Chapter 26
Wighill tilted his head.
As the head of security for Centerfield, he had a habit of observing people closely, paired with a gut instinct that was usually right on the mark.
His intuition was screaming at him that the sense of déjà vu he felt regarding Cedric should not be ignored.
However, he couldn’t quite put his finger on where he might have seen the man before.
While Wighill racked his brain, Carola was still preoccupied with ways to bring Cedric over to her side.
“Yes, if we’re going to make a move, we should recruit someone like him instead of that useless coachman. Look for an opportunity to arrange a meeting with the Marquis.”
“…….”
“Count?”
But unlike usual, Wighill was slow to respond.
When Carola looked back, she saw Wighill narrowing his eyes, staring intently at Cedric.
Feeling ignored, Carola struck Wighill’s shin sharply with the cane she held.
“O-Ouch!”
“Count? Why aren’t you answering? Have you gone deaf?”
“M-My apologies, Your Majesty. It’s just that Marquis Maxwell looks somewhat familiar.”
“What?”
“I feel certain I’ve seen his face before in a matter related to Your Majesty…….”
At Wighill’s murmuring, the Empress looked back at Cedric once more.
But no matter how much she searched her memory, she had no recollection of seeing the Marquis in the past.
Besides, Cedric was far too handsome to be easily forgotten after a single encounter.
The Empress frowned.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Where would I have seen a Marquis who has reputedly stayed only in his territory since his adoption?”
“P-Please forgive me. I spoke out of turn.”
At the Empress’s irritated tone, Wighill hurriedly bowed his head, fearing another strike to his shin.
Yet, the doubt in his mind did not vanish.
’No, I can’t remember when, but I’ve definitely seen him.’
Wighill continued to steal glances at Cedric out of the corner of his eye.
Meanwhile, Cedric was speaking to the crowd gathered around him.
“I have recently renovated my town house in the capital, and it is quite beautiful. I shall invite you all to my mansion before the Spring Festival.”
“Your Highness!”
Three days after the banquet, Brian entered Ian’s office holding a newspaper, his expression grave.
Ian, who had been sitting at his desk wearing glasses, looked up with surprised eyes.
He had been reviewing documents regarding the disposal of Bolton.
“Duke, what brings you here?”
“Take a look at this.”
Ian took the newspaper, and his brow furrowed as he read the headline.
「True Culprit of the Wanted Carriage Accident Found Dead!」
On one side of the spread was the familiar sketch of the wanted man. The article reported that the man they had encountered on 6th Street not long ago had been found strangled in a vacant house in the capital.
“……Dammit, the Empress made the first move.”
Ian folded the newspaper shut with an annoyed expression.
He had deployed men everywhere to find that coachman after his trip to 6th Street with Lobelin, but the man had vanished without a trace.
‘They must have tied up the loose end themselves in the meantime.’
The Empress likely couldn’t stand the madness of a wanted man wandering boldly through the capital either.
“It looks like we’ve lost one of our cards,” Brian said, his face troubled.
Ian also felt a bitter taste in his mouth, feeling as though the Empress had landed a blow.
“I owe you an apology, Duke. The ladies who suffered in that accident were your friends as well.”
“……Lady Bennett believes it was a simple accident. The House of Bennett has increased her security, so there should be no further cause for concern.”
Though Ian had referred to ‘the ladies,’ Brian intentionally shifted the focus by mentioning only Cornelia.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
At Brian’s words, Ian leaned back in his chair.
However, he still felt uneasy.
Ultimately, the investigation into the carriage accident would be closed with the death of the culprit, and there was no evidence linking it to the Empress.
There was no telling what other schemes the Empress might plot now that she had successfully escaped this predicament.
After a moment of thought, Ian spoke.
“Duke, I’m thinking of calling off the engagement talks for now.”
“……Pardon?”
“Do you think this will be the last time? Since she failed to get to Lady Bennett, Lady Spencer might be next. And more than anything…….”
Ian glanced out the window.
“……I want to take more time to think about the matter of the engagement.”
At the edge of his vision was the balcony of the banquet hall in the distance.
His mood lifted slightly as he recalled the time he had spent there with Lobelin two days ago.
“…….”
Watching Ian look out the window with a faint smile, Brian’s heart felt heavy.
He felt he knew exactly why Ian wanted to delay the engagement talks.
No, it was impossible not to know.
‘Damn it, he knows Lobelin is ill!’
Seeing how Ian had acted at the last banquet, only a fool wouldn’t realize it.
That was why Brian couldn’t ask further.
He was afraid that if he asked and received confirmation, he wouldn’t be able to handle it.
In the end, Brian chose to let the topic pass quietly.
“I shall discuss that matter again later. We must also ascertain His Majesty’s intentions.”
“I’ll leave it to you. I’m glad you’re here, Duke.”
Unaware of Brian’s inner turmoil, Ian stood up and placed a hand on Brian’s shoulder.
Faced with that gesture and a gaze filled with trust, Brian found himself unable to say anything.
It was exactly one week after the banquet when Cedric invited the nobles of Centerfield to his town house.
Though only a week had passed, many changes had occurred within Heriet’s aristocratic society during that time.
In a swift process, Bolton had been expelled from the House of Nobles, and both his voice and his voting rights were stripped away.
Naturally, Cedric stepped in to fill that void.
Since he had played the greatest role in Bolton’s expulsion, no one opposed his entry into the House of Nobles.
“Oh, Marquis. Your mansion is truly magnificent.”
“If your town house is like this, your estate must hold a grand mansion akin to a palace.”
“Haha, I look forward to your contributions in the administrative councils.”
Many people gathered at his town house to celebrate the arrival of this new star in high society.
“This is practically on the level of an Imperial Palace banquet.”
Lobelin was also at the town house, having accepted Cedric’s invitation.
However, since most of the guests were prominent figures in the House of Nobles, she felt awkward simply being there.
‘If I’d known it would be like this, maybe I should have politely declined.’
Lobelin stood a short distance away from the crowds with an awkward expression.
She couldn’t exactly join in while high-ranking officials discussed national taxes or border defense.
‘I’ll just look around the mansion.’
Lobelin began walking in the opposite direction to avoid the groups of people.
She couldn’t leave without greeting the host, so she planned to tour the house while Cedric was occupied with the elders.
‘What’s over there?’
While passing through a hallway, a glass greenhouse outside the window caught her eye.
Her curiosity piqued, Lobelin stepped outside and headed toward it.
There were people scattered throughout the gardens, and some guests were entering and leaving the greenhouse.
Lobelin entered the greenhouse with an intrigued expression.
“Wow…….”
Lobelin stood speechless at the sight of the magnificent interior.
The mansion was grand, but the greenhouse was a space where one could see Cedric’s wealth at a single glance.
In the center stood a massive fountain carved with marble statues, and a large waterway beginning from it traversed the entire greenhouse.
The waterways branched out in several directions, supplying water to the hydrangeas blooming all over the space.
‘But there are only hydrangeas?’
Lobelin tilted her head as she looked around.
The greenhouse was filled with hydrangeas of various colors, but no other plants were in sight.
Was this Cedric’s personal preference?
Regardless, the sight of the massive greenhouse filled with hydrangeas like a festival was truly a spectacle.
“So beautiful…….”
“Lady Dines.”
As Lobelin murmured to herself while looking at the flowers, Cedric had approached her side before she realized it.
“Ah, Marquis.”
“You were looking at the greenhouse. What do you think?”
“It’s stunning. It’s my first time seeing a greenhouse filled only with hydrangeas.”
Cedric nodded as if he understood.
“They are plants that require a lot of water, so they aren’t easy to grow. The roots must never be allowed to dry out.”
“Ah, I’ve heard that hydrangeas take an enormous amount of water.”
“Yes. In fact, I made a significant investment in the irrigation system here.”
Lobelin nodded at Cedric’s explanation.
Only then did she understand the reason for the massive fountain and the waterways.
“Is there a reason you only grow hydrangeas?”
“That is…….”
At Lobelin’s question, Cedric gave a small shrug.
“Because they are flowers that resemble someone I can never forget.”
