Let’s Just Make a Child, Your Grace - Chapter 10 Part 8

“I just thought it was naturally from you, who sent the invitation, since there wasn’t even a card in the dress box.”

“So you wore that ill-fitting thing and came here?”

“Because you invited me. And I wanted to see you too.”

At Arne’s last words, Cedric stared at her intently. His lips quivered, and then a much softer voice flowed from his mouth.

“I didn’t write the invitation. I just told Lady Leverun to handle it when she said she was hosting a party. I didn’t know she would include my name too.”

“Then who on earth sent the dress…”

Cedric gazed steadily at Arne.

“I thought you came wearing the dress Kale sent.”

“Kale?”

“Usually, it’s the fiancé who sends the dress.”

“You sent a dress too.”

“……”

“Besides, Kale hates me. Ah, maybe that’s why he sent it. He wanted me to be humiliated. I didn’t know he hated me enough to go to such lengths.”

Arne habitually bit her left lip. A drop of blood formed on the tender skin that had been scabbed and peeled off many times. Cedric furrowed his brow and unconsciously pressed his thumb against Arne’s lip.

A frosty voice rang out.

“Stop biting your lip.”

Arne stared at Cedric blankly. While his gaze remained ice-cold, his hand was warm.

However, a chilling and cold-hearted sound flowed without fail.

“And go back. This is not a place for you. Why are you at a party for Renigrad and Leverun?”

“……”

Cedric’s voice was firm. When was there ever a place for Arne to be? Both the Ronia Duchy and social circles were busy pushing her away. No, the entire empire was.

It was something she had heard all her life, but hearing it from Cedric’s mouth still hurt.

“If I leave now, everyone will think I ran away. I’ll stay long enough to be polite and correct the false rumors spread by the Duchess before I go. As time passes, you’ll be able to believe my words too. If you can’t believe it, I’ll show you.”

Cedric’s brow furrowed again. Most of the nobles at this party were close to the Leverun family. It was obvious that nothing good would come from Arne staying here longer.

“Why do you always choose such difficult paths? So reckless and stubborn. It’s hard on you.”

“Then why did you come to me? Yesterday, you could have just left, but why did you come back and even fill me with mana before leaving? Even now, you’ve come all the way here and are filling me with mana, aren’t you?”

Cedric pressed his lips tightly. His silence was both frustrating and annoying.

Even now, his mana swirled through the gap where he held her lip. Having tried to sense his mana dozens of times last night, she could now immediately feel his mana.

Cedric seemed to have tried not to show it, but his mana was swirling even at this moment.

“Even after hearing what I said, you’re not taking your hand off my lip?”

His continued stillness was frustrating. She wanted to shake his gaze. How could she make his tightly closed mouth open? Would a tingling sensation make him at least furrow his brow?

Impulsively, Arne gently bit Cedric’s thumb that was resting on her lip.

His finger twitched at the sudden action. His pupils shook as her soft tongue touched it. When Arne looked at him and completely engulfed his thumb, he clenched his fist.

As she opened her mouth, the fluid on his fingertip and around her mouth glistened. As that mouth moved, he felt her soft lips brush against his fingertip.

“Why do you let such rude behavior slide even now? Is this kindness too? Is it responsibility?”

His clenched fist turned white.

“I think it’s for the same reason as me. I like you so much that I can’t leave this place even if it’s reckless and stubborn. Isn’t it the same for you, aren’t you unable to leave me?”

She had been wondering all about why he couldn’t abandon her and leave last night. She thought it was because he was so righteous and gentlemanly that he couldn’t let someone die.

But would such a righteous and gentlemanly person let such rude behavior slide? Even with her being here now…. Does he really have no feelings for her at all?

“Isn’t it you who’s mistaking it for kindness?”

Cedric’s eyebrow twitched. His gaze landed on her hotly.

‘I desire you. It’s the curse of Renigrad. Kindness is just an excuse.’

A chilling voice flowed from his slowly moving lips.

“If you’re talking about affection, it’s not. It’s too obvious to be a misunderstanding. Even now, at this moment, I feel it too clearly.”

It was just a fleeting moment. At that moment, she wanted to offer her soul. It was an impulse as intense as the curse engraved in the blood of Renigrad, who must face the devil’s temptation for a lifetime.

It was also the price of using power beyond human limits.

Even a momentary shake could require sacrificing everything precious, a power as alluring as it was dangerous, a life far from tranquility.

“Go back. To where you should be.”

Cedric turned and left without hesitation. Arne, left alone, placed her hand over her mana core.

As expected, it was full of mana.

* * *

When Arne returned to the hall, she looked for Cedric but couldn’t find him. Instead, she encountered Kale. For some reason, Kale approached her when he spotted her.

‘I was just about to ask if it was Kale who sent the dress.’

“Ka-ugh.”

Before she could anticipate it, her head was jerked. She felt a tingling in her cheek for a moment before her staggering body hit the floor, causing pain.

“You collapsed from a mana surge and! Because of the last words you muttered, I was suspected of poisoning the Second Prince. And yet you dare to walk around with your head held high? Today, the Duchess came and apologized. She said it was all her fault for raising her daughter poorly.”

Arne swallowed the bloody lump spreading in her mouth. It felt like tender flesh had been torn.

‘Ah, I wondered why the Duchess hadn’t spread this rumor yet. Was she planning to spread it through Kale?’

The murmuring of people grew louder. Kale’s lips curved as he glanced at Amelia.

「But if I prove it, you won’t get engaged to Cedric, right?」

「I’m already too disappointed in you. Prove it enough to satisfy me. Don’t disappoint me this time.」

Kale strode over. Arne struggled as he grabbed her hair and pulled her up.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

But she couldn’t escape Kale’s grasp.

“Someone please…”

At that moment, Arne’s struggling stopped as she met the eyes of the nobles. It was the same look the Marchioness of Wayne had given her when she was beaten like this in her past life.

Ah, what did she say back then?

“You’re being hit because you deserve it.”

At Kale’s chilling voice, Arne firmly planted her trembling feet.

“When I collapsed then, it was because Sister Bianca had put mana perfume in my water. I didn’t collapse from a mana surge, but because my mana evaporated.”

“Now you’re even selling out your own sister.”

Arne, exhaling in disbelief, raised her head and slapped Kale’s cheek.

“Kale, you should speak correctly. You’re being hit because you deserve it.”

In that instant, Kale’s eyes changed, and he shoved Arne, who tumbled to the ground. Kale continued to kick the fallen Arne. Unsatisfied, Kale lifted Arne again, and she spat in his face.

“You coward.”

“You–”

As Kale’s hand was about to rise again, a voice that overwhelmed the hall rang out. Before anyone could be startled, Kale’s collar was yanked up.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

Kale, his feet not touching the ground, struggled and gasped for breath. Behind Kale, Cedric gritted his teeth as he looked at Arne who had tumbled to the ground.

‘You said you wanted to live a peaceful life, so why are you doing this? You said you chose Kale, so why are you doing this?’

Kale struggled and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“That snow rabbit collapsed alone from a mana surge at the Wayne family party… Ugh.”

Cedric, turning his back so Arne couldn’t see, lifted Kale’s collar even higher.

“Are you sure? I’m the one who took the collapsed Lady Ronia out. I’m the one who treated her. I’m also the one who called the mage who made the mana perfume for diagnosis. I’m also the one who proposed the law to severely punish those who use mana perfume on mana core injury patients.”

“Urgh.”

“Think carefully before you answer. Denying my words means you’re saying Renigrad is lying. I’ll consider it as tarnishing Renigrad’s honor and use everything at my disposal to restore Renigrad’s honor. Can you handle that?”

Arne’s blurry vision caught Cedric’s back at the edge. As that familiar silhouette wavered, her once-chilled heart throbbed with a dull ache.

You know what? I think I can’t leave you, but it seems you can’t leave me either. Even after leaving so coldly.

Why did you come back again. You’re making me want to cry.