IBYVS 33

Chapter 33

I Became the Wife of the Young Black Lotus

Calvados arbitrarily assumed, “The only one capable of kidnapping Lady Marine Nest is Indigentia.”

That was why he had only requested aid from Meishalatz.

“So, after seeing that I had only asked Meishalatz for help, he must have moved on his own to prove his innocence.”

He realized he should not underestimate someone just because they were young.

Meanwhile—

“It’s over.”

Renald felt it instinctively.

It was the same kind of instinct a prey animal feels when death is right before its eyes.

Suddenly, Daphne appeared, and the entire situation was overturned.

In truth, it wasn’t as though he hadn’t anticipated Daphne might testify.

But until just moments ago, Daphne had been locked alone in a basement.

“I thought she’d be too terrified to speak.”

He assumed that reconciliation between the Indigentia and Marine Nest houses would only come after much time.

By then, emotions between the two patriarchs would already be deeply damaged.

That was the gap he intended to exploit to silence Daphne’s testimony.

“But to think she recovered so quickly… how in the world—”

Renald licked his dry lips again and again, racking his brain, but he could not figure it out.

Of course, he couldn’t.

The reason Daphne was able to recover so quickly was none other than Elia, whom he had so thoroughly dismissed.

“Big Sister Elia, let’s go back now.”

“Hm?”

Daphne glanced once at Renald, then shivered as if repulsed.

The truth was, Daphne had never once in her life been carried on someone’s back.

Not even her nanny had ever carried her.

Because she was ignored for being unable to use magic.

Yet Elia had carried her without hesitation, saying, “You need to calm yourself,” and had taken her somewhere else.

“I was scared I’d have to testify.”

She knew she had to reveal the truth, because she was the only one who knew the full story of the incident.

But knowing and being unafraid were different matters.

The memory of the prison she had been locked in before her regression still haunted her.

Thankfully, Elia had prioritized calming her.

“You must have been so frightened. It’s all right now. Oh, right—my name is Elia. I… am marrying Cedric…”

Not only had she introduced herself right away, but she also deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere.

So Daphne wouldn’t think of that dreadful basement, even for a moment.

“This is the first time I’ve felt this kind of warmth.”

Elia even crouched down by the sofa so she could meet Daphne’s eyes as they talked.

“Even Father never did this for me.”

Entranced by that novel sensation, Daphne’s heart quickly calmed.

Not before her regression, not after it—never had she felt this way.

“Let’s go quickly. I really don’t like it here.”

Her voice sounded calm, but Elia could not bring herself to refuse Daphne.

Holding Elia’s hand, Daphne returned to her room.

And there was one person watching them.

Calib.

He bit his lower lip as he watched Elia leave with Daphne, without a word to him.

This feeling was new.

“How should I put it… like something very precious is being taken from me.”

No—like something precious was slipping away.

And all he could do was watch.

“…I hate this.”

He had to finish quickly and go to Elia.

Calib furrowed his brows sharply and turned his head away.

“Now, back to the matter at hand.”

Cedric spoke, signaling that the punishment of the traitor should resume.

The highest-ranked among them was the Archduke’s heir, Calib.

He happened to also be the youngest present.

As Calib stepped toward Renald, Cedric respectfully stepped back.

Calib pronounced judgment upon Renald, who was being crushed under gravity.

“To dare kidnap Lady Marine Nest and provoke discord between Indigentia and Marine Nest is no small crime. This is clear treachery, and you shall be formally tried before the nobility.”

Each word of the Archduke’s heir fell with crushing weight.

Since the Archduke’s heir himself had declared that a trial would be held, the Marquis’s household had no chance of survival.

All those involved would be sentenced to death.

Knowing this, no one dared to speak.

“Ugh…”

“P-please, mercy…”

Only the faint sounds of Gerald and the Marchioness sobbing could be heard.

But no one pitied them.

Thus, the kidnapping incident of Lady Daphne Marine Nest came to its end.

A week later, the trial’s verdict was announced.

“As expected.”

I murmured softly as I looked over the verdict Cedric handed me.

The entire family sentenced to death, Renald executed by beheading.

“We must hurry back to the Archduke’s territory.”

At Cedric’s words, I silently nodded.

We had remained at the townhouse in the capital while waiting for the verdict.

But with the executions carried out, it was time to return.

I couldn’t let Calib see me in such a state.

“Calib will be disappointed.”

“Yes, he was very fond of the food here in the capital.”

Cedric sipped his tea and glanced toward Calib, who was feeding birds in the garden.

Sigh. He noticed everything except the important part.

“No, Cedric.”

“Yes?”

“Calib didn’t like the food. He liked going out with us.”

During our stay at the townhouse, we went out into the busy streets every day.

Just like other children who held their parents’ hands tightly, he held both of ours as we wandered around.

Every day he ate lemon honey candy and bought lemonade from children in the neighborhood.

We strolled aimlessly in the park, and when mealtimes came, we’d just pick any restaurant that caught our eye and eat out.

We were like perfectly ordinary people.

“Calib liked spending that peaceful time… with family.”

“Family…”

Cedric’s expression grew uncertain.

He looked as if he didn’t quite understand, and I only shrugged lightly.

Because I knew well—Cedric, like Calib, was a terribly lonely person.

During the past week in the capital, Cedric and I had grown closer.

Dining out with Calib was pleasant, but the problem was that Cedric could not taste food.

So, after Calib fell asleep, as though by agreement, we always met in the kitchen.

Potato pancakes, fried rice, omelets, pancakes, sandwiches…

I must have cooked nearly every late-night dish possible.

I cooked, Cedric ate with delight, and we talked.

Those short two hours each night were so peaceful.

I almost regretted that we’d lose that time once we returned to the ducal castle.

Cedric said,

“When we return to the castle, I think I’ll miss it as much as Calib will.”

“Yes, me too. The capital was noisy and fun.”

“No, Elia.”

I had answered without thinking, resting my chin in my hand as I looked at Calib.

But Cedric took my chin in his hand and turned me toward him.

I blinked at him in confusion, only to see his hydrangea-blue eyes curve like crescent moons as he smiled.

Then, in a voice lowered as if whispering a secret, he said:

“I’ll miss the dawns I spent with you.”

“…!”

I knew he meant nothing special.

He only meant he’d miss the nights he could finally taste food, thanks to my cooking.

But I couldn’t stop the heat from rising to my ears.

My heart pounded wildly.

“Thump-thump” was far too cute a word for it.

It was more like bam-bam, relentless.

Cedric smiled brilliantly, almost wickedly, then let go of my hand.

Why did his smile have to be so beautiful!

Even with his black gloves on, my hand still tingled as if warmth had transferred.

“The weather is nice today.”

Cedric casually took another sip of tea.

Meanwhile, I was left gasping like some kind of pervert, heart racing out of control.

What crime was this?

Assault on my heart?

The crime of turning me into a pervert?

My head spun.

Back at the castle, Cedric immediately sat at his desk.

Then, spotting a mirror, he caught his reflection.

“…”

His face was chillingly expressionless.

At the same time, Daphne’s words echoed in his head.

“Lady Elia’s ideal type is someone with a pretty smile.”

It had been right before leaving the Marquis’s estate.

Daphne had suddenly run up to Cedric, offering thanks and that little piece of advice.

Cedric hadn’t even had time to understand what she meant—why had Daphne even asked about Elia’s type?

Ridiculous as it was, maybe he had even felt a flash of rivalry with her.

Regardless, her words stuck with him, and he often found himself staring into mirrors.

But the face in the mirror was always so blank it was uncomfortable.

“A person with a pretty smile, huh…”

Pondering, Cedric slowly lifted the corners of his lips.

“Does this soften the mood a little?”

Then he tried a gentler, eye-smile sort of expression.

The man reflected in the mirror seemed delicate, like one caught in a summer rain.

At the same time, he looked precarious, giving him a decadent air.

But Cedric scowled, shutting the mirror with distaste.

“…Pathetic.”

Exhaling a heavy sigh, he rubbed his face, remembering how Elia always stiffened when he smiled.

“With a face this ugly…”

Cedric felt conflicted.

All through those dawns with Elia, only one thought filled his mind:

“She is beautiful, no matter the time.”

In the morning, like a lively morning glory.
At noon, like a fully bloomed peony.
At night, like a pure evening primrose.

She was always lovely—so much so it amazed him.

And that made him think more about how he looked standing beside her.

For the first time in his life, Cedric began to care about his appearance.

But as time went on, was it that he grew uglier?

Elia’s gaze upon his face grew shorter and shorter.

He let out another heavy sigh and looked into the mirror again.

“Is there even such a thing as a ‘pretty smile’?”

Turning his face this way and that, he suddenly realized something grave.

“But why… do I even want to match Elia’s type?”

Why was he acting like a man desperate to look good in her eyes?

Cedric scoffed at himself and closed the mirror once more.