At my firm yet aloof tone, one of Cedrion’s thick, dark eyebrows arched as if drawn with precision

“Until you reveal Norhart’s secret, don’t try to dig too deep.”

“…Is your health issue really something that needs to be a secret?”

“It’s a matter of our trust.”

“That’s why I said I’d tell you everything. Didn’t you include that clause because you felt you needed to know something as well?”

“That also means that since I lack sufficient grounds to judge your words, I’d be forced to believe you unconditionally.”

Cedrion’s face stiffened slightly, carrying a hint of grievance.

“Do you at least agree that this is the safest place in Arcadia?”

“Considering the hostility Baron Alterman showed me, you might be right, but… that’s still just your claim.”

Even as I argued, I trusted Cedrion. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have even considered cooperating with him. But since I wasn’t the real Odelia, I couldn’t entrust him with everything based solely on my instincts. On Odelia’s shoulders rested not only her own fate but also that of her nanny and Dame Gwendolyn.

‘If I could be certain that Cedrion had a definite reason to protect Odelia, then I could entrust my people to him without worry.’

While I was lost in thought, Cedrion silently studied my face, as if trying to read the thoughts flitting through my mind. His perpetually serious brow furrowed even deeper than usual.

Meanwhile, Angie merely shifted her gaze back and forth between us, as if trying to gauge the atmosphere.

“…Alright.”

Cedrion must have reached a conclusion of his own, as the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a look brimming with determination.

“As I said, it will take some time to reveal Norhart’s secret, so please understand that. And…”

Cedrion bent down, bringing his face close to my ear. The warmth of his breath brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine for reasons I couldn’t quite understand.

“Just know that I’m always ready to answer your questions. Since keeping everything from you has become pointless, even if I were Marquis Lure, I would have told you everything.”

“But it was a promise with the Marquis.”

At the mention of Marquis Lure, my nanny’s words from long ago resurfaced in my mind. Words that had been unusually firm for her…

“I understand why you hesitate. The so-called most beautiful woman in Arcadia… Even if it wasn’t about becoming the crown princess, I can imagine how difficult life must have been for you at the royal court.”

Although there was no scene in Princess Flora Is Lovely where Odelia and Cedrion appeared together, it seemed Cedrion had been watching over Odelia from afar.

“That’s why I understand why you’d want to rely on a provincial noble family, one free from the power struggles of the royal court.”

He had even interpreted my decision to downgrade the contract from marriage to an engagement as something thoughtful.

“As I’ve told you time and again, the place freest from the royal court’s influence is Norhart. I just hope you remember that.”

For some reason, it sounded like he didn’t want me to leave… Whether that was for my sake or the real Odelia’s, I couldn’t tell.

Before I could find the right words to respond, Cedrion straightened his posture.

“In any case, I’ll prove my trustworthiness in other ways.”

With those words, Cedrion swept his gaze around, exuding a determined energy, as if he intended to do something in this small vegetable garden.

But this wasn’t something that could be done with determination alone. And it wasn’t as if I’d extend the contract anyway.

As I silently observed Cedrion, struggling to come up with a proper response, Mathias spoke up cheerfully.

“Your Grace, would you like to try tending to the garden as well?”

“Mathi, His Grace wouldn’t know how to do this.”

He wouldn’t know the ‘G’ of gardening or the ‘O’ of organic farming…

Just as I shook my head, trying to dissuade Mathias—

“Is there something I don’t know?”

With his brow furrowed, Cedrion strode toward Mathias in his slippers.

“It’s obvious. You just pour water here, right?”

Then, he swiftly snatched the watering can from Mathias’s hand.

A soft chuckle escaped Angie’s lips. Her dainty mouth curved asymmetrically, as if amused.

‘Well, he’s strong, at least.’

Cedrion managed to pour enough water for the newly transplanted crops to take root in the fresh soil.

But perhaps because he wasn’t familiar with organic farming, or maybe because his hands were just too large—

“No, you can’t pull all of that out!”

“Didn’t you say to clear out the crowded sprouts?”

“You have to leave some, keeping a proper distance between them!”

As he thinned out the tiny arugula sprouts with his large hands, Cedrion seemed utterly lost.

Unintentionally pulling out multiple seedlings at once, he had the audacity to look unbothered about it.

And that wasn’t even the worst of it.

“Be careful! You’re stepping on them!”

“Uh, Your Grace, you’re only supposed to trim the side leaves…”

Perhaps agricultural knowledge wasn’t included in the education needed to become the Grand Duke? Even if Norhart’s people were interested in crops, had they never grown them themselves? Or was this simply the job of a gardener, making it something he never needed to learn?

When it came to gardening, Cedrion wasn’t just unhelpful—he was actively making more work.

“Uh, Cedrion.”

“…”

“Why don’t you just watch Angie instead? I’ll take care of this.”

“…How could you handle such difficult work?”

“……It’s not that difficult for me.”

It’s only hard for you…

At some point, I had slipped out from under the quilt and was now following him around on quick little steps. I finally succeeded in snatching the pruning shears from his hand.

“But……”

“You said you’d try to get closer to Angie.”

At that, I silently added another word.

Con.tract.

‘I can make use of it too.’

Cedrion’s eyes twisted as he read my lips. In the end, unable to do anything about it, he moved to the bench and cradled Angie, who had been wrapped in the quilt.

A man in a silk nightgown suited that image far better. By now, he had grown quite used to holding Angie in his arms.

Mathias and I, having been gardening mates for weeks now, tended to the vegetable patch in peace without any interruptions.

Watering, fertilizing, trimming off the damaged parts.

“My lady, look at this leaf. It looks suspicious, doesn’t it? Dame Gwendolyn said these are signs of disease and pests. If we leave them, it’ll spread to the other leaves.”

“You’re right. It’s best to remove it.”

Though, to be fair, Mathias was the one doing all the hard work while I merely gave my approval…

“His Grace is so kind, helping you with your garden work at this early hour.”

“…Does it look that way?”

“Yes. He’s even stepping in to do things he’s not used to, just so you won’t have a hard time.”

Unaware of how coldly Cedrion always treated me, Mathias only had praise for him.

‘Mathias isn’t the type to be oblivious. Does he simply admire him too much to see otherwise?’

After we had more or less finished, Mathias busied himself putting away the gardening tools while I took a moment to greet each of the little greens.

“Grow your roots deep and strong, okay? And drink lots of water. Oh my, you’ve already sprouted a second stalk? You’ll be shooting up in no time.”

“Maya!”

Huh?

Did the cilantro just… respond to me?

I blinked in confusion.

“Uung!”

Before I could even ask, I heard another reply—no, it was Angie’s babbling from afar.

For some reason, her voice carried an oddly firm tone, making me instinctively turn toward her.

“You’re certain about it?”

“Uung.”

“So, that means you can keep an eye on it?”

“Uung.”

Wait… was Cedrion having a conversation with Angie?

Technically, it wasn’t much of a conversation—Cedrion spoke while Angie nodded in response—but…

Clatter.

“Ah! My lady, are you alright? Are you feeling weak?”

“N-No, it’s not that…”

I had been so shocked that I had dropped the pruning shears I was holding. Mathias, startled, rushed over and carefully checked to see if I was hurt, then followed my gaze.

Cedrion was holding Angie under her armpits, lifting her to his eye level, and gazing at her with a solemn expression.

“Alright. Then we’ll leave it alone for a while.”

“Doa.”

Just as Dame Gwendolyn had said, was Angie truly capable of communicating with us?

As I stood there, stunned, Mathias’s bright voice chimed in beside me.

“His Grace seems like he’d make a really good father.”

“…Huh?”

“Talking to a baby often helps with bonding and development.”

“Who told you that?”

“My mother.”

But… could this really be just emotional bonding?

Cedrion had always spoken to the baby in that solemn voice of his, but this felt like an actual conversation…

“I see. I’ve been looking into it myself.”

“Uung.”

“Whatever trick it is, we need to uncover it properly…”

“Gu-eh.”

Meanwhile, Cedrion and Angie’s conversation seemed to be reaching its end.

As if marking the conclusion, Cedrion’s voice trailed off, and both of them, as if synchronized, turned their gaze toward me.

Two pairs of golden eyes locked onto me.

***

“So you’re saying he told you there’s no need for me to examine you…”

Hearing what Cedrion had said, Dame Gwendolyn wore a look of disappointment.

“I find it frustrating too. Do you know what happened today?”

As I extended my arm for her to check my pulse, I gently patted Angie, who was dozing off on my chest.

“That man—he’s never treated Angie like a baby, but today, he was actually having a conversation with her.”

“A conversation…?”

“Well, it was mostly Cedrion doing the talking, but Angie’s babbling lined up perfectly with his words.”

Dame Gwendolyn adjusted her glasses with a resolute expression.

“Please, tell me everything in detail.”