CH 4

Lilian stared at him like that. Cedric still didn’t know the exact extent of his fault…

‘Ugh.’

Lilian had clear blue slanted eyes.

She had gentle and fine eyes that seemed to be just looking this way but somehow looked sullen.

Seeing his little sister’s eyes like that, Cedric only then began to feel like he had done something very wrong.

A word kept repeating itself in his head.

‘Orphan.’

Right. That little child was now his only blood relative left in this world.

“Yes, I see.”

Thanks to that, they were spared from being an orphan.

They’re not alone.

Cedric looked at Lilian with new eyes. He suddenly realized that the strange feeling of dread and helplessness that had chilled his spine ever since his father’s death was not only due to the sudden burden of being the head of the household.

He was afraid.

It felt like he was alone in this wide and terrifying world.

Islar’s hands had been precious for generations. In this family, which was famous for its close succession, there was no such thing as a collateral blood relative.

But what is a bloodline?

As soon as he realized that Lily was his only blood relative, Cedric felt as if he had found a piece of land in the open sea.

It was absurd for him to be so relieved.

Furthermore…

‘She seemed concerned about me…’

Is that child feeling the same relief as him?

In an instant, his heart thumped.

Cedric reached out and stroked Lilian’s head without realizing it.

“Brother?”

Lilian was embarrassed but didn’t avoid it. Cedric caressed her head a little more.

She’s smaller and softer than he thought. It felt like she’d break if he gripped her incorrectly or put a little more strength in it, so he naturally became cautious.

‘Come to think of it, didn’t they say she had a fever.’

It struck him again. Before he even noticed how small and young she was, he almost lost her.

When he thought about it, his heart went cold.

‘…it could have been a big deal.’

Lilian couldn’t even guess what Cedric was thinking. He just started stroking her head out of the blue which made her really worried.

‘I don’t think we can communicate like this.’

Lilian sighed once more.

“I will cancel what I said earlier. I have something I need.”

“What is it?”

“Brother’s nap.”

Cedric’s hand stopped. Lilian even put up exact conditions.

“At least three hours. Can you do it?

I believe that the Marquis of Turin, the head of Islar, will not lie.”

Her words had a slightly different effect.

“…ha, haha!”

Cedric burst into laughter.

Lilian was surprised.

‘Was he someone who could laugh like that?’

Cedric found his sister’s surprised expression funny. When her calm expression faded, she looked like a child all at once.

“Yes, I will.”

With a slight smile on his face, he confirmed it.

“If that is your wish.”

If someone else had recommended it, he wouldn’t have listened, but if it was Lily’s words, it wouldn’t hurt to listen to them at least once.

Because now, she’s the only blood relative he had left in this world.

***

Cedric basically hated lies. It was impossible for him to reverse the words he once uttered according to his mood.

The perfectionist man faithfully kept his promise to the child.

That meant he got three hours of sleep just as he promised Lilian.

“Your face has improved a little.”

“Allen.”

Allen Hayworth, the young Head Butler of the castle, inherited the position at the same time as the Lord, Cedric, thanks to the death of the previous Lord and the Butler at the same time.

The Hayworths, as a noble family with the title of Viscount, were not just mere servants but vassals who served the Marquis of Turin from generation to generation.

Allen was not only in charge of the household affairs, but also an assistant to the family head and an escort in case of emergency.

The Lord’s closest aide didn’t ask the cause of the Lord’s whim, who didn’t know how to take a break no matter how much he tried to dissuade him.

“I thought you’d die, but I’m glad you came to your senses just before that.”

Cedric pretended not to hear his milk brother’s verbal abuse.

“I called you because of family matters.”

“Please speak.”

Cedric wordlessly held out some papers without looking at him. Allen took the papers without questioning them.

‘It’s a budget plan.’

Allen’s eyes widened a little.

‘Completely reorganizing the yearly budget for Lilian Islar?’

Regardless of where it was used, the amount was evenly increased. Even at first glance, it was more than five times the previous one.

“My Lord.”

“There is only one other Islar besides me. My father is busy with work and the child is young, so he must have left it entirely in the hands of stepmother.”

Cedric chuckled then clicked his tongue.

“She is the daughter of Islar and someone who will become part of the royal family.

That’s how much money she should spend in a year.”

“It makes no sense.”

Even with that said, it didn’t make sense to suddenly increase it fivefold.

Allen watched him carefully. Cedric, preoccupied with other documents to deal with, or pretending to be, was not ready for objections.

‘Something happened.’

There was something, but Cedric seemed unwilling to say it.

In the first place, the Lord’s disposition regarding relatives was a very private matter.

If Cedric didn’t intend to speak first, even the loyal Allen wouldn’t bother to ask.

“Understood. I will execute it as it is.”

“One more thing.”

“Yes.”

Cedric dipped the nib in the ink with a gentle touch and then took it out.

Scribble scribble. For a while, the only sound was the sound of the pen nib scratching the paper.

“Who is taking care of the child now?”

“I understand that it’s the Second Madam’s remaining handmaiden.”

If it’s stepmother’s handmaid…Cedric frowned.

“The woman who was the Second Madam’s limb.”

Lily’s nanny was his stepmother’s closest handmaid and always took the lead in bullying Cedric. Allen and Cedric knew from experience that the woman was evil.

“Hmm.”

Cedric frowned.

“Keep an eye on her for a while.”

“Understood.”

Allen neatly nodded his head and then stood up from his seat.

“Anyway, whatever kind of whim it is, it’s nice that you took a break.

Thanks to that, I don’t think I’ll have to avoid my mother for the first time in a long time.”

Allen’s mother, Viscountess Hayworth, was the Head Housekeeper in charge of the female employees of Turin Castle and was once Cedric’s nanny.

Whenever Cedric pushed himself to the limit, she would scold her innocent son for not taking good care of the Lord.

Cedric briefly sighed.

He was unaware of the concerns of his entourage.

‘However…’

The empire’s aristocratic organization was different from other countries. It was the fact that there were seven Electors.

When Rupenwein was not yet emperor, the first Emperor seduced the feudal lords, who had built their own power in their respective provinces, with various privileges and used them as a base of support. It was then that the Electorate was born.

The Electors could vote against the Emperor’s sovereignty.

If there’s a unanimous vote of disapproval at the meeting of the Electors, the Emperor would immediately be stripped of the title and authority.

The Marquis of Turin was one of them.

‘Of course, there has yet to be a unanimous dissenting vote at the meeting.’

However, it was a great honor and privilege to have the power to bring down an Emperor, even if it was close to nominal.

Furthermore, Islar was also a family older than the history of the Empire. All the wealth and honor that had been built up under that name for so many years was entirely the responsibility of this young man.

While young Lilian, who didn’t know how to do anything, was sick, saying she didn’t want to get engaged, Cedric had to meticulously handle the murderous workload pouring down like an avalanche.

He couldn’t let out weak words like ‘adapt first’. And no one would praise him for doing well.

He couldn’t even finish the work that day. He endured and endured, and when he fell asleep without knowing, his dead father would cry tears of blood in his dreams.

–bastard!

“Ugh.”

With only two or three hours of light sleep ruined by nightmares, Cedric was buried in work.

He choked with the burden and guilt of not being able to fill the place of his dead father no matter how hard he tried, but he still couldn’t relax. Cedric would just shake his head and ignore all advice.

“You’re always working hard.

If you take a break from now on, both I and my mother will be less worried.”

Cedric didn’t answer. Allen looked at the Lord, who had begun to concentrate on the piled-up work again, with dismay, but all he could do was watch his best friend become desolate.

With a light sigh, Allen stepped back. The door closed.