The Whipping Maid of House Calley - Chapter 89

「What?」

At Sylvia’s words, one of Cedric’s eyebrows shot up sharply.

「I mean Sheila. Anyone can tell she looks like me.」

Didn’t Marquis recognize it at a glance the moment he saw Sheila, too?

Sylvia and Sheila did resemble each other.

Skin so pale it was almost translucent, soft brown hair, clear blue eyes, and delicate, pretty features.

They wouldn’t look strange at all if someone said they were sisters.

This was why, even while vaguely guessing the relationship between Sheila and Cedric, Sylvia looked at Sheila with such fondness.

She was proof that Cedric couldn’t forget her.

But at Sylvia’s words, Cedric only let out a dry laugh.

To Cedric, the two of them were simply separate people.

「She’s not anyone’s substitute.」

Cedric denied Sylvia’s claim. Of course, he wasn’t denying the relationship Sylvia had guessed at between him and Sheila.

「Sure. Let’s say that’s true.」

Sylvia brushed off Cedric’s words without even hearing them properly and raised another question.

「But how long do you think it’ll last? Do you really think Sheila can handle you? Sure, you might be tempted by an innocent maid. Sheila’s a pretty girl, even by my standards.」

As far as Sylvia knew, Cedric enjoyed fairly hard play. And an ordinary woman wouldn’t be able to handle that. Because Cedric would never give the pleasure that came from the most basic kind of intimacy between a man and a woman.

「Are you done? If you have nothing else to say, I’m leaving.」

Despite Sylvia’s words, Cedric turned his body as if it had nothing to do with him.

Faced with a stance that was excessively cold and unwavering, Sylvia found herself at a loss for words.

‘Right. That’s Cedric.’

The man she loved had always been like that. Filled with absolute confidence, she issued him one last warning.

「Think carefully, Cedric. I’ll be staying here for a few more days. To put it bluntly, until you walk into the ceremony hall, no one knows what’ll happen. Decisions can be reversed.」

「There’s nothing to reverse.」

Cedric answered firmly again. His expression clearly said he was only tired of this meaningless conversation.

Then, just as he was about to turn away, he looked back at Sylvia and added,

「If you’re staying here a few more days because of me, just go back. That’s the only way we can remain friends at all.」

With that, Cedric left first. Sylvia stared after his retreating back with eyes that said she would wait and see until he disappeared from sight.

***

“Tell my mother and father I wish to see them.”

The next morning, after giving instructions to his secretary, Cedric called him back just as he was about to leave.

“Rufus.”

“Yes?”

“Does Sylvia resemble Sheila?”

Of course, both of them had pale skin, brown hair, and blue eyes. But women like that weren’t rare. If sharing hair and eye color made people resemble each other, the world would be full of look-alikes.

“Didn’t you notice?”

Rufus asked back, to Cedric’s surprise, since Cedric had been expecting a flat denial.

One reason Cedric kept Rufus close was that his secretary never made things up just to please him.

Cedric gave an order to his secretary, who was sometimes needlessly honest.

“Leave.”

“Yes.”

Rufus quickly disappeared from his master’s sight as instructed.

Thanks to his capable secretary, Cedric soon faced his parents gathered in one place and said, “I’ve decided to marry Lady Eloise Vivarini. The wedding will be next spring.”

“Hmm….”

At Cedric’s words, delivered as a decision already made, Bernard remained silent as usual. Unable to stand it, Marisa clutched her aching head from the hangover and asked,

“What exactly is your relationship with Lady Stacy?”

“She’s a friend.”

“Is that all?”

At his mother’s look, Cedric’s sharp gaze turned toward Bernard.

“Did you meet her?”

“Well, not exactly met… hm. She approached me first and struck up a conversation. A very bright young lady.”

On the day of the ball, while Sheila was searching for Sylvia and ended up witnessing Alfonso and Eloise on the terrace, Sylvia had been conversing with Count Bernard Calley.

In front of Bernard, Sylvia had frankly revealed her feelings for Cedric. Not only that, she carefully laid out the realistic obstacles standing between the two of them.

“Was it her personality you liked, or her wealth and status?” Cedric asked back.

Like him, Sylvia was also an heir to her family.

The difference was that Cedric had two younger brothers who could replace him, while Sylvia was an only daughter with no substitute at all.

Bernard cleared his throat for no particular reason, then said, “Don’t misunderstand, Cedric. We only wanted to know your intentions. As Lady Stacy said, our house has an abundance of sons, doesn’t it? That means we can fully respect your choice.”

At his father’s words, bitterness rose in Cedric’s chest.

In other words, they were saying it would be fine for Cedric to marry into House Stacy. Alfonso could simply be seated as the heir instead.

Just as Alfonso had lived as Cedric’s ‘standby,’ even if Alfonso became the heir, there would still be Allen as another ‘standby,’ so it wouldn’t matter at all.

It wasn’t stated outright, but at her husband’s rare show of opinion, Marisa quietly nodded in agreement.

For once, the couple shared the same view.

「And your parents as well….」

Cedric finally understood what Sylvia had tried to say that day.

Quick-witted Sylvia must have grasped it during their conversation. That Bernard was more than willing to send Cedric off as a live-in son-in-law.

“Let me be perfectly clear. There will be no marriage between Sylvia and me.”

Cedric declared firmly that he would, without question, become the next count.

The irritation of having to state something so obvious made his brow crease.

The appointment ceremony was merely a public formality. From the moment he was born, Cedric had always been the heir to the countship.

Yet to the parents who gave birth to him and raised him, Cedric was nothing more than a ‘replaceable part.’ One with two substitutes, no less.

Cedric felt disgust toward his parents, who made him realize that fact on the very day of his heir appointment ceremony.

No matter how ceremonial the occasion was, it wasn’t a meaningless day.

But regardless of what anyone thought, Cedric had no intention of giving up the position he was born with. That position was his identity itself.

If it were something he could abandon so easily, he never would’ve resolved to give up the one thing he’d ever truly wanted in his life.

“Please proceed with the marriage talks with House Vivarini.”

Having said everything he needed to say, Cedric turned his back on his parents.

Then Marisa, still clutching her aching head from the hangover, shouted at Cedric’s back.

“So if you win the tournament later, are you planning to dedicate the glory to Eloise?”

As Marisa said, the jousting semifinals and finals were scheduled to be held shortly.

Since ancient times, the victor of a match would approach his wife, fiancée, or the lady he was courting and dedicate the honor to her.

Given the occasion, it was something that left a strong impression on everyone present.

At Marisa’s shout, Cedric paused for a moment. But he soon left without giving any reply.

***

When Cedric entered the room, Sheila was holding a Lotas language primer.

She hurriedly put the book down and rose from her seat, and Cedric watched her with an acutely sensitive gaze.

It had only been four days.

During the period when the appointment ceremony events continued, they had decided not to hold lessons.

Not holding lessons naturally meant there would be no reason to discipline Sheila.

Cedric intended to carry out this traditional ceremony of House Calley, passed down from his grandfather to his father and from his father to himself, with complete sincerity.

He wasn’t impulsive by nature. Rather than impulsive, he was exceptionally restrained.

Born and raised as the heir of a count’s house that governed vast lands, possessing such qualities was only natural.

So overturning a decision made for just four days was something that made no sense. It would mean he was unqualified as an heir.

But whenever he saw Sheila lingering right in front of him, desire surged uncontrollably.

He could simply arrange it so she wouldn’t appear before his eyes for a while, yet the problem was that he didn’t want to do that either.

“Stay by my side all day today,” Cedric ordered Sheila.

Not being able to hold a woman for four days already felt unfair, so at the very least, he wanted her close. Even if it meant suppressing his desire.

Every minute and second was precious to Cedric now. Once the appointment ceremony ended, only about ten days remained before the contract period was completely over.

There truly wasn’t much time left.

“That’s a bit difficult….”

“What?”

At Sheila’s words, Cedric’s expression turned incredulous.

“Well, I need to step out briefly to help Miss Sylvia change, and I also need to help prepare the banquet hall. There’s a lot to do….”

When Cedric stared at her with narrowed eyes, Sheila hurriedly explained.

“Of course I’m your personal maid, Young Count, but right now the events and distinguished guests take priority. Secretary Rufus is also by your side. And since today is the last day of the event, as a maid I want to do my utmost until the end to ensure the guests’ satisfaction….”

“How ridiculous.”

Cedric scoffed coldly.

“Are the tips that good?”

Come to think of it, just earlier, out of all the many books he’d thrown at her, Sheila happened to be holding a Lotas language primer.

From what Cedric had seen, Sheila wasn’t the kind of woman who did anything without a reason.

She was someone who never wasted a single minute or second, secretly saving money behind her brother’s back.

Since she understood a bit of Lotas and earned Sylvia’s favor, it was obvious she was focusing on studying Lotas even more to stay in Sylvia’s good graces.

The more that happened, the more often generous Sylvia’s clutch would open.

“That’s absolutely not it.”

“Strong denial is often strong affirmation. In your case, that’s usually how it goes.”

“That’s really not….”

“Stop accepting tips.”

He cut off Sheila as she tried to deny it again and gave the order. Sheila protested in an utterly aggrieved tone.

“B-but! …The lady’s giving it to me.”

She meant there was no reason to refuse money that was offered.

“So you take it as long as it’s money, no matter who gives it?”

“No, why would you put it that way…,” Sheila replied, flustered this time. “Miss Sylvia isn’t just a young lady from abroad, she’s also your friend, Young Count….”

Even if it was an excuse to justify accepting tips, none of Sheila’s words were wrong.

But Cedric didn’t want to hear any of it.

When Sylvia’s confession and the pressure from his parents that followed crossed his mind, he let out a hollow laugh and muttered as if to himself, “Friend…?”