Chapter 33
However, Claudia knew that Cassius was listening to her. Staring at the back of him standing still, she continued to slowly recall old memories.
“I was… so awkward and boring that day. My father said that Cassius would be my future husband and took me to greet him, but he didn’t seem interested in me.”
She smiled forlornly. Cassius didn’t seem interested in her. He didn’t seem to understand why he was drawn to this place. In the torch of grown- ups, snobby expressions and tone.
After briefly introducing her name, she read the thick book again. Claudia was embarrassed. She fiddled with the hem of the green frill dress that her mother had made for her, saying that she had to look pretty. It had been a long time since she had eaten all the cookies and muffins the attendants had brought. The adults were having a difficult conversation and couldn’t intervene. She had no other peers, but it was because she was not in Cassius’ mind. It was only once or twice that he spoke first out of boredom, but more than half did not get an answer. She felt sad and bored at the prospective fiancé’s indifference.
In the meantime, she heard that Douglas had a hound on standby in the backyard.
“When my parents were alive, I once raised a white puppy at Earl Jaylen’s house. The puppy followed me very much and would come running to me and lick my cheek if I stretched out my hand. When I was young, I thought all dogs were like that. Because of that, I thought it was right for Douglas- sama’s boast. It’s much better to play with a dog than beside a boring peer, I thought.”
Little Claudia didn’t say anything to the two grown- ups who were chatting away and quietly headed to the hunting dog’s place.
Since noble mansions usually have a similar structure, it was not too difficult to find the way to the back garden. But it was her mistake to sneak away like that.

“As Mr. Douglas said, there was a big dog the size of me in the backyard. He had black hair… He barked fiercely when he saw me as a stranger. I remember being hostile, baring my teeth and drooling. Perhaps it was because she was startled by that aggression… The attendant lost the leash she was holding on to.”
She was terrified of the dog that was terrifyingly running towards her with the white of his eyes white and ready to bite the young Claudia.
She cried out and sat down on the spot, closed her eyes and covered her head with her hands as small as maple leaves. But the pain she expected did not come.
“Ugh..ugh. Are you okay?”
Someone was hugging her as if covering her. Claudia slowly opened her eyes at the sound of her fast beating heart and the worried question mixed with moans from nearby. Brilliant golden hair first caught her eye. The one holding her as if to protect herself from the hounds was a young boy of similar size to her. A fishy smell came a beat late.