TYWML 43

chapter 43

 Noah Lorraine (5)
2024.06.12

Cassel didn’t give a reply.
But Liena instinctively knew his answer was rather positive.

‘Come to think of it, just yesterday I was wondering why the cowardly Cass had suddenly changed so much.’

His demeanor now felt so different from before that she couldn’t quite warm up to him.

But now, she thought she understood.
Cassel’s personality hadn’t changed—he was simply suppressing everything about himself and trying to be perfect, as the head of a house responsible for many people.

Perhaps, beneath that hard exterior, the gentle Cass she remembered still existed.

“Cass…”

The name slipped out of Liena’s mouth, and Cassel flinched. Seeing his startled face, she gave him a sheepish smile.

“Is that too strange to call you now? I used to call you that when we were little.”

“……”

Liena kept stroking Noah’s hair as she glanced at Cassel.

“Whatever the reason, we’re going to be living as a married couple for the time being, so I thought it’d be fine. And… I’m also happy to see an old friend again after so long.”

But the relationship between them now was different from the “Cass” and “Liena” of the past.

Back then, she hadn’t even known Cass’s true identity—she just thought he was the son of her father’s close friend.

In truth, even if she had known about his family, it wouldn’t have changed much.
The eldest daughter of Count Dyke and the second son of Duke Winkler might have had a small gap in status, but they could still have spent time together freely.

Now, however, things were different.

After Count Dyke died and Aaron Dyke inherited the title and house, Liena’s position became ambiguous. She could no longer stay under the Dyke family’s roof without hesitation.

Meanwhile, ten years ago, when the former heir Asher Winkler died unexpectedly, Cassel suddenly became the successor.

He went from being a second son—whose role was merely to assist the heir, or at least not hinder him—to being the one responsible for the entire family.

And now, with the former duke gone, he was the full-fledged head of the house.

In normal circumstances, Liena wouldn’t have been able to even see a man like him.

‘I heard His Majesty was even trying to match him with the princess.’

Remembering what Madame Lachapelle had told her, Liena felt a pang of gloom.

“But if it’s too familiar a nickname, I’ll refrain from using it from now on.”

“No.”

Cassel finally spoke.

“It’s just that it’s been so long since anyone called me that name that I was a bit taken aback. Even I had almost forgotten it…”

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“It’s nice to hear.”

“Then, I…”

Liena’s voice rose in excitement before she caught herself—Noah flinched, and she quickly lowered her tone.

“…Then you can call me by my name too. Like when we were kids.”

Cassel’s lips parted slightly before he murmured softly:

“…Liena.”

“No, not that one.”

When they were children, Cass didn’t call her “Liena”—he used the pet name “Lia.”

Realizing what she meant, Cassel hesitated briefly before speaking again.

“…Lia.”

At that moment, Liena suddenly felt like crying.
Now she understood why Cassel had looked so startled when she called him “Cass.”

He, too, had missed hearing that name.

‘It’s been so long… this name.’

Only three people had ever called her “Lia”—Count Dyke, her childhood friend Raul, and Cass.

Perhaps her late mother had called her that as well, but the only ones she remembered hearing it from were those three.

Her stepmother, her stepsister Bianca, even her half-brother Aaron—none of them ever used it.

After Count Dyke’s death, she’d never been called by her pet name again. It hadn’t made her particularly sad at the time.

But the moment Cassel said “Lia,” she realized something—

She had missed it.

No—what she truly missed were the people who cared for her enough to call her that name, and the time she spent with them.

Those carefree days under her father’s protection, playing with Cass and Raul without a worry in the world.

Days when it didn’t matter if her skirts got grass-stained or if she tumbled down a hill and ended up covered in dirt.

Just that one little name, “Lia,” sent her deep into her memories.

“…Thank you. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard it too.”

“I’ll make sure to call you by it often from now on.”

Meeting his gaze directly, Liena smiled shyly.

“Then I’ll call you by yours a lot too.”

They both smiled at each other. Sunlight streamed in through the window—it was a wonderfully warm day.

“Father!”

Up until now confined to her room, Luisa Lorraine stormed into the marquis’s study, brimming with anger.

The marquis looked utterly unbothered, as if he had anticipated her intrusion.

Luisa immediately began shouting at him.

“How could you just let Noah go like that?! You should have done whatever it took to stop it! If Duke Winkler finds out about what’s been going on—!”

“He already knows.”

The marquis cut her off, his voice cool.

“…What?”

“He already knew about Noah’s situation. He came here knowing everything. Taking Noah wasn’t a request—it was an order.”

“How could he possibly…?”

“Must have been a rat in the house. Otherwise, how could the duke, who’s been cooped up in the North all this time, know the details of the Lorraine family’s affairs?”

Luisa flinched for a moment, then resumed yelling.

“You still should have stopped him! I’m rotting away here, and you’re letting him go live in Winkler? Absolutely not!”

“He said that if we refused to send Noah to the ducal house, he would officially bring the matter to light. Do you think we can afford to go up against House Winkler?”

“But still—!”

“Luisa Lorraine! Have some dignity. This is all your fault to begin with. After Asher Winkler’s death, you should have stayed there in Winkler. But you came running back to Lorraine, and this is the mess you’ve made!”

Luisa cried out in protest.

“But you were the one who told me to come back!”

“And here you are, blaming me again. How old are you, and you still expect me to indulge your tantrums?”

“But—!”

“Go back to your room. And no alcohol for a while. I can hardly bear the shame.”

Luisa wanted to argue further, but her father’s firm demeanor made her shrink back.
Though he appeared affectionate and fatherly to outsiders, Marquis Lorraine’s true temperament was far from gentle.

Clicking her tongue, Luisa stormed out of the study.

Still, her heart burned with hatred toward Winkler—especially toward Cassel Winkler, who she felt had stolen everything from her.

The carriage traveled on and on until they finally arrived at the Winkler estate.
Liena, who had been about to wake the sleeping Noah, stopped and looked at Cassel.

“Would you like to wake him?”

“…What?”

“You do want to get closer to him, don’t you?”

Liena had been quietly observing Cassel’s behavior toward Noah from the start.

She was certain he had been trying to gather the courage to approach him.

But when the boy reacted timidly and looked nervous, Cassel had stepped back again—likely to avoid frightening him.

Even on the way back to the estate, Cassel had glanced at Noah with a sorrowful expression, his fingers twitching or his arms slightly moving—as if he wanted to ruffle the boy’s hair.

Yet, despite his imposing exterior, Cassel had a surprisingly delicate side. He couldn’t quite bring himself to make the first move.

So Liena decided to give him a gentle push.

After a moment’s thought, Cassel brushed Noah’s hair and murmured:

“Noah, wake up. We’ve arrived.”

“Mmm…”

Noah rubbed his eyes. When he saw Cassel’s face in front of him, his eyes went wide.

Cassel licked his lower lip before asking:

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have a good dream?”

“Yes. I dreamed about an angel.”

“…An angel?”

Still drowsy, Noah gave a little smile.

“My sister was there, and you were there too…”

“…Me?”

“Yes! You were a cool knight angel who protected my sister angel!”

Liena bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud.

‘Looks like Noah doesn’t dislike Cass after all.’

He might be a little tense because of Cassel’s intimidating presence, but he wasn’t scared.

And if Cassel had appeared as an angel in Noah’s dream, that was certainly a good sign.

“I see… that’s good to hear. Let’s go inside then.”

Cassel got out of the carriage first, offering his hand to help Liena down. Then, looking at Noah, who was hesitating to get out on his own, he asked cautiously:

“Would it… be all right if I helped you down?”

Now fully awake, Noah flinched at the stiff tone.

Liena leaned toward Cassel and whispered:

“Try asking it a little more gently, like this: ‘May I help you down?’”

“…?”

“Hurry.”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Cassel cleared his throat and followed her suggestion.

“May I… help you down?”

Hearing the softer tone, Noah nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes!”

Cassel easily lifted the boy down to the ground. Noah’s eyes widened.

“Wow! You’re really strong!”

“Not ‘mister,’—it’s ‘uncle.’ You can call me uncle from now on.”

Liena whispered another correction.

“Say, ‘Call me uncle.’”