Blair poured out everything to Cedric, including the terrible things she heard from Evelyn. Cedric just quietly listened, patting Blair’s back and wiping her tears away with his fingers.

And then, he comforted Blair, who didn’t want to lose Alvin at any cost. He told her not to worry and to wait because he would go to Evelyn and solve everything. After a short absence, he came back with Alvin, who seemed unaware of everything.

Surprisingly, Cedric didn’t even bring up the topic of marriage.

“……”

But that was just for today.

Surely, he will propose marriage as a condition.

You can’t have it all. Catching two rabbits is inherently impossible. For her to live as Alvin’s mother, marrying Cedric is inevitable.

…Marrying him might not be so bad after all…maybe.

At least I won’t be treated like I was three years ago. He’s still a man who doesn’t give me a choice, but Cedric has softened compared to before.

I’m just rationalizing, but I have no other choice now.

He won’t force the night. Having been separated for three years, he must have felt something too.

Maybe he could be a good husband.

Blair imagined the two of them as a married couple. She didn’t feel a strong aversion. She knows objectively that he would be a good husband. Their past is the problem.

It would be best to live alone with Alvin, but she wasn’t opposed to that life if Cedric was added to it, as long as he respects her opinions.

If there’s something else that bothers me…

It’s that I haven’t received a proper apology from Cedric. There’s always something indelible left in Blair’s heart. Though he briefly apologized when Blair treated his wound a while ago, it wasn’t enough.

…Is this a grudge?

But Cedric is ultimately also a victim of fate. The tragedy between him and me is intertwined like a spider web, making it complicated to blame anyone. That’s why I can’t boldly demand an apology from Cedric.

If this grudge disappears, maybe I could accept him.

Was it because the process of meeting Cedric was not easy? Was it because I had such a tough day? Was it because of the fear of never being able to see the child again? I was surprised by my own change of heart.

* * *

The next day, Cedric came looking for Blair with a strange man in tow. The neatly dressed man was not in military uniform. He introduced himself as Cedric’s ‘lawyer,’ and Blair straightened up nervously. The three moved to Blair’s house dining table.

“Let me see the child once a month.”

As soon as Cedric spoke, the lawyer handed Blair a piece of paper. This man is doing the same thing. Anger surged as she remembered the terrible documents Evelyn had handed over yesterday.

“…If you’re trying to take the child away, I won’t let you.”

Blair glared at Cedric with a fierce look.

“Blair, calm down. I won’t treat you like that anymore. I won’t do what you hate.”

“……”

“Look at the document properly.”

Cedric pushed the document towards Blair. Blair read through the document with skeptical eyes.

【 1. In the event of Cedric FitzGerald’s death in battle, the title of the Fitzgerald dukedom will pass to Alvin Seymour. 】

“……”

Blair’s lips parted, and her eyes widened even more.

“This means that Alvin will be recognized as the heir. Since I am the heir to the dukedom, I have to keep this in mind when going into battle.”

Cedric added. But Blair’s eyes were fixed on the word ‘death’ in the document.

…Going to war means he could die. Why haven’t I thought about this obvious fact until now?

Blair swallowed and read on. Her feeling was strange. It was indescribable.

【 2. In the event of Cedric Fitzgerald’s death, all properties under the name of Cedric Fitzgerald will be transferred to Alvin Seymour and his biological mother.

3. Even if Cedric Fitzgerald does not die, once Alvin Seymour comes of age, he will inherit all rights as the heir of the Fitzgerald family.

4. All proposals are null and void if rejected by Alvin Seymour and his biological mother.】

Blair couldn’t believe the words printed on the paper and brought it closer to her eyes. Her hand holding the paper trembled.

“This is a contract to ensure the bloodline of the family does not end. But you are not required to perform the duties of a duchess. There’s nowhere in the document that says that.”

His words were correct. Nowhere in the document did it say that Blair had to become Cedric’s wife.

Blair looked up at the black-haired man who was smiling faintly. The man was relaxed throughout. Both the content of the document and the man’s attitude as he sat in front of her, made everything feel surreal today.

Her white hand that was holding the paper continued to tremble. Blair looked down again at the document. With this, she could support many things when Alvin becomes an adult someday.

It was an unbelievably favorable contract. Not just favorable…

“…Why do you want to make such a losing deal?”

“I told you. The bloodline must continue. That’s all.”

The man spoke in a still calm voice.

“How long do I have to think about it?”

“We’re setting sail next week.”

“Next week?”

So soon? Surprise spread across Blair’s face.

“Oh, are you upset? If you make that face, it makes me hopeful.”

Despite the dripping sarcasm, the man stood up from the table with clean movements. The lawyer who accompanied him also stood up.

“Come to the port before we set sail.”

The man’s black cloak fluttered as he turned around to leave the cafe.

Thud.

At that moment, a folded piece of paper fell from the man’s embrace. Blair picked it up first from the floor.

Cedric looked at Blair as she unfolded the twice-folded paper.

“……”

【Marriage Registration Form

Groom: Cedric Fitzgerald

Bride: Blair Seymour 】

It was the Eleanor Empire’s marriage registration form. Blair recognized the document immediately because she had filled one out before.

But there was something strange. Every field except for the bride’s signature was filled out. And in Cedric’s handwriting. Blair, surprised, looked up, and Cedric replied with a shameless voice.

“Ah, you caught me.”

Contrary to the awkward situation, the man’s voice was calm.

“…….”

Blair just moved her lips, not knowing what to say. Cedric slowly handed her a paper of even more significant content and tucked it into his pocket.

“……You might not sign it, but there’s no harm in being prepared, right? I prepared it just in case.”

Click.

With the sound of the second floor door closing, Cedric disappeared suddenly along with a lawyer.

Blair stood there, staring blankly at the door through which he had vanished. Only one piece of paper was left on the table. It was a document recognizing Alvin as his successor. Blair flopped down into a chair and picked up the document.

“……This is absurd.”

It was a contract that only brought him losses. There was no privileged person in the world who would enter into such a contract. This document also had only Blair’s signature field blank.

“…….”

But the man who disappeared seemed to regard the casually dropped marriage registration form more seriously than the documents related to the successor.

Step, step.

Cedric was heading back to the temporary camp from Blair’s house. His mind was filled with her reaction that he had seen just before.

「This means that Alvin will be recognized as the heir.」

Blair’s blue eyes wavered at that moment. It was clear that the child was an important presence to her. It wouldn’t have been easy living the life of a single mother, no matter how well her store was doing. Alvin was definitely her sore spot.

She looked at the document that would recognize Alvin as the successor without any demands from him, her eyes trembling wildly. As expected, it left a bitter taste.

……But this is right.

He couldn’t tie her down using the child as a weapon. Considering how Alvin was conceived and how she gave birth to him made it even more so.

Cedric’s steps slowed. He didn’t want to move away from her house.

But I must return to my place. This is right.

Adrian’s words floated in Cedric’s mind, tossed about like a ship in a storm. Despite being of similar age, Adrian had an old soul, as if he was living his second life. He wasn’t certain if all who were born of royal blood are like that, or if it’s just Adrian. Cedric wasn’t a noble, so he wouldn’t know.

「……I won’t force her into my hands again. It’s like grains of sand slipping through the fingers.」

The man with golden hair in a dusty gray stone prison said.

「If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t do it. Before sending a marriage proposal out of nowhere, I’d ask her for a date first. I imagine we’ll get to know each other like friends. Then someday, book a place with a nice atmosphere and have dinner together. Slowly winning her heart.」

He just stood there silently listening to those words. He hadn’t realized back then that every sentence he uttered would remain so vividly in his memory.

「……I’ll open up my palm. Showing that I’m not hiding anything and allowing her to place her hand on mine.」

Whooosh. A burly soldier walked along the beach as the night wind blew. His large, rueful footprints were left in the sand.

* * *

It was a dark night, as though the sky was mixed with black paint. Blair came out of the bedroom after making sure Alvin was fully asleep and approached the living room window to look at the sky. Somehow, she couldn’t fall asleep.

Today, Cedric was nothing but strange.

He didn’t force marriage on her and only said he would recognize Alvin as his legitimate son. Blair recalled the absurd contract she had tucked deep into a drawer.