Let’s Just Make a Child, Your Grace - Chapter 8 Part 7

“Do you perhaps know who the real culprit is, Lord Cedric?”

In Arne’s other hand was the last page of the letter. Cedric was the proponent of the bill that would impose severe penalties for the use and consumption of mana perfume by mana core injury victims.

Cedric, who had been staring intently at Arne, finally opened his mouth.

“I had my suspicions. I just couldn’t quite be certain if it was really that person.”

“Who did you suspect?”

Cedric looked at Arne for a long while before speaking.

“Perhaps someone very close to you.”

Bianca Sevilia de Ronia, Arne’s older sister. As more evidence was gathered, all circumstances pointed to Bianca. That’s why he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Unsure whether revealing that fact would hurt her more or whether not knowing that fact would be more threatening to her.

Arne moved a little closer to read Cedric’s expression.

“It seems you were the proponent of the mana perfume bill, Lord Cedric.”

“Whoever tried to harm you, if that act is established as a crime, it will be the key to protecting you.”

“……”

“In reality, it takes a very long time for a bill to pass, and it might not pass at all, but just the fact that it’s been proposed would be quite threatening to the real culprit.”

Arne’s eyelashes moved slowly. The red eyes beneath them seemed full of thought.

“Mage Rein created the mana perfume, but I’m the sponsor and the person in charge is Cedric of Renigrad, so it was just something I had to do. After all, something made under the name of Renigrad shouldn’t be used to harm anyone.”

Arne sighed deeply and plopped down on the swing. The rattan-made swing rocked back and forth.

“This way, I can’t even hate you.”

“Who?”

“The man in front of me who toyed with me last night.”

Cedric raised his right eyebrow.

“That statement seems very open to misinterpretation.”

Arne shrugged her shoulders. As a result, the shawl she was wearing slipped down her shoulders, revealing the skin above her thin dress.

“I thought about it all night, but I just can’t understand that person’s feelings. I was so annoyed that I wanted to toy with him the same way when we met. You never know, maybe if I imitate him exactly, I might understand what he’s thinking.”

Arne’s gaze slowly turned to Cedric. As she leaned her head against the pillar of the rattan chair, a gentle breeze blew. Her silver hair, catching the summer sunlight, floated up, revealing her white nape.

“…How were you planning to toy with me?”

“Well… But what’s that?”

Arne pointed to the letter and box Cedric was holding.

“It’s an invitation. I was planning to invite you to a banquet again when the laccarine herb was ready, but the schedule moved up faster than expected. Originally, it’s quite a distance to the north even on horseback, but I pressured Rein to open a gate.”

The familiar seal of Renigrad and the texture of the letter touched Arne’s fingertips.

“Then what’s that box?”

“Let’s call it a bribe to get on your good side, since you seem to be in a bad mood.”

Arne received the box with a puzzled look and opened it.

“They’re boots.”

“I swiped a few of Ella’s prized possessions. I realized I hadn’t given you any shoes other than formal party shoes.”

“Is that okay? They must be precious to Ella.”

“I made a fair trade with Ella, promising to let her take my measurements and wear new items whenever she wants. She says sales go up when I wear them.”

“That’s oddly annoying yet enviable?”

Cedric shrugged. That arrogant face that should have been annoying suited him so well that Arne burst into laughter.

As Arne stroked the boots, a mischievous smile played on her lips. Seeing Arne’s sparkling eyes, Cedric let out a soft sigh. What was she planning now?

“What are you thinking now? That look in your eyes is very unsettling, tense, and worrying — the look you get when you’re planning something.”

“I’m going to try to toy with you.”

Arne, who had boldly uttered these quite provocative words, held out the box. Her red lips curved up elegantly.

“Since you gave me a gift, please put them on for me.”

Cedric’s gaze moved from the boots to Arne’s shoes. He had warned her at the last banquet at the Renigrad mansion that showing ankles was a come-on, so this couldn’t be an innocent request.

‘Toying.’

Should he indulge this audacious provocation? Or not? Cedric’s gaze slowly moved to Arne’s eyes. Her clear gaze tilted sideways, illuminated by a haughty expression.

The sound of her shoes brushing against the hem of her dress seemed particularly loud.

Arne’s shoe tapped the front of Cedric’s shoe with a soft thud.

A shiver ran down his spine at that small movement. Cedric, meeting Arne’s red eyes, slowly bent his knee. He knelt on one knee in front of her and took her hand, kissing it.

“My lady, if you’ll excuse me.”

Cedric, playing along with her game, took hold of Arne’s shoe. As the wind gently blew, the hem of her dress fluttered, revealing her instep precariously. She said she would toy with him, and this was indeed an accurate payback.

If he put the boots on her, she would probably leave right away. For the perfect act of toying.

If her aim was to make him feel exactly the same way, she had failed. It definitely wouldn’t be the same feeling. Cedric took a deep breath, trying to turn his eyes away from the stirring desire. Just as he was about to take off Arne’s shoe, grasping her ankle.

A cold sensation brushed against his fingertips. His startled fingers traced the round shape of the cold sensation. His index finger slowly caressed the ring resting on her ankle bone, as if trying to properly feel its presence. Cedric’s red eyes, as he looked up, sank deep and hot.

“You’re wearing the ring.”

He slowly stroked his hand down Arne’s ankle. He could feel the thin chain wrapping around her ankle with the palm of his hand. He felt a cross charm beneath the chain. The smooth ring that followed was undoubtedly the ring Cedric had given her.

Although there was no decoration on the outside, as he stroked the inside of the ring, he could feel the engraved pattern. A strange sense of satisfaction welled up in Cedric. It was an inexplicable feeling of fullness deep in his stomach.

At the same time, it was excessively stimulating. His thumb stroked the ring in circles a few times, and thirst arose. Cedric, who had been slowly rubbing Arne’s ankle bone through the gap in the ring, tilted his head back.

“Make sure to wear it always. You never know what might happen.”

Cedric put the boots on Arne’s feet. Looking strangely pleased, Cedric placed his hand on the rocking chair and raised his upper body to face Arne.

“So, now that you’ve toyed with me, do you feel like you understand something?”

As Arne watched Cedric’s lips curve up languidly, she stood up, and Cedric straightened his waist to match her movement. Arne, now standing, slipped her fingers between the folds of Cedric’s shirt.

As her fingers slowly grazed him, Cedric’s jaw clenched tightly. Over his tense upper body, soft and plump fingertips sought out and stroked Cedric’s ring.

Arne’s red eyes, slowly looking up at Cedric, were breathtakingly beautiful. The word ‘enchanting’ couldn’t fully describe it.

Clack.

As Arne dropped the ring from her hand, a cold sensation flowed down, brushing against his skin.

“I don’t know, not at all.”

Even her slightly furrowed brow was enchanting.

“Seeing that you didn’t even raise an eyebrow, it seems I’m the only one being toyed with. I’m a bit frustrated.”

Arne lifted her chin and, using her fingertips to hold the back of her shoe, took haughty steps like a displeased cat.

Whether she had forgotten the shawl that fell when she stood up or not, Arne never looked back once. The somewhat thin dress revealed enticing curves as the wind blew. The white frills ending in black boots captivated the gaze dizzyingly.

“It seems like I’ve already been toyed with.”

Cedric grasped his ring and stroked the end. Taking a deep breath, he pressed his eyes firmly with his entire palm.

‘This sensation, I don’t think it’ll leave my mind.’

* * *

What was there to understand? The premise was wrong to begin with. Cedric didn’t even flinch at her attempt at toying. Rather, he just clenched his jaw tightly as if somewhat angry.

If he had been toyed with by Arne, he might have known something or said something, but he just firmly set his face without moving a muscle.

‘Next time, I’ll toy with him properly!’

As Arne was making this firm resolution, her gaze fell on the banquet invitation. She had forgotten to say thank you. Opening a gate requires a considerable amount of mana, so it’s difficult to do frequently. It meant Cedric had forcefully proceeded with the schedule.