Chapter 8

Alicia returned to her room after Cedric’s order.  

Once the door closed, all the emotions she had suppressed poured out.  

“What an arrogant b*stard.”  

Here, there was no need to manage her expression.  

She frowned deeply.  

It was infuriating that he ignored his own child’s issues.  

“Make a more stimulating provocation? Ridiculous.”  

Honestly.  

Some people are shameless to an extreme.  

His indifference was absurd.  

Even when dismissing someone, he only said what he wanted, without any consideration for the other person.  

His arrogance was obvious.  

Cedric was the epitome of an authoritarian.  

That gaze, looking down as if his position was natural.  

She still couldn’t forget it.  

What was so special about status that she had to be belittled even here?  

It was a different kind of disrespect than in her previous life.  

Back then, she could just quit her job, but here, she couldn’t.  

This world had a class system she hadn’t experienced before.  

If Cedric marked her, it wouldn’t end with just being kicked out.  

The more she thought about him, the more her anger boiled.  

‘Why leave that child alone?’  

It was neglect, wasn’t it?  

She was dumbfounded, but getting angrier would only hurt herself.  

Alicia took deep breaths to calm her agitated heart.  

One, two, three.  

Hoo….  

The deep exhale gradually calmed her mind.  

She repeated the breathing five more times to avoid thinking emotionally.  

“Now I feel a bit better.”  

Her mind settled.  

Now, she would think rationally.  

She must avoid provoking him as much as possible.  

Emotional actions could bring unpredictable trouble.  

To survive in this world, reason was more important than emotion.  

Alicia recalled Cedric’s words.  

“Mikael is my job, he said. Then….”  

That meant she could raise Mikael her own way.  

Yes. She’d use her strength to help Mikael grow well.  

So he could choose the right path.  

Cedric’s help might not even be necessary.  

She’d do her best.  

That was her role.  

“A gentle tutor is much better than an arrogant father.”  

Alicia renewed her hope.  

Hope that the child would grow up whole and balanced, not as a shadowy figure.

* * *

That evening.  

Cedric remained alone in his study.  

He leaned back in a luxurious wooden chair, eyes closed.  

This was his only time to relax.  

How long had it been since he enjoyed such comfort?  

Even if it wasn’t a bed, just leaning back in a chair with no thoughts relaxed his body.  

Released from the tension that had stiffened his muscles, Cedric exhaled deeply.  

Hoo.  

The work-induced headache gradually cleared.  

It was a peaceful moment, free from thoughts.  

Just a while ago, all sorts of noises had filled the room.  

He recalled the sounds from the study.  

The scratching of pens and rustling of papers.  

The sound of Armand pouring tea into cups.  

And….

‘And may I ask just one thing? Your Grace, is this how you wish to raise Young Master Mikael?’

Why did Alicia’s words come to mind during such a sweet moment?  

Cedric opened his eyes again.  

He stroked his chin and muttered to himself.  

“Is that how I want to raise him…? Interesting.”  

Cedric let out a dry laugh.  

There was bitterness in it.  

In fact, Cedric couldn’t refute Alicia’s words.  

He had never heard such a thing before, so there was nothing to ponder.  

He had always considered it the tutor’s job.  

All nobles did.  

Even if they had children, they thought raising them was the nanny’s and tutor’s job.  

But upon hearing her bold question, Cedric, for the first time, contemplated Mikael.  

No matter how he thought, he couldn’t find an answer.  

So he responded arrogantly to Alicia’s question.  

It might have been scary for Alicia, but…  

“It’s none of my business.”  

He shook off his deep thoughts and reached for the cigar case on his desk.  

With a crisp sound, he opened the lid.  

Cedric checked the cigars inside.  

“…D*mn.”  

Only one cigar left in the case.  

He needed at least three to get through the current state….  

Cigars were the only thing to comfort him when he was exhausted.  

He grimaced and began to smoke.  

He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the aroma.  

The momentary buzz helped him forget his distracting thoughts.  

But only for a moment.  

As he exhaled the smoke, Alicia came to mind again.  

Her scared yet still bold demeanor.  

The purity in her determined expression.  

And the fresh way she, a commoner, dared to question a noble.  

Normally, Cedric would have cut down such a person instantly, but he didn’t want to do that to her.  

He just wanted to observe her more.  

He wondered how Alicia would provoke him further in the future.  

And her words reminded him of a promise he had long kept in his heart.  

Cedric inhaled the cigar smoke again and slowly exhaled.  

“I will definitely keep your promise, Yelena.”

* * *

In truth, Cedric was not indifferent to Mikael.  

He simply believed it was better for Mikael to be raised by experts than for him to clumsily intervene.  

That way, Mikael would grow up straighter and better.  

Cedric was also aware—  

He was arrogant, full of superiority as a noble.  

So, he didn’t want to pass those traits on to Mikael.  

That’s why he chose a tutor from a common background, not a noble, and why he spoke harshly to Alicia.  

He thought that if he got involved, Mikael’s personality would only become stranger.  

He’d heard those words so often, especially from Yelena.  

When Cedric opened his eyes, a battlefield ablaze appeared before him.  

This was the past, and a world of dreams.  

Corpses lay scattered everywhere.  

Shouts, clashing swords, and the sound of galloping horses echoed all around….  

Everything was vivid.  

Cedric calmly faced the scenes from his past.  

In a puddle, his reflection appeared.  

A man in blood-stained armor, his face wounded and exhausted.  

From him, a mix of blood and sweat created a pungent stench.  

At that moment, Cedric recalled a forgotten memory.  

‘Yelena…!’  

He gripped the sword in his left hand tightly.  

At that time, the only reason he was on this battlefield was to find Yelena.  

He had to search for traces of her magic.  

That was the last clue Yelena had left him.  

Cedric quickly scanned his surroundings.  

The green color—that was Yelena’s magic.  

Cedric focused as much as he could to find her magic.  

Even a brief focus could easily detect traces of magic.  

It was a simple spell.  

As he concentrated, he saw a green aurora-like glow.  

Cedric knew immediately it was Yelena’s magic.  

He kicked his white horse’s side and rushed after the green magic.  

But as he rode, enemies rushed at him from all sides.  

They swung their swords wildly at him, full of spirit.  

Clang! Clang! Clang! Slash!!  

But none of them could defeat Cedric.  

With a single swing, he decapitated them.  

His sharp sword pierced hearts or struck vital points, causing rapid hemorrhage and increasing the number of fallen enemies.  

The more he killed, the more blood stained his face and armor.  

He was filthy from the blood of dying enemies, but didn’t care.  

His mind was filled only with thoughts of finding Yelena.  

He urged his horse forward to find her.  

The faster the hooves struck the ground, the more anxious he became.  

Was Yelena harmed?  

Was she killed by someone?  

All sorts of worries enveloped his thoughts, making his heart beat faster.  

He kicked his running horse again, grimacing.  

“Hyah!!!”  

The horse neighed and accelerated.  

After a while, the magic’s presence weakened.  

That meant Yelena was nearby.  

Cedric headed toward the direction where traces of magic remained.  

Though the traces were fading, he could still follow the direction.  

Following the traces led him into a collapsing mansion.  

Without hesitation, Cedric entered.  

Turning left and deeper inside, he found a black-haired woman struggling to breathe.  

He was instantly sure she was his sister, Yelena.  

“Yelena!”  

Cedric jumped off the horse and ran to her.  

Approaching her, Cedric’s hands trembled as he caressed her cheek.  

“Yelena! Wake up!! Yelena!”  

Turning her body, he saw she was clutching something to her chest, gasping for air.  

At his call, Yelena barely opened her eyes.  

Seeing Cedric, she shed tears.  

“Brother….”  

“Oh, Yelena…! Why…? Why are you here…?”  

Seeing her dying, Cedric burst into tears.  

Yelena smiled weakly and wiped Cedric’s tears.  

“I’m sorry, Brother. I had a secret I couldn’t tell you….”  

She then showed him what she was holding.  

A baby.  

Jet-black hair like Yelena’s, and eyes brighter and bluer than Cedric’s.  

A newborn, cradled in her arms.