“WAAH!”Yernia wailed.

With her face buried in the pillow, she cried endlessly until she collapsed from exhaustion.

Cassian, sitting in front of the desk and pretending to read, looked over his shoulder to watch Yernia.

Yernia’s eyes wept as she stared at Cassian while hugging a pillow as big as him.

“Who told you to eat chocolate in secret?”

Yernia’s expression changed as if he had just said something too harsh.

She glowered at Cassian as if he was the traitor.

“How can you say that?”

“What did I do?”

“I can’t eat chocolate anymore. You heard that as well, didn’t you? I was banned from eating chocolate for three months…Ugh.”

The maid, who brought water for her to wash up in the morning, was the same one that caught her stealing chocolate.

Yernia had covered the chocolate stains on her pink pajamas with her teddy bear too late, and that maid could put two and two together.

The maid had already told the Countess about it before realizing that terrible mistake.

In the past, the Countess hadn’t punished Yernia for secretly eating chocolates.

She would let her get away, unscathed, except for the scolding.

Now, she decided not to be lenient.

The three-month chocolate ban was imposed, and for little Yernia, it was a bolt from the blue.

As soon as the ban was issued, Yernia entered Cassian’s room, crying her heart out.

Her loud wails surprised Cassian.

When he asked her why she was crying, Yernia had told him that she was banned from eating chocolate.

Cassian found that funny.

She looked so cute that it made him want to tease her, but he changed his mind because that would make her cry even more, so he suggested a solution instead.

“Let’s negotiate.”

“Negotiate?”

“Give the Countess what she wants, so she will give you what you want.”

“But I don’t know what she wants.”

Cassian paused to think for a moment.

Then, he raised a finger to point at her.

“You know what?”

“……?”

“The Count and the Countess wanted us to get along, but  I don’t want to deal with you. You can use that as an excuse to strike a deal with the Countess.”

Fortunately, Yernia quickly understood what Cassian had said.

Her face brightened up. “Are you going to help me?”

“Yes, just this once.”

Cassian hesitated, but then he nodded in the end.

Why was he helping her in the first place?

Cassian told himself he was doing this because he didn’t want Yernia to bother him anymore.

“Yes!”

The children had promised each other to deceive the count and the countess.

That evening, Cassian ate dinner in the Dining Hall and not in his room.

He proudly appeared at the table where the members of the Cilliard Family had gathered.

Cassian had refused to eat with them in the past, but tonight was an exception.

Everyone welcomed him.

“Thank you for coming, little duke. Please sit next to my daughter, Yernia.” Upon seeing Cassian, the Count pointed to an empty seat next to Yernia, and the boy obliged the Count’s request without a fuss.

Turning her head, Yernia jutted her chin on purpose. “Hmph.”

Cassian was taken aback.

Embarrassed, the Count and the Countess were worried that Cassian might be hurt when he just joined them for dinner the first time and pressed Yernia. “Yernia, don’t do that.”

Yernia’s parents had no idea that she and Cassian were on good terms.

Yernia was supposed to be hurt because of yesterday, so tonight,  she wanted to come across as cold.

If her parents tried to link Cassian and Yernia,  she would pretend to listen to them and act like she didn’t have this under control.

And in that perfect moment, she would ask for a price.

‘That idiot.’ Cassian had thought without knowing Yernia’s plan.

He also had a plan, but this girl had ruined it by acting like a fool.

Cassian planned to feign disinterest when Yernia sticks to him, and then he would eventually listen to her and express annoyance.

He hadn’t told her about it thinking that he could do this well on his own, and that was the problem.

“Hmph!”

Cassian pondered a little as he sat next to Yernia.

The Count and the Countess felt that this was the time to put on airs around Yernia.

“I guess the little duke wanted to be close to Yernia, too. Did you leave your room so you could eat dinner with her, too?”

“Yernia, give this to the little duke. You should let both of your elbows touch as well.”

The Count had meant to lift the children’s moods, but, unfortunately, Cassian, still young, blushed in chagrin.

He didn’t come to dinner because he wanted to be close to someone.

“It’s not like that.” Cassian waved his little hands in refusal.

Then, the Count asked as if he had just remembered something. “By the way, will you join us at a festival in the Cilliard Estate?”

An opportunity had finally shown itself.

Cassian raised his chin with utmost arrogance. “If Yernia goes.”

“What?”

“If Yernia doesn’t go, I wouldn’t go either.”