She’s Not Our Daughter!

Chapter 29

Cassius looked at Sierra, reflecting on her past. It was frustrating to think how she had raised a child alone.

‘Sierra was active in the academy.’

Back in the academy, Sierra had quite a few friends.

He remembered her meeting a friend named Lina and being kind to her as well. Sierra, who was always sincere when dealing with people, was a common object of envy. Now it was different.

Perhaps it was hard to raise a child in the countryside. Cynical thoughts filled his head.

“Then check the list. Let’s fill it with the people you like.”

“Ohhh…”

Sierra looked through the list carefully. The portraits, names, and characteristics of the nobles were all listed.

“…And their details are here too?”

“Yeah, it’s necessary. They may spread rumors, so take a look.”

Before writing the list, Cassius had it properly filtered. A person with discretion, a good reputation in society, manners, and favors owed to the Ideos Family.

‘I don’t plan to invite anyone who dares hurt Sierra.’

Cassius pursed his lips as he thought of the princess. He heard that the Princess was discussing marriage. He promptly removed all her attendants’ names.

“Okay. I need your opinion, so tell me about the person you like.”

At Sierra’s direct words, Cassius felt as if a thorn was stuck in his neck. He almost said he liked her, but those words would be even more burdensome for Sierra, who was still struggling.

He murmured, eyes downcast. “The person I like is…”

“Yes?”

Sierra had said five years ago that she was a great listener. It seemed she hadn’t changed.

She nodded and made eye contact with Cassius. “So?”

Looking into her eyes, Cassius quietly recalled the past.

“She’s nice and comforting.”

When he first got only second place in the academy, his father had insulted him. However…

‘Cassius, you were second!’

‘…’

‘Congratulations. Uh, you look bad, though. Is it because you were always the top student?’

‘Still, there’s still room for improvement!’

‘…I feel like a worthless person.’

She shook her head and looked at my report card with a smile.

‘My rank was so average! Don’t I look like a worthless fool?’

‘…No, you are smart.’

‘Yeah, see? Your grades don’t prove your worth!’

At that time, Cassius was able to grow thanks to Sierra. Her words helped him not to be too proud.

“You say good at comforting? Hmm… That’s a little vague.”

Sierra went through the list one by one as if contemplating, picking up the bookmarks one by one.

“And?”

“I like good people who like flowers.”

Cassius recalled the flower garden Sierra used to walk through during her academy days. She used to walk down the path with awkward steps.

‘I’m afraid that the flowers will be stepped on. Isn’t it strange to walk like this?’

‘Oh, it’s not strange.’

‘You must not step on it!’

‘Huh?’

Cassius couldn’t hear her properly because he was smiling at Sierra’s leaping.

‘Oh, no. nothing.’

Only Sierra’s smile was clear in his mind. How could he ever let her go? When he thought of the times when their love deepened little by little, a smile came to his lips.

For a while, he heard the hallucinations that had tormented him all the time.

‘You are trash.’

He flinched at the memory of an echo, a woman’s screeching voice.

‘Sierra was pregnant at the time.’

The day he’d learned of her pregnancy was clear as day in his mind. There were times when he blamed himself, enough to feel numb even at war when he saw the blood of his comrades.

All the seasons passed one by one, like a panorama.

Sierra glanced at his frozen expression.

“You… Your face is pale, what’s the matter?”

He shook his head.

“No, I’m okay.”

Although it must have been difficult raising a child by herself, Cassius was grateful to Sierra for staying kind and sweet.

He blinked slowly.

Hanael quietly read a fairy tale next to her.

“The one the bad guy likes.”

“Huh?”

Cassius and Sierra looked at Hanael at the same time

The little girl smiled.

“It’s all Mom, no, Aunt… It’s Sierra!”

“…Huh? Yeah?”

Sierra’s eyes widened. Her gaze passed through Hanael and focused on Cassius.

“…Really?”

Cassius caught her gaze and nodded slowly.

It was the same feeling as when he first became friends with Sierra and fell in love with her, a blush on his face just like when they were dating.

“We have to take etiquette and ballroom dance lessons, Sierra.”

“Uh… huh?”

“Go. I will be reading a book here.”

Cassius and Sierra stopped at the same time when they saw Hanael’s mature behaviour.

Hanael raised her chin and rolled her eyes as she looked at the two of them.

“What are you doing? Go quickly and learn.”

She hummed and picked up a cookie from the table.

“Can I stay here with the maids?”

“Of course!”

As Hanael nodded while chewing on a cookie, Sierra glanced at Cassius and he greeted Hanael lightly.

“We’ll go now, Hanael.”

So the two of them left. Hanael, who was left alone on the sofa in an instant, closed the children’s book.

‘Strange. Are they two dating or what?’

If little children were good-natured, Hanael was doubly good.

‘I guess my mom doesn’t like bad guys that much. No, I think I rather like it.’

Hanael pouted. But strangely, they seemed to fit together. The fact that they are her own mother and father…

‘But why does mom want me to keep calling her aunt? I’m not the kind of person who can lie…’

A question flashed through Hanael’s mind for a moment, but it quickly passed from her mind.

* * *

Sierra, who had left Hanael on the sofa, headed to the library with Cassius. Etiquette was taught at the library.

She sat down at her desk in the library and sighed as she looked at the many books already on the desk.

‘When will I ever live in a noble mansion again? I’ll even pay Cassius for it, I think.’

Basic etiquette was learned quickly even at the academy, so there shouldn’t be a problem with that, Sierra thought innocently.

“Let’s study now.”

She looked at him.

“…Cassius? Are you my teacher?”

“Yes.”

He nodded lightly and turned his back on the table.

“Uh… aren’t you busy?”

“Nothing is more important than you.”

Cassius, now feeling twitterpated as he said that, smiled softly, but his cool face instantly turned calm.

Sierra coughed to get Cassius’ attention back and fixed her gaze on the book again.

“Then, when are you going to teach me?”

“I’ll tell you about the properties. First of all, it is polite for the host hosting the party to be the first to enter and greet guests at the door.”

“Oh…” It’s been a while since she heard an academy lecture! Sierra’s eyes were shining as she listened to Cassius.

It felt like her learning ability had increased with her honest attitude of asking freely. In that way, the first etiquette class that Cassius personally taught was completed successfully.

Next was dancing, which was a problem for Sierra’s two left feet.

‘Come to think of it, I’m bad at dancing.’

* * *

Whatever Sierra’s condition, Cassius and Sierra entered the small hall of the duke’s mansion to learn to dance.

“Oh…”

“Is this where you learn to dance?”

“Are you also teaching me social dancing?”

For the ballroom dance, a professional teacher was usually called in, but Cassius nodded. As for now, the ballroom dance teacher wasn’t called in for today’s lesson.

“Oh, I guess you’re good at dancing too. So, what’s popular in the social world these days?”

He didn’t know exactly what dance was popular because he left the social world. However, his brilliant brain came up with something.

“Tango.”

“Oh… Tango!”

Cassius clumsily, nervously took her hand even as he trembled. “I’ll teach you tango.”

Sierra looked at him blankly. Cassius held his breath for a moment. Everything was silent.

Sierra’s eyes felt as transparent as glass reflecting the distant sky, even though they were obviously green.

“Are you good at tango?”

Naturally, Cassius knew how to do a ballroom dance. He had to know it as the heir to the duke.

After all, his father, Duke of Ideos, had a dance teacher and he taught him. The dance teacher flattered him, saying that he was good at using his body.

Of course, Cassius had a tendency to never forget what he had learned. But if he said that, he might lose his chance to dance with Sierra.

“I know how to run a little. I think I will have to practice consistently with you.”

Sierra shrugged her shoulders towards Cassius, who pretended to be innocent.

“Then there is nothing I can do.”

Sierra reluctantly took his hand. It must be just a harbinger for her to dance without much thought. But for Cassius it was different.

“Then let’s dance together. We don’t want the host to be embarrassed.”

At that, he took a breath. It took courage since he didn’t know he had to hold hands with her, and even dance with Sierra. Sierra softly rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Now, shall we dance without accompaniment? I don’t know anything.”

It was informal, but it was his first dance with Sierra, and yet there was no such thing as a beautiful orchestral melody… He tightened his grip on her.

MS_SNOD_Chapter-29