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Chapter 11
A Strange Cohabitation
Is she being serious, or is that a joke?’
She kept talking like that, and it kept drawing his attention.
Cedar propped his chin on his hand and watched the woman chew thirty times per bite, just as she’d said she would.
Then it hit him—how long it had been since he’d had such a comfortable meal.
‘She may not be suited as a wife, but as a housemate… she might not be bad.’
Nellie was eccentric, but she had none of the sharp edges that usually grated on Cedar’s nerves.
‘I don’t feel even the slightest threat. It’s like looking at a small animal.’
Like a hamster or a baby rabbit—soft and fluffy, a creature that could bite with all its strength and still leave no more than a scratch at the tip of one’s finger.
‘Maybe it’s because her hair is so fluffy.’
His gaze naturally drifted to her abundant golden hair.
Her younger sister’s hair was honey-yellow, like squeezed nectar, but Nellie’s had the bright freshness of lemon.
‘Her frame is small, and her hair is too long, making her look even smaller. It wouldn’t be bad if she cut it short.’
Cedar, still resting his chin on his hand, slowly opened his mouth.
“Have you thought about cutting your hai—”
He stopped mid-sentence, snapping his mouth shut.
Nellie stared at him curiously, and Cedar quickly shook his head.
“No. Nothing.”
“…?”
Nellie tilted her head. Cedar’s face was flushed red.
He bit down hard on his lip. Thank goodness he’d caught himself.
‘She’s just a contract marriage partner. We’re not even a real couple, so why would I comment on her hair?’
Hairstyles, makeup, clothes—those were sensitive topics, something only family or lovers would point out.
Cedar especially hated that sort of fuss, which was why he tended to be reserved with women.
But somehow, around this woman, his guard kept slipping.
‘She’s unusual.’
He sighed heavily at the thought.
Then came a clatter—Nellie was gathering her dishes and standing up.
“I’ll stay out of your sight and keep quiet. I don’t go out much anyway, so you don’t have to worry I’ll be running around outside. I’ll see you at mealtimes.”
Had she somehow sensed his restless mind?
Caught off guard, Cedar also half-rose from his seat.
“Where are you going?”
“To wash the dishes?”
That answer made his head throb.
‘Dishes?’
There was no one else here, just the two of them. To suddenly stand up like that in the middle of a shared meal—
Suppressing his irritation, he forced a gentler voice.
“I’m not finished eating yet.”
Nellie tilted her head.
“It looks like you’re done, though?”
True enough, Cedar’s plate was spotless. He avoided looking at it, instead pointing to her plate.
“And so are you.”
She’d barely taken a bite, the untouched food outweighing what she had eaten. Nellie only shrugged.
“I normally eat this much. So please give me much smaller portions next time.”
That was not the answer he wanted. Frowning, Cedar started nagging in a way that didn’t suit him.
“That’s all you call eating? Even a chick would eat more than that.”
“I don’t know the exact feed intake for a chick, but I doubt it exceeds thirty grams…”
“It’s a figure of speech! Don’t take everything literally!”
“Oh, really? Then warn me before you use an expression. Otherwise, it’s hard to understand.”
She truly had a talent for leaving people speechless.
Flustered, Cedar rubbed his face with his palm.
Then, sighing, he spoke gently, as if coaxing a child.
“…Anyway, eat more. Even just one more bite. You need to put on some weight.”
“Is that the Granit family tradition too?”
“Let’s say it is.”
“What kind of answer is that? Not very sincere.”
Is this the time to be nitpicking sincerity?
“Eat from here to here. It’s an order.”
Rather than risk another twisted answer, Cedar simply held her plate and marked off the portion she had to eat.
It wasn’t nearly enough by his standards, but he cut it small to be considerate.
Nellie sat back down reluctantly. Even as she picked up her fork, she added,
“I can’t eat much at once. Skipping meals while researching became a habit, so my stomach’s weak. I’ll try, but don’t expect much.”
He had nothing to say to that. Pressing his furrowed brow with his finger, Cedar asked again, his tone laced with frustration.
“So your stomach’s weak, and you just boiled everything you ate?”
Luckily, Nellie wasn’t sensitive to tone or given to overthinking. She nodded at once.
“It was simple. When I’m absorbed in research, I tend to forget things, even pots left on the fire.”
“You’re lucky to still be alive.”
“People don’t die that easily. You should know that better than me.”
“Well, yes, but still…”
That’s not how that saying is supposed to be used.
As Cedar sat dumbfounded, Nellie quietly poked food into her mouth.
To him, it still looked like a chick’s pecking, but her small mouth puffed full like a hamster’s cheek.
‘Like a hamster.’
The thought slipped out before he caught himself, and he quickly shook his head.
‘No, not a hamster. A rat. Just a rat.’
He forced himself to change his thought, uncomfortable at finding her cute. But even that seemed rude once he thought about it.
‘Not an actual rat. Maybe… a baby mouse? A little cute one?’
Pathetic.
Cedar sighed again and ran a hand through his hair.
‘What am I even doing?’
Playing both sides of the conversation in his own head, with her sitting right there.
‘She just looks too fragile. That’s all. That’s why I feel this way.’
If she put on some weight, he’d probably stop worrying.
Having reasoned it away, he looked back to see Nellie still pushing food around with her fork.
He frowned.
“What are you doing now?”
“Picking out the vegetables.”
“That’s half the plate.”
Nellie replied shamelessly,
“Humans can survive without vegetables. You know that, don’t you?”
“….”
Now she’s a picky eater too!
While Cedar was nagging Nellie like a fussy mother—
“Diana.”
Hearing her name, Nellie’s younger sister Diana turned with a graceful smile.
“It’s been a while. Are you enjoying the ball?”
Her dress shimmered like waves with each movement, small diamonds glittering at the ends like stars.
She was stunningly beautiful.
Not only the man who’d called her, but also the surrounding men blushed as they looked at her.
‘Diana’s always been pretty, but lately she’s even more beautiful.’
The Ferryway family was an ordinary noble house.
No great wealth, no recent glory—just a lineage slowly fading into obscurity.
Diana, raised almost like an only child, had lived modestly as well.
But lately, she had completely changed.
Now she wore large jewels and extravagant feathered hats.
Her naturally striking features were amplified by her new styling, her beauty dazzling.
‘Business must be going well.’
‘Maybe their estate revenues increased? Did Ferryway even have land?’
‘Who cares. She’s already a baroness.’
Having inherited both title and fortune young after losing her parents, Diana was a prime match for second sons and younger heirs who could not inherit titles.
Men swarmed to her like bees to a flower.
“Your name suits you perfectly. You’re as beautiful as a dream.”
“Diana, speak with me.”
“Sorry, I have a prior engagement tonight.”
Some admired her beauty thoughtlessly, while others sneered at her extravagance.
“What money does the Ferryway barony have, for her to parade around like this every day?”
“She must be trying to catch a rich husband this season.”
The gossip was loud enough for her to hear.
But to strong-willed Diana, it was laughable.
She hid her sneer behind a sip of champagne.
‘I have an inheritance. A great magician’s legacy that ordinary people like you could never imagine.’
Of course, Diana herself didn’t know what exactly the Archmage’s inheritance was.
But it had been passed down since the founding of the kingdom, centuries ago. Whatever it was, it had to be priceless.
Until recently, Diana had lived frugally, because of one obstacle: the inheritance wasn’t meant for her, but for her elder sister Nellie.
‘But the day it’s released is almost here. And my sister still hasn’t woken up. The inheritance will be mine.’
Only a month remained until the heir was legally switched. Diana had already decided to celebrate early.
The sapphire necklace at her throat, the gown she wore—all bought on massive debt. But she didn’t regret it.
Once the inheritance came, that debt would mean nothing at all.
