It was around the time when I had just finished my evening shower.

I was about to head straight to the dressing room when I heard an urgent voice from outside the drawing room door.

“Princess Bi! His Highness the Grand Duke…!”

However, those words could not be finished.

It was because Cedric suddenly barged into the bedroom.

“Cedric?”

“Rebecca!”

Cedric, who discovered me, walked straight over and grasped my shoulders.

His face was flushed as if he had run a long distance.

“I heard the news belatedly. I heard Duke Bold had come?”

“How do you know that…?”

The voice that was continuing the words slowly faded away.

It was because of a sudden ominous premonition.

‘Could it be that Cedric misunderstood again because of my meeting with Duke Bold? Otherwise, there’s no way he would come running at this hour.’

Would that man believe me if I told him the truth?

I was frustrated, not knowing where to start clearing up this misunderstanding.

“Cedric. That’s…”

Just as I was frowning unintentionally at the awkward situation I encountered,

Cedric’s mouth poured out unexpected words in succession.

“Rebecca, are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

I looked at Cedric, who was hastily examining my body here and there, with a puzzled face.

Looking at my face again, he muttered softly,

“So startled… Has your energy been drained?”

His tone was deeply tinged with concern.

I could only blink my eyes at him.

‘What, why is he acting like this? Could it be… he’s worried about me?’

Just then, Mina and the other maids, who had finished tidying up the bathroom, belatedly entered the bedroom.

Their faces turned pale as soon as they discovered Cedric holding me.

“Your… Your Highness the Grand Duke!”

The maids immediately knelt on the spot and began to pour out excuses as if they had promised.

“We are truly, truly sorry for assaulting the human realm’s nobleman without even receiving Your Highness’s order!”

“That’s right, Your Highness! But we completely erased his memory, so there will be no repercussions!”

“B-But he was threatening Princess Bi first!”

The maids made heated excuses.

But whenever Cedric’s gaze fell on them, they all became frightened and hurriedly lowered their heads.

The silence, tinged with fear everywhere, continued for a long time.

“I am truly disappointed in you all.”

Finally, Cedric’s low voice coldly resonated around.

At the same time, the air in the bedroom froze as if the north wind had blown in.

At that moment when everyone was just swallowing dry saliva,

“Was there any need to erase Duke Bold’s memory?”

The maids, who were about to prostrate themselves out of habit at his words, abruptly stopped.

“…Pardon?”

Cedric, who was looking at the maids with displeasure, opened his mouth again.

“Did I seem like such a pathetic person to you all, unable to handle the nonsense Duke Bold would spout in aristocratic society?”

“Th-That’s not it…”

“Then you should have dealt with it more clearly.”

Cedric, who spoke as if admonishing, eventually ground his teeth.

“He should have clearly remembered what happens when he dares to treat my wife recklessly.”

I looked up at him standing next to me, blinking my eyes rapidly.

‘What… what is he saying now?’

It seemed the maids were also doubting their own ears.

It was then, when the bewildered gazes of everyone in the bedroom were finally directed at Cedric.

“Riman, distribute the prepared reward money.”

At his words, Cedric’s assistant approached the maids with a thick envelope.

He gestured for the kneeling maids to stand up and handed them each an envelope.

“We’re receiving it because you’re giving it, but…”

“Are you really giving us reward money?”

“Why…?”

The maids each received the envelopes with dumbfounded expressions.

The assistant just shook his head as if he himself did not know the reason.

As the assistant returned to his side, Cedric spoke to him emphatically,

“From now on, make sure Duke Bold’s carriage never enters my castle without Rebecca’s invitation.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And you all.”

Cedric’s gaze turned back to the maids.

“If by any chance something like today happens again, never…”

For a moment, a chilling light flickered in his eyes as he paused his words.

“Never erase that person’s memory.”

“…”

“If you’re worried about that person’s memory, it’s fine to bury him somewhere. Then his memory will be buried along with his body.”

It was a gruesome story just to hear.

However, Cedric’s expression as he told the story was nonchalant, and the maids finally burst into cheerful laughter as if relieved.

“Yes, Grand Duke! We will definitely do as you said from now on!”

“That’s right! We were actually going to bury him straight in the demon realm mountains, but we held back in fear of being scolded by the Grand Duke! Hehe…”

At those words, Cedric and the assistant nodded their heads in satisfaction.

‘What is this situation… Am I the only one who finds it strange again?’

It was then, when I was awkwardly laughing, stuck like a third wheel in the rough conversation of the half-demon people.

Cedric quietly ordered the servants,

“It seems everyone clearly understands my intentions now. Then you may all leave.”

And he spoke again, looking at me intently.

“I have something to discuss with Rebecca alone.”

.

.

.

Finally, an awkward atmosphere flowed in the space where only the two of us remained.

Unable to endure such an atmosphere due to my personality, I bit my lip slightly and immediately opened my mouth.

“You’ve suddenly visited the Grand Duchess’s palace like this before, right?”

“…Yes, it was probably right before our divorce.”

“That’s right. I was also coming out after finishing a shower then…”

My mouth stopped at the memory that suddenly came to mind.

‘Right, that day I was hugged by Cedric with my shower gown half open.’

Coincidentally, I was wearing a shower gown now as well.

Cedric, whose face was slightly flushed, let out an awkward fake cough.

It seemed he also recalled the incident of that day.

‘Sigh, I brought it up to get rid of the awkward atmosphere, but this is all I could come up with.’

It was then, as I was reprimanding myself.

“Rebecca.”

As I raised my head, my eyes met the blue eyes that had been looking at me all along.

“…You must have been quite startled by today’s incident.”

“…”

“Should I call the royal physician?”

“I’m fine. I’m not hurt anywhere.”

Cedric’s low voice sounded unusually gentle.

My head naturally lowered slightly at that pleasant awkwardness.

“…Giving rewards to my maids. Thank you so much.”

“It’s only natural to give rewards as they have served you well.”

It was a conversation that a loving couple would have.

‘Tsk, treating me so affectionately only after the divorce.’

In fact, Cedric was relatively kind when dealing with people other than Rebecca.

Perhaps that’s why. At times like this, I realize that I made the right decision to divorce him as soon as I possessed this body.

‘I also realize once again how much Cedric wanted a divorce from me.’

So I made up my mind again.

To definitely maintain a good friendship with Cedric until the end of the contract period.

Not getting closer, not getting distant, just this much.

This distance where we can show appropriate goodwill to each other.

I took a sip of tea and continued,

“Now no one will doubt our divorce on the grounds of separation. You cooperated so well. Thank you, Cedric.”

“…”

“But there’s no need to act like this when it’s just the two of us. It could be a burden for both of us.”

Even though I added words to ease his burden along with sincere praise,

For some reason, Cedric remained silent for a while.

If it were like before, a blunt answer like ‘That’s a good idea.’ or ‘Let’s do that.’ would have already flowed out.

As the silence continued for a long time,

Finally, Cedric’s lips slowly parted.

“Now… does my behavior like this burden you?”

I blinked my eyes slowly at the unexpected question.

“…No, rather than being a burden to me. It’s burdensome for you. We’re already divorced, and we’re just acting for the contract.”

“…”

“I understand our situation well too, so I’m saying there’s no need to be excessively affectionate.”

Cedric, who had been looking at me with an absurd expression, let out a shallow sigh.

“Rebecca, there were unexpectedly things you didn’t know about me.”

“Pardon?”

“Of course, I have more patience compared to that fool Vincent, but demon blood undeniably flows through my body as well.”

“What does that…”

“It means I’m not the kind of idiot who endures and does things I dislike or find bothersome.”

Cedric left those puzzling words and slowly rose from his seat.

It was then, as I was looking up at him with bewildered eyes.

“In that sense, Rebecca.”

“…”

“I’d like to have dinner with you tomorrow. What do you think?”

Cedric asked, looking down at me with sapphire-blue eyes.

‘Ah, come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since the Grand Duke’s family had dinner together.’

I slowly nodded my head.

“That sounds good. Bianca will be thrilled.”

What was the dish our Bianca liked?

It was when I was trying to recall as I got up from the sofa following Cedric.

“That’s not it.”

Cedric, who let out a small hollow laugh, slowly walked towards me.

The distance that had somehow closed again.

Cedric looked down at me silently for a while.

“Rebecca, I’m asking you out for dinner with just the two of us right now.”

…Just the two of us? Why?

When I looked at him with an expression that I couldn’t understand, a puzzling smile spread across Cedric’s lips again.

‘He really is… a person whose true intentions are hard to know.’

Looking at him, I took a step back without realizing it.

Then he naturally took two more steps closer.

Oh no, we got even closer.

It was when I was biting my lip unknowingly at the situation that wasn’t going as I thought.

“To make it clear, this is not an act for our contract.”

An attractive low voice flowed out of his lips again.

“This is a proposal I’m making because I want to.”

A smooth arc was drawn at the end of Cedric’s lips as he finished speaking.

Seeing that leisurely smile, I felt the urge to refuse his proposal out of spite.

However, I had no suitable reason to refuse him.

No, my true feelings would be not wanting to return to an awkward relationship with Cedric by unnecessarily rejecting his goodwill.

Other than that, there’s no way I would have a reason to want to accept his proposal…

‘…Or would I?’

I moved my lips in confusion and finally opened my mouth.

“Okay. I’ll come to the Light Mansion tomorrow.”

Cedric’s lips curved into a smile again, satisfied with my answer.

“Now all that’s left is to wait for you to come. Tomorrow, and…”

It was a charming smile that revealed relief despite pretending to be at ease.

“Rebecca, you too.”