Chapter 4: Volume 1 - CH 4

At the dawn of the morning.

“Lady! Lady! There’s a big problem!”

“What’s the fuss?”

“Don’t be too surprised, my Lady.”

Penny’s face had blanched when she stated this.

“The dress, the one you purchased yesterday……”

Standing up, I followed Penny, who appeared to be weeping, into the dressing room.

“Ugh.”

Surprised, my breath naturally dispersed between my lips.

It was a terrifying sight.

‘I was giving it a lot of thought as I bought it though……’

My purple dress had been ripped to shreds and was all over the place.

It looked like a crime scene evidence at the scene of the gruesome murder.

No, it looked even worse.

“Lady Shannon, how could she do this again? This is too much!”

She did it.

Shannon has done something similar before.

“She must have ordered Emma. Emma must be entering and exiting this annex like a rat!”

The reason was obvious.

Her anger comes from the fact that she was not invited to the imperial banquet.

“It’s the first dress you’ve ever purchased for yourself…… How can she tear something up like this?”

I inspected the ripped dress with the resentful Penny behind me.

‘This is a warning. A warning that I’m about to be like this.’

Selina may have been able to hide her ignorance for so long, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

‘I’m not going to let this go.’

My look in the mirror was remarkably serene as I grabbed the shred cloth.

“Penny.”

“Yes?”

“Run and call for my uncle!”

“At this hour? He’s most likely sleeping now, more than that…… the sun hasn’t risen yet, my Lady.”

“No, I believe he’s awake.”

Cedric.

I know him well.

Because he was the supporting character in the original story that I despised the most!

I took a deep breath, then I screamed atrociously as if I had seen the most terrible thing in the world.

“Aaaahhh!”

* * *

Cedric was taken aback by the dreadful sight  at the dressing room.

“What is this……”

He’s already awoke early in the morning, as I predicted, and had already finished his breakfast.

‘I thought he’s completely like an old man.’

In actuality, he was a hot-looking grown man who made me reconsider my hatred for him.

‘Thirty-five? Thirty-four? He isn’t that old.’

Cedric Crawford.

That handsome knight who has been single for more than thirty years.

After a lifetime, he suddenly returned to the territory and had no interest in the secret power struggle that took place in the house.

He had no idea what his niece was going through, and he couldn’t care less.

Cedric was only concerned with the knight’s safety and the honor of the White Eagle Knights under his leadership.

He also applied the Knights’ Code of Fairness to the household at any time, anywhere.

“So that was once a dress……”

“Yes, my Lord!”

“And, you stated that Shannon was the one who did this.”

“Yes.”

Cedric coughed in vain, as if it were strange and difficult for him to even say the word “dress.”

“Do you have any substantial proof?”

“Lord, there’s no proof, but it had to be Lady Shannon! She felt envious that only Lady Selina had been invited to the banquet!”

“There is no evidence, only circumstantial evidence. There is no verification.”

“They’re all Shannon’s henchman, after all. Who will testify and give evidence?”

“That’s just your guess.”

“This has occurred before, my lord……”

Penny shivered but told the truth with all her heart.

Cedric groaned and fixed his gaze on the lieutenant next to him.

“Didn’t I tell you there should be no disturbance in the house?”

“I’m not the butler, Commander.”

Lord Spencer, the beautiful Husky.

I made eye contact with him as I descended the stairs.

“My lady’s……”

He, who had been hardened for a while, said, with his eyes fixed on my lips.

“I’m not going to be able to prevent what’s going on in the bedroom.”

Is it because of his sluggish voice?

He sounded as if he genuinely wanted to enter my bedroom.

“Lady Selina has arrived.”

“Oh, Selina.”

I coughed in vain as I bowed slightly to greet my uncle, Cedric, and sat opposite him.

“Well, ehm,  in the meantime…… How have you been?”

He reminded me of my father’s 10-year-old friend.

‘It’s completely awkward.’

When I saw that he took the initiative to talk to his niece first, it appeared that he still had responsibility, even if it was as small as an ant hole.

‘How did Selina call this man?’

He was always a bystander in the original story, watching Selina from afar.

There were only a few scenes where they had a conversation.

I was thinking about it, then all of a sudden……

“Yes, I’m perfectly well. I’m delighted you returned safely, uncle.”

I tried to address him with ‘uncle.’

Then Lord Spencer and Cedric, who were both lowering their heads, both turned at me at the same time.

Was I being overly familiar?

“Lady?”

It must have been so unusual for Penny to be so shocked that her eyes protruded.

“It’s just…… I’m so glad to see you after such a long time.”

Cedric’s brows wriggled when I added it.

He seemed taken aback that I didn’t stutter.

“And it appears that you……have regained your… wellbeing.”

Cedric selected his words carefully, perhaps because Lord Spencer was present.

“That’s a huge relief. Selina, I’m glad to hear that.”

“Penny’s support was essential. She listened to my readings and supported me.”

Cedric’s eyes were drawn to the shocked Penny.

“I heard Shannon was talking about you yesterday.”

“Shannon is always showing an interest in me. I’m really grateful for that.”

I was sarcastic, but he didn’t seem to get it. Cedric nodded gravely and agreed.

“She’s not your biological sister, but she’s a good girl who cares deeply about you.”

“……”

Oh, this is why I despise this jerk so much.

Because for him, Selina is just a poor girl who loses her parents, position as successor, and even inheritance to that ‘good’ Shannon.

“Do you expect you’ll be The Grand Duchess? You only go because we’re selling you. If The Grand Duke grows sick of playing with you, he will abandon you. You’d best hope your pretty face doesn’t turn old too soon.”

After that, Selina was sold like a cow to the Empire’s best playboy. Because of that ‘good’ Shannon.

‘And this uncle will also die shortly.’

Camilla eventually poisoned Cedric. Because Camilla would be forced to resign from her post if he married.

His principal is always to be gentle and understanding.

Cedric Crawford was described as a ‘true sample of an honest knight.”

That was why I loathed him in the original story.

Because he’s far too honest.

“Don’t you think so, Selina?”

I’m simply sighing. With such a naïve mentality, how can he survive in this cruel world?

‘Does a villain training camp exist? He needs to participate even if it’s only for a short period.’

Cedric had to understand how cruel this world is rather than simply wielding the sword!

“Of course, yes. I’m always grateful to Shannon.”

“I’m delighted to hear that.”

“However, I don’t want Shannon to visit my annex. I’ve forgiven her, but I need to make it clear that I’m not going to let this matter go.”

“…….”

“Please do it so that this does not happen again.”

“It’s just a dress, after all. You may just repurchase it. Your taste is so…… hmhm, pricey, too, I’m sure that is right.”

Cedric appeared to have no doubt that I enjoyed wearing something so extravagant. Of course, it had to be Camilla and Shannon’s preference.

I was briefly dumbfounded as I was taken aback by his naiveté.

“You can just purchase better dresses. You should also dress yourself a little like Camilla or Shannon.”

“……”

“Don’t be too concerned about money. You should not be concerned about our family’s financial situation.”

Cedric looked back at Lord Spencer, with no smile, as if he wanted to come out and ended the conversation as fast as he could.

“And how about the Countess?”

If he has a problem, he generally goes to his sister-in-law and the housekeeper, Camilla.

“The Countess hasn’t returned from her hunting expedition yet.”

“And how about the butler?”

“The Countess dragged him along with her.”

“She’s at it again.”

“Bring Shannon here.”

Cedric said hesitantly, touching the corner of his eye.

“How long has the Countess been hunting?”

“I’ll take care of this.”

Cedric muttered something.

“Today is exactly the fifteenth day, Commander.”

“……fifteenth?”

Cedric, who was clutching his hand to his chin, lifted his eyes in astonishment.