I carefully peered over the low wall surrounding the training ground, watching Cedric.

‘Oh no, I got scared and hid without realizing!’

It was supposed to be just a night walk, wanting to see the light of ‘The Devil’s Gift’ again.

But the light leaking from the training ground in the back garden piqued my curiosity.

I came here without much thought, and there was Cedric, swinging a wooden sword alone, without a stitch on his upper body.

‘Ah, I shouldn’t have come. Why did I get curious?’

If Cedric and I accidentally bumped into each other, he might misunderstand that I was secretly following him.

The original Rebecca could have easily done that.

Then the little goodwill that seemed to be recovering would plummet…

‘No, that can’t happen!’

In an awkward crouching position, I started to slowly move toward the entrance of the training ground.

It was a ridiculous sight, but it was the only way to avoid Cedric’s gaze.

I had barely taken about five steps when…

“……There.”

Cedric’s deep voice echoed grandly throughout the spacious training ground.

‘Could it be that he’s seen me?’

No way. Even if he did, he wouldn’t know it was me.

Clutching onto this vain hope, I was about to take another step when…

His indifferent voice once again filled the vast training ground.

“It would be less embarrassing for both of us if you just stand up now.”

“…….”

“……Rebecca, you’re really in full view.”

I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, but there seemed to be a faint playfulness in Cedric’s voice.

‘Oh no. He knew it was me.’

Feeling awkward, I licked my lips and slowly stood up.

“Ha, ha… You’re still awake?”

When I made eye contact with Cedric, an awkward smile was the first thing to come out.

But Cedric just gazed at me with his blue eyes, saying nothing.

“What brings you here in the middle of the night?”

As he wrapped himself in his nightgown and walked towards me, I quickly replied.

“Oh, I was just on a night walk and saw light leaking from here, so…”

“Leaking, you say?”

“Just came to check it out. Definitely, definitely not following you or anything, so don’t misunderstand.”

As Cedric approached me, he looked down at me silently for a while.

In the few times I’ve had one-on-one encounters with Cedric, like now, he usually didn’t hide his wariness towards me.

That was the case from our first meeting and the meetings thereafter.

‘Ah… He’s going to glare at me and spew harsh words again, isn’t he?’

I thought my efforts to gain Cedric’s favor were about to go down the drain.

A resigned sigh was about to escape my lips when…

“……Is tonight’s night walk a solitary one?”

Cedric asked, glancing towards the entrance of the training ground as if checking for someone waiting there.

Surprised by his unexpected response, I blinked slowly.

“Tonight’s night walk ‘is’? You talk as if you’ve seen me with someone before.”

Cedric remained silent for a while as if hit where it hurt.

‘This could be my chance.’

I took the opportunity of his silence to sneakily back away.

“It was really ‘accidental’ to meet you, but I’m glad we did, Cedric.”

“…….”

“Well then… Goodbye.”

Just as I was about to turn around…

“I heard about the interesting event at the Orangerie.”

“…….”

“You sent all of Bianca’s friends back to the capital?”

Oh no, is he going to scold me for that? Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy to get over…

“Cedric, before you get angry, listen to me first. There was a good reason for that…”

I sighed and turned back to face Cedric when…

“Thank you.”

“……What?”

Did I just hear him right?

I blinked rapidly and looked up at Cedric.

“Bianca said so. You stood up for her in a difficult situation.”

“…….”

“I really appreciate it.”
It was a sentence I never thought I’d hear from Cedric.

Surprised by the situation, I opened my eyes wide and looked at Cedric.

As the moment lingered, Cedric, seemingly embarrassed, cleared his throat.

“Would you like to have a cup of tea together?”

The place Cedric and I headed to was the upper floor of the training ground.

A loft just below the dome-shaped roof.

It appeared to be a makeshift rest area Cedric used for relaxation after training.

Opposite a small fireplace, there were a bed, sofa, and a table, on which were prepared some simple biscuits and a tea set for after training.

Sitting across from each other at the table, Cedric was earnestly brewing tea.

“I seem to have no talent in brewing tea. Bianca teased me about it a few times.”

As Cedric carefully tilted the teapot over my cup, he looked at me expectantly.

“How is it?”

“It’s fine. You make good tea.”

“Honestly?”

“…It’s incredibly bitter and as hot as lava.”

Ugh. I honestly confessed and put down the tea cup, making a pained face.

“I’m definitely lacking in tea-making skills.”

Cedric scratched his eyebrow, looking somewhat embarrassed.

I nodded seriously at him.

“Yes, completely. You should always go through a servant.”

“…”

“If it’s this bad, it might be deadly. You wouldn’t even need poison to cause a scare.”

When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem

This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Synopsis:

“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”

Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.

Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.

While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the  Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…

Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.

_____

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