Chapter 5 – 【 What Misunderstanding Brings 】 (Part 2)

“Count.”

A cold wind blew through Cedric’s office. Howard thought that even the snowy mountains of the north, where they had fought against the foreign tribes ten years ago, were warmer than this, as he placed the report on Cedric’s desk.

“What is it?”

“It’s the investigation on Edward Decker’s movements.”

About five days ago, around the time Cedric had bought a cake for the Princess and returned to the office, the cold wind had started blowing in the warm June of Ritano.

The day he returned to the office, he had ordered an investigation into Edward’s movements, indicating that the Princess’s bad habits had flared up again.

“I should have dealt with it properly last time.”

“Last time…”

He hadn’t needed to because things were good with Yuria then. But the memory of her rejecting him reemerged, overlapping with the report. That night had been shocking. The Princess, who would usually get wet just from a kiss, had remained dry despite continuous affection. It was as if she didn’t want to be touched by him.

What had made the Princess like that? Cedric couldn’t help but suspect Edward. There must have been a reason why Edward, who had left for the capital after being rejected by Yuria, had returned to Ritano.

He hoped that the reason wasn’t Yuria.

“…Their paths crossed on this day.”

The day Yuria visited Charlotte, Edward had also visited Charlotte. At this point, the visit seemed like a ruse. 

Had she grown tired of me? 

He wondered if despite his efforts to fulfill the Princess’s desires, had he fallen short. His anger grew uncontrollably. This wasn’t the first time Yuria had been unfaithful, yet he couldn’t maintain his composure.

That was why he couldn’t seriously ask her if she had someone else. He lost his reason every time he faced Yuria. He might push her roughly and even force her into pregnancy. Despite his lowly birth, he didn’t want to be seen as someone who raped his own wife.

Was it because she didn’t want to get pregnant? 

He suspected that the Princess was secretly using contraception.

If she had refused because she hadn’t taken her contraceptive pill that day, then…

“…”

It was strange that despite their regular intimacy and his frequent ejaculations inside her, she hadn’t conceived.

“Summon the housekeeper and head maid.”

“Here, sir?”

“Bring the maid in charge of the Princess as well. Now, immediately.”

Maybe Yuria didn’t want a child. 

Cedric realized he had never had a serious conversation with her about it. If that was what she wanted, he was willing to respect her wish.

“Count!”

Howard returned quickly, much too soon to have gone to the mansion and back. 

“There’s trouble.”

Behind him, Yuria’s maid rushed in, pale-faced. A sense of foreboding struck Cedric.

“The princess has disappeared, leaving only this note behind.”

* * *

[I’m sorry, Cedric. I tried, but it seems I can’t be happy by your side.

Don’t forgive me or look for me.

Take care.

– Yuria Leusen]

The signature “Leusen” pierced like a thorn. Not “Roark,” but “Leusen.” It felt like a final punctuation mark between them.

“Doesn’t the handwriting look exactly like the Princess’s?”

“…Yes, it does.”

It was so identical that Yuria herself wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

“The Count will believe this letter.”

He wouldn’t even question it.

All strength drained from her body. If she hadn’t been tied up, she would have collapsed miserably.

“Am I going to die?”

“Of course not, princess. You will be safe.”

Even though she had already been kidnapped and tied to a post, telling her she would be safe was an unbelievable lie. Even a seven-year-old wouldn’t believe it. But Yuria nodded obediently. The back of her neck throbbed from where she had been hit while being dragged here.

She was merely on her way to meet Lesia. Since that night when she had rejected Cedric, Yuria had been in a state of limbo. She resented Cedric, yet she did not want to part from him. Each day felt like her blood was drying up. She would cry for no reason, only to suddenly be overcome with anger. She endlessly compared herself to Lesia and despaired.

It was laughable to think she had captured the heart of a man with a first love like Lesia. She had gotten excited and happy just because Cedric had treated her a bit better due to their marriage and her status as a Princess. How foolish.

But the real foolish act was running to Lesia’s message. Even though she couldn’t do anything in front of Lesia, she couldn’t resist the letter mocking her with talk of becoming friends with the Princess and dashed out.

She briefly thought the handwriting seemed masculine, but dismissed it as a quirk of someone from another kingdom. The meeting place was a currently non-operational high-end restaurant. She should have been suspicious from the location, but she believed when Lesia said she was planning to open a salon there.

A man dressed as a waiter opened the door neatly, and she didn’t suspect anything as she walked in. But inside, instead of Lesia, Edward was waiting. As soon as she noticed something was off, she tried to leave, but it was impossible.

The waiter gagged her and dragged her through the back door. She resisted getting into the cart, but the man struck her on the back of her neck. She passed out and woke up in an unknown place. It looked like a shabby hut used by a gamekeeper. The waiter was nowhere to be seen, leaving her alone with Edward.

At first, she trembled in fear that he might touch her, but Edward maintained a surprisingly gentlemanly demeanor. Realizing that the purpose of the abduction was not her body, Yuria’s trembling subsided.

“If I behave, can I go home?”

“If you mean the Roark estate, Princess, you will not be returning there.”

“Why not?”

Edward smiled and squatted down to meet her eyes.

“By now, Lady Eastwood is likely comforting the Count.”

She might be comforting him with her body. 

Edward whispered with a low laugh.

“The Count might be hoping you don’t return.”

Yuria bit her lip. She didn’t want to be swayed by the words of a kidnapper, but he wasn’t entirely wrong. This was a good opportunity for Cedric. A chance to reunite with Lesia without disrupting Lahen.

Since Yuria had fled in the night, all the blame would fall on her. Lahen might feel embarrassed and instead of searching for Yuria, might turn a blind eye to Cedric and Lesia’s reunion. For Lahen, Cedric was more useful than Yuria.

“The Count will not come to rescue you, Princess.”

Yuria’s head drooped. It was possible. Very possible. Even if not for Lesia, Cedric must be disgusted with her for running away.

“They say those two are each other’s first love.”

Edward knew more than she expected. 

How much did he know? Who told him?

“…I didn’t know that.”

A lie slipped out of her mouth without her realizing it.

“Unnecessary lies, Princess.”

Edward grabbed her chin and made her look at him. He was still smiling, but it sent a chill down her spine.

“You know all about the marriage talks between those two.”

There was only one person who knew that Yuria was aware of that. The person who went out of their way to tell her and introduce Lesia: Henry Spencer.

She wondered what was the relationship between Spencer and Edward. The thought suddenly crossed her mind that Edward’s attendance at the Spencer estate funeral might not have been a coincidence.

“Maybe this time, those two will end up together. They seemed like a good match.”

Yes, I have eyes too. So what? 

Flames sparked in Yuria’s eyes.

“And what do you gain, Sir?”

Cedric would get love. But what would Edward gain from this kidnapping?

“Cedric might not search for me, but the royal family will. My mother would rather lock me up in a royal villa than let me disgrace the family by running away.”

It was uncertain, but it sounded plausible.

“The Queen will have no need to search for you, Princess, and lock you up.”

Edward neatly tucked Yuria’s hair behind her shoulder.

“Before they even start searching, you will walk into the palace on your own.”

His gaze traveled from her neck to her chest and down to her flat stomach.

“Carrying my child.”

Yuria was so shocked that she was momentarily speechless. She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“…So you plan to use me to gain something.”

Yuria wasn’t foolish enough to believe Edward kidnapped her out of love. Edward didn’t seem foolish enough to kidnap someone out of love either.

“But it won’t be easy. I’m not underestimating you, but my father and mother will consider me a disgrace to the royal family. They will likely pressure you to hide as well.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that part, Princess. The royal family won’t be able to ignore us.”

Not “won’t ignore,” but “can’t ignore.” The nuance hung oddly in her ears. While Yuria was lost in thought, Edward reached behind her neck.

“That is…”

He pulled out a pearl necklace. She had worn it specifically to confront Lesia, as a kind of weapon. She wanted to show Lesia that Cedric cherished her this much. Childishly, that was her intention.

“Tomorrow, I will send this necklace and the signed divorce papers to the Count’s residence.”

The pearl necklace, which Yuria cherished so much, would serve as proof that her heart had completely left Cedric. Yuria bit the soft inside of her mouth.

“I’ll find something to eat.”

Edward put the necklace in his pocket and stepped outside the hut. Finally alone, Yuria took several deep breaths. There had been no violence, but it was still terrifying.

If Edward returned with ill intentions, she could be stripped naked at any moment. And the man she thought was a waiter could turn on her at any time.

Tears welled up. Yuria desperately tried not to cry. If they made her pass out again because her crying was too loud, it would be a problem. She wouldn’t know what they might do to her while she was unconscious. Whether to resist or persuade, she had to stay awake.

“Henry, Edward, Lesia.”

They were all in cahoots. Yuria realized this after being kidnapped. Edward knew information that only Henry and she knew. Edward appeared at the location where she had arranged to meet Lesia. And the person who introduced her to Lesia was Henry Spencer.

The circumstances were clear. What benefit did Henry and Lesia gain from this kidnapping? She wasn’t sure about the Duke, but she could guess what Lesia stood to gain. Her first love, Cedric.

Now that Yuria had run away in the night, Lesia would be comforting and helping Cedric, capturing his heart while simultaneously preventing anyone from finding Yuria. This meant that even if Cedric decided to search for Yuria, it wouldn’t be easy.

Now, the only person who could rescue her was herself. That was the most despairing fact. Yuria squeezed her eyes shut.