WHM | Chapter 47

~Chapter 47~

Not long after Eileen and Cedric left, a group of people arrived late in the evening. Diana didn’t feel like rushing to greet them, so she just stared at the man sitting at the front of the group on his horse.

“Welcome, Baron.”

“Cassel? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Lord Cedric ordered me to stay here.”

The Baron lightly jumped off his horse, and Diana noticed that his left hand was stiff. He had a black glove on, and if you weren’t looking closely, you wouldn’t notice anything. But the way he instinctively pulled his hand back was a clear sign it was a weakness.

“You were acting like you couldn’t live without following Cedric around last time I saw you.”

“Now that his fiancée is here, it’s different.”

“You said she was from the Cashier family, huh? It looks like she has earned his trust quickly.”

“…She has the right temperament to be the future Duchess.”

“Good to hear.”

A dry conversation passed between Cassel Ronon, Cedric’s assistant, and Chester Lowell. The Baron, a tall man with pale blonde hair, looked even more intimidating due to the scar on his cheek. His blue eyes scanned the surroundings.

“Ugh.”

Diana had been hiding behind a pillar, but she was a moment too late. Chester nodded for Cassel to go ahead, then approached her.

Since she had been spotted, Diana had to greet him first. She stepped out and bowed slightly.

“Hello, Baron.”

“Ah, Diana. It’s been a while. How have you been? And Cedric?”

Diana was surprised by how kindly he spoke. He wasn’t rude, but he never really showed interest in her before. Cedric’s father would always kneel down and ask if she was doing well when he returned to the castle. But Chester Lowell always just gave her an unreadable look and nodded.

“…I’m doing well, and so is Cedric.”

“Have you met Cedric’s fiancée?”

“Yes. She looks like a real noblewoman.”

Without thinking, Diana immediately blurted out her first impression of Eileen. Chester smiled briefly, almost like Cedric. Although his expression was much sharper and more calculating.

“Didn’t Cedric make things awkward between you two?”

“Well…”

Diana rolled her eyes. Chester, however, unexpectedly crouched down and put a hand on both her shoulders.

“You can tell me if Cedric upset you. I’ll have a word with him.”

Where Cedric’s father was a symbol of silence, Chester Lowell was a symbol of coldness. Cedric had always tried to be more formal and restrained, unlike his true self. Diana thought he was still in the process of figuring himself out.

Looking at Chester now, Diana thought he was trying to mimic the previous Duke’s stoic demeanor. But it was always his older brother, not Chester, who gave her candies and patted her head as he passed by.

‘I miss the Duke.’

Diana thought of Cedric’s father for the first time in a while. She had never mentioned him in front of Cedric. He always tried to act tough and never showed sadness. Even though Cedric’s eyes were red from crying, he never let a tear fall at the Duke’s grave. Diana had cried her heart out while Cedric stayed silent.

But sometimes, Cedric would disappear, and Diana would see him returning from the Duke’s grave, behind the castle. It was a regular occurrence.

Meanwhile, Chester seemed to think Diana was silent out of hesitation. He nodded, understanding her feelings, and spoke.

“Anyone who came would probably be annoyed that Cedric has another girl around him while he’s engaged.”

“…Me?”

“You see, having another woman close to him, especially his fiancée, could make things uncomfortable.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Diana blinked in confusion. No one had ever said anything like this before.

Chester added with an almost polite tone.

“Well, because you’ll be Cedric’s wife.”

Diana thought carefully about his words. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand, but it still felt strange.

“I don’t feel that way about Cedric. If he seriously tried to discuss marriage with me, he’d run away before I could sit down. He’d hate it.”

Eww. Diana had never thought about Cedric that way. She couldn’t feel any romantic attraction to him, especially considering how much they had seen and gone through together.

“I thought so, but it doesn’t matter. What’s important is whether the future Duchess wants you here or not.”

“…Well, Lady Eileen doesn’t seem to want to kick me out.”

Diana almost slipped and called Eileen “Eileen unni” without thinking. But even though she was asked to be comfortable, she still couldn’t address her so casually. Looking into Eileen’s green eyes made her want to speak more formally.

“Of course, no one would openly try to push away someone important to their fiancé.”

Chester patted her head and turned to leave, adding in a cryptic tone:

“Not everything you see is what it seems, Diana.”

His words left an uncomfortable feeling lingering in the air as he walked away. Diana couldn’t help but think about it.

‘What is he trying to say?’

Diana hadn’t felt this unsettled in a while. She went back to her room, staring at the wool yarn on the table.

‘Is this really interesting?’

‘It’s comforting. It helps me think.’

Diana had started knitting after seeing Eileen do it. Eileen had learned it from her grandmother. One day, Eileen casually handed her the yarn and said she could use it.

‘Can I keep it?’

‘Sure. I have nothing else to do.’

Eileen didn’t seem like the type of person who would be enthusiastic, but she didn’t push Diana away either.

Diana had noticed how Eileen seemed tired of life, like there was no meaning left in the world for her. She also realized that the reason she kept coming to Eileen was that she felt a sense of connection with her.

‘Am I being too noisy?’

‘Not at all. Feel free to keep talking.’

‘Weren’t you reading?’

‘I’ve already read this book many times.’

Diana suddenly understood why Eileen felt familiar to her. It reminded her of when her mother had been bedridden, slowly losing her life. But Eileen was alive, healthy even. Still, she seemed to carry the same hopelessness as someone who had already given up on life.

‘Can I come again?’

‘…Sure, whenever you want.’

Eileen wasn’t very affectionate, but she didn’t push Diana away either. Diana started to feel like maybe it wasn’t so bad to have Eileen in this world that once only had her and Cedric.

After all, it felt better to co-exist peacefully than to just exist out of obligation.

“…I guess I might be a little annoying, huh?”

Diana frowned, feeling a little down. She thought she should’ve greeted Eileen properly from the start.

If Eileen really disliked her, she would be disappointed, but it was hard to hate her back because Eileen hadn’t done anything wrong.

Diana found herself sitting alone, slowly untangling the yarn.