Cassel did not answer that. However, Riena instinctively felt that his response was quite positive.

‘By the way, until just yesterday, I wondered why the cowardly Cas had changed his personality like this.’

Cassel’s appearance, different from before, was unfamiliar and difficult to get attached to.

But now she seemed to understand. Cassel’s personality hadn’t changed. As the head of the family responsible for many people, he was suppressing everything about himself and trying to be perfect.

Perhaps inside that hard exterior was the delicate Cas that Riena remembered.

“Cas.”

Cassel flinched at the name Riena courageously uttered. Seeing his surprised face, Riena smiled awkwardly.

“Is this form of address a bit much? I used to call you that when we were young.”

“…”

Riena continued to stroke Noah’s head while watching Cassel’s reaction.

“Whatever the reason, we’ll be living as husband and wife for a while, so I thought this much would be fine. And I’m also happy to meet an old friend again after a long time…”

However, the current relationship between the two was different from that of Riena and ‘Cas’ in the past.

In the past, she didn’t know Cas’s status and only thought of him as the son of her father’s close friend.

In fact, even if she had known Cas’s family, it wouldn’t have made much difference. The first lady of the Count Dyke family and the second son of the Duke Winkler family could mingle freely despite the slight difference in status.

But now it’s different.

After Count Dyke died and Aaron Dyke inherited the title and family, Riena’s position became ambiguous. She could no longer rely on the Dyke family without hesitation.

On the other hand, Cassel suddenly became the heir after Asher Winkler, who was the heir 10 years ago, died.

He went from being a second son who adequately assisted the eldest son, or was fortunate enough not to hinder him, to being in charge of the family in an instant.

Now that even the previous duke had passed away, he was a proper head of the family.

Originally, Riena would have been a man she couldn’t even dream of.

‘In fact, I heard that His Majesty the Emperor tried to match the Duke with Her Highness the Princess.’

Riena recalled the story Madame La Chapelle had told her and became depressed.

“But if it was too casual a form of address, I’ll refrain from using it in the future.”

“No, it’s not that.”

Cassel finally opened his mouth.

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

He smiled slightly.

“It sounds nice.”

“Then I too…!”

Riena unknowingly raised her voice, then lowered it when she felt Noah flinch.

“Please call me by my name too. Like when we were young.”

Cassel’s lips moved, then he murmured softly.

“…Riena.”

“No, not that one.”

When they were young, Cas didn’t call her ‘Riena’, but by the nickname ‘Ria’.

Seeming to understand what Riena meant, Cassel hesitated a bit before speaking again.

“Ria.”

At that moment, Riena suddenly felt like she might cry. She finally understood why Cassel was surprised when he was called ‘Cas’.

He too had been missing this name very much.

‘It’s been a long time, this name.’

There were exactly three people who called her ‘Ria’. Count Dyke, her childhood friend Raoul, and Cas.

Perhaps her birth mother had also called her that, but these three were the only people she actually heard the name from.

Neither her stepmother nor her stepsister Bianca, not even her half-brother Aaron with whom she shared blood, called her ‘Ria’.

After Count Dyke died, Riena was never called by her nickname again. That fact wasn’t particularly sad.

But the moment the nickname Ria came out of Cassel’s mouth, she realized.

In fact, she had missed that name very much.

No, what she missed was probably the time when she was with those who cared for her enough to call her by that name.

That time when she played with Cas and Raoul without any worries, under her father’s protection.

Those days when she wasn’t scolded even if her skirt was stained with grass or her whole body became dirty from rolling down the hill.

Just with the name Ria, Riena was lost in memories.

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

“I’ll call you that often from now on.”

Riena looked straight into Cassel’s eyes as he spoke and shyly replied.

“I’ll call you often too.”

Riena and Cassel smiled at each other. It was a very warm day with sunlight pouring through the window.

“Father!”

Louisa Lorraine, who had been confined to her room until now, burst into Viscount Lorraine’s office, full of anger.

The Viscount seemed to have already anticipated her sudden intrusion and remained calm.

Louisa began to confront him vehemently.

“How could you send Noah away like that! You should have stopped it by any means! If Duke Winkler finds out about what’s been happening…!”

“He already knows.”

The Viscount cut off his daughter’s words coldly.

“…What?”

“He knew everything about Noah’s circumstances. He came knowing it all. He didn’t propose to take Noah, he unilaterally informed us.”

“How on earth…”

“There must have been a rat in the mansion. Otherwise, how could the Duke, who had been confined to the North until now, know about the Lorraine family’s situation?”

Louisa, who had flinched for a moment, continued to shout.

“Still, you should have stopped it! I can’t let that child live in Winkler while I rot away here! Aaargh!”

“If we didn’t send Noah to the Duke’s family, he said he would formally raise this issue. How could I stop it? Do you think we can stand against the Winkler family?”

“Even so!”

“Louisa Lorraine! Mind your manners. You were the problem to begin with. You should have held out at Winkler even after Asher Winkler died, instead of quickly returning to Lorraine, causing this mess!”

Louisa cried out as if wronged.

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

“Are you blaming me again? How old are you that I still have to put up with your tantrums?”

“But still!”

“Go back to your room. And no alcohol for a while. I can’t live with the shame.”

Louisa tried to argue more, but her spirit was broken by the Viscount’s firm attitude. Viscount Lorraine, who appeared domestic and affectionate to outside eyes, actually didn’t have such a good personality.

Louisa left the office with a ‘tch’ sound.

However, hatred for Winkler, especially Cassel Winkler who had taken everything from her, still remained in her heart.

The carriage drove on and on until it arrived at the Winkler mansion. Riena was about to wake up Noah, who had been sleeping until then, but looked at Cassel instead.

“Would you like to wake Noah up?”

“…Pardon?”

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

Riena had carefully observed Cassel’s attitude from the moment he first saw Noah.

He clearly tried to approach Noah, mustering up courage.

But when the child showed a frightened and intimidated appearance, he distanced himself again. It must have been an action to be considerate of Noah.

Even on the way back to the mansion, Cassel would sadly look at Noah, wiggling his fingers or twitching his arm.

Presumably, he wanted to stroke Noah’s head, which resembled his brother’s.

But Cassel, who had a surprisingly fragile side contrary to his outward appearance, couldn’t bring himself to approach Noah first.

So Riena decided to give him a little, just a little push.

Cassel thought for a moment, then stroked Noah’s head and whispered.

“Noah, let’s wake up. We’ve arrived.”

“Mmm.”

Noah, who was rubbing his eyes, opened them wide as soon as he saw Cassel’s face in front of him.

Cassel moistened his lower lip with his tongue tip and asked.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have a good dream?”

“Yes. I dreamed about an angel.”

“An angel?”

Noah, still not fully awake, smiled broadly.

“Elder sister was there, and mister was there too…”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Mister was a cool knight angel protecting elder sister angel!”

Riena bit her lip to hold back the laughter that was about to burst out.

‘It seems Noah doesn’t dislike Cas after all.’

It seemed that he was just a little tense because of the unusual atmosphere Cassel gave off, but he wasn’t scared or frightened.

Rather, the fact that Cassel appeared as an angel in his dream was positive news.

“I see, that’s good then. Shall we go in?”

Cassel got out of the carriage first, then took Riena’s hand and escorted her. Then he carefully asked Noah, who was hesitating, unable to get down by himself.

“Um… May I help you down?”

Noah, now awake, flinched at that stiff voice and manner of speaking.

Riena whispered in his ear.

“Ask ‘Can I help you down?’ in a softer tone like this.”

“…?”

“Hurry.”

Cassel cleared his throat awkwardly, then imitated Riena.

“Can I… help you down?”

Noah nodded at the slightly softened voice.

“Yes!”

When Cassel lightly lifted the child and set him down on the ground, Noah’s eyes widened.

“Wow. Mister, you’re really strong!”

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

Riena whispered another correction.

“Call him ‘uncle’.”