She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 71

An Unexpected Date (1)

A small hall on the second floor of the Duke's mansion, right in front of an empty door. Hanael proudly pointed to the entrance at the top of her voice.

[Hanael] "Let's go in! This is the first party venue!"

Standing beside the child, Sierra pointed out the contradiction in Hanael's words.

[Sierra] "The first party venue? Then a second venue exists too?"

[Hanael] "Of course!"

Following Hanael's lead, Sierra stepped into the Duke's hall with a bewildered expression. Surprisingly, the gorgeously decorated room held no people. Sierra tilted her head, thoroughly confused. This specific location raised doubts about whether it counted as a party venue at all.

[Sierra] "Wait, do party venues normally look like this?"

Her gaze locked onto a single chair placed beneath a red curtain inside the decorated hall. Cassius, sharing her confusion, answered her question.

[Cassius] "Not as far as I know."

Because the hall sat within the Duke's mansion, precious jewels decorated the interior. Yet the space lacked the essentials for a proper celebration. No orchestra music played, no wooden tables stood covered in white tablecloths, and no finger foods or champagne awaited them. The space lacked guests gathering to chat, knights guarding the entrance, or maids welcoming visitors.

[Sierra] "This is like......."

Before she could finish her sentence, Hanael quickly cut in and shouted bravely.

[Hanael] "Hanael invited a portrait painter before the party! I want a portrait of the two of you!"

She flashed a cute smile.

[Hanael] "You will grant Hanael's wish, right?"

Sierra reasoned that a portrait posed no real issue; she could easily grant the child's wish. Although Hanael's mischievous, demon-like smile sparked a faint sense of unease, Sierra doubted anything major could go wrong.

---

[Sierra] "Do painters normally sketch portraits with the couple pressed together like this?"

Something major did go wrong. Incredibly wrong.

Sierra's face flushed bright red. A painter who introduced himself as Perrier had entered the room, cleared away the chair, and coached their posture, suggesting a more intimate stance. Even among conservative noble lovers, a pose where the woman stood in front while the man wrapped his arms around her slender waist fell within the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Consequently, Sierra had vaguely agreed, but.......!

[Perrier] "You are not that close, My Lady."

The painter, Perrier, answered firmly. To verify his claim, Sierra glanced at the full-length mirror a maid had placed nearby.

Our stance is entirely too close.......

Cassius' arms wrapped securely around her waist. His breath brushed the back of her neck. He lightly stroked her earlobe and whispered.

[Cassius] "Are you uncomfortable? Shall I ask Perrier to change the pose?"

Uncomfortable didn't begin to describe it. Every breath he took sent a ticklish sensation down her neck, and the firm muscles of his arms pressed against her skin through the thin fabric of her dress and chemise. Nervousness and awkwardness overwhelmed Sierra, forcing her to breathe manually.

What drives me crazier is that despite the intense discomfort, I don't want to pull away.

Because the desire to stay close to Cassius surged like a tidal wave, Sierra hesitated to answer. Inside her mind, her affection for him clashed fiercely with the rational reminder that she must not indulge in romance during a crisis. As always, the instinctual drive won the internal battle.

Sierra parted her lips but remained silent. Peeking from behind the mirror, Hanael spoke softly.

[Hanael] "Mm, it's beautiful, so freeze right there!"

The words sounded like a magic spell. When Sierra turned her gaze toward the child, Hanael feigned complete innocence.

This is suspicious....... Is this a deliberate scheme to match me with Cassius?

Did Hanael discern her feelings? Did the child realize her heart leaned toward him and orchestrate this entire encounter?

Is that why she arranged this portrait session?

No other explanation made sense. Yet how could a tiny rascal organize an event down to such specific details? Sierra lightly rested her hand over the back of Cassius' hand and questioned him.

[Sierra] "Cassius. Did you and Hanael plan this together?"

[Cassius] "No."

He clearly knew nothing about the setup. Furthermore, the Cassius she knew lacked the temperament for behind-the-scenes schemes; he preferred to openly press his lips against hers and steal a kiss.

[Maid] "Lady Sierra, your face is completely red. Shall I bring you some water?"

Thinking about a kiss turned her face bright red. Unfortunately, the maid possessed sharp vision, and Sierra's cheeks flushed as red as an apple.

[Sierra] "Yes, thank you."

She drank the cold water the maid thoughtfully provided, clearing her head. No matter how close Cassius' arms wrapped around her, and no matter how firmly his solid shoulders supported her body, she had to calm down.

Wait, hold on. This is entirely too close.

A setup like this would force love to bloom where none existed.

The panicked Sierra grumbled internally. Cassius apparently noticed her inner turmoil. A low voice drifted from behind her back.

Maintaining his embrace, Cassius lightly bowed his head. He brought his lips near her ear as if to bite her earlobe, adopting a highly intense posture.

[Cassius] "Are you alright?"

She nodded lightly, pretending to be fine.

Yet his heartbeat resonated against her back, thumping steadily. Naturally, she couldn't calm her racing heart throughout the entire portrait session.

Meanwhile, Perrier, who had arrived to paint the portrait, admired the whispering couple internally.

They are a match made in heaven. Their physical affection flows so naturally; this is definitely no contract marriage.

An ordinary citizen would certainly know the scandal surrounding the Ideos ducal family that had swept the capital.

However, the portrait painter's situation differed. Painters like Perrier led a vagabond existence, wandering from one noble household to another to paint portraits.

In the past, a few portrait painters had acted as informants, leaking the secrets of noble families. Ever since then, noble houses placed an amnesia spell on any painter who crossed their threshold.

A painter usually triggered the first memory spell upon entering the main gate of a noble estate. The magic forced them to forget the family lineage and the exact identities of their models.

Upon leaving the mansion, the second spell activated, completely erasing every event they witnessed or experienced within the estate.

Even though I will forget this couple after today, it is an honor to paint such a beautiful pair.

His brush swept across the canvas, sketching their striking features.

The composition of wrapping around the waist might appear simple for an artistic portrait, but it mattered little. Their radiant beauty and mutual love stood plain to see.

They definitely married for love. They look shy, but they are absolutely in love.

He chuckled and decided to exercise a painter's unique privilege.

[Perrier] "Shall we press closer and look more affectionate?"

The playful jest aimed to deepen the couple's bond. Perrier's brush boldly captured the subjects on the canvas. After repeating cycles of resting and painting, the portrait stood complete, along with a surprise gift Perrier prepared for the beautiful couple.

---

[Perrier] "The portrait is complete."

Sierra approached the finished painting. The portrait clearly depicted a married couple, or at the very least, passionate lovers. She expected to see awkward expressions, but they both smiled brightly on the canvas.

While she admired the work internally, Hanael slipped beside her and whispered.

[Hanael] "Can I have this?"

[Sierra] "Huh? This?"

Her tiny hand pointed away from the massive portrait resting on the easel. Next to the palette lay a separate, round portrait designed for a pendant, matching half the size of Hanael's hand.

[Sierra] "Ah."

Staring at the finished miniature caricature, Hanael questioned her carefully.

[Hanael] "Can I?"

Looking at Hanael, a sudden wave of tenderness washed over Sierra. She nodded gently and murmured.

[Sierra] "Sure, take it. It is yours, Hanael."

Hanael revealed her front teeth in a satisfied smile and slipped the beautifully drawn portrait inside her pendant.

[Hanael] "The original portrait belongs to Hanael, and the small portrait belongs to Hanael too!"

[Sierra] "Right......."

[Hachael] "The party is just getting started!"

[Sierra] "Huh?"

[Hanael] "Let's go to the second party venue!"

Sierra stared at the child in bewilderment. Hanael grabbed Sierra's hand in one hand and Cassius' hand in the other, marching proudly down the hallway.

[Hanael] "Let's head to the outskirts now!"

The maids behind them cooed at Hanael's chubby figure. But cuteness aside, Sierra felt like a henchman obeying the commands of a boss executing a massive grand plan.

But Hanael is happy.

Sierra adjusted her stride to match Hanael's pace, though curiosity and anxiety regarding the next event gripped her.

Looking at Hanael with a troubled gaze, she wondered about Cassius' thoughts. She worried the child was crossing the line, so she turned her gaze toward him. But he was smiling—a brilliant, natural smile rarely seen on his face lately.

What is with him? Why is he smiling?

Seeing his softly curved eyes sent her heart dropping. Remembering the sensation of his arm wrapping around her waist and the raw passion she detected behind her back made her face burn up again. Now that she admitted her feelings for him, even minor things made her heart pound wildly.

---

Riding inside the Duke's four-horse carriage, Hanael clearly delivered directions to the coachman, listing Saker Street, Outskirts, 1-B. Sierra held no clear idea where the location lay. While riding inside the rattling carriage, she poked Hanael's side but received no answers.

[Sierra] "The outskirts? Where exactly are we going?"

Listening to Sierra's voice, Hanael stroked her chin. Because her back pressed against the carriage seat, her legs dangled in the air.

[Hanael] "Saker Street, 1-B."

Sierra gently grabbed Hanael's dangling legs to steady them and asked.

[Sierra] "Saker Street, 1-B? Where is that? I know it's outside the capital, but......."

[Hanael] "Secret."

Carefully studying Sierra's increasingly bewildered expression, Cassius answered lightly.

[Cassius] "Saker Street, 1-B is near the wasteland."

[Sierra] "Wait, why on earth the wasteland.......?"

[Hanael] "Seeecret."

The mischievous yet half-serious expression of the little rascal who organized this event plunged Sierra into even deeper questions.

---

If you’re enjoying this novel, please consider leaving a rating or comment on Novel Updates and Naver Series.