Chapter 77
Snow covered the world like the last decoration of winter.
Ignoring the doctor’s advice to rest a few more days, Diana had run outside, claiming she felt “stuffy,” and this immediately caught Cedric’s attention.
He instinctively took a step toward her—then froze.
“Diana, you’re still… not well yet…”
“…It’s snowing.”
He stopped because Eileen appeared behind Diana, nagging her for running out.
They had walked into the courtyard without noticing Cedric watching them from the balcony.
“Diana.”
Eileen’s sighful voice sounded strangely similar to his own when he scolded someone.
Cedric stared blankly at Eileen’s hair as snowflakes piled up on it. She calmly brushed them off and stepped only where the snow was thinner, like she had lived her whole life in a place like this.
‘If everything could just stay exactly like this…’
He thought it would be perfect. A peaceful moment, frozen in time—no worries, no threats, nothing to fear.
“Diana, do you have to walk through all this snow?”
“There’s an herb I need to find.”
“I doubt anything’s survived out here. Everything should be frozen.”
“Nope. This one survives under the snow.”
Cedric knew reality better than anyone. Even Diana was preparing for her own future—yet he was stuck in the past, unable to move forward.
“Cedric.”
That was when Eileen looked back and their eyes met.
“Cedric? Oh wow, you’re actually here. What are you doing?”
“Just… felt restless.”
“Really?”
Diana didn’t care about his weak reply; she bounced toward him happily.
“Then do you want to come with us?”
“No, I…”
Normally, he would never hesitate like this.
But the news he had to give Eileen weighed heavily on his mind, and he didn’t know how to say it.
“Diana, could you go alone? I need to talk to Cedric.”
Of course. Eileen read him instantly. That was why he had wanted to avoid her.
The moment she saw him, she would know something was wrong—before he even said anything.
“You two aren’t fighting again, right?”
“No.”
“We’ll see.”
Cedric said no, Eileen sounded unsure.
Cedric forced himself to look away from Eileen’s green eyes and turned to Diana.
“Why would you think we’re fighting?”
“Your… vibe. It’s weird.”
She pointed directly at him.
“What nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense. You’re acting needlessly dramatic.”
Then she mimicked him—crossing her arms and lowering her voice.
“Like this. Acting all grown-up…”
“Just go already.”
He had to get rid of Diana first. There was no chance of a serious conversation while she hovered around.
Eileen must have felt the same, because she smiled softly.
“It’s okay, Diana. Go ahead. Don’t go too far.”
“Fine. But don’t fight while I’m gone.”
Diana fluttered away like a golden-haired bird.
Silence quickly wrapped around the remaining two.
“Should I come up there?”
“No. Let’s walk over there instead.”
He couldn’t risk anyone overhearing.
Even as they descended the stairs, Cedric struggled to choose his words.
‘I should tell her directly… It’s not something I can put off.’
His hand brushed against the thick envelope in his pocket.
He hated how long he’d hesitated.
Wishing the white snow could bury all his troubles was pointless—he needed to tell her now.
***
Cedric’s news shook Eileen completely.
Even though she had prepared herself for many possibilities, this was not one of them.
“What? Who passed away?”
“The Marchioness Dowager of Ribbonsher.”
Eileen asked again and again, unable to believe it, but Cedric’s answer never changed.
“How? Why…?”
“They say her illness worsened too fast to do anything. At least, that’s what the Ribbonsher messenger said.”
No one knew what had truly happened inside the Ribbonsher household.
When Eileen met Cedric’s eyes, she could see he was thinking the same thing she was.
The Marchioness Dowager had not looked that weak the last time Eileen saw her. Older, yes, but not bedridden.
“She left something for you.”
But that wasn’t the most urgent issue.
Cedric watched as Eileen took several slow breaths. Then he pulled out a crumpled brown envelope and handed it to her.
Eileen opened it without thinking.
“A letter…? And this… what is this?”
She flipped the envelope and a silver ring dropped into her hand. The moment she recognized it, she jumped back in shock.
The ring rolled across the ground and half-buried itself in the snow.
“Oh my god… no way. That can’t be…”
Tell me I’m mistaken. Tell me it’s not what I think.
But Cedric crushed that hope instantly.
“You’re right. It’s exactly what you think.”
While Eileen stared in disbelief, Cedric calmly bent down, brushed the snow off, and picked up the ring.
It glowed brightly against his leather glove—an official signet ring of the Ribbonsher House, engraved with a crow spreading its wings.
“Why is that here?”
“Read the letter first.”
“But—”
Cedric simply nodded toward the letter. Patient, controlled. Eileen was the opposite—shocked and overwhelmed.
He waited quietly as she read the page over and over again.
“Cedric… this is a lie, right?”
“No. I checked it multiple times.”
“This is impossible. This is…”
Eileen could not believe the Marchioness Dowager would make such a choice.
The letter began calmly:
—If someone is reading this, then it means I have died too suddenly to prepare anything for the future.
However, regarding Ribbonsher’s future, I have made one firm decision…
And it ended with something unbelievable:
—As the acting head and true final authority of Ribbonsher, I appoint Eileen Cassier as legal guardian of Zeon Ribbonsher.
The stamp at the bottom was the Marchioness’s personal seal.
“Please pity Zeon, just once.”
That last request she’d made before…
Was that already a hint?
Maybe she had feared her own passing would come sooner than expected—and had prepared her final, desperate safety measure.
Entrusting Zeon to the only person she believed would protect him.
‘But I never imagined it meant… this.’
Eileen clenched the letter tightly, then looked between Cedric, the ring, and the words again. Finally, she whispered the first thing that came to mind:
“…I can’t be his guardian. I’m not even an adult.”
“Our house can shelter you. House to house. I’m the head of the family, remember.”
Unlike Eileen, Cedric spoke surprisingly logically—like he had already processed all of this.
“The Marchioness knew that. She entrusted Zeon to you, but she was really entrusting him to ‘us.’”
Eileen finally regained enough clarity to think straight.
“…But it doesn’t have to be Lowell.”
She was headed to the capital.
“Zeon lived in the palace before—back when the former Marquis was Chancellor. Lennard could take him in… He could be guardian instead…”
She herself couldn’t be guardian, but she was free to choose who would carry the responsibility.
That was what scared her. The Marchioness was telling Eileen:
“You decide who will raise the next Marquis.”
“Is that what you want?”
Cedric’s question cut through her spiraling thoughts. She looked up and saw him staring intensely at her.
“Do you trust the Crown Prince more than you trust me?”
“That’s not what this is. Managing two noble houses is too much for you. Too much responsibility.”
“I can handle it.”
“…And most importantly, we’ll break off our engagement long before Zeon becomes an adult. He’s only fourteen—or fifteen? He’s still a child.”
Her reminder was gentle—he had forgotten something obvious.
Cedric responded instinctively.
“We can delay the breakup.”
“…Delay the breakup?”
“You and I—if we both agree, we can stay engaged longer.”
“We should just keep living as an engaged couple, is that what you’re saying?”
Her voice was strange—somewhere between disbelief, discomfort, and confusion.
Cedric panicked and began speaking without thinking.
“I mean… it’s just an option.”
He mentally cursed himself. This was not how he planned the conversation.
He had intended to calmly persuade her that letting Lowell manage Zeon “naturally” would be best.
But Eileen never cooperated with his plans. She always thought from every angle first.
“I don’t mind if you stay here for a few more years.”
He tried to sound casual, but what he really meant was:
“I want you to stay.
I want you to come back.
Or better yet—don’t leave at all.”
Thank you very much🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺