Chapter 4

“I told Claudia to come down! If you leave like this, what will the child do!”

“Why didn’t you rather adopt her as an adopted daughter? Couldn’t she, too, have wanted that more than being the bride of a man like me who never knew when would die?”

I felt as if the bitter silence had coiled itself like a snake. Claudia instinctively realized.

‘Casius Werner wished for this engagement to never be.’

The butler, who was glancing at her complexion, coughed briefly. “Miss Claudia Jaylen has arrived.”

At the butler’s words, the two arguing men stopped and looked back at Claudia. Douglas greeted her with delight.

“Claudia!”

“I’m glad to see you in good health.”

Claudia forced a smile. Realizing where her gaze was going, Douglas continued hastily.

“This is my son and your fiance, Cassius.”

It’s a hazy memory, but they had met before they were engaged, when Claudia was eleven or twelve. Shortly before her father, Earl Jaylen, died, she never brought her here.

Claudia lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and knelt.

“This is Claudia Jaylen. Long time no see, Cassius.”

She smiled lightly in delight. However, as if the memories had been glorified over time, Cassius’ face didn’t have any memories of his childhood left.

“It’s a first impression. Have we ever met before?”

Cassius’s answer is that like a cold wind blowing the road and was brisk.

‘I guess you don’t remember…’

It was such a short moment, so it was worth it.

However, there is nothing I can do about the permeating embarrassment there was. She smiled awkwardly, but her expression was more awkward than ever.

“Then I’ll go, I hope you’ll like your stay.”

“Casius Werner!”

Douglas raised his voice. However, Cassius did not pretend to hear and pulled his hat down. Claudia lightly grabbed him by the sleeve as he tried to pass. Fortunately, Cassius stopped walking. Claudia said with a slight smile.

“Excuse me, can I accompany you for a walk? I think it would be better in many ways to learn the geography of this place.”

Cassius dark, incomprehensible darkly  looked down at her with his eyes.

“On the way out, I will tell the attendant to entrust you with your guidance.”

“Casius?”

“I mean, it’s going to be difficult. Now I am on my way to the battlefield.”

“What do you mean?”

Claudia’s mask, which pretended to be Taeyeon, was broken. she asked in a voice as confused as her flickering eyes.

“Are you saying that you are going to participate in the war against Gibelin right now?”

Cassius nodded. Claudia tightened her grasp on his clothes.

“No.”

“Lady Claudia.”

“No, Cassius. Do not go.”

She looked up at him with very desperate eyes and grabbed him again. Cassius Werner was a weak man. If such a person participated in the war, the probability of returning as a cold corpse was higher than the probability of returning alive.

“Please, please don’t go. Cassius.”

There was concern in her voice. Even if not affectionately, Claudia was always concerned about him. To a fiancé she haven’t seen in a long time.