She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 117

How to Deal with a Villain (7)

[Cassius] "You know stories circulated that an evil spirit possessed His Highness the Crown Prince."

Everyone knew. They had dismissed the rumors as mere gossip and suppressed them. However, ominous rumors easily crossed walls.

Followed into the room by the Emperor, members of both the Emperor's faction and the Noble faction exchanged glances. They knew the Crown Prince suffered from inexplicable madness.

Hostile murmurs filled the air. Covering his eyes and plugging his ears like a desperate man, the Emperor shouted.

[Emperor] "That is nothing but a baseless rumor!"

Yet, despite his outburst, everyone witnessed the reality before them. The Crown Prince's mouth hung open, his limbs remained bound, and vivid magical symbols of a demon covered his body.

Everyone understood the situation, yet no one dared speak aloud.

Like a shroud over the dead, the blood-red magic circle flickered and gradually vanished. Only the hideous red moon remained on the deceased Crown Prince's forehead, making clear that a demon stole his soul.

At that moment, Ezel casually tossed out a comment to stir the crowd.

[Ezel] "To anyone watching, he clearly lost his soul to a demon."

No one answered aloud, but everyone agreed inwardly. Anyone who sold their soul to a demon looked exactly like this upon departing for the Demon Realm.

At those words, the Emperor lost all strength in his legs and collapsed in utter despair.

[Emperor] "He told me to trust him, that he was planning something...... Was his plan summoning a demon......?"

It was a pathetic display of fatherly affection. By blindly trusting his son and ignoring his atrocities, countless innocent lives perished.

Standing over the collapsed Emperor, Sierra offered no sympathy, an empty laugh escaping her lips. Cassius shared that cold sentiment, speaking with sharp disdain.

[Cassius] "With this, everything concludes. Our side will decide the remaining disposition of the deceased former Crown Prince later."

The Emperor looked up at Cassius in complete defeat. Cassius cut him off coldly.

[Cassius] "We can no longer trust Your Imperial Majesty's judgment."

Even coming from young Cassius, the Emperor possessed no defense, having raised a son who summoned a demon. He stammered out a response.

[Emperor] "......He is already dead. Don't treat him too harshly......"

Cassius licked his dry lips with an incredulous expression.

[Cassius] "Your Majesty shouldn't rest easy either. Once the public learns that the Crown Prince died from the side effects of summoning a demon, the consequences will follow."

The Emperor's face contorted, fearing damage to his authority.

Finding the Emperor's attitude thoroughly disgusting, Sierra reached out to Amille, who remained slumped on the floor.

[Sierra] "Get up, Sister."

She firmly clasped Amille's hand, helping her stand up.

[Sierra] "Let us go home now. The Crown Prince can't hurt you anymore."

Sierra held Hanael's tiny hand in one hand and Amille's rough hand in the other.

Now came the time to return home.

---

Cassius handled the final disposition of the Crown Prince. Leaving the aftermath to Sierra, Hanael, and Amille returned to the Duke's estate.

Protected by knights upon returning to the Duke's estate, doctors from the Hippo Kingdom greeted them first. Having received prior word from Cassius, the doctors treated Sierra, Hanael, and Amille.

Specialist Kilo treated Amille's physical wounds. Sierra and Hanael underwent psychological consultation first.

Holding Sierra's hand tightly while facing the doctors, Hanael babbled about her experience.

[Hanael] "The bad mister bullied me, but Hanael won!"

The elderly doctor, Hentel, asked gently.

[Hentel] "Was it very hard for you, young lady? What feelings did you have?"

Hanael shook her head and looked longingly at Sierra's lap. Sierra patted her lap, inviting Hanael up. Hanael bounded up into Sierra's lap.

Gosh, she is heavy.

However, Sierra showed no sign of her fatigue. She relaxed her facial muscles and looked down at Hanael. Hanael immediately answered Hentel's question.

[Hanael] "No! Hanael felt happy because I beat up the bad guy together with Mommy!"

[Hentel] "With...... Mommy?"

Hanael rolled her eyes around before nodding vigorously like someone gathering courage.

[Hanal] "No...... um, with Mommy and Daddy!"

Sierra nodded quietly and spoke.

[Sierra] "Did you like beating up the bad guy with Mommy and Daddy?"

Delighted that Sierra accepted her words, Hanael chattered excitedly.

[Hanael] "Yup! I liked it! Mommy and Daddy punished the bad guys!"

Hentel smiled softly and nodded. Gazing directly at Sierra as if stating an obvious fact, he spoke.

[Hentel] "The three of you finally became a family. I knew it would turn out like this......"

[Sierra] "......Ah, yes."

Embarrassed by her past fuss during the paternity test, Sierra rubbed the back of her neck in awkward silence. Hentel smiled warmly and replied.

[Hentel] "It is wonderful to see."

She looked at his gentle smile. Hearing the word family reminded her of something requiring absolute clarity.

[Sierra] "Ah, Doctor. I have one favor to ask of you."

[Hentel] "What is it?"

He narrowed his eyes in curiosity.

---

Sierra requested one thing: to meet Amille briefly.

Hentel expressed reluctance. Amille's physical wounds had not fully healed, and Kilo's examination revealed lingering traces of brainwashing magic. She might attack Sierra.

However, Sierra remained firm.

I want to meet Sister sooner and talk to her.

A few days later, upon hearing that Amille's wounds had healed, Sierra knocked on the door of the annex where the doctors stayed. Amille received intensive treatment in this annex from three doctors.

I invited these doctors for a paternity test because of Sister, and now they are treating her.

Reflecting on life's irony, Sierra entered the room where Amille stayed. She lay on the bed directly under a sunny window like a lazy cat. However, she proved sensitive to any approaching presence. Upon recognizing Sierra's figure, Amille's sharp gaze softened.

[Amille] "Ah...... Sierra."

[Sierra] "Yes, Sister, it is me!"

Amille smiled warmly, finally relaxing. Sierra approached her bed and plopped onto a side chair. Amille stared fixedly at Sierra, quietly whispering beneath her breath.

[Amille] "It is really you, my living...... younger sister."

The deep emotion in her voice made Sierra laugh softly. Such profound emotion between sisters who were usually blunt and sharp with each other!

Sierra lightly nudged Amille's arm as if nothing had happened.

[Sierra] "How did you end up there, Sister?"

[Amille] "The Crown Prince brainwashed me, forcing me to live like his marionette."

Sierra's face brightened, realizing Amille had not joined the Crown Prince of her own free will. However, watching Sierra's expression brighten, Amille shook her head.

[Amille] "Not just the Crown Prince—I am a sinner too. Even if it was against my will, I handed children over to him. I must spend my life atoning."

Seeing Amille's heavy heart, Sierra's expression darkened as well.

Noticing that Sierra caught her painful emotions, Amille forced a smile and shook her head.

[Amille] "For now...... let us speak of good things since we met after so long. Is Hanael alright?"

[Sierra] "She is fine. And...... Sister, I have something to ask you."

Mentioning Hanael made Sierra bite her lower lip. She needed to ask Amille this critical question.

What was that brooch you sent?

Were the dreams caused by that brooch my real past?

If so, who is Hanael? How did you send her to me five years ago?

Instead of asking all those questions, she spoke.

[Sierra] "Is Hanael my daughter?"

Yes, obtaining a clear answer to this truth mattered most to Sierra right now.

[Amille] "...…"

Though the Crown Prince's death broke the brainwashing spell, a restriction remained on Amille. She couldn't speak aloud the secret of regression. Yet she stared directly at Sierra and blinked silently. That single gesture served as a sufficient answer for Sierra.

Staring at Amille, Sierra buried her face in her hands and whispered.

[Sierra] "Sister...... you can't tell me exactly what happened."

Amille exhaled a sigh and nodded.

Combining Amille's hints, an unspoken constraint bound her. Yet Hanael was indeed her daughter in the past. For now, knowing that much was enough.

[Sierra] "Those memories are real, and Hanael is my daughter....... Knowing that is enough."

At her confident statement, Amille offered a silent smile. To Sierra, that proved to be answer enough.

[Amille] "You must be happy, Sierra."

She met Amille's eyes and nodded.

[Sierra] "Yes, together with you, Sister."

Knock, knock.

After a brief meeting, a knock sounded outside the door. Sierra turned her gaze toward the doorway. Three doctors from the Hippo Kingdom stood lined up at the door. Clearing their throats, they issued a polite dismissal to Sierra, indicating the five-minute visitor limit had passed.

[Doctor] "The patient requires absolute rest, and we must check for lingering dark magic. It is dangerous for a civilian like Lady Sierra to remain."

[Sierra] "Ah, yes. I will leave now."

Though she still had many questions, she bit her lip and stood up. Once Amille recovered her health, she could ask all remaining questions.

The door closed, and Sierra departed. Only Amille and the doctors from the Hippo Kingdom remained in the room.

Feeling lonely while receiving her next examination, a sudden thought struck her mind like a bolt of lightning.

Now that I think about it...... what happened to Hanael exactly?

In the past timeline, Hanael died.

Only Cassius and Amille had turned back time. Hanael didn't return through time regression.

If that logic held true, Hanael couldn't exist in Sierra and Cassius' current reality.

How did she arrive five years ago as a newborn baby, and how was she still alive and well even after everything concluded?

Curiosity buried in the past rushed back to Amille as soon as the ordeal ended and her health began to recover.

---

At the same time, Sierra was also wrapped in questions. She spent quiet, idle days recently, having no need to go to work at the Imperial Palace pharmacy and meeting no one in particular. Time spent reflecting alone or spending one-on-one time with Hanael increased. Naturally, she spent more days reviewing the past.

What was that warning letter at the estate back then? And if Hanael is my daughter, how did she appear in front of me......?

In the peaceful quiet, questions began to multiply one by one.

---

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