Chapter 76
Kess Dorian always considered himself good at reading people.
But today, he realized he might have been wrong.
…I misunderstood.
At first, he assumed Cedric simply disliked Aileen because of the engagement—that he was resentful and taking it out on her.
“Are you really going to the capital?”
But just looking at Cedric’s expression—nervously tapping the armrest while staring at Aileen, who was deep in thought—Kess realized he had been completely mistaken.
It was as if Cedric’s whole life depended on Aileen’s answer.
“Maybe. I might.”
Even that vague reply made cracks appear in Cedric’s expression.
If you had to decide who held emotional “power” in this relationship, the answer was crystal clear.
Emotionally speaking… Cedric was the one being swept along.
Every single thing Cedric had done since Kess entered the room proved it.
Whatever Aileen said, whatever she did—Cedric’s focus never left her.
And now he sees me as a threat.
As soon as Kess said he’d take Aileen to the palace, Cedric had immediately jumped in, as if protecting something precious.
It was almost like Cedric considered Kess a danger—though only Cedric knew what kind of danger he thought Kess represented.
While Kess sorted his thoughts, the two continued talking, as if he wasn’t even there.
“You want to go back after coming all the way here?”
“I came here partly because I felt like I didn’t have a place in the capital.”
“You said you came for me.”
The words sounded arrogant at first, but the faintly sulky tone revealed a very different meaning.
“I know.”
Aileen responded calmly, like she was used to this from him.
“This time, it’s my turn to help someone else important to me.”
“I’m important to you?”
“Of course.”
Even after her honest answer, Cedric still looked like he didn’t believe it.
Ah… so that’s the problem.
The reason their relationship looked bad even though it wasn’t—
Aileen was simply not the type who showed her emotions openly. To anyone.
Cedric Lowell was the complete opposite.
So her calmness made him anxious. From Kess’s perspective, the fact that Aileen was even hesitating like this already proved how much she valued Cedric.
Cedric just didn’t know that, in Aileen’s life, he held a more important place than he realized.
“You look like you need time to think.”
Kess purposely cut in.
Both Cedric and Aileen turned their eyes toward him at the same time.
“No.”
He stood up to leave, but Aileen raised her hand to stop him.
Her expression carried a rare stubbornness.
“I’ll go. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him.”
“Aileen.”
“Cedric. This is my decision.”
Aileen seemed confused by his behavior, unable to understand why he was reacting like this.
Then Cedric suddenly said something even stranger.
“…You’re not coming back.”
This time, Aileen did understand him.
She even looked troubled.
“Cedric, we…”
Knock—knock—
Whatever secret there was between them, Kess realised he would never know it.
“Come in.”
Cedric’s aide entered, looking serious.
“My lord, you need to come out for a moment.”
“What is it?”
“A kitchen maid has confessed about the poisoning incident.”
“Already? That easily?”
It hadn’t been long since Cedric ordered a full investigation.
Almost like someone cut off the trail before we dug deeper…
Still, for Mary’s sake, it was better if the culprit was revealed quickly.
But this was too fast—unnaturally fast.
Cedric stood first, practically ending the conversation.
“I’ll go see her.”
***
❖ Cedric: Interrogation
Cedric wasn’t retreating.
He had no intention of letting this go.
He simply needed the family chaos settled before he tried to convince Aileen to stay.
“It was an accident?”
Cedric’s cold question made the young maid—a brown-haired girl with faint freckles—nod awkwardly.
“Yes… I thought it was a jar of sugar… I didn’t know it was rat poison…”
“So you moved it to the shelf?”
“Yes. Really, I didn’t know.”
It was an impossible mistake.
Cedric rolled the poison jar in his hand.
It clearly said RAT POISON in large letters.
“It says so right here.”
“I… I can’t read…”
“You can’t read at all?”
Servants in the inner manor were expected to read basic labels.
Most learned quickly because they needed it.
Meaning—this girl must have been hired very recently.
“I told everyone not to hire new people for now.”
No wonder she didn’t look familiar.
“I’m sorry. Her circumstances were… pitiful. I offered her a job.”
The head cook stepped in, sensing Cedric’s growing anger.
Cedric’s grip tightened on the jar until it looked like it might shatter.
“My mistake. She’s Sir Yulin’s niece. He died in battle five years ago, leaving her to care for several siblings.”
Cassel stepped in, and Cedric finally loosened his grip.
“Sir Yulin… the one who died heroically five years ago?”
“Yes.”
Cassel gave Cedric a meaningful look. Cedric understood.
“…Fine.”
The Lowell family had always taken care of soldiers’ families.
Their people served with the belief that Lowell would protect their own.
That was the identity of the Lowells—not Cedric’s father’s way, but the family’s way.
Cedric could not question the hiring any further.
“But we can’t let this go.”
“Exactly. Lady Aileen could have been seriously harmed.”
Shing—
Sir Dane had half-drawn his sword.
Cedric shot him a look, and the terrified maid fell to the floor with a hiccup.
“I—I’m sorry… I’ll never do it again… just spare me… I—I was stupid—”
“That’s enough. Your mistake doesn’t disappear.”
Sir Dane stepped closer, but Cedric looked down at the trembling girl.
If someone had died, it would be different.
But in the end, no one had been harmed.
Besides…
Cedric made his decision.
“No. Don’t punish her like that. Move her out of the kitchen. Give her the lowest chores outside the inner manor.”
“My lord—”
“Sir Dane.”
Cedric didn’t raise his voice.
He didn’t need to.
Dane backed down.
The maid kept bowing frantically.
“I’m so sorry—thank you—I’ll work hard—”
“That’s enough. Dismissed.”
Cedric exhaled, tired.
This was the most practical solution publicly.
“Cassel.”
When the others had left, Cedric gave a quiet order.
“Tell Aaron to watch her.”
“You think it wasn’t an accident.”
“If she were careless and timid, she wouldn’t make that kind of mistake. Not unless she never touched the jar at all.”
Her quick confession also felt off.
Cedric felt the weight of too many overlapping problems pressing down.
“There’s rarely true coincidence.”
Something was happening beneath the surface—something he hadn’t seen yet.
He needed to find it.
“If there’s someone behind her, they’ll try to silence her now that she’s exposed.”
That was why he needed Aaron—the most capable knight, someone who could handle anything.
Cedric rolled his neck, exhausted.
“Not a single quiet day…”
“Apologies, but there is one more matter.”
Cassel hesitated.
“What now?”
“A messenger has arrived from the Marquis of Ribbonshire.”
“Ribbonshire?”
Cedric’s tone sharpened instantly.
It was the family involved in the incident that almost took Aileen from him.
And now they dared to come again?
Why was every family member suddenly so desperate to take Aileen away?
