She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 49

The Princess' Proposal

[Cassius] "Then why?"

[Sierra] "Because he is suspicious. He approached me before. I found it strange when everyone said he is popular at the pharmacy."

[Cassius] "What?"

Whenever he looked at her, a gentle smile played on his lips. Now, a demonic expression replaced it. Sierra shrank back half a step in surprise, prompting him to instantly smooth his features.

[Cassius] "He dared to approach you."

[Sierra] "Uh, well. It was nothing major."

[Cassius] "I will uncover everything about him, Sierra."

He smiled warmly with his eyes and gripped her arm firmly.

[Cassius] "I will ensure not a single bone remains. So, don't worry."

[Sierra] "No, destroying his bones goes too far."

Everything went smoothly, yet an unstoppable feeling that Cassius lacked brakes gripped her.

She smiled awkwardly and nodded.

[Sierra] "Yes, p-please find out as quickly as possible."

[Cassius] "Then don't worry, Sierra."

He spoke in a tender voice, his eyes radiating absolute trust. His gaze possessed a power that offered a deep sense of security to anyone looking into them.

[Sierra] "Yes."

Answering as if cast under a spell, a sudden pang of nervousness struck her.

He spoke again to emphasize his point.

[Cassius] "I will investigate everything thoroughly and as quickly as possible. You know I grant your every request."

He rested his head against her shoulder like a puppy. Sierra endured his now-familiar gesture and patted his shoulder naturally.

Did she slowly dissolve into his presence? Why did her heart thrum so softly? Did the sound belong to her own chest, or did it echo from Cassius?

Right now, she couldn't tell.

---

A few days later, the information guild Cassius commissioned notified him to visit their headquarters to receive the intel on Ezel.

Wearing a neat coat and polished dress shoes, he knocked on the door of the information guild with a stern expression.

[Guild Master] "Your Grace, Duke Ideos."

A slender man, hiding his face entirely behind a mask, stared at him.

[Guild Master] "You sought a man named Ezel."

[Cassius] "Where is the information?"

Hearing his sharp voice, the master of the information guild grinned.

[Guild Master] "You are impatient."

At his remark, Cassius leaned deep into the backrest and stared straight at the man. His icy blue eyes held zero sympathy or warmth.

[Cassius] "I refuse to waste time on trivial matters."

The man chuckled at those words and slid a small folder forward.

[Guild Master] "Here it is."

The sound of paper rustling filled the room. The contents mirrored the details he already discovered—name, age, gender, his connection to the Princess, his interactions with the Crown Prince, and his activities within the social club.

[Cassius] "Your information network is pathetic."

The insult cracked the man's pride, hardening his mouth. A rare, foul smile spread across his bright red lips.

[Guild Master] "Then how about this? This man, Ezel, possesses a deep interest in Duke Ideos and the woman you love, Sierra."

Cassius stood up and smiled dryly.

[Cassius] "I should just kill him without needing any information."

[Guild Master] "Oh? Even if it is pure curiosity?"

[Cassius] "Foul interest or pure curiosity, it makes no difference."

The man grinned at Cassius' words and clapped his hands lazily a few times.

[Guild Master] "I will cheer for you, Your Grace."

Cassius locked his freezing gaze onto the information guild master's face. He lacked any desire to argue with a man known as an eccentric. Right now, he had no time to spare.

[Cassius] "Goodbye."

With those final words, Cassius departed. The iron door, missing a latch, slammed shut with a heavy metallic clang. He clearly intended to redirect his steps toward a different dark guild.

[Guild Master] "He fell into a far deeper love than expected. The Princess will face quite a struggle."

The man lowered his mask and quickly pressed a disguise magic tool hidden in his pocket. Beyond the mask, Ezel's face revealed itself.

A covert information broker—that was Ezel’s identity.

He rubbed his face roughly with a weary hand and pressed the mask down.

[Ezel] "Sierra and Cassius. I understand the relationship between those two, but......."

He bit his lip.

[Ezel] "Sierra. A mere commoner pharmacist, yet she connects to all sorts of giants."

Following the Princess' orders, Ezel investigated Sierra thoroughly. He also uncovered enough clues regarding her close companion, Abel. Yet, a thick mystery completely veiled all information about Abel, rendering Ezel's flawless intelligence skills entirely useless. The only detail he extracted was that Abel worked as a guard at the Magic Tower.

[Ezel] "That bastard Abel is a dog of the Magic Tower, so how does a countryside pharmacist connect with a dog of the Magic Tower?"

He curled his lips into a sharp smile. He couldn't discern the exact connection. A dense veil entirely concealed it.

Does that woman also connect to Amille's disappearance?

An intensely intrigued smile spread across his face. Fortunately, an opportunity to thoroughly study Sierra would arrive soon. For instance, he could exploit the Princess, who acted half-crazed over Duke Ideos.

Before the Duke tried to kill him, Ezel resolved to contact Sierra.

---

Cassius shifted his gaze calmly. Returning to the ducal mansion right now wouldn't bring him to Sierra. She mentioned that she received her significant first assignment today.

Iliena watched him, catching the tiny relaxation around his mouth when he thought of Sierra, and questioned him with a sharp look.

[Iliena] "Did something wonderful happen, Duke?"

[Cassius] "Nothing in particular."

[Iliena] "I requested a private meeting because this is an important matter."

[Cassius] "Yes, then speak."

The Princess scanned her surroundings once more, ensuring no one stood nearby. Her strange behavior deviated from her usual self, yet Cassius refused to engage in further conversation.

Iliena's feelings meant absolutely nothing to him. Cassius cared solely about the emotions, mood, and experiences Sierra felt today. The reason behind the Princess' sudden request for a private meeting carried zero importance.

A softer edge crept into his demeanor. Seeing this, Iliena smiled deeply. She anticipated that today's conversation might smooth things over.

[Iliena] "May I invite you to the drawing room of the Princess' Palace for a moment?"

She invited him to her palace seductively every single time, yet he never set foot inside. However, since he granted her a private meeting today, perhaps.......

[Cassius] "I can't."

Though she expected another refusal, Iliena refused to back down. She recalled the words Ezel shared with her.

[Ezel] "It seems Duke Ideos intends to marry that woman, Sierra."

[Iliena] "That is impossible. Why do you think so?"

[Ezel] "He looks ready to rewrite the marriage laws."

[Iliena] "That can't happen...... It is impossible. No matter how grand the Duke's authority is."

[Ezel] "Right now, is there anything the Ideos family can't accomplish?

Glancing at the anxious Princess, Ezel comforted her gently to reassure her.

[Ezel] "Should I meet that woman separately? What? As you know, I possess absolute confidence in my silver tongue."

[Iliena] "Then…."

[Ezel] "Just lure Duke Ideos away for a short while. I will arrange a kidnapping plot or something similar."

He flashed a smile capable of charming anyone. Iliena nodded at his proposal. Yes, if he could convince that woman Sierra, the entire matter might resolve easily.

[Iliena] "I have something to say regarding the woman named Sierra."

Cassius' expression turned rigid instantly.

[Cassius] "She is not a woman you dare mention."

The raw, wild fury filling his eyes forced Iliena to harden her face. She signaled her maid.

[Iliena] "Escort His Grace to the Princess' Palace."

She walked with trembling steps, resembling someone crossing a freezing, thin ice sheet. She intended to buy time for Ezel, but.......

He belongs to me anyway, so I can't lower myself to feel jealous of a commoner woman.

She tried desperately to deny it, but jealousy toward the woman who could provoke such intense anger from Duke Ideos pounded against her chest.

Striving to ignore the burning envy, she closed her eyes tightly before opening them again.

Inside the secret room of the Princess' Palace. Cassius kept his coat on and dismissed the tea, speaking firmly to Iliena.

[Cassius] "State your main point clearly."

His dismissive attitude, showing zero interest in whatever she had to say, deeply wounded her pride. Yet, she concealed it, smiling elegantly as she spoke.

[Iliena] "Fine, I will speak directly. I favor you, Duke. I believe you are the only marriage partner suited for me."

[Cassius] "Is that so?"

He treated her like a minor nuisance, an annoying insect. Envy scratched her pride, but she whispered firmly.

[Iliena] "That commoner woman doesn't match your status, Duke."

The phrase "that commoner woman" acted like a trigger. A freezing, ancient wrath erupted across his face.

[Cassius] "This is quite a dilemma. I don't favor you."

Despite his firm rejection, she spoke again.

[Iliena] "We can get to know each other, can we not? I believe I deserve at least that much."

He declared an absolute end to the conversation.

[Cassius] "A marriage between myself and Her Imperial Highness will never happen."

[Iliena] "You have no other woman to marry either, Duke. I mean a woman who entirely matches your status."

[Cassius] "A woman who matches my status perfectly—no, a woman I don't even deserve—exists."

[Iliena] "Ha......."

[Cassius] "I have no reason to share such useless talk with Her Imperial Highness, so I will take my leave."

He prepared to stand up immediately.

She bit her lip hard. Extreme rage flooded her heart as she watched the man she desired defend another woman. Running her hand wildly through her hair, she spoke out of sudden spite.

[Iliena] "But what shall we do, Duke?"

An instinctive sense of doom struck Cassius at her words. While his gaze wavered for a split second, she finally delivered her killing blow.

[Iliena] "While you and I converse……."

The Princess leaned even deeper into the backrest. Her expression showed she also found this situation unpleasant.

Cassius gave her a sharp, demanding look to urge her onward.

[Iliena] "My confidant requested a brief meeting with Miss Sierra. She might be quite traumatized by now."

He leaped to his feet. Wearing an even colder expression, Iliena whispered to him.

[Iliena] "Even if you leave now, you are already too late. I will never reveal her location."

He stood tall. With a freezing face, he meticulously buttoned his duffle coat and issued a low warning.

[Cassius] "I will ensure you pay the absolute price for daring to act this way."

She questioned him in a high, piercing voice.

[Iliena] "Are you willing to turn against the imperial palace for a mere semi-noble, a person with zero backing?"

[Cassius] "She......."

He whispered with a dry expression, yet his tone carried an icy chill.

[Cassius] "She gave birth to my child."

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. Staring down at her, Cassius turned around slowly.

[Cassius] "I have no intention of letting this matter slide."

Iliena bit her trembling lip hard. The moment the word "child" escaped his mouth, she should have foreseen her complete defeat. Yet, she refused to let this man go. He suited her tastes far too perfectly. The more he yearned for Sierra, the more Iliena craved to possess him.

Anxiety filled her gaze as she watched the departing back of the Duke. A bizarre turn of events.

---

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