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nTranslator and Editor: Lily and Nabi

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nChapter 7 – Circumstances of the Duke

nInside the maids’ room in the mansion, a strange heat was trapped. Having just received two new guests at the mansion, they were recalling Sierra, who was just upstairs.

n“…”

n“Huh…”

nThey all sat still, looking at each other as if they didn’t know what to say.

n“I do not understand, but…”

n“We’re supposed to be nice, aren’t we?”

n“Of course.”

nEveryone remembered Sierra and Hanael beside her.

nIn fact, the estate of Duke Idios has been devastated.

nBetween the duke and the sensitive marchioness godmother, the servants were impoverished. The mansion became hideous, dark, and haunted as a result.

nBut a new wind started blowing in their mansion, just a while ago.

n— Duke Idios’ mansion changed?

nFirst of all, the mansion was remodeled.

n— The vast wilderness in front of the duke’s mansion was turned into the Marigold Garden!

nThe duke began to act curiously, obsessively reminiscent of memories.

n— Why the change of heart, Duke Walkerholic? Focus, please!

nHe hired heavy-mouth servants at a high price and contacted pharmacists and medicine dealers in the capital city as well.

nThere was also a profane guess that the duke was really insane.

n“I feel as though… I’ve witnessed heaven and earth change.”

nAll the maids sat in their seats nodded vigorously.

nThe maids simply organized the morning paper on the table and thought seriously.

nDuke Idios, who had never rested after the war and inherited the title, rested for the first time in five years. He led a team of knights to a very small country village.

nThen he brought back a little girl and a woman. Therefore, the servants naturally came to the conclusion.

n“…Is she from one of the rumors? The one who arrived today?”

n“You mean the duke’s first love?”

n“Wow…”

nMaking his social debut after the war, Duke Idios’ declaration did not only sweep the aristocratic social circle but also the entire Capital.

nHe bluntly declined the emperor who wanted to introduce him to the princess.

nHe swore to God that he would not marry or love unless it was his first love.

nThe emperor was also angry at the hard-fisted Duke Idios. Although the woman who was being introduced was an imperial woman, he refused the emperor with his fiery attitude. All of the emperor’s sugar-coated words were useless. He is still frantically searching for the woman he called ‘his first love’.

n“He swore to God that he would never marry nor love anyone unless it were her…”

n“But… people thought his first love was Lady Macabeth.”

nLady Macbeth.

nShe was the duke’s motive for the academy, making her a well-known figure in society as his first love.

nSo far, the maidens and servants have considered Lady Macbeth as their master’s first love, just like any other socialite. Though…

nThey glanced, eye contacting each other.

n“Hm… did they say her name was Miss Sierra? Let’s be nice to her.”

n“It does not matter if she is a commoner, eh.”

n“I think she will become a little lady soon.”

nIt was then. Someone popped a word amongst the women sitting in groups.

n“By the way…”

n“Oh, go on?”

n“Well, there’s a rumor going around saying the great mistress called over Miss Sierra…”

nWho is the great mistress?

nThe godmother. She was the sister of the late duchess.

n“…She won’t kick Miss Sierra out, will she?”

nThe godmother was an upright and noble old woman in her sixties.

nShe was famous in society for being very meticulous and quite strict with her mother-in-law.

nThere is no saying that the current godmother, who is over forty, won’t step on her shadow!

n“If Miss Sierra and her child are kicked out, the atmosphere in this mansion will be brutal again…”

nThey dropped their heads heavily.

n***

nMeanwhile, Cassius and Sierra sat side by side after putting Hanael to sleep. At Sierra’s strong request, they decided to draw up a simple contract.

n“I requested for a paternity test kit.”

n“How long will it take?”

n“I assume it’ll arrive within fifteen days at the least.”

nSierra nodded.

nThe Royal Medical Center in Hipo Kingdom developed a paternity test kit.

nCassius had already sent a wave to the Royal Medical Center in front of Sierra. So, now he could only guarantee one thing that was on her mind.

nA

/N: I assume the ‘wave’ here is the written request for a paternity test kit.

n“First of all, what I want to say was the same as before.”

n“Uh-huh.”

n“I want you to prove in writing that even if Hanael is not yours, we won’t be at a disadvantage.”

n“I’ll do that.”

nCassius nodded his head unexpectedly. Sierra raised her brows in wonder.

n“…Are you serious?”

nCassius nodded to Sierra’s question. A white piece of paper laid on the table. It was a contract that Cassius brought from the butler.

n“It’s a magic contract. There, my oath is written. If it gets notarized, the contract is settled.”

nSierra scanned the contract and was relieved.

n‘Cassius isn’t one to cheat.’

nA contract that will not give any disadvantage.

nIf you break a contract, you will suffer from magic and a solicitor will notarize it, so you can proceed with a trial as well. Though, I’m not in a position to hold a big trial with the duke…

n“All right, good.”

nSierra, feeling more relieved, pressed her thumb onto the contract.

nNow, all I have to do is investigate the reasons for Cassius’ misunderstanding. His earnest gaze turned toward Sierra. When I looked into his eyes, it made me feel as though Cassius loved me with his whole heart and longed for me all this time.

nBut I can’t just act like that to an academy friend, a one-night stand.

nSierra swept away the lingering images that dominated her head and coughed a few times. Then she proceeded to carry on.

n“…You know, Cassius. I have a question.”

n“Mhm.”

n“Since when… did you think Hanael was your child?”

nAfter speaking, Sierra praised her choice of words.

nI tried to word it as neutral as possible, so the already sensitive Cassius wouldn’t have any ideas.

n“As soon as you left.”

nFortunately, it was worthwhile to be careful choosing words. Cassius’ response was half-dried instead of a tone with any particular obsession or affection.

nIt was a short hint, but it was very helpful for Sierra.

nAfter her one-night stand with Cassius, their break-up after a short period of being together, and leaving for a rural village, something must have happened to cause him to misunderstand that she was pregnant.

nSo, there was only one thing left for Sierra to do.

nAs soon as she leaves, she’ll find out what the hell happened to Cassius.

n‘Now that I’m back in the capital, I need to contact my friends…’

nI decided to meet my friends that I had to forcibly cut off and chat a bit to figure out the source of this situation.

nSierra wanted to see one of her best friends.

nIt was Lina from the Academy of Medicine. The last time I heard from her, she went abroad to study…

n‘I wonder how Lina is doing?’

nSierra’s eyes, reminiscent of memories, narrowed. Cassius stared down at Sierra. I knew what he was thinking inside his head.

nInsisting that Hanael is not his child, I’ll probably run away somehow after 3 months…

nHe couldn’t let Sierra go.

nCassius, with a languid smile around his mouth, called Sierra’s attention again.

n“I’ll be in your care for these three months.”

nOf course, he was going to act friendly so she would never run away again.

nSo that Sierra, whose eyes are full of boundaries like a little rabbit, can fall in love with him again.

n“Mhm, of course!”

nSierra, who stopped thinking, smiled brightly. Cassius smiled back at her.

nSo, Sierra may be attracted to him, and her vigilance will thaw out like spring snow.

n***

nUnfortunately, her plan to meet her friends has been delayed. Sierra couldn’t get out of the mansion right now because Cassius was anxious that she would run away and did not allow her to.

nCassius circled around Sierra and sent her everything she wanted. He’s adding to the fact that she couldn’t run away…

n‘Okay, you should know that even if I am dying, I’d want to live here forever.’

nTo be honest, I would have slept peacefully if it wasn’t for Cassius’ misunderstanding.

nHe feeds me, puts me to sleep, and even brings me nice potions…

nI’m sure even my parents who died early wouldn’t be this caring to me.

n‘…But we should refrain from having more personal meetings.’

nOf course, Sierra planned to refrain from meeting with Cassius for the time being. It’s too much pressure…

nSierra, who finished her lavish dinner with Cassius today, laid on a large bed alongside Hanael.

nMy thoughts deepened endlessly but since Hanael was beside me, I couldn’t make it obvious. Hanael, lying next to her, fiddled with Sierra’s belly fat and groped a small piece.

n“I’m attacking Mommy’s tummy fat!”

n…I can’t be serious this way!

nSierra closed her mouth tightly with one hand and pretended to be sick.

n“O-Oh, dear…”

n“O-Oh, does it hurt?”

nHanael looked down at her belly and cried out “Don’t get sick!” So Sierra pinched Hanael’s mischievous cheek and said,

n“It was a lie! Mhm, Hanael, you’re like a bun! Ah! Touch your belly fat!”

n“Hehe.”

nSierra and Hanael faced each other and laughed. It was a happy day just looking at each other like this. Of course, there have been many hardships so far. However, whenever she saw Hanael’s face, all her pain melted away when she saw her smiles.

nIs this how a mother feels? Sierra pinched Hanael’s nose bridge light so it wouldn’t hurt.

n“Dear, Hanael… why do you look so happy? Hm?”

n“Because the toys are so much fun! The stuffed toys are so big, too!

nHanael described the size of a stuffed doll with wide-open sausages arms. Not only that, a mountain of dolls were piled up against Hanael’s assigned bed as well.

nSierra asked gently, hugging Hanael in her arms.

n“Hanael, this house… it’s amazing, isn’t it?”

nActually, I was worried.

nSierra and Hanael would have to leave this mansion in three months.

nWould that be okay?

nWhen I first left the country village, I made a firm decision.

nIn fact, I was sure Cassius wouldn’t back off so I was thinking of moving to a new home after I heard that some strange people had appeared in the village.

nAnd… Hanael is still young.

nI’m afraid that she would adapt too well or wouldn’t adapt at all. It worried me.

n“Huh? This house?”

nHanael blinked with her eyes wide open. Sierra looked at her long eyelashes, nodded, and replied.

n“Mhm.”

nHanael put her head on Sierra’s chest and whispered.

n“You know, Mom. I have something to say.”

n“Uh-huh, go ahead.”

nSierra wanted to hear Hanael’s honest feelings. Hanael buried her face in Sierra’s chest and whispered in a shy voice.

n“The toys that mister bought for me are fun, but I love playing with my mom more.”

nWhen I saw her earlobes turning red, I knew she wasn’t lying.

n“Yeah..”

nSierra sighed and patted Hanael.

n“Hanael, I love you.”

nHanael lifted her gaze.

n“Kiss!”

nHanael kissed Sierra’s lips.

nSierra smiled merrily and kissed Hanael on both cheeks like a bird again.

nThe friendly and sweet time passed. But peace is easily broken. Someone knocked at the door.

nSierra and Hanael’s eyes shifted directly toward the door.

nWas it Cassius again? If not… then who the hell could it be?

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