Let’s Just Make a Child, Your Grace - Chapter 10 Part 6

“None of your business. I told you to at least act properly in front of people. On a day like today when we’re hosting a party, you shouldn’t have touched the maid of this house.”

Following the sound of a vase breaking, a maid rushed out of the room, hurriedly holding up her apron.

“Ah, young lady.”

Amelia glanced coldly at the maid before smiling sweetly at Lady Leverun.

“Mother, people are waiting. This is the first party I’m hosting in the capital. You’ll attend, won’t you?”

“Sigh, alright. I’ll be down soon.”

Lady Leverun closed the door with an irritated exhale. Hearing the rising voices from inside the room, Amelia anticipated that her parents wouldn’t be coming to today’s party either.

A maid who hurriedly came up from downstairs gasped at the sight of Amelia and the disheveled maid.

“Lady Amelia, Young Master Renigrad has arrived.”

“Perfect. Ah, clean up well. How can there be anything dirty at this perfect party?”

Amelia wiped her hands with a handkerchief and then threw it irritably at the face of the maid who had rushed out of the room.

Leaving behind the maid whose face had turned bright red, Amelia descended the stairs again, her heels clicking.

Her contorted expression gradually changed to a bright one with each step down the stairs.

“Lord Cedric, you’ve come. Thank you.”

“I heard it was a wine tasting of drinks from all over the empire, but it’s more lavish than I expected.”

“I put in a lot of effort because you’re here too, Lord Cedric.”

Amelia moved towards the center of the hall, escorted by Cedric.

“It’s Lord Cedric. He graciously said he would definitely attend my party. Isn’t he so kind?”

“My, rumors of your engagement were going around, and it seems they’re true.”

Amelia smiled sweetly and held Cedric’s arm tightly. The nobles admired Cedric as they observed him.

“I saw on the invitation that today’s party required attendance with a partner, and I wondered why Lady Leverun didn’t have a partner, but here he is.”

“He’s handsome as rumored. No wonder there are rumors about this beautiful couple. Not to mention, Lady Leverun’s beauty and dress are especially stunning today.”

While Cedric stood with a tired expression, Amelia, who was smiling, glanced at the hour hand of the grandfather clock.

‘It’s about time for the clown who will provide the most enjoyable entertainment of this party to arrive.’

As the clock chimed, Amelia’s lips curved into a smile at the person who entered through the opened door.

“Lady Ronia, welcome. Did you come alone?”

At Amelia’s voice, which rang out as if she had been waiting, all eyes turned to Arne at once.

As Arne turned her body following Amelia’s voice, her gaze lingered on Cedric standing next to her.

“Your dress is truly beautiful.”

At Amelia’s following words, Arne’s eyes slowly sank.

‘Completely identical dresses.’

Amelia, who looked so good in the pink dress with white frills and ribbons, smiled brightly.

In contrast, Arne’s dress didn’t suit her, and the loose waist needed fitting but was clumsily fixed with safety pins, making it look ridiculous.

As expected, the nobles beside Amelia looked Arne up and down, their lips curled in derision.

“She’s been chasing after Lord Cedric alone, and now she’s even imitating Lady Leverun?”

“It’s really laughable. She’s in such stark contrast to Lady Leverun.”

“But wasn’t she supposed to be engaged to Kale de Wayne? Poor young master.”

“No wonder she doesn’t have a partner. If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to come out.”

The mockery continued endlessly as Arne stood there. Amelia watched the scene with satisfaction. She had left Arne alone at Kale’s party because of her notorious reputation as the empire’s mad villainess.

But then rumors of her engagement to Cedric started circulating. How dare she, with her lowly birth. She had to nip this in the bud here. To make sure she never even dreams of it again.

‘Lady Ronia, I’m sorry, but Cedric is a man that the Leverun family desperately needs. So you should crumble here. Besides, you’ve taken Kale, haven’t you?’

So show how unsightly and pathetic you are, and run away from this party.

Amelia glanced at Cedric, whose red eyes were burning. Though he was standing here pretending to be a polite gentleman, his mind was elsewhere, and as expected, his eyes were gleaming.

‘Raniarne, you attract too much attention.’

Amelia, pretending to know nothing, tilted her wine glass and asked.

“What a coincidence, I had a hard time getting this dress, and you thought it was pretty too. But where is your partner? Please enjoy the wine tasting slowly with your partner. I prepared it with great care.”

“Oh my, Lady Leverun is so kind. It’s obvious she’s just imitating you.”

“She really has no backbone and doesn’t know shame.”

“She’s so lacking. She probably doesn’t even know better, having learned nothing.”

The mockery and derision from Amelia’s close noble friends continued incessantly. There was only one person who wasn’t smiling in this hall.

Arne looked at Cedric, who was becoming increasingly cold.

‘Is this what he wanted to see when he sent it? Did he want to hurt me the same way?’

Arne clutched the hem of her skirt. She was used to the nobles’ mockery, so that was fine.

‘But this hurts a little. More than anything, it hurts that you’ve turned your blade against me.’

Seeing Arne’s slightly trembling lips, a maid approached Amelia and whispered in her ear.

“He has arrived. What should we do?”

A smile spread across Amelia’s lips. Another clown had arrived. Now the curtain of the play had finally risen. Amelia turned to the nobles and said,

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Although Amelia left, Cedric still didn’t move a step. His gaze towards Arne was so fierce that even the nobles had to swallow hard.

‘Clothes to Kale’s taste…’

Looking at Arne’s clothes as if he wanted to tear them apart, he barely suppressed his anger and spat out words.

“I’ll excuse myself too.”

Cedric brushed past Arne without any lingering. The nobles’ eyes curved as they spoke in coy voices.

“Oh my, what’s with those two?”

“Look how he leaves immediately when Lady Leverun is gone.”

“Did you see how he looked at Lady Ronia?”

Their gazes settled on Arne again.

“I’ll excuse myself as well.”

Arne also turned and moved. She quickly became out of breath as she tried to catch up with Cedric, who had already headed towards the sparsely populated balcony.

No matter how many steps Arne took, she couldn’t reach Cedric. It was frustrating that Cedric wouldn’t stop even though he clearly knew only the sound of Arne’s heels was echoing.

Arne’s staggering hand touched the door leading to the balcony. At the end of her dizzy vision, Cedric was nowhere to be seen. Her slipping hand caught the doorknob.

‘Ah.’

As she hurriedly grabbed the balcony railing and tried to stand up, she stumbled, and as the balcony door opened, she fell forward.

The moment she tightly closed her eyes, a firm arm wrapped around Arne’s waist. A familiar low voice sounded from behind.

“Why did you come here.”

As someone else’s voice rang out, Cedric closed the balcony door and came in.

Click. The sound of the door closing echoed in her ears. She could feel his body heat and familiar scent behind her back.

Even though his voice was so cold, just being held in his arms made her feel like crying for some reason.

Her legs gave out as a strange sense of relief came over her. She thought she would slide down, but Cedric’s arm just tightened, not moving an inch.

A brief silence followed, with only the sound of their breathing. Though no words were spoken, this short silence was so precious to Arne.

At this moment, she could only think of the fact that he had come to her, regardless of his feelings. That’s why it was even harder to open her mouth.

Just a little more, just a little.

“Why did you come here.”

His voice flowed, unfailingly cold and harsh.

“To meet you.”

“Why me.”

Arne liked Cedric’s firm arms and broad embrace. She wanted to just be held in his arms without thinking, like a cat, feeling that comfort and telling him how hard last night had been. But now was the time to face him properly and have a real conversation.

As Arne unwrapped Cedric’s arm, his jaw tightened.

“I’ve thought carefully about what you said last night. Whether I really want you.”

“I thought I already got an answer to that yesterday.”

“I thought I wanted you. I wanted to be engaged to you, marry you, and have children with you.”

“……”

“But the answer you wanted to hear was whether I wanted Cedric, right?”

Cedric’s pupils shook for a moment. Arne looked into his eyes and continued softly.

“It was a question I had never thought about before, so I couldn’t answer. I could just say I want you, but I want to think properly and give you an answer. Give me a little time.”

“……”

Cedric looked down at Arne’s unwavering red eyes. Why was she so foolish at this point, with engagement rumors circulating between him and the Leverun family? It was an effort that would never be rewarded.