Volume 8 - CH 4

“When Adrian came home?”

“Yes. My Lady, you’ve been locked up for a week.”

What!? She locked up someone for a week?

In such a small space?

“I was about to jump off the tower because we ran out of drinking water, but you kept telling me not to……”

“……you’ve had a hard time, too, Penny.”

It must have been difficult for her to be trapped between a crazy child and an abusive stepmother.

“However, it’s fortunate that Master Adrian appears to have softened considerably.”

“Is that so……?”

In my viewpoint, he still looks insane.

“He would have irritated you a lot in the past. Don’t you agree, My Lady?”

Even now, he irritated me to the point of insanity.

“It appears to me that he is exerting as much restraint as possible.”

What did she mean by restraint?

Anyway, Penny’s explanation was extremely helpful to me.

I thought I knew what I was going to do with Adrian in the future.

“Perhaps…… it must have come as quite a surprise to him when you fell down the stairs, My Lady.”

Adrian did not refuse Camilla’s option to join the Knights Templar.

The reason he decided that even though he had to break up with Selina, whom he couldn’t live without for five years……

“At the time, the young master told me to tell you that he was sorry when you awoke, and I had the feeling that he meant it.”

If Selina had come to her senses, she would have looked at Adrian with contempt.

For her, Adrian’s love was such a noble feeling that he even gave up his life.

For me, it was just such an annoyance.

‘That’s why he joined the Knights Templar.’

The shame of being discovered by his own mother in his immoral lust for his step-sister.

The guilt of hurting someone he cherished.

The fear that the person who is more important to him than his life will abandon him.

An escape from it all.

“Master Adrian is a frightening man, Lady. Never. Never, ever provoke him.”

Yes, I noticed it as well. His eyes reflected the steamed madness.

‘But I’m not scared any longer.’

Since I discovered that idiot’s critical Achilles heel.

‘I am his weakness.’

Originally, if you love too much, you have no choice but to lose.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

The barbarians entered Crawford County unarmed.

Cedric was extremely busy as a result for a few days.

Before the barbarians settled in the empty land near Crawford’s plantation field, there was a lot of work to be done.

‘Even so, it’s a good thing.’

Cedric’s outings were significantly reduced by accepting them as permanent residents.

Previously, the citizen who suffered damage every three days would have gone to the Count’s castle to file an appeal.

So far, there have been no reports of barbarians robbing farmhouses.

Cedric was beaming.

I warned him that they would continue to give him headaches as a result of significant and minor incidents until they were completely settled on this land.

But that’s all there is to it.

“There is nothing I can’t do to keep the citizens’ peace.”

That was an extremely bold claim.

There was only one person who was dissatisfied with the peace that had been brought to Crawford County.

It was Camilla.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

“Are you now ignoring me?”

“Countess.”

“How many times have I sent out a servant to find you?”

“I’m sorry, I’ve been busy.”

“Yeah! Only you are occupied in this location! You alone!”

Camilla, who had come straight to Cedric’s study, became enraged at some point.

“Are you not busy these days, Countess?”

Camilla was no longer invited to the banquet, so he was talking about her staying at home.

“That’s……”

Camilla suddenly threw something she was holding onto Cedric’s desk.

It was the sword he had lost.

“Why is this with you, Countess?”

“I caught a thief.”

“……”

Cedric was cursing Camilla’s bold response.

He would have been grateful if he hadn’t already heard from Selina.

However, her attitude in trying to receive a court order by bringing back the missing goods she stole herself was very poor.

‘It’s disgraceful.’

According to his personality, he would have revealed the truth and questioned his mistake, but…… Cedric remembered Selina’s words of wisdom.

“You may not be grateful, but why are you staring at me?”

“…… isn’t it only a self-accusation?”

‘I guess I couldn’t keep my emotions in check.’

Cedric’s gaze turned to the documents again.

“I’m not sure what you mean, but I’ve never looked at you like that.”

“Cedric!”

“I keep getting nauseous. I must have eaten something inappropriate. It’s best if you leave now.”

Camilla, who was chewing her lips, stormed out of the study.

She had every reason to be impatient as an elegant lady.

‘It appeared that he no longer needed to rely on Duke Maple.’

Meanwhile, Cedric has steadily grown the Knight of White Eagle.

The barbarian case required a lot of defense money, but there was no reason to do so any longer.

It was because he had accepted the outstanding warriors of the barbarian tribes as Knights trainees.

He was taking extra precautions to avoid fights as much as possible.

Furthermore, tax revenues will be collected at Crawford’s Plantation again soon.

And Cedric’s achievements were simply breathtaking.

‘Was that child always this smart?’

It was all thanks to Selina.