~Chapter 127~
“I didn’t know my help was having a bad effect on you. First, I want to apologize for that.”
“It’s not your fault, Duke…”
“But there is one thing I need to correct.”
Cedric cut her off as if to silence her.
“To be honest, what you said earlier, Harriet, I would have said the same thing. Of course, I would have left out the part about ‘I hate you.’”
“Huh?”
“You keep saying I’ve been offering you kindness for no reason, but it’s actually the other way around. You’ve been helping me without expecting anything in return.”
“Uh…”
Harriet seemed to be thinking deeply, rolling her eyes. Cedric thought her expression reflected her kind heart.
She had forgotten what she had done for him and was only focusing on what others had done for her. It was as if she felt she owed a debt because of their kindness.
“Even if you think what you did was small, it wasn’t easy. Think about it—imagine someone did that for you.”
If someone had sacrificed their reputation to protect her honor, or gone to search for her deceased parents’ belongings…
Then, Harriet would have probably considered that person a lifelong benefactor.
It was only then that Harriet seemed to realize the value of what Cedric had done for her, and her shoulders subtly relaxed.
Cedric noticed the slight change and secretly smiled.
“I understand now what you’re cautious about. And I deeply appreciate your noble will.”
“Well, it’s only natural for me to solve my own problems…”
“True, but even someone like me, a Duke, seeks help from others in urgent situations. Does that make me weak?”
That couldn’t be the case. He was one of the most powerful people in the empire.
Harriet slowly shook her head, and Cedric took another step closer and continued.
“Sometimes, even if it’s your own problem, it becomes impossible to solve it alone. Asking for help can lead to better results. It’s not shameful, as long as you don’t cross any boundaries.”
“But because of me, you had to meet with the Empress. Isn’t that crossing a line?”
“The Empress is my aunt, so it’s not a big deal for me. She often invites me over and is very fond of me.”
Harriet frowned slightly, confused. But Cedric wasn’t about to give her time to think it over.
“I want us to remain in a relationship where we both have something to gain.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said. Frankly speaking, human relationships are maintained when both people benefit in some way, no matter the form.”
Harriet nodded, seeming to understand, though still uncertain about some parts of it.
Cedric smiled gently, then lightly took her hand and kissed the back of it, which had grown cold from the night air.
“I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening. By the way, you look absolutely beautiful tonight.”
“Huh?”
Harriet, surprised, was left standing while Cedric quietly withdrew from the balcony.
Actually, when he kissed her hand, he felt a shiver run down his spine, and his heart started racing.
“Ah, the weather is so… nice,” he muttered to himself as he walked down a deserted corridor.
For the first time, he genuinely thought the weather was nice.
***
Meanwhile,
While Cedric and Harriet were having their conversation, Daphne had called Edgar aside.
When he had asked her to dance at the party, she thought of him as someone who just liked being the center of attention. But today, when they danced the waltz again, she felt like it was something she couldn’t just ignore.
“What does Lady Laurel want to say to me? At this point, I’m not sure I even want to listen.”
Edgar, looking excited, moved to a quiet spot with Daphne and asked her.
But his expression was still full of mischief, and he didn’t appear to be very serious.
Daphne hesitated for a moment but then decided to be honest.
“First, I should thank you.”
“Thank me? …Are you thanking me?”
“Yes, you saved me twice when I was about to be left alone at the wall, like a flower with no one to admire me.”
Hearing this, Edgar jumped up in surprise, as if he couldn’t believe what she was saying.
“Me, saving you? I just acted faster than others. Someone else would have asked you to dance, even if it wasn’t me.”
“You are considerate. But if it wasn’t for you, I would have been left standing by myself both then and now.”
Although Edgar claimed that others would have stepped in, Daphne recalled that after dancing with him at the party, no one else approached her. They all just watched from a distance.
She didn’t blame them, though.
It was understandable. She had been the “rejected” one in a love triangle, and any man who danced with her would be dragged into the scandal.
“Thanks to you, I didn’t look pitiful in front of my fiancé and his new fiancée. I really appreciate it.”
After hearing repeated thanks, Edgar waved his hand, trying to brush it off. But Daphne wasn’t done.
“There’s something I want to ask you, Edgar. What do you want from me?”
“Huh?”
“Once could be out of kindness, but twice is clearly with some intention behind it. I’m not accusing you, but if there’s something to be settled, it’s better to handle it quickly.”
Edgar stared at her in silence, a bit confused by her calm approach, but then furrowed his brow.
“Settling things…”
He didn’t mind that she considered his kindness to have some ulterior motive. After all, thinking about her naive past made him feel she had needed this kind of growth.
But strangely, he didn’t like the way she had stopped trusting men altogether.
It was an internal conflict, but it felt odd that the two opposing feelings existed at once.
As he thought about this contradiction, Edgar bit his lip before letting out a small laugh.
“Well, if I had to be honest…”
The usual playful smile left his face, replaced by a more serious expression.
This was the first time Edgar Dawson had been this tense since he was caught stealing money from his mother’s wallet at age eight.
“I fell in love with you at first sight.”
Daphne’s eyes widened in surprise at his sudden confession.
Edgar realized how beautiful her violet eyes were and how captivating her appearance was. Her silver hair gently blowing in the night wind, her soft, pale skin, her graceful figure, and her lips that seemed to be kissed by the flowers…
Describing her felt pointless because she was so beautiful.
And even more so, her kind, thoughtful, and caring personality only made her more attractive.
Edgar stared at her with longing, and as she blinked in surprise, Daphne suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
Her laughter sounded like the delicate tinkling of a bell, light and cheerful, making everyone around her feel happy.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed like this. They say you’re the most fun person in Genoa’s social circles, and it’s true.”
“Huh? Fun…?”
“Thank you for saying that! I think we could be good friends. What do you think, Edgar?”
Daphne, misunderstanding Edgar’s confession and thinking it was just a joke, offered friendship with a bright smile.
Though it was a little embarrassing and frustrating, Edgar couldn’t help but think, This must be karma.
He sighed lightly, recalling all the times he had been a fool in the past.
But starting as friends with Daphne Laurel, the goddess of the social scene, wasn’t so bad either.
He winked and smiled.
“If you command it, I’ll follow, my princess.”
Edgar fell back into his usual playful demeanor, exaggeratedly bowing to her, and Daphne laughed again.
Edgar was just relieved that Cedric wasn’t around. If he had seen this, Edgar would surely be the one getting teased for a long time.
Thank you very much 🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺