I could tell who the woman was without even asking.

She hadn’t taken her eyes off me from the moment I stepped inside. Her pale eyes were shaking slightly.

I stopped walking and looked at her.

“Let’s go in.”

“Mm.”

Cade gently guided me by hand. I turned my head and stepped inside.

Each clan sat facing each other at a long round table.

The ones on the left belonged to the Loisar family, and the ones on the right belonged to the Astrophel family.

I glanced sideways at the other side.

Then I met the eyes of a man with dark brown hair who was sitting in the middle.

That person must be the head of the Loisar family. Sitting on either side of him were rows of Loisar, including a red-haired man and a silver-haired woman.

When I naturally took a step to the right, they took notice in an exaggerated way.

“You came with the Lord, Miss Irene.”

“Um, because I asked to come.”

“Is that so? As expected, you are attached to the Lord’s side as usual.”

 …..Why are you like this all of a sudden?

I looked at Baon with a puzzled expression. Then he smiled brightly.

“Why do you look at me like that? What’s the problem?” 

You really don’t know what’s wrong? Am I the only one feeling strange right now?

As I stood still, Durias, who was also present at the negotiations, clicked his tongue.

“Do as usual, Mr. Baon. The Lady is embarrassed.”

Deftly rolling the quill between his fingers, he suddenly set it down and rose to his feet. 

“There seems to be a shortage of seats, so I, a subordinate, will give up my seat, my Lady.”

……Why the hell is Durias doing now?

I faltered and backed away. 

At first, I thought he was criticizing Baon, but it turned out that the two of them were in cahoots.

I hurriedly tugged Cade’s arm.

“I-I’m going to sit down with Daddy.”

“Ah. Would you like to?”

“Yes.”

“Then it shall be so.”

I quickly climbed onto Cade’s lap and sat down. I don’t know what those two are thinking.

When I looked up from my lap seat, I could see the people of the Loisar Clan with bitter expressions on their faces. 

Were those two aiming for this? Trying to make their opponents stressed?

It was a realistic possibility.

“Looks like everyone who was supposed to come is here.” 

The man with dark brown hair, who was drinking tea, said softly and his dark golden eyes slowly reached me. In an instant, I was clinging close to Cade’s arms because I felt an unknown tingling through my skin.

The expressionless man’s lips rose slightly.

“I am pleased to meet you, Irene. I’m Gray Loisar.” 

“……Hello. I’m Irene Astrophel.”

“I see. Can you recognize who this is?”

The man pointed at the silver-haired woman.

I glanced sideways at her and nodded my head.

In fact, from the moment I walked into this place, she has been looking at me the whole time. Even now, she purses her lips every time our eyes try to meet as if she has something to say to me.

I was avoiding it on purpose. 

Gray knew that and asked me directly if I knew who she was.

“She’s called Isabel.”

“Yes.”

“You seem shy. In that aspect, you are very similar to Isabel.”

The woman flinched at those words, as the atmosphere was about to subside, a red-haired man coughed in vain. 

“It must be because you’re still awkward. The two of you will be able to relax when you’re together.”

“I suppose that’s true, too.” 

“What about you, Irene? You must have missed your mom very much.” 

The man was very motivated. He was trying to elicit a positive response from me somehow, but I don’t want to be with Isabel…

“It seems that the child is still conscious of Isabel. How about giving the two of them some time alone, Cade?”

Gray asked.

I was anxious in anticipation of what Cade would say.

He wouldn’t say yes, would he? 

I anxiously looked up at Cade.

His mouth opened as he looked at Gray with a face that no one had any idea what he was thinking. 

“I think you asked the question to the wrong person.”

“I’m sure I asked correctly.”

“Why are you asking me that?” (Cade)

Cade’s displeased voice echoed throughout the room.

“I think the parties involved should decide on that.”(Cade)

I looked up at him in surprise. 

At the same time, I realized why I felt uncomfortable the moment I first saw Gray. He was gentle in both his appearance and his tone, but he gave off a high-handed atmosphere. He seemed to be nice to me, but he never once asked me what I thought.

Gray sighed.

“We didn’t create this meeting to ask a child’s opinion.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll decline.”

Cade immediately snapped back as if he had nothing else to hear.

“Ha.”

Gray’s expression crumpled for the first time.

“I don’t understand.”

“Which part?”

“Isn’t this the first time mother and daughter met? They’d have affectionate feelings to share with each other.”

“Affectionate?”

Cade laughed.

His cold gaze turned to Isabel.

“I heard that no mother bird abandons her chicks.”

“……!”

“I see how awfully affectionate you are.”

Isabel’s complexion turned white and the atmosphere in the hall instantly cooled down. Then the red-haired man said in an angry huff.

“I don’t know what kind of nonsense you mean by ‘abandoned’. You’re making a huge assumption.” 

“Assumption? Are you implying I’m making a wild guess?”

“That’s right. What kind of trick did Isabel employ to abandon her child all the way here?”

“Are you suggesting, then, that we have kidnapped Lady Irene, Lord Asher?” 

Baon frowned and asked back. Asher crossed his arms and lifted his chin.

“Given the circumstances, that is the most likely suspicion, is it not?” 

“Can you take responsibility for that statement you just made?” 

“Otherwise, bring proof that it’s not.”

“Before we do that, shouldn’t it be right for your side to bring evidence that we kidnapped?”

For a moment, Asher hesitated. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no evidence. In the end, he couldn’t say anything and turned his head. 

Gray, who was watching the two of them, touched his forehead.

“This is very embarrassing. We wanted to maintain an amicable relationship with the Astrophel family.”

Gray let out a deep sigh and spoke in a tone that could not be helped.

“But now that it has come to this, I have no choice but to ask as it would be good to make things clear.”

What are you making clear?

I was very nervous and grabbed Cade’s arm because I was worried about what Gray would say.

But it wasn’t us who Gray asked the question, he asked Isabel.

“Did you ever sign an agreement to entrust that child to the Astrophel family, Isabel?”

“…I don’t remember anything like that.”

“I see. Then you must be very surprised because the child disappeared, isn’t it?”

“……Yes, that’s right.”

Isabel’s voice trembled slightly.

She bit her lip hard, trying not to show that she was shaking. I stared at her as she did so. Her hands, to be precise, were shaking. As if she belatedly felt my gaze, she looked back at me.

Then, realizing that I was looking at her hand, she hurriedly lowered her arm. Her expression was pale as if she had been caught lying.

This made it clear.

I was not taken from her.

She handed me over to the Clan without any resistance and now, for some reason, Isabel was taking the lead to take me back.

No wonder it was weird. 

It was because, despite the fact that she had been looking for Cade since morning asking to meet me, she didn’t seem to be happy to meet or even eager to exchange words. If I hadn’t known this, I might have been shaken at the sight of Isabel.

Durias opened his mouth with an exasperated expression.

“There is a degree to being shameless, Lord Loisar.”

“Rude. You dare to use such words to the head of the household!”

The red-haired man shouts raising angry veins in his throat. 

“If the shoes fit, wear them.”

Durias pretended to pick his ear. I took a deep breath.

I don’t know why you’re scratching their insides like that. Even Cade wasn’t restraining his attitude. Why are you doing this as a group?

“T-This-This!”

An aged elder of the Loisar Clan blushed in angst and grabbed the back of his neck.

Durias grinned. It was like watching a villain praying tricks.

Gray hardened his expression as if he sensed something was wrong.

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

“I’m suggesting we stop joking around.” 

“……Joke? You’re calling this a joke, you insolent!” 

“From now on, you will only tell the truth and nothing but the truth when I ask you.” 

Durias took off his gloves one by one.

“That is if you wish to return home unharmed.” 

I was stunned.