She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 14

Abel, Cassius, and Sierra

[Cassius] “......Who are you?”

They stood before the gates of the ducal mansion. Duke Ideos questioned Abel.

Abel looked up at the man, who stood a full head taller than him.

Does he not know me? I thought he would!

Abel bowed with a bright smile.

[Abel] “Ah, you are Duke Ideos, right? I’m Abel. I lived with Miss Sierra!”

[Cassius] “Lived with her......?”

As a shapeshifter, Abel frequently heard news from the human world, but he didn't understand the finer points of human nature.

[Abel] “Yes!”

Cassius studied him, his expression suggesting he was chewing on something bitter. Hanael began to tug at his clothes.

[Hanael] “Bad Mister, what are you doing? Let's bring Abel inside!”

Cassius glared at him and then jerked his chin toward the house.

[Cassius] “Come in. However, I need to speak with you for a moment before you see Sierra.”

After hugging Hanael tightly, Abel answered cheerfully.

[Abel] “Yes, I understand, Your Grace!”

Abel possessed a personality just as sunny and innocent as Hanael's.

This is better than meeting her right away.

He hummed a tune as he entered the Ideos estate. Hanael followed him, whistling happily.

---

Inside the Duke's reception room, Abel looked around with wide eyes and let out another cry of admiration.

[Abel] “This is so wonderful, Duke Ideos! I am so happy that my sister can stay in a place like this.”

[Cassius] “.......”

Cassius nearly lost his will to fight against Abel's pure-hearted words. He tapped his finger against the table while staring at the youth.

So that is Cassius Ideos. Up close, he is even more handsome.

Abel bowed toward him with a smile brighter than the sun. Then, Cassius spoke quietly.

[Cassius] “So...... you are the Abel who lived with Sierra.”

He ground his teeth as he repeated the words, emphasizing the part about them living together. Abel flinched from the killing intent radiating from the man.

Abel was a dog with wolf blood. He noticed the faint scent of blood clinging to Cassius. It was the mark of a soldier who had spent years at war.

Now that I think about it, he seems quite hostile toward me.

Why would the man hate him when he treated Sierra and Hanael so well?

Does he only hate me? That's so mean.

As a dog shapeshifter, he didn't care much about the concepts of male or female.

His shoulders slumped, but he spoke up bravely.

[Abel] “Yes, I came to see Miss Sierra!”

[Cassius] “For what reason?”

[Abel] “Because she needs me!”

Cassius' gaze turned fierce. However, Abel only met his eyes with a cheerful expression.

[Cassius] “Your hair looks a bit oily.”

[Abel] “Ah.......”

He hadn't washed his hair because he was in such a rush to get here. It was true that his hair was a little greasy.

[Abel] “Yes, you’re right!”

Abel scratched his head and nodded. He was a difficult opponent who didn't understand subtle insults.

Cassius stared at him and spoke again.

[Cassius] “If you have something to say, tell me. I will deliver the message.”

In short, he intended to block the meeting between Sierra and Abel. But Abel, unable to read between the lines, tilted his head.

[Abel] “Oh, I don’t think that will work! It's a secret between my sister and me.”

[Cassius] “.......”

Cassius raised an eyebrow at the overly intimate title. Abel nodded like a happy puppy, then paused.

[Abel] “Ah, noble humans in the capital don't use such titles in public, do they? My apologies, Your Grace.”

His lack of social awareness made him an unexpected and difficult rival for Cassius.

Cassius stared at him—or rather, it was more accurate to say he glared. From his perspective, the situation felt incredibly suspicious.

[Abel] “Miss Sierra will want to see me right now. She needs me.”

When it came to love, Cassius was always the weaker one. If he tried to harm Abel, or even if he just blocked the meeting, and Sierra found out......

[Cassius] “......Then, I will have someone guide you to the tea room.”

He lowered his eyes. Abel's energetic thanks rang in his ears.

[Abel] “Yes, thank you!”

The polite Abel laughed and gave a deep, ninety-degree bow.

[Cassius] “Wait.......”

[Abel] “Yes?”

Cassius spoke calmly. This man knew about the five years of Sierra's life that he had missed. He tried his best to appear composed as he asked.

[Cassius] “......I am curious how long you stayed with Sierra.”

Looking at the Duke's expressionless face, Abel answered honestly.

[Abel] “About five years? We have lived together ever since she settled in Sufe Village. I also worked as the guard for her pharmacy.”

Cassius bit his lip at Abel's serious tone.

[Cassius] “How did she live? Did anyone give her a hard time, or were there any difficulties......?”

Abel tilted his head.

Including the landlord and the creeps that Duke Ideos had recently dealt with, Sierra did have a somewhat painful five years. Furthermore, she was full of ambition; she wanted to earn a lot of money and use her talents. The pharmacy always made a profit, but it was never enough to satisfy her.

Some people bullied her, and many daily problems, but she always looked happy. She was focused on her ambition to make money.

Abel hesitated, wondering if he should say all of that. He glanced at Cassius' face. The man looked like a monster from hell. So, he gave a simple answer.

[Abel] “Yes!”

[Cassius] “.......”

[Abel] “She had a very hard time!”

He wanted to add, 'You should have seen her face whenever the pharmacy failed to break a new profit record!' but he stopped when he saw Cassius' face cloud over.

[Abel] “Some bad guys even dared to bully her...... and what else was there?”

Of course, Sierra didn't care about rude customers. She was far too cool for that. But neither Abel nor Cassius knew the full truth of each other's thoughts.

Abel stopped talking suddenly. It was strange. Why did this man look so pained? He looked as if he had just heard news of a death.

He mentioned my hair earlier. Does my head smell......?

Abel scratched his oily hair and promised himself he would wash thoroughly later.

[Cassius] “I...... see.”

His voice sounded thick.

Abel tilted his head, thinking only about going to wash up.

---

A few hours later, inside the drawing room.

[Abel] “Miss Sierra, you’ve really made it big.”

He looked around the room in admiration.

Sitting across from him, Sierra whispered with a serious face.

[Sierra] “This is the ultimate rags-to-riches story. It feels like a dream.”

[Abel] “I knew it....... Please let me live here too!”

[Sierra] “I think that might happen, but don’t forget we have to leave in three months.”

Abel nodded at her regretful tone.

[Sierra] “Anyway.......”

She grabbed his hands.

[Sierra] “Did my sister say she's coming? Is she going to clear up the misunderstanding?”

Even though she had already requested a paternity test kit, it would be better if her sister visited the mansion in person. However, Abel avoided her gaze and stuttered.

[Abel] “Well......”

Sierra felt a dark premonition. Her palms grew damp as she gripped his hands.

Abel hesitated before speaking.

[Abel] “The Great Archmage. Well......”

[Sierra] “Why are you stopping? What is it! Tell me!”

[Abel] “.......”

He looked away and spoke softly.

[Abel] “She told you to stay at the Ideos mansion. She said she can’t come...... and then she left.”

Her mouth fell open.

[Sierra] “Is she completely insane? Forget about me—what about Hanael? She hasn't checked on her once in five years!”

Her sister was acting like a total disaster. She squeezed her fists tight.

[Sierra] “Abel.”

[Abel] “Yes?”

[Sierra] “Pick one. Poison or a stone axe.”

[Abel] “Huh?”

He knew the hot-tempered side hidden behind Sierra's fragile appearance. If left alone, she might do something reckless to find her sister, Amille.

Indeed, Sierra's eyes were filled with the fire of battle.

[Sierra] “I need to kill her.”

Abel knew exactly how to handle Sierra after living with her for so long. He changed the subject.

[Abel] “That...... fortunately, I picked up a small letter and a scroll before the Archmage left.”

Like a rabbit calmed by a carrot, she quieted down and looked at the scroll Abel pulled from his clothes.

[Sierra] “A scroll? What is it?”

Her eyes sparkled.

[Abel] “She said you should only use it if Hanael's life is in danger. If you use it, she will be summoned.”

Sierra knew one thing about her sister: she never lied.

And her sister didn't know one thing about Sierra: when she lost her temper, no one could stop her.

She held the scroll high as if she were about to tear it.

[Sierra] “I’m in danger right now. I need to kill her immediately—”

[Abel] “Wait, calm down, Miss Sierra! Amille said this scroll activates automatically if Hanael is sick. If you tear it, it becomes useless!”

Sierra frowned and took the scroll, pouting.

[Sierra] “So she worries about Hanael's health, yet she never visits? I really don’t like her.”

Of course, since Amille was her only family, she didn't mean it deep down.

[Sierra] “Well, the lie about Hanael being Cassius' child will be proven wrong soon. I might as well enjoy myself for these three months.”

[Abel] “Yes, you should!”

[Sierra] “By the way, wait. Did she say I can finally use my powers?”

[Abel] “Ah, yes! That's good news, right?”

[Sierra] “Yes, but.......”

She thought back to the days when she had to hide her strength. Even though she could have been the top student and received scholarships, she had to give them up.

Because my sister insisted I hide my power, I lived my life doing exactly that.

She let out a long sigh.

[Sierra] “Shall we go for a walk? There's a glass garden here, and the view is beautiful.”

[Abel] “Yes, I’d love to!”

Abel grinned like a puppy.

They immediately began to stroll through the small glass garden. However, Sierra didn't realize that the entire garden was visible from Cassius' office window.

---

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