Chapter 20
“…Am I being too selfish?”
At that moment, Calix’s face popped into Cedric’s mind—the same Calix who had been gently holding Odelia’s wrist and speaking to her earlier.
It was as vivid as a painting, right down to the subtle distance between their fingertips, and Cedric found himself grinding his teeth without even realizing it.
The Crown Prince and the Baron. Beyond their clear social status difference, Cedric felt a very real, unmistakable jealousy—as a man, toward another man.
The way he held her hand, met her eyes, and leaned his shoulder while smiling—it all irritated him. This wasn’t about power or status; this was about emotions. The heart.
“…I was first.”
He muttered that under his breath, then quickly shook his head as if realizing how foolish it sounded.
“I shouldn’t be thinking like this…”
What sort of irreverent thought is this, toward His Highness the Crown Prince? Feeling childish jealousy, he lowered his head deeply.
What does it matter who came first? That dim-witted girl probably wouldn’t even care.
A self-deprecating voice escaped him, muffled by the alcohol in his system.
“That idiot… she’s probably getting it wrong somewhere again…”
Even as he said that, a faint smile broke through on Cedric’s lips. Thinking of Odelia again, the irritation faded, replaced by something warmer.
He reached for the bottle on the table to drink again when a voice reached him from afar.
“But tell me, Lady Odelia… she’s still a virgin, right?”
“Eh, how old do you think I am?”
“Still, you’ve been in the war all this time.”
“That’s exactly why she wouldn’t be a virgin. Look around—full of men, isn’t it? Surviving alone as a woman isn’t easy. She’s just pretending to be innocent. Women like that tend to be… sneaky.”
Bang—
The bottle flew off the table with a crash. When one of the men startled and jumped up, Cedric had already grabbed him by the collar. Chaos erupted around them, and someone tried to intervene—but it was too late.
“How dare you mention Odelia’s name with that filthy mouth?”
“W-what?! Let go of me!”
“Lord Cedric! Do you know whose collar you’re grabbing?! Let go immediately!”
Ignoring them, Cedric punched the man squarely in the face. Thwack! Something bounced off the floor with a ping.
“Argh! My teeth!”
“Unlike you cowards who cowered in fear, I’m a hero who defended the country! You bastards dare to harass Odelia!”
Cedric struck the man’s face several more times with his fists, determined not to let it slide.
Even if Odelia teased him, that was her perspective. In reality, Cedric was taller and stronger than most men. The only reason Calix had been beside Odelia earlier was circumstance—Cedric wasn’t a weak man who would fall easily anywhere.
Others rushed to stop him. Even the club guards tried, but restraining Cedric wasn’t easy. Of course, these men had no real combat experience, and their fencing skills were merely a hobby.
In an instant, the social club turned into chaos. Expensive chandeliers swayed, tables overturned, and screams and curses filled the air.
In the end, Cedric was the one who got thrown out. The others were sons of counts, while Cedric was a provincial noble with little influence in the capital. Five guards and three noblemen had to team up just to push him out.
As soon as Cedric stepped outside, rain began to fall steadily. His thin shirt quickly soaked through, and wet hair clung to his forehead.
Wandering the back alleys with nowhere to go, he suddenly lost his balance and collapsed onto the ground.
Limply sprawled, arms outstretched, cold ground beneath him, rain pouring—he lay there like a wet rat, staring at the blurred sky.
Then he saw it. A shadow fell across his half-closed eyes.
A familiar presence quietly approached through the rain.
He opened his eyes slightly and saw Calix standing there, holding an umbrella, completely dry and perfectly dressed, silently looking down at him.
“…Your Highness Calix?”
“Why did you recklessly throw your fists like that?”
His tone was light as usual, but sharp criticism lay beneath it.
Cedric looked up through wet strands of hair, mumbling in a daze,
“You… saw everything…?”
Then, overcome with emotion, he sprang to his feet.
“How could I just stand there and do nothing?! They were deliberately harassing Odelia! How could I just listen and do nothing?!”
Calix silently observed him. Cedric’s voice grew more agitated.
“If Your Highness had been there… wouldn’t you have said just one word to shut them up? Odelia trusts and follows you… If you don’t protect her at times like this, when would you?”
Calix spoke without blinking.
“What happened inside stays inside. They know shame, and they pretend to be proper outside—it’s nothing new.”
Cedric’s eyes widened. He couldn’t think of any irreverence now.
“So… you mean I should pretend I didn’t hear it?!”
Calix replied very calmly.
“Yes. That’s right. If you don’t tell her, Odelia won’t even know those men were harassing her.”
“….”
“If you went and told her everything, you’d just be a messenger. Would you want her to think, ‘He fought for me; he cares for me’—something like that?”
“N-no, that’s not it…”
“Odelia only worries about you. She saw you get beaten and thrown out like a pathetic fool.”
Cedric’s eyes burned red as Calix’s cold words kept coming. He shouted in frustration.
“Your Highness, that’s too much! Don’t you care for Odelia at all?! You say I shouldn’t tell her, but she needs to know how these men are treating her!”
Calix’s tone remained calm.
“If you truly care for Odelia, all the more reason not to tell her. The moment she knows, it will hurt her.”
Cedric couldn’t hold back.
“Then what would Your Highness do?!”
Without answering, Calix grabbed Cedric by the collar and pulled him close.
His eyes, previously hidden under the umbrella, were now visible. Cedric flinched and swallowed hard.
“That’s none of your concern, Cedric.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Calix flung open the carriage door and pushed Cedric inside.
Through the carriage window, Cedric watched Calix’s retreating figure, standing firm under the umbrella, unaffected even by the rain.
‘What kind of power… is that…’
He slowly rubbed his neck, still feeling the strength from when Calix had grabbed him.
He recalled Calix’s eyes, calm and cold in tone, but burning with deep anger.
The next morning.
Odelia, still half-asleep and in her pajamas, came down to the first floor. Her hair was wildly tousled, and her footsteps were quick and heavy.
As she descended the stairs, she froze at the low voices coming from the living room. The Dowager Grand Duchess was conversing with someone.
‘Who could that be so early in the morning?’
Peeking into the living room with a tilted head, Odelia’s eyes widened. Sitting across the table was none other than Calix.
“…!”
Their eyes met, and Odelia flinched, immediately shouting,
“W-wait! I’ll just change and be right down!”
She dashed back upstairs, making the ceiling tremble slightly with her rush. The Dowager Grand Duchess clicked her tongue in disapproval.
“She just won’t learn. I’ve warned her so many times.”
Calix calmly said,
“It doesn’t matter. Let it be. The house is strong enough to handle it.”
The Dowager Grand Duchess sighed deeply.
“Your Highness, you are overprotective.”
Calix turned his gaze out the distant window. The busy street came into view.
Quietly observing the people below, he muttered in a very low voice, almost as if speaking to himself,
“…I am aware.”
