~Chapter 54~
As Eileen listened to Cedric’s brief explanation, her expression grew darker. She knew that when such variables appeared, things often went in unexpected directions.
“It’ll be fine. They’re probably just a disorganized group. When the sun comes up, I’ll call for reinforcements and contact other regions. We’ll handle it soon,” Cedric said, more resolute than confident. Eileen didn’t doubt him.
“I know. I just…”
She wanted to say something more, but it seemed like whatever she added would just sound like nagging, so she stopped herself. She didn’t want to hear Cedric complain about her doubting his authority again.
Cedric, though, was someone who didn’t really crave power but felt the burden of it. Once he set a goal, he became fixated on it, and that sometimes caused him anxiety.
“Do you think the snow will cause any problems?” Eileen asked, concerned.
“I don’t think the snow will fall too much. It’ll melt quickly,” Cedric reassured her. That was a bit of relief.
The more people that came, the better, Cedric thought. He seemed to take her concerns as worries for her safety and emphasized again, “Don’t worry. Your safety won’t be a problem.”
It was a promise he made to himself as much as to her. The enemies wouldn’t dare come close to their domain with such weak forces.
Eileen turned the conversation. “So, this region must be in trouble, huh? The steward was really anxious, waiting for news.”
Cedric sighed, “I imagine he’s already being questioned. We need to investigate who knew about this and how far their knowledge goes.”
“And in the meantime, we stay here?”
“Seems like it. There’s no lord here right now, and there’s no heir. His wife passed away recently, so normally, a distant relative would be adopted, but that can’t happen now. The land should be transferred to someone new. I’ll have to figure out who to assign it to…”
Cedric’s thought process stopped there. He wasn’t like his father. If his father had been in his shoes, he would have known exactly who to appoint, but Cedric didn’t have that clarity. His father would’ve solved this in an instant. Cedric, however, was left uncertain, feeling frustrated by the mounting problems.
“I really need to ask my uncle for advice… that’s probably the safest option,” Cedric thought, as the pressure built.
Eileen noticed Cedric’s turmoil and decided to stop him before he went on any further.
“You just need to deal with things one by one,” she interrupted. She didn’t want to hear his endless spiral of worries.
Cedric, sensing her tone, felt a bit embarrassed, but Eileen continued, brushing snow off his shoulders as she spoke. “Like you said, call for reinforcements and assess the situation properly. Nothing has gone wrong yet. Although… the Lord Noheel situation…”
She stopped herself, realizing Noheel had brought this upon himself.
“…It’s not something we could’ve avoided. But, thanks to Lord Rotner bringing us here, we learned about it,” Eileen added, trying to see the positive side.
“Right. I have an idea of where Shane is heading. We can block that path,” Cedric nodded.
“You know where?”
“Yes. While we were traveling, I kept asking questions. Turns out, that knight named Shane is from the Cartner family, at least part of it,” Cedric explained, looking at Eileen as if expecting her to know exactly what he was talking about.
But Eileen, not from the North, didn’t understand right away. “Cedric, I think you’ve forgotten. I’m not from the North. Our family’s land is way down below. There’s no snow there.”
Cedric, slightly taken aback, teased, “Aren’t you supposed to know everything?”
Eileen smirked. “Knowing something and pretending to know everything are different.”
Cedric laughed softly. “True. But that’s why you can’t just assume you know everything.”
“You’re right. We have maps for this kind of thing. But you must’ve forgotten about them,” Eileen joked.
As Cedric started sketching a rough map of the North, Eileen decided to let him do his thing. He seemed so serious as he drew out the terrain, marking the key locations with sticks.
When he was done, he pointed at the southeast part. “There’s a steep mountain range. The Cartner family has settled there for generations. The other families in the area are all tied to them. Their bonds are unbreakable.”
Eileen watched him explain, realizing that Cedric was truly invested in this matter, but she also couldn’t ignore how much he seemed to be putting everything on his shoulders.
“You’re right, as always. If we catch them before they reach that spot, it should be fine,” she said, giving him a resolute look.
Cedric’s gaze softened as he looked at her, feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I wish I could be as certain as you.”
“You believe in me because of my confidence. But there’s more to it than that,” Eileen replied. Her words seemed to resonate with him.
Just as they finished talking, Cedric’s focus shifted, and Eileen noticed how tense he had become. He had tried to show no weakness, but his inner turmoil was clear.
“By the way, who was the person you met today?” Eileen asked, almost casually.
Cedric, a little surprised by her bluntness, hesitated before replying, “I don’t think you’re going to like the answer.”
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