Translator and Editor: Ddalgi and Wyvern

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Chapter 31

The maid chatted for a while.

“Cassius and Lady Macbeth have nothing to do with each other.” They quickly closed the door and left.

‘There’s no need to be so upset. It’s not that I’m offended that Cassius and Lady Macbeth once had a relationship…’

Her life had always been calm, and Sierra loved that serenity. She lived her life longing for success, but that was all. She shook her head.

‘I don’t need an unexpected situation in my life.’

Sierra leaned deeper into the backrest and read a handful of gossip, but there was something she couldn’t tell for sure just from that.

‘It might be good to meet you once.’

It was Lady Macbeth, a woman whose face was famous all over the place as Cassius’s first love. She was the daughter of a noble family, and was not acquainted with Sierra.

Their relationship back then was probably at the stage of getting engaged. Even that seemed to have become history because of the appearance of the princess and Sierra.

‘Anyway, seeing the rumors… Lady Macbeth must also like Cassius, right?’

Usually, for a young girl from a noble family, such a rumor was close to a scandal. No matter what the rumor was, the dignity of a noble was important.

Perhaps, given the wealth of the Macbeth family, these rumors could have been resolved. However, Lady Macbeth left the rumors alone. It was as if she wanted the rumor to spread…

Rumor had it that she was Cassius’ first love. Those two could have gotten along well.

‘Lady Macbeth. I must invite her. I’m doubting myself about this, but… Well, if Cassius says he doesn’t like her that much, then I can coolly introduce him to another person. Cassius should also find someone who likes him.’

Sierra coughed and cleared her throat. After making a list of people to invite, she sat on a rocking chair to rest for a bit.

Shortly after, Hanael knocked on the outside of the door and ran to her.

“I’m here!”

Hanael smiled and climbed up on Sierra’s lap with her stuffed doll that she always carried.

She placed her doll on the table and Sierra hugged Hanael.

“Did you come here to play jacks again? Did you get your hands dirty?”

“Dirty.”

Hanael wiggled her hands and rubbed at her fancy clothes.

Sierra smiled, stroking Hanael’s hair, Hanael’s baby-like appearance still lingered in the rural village and in the duke’s residence.

“Hey.”

Unlike Sierra, who was immersed in the deep thoughts of the past, Hanael’s tone was a little energetic. She had something to say. Sierra looked down at Hanael, who leaned her back on her chest and stared into the air.

“Huh?”

“You told me that I have another mother.”

Hanael shook her head. Then she opened his eyes and looked up at Sierra and asked her.

“Then did that mother abandon me?”

Abandoned.

At those words, Sierra felt suffocated. She hesitated to answer Hanael.

“No. She didn’t abandon you. She’s a very loving person.”

“Then why doesn’t she come to see me?”

Hanael puffed her chubby cheeks and pouted her lips.

Sierra hugged Hanael tightly and whispered gently.

“She couldn’t come because of an emergency, Mom will be here soon. Let’s see. Huh?”

It didn’t matter what her sister’s situation was. Sierra decided to go see her.

“It feels weird.”

Hanael buried her face in Sierra’s chest and cried.

Sierra stretched the cheeks of the sweet and warm baby.

“What’s weird?”

“Um, because I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Even if I’m not your mother, Aunt Sierra will be with Hanael for the rest of her life, hm?”

At Sierra’s words, Hanael puffed her cheeks and smiled.

Hanael was still a baby. With that little mind, wouldn’t it be hard to accept that you have a different family history from others?

Sierra’s hand held Hanael’s tightly.

“…But Hanael, believe me.”

Hanael licked her lips, and Sierra knew that Hanael had something to say.

“But…”

“What is it?”

“That Mr. Stupid.”

“……”

By stupid, did she mean Cassius? Sierra felt a little uncomfortable, but couldn’t pinpoint why exactly.

Sierra held Hanael’s hand tightly.

“You keep saying weird things. He doesn’t care if you aren’t my real mom.”

“…That Mr. Stupid—ah, no, no.”

Sierra quickly bit her tongue. The word “stupid” kept coming to mind.

She swallowed her embarrassment with a few coughs.

“What are you talking about?”

“Mr. Stupid keeps saying that as long as the three of us are happy, that’s enough.”

“……”

Cassius’s heart was slightly revealed to Sierra. She felt weird, it was as if someone was constantly patting her shoulder while she was sitting there.

“Is that so?”

At Sierra’s words, Hanael shook her head as if she was puzzled.

“That Mr. Stupid kinda likes Hanael a lot, right?”

“……”

“It’s kinda like if Hanael’s not here, Mr. Stupid’s gonna die!”

Hanael pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders. While puffing her cheeks, Hanael leaned against Sierra’s chest.

“Mr. Stupid thought of Hanael and gave me a doll.”

“Do you like him, that Mr. Stupid?”

Sierra asked cautiously as she looked at Hanael carefully, even referring to the stuffed toy she always carried around in her arms.

“I like this doll so much!”

Cassius and Hanael seemed to have become closer than expected. Sierra sighed.

‘I guess I’ll have to meet my sister soon. And I’m going to have to find Cassius a friend. More than that, where did Abel go…’

She missed Abel with her puffy, light blue hair. Sierra patted Hanael’s head and sighed once more.

* * *

It was the day of Sierra’s salon debutante. In nominal terms, it appeared that the semi-noble Sierra and her guardian the Ideos family were close and everyone wanted to see Sierra’s face at least once.

However, those invited were only the ones selected. The salon, which was bought by the godmother, was decorated like a small banquet. Not even a small decoration was wasted. It evidently cost a lot of money.

She wasn’t even picky. Sierra entered the room with a stern expression on her face.

‘Finally, I can meet the friend candidates for Cassius. Especially the one named Lady Macbeth.’

She recalled a conversation she had with Cassius before arriving at this salon.

‘How about the people here? Do you have any friends?’

It was meant to dive a little deeper into his friendship.

Cassius then muttered cautiously, avoiding her eyes.

‘…Yes, the people invited here are all my friends…’

‘Really? What are they like?’

‘Then what do you like?’

‘I like medicine, I like flowers, I like cute things, and surprisingly, I don’t like romance. Need I say more?’

Meanwhile, Sierra confirmed that Cassius certainly had no friends like her. Cassius, who looked at Sierra with a puzzled expression on her face, had carefully changed the topic.

‘Let’s remove Lady Macbeth from the invitation list. It might hurt you.’

‘Well, really? I don’t think it will hurt much.’

Cassius explained carefully with a bewildered expression.

‘The rumors circulating in the social world about me and her… are all fake, Sierra. Please, believe me.’

‘Yes, I believe you.’

Sierra replied very simply, but Cassius was restless whenever he saw the surname Macbeth.

Meanwhile the party, which Sierra silently called the [Cassius Friend Interview], finally opened.

Sierra entered the salon with a trembling and pounding heart.

“Shall we go in?”

Of course, as a semi-noble, she was escorted by Cassius. It was a little awkward, but she was worried that Cassius would be portrayed as a heretic.

“Well, let’s go in first.”

Sierra nodded lightly. Together they entered the salon. She inhaled and exhaled as she gazed at the gigantic salon. From the window, she could see the carriages arriving one after another.

“Don’t be nervous, Sierra…”

Huh.

“You can do this, Sierra.”

With those words, Sierra suddenly remembered her academy days. It was also Cassius who encouraged her back then.

Now, Cassius clasped her hands tightly. It was meant to be soothing, but her heart was pounding strangely.

* * *

Meanwhile, the nobles outside the salon were restless and secretly spying on the inside through the window. Their anticipation had already been crushed by the knights covering the perimeter of the salon. In fact, all but Lady Macbeth, whom Sierra decided to invite directly, had all arrived

It was made up of close friends of the Ideos family.

Sierra and Cassius prepared to greet the nobles at the Salon’s doorstep. They entered the salon one by one, trying to hide their curious expressions.

She smiled brightly at them and shook her head.

“Thank you for visiting the salon. I am Sierra.”

It was usually customary for a gentleman to kiss the back of a lady’s hand in the aristocratic salon. Sierra shook her head, and the nobleman nodded lightly, completing the simple ritual.

“Nice to meet you. I am Delphi of the Shaly family.”

“I’m Chel.”

A man named Chel looked at Sierra with an unusually dark look. He looked good, but somewhat strange.

There were so many guests. Sierra coughed and shook her head. All the young girls of the family had become acquainted with Sierra through the aristocratic list there. There were about fifteen guests, just the right amount for a small salon.

After saying hello to everyone, Sierra quietly watched the situation. Now it was time for the first dance.

Cassius, who was quick-witted, reached out his hand to her.

“Shall we dance?”

As soon as Cassius finished speaking, the orchestra played a song. The nobles gaped at the first dance he had ever participated in society as Cassius stared at Sierra with a shy expression.

Their jaws dropped at his face. As time went by, they got to a point where they were confused as to whether this was a dream or real life.

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