Suddenly, I remembered the man who killed the old butler. I couldn’t bring myself to ask him about it, but Cedric was not just a gentle man. Even if he spoke calmly, what the people around him went through must have been cruel.
“If something like that happens to you again, tell me right away.”
“…….”
“Don’t worry alone.”
I didn’t answer and turned my gaze outside the carriage window. The more I faced Cedric, the more I thought about the past. I had thought I had forgotten those years long ago, but seeing him made me think otherwise. That past seemed to cling to my ankles, making me look pathetic.
The carriage arrived slowly. The Bestine mansion looked the same as before. The only difference was that it seemed a little cleaner. Vincent opened his mouth in awe at the grand mansion, then jumped and ran around excitedly. I quickly tried to catch Vincent but failed just before two maids came out of the mansion and caught him swiftly. I hurried over and thanked the maid, then brought Vincent back and said,
“Vincent, I told you to behave when you come to a place like this.”
Cedric stood next to me. I grabbed Vincent’s hand and stepped back a little from Cedric. But after just a few hours, Vincent seemed already taken by Cedric and tried to grab Cedric’s pants. I quickly grabbed Vincent’s hand again, but he frowned like he wanted to cry.
Then Cedric sat down to match Vincent’s eye level. Suddenly, he sat down, and I was so surprised that I couldn’t say anything and just stared.
Cedric held Vincent’s cheek and looked at him. Vincent blinked and relaxed his expression, stopping himself from crying. Cedric’s way of calming Vincent so quickly was unusual. I stared in disbelief.
Cedric stood up and looked at me.
“Revril, I’ll find a good nanny for you…”
“There’s no need. I will raise him.”
Cedric didn’t answer and just looked at me. I avoided his gaze and held Vincent’s hand tightly. I still felt his stare but chose not to look.
“Even if you say that, I will find one. Leave the child to a nanny.”
My voice was firm, so firm that no one could argue. Cedric seemed about to say something, but a soldier came with a large map and started reporting. Cedric looked seriously at the map for a moment, then looked at me.
“I’ll come back tonight.”
Then he gave a sign to the maid. The maid immediately approached me.
“Madam, please come this way.”
Madam? I looked at her in surprise, and she looked embarrassed.
“Did I make a mistake?”
“You called you ‘Madam.’”
“Oh, that’s because the master said so…”
“I don’t want to be called ‘Madam.’”
The maid looked flustered but quickly bowed her head. Then she tried to guide me into the mansion. But I hesitated and didn’t move. Cedric’s carriage started moving again as if he was leaving. When I turned back, the carriage was already on the road.
Then the maid quietly said beside me,
“Master is very busy now because of the war.”
Even the temple in Yurhen was noisy because of that issue. They even used the temple as a soldier base. When I didn’t answer, the maid continued,
“Now that you have returned, Madam…”
When I looked back, the maid quickly looked embarrassed and bowed.
“I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
“There’s no need to be so sorry.”
“I’m sorry.”
The maid bowed her head almost humbly. I wondered if I should have said anything about the title. At that moment, someone familiar approached. It was the butler I often saw in the Bestine mansion.
“Revril, it’s been a while. Please come this way first.”
The butler and the servants who hadn’t left yet looked at me. They didn’t meet my eyes but seemed to want me to enter the mansion. I thought the servants would have a hard time if I stayed, so I followed the butler unwillingly.
Vincent had calmed down a bit, maybe because of Cedric’s influence earlier. He excitedly held my hand and pointed around the big mansion, as if thrilled. I explained everything to Vincent while following the butler.
The butler didn’t take me to the room where I had stayed before. I wondered why and looked at him, but he stopped in front of a different room.
“This will be your room from now on.”
The butler spoke kindly and opened the door. Vincent ran inside as soon as the door opened. I had no time to stop him and had no choice but to follow him inside. The room was spacious enough for two people, as if it was prepared in advance. The bed was much bigger, and the furniture was quite large.
“The master specially prepared this room. He started preparing it five years ago.”
Five years ago was when he announced his engagement with Selena. I couldn’t understand what Cedric was thinking at all. At that moment, Vincent struggled to climb on the bed. I quickly went to him and lifted him up. The maid hurriedly put down the luggage and tried to organize it.
“No need to unpack.”
The maid looked surprised and turned to me.
“Just leave it as it is.”
The maid nodded and quietly stepped back. The butler came to me and bowed.
“Please rest then.”
Then the butler and the maid left the room. Vincent happily rolled on the big bed and said cheerfully,
“Mom, can we live here forever?”
I couldn’t answer and looked at the unpacked bags. It seemed there were too many eyes watching for me to leave immediately. I planned to leave as soon as the surveillance at the mansion was over. I didn’t belong here in the first place.
While I was in the temple in Yurhen, I felt that was the place that really suited me. Not a place so fancy and big like this.
I said to Vincent, who was whining next to me,
“Vincent, we will stay here only for a short time.”
“I like it here. Don’t you, Mom?”
“Mom isn’t comfortable here.”
“Why?”
“I have many bad memories here.”
“Do you still remember?”
I nodded and murmured,
“Sometimes.”
Sometimes, I dreamed of Simo. Most of those dreams were nightmares. She strangled me or pointed a knife at me. But after Vincent was born, those dreams happened less. Still, when I was tired or not well, I had bad dreams sometimes.
When evening came, Cedric returned. The servants hurried out to greet him. I didn’t bother to welcome him. I wanted him to change his mind about me quickly.
No matter what, I didn’t bring any good to Cedric. Rather, my actions could stain his family or weaken his position in the palace.
I was matching the wooden puzzle I got from the temple with Vincent when someone knocked and then the door opened.
Startled, I looked up and saw Cedric standing there. He walked quickly toward me. He bowed his head to kiss my lips, but I turned away. Cedric stood still for a moment and stared at me.
“Revril.”
His low voice was almost threatening. I felt his intense gaze but didn’t look back. Then, someone knocked on the door again. Cedric straightened and quietly said,
“Come in.”
The door opened, and an old woman with white hair came in. I looked at her, wondering who she was. She bowed and greeted,
“Hello, Madam. I am Sahel, who will take care of Master Vincent.”
She was going to take care of Vincent. When I looked at Cedric, he calmly looked back at me. It seemed he had already expected my reaction and looked relaxed. I gritted my teeth but controlled myself and said,
“I told you not to call her a nanny.”
“You worked hard raising Vincent alone for four years. You need to rest a little.”
“But I’m fine now…”
Cedric shook his head, and Sahel approached Vincent.
“Master, shall we go play together?”
Vincent looked confused and glanced at me. Cedric gently said,
“Vincent, she will play with you often and make you happy. She will always be by your side.”
Vincent smiled brightly and looked at Sahel. He used to be shy with strangers, but now, maybe because he was excited in the new place, he wasn’t shy at all.
Soon, Vincent waved his hand at me and said,
“Mom! I’m going to play.”
I tried to go to Vincent, but Cedric blocked my way.
