She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 9

Searching for a Clue to the Misunderstanding

Sierra stiffened like a deer facing a predator while the Grand Madam remained silent.

She still hasn't said a word. Does she hate me?

Well, I did take the money five years ago and came back......

Sierra prayed the woman wouldn't direct her hatred toward Hanael.

Just then, the Grand Madam reached out and gripped Sierra's hands.

[G. Madam] "......You finally came, Sierra."

Sierra flinched at the burning intensity in the woman's eyes.

This is strange.

Sierra studied her expression. The Grand Madam looked entirely serious. With her mouth set in a firm line and her eyes sharp, she cut an intimidating figure.

[Sierra] "My Lady, what do you mean......?"

The Grand Madam had different thoughts. Recalling the look in Sierra's eyes from years ago made her heart heavy. Sierra looked thinner now than five years ago. She appeared more fragile, as if she might vanish at any moment.

The Grand Madam tightened her grip.

[G. Madam] "Exactly what I said. I have been waiting for you."

Her voice trembled with emotion. Sierra scanned her again, confused. The situation made no sense.

The Grand Madam let out a long sigh.

[G. Madam] "How can I ever pay for my sins......?"

Sierra's shoulders shook slightly.

To the older woman, Sierra looked even more wasted away than before. She squeezed Sierra's hands tighter.

[Sierra] "It has been a long time, Marchioness. I am sorry to appear before you again."

[G. Madam] "You have nothing to be sorry for."

[Sierra] "But, you gave me money back then, and yet I showed up again......"

[G. Madam] "No, Sierra."

The Grand Madam's expression twisted upon seeing Sierra's innocent face. She had to atone for her past mistakes. She had waited so long for the chance to be kind to this girl.

[G. Madam] "Yes, in the past...... I did a terrible thing to you."

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

Sierra couldn't understand the woman's deep regret. The Marchioness offered money, and she took it. That was the end of it.

Did she grow soft with age?

The woman's gray hair seemed whiter than before. She spoke in a quiet tone.

[G. Madam] "After you left, Cassius became...... like that. I regretted it for five years. Now that I have found you again, I want to treat you well."

[Sierra] "......Pardon?"

[G. Madam] "I drove a wedge between you and Cassius back then......"

[Sierra] "Ah...... you did, didn't you?"

[G. Madam] "Yes. Asking you to break up with him is the greatest regret of my life."

[Sierra] "Wait......? Why?"

[G. Madam] "Because of my poor judgment, my nephew spent over five years as a total wreck......"

A wreck?

Sierra looked at Cassius' sharp features and lean face. He did look like he had lost weight, but she never imagined it was that serious.

[G. Madam] "Darkness fell over our house. I lived in agony...... full of regret."

Sierra realized something. This was definitely going in a strange direction.

[G. Madam] "You must have suffered so much, child."

[Sierra] "I actually lived quite well. I was so happy when you gave me that money."

The Grand Madam's eyes shook.

[G. Madam] "Don't say that. A good girl like you......"

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

[G. Madam] "You are saying that just to ease my guilt, aren't you? You were exactly like this five years ago......"

[Sierra] "No...... that's not it."

But the Grand Madam already decided that Sierra was a saint.

How should I handle this?

While Sierra thought, the older woman concluded.

[G. Madam] "Hah...... What on earth did I do to you back then......"

I hate to tell you, but you’re creating an embarrassing memory for yourself, My Lady.

Before Sierra could argue, the woman gripped her hands even harder.

[G. Madam] "Sierra, thank you for returning. I will take good care of you and your child."

The situation has officially gone mad.

Sierra thought seriously.

[Sierra] "I appreciate your words, My Lady. But I am only staying for three months. Just until Hanael's paternity test is finished."

[G. Madam] "......"

The Grand Madam's eyes grew red. She looked cold and stiff, but she had a soft heart.

[G. Madam] "Yes, yes. Of course, you want to leave. You suffered so much that your face is ruined......"

Wait...… Is she a brick wall, too?

She was just like Cassius.

Sierra decided to observe the situation. The misunderstanding would end in three months once the test results arrived. For now, she would offer a polite rebuttal and leave it at that.

[Sierra] "Ah, I didn't suffer that much, but I am grateful for your kindness......"

Sierra chose to be thick-skinned. She already emphasized many times that Hanael was not Cassius' daughter. If these people refused to believe her, she wasn't at fault.

She remembered a famous saying: If you can't avoid it, enjoy it......!

However, enjoying it was easier said than done. The scale of Cassius and the Grand Madam's actions exceeded her imagination.

---

A week passed. During that time, a great upheaval occurred.

Just as he did for Sierra, Cassius bought every toy company in existence for Hanael. Sierra felt like she was watching the happy ending of a romance novel. The only problem? She didn't have the personality of a romance novel heroine.

Furthermore, Cassius claimed his efforts were "still lacking." Sierra found it overwhelming. Her anxiety grew as their gifts increased.

He has a severe case of obsession.

Cassius constantly asked her on dates. He ignored her refusals and poured out gifts, trying to comfort her as if she were a wounded bird. His attention made Sierra feel like a fraud.

Overwhelmed, she stayed in her room, researching potions and searching for her friends' addresses.

Her behavior triggered a butterfly effect.

[Maid] "It seems Lady Sierra won't accept his courtship."

[Maid] "Oh my......"

[Maid] "She said she is going back to where she came from!"

A massive storm brewed in the mansion. The servants' gossip reached Sierra's ears, thanks to Hanael, who roamed the house freely.

[Hanael] "Rumor says Mommy hates the weird mister!"

[Sierra] "I don't hate him......"

[Hanael] "You don't hate that weird mister? Even though he left us?"

[Sierra] "I keep telling you, that weird mister is just having a weird misunderstanding......"

Sierra felt uneasy but decided to endure. This misunderstanding made her life very comfortable, and she had a contract to protect her.

Even though she had only stayed for a week, the mansion centered around her. Not just Cassius, but the Grand Madam was just as extreme.

The Grand Madam wasn't lying about her five years of regret. I still don't understand why she regrets it, though......

Sierra was dragged to tea time again. The Grand Madam tried to find a tea Sierra liked. Leaves worth more than Sierra's monthly salary sat scattered on the table.

[G. Madam] "The tea is too bitter. This is not good enough for someone as precious as you......"

[Sierra] "It's wonderful."

Sierra wasn't picky. She could eat or drink anything.

[G. Madam] "Don't worry. I will help you with whatever you want. Is there anything else you need?"

It was good to have a powerful ally.

[G. Madam] "If you hold a tea party, I want to be your chaperon."

The Grand Madam sighed, clutching her chest. Sierra shook her head.

Too much! This is too much!

[Sierra] "A chaperon? I am a commoner, so I never had a debut......"

[G. Madam] "A commoner?"

Her gaze turned sharp.

[G. Madam] "......Who would dare look down on you?"

[Sierra] "Pardon?"

[G. Madam] "If anyone dares to mock you for being a commoner, tell me immediately."

The world was a noble-centered society. Sierra's sister was a great archmage, but people didn't know that.

She gave a hesitant answer.

[Sierra] "It is fine. Nothing happened. Oh, there is one thing I would like to ask."

Cassius was anxious that Sierra might run away, so he tried to block her from the outside world. It felt like he was building a beautiful birdcage. Sierra didn't want to provoke him.

[Sierra] "I am looking for a friend named Rina. She graduated from the Medical Academy. Five years have passed, so I can't find her."

[G. Madam] "Ah, a friend......"

The Grand Madam looked pained.

[G. Madam] "Because of me, you left the capital and lost contact with your friend for five years......"

[Sierra] "I've said this many times, but my leaving wasn't your fault."

[G. Madam] "......Yes, yes."

Seeing her watery eyes, Sierra knew the woman didn't believe her at all. Sierra decided to give up. If the Grand Madam wouldn't listen, let her misunderstand!

I really want to know what happened over the last five years. Why is a noble Marchioness acting like this......?

Sierra thought of Rina, who was known as the information source of the Medical Academy. Rina might know the truth.

The Grand Madam observed her closely.

[G. Madam] "Your friend is Rina from the Medical Academy. I will find her immediately and invite her here. You two should talk."

This was Sierra's first request after refusing everything else. The sixty-year-old Marchioness vowed to complete this mission perfectly.

Sierra felt a bit flustered, but she decided to enjoy the situation for three months.

---

Meanwhile, a strange rumor spread through high society. There was a woman in the Ideos Mansion. Some said she was a witch. They whispered that she used magic to charm the Grand Madam and the Duke. They said the witch was incredibly beautiful......

[Andante] "Madness."

Andante, the wife of the Marquess of Mails and the Grand Madam's daughter-in-law, frowned at the low-class rumors.

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