Cassel was not particularly surprised by the shocking statement. It was because he already had an assumption in his mind from the moment he heard that James Cutler had used the magic portal on the day in question.
However, he needed solid evidence to support that assumption.
After finishing the conversation, Cassel ordered to seek out the physician Anthony mentioned.
However, it was still too early to reveal that Count Dyke did not simply die from a horse riding accident but was intentionally murdered by someone.
He was worried that Riena might be shocked and collapse. Although he knew it was overprotective, Cassel wanted her to live without worry or sorrow in the safe place he had created.
He comforted Riena, who was waiting for his words.
“I will uncover the whole truth no matter what and make sure all those involved are punished.”
His eyes shone fiercely in the darkness.
“Including that man, Johannes.”
Riena, who had been listening quietly, carefully asked.
“Is there nothing I can do to help?”
“You just need to think about yourself.”
“I want to help too. It’s about my father after all, I can’t just leave it all to you.”
“Your matters are my matters. Besides, it’s also about the teacher I cherished more than my own family.”
“……”
Cassel continued to comfort her, saying there was nothing to worry about, and kissed her forehead. But Riena’s expression showed no signs of easing.
“Is there perhaps something else you want to say?”
“Yes, Cass.”
“I’m listening.”
“Are you sure there was really no other woman you loved besides me?”
Cassel let out an unintentional laugh. After making such a serious face, this was all she came out with.
He didn’t know the reason for such a question, but he found the jealous Riena simply adorable.
“As I’ve already told you, no. I swear to the goddess, you were the only one in my life. In the past, now, and in the future.”
“Cass, I’m really okay. So please tell me honestly.”
Cassel’s expression darkened. He smiled bitterly as he tucked Riena’s hair behind her ear.
“I don’t understand why you’re saying such things. Have I not given you enough assurance?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then was my expression of love lacking?”
Remembering the times she spent with Cassel, Riena blushed slightly. Far from lacking, it was a series of passionate nights that were overwhelming to keep up with.
“That’s not it either. You love me more than enough.”
“Then may I ask why you’re asking such a question?”
She knew she should stop here. She was already sufficiently happy, there was no need to open Pandora’s box.
No matter what the truth was, Cassel said he only loved her and acted accordingly.
But perhaps it was because of the recent events that had been mentally draining her. Riena couldn’t suppress the urge and finally asked.
“Who is the R that sent you a letter besides me?”
A terribly chilling silence descended upon the room where only the voices of the two could be heard before.
Riena looked up at Cassel’s face without averting her gaze.
She could clearly see with her own eyes how his blue eyes filled with surprise, and then slowly all the muscles in his face stiffened.
Cassel was a man who was very skilled at hiding his expressions and inner thoughts. Riena also often found it difficult to know what he was thinking.
But now she could tell for sure. Cassel was shaken far more than she had expected.
No denial about what she was saying came out of his mouth, nor any demand about how she knew.
Riena found his silence even more frightening. She wished he would say something, anything.
“Cass.”
“How…”
Cassel barely squeezed out his voice with a stiff face. In that short time, his voice had become rough and cracked.
“How did you know that?”
It wasn’t an accusing tone. Rather, the emotion in his voice was fear.
She would have preferred to be criticized instead.
Because Cassel’s current behavior seemed like someone who was anxious about a secret he wanted to hide being found out.
“I didn’t mean to look on purpose.”
“….”
“I discovered an interesting book while touring your bedroom and read it. I’m sorry for entering your room and touching your belongings without your permission. I’ve been to your room many times and thought that much would be okay between us.”
“….”
Ah, I wish you would just get angry.
Until just a moment ago, Riena was questioning Cassel as if reprimanding him, but now it felt like their positions were reversed.
Far from interrogating Cassel, she kept explaining as if she was the one being interrogated.
“I was curious that you believed in such a legendary story. The content was also so intriguing that I lost track of time reading it. Then I dropped the book….”
Riena closed her eyes tightly and whispered.
“The back cover of the book tore off, revealing an empty space. I found a letter inside it.”
“Did you read that letter?”
“…Yes.”
She rambled on as if making excuses.
“I must have been entranced by something then. Normally I wouldn’t have read someone else’s letter, but the letter seemed suspicious so I opened it without realizing. And….”
“….”
“I thought a lot. Just who was that woman to send you such a letter. Why did you ask that woman to run away together.”
“….”
“I can’t get those thoughts out of my head all day.”
She laughed self-deprecatingly.
“I had made up my mind to understand everything no matter what happened in the past and only focus on the present, but my heart won’t follow my will. I feel like I’ve lost to that woman I don’t even know.”
Only after saying that did Riena close her mouth. She still didn’t have the courage to face Cassel’s expression, so she kept her eyes closed.
Cassel didn’t say anything for a while. Only the sound of his irregular breathing lingered in her ears.
It was a cruelly long silence.
Finally breaking the silence, he spoke.
“I want to tell you that I’m not the recipient of that letter, but you probably wouldn’t believe me. You’d realize that there’s no other Duke of Winkler named Cassel if you look into it just a little.”
Riena couldn’t bring herself to say that she had already looked into that as well.
“I understand what you’re suspecting. I know there are many dubious parts just from looking at the letter. But….”
He grabbed Riena’s trembling hand tightly.
“Ria, I swear it’s not the kind of relationship you’re thinking of. That’s just…yes, it’s just a letter sent one-sidedly by a young lady who followed me around.”
“One-sidedly?”
“Yes. It has nothing to do with me. The talk of running away together too….”
He swallowed dryly.
“That young lady was just mistaken. Why would I say such a thing to anyone other than you. Moreover, I’ve always stayed only at the estate, so I rarely interacted with people from other families. Especially with women, I’ve met even less.”
“….”
“Everyone in the ducal family can testify to that. If you want, we can call Amy and ask her too.”
Riena shook her head.
“No, there’s no need to go that far.”
She didn’t want to doubt him any further when Cassel had said this much. Even if she called Amy now and interrogated her, she likely wouldn’t say anything different.
In any case, Amy was a child who had been with Cassel since a young age, so she would take his side over Riena’s.
Even if Cassel had a lover who was madly in love with him, Amy probably wouldn’t disclose it straightforwardly.
“I will tell you everything someday. But for now, there are many things that need to be resolved first. I will uncover all the truths related to the incident with my teacher and tell you everything.”
Only then did Riena open her eyes again. Cassel’s worried face filled her vision.
How could she doubt him further when he had such an expression?
She still had things she wanted to ask, like why he hid the letter sent by a young lady he had no relationship with so tightly. But Riena decided to wait for him.
“Alright.”
She changed the subject, unable to endure this topic any longer.
“By the way, did you look into the man I asked about? Jonathan Percy, I mean.”
As if understanding Riena’s heart, Cassel also readily participated in the change of topic.
“I just received a report a little while ago. First of all, Jonathan Percy is indeed an imperial knight as introduced to Bianca Belter.”
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
