Chapter 08
“What exactly do you plan to do after divorcing me?”
“Do I have to do something specific after getting a divorce?”
I retorted immediately. Cedric narrowed his eyes, seemingly displeased with my response. He appeared to be in a bad mood because of the mention of divorce.
“And what is this? Why were you looking into things about me?”
“I wanted to know what you wanted.”
I momentarily lost my words at the sight of his blue eyes blinking at me. They say you get tongue-tied when someone is too handsome, and it seemed to be true.
Cedric wasn’t even wearing anything warm, just a loose shirt. The frills revealed his firm chest. My gaze naturally drifted downward, and I snapped to attention as I asked,
“…Wh, why?”
Even so, my voice trembled noticeably.
I knew that pretending to be fine wouldn’t work on him.
Whenever I saw his disheveled black hair barely hiding his eyes, and the long eyelashes peeking through, my heart would tremble.
Was that all? Whenever I met those blue eyes looking up at me occasionally, I couldn’t think of anything else.
‘How can a man be this pretty and handsome?’
They say things look prettier from a distance, but that wasn’t the case. Cedric was handsome from afar and even more so up close. His slightly tanned skin, broad shoulders, and arms too thick for his shirt.
He propped his chin on his hand and pushed the document towards me.
“Do I need a reason? I did it because I wanted to look good to you.”
I inhaled sharply at Cedric’s words. Did this man know what he was saying? His clear blue eyes sparkled as if he knew nothing.
‘Hmm, probably not.’
It was likely different from what I was thinking. This wasn’t important, so I decided to move on.
I crossed my arms and stared at the document he handed over.
‘…1000 gold was already a lot, but 2000 gold?’
Was this man crazy? I blinked again in disbelief. The numbers were correct.
“How am I supposed to spend all this!”
“Why can’t you? The North has everything you need.”
“It’s too overwhelming!”
“…Overwhelming. Do you think a husband shouldn’t do this much for his wife?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Claire, I don’t understand why you reject me so much. You said it’s not because you lack anything, nor because you’re dissatisfied with our nights together.”
Cedric stood up and walked around the desk. I instinctively stepped back. Something about his demeanor had subtly changed.
‘Since that day in the forest, he’s really been acting strange.’
I swallowed hard and took another step back. His blue eyes seemed to burn with a fierce intensity. If more animals came, it would be impossible to hide my abilities. And the garden would undoubtedly become a bloody mess.
“If it’s not that…”
With nowhere left to retreat, I pressed against the wall and looked up at him. My hands were neatly folded over my chest.
“Do you just dislike me?”
Gulp.
I swallowed and held my breath, trapped between his hands. It felt like even breathing wrong would be a mistake.
“D-Dislike…”
I didn’t have the courage to look him in the eye and say I disliked him. I lowered my gaze as if I had no hostility, my eyelashes trembled, and I wrapped one arm around myself.
“Dislike?”
He closed the distance even more as he asked.
Say you dislike him! You can do it! There’s no better rejection than saying it to his face. I raised my head quickly but lowered it again when I met his blue eyes.
“…That’s not it.”
With eyes that looked like they would devour me, I felt like a rabbit about to be hunted.
My heart pounded wildly, perhaps out of fear. I shrank back and watched Cedric’s every move. I was stuck to the wall, unable to do anything but freeze in place.
His large hand lifted my chin. I had been avoiding his gaze, but now I was forced to look up at him.
“I told you back then.”
I blinked slowly.
‘What?’
His eyes narrowed even more, seemingly annoyed by my blank expression. Then, with a deflated look, he stepped back.
“…If that’s not it, then fine.”
The heated air between us cooled instantly as he stepped back. Somehow, I felt a pang of regret.
‘…Regret?’
Was I really feeling regret? Shocked, I shook my head vigorously. Was it because Cedric was acting strange? I seemed to be acting strange too.
“T-Then, I’ll be going! Anyway! Don’t bring any more animals to the garden!”
Bang.
I quickly closed the door and ran to my room with a flushed face.
❖ ❖ ❖
Since that day, I had been avoiding Cedric, so we rarely crossed paths. The problem was that animals kept flocking to the garden, having tasted its delights.
“Get away from me!”
“Tweet, tweet.” (Give me rice.)
“I put food in the feeder over there.”
“Tweet, tweet, tweet!” (I’m tired of grains. Who eats grains these days? I want fresh white rice.)
“Grains are more expensive. They’re good for you, so just eat them.”
“Tweet!” (Cheapskate!)
Seriously, these birds. They were picky about food every day because I had spoiled them. Birds being picky about grains when it’s hard to find proper grains in the forest.
I had to walk around with a parasol because they kept pecking around my head. Being threatened by birds… What a life.
“Growl.” (I want meat too.)
“Go hunt in the forest. Why are you, a predator, begging for food instead of hunting?”
The black leopard rubbed its face against my leg and purred. It was behavior unbecoming of its size.
I shook my head and sipped my tea.
“Ah, so boring.”
As I leaned back in my chair and looked up at the sky, I saw blue eyes even bluer than the sky.
“W-Wha…! What?!”
I was going to fall. I was going to fall. As my shrill scream filled the garden, Cedric firmly grabbed my chair and set it upright as if nothing had happened.
“It’s been hard to see you lately, wife.”
“…Has it?”
For some reason, I felt a cold sweat down my back. I had been avoiding him on purpose, but he seemed very busy as well. I didn’t know why, but he attended training sessions more diligently. He seemed to have a lot on his mind… I couldn’t ask what was bothering him.
“I have something to discuss, so don’t be so tense.”
Cedric said as he sat down beside me. It had been a while since I faced him, and he looked quite exhausted. Still, his handsome face remained the same.
“Is something wrong?”
“I think I have to participate in this war.”
“…What? Why?”
He didn’t answer my question right away. Maybe he was thinking. Was he trying to avoid hearing me ask for a divorce, as I had whenever we made eye contact?
He wasn’t that thoughtless.
But suddenly saying he would join the war? I didn’t understand why he had to go to the battlefield. Was it because of some unfavorable condition added due to our marriage?
“This wasn’t part of the deal. Didn’t you say you wouldn’t have to go to war after we got married? Is it because of me… that you’re going?”
“It’s not because of you, so don’t worry. The Emperor’s orders are not just for me.”
I nodded at Cedric’s words. But being drafted to the battlefield seemed too dangerous…
“Do you really have to go? Ignoring the Emperor’s orders isn’t an option, right?”
“This will be the last time. I won’t leave you alone in the mansion again.”
Still, I didn’t want him to go to war. Something felt off, and I wanted to stop him. Without realizing it, I grabbed his collar and said,
“Just don’t go.”
“……”
He chuckled softly, looking at my hand holding his collar.
“Are you worried about me now? When you’ve been pushing me away all this time.”
He gently wrapped his arm around my waist and leaned in. His breath tickled my face as he spoke.
“You keep confusing me.”
Confusing him?
I leaned back as his face drew closer. He smiled with his eyes and lightly touched my lips with his finger.
“Don’t even think about running away or planning an escape.”
“Huh…?”
“Don’t hold onto the false hope that you can leave this place even if I’m not here. One more thing.”
We were close enough that our lips could touch. I lowered my gaze and stared at his red lips.
“If you don’t like it, push me away.”
With that, he pressed his lips against mine.
It was the first time I felt his warmth since our wedding night. Strangely, I couldn’t push him away. His gentle hand caressing my back and his eyes fully focused on me seemed to captivate me.
It was a very strange day.
