Chapter 73: Volume 6 - CH 9

Cedric went out to the field with Camilla only once after arriving at the hunting ground to figure out the truth.

‘It’s unbelievable she’s so bad at archery.’

As far as Cedric knows, Camilla went hunting dozens of times a year. And spent up to fifteen days at the hunting ground.   ,

He was wondering how busy Camilla and her butler could be having fun together. Because it seemed that Camilla had never pulled a bow and arrow in her life.

Who should take the blame?

He was a fool who, like a blind man, had no idea what was going on right under his nose.

‘I was a moron.’

Looking back, Camilla had never brought anything from the hunting ground to the castle.

She didn’t even bring a rabbit, let alone a wild boar or fox, as is usual for young hunters.

“Tsk.”

Cedric clicked his tongue as he looked back at his dull self and began to look at the documents he had prepared.

This hunting ground was said to have a wooden house, which was actually a large house with more than 20 bedrooms.

It was the place that had been a comfortable nest for Ruben and Camilla.

The house had obviously been rushed cleaned in preparation for Cedric’s visit. The house happened to have nothing to do with hunting.

“What documents are you examining? You even had come all the way here.”

Camilla, wearing a gown as if she had washed up, approached him.

Cedric arranged the papers with a sigh of displeasure.

“Countess, if you need to speak with me, please dress properly and call me back.”

“What happened earlier was purely an accident, Cedric.”

“Of course, I have no doubts.”

“I’d like to formally apologize. If you’re offended too much……”

Cedric crumpled his face as he grabbed her hand and stroked his shoulder.

“As I’ve stated numerous times, this type of behavior is an insult to me.”

“Cedric.”

Camilla made gentle eye contact with him.

Cedric Crawford, the only man she knew with a strong personality.

She met him for the first time exactly 20 years ago.

Cedric doesn’t remember, but Camilla had met him.

It happened in the capital when he and she were fifteen years old.

Cedric, who was still a young man, was receiving farewells from his peers, saying he would participate in the war to protect his hometown, the West.

Next to him was a young lady who was crying endlessly.

“Is it because of Joanna?”

As soon as the name was mentioned, Cedric’s complexion changed.

Cedric pushed her away in an instant, his face cold and frozen.

“……it’s not a name you could call recklessly.”

Cedric’s eyes retained the look of a man in love with Joanna.

“It’s been years since she died.”

Camilla let out a snort.

He was a damn consistent man.

“The maids were joking about it.”

She twirled around Cedric, trying to relieve the chill.

“That Lord Crawford doesn’t seem to have held a woman yet.”

“……”

“Don’t tell me you’re still an innocent bachelor, are you?”

Camilla inquired, her eyes wide open as if she was genuinely interested.

Cedric looked down at her with a pathetic expression before taking the documents and leaving the study.

“Are you? Really?”

A laugh could be heard from behind him.

It didn’t matter what misunderstanding Camilla had. There was nothing to be embarrassed about and nothing to be ashamed of.

Cedric never commented, but he had once held a woman.

That night, he swore she was his first and would be his last until the day he died.

He was seventeen years old at the time.

At a time when he is too young to lose his virginity, but also too young to endure on the battlefield.

Cedric, who was at the forefront, was prepared to die anew day by day.

It was by chance that he ran into Joanna again after retreating to get supplies.

“Don’t leave, Cedric. I’ll inform my father. Let’s go back to the capital together, please?”

“I like you. I never admitted it, but I liked you, Cedric.”

“Cedric, please, please stay with me tonight……”

Cedric never regretted his decision that night.

Despite the fact that he left, Duke Chester, who happened to see his brother who remained in the west, suddenly married Joanna to him.

That, too, was Joanna’s choice.

Desperation grew, but Cedric respected her decision.

He was a soldier who had served in the war, had no idea when he would return home, and was in a position where he could die at any time.

His brother is the family’s eldest son and heir, and he is an officer who has a table discussion in the barracks, not like Cedric.

Every day, Cedric fantasized about marrying Joanna, but that dream was too far for him at the time.

He couldn’t make young Joanna widowed.

Cedric was not selfish enough to ask her to wait for a never-ending war.

However, fate plays its trick. He, who had prepared to die, survived, whereas his brother died.

‘Would you have accepted it if I had proposed to you back then……?’

Then came his only bloodline, his beloved niece.

And the only thing that remained of Joanna in this world.

Whenever he saw Selina’s face, he regretted his past self for not having the courage to do so.