A few hours after Lamein returned to the mansion.

The carriage carrying Cedric, Killian, and Elina arrived at the duke’s residence, shrouded in darkness.

“I wonder if Lamein has returned?”

Elina, taking Killian’s hand and stepping down from the carriage, spoke.

“Considering the late hour, she probably has.”

Cedric replied lightly, his gaze shifting to the lit room of Lamein.

Before he left for the Earl of Carin’s mansion.

He recalled the conversation he had shared with Lamein after they had finished their breakfast and returned to the room.

“When I return from the Earl of Carin’s today, I hope you would come out to meet me.”

“Why should I?”

Lamein asked, seeming to question why she should do such a thing.

“Have you forgotten? Our promise?”

“Ah, I understand now.”

She nodded briefly, speaking her understanding.

“I guess I need to pretend to be a wife who was eagerly waiting for her husband.”

“That’s correct.”

Cedric, with dark circles under his eyes reaching down to his chin, nodded this time.

“But, would that be okay?”

Lamein asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You seemed to have completely forgotten about the promise at the restaurant just a while ago.”

“Hmm. I was just tired.”

“Is that so?”

She replied nonchalantly, stopping in her tracks.

And she looked straight at Cedric.

“Should I run to you and hug you because I missed you?”

“… What did you say?”

“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like I’m going to shoot an arrow because I missed you.”

Shoot… an arrow? My wife.

“No, it’s not that. But, a hug is a bit… Let’s just keep it at being glad to see each other.”

Lamein, who slowly nodded her head, suddenly smiled widely.

Cedric was taken aback at this.

“Why are you suddenly doing that?”

“Is this enough?”

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s fine. I’ll just be glad on my own.”

Lamein, who had asked if this much expression of being glad was enough, sealed her lips in a new color.

She turned her body that had been facing him and began to walk again.

“At what time do you plan to come?”

“I’m not sure yet.”

“Anyway, I’ll wait without sleeping. Practicing to look like a woman who’s eagerly waiting for her husband because she misses him.”

She spoke in a clear voice, as if pushing away any worries.

They had already reached the front of her room.

“Then, see you later.”

“Yes. See you later.”

The two, nodding their heads simultaneously, headed towards their respective rooms.

“But why isn’t she coming out?”

She who had promised to come out was nowhere to be seen.

Cedric moved his gaze back to Lamein’s room.

The lights were on in her room, confirming that she had indeed returned.

‘She couldn’t be sleeping, could she?’

Cedric was unaware that Lamein had completely forgotten that promise at the moment.

Killian spoke, hiding a smile at the sight of Cedric staring hopelessly at his wife’s room.

“Cedric, what are you doing?”

It was then that Cedric took his gaze away from Lamein’s room and smiled faintly.

“I was checking if Lamein has returned.”

“Looks like you really missed your wife, huh?”

Upon hearing Killian’s teasing,

“Killian, don’t tease Cedric.”

Elina said, hitting Killian’s arm lightly.

“How is that teasing? He was looking at Lamein’s room with such longing, I just asked if he missed her. Isn’t that right?”

Cedric, instead of responding, narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced around, trying not to be too noticeable.

‘Why isn’t she coming out?’

He was still tired from last night’s excessive training and wanted to go to sleep quickly, but his wife was not being cooperative.

“Cedric. Did you really miss Lamein that much?”

Elina asked, her eyes wide open.

“Elina. Isn’t it natural for me, as her husband, to miss Lamein?”

He couldn’t deny it.

If he had to answer anyway, he decided to go overboard and answer. Just as he threw the words out,

“The two of you seem to have become quite close.”

Upon hearing Killian’s voice filled with laughter, Cedric’s eyes twitched.

He had never once spoken his thoughts on Lamein in public after their marriage.

He had behaved as if he had accepted the marriage as a royal command.

This was the same in front of Killian and Elina.

Even when Lamein caused all sorts of problems, he had remained silent, not taking sides.

‘Well, it’s not like it wouldn’t be noticeable.’

He had attended most social gatherings alone, without Lamein.

In fact, this was something that she had wanted more than he did.

There was no way around it, they had to pretend to be a couple in places where they had to travel together, but they couldn’t have seemed like a loving couple.

“Cedric. How about being a little more considerate to Lamein?”

Elina had told him several times something like this.

If rumors were spreading among the nobles, it wouldn’t be strange for the two closest people to suspect that things were not normal between the two.

It was a priority to change the gaze of the two closest people.

So he had asked her to come and meet him today.

The plan had changed.

Cedric, who had been tightly closedmouthed, lazily raised his lips.