Chapter 21: Cedric and the Transfer Student.

Ever since Cedric became the head of the Gilbert ducal house, life at the academy had changed,
just a little, but undeniably.

When he walked the corridors now, students and even teachers who once passed him without a second glance would suddenly step aside.
Some gave a slight bow.

There were even first-years who nervously clutched their textbooks tighter.

(…This is awkward.)

That was his honest feeling.

Only a month ago, he had been “the second son of a ducal house who wasn’t particularly favored.”
Rumors that his father treated him coldly and that his stepmother and stepbrother looked down on him had circulated reasonably well around the academy.

So no one had been afraid of him.

But now it was different.
He was the head of the Gilbert ducal house, one of the highest-ranking nobles in the kingdom.

And he was only eighteen.

There had even been people who whispered behind his back things like “I heard he was raised by commoners for a while” or “He probably wasn’t valued much to begin with,” laughing at him.

Yet now those same people lowered their eyes in fear and greeted him.
It was, in a way, a little funny.

(So this is how quickly people change their attitudes.)

With that thought, Cedric continued down the academy corridor as usual.

Afternoon lectures were over.
He planned to stop by the reference room before heading home; from evening onward, the mountain of ducal paperwork awaited.

At the far end of the long hallway, the crowd of students once again parted neatly to either side.

Wondering what was happening, he looked up,
coming toward him were His Highness Prince Leonardo and, beside him, a silver-haired boy who shared the same hair color: His Highness Encio, Leonardo’s younger brother.

Encio’s loosely waving silver hair reached the nape of his neck, and his eyes were a pale blue.
Though his features were refined, but the lingering trace of youth made him look somewhat childlike.

Slender, beautiful in an androgynous way.

A certain female student had once exclaimed, “He’s a legal shota!”
Cedric still didn’t know what that meant.

And, walking between the two princes, was a girl.

A face he had never seen before.
Soft-looking pink hair that fell just past her shoulders.
Large, gentle waves caught the light, making it look like scattered petals every time she moved.
Her eyes were bright amber, and the moment they met his, her face lit up with a wide smile.

Friendly.
No, overly friendly.

The smile she directed at the head of a ducal house she was meeting for the first time felt just a touch too enthusiastic.

Cedric greeted the princes first.

“Your Highnesses Leonardo and Encio. Good afternoon.”

“Hey, Cedric. You look well,”
Prince Leonardo replied in his usual casual tone.
Despite the difference in status, Leonardo had always treated Cedric almost as an equal,
and that hadn’t changed even now.

If anything, lately it felt like Leonardo teased him even more often.

“G-good afternoon… Lord Cedric…”

Prince Encio’s voice was small.
Probably shy around strangers.

Then the girl between them stepped forward.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Emilia Crown. I’ve just transferred into the second year.”

(…So this is her.)

Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly.

The transfer student Amelia had reacted so strongly to last night.

Yet something about her felt… artificial.

Cedric bowed politely.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. Cedric of House Gilbert.”

“Wow, a real duke! That’s amazing!”

Emilia’s eyes sparkled.

From the subsequent conversation, it seemed she had indeed just transferred into the second year.

When he asked why she was with both princes, Leonardo answered.

“She got lost in the courtyard, so we’re showing her around.”

“I see.”

Cedric faintly frowned.

She looked incredibly happy.
But having two royal princes personally guide her around the academy, didn’t she think that was rude?

Most people would have declined out of courtesy.

“That’s right! His Highness Leonardo is so kind!”

Yet she showed no sign of restraint.
Her eyes still shone like stars.

“Emilia can use healing magic, apparently,”
Leonardo continued.

“Healing magic… that’s rare.”

Cedric’s interest was mildly piqued.

Healing magic was exceedingly valuable.
Very few people could use it.

At that, Emilia’s shoulders bounced with delight.

“Yes! I’m still inexperienced, but a little. Back home in the countryside I treated injured people. If you’d like, Your Grace, I’d be happy to demonstrate for you sometime…!”

Her eyes slid toward him.
Deep within them flickered the faintest color.

(…Ah, I see.)

It finally clicked for Cedric.

She wanted to speak with Cedric, head of the Gilbert ducal house.

She wanted to talk about magic, yes, but more than that, she wanted a connection with the young man currently drawing the most attention in the kingdom.

The same look he’d seen in the eyes of many other noble daughters.

It left a slightly sour taste.

“Thank you for the kind offer, but I have prior engagements today. My apologies.”

He had no such plans.

But Amelia would be waiting tonight with paperwork neatly arranged.
There was no reason to abandon that and spend time chatting with an unknown young lady.

Emilia looked genuinely disappointed for a split second.

She recovered her smile almost instantly, suggesting she had received at least some social training.

“I understand… A duke must be so busy, after all.”

Prince Leonardo looked at Cedric and said,

“You’ve been swamped ever since becoming duke, haven’t you? Planning to take another leave soon to visit your territory?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Cedric nodded.
Emilia smiled brightly and added,

“That sounds difficult, going all by yourself. Good luck!”

Why did she assume he was going alone?
She said it with such certainty.

Cedric frowned slightly.

“No. My wife will accompany me, so it won’t be too taxing.”

Emilia’s smile froze solid.

“…Eh? You’re… married!?”

“Yes. For about three years now.”

He answered in the tone he’d grown used to.

It had been a while since he’d seen that reaction.

By now everyone at the academy knew Cedric was married.

Yet she apparently hadn’t.

Emilia, even more shocked, blurted,

“Three years… You’re not divorced?”

As though divorce were the natural outcome.

Her tone held only surprise, no apparent malice.

But that very innocence made it more infuriating.

Why did she assume he would be divorced from Amelia?

She didn’t even know Amelia.
She had no idea how kind, how beautiful, how hard Amelia worked.

She had never seen Amelia staying up late into the night surrounded by documents for the ducal house.

“…And why exactly would I need to be divorced?”

The end of his sentence came out sharper than intended.
He couldn’t quite hold it back.

Emilia flinched and hurriedly waved both hands.

“Ah, n-no, I didn’t mean it like that…! It’s just, well, I heard rumors—”

Rumors.
Of course.

The malicious gossip spread before Amelia’s marriage, things like “a troublesome girl forced her way into the ducal house” or “she was loose before the wedding,” still hadn’t completely died out.

She must have heard them somewhere and repeated them thoughtlessly, without ill intent.

It was still infuriating.

“Lady Emilia.”

Prince Leonardo cut in, his usual lightness gone, voice slightly lower.

“Lord Cedric’s wife is one of the noble ladies who supports this kingdom. Mind your words.”

“Ah… Y-yes. I’m very sorry…”

Emilia bowed her head meekly.

Her slip itself was within the range of mistakes a young girl might make.

But something inside Cedric cooled completely.

There was no further reason to remain.

He stepped back and offered a polite bow.

“Your Highnesses, please excuse me mid-conversation. I have duties for my house awaiting.”

“Mm. Sorry to keep you when you’re so busy,”
Leonardo replied, still friendly.

“U-um, Lord Cedric… no, Your Grace, I’d love to speak with you again—”

Emilia started to say something, but Cedric had already turned away.

As he walked off, the girl’s small mutter reached his ears.

“…Why? His wife is supposed to be a ‘poisonous woman’…”

Poisonous woman?

He didn’t know what that meant…

(…I’ll never warm to that girl.)

He calmly concluded in his heart.

No matter how rare her healing magic or how talented she might be,
someone who lacked manners held no worth in his eyes.

He would never accept anyone who casually spoke ill of Amelia.

Turning the corner and descending a deserted staircase, Cedric let out a slow breath.

The anger from earlier still smoldered in his chest.

In times like these, Cedric always thought of Amelia.

The way she sat surrounded by documents late into the night.

The way she delicately lifted her hem and cast purification spells over territorial water sources.

The face that had looked straight at him and declared, “As long as I am your wife, I will belong to no one else.”

He knew no woman more beautiful.

(Tomorrow we leave for the territory…)

This time it was only an inspection of a small domain near the capital.

He had intended to finish it quickly.

After the inspection, he would have time alone with Amelia,
a small reward after a busy month,
a long-overdue chance to simply be together.

Just thinking about it slowly melted the earlier irritation away.

He could almost see her joyful smile.

(…Yes. My wife can only ever be Amelia.)

With that thought, Cedric continued walking.