CH 8

Cassius was at a loss for words.

“… Warehouse? Barn?”

He looked down at the little girl trembling in front of him.

Where the hell did this little child live?

Even if she meets her father, she doesn’t blame him, but rather says that it’s okay to sleep in a barn or warehouse.

Cassius couldn’t even fathom how much had happened before this little daughter uttered these words.

Moreover, the expression on the child’s face as she poured out such words looked dangerous as if she would burst into tears at any moment, so Cassius felt like he wanted to cry too.

‘I was living thinking she was dead.’

After the pregnant Lena disappeared, Cassius wandered the empire looking for her, but he couldn’t even see the hem of Lena’s dress.

“Out of the desire to at least know the life and death of the child, I have searched the orphanages in the empire and looked through the lists of children day and night, at least dozens of times.

With the faint hope that the child might be alive.

Several years later, the Nestian family officially informed Asterian that Lena had died.

In Nestian, it is said that Lena Nestian died while giving birth the same year she disappeared.

With the child.

Asterian had to hold a funeral for Lena and her dead child without even getting back Lena’s body.

But to think that the daughter I thought was dead would be alive and well.

Cassius felt a terrible sense of helplessness that the child had reached this point without him being able to do anything.

At the same time, I couldn’t raise my head with guilt for my daughter, whom I hadn’t even hugged since she was born.

He unconsciously reached out for the child.

After losing Lena, Cassius’ dreams always were with Lena and his daughter, whose face was blurred.

Hearing hallucinations of Lena and the child calling him hundreds of times. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.He wanted to be comforted by the little warmth of his child.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

That the child standing in front of me right now is not the dream, auditory hallucinations, or hallucinations that I have experienced so far, but that she is my daughter who is alive.

However, the child closed her eyes as Cassius’ hand turned towards her.

Did she think I was going to hit her? I could feel the small body shaking under my hands.

He didn’t even dare to guess the wound the child had, so he slowly withdrew his hand.

Only then did the child slowly open her eyes and take a step back to Ian’s side, avoiding Cassius.

He had a mountain of things he wanted to ask the child.

Where have you been, and how have you been? Did you eat well, and Lena… how it happened?

However, judging from the child’s condition, Cassius decided to give the child some time.

He wiped his face with a dry towel and looked away beyond the closed door of the reception room before speaking with an awkward expression.

“… Is anyone there?”

At his call, two maids who had been standing outside the door entered the drawing room and bowed their heads.

They were two maids with light brown hair and auburn hair, with good looks.

“Take the child. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She seems surprised, so feed her something warm and give her a place to stay temporarily.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

He paused for a moment, then continued.

“… She seems shy, so don’t let her meet other servants.”

Cassius looked down at Thiel and asked, as if seeking forgiveness.

“I have something to say to the guests, could you please step aside for a moment?”

Thiel looked at Ian and Cedric for a moment, then nodded slowly.

The maid standing to the right of Cassius smiled lightly and extended her hand to Thiel.

The little girl hurried out of the drawing room, holding the maid’s hand tightly.

***

‘… I wonder if he’s very angry.’

Thiel thought as she was being led by the hand of the maid.

As soon as she said that she wanted to stay here, his expression hardened.

And he didn’t give me any answers about staying in Asterian.

No affirmations, no denials, nothing.

So, of course, Thiel understood Cassius’ silence as a refusal.

Even while walking, holding the hand of a maid in such a situation, she couldn’t lift her head because her eyes kept welling up with tears.

‘… What should I do now?’

He hates her, and he’s not going to give her enough money to go out and live.

So if she’s kicked out of here, she’ll be kicked out naked. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Thiel looked down at the dress she was wearing.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

It was bought by kind Ian and Cedric… Maybe I should sell this dress to pay for my meal.

When I thought about that, I felt sorry for Ian and Cedric, so I started to shed tears again.

Meanwhile, Thiel and the maids arrived at a pretty little room next to the kitchen.

Because the location was right next to the kitchen, the smell of freshly baked bread wafted into the room.

The maid guided Thiel to a small, pretty, cream-colored sofa.

“Now, if you sit here… Miss?”

Only then did the maid noticed that the girl’s little face was covered with tears, and her eyes widened.

“Oh, my God, what’s the matter? Do you want me to take you back to Lord Cassius?”

The maid seemed to think that Thiel was crying because she was separated from her father.

Thiel shook her head.

“No, hiccup, no…”

Once the tears started pouring, I didn’t know how to stop. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Thiel wiped away her tears with her somewhat troubled expression.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

The maid looked at Thiel with a worried expression and said.

“If you rub it that hard, it might hurt. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.I’ll bring you some water in a minute! Leah, stay with the lady!”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Thiel wanted to stop her, but the kind maid had already run out of the room before she knew it.

Soon after, the maid who had gone out to bring water for washing returned.

She politely asked Thiel for permission, then wiped the child’s face with her soft hands.

The face wash was finished by rubbing and wiping the small face with a soft towel.

At that time, a maid called Lia came in from the kitchen with trays of snacks and bread.

It was the cookie I’d missed earlier when Cassius came bustling in.

Growling-

An embarrassing sound came from Thiel’s stomach. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.The girl clutched her belly with her flushed face.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

“Th, this!”

And I tried to make an excuse, but I can’t think of a good excuse.

The maids smiled as if they understood the child, and served one dessert after another on a small tea table in front of the sofa.

“It’s lunchtime, so it’s natural to be hungry. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Eat this first while Lord Cassius chats with the guests.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

The maid put a fork in Thiel’s hand. 

Only then did Thiel nod her head.

If she was going to be kicked out anyway, it was better to eat a lot of food.

I don’t know when I’ll be able to try warm food again if I get kicked out of Asterian.

The problem is not ‘warm food.’ If she is kicked out, she might have to rummage through the trash cans on the street to survive.

‘… Let’s eat as much as possible.’

She eats it so that she won’t be hungry for at least two days if she’s kicked out.

Thiel pledged and grabbed the fork with all five fingers.

Although it was rare for the child to use a fork in Nestian, she knew how to use it thanks to seeing Rowan use it.

Thiel poked a corner of the cake with her awkward fork and put it in her mouth.

The sweet and tangy taste of chocolate and the sweet cream that melts in the mouth passed through her mouth.

Thiel’s eyes widened.

And soon after, she started stuffing the cake into her mouth in a frenzy.

***

Ian explained to Cassius how he met Thiel.

The child, who explained that she ran away because she was afraid of her grandfather, must have been in a terrible situation.

The wounds on Thiel’s body and the fact that they described the child who ran away from Nestian as ‘a crazy little maid’.

Cedric also added his words.

“The entire time we were riding in the carriage, she was watching her manners closely. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.She didn’t even touch the food, being so careful not to offend.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Cassius, who listened silently to the story, gritted his teeth. 

The anger is so intense that he can’t stand it.

What the hell have you done to that little child?

‘… Of course, I can guess.’

That’s why Nestian of the snow leopard family hid and raised Lena Nestian’s daughter.

The two families of the leopard clan, the Nestian, and the Asterian, have been enemies for a very long time.

A snow leopard with the ability of freezing and a black leopard with the ability of flame.

The two families gather in one place on the day they ascend to the position of head of the household and compete for power, and the family with the stronger ability of the head of the family becomes the head of the leopard clan.

It was a long-established discipline.

And the head of the leopard clan was the 6th generation Asterian.

Under such circumstances, Nestian’s power declined day by day, and eventually, Nestian had long since transformed into a ducal family with only a facade.

The head clan controls everything belonging to the leopard tribe.

Asterian’s Duchy of Ewald, as well as Nestian’s Duchy of Buchanan, were all under Asterian’s control.

So, as long as this rule existed, Nestian had no choice but to hate Asterian and keep him in check.

It was virtually impossible for ice to overcome fire.

In such a situation, Lena Nestian was born in Nestian with powerful freezing abilities.

Lena Nestian.

She had much stronger abilities than Cassius Asterian, the most powerful heir of the Asterian family in Asterian.

She possessed much stronger abilities than Asterian’s most influential heir, Cassius Asterian.

Assuming, Lena did not refuse the throne.

‘I’m not fit for the position of head of Nestian, father.’

Lena chose to decline the position of the Nestian leader for some reason and became the wife of Cassius Celeste Asterian instead. 

With Lena’s choice, Nestian lost its strongest candidate for the leader and the future leader of the leopard tribe. 

Cornelia Nestrian, the next in line to become the Nestrian leader, has weaker abilities and a less noble character than her sister Lena, so if things had gone on as they were, Asterian would have become the leader of the leopard tribe again. 

“…. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.That’s why they must have hidden the child.”read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

Because the child is Lena’s.

It is certain that the child was hidden because they thought that the child would also be born with extraordinary abilities.

If the child had manifested a great ability, Nestian could have become the ruling family.

They were trying to use a young child for their political maneuvering.

Cassius felt inflammation in Zender’s black interior that was visible.

Then, someone urgently knocked on the door of the reception room. read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.Cassius allowed the owner of the knock to enter the reception room.read only at salmonlatte . com. This annoying watermark is not there.

The person who entered the reception room was the maid who had just taken Thiel out.

Sweat was dripping down her forehead as she had hurriedly come over.

The maid opened her mouth in a hurry.

“T-the young lady brought by the guest…!”

There was no one but Thiel, who could be referred to as the young lady brought by the guest.

At the maid’s words, three men stood up from their seats.