Side Story 4. Roxenhart’s Spring (3)

2024.04.15.

In Eddie’s mind, Yuan Pelliese had always been a quiet person.

Even when she was misunderstood as having betrayed them, unlike Bollonico Euphris who made a loud entrance, Yuan herself had not stormed out of the house dramatically.

Even when he later felt irritated by her, recalling the situation briefly revealed that Yuan had never openly acted obnoxiously toward Clade Euphris or his brothers.

Perhaps that was why.

Eddie had somehow assumed that if he just lowered his stance a little, Yuan would be flustered and accept everything without hesitation.

But now, seeing Yuan look straight up at him without blinking, calmly deploying the very phrase he dreaded most — “List every single thing you did wrong, one by one, then apologize” — Eddie couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

Suddenly, the flustered one became Eddie himself.

“There seems to be something gravely wrong that you’ve done to me… but aside from feeling that you, Marquis, drew a line against me, I honestly don’t know what major mistake you’ve committed. If there’s something I’m unaware of, could you please explain it to me?”

Yuan scanned Eddie’s frozen face with a hint of pity, then lowered her eyebrows slightly.

“Do you need time to mentally prepare yourself?”

Once again, it was only Eddie whose mind went completely blank at Yuan’s utterly guileless remark.

***

“That’s what you get for flapping your mouth around like that.”

“…….”

All the way back to Marquis Rev’s territory, Eddie stared blankly into empty space with a dazed expression.

If there were two people in the world Eddie feared the most, they were his mother and his wife.

They were elegant, dignified noblewomen — yet the moment conflict arose with them, they became as ruthless as knights.

They would dissect his every mistake according to the “Five Ws and One H,” until his own mouth finally uttered the words, “I was wrong.”

Especially when fighting with his wife, Julia, he hated conflict so much that he habitually kept saying “I’m sorry” — to which Julia always replied:

“What exactly are you sorry for?”

“Just… everything.”

“How can ‘sorry’ be sincere if you don’t even know what you’re apologizing for?”

Still, with his wife, he could eventually be forgiven.

After all, even imitating his naturally devoted father or the easygoing Lancelot slightly was enough to quickly soften Julia’s heart.

But how could he possibly hug Yuan — who wasn’t even his wife — until she forgave him, or rub his cheek against her warm shoulder?

“Why are you suddenly trembling?”

“Nothing.”

At Lancelot’s question, Eddie quickly shook his head.

He remembered Clade Euphris, watching intently from afar with gleaming eyes, even as Lancelot performed his customary hand-kiss.

If Eddie even slightly mimicked that affection, Clade might very well stab a butter knife into his neck right in the middle of dinner.

Upon returning home, Eddie confessed his situation to Julia.

“Are you truly beyond redemption?”

“Huh?”

“Come here and sit down. I’ll explain to you, point by point, everything you did wrong!”

“But what exactly did I—”

“Men!”

That night.

For the first time ever, Eddie regretted confiding his troubles to his wife.

***

Roxenhart Mansion, Drawing Room.

While Clade went upstairs to his study after lunch, Lancelot seated Yuan, then dragged over a chessboard and Eddie.

Yuan alternated her gaze between Lancelot — whose complexion and sweet eyes were unusually radiant — and Eddie Rev, whose hollow-eyed stare was fixed firmly on the floor.

As Lancelot arranged the chess pieces and announced the start of the game, Eddie Rev began stammering out his perceived wrongdoings to Yuan, like a novice reading a prepared speech.

“…But at that time, my lady had also left the house without a word… and seeing that bastard Bollonico’s face made me lose my temper…”

“Aha! Going after the queen? Focus! Focus!”

“…In the south, it was unavoidable… I couldn’t just abandon the hard-gathered crowd to run after my lady… if someone calling himself a cousin just stood by and watched that…”

“Oh? This shouldn’t be here—? My goodness.”

“…Had I known my lady acted with purpose… I would have supported you wholeheartedly behind the scenes…”

“Gah! That move is invalid! Invalid, invalid!”

“…That’s all.”

Yuan, who had been watching Eddie intently while playing chess with one hand, tilted her head slightly.

She couldn’t understand why Eddie was apologizing for “sowing discord” — to borrow his own phrasing — in conversations held while she wasn’t present.

In Yuan’s view, the events following her departure from Clade were so complex that only someone who knew the full truth — namely, herself — could possibly comprehend them.

Honestly, unless one was as sentimental and quick to empathize as Lancelot, caution was the right response.

Especially when Clade showed signs of instability — had only someone like Lancelot been around, the situation might never have improved as it did.

Had Eddie not repeatedly warned Clade, Clade might have climbed walls recklessly more often just to meet Yuan, uttering inconclusive words as before.

And back then, Yuan herself had been utterly desperate — determined to burn her last remaining life completely and die meaningfully.

If Clade had pressed her repeatedly, tormenting her more than he did then, Yuan might not have endured — potentially ruining all her plans.

Or perhaps Clade, under the guise of protecting her, might have ruined everything himself.

“…I also repeatedly warned you, my lady, to be cautious in various other situations. After hearing the full story yesterday and reflecting all the way home, I realized — as Clade’s cousin and close friend — I’ve never once thanked you for the sacrificial things you’ve endured. I deeply regret that.”

“I’ve heard the Rev Marquis household sent many rare delicacies — exclusive to your region — for my health and recovery.”

Eddie flinched at Yuan’s quiet reply.

Then, as if trying to hide his rapidly reddening face, he lowered his head and scratched his scalp.

He felt embarrassed — it was such a trivial thing.

“…Signing documents is all it takes; my aides procure everything. I’m aware Lancelot actually spends far more from his personal funds.”

“I also heard you opened your household’s medicinal storeroom for my unrestricted use.”

“…I may have thought too rationally, unintentionally playing the villain who sowed discord between Clade and you — but I’m not so petty as to deny an ill person even one door to the medicine storeroom.”

Seeing that Yuan showed no sign of blaming him, Eddie’s eyes softened slightly.

This was the first time he’d ever held such a long conversation with Yuan.

He’d always assumed her to be timid and quiet — though she’d boldly acted multiple times, her delicate appearance stubbornly reinforced people’s prejudices. Yet Yuan’s dark eyes held a strange, calming power.

Perhaps Clade — and even Lancelot — knew something about Yuan Pelliese that he, who kept her at a distance, had never realized.

How ignorance makes fools of men.

Of course, Eddie knew that even if time rewound, he’d likely act the same — but he admitted he should have behaved more courteously once misunderstandings were cleared.

He also had to admit it wasn’t his nagging, but Yuan, who changed Clade — and transformed this entire mansion and estate.

Recognizing that the emotion filling her dark eyes was not hostility but goodwill, the walls around Eddie’s heart slowly began to crumble.

“From now on, I’ll act in a way that won’t make you feel I’m keeping my distance.”

A concrete apology for specific situations.

And a firm resolve to prevent recurrence.

He was gradually grasping what Julia had so emphatically described as a “sincere apology.”

“Eddie tends to think of himself as very rational.”

Lancelot gently interrupted the warm exchange of glances unfolding around him.

His previously relaxed, spectator-like expression — treating Eddie’s apology as background music — now creased slightly.

His voice carried a faint, playful jealousy — the kind felt when someone gently steals away your closest friend.

“Even though he’s actually more emotional than anyone else.”

“…….”

“This isn’t gossip — I’m stating facts. Facts.”

“Checkmate.”

“Ugh!”

Yuan slowly rose, patted Lancelot’s shoulder soothingly once, then turned toward Eddie, who stood behind Lancelot glaring at him.

Gently interrupting the brothers’ mutual glare, Yuan quietly extended her hand.

When Eddie looked at her with confusion, she extended her small hand once more.

Clutching it instinctively, Eddie realized it was a request for a handshake.

“In my view, you’ve done nothing wrong, Marquis. I believe someone like you is necessary beside Clade. If there are things requiring caution in the future, please nag us plenty from the sidelines.”

At the faint smile spreading across Yuan’s face, Eddie Rev keenly realized — no, admitted — just how little he’d truly known about the lady of this mansion.

Ultimately, he also had to concede that the “emotional responses” he so despised were occasionally, undeniably, correct.

Her willingness to leap off a cliff to spare Clade any burden.

Her pale, dying face as Igor’s sword pierced her heart.

Those scenes suddenly flashed before his eyes — then faded.

Looking at Yuan smiling before him, absurdly — though he didn’t want to admit it — a sharp pang struck beneath his sternum, and emotions he didn’t understand surged uncontrollably.

Somehow, his throat tightened.

Damn it — does sitting in the Marquis Rev seat loosen everyone’s screws?

As even his father’s face — whom he’d always scorned as foolish — surfaced in his mind, Eddie suppressed his emotions firmly and replied with resolve.

“Nagging is my specialty, my lady.”

The two clasped hands shook gently.