She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 18

Carried Away!

[Hentel] "......Did you create that medicine yourself?"

She offered a friendly smile.

[Sierra] "It is nothing special. Just a headache remedy."

[Hentel] "A headache remedy? I have never seen one with such a color!"

Sierra had no reason to hide her abilities anymore. She lifted her chin and replied with ease.

[Sierra] "I developed the method myself."

In contrast to her casual attitude, Hentel narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

[Hentel] "I sense pure magic power and remarkable creativity here."

She winked. Unlike the serious Hentel, she remained playful.

[Sierra] "It is really nothing."

[Hentel] "Then....... could you grant this old man a moment to examine it?"

Sierra planned to patent her headache medicine. She intended to establish a merchant guild, sell it at a high price, and raise her reputation by donating to poor villages.

But should she hand over a medicine containing her secret recipe—one she had not yet revealed to the world—to Hentel?

She studied the man before her and fell into deep thought.

Hentel doesn't look like a thief, and he could never mimic my magic anyway...... but I should still set some boundaries.

Having made her decision, Sierra spoke.

[Sierra] "I will give you a sample this evening."

Hentel clasped his hands together and responded eagerly.

[Hentel] "I look forward to it!"

[Sierra] "There is a condition, however."

[Hentel] "A condition?"

[Sierra] "Yes. I intend to draft a legal contract recognized across the Empire to ensure my recipe remains confidential."

Sierra was thorough. She planned to design a systematic protection plan to prevent anyone from stealing her work.

[Hentel] "Of course, I understand. This is a sensitive matter."

[Sierra] "If it meets your standards, please use my potions in the future."

The previously jovial glint in his eyes turned sharp.

[Hentel] "Yes, provided they are effective."

He had not yet verified the medicine himself. However, she knew that his sharp gaze would soften once he tested her sample. Because Sierra was a genius.

Thus, a secret promise was formed between Hentel and Sierra.

---

After meeting Hentel, Sierra handed the medicine to the patient, earning a double sense of pride. The patient took a sip of the orange liquid and widened his eyes.

[Patient] "I am not joking. The moment it hit my throat, the pain vanished!"

[Sierra] "Yes, I designed it for rapid results."

Sierra grinned.

[Patient] "And it is not even bitter!"

[Sierra] "I added something delicious so you could enjoy a sweet taste."

Naturally, the specific ingredients and their ratios remained a trade secret.

[Sierra] "It is good, right?"

The wide-eyed patient shouted enthusiastically.

[Patient] "Yes!"

The Grand Madam’s scheme to make Sierra happy worked perfectly. She felt wonderful. She bowed slightly to the patient.

[Patient] "Oh, have you visited the walkway here? It is even better if you walk further inside."

The area resembled a genuine forest from Sufe Village, but it was arranged like a more sophisticated garden. Rare plants, rather than common pines or sycamores, captured the attention.

[Patient] "You will find rare herbs if you look closely, Lady Sierra."

Sierra beamed at his words.

[Sierra] "I should go on a proper expedition, then!"

How could she refuse a forest full of herbs? In a way, it was her duty as a pharmacist!

Sierra nodded to the servant with a bright smile and stepped onto the forest path.

She found rosewood, sea chrysanthemums that usually grew only by the shore, and autumn cosmos in full bloom.

Marveling at every discovery, she ventured deeper.

It feels exactly like a well-designed botanical garden.

Though a commoner, she had enjoyed various experiences from a young age thanks to her sister, the Great Archmage. She had visited botanical gardens filled with rare treasures many times.

She had missed such experiences while staying in Sufe Village, so returning to such a place brought her joy.

However, they say misfortune follows luck!

After a long while spent observing the trees with her chin held high, she tripped over a stray root.

Crash!

A loud noise echoed.

Pain forced tears to her eyes, and she quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand.

[Sierra] "Ah, damn it!"

She never expected to fall so ungracefully.

She scanned her surroundings immediately. Fortunately, no one witnessed her awkward tumble, but the skin on her knees was raw and scraped.

More importantly.......

[Sierra] "......I sprained my ankle."

She grimaced and limped to a nearby bench. As she rested, her ankle skin reddened and swelled painfully. She doubted she could walk much further.

Is there a servant passing by?

She looked around.

Earlier, she felt glad to be alone, but now it was a misfortune. Suddenly and absurdly, she felt stranded.

---

Meanwhile, Cassius returned to the ducal mansion in the capital after attending a legislative meeting.

He pressed his tired eyes and entered the mansion.

Following his habit, he moved toward Sierra’s room, but a servant cautiously informed him of her location.

He didn't know if Sierra would welcome him, but she was always his priority.

He walked at a steady pace, ensuring he didn't lose his breath. Walking too fast would reveal his desperation to see her, but walking too slowly made him fear she might vanish in the meantime.

Finally, Sierra came into view. He found her sitting on a bench, her shoulders slumped like a captured deer.

She saw him at the same time. Her eyes widened.

I should avoid him.

Even though they lived in the same castle, she had no desire to run into him. She tried to stand up quickly but realized her ankle lacked strength.

Cassius drew closer.

That expression.

The blunt, cold look he usually wore melted away like ice. Clear happiness settled over his relaxed features.

[Cassius] "Sierra."

She raised a hand in an awkward greeting.

[Sierra] "......Hello, Cassius."

He stared at her with a strange expression.

[Cassius] "Why are you sitting here alone?"

[Sierra] "Oh, I fell."

As soon as she spoke, she flinched.

[Cassius] "What?"

He frowned and suddenly knelt before her. He slowly lifted the hem of her pale green muslin dress.

A stinging sensation flared wherever he touched.

His fingertips brushed her ankle as softly as if he were playing a piano. She instinctively pulled her ankle away in surprise.

Sensing her reaction, his eyebrows dipped.

[Cassius] "You are trembling, Sierra. Do you......"

He quietly lowered her ankle.

[Cassius] "Do you hate my touch?"

Well, not exactly.

She looked at the goosebumps on her exposed ankle and replied casually.

[Sierra] "I am just cold."

He whispered while gently handling her ankle.

[Cassius] "Bear with it for a moment."

It was a typical stubborn statement from him. Having adjusted to Cassius, she simply nodded.

[Cassius] "I will bandage it first."

He produced a bandage from somewhere and wrapped it around her.

Sierra expected him to be clumsy, but he was skillful. Even as a pharmacist who had seen many doctors, she found his work impressive.

[Sierra] "Where did you learn that?"

She started the conversation to fill the silence, but then she froze.

[Cassius] "......On the battlefield."

Why did I ask that? My mouth is a disaster. He wouldn't have learned this anywhere else.

Even though it was likely a memory he wished to forget, he answered her steadily.

After arriving at the Ideos' estate, Sierra had seen all the gossip magazines. They claimed Cassius Ideos endured agonizing pain on the northern battlefields and returned after slaying every monster.

Feeling awkward, Sierra groaned.

[Sierra] "Ah........ I am sorry."

He gave a faint, sorrowful smile and murmured.

[Cassius] "At least it allows me to help you now."

She paused, pondering his words while he meticulously checked her ankle.

She saw his lowered eyelashes. He didn't meet her gaze. She noticed his hands falter slightly.

Watching his trembling lashes, Sierra spoke quietly. He had essentially rescued her, and she didn't want to say something cold or cruel for no reason.

Cassius looked strangely hurt despite being innocent of any current wrong, and Sierra was not heartless enough to ignore those feelings.

[Sierra] "Well, I don't hate your touch."

She needed to clear up the misunderstanding from earlier.

Cassius looked up at her. She felt a jolt of alarm. Hope flickered in his eyes.

No, I don't want to hurt him, but I also don't want to give him false hope......

She spoke firmly and decisively.

[Sierra] "That doesn't mean I like you, though."

His throat moved as he stared at her. However, he said nothing more.

He looks as if he is hurt because he loves me. That can't be right......

Sierra often heard that she was oblivious. But in this case, her suspicion felt reasonable.

Cassius remained silent. He simply grasped the hand she had left defenseless on the bench.

[Cassius] "I will carry you."

[Sierra] "......What?"

[Cassius] "You can't walk with that leg, Sierra."

A commoner being carried by a Duke was absurd. No matter how casually he acted or how much he viewed Hanael as his daughter, some things were simply not done.

[Sierra] "No, no. I can just call a servant."

[Cassius] "Sierra."

He quietly took her arm.

[Cassius] "......Let me do at least this much."

His voice sounded so desperate that anyone could have felt it. Sierra froze and looked at him.

Because of the late hour, a crow cawed in the distance.

This is a problem.

He showed no sign of leaving. Yet she intended to refuse.

[Cassius] "It will take twenty minutes for me to call a servant and bring them here. You would have to stay here alone until then."

She might have refused—if not for those words.

She didn't know if Cassius was telling the truth, but the air felt surprisingly chilly, and the forest seemed frightening after sunset.

She looked at the darkening sky and considered her options seriously.

Caw, caw!

The crow shrieked like a ghost. Thanks to that, her hesitation ended.

[Sierra] "Fine....... but put me down as soon as we enter the mansion."

He nodded. Sierra tapped the bench cautiously.

[Sierra] "Alright."

Cassius immediately opened his arms before her. Sierra felt a strange sensation as she looked at his broad shoulders.

Were his shoulders always this wide......?

She remembered the seams of his clothes bursting back at the Academy. He had grown fast even then.......

They say men keep growing even after twenty. He looks like a real adult now.

He spoke as he watched her.

[Cassius] "I am picking you up."

He took charge. He slid one arm under her armpits and the other beneath her knees, lifting her effortlessly.

After holding her for a moment, he whispered in a low voice.

[Cassius] "......You are thin."

She expected him to say she was heavy. She whispered back shyly.

[Sierra] "I gained weight, though?"

He murmured as if laughing.

[Cassius] "Impossible. You need to eat more."

She felt slightly lightheaded, unable to argue.

Though their clothes acted as a barrier, her cheek brushed his flat chest, making her flinch.

Having lived a life of involuntary celibacy in Sufe Village, this level of physical contact with a man felt new.

She felt his firm back muscles through his crisp uniform and his heart pounding like a drum. Perhaps he noticed her tension.

[Cassius] "Lean on me comfortably."

Every time he spoke, a strange vibration traveled through his body to hers. She whispered to hide her reddening ears.

[Sierra] "I am fine."

As he tightened his grip, her face naturally buried into his chest. She felt his solid chest muscles move.

What the......

Did he do nothing but exercise? Why is his body so good?

---

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