‘It’s not unreasonable to think that way.’

Even I would suspect that a woman in a locked mansion, unseen, might be dead.

I thought it was a reasonable assumption, but it was Cedar, not me, who got upset.

He warned in a fierce tone, like a growling beast.

“No matter who it is, even if it’s my mother, I won’t tolerate harsh words about her.”

At those words, my eyes widened.

‘Oh?’

I had thought we’d grown close, living together in this house.

I wondered if this is what it’s like to have a friend, something I’d never had in my life.

‘But to take my side to such an extent.’

My heart started pounding at the other’s kindness. My face turned red and sweat gathered on my palms.

‘Ugh, I was already dizzy, but now I feel like I’m suddenly getting a fever.’

I lost my balance and stumbled, bracing myself with my palms on the ground.

Those words that moved me seemed to have offended Cedar’s mother.

She folded her arms, lifted her chin, and looked up at her son with fierce eyes as she spoke.

“What’s with this ‘her’? Who do you think spread the rumor that you loved her so much you took her as your wife?”

“I never asked for that.”

“Anyway, all men are like this. They do nothing but talk a lot. They don’t know who keeps the world running smoothly.”

Cedar snorted derisively.

I worried the woman might lunge at Cedar again at that sound, but fortunately, she backed down.

“Tomorrow, I’ll sort out your sham marriage and your damned wife problem, so you’d better be prepared. Understood?”

“Don’t come. My mind won’t change.”

“Tomorrow, I said. I made myself clear.”

After declaring war as she pleased, she got into the carriage.

The carriage disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.

“Haa.”

With the tension released, I let out a sigh of relief. It’s just an expression, but my heart really was in my throat.

‘I think I hid well. It would have been noisy if I had been noticed too.’

To begin with, there’s no way my timid self could have handled the lady who was so aggressive even towards Cedar.

‘Now I should quietly return to my room.’

Cedar probably wouldn’t want me to see him like this.

If he didn’t mind, he would have told me first. That’s the kind of person he is.

‘Ah, but maybe it’s because the tension is gone. My legs won’t move well.’

The dizziness that had appeared after using magic still plagued me.

At this rate, I’d stumble and fall down again even if I stood up, so I just stayed on the ground, catching my breath.

It was then that a heavy voice poured down from above me.

“You blocked the keyhole, didn’t you? Well done.”

“Th-that…”

I had tried to sneak in without Cedar knowing, but he was already standing behind me.

Considering there was no sound of the gate opening, he must have just jumped over.

Since I hadn’t intended to face him, I was flustered when I actually did, and my lips wouldn’t move properly.

“H-how did you know I was here…?”

Black boots came into view at the edge of my vision, and then Cedar’s light blue-tinged gray eyes met mine at the same level.

He had crouched down in front of me.

Startled by the sudden closeness, I blinked rapidly.

Cedar shrugged and answered.

“I’d have to die if I couldn’t sense that much.”

Even his curt reply somehow felt mocking.

It seemed his nerves were on edge because of the earlier argument…

Fidgeting with my fingers, I carefully asked.

“Your mother-in-law didn’t notice, did she?”

“What mother-in-law. Call her Mrs. Briar.”

So her name is Mrs. Briar. Just in case, I firmly imprinted that name in my mind.

As I repeated “Mrs. Briar” several times in my head, Cedar stared at me blankly and said with a tired smile.

“This is why I’m trying to maintain this marriage with you.”

It was a drooping tone that didn’t suit him. His clouded gray eyes were directed at the floor.

From that expression, I noticed that Cedar’s pride had already been sufficiently hurt.

And that he was trying hard to pretend he was fine, forcing a bright voice to hide it.

“My mother sees me as a stud horse. She wants me to get married and have children quickly.”

But well.

I nodded readily.

“Ah, I see.”

“…Is that all you have to say?”

“It must have been hard for you?”

“Why the question mark?”

“Well, it’s not something I can know.”

I pouted my lips lightly.

Of course, I sympathize with Cedar’s personal pain. But that’s as far as it goes.

‘I’m not in a position to pity anyone either.’

Who doesn’t have difficulties in life?

Everyone has some darkness they don’t want to show others.

“If it’s something I need to know, I’ll remember it. But if not, I’ll forget about it, so don’t worry.”

“…”

Cedar looked at me silently for a moment. Then, turning his head lightly, he grumbled.

“At times like this, you’re supposed to say you understand it must have been hard, you clueless woman.”

“It must have been hard for you. You’ve been through a lot.”

I quickly answered. Perhaps finding it absurd, Cedar laughed very softly.

I, who had hardly ever seen Cedar’s smiling face, was startled and looked up, but what I saw was Cedar’s usual stoic face.

He patted my palm, which had gotten dirty from touching the soil, and asked.

“But why are you touching soil directly? Where did that Hail go?”

“He seemed restless being with me, so I told him to go back. Didn’t he return to the knights?”

“That bastard…”

It seemed that Hail, conflicted between Cedar telling him to stay at the mansion and me telling him to leave, had slipped away somewhere.

‘I’m sorry, Hail.’

Seeing Cedar grinding his teeth, it looked like he would scold Hail at some point.

But since I had told him to return to the knights, not to go play and come back, I decided not to stop Cedar.

As he carefully dusted off the soil stuck between my fingers, Cedar continued his nagging.

“I told you not to touch soil. What if you get a fever?”

“I’m only doing one line a day. I’m not overdoing it.”

“Still.”

Unsatisfied with something, Cedar furrowed his brow as he held my now clean hands.

Then he suddenly leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine.

“W-what are you doing!”

As his face suddenly came close, that characteristic sharp scent brushed my nose.

Startled, I screamed. But Cedar’s furrowed brow showed no signs of relaxing. Cedar spoke with a very serious face.

“You have a fever.”

“What? That can’t be.”

“No, it is. Your forehead is burning.”

His hand touched my forehead again. A cool sensation covered my entire forehead.

It was a scent that even refreshed my mood. Without realizing it, I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead against his palm.

“Isn’t it just that you’re cold, husband?”

“What husband? And my body temperature is higher than most people’s. You’re the one with a fever.”

When I started enjoying the coolness, this time Cedar recoiled and pulled his hand away.

I pouted my lips, longing for his coolness.

Now that he mentioned fever, there was a reason that came to mind.

‘Perhaps it’s because I used magic.’

The unfamiliar sensation of mana draining from my entire body. It was a feeling I had never even imagined before.

‘This seems too harsh to be the price of survival.’

It was fortunate to have saved my life, but it was questionable whether this could be called proper survival when it was no different from a fish unable to swim.

As I was smiling bitterly, suddenly Cedar’s large hands grasped my arms and lifted me up.

I, who had been sitting on the ground due to dizziness, ridiculously lightly stood on my two feet.

Cedar urgently pulled me along, saying,

“Let’s go inside quickly.”

Until recently, he wouldn’t come home without giving a reason, but now he suddenly appeared and showed concern for me like this, which seemed strange.

I pushed away his hand and replied,

“Leave me alone.”

“What?”

Cedar frowned and turned to look at me.

I dusted off my skirt, which had become dirty from sitting on the ground for so long, and answered,

“You’re busy, aren’t you? I’ll take care of myself. There’s nothing more to do.”

At my answer, Cedar’s face twisted unpleasantly.

“You’re running a fever, I tell you.”

Anyone could see he was angry. But I couldn’t understand at all why he was angry.

“So I’ll take medicine and rest on my own. You’re too busy to even have time to eat, aren’t you?”

“That…”

His handsome face contorted terribly.

Staring at me without blinking as if in a staring contest, he blurted out in a curt tone,

“…Are you scolding me right now?”

“Pardon?”

Scolding? Who’s scolding whom?

As I stood there bewildered, Cedar suddenly picked me up.

“Eek!”

Startled as my body suddenly lifted off the ground, I tightly hugged his neck.

Unlike mine, his neck was firm with muscle, making it feel like I was hugging a log.

Cedar walked steadily towards the mansion while carrying me and said,

“Hit me, curse at me, do as you please. Anyway, I can’t leave you alone when you’re sick. If you don’t like that, then don’t get sick.”

Who do you think wants to interfere with you like this?

The words Cedar muttered in a low voice weren’t clearly audible to me, so I’m not certain of their content.

His heart, existing just beyond a single shirt, was beating fast and strong.

As if expressing the embarrassment he felt.

No, why are you embarrassed? I’m the one who’s embarrassed right now.