Chapter 43: Chapter 23.1

What did he do?

Cassian didn’t swear at all.

He just said the word “Ah” just now.

Is that something to die for?

“Yernia.”

“Well…”

Seria stopped Cassian from going to Yernia.

“Good-looking boys should be worthy of their faces.”

Seria had a hobby of collecting branches as a child.

She tapped Cassian on the head with the branch she was holding.

“What are you doing? Put that away from me.”

“Yena, do you want me to peel all his skin? I can do it for you.”

“Ha? what are you saying?”

Cassian’s face drastically darkened.

If adults could just understand when their children are in a fight, they wouldn’t be laughing at Seria’s words.

Did you know that if my brother were here, he would have fought you?”

***

“This is frustrating.”

Cassian kicked his quilt and stood up from his seat.

A cool breeze came through the open window, but he still felt suffocated.

Why did she cry?

Yernia’s behavior continued to bother him when he rode the sailboat with the Cilliard Family.

+++

Cassian hated to see Yernia feeling so down that she couldn’t even bring herself to show her face to him.

All she did was say sorry.

Cassian went to the door without changing into a new set of clothes.

His mother had taught him to change his pajamas as soon as he left the room, but he didn’t care.

He didn’t have the mind to worry about something as trivial as that.

The Duchess of Lecardo was dead, so that no one would scold him for that.

Cassian suddenly realized that night had fallen as he walked down the hall.

“Where is that girl’s room?”

It wasn’t like he was interested.

After being cooped up alone in his room, Cassian had finally explored the mansion independently, but he still couldn’t figure out where Yernia’s room was.

Turning away from the moonlight, Cassian went down the stairs without knowing the location of Yernia’s bedroom.

He trusted that he would find it soon and then see her.

The Cilliard’s had given him the guest room, so maybe, Yernia was on another floor.

As he turned to another hallway, Cassian saw a sliver of light from the kitchen, and he headed to the front door right away to check it out.

‘Was it a thief?’

He was too arrogant for his good.

Unafraid, eight-year-old Cassian entered the kitchen without hesitation.

“Nom.Nom.Nom. Delicious~”

Cassian witnessed a small body crouching in front of an open cupboard next to the counter.

She sat on the ground with her back to the door while she sobbed in front of teddy bears on little chairs scattered around the candlelight.

Staring at the pink-haired girl in the darkness, Cassian entered the kitchen quietly and asked. “What are you doing?”

She hadn’t heard anyone come in.

Yernia looked over her shoulder, horrified.

Cassian’s eyes widened when he saw Yernia’s face covered with chocolate.

“WAAH!”

Cassian should have been more surprised than her, but Yernia had reacted like she was the one who almost got a heart attack.

Yena covered her mouth with her hands before she could scream.

The Countess had warned her that sweets, especially chocolate, are harmful to the body, and she forbade her from eating them more than once a month.

That was why Yernia would often hunt the kitchen secretly so that she could eat them.

Today was the first time someone had caught her.

“Go away, little duke.”

Yernia gulped down another scream, and Cassian’s face crumpled at sight.

Was she scared to see him there?

Well, Cassian wouldn’t be playing fair either.

Why was she so surprised that he hadn’t threatened her or said anything yet?

“I thought you were a stray cat.”

He couldn’t see what Yernia had eaten because she was far away from him.

It must have been strange because her mouth was covered in black goo.

Also, the candlelit kitchen was a little dark.

Cassian came a little closer and glanced down at Yernia’s feet.

It was all chocolate.

“Well, I was just going to taste one.”

When Cassian’s gaze fell on the chocolate bar in her hand, Yernia quickly hid it behind her back.

“Right.”

“It was so delicious that I didn’t even notice—-”

‘What am I supposed to do?’ Yernia asked herself as Cassian watched her with a disapproving frown.

Restless under his intense scrutiny, Yernia pointed out the obvious. “—but this is my house! I can do whatever I want.”

She blushed in chagrin.

Why was she even making an excuse in front of a guest?

Mama had banned her from eating chocolate, and only the people of Cilliard Mansion knew about that.

“Did you just find that out, Yena?”

“What? Oh! I guess I was surprised for no reason.”

Cassian was the guest.

Not her.

What was she even afraid of?

“Phew.” Yernia let out a relieved sigh.

Cassian noticed that her pink pajamas were as dirty as her face.

Unfortunately, she had no idea about it.

Yernia opened the box and nibbled at the chocolate again.

“Oh! This is the taste!” Yernia wiped away her tears with her sticky hands as she devoured the chocolate.

Cassian stared at the girl in confusion. “Why are you crying while eating?”

“The chocolate had a tearful taste.”

“That taste doesn’t exist, Yena.”

“’ I mean… the food is so delicious it makes you cry.”

Chocolate is nothing.

Cassian had never eaten it so he couldn’t sympathize.

Did Cassian know about it?

Yernia thought she had committed a perfect crime, but she was still so surprised she almost made a sound.

She glanced at him for a moment and inconspicuously moved her hips.

He seemed to find her ridiculous for eating chocolate.

Maybe, she could use this aversion as a shield against him.