Chapter 2 - This Situation Is Smoothly Worsening

Chapter 2 – This Situation Is Smoothly Worsening

Fortunately, telling him to stay away for the whole week worked wonderfully.

Cassius, begging like a sinner, declared that he would accept every word from Sierra!

It was very annoying, but I had to endure it. Fortunately, I had a week alone, so I was able to figure out what was going on in Cassius’s head.

‘I need to know what happened with Cassius and why he was so desperate.’

Contacting Cassius at this point would be a mistake.

‘I regret it, I’m sorry, I was wrong, I’ll kneel for you.’ He apologized four times.

‘I’ll ask Abel how the Duke of Idios works.’

Abel was a boy whom Sierra met five years ago when she took her sister’s daughter in.

Abel, a small male wolf, raised by her sister, an archmage, is playing the role of her skillful and informant errand boy, and even her watchman as well.

“When will Abel arrive…”

Sierra opened the window and glanced at the outside, sighing.

‘Rather, what is wrong with Cassius?!’

No matter how you see it, he was worried that Sierra might have run away. It was obvious just by looking at the knights surrounding the mansion closely.

Sierra, of course, just remained indifferent.

‘My pharmacy is here, where could I go?’

Sierra’s pharmacy has established itself considerably.

‘Of course, I’m a genius, so I’d have a wonderful pharmacy no matter the location.’

When I was at the academy, my sister requested that I should not reveal my skills. Raising Hanael was more important. Sierra’s sister is an archmage and was carrying out a dangerous mission, resulting in an unknown status. She was terribly afraid that she would bring harm to Sierra.

“Hanael, my baby. I’ve told you already. You have another mother.”

Hanael quickly replied with a bright smile.

“Hanael only has Sierra as a mother!”

She was a bright child, without a doubt.

‘No, how should I explain this…?’

Hanael, your mother is actually an archmage, and I don’t know who your father is. I’m just your aunt, who’s taking care of you for a while.

I would often tell her that as a child, but now I could not.

My sister, who is very busy with the tower, never came to see Hanael. Sierra sighed and stroked Hanael’s hair affectionately.

‘If only those little kids for not having a mother or father…’

If I tell her the truth now, it may cause her to be confused with her values. It even triggered Cassius’ misinterpretation of things…

This is all because of her.

Sierra once again blamed her sister for not being here while clenched her fist. Hanael then climbed onto her lap and whined.

“Hey, did you know you didn’t have a father?”

Sierra started at Hanael’s rosy cheeks.

It must be strange for her to see a man claiming to be her father. Hanael was always teased for being a child with no father.

When Sierra felt complex emotions, Hanael replied, with her smiley lips slanted down.

“That’s all right. Hanael doesn’t need a dad!”

Hanael was eating Kimchi stew in a bowl. Sierra nodded slowly with a sour expression.

‘No, my brother-in-law must be alive and well somewhere in the tower…’

I’m not certain, but I heard Henael’s father is the owner of the tower. My sister met him in the tower.

Well…

Both of them have hidden their daughter’s existence and are working on a secret mission that couldn’t be revealed.

Now that Hanael is five years old, their mission should be complete. Sierra coughed loudly and whispered affectionately to Hanael.

“Hanael.”

“Hm?”

“That man is not your dad. Do not even exchange words with him, understand?”

Hanael, with glistening eyes, dropped her head in a sulking manner. Sierra tapped Hanael’s chubby white bread-like arm.

“Okay?”

“…”

“Hanael, answer me.”

Hanael pouted her lips and bowed her head. The little girl grew up playful and cheerful, but nevertheless, she learned to give up easily.

“…I understand.”

She was very mature, even at this very moment.

“Well… Hanael knows. Mommy doesn’t like him.”

Sierra embraced the sullen Hanael. The child who learned to give up easily was heartbroken.

‘Unnie, just you wait. I’ll hit you.’

Then, she heard a sound. Sierra turned around, her eyes wide. A tall boy came in, approaching her while waving his hand.

“Abel, you’re here!”

Sierra raised her hand and waved at Abel.

“Sister!”

While Hanael grew up, the boy, who was in his early teens, also aged well. His body is about twice as big as Sierra’s.

Sierra shrugged, as she saw Abel walking toward her.

“Yes, Abel.”

“What the… what’s going on?”

Abel probably also saw knights camping outside the mansion. Perhaps that’s why he was looking at Sierra with a sour face.

“There are a lot of knights out there. What’s the matter? Do you happen to be…”

Sierra shook her head.

“I had a bit of a misunderstanding with someone from my past… I don’t know what’s going on.”

“The atmosphere was very strange. When he saw me entering your house, it was like he was ready to kill me…”

Abel shrugged.

“I brought an important letter.”

Abel had three letters in his hand. A red, blue and scarlet letter…

“They want to raise your monthly rent. For the pharmacy.”

“Oh…”

A Frown appeared on Sierra’s brows.

“There’s also a love letter.”

Sierra shook her head with a furrowed face.

‘A bunch of annoyances is appearing.’

“It’s not something I want to discuss in front of Hanael. Just leave it on my desk.”

Abel pressed Sierra’s red-hot eyes with his cold hands.

“Yes, and rest, sister.”

I was going to rest anyway.

“I wouldn’t have stayed up all night yesterday, but I’m working on a new medicine. I have work to do… I’ll just take a nap.”

Abel seemed to know Sierra was fragile. She was so overworked, but Abel had no say in the matter even if he thought so. Sierra lowered her voice and whispered,

“Yeah, and the problem outside… It’s because of Duke Cassius.”

“The Duke?”

Abel stared at Sierra in surprise. Sierra nodded and sighed.

“Yes, could you look into him as soon as possible?”

“As soon as possible? Um. I’m not going to go into full detail… but I’ll find out what he’s misunderstanding. I’ll be back in a day or so!”

“Yes. Be careful. I can never thank you enough.”

Sierra gave Abel a simple thank-you, looked at Hanael, who was standing next to her.

“Hanael.”

Hanael nodded with wide eyes.

“Why are you so kind today, Hanael?”

“Hanael is always kind!”

Sierra tucked her hands under Hanael’s arms and hugged her tightly to her chest. Hanael smiled and rubbed her face against Sierra’s collarbone.

“Let’s go to bed, okay, Hanael?”

“Okay!”

Abel, who was watching their happy moment, smiled and waved.

“Then I’ll be back after looking into him, sister!”

After Abel left, Sierra and Hanael brushed their teeth, wore matching pajamas, and slipped into bed.

‘Ha… Cassius Idios. What the hell is he thinking? It’s bothering me…’

Sierra kissed Hanael on the cheek and tried to forget her worries.

‘Around three hours until Abel gets here.’

It won’t take him long since he said he’d scrap the capital’s newspapers. In the meantime, I can just relax and organize my thoughts.

“Good night, Hanael.”

Sierra hugged Hanael then closed her eyes.

Perhaps because I had gone through so many things at once, I was drowned in my thoughts and drifted to sleep quickly.

***

I guess she was tired today. So Sierra was asleep for a long time. Hanael touched her sleeping mother’s eyes and soon drooped her shoulders.

‘Is it because of that bad man? Is that why you’re upset?’

For some reason, my mom looked very, very sad.

‘Was it the bad letter from earlier?’

Hanael hopped into her mother’s study. She usually locks it with a key. She locked it firmly today, too, but things were strange. Hanael reached for the handle, but the door turned blue and opened.

‘What is that light? Why did the door open?’

Hanael tilted her head and examined the door. Well, it’s good that the door is wide open.

Entering the room, Hanael searched for the letter her mother had read. Hanael, who found the letter sitting on the desk, nibbled her lips.

“You can either pay the rent or leave…?”

Hanael’s expression grew serious. As a five-year-old child, she was mature. Everyone knew she was good at speaking and reading. Her kindergarten teacher told her that she has the mindset of an adult. The old lady who came to the pharmacy also said she could become an adult if she slept five more nights.

So, Hanael understands well.

We’ll get kicked out of the pharmacy! We’d be beggars! I’m gonna… I’m gonna die with my mother!

Hanael looked down at the stack of letters with a serious expression.

“I-I need someone to help.”

Hanael tightly carried the pack of letters in her arms and went out the door.

The gate opened with a squeak. Hanael decided to find someone who can help her and her mother. Her kindergarten teacher immediately popped into Hanael’s head.

Since she remembered that her kindergarten teacher said that she was struggling too…

Who would be able to help her?

‘Hanael is almost an adult. I’m not a child. So I’ll act like an adult.’

After much consideration, she was able to step outside. The knight, who was guarding the mansion under Cassius’ order, asked Hanael with a friendly voice.

“Do you need anything?”

Hanael, who was looking at the knight, paused.

I need… something.

‘That bad man… is he rich?’

.

Hanael shouted loudly with spirit and courage, which was enough to make the knight flinch.

“You’re the bad man’s friend, aren’t you?”

“Bad man? Who do you…”

The white-faced knight tried to dissuade Hanael, but Cassius arrived first. He still stood near Sierra’s home.

He was waiting for her to appear.

Instead, his daughter Hanael appeared, not Sierra.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, sir…”

The knight stepped back hurriedly in surprise.

Who is Cassius Idios?

He did not have a hint of mercy when holding his sword. He made the greatest achievement ever in defeating the war against the beast, which people believed he would never win. He was a devilish winner in a hellish war that he thought he would die in. There were rumors that he killed his father, and that he was more of a beast than real beasts.

So, that is the Cassius Idios the knight recognizes…

He was so impudent that he could kill a little bean-sized child with a single swing of his word.

“Nothing, sir. It must have slipped this child’s tongue.”

The knight looked at Hanael in a hurry, but Cassius lowered his indifferent gaze toward Hanael. He wasn’t even interested in the knight, whose front teeth were chattering.

“Bad man.”

The knight, who was ignored by both, opened his mouth wide. Cassius, however, did not give a glance to the surprised knight. Instead, he called out the name of the small child in a friendly tone.

“Hanael.”

He didn’t mind dirtying his high-end clothes. Kneeling on one knee, he whispered affectionately to Hanael.

“Hanael, what’s the matter?”

Hanael glared at him. The bad man seems to know her name.

‘Dad… knows my name but hasn’t visited me for five years!’

Even more offended, she shouted, stomping her feet.

“I have something to say, bad man!”

Hanael opened her eyes in triangular shapes. She did not stutter like a child and clenched her fists firmly and beautifully.

So she looked threatening enough.

“Listen to me.”

Hanael glared at the bad man, who she believed hurt her mother. As Hanael expected, the bad man seemed to be very intimidated by her overbearing manner.

“Tell me, I’ll listen to anything you say.

Look at that. He’ll listen to anything I say!

‘We need help from this bad man!’

Hanael lifted the letters that she named, “Mother’s Worries No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.” Which she secretly took from her mother’s desk.

“Here. Take care of it! It’s too much for my mom!”

Hanael, who grasped her fist tightly and puffed her cheeks, recalled a very threatening and hard baguette.

A scary baguette that’ll break your front teeth if you sink your teeth into it.

“Answer, mister!”

Hanael shook her clenched fist with a hard face just like the scary baguette.