She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 73

An Unexpected Date (3)

To speak honestly, the atmosphere remained pleasant when they first purchased tickets at the booth.

[Seller] "Have a wonderful time, ladies and gentlemen."

Cassius paid the fare responsibly, and Sierra followed closely behind him with a racing heart. Even when they boarded the carriage-like compartment, anxiety gripped her, but the situation remained manageable.

[Seller] "You are our first guests today!"

This place looks abandoned.

The strange joy radiating from the ticket seller at this failing attraction raised immediate suspicion.

Is he an eccentric mage?

Flashy piercings in one ear and a scratch through his eyebrow confirmed his eccentric nature. However, his strange personality held no connection to her mood. Sierra forced herself to hum a tune while staring out the transparent window of the Ferris wheel.

[Cassius] "Fascinating, isn't it?"

[Sierra] "Yes."

Following their brief exchange, the eccentric mage tapped the compartment. With a loud clank, the door slammed shut.

Mana crept around the Ferris wheel, forming a small protective shield. Sierra stiffened her body in surprise, experiencing the sensation of the ride moving purely through magical power.

Consequently, they plunged into the unique world created by this strange magical tool.

[Sierra] "Wow....... we are soaring into the sky!"

Cassius curved his eyes softly, offering her a smile.

Until the Ferris wheel ascended high into the air, their shared atmosphere couldn't look better. The beautiful blush on her cheeks matched his lazy, lingering expression, sparking a delicate tension between them.

They remained entirely alone inside the confined space.

Awkwardly scratching the back of her neck, Sierra fixed her gaze outside the compartment. Instantly, chaotic thoughts flooded her mind.

Sitting together as a trio inside the carriage had made her heart feel ready to explode....... but this space was even narrower than the four-horse vehicle. Because of the tight dimensions, her knees pressed completely against his.

My heart feels like it's pounding right in my knees.

When her body flinched, Cassius cast his gaze downward and laughed quietly.

Struggling to ignore him, she glared intently out the window.

[Sierra] "My goodness......."

However, the scenery beyond the glass captured her attention. As the Ferris wheel climbed higher, her emotions heightened in perfect sync with the altitude.

[Sierra] "Wow, this is amazing!"

At this exact moment, she stood at the highest point of her life. Far below, Hanael appeared as tiny as a toy soldier. To think the already small Hanael looked tinier than a matchbox! Yet Sierra stomped her feet in excitement, flashing a brilliant smile.

Her heart hammered wildly, matching the intense thumping triggered whenever she looked at Cassius.......

[Sierra] "This is thrilling, right?"

Just as she assumed they had reached the peak, the ride ascended even further.

Her heart fluttered and tightened with unusual intensity, making her hair stand on end. She spent a few moments watching the tiny people below and admiring the distant landscape before raising her voice cheerfully.

[Sierra] "You know, Cassius. I never had a fear of heights......."

Excitement overtook her, leaving her sentence unfinished as she suddenly froze. Cassius offered no reply. Normally, when she exclaimed how amazing the view was, he would respond affectionately.......

Confused, she turned around. He sat in absolute silence, staring directly at her. His pale, bloodless complexion differed sharply from his usual appearance.

[Sierra] "Cassius?"

She locked her gaze firmly onto him, abandoning the surrounding scenery. He forced a weak smile.

Witnessing his white face and strained expression, Sierra sank deeper into confusion.

Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?

[Cassius] "Uh......."

He didn't deliver a full answer, but a fragment of the past flashed through her mind.

[Sierra] “I want to try the high swing.”

[Cassius] “You love swings, Sierra.”

[Sierra] “Yeah. Don't you? Why are you making that face?”

[Cassius] “I dislike ascending to high places.”

The young Cassius once confessed that he disliked ascending to high places. Sierra finally understood the true meaning behind his childhood words.

[Sierra] "You...... you said you disliked ascending to high places, right?"

Did heights terrify him? Though the exact reason remained a mystery, she instinctively reached out and ran her fingers slowly over his cheek, tapping gently to comfort him. Feeling her warmth, Cassius let out a ragged breath and murmured.

[Cassius] "You...... remember?"

[Sierra] "Yes."

[Cassius] "High places terrify me."

Delivering his quiet confession, he smiled with pale lips. Then, he firmly grasped her hand resting on his cheek.

[Cassius] "Therefore, I need your touch right now."

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

She froze instantly, regretting her hasty movement. The moment his hot hand touched hers, her heart plummeted. Paradoxically, she was the one whose heart felt ready to burst because of him.

[Cassius] "I told you, I am afraid."

Sierra couldn't verify if truth laced his words. However, witnessing the corners of his eyes droop downward forced her to believe him. The Cassius standing before her didn't resemble the possessive beast who promised to claim her; he looked like a vulnerable, wounded man.

He looks entirely too fragile today, completely different from his usual self.......

Few women could remain unfazed when the man they liked exposed his vulnerability. Sierra was no exception.

A mixture of deep pity and affection surged from her chest. She asked softly, her voice cautious.

[Sierra] "Shall I hold you?"

At her offer, he closed his eyes slowly and opened them.

[Cassius] "Yes."

She quietly raised her arms and wrapped them around his shoulders, patting his back warmly. She wanted to scream at her heart to stop racing. However, her heart betrayed her brain's commands. To her embarrassment, he detected the wild thumping. Flushing with shame, she blurted out an excuse.

[Sierra] "The pounding sound...... you can hear it easily because we are sitting so close."

Making that excuse only intensified the awkwardness. He easily caught her clumsy behavior.

[Cassius] "Liar."

Slowly and deliberately, he leaned his body closer to hers, leaving the world beneath their feet.

[Cassius] "At times like this, you......."

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

[Cassius] "Look as though you like me too, Sierra."

[Sierra] "That is......."

She bit her lip.

[Cassius] "Is all of this an utter illusion on my part?"

She wanted to flee and hide in silence, just as she always did.

However, escape was impossible at this exact moment. They sat inside a Ferris wheel floating high in the sky.

She finally realized the massive flaw of the ride: it functioned as a rectangular trap with zero escape routes. She couldn't avoid his approaching face, nor could she ignore her own feelings.

She parted her lips silently, staring straight at him.

---

Right at that moment, Hanael stood beneath the Ferris wheel, regretting her failure to bring binoculars.

However, regret always arrived too late. Hanael gave up easily and decided to play jacks with the knights instead. Remembering the stones packed securely in her pocket, she poked the ribs of the knights standing beside her.

[Hanael] "Play jacks with me!"

[Knight] "Pardon?"

The knights stared dumbly before Hanael dragged them into a betting game. And.......

[Hanael] "I won again!"

Playing games against these silly knight misters felt entirely too boring for her.

After playing with the knights for a while, she suddenly widened her eyes.

Oh dear, I need to check on the Ferris wheel!

She tilted her head back to watch the ride float higher, but a faint cracking sound behind her back forced her to freeze.

What is that?

She was smart, and highly intelligent children possessed immense curiosity. While not all curious children grew into geniuses, geniuses always maintained deep curiosity about their interests. His small eyes spotted a suspicious group wearing robes passing beneath the Ferris wheel.

Who are those guys?

Could they be wicked villains trying to bully Sierra.......!

Elated by her own genius status, Hanael had recently devoured all sorts of novels, including stories about black mages.

They look exactly like black mages.......!

His gaze turned fierce. Though she possessed zero evidence, her tiny mind already labeled them as black mages.

She was highly intelligent, but because she was still a baby, she failed to analyze the situation from multiple angles. She didn't wonder why real black mages would move so openly, nor did she question why the knights—who must have noticed the group—remained perfectly relaxed while playing games. She felt deep curiosity about those suspicious robed figures!

Alright, I will just take a quick look.

Curiosity consumed her.......!

She wiggled her tiny hands before clenching them with determination.

[Hanael] "You know, I need the restroom!"

[Knight] "Pardon?"

[Hanael] "I will be right back!"

She pointed her short, chubby finger toward the public restroom next to the ticket booth, successfully executing a quick-witted strategy.

[Knight] "Ah, yes, little miss."

A foolish knight who lost every single round of jacks escorted Hanael inside the restroom, guarding the entrance like a sentry.

Stepping inside, she threw a sharp glance toward the knight before turning her focus back to the Ferris wheel.

Three minutes should be plenty.......

How do I trick this knight?

The solution proved incredibly easy. Concentrating the mana bubbling inside her stomach, she visualized the thought clearly.

I am an invisible person!

Instantly, she felt her body turn transparent starting from her fingertips. Experiencing the sensation of turning into soft, invisible jelly, she giggled silently.

Time to escape!

She cracked the women's restroom door open slightly. Moving stealthily, she slipped outside. Because she had become invisible, the knight failed to notice her movements entirely.

She marched diligently on her short, chubby legs.

She glared at the retreating backs of the wicked villains she assumed were mages.

Right at that moment, her mana drained rapidly.

Huh?

She hadn't even created a safe distance from the knight!

Because she lacked proper training in managing mana, his ambitious invisibility spell dissolved instantly. A knight stood less than ten meters away.......

Furthermore, this location featured a rugged path with zero hiding spots. The knight guarding the restroom entrance could easily walk over and spot her.

I should just go back!

She slumped her shoulders. To avoid sparking the knight's suspicion, she prepared to sprint back toward the restroom. However.......

Thud!

She collided with a massive, dark man, sending her chubby body tumbling to the ground.

[Hanael] "Agh......."

She rubbed her face and glared at the man.

Oh, it's that mister who looks like a black mage! But why is he standing directly beneath the sunlight? Is he not a black mage?

The knights didn't attack this mister either.

Do the knights know him?

While her tiny mind raced frantically, the cold man spoke.

[Man 1] "Move her."

His voice sounded lazy yet chilling.

[Man 2] "She appears to be a noble child."

[Man 1] "The master of those knights?"

[Man 2] "Yes, most likely."

A well-dressed noble child always brought administrative headaches if mishandled. Brushing the dust from the trousers of his sophisticated tailcoat, the stranger addressed her.

[Man 1] "Little girl."

[Hanael] "Mm...... who are you, mister?"

[Man 1] "Where did you come from?"

Hanael possessed sharp intuition for a toddler. She instantly recognized the dangerous gleam in the stranger's eyes. However, her intelligence guided her to keep that realization to herself rather than blurting out, Mister, you are suspicious, aren't you?

[Hanael] "Home!"

As expected, I am amazing!

Pretending to be an oblivious, uneducated child, she flashed a bright smile. The tactic worked, and the stranger retracted his suspicious gaze.

[Hanael] "Then goodbye, mister!"

She bowed politely and sprinted back toward the ticket booth. Although she was a baby, she possessed enough awareness to avoid entangling herself with dangerous individuals.

I shouldn't have slipped out.......

Fearing that Sierra would spank her, she rushed back to the safety of the knights. Meanwhile, the stranger cast a cold gaze over the heavily armed knights.

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