She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 3

The Daddy-Long-Legs Duke

As her eyes sparked with the mischief of a tiny villain, Cassius snatched the letters with an elegant motion.

[Cassius] "I will punish them. Every single one."

[Hanael] "Go ahead then!"

The little lady sprinted back into the house.

Cassius watched her retreating figure. He didn't feel a sudden, overwhelming bond with the daughter he had just met. Rather, her striking resemblance to Sierra softened his heart.

Sierra, Hanael……

Cassius whispered the names. These two names brought back memories that had lived in the shadows of war and regret. He remembered their days at the academy, back when they were just friends.

[Sierra] "I love marigolds. What about you?"

[Cassius] "I……"

As he hesitated, Sierra had laughed brightly. She waved her hand and turned away. Her back, glowing under the sunlight as she ran to tend the flowerbeds, grew distant and dazzling.

His emotions surged. He hadn't fully understood it then, but he had loved Sierra since that moment. It was the beginning of a deep, silent love where simply looking at her brought him joy.

He dwelled on those academy memories. Five years ago, he lacked the courage to hold her back or follow her. He could only clench his fists deep inside his pockets. But things were different now.

He looked down at the letters in his hand. These notes, which Hanael must have taken behind Sierra's back, revealed the hardships Sierra endured during his absence.

He untied the expensive ribbon and read every sentence.

[I am raising the rent. If you don't like it, leave.]

The arrogant landlord's letter came first. Then, another one caught his eye.

[Sierra, it's Hans. Isn't it time you gave in? Let's start a life together, okay?]

It was a love letter that read more like the ramblings of a madman.

The evidence of Sierra's struggles in a world without him spread clearly before his eyes.

[Cassius] "These flies......"

He ground his teeth. A thick murderous intent radiated from him. Even the highly trained knights of House Ideos shivered and stepped back.

---

Hanael crept back into the house just as Sierra woke.

Dressed in her pajamas, Sierra rubbed her eyes and mumbled in a voice thick with sleep.

[Sierra] "I feel better after the nap. The situation still feels absurd, but at least my thoughts are clear!"

Yet, an odd emptiness filled the room.

[Sierra] "Hanael?"

[Hanael] "Yes!"

Hanael poked her head through the doorway. Her cheeks glowed red, making her look guilty.

Sierra sat up and spoke with a playful tone.

[Sierra] "Hanael. What did you do?"

[Hanael] "Huh?"

[Sierra] "You have the face of someone who just caused big trouble."

Hanael shook her head and acted innocent.

[Hanael] "Hanael didn't do anything wrong!"

Sierra watched the girl twist her body nervously.

[Sierra] "You!"

[Hanael] "No! I hate you!"

Hanael covered her backside with her tiny hands and sprinted into her room.

Sierra chuckled.

I didn't hear any glass breaking, so it's probably nothing.

More importantly, Sierra needed to gather information on why Cassius had lost his mind. It was time to find out why he acted so strangely.

She checked her pocket watch. About five hours had passed since Abel left.

She planned to eat dinner with Hanael. Abel, the loyal wolf boy, should arrive with news soon.

She hummed a tune and set her watch on the table.

Once Abel brings the news, I'll clear up the misunderstanding!

I'll say a clean goodbye to Cassius!

I'll run my pharmacy well, and when my sister returns, I'll live happily with Hanael and my brother-in-law!

---

Her plan failed from the start. Abel, her capable messenger, didn't return by the time she opened the pharmacy the next morning.

I haven't seen a trace of him. Is it that hard to find information?

Sierra looked at the sky with worry. Even without Abel, she had to send Hanael to the nursery and open her shop.

Fortunately, Cassius intended to respect the one-week waiting period. Unlike yesterday's shocking declaration, today she followed her normal routine.

After dropping Hanael off, Sierra headed to the pharmacy. She paused as she reached the door.

Something changed.

The grass looked greener. The garden trees appeared more beautiful. Even the flowerbeds had grown larger. But the real surprise waited inside.

[Sierra] "Mr. Scrooge!"

Scrooge, the nervous landlord, stood at the pharmacy door.

[Sierra] "What are you doing here?"

[Scrooge] "M-Miss Sierra."

He rubbed his hands together, begging. Sierra frowned and shook her head.

[Sierra] "You’re here to raise the rent, aren’t you? I can’t pay any more. I’m telling you that right now."

She decided to act tough. Even in a friendly village, people could be cruel. Scrooge was a classic villain—a greedy landlord with a big belly.

I can't believe I set up shop in his building!

I've saved almost enough money; I definitely need to move.

She glared at him with tired eyes.

[Sierra] "As you know, the law requires a mutual agreement for rent hikes. Let's do this by the book."

[Scrooge] "No, no. I didn't come here to say that......"

She raised an eyebrow at the shrinking man. His expression shifted between panic, guilt, and sheer terror.

[Sierra] "Then what is it?"

He silently handed her a bright red piece of paper. It looked like a warning.

[Scrooge] "H-Here. Take this."

She watched him with suspicion. His face was bright red, and he breathed heavily, as if he had seen a ghost.

[Sierra] "What is this?"

[Scrooge] "Just take it. And...... I am sorry."

He dropped to his knees.

Why is this old man kneeling in front of me?

The real shock came when she read the red note. Her eyes widened.

[Scrooge (the Landlord) provides the land and building to Sierra (the Tenant) free of charge for the next year]

[Sierra] "This is crazy...... What......"

When she looked up, he shouted.

[Scrooge] "If one year isn't enough, two years is fine! No! It's better!"

He usually spoke down to her because she was a young pharmacist renting his building.

This man is acting strangely.

As soon as she frowned, he spoke quickly.

[Sierra] "Wait, what on earth—"

[Scrooge] "Fine, I get it! Two years for free! Just let me live!"

With those words, he turned and sprinted away as if his life depended on it.

[Sierra] "Sir!"

She shrugged as his figure vanished.

What in the world is happening?

After Scrooge fled, Sierra opened the pharmacy in a daze.

Did he eat something bad and lose his mind?

But work kept her too busy to wonder. She spent the day selling energy drinks to grandmothers and brewing simple digestive tonics.

[Villager] "Did you hear the news?"

[Villager 2] "Oh? What news?"

Sierra sat in the pharmacy, letting the chatter of the old women wash over her. She still suspected Scrooge had gone mad.

I can't believe that old man signed a contract and ran away like that.

She looked at the document with a mix of pride and confusion. It bore a magic seal with legal power. Not even Scrooge could take his word back now.

As she studied the contract, the conversation of the grandmothers turned toward her.

[Villager] "Anyway, Hanael's mom is so kind and pretty."

[Villager 2] "Her talent is wasted in this village......"

Sierra shrugged. She heard this all the time. She had long since grown used to their pitying gazes.

She whistled softly while organizing medicines. But then, a very interesting topic emerged.

[Villager] "By the way, Hanael's mom. Did you hear about Hans?"

Hans was a middle-aged, Rank 1 mage who constantly hovered around Sierra. He was a widower raising a son and a total nuisance.

There's no one better for a second wife than me, right?

I told him, I'm not interested.

Sierra had reached her limit with him. She had even thought about secretly drugging him and giving him a beating. She smoothed her brow and spoke.

[Sierra] "Ah, the man who keeps proposing?"

[Villager] "Yes, him! Knights took him away."

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

[Villager 2] "They say he's a criminal. The Lord's men arrested him."

[Sierra] "What? A criminal?"

[Villager] "Yes! They say he might rot in prison forever."

[Sierra] "Oh......"

She had no idea what crime he had committed. But based on his personality, he surely did something wrong.

Sierra nodded at the grandmothers.

[Villager 2] "Who knew Hans was such a dark person? You’ve suffered enough, Hanael's mom!"

To Sierra, Hans was just a creepy stalker. In this village, however, people saw him as a man with a future. Some matchmakers had tried hard to pair them up.

A wave of relief washed over Sierra. She smiled brightly.

This is great for me, but it's strange.

A thought struck her. Everything was going too well. In a single day, her stalker vanished, and her rent became free.

The situation felt like a rigged game where someone had fixed the odds in her favor.

Sierra rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

This was suspicious.

---

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