Chapter 56
In the end, Axel couldn’t hold back his feelings of resentment towards Delani any longer.
“Is it all my fault? Are you saying my brother did nothing wrong? The rumors started because he hit Dedrick first, didn’t he?”
“You little—”
Somerset glared at Axel, but Axel didn’t even glance at him.
Watching this, Delani responded coldly.
“Axel, you need some discipline.”
Axel’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Mother?”
“Stay in your room for the time being.”
“M-Mother!”
“Gemma.”
“Yes, madam.”
Delani gestured, and Gemma bowed before instructing the knights.
“Escort the young master to his room politely.”
The knights grabbed Axel. He resisted, calling out to Delani.
“Mother! I-I’m sorry! Mother!”
But Delani didn’t even look at him. Instead, she walked up to Somerset and spoke kindly.
“Somerset.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“You are the future leader of the Blackwood family. Don’t disappoint me any further.”
“I won’t.”
Hearing this obedient response, Delani gently patted his head.
For a brief moment, Somerset’s eyes turned cold as he looked at his mother.
He flinched, almost pulling away, but decided against it.
I still need my mother.
Even if she had abandoned him that day, leaving him with a deep sense of betrayal.
Then, Somerset smirked at Axel, as if showing off.
Axel, screaming in frustration, suddenly lost all strength when he saw that expression. The knights dragged him away.
Watching this entire scene, Marilyn summed it up in one sentence.
“What a mess.”
Ebony Silius.
The only beloved daughter of Count Silius and his wife.
She grew up receiving endless love, making her naturally bright and cheerful.
No one disliked her. Everyone admired and cherished her.
Ebony gladly accepted their kindness and returned it as well.
The sharp-tongued Joanna often said,
“Give it a rest, Ebony. You’re just pretending to be nice.”
But others scolded Joanna for it.
Whenever that happened, Ebony defended her.
She liked Joanna’s honesty.
She even found her beautiful despite her rough attitude.
So when Joanna one day confessed that she had fallen in love, Ebony was very curious about the man.
It wasn’t the great Somerset, but the youngest son, last in line for inheritance.
When Ebony met Dedrick at the recent banquet, she was a little disappointed.
He was too ordinary.
His long bangs covered his face, and he looked overly timid—almost pitiful.
Hmm. I should help him.
Ebony couldn’t ignore someone in need, so she stepped in when he was being bullied by Somerset.
After that, Dedrick would always smile shyly whenever their eyes met, which made Ebony feel a bit exhausted.
“Joanna, you’re such a fool. Winning someone’s heart is so easy. How can you not do it?”
Sigh. She even tried to help her friend.
But it seemed Dedrick had already fallen for Ebony.
And Joanna realized it.
“You—what are you doing?”
“What?”
“I told you not to approach Dedrick!”
“You know I can’t ignore someone in trouble. You couldn’t step in, so I did it for you. Shouldn’t you be thanking me for helping the person you like?”
“You…”
“Of course, he does seem to like me, but… I’ll speak well of you to him. I never intended to steal him.”
Joanna bit her lip hard.
“You always do this.”
Then, she turned away coldly and walked off.
Sigh, Joanna…
I’ll have to comfort her again.
Ebony watched her friend’s retreating figure with a tired expression when suddenly, Perez approached.
“Hmm. It seems Lady Primrose has feelings for Dedrick.”
“Oh, Your Highness.”
As she tried to bow, Perez waved his hand.
“No need for that.”
Seeing his gentle smile, Ebony’s heart fluttered a little.
Who wouldn’t admire someone as calm, refined, and noble as him?
“Shouldn’t you make up with her?”
“Joanna is just upset because she feels left out. If I ask Dedrick to be nice to her, she’ll calm down.”
“You’ll ask him? Do you think he’ll listen?”
“Your Highness already knows the answer, don’t you?”
Confidently, Ebony went to find Dedrick outside the hall.
And when she saw him in the maze garden—
The fragrant breeze brushed past them, flower petals gently falling in the air.
In that beautiful scene, Dedrick appeared.
His deep, dark eyes were like the ocean, mysterious yet thrilling.
Ebony forgot to breathe.
They stared at each other, neither looking away.
At least, that’s what Ebony believed.
In that fairytale-like moment, as Dedrick gazed at her with those piercing eyes, Ebony’s heart pounded wildly as if she had an arrhythmia. (irregular heartbeat)
“Ah…”
He was beautiful.
More dazzling than any jewel she had ever seen.
When his long hair fell and covered his eyes, Ebony felt disappointed.
His captivating face shouldn’t be hidden.
I understand why Joanna fell for him now.
His looks—especially those intense eyes—held something no other noble boys had. Something bold and frustratingly intriguing.
The moment their eyes met, Ebony felt as if fate had tied them together.
Still dazed, she returned to the hall. Even when Axel tripped and fell in a silly way, she couldn’t take her eyes off Dedrick.
Later that evening, in her guest room, Ebony sat in a daze.
Then, unable to hold back, her face turned red with excitement.
“We definitely had a connection! Soi, if you saw us, you’d think the same!”
“I suppose. No young noble ever dislikes you, after all.”
Soi knew how many boys had fallen for Ebony’s charm.
She assumed the Blackwood family’s youngest son was no different.
Especially since Ebony was so sure of it.
She sighed and scolded her.
“You shouldn’t help people so recklessly! Why that gloomy young master of all people? They say he can’t even stand properly in his own house. The duchess will probably kick him out soon.”
“Then he can marry into my family!”
“What?! My lady, that’s ridiculous!”
Soi was horrified.
“And isn’t he the one Joanna likes?”
Ebony awkwardly scratched her cheek.
“Well, but love isn’t a one-sided thing, is it? Dedrick and I already have a special connection… I feel bad for Joanna, but there’s nothing I can do. Besides, she’ll probably end up engaged to Somerset anyway.”
Soi stammered, unable to respond.
She always supported Ebony, but truthfully, she pitied Joanna.
She had lost everyone around her to Ebony.
The worst part was that Ebony never meant to do it.
Even if Soi nagged her, it wouldn’t change anything.
“I can’t tell someone not to like me if they already do.”
Yes.
She always said things like that.
And it drove Joanna mad.
Soi sighed.
“But still, he’s not okay.”
“He’s incredibly handsome, Soi. More than anyone I’ve ever seen!”
Since Ebony had never praised someone’s looks this much before, Soi got a little curious and asked,
“Even more than Prince Perez?”
Ebony hugged her pillow tightly, her eyes shining as she shouted,
“Not even close!”
At this point, Soi was also starting to wonder about the hidden face of the youngest nobleson.
“Anyway, before we return home, I need to talk to Lord Dedrick as much as possible!”
Ebony was completely convinced that she and Dedrick had a special connection.
Delani gathered the nobles staying at the grand castle for a feast—excluding Dedrick.
It was to smooth over the incident that had happened in the hall earlier.
Meanwhile, we were comfortably enjoying the food that had been sent to our rooms. After finishing, we lay around lazily, trying to decide what to do next.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
Knock, knock.
“Lord Dedrick, His Highness the Prince requests to see you.”
Dedrick’s face darkened immediately.
I chuckled softly.
“You should fix your expression!”
“Ugh…”
He stood up reluctantly.
“I’m sure he came to see you.”
“I guess I am quite an interesting spectacle.”
Dedrick didn’t like my response and firmly said,
“Don’t say that. Mary, you’re not just some spectacle.”
Then, instead of heading to the door, he just sat back down on the sofa.
“If that’s the case, I won’t open the door.”
“That won’t do.”
“….”
“I was joking. Go ahead and open it. You can’t ignore the Prince.”
“Sigh.”
Letting out a heavy sigh, Dedrick dragged himself to the door with slow, reluctant steps. He took a deep breath and then steeled his expression.
