From indifference to faint discomfort, it seemed as if Eden's mood was moving further and further.
It was a latent emotion, something so sublime and deep that even the person involved might not notice it.
“Does the Grand Duchess often come to you?”
Diego was quick-witted and could spot it.
“We often hold auctions and proxy sales, so please come and visit us whenever you need us, Your Highness.”
There was no need to bring it up and get angry. Diego bowed down politely in front of Eden.
“...”
Eden didn't answer. His gaze remained on the bedroom window of the woman who had been watching the whole scene until she disappeared without a sound, even erasing her shadow.
It was a latent emotion, something so sublime and deep that even the person involved might not notice it.
“Does the Grand Duchess often come to you?”
Diego was quick-witted and could spot it.
“We often hold auctions and proxy sales, so please come and visit us whenever you need us, Your Highness.”
There was no need to bring it up and get angry. Diego bowed down politely in front of Eden.
“...”
Eden didn't answer. His gaze remained on the bedroom window of the woman who had been watching the whole scene until she disappeared without a sound, even erasing her shadow.
***
It was late at night. Cecilia, who was reading a book, raised her head at the sound of a knock on the bedroom door. Abby, who was standing by her side, opened the bedroom door and checked for visitors.
“Your Highness!”
The unexpected guest was Eden.
“Please come inside.”
Cecilia put down the book she was reading and ordered Abby. Abby hurriedly opened the door and let Eden in.
“Abby, go back to the bedroom and rest.”
“I hope I didn’t interrupt your time.”
Eden asked. Cecilia dismissed Abby and denied his question with a smile.
“Your Highness, you are the master of this house. No matter where you come and go, no matter what you do, it is natural.”
It was a bland answer. But, ironically, that bland answer was getting on Eden's nerves. It had been like that for some time.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t remember talking to you much recently. What have you been doing?”
However, Eden naturally suppressed such feelings. And asked with a gentle face. Cecilia’s gaze turned to the book lying on the desk.
“I was reading a book about the island, hoping to get some information about things to do besides fishing.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Yes, I will.”
Cecilia answered obediently.
“Then I guess we’ll stop here for today.”
"Yes?"
It was an answer she gave without knowing that the words that followed would turn out like that.
“Let’s take a break.”
Eden took Cecilia's hand and led her. Cecilia followed him absentmindedly, narrowing her eyes. It was difficult to figure out what the man in front of her was thinking.
“I don’t feel so good because it seems like you’re the only one who’s been pushing yourself too hard.”
“I’m doing this because I want to. Don’t think like that.”
When he reached the bed, Eden suddenly stopped walking and looked back at Cecilia.
“I saw someone coming from the pawn shop.”
“Oh, I called him because I have some trinkets that I want to get rid of. But if it is inconvenient for Your Highness...”
“No, I was just asking if there was anything you were missing.”
Eden immediately denied it. It was true that he was annoyed by the man with the sullen face, but that was all. He just felt unfamiliar with the face he didn't know. And he just wondered if there was something Cecilia lacked.
“Or something you want.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Cecilia shook her head with a smile. Cecilia had always been like that recently. She didn't have anything she wanted or wanted in particular.
“Is there anything you want to know or are curious about?”
Cecilia paused at Eden's question. Their eyes met each other's.
"...No."
Cecilia answered with a picture-perfect smile. There was not even a hint of discomfort in her answer.
“Nothing?”
Even though she must have heard the recent rumors and seen the commotion during the day, he felt like he was making a fool of himself for coming to explain. Eden held Cecilia's hand a little tighter. Naturally, Cecilia's eyes turned to the hand that was being held.
"Yes."
But soon her gaze returned to Eden's face. Cecilia's face was as peaceful as ever. That smooth face scratched Eden's insides.
“It’s still insufficient, but I will organize what I have learned about the island and convey it to Your Highness.”
It was a strange thing. The woman who said she liked and loved him didn't seem to be curious about him being close to another woman in the mansion. Even though she was the only maid she had.
Cecilia was not stupid. She could not have been unaware of the implications of the rumor. So she had to question him. But she remained calm.
Is that possible? Isn't that only possible when there are no expectations at all? Eden wondered.
“I have no relationship with your maid.”
Anyway, he didn't want to be misunderstood. That's what he came here to talk about today. So, Eden mentioned that he and Ilya were not in any kind of relationship.
“I hope there is no misunderstanding.”
When Ilya's story suddenly came up, Cecilia blinked. Her face looked like she couldn't understand at all.
“I know. Your Highness would not do such a thing.”
It was strange. If she really loved him, how could she not have been suspicious? Eden was suspicious just from the fact that a man with a plain face and an unknown identity had been hanging around the mansion more than once...
"Your Highness?"
Eden blinked slowly. Cecilia shook the hand that was being held, awakening Eden’s consciousness, which was not doing anything.
“You said we should rest now.”
The face that turned around and asked how long he would stand there was just plain. The moment he faced that face, Eden had rather childish, impulsive, and destructive thoughts.
He wants to destroy her peace and calmness.
Eden wrapped one hand around the back of Cecilia's neck. At the same time, Cecilia's eyes widened in surprise.
“Your Highness.”
There was no time to say anything or stop him. Eden's lips lightly pressed down on Cecilia's.
“...!”
It was a lukewarm kiss without passion or affection, but it felt like her heart was falling to the floor. Cecilia unconsciously pushed Eden away and stepped back. Her body swayed as she hit the bed.
"Caution."
Eden caught Cecilia, who was about to stumble and fall. Just like her body that had been shaking before he caught her, Cecilia’s eyes were also shaking. The faint glimmer in her eyes was surprise and rejection.
"What..."
Cecilia raised one hand and covered her mouth. Then, in a bewildered voice, she asked a question without being able to finish her sentence.
“I just feel..”
Eden, who was watching the scene, thought. Cecilia might really be thinking indifferently.
“Because I wanted to do that.”
They said that there are people whose hearts suddenly grow cold. Perhaps Cecilia could have been one of those people.
Yeah, that could have been it. But probably not, considering the clean-cut face that had been telling him she liked him just a little while ago.
And even if her heart had truly changed, Eden had no right to blame Cecilia. She had pretended not to know what he was thinking, even though she knew it. If she had said that, he would have nothing to say.
“Suddenly?”
But when he thought about it that way, he felt particularly uncomfortable. Like something he had been robbed of. Like something he had believed to be his had disappeared.
The feeling flared up so suddenly, so quickly.
“I don’t know what Your Highness is thinking.”
Cecilia looked at Eden with somewhat confused eyes. He burst out laughing when he met her clear gaze that contained the meaning of something strange.
“I don’t think you were that kind of person.”
Eden also agreed with Cecilia that he was strange now. He was a stranger to the situation. But at the same time, he also thought that he just didn't know.
Before, Cecilia's feelings had never bothered him. He thought that she would always be there, whether he looked back or not.
But when he thought that maybe that wasn't the case, he started to feel very strange. Something like resentment, for example.
“I think so too.”
"...”
“So, you don’t like it?”
The man, whose attitude had changed so abruptly, asked a bewildering question. Cecilia shook her head in surprise.
“I was just surprised.”
Fortunately, the answer came back negative. Eden noticed that he was slightly relieved by that fact, but pretended not to notice.
“Since I surprised you anyway, I’d like to make a suggestion.”
Cecilia looked at Eden with a puzzled or anxious look. It was an expression that clearly showed that she thought he was doing strange things today.
“Let’s go to Laner Island together.”
It wasn't a completely sudden idea to suggest a trip to Lanier Island to Cecilia. It was, however, a rather impulsive decision, made without much thought. But Eden doesn't regret it.
“It will be a good opportunity.”
Eden gently stroked the back of Cecilia's hand with the tip of his thumb. Cecilia flinched slightly as she followed his moving hand. Eden watched her and smiled slightly.
"How is it?"
"Yes."
As they say, seeing something is worth hearing a hundred times, so by visiting the island, he could help with her busy schedule.
And, because he decided to try, it was an excuse that covered up the probability and rationality of everything and rationalized his irrational behavior.
“Your Highness!”
The unexpected guest was Eden.
“Please come inside.”
Cecilia put down the book she was reading and ordered Abby. Abby hurriedly opened the door and let Eden in.
“Abby, go back to the bedroom and rest.”
“I hope I didn’t interrupt your time.”
Eden asked. Cecilia dismissed Abby and denied his question with a smile.
“Your Highness, you are the master of this house. No matter where you come and go, no matter what you do, it is natural.”
It was a bland answer. But, ironically, that bland answer was getting on Eden's nerves. It had been like that for some time.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t remember talking to you much recently. What have you been doing?”
However, Eden naturally suppressed such feelings. And asked with a gentle face. Cecilia’s gaze turned to the book lying on the desk.
“I was reading a book about the island, hoping to get some information about things to do besides fishing.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Yes, I will.”
Cecilia answered obediently.
“Then I guess we’ll stop here for today.”
"Yes?"
It was an answer she gave without knowing that the words that followed would turn out like that.
“Let’s take a break.”
Eden took Cecilia's hand and led her. Cecilia followed him absentmindedly, narrowing her eyes. It was difficult to figure out what the man in front of her was thinking.
“I don’t feel so good because it seems like you’re the only one who’s been pushing yourself too hard.”
“I’m doing this because I want to. Don’t think like that.”
When he reached the bed, Eden suddenly stopped walking and looked back at Cecilia.
“I saw someone coming from the pawn shop.”
“Oh, I called him because I have some trinkets that I want to get rid of. But if it is inconvenient for Your Highness...”
“No, I was just asking if there was anything you were missing.”
Eden immediately denied it. It was true that he was annoyed by the man with the sullen face, but that was all. He just felt unfamiliar with the face he didn't know. And he just wondered if there was something Cecilia lacked.
“Or something you want.”
“No, it’s okay.”
Cecilia shook her head with a smile. Cecilia had always been like that recently. She didn't have anything she wanted or wanted in particular.
“Is there anything you want to know or are curious about?”
Cecilia paused at Eden's question. Their eyes met each other's.
"...No."
Cecilia answered with a picture-perfect smile. There was not even a hint of discomfort in her answer.
“Nothing?”
Even though she must have heard the recent rumors and seen the commotion during the day, he felt like he was making a fool of himself for coming to explain. Eden held Cecilia's hand a little tighter. Naturally, Cecilia's eyes turned to the hand that was being held.
"Yes."
But soon her gaze returned to Eden's face. Cecilia's face was as peaceful as ever. That smooth face scratched Eden's insides.
“It’s still insufficient, but I will organize what I have learned about the island and convey it to Your Highness.”
It was a strange thing. The woman who said she liked and loved him didn't seem to be curious about him being close to another woman in the mansion. Even though she was the only maid she had.
Cecilia was not stupid. She could not have been unaware of the implications of the rumor. So she had to question him. But she remained calm.
Is that possible? Isn't that only possible when there are no expectations at all? Eden wondered.
“I have no relationship with your maid.”
Anyway, he didn't want to be misunderstood. That's what he came here to talk about today. So, Eden mentioned that he and Ilya were not in any kind of relationship.
“I hope there is no misunderstanding.”
When Ilya's story suddenly came up, Cecilia blinked. Her face looked like she couldn't understand at all.
“I know. Your Highness would not do such a thing.”
It was strange. If she really loved him, how could she not have been suspicious? Eden was suspicious just from the fact that a man with a plain face and an unknown identity had been hanging around the mansion more than once...
"Your Highness?"
Eden blinked slowly. Cecilia shook the hand that was being held, awakening Eden’s consciousness, which was not doing anything.
“You said we should rest now.”
The face that turned around and asked how long he would stand there was just plain. The moment he faced that face, Eden had rather childish, impulsive, and destructive thoughts.
He wants to destroy her peace and calmness.
Eden wrapped one hand around the back of Cecilia's neck. At the same time, Cecilia's eyes widened in surprise.
“Your Highness.”
There was no time to say anything or stop him. Eden's lips lightly pressed down on Cecilia's.
“...!”
It was a lukewarm kiss without passion or affection, but it felt like her heart was falling to the floor. Cecilia unconsciously pushed Eden away and stepped back. Her body swayed as she hit the bed.
"Caution."
Eden caught Cecilia, who was about to stumble and fall. Just like her body that had been shaking before he caught her, Cecilia’s eyes were also shaking. The faint glimmer in her eyes was surprise and rejection.
"What..."
Cecilia raised one hand and covered her mouth. Then, in a bewildered voice, she asked a question without being able to finish her sentence.
“I just feel..”
Eden, who was watching the scene, thought. Cecilia might really be thinking indifferently.
“Because I wanted to do that.”
They said that there are people whose hearts suddenly grow cold. Perhaps Cecilia could have been one of those people.
Yeah, that could have been it. But probably not, considering the clean-cut face that had been telling him she liked him just a little while ago.
And even if her heart had truly changed, Eden had no right to blame Cecilia. She had pretended not to know what he was thinking, even though she knew it. If she had said that, he would have nothing to say.
“Suddenly?”
But when he thought about it that way, he felt particularly uncomfortable. Like something he had been robbed of. Like something he had believed to be his had disappeared.
The feeling flared up so suddenly, so quickly.
“I don’t know what Your Highness is thinking.”
Cecilia looked at Eden with somewhat confused eyes. He burst out laughing when he met her clear gaze that contained the meaning of something strange.
“I don’t think you were that kind of person.”
Eden also agreed with Cecilia that he was strange now. He was a stranger to the situation. But at the same time, he also thought that he just didn't know.
Before, Cecilia's feelings had never bothered him. He thought that she would always be there, whether he looked back or not.
But when he thought that maybe that wasn't the case, he started to feel very strange. Something like resentment, for example.
“I think so too.”
"...”
“So, you don’t like it?”
The man, whose attitude had changed so abruptly, asked a bewildering question. Cecilia shook her head in surprise.
“I was just surprised.”
Fortunately, the answer came back negative. Eden noticed that he was slightly relieved by that fact, but pretended not to notice.
“Since I surprised you anyway, I’d like to make a suggestion.”
Cecilia looked at Eden with a puzzled or anxious look. It was an expression that clearly showed that she thought he was doing strange things today.
“Let’s go to Laner Island together.”
It wasn't a completely sudden idea to suggest a trip to Lanier Island to Cecilia. It was, however, a rather impulsive decision, made without much thought. But Eden doesn't regret it.
“It will be a good opportunity.”
Eden gently stroked the back of Cecilia's hand with the tip of his thumb. Cecilia flinched slightly as she followed his moving hand. Eden watched her and smiled slightly.
"How is it?"
"Yes."
As they say, seeing something is worth hearing a hundred times, so by visiting the island, he could help with her busy schedule.
And, because he decided to try, it was an excuse that covered up the probability and rationality of everything and rationalized his irrational behavior.
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