Chapter 81
Aileen never imagined Cedric would oppose her going to see Zeon this strongly.
“You can’t just leave Zeon alone in the Ribbonsher estate.”
“Then send someone else.”
Cedric tossed aside the report he’d just signed and immediately grabbed another one, speaking coldly as if it were obvious.
“I know Zeon better than anyone.”
“You said you haven’t seen him in years.”
“Even so, it’s better than sending someone who doesn’t know him at all.”
Aileen braced her hands on his office desk. That finally made Cedric look up at her.
But he didn’t even blink before asking:
“Why do we have to convince him in the first place?”
Cedric leaned back in his chair and tapped the desk lightly with his fingers.
On his hand was the Ribbonsher signet ring—when it should’ve been Lowell’s ring.
“The important ring is here anyway.”
“Not here. With me. He entrusted it to me. So I’m doing my duty.
If you’re going to be like this, give it back.”
Aileen reached toward the ring—
But Cedric immediately snatched his hand away.
Then he covered it with his other hand, hiding it completely, as if refusing to even let her touch it.
“You want to hand it to someone else?”
“Yeah. If you’re going to keep acting like this, then I’ll find another noble.”
Honestly, it was mostly irritation that made her say it.
Even now, she believed Cedric was the single safest person in the world to hold another family’s signet ring.
He would never misuse it.
“Who? Who exactly?”
Cedric leaned forward, his expression sharper than before.
“Who else?”
“The Crown Prince. His aide. The Ribbonsher family… who else? Someone I don’t know?”
Aileen didn’t know why the conversation suddenly moved in this direction.
She opened her mouth to say “nobody”—
Then closed it again.
Because Theorn’s face popped into her mind.
Cedric knew Theorn, but… Aileen had been secretly communicating with Theorn without Cedric knowing. And she couldn’t cut off that connection—not while Cedric refused to give up on his uncle.
Cedric would hate this.
He was already so upset about Zeon—mentioning Prince Theorn would cause an explosion.
But the question still remained.
Why did Cedric care so much about who Aileen spoke to?
Why did he care who she connected with?
“…That’s not what matters right now.”
“So there is someone.”
“There isn’t. I just said that because you were being unbelievably stubborn. If you keep acting like this, then sure—I’ll go look for someone.”
Cedric gripped the armrest so hard the wood creaked ominously.
“If Zeon wants to be stubborn, then let him.”
“Cedric.”
“He’s old enough to think for himself. If he needs help, he’ll ask.”
“Cedr—”
“How much more patient are you planning to be? He’s supposed to be a marquess.”
Cedric flipped a document open and tried to focus again.
Aileen stared at him, baffled.
“I’ve been patient with you many times too.”
“So now you’re going to treat Zeon the same way?”
“Yeah.”
Cedric stopped turning the page.
The document slid from his hand, and he set his palm down weakly on the desk.
“Me. The same as him.”
Aileen thought she was imagining it—but Cedric looked genuinely hurt.
How could he be the one feeling wounded right now?
“I told you—you’re stubborn too. So why can’t you understand Zeon?”
“…Either way. No. You’re not going.”
Cedric was trying very hard not to crush the paper under his hand.
Hearing Aileen confirm that he was just another person she could “be patient with”—
It stung. Deeply.
In fact, his mood was rapidly sinking to rock bottom.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“Because I need you here.”
It wasn’t that he hated her going somewhere.
He hated the idea of her prioritizing anyone else above him.
He was becoming painfully aware of it:
He needed Aileen to see him as special.
Not replaceable.
Not second to anyone.
Just like how she was the only Aileen in the world for him—irreplaceable in every way.
“I need you too.”
Zeon Ribbonsher wasn’t the only one who could be needy.
Cedric was no different—at least when it came to Aileen.
Aileen didn’t know this, but Cedric realized it instantly from the moment he received the letter:
“He wants attention.”
He recognized the behavior.
Because he did it too—because Aileen was soft-hearted enough to respond when someone asked to be seen.
Cedric didn’t know Zeon well, but he knew this much:
He would not let someone else steal Aileen’s attention with that kind of tactic.
“…You need me?”
“Yes.”
Aileen froze completely.
She looked as if her anger had just… evaporated.
Cedric couldn’t handle the silence and opened his mouth to speak again—
But Aileen smiled first.
Barely visible, faint, but unmistakably a smile.
“You don’t need me. Nobody does.”
Cedric froze.
Her tone was so quietly sad that it cut off his instinct to argue.
“You can manage just fine on your own.”
“That’s not it.”
He didn’t know how to explain it.
It wasn’t the “help” people assumed he needed.
Cedric Lowell needed Aileen Cassier herself, entirely.
All of her.
“I just…”
But he couldn’t get the words out.
Something that had flowed easily before now felt impossibly stuck.
“…Let’s just go together.”
What finally came out was simple.
Unimpressive.
But honest.
He didn’t want to be apart from her.
So he suggested the easiest solution: don’t separate at all.
“Together? Aren’t you busy?”
“It’s fine. If I sort things quickly, we can leave as early as tomorrow.”
Aileen stared at him with calm, green eyes.
Her expression said clearly: You and I both know that’s impossible with the pile of paperwork on your desk.
Cedric rubbed his forehead and sighed.
“…Just wait a bit. I’ll make time.”
His voice was almost pleading.
Aileen’s faint smile deepened slightly.
“Okay. Then let’s do that. I’ll wait. Like you said, Zeon should be fine for now.”
Cedric exhaled in relief.
He wished they could have reached this point earlier.
If only things had gone this way from the start…
The moment the letter arrived, and Aileen immediately decided to leave him behind and run to Ribbonsher—
He hadn’t been able to control the sharp jealousy that stabbed through him.
“Don’t leave me behind.”
“I won’t. Don’t worry.”
He asked again, just to make sure, until Aileen finally laughed out loud before leaving the room.
Her laughter lingered long after she left.
Only Aileen could drag his mood into the dirt—
And only she could lift it straight up to the sky.
I…
He didn’t want to be shaken.
But helplessly, he was.
And—
He was starting to think he didn’t mind.
* * *
Even right before their departure for Ribbonsher, Cedric acted like Aileen would disappear the second he looked away.
Almost like he believed she’d climb over a wall and travel alone if he didn’t watch her carefully.
“Cedric. You said we’d go together. I keep my promises.”
“No, I just—
I was looking for a new place to spar. The training yard is boring.”
Aileen didn’t even bother reacting anymore.
Below the open window—left open to enjoy the spring breeze—Cedric paced back and forth like a guard dog.
If he had time to do that, he could’ve at least finished his work faster.
But every time he found a spare moment, he ended up wandering near her.
“Hm… what should I do?”
Aileen glanced at the wooden bird on her bedside table.
At this rate, she’d never get a moment alone to talk to Theorn again.
She had to avoid her maid, Mary—
And now Cedric was always appearing out of nowhere, too.
With the dreams she was having, and all the unpleasant feelings lingering…
She needed to contact him one more time.
But it wasn’t going to be easy.
