Chapter 4 – 【 By a Stroke of Chance 】  (Part 2)

Cedric loved those moments. The moments when he filled and satisfied his princess. He once thought it would be enough if Yuria didn’t change men frequently. He had even considered letting her keep a man at the mansion if she settled with one.

He wouldn’t like seeing them lounging around the mansion, but at least he could control the rumors. If Yuria got pregnant, he was willing to raise the child as his own. Of course, the child’s father would have to become fish food.

But now, he couldn’t tolerate another man planting his seed in Yuria. Sometimes, when he pretended to be jealous and searched for traces of other men on her, he genuinely got furious. Even though it was a lie he made up in his head, his thrusts became rough. It was as if he needed to prove that he was the only one who could satisfy and deserve his princess.

In any case, after that, Yuria would fall into a deep, contented sleep, no longer distracted, and showed no interest in becoming a queen of another country. Everything was perfect. So perfect that he didn’t mind losing the railway construction rights.

Ah, but then I wouldn’t be able to build Yuria Station. That wouldn’t do.

“Cedric, are you listening to me? You’re not thinking about Yuria again, are you?”

“I was just thinking that Viscount Hans owes me a debt, so I might be able to secure one more vote with that.”

“It doesn’t seem like it, but I’ll let it slide this time. If you keep losing focus, you’ll have to spend the night at the palace.”

Lahen’s threat was effective, and Cedric focused, ending the meeting early and returning to the townhouse before it got too late. Before his princess fell asleep.

“I heard you went out today.”

“I went to the most famous salon in the capital with Riv and Merlin. Oh, and they both wanted to thank you.”

Listening to her softly recounting her day with Riv and Merlin, Cedric leisurely undressed.

“By the way, that salon’s name was also Bello.”

The salon Lawrence ran in Ritano was also named Bello.

“It’s the same Bello.”

“What?”

“It’s owned by the same person who owns the salon you frequented in Ritano.”

For information-gathering purposes, they had opened a similar salon in the capital. Surprisingly, it was doing well, but Cedric hadn’t expected Yuria to go there. He thought she’d intentionally avoid it because of the name, but this adorable pervert didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Oh… I didn’t know.”

“What did you do at the salon?”

Yuria hesitated, her lips moving nervously.

“We just talked.”

“With men from the capital?”

“With Riv and Merlin!”

Though the truth didn’t matter, as it was all to enhance the thrill of their intimacy, Yuria looked genuinely aggrieved. Her acting improved day by day.

“Well, who knows?”

It wouldn’t do to fall short of expectations, he would have to make an effort too. Cedric caressed the Princess’s tightly closed lips and murmured.

“Lie down and spread your legs so I can check.”

“W-what? I really didn’t do anything.”

“If you’re innocent, there shouldn’t be a problem with me checking.”

Cedric laid the struggling Yuria down on the bed.

“Hurry up. If I have to do it myself, you’ll regret it.”

At such a trivial threat, the princess whimpered as she lifted her skirt and spread her legs. Blood rushed to her white thighs, marked with handprints, and the sight of the sweet juices dripping from her modest underwear made Cedric’s mouth water.

“If I taste another man’s s*men, you won’t be able to attend the banquet tomorrow.”

“There, there’s no such thing, ah!”

As he pushed her underwear aside, her crimson flesh spread open like ripe fruit, and Cedric did not hesitate to thrust his tongue inside like a c*ck. A shrill scream, the lewd sound of fl*ids mixing, and soon, deep moans of satisfaction emanated from them.

One set of moans disappeared into someone’s hole.

* * *

After the banquet ended, Yuria and Cedric also prepared to return to Ritano. They were summoned to the palace for lunch. When they came from Ritano, they brought a lot of resentment, but seeing each other’s faces, the resentment melted away, and they had a pretty good time.

They exchanged pleasantries, expressed concern for each other’s health, and promised to meet again. Lahen even apologized to Yuria for blocking all communication. He also mentioned how he had ruined Cedric and Yuria’s first meeting as a prank, but Lahen didn’t even remember it.

Though annoying, she forgave him, thinking he was helpful to Cedric. As they wrapped up their schedule and were about to board the carriage with all their luggage packed, news arrived of Duke Spencer’s death.

Despite Cedric’s estrangement from the duke’s family, he couldn’t skip his father’s funeral with so many eyes watching.

“Try not to be alone too much.”

“Don’t worry, Cedric. I’m not a child, and I understand the situation.”

It’s more complicated than you know. 

Cedric swallowed the words that reached the tip of his tongue. The closer the carriage got to the duke’s estate, the heavier Cedric’s sighs became.

‘Old man, why did you have to die now?’

If he had heard the news in Ritano, he would have sent someone with condolences using the pirate suppression as an excuse. But hearing it in the capital, he couldn’t avoid going.

“Count Roark, Princess, we’ve been expecting you.”

“…It’s been a while. You look well.”

“Yes, you look well too, Count.”

Though the duke was dead, the old butler of similar age was still spry. Cedric adjusted Yuria’s hand on his arm and followed the butler inside. Back then, just like now, he had followed the butler to meet the duke.

He was thirteen. He didn’t know his birth mother and was raised by the maids of the duke’s estate. A child raised by maids grew up to be a servant. He was puzzled why the duke wanted to see a young servant who did odd jobs.

“Thank you for coming, Princess.”

“Of course, I had to come. It’s such a pity that the duke passed away so early. Duchess, you must be deeply distressed.”

Cedric separated Yuria from the duchess, who wore a black veil and was called the dowager after passing the dukedom to Henry. Yuria flinched at the blatant action, but the dowager only raised an elegant eyebrow.

“You didn’t visit when he was bedridden, but now that he’s dead, you come running.”

“Isn’t that the duty of an illegitimate child?”

Seventeen years ago, the young Duchess, who had suited red lips, barely masked her disgust when she saw the boy following the butler. She needed Cedric. More precisely, she needed the Duke’s other bloodline, not her own child.

That day, Cedric was registered as the Duke’s second son, not a bastard. Only then could he go to war in Henry’s place.

“How convenient a duty that is.”

“May I finish paying my respects?”

“Go ahead. By the way, our family doesn’t give inheritances to those who only fulfill the duties of an illegitimate child. Did you know that?”

“Oh, what a disappointment. I was looking forward to it.”

The dowager’s lips twisted in contempt.

“You really are an ungrateful child.”

The dowager didn’t care about Yuria and snapped at Cedric. It was absurd. Cedric had gone to war in Henry’s place with less than two years of training. Though he was given many soldiers, how many would follow a fifteen-year-old commander?

Moreover, everyone said it was an unwinnable war. Morale was low, and the northern snowy mountains, where even summer didn’t melt the snow, were the front lines. Many died.

They fought the enemy and frostbite. Supplies were always lacking. Cedric fought desperately. As he endured, he was the only commander left. Some said the war wouldn’t end until Cedric Spencer died. As long as he held out, the enemy couldn’t advance to the capital.

Some said he sought honor, others said he wanted revenge for his mother killed by foreigners. He just fought because there was nothing else to do.

After three years and five months, Cedric turned the tide and drove out the foreigners. It was the moment the bastard became a national hero.

“You’ve come, Cedric.”

Even then, Henry greeted him like this. Smiling so his dimples showed on his chubby cheeks, he said, ‘I’m proud of you, my brother,’ and hugged him. He had forgotten that creepy memory.

“You’ve come, Princess.”

“I offer my condolences, Duke Spencer.”

Henry lightly kissed the back of Yuria’s extended hand. Cedric regretted not bringing extra gloves. He needed to quickly remove that filthy glove from the princess’s hand and put on a new one.

“The Crown Prince is also here. Have you greeted him?”

“No, not yet.”

“He’s over there.”

Henry seemed to want to talk to Cedric alone, but Cedric had nothing to say to him. After returning victorious from the war and coming back to the Duke’s residence, Henry didn’t bother Cedric. He even treated him as a brother.

But at the same time, Henry was deeply contemplating how to kill Cedric legally. When Cedric, not wanting to be sold off in a political marriage, renounced his position as the duke’s second son and returned to being a bastard, Henry made a decision.

He decided to send Cedric to the southern coast, where pirates roamed. Cedric, who couldn’t even swim, was sent to the south. This time, there were no soldiers. It meant he had to manage with the navy stationed in the south.

However, the soldiers who survived under Cedric voluntarily followed him. The men who had never seen the sea overcame the local prejudices of the south, filled their bellies with seawater, and conquered the sea.