She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 85

Can We Sleep Together?

Knowing the Crown Prince acted as the mastermind, Sierra and Cassius launched a proper plan. First, they had to destroy the Guardian doll that fell into the royal's hands. Abel took charge of disposing of the puppet.

Preparations proceeded step by step.

Abel dressed in servant's clothing, secretly hiding a magical bomb inside his robes for emergencies. To communicate with Sierra or Cassius at any time, he wore a communication tool disguised as an earring. He even stuffed his pockets with mysterious custom potions personally crafted by Sierra.

This might be overkill, but the more weapons, the better!

In truth, it crossed beyond mere overkill; Abel was currently a walking arsenal—a lethal beastman.

Even so, after finishing his thorough preparations, Abel swallowed hard. He finally climbed into the carriage alone with Cassius. He studied Cassius' profile and admired him silently.

Without Sierra around, he looked cold and sharp, resembling an ice doll. But admiring his appearance was a luxury. Abel was on a critical mission. Tension from infiltrating the Crown Prince's palace caused him to tighten his fists.

[Abel] "So my task is......"

[Cassius] "Infiltrate the vicinity of the Crown Prince's palace, verify the culprit's scent, and destroy the Guardian doll."

Listening to his monotonous command, Abel nodded. Before long, he held a switch handed over by Cassius. It was the magical tool used to control Guardian; pressing this switch near Guardian would make the puppet appear to destroy itself.

Cassius planned to enter the palace under the pretext of an imperial meeting, and Abel would accompany him as an attendant.

[Abel] "I'll do well."

[Cassius] "......"

Abel grinned brightly. Cassius looked at him, then stared out the window. He caught his own reflection in the carriage glass and froze in surprise. His guard was halfway down, displaying a bright smile. His current expression recalled words spoken by the Grand Madam years ago—a memory that felt centuries old.

[G. Madam] "The living must live. Shouldn't you live a more human life too?"

[Cassius] "I am living like a human sufficiently."

[G. Madam] "......Do you honestly believe that?"

[Cassius] "Let me ask you instead. What exactly does it mean to live like a human?"

[G. Madam] "Meeting people, acting less cold, and opening the door to your heart. That is what it means."

The advice she offered after Sierra left echoed like an auditory hallucination. Recalling those words, a sudden thought struck him. If the Grand Madam stood here right now, she would say, Yes, try smiling at other people like that.

Loving Sierra transformed both his thoughts and his life. Without her, Cassius would never have met someone like Abel, watched over Hanael, or realized a soft, warm smile played on his own lips. Sierra, resembling a warm spring day, altered his entire existence. But......

[Cassius] "Ahem."

He cleared his throat lightly, shaking off the sentimental thoughts. Smiling anywhere away from Sierra still felt unnatural to him. He personally pulled the curtains over the carriage window and crossed his arms.

The journey remained long. He intended to sleep in the meantime. Thanks to his sharp instincts as a knight, he easily gathered that Abel was studying his face, even with his eyes closed.

[Abel] "Are we becoming friends now......?"

His murmur reached Cassius. Heat flared strangely at the tips of Cassius' ears.

Until the carriage entered the imperial palace, they exchanged no further words. Yet, just as Abel suggested, Cassius admitted that they had grown closer. He despised the fact that any man other than himself stood near Sierra, but this puppy was tolerable—significantly better than that annoying fly buzzing around her, Ezel.

Disguised as a servant, Abel sneaked into the Crown Prince's palace but encountered an unexpected situation. The task itself concluded smoothly; he had successfully dealt with the puppet. Pressing the magical switch, he destroyed the doll. He then searched the perimeter to track Amille's scent, but......

Why would a butterfly brooch just lie in the bushes out of nowhere?

Powerful mana pulsed within the brooch, practically forcing anyone to pick it up. Abel held the butterfly brooch and sniffed it.

This familiar scent!

A realization struck his mind like lightning. Even if others remained oblivious, he knew. This trace belonged to Lady Amille. Beyond the lingering mana, the brooch remained vivid in his memory.

[Abel] "What is that, Lady Amille?"

[Amille] "Nothing much."

[Abel] "Why do you treat something minor with such care?"

[Amille] "Because the person I love most in the world gave it to me."

This butterfly brooch belonged to Lady Amille!

His expression turned fierce, befitting a guard dog. Glaring at the Crown Prince's palace, he squeezed the old brooch in his hand. He checked his surroundings and slipped the brooch into his pocket. His hostility locked onto the Crown Prince.

Lady Amille isn't the type to drop hints quietly. She would drag someone by their hair!

She was someone who would shout furiously, How dare this dog I raised fail to recognize me?

The Prince is definitely holding her captive!

Like a puppy full of innocent affection for his master, Abel interpreted the situation completely to his own liking without any evidence. His sharp eyes narrowed with rage.

That wicked Prince. He clearly doesn't know that dogs bite.

Ignorant of Amille's exact circumstances, Abel grew determined to examine the brooch she left behind. Fiddling with the brooch inside his pocket, he struck upon a brilliant idea.

I need to show this brooch to Duke Ideos first!

A dangerous object like this was better analyzed by a more capable, trustworthy person rather than remaining in his possession. Once Duke Ideos examined it and discovered a clue, they could inform Sierra. Formulating this excellent plan, Abel made a solemn vow.

Wait for me, Lady Amille! I will uncover your true intentions!

Judging by the brooch, Amille was certainly inside the Crown Prince's palace, making this a significant harvest.

Just then, someone forcefully knocked Abel's shoulder as he stood in the bushes.

[Unknown] "Who are you?"

[Abel] "......Pardon?"

Abel turned around quickly. An older man wearing the same attire stood right in front of him. He had been caught by a servant of the Crown Prince's palace.

[Servant] "Stop slacking and start cleaning."

Accepting the broom from the servant, Abel made a miserable face. To think that he, who arrived on a grand mission and even found Lady Amille's trace, ended up performing mere chores! He always managed to lose face like this.

[Abel] "Please investigate this! It definitely belongs to the Great Archmage!"

[Cassius] "Is that so?"

[Abel] "......Yes!"

Cassius found Abel's sketchy explanation puzzling but chose not to question it. He could recognize the sincerity in his words. He accepted the butterfly brooch, nodding before suddenly freezing.

[Cassius] "Why does your face look so worn out?"

[Abel] "Whew, I had to clean too much."

[Cassius] "I see."

Averting his gaze from Abel, who muttered nonsensical words, Cassius leisurely observed the butterfly brooch. Tracing its origin would pose no great difficulty; he simply needed to summon an investigator secretly.

---

That night, Cassius fell asleep with the brooch resting on his desk and experienced a joyful dream that filled his entire soul.

He stared into a mirror. Rose-colored flushes bloomed on his pale cheeks, accompanied by a sweet smile. Then, Sierra appeared behind his reflection in the mirror.

[Hanael] "Play with this!"

[Sierra] "Is the bread delicious?"

Hanael, with breadcrumbs covering her lips, chewed with her plump, red lips. Sierra watched the sight with amusement. In that moment, they resembled a married couple perfectly.

[Hanael] "Uwaaaaah!"

Just watching the delightful scene brought happiness. Hanael ran forward and dove into his embrace. But...... Cassius blinked. As if struck by magic, the scene shifted abruptly.

Then, Sierra died.

In complete vanity. He stood completely powerless.

The sensation of the chilling blade that killed Sierra touching his own neck caused him to snap his eyes open.

Was it a dream......?

Cold sweat poured down his forehead.

Because the person I love most in the world gave it to me.

An unfamiliar woman's voice echoed like tinnitus. Cassius suffered a strange pain. Though typically insensitive to physical pain, he couldn't easily ignore this specific agony. A dull sensation pierced from the top of his head to the tips of his ears, mimicking the bizarre feeling of someone splitting his skull open.

Despite waking from the dream, visions repeatedly flashed through his mind—like standing in a pool of blood, begging a deathly pale Sierra to stay alive.

Sierra.

Yes?

Please, please don't die......

Or Sierra continuously repeating a specific phrase:

Don't forget what I said......

Having survived a war, Cassius possessed immunity to ominous dreams. Once, he stood ready to accept even his own death calmly. However......

I have absolutely no immunity to her death.

Even when she fled, he had never repeatedly experienced such detailed dreams of her dying. It didn't stem from anxiety over the Prince's sudden emergence, as he never considered the Prince a formidable adversary. Then why exactly......?

The dream was no isolated incident. For over a week, the ominous nightmares continued without pause.

---

[Sierra] "Is something wrong lately?"

During dinner, Cassius stared back at Sierra, who rested her chin on her hand and watched him. Whether eating dinner, taking a stroll, or planning strategies against the Crown Prince, an aura of death frequently hung over her face.

Everything is actually going well, so why this dread?

The Prince remained entirely oblivious to Guardian's identity, and Cassius' subordinates were currently closing in on the royal. Reality painted a perfectly favorable picture. It made no sense to obsess over a mere dream. However......

[Sierra] "Your face looks incredibly gaunt."

Looking into her worried green eyes, Cassius spoke on impulse. Omitting any mention of his anxiety, he murmured.

[Cassius] "Can you sleep with me tonight?"

Naturally, he always harbored countless improper desires toward Sierra. Ironically, as he uttered words that could easily sound suggestive, his mind remained entirely pure. Anxiety from the nightmare drove him. He feared Sierra might die the moment she left his sight. However, she interpreted his request differently.

[Sierra] "Huh? Sleep together?"

Her face flushed crimson at the unexpected request. Cassius also experienced a flash of embarrassment. Blurting out a request to share a bed without any preparation was an unromantic way to bring it up. Still, he couldn't bring himself to confess, I'm terrified because I keep dreaming of your death.

He murmured to reinforce his point.

[Cassius] "Sleep with me."

[Sierra] "......"

She rolled her eyes. Then, adopting a determined expression, she spoke.

[Sierra] "O-Only holding hands tonight."

She muttered, her face revealing she had already run a thousand mental simulations.

Cassius let out a low chuckle, rubbing his eyes, which felt strained from the lack of sleep. Even amidst this dread, she was adorable.

[Cassius] "......What a pity, only holding hands."

Brushing her hair back behind her ear, he masked his anxiety with playful teasing.

---

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