Arne tried to respond, but each time she opened her mouth, a hiccup escaped.

“I am hic, like this hic.”

“I see.”

‘What do you mean you see! I haven’t said anything yet!’

Arne bit her lip in frustration. Her eyes sparkled with complaint, but Cedric seemed to find it all amusing.

“I’m going crazy. No, I think I might already be crazy.”

Cedric wasn’t someone who got angry at any time, but once he did, it was uncontrollable.

At least he wasn’t someone whose mood swung between anger and laughter.

“People say if you do something unusual, it hurts, but maybe it’s not the young lady who’s hurt, but me.”

Seeing Cedric laugh foolishly, Rein spoke with a grimace.

“You do look a bit in pain.”

Under Cedric’s deadly glare, Rein stepped back towards Arne.

Feeling that the place by Arne’s side would be safe even if Cedric was angry.

Sure enough, when Arne hiccupped again, causing her body to jerk, Cedric’s gaze fell on her.

“My lady, don’t overwork your body.”

“I am hic, overworking hic, ha, hic.”

Wanting to argue back but unable to control her body, Arne sighed deeply.

‘Do you think I wanted to overwork myself?’

She wanted to scream her frustration out loud. Seeing Arne’s sulky face made Cedric chuckle again and again.

He gently stroked Arne’s back.

“Overworking like this is why you can’t say what you want to. The young lady’s body isn’t following her will.”

“No, hic, that’s not hic, ah…”

‘It’s a different problem!’

“Besides, the lady doesn’t need to go out of your way to show etiquette to the Grand Duke of Renigrad.”

At that moment, Arne paused.

‘What does that mean? Are you not even considering marrying me?’

Well, Cedric had already refused.

He said there was a political marriage arranged by his family. That Arne was too young.

‘That’s why I’m trying to change your grandfather’s mind.’

Thinking about it made her heart swell with emotion. Cedric seemed to treat her as just a naive young lady.

Like the naive words of a young lady whose heart runs ahead before her, unable to truly change his grandfather’s mind.

‘Still, I can never give up on Vivian. I won’t let you die, and I can’t give up on the dead Millie either.’

Cedric’s pupils dilated for a moment, then he snorted, shrugged his shoulders, and once again examined Arne’s face with sparkling eyes, fascinated.

His expression was so varied in that short moment, it was hard to guess what he was thinking.

“My lady.”

Cedric brushed Arne’s hair. His cool fingers touched her.

“Why do you go to such lengths to show respect to my grandfather, as if he’s such a great person?”

‘The Grand Duke of Renigrad, whom even the Emperor avoids?’

“There’s no one in the world who should be treated more preciously than yourself, my lady.”

Arne started to speak but then stopped, flustered.

It seemed like he was pushing her away without even considering changing his grandfather’s mind, but then he would say such tender words.

It was hard to grasp what he was thinking.

“The guy who forces a patient to show undue respect is the crazy one.”

Arne’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘That means your grandfather is crazy…’

“Don’t overdo it.”

I really couldn’t grasp what this man was thinking.

“I actually wish you wouldn’t go to the banquet either.”

‘Cedric, this man really!’

When Arne glared at him, Cedric let out a low chuckle.

“If you really want to go to the banquet, you should take even more care of your body. You won’t be able to walk to the banquet hall when you’re limping like this. Or perhaps…….”

One of Cedric’s eyebrows lazily arched. He slowly brought his head to Arne’s forehead.

“Do you wish for me to carry you there?”

Hearing his cheeky question, Arne’s face turned as red as a ripe tomato.

She pushed and hit Cedric’s chest, and he let out a low laugh and put Arne down.

Arne walked away briskly, lips pursed as if to say not to follow.

Cedric shrugged his shoulders and smiled lazily.

Arne moved on without hesitation. But Cedric’s gaze stayed on Arne’s limping ankle.

“Rein, go and treat the lady’s ankle. Now that your mana has recovered, you can use healing magic again.”

While Cedric and Arne were talking, Rein, who was about to sneak away, stopped in his tracks.

‘Always like a ghost. How did he know my mana was restored.’

Rein scratched his head and sighed.

Though he could run away, seeing Arne limp made Rein’s heart soften.

‘Mana perfume, since I made it.’

Rein glanced back at Cedric. He sighed again at the sight of him still gazing after Arne’s retreating figure.

“What about you, Cedric?”

Cedric tilted his head towards Rein.

“What are you planning to do now, Cedric?”

But Cedric did not answer and turned away.

“There are things I must do.”

His inscrutable red eyes quietly flared.

Without intending to listen to Rein’s answer, Cedric turned and walked away.

* * *

Arne moved angrily with a limp. It wasn’t clear if it was truly because of Cedric’s shouting, but as soon as she was away from him, her hiccups stopped.

“So mean, really.”

“I agree, my lady!”

Rein had somehow followed and sincerely nodded next to Arne.

When their eyes met, Rein scratched his head and looked at Arne’s ankle.

“I will cast a healing spell for you!”

Arne looked at Rein curiously. It was because she had seen him trying to run away while she was talking with Cedric.

It seemed like Rein had no particular interest in Arne, except perhaps because of Cedric’s threats or requests.

“Since I made the mana perfume. I’m sorry.”

“…Thank you.”

Arne stopped walking. There was no need to refuse the healing spell being offered.

While casting the healing spell, Rein casually started a conversation with Arne.

“Do you like magical tools?”

“Magical tools?”

“Yes, I craft some magical tools. As an apology to the noble lady, I would like to make something special for you!”

Arne blinked slowly. Rein was being overly kind. After a moment of thought, Arne grinned.

“There’s something you want from me.”

Rein’s eyes widened in surprise. He was truly an open book.

Glancing back to make sure Cedric wasn’t there, Rein whispered,

“Could you possibly hint to Lord Cedric to ease the ban on mana perfume sales later on?”

“Ah.”

Rein clasped his hands together, his eyes sparkling with hope.

“Of course, I will also develop a magical tool in case someone accidentally ingests the mana perfume! Though Lord Cedric will probably nag about it anyway.”

It was an offer Arne couldn’t resist. After all, magical tools were worth their weight in gold.

Since the highly popular mana perfume wasn’t immediately unobtainable due to the ban, receiving a valuable magical tool was definitely a gain.

“Alright. There was something I really wanted to ask before returning to the Duchy of Ronia.”

Arne fiddled with her pearl necklace.

* * *

“What in the world…”

Arne, just stepping out of the Grand Duke of Renigrad’s carriage, couldn’t close her mouth in astonishment.

Because a line of cargo carriages was parked in front of the ducal mansion.

‘And that person is Ella, the owner of the Ellaroin Boutique.’

She was famous for exclusively designing dresses for noblewomen, and one would have to wait years just to receive a dress from her.

Moreover, Ellaroin’s secret patron was so influential that Ella could afford to snub the nobility and maintain her pride.

“Arne!”

The duke and duchess and Bianca rushed over upon spotting Arne. Their concern was markedly different from last time when they hadn’t even noticed her overnight disappearance.

“Are you already detoxified? Does the Grand Duke of Renigrad have an antidote?”

“Is it true that you won’t marry Lord Kale?”

“What did you do with Lord Cedric that you’re so late?”

Each question was different, but their underlying curiosity was clear.

Yet, none of them seemed genuinely concerned about Arne.

Then, a high-pitched snicker, followed by the sound of lively heels clicking, echoed briefly.

Turning towards the sound, they saw a woman with an elegant stride stepping down from a carriage.

“Ella herself came. No way!”

Although Ellaroin Boutique was always fully booked, getting a direct commission from Ella was even harder due to its limited slots.

Even the Duchess of Ronia wasn’t an exception. She had requested dresses from Ella long ago but was always told reservations were full.

“Ella, I heard a slot opened up. Can we book now?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Duchess of Ronia. Ellaroin Boutique is always open, but I only take five clients a year.”

“I heard that, excluding the princess and Duchess Xenon, and your patrons’ siblings, there was one slot left.”

Thus, there was fierce competition among the noblewomen for that last spot.

After all, it was a dress made by the tailor who served the princess. Cecil grabbed Ella’s wrist with a laugh.

“No need to joke. Is it my turn now? Did you come to tell me that good news yourself?”

Ella smiled awkwardly and gently twisted her wrist away.

“Yes, I came to tell the lady personally.”

Ella gracefully smiled and walked past the Duchess of Ronia.

She stopped in front of Arne.

“Ella of Ellaroin Boutique greets you, esteemed lady.”

Arne blinked in confusion.

It made no sense for Cecil, who only ever dressed Arne in dull black clothes, to reserve a slot with ‘Ella’ for Arne.

When she confirmed it was true, Cecil’s face twisted oddly. Bianca’s surprised voice was clearly heard.

“Arne?”

“My patron personally requested it.”

“Patron?”

“Yes, at Ellaroin, we only custom-make carefully selected dresses, so it takes quite some time. So, for now, I’ve brought a few dresses that I personally owned as a temporary measure.”

“How many?”
  
‘It doesn’t seem like just a few at first glance. What’s going on here. Who’s the sponsor, and why suddenly to me…….’
  
Ella, reading Arne’s expression, handed over a card.