She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 77

Hanael Is in Danger!

Ezel sorted through the drawer, pulling out only the high-quality stationery used exclusively by the imperial palace. After neatly arranging the premium paper on the messy desk, dozens of sheets had already piled up.

[Ezel] "Let's see......"

He muttered to himself, examining the handwriting on the request envelopes. The scripts differed completely, suggesting either a disguise spell or the use of a scribe. However, the wax seal stamped onto the paper remained identical.

An X mark.

Although no concrete proof existed yet, this individual clearly shared a connection to both the Icarus case and Amille's disappearance.

I need to take these letters and get them appraised properly......

Right as he rummaged through the wax seals inside the drawer and sank into deep thought, a rough hand firmly gripped the back of his neck.

[Ezel] "Agh!"

He cried out in pain, but the captor refused to loosen the grip despite the exaggerated complaint. Rather......

[Cassius] "You are loud for a thief."

The grip on his neck tightened further. Muttering a curse through his teeth, Ezel relaxed his body. Even while lifting him effortlessly with a single hand, the anonymous man spoke steadily.

[Cassius] "I wondered what kind of rascal was sneaking around."

A rascal? That is harsh!

Ezel wanted to retort, but speaking smoothly while dangling in the air would look ridiculous.

He frowned. Who on earth could infiltrate the Magic Tower and show such intense hostility? This commanding voice felt unfamiliar, yet it carried a hauntingly recognizable ring. His mind raced frantically.

[Cassius] "To think you are merely a petty thief."

The voice carried a strange trace of satisfaction. Did catching him as a thief bring this man joy?

The chilling voice tickled his ear. As the master of an information guild, Ezel never forgot a voice he heard even once—especially a voice laced with such absolute hostility. Very few individuals possessed the skill to infiltrate the Magic Tower and completely mask their presence from him. Only one conclusion existed. He addressed the man holding him from behind.

[Ezel] "You are Duke Cassius Ideos."

Why on earth did the Duke appear at the Magic Tower?

Could he be the culprit? No, that is impossible. He lacks the temperament for behind-the-scenes schemes.

Why did the Duke suddenly show up here when he shared no connection to Amille? Thoroughly bewildered, he knitted his brows.

[Ezel] "What brings you here, Your Grace?"

He frowned, waiting for Cassius' reply. However......

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

Cassius remained perfectly silent. He tightened his grip on Ezel's neck without offering an answer, acting as if he felt no need to reply to his question.

As expected of a Sword Master, his strength felt monstrous. The pressure on Ezel's neck triggered a sharp headache. Dangling in the air, he kicked his feet helplessly above the floor.

[Ezel] "Hahaha, but why are you holding my neck......"

The tightening grip restricted his breathing, turning his face crimson. The sensation of his feet leaving the ground felt thoroughly humiliating and frustrating. Annoyed, Ezel blurted out.

[Ezel] "Seriously, could you let go of my neck?"

Despite his playful tone, Cassius remained blunt, whispering with chilling indifference.

[Cassius] "Why should I release a thief caught red-handed?"

Being caught red-handed left him with no excuse, but Cassius continued.

[Cassius] "I should interrogate the culprit to find out why he is doing this."

If we go by that logic, Duke Ideos, you are trespassing too......!

However, protesting would only disadvantage him. Ezel wiggled his legs a few times and sighed.

[Ezel] "Fine, interrogate me. But let go of my neck first."

Cassius tossed him carelessly onto the floor.

[Cassius] "You had better give up any thoughts of escape."

Ezel held no such intention anyway. He stared blankly as a magic rope bound his body tightly. This setup thoroughly reduced him to a petty thief.

He watched in dismay as Cassius meticulously examined the evidence inside the Magic Tower. Cassius inspected a broken display cabinet and scanned the table with a magnifying glass, maintaining a deeply serious expression.

Resentment welled inside Ezel.

Honestly, he looks like a thief too...... Why does a Duke lack honor among thieves?

Bound tightly to the floor, a sense of déjà vu hit him.

Wait, this is exactly what Sierra did.

This unjust behavior of binding him while they reaped the benefits felt ridiculous. Torn between laughter and tears, he watched Cassius' actions.

Cassius unrolled a sack resting on the floor and swept all the evidence inside. Watching the display in bewilderment, Ezel finally snapped out of it and pointed out dryly.

[Ezel] "Hey, why are you doing this when we are both thieves!"

His annoyed remark targeted the hypocrisy of the Duke calling him a petty thief.

[Cassius] "I wonder how many hours of a silence spell it will take to close your mouth."

The terrifying threat silenced even a smooth-talking chatterbox like Ezel.

[Ezel] "But seriously, Your Grace. Why is the Magic Tower completely deserted?"

Cassius replied in an indifferent tone.

[Cassius] "The Tower Master likely left on a dispatch mission."

[Ezel] "That sounds suspicious too...... Hmm."

Cassius nodded slowly. Although he disliked the petty thief, Ezel's point carried some validity. Sweeping the critical items of the Magic Tower into the massive sack without a shred of guilt, he addressed Ezel.

[Cassius] "I need a witness."

[Ezel] "Pardon?"

Ezel questioned him in bewilderment, but Cassius grabbed him again like an officer escorting a prisoner. He wanted to vent his rage at being treated no better than a sack of luggage, but his mouth clamped shut. He screamed silently. Curse it all; the silence spell effectively sealed his lips.

---

Inside the reception room of the Ideos estate. Cassius, Sierra, and Ezel sat around a round table.

Sierra, who had been waiting inside the mansion, masked her surprise and rested her chin on her hand with an indifferent look. She never expected Cassius to return with Ezel. She studied them with a questioning gaze, wondering about the mismatched duo.

[Sierra] "What are you two doing? And what is that sack?"

She voiced her curiosity.

Cassius, who previously wore a stoic expression, smiled brightly as if his blunt attitude never existed. Ezel bit his lip in frustration and glared at Sierra.

[Ezel] "Lady Sierra, did you perhaps order him to kidnap me......"

[Sierra] "Of course not. I have no idea why you are here either."

[Ezel] "Then why......"

Her expression remained unbothered, showing no trace of a lie. Exhaustion washed over Ezel, forcing a sigh.

[Cassius] "Treat him however you like, Sierra. He will lose his memories anyway."

First he calls me a thief, and now he treats me like property.

Ezel pouted. If not for his cursed curiosity, he would never have crossed paths with the unhinged Duke.

Granted, Duke Cassius Ideos does pique my curiosity...…

It was true that he had tracked and monitored Cassius before attempting to meet the Great Archmage. Now, the man had trapped him completely.

Watching Ezel, Cassius' expression hardened.

[Cassius] "Don't look at Sierra and me with that face. Actually, don't look at her at all."

[Sierra] "Huh? Why?"

[Cassius] "He watched you with a thoroughly perverted gaze."

[Ezel] "When did I ever do that......!"

Ezel felt deeply wronged. While he harbored an improper interest in Sierra, he definitely didn't wear an expression with that sort of intent.

Sierra shook her head, studying Cassius and Ezel.

[Sierra] "Anyway, why did you bring him to me?"

Cassius reported immediately.

[Cassius] "I caught him ransacking the Great Archmage's room. He can't be trusted. However......"

[Sierra] "Huh?"

[Cassius] "He seems to know a lot about Amille, so I brought him here to extract information, even if it requires torture."

[Ezel] "Hey, treat me like a human being. Do you view me as a magical tool or something......"

Grumbling for a while, Ezel met Cassius' piercing glare and quickly shifted his tone.

[Ezel] "If you make me a magical tool, I will work my absolute hardest."

Sierra crossed her arms over her chest as she listened to their banter.

Since Ezel offered to act as a tool, it was time to extract the truth. Her deepest questions centered on the truth behind the incident that framed her sister as a suspect, alongside her sister's exact whereabouts. She decided to address the matter directly.

[Sierra] "Is my sis...... I mean."

She bit her tongue quickly before the word 'sister' could slip out. Noticing the two men staring at her strangely, she asked with a weary expression.

[Sierra] "You previously mentioned that the Great Archmage looked like the murder suspect, right? Is this more information regarding that?"

Ezel recalled the Princess' words internally. He concluded that sharing her information posed no risk.

[Ezel] "The Princess stated that Amille is a victim, not the culprit."

[Sierra] "A victim?"

[Ezel] "She is being framed for the murders and is currently missing. I lack exact details, though."

Sierra gripped her dress with the hands resting on her lap, cold sweat dampening her palms. Her sister was framed and missing—her incredibly resilient sister. Despair threatened to shatter her composure. As always, Cassius was the first to detect her shifting emotions. He asked softly.

[Cassius] "Sierra, are you alright?"

His voice snapped her back to reality.

I am the only one who can save my sister.

If her sister suffered, she had to act as the savior. Squeezing her eyes shut briefly to clear her head, she answered firmly.

[Sierra] "Yes, I am fine."

She had to steel her heart. Lowering her gaze, she murmured.

[Sierra] "If Amille is being framed for the murders, it implies someone orchestrated the setup."

Steeling her resolve, she spoke.

[Sierra] "Yes. In that case, I want to discover the identity of the true culprit as well."

[Ezel] "Right? You are curious, aren't you?"

Ezel threw a curious gaze toward Sierra. Nodding slowly, she gestured toward the suspicious sack resting next to the round table.

[Sierra] "Did you pack the documents inside that sack? Let us analyze them together."

Cassius nodded calmly.

---

Hours passed after they emptied every report from the sack. While reviewing the documents alongside Ezel and Cassius until their eyes grew strained, Sierra suddenly froze. An incredibly familiar piece of information caught her attention.

As she went rigid, Ezel—who was sorting reports right beside her—raised an eyebrow.

[Ezel] "What is the matter?"

Sierra gasped for breath, prompting Ezel to snatch the report from her hands. Lacking the strength to resist, she watched him take it.

Cassius reached out to grab Ezel's neck again, but he read the text aloud first.

[Ezel] "A report stating that every single child possessing the water mana has died?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Cassius released his neck.

Just as the suddenly released Ezel stared at Cassius in bewilderment, Sierra leaned forward, moving away from the back of her chair. Her desperate gaze met Cassius' rare, shocked look.

After all, a child possessing the water mana lived right within their circle.

---

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