She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 79

A Romantic Trap

The next afternoon, following their close consultation, Sierra and Cassius launched their operation immediately. Their first target was Felix, the largest doll shop and puppet theater company located in the capital.

When they arrived unannounced, a commotion swept through the first floor of the shop over the unexpected visit from the Duke of Ideos and his lover. Every clerk lined up inside the boutique to assist the Duke and Sierra, while the remaining customers filed out the door in a hasty retreat.

Standing at the very front, Felix—the commoner shop owner and troupe master—repeatedly wiped away the sweat pouring down his forehead while desperate to please Cassius.

[Felix] "I-I greet His Grace, Duke Ideos."

[Cassius] "Let us head inside."

[Felix] "W-What b-b-business brings you here......"

He raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently.

[Cassius] "I came to look at dolls in a doll shop."

[Felix] "Ah, y-yes...... I w-will show you our finest work. The rarest and most beautiful pieces!"

The speech of the usually confident merchant shrank completely. A personal visit from the Duke was an overwhelming event capable of causing a faint. Barely regaining his composure, Felix slouched and bowed repeatedly, leading Cassius inside.

Following his guidance, Cassius stood before the largest display counter on the first floor. Felix rambled on, explaining the items resting on the counter.

[Felix] "We perform puppet shows with these dolls, yes."

[Cassius] "With the members of the theater company associated with your shop, correct?"

[Felix] "Y-You already know! Yes......"

Trailing off, Felix quickly studied Cassius and the woman assumed to be his lover. Surprisingly, the couple shared an interest in the puppet show. They smiled while examining the dolls one by one and whispered into each other's ears.

At a glance, they resembled an ordinary noble and his mistress, yet a distinct difference separated them. The clerks standing rigidly nearby grew increasingly pale. Even while examining the dolls and conversing with Felix, Cassius never diverted his gaze from Sierra for a single moment.

And eventually.......

[Cassius] "Sierra, there is dust on your heel."

He dropped to one knee and wiped the pointed toe of her shoe with a handkerchief. His meticulous movements flowed so naturally, as if he existed solely to polish shoes.

[Sierra] "It is nothing major......."

Staring at the clerks' horrified faces, Sierra covered her face with one hand and let out a sigh. Fortunately, her dress hem ended well above her ankles, preventing the fabric from covering Cassius' head. Yet he remained entirely unbothered, acting as the only composed individual in the room.

What kind of nobleman kneels before a commoner.......!

Having adapted to his behavior over time, Sierra avoided extreme panic. However, the onlookers reacted differently; they froze with their eyes shut tightly or their mouths wide open.

Sierra scanned her surroundings before firing a sharp remark at Cassius.

[Sierra] "Does the investigation require excessive public affection too?"

She asked, locking eyes with him as he stood up after finishing with her shoe. He wrapped his arm around her exposed shoulders.

[Cassius] "Of course it does."

[Sierra] "And it has nothing to do with your hidden motives?"

[Cassius] "A pure desire is mixed in as well."

She laughed softly as he emphasized the word pure.

She surveyed the interior of the doll shop, noting cute cat dolls, teddy bears, and glass eyes that appeared to watch her like a real human.

What is this? A doll with absolutely no eyes, nose, or mouth.

One specific item resembled a soft blue fabric cushion rather than a proper doll. The fact that an object completely lacking facial features sat on the display shelf as a doll raised immense suspicion. Yet perhaps that unique trait allowed it to stand out among the countless other options.

An inexplicable pull filled her with a sudden longing to possess it. She poked the round, bluish cushion doll with her fingertip. A squishy, fluffy sensation traveled up her hand, delivering a thrilling touch.

Strangely, I feel like I have seen this somewhere before.

An overwhelming sensation washed over her, as if some cosmic force had guided her to this exact spot to place this doll in her arms. In short, she absolutely adored it.

Cassius was the first to recognize Sierra standing frozen in place.

[Cassius] "Do you want this?"

[Sierra] "Yes!"

The response burst from her lips without a second thought.

Cassius calmly placed the doll into her arms. Just as she prepared to mention paying for it, her gaze met the sparkling eyes of the theater company members standing nearby.

To her utter bewilderment, over ten people of all ages stood watching, their faces broadcasting an eagerness to ask questions. The youngest child among them, whose face practically shouted a complete lack of tact, widened his eyes to the size of saucers and questioned them.

[Child] "I h-heard a rumor that our troupe and shop were b-bought out entirely."

[T. Member] "Hey, b-be quiet......."

[Child] "Is it true?"

Cassius delivered a cold reply to the child and the gathered crowd awaiting an answer.

[Cassius] "It is all true."

His chilling tone sent a wave of intimidation through the staff. One disheartened member asked cautiously.

[T. Member] "Th-Then, what should we d-do......"

[Cassius] "You will receive full protection under labor contract laws. If any issues arise, contact the Ideos family butler."

[T. Member] "Th-The Ideos family...... Y-Yes, sir."

While handling the troupe members, Cassius maintained a chilling, dignified posture. However.......

Sierra let out a heavy sigh, fidgeting with the blue doll in her arms.

The expenses feel a bit...... massive.

She assumed her quiet mutterings escaped everyone's notice, but Cassius had already caught her words. He turned to her quickly, drooping his eyebrows in distress.

[Cassius] "Do you think I spent too much? Are you worried?"

The idea of Cassius being cold and terrifying was an absolute illusion. To Sierra, he merely resembled a fragile baby rabbit. She shook her head firmly.

[Sierra] "No. Let us continue."

This puppet show served as critical bait to draw out the culprit, so pushing forward remained the correct choice despite the extravagant spending.

Sierra bit her lip, staring at Cassius. He chuckled and nodded with energy.

Since he handled the purchase of the shop and company, she planned to manage the minor administrative details. She resolved to share a tiny fragment of the plan with the bewildered troupe members.

[Sierra] "We will stage a puppet show at the Pandore Theater. Exciting, isn't it?"

Entranced by Sierra's melancholic beauty, the staff delayed their reaction by a few seconds before processing the name of the venue.

[T. Member] "Th-The Pandore Theater......?"

[Sierra] "Yes."

[T. Member] "Excuse me, My Lady, but do you mean the Pandore Opera House......?"

Sierra's words turned every face pale.

[Sierra] "Yes, that exact location known as the Pandore Opera House. Ah, perhaps the name Pandore House feels more familiar to you! Regardless, we plan to stage your magnificent puppet show there. We will invite high-profile social figures and members of the imperial family. Incredible, right?"

She saw no need to append the detail that this show would differ drastically from their usual performances.

The troupe members wore utterly blank expressions; not a single soul managed to articulate a proper response.

Time to resume our performance.

Concluding that further explanations were unnecessary, Sierra offered Cassius a brief look. He moved immediately, wrapping his arms around her from behind in a light embrace before addressing the troupe.

[Cassius] "My lover adores dolls. And magnificent puppet shows grand enough to capture the imperial family's attention......."

Trailing off, he stared at Sierra with intense affection before pressing a quick kiss against her earlobe, acting as though he couldn't contain himself. He had executed the role of a love-blinded Duke flawlessly. Sierra refused to lose ground, resolving to play along with his performance.

[Sierra] "I adore puppet shows. His Grace intends to purchase every single doll and troupe in the Empire for my sake. He already bought out Pandore House too, correct?"

Knowing his sudden foray into puppet theater might raise questions, she added the backstory that his commoner lover cherished the art form. Sierra offered Cassius a theatrical smile, but he pushed the performance even further.

[Cassius] "Because there is nothing I wouldn't do for you."

He launched a sudden confession of love. Sierra recognized instinctively that this surpassed mere acting. He actively enjoyed the situation, amplifying his displays of affection. A deep blush spread across her face and ears in intense embarrassment.

Whatever. We bought out the shop and secured the troupe, so the plan stands established!

---

Sierra returned home, cradling the beautifully wrapped, face-less blue cushion doll securely in her arms.

While she discussed their next strategy with Cassius inside the drawing room, the door flung open. At the doorway stood Hanael.

[Hanael] "What are you two doing!"

Dressed in glittery pajamas like a lovely little fairy, Hanael marched inside, waddling with her belly pushed forward.

[Hanael] "I asked what you are doing!"

Stuffing her mouth with endless candies, her words sounded muffled, and her cheeks puffed out chubbily.

Sierra extended her arms toward Hanael as the toddler sprinted forward. The warm little body collided into her embrace. Sierra smiled brightly, stroking Hanael's soft hair.

[Sierra] "Did you study hard today?"

[Hanael] "Mm! But they said Hanael can't go outside! Silly mister! Why can't Hanael go outside?"

Ever since discovering that exposing Hanael's identity invited severe danger, they had placed the child under house arrest. Consequently, Hanael remained unable to leave the main building of the ducal estate.

Explaining this reality to the young Hanael without lying or causing emotional distress posed an immense challenge for Sierra. For now, she offered a strained smile and turned to Cassius.

Hanael might be young, but I refuse to deceive her and keep her locked away. That feels like a betrayal.

Locking eyes with Sierra, he apparently read her thoughts, turning away with a few dry coughs. Then, his focus shifted abruptly onto Hanael.

Sierra watched him with a racing heart, filled with a sudden expectation that he would display a solution.

[Cassius] "Hanael is exceptionally smart, right?"

[Hanael] "Mm! Exactly! A genius!"

The dark clouds marring Hanael's expression vanished instantly at the word genius, replaced by a bright look resembling spring sunshine.

Sierra felt her anxiety rising. While Hanael was a simple child, she possessed an uncanny ability to detect lies, requiring an airtight explanation. She threw a desperate look toward Cassius.

Right, he is highly intelligent, so he will deliver a convincing argument!

And he delivered.......

[Cassius] "Therefore....... they say exceptionally intelligent individuals must stay indoors for the time being. Apparently, a monster that eats only geniuses roams outside."

He utterly betrayed her trust by unleashing a whimsical yet shocking explanation. Sierra gaped in profound confusion, unsure how to interpret his bizarre answer. Yet Cassius maintained a calm expression without a single hint of hesitation, looking entirely confident that his logic would prevail.

Can an argument like that actually work?

Sierra stared down at Hanael with a highly skeptical look. Hanael held a thoroughly puzzled expression, clutching the bib secured around her neck tightly.

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