MLWR 42

Chapter : 42

“This is our home. What do you think? Pretty, isn’t it?”

The carriage stopped, and Marianne, stepping out first, proudly showed the house.

Compared to the Duke’s mansion Cedric owned now—which must have grown far grander than before—it was a small, modest, single-story house. But to Marianne, it was special: this was the first home she had ever found for herself, so it held deep meaning.

Cedric looked around quietly at the house on the gentle hill by the sea and nodded.
“Yeah. The sunlight is perfect. It looks warm and cozy… like you, Marianne.”

“Hehe. I really decorated it with care. Fabian planted flowers in the flowerbeds too, so in spring, the flowers will bloom beautifully. Come on, let’s go inside.”

Hearing such praise made Marianne even prouder. She smiled brightly, adding a few words, then took Cedric’s hand and led him inside.

His hand had grown much larger over the years, too big to fit in hers now, but it felt warmer, which reassured her.
‘His hands were so cold from his illness, but now they’re truly fine,’ she thought, relieved.

As she opened the door, Lana, who was straightening the curtains in the living room, ran out to greet her.
“Oh my, you’re here, Lady Mari! And Lord Abélard too! And this must be…?”

“Ah…”
Marianne hesitated for a moment before introducing Cedric, giving him a glance. It was a silent question: Should I reveal your identity? Or would you rather keep it hidden?

Lana and Fabian were kind and trustworthy, but this was Cedric’s first meeting with them. It was natural to be cautious.

Cedric, reading the worry and hesitation in Marianne’s beautiful light-blue eyes, spoke calmly.
“I’m Cedric of Calais.”

Lana gasped and covered her mouth, then, a beat later, spoke in a delighted, high voice:
“Good heavens! So you are the Duke of Calais! Lady Mari told me so much about you. She said you were very cute… and now, you’ve grown so much! Please, call me freely! I’m the maid serving Lady Mari. My name is Lana.”

Though she hesitated briefly, Lana expressed her excitement and introduced herself properly.

Cedric nodded gently.
“Then, pleased to meet you, Lana.”

Marianne thought it was a pretty good first impression, then looked for another family member.
“Where’s Fabian?”

“Oh, he’s in the backyard fixing the oven. The weather is clear and not windy, so it’ll be perfect to eat while looking at the sea.”

“Great. It’s been a while since we’ve had steak outside. Don’t worry about the meat—Abélard bought plenty.”

Marianne already felt delighted thinking about eating Fabian’s delicious steak by the sea. And since Abélard had brought an entire extra carriage full of meat, there was nothing to worry about.

“Hehe, I wanted to bring a whole cow, but I spared Fabian’s wrist. I also brought all the wine I could carry. Lana, should we leave it in the kitchen?”

Abélard, carrying a wooden crate full of wine in both hands, entered the house with a mischievous grin. Marianne laughed, realizing why his smile was so wide: he believed Fabian’s steak was better than the count’s chef’s.

“Ah, let me carry it! I’ll take it.”

“No, it’s heavy. I’ll put it in the kitchen.”

Abélard hummed happily while carrying the crate, followed by the servants moving it to the designated spot. Fabian appeared from the door leading to the backyard, noticing the commotion.

“Lady Mari, you’re here… And is this guest the Duke of Calais?”

“Yes.”

Fabian looked at Cedric calmly, different from Lana’s surprised reaction.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Fabian, tasked with Lady Mari’s protection, though I’m not much help.”

Cedric raised an eyebrow, red eyes fixing on Fabian.
“…Protection? So you’re staying here to guard Marianne?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Cedric’s tone grew colder, but Fabian answered plainly, which only made Cedric more intimidating. Marianne was about to intervene when Lana’s cheerful voice broke the tension.

“Fabian, Abélard brought so much veal… Um, are you in the middle of something important?”

Lana had paused mid-step, sensing the strange atmosphere. Marianne shook her head quickly to prevent further awkwardness. Then, to ease the tension, she decided to separate Fabian and Cedric for the moment.

“No. Fabian, could you check the seasoning with Lana? Looks like Abélard bought all the meat from the store. There’s a lot.”

“Understood. Come here, Lana.”

“Yes, Lady Mari. I’ll season it and bring it to the backyard. Is the oven ready?”

“I reinforced the supports since last time. And…”

Marianne watched as Fabian naturally put his arm around Lana’s shoulder, and they headed into the kitchen together. Once they had some distance from each other, Marianne turned to Cedric.

“Cedric, why are you being so stubborn with Fabian? You’re meeting him for the first time, so you should behave politely. Even if Fabian is lower in status, he’s older.”

Cedric bit his lower lip, angered not only by the rude troupe master but also by the presence of another man in the house. He realized he had overreacted. Complaining wouldn’t help; Marianne wouldn’t understand.

He lowered his head, sparkling his eyes in a pitiful expression.
“…I’m sorry. I won’t do it again. Please don’t be angry, Marianne. Okay?”

Isn’t that cheating? Even grown up, he looks adorable doing that. Marianne’s heart skipped a beat. She had planned to scold him about manners but ended up sighing and reaching out.

“Alright. Come on, let’s go to the backyard.”

“Okay.”

Cedric naturally held her hand and smiled, eyes crinkling. Marianne shook her head at how lovely he looked—enough to melt her worries away. She followed the path Fabian had taken.

“Ta-da!”
Marianne pointed to the view visible as soon as the door opened. The sea from the backyard was even more beautiful than from inside the house. Nothing blocked the view: the waves crashing on the shore, the colorful buildings beyond—all in one glance.

Eating steak and drinking wine with such a view? Her appetite soared; the wine would flow effortlessly.

“Sit over there, Cedric. The sun hits there most strongly at sunset. Fabian made some shade.”

Marianne led him to the white cloth shade she had tied up, a spot often used for outdoor meals. A sturdy table and long bench, carved by Fabian himself, sat beside a beautifully renovated oven. The leg that had collapsed in the last typhoon had been reinforced.

“Alright, here’s the meat and wine~”

The peaceful moment ended briefly as Abélard barged in, holding two bottles of wine in each hand.

“No Sasha here, but are you going to drink all that?”

“Of course! No Sasha means we can drink more freely. Otherwise, she’d nag every time we take a sip.”

Lana followed behind with the tray of glasses and baskets, stifling a laugh at Abélard’s complaints.

“I’ll grill it.”

“Thank you, Fabian.”

Fabian, carrying the seasoned veal, expertly lit the fire. The meal that followed was incredibly enjoyable. The combination of a hot grill and Fabian’s skill made each bite of steak more delicious. The wine paired perfectly, and the initial awkwardness quickly vanished.

When Cedric briefly mentioned his five years in the north, the atmosphere quieted slightly, but it soon became cheerful again.

“How is it? Do you like it?”

“…!”

“Looks like our Duke enjoys it! Ha-ha! There’s plenty, so eat as much as you like!”

“Abélard, don’t tease Cedric. Try it with the sauce, Cedric—it’s even better.”

Cedric, tasting Fabian’s steak for the first time, was surprised and wide-eyed. That moment broke the tension completely.

“…Phew.”
Marianne set down her glass, cheeks flushed, feeling overjoyed. She had eaten and drunk so much she was stuffed.

Looking around, Abélard, the drunken troublemaker, had already been sent home, and Fabian was gently patting Lana, who had dozed off on his shoulder.

Marianne glanced at Cedric, still seated, and suggested quietly:
“Cedric.”

“Mm?”

“Shall we take a walk?”

“Sure.”

Seeing Cedric spring up, Marianne giggled like a child. Even one glass of wine had made his face very red.

“I should’ve said no when Abélard offered just one drink.”

“I’m an adult now,” Cedric grumbled, loosely holding Marianne’s hand as he followed her.

Walking slowly along the path overlooking the sea, Marianne spoke softly:
“You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you, Cedric.”

Hearing about his life in the past five years weighed heavily on her heart.

“…Yes. But training with swords or fighting beasts wasn’t the hardest part. The hardest part was… feeling your absence, Marianne.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t stay with you…”

Even though she said not to apologize, Marianne couldn’t help it.

Cedric squeezed her hand tightly. Surprised by the sudden pressure, she looked up.

In the lamplight along the path, she finally noticed the strange emotions flickering in his red eyes.

“Then, Marianne… come back north with me. And stay by my side, always.”