“Joke? What kind of joke is that?”

“He asked me if I wanted to sleep with him.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

“Oh my.”

Maiana, making a groaning-like sound, turned her body slightly towards him. However, she couldn’t scold him comfortably as usual. As Cedelloi mentioned, since they had ‘worked together’…

Without even looking to see what Maiana was thinking, Cedelloi smiled as if he knew, then sighed briefly. He lightly kissed the nape of her neck revealed under the lifted hair, then sat beside her.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Maiana, with a sheepish expression, let out a sarcastic laugh.

“So now you can read my mind?”

“You still firmly believe it was a mistake, don’t you? If there weren’t such incidents, if we hadn’t shared a bed, I could have pointed out exactly what I was doing wrong, just like before, don’t you think?”

Jongjibge. Maiana thought.

While he had always been quick-witted, especially regarding Arianthe—lately, Cedelloi had become sharper in some way, except for his feelings towards Arianthe.

Maiana or Arianthe wasn’t particularly annoying to others, but almost always in a tense state, ready to react sensitively.

Maiana said, “Duke, your words make perfect sense. I really regret it.”

“It’s unfortunate, but we’ve come too far to turn back.”

He kissed Maiana’s chin lightly again. Maiana sighed as his fingertips brushed the spot where his lips had touched.

“I find it amusing to say this, Your Grace… But aren’t you supposed to be thinking that now is not the time for you to be in love with a girl like me, like a teenage boy and girl?”

Cedelloi smiled subtly with a slightly mysterious expression.

“So, you’re thinking that after all. Aren’t you? Then why don’t you tell me first? Why do you think that way?”

Maiana stared at Cedelloi with eyes asking whether he was really asking because he didn’t know.

“Because of Head Housekeeper Jocelyn, of course. And the issue with Master Swan too. Fortunately, you’ve become close to the Lady, but you still can’t move around the mansion as you please.”

“Swan has probably been subdued by Arianthe’s influence. It’s a very desirable change for the two kids to play together in that sense. Ariante is the same.”

“Alright, the Lady and Master Swan’s issues are as you say. But Head Housekeeper Jocelyn…”

“That issue will be resolved soon. I found a new forest keeper.”

Maiana, again surprised, opened her lips slightly. It was a subtle reaction, but this time, she was genuinely surprised.

“Oh my, really?”

“Almost. He lived until recently and just moved. I found out where he moved to.”

“Then it’s not the time for you to keep doing this!”

Maiana looked up at him with a slightly challenging gaze. Cedelloi spoke with a teasing tone.

“Let me say one thing, Maiana. My life has been like a child’s play basket, a mix of sand and toys, a complete mess. Even more so if there hadn’t been such incidents. Now, do you think I’m wondering if it’s still okay?”

Maiana gave him a puzzled look at his confession, difficult to understand. Cedelloi opened his right hand, looked down at his palm, then closed his hand, closing his eyes for a moment. The sound of calmly rhythmic breathing continued for a while.

Cedelloi said, “All the mistakes I made, the choices I made… Everything was a chaotic mess. Jocelyn’s problem, and Arianthe’s problem. The entire Duke’s estate’s problem.”

Maiana nodded.

“Please continue.”
Cedelloi seemed to contemplate how to continue, gently stroking the area near his cheek with his hand. Then, as if at a confession, he slightly bowed his head and clasped his hands over his knees, intertwining his fingers.

“I’ve recently realized that most of the choices I made were almost all wrong.”

“For example?”

“Well, there’s the matter with Jocelyn that you’re currently worried about. When my younger brother and his wife died, I clearly saw Jocelyn laughing with a creepy smile. Still, I thought it was my own mistake, convinced that it was an absurd hallucination due to the shock and sorrow. I couldn’t let go of foolish attachment, thinking about Jocelyn who used to take care of me, and I naively believed that she wouldn’t do such a thing, even though she might not have liked Berbo and Liria and young Arianthe that much.”

Maiana, silently listening to his words, shrugged her shoulders. Her expression was so indifferent that Cedelloi was surprised.

“Aren’t you going to comfort me this time?”

Cedelloi asked playfully, and Maiana, with a look as if to say, “Are you calling that comforting?” narrowed her eyes.

“Just like you just said, Duke, there have been numerous problems with your choices. Even though there were many chances to undo the mistakes, you repeated them. Instead of comforting, it feels more like I should ask why you did that and give you a smack on the buttocks.”

This time, Cedelloi’s eyes narrowed, as if scolding.

“I’m not very pleased with the idea of getting a smack from you.”

“Then ask Lauren, I suppose.”

“Do you want to see me vomit here?”