Chapter 28

A street bathed in warm sunlight. Beautifully dressed women were walking by, holding parasols.

The dessert café where Edward and Isabella were conversing was filled with the aroma of freshly baked savory bread and the sweet scent of black tea.

On the table of the two people sitting on the outdoor terrace, there were some pieces of cake and black tea.

A woman in a neatly tailored gray suit with golden hair and a beautiful face, and another woman in a light purple dress with long pink hair.

They were a splendid couple, even just to glance at.

There were many people on the street stealing glances at the two. As if aware of this, Isabella, holding the teacup elegantly with her gloved hand, spoke up.

“I discussed it with my family and decided to wear this dress from the tailor. Madame will bring your fiancé soon. It would be nice to try on outfits together.

No matter what she said, Edward kept looking outside with a dark expression.

Despite the indifferent response, Isabella continued the conversation without caring.

“Right? Now the wedding is just around the corner I didn’t know the business your father is pushing would be delayed like this. It seems there are a lot of rumors since it’s a deal with the kingdom.

“Oh, really……?

 
“Usually, my father doesn’t say much, but yesterday he suddenly postponed the wedding date, and I was worried that Mr. and Mrs. Bailey might be upset.”

Edward replied absentmindedly, lost in thought, even to Isabella’s words.

As soon as her clear words ended, the son-in-law fell silent.

Unable to bear it any longer, Isabella set down the teacup she was holding. The sound of the teacup clattering against the tray was loud.

“Are you even listening to me?

Edward barely turned his gaze at the tone that sounded disappointed.

Sorry., I was just thinking about something else for a moment. What did you say?

“Hmph.  This isn’t a date, it’s torture, totally.”

“If it’s about the wedding, don’t worry too much.  Since we’ve already had the engagement ceremony, your father and mother aren’t in a hurry either.  Of course, I’m the same way.

“Tch. That sounds a bit hurtful It sounds like you’re saying it doesn’t matter when we get married.

When Isabella pouted, Edward chuckled as if finding her adorable.

“There’s no way. I’m also very much looking forward to our married life together.

But that smile didn’t last long. As soon as the smile disappeared from Edward’s face, Isabella didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Is something going on with the Bailey family? Soon, Edward with a subtle expression came into her view. He finally managed to speak after a moment of silence.

“There’s no way.”

“Maybe….Is it because of the younger sibling you saw back then? At the dinner, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person. I’ve never seen such a cold face before.

“Well….Sometimes, they do try to threaten my position.

“How dare you, a second son, aspire to the position of a head of a family? No way. If it’s about that matter, don’t worry. This is something we should talk about after we get married…

Isabella looked around cautiously and then carefully opened her red lips.

“When you get married, it seems your father is planning to pass the business on to you right away. Originally, legal matters take time, but you know…

“I don’t want to receive it so urgently. That’s not the reason I chose you. I don’t want to appear that way to the public. I’ll let you know later when the Count brings it up.

Isabella’s eyes widened in surprise at Edward’s refusal. Wasn’t Edward the one who showed such ambition for power during the dinner with Count Cecil?

Isabella became anxious at the drastically different words.

“Fool. Using our father as a benefactor to solidify your position in the Bailey family! How dare a mere younger sibling even touch it!

“That kind of thing doesn’t matter at all. Right now, I…!

Soon, a deep sigh escaped Edward’s lips.

He lifted the teacup in front of him and took a sip instead of answering.

And then, as if it were complicated, I cast my gaze on the people in the street.

Isabella’s face hardened as she watched this.

If what’s filling Edward’s mind right now isn’t the wedding or the desire for power.  No way.

She subtly asked while gauging Edward’s reaction.

“Is it… because of Aria?

At Isabella’s words, Edward immediately turned his gaze away from the street.

A barely noticeable crack appeared on Isabella’s impatient face.

She took a deep breath with effort.  She was furious.

How can I still be thinking about Aria at this moment?  Why can’t I let go of my feelings just because of a mere maid?

Edward in front of me was cruel and hateful.

But I couldn’t show jealousy towards the maid.  That was also my pride as a noblewoman.

Isabella firmly controlled the corner of her mouth that was twitching upward.  She spoke in a cold tone.

“Only now you’re showing a reaction.  It really must be because of Aria.

Edward, who had been silently maintaining his silence for a long time, stared at her intently.

“As expected, I can’t deceive Isabella.  She can see right through me.

“Is it because Aria went to the annex? Did something happen there? What happened there?

“Honestly….When Aria said she was going to the annex, I wasn’t that worried.  I just thought she would be away for a little while…

“Well, it seems like Aria is following her new master well.  You’re feeling hurt by that, aren’t you?

Edward busily shifted his eyes at the piercing remark.

In fact, since Aria went to the annex, the number of times they met each other has become so few that it can be counted on one hand.

Edward was busy with wedding preparations, and Aria was so preoccupied with following Eric around the annex that she had no time to worry about Edward.

But Edward believed.  This awkward relationship is just a fleeting moment.

After he gets married and brings Aria back, they will be able to live like they used to.

Even after hearing the rumors about Aria and Eric from the Countess, I wasn’t overly worried.  I didn’t care because Aria wasn’t the type to do such things.

It didn’t matter at all.  Until I saw the way Aria looked at Eric.

Edward, who was watching the two from a distance, felt an inexplicable sense of bitterness.

‘Why on earth has Aria changed…….’

It was a question I pondered and thought about dozens of times, but in the end, I couldn’t find the answer.  For the first time, I felt like a fool.

Edward, who had been lost in thought for a moment, unbuttoned the top button due to a feeling of suffocation.

He picked up the black tea next to him and gulped it down in one go, overwhelmed by the impatience rising from his lower abdomen.

At that sight, jealousy welled up in Isabella’s eyes.  I was so annoyed that I was furious.

It was a terrible sight to see the one I love thinking only of another woman, not me.  Who wouldn’t feel indignant?

If it were up to me, I would have wanted to get up and leave immediately, but I had to hold back.

The wedding is just around the corner.  If we can just get through the wedding safely, that man will be mine no matter what anyone says.

My man. Only mine.  Something that cannot be shared with a mere maid.  If Edward couldn’t push Aria away, there was only one way.

Isabella hurriedly composed her expression, fearing that my face might give her away.

“That’s only natural, isn’t it?  The relationship between a dedicated maid and her master should be strong.  Aria is just doing her best at her duties.

“After we get married, we can call Aria back to our side. Then our relationship will get better like it used to be. Mom, Dad, you didn’t say anything special about that part either, right?

“Really?”

Edward suddenly looked up and saw Isabella again. Isabella broke into a gentle smile.

“Okay. Don’t do that, and next time you go to the costume shop, bring Aria along too. I want to see Aria’s face after such a long time. If it’s the dress that Aria picked, I think I’ll be satisfied too.

“Well, that’s true. Because your taste is similar to Aria’s.

Isabella slightly nodded her head. Edward also smiled with relief at her eye smile.

Isabella barely managed to control the twitching of her lips.

“Yeah. I really like that about Aria. I’ll ask you to pick out your tuxedo while I’m at it.

Saying that, she directed her gaze to the teacup in front of her.

“Could Aria and I really become close?”

A rival for a man.

They can never become close. I will make it so.

Isabella quietly picked up the teacup in front of her and took a sip.

Morning in the Orphen Empire’s royal palace. Since dawn, a cuckoo had been perched on the castle wall, chirping as if welcoming someone.

In front of the dazzling imperial palace, a sturdy muscular white horse stood still with its master on its back.

A man with tousled black hair, dressed in a perfectly pressed uniform, gracefully dismounted from his horse.

The dazzling figure momentarily captured the attention of the palace maids.

Henry Somerset, who had received advance notice of Eric’s arrival, was waiting for him in front of the imperial palace.

“Commander, you’ve finally returned to the palace! How have you been all this time?

“Thanks to you.  How have you been?

“As per the letter I sent last time.”

Henry shook his head from side to side as if he was losing energy.

“Isn’t the commander-in-chief trying to drag the deputy commander out?  It seems His Majesty the Emperor has summoned him for that reason as well.

Henry looked around and lowered his voice even more.

“His Majesty the Emperor will do his utmost to protect you, but still, it seems you should be cautious for the time being. You never know when His Majesty might change his mind.”

However, Eric’s response to Henry’s advice was lukewarm.

Rather, he simply took out a document he had kept in his pocket and handed it to Henry.

“Look into this.”

Out of the blue, Henry’s eyes narrowed as he received the document.

Of course, when did my boss ever listen to my advice properly?

With a short sigh, his gaze turned downward. To properly examine the content.

As Henry read down the first line, his forehead began to furrow slightly.

“Reynolds is…What on earth is this, Lieutenant Colonel?