“…I’ve finally found you.”

Cedric muttered those words as he swiftly leaped down from his massive black horse.

Then, like a predator only interested in its prey, he began striding straight towards me with fierce, upturned eyes.

Step by step.

With each narrowing of distance between us, an inexplicable pressure enveloped my entire body.

“Cedric, how did you…”

The moment we were finally close enough, Cedric’s large hand firmly grasped my shoulder.

Looking down at his hand holding me, a faint sense of relief flashed across his blue eyes.

But that lasted only a brief moment, and his gaze upon me turned cold once more.

“Rebecca.”

The hand gripping me gradually tightened its hold.

“Did you think I would simply let you go if you left like that?”

His voice, flowing from his lips, was as chilling as a winter wind.

Shadows hung under his eyes, as if something had happened overnight, and his usually neatly styled black hair was disheveled without adornment.

Even his normally clear blue eyes were filled with evident fatigue.

Furthermore, the more I listened, the more his words made no sense to me.

Blinking at his appearance that was so very different from usual, I looked up at him.

“What do you mean leave…”

At my question, Cedric roughly ran a hand through his black hair and let out a deep sigh.

“Answer me.”

The fierce look in his eyes that had been present until now softened a bit, replaced by a pained expression.

“Were you really planning to run away with another man?”

Stopping his words, the muscles on Cedric’s angular jaw tensed prominently.

It seemed pondering his own words reignited his anger.

“Tell me it was to punish me instead. I can endure anything like that.”

I could only stare blankly at him as he continued spouting words I couldn’t understand.

To have a proper conversation, it seemed I needed to first calm him down from his agitated state.

So I attempted to remove Cedric’s hand grasping my shoulder.

However, noticing my attempt, Cedric began restraining me with even greater force.

His grip on me intensified, and his gaze grew frosty once more.

“…No, it doesn’t matter what answer you give.”

The corners of his lips curled up bitterly as he finished speaking.

“Because I no longer have the slightest intention of letting you go, even if you say you’re leaving.”

The more he spoke, the more confused my mind became.

Blinking slowly, I barely managed to part my lips.

“Cedric, why…why are you here?”

“…”

“And what do you mean I’m leaving with another man?”

At that, Cedric let out a long breath mixed with fatigue.

“Stop pretending you don’t know, Rebecca. Then why else were you dressed like this since dawn, carrying so much luggage? Where were you planning to go?”

Cedric asked in a low voice, gritting his teeth again.

Finally grasping the situation to some extent, I hurriedly looked around.

‘…Oh no.’

The eyes of the villagers were all directed at us.

Putting off clearing up the misunderstanding for later, I needed to stop him before an even more embarrassing situation occurred.

“Cedric, I think there’s some misunderstanding right now, so let’s take our time later…”

But Cedric showed no signs of stopping.

“Misunderstanding or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. As long as you return with me, I won’t question your reason for running away.”

No, listen to me when I’m talking!

I narrowed my eyes at Cedric, my annoyance evident.

He then let out a long sigh, his expression turning extremely bitter.

“…Right, I know.”

“…?”

“You must be wondering why I’m acting like this now, when I was so cold to you before. But Rebecca…”

“…Sigh.”

It seemed this baffling conversation would never end at this rate.

Forcefully removing Cedric’s hand from my shoulder, I gestured to our surroundings.

“Cedric, do you even know where we are right now?”

At my question, Cedric slowly rolled his eyes.

“…Huh?”

It seemed my vague guess was correct.

Cedric had no awareness of where this place was or how many people were present.

Casually glancing around, Cedric’s eyes eventually met Village Chief Devin’s, and he blinked slowly.

“Devin? Why are you here…”

Saying that, Cedric began carefully surveying the surroundings.

The villagers all had incredulous expressions as they alternated glances between Cedric and me, while my maids were smiling gleefully as they watched them.

Amidst everyone growing embarrassed together, the sound of galloping horses was heard once more from the village entrance.

It was the Twins family carriage that appeared in succession.

From its window, someone could be seen leaning halfway out, energetically waving a small hand.

“Princess Bi! Over here, over here! Bianca is here too!”

…Even Bianca?

The eyes of everyone except Cedric simultaneously went wide.

‘Why on earth…has the entire Twins family shown up all of a sudden?’

.

.

.

The carriage that had swiftly rushed to the center of the village soon came to a stop.

“Princess Bi!”

“Ah, Lady Bianca…”

Even as I embraced the child who ran straight to me, I couldn’t hide my dumbfounded expression.

As I patted Bianca’s back, shocked gasps flowed out from here and there once more.

“Lady Bianca…is embracing that woman?”

“Didn’t Her Ladyship used to be frightened just being near the Grand Duchess before? What in the world is going on?”

“And why is His Highness the Grand Duke clinging to that woman…”

The villagers’ faces were colored with shock.

Bianca asked me tearfully as she remained in my arms.

“Princess Bi, where did you go since dawn? You weren’t planning to leave behind His Highness and me, were you?”

“Leave? Both you and Cedric, how did you come to think such a thing?”

As I alternated glances between the two with a perplexed face, Village Chief Devin stepped forward with a light cough.

“Your Highness the Grand Duke. It is a pleasure, but why have you suddenly come to this place…”

At that, Cedric retorted as if he found it more absurd.

“I could ask you the same, Devin. Why are you here?”

I let out a soft sigh as I looked at Cedric.

“This is Greyzone Village, Cedric.”

At my words, Cedric surveyed the surroundings once more.

It seemed he had only now realized that the people surrounding him were all mixed-blood demons.

“Then you really…weren’t running away?”

“Why would I suddenly run away when I haven’t done anything wrong?”

As I glared at him sarcastically, Cedric let out an awkward cough and spoke quietly.

“When I saw you getting on the carriage at dawn in suspicious attire…”

“I did that so I wouldn’t get ambushed by villains like last time. The reason I had so much luggage was to bring gifts for the people of Greyzone.”

“…”

“Though I haven’t been able to give them the gifts yet since you suddenly showed up.”

As soon as I finished speaking, I signaled to Mina with my eyes.

Giggling, Mina bit her lip and set down the bundle of luggage at Village Chief Devin’s feet.

As the other maids also put down the luggage, Village Chief Devin blinked with a dumbfounded expression.

“You prepared…all of these…for us?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not for all of you.”

Casting my gaze towards the village children, I continued.

“I thought you might need things for the children since you’re located halfway up the mountain. Things like toys and snacks.”

“…”

“It’s the age where they love that stuff. Our Bianca is the same way.”

As I playfully tweaked Bianca’s nose, the child laughed brightly and nestled into my arms.

“Princess Bi, why did you suddenly come here? Do you know how surprised I was since dawn?”

Bianca asked in a whining voice.

Glancing up, Cedric also had an expression of wanting to know the reason.

“The reason I came here today was to apologize to the people of Greyzone Village.”

“Apologize? You…to the people of this village?”

Cedric asked back as if he had heard something unthinkable.

“Yes. Because they’re people who not only were insulted because of me, but also lost the jobs they took pride in.”

I continued, looking around at Village Chief Devin and the villagers.

“Even if you want to resent and curse me, please give me a chance to apologize to all of you. I know it’s shameless of me, but I beg of you.”

The villagers exchanged conflicted glances with each other.

And soon, those numerous eyes focused on Village Chief Devin.

However, the village chief’s mouth showed no signs of opening.

Bianca approached him with cute pattering footsteps.

“It’s been a while, Steward Devin!”

“Yes, my lady. You’ve grown into a proper young lady.”

Village Chief Devin said with a benevolent smile, like a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.

“Devin, couldn’t you listen to Princess Bi’s words just once? I’m asking you, okay?”

“My lady, but…”

“Princess Bi has completely changed from before. Not only does she adore someone lacking like me, she also treats the servants kindly!”

As Bianca spoke, the murmuring of the villagers gradually grew louder. That was when-

“Bianca is right, Devin.”

Cedric slowly nodded and added.

“Rebecca has changed to an incomparable degree from before. I can guarantee that.”

In the end, a great wave rose in Village Chief Devin’s eyes as well.

He seemed shocked that those words affirming Rebecca’s change came from none other than Cedric.

However, Cedric, who had startled everyone, continued speaking as if it were nothing.

“But I understand if you can’t easily believe it. I was the same way at first too.”

“…”

“No matter how much you always trust my words unconditionally, it must be hard to believe Rebecca suddenly changed.”

As Cedric paused and pondered with a troubled expression while stroking his chin, that was when-

“Then how about this, Devin?”

Bianca, who had been whispering with her nanny Mina until just now, took a step forward.

“Yes, my lady. What do you mean?”

“In any case, seeing with your own eyes up close makes it more believable. So I was thinking…”

Hesitating, Bianca glanced back at her nanny and Mina behind her.

Towards the child, the nanny and Mina nodded their heads repeatedly as if signaling she was doing well.

Gaining courage from this, Bianca shouted with her eyes tightly shut.

“Devin, let the two of them stay the night together in this village!”