colored eyes curved like a crescent moon.
Then he whispered quietly, lowering his voice, as if he was telling a very secret story.
“Because there won’t be any dawn like the ones I’ve spent with you.”
“…!”
I know it doesn’t mean much.
He must be saying that it was a pity as he had a good time because he felt the taste thanks to the food I made.
But there was no way to stop the heat from rushing to my ears.
My heart was pounding like crazy.
I can’t explain it with a cute word like ‘pounding’.
It was more than a bang.
Cedric let go of my hand with a sultry and bright smile.
Why is his smiling face so pretty?
Even though he was wearing black gloves, I felt a burning sensation as if warmth had transferred from his clasped hands.
“It’s a nice day.”
Cedric took another sip of his tea.
In the end, I was the only one who was gasping like a pervert, breathless with my heart beating like crazy.
What should I sue him for?
The crime of assaulting my heart?
For turning me into a pervert?
I had a lot on my mind.
***
Returning to the Grand Duke’s Castle, Cedric immediately sat down at the office desk.
Then he suddenly found a mirror and looked at his face.
“…”
It was a face that was terribly expressionless.
At the same time, Daphne’s voice ran through his mind.
[Ellia’s ideal type is someone with a pretty smile.]
It was just before returning home from the Marquis’ place.
Daphne, who ran away in a hurry, thanked Cedric and gave advice.
Before he knew what that meant, he wondered why Daphne was curious about Ellia’s ideal type.
It was hilarious but it may have been that Daphne was temporarily keeping him in check.
After that, Cedric kept getting worried about her words, so he often looked at his face like this.
The person in the mirror was expressionless enough to make everyone feel ashamed.
‘A person with a pretty smile…’
Cedric thought for a moment and raised the corner of his lips.
‘Is the atmosphere relaxed a bit?’
This time, he smiled softly as if he was smiling with his eyes.
The mirror was full of a man with a neat atmosphere as if he had been hit by a summer rain.
At the same time, it looked somewhat precarious and, on the contrary, had a decadent face.
But Cedric muttered as he turned the mirror over, as if he was offended with his face.
“…It’s boorish.”
Haa
, Cedric, who let out a turbid sigh, wiped his face dry and remembered Ellia, who had hardened every time he laughed.
“Because I’m so ugly.”
Cedric was confused.
He had one thought all through the dawn with Ellia.
‘This person is always beautiful anytime.’
Like a lively morning glory in the morning, like a peony in full bloom during the day, like a neat evening primrose at night.
She was always cute and it was amazing.
As a result, he was concerned about how he was next to her.
Recently, for the first time in his life, he took an interest in his appearance.
But does Cedric get ugly over time?
The amount of time Ellia looked at his face was getting shorter and shorter.
Cedric let out a heavy sigh and looked back at the mirror that had been turned over.
“Is there any other way to smile prettily?”
While muttering and looking back at his face, he realized something important.
“But… Why do I want to match Ellia’s ideal type?”
Why is he acting like a frantic person trying to look pretty to Ellia?
Cedric was embarrassed by himself and covered the mirror again.