Before the commotion at the arena could get any bigger, I hurriedly brought Cassadin back to the mansion.
For some time now, Father has been staring at Cassadin with a shocked expression. Hed been this way ever since he realized that the winner of the event was Cassadin.
Father had been silent throughout our trip back to the mansion, and as soon as we arrived, he massaged his temples with his hand and started to speak with a voice that clearly expressed he was holding back his anger.
I cant understand anything that had transpired. Its all too confusing.
I am sorry, Sir.
Cassadin politely bowed to Father and responded to him. After staring at Cassadin with narrowed eyes for some time, Father suddenly turned to me and asked.
Aren, did you know of this as well? That Cassadin was participating?
No, I didnt know either, Father.
I see. I feel as though Im in a nightmare right now. Why did you enter the fighting competition after telling us that you were going to resolve the problems with your own hands?
I will explain everything, Sir.
Father turned back to Cassadin with eyes full of utter confusion.
Of course, you have to. You will need to tell me everything from start to end. No, shall I now speak formally to you? Youve become a Marquess now.
I massaged Fathers shoulders and changed the subject as I saw he was feeling quite upset at the moment.
But its still a relief that we were able to find Cassadin like this. And he said that he would tell us everything. In that sense, why dont we have supper together for the first time in a while?
Fathers eyes narrowed once more before he reluctantly nodded his head.
Cassadins body is reeking of blood. Go wash yourself first and come to the dining room. And that black hair.. Wait, I should call you, Sir, now. Sigh, I dont know anymore. This is all giving me a headache.
Father grimaced and waved one of his hands to shoo us away. I grabbed onto Cassadins hand and spoke up before Fathers mood worsened any further.
Ill go guide Cassadin to his room.
What was the Grand Duke even thinking, making us watch that event
I felt Cassadins hands tense after hearing Fathers last words. When I looked up at him, surprised by the sudden pressure, he loosened his grip as if nothing had happened.
Cassadin complied with my efforts to drag him to his room. I opened the doors to his room, which was located on the second floor. Though Cassadin had left our family, his belongings in the room had been kept just as they had been before.
So that he could come back at any time. I had purposefully ordered the servants to keep everything as is.
The servants will come with warm water when you pull the rope next to the bed. Take your time with the bath. Tell us the details once youre ready.
Alright, Ill do that.
Cassadin continued to be obedient to my orders. Smiling softly in response to his satisfactory attitude, I detached our linked hands.
There were many questions I wanted to ask Cassadin, but it was a priority for him to take a bath and recover first.
Just as I was about to turn around and head to Father, Cassadin grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards himself.
Clack. The doors to Cassadins room closed. As soon as they closed, Cassadin locked me in his arms. He wrapped his muscular, veiny arms around my shoulders.
Embracing me from behind, Cassadin buried his head into my shoulder. I flinched when I felt his breath tickle my skin, which caused a light sigh to escape his mouth.
Cassadin?
I turned my head to look at Cassadin. What I found was not his original silver hair but his black locks.
When my gaze traveled further down and met with his purple irises, Cassadin used his other hand to grab my chin.
And in one continuous movement, he tilted his head and collided his lips with mine. Or had attempted to do so, to be exact. That was if it hadnt been for my hand that blocked his way.
Pap!
Covering Cassadins intrusive lips with both of my hands, I declared to him firmly.
No.
When I shook my head, telling him no, Cassadin smiled with his eyes and licked my hand. Feeling his moist tongue against my hand made me feel so ticklish that I had to pull my hands away.
I glared at Cassadin disapprovingly, which then caused him to speak to me in a hurt tone.
Why cant I? Youve allowed me to yesterday.
Cassadin said those words with such an innocent expression that I was at a loss for words.
Was it just my feeling that Cassadin had become cheekier while he had been gone?
Yesterday had been late at night when everyone was asleep, and its suppertime right now.
And?
He asked if that mattered at all. Gripping my forehead with a hand, I whispered to him in a small voice as if we were currently talking about a secret.
Cassadin, we were siblings not long ago. Though it was just through documents, and we arent related by blood.
But what do you think will happen if Father learns of this? Hes already upset enough over the fact that you participated in that competition.
Father already had plenty on his plate to worry about, so if he learned that me and Cassadin were in this sort of relationship, even I would have collapsed from shock if I were Father.
Cassadin had fallen into deep thought at my insistence and then looked back up at me with squinting eyes.
So, are you suggesting right now.. that we keep our relationship a secret?
Yes. There isnt a single person in this empire that doesnt know we were once siblings, so it will do us no good anyway for us to reveal our relationship to the others at the moment.
And the Emperor would find it strange as well. Besides, we werent even in an official relationship at the moment. After hearing the last statement that I added, Cassadins expression was etched with pure shock.
Are you just trying to abandon me now that youve tamed
Pap!
Surprised by the words that left Cassadins mouth, I quickly clapped my hands over his mouth once more.
Dont say that. Theres no possible way I would abandon you.
When I scolded him with a slightly angry tone, Cassadin slicked my hair with his hand and laughed quietly. It was only then that I realized that he had just teased me.
Immediately after realizing that I was completely played by Cassadin, my face started to heat up uncontrollably.
This little fox.
When I withdrew my hands from his mouth, Cassadin smiled gently at me and started to speak.
Let us do so if that is what you want. For the time being, our relationship will be a secret.
But I do want to tell you this one thing. You may not know it, but Ive been holding back so much all this time. You wouldnt even be able to imagine just how much I have held back.
His smile disappeared suddenly, and Cassadin added on with an icy voice.
Id been painfully troubled every time those worthless little gnats tried to approach you.
After saying that, Cassadin glared ferociously at the bedroom doors.
Then, when I stared up at him, he concealed his glare and replaced it with a gentle smile, as if it had never been there before.
What brought you to the arena today?
So it must have been that man who gave you those tickets.
The man to whom Cassadin was referring to right now was most definitely Damian.
Yeah.
Hearing my answer, Cassadin sighed deeply, then muttered in a chilly tone.
I should have just killed him on the spot.
I shook my head ferociously after hearing that. If Cassadin had killed Damian in that arena, then it was obvious that he would have received severe opposition even after winning.
It was a rule in the fighting competition that the contestants would not be held responsible for their killings, but that changed if the subject in question was the Grand Duke.
Had the article with the headline Winner who mercilessly killed the Grand Duke after he collapsed from illness, the gladiator slave who killed Damian. been published, Damians underlings would have definitely started to move.
As a person who was only capable of seeing other people as tools, Damian was incredibly proficient at manipulating others. Maybe that was the reason he had that many people under his control.
It was just that the only person he kept close to was Kindel. If it were including those who were unconditionally loyal to Damian, there were so many that it would be impossible to count.
Since there were many who wouldnt hesitate to get their hands dirty for his sake, Cassadin killing Damian would have led Cassadin to an unfortunate fate in one way or another.
Either they would have spread all sorts of ill rumors about Cassadin in the shadows or used the fact that he had once been a slave to lock him up in prison.
Not to mention that, though the Emperor did not particularly like Damian, he was still the nephew of the Emperor. Even though Damian was half-blooded, Cassadin would not have been able to avoid repercussions for killing someone who was part of the imperial family.
And the Emperor also would have put the responsibility on Cassadin for killing Damian instead of rewarding him.
So, it was the right decision for Cassadin not to kill Damian.
Why did you participate in the competition without telling me?
In response to my question, Cassadin pecked his lips against my cheek and instead asked me a question.
Why do you think I did such a thing?
I thought about why Cassadin would have done that.
Cassadin did say that he left the family because he didnt want to stay as my sibling, but what could he gain from participating in the fighting competition? Even bothering to mention that he was a slave while he did so.
Seeing me fall into deep thought with a serious expression, Cassadin smiled as he gave me a hint.
Do you remember what I had said before?
What did you say?
I said we would be together forever.
How could I forget that?
It had been the words that he had said to the Crown Prince when I had been speaking with him in the rose garden right after Damian collapsed in the palaces banquet hall.
Because my sister will be with me forever.
I remember.
Hearing that, I remembered Cassadin beaming with joy. Seeing him smile brightly like a child also caused me to smile with him.
I will never let you become the wife of another.
His voice seemed to be resonating from the depths of the sea. When I stared up at him after withdrawing my smile, he gently caressed my cheek with his large hand as he continued.
I want these clear, blue eyes to contain me and only me. I hate that others are able to gaze at you. It is to the point where I want to pluck out all of their eyes and burn their memories about you to ashes.
After hearing the possessiveness ooze out of his voice, I placed my hand over his muscular arm and opened my mouth.
Cassadin.
When I spoke his name, Cassadin tilted his head slightly in my direction and waited for my next words.
You dont need to do that. Who I love
Smiling softly, I gazed at him directly in the eyes.
is none other than you.
Cassadin quietly buried his face back into my shoulder. His breath tickled the skin of my name once more.
Someone might come in and see us if you stay like this.
I pushed at Cassadins arms against his attempt to keep me locked in them.
First, go wash yourself and come down to the dining room.
In response to that, Cassadin let me go with an extremely reluctant expression.
Ill see you in a little bit.
I then tried to turn and leave his room, but Cassadin hurriedly grabbed onto my wrist again. He shook his head, gazing at me with eyes that were begging me not to leave.
No.
With a sad expression, Cassadin slowly let go of my wrist. Feeling that I might be swept around by Cassadin if I stayed in his room for any longer, I ran out of his room like I was escaping from him.
Clack.
Wait. I think I was already swept around by him.
Ironically, I didnt hate that I was trapped in such a way by Cassadin. If I really hadnt liked it, I would have pushed him away long ago.
The Cassadin that had once bared his fangs at me against his kind nature no longer existed. It was now only the Cassadin who honestly expressed his desires and thoughts that was left here.
I found it fascinating that Cassadin was continuously charging at me with his desires, to the point that I wondered how he had held back until now. Since when have I actually fallen for him? But that didnt matter anymore.
Not liking him had been impossible from the start. It hadnt been part of my predictions, but it had already been fated to happen.
So we are both insane.
A faint smile appeared on my face.
After leaving Cassadins room, I let out a sigh of relief for not getting caught by anyone.
But it had just been a moment after I let out that sigh when I realized I felt a presence nearby.
Dont tell me, did someone overhear our conversation?
Since we had done everything right in front of Cassadins bedroom door, it was reasonable to suspect that someone had overheard it. But if someone had been eavesdropping, wouldnt Cassadin have told me?
Bringing both of my hands up to my chest, I walked towards where I sensed the presence.
If I hadnt heard wrong, the footsteps had come from the direction of my room.
Who is it?
Feeling my heart starting to beat anxiously, I placed my hand on the doorknob of my room.
Clunk!
And after opening my doors wide open, I couldnt help but have my eyes widen in surprise at who was standing there.