By Zephyria 
Recalling the words I heard from Koi, everything fell into place. It was easy to picture the child who had been growling and angry at the other kids the day before. Cassian continued speaking.
“Is this a medal of honor?”
Bliss just furrowed his brows and stared at Cassian. Wondering if he had phrased it too difficultly, Cassian spoke again.
“I heard the story. That the other guys picked a fight with you at the party yesterday because of your eye color? That your eye got like that because you hit someone yourself.”
Only then did Bliss grasp the situation. Daddy or Papa must have told him. But that didn’t lessen his wariness of the guy in front of him. On the contrary, remembering yesterday’s events, Bliss immediately narrowed his eyes.
“So? Are you going to call me stupid too?”
It was what his other brothers constantly said to Bliss. Moreover, Grayson had openly mocked him just yesterday. Adding one more person wouldn’t change anything. But he wasn’t going to let himself be mocked either. He could tolerate being called stupid, but he couldn’t tolerate being told he wasn’t Miller.
‘Shoot his mouth. Then no one will be able to spout that kind of nonsense to you.’
He couldn’t shoot a gun, but there were other ways to punish. Remembering Grayson’s words, Bliss clenched his fist.
If this bastard tells me I’m not a Miller, I’ll punch his mouth right in.
“No, absolutely not.”
Bliss, who was ready to throw a punch at any moment, paused. Looking down at the child who was flustered by the unexpected words, Cassian continued.
“You fought for honor, right? Honor is important to men. It’s worth risking your life for.”
Once again, he said something unbelievable. Dumbfounded, Bliss repeated his words.
“Men?”
“Yeah.”
Cassian readily nodded, then frowned and gave him a once-over.
“You’re not a girl, are you?”
At those words, Bliss flinched in surprise and quickly shook his head.
“I’m a boy! I’m a boy!”
His cheeks, flushed from shouting, had already turned red. Cassian’s words just now kept swirling in his head. A man! A man? A boy!
I can’t believe it. Everyone always just ignored me, calling me stupid or a brat.
“Hey, really…?”
Still with a doubtful expression, Bliss cautiously asked.
“You really think that? That I’m a boy?”
“That’s right.”
This time too, Cassian repeated the same answer. Along with that, emotion welled up in Bliss’s chest, and his breathing grew rough on its own. He’s sincere. This man sincerely thinks that.
He acknowledged me, this Bliss Miller, as a boy for the first time!
“Hyaa.”
Before he knew it, Bliss unclenched the fist he had been holding tightly and instead, with his hands clasped under his chin, looked up at Cassian. Having let out an excited exclamation, he asked with sparkling eyes toward the first person to acknowledge him as a proper boy.
“What’s your name?”
At the overly excited voice, Cassian answered with a smile.
“Cassian. Cassian Strickland.”
“I’m Bliss Miller.”
Immediately responding, Cassian burst out laughing at Bliss.
“I know.”
Following the loud laughter, still with a face full of smiles, Bliss shouted at him, undeterred.
“Let’s be friends!”
At Bliss’s shout, Cassian paused. He seemed a little surprised, but soon nodded as if it were nothing.
“Okay.”
“Great.”
Bliss nodded vigorously in return, then his gaze drifted downward. Realizing he was looking at the cookie jar he was holding, Cassian handed it to the child.
“Here.”
“Thanks.”
Bliss took it in both arms, cradling the glass jar, and carefully opened the cork lid with his other hand. Pulling out a large cookie packed with chocolate chips, Bliss held it out directly to Cassian.
“Take it, it’s a gift.”
Truthfully, Cassian wasn’t really in the mood for sweets. But seeing the child’s face, flushed and full of expectation as he looked up at him, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
“Thank you.”
Reluctantly taking the cookie and taking a bite, Bliss finally smiled proudly, then reached into the jar, pulled out a new cookie, and put it in his own mouth this time. He opened his mouth as wide as possible, but only managed to put a tiny dent in the corner of the cookie. Nevertheless, the child seemed satisfied, holding the cookie he had just bitten up in the air.
“Here, cheers.”
Where did he learn that? Cassian, both amused and exasperated, lightly raised and lowered his cookie to match the child. Bliss, seeming pleased, brought the cookie to his mouth and started munching away. Still holding the precious cookie jar close, eating the sweets diligently, Bliss was beaming. He never imagined such a good thing would happen when he woke up this morning.
And then, after separately pocketing two more chocolate chip cookies, with Cassian’s help, he returned the jar to the shelf and planned the perfect crime. Not forgetting to finish with a high-five, smack!
“Here you are, Mr. Strickland.”
Just as the butler found them, Bliss was climbing down and Cassian was putting the chair back in place. The butler, who seemed to have been looking for Cassian, brightened upon seeing him, but then was startled to see Bliss hiding behind Cassian’s legs. Bliss, feigning innocence, said to the butler.
“Cassian got lost, so I was giving him directions!”
Of course, it was an obvious lie. The butler stared at the generous amount of cookie crumbs plastered around Bliss’s mouth, muttered “I see,” and then turned his gaze to Cassian.
“The Duke is looking for you. I’ll escort you to the drawing room.”
From behind the butler, who turned and walked ahead, Bliss gave Cassian a thumbs-up. As if to say he’d pulled off a great trick. Instead of telling him the truth, Cassian just smiled and gave a thumbs-up back.
I thought he’d return to his room, but unexpectedly, Bliss followed them. Under Cassian’s gaze, which seemed to ask what was going on, Bliss declared confidently.
“We’re friends, so I’m going to greet your parents.”
His newly made friend had completely captured Bliss’s heart. Seeing the child constantly smiling and looking up at him, Cassian could only laugh in exasperation. The butler, who had no idea what had transpired between them, was bewildered but hid it, walking silently.
Even while walking, Bliss busily nibbled away at the chocolate chip cookie in his hand. He wanted to hold Cassian’s hand, but his hand, over 190 cm away, was too far, so instead he walked diligently right beside him. With an extremely excited face, breathing heavily.
Finally arriving at the drawing room, the butler knocked, opened the door, and stepped aside. Following the silent gesture to enter, Cassian went in, and Bliss followed. Koi, who had been sitting on the sofa and turned to look, was startled by the small shadow visible behind Cassian and instinctively jumped up.
“Bliss, how.”
Koi, who had happily greeted the child, paused. Seeing not just his mouth but his entire face smeared with dark chocolate and cookie crumbs, he hurriedly hugged the child, pressing the back of his head to hide his face. He tried to somehow conceal his son’s messy face, but things don’t always go as planned.
“Oh my, is that child Bliss?”
At the Duchess’s voice from behind, Koi just tightly shut his eyes. What should I do about this situation? Numerous thoughts raced through his head, but there were only two options. Either run out holding Bliss like this, or…
“Aha ha.”
Koi, sweating cold sweat, turned toward the Duchess. For the remaining option: a frontal assault.
“The child must have been having a snack. Just a moment…”
Hurriedly turning his back to find a napkin, he vigorously wiped Bliss’s face, then turned his body back to the Duke and Duchess.