Chapter 16

Claudia felt helpless.

“I don’t like going to a convent, but I think it’s right to step out of here.”

Claudia was not dull. So it was quick to see what Douglas’ intentions were in pushing forward with the engagement. Douglas had no intention of publicizing his son’s death. Cassius Werner fought and died for his country. It was an honorable death, but that would be it. The royal family gave a small reward to the Marquis Werner and was more likely that Douglas may adopt from the collateral.

However, it was difficult to maintain the current Werner marquis family with that alone. The kingdom of Parrotia has a strong tendency to inherit firstborn. Therefore, the treatment of those who were of the enemy and those who were not of the enemy were distinctly different. After all, there is more to be lost in announcing Cassius’ death.

‘I’ve heard of it once in the capital.’

A long time ago, hands were precious. So, in preparation for losing an heir, it is said that among the high- ranking aristocratic families, a shadow was raised to replace the heir. It was the so- called substitute. Claudia had been brought in by Douglas, a man resembling Cassius, for such a role, she guessed that Douglas is Cassius’s father, but before that, he was the head of the Marquis Werner family. Like most of the heads of aristocratic families living in this era, Douglas would have had to think about whether or not to continue his family first. So, even if it hurts, he would have had no choice but to put off his son’s death and the subsequent sadness.

“Haa.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t think about pretending not to know anything, closing my eyes and marrying the fake. But I didn’t like it. For the sake of personal convenience, I did not want to bury the few good memories forever.

“Casius. I’ll always be loyal to you. I’ll replace it with this to say thank you, which I haven’t been able to say for the past 10 years.”

To remember him alone who will disappear forever from the world. That was the loyalty she kept to the real Cassius. Claudia swallowed down the heavy sigh that was about to burst out again, and deliberately spoke to herself in a spirited manner.

“Let’s leave early tomorrow. Marquis Douglas will find it reprehensible, but it’s not a nice farewell, so it’s best to leave quietly.”

I extinguished the candle and lay down on the bed. As if a pendulum was hung from the eyelashes, both eyes moved.

It was cold. “I’m tired…….”

Claudia thought that her body must have been tired from not sleeping well last night and from running around diligently since early this morning. But even with my eyes closed, I couldn’t fall asleep. Consciousness flickered as if the light was blinking repeatedly.

Wheein.

In a dream, Claudia heard a sound through the air. It was the sound of a long, cool breeze passing from the window to the entrance of the room as the door opened.

‘Looks like a maid came in.’

To check her bedroom sometimes, a maid would come in. Just in case, she should wake up quietly, she can hear the killing footsteps  and feel the presence of the person approaching the bed. Because of this, Claudia didn’t doubt that it was a maid. Both eyes were still open. She tossed and turned to her right side. And fell asleep again. And when she came to her senses again, she felt strange.

‘Is it soft??

There was a soft bedding that touched her back again.

“Did I toss and turn again?”

But as soon as I thought about it, more breath came out.