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Though it seemed like a playfully jealous remark between friends, I could feel the sincerity contained in those words.
Cedric scurried over to me.
I wrapped one arm around his waist as if it were natural skinship, made eye contact with him, and whispered softly.
“In my eyes, you’re the most handsome, cute, and pretty.”
You do it all—handsome, cute, and pretty.
Soon the corners of Cedric’s eyes gently folded, drawing beautiful lines. His long, thick eyelashes cast light shadows.
His deep blue eyes sparkled with heat within his narrowed gaze, so dazzlingly beautiful it was blinding.
“Really?”
He asked with his lips slightly trembling and his face slightly flushed. That expression that couldn’t hide his affection felt lovable.
“Yeah, really.”
When I gave him a definite answer, Cedric showed a very satisfied expression. Seeing that, Riette opened her eyes drowsily.
She probably couldn’t hear our conversation, but since Cedric had called me “my Eddie” and such, and I was naturally accepting it, she seemed to have caught on to something.
Well, it doesn’t matter if Riette or people around us notice our relationship now… but somehow it’s embarrassing.
I moved slightly away from Cedric and said.
“Then I’ll… go finish greeting some people.”
“Ah, okay! Go ahead. We’ll be here.”
Riette waved her hand cutely. And I sent a glance toward Cedric, who kept his gaze fixed only on me, then moved away.
‘Hmm. Someone I haven’t greeted yet…’
There’s a list of those who replied to the invitation with their names, faces, which families they belong to, and what kind of people they are. I went around recalling that information.
Viola’s name was also on that list, so I was looking around trying to find her.
‘Ah. There she is.’
I could see Viola with her purple hair tied up through the gaps between people. She was standing in a corner, quietly hiding her presence while having soft conversations with people around her.
I tried to approach her first to greet her. But before that, the head butler who had entered the salon spoke to Viola, and shortly after I saw the two of them leaving together.
‘Where are they going?’
I watched Viola following the head butler outside for a moment.
‘…Hmm.’
I’m curious. But following them or stopping them in this situation would be strange, so I decided to postpone greeting her a bit longer.
‘I’ll greet her later.’
After that, I went around the salon and finished greeting everyone except Viola. By then I was completely exhausted.
I dragged my tired body toward where Riette and Cedric were. The two were having a conversation with Laura, then stopped and welcomed me.
Laura had come early and had already greeted me.
“Oh my. You worked hard, Edgar.”
“Thank you, Miss Laura.”
When I answered a bit shyly, Laura covered her mouth with a fan and giggled. Then suddenly she exchanged glances with Riette.
The two somehow smiled similarly… then turned around arm in arm like very close friends.
“Then we have something to discuss separately.”
“Hoho, I’ll borrow Miss Riette for a moment.”
The two looked very close with each other. I watched them quickly moving away, then glanced at Cedric with some worry.
“They didn’t leave you out, did they?”
“…That can’t be.”
Cedric muttered as if it was absurd, then poked my cheek with his finger. I was just being considerate.
“They’re doing that to let the two of us be together.”
“Ah, is that it?”
“Dummy.”
“…Then you like dummies.”
“Right. You saw correctly.”
…Anyway, I’m a dummy.
Just when I was glaring at him because his slightly raised lips seemed annoying for some reason, the head butler Redward came back into the salon, looked around, and found me.
“Young master. Miss Viola is calling for you.”
“Huh?”
“She says she has something to discuss with just the two of you.”
“…Hmm?”
I became puzzled about what this situation was all about. I couldn’t understand why Viola specifically asked the head butler to relay the message. I also didn’t understand why she was calling me out separately.
To begin with, when she went outside earlier, it looked like the head butler was calling Viola out…
“I understand. Please guide me.”
Still, since she says she has something to discuss just between us, I should go. With that thought, I patted Cedric’s shoulder and tried to turn around.
“I’ll be back in a moment…”
Before I could finish speaking, Cedric grabbed me as I was turning away.
I was surprised by the strength with which he firmly gripped my wrist as if afraid he might lose me, and looked at him. Cedric’s face had noticeably darkened.
“Don’t go, Eddie.”
His quietly lowered voice carried anxiety. Even Redward, who always maintained composure, seemed flustered by this unexpected situation and hesitated before briefly adding.
“…She said it would only take a very short while.”
But Cedric still wouldn’t let me go. I could feel the atmosphere becoming strange, so I eventually coaxed and soothed Cedric.
“I’ll be right back.”
While saying that, I tried to gently pull my wrist away, but he only furrowed his brow more and didn’t seem to have any intention of loosening his grip. I was a bit troubled because I didn’t know the reason.
I just signaled to the head butler with my eyes and wrapped my arm around Cedric’s shoulder. Since I was concerned about having this conversation where the head butler could hear, I took him to a corner and asked.
“Cedy, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t like you being alone with that woman.”
As soon as there were no listening ears, the reason immediately popped out.
We weren’t in a publicly announced relationship yet, so aside from Riette who already knew Cedric’s feelings, no one had noticed any signs.
Moreover, since I hadn’t given an answer yet, he seemed to have been struggling without being able to openly reveal his feelings.
‘So right now…’
You’re acting this way out of jealousy?
‘How cute.’
I wanted to ruffle his hair and shower him with kisses because his sulking was cute, but I held back firmly.
If I did such things in a place with so many watching eyes, it would become a ‘story that must be told whenever people gather’ for a long time, going up and down in various nobles’ mouths.
Cedric would probably come out saying he doesn’t care, but since I want to avoid that situation a bit…
“It’s okay. There won’t be anything for you to worry about.”
I patted him meaning there was nothing to worry about. My heart is already drawn to you. I even prepared a bouquet in advance to confess today.
I wanted to spill all of that out as my mouth itched to speak, but I couldn’t ruin the event I had carefully prepared, so I swallowed it inside.
“Trust me, Cedy.”
“……”
Finally, Cedric slowly let go of his hand. His expression was still dark, but he probably realized that continuing to be stubborn would just be marking time.
I patted him once more like praising him, then left the salon with Redward.
The place I was guided to was the reception room. As soon as I entered, I could see Viola’s round back of the head.
“Miss Viola.”
Viola whirled around like someone startled by my voice. Her round amber eyes widened and a reddish flush rose to her face.
“Ah, Edgar. We’re finally greeting each other.”
“Indeed.”
When I went to sit in the opposite seat, her gaze that had been following me dropped downward. Silence descended just like that.
I was observing the atmosphere with a slightly awkward feeling when I opened my mouth.
“Um, what business did you call me out for…”
“What did you mean when you said you had something to tell me…”
Just then she also opened her mouth, so our conversation got tangled. Right after, our eyes met directly in mid-air.
“……?”
“……?”
She rolled her eyes as if puzzled. Similarly puzzled, I asked first.
“I heard you called me because you had something to say.”
“What? I was told Edgar said that…”
Only then seeming to realize something was strange, Viola gripped her skirt and drooped her eyebrows, not knowing what to do.
…What’s this about, Redward? When I glared with that meaning, Redward slyly avoided my gaze.
I asked Viola for understanding for a moment, then took Redward to a corner and asked.
“What’s this supposed to be?”
“…You told me to create time for you and Miss Viola to be alone together.”
“Who did?”
“……”
“Father said that.”
“…Correct.”
Redward finally confessed with a troubled face. Looking at it now, it seemed Father had tried to arrange for me and Viola to meet alone.
“Why on earth did Father do that?”
“He said you two seemed to have feelings for each other, so he thought you’d be happy if he arranged a separate meeting…”
“What? We seemed to have feelings? That’s not true. And doing something like this without knowing the lady’s heart is rude. This is clearly Father’s fault.”
“Hmm. Miss Viola seemed to show enough signs that she likes you, young master…”
“That must be a misunderstanding. Tell Father never to scheme something like this again. I’ll handle Miss Viola well and send her back, so go ahead.”
“…I understand.”
Redward showed a rather uncomfortable expression, but after bowing silently without complaint, he left the reception room first.
I let out a small sigh and returned to sit on the sofa. I felt sorry for Viola, who must have been surprised by being suddenly dragged out, so I found myself watching her reaction.
“I’m really sorry, Miss Viola. It seems our father wanted to make you and me closer, so he deliberately arranged this meeting.”
“…Ah! I-I see.”
“You must have been surprised…”
“No! I’m really fine.”
Viola’s white cheeks became even more heated than before. It must be because she was embarrassed by the situation.
I was also embarrassed and smiled even brighter for no reason.
“Then shall we… return to the salon for now?”
Just as I stood up first, trying to escort her—
Viola, who had been gripping her skirt so tightly her knuckles turned white, suddenly spoke as if something she’d been holding back popped out.
“E-Edgar!”
“Yes?”
“I… actually have something to Edgar…”
“……”
“Something I’ve wanted to say… for a long time.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
