Chapter 72
“Cordelia, our estate is quite far. If you go and return, it could be dawn by then.”
But Cordelia, in true fashion of the kind-hearted heroine from the original novel, shook her head firmly.
“Coco is sick, I can’t send her alone. It’s a strange place, isn’t it? She doesn’t know anyone there, so at least I need to be with her.”
She wasn’t wrong. Coco had feelings too.
“Yes, thanks to your kind heart, Coco will surely get better soon.”
“Mother, please allow it.”
“No. I cannot let you go there alone. Please understand. She’s still just a young lady, isn’t she?”
They could simply go together.
Cordelia did have younger siblings—Odellia and Cohen.
And in a marquis household, there would be many servants, including nannies. They could just tell one of the attendants who came along on this trip to pass a message to the lord of the house. Tsk.
I was about to step in when Gerald spoke.
“Understood. Hand her over to me, Lady Cordelia Heather.”
Gerald held out both hands toward Cordelia. But Cordelia didn’t hand Coco over.
“Your Grace, I’ll go with you as well. Please allow it.”
“You? Then I shall guide you.”
As the adults engaged in their strange back-and-forth, Theodore slipped in between them and resolved the situation.
“Thank you, Your Grace. Mother, then I shall be off.”
“…! Cordelia!”
Cecile Heather spoke coldly.
“Our carriage is over this way.”
Despite Cecile’s stern warning, Theodore boldly led the way, and Cordelia followed behind him with Coco in her arms.
“Cordelia!”
Even at Cecile’s call, she did not stop.
Cecile Heather looked to me as if asking me to stop the young lord.
But I avoided her gaze. Gerald glanced briefly at Cecile, then said:
“Well then.”
He gave a small bow and extended his hand to me.
I took Gerald’s hand, and we left the place together.
“Please, take care on your way!”
Behind us, Madam Charnel’s farewell rang out.
“Chweet, chweet, chweet.”
The spring sky of Caricas was filled with warm sunlight.
The spring breeze of Caricas carried a sweet fragrance.
And the spring fields of Caricas chirped with the whispers of budding love.
Once Cecile Heather boarded the carriage as well, Gerald left on horseback, saying he would go to the magical farm first and make preparations.
He could have sent a servant instead, but the fact that he went himself was an act of courtesy.
Coco, nestled quietly in Cordelia’s arms, gazed with sad eyes at the peaceful fields of Caricas stretching into the distance, the sky, and the spring breeze flowing into the carriage.
But as Cordelia stroked her head and Theodore gently rubbed her back, she soon fell asleep.
“Mmngh…”
Even asleep, Coco sometimes whimpered in pain.
“Mrrngh.”
Myomyo, sensing something, lay flat on the carriage floor and let out a whine in sync whenever Coco whimpered.
Each time, Cordelia flinched and patted Coco’s head, while Theodore instinctively reached out to soothe Myomyo as well.
Cordelia’s healing ability was said to awaken at the age of sixteen.
Could it be that experiences like this in childhood contributed to it?
It wasn’t mentioned in the book, but judging by my experience, if a scary mother had abandoned a sick puppy, it might very well have been possible.
I looked at Cordelia with pity, then glanced at Theodore, who was now patting Myomyo.
Wait a second—if Theodore is five, and the crown prince is seven…
Ah! Cordelia is the same age as Theodore?
Oh-ho. The killer and the healer meeting. Interesting.
As I traced their history in the novel and indulged in my fan-girling thoughts, Cecile, who had been sitting primly, suddenly spoke.
“The lilac fragrance is lovely.”
“Is it?”
Earlier she had played the part of the haughty marchioness, reluctant to head toward the demon realm. But now her expression softened as she gazed at the grasses along the riverside swaying in the spring breeze.
“I remember those fields. When Emperor Julius was still alive, my parents would bring me to the magical farm on weekends.”
“Madam, do you know our grandfather?”
Theodore raised his head slightly and looked at Marchioness Cecile.
“I know him. Though I doubt he would know me, Your Grace.”
“I see.”
Theodore straightened his shoulders proudly, befitting his noble status.
Cordelia glanced at him. Feeling her gaze, Theodore turned to look back, and Cordelia quickly lowered her head.
Hmm? Her face looked a bit red—why?
Theodore turned to look at me.
Finally!
But then, he snapped his head away again.
Sigh. Still sulking. He holds grudges for so long—what should I do?
Ah! My secret weapon. Time to use it—indirectly, through someone else.
“Cordelia, would you like some candy?”
Yes—the hard candy I had finally managed to get the servants to make!
With these candies that Theodore loved, I could both win Cordelia’s favor and melt Theodore’s anger.
“Candy?”
I pulled out a small wooden box I always carried in my pocket and offered the colorful candies inside.
“Pick one. Pretty, isn’t it?”
Cordelia looked at it with curiosity, but Cecile quickly interjected.
“Beautiful. Are they marbles?”
“No. These are candies that Woody Gemo makes just for Theodore.”
Theodore proudly tapped his chest as he said “for me, Theodore.”
Oh, so cute. Even sulking, he knows stepmother is the best.
“Wow.”
Cordelia gasped in admiration, then looked up at me in awe before peeking back into the box.
“Yes, they’re made for the young lord. A sweet treat that melts softly in your mouth.”
“Where did you purchase such things?” Cecile asked again.
Theodore flared up.
“Purchase? Madam, you’re not listening properly. Let me explain again! Woody Gemo makes them by hand for me, the young lord. Every single day.”
He stressed the “every single day” with great pride.
But—
“That is quite a rare hobby.”
There was something prickly about Cecile’s tone.
Still, this wasn’t the time to bother with her. Since Theodore was emphasizing it so much, I had a chance to deliver my heartfelt devotion.
“For the young lord, I’d do anything. Making treats is nothing at all.”
I curved my lips into a charming smile and looked at Theodore.
Darling, isn’t it time to forgive me? Please, look at your poor mother.
But instead of looking at me, Theodore turned to Cordelia, opening his mouth like a baby bird.
“Ah… say ‘ah’.”
“Y-yes?”
“Say ‘ah’.”
Cordelia glanced at Cecile, who gave her a small nod.
Cordelia opened her little mouth slightly, and Theodore quickly popped a candy inside.
“See? My stepmother always feeds me like this.”
Cordelia, now with candy in her mouth, didn’t know what to do.
“Just suck on it with your tongue. Then the sweet juice will come out.”
Then Theodore opened his own mouth with an “ah.”
Oh-ho. Look at this kid.
I quickly grabbed a strawberry candy—his favorite—to pop into his mouth. But he snapped his mouth shut and shook his head.
“Lady Cordelia will do it.”
“Theo?”
I looked at him in shock, while Cordelia widened her eyes and glanced at Cecile.
This brat—he’s really determined to tease me, huh?
Theodore held his mouth open toward Cordelia, waiting like a chick.
Oh my god.
The sight was so cute and funny I almost teared up.
“Cordelia, since His Grace fed you directly, you must return the favor.”
For some reason, Cecile sided with Theodore.
Cordelia carefully glanced at the wooden box.
Sigh, our grudge-holding son. Fine then.
“The young lord likes the red strawberry flavor, Cordelia.”
Cordelia picked up a red candy with her pale fingers and gently placed it in Theodore’s mouth.
Theodore nodded in satisfaction, then turned away to stare out the carriage window again.
As he sucked happily, Cordelia, emboldened, followed his example.
As a girl raised with noble etiquette, she seemed embarrassed by the slurping sound, so she sucked quietly—until the sweetness spread on her tongue. Then her eyes widened, and she eagerly began to suck on it, “slurp, slurp.”
Theodore smiled and nodded.
“Slurp, slurp.”
“Slurp, slurp.”
The two children shared glances and smiles as they enjoyed the sweetness together. Their round cheeks bulged, and their little mouths puckered as they sucked diligently.
But when Cordelia smiled at Theodore with sparkling eyes, Theodore suddenly turned to look at me.
Then, displeased, he shook his head and deliberately plucked out my favorite—yellow lemon flavor.
“Ah.”
Good heavens, he was telling me to say “ah.” This was my chance. I quickly opened my mouth.
“Pop!”
But with a mischievous grin, Theodore popped the sour lemon candy right into his own mouth.
My eyes drooped in disappointment. Then he stretched out his palm.
What now?
I meekly handed him the candy box. Theodore took it—and gave it to Cordelia.
In that instant, a cold breeze swept past my heart.
“Eat plenty. At Woody Castle, these aren’t even considered proper snacks. There are much tastier things there.”
Cordelia accepted the box nervously and looked to me.
“It’s fine. You can have them, Cordelia. It seems the young lord wants to be friends with you.”
“Of course! Don’t worry. I’ll always be number one to my stepmother, so I can spare these.”
Cordelia relaxed at my encouragement, blushing deeply. She tried to say something but the candy in her mouth was too big, so she bowed her head shyly in thanks.
But the way she kept stealing glances at Theodore—something about it felt unusual.
In the original story, Cordelia had fallen for Alfred because of his quiet, reserved demeanor during their childhood study sessions.
But judging from her expression now, was she perhaps falling for our Theodore?
What was this?
Could it be that I had just offered Alfred’s destined lover to the devil himself?
The thought that I might have just gravely distorted the original story made my heart sink.
