Chapter 41
“Half-Siblings”
When did Ceder get home?
Startled by Ceder suddenly appearing silently by my side like a ghost, I called out loudly.
“Husband!”
Grisha’s face immediately contorted at my words.
“What’s with that weird title?”
“Uh? Well, anyway, that man is my husband…”
“You said it was an unwanted marriage. So why do you insist on calling him your husband?”
“Uh…”
I had no good answer for that.
Caught off guard by her sharp remark, I was momentarily speechless.
Ceder lightly pressed my shoulder. Unthinkingly, I sank back fully into the chair I had half stood up from.
With slow, deliberate movements like a black panther, Ceder sat beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Then, in a cold tone, he addressed Grisha.
“Whether wanted or not, no one else has the right to interfere between us.”
His tone was different from usual, and I blinked, glancing at his profile.
‘He’s angry.’
But why?
Grisha hadn’t said anything particularly rude, yet Ceder seemed overly cautious, almost defensive.
And it wasn’t just Ceder who seemed tense. Grisha, smiling brightly, addressed me.
“I’m not an outsider. Right, Nelly?”
“Y-yeah, that’s true.”
But Grisha… why do you look so annoyed?
‘Still, the brighter her smile, the angrier she gets.’
At the academy, Grisha’s smile was always dazzling.
The professors constantly provoked her, never letting her rest.
‘But this smile seems especially bright.’
I cautiously observed Grisha. Yet, before I could process it, Ceder added fuel to the fire.
“Ridiculous. If you’re not family, you’re all outsiders.”
“….”
Grisha’s smile deepened.
Naturally, I felt uneasy.
‘If she keeps grinning like that, what will happen?!’
I had never witnessed it myself, but stories about Grisha’s smile circulated throughout the academy.
One professor, endlessly provoking her, supposedly fell into a river and lost his wig. Another, seeing her ultimate anger smile, gave up being a mage and chose the path of a cleric.
‘Is Ceder about to trigger that smile today?’
I shivered, treating Grisha like some kind of monster.
Ceder, looking annoyed, poked my side with his elbow.
“You too… you said you’d remain in a state of dormancy, but is it okay to entertain guests like this?”
Ah. That question made it clear why Ceder was so sulky.
I had asked him to keep my awakening a secret, yet he was displeased I had brought in a guest first.
But I could answer confidently.
“Grisha is trustworthy.”
Of all people, Grisha? There was nothing in the world I needed to keep secret from him.
At my concise answer, Ceder’s face crumpled, and Grisha’s expression softened into a warm, satisfied smile.
Grisha then, riding the momentum, decided to provoke Ceder.
“Isn’t that the same for you? We’re a contractual couple. You’re not a husband, you’re a partner in a contract.”
Her point wasn’t wrong, but I couldn’t just nod.
I pointed out the flaw in her logic clearly.
“Ceder isn’t just a simple contract partner either.”
“…Nelly?”
Grisha looked stunned, apparently surprised I was defending Ceder.
The funny thing was, Ceder also looked surprised, staring back at me.
I tilted my head and asked Ceder.
“Right?”
“Of course! Why question me after I gave a proper answer?”
“Human relationships aren’t decided just because I think so.”
“It’s just a contract. I explained my feelings enough for you to understand.”
What exactly did he explain?
I looked at him, expecting more, and Ceder, blushing faintly, turned his face away to avoid answering.
‘Could it be… the time he yelled he had no intention of divorcing?’
I recalled the chaotic morning. Tilting my head, I asked again.
“By the way, why is the man who said he’d give me three days to think here?”
“He said he’d give you time to think, but he never said he wouldn’t show his face for three days.”
“That sounded like the same thing to me.”
“Anyway! We’ll talk later, just the two of us.”
Before I could protest further, Ceder blocked me and faced Grisha.
“It’s been a while, Grisha. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Indeed, it has been.”
The greeting sounded polite, but soon the atmosphere turned sharp.
Surprisingly, it was Grisha who first spoke in a cold tone.
“We’ve greeted, so step aside. I want to talk to Nelly, not you.”
“Even if you want to talk to Nelly, you’ll have to face me. Don’t forget where this is.”
“I see. Then I should take Nelly first.”
“Nelly can’t go out; she’s not feeling well. Talk here.”
“So, step aside.”
The exchange didn’t suit either Ceder or Grisha.
Yet, oddly, it felt somewhat familiar. Was I imagining it? I tilted my head and asked.
“Do you two know each other?”
“….”
“….”
Both fell silent as if on cue.
When they coordinated so well, I got annoyed, pouting.
‘Why won’t anyone answer?’
Turning my gaze elsewhere in frustration, I saw Hyle standing cluelessly, holding a tea tray.
I quickly grabbed a teacup from it.
“Is the tea cold?”
“Huh? Uh… maybe?”
Not in the mood, I drank it in one go.
Hyle, watching me anxiously, leaned closer and whispered.
“Milady, do you perhaps not know the relationship between those two?”
Ah! Hyle knows! My ears perked up. I craned my neck toward him.
“What relationship?”
The answer surprised me.
“They’re siblings. Half-siblings.”
“What?”
Half-siblings? So, they share the same father but different mothers!
‘They don’t even look alike!’
Marrying young often meant widowing or divorce, and remarriage was common. Half-siblings weren’t unusual.
Still…
‘It must be shocking because I know Ceder and Grisha well. But what’s the real story? Ceder’s mother seems fine.’
Moreover, if they’re siblings, why do they seem to dislike each other so much? Grisha even said she had no family. She never mentioned a sibling.
Suddenly, the closeness between them was dizzying.
Even as I was confused, Grisha, who had been challenging Ceder with her eyes, finally stood first.
“Since a meddler has arrived, I’ll be leaving today. Also—”
Grisha reached for my hand.
Instinctively, I extended both hands, and on my palm landed a tiny orb, no bigger than a baby fist.
“Ah!”
“I thought you lost it. It’s a new crystal orb.”
A crystal orb to communicate with Grisha! I had been worried about how to reach her without one.
“Thanks! I wanted to take care of it, but I didn’t want Diana to know I had regained consciousness. I was worried how to handle it.”
“True, since it was moved here while you were asleep, everything should be in the original mansion.”
“Sorry.”
“Nelly, it’s not your fault.”
The words oddly sounded like a rebuke to Ceder.
Clutching the orb tightly with a displeased expression, Grisha kissed my forehead.
“I’ll contact you again, Nelly.”
“Yeah! You rest well too.”
At the academy, we exchanged farewells daily, but saying goodbye to the grown-up Grisha was strangely awkward.
Ceder frowned, arms crossed, watching Grisha leave the mansion.
Then, abruptly, he turned to Hyle and said in a blunt voice:
“Go back to the Knights, Hyle.”
“Huh? This morning you said I shouldn’t leave Milady’s side for even a moment.”
“That was this morning. I’m on leave. So you handle my duties.”
“Y-yes?”
Even in those few words, it was clear Ceder was teasing Hyle again.
I looked at Hyle with pity.
Hyle returned a gaze full of unsaid words.
“Milady.”
I understood immediately. He wanted me to keep my recent promise to scold Ceder.
“I’ll talk to him later. Later.”
“I trust only you, Milady.”
Hyle looked at me earnestly and slowly retreated.
With Hyle gone, only Ceder and I remained in the mansion.
‘What a long day.’
Meeting people truly consumes enormous energy.
Once relaxed, my strength drained as well.
I tapped my sore shoulder with my fist, and Ceder asked gruffly:
“What does he mean by ‘trust’?”
“There’s something like that.”
I couldn’t say he had gone to ask me to scold Ceder.
My vague reply made Ceder raise an eyebrow.
“Now you’re making secrets even with Hyle?”
“Eh?”
It was more like a trivial joke than a secret.
