Chapter 18
Since There’s No Gap Between Them, That’s Good
As soon as I returned to the ducal mansion, I headed straight for Cedric. He was in the lounge and did not refuse my visit.
“Your Highness, are you returning from an outing?”
“Yes. That’s why I came. Do you have time?”
I sat down on the sofa before Cedric even answered.
“Of course.”
Consistent as ever, Cedric served me ginger tea again.
“I completely ruined today’s tea party.”
“Is that so.”
Cedric accepted anything I said or did without surprise, which strangely no longer felt bland to me.
“Before that, I want to thank you first, Your Grace.”
I placed my hand gracefully over my chest and bowed my head elegantly.
“I don’t recall doing anything that deserves Your Highness’s gratitude.”
“No! I found out. That you don’t enjoy going outside the ducal mansion.”
Cedric seemed to be gauging what I meant.
“I heard it at the tea party. That you’re such a shut-in that people hardly know your face. But you went out several times for my sake, and I appreciate that.”
“Since Your Highness is staying here, it is only natural.”
“That may be natural from your perspective, but I am grateful.”
Cedric stirred his tea a few times with a teaspoon and chuckled faintly.
“Understood.”
He laughed more often than I expected, but I didn’t have the leisure to point it out—I had more important things prepared.
“And I really ruined the tea party.”
“Is that so.”
“I heard about Her Highness the Imperial Princess.”
“What did you hear?”
The smile vanished instantly from Cedric’s face. Perhaps he cared deeply because it was Rachel’s story.
“It was about Her Highness’s childhood.”
I repeated everything Mary and her friends had told me.
Cedric was also an Owen noble. He must have known about what Rachel went through as a child. It felt uncomfortable to talk behind someone’s back, but I needed to know whether what I heard was exaggerated or false. Cedric would never mix lies into matters concerning Rachel.
Cedric quietly drank his tea as he listened.
“So that’s what you heard.”
“Yes! And I was so angry that I scolded them right then and there.”
“What did you say?”
“That they should apologize. They hurt a child’s feelings! And because of me, the whole tea party was ruined.”
Remembering the final, ice-cold scene of the tea party made the suppressed anger rise again.
Rachel had caused trouble for the Kingdom of Rundra. But that didn’t mean I wished misfortune on her as a person. More importantly—regardless of who she was—the nobles had been cruel to a child.
To keep from breathing too harshly, I picked up my teacup.
Ack! Ginger tea!
The strong scent of ginger cooled my emotions instantly. I set down the cup, thinking that this tea could be useful sometimes.
Cedric, who had been watching me, spoke.
“Your Highness, do you dislike ginger tea?”
“Yes. The scent is too strong for me.”
Cedric thought silently, then asked,
“What kind of tea do you prefer?”
We were talking about Rachel’s painful past, and he suddenly cared about my tea preferences? No, no, Duke—don’t do that. That’s how you become less of a bad man!
“I like anything sweet. Sweet tea is the best. Duke, are you listening to me?”
“Yes. You said you like sweet tea.”
“No, no. We were talking about Her Highness.”
“Ah.”
Cedric let out a small sound. Then he continued.
“Your Highness, that child won’t care.”
…What?
My eyes widened.
“But she went through terrible things at a young age. Losing her parents must have been painful, and society rejecting her must have made her feel lost.”
Cedric listened and pondered.
“You’re right. But she considers things she cannot control to be meaningless to dwell on. She wouldn’t have kept it in her heart.”
“But I heard she still doesn’t socialize with nobles.”
“To people who pushed her away and are still awkward around her, she likely feels no need to approach them first.”
I could not hide my bewildered expression.
That level of pain was too harsh for someone so young. Adults would struggle with that, let alone a child. It could easily have left scars.
And yet—she wouldn’t care? She wouldn’t hold it in her heart?
Cedric took another sip of tea before continuing.
“But she might be happy that Your Highness got angry on her behalf. Rachel seems to care about you.”
Cedric sounded completely certain, speaking as though stating an obvious fact.
I also noticed something else—when Cedric talked about Rachel, he spoke in long, thoughtful sentences.
“Your Highness, too much anger is not good for you.”
Cedric fetched a cup of ice water from the magical freezer and handed it to me.
“Thank you.”
He sat back on the sofa, resting one arm on the armrest and his chin on his hand. Since I said nothing more, he opened the book he had been reading. His attitude was somewhat indifferent, somewhat ordinary.
I drank the cold water and looked at Cedric. Feeling my gaze, he turned to look back. His cherry-colored eyes were utterly calm—just as always.
Cedric truly believed Rachel was fine. He must have believed the same back when he witnessed her situation himself.
Perhaps he confirmed at the time—with his own eyes and ears—that she was truly all right.
Cedric and Rachel were very close, after all.
The reason I had rushed to him after the tea party was to suggest working together so Rachel could participate comfortably in social circles, if she wished. I thought attending social gatherings together would benefit both Rachel and Cedric.
But now, I realized Cedric had reasons for acting the way he did, both then and now.
I remembered again—how Rachel knew Cedric’s preferences so well, the natural touches between them, the playful remarks full of affection, the fact that they had known each other for a long time, and the scenes of them having conversations only they understood.
Cedric and Rachel knew each other far better than I expected. They knew what the other needed—and didn’t need.
Perhaps Cedric wasn’t a bad man after all.
And perhaps there wasn’t even the slightest gap between Cedric and Rachel.
Hmm. A gap.
If there’s no gap between them, then that’s good.
Yes. Good.
It was the promised day for magical communication with my family in the Kingdom of Rundra. I waited for the carriage in front of the ducal mansion, accompanied by Sir Mathis, Sir Diego, and a maid.
“Your Highness, you’ve met a mage before, correct?”
The maid asked.
Only mages could operate magical communication. In Owen, one had to visit a communication center because mages were extremely rare; only centers that hired mages could provide the service.
“Yes. The Magic Division building is inside the royal castle in Rundra. My second brother’s close friend is also a mage.”
“You’re close to a mage? What kind of person is he? In the Empire, mages are so rare that commoners like me never get to meet them.”
Her eyes widened with excitement.
I thought of Yuri Laraan Lu, who always wore a bored expression.
“He received the mage’s surname at a very young age—he’s an exceptional mage. I’ve heard his talent rivals that of famous mages in history.”
“That’s amazing!”
“He’ll probably be the one connecting today’s magical call from Rundra. He’s very close to my brother Daimond.”
In Rundra, mages had two surnames. Once their magical talent fully awakened, they were granted the mage family name.
Yuri Laraan Lu, from the renowned Laraan count family, which produced many great mages. He had already received the ‘Lu’ surname before turning sixteen—a genius among geniuses.
The explosive magic I once witnessed shook the earth with overwhelming power, yet was precise enough to destroy only what he intended. Despite the thunderous sound, the drifting remnants of magic had been breathtakingly beautiful.
But the first thing that came to mind when I thought of him was not his endless mana, his genius talent, his delicate control, or the beautiful traces of his magic.
When I thought of him, the very first thing I remembered was—
