Chapter 3 – 【 His Princess 】 (Part 7)

‘I’m going to wear this necklace and earrings to the debutante ball.’

‘I’ll give you even better jewelry for the debutante ball. So don’t hold back and wear these as much as you like.’

Evelyn, forgetting her manners, shouted with joy. If their mother had been there, she would have scolded her, but it didn’t matter. Their mother wasn’t there, and no one was there to blame them for not following strict etiquette. Evelyn returned with a wide grin.

Seeing Evelyn off with the joy of playing the role of an older sister, Yuria thought, Cedric wouldn’t be this good to her sibling if he didn’t like her.

And it wasn’t just her sibling. Cedric generously provided for Yuria’s maids as well. In fact, meeting them was the promise Yuria looked forward to the most during this trip. She had brought various gifts for them from Ritano, from tea leaves to dress fabrics, and even jewelry she used to wear.

‘Princess!’

‘Riv, Merlin!’

An inconspicuous princess and her maids without powerful backing. All the young ladies from good families became maids to the Crown Princess and Cristal, leaving behind two daughters from poor families with no titles to serve Yuria.

Riv was pushed to find the best husband possible with her small dowry, and Merlin ran away from a father who wanted to use her for business. They always comforted each other in the quiet quarters of the princess, who was always pushed to the back.

Like friends, like family. Unlike Cristal, who easily gave away jewelry she received as gifts, Yuria couldn’t give such presents or put them in a position to receive envious looks at the ball. Yet, Riv and Merlin stayed by her side until the end.

After three years, they met again, similar yet different.

‘Merlin, your belly…’

‘I’m actually pregnant, Princess.’

‘I didn’t hear about your marriage. Did you send a letter I missed?’

‘I haven’t married yet.’

After Yuria left for Ritano, Riv and Merlin became maids for Cristal but couldn’t withstand the bullying and left after a little over six months. In that short time, Merlin had become romantically involved with a soldier guarding the princess’s palace.

Merlin’s father, who wanted a wealthy son-in-law, naturally opposed the poor commoner, and Merlin ran away from her family to live with the man. They were somewhat happy until the man had to quit being a soldier after falling from a horse.

‘Riv helped me endure it.’

‘Right, Riv, I received your letter about your marriage. Should I call you Countess now?’

Riv was in a slightly better situation. She successfully married an administrator she had met while serving Yuria. That was good, but the next part was problematic. Her in-laws openly disrespected her for bringing only a set of jewelry as her dowry.

Even though they lived separately, they often called her over to treat her like a maid, and when she protested, they crushed her pride by mentioning the dowry. Even when the administrator got angry and tried to reason with them, it was no use.

‘Why didn’t you contact me?’

‘I thought you’d be struggling there too, Princess.’

If she had contacted her earlier, Yuria would have swallowed her pride and borrowed money from Cedric. No, no. It’s not their fault. She had been so absorbed in her own suffering and loneliness that she hadn’t tried to find out how Riv and Merlin were doing.

She hadn’t even attended Riv’s wedding. Cristal always attended her maids’ weddings as a guest. Since Yuria didn’t even go to the wedding, Riv’s treatment at the Count’s house must have been worse. It was obvious.

‘I’ve been neglectful.’

‘What are you saying, Princess?’

‘We’re fine. Are you okay, Princess? Those rumors going around, they’re all false, right?’

They asked about the rumors of discord and Yuria’s affair, and Yuria couldn’t lie, tears welling up in her eyes. No more words were needed. They hugged and cried together.

‘I brought these as gifts for you.’

Then came the gift-giving ceremony. Yuria sent Riv and Merlin off with boxes full of gifts, despite their polite refusals.

‘You’ve suffered a lot because of a useless princess like me.’

Seeing a certain maid bragging about receiving a ring from Cristal, Yuria had always been envious. Not of the ring, but of Cristal, who could easily give away such things.

Yuria handed Merlin a pouch of gold coins, slightly easing her regret. As she saw off the carriage carrying Riv and Merlin, Cedric’s carriage entered the townhouse.

She naturally went to greet Cedric. He looked startled to see Yuria with swollen eyes waiting for him.

‘What’s wrong, Princess?’

‘Nothing.’

‘You cried so much your eyes are swollen, and you say it’s nothing?’

Without even changing out of his outdoor clothes, he pressed Yuria about why she had been crying. Yuria kept her mouth shut and shook her head. She could tell him, but she felt too ashamed.

She had bought a lot of jewelry for Evelyn and given gifts to Riv and Merlin, even handing over a pouch of gold coins. She felt too guilty to ask him for anything more.

If she had been a good wife, it would be different, but she was the wife who had an affair to spite Cedric’s pride. On top of that, her family had said unnecessary things to Cedric and treated him like a servant.

‘Is this some kind of seduction?’

‘How could this be a seduction?’

‘Princess, you only get honest when you have a cock in your cunt. Are you urging me to go to bed?’

After what happened yesterday, you want to do it again? Just lie down for now. I’ll lick your pussy in a hurry. Then we can do it while washing together. Okay?

Cedric picked Yuria up and headed to the bed.

What kind of woman does he think I am? What does he think has happened? 

Yuria struggled to escape from Cedric and confessed the truth.

Since he was a man of his word, Yuria was sure he would interrogate her while licking her down there, and she would eventually give in and tell him everything.

‘Why did you try to hide something that’s not even a big secret?’

‘I just felt so shameless…’

Yuria couldn’t meet his eyes and trailed off, making Cedric chuckle.

‘There’s a share of my wealth that belongs to you, Princess.’

‘I’ve only been spending it.’

‘Thanks to you marrying me, I escaped the Spencer family. Otherwise, I’d still be out on the streets cleaning up after that bastard—no, the Duke.’

Though it wasn’t entirely true, she appreciated the sentiment. Cedric immediately called his aide, Howard, and instructed him to employ Merlin’s husband at the merchant guild and to provide them with a residence. He also decided to send Riv a gift equivalent to a dowry in Yuria’s name.

How Riv and Merlin lived had nothing to do with Cedric. Yet, he was actively helping them because Yuria had been saddened.

If this wasn’t proof that he liked her, then what was? She didn’t want to be delusional, but Cedric kept stirring up excitement in her heart. Her heart pounded.

She prayed it wasn’t a misunderstanding.

That their feelings were mutual.

Yuria prayed earnestly.