“Understood.”

“Then.”

Cedric took one more look at Arne before turning away.

* * *

After Cedric and Ella left, only the maid, Penny, remained in Arne’s room.

A pure and bright smile spread across Penny’s lips as she organized numerous dresses.

“Lady, look at this! It’s so beautiful.”

Arne also smiled at her genuine admiration.

“This one looks pretty, and that one too. There seems to be nothing that wouldn’t suit our lady. I’m really good with my hands, I’ll make you look beautiful!”

Penny smiled happily. She had felt sorry for Arne. Unlike Bianca, she only wore black dresses while at the duke’s residence.

‘She’s such a beautiful person.’

Penny’s gaze lingered on Arne’s red eyes peeking through her messy bangs.

With those red eyes and red hair, what was it that constrained the lady’s beauty?

She has such a beautiful smile.

Penny decided in her heart to make Arne look beautiful with all the skills she had.

Because that’s the only way I can repay her.

“I’ll make you really beautiful!”

“Thank you.”

Arne was grateful for Penny’s heart and smiled softly.

“Oh, and Lord Renigrad asked you to check the drawer.”

“Cedric did?”

Penny nodded. Although she hadn’t heard anything specific, once Arne acknowledged it, Penny continued to organize the clothes diligently.

“Is it almost time for dinner? Shall we get ready?”

Arne often ate alone in her room.

Cecil and Bianca did not enjoy dining with Arne and had not invited her.

Even if she did eat, they often found fault with her, saying she lacked manners, and the duke did not particularly stop Cecil and Bianca.

Sometimes, there wasn’t any meal prepared for her at all.

Later on, eating alone at the large dining table was heart-wrenching.

The only time she could dine properly together was when she had accumulated public merits.

‘I sacrificed my life just for a few meals together.’

It was foolish. Arne smiled bitterly.

‘There won’t be such things anymore, never. Now, I’ll reclaim everything I rightfully deserve.’

Arne was about to ask for her meal to be prepared in her room when,

“Lady Ronia, it’s Agatha.”

The maid, Agatha, stood politely at the door.

“The duke wishes for you to join him at dinner.”

Arne smiled wryly at Agatha, who had suddenly become polite.

It seems this greedy duke has sniffed out something again.

“Let’s go down.”

Arne moved. As she headed towards the dining hall through the corridor, the atmosphere inside the duke’s residence changed.

The maids, who didn’t care whether Arne walked by them before, now made way and bowed their heads as they saw her.

‘Ha.’

Under their bowed heads, their eyes searched Arne with tension, anxiety, and curiosity.

‘It seems I’ve made quite the presence in today’s events.’

The situation has oddly turned. Arne lifted her red lips proudly and opened the door to the dining hall.

“Come in, Arne. Sit down, you must be hungry. You’ve been through a lot today.”

The duke gestured to a chair with a welcoming voice.

In front of the chair, Arne’s meal was already prepared.

The smell of steak garnished beautifully along with red wine was enticing.

Even more so, the steak was chateaubriand. A premium dish made from the most tender and leanest cuts.

‘It seems something has strongly caught the duke’s interest today. Cedric, or the Grand Duke, or perhaps both.’

Arne lifted her red lips into a smile and sat down gracefully in the chair.

It was timely. Arne had been planning to visit the duke anyway. She had something to say.

If only the duke would call me favorably first.

When Arne was about to pick up her glass, Bianca, who was sitting opposite, put down her wine glass irritably.

Cecil also looked displeased, but the duke didn’t care and spoke to Arne.

“Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

Arne elegantly held the knife and slowly sliced the chateaubriand steak.

Juicy gravy flowed out in sync with the knife’s movement.

Just as she was about to dip a small piece of steak and put it in her mouth,

“When are you planning to go to the Ipellita Garden?”

Arne gently put down the piece of steak and replied,

“I’m not sure yet.”

When Arne picked up her fork again,

“When do you plan to attend the banquet invited by the Grand Duke?”

Arne simply put down her fork and looked at the duke.

“When I recover. It’s still too hard for me now.”

“Hmm, I see.”

The duke replied nonchalantly and rubbed his head.

Originally, he had planned to get Arne engaged with Kale and match Bianca with Cedric.

‘Cedric refused all the ball invitations sent by Bianca. But Arne, on the other hand, received an invitation.’

Even the look in Cedric’s eyes when he saw Arne dressed up was momentary but distinctly different from when he looked at Bianca.

‘They were also together on the balcony at the Wayne family’s ball.’

Maybe Cedric really was interested in Arne.

‘That Lord Renigrad is interested in Arne?’

The duke’s eyes sharpened.

Moreover, Cedric was a prominent successor of the Renigrad family, rumored to surpass his frail father and directly become the next Grand Duke.

The possibility of being connected to the future Grand Duke was a very sweet temptation.

‘The Renigrad Grand Ducal family…’

Arne smiled after reading the duke’s thoughts. Her red lips moved gracefully.

“Father, I like Lord Cedric. I want to be engaged to him.”

At Arne’s words, Bianca screamed in outrage.

“What? Lord Cedric is going to be engaged to me. That’s what we agreed on, father!”

But the duke just stroked his chin, lost in thought.

“Father!”

Bianca, expecting her father to ignore Arne’s words, even trembled with a sense of betrayal.

Arne leisurely tilted her wine glass.

“Father, think about it. My sister stands no chance. He is going to be the next Grand Duke.”

“Arne!”

“But I arranged a private meeting with the Second Prince for you at the Wayne family’s ball. Who knows, the next might be a private meeting with the Grand Duke.”

“The Second Prince?”

Cecil asked Arne, but she had no intention of answering.

“Father, I’ve turned the Ronia Marquisate family into the Ronia Ducal family. When I set my mind to something, I make sure it will happen. Think about it.”

Arne made eye contact with the duke and then slowly smiled at Bianca.

Annoyed, Bianca snapped back.

“You were supposed to be engaged to Kale.”

“But that Kale is now a prime suspect in the Second Prince’s poisoning, Sister.”

Bianca was momentarily speechless. She wanted to say it wasn’t poisoning but mana perfume, but she couldn’t say it.

“…You.”

Bianca bit her lip hard. The duke, tapping his finger on the table, finally spoke.

“Try to get along with Cedric, Arne.”

“Father!”

“Dear!”

A radiant smile spread across Arne’s lips.

“Thank you.”

“If you need anything, just tell me.”

Arne’s eyes sparkled. She had been waiting for this moment.

“Really?”

Following Arne’s question, Cecil kicked back his chair and stood up.

“Dear, I need to talk to you.”

“Later.”

Cecil bit his lip hard. This couldn’t be happening.

“Do you need anything?”

“I would like to have Penny as my personal maid. I’m going to meet the Grand Duke soon. Without a maid, the Duke of Ronia family will be laughed at.”

“That makes sense. Alright.”

A smile spread across Arne’s lips.

“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

‘I can’t just go meet the Grand Duke as is. Wait for me, Grand Duke. You’ll be quite pleased.’

* * *

“Lord Cedric, is it alright to be this late? The commander of the Imperial Knights might be quite upset.”

Commander Lux worriedly asked Cedric.

“The meeting time has already passed by far. Isn’t this an emergency meeting called because of information that dragons, which had been quiet since the Great Demon War, have started moving again?”

Cedric took out his pocket watch and then put it away again.

In fact, Cedric had never been late to an appointment before.

Especially if it was a meeting called by the commander of the Imperial Knights.

That’s why Commander Lux found Cedric’s behavior puzzling.

“Don’t worry, the meeting hasn’t started yet. It starts when Renigrad arrives.”

“That’s true but…”

Commander Lux nodded his head. In leading the army, Imperial Knight Commander Henry and Cedric were considered two great mountains.

But when it came to subduing monsters, they could never overpower Cedric and the Renigrad Knights.

For they were warriors protecting the empire at the forefront.

“But, Lord Cedric, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

“Speak.”

“That… what is it that you plan to do within 6 months? You’re not really planning to go to the Ipelleta Garden, are you?”

“That…….”

Cedric couldn’t easily open his mouth.

He offered to help Lady Ronia smoothly make a contract with a spirit by assisting her with all her practice.

This is an offer that any young lady who wishes to sign a contract with her spirit in time for her coming-of-age ceremony, which will be held in six months, cannot refuse.

The problem was the 6 months. Thanks to his innate spirit mana, Cedric could easily use spirit mana, but that wasn’t the case for most.

Moreover, Cedric only knew how to transfer the spirit mana through contact, fueled by his earnest desire.

In other words, to transfer enough spirit mana to Arne for her to make a contract with a spirit, the contact had to be much more frequent and deeper.

‘More frequent, deeper…….’

Cedric bit his lip and ran a hand through his hair.

“Crazy.”

“…Who are you talking about?”

The commander of the knights cautiously asked, waiting for Cedric’s response. The furrow in Cedric’s brow slowly deepened.

“I just didn’t want to lose to my grandfather, but this is truly crazy.”

“So, what is it? Please tell us. You always just impose silence on us without any explanation.”

“…….”

The commander of the knights slowly grew anxious as he carefully observed Cedric’s expression.