~Chapter 34~
Eileen suggested to Prince Theorn:
“If you tell me about Arwyn, I’ll tell you about the imperial capital and the royal family. As you may know, I’m of royal blood too, though from a branch line.”
Fortunately, she knew that Theorn was curious about the outside world. He wanted Arwyn to be ruled in a less isolated, more open way.
Theorn tilted his head slightly, as if trying to guess her real intention.
“…Alright.”
Theorn was a man who doubted everything and believed everyone had hidden motives. He was suspicious by nature. Eileen had only made the proposal to make it sound like a casual exchange of information, but she could not escape his sharp eyes that seemed to weigh and judge everything. Still, she was glad to talk with someone who knew nothing about the argument from last night’s banquet.
***
Meanwhile, as soon as Eileen left her room, Cedric buried his hands in his hair and let out a heavy sigh.
“Why is it always like this…?”
He hadn’t meant to argue with her about Diana’s disappearance. The truth was, Diana often vanished whenever she was upset, as if waiting for Cedric to come find her. Normally, with her impatience, she would have returned by now. But since she hadn’t, Cedric was growing uneasy.
Diana is my responsibility.
From his perspective, he wanted to fully support Diana. It was because he didn’t want her to know how cruel and heartless the world really was. He wanted to be her shield for as long as he could.
So why can’t Eileen just trust me to handle it?
Deep down, he knew Eileen wasn’t wrong. But what hurt more was the thought that he looked like someone who couldn’t solve problems without her interference. That thought drowned out everything else.
“Am I really that unreliable?”
Ever since he inherited the North, he had faced doubting eyes. Even during the Phinikel family rebellion, when he dismissed it lightly in front of Eileen, the doubts about his leadership were at their peak. But he overcame them, and finally people began to recognize him.
I’ve handled things on my own, I’ve proven myself… so why does she look at me with the same eyes as everyone else?
More than anyone, he had wanted Eileen to understand him—to see why he protected Diana and what it meant to him—not to judge him like the rest.
Why do I always act so childish whenever it comes to her…?
His emotions were in turmoil. He wanted to stay calm, but couldn’t.
‘We’re going to break off the engagement anyway. Yes… she said so herself. That’s what this is.’
If that was the case, maybe he should keep his distance. Just like he’d decided at first—draw a line, stop seeing her so often. Then maybe he wouldn’t feel like he had to choose between Diana and Eileen.
After making up his mind, Cedric finally left his room.
***
As soon as he stepped out, Cassel rushed up to him.
“Lord Cedric, the First Prince of Arwyn, has arrived.”
“…What? Already? Where is he now?”
“He said he wanted to take a short walk around the castle. Since the important areas are guarded, I allowed it.”
Cedric stopped in his tracks. He had been heading toward his office, absentmindedly rotating his sore wrist to check his condition.
“So you don’t know where he is now?”
“…No. Shall I go find him?”
Cedric had always trusted his instincts, and now he had a bad feeling. Something was wrong.
He immediately turned around.
“No. I’ll find him myself.”
“My lord—”
“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry.”
If the prince was near a guarded area, Cassel would have already reported it. That narrowed the options quickly.
Cedric’s mind flashed to the abandoned garden—the one no one had visited since his mother’s death. Without hesitation, he headed there.
It didn’t take long before he saw someone who looked like the First Prince.
“…Eileen?”
What surprised him wasn’t the prince, but the fact that Eileen was there with him. She didn’t seem to notice Cedric yet, but the prince did. Their eyes met, and the prince smiled faintly while continuing to speak to her.
They were standing far apart from eachother, true to the Arwyn royals’ habit of avoiding close contact. But that wasn’t what bothered Cedric.
Would you like it if I married someone else?
The question he had once asked Eileen came rushing back. But he had never asked her the opposite—whether she wanted to marry someone else. Because Eileen Cassiar did not appear to be the type to do so. She always looked so detached, almost enlightened.
Yet now, seeing her talk so comfortably with another man unsettled him. It even scared him.
The only thought in his head was that he needed to break the atmosphere between them.
He began to stride quickly toward them—until Eileen turned and their eyes met.
She was smiling, the kind of peaceful smile she wore when she read books. But when she saw him, the smile vanished instantly. He found himself desperately scanning her face, looking for any sign of it.
She rarely smiles like that.
Her emotions weren’t often visible, so every smile felt precious. Sometimes, when Cedric teased her with silly remarks, she’d give him that exact smile. He even did it on purpose sometimes, just to see it.
So, of course, seeing Theorn Arwyn draw it out so easily left him feeling bitter.
“Eileen…”
He called her name and moved forward, but she acted first. After saying a few words to the prince, she bowed and turned away without hesitation.
Just before leaving, she gave Cedric a cold, indifferent glance. The chill in it reminded him of their fight earlier.
Yes… it’s better this way. Keeping distance is better.
Their relationship had always been defined by boundaries. He needed to remember that.
Still, Cedric couldn’t help but hesitate as he finally stepped forward to stand before the prince.
“…I am Cedric Lowell. I heard you arrived while I was away. It is an honor to meet you.”
Yet even as he greeted Theorn Arwyn, his heart ached with the urge to run after Eileen.
