Cedric watched Aileen's reaction with a tense expression.
Aileen smiled bitterly to herself.
That's right. The original Aileen would have been jealous of Diana.
In the original story, after losing her family and finding herself with no one left to rely on, Aileen became obsessively attached to her fiancé, Cedric.
That obsession eventually drove her to attempt to kill Diana.
The plan failed.
Instead, Cedric was severely injured.
Naturally, the Lowell Ducal House petitioned the Emperor to annul the engagement.
And so, Aileen Cashier was branded as the pitiful fiancée who had been cast aside.
In the end, just as her parents had wished, she was married off to an elderly nobleman infamous for his womanizing.
That was her miserable ending.
But the Aileen of now had no intention of clinging to anyone for emotional support or dragging everything toward ruin.
Even if the engagement were to be broken.
That would happen on her own terms and through her own choices.
"...If Diana comes, then she comes. You're the master of this estate. I have no right to interfere with your decisions."
Cedric immediately replied,
"You don't seem like the type to care much about my authority. I figured you'd do whatever you wanted."
Aileen honestly couldn't tell what kind of person Cedric thought she was.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, she answered coldly,
"You really do enjoy making assumptions."
Truthfully, Cedric had expected her to learn that Diana was a commoner and immediately order her thrown out without even meeting her.
He awkwardly averted his gaze.
Shaking the water from his damp hair, he muttered,
"Well... it's not like you're known for having a pleasant personality."
The moment the words left his mouth, regret followed.
Cassel had warned him countless times to stop being so blunt when dealing with people in the capital.
He always watched his words at official events, but for some reason, whenever he stood in front of Aileen, his habits from the North resurfaced.
Whether that was because he felt comfortable around her—
Or uncomfortable—
Even Cedric wasn't sure.
"...A good personality alone isn't enough to survive in this world."
Aileen spoke expressionlessly.
Diana could probably remain kind no matter what happened.
Not only Cedric.
Even the male lead who would appear later would devote everything he had to protecting her.
But Aileen was different.
No matter what choice she made, misfortune seemed destined to follow.
What she needed wasn't kindness.
It was composure and sound judgment.
"And whether you like someone or dislike them, whatever kind of life you choose to live, I don't particularly care. I only ask that you fulfill your duties as my fiancé when we're in public. That's enough for me."
It wasn't a difficult request.
Yet strangely, even that seemed challenging for Cedric.
He said nothing.
The two sat facing each other in the drawing room.
For a long while, Cedric remained lost in thought, barely even looking at her.
The silence continued until the butler arrived with tea and refreshments.
Please stay a little longer.
The one who had asked Aileen not to leave immediately was Cassel.
He seemed to believe that her presence was somehow helpful to Cedric.
Or perhaps he had simply misunderstood their relationship and made the request out of courtesy.
In the end, Aileen simply began reading a book, just as she would have done at home.
"...If you're not planning to steal a glance, then stop twisting yourself into such a suspicious position."
Without looking up from the page she was turning, Aileen spoke casually.
"W-What? No, that's not—"
Cedric had been secretly reading a letter hidden inside his coat.
Caught off guard, he straightened as though he'd been caught committing a crime.
"You can read it later. Or go upstairs if it's that important."
"Cassel said it would be rude to chase my fiancée away the moment she arrived."
He sounded almost petulant.
Aileen responded indifferently.
"You don't listen to me, but you listen to your aide quite well."
This time, Cedric fell silent for a long while.
Aileen had become completely absorbed in a book about the Northern Frost Forest when he finally spoke again.
"That person..."
The sudden voice made her look up.
It seemed he had finished reading the letter.
The face that usually carried a boyish impression was now shadowed with deep sorrow.
"...He was the person closest to my father."
His thoughts drifted back to the day news of his father's death in battle reached the capital.
The entire territory had been consumed by grief and anxiety.
Everyone looked to Cedric.
Everyone placed their hopes in him.
Without even having time to prepare, an overwhelming burden of responsibility had fallen onto his shoulders.
Diana was someone he had to protect as well.
His homeland.
His territory.
His people.
And her.
Especially when he saw the worry reflected in her eyes, he had wanted to reassure her.
And yet...
For some reason, it was easy to reveal weakness in front of Aileen.
Perhaps because, unlike everyone else, she didn't blindly believe he could solve every problem.
Sometimes those pale green eyes that seemed capable of seeing through everything irritated him.
And yet, perhaps because of that very reason, he also found them strangely comforting.
"You'll manage."
Aileen's voice was calm.
"No. I think one day you'll surpass your father."
She hadn't said it expecting a response.
After studying him briefly, she returned her gaze to her book.
Her tone was so natural it sounded as though she were merely commenting on tomorrow's weather.
"How can you be so certain?"
Cedric asked.
"Try believing in yourself a little more."
"Funny. You don't seem to trust me."
A faint smile curved Aileen's lips.
It wasn't like Diana's bright, radiant smile.
Yet somehow, Cedric found himself unable to look away.
"It's not that I don't trust you."
Aileen spoke quietly.
"I don't trust your choices. So don't crumble so easily, Cedric Lowell."
Had anyone else said such a thing, Cedric would have argued.
Or dismissed it as nonsense.
But he already knew.
Aileen wasn't the kind of person who spoke carelessly.
The moment he realized she truly meant those words—
An indescribable emotion washed over him.
The day of the grand ball at the ducal estate arrived.
Having finished her preparations, Aileen was crouched beside her bed.
She was searching for matching jewelry.
A small jewel box containing her mother's keepsakes.
She reached beneath the bed where it should have been.
Her hand met nothing but empty air.
Don't tell me...
Just then, Mary entered the room.
Aileen immediately asked,
"Mary, did you take out the jewelry box from under my bed?"
"No, Miss. You specifically told me never to touch it."
"...It's gone."
Ignoring the risk of wrinkling her expensive dress, Aileen searched beneath the bed again before finally standing.
"Mia and Sadina."
Her voice turned cold.
"Haven't they been unusually quiet lately?"
"But you're still the young master's fiancée. Surely they wouldn't dare—"
"That's something the Count and Countess should be worried about."
Aileen cut her off.
"Those two have never understood where the line is. That's exactly why their silence is suspicious."
Mary looked startled by the sharpness in her tone.
"Let's go."
Aileen had already reached her conclusion.
She left the room and descended the stairs with quick, decisive steps.
Sadina and Mia's rooms were side by side.
The door to Sadina's room—the elder sister's—was slightly open.
Voices drifted out from within.
"...Sister, I think that one suits you better."
"...You think so too?"
Without hesitation, Aileen pushed the door open.
Her gaze immediately landed on the table.
There sat a familiar jewelry box.
A flash of anger blazed through her green eyes.
"You..."
Sadina, who had been holding up the earrings Aileen intended to wear to the ball, froze in place.
"...What exactly do you think you're doing?"
The low voice carried a chilling edge.
Unlike Aileen, who had inherited the imperial family's jet-black hair, Sadina and Mia possessed dull brown hair tinged with orange.
Both sisters flinched simultaneously.
Until now, they had tormented Aileen as much as they pleased.
Because she had never once raised her voice at them.
I ignored them because dealing with them wasn't worth the trouble...
But to touch something that isn't even theirs—and then stand there speechless after being caught?
"Give it back."
Aileen had no interest in arguing with them.
All she needed was her jewelry box.
She could leave after retrieving it.
"No."
"...What?"
The refusal hadn't come from Mia.
It had come from Sadina.
Clutching the earrings tightly in her hand, she stood her ground without yielding an inch.