Chapter 32
“……”
The man was once again speechless at my words.
His eyes were full of dissatisfaction and annoyance as he looked at me.
But I didn’t back down. I furrowed my brows and glared back at him.
Just then, small footsteps sounded from inside.
“Dave, what’s wrong?”
“Young master.”
And then, it was him.
He had returned to his straw-colored hair, but I knew his real form.
The boy I suspected was Cassio.
He stepped closer to the man, and when he saw me, he flinched slightly. I waved my hand at him gently.
“Why are you here…?”
“Come eat with me! Sandwiches!”
I pointed at the tray as if introducing someone.
I couldn’t get inside the annex, but a table was set in the garden’s tea room.
After all, my goal wasn’t entering the annex—it was to find out the boy’s identity. The location didn’t matter.
Thanks to Elly and the female servant of the annex, various sandwiches were nicely laid out on the table.
The boy and I sat across from each other.
He didn’t look very happy, but I ignored that and pointed to the sandwiches, speaking brightly.
“This one’s ham, and this one’s salmon. I asked Aunt Helen to put a lot of cream cheese. Do you like salmon and cream cheese? I like both a lot.”
“No.”
“Then I’ll eat it all.”
Yes! I get to eat it all.
I slid the dish with the salmon sandwiches closer and cheered quietly in my mind.
I grabbed a sandwich in each hand and started eating at lightning speed.
Even before coming to the annex, my stomach had been crying out for food.
The boy watched me eat for a while, then picked up a piece of the ham sandwich.
He examined it carefully and took a tiny bite near the edge of the bread.
Luckily, he seemed to like it and didn’t put it down.
“Good?”
“……”
He chewed silently, but it seemed he enjoyed it.
That was fine. I could skip small talk and only get answers to my important questions.
It would be better if no one else was around for this.
I kept glancing at Elly and the servant a little distance away.
How could I send them away?
After thinking for a while, I came up with an idea.
I started pouring milk quickly into the glass.
Once it was empty, I could ask for more and send someone away again.
I alternated sandwiches and milk rapidly until the milk bottle was empty.
Smiling, I shook the last drops into the glass.
“I finished the milk. Please bring more.”
I held the empty bottle toward the servant standing next to Elly.
She nodded lightly, took the bottle, and hurried back inside.
Okay! One down. Next…
I wiped the sauce off my lips with my hand and stared at Elly, who was still standing nearby.
She would never allow me to be alone for long.
Then…
“Elly.”
“Yes?”
“I just thought, I want orange juice instead of milk. Tell him, please.”
“What? Ah…”
Elly hesitated and glanced at the boy quietly eating his sandwich.
She seemed to wonder if it was okay to leave us alone.
I panicked and started my little whining trick.
“Ellyee… I want it now! Hurry! Pleeease!”
I added a little cuteness too.
“Then… I’ll go quickly. But don’t go anywhere, okay? Really, really don’t leave?”
“Okay.”
“Promise, Miss.”
“Alright…”
I wondered if she really didn’t trust me, but she nodded obediently. She had seen me do reckless things before, so I just accepted it.
Once Elly quickly disappeared toward the mansion, I tossed my sandwich onto the table.
Then I covered my mouth with my hand and called the boy quietly.
“Hey.”
“……”
“Why aren’t you black-haired today?”
“……”
“That necklace… it changes your face, right?”
“……”
Even after asking back-to-back questions, the boy stayed silent. Frustrated, I pressed my lips together and exhaled deeply through my nose.
“What’s your name?”
I hated beating around the bush. I wanted him to answer directly.
“…I don’t want to tell you.”
Of course, he wasn’t easy.
I decided to go straight with the direct approach.
“You… are you Cassio Lubantié?”
If he wouldn’t say it, I had no choice but to ask directly.
And…
“……”
His reaction was quiet and clear.
With that surprised expression, it was basically admitting he was Cassio.
“Sigh… no point hiding it now. When we were together, you took off the necklace and returned to your original form.”
At my words, he gripped the silver necklace tightly.
Cassio looked anxious, so I changed my approach slightly.
“Okay, okay. You don’t have to say it. If it’s you, hold a sandwich; if not, hold milk.”
“……It’s me.”
“……”
I froze at his immediate answer.
He acted like he’d never speak, yet here he was confirming it.
Since I had started asking, I might as well ask everything I was curious about.
“But… why are you here?”
“The Duke of Erayton brought me.”
“Eh? Our dad? Why?”
“……”
“You don’t want to say?”
Cassio slowly nodded.
“Sigh…”
I leaned on the table, resting my chin on my elbows. So many questions, but he wouldn’t speak. The sandwich I just ate felt like it was sticking there.
“Alright. Anyway, I know you’re Cassio…”
“But why are you curious?”
“Huh?”
“You keep asking about me. Why?”
“Hmm…”
I was at a loss for words. How should I explain this?
I couldn’t say, Because you’re the original story’s main character, that’s why I’m interested.
Here, I had two options.
First: pretend I liked Cassio at first sight. That way, anything I asked could be blamed on childish crush curiosity.
Since we were only about five or six years old, later it could just be remembered as innocent childhood playfulness.
But I couldn’t accept that.
Why should I pretend to have fallen for the villain of the original story? My pride wouldn’t allow it.
Second… I could sacrifice a little and just say I wanted to be friends.
Well, more accurately, pretend to be pure. I was being very calculated before.
Ever since I remembered my past life at fifteen, I promised myself not to make friends with peers too early.
I kept that perfectly in the border village. Only Jesse, older and more mature, was accepted as a friend.
But Cassio had to be an exception.
Being close to him would reduce the risk to my neck later. Plus, as the original story’s protagonist, I could gain some indirect benefit.
Yes, all things considered, the second option seemed best.
If he refused… I’d just cling until he agreed.
Time to go for it.
“I want to be friends with you!”
