“Do I look like a liar?”

When asked in a mischievous, slightly disappointed tone, Cedric waved his hand in embarrassment, unlike him.

“No way! I don’t mean that… you were the only one who praised me!”

“……?”

I opened my eyes wide , and Cedric instantly blushed his face, as if embarrassed to say that even after he had said it. Then he turned his head as if he didn’t want to be noticed.

“……I don’t care what you just said. It’s nonsense.”

“……Yes, I’ll get on your nerves.”

In fact, turning only his face was useless because his neck and ears were already red. It is surprising to know that Cedric, who is tough and angry at everything, is shy. Besides, what’s the lie that nobody will believe it, thinking it was nonsense? But I am a caring child, and I gladly turned my head back for Cedric. Soon after, I heard Cedric’s murmur.

“……Don’t look at my face. I’m embarrassed.”

Perhaps it was quite embarrassing for Cedric to say the truth. Then Cedric opened his mouth again after a while. It was an unusually quiet voice.

“……My father didn’t give me such a compliment either. He just told me to be a great knight. Honestly, I don’t think I’m that great. Actually, I didn’t expect you’d tell me it was really great. It’s like a lie.”

“What are you talking about? What do you mean it’s not great. The Grand Lord is amazing to me, who can’t hold swords properly, let alone swordsmanship?”

Cedric sometimes says things that lack confidence. The moment I felt strange. However, I did not show off and praised him with a brighter voice. But Cedric shook his head again.

“No. Since you are not a knight’s family, it is natural that you cannot use swords. But not me. I’m… a child of the Bedmon family, but I can’t say that I’m doing this well when I’m only this good..”

I was speechless at the moment.

‘Why? Why not? If I don’t tell you that you’re good at what you’re good at, how much better does Lord Cedric have to do here in order to be praised?’

When all kinds of doubts lingered in my head, Cedric continued his words.

“The first Lord of Bedmon held a sword in his body from birth. And when he was only 12 years old, he became the youngest Swordmaster…. Since then, there have been a lot of great knights in our family. A lot. Compared to them, I am not great at all.”

“……!”

“……Honestly, I don’t know if I can take this sword. Can I have it?”

It was a question mixed with crying. I don’t know if you’re asking me or yourself. In time, tears fell from Cedric’s eyes.

“Don’t cry.”

“……Heuk.”

Even if I tried to soothe him in a hurry, it made him cry more, so I didn’t know what to do.

First of all, I think I should stop those tears…….

But I don’t even have a handkerchief that I brought with me.

‘Ah.’

After contemplating, I lowered my head and looked at my cuffs. For now, at least this…

***

“Okay, hush.”

I pulled the end of my right wrist sleeve and wiped Cedric’s tears away. My sleeves are clean because it is spotless. I don’t put sauce on my meal like anyone else.  So, of course it’s not stained.

“……Why are you wiping with your sleeves? It’s not even a handkerchief.”

After a while, Cedric muttered bluntly in a small voice. His tears stopped a little, but his eyes were still puffy.

‘Uhhhh, even if I wipe it off, he’s still going crazy.’

I clicked my tongue inside. But looking at Cedric’s expression, it didn’t seem like he was sincerely complaining. He was just ashamed of himself crying, and seemed to make an excuse. I saw that he didn’t smack my sleeve even while talking so meanly. Anyway, without saying anything, I raised my hand.

Then Cedric looked at me quietly. I glanced away and looked at my sleeve. Oh my gosh! The white lace sleeves that were fine and pretty were damp.

……This dress was my favourite. It was a blouse that could not be bought again because it was made with a limited edition fabric.

‘If I knew it would be like this, I would bring a handkerchief, but uh. Yes, I’ll let you off the hook.’

Honestly, it was a little, no, a lot of waste, but I took a small sigh and opened my mouth to Cedric. I just decided to forget about my clothes being damaged.