I was busy taking care of Vincent, and Chartine and Floren were also busy with this and that, so quite a lot of dust had piled up inside the temple. As I swept the dust away, I felt a little relaxed.
There hadn’t been many quiet days while looking after Vincent. Even the herb work was hard because I always did it with Vincent. This alone time was precious.
I was enjoying my time alone, sweeping the floor, when suddenly it got a bit noisy around me, then everything went quiet. The atmosphere felt strange, so I looked up—and saw someone I didn’t expect.
“So you’re here.”
His voice was unusually low and his face sharp. I dropped the broom I was holding without thinking. Why was he here? I couldn’t believe it and said without meaning to:
“…Cedric?”
He smirked.
“I searched all over the country and couldn’t find you, but you were in this old, rundown temple?”
Though his words sounded soft, there was a clear sneer. At that moment, Vincent ran over.
“Mom!”
Cedric looked at Vincent, then shifted his gaze to me. I instinctively shielded Vincent from his sharp eyes. A priest standing nearby carefully asked,
“Duke, do you know this person?”
Chartine and Floren’s eyes focused on me, then went back to Cedric. Their faces looked shocked, like they had seen a ghost.
Cedric smiled slightly as he looked at me.
“I know her well. She was my wife.”
Chartine and Floren’s eyes widened at the same time. Vincent stared blankly at Cedric. I tried to hold back my trembling heart and take Vincent to the room.
“Revril.”
His voice was so familiar my body froze. When I slowly turned my head, he gently asked,
“Where are you going now?”
“To the room.”
“A room in a place like this?”
His cold voice had a mocking laugh. I bit my lip and held Vincent’s hand tightly.
“This is my home.”
Cedric frowned slightly. Everyone around—his aides, Chartine, Floren, even the priest—watched Cedric carefully.
Just as the priest was about to speak, Cedric strode up to me. Vincent, curious about this man, looked up at Cedric. Cedric slowly met Vincent’s eyes and sat down.
“What are you doing?”
I was flustered and pulled Vincent’s arm to step back, but Cedric looked at me again.
“The child looks a lot like you. Maybe even like me.”
“He’s not your child.”
Cedric raised one side of his mouth, looking at me.
“Is that so?”
His tone was casual but calm. Yet his eyes were full of fierce energy, like he could burn this place down any second. When I moved Vincent back, Cedric stood up quietly.
“If he’s not my child, then is he the lawyer’s?”
To suspect my relationship with that man—Cedric’s eyes clearly missed something important. Then, with a sharp look like he would kill someone, Cedric stepped closer.
“Even if he is that bastard’s child, I don’t care.”
“……”
“I’ll just register the child under me.”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. Cedric smiled broadly and told the priest,
“The plan has changed. I won’t stay here today. I’m going back.”
The priest’s eyebrows finally relaxed. Cedric said he wouldn’t stay, so it seemed he didn’t plan to use the temple as a military base. Then Cedric looked at me and said,
“I’m going with you.”
“I—I will stay here.”
The moment I finished, Cedric’s gaze sharpened. Without taking his eyes off me, he said,
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t go with me, this place won’t stay safe.”
“What do you mean?”
Cedric smiled slightly and whispered low.
“I’m giving you two choices. Either go quietly with me, or watch this temple burn.”
His cruel voice left me stunned. It was hard to believe the man threatening me like this was really the one I knew.
“It’s best not to keep me waiting.”
His blue eyes were darker than ever. The priest nearby, even Chartine, all looked at me. I knew better than anyone how much they cared about this temple.
“Are you serious?”
I asked, unable to believe it. Cedric stared at me without expression.
“If I wasn’t serious, why would I stay here making excuses like this?”
“……”
“I know better than anyone how pathetic this kind of act is.”
His voice was cold and spreading. I felt his quiet pressure. Around me, all eyes were on me, but no one spoke. Above all, Cedric didn’t sound like he was joking. Vincent held my hand tightly and looked at me. I couldn’t let everyone be unhappy because of me.
“…I’ll go.”
Even as I said it, my heart felt crushed. What else did Cedric want to take from me? I really couldn’t understand his feelings.
The priest led Cedric to the large dining hall. It wasn’t really a dining hall but a wide prayer room used for meals. Chartine and Floren busily carried food. I wanted to help, but Chartine stopped me. Cedric watched me the whole time, not letting me step aside.
I sat next to him, staring at the table. Whenever Vincent looked at Cedric, I sat him properly and turned his gaze away. Cedric paid no attention and talked with the priest.
“We’re trying to end the war now.”
The priest smiled brightly and nodded.
“That’s a good decision. It seems the greatness of Binosh is with the Duke as well.”
Cedric didn’t answer and took a sip of wine. Just his presence next to me annoyed and tired me. As I sat stiffly, Cedric’s voice sounded unusually loud.
“If I had known Revril was here, I would have investigated the temple sooner.”
“Investigated?”
Cedric smiled faintly and put down his wine glass.
“The list of people submitted by the temple and the one submitted to the palace don’t match, do they?”
“That’s true, but we still…”
“Revril is listed as if she doesn’t exist. Isn’t that because you didn’t submit her name?”
Chartine brought food and glanced at me. The priest didn’t answer either. In a way, their careless attitude was showing. Feeling like the gloomy mood was my fault, I quickly said,
“Cedric, stop it.”
Cedric turned to me. His expression was cold as ice. Vincent held my hand tight and glanced at Cedric. I couldn’t look at Cedric and said,
“It’s not their fault. I told them to do it.”
“Trying to hide from me?”
He said so plainly I couldn’t help but look at him. Cedric smirked and said calmly,
“Still, I’m glad to meet you like this. If you weren’t here, I would have gone straight west.”
The priest carefully asked,
“The west? You mean the Star Border Country?”
“You know well.”
Cedric smiled, and the priest bowed his head nervously. Chartine, who had been watching, cautiously asked,
“Then Revril’s original…”
“Husband.”
Cedric cut her off. Chartine’s eyes opened wide in surprise. I had heard something like this before, but my heart still wasn’t at ease. I thought I had pushed him out of my mind.
“Mom, what’s a husband?”
The sudden question made me uneasy. I didn’t know how to answer.
“He’s the man officially married to your mother. He will soon be your father.”
Cedric said it naturally without any hesitation. I stared at Cedric with wide eyes. Everyone around us was the same. Cedric casually lifted his wine glass as if it was no big deal. Watching his calm attitude, I slowly calmed down and spoke.
“No matter what, this is…”
“As I said before, I will register your child as mine.”
His voice was firm. There was no room for me to say more. I hadn’t been able to speak properly before, but this time I couldn’t hold back.
“Vincent is my child.”
Cedric frowned slightly and said,
“Your child is also mine.”
I couldn’t say a word. Cedric said it so firmly I had no reply. Vincent whispered, a little excited,
“Mom, does that mean I get a dad too?”
