CH 8

The outstretched arms hugged her knees. It was a quick move as if he was waiting for approval.

“Ah.”

When he stood up in that state, Lilian took on the appearance of sitting on one of Cedric’s arms.

“Aren’t I heavy?”

It was a feather-like whisper like the weight lightly resting on his arm.

Cedric smiled.

“I know you don’t eat at all.”

“Not really…”

The child’s small back was supported by Cedric’s hand.

Funny enough, when he checked with his body that Lily was still that small, he felt a little relieved.

It’s not too late yet.

The child had not grown up and could be held in his arms.

Cedric hugged Lilian and approached the window.

“Look, Lilian. It’s the Pasisa Forest.”

Sheer cliffs and forests spread below the fortress-like mountains.

The light green waves sprouting from the branches that had been bare all winter were nice. In the middle was a lake that seemed to be covered with golden scales.

“Pretty…”

“It’s a work completed in the generation of our great grandfather. They say it used to be very bare ground.”

“I want to go to that lake.”

Lilian’s eyes were fixed on the beautiful lake with the forest dancing in the wind and the broken golden fragments as if possessed.

“I’ll take you with me soon.”

“!”

Only then did the surprised child stare at Cedric with wide eyes.

“You are busy.”

‘I knew it.’ She never thought he’d take her with him. The more he knew, the more his sister expected nothing from him.

His heart ached. It’s natural for her to receive all kinds of precious things, and when she didn’t receive what she expected, she should make a tantrum.

An eccentric little sister who didn’t want to be one.

“It’s not like that.”

Cedric buried his cheek on his little sister’s head. He’d never done this before but it felt very natural to do this.

The child, perhaps surprised, just closed her mouth like a clam and looked up at him with blue eyes.

“I’ll make time.”

That promise had to be kept.

After thinking about this and that, and having finished dressing up and eating a simple meal, it was already two o’clock in the afternoon.

It was time for her to go see Cedric. Lilian got ready and left her room.

She had teapots and other utensils delivered by a maid, but she insisted on carrying at least one tray of snacks with her own hands.

She didn’t have a kind heart for her employees.

‘It’s embarrassing to have a lot of people around.’

For the time being, one maid following was enough.

Thinking so, Lilian was walking down the hallway when she heard a voice.

“I greet the lady.”

“Sir Hayworth?”

Red-brown hair and similarly colored eyes. It was Cedric’s aide and escort, Allen, the butler administrator of Turin Castle.

“You don’t have to call me Sir. Please just call me majordomo.”

“Uh…yes. Alright.”

Recently, as she began to come and go to Cedric’s office, she had seen his face frequently, but despite this, Lilian still found this man difficult.

Allen’s mother, Mrs. Hayworth, was the current housekeeper in charge of the female employees of Turin Castle.

Before she became the housekeeper, she was Cedric’s nanny.

In other words, Allen was Cedric’s milk brother…

‘A person who witnessed and experienced the atrocities and abuse committed by my mother, the stepmother, in the closest place.’

In other words, he was a person who could not see Lilian in a good way.

No, it was more likely that he hated her very much.

In fact, when her mother was alive, she often met Allen’s cold eyes staring at Lilian.

‘I think his attitude has changed a bit lately, but…’

He’s still a difficult person to read.

“Are you going to the Lord?”

Lilian was embarrassed, but she nodded. Then Allen’s eyes lingered on the tray.

The tray suddenly seemed too heavy.

“It’s my negligence.”

Tuk, Allen suddenly knelt down.

“This is…pardon?”

“I didn’t know there was a lack of workers in Turin Castle. As the majordomo, this is my mistake. I apologize.”

He said he apologized, but he didn’t really apologize. Lilian thought Allen’s words were a soft rebuke.

As if asking the maid who was following Lilian what she did to let the lady hold the tray…

Or asking why she’s acting like a servant when she’s Turin’s daughter.

‘It might be both.’

At that time, Allen cut off Lilian’s thoughts once again.

“It’s my fault, so I’ll have to take responsibility with my own hands.”

“No, Sir Hayworth…”

“Could you please call me Allen?”

Due to calling his title twice, he rebuked her to call him Allen. Her mouth fell silent as she didn’t know what would happen next.

Allen held out his hand to Lilian, who was speechless, with a polite expressionless face.

“And now, please let me hold the tray.”

It was only then that Lilian realized that taking away the work of a subordinate would inconvenience them and, in some cases, be an insult to Turin’s servants, who were exceptionally loyal and proud.

“I suppose.”

Even though she admitted her mistake and politely handed the tray, she didn’t apologize.

Lily wasn’t being cocky.

People who originally belonged to the ruling class should not apologize easily. This was because it’s possible to be swayed by the emotions of the moment and apologize lightly, but then have it turned into a big responsibility.

An attitude of utmost prudence, restraining emotions and impulses.

The corners of Allen’s mouth drew a thin arc. It was the correct answer.

***

“Brother, it’s me.”

“Uhm.”

Cedric, who was trying to pretend not to know by taking his eyes off the papers for a while, stopped his hands at the unexpected sight.

‘Allen Hayworth?’

As a typical Turinian, he was proud of himself and quietly followed Lilian. That alone was exceptional, but he even held a tray of snacks in his hand.

Didn’t it seem like he completely acknowledged Lilian and was serving her as a superior?

It wasn’t that he didn’t have something to say, but it was quicker for Allen to put down the tray and step back. Looking at Lily’s awkward expression, it seemed that now wasn’t the time to criticize a close friend.

Cedric nodded to Lilian.

“Sit down.”

“Yes.”

It was a dry tone and indifferent behavior, but Lilian thought that considering Cedric’s personality and schedule, not issuing a congratulatory order right away was enough of a welcome.

*T/N: She’s thinking that Cedric not saying thank you for coming and then pushing her out was enough welcome.

As expected, Cedric put the pen down within minutes and stood up.

“Today, the kitchen prepared lemon pie.”

“Hm.”

Snacks enriched the tea time. In addition, consuming simple sweets was also one of the quickest ways to replenish exhausted energy.

Fortunately, Cedric ate whatever Lilian prepared. He didn’t seem particularly picky with the taste, Lilian guessed.

She guessed half right and half wrong.

Cedric wasn’t a gourmet, but because of his integrity, he always had a hard time adjusting to new things.

His deceased father thoroughly worked on fixing his son’s weakness.

“You have two paths to choose from, Cedric.”

“Either fix that bigoted personality or at least pretend to fix it if it’s really bad enough to die for.”

So perfect that no one, not even his father, would realize.

Cedric obeyed his father’s strict orders.

Thanks to that, he was trained in quite a few things or he could pretend to be one, so he was able to do one of the two.

The only thing left uncorrected was his insistence on food.

The habit of only eating what he had always eaten and not even trying new things!

Up to that point, even the previous Lord didn’t try to fix it.

“There’s a limit to the amount of stress a person can handle.”

The seasoned Lord didn’t tighten the precious heir until there was no room to breathe.

Cedric had been respected all his life when it came to his food. Drinking tea that he hadn’t even touched in his life, and giving up what he was doing to eat outrageous sweets without a complaint, were all exceptions that he allowed because the other party was Lilian.

A piece of sour lemon pie and a cup of tea that hadn’t improved much and still tasted bad.

It was only after they had disappeared that Cedric was finally able to let go of his hesitation.