Translator and Editor: Ddalgi and Wyvern

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Chapter 27

“Looking at the color, it’s cobalt blue, isn’t it? I think they really are the biological parents,” the twins added.

“No, it’s not yet conclusive.”

“Fine, I’ll keep quiet for now… I’ll have to do more research.”

Hentel looked down at the video zone and sighed. ‘I’m not sure yet, but it’s true that there is a high probability that he is the parent.’

What if Hanael wasn’t the daughter of Sierra and Cassius? He wanted to take Sierra to the Hippo Kingdom to help her talents blossom.

“Still, you have to check it carefully.”

“Yes, I will.”

Hentel, who had been working hard to get a quick result of the paternity test, sighed deeply again and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“It looks like all of the first-stage inspections will be completed in the next three days.”

In other words, it was the same as saying that the Duke of Ideos would be in turmoil in three days.

“You have to do it properly.”

They looked at each other seriously. It was clear that the fate of the Duke of Ideos was in their hands.

And the probability of error in the paternity test kit…

‘We need to calm down.’

A little nervous, Hentel headed to the washroom to wash his hands. The twin doctors, who were left alone again, were immersed in their thoughts as they compared and contrasted the image spheres and reagents one by one.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t Sierra reply to the note?”

“That’s right. Andante…” Ranya said coldly.

“First of all, that’s not what’s important. Don’t forget that you’re here for test results,” Hentel scolded.

They put their noses in the video sphere again. A week passed.

* * *

Inside the library of the Duke of Ideos, Sierra read the mysterious note again and checked the medicine section in the library.

[Weakness, falling often, stress, heartburn, pain, sudden increase in heart rate. What do you think is this illness? And what medications does she need? I would like to hear Sierra’s opinions.]

‘Perhaps the one who gave me this note was either the Duke’s doctor or one of the doctors in Hippo Kingdom.’

Sierra smiled slyly and shoved the note back into her pocket.

‘What exactly is this kind of disease… It seems simple, but it’s a pity I can’t distinguish it.’

She flipped the page of the pharmacological dictionary.

[Amolta disease] [Feeling weak and often knocked down] [Be careful, because the chest pains tend to last for a long time [Life expectancy is shortened considerably]

‘If you look at the symptoms, it may or may not be similar to Amolta disease. Hmm… If that’s the case, there is no known cure. If U was only able to meet some patients suffering from Amolta, I would be more confident that I could come up with a cure, but…’

She pulled a string near the bookshelf and called the maid.

“What’s going on, Miss Sierra?”

Wow, that was fast. She was being treated like royalty. It was burdensome, but she started to get used to this situation.

“Can you collect some books about Amolta?”

“Oh, yes. I’ll ask the librarian right away.”

Sierra, leaning on the shelf, tried to turn her gaze back to the book.

After hesitating for a few seconds, the maid carefully opened her mouth.

“Yes—ah, and! Congrats on becoming a semi-noble.”

The maid smiled softly and bowed her head politely towards her.

“What… Semi-noble?”

There were strict class divisions: slaves, commoners, semi-nobles, and high nobles. And Sierra was a commoner.

“You can’t say that, you’ll get in trouble.”

“What? You were given the title of semi-noble—you didn’t know it yet, did you?”

Sierra hardened even more when she saw her hesitating. “No, does it look like I raised my status?”

‘What? Did Cassius do something for me again? No, no, no. Don’t let this happen!’

She hastily slapped herself to get herself in order. “Where is the Duke?”

“I don’t know, Miss Sierra!”

Sierra pulled up both sides of her dress and started running.

* * *

Sierra sprinted to the office where Cassius was staying. No knights nor maids stood in her way. Her jaw dropped at the scene behind the door.

“Mister Stupid, you’re good at Jenga!”

“I’m glad, Hanael.”

Sierra lost all her energy and stiffened at the doorstep.

‘No, now you’re even calling Cassius stupid…? We’ll die when it turns out that you’re not his real child!’

“Mom!” Hanael ran towards Sierra. “Mister Stupid played with me…”

Sierra hastily covered Hanael’s mouth. “Wow!” She sat with Hanael across from the chair where Cassius sat. Of course, she did not forget to cover Hanael’s mouth.

“…I heard I’m a semi-noble now. Can you tell how that happened?”

Cassius answered calmly, “I gave you a temporary title, which made you a semi-noble.”

“…Is that the truth?”

She shouldn’t slack off anymore.

Semi-nobility was what all commoners dreamed of. This was because commoners never became nobles, but they could become semi-nobles.

There were generally three cases in which commoners ascended to semi-noble status. First, when serving as a mercenary and becoming a knight in the country. Second, when graduating from an academy and contributing greatly to the development of the empire and a noble family.

And third, sometimes when you are awarded the lower title for being a servant of a noble family for a long time.

“No…” She looked around hastily.

“Why! Do you think I’m going to let my mother be fooled?” Hanael folded her arms and sat quietly.

“Hanael, where did you learn bad words?”

Seeing Sierra’s cold expression, Hanael pursed her lips. “Huh, uhm…”

Hanael ran away, the door swinging open in a flash.

Sierra sighed deeply as she saw Hanael’s little back disappear through the crack in the door.

‘That troublemaker! Why are you just like me?!’

***

Thus, Sierra came to be a semi-noble. Of course, she was fine with it. Frankly, she couldn’t stop thinking about the benefits. If she became a semi-noble, she could deal with that vicious building owner, Scrooge, Hans, or whatever…

She clenched her fists and stopped when she saw Cassius in front of her. “I couldn’t help it. I can’t interfere with Andante’s forced orders.”

“If you’re not a commoner, but a semi-noble, the order will not take effect. So I raised your title.”

“Okay.” Sierra nodded cautiously at Cassius’ words.

‘Andante did me a favor again. The world is so focused on me.’

“…Thank you. First of all. I didn’t think I would become a semi-noble.”

Cassius smiled brightly and nodded at her.

‘But do I really have to go to the salon, the prom, and the tea party…?’

Unlike commoners, semi-nobles were relatively free to participate in such events. In order to nurture Cassius’s affinity for socializing, it was probably necessary to do so…

‘But I don’t know aristocratic etiquette or dance.’

Noble etiquette had been taught by her older sister when she was young. At the academy, there were also art classes.

She’d taken a course before. Therefore, if a proper teacher of etiquette was invited to train her, she could have moderately imitated other aristocrats’ manners in a week or so.

But dancing was a different matter. Sierra was stiff!

“Oh, but do I have to learn ballroom dancing to go to the salon?”

“Normally, yes.”

Sierra frowned. “Are you good at dancing?”

“I…” Cassius nodded, and his eyes seemed to have softened a little.

‘The puppy-like eyes that seem to be thanking me for being curious about him…?’

Sierra decided not to get involved. She waited for Cassius’s next reply, clasping her fingertips to find composure.

“Yeah, I dance just fine. So, even if you have no talent at all, if your first dance partner was me…” His expression was cool.

Sierra swallowed. “Then dance with me for the first time, and then dance with other people as well. It’s a little awkward if you dance with me alone.”

Of course, this was a ruse. A ruse to make Cassius interact with others outside of his comfort zone.

Sierra said solemnly, “Yes, I will. I will be your first dance.”

“Okay, let’s do whatever you want.”

At this point, Sierra could notice Cassius’s inner feelings. He was approaching cautiously.

Cassius looked straight into her eyes and raised his lips. “What do you think?”

“…What, what?”

Cassius whispered, carefully. “Do I have a place in your heart?”

…

Sierra was very weak when it came to money and good looks. She gulped and pushed his firm shoulder. “No! I just want to dance with someone I know because I can’t dance.”

She felt a strong muscle at her fingertips.

Cassius beamed. “That’s true, but your ears are red.”

“No, they’re not!” She tried to cover her hot ears with her hands.

Cassius got to her first though, cool hands pressed to both sides of her face. “Shy?”

His face moved closer and Sierra blinked. His deep-sea eyes and delicate lashes were right in front of her.

“…No.”

“Don’t be shy, look at my ears.”

She did. They were already red as if on the verge of exploding, and his cheeks were burning red. In a way, the young reddish cheeks and the nonchalant expression looked ironic, but Cassius Ideos’ chiseled appearance made it all fit together.

Sierra stared, bewitched.

Then Cassius smiled softly and whispered in a low voice, “I’m like this when I touch you. So you don’t have to be shy.”

How thoughtful.

“I’ll do all the things that make me shy, just for you.”

‘…Crazy’

It’d been less than a month since Cassius had become this seductive! This was unacceptable!

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