Missing Cinderella

Leonard said in a high-pitched voice, “You are alone in this broad daylight without letting me know.” 

“…” 

“Are you going out? No, do you think you could even get out?” 

Leonard had an expression showing he couldn’t understand Siella’s sudden change of attitude overnight. He also seemed to think that he was very qualified to ask for the reason. 

Siella found Leonard’s behavior just ridiculous and absurd. It also gave her goosebumps. 

“How did you know?” 

To pretend in front of someone who already knows is useless. Siella just asked him directly and without hesitation. 

“Don’t tell me, you’ve been keeping an eye on me.” 

“What do you mean keeping an eye?” Leonard said that Siella’s suspicions are unfounded. “I merely assigned personnel for your own safety.” 

For Siella’s fear that Kyle would come, and on behalf of her fiancé who doesn’t understand her fear – Leonard ordered some of the escort knights he brought from the Duchy to protect Siella without leaving their eyes even for a moment. For she was a valuable investor that would soon bring him vast wealth. 

“For my safety?” 

“What else is there?” 

Although it was revealed that he had done it without asking for her consent, Leonard had a confident attitude as if he was asking what was wrong with it. For a moment, Siella was speechless and didn’t know where to start nor how she should point it out for him. 

Taking advantage of that moment, Leonard spoke, “Now that I answered your question, it’s your turn to answer mine.” With an unchanging confident attitude, he demanded Siella, “Answer me.” 

“…”

“Tell me why you had a change of heart and tried to go out alone in a carriage without my knowledge.” Leonard was asking her like he couldn’t understand her actions at all. “Why did you do that?” 

Siella had enough of Leonard’s attitude. Hah, Siella let out a weak dispirited laugh, then took a step backwards to get away from the tall man in front of her. As soon as she did that, Leonard looked at her with a storm in his eyes. 

“I’m still talking to you, so where are you going….” 

“Don’t come near me.” 

Leonard flinched at her warning. 

“Don’t come any closer.” 

Siella spoke in a firm voice before taking a couple of steps backwards, allowing her to further distance herself from Leonard. But Siella’s actions further provoke Leonard. 

“Why exactly are you doing this?!” 

He became furious at the sight of Siella being wary of him as if he was some kind of ruffian. Although Leonard thought that he shouldn’t be like this as well, he couldn’t control his emotions and screamed. 

“It’s not like I made unreasonable demands of you! I was just asking you a question and you just have to answer that now!” 

“Stop screaming!” 

“…” 

“Stop… stop screaming… at me….” 

I said stop screaming. 

Leonard paused and looked at Siella muttering like a madman. Siella was covering both her ears with her hands, gasping for air in panic. 

It was only then that Leonard took a deep breath and calmed himself. He should’ve comforted Siella first and slowly listened to her answer. On the contrary, he couldn’t control his emotions, raising his voice and accusing her, making Siella frightened. 

“What exactly….” 

Sweeping his hair, Leonard stopped approaching Siella for the first time. She already seemed to be in panic. Siella was already panicking and trying to get closer to her would make things worse. 

“Alright, I won’t shout anymore, so tell me.” Leonard looked at Siella’s pursed lips and said, “Tell me what made you suddenly changed your mind.” 

It was frustrating to see Siella’s attitude of just staring at him without saying any word. But Leonard didn’t show that and tried to make his voice as soft as possible. 

“Siella.” 

“…” 

“Did I do something you don’t like?” Leonard said and sighed, “We have made a deal.” There was no coercion, and you were even the one who proposed that deal first. “So why exactly….” 

“Leonard.” After waiting for a long time, Leonard was finally able to hear Siella’s voice. “I know you went to Elion with Miss Camellia.” 

It was Leonard’s turn to be speechless this time, so the conversation stopped. Leonard looked at Siella with his eyes wide open in surprise before he managed to belatedly open his mouth. 

“How did you….” 

“Is it important now how I know?” 

“…” 

“Why did you do that?” Siella began to push Leonard into a corner as if she had never shut her mouth earlier. “What were you thinking?” 

“That….” 

Leonard frowned. He definitely remembered going to Elion with Camellia. But as to why he went to Elion with her, what’s the reason they went to Elion, and what he did after they came back, he doesn’t remember anything. 

“I don’t remember.” 

It was only at this moment, when Siella asked him that question, that he felt something was strange. He didn’t even think before that it was strange, but thinking back, it was odd. Why didn’t I think it was weird? 

“I don’t remember anything….” 

“I understand, so you should go back, Leonard.” 

Knowing Leonard was confused, Siella said coldly, “I have nothing more to say to you.” 

“…” 

“Go back to the County.” 

Leonard’s lips pressed together at Siella’s voice, cutting on him like a knife. 

“Stop creating a situation that would make you look disgraceful to your wife and just saying that you don’t remember anything. You better go back now.” 

“…” 

Leonard couldn’t say anything to defend himself to Siella, who pushed him away. He couldn’t do it. He can’t do anything other than backing off with a confused expression. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Siella climbed up into the carriage, trying her best not to show the tension she was feeling. Fortunately for her, the coachman didn’t even notice how hard her hands were shaking. In the meantime, people in the Duke’s mansion didn’t notice anything, just as usual. The coachman sat quietly on his seat and held onto the horse’s reins. The carriage soon departed. 

Siella closed her eyes, as if she wanted to ignore the passing view of the mansion passing through the windows of the carriage. But not long after, the carriage running down on the road slowed down before coming to a complete stop. 

Siella, who was leaning back in her seat and had her eyes closed for the entire time, hurriedly turned her head. She then saw a man with his face pressed against her window. Siella took a deep breath. 

The man said, “Please understand that we inspect all the carriages that enter and exit the mansion.” 

He was a gatekeeper who guards the entrance of the Duke’s mansion. It seems like Eschert had heightened the mansion’s security after Edwin’s return. 

“… Miss Siella?” The man looked surprised when he belatedly recognized Siella. “Are you going somewhere?” 

“Yes.” 

Siella clasped her hands tightly to look as unconcerned as possible. Her hands laid neatly on her lap and hidden under her sleeves were still trembling. 

“Oh, I see. Then when will you be back?” 

“…”

It was natural for people here to think that I would be back. As if it was no big deal, Siella responded to the man waiting for her answer in a calm voice, “I’ll be back before evening.” 

Understanding what Siella had said, he looked back and shouted, ‘Nothing’s strange!” 

They were all on guard for fear that Edwin would be kidnapped in a scandalous way. And it only means that it was out of their interest whether the Duke’s fiancée, which was only there as a façade, left the mansion. 

The man took a step back from the carriage, looked through the window again, met Siella’s eyes and said, “Thank you for your patience, Miss Siella. You can leave now.” 

The just finished trivial inspection was what made her nervous to the point that it made her feel upset. Siella swallowed a wry smile, turned her head away, and closed her eyes again quietly as if she was turning away from everything. 

Getting out of this mansion was this easy. 

(T/N: It must have been hard for Siella, enduring the discomfort and everything.)