Chapter 67 …
Puppy didn’t dislike Jeremy, of course, but he also didn’t particularly want to get close to him.
In the end, it was Dioana, who had been quietly listening, who spoke up to rescue him.
“But Puppy, seriously, why did you suddenly run off yesterday?”
Of course, even Dioana, who he trusted, seemed more curious about what really happened last night than wanting to take Puppy’s side.
“You won’t tell me either? Huh? Puppy? Really? I’m Dioana, you know?”
Eden couldn’t bring himself to ignore those sparkling eyes. After hesitating, he finally muttered a very brief explanation.
“The reason I ran out of the office yesterday… was because I looked too pathetic.”
“Whaaaat? Who said Puppy looked pathetic? Who?! Huh?! I’ll scold them!”
“Eh? P-pathetic? Really? Ha. That’s deception, pure deception. How could that face ever look pathetic? Honestly, if Lady Daphne heard this, she’d grab the back of her neck and collapse.”
“It’s not that someone said I’m pathetic. I’m fully aware that I’m good-looking.”
“After your aunt kept telling you how pretty you are, so Puppy, you really know yourself well, huh?”
“That’s annoying in its own way, Puppy. Anyway, if it’s not that you look pathetic, then what is it exactly? Judging by how flustered His Highness was yesterday, I naturally thought it was His Highness’ fault.”
Dioana nodded, clearly thinking the same.
Eden’s expression darkened. Truthfully, it was entirely his own fault.
“No, His Highness was only concerned about me. If anyone should apologize, it’s me to His Highness.”
Dioana and Jeremy exchanged a look, unsure what Puppy was talking about, and leaned in to listen to his next words.
Puppy, teasingly dragging out his confession with tension and anticipation, finally said:
“…Anyway, it’s not His Highness’ fault. I just ran out because I felt pathetic and embarrassed.”
He continued in a manner that seemed deliberately vague and understated.
Jeremy and Dioana, though wearing disappointed expressions, realized Puppy simply didn’t want to say more right now.
They exchanged a glance and nodded—a silent agreement not to press further. If it were Daphne, she would have done the same, and as their lord, what Daphne would do was the right way to act.
“I don’t know the reason, but tell him when you want to. Not me—His Highness. He’ll probably be really curious too. He was very worried about you yesterday…”
“I can’t say it myself. The moment I speak it aloud, it will look ugly. I’m sure it will turn him off.”
Hearing this, Jeremy slowly shook his head. Puppy still didn’t even realize the depth of Daphne’s affection.
If he had seen how ordinary men were treated, he might have understood how treasured he was and gained more confidence.
Strangely, aside from his unclear social standing, Jeremy couldn’t find a single weakness or flaw in Puppy.
Having spent time with him, he had personality, intelligence, strength, swordsmanship, proportion, physique, and appearance—all perfect. Yet this man seemed inexplicably intent on hiding his full presence.
Jeremy had once encountered Puppy alone, without Daphne or Dioana. In those moments, Puppy’s demeanor was entirely different—soft, gentle, and earnest—quite unlike the playful, sly character he usually displayed.
Daphne had once remarked to Jeremy in passing, “Sometimes I think I know Puppy well, but other times, I have no idea who he really is.” Now Jeremy understood what she meant by that ambiguous statement.
“I’ve served His Highness for a long time. I know he doesn’t consider honesty to be unbecoming.”
“Exactly. Aunt loves honesty. She hates lies. So, Puppy, if you want to tell him later, you can. Aunt will definitely wait. She won’t get angry, even if it’s late.”
“Of course. Even though His Highness has a bit of a fierce temper, he is by no means a cruel person.”
“When Aunt comes back, I’ll tell her everything I said.”
“Dioana, must you do that? Be as generous to me as you are to Puppy.”
“Jeremy doesn’t have Puppy’s face. Nyah.”
Jeremy and Dioana teased each other, alternating between warm comfort and playful mockery.
Eden slowly nodded, reflecting on their words.
He believed Daphne would wait and never judge him as pathetic for being honest. Yet even thinking that, he still feared rejection if he revealed everything to her.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come here. Maybe I should have… just died back then.”
He felt guilt over the stark contrast between the warmth of the present and the stormy future.
So, even though Jeremy and Dioana offered comfort and advice, Eden decided to delay revealing his feelings a little longer.
But the longer he delayed, the more he didn’t realize that his wounds would only deepen.
That evening, a dispatch arrived: Daphne’s carriage had fallen off a cliff.
Chapter 5
A short while earlier.
Inside the shaking carriage, his resolve to sit upright until the capital crumbled within minutes.
“Ah, at least let’s ride comfortably on the way.”
“My goodness, Your Highness! Who would have seen you like this…”
“No one would see, would they? My feet hurt. My back hurts. My hips hurt. My neck hurts.”
“Then why not wear something more comfortable?”
“There’s nothing more comfortable than pajamas among all my clothes. Shoes off. Ah, my feet are already swollen.”
“I’ll massage them for you. Oh, your feet are bright red already. These shoes are the only ones that go with this dress, but they don’t really fit you, Your Highness.”
“Then why not separate the shoes from the dress? It’d be much more comfortable.”
“No, it would’ve been much better to wear a simpler dress. Look at the material. This dress seems more suitable for short trips around the townhouse, not hours in a carriage.”
“But Dioana picked this dress. I can’t refuse. It’s pretty.”
With that cheeky remark, the maid Sally shook her head but diligently massaged his swollen feet and calves.
After a while, she carefully asked, glancing around.
“You knew, didn’t you, Your Highness?”
“Knew what?”
“Why Lady Dioana picked this dress.”
Eden smiled slightly without looking away from the window.
“It’s cute. My niece might get jealous.”
“Are you worried she’ll marry?”
“Perhaps. If she marries as her elders wish and enters the palace, she won’t live with us like before.”
“So you’ll keep accommodating her?”
“Hmm. I don’t know. I can’t keep doing it forever. But for now… it’s cute. And frankly, I’m not that desperate about it.”
“Eh? But the person in question is none other than Crown Prince Lucius, Your Highness.”
“So what? I don’t care. Someone who used to watch my sister-in-law so closely is now watching me instead.”
“Well, it’s a bit different. Lady Cecilia treated the prince like a child. But does Crown Prince Lucius want the Steren family? Thinking about what you said, yes, it seems so.”
“Exactly. That man followed my sister-in-law obsessively, yet nothing came of it. He didn’t even show up at the funeral.”
Sally hesitated for a moment, looking like she wasn’t sure whether to speak.
“Why? Just say it.”
“Well… some people claimed they saw someone like Crown Prince Lucius on the last day of the funeral.”
“Hmm?”
It seemed to be just a rumor, as nothing official was reported.
“You see, the prince is hardly ordinary in appearance. Our family has long ties with the royal family. I didn’t see him personally, but Mr. Cavil…”
To summarize Sally’s story:
On the last day of the funeral, as the coffin was being placed in the massive marble mausoleum for the Steren family, heavy rain began to fall.
After delivering the eulogy and burying his brother and sister-in-law, they left.
The final day invited only family and those very close to the deceased.
Once the guests left, Eden took Dioana’s hand and entered the carriage, leaving little chance to survey the area properly.
Later, Cavil, second captain of the Steren family guards, was inspecting the area around the mausoleum with his soldiers, ensuring no rainwater would enter.
“Hey, who’s there?”
Cavil noticed a massive figure, completely cloaked in black, entering the cemetery.
“Come out immediately! The mausoleum is closed today because of the rain!”
