‘Marie is a friend… no, family. That bastard Benjamin is definitely not just a friend. He pretended to be family while staying close to her.’

A man knows a man’s heart best. Cedric’s lips twisted.

He wanted to meet that bastard, yet he didn’t.

Why did he feel such a dirty feeling? Cedric habitually ran his hand through his hair roughly.

Regardless of his feelings, the weather was nice. After the rain in the early morning, the sunlight was dazzling.

Marie placed a flower crown on Arne’s head. The children handed Arne their favorite flowers.

Arne’s cheeks blushed as she received the flowers. A pure smile spread across her lips. She looked happy.

Seeing that smile for the first time, Cedric gazed at her quietly.

‘Was she someone who could smile like this?’

It was completely different from the expression she had in front of Bianca or the headmaster this morning.

‘Of course, that’s natural.’

It was only natural that she wouldn’t show such a smile to those who were hostile to her.

How many people had truly been kind to Arne?

The rare kindness seemed to make her face subtly blush. Not knowing what to do, she sat still as Marie braided her hair and placed flowers in it.

“Arne, stay still.”

“Okay.”

“You look so pretty right now.”

“Okay.”

Holding a bouquet of flowers in her arms, Arne didn’t know where to look. She reached out to the lilac petals flying in the wind.

“Oh.”

Her face turned red as she met Cedric’s gaze, who had caught the flying petals.

Cedric lazily murmured as he looked at Arne.

“Pretty.”

Arne’s pupils slowly dilated. Her heart pounded.

* * *

It had been a while since Arne said goodbye to Marie and the children, but she still had her head out the carriage window.

Sunlight poured over her fluttering white dress. Cedric took in the sight of Arne’s hair fluttering with the flower petals.

It was mysterious. Could anyone believe that this girl was called the Empire’s mad villainess?

She was unpredictable. But that unpredictability was also what made her Arne.

‘A woman who is hard to understand.’

Was it because he was by her side? Cedric found his own actions hard to predict. That must be why the faint handprint bothered him so much.

‘Judging by the size, it’s a man.’

How many people would dare to lay a hand on the body of a lady?

It was undoubtedly the headmaster, who had shown her disgusting looks from the beginning, but she wouldn’t speak.

Cedric didn’t realize how blatant his gaze was as it lingered on the handprint. Arne glanced at Cedric.

The handprint left by the headmaster had faded, but Cedric’s gaze burned even more intensely.

Since the moment she had smiled happily with a bunch of flowers in her arms, he had been frowning, looking like he had a lot to say but just staring at the handprint silently in the carriage.

‘Is it because I said I wanted to remember today as a good day?’

He seemed not to want to ruin her mood. It was a sweet consideration. It almost made her think he liked her.

“Cedric, I sent a reply to the Grand Duke today, saying that my body has recovered and I want to attend the banquet.”

At Arne’s words, Cedric looked at her instead of grabbing her wrist.

“I hope the Grand Duke of Renigrad likes me when we meet. Maybe he will consider our engagement.”

Arne smiled brightly. Such an innocent remark. At times like this, she looked like a naive young lady.

“I hope you don’t get hurt from expecting too much.”

“You’re still pessimistic. The Grand Duke might welcome me. Maybe he’ll keep looking for me.”

Cedric merely chuckled.

“You don’t believe anything I say, do you? It’s okay. It’ll be revealed soon enough. By the way, can I tell the Grand Duke that I’m recovering thanks to your spirit mana?”

“I don’t think he’d like it. He detests the fact that I use spirit mana.”

“He might actually welcome it. Because….”

“Haha. Ah, sorry.”

Cedric barely held back his laughter that burst out unintentionally, and tried to compose his expression. He felt Arne glaring at him.

“Go on. I’m sorry.”

“I won’t. You don’t believe me. Just wait and see.”

“I believe you. Ahem, go ahead.”

“…Please put some sincerity into your words. I can’t believe you when you keep chuckling like that.”

Arne, who was about to mention the existence and secret of Lady Judith’s letter that she sent to the Grand Duke, closed her mouth.

It would be a surprise to reveal it at the banquet, but seeing his strange smile earlier made her want to genuinely surprise him.

“Never mind. I’ll handle the Grand Duke myself. But if he opens his heart to me, then you can’t use the Grand Duke as an excuse for not being able to get engaged anymore.”

“You really are relentless.”

Cedric looked at Arne’s clear eyes with a lazy smile. It was laughable how she confidently claimed she could change the Grand Duke’s mind without any fear.

She didn’t even know why the Grand Duke disliked him using spirit mana, yet she was hopeful she could do it. It was just amusing.

But still, was it because of her excessively pure and shining passion that he found her captivating?

“Then see you soon, lady.”

At Cedric’s words, the carriage stopped. As Arne’s body tilted from the momentum, he caught her as if it were second nature.

“I’d like to see you get treated with my own eyes, but it seems difficult today. It’s my grandmother’s memorial day, and everyone will soon gather at the Imperial Honorary Cemetery.”

“Oh, I see. I’ve received a lot of blessings, so I’ll be fine even if left alone. My wrist and ankle just feel a bit sore. You should go quickly.”

Arne waved her hand to indicate she was fine. Cedric tilted his head slightly, raising his right eyebrow.

“If you don’t want to end up in my arms and enter the banquet hall with a swollen ankle, get proper treatment, lady. This time, I’m serious, not joking.”

“Wh-what are you talking about….”

Arne’s face flushed hotly. She pushed Cedric’s chest and flung the carriage door open. She heard a chuckle from behind.

She quickly grabbed the cookie box and ran towards the Duke’s residence without looking back, making Cedric laugh again.

He hadn’t laughed like this in a day like today.

“I’m looking forward to the banquet day, lady.”

* * *

Arne stepped out. The ground, which had been wet from the early morning rain, had hardened and felt fresh underfoot.

Seeing Cedric’s carriage disappear, Arne’s eyes took on a peculiar look.

‘The truth is, I have the same destination as Cedric today. He wouldn’t even dream of it. Because I’ll be carrying out a secret mission.’

With a sly smile, Arne entered the side gate in the garden instead of the main gate of Ronia’s ducal residence.

After confirming no one was around, she knocked on the door in the agreed rhythm. Soon, Penny greeted her warmly as the door opened.

“I’ve prepared everything just as you asked!”

Penny eagerly handed over a black mesh hat and dress. She didn’t forget the box full of chrysanthemums.

“I added a veil to the hat as you instructed last night. From a distance, no one will recognize you, my lady.”

“You’re very skilled.”

As Arne quickly changed, Penny adjusted her clothes. In just a few minutes, Arne was dressed in black. Although it was a different dress from yesterday, it still exuded a solemn atmosphere.

There was a reason Arne visited the Imperial Honorary Cemetery yesterday and the Freya Orphanage today.

After the Renigrad family gathered to commemorate Lady Judith, the former Grand Duchess, high-ranking nobles who had connections with her would visit.

‘Among them, I must meet Duke Xenon, who always visits first every year.’

Duke Xenon’s family was the most influential after the Grand Duke of Renigrad. His control over waterways and fleet was very famous.

After the war, his fleet was used as the best trading ships among merchants. They had waterways much faster than carriages and were protected by Duke Xenon’s magic.

Even the Grand Duke proposed a business deal to Duke Xenon before the Leverun family, but Duke Xenon declined.

‘He said he wanted to focus on finding his lost daughter during the war.’

It was well known that Duke Xenon and his wife had been searching orphanages across the empire and occasionally conducting paternity tests at temples for over a decade.

The only orphanage Duke Xenon hadn’t visited was the Freya Orphanage.

Arne planned to secretly trade the Freya Orphanage’s register, which Duke Xenon would most want, for the Xenon family’s waterway rights.

‘I’m curious to see the Grand Duke’s reaction when I secure Duke Xenon’s waterway rights, which even he couldn’t obtain.’

Arne skillfully adjusted her attire.

‘And Cedric’s reaction too.’

From Cedric’s perspective, Arne might seem like a naive young lady who spouts nonsense, but she was Arne. She had lived her life achieving things others deemed impossible.

‘An orphan becoming the Lady of Ronia was already an impossible dream, wasn’t it, Cedric?’

Arne’s red lips curled into a smile. Finally, she took the box of chrysanthemums and her handbag from Penny and spoke cheerfully.

“I’ll be back.”

“Yes….”

Penny looked up at Arne in a daze. There was a sense of ease in the swift and clean movements that had been completed in just a few minutes.

Her heart raced as if she were on a secret mission, and she was happy to be entrusted with such a task.

“You prepared everything well as I asked today. Thank you.”

“I’m your dedicated maid, my lady!”

Penny spoke proudly, and Arne smiled and opened the door.

* * *