“Master, take my hand.”

It was just a simple gesture of escorting Belinda as she stepped out of the carriage.

Cedric couldn’t understand why he felt a slight discomfort at this natural act of escorting.

He lightly clenched and unclenched his right hand, the one Belinda had always held onto for support, trying to shake off his doubts.

Perhaps this was due to the awareness that he was doing something dishonest.

The sense of committing an improper act intensifies the curse of the demon’s hand.

However, even knowing this, Cedric couldn’t stop following Belinda with Terry, though he kept a couple of steps away from the group.

“Ratchet is doing well, just as we asked.”

Terry nodded with satisfaction.

Leo was following Terry’s advice very well, making sure to keep Cheshire on his left and Belinda on his right as they walked, to avoid losing the adults.

When Belinda’s group stopped in front of an accessory stall, Leo rushed forward for the first time.

“I’m not seeing things wrong, right? That wizard is choosing accessories for himself, not trying to figure out what the Master wants?”

“Oh, maybe what Lady Belinda wants is jewels…!”

“Yes, I like this. I’ll treasure it forever.”

“…I guess not.”

As Belinda put on the necklace she had just paid for, Vivian quietly retracted her words, watching Cheshire smile as if he had just acquired the most precious thing in the world.

While Vivian and Terry exchanged opinions, observing with hawk-like eyes to determine what Belinda wanted and whether Cheshire was up to something, Cedric showed no reaction.

As if his duty was to guard Belinda, he silently surveyed her surroundings, then suddenly started to move ahead of Terry.

“Huh? Sir Knight, where are you going?”

“I must correct the misinformation for the sake of Lady Blanche’s honor.”

Misinformation?

Terry craned her neck, recalling the recent situation.

Cheshire had just casually introduced himself to a cloud candy vendor as Belinda’s second husband.

‘It is misinformation, indeed.’

But to go out of his way to correct it?

“That merchant probably doesn’t even know that the Master is from the Blanche family, is it really necessary to go that far?”

“…You have a point.”

Terry narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Cedric, who was quietly backing down at her words.

Come to think of it, he had reacted uncharacteristically to the mention of a date at the previous banquet too.

It was difficult to read his expression due to the mask, but even his actions and attitude were hard to decipher.

Terry, who had been closely observing Cedric after taking her eyes off Belinda, asked abruptly, like throwing a stone into a calm lake.

“Sir Knight, are you perhaps jealous right now?”

“…Jealous?”

The response was immediate.

As if hearing a foreign language, Cedric repeated Terry’s words.

Was there ever a word so ill-fitting for his life?

Cedric had never coveted what others had, nor had he ever envied what he couldn’t possess.

But jealousy?

Terry, who was trying to guess Cedric’s inner thoughts from his lips that seemed even more tightly set than usual, probed further, like poking a hibernating carnivore with a stick.

“I don’t think I have any incorrect information, but isn’t the Master engaged to the head of the Baluasten family?”

“That’s correct.”

“And Sir Penadel is the Grand Duke Baluasten’s aide, right?”

“…That’s right.”

A melodramatic scene unfolded in Terry’s mind.

So, is this the development of a loyal knight falling in love with his lord’s woman, or something like that?

“Wow, this house is a hidden gem.”

“…?”

“It’s nothing. Just hang in there.”

Terry patted Cedric’s shoulder quite familiarly.

She preferred Cedric’s jawline to the Grand Duke’s, which she had glimpsed before.

She also thought Cedric, who seemed to lack social awareness but had quick reflexes, suited Belinda better than the Grand Duke, who appeared perceptive but slow to act.

‘You never know what might happen until they’re married.’

Besides, from what she saw last time, Belinda didn’t seem to have any personal rapport with the Grand Duke.

It was likely an arranged marriage for some benefit, as is common among nobles.

‘If that’s the case, Sir Penadel might not be completely out of the running.’

Terry quickly shook her head at that thought.

Getting involved in other people’s love affairs never leads to anything good.

But she could offer some advice.

“It’s a bit awkward to say this, but Sir Knight, you’re too much of a one-trick pony with your ‘it’s cold’ routine. You can’t even use that in summer, you know.”

At those words, Cedric slightly furrowed his brow.

He couldn’t make sense of what she was saying; it felt just like talking to Penadel.

“So today, learn well from Cheshire. That one’s quite the sly fox.”

Though he couldn’t understand her words, to ensure Belinda’s safety, Cedric had no choice but to observe how Cheshire interacted with Belinda.

Cedric often let out heavy sighs, as if something unpleasant was pressing down on his solar plexus.

Each time, Terry would prick up her ears and observe Cedric’s reactions.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because it’s fun. By the way, what you’re feeling right now, Sir Knight, isn’t guilt.”

“…?”

“And it’s certainly not an irregular heartbeat either.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

He probably didn’t even understand what she was saying, so how could it be of any use?

Terry turned her head to follow Belinda’s back again.

But Belinda, who had been visible all along, was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh no, we’ve lost her.”

In the moment she had taken her eyes off to look at Cedric, they had lost sight of her.

Terry narrowed her eyes, licking her lips as she tried to locate Belinda.

The street was crowded, but she was confident in her tailing skills and was sure she could find Belinda quickly.

“Oh dear.”

Hearing Cedric’s sigh beside her, Terry confidently said while thumping her chest,

“It’s alright, Sir Knight! We’ll find her and catch up in no time!”

“Whose tail are you chasing?”

“Why, of course…”

Terry, about to respond naturally, creakily turned around at the voice coming from behind her.

Soon, the empty space Cedric had been staring at shimmered like a heat haze, revealing Belinda standing with her arms crossed.

Noticing the faint golden glimmer in Cheshire’s eyes, who appeared alongside her, Terry broke out in a cold sweat and quietly stepped back.

“What an incredible coincidence, Master!”

“Indeed, I think it’s quite an incredible coincidence too. To think our paths have been the same since leaving the mansion until now. What an amazing coincidence, right?”

“Well, I don’t think they’ve been the same all along?”

As Terry feigned innocence, Cheshire laughed dismissively and reached out to Vivian’s back, pretending to pluck something off.

A thin butterfly fluttered, clinging to his hand.

“Uh, uh…?”

“I had a feeling this might happen, so I attached my magic to Vivian. What do you think, Master? Wasn’t I right?”

“……”

Terry experienced being at a loss for words for the first time in a very long time.

And that day became the day Cheshire incurred the wrath of a resting assassin.

Cheshire and Belinda’s date unexpectedly turned into a large group outing due to the sudden intrusion of uninvited guests.

Having managed to secure a place at a restaurant, Belinda demonstrated that she was quite upset.

She took half of the dessert that came as the share for today’s betrayers and placed it on Leo’s plate.

“This is the price for daring to follow me around without trusting me.”

“This is… unfair, Master!”

Belinda’s words were reasonable.

Although they hadn’t tailed her because they didn’t trust her, it was understandable that the person in question would be upset about it.

Terry’s protest of injustice wasn’t because her share of dessert was taken away.

It was because while Terry and Vivian’s shares were cut in half, only a third of Cedric’s was taken.

“The three of us made the same mistake, so why does Sir Knight get more dessert?”

Well, Sir Penadel particularly likes sweets, so if he lost the same amount as others, he’d feel more regretful…?

Unable to understand Belinda’s peculiar calculations, Terry grumbled as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“If you look closely, Master seems especially lenient towards Sir Knight! It shows even in your expression!”

Terry’s gaze, protesting as if wronged, turned towards Cedric for just a split second, as if gauging the atmosphere – something even Cheshire couldn’t have noticed.

Belinda was momentarily struck speechless by the unexpected remark.

‘I’m only lenient towards Sir Penadel?’

It could be because they’ve spent the most time together.

But if it showed even in Belinda’s expression, then perhaps…

“Sir Penadel resembles Mikha. That must be why I feel a sense of familiarity.”

Belinda spoke calmly, but the impact of her words spread widely.

‘Mikha?’

‘Who’s Mikha?’

‘It seems to be someone’s nickname.’

Unlike Cheshire, Vivian, and Terry who were clueless, only Cedric could recall a certain person at that moment.

“What do you think about Belinda?”

Mikhail Genos Fondrich.

He remembered hearing that Mikhail’s nickname was Mikha.

At that moment, Cedric felt an uncomfortable heaviness settle in his solar plexus, as if a heavy stone had been placed there.

“Whoever it is, they seem quite close.”

“Could it be Lady Belinda’s first love or something?”

“Master’s first love?”

He could hear the whispered conversation of those trying to speak secretly behind Belinda’s back.

Cedric couldn’t bring himself to touch the sweet dessert.

His heart rate increased and his jaw tensed.

This isn’t paternal love.

As Terry said, it’s not guilt, and certainly not an irregular heartbeat.

This is probably… what’s called jealousy.

It was a negative emotion that Cedric should never have felt.