My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 31

The time when the horse went missing briefly crossed Yurisiel’s mind, and with it came an uneasy feeling. But she quickly pushed it aside.

There was no way Hael had sold Britt, the horse he cherished most, with his own hands.

Shaking her head, Yurisiel returned to the manuscript copying she had left unfinished a few days earlier.

There was nothing better than this to clear her thoughts.

The books she copied were mostly about history, culture, and diplomacy.

What had started as a way to earn money had turned into something genuinely interesting.

For someone who had lived her entire life confined to the small village of Alphonse, these books became windows to new cities and unknown cultures.

More than that, the stories of princesses, kings, and queens from foreign lands securing peace through diplomacy had become a source of hope for her.

What would I have done in their place? What if I had been on the opposing side?

Those kinds of impossible daydreams let her escape her current life and imagine another world, if only for a while.

On a larger scale, the political dynamics and affairs of state turned out to be surprisingly connected to survival and everyday life, which made them even more fascinating.

Little by little, those thoughts planted a new dream in Yurisiel.

A dream of one day leaving Alphonse.

A dream of standing on her own two feet, and living a life where she could be with her mother.

The path didn’t appear on its own. She searched for it eagerly and tirelessly.

The light she found at the end of that search was faint, but to her, it was a true and meaningful hope.

If she could make that dream come true, then maybe, just maybe, she could leave this suffocating place behind.

Today, like always, Yurisiel continued copying The Diplomatic Principles of Calypse.

The author, born into a viscount’s family, had once suffered from discrimination because of her background. Yet, after overcoming countless trials, she eventually became empress.

That alone would have been enough to make her story famous. But she went even further. Even after becoming empress, she wrote this incredible diplomatic manual and protected everything she loved with her own strength.

Her love, her daughter, who was dearer to her than life itself.

It was said that the emperor looked at the empress with eyes full of affection, as if honey could drip from his gaze.

It was such an extraordinary case that people struggled to believe it, even after hearing it more than once.

Most noble marriages were for political gain, not love.

And if even ordinary nobles married for strategy, how could true love ever exist in a royal marriage?

For that reason, Yurisiel admired her deeply, though she hadn’t even realized it at first.

Of course, a love like that was rare even in history. It probably wouldn’t happen in this empire. Still, imagining it was free, wasn’t it?

The more she thought of it, the more interested she became. After all, it was books like this that had made such dreams seem possible in the first place.

She had just reached the section detailing the negotiations that followed the conflict between Country A and Country B when a sudden knock came at the door.

What could it be?

It wasn’t yet time to see the young master. Was it the butler?

Hael sometimes gave unexpected instructions, so it was possible.

Maybe he wanted to start breakfast early today, or maybe he wanted her to wait.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Yurisiel stepped outside. Cold air wrapped around her as she opened the door.

There was no one in sight.

Only a single folded note had been left on the ground.

She picked it up and opened it. The messy handwriting inside read:

Come to the rooftop. Now.

There was still about thirty minutes left until breakfast.

He wants me to come to the rooftop at this hour?

It was strange, but considering the young master’s unpredictable nature, not entirely surprising.

Maybe he was planning to skip breakfast. If that was the case, it might actually be a relief.

Having to sit across from him at the breakfast table every morning had always been uncomfortable.

Whenever she didn’t eat properly, those red eyes of his would pierce through her like they could see straight into her thoughts.

Every time, she would have to force herself to eat, trying to act naturally.

It was never about the food itself. The meals were always excellent.

And yet, the fact that she could remember the taste of the dishes even in those tense moments felt strangely ridiculous now that she thought about it.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she slowly climbed the stairs, taking her time.

At the top of the stairs, a large door filled her view.

She had never had a reason to come here before, and the rooftop was far larger than she expected.

When she looked up, she saw a grand glass dome overhead, so high it felt out of reach, with the sky painted across it like a canvas. Below, ivy vines stretched out, climbing along the walls.

Well-tended plants, each with their own colors and forms, filled the rooftop garden with a soft, pleasant fragrance.

The warm air and balanced humidity, like that of a greenhouse, created a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

Even the tension caused by the young master’s unpredictability seemed to ease.

From inside, Yurisiel could hear the voices of two people, likely the young master and the butler, engaged in conversation.

“The progress report from the New Drug Development Division was published in today’s paper. It looks like a message from the capital will arrive soon.”

New drug development? Did that mean the young master might be leaving the estate?

After a short silence, Cassian’s voice followed.

“Can you control your tone?”

“…Excuse me?”

“You’re too obvious. I can tell you’re happy. Was it really that unbearable being around me?”

“N-no, of course not. I just got excited thinking you might fully recover…”

After that, they talked about the upcoming ball Lady Blanchet was preparing, how there had been orders for him to attend, and stories of young noblewomen from families hoping to arrange a marriage.

Yurisiel stood at the door, listening as the young master’s future spilled into her ears.

A future that didn’t include her. A future that would soon leave her behind.

It was said that Lady Blanchet herself would soon come to Alphonse.

She was probably coming to take him back.

Even if a dying son was once unwanted, a healed heir would become the rightful successor of the Blanchet family.

It made sense. He was still far too young to be facing death. The fact that a cure had been found should be something to celebrate.

The thought that he would live like other noble heirs, marrying a suitable young lady and building a proper life, should have been a good thing.

But cruelly, Yurisiel couldn’t feel happy at all.

Her heart sank the moment she heard that he might survive.

If he left, what would happen to her and her mother, who were completely dependent on him?

Would they be thrown out? What would happen to the medicine he had been giving her mother?

Even if he hadn’t been called to the capital yet, she knew this day would come eventually.

She had often imagined the young master’s final days. Anyone caring for a terminal patient had to prepare for that.

But she hadn’t expected it to happen so suddenly.

She had always assumed it would be far in the future, after her mother had fully recovered. That blind hope had kept her moving forward.

As the conversation inside continued, Yurisiel’s anxiety grew stronger.

Finally, when the butler’s report ended and silence settled in, she reached for the door.

With a soft creak, it opened slightly.

She stepped inside and immediately froze.

Through the haze of steam, she saw a bare figure.

Startled, her body locked up like someone caught in the act of stealing. She couldn’t move at all, as if invisible chains had bound her limbs.

What she saw in that moment was something she shouldn’t have witnessed.

What is this?

A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind.

Was this another one of the young master’s tricks, just to unsettle her?

Even if it was, there was nothing she could do to resist.

Yurisiel pressed her lips tightly and stepped further into the room.

A splash echoed in the air as the figure turned slowly toward her.

His lower body was submerged in water, but his upper body was completely exposed.

The moment his red eyes met hers, Yurisiel’s breath caught.

His gaze was sharp and intense, as if he would devour her.

It was different from his usual mocking expression.

His face, twisted with visible irritation, changed when he recognized her.

But even that reaction wasn’t what she expected. It was the face of someone completely unprepared to see her there.

The butler, standing nearby, scowled the moment he saw her.

In that instant, a memory flashed in her mind.

Something the butler had once told her.

“You must never go up to the rooftop.”

The butler’s voice rang sharply in her ears, tight with anger.

“Do you even know where you are? How dare you enter here without permission?”

If the young master had truly given the order, there was no way the butler wouldn’t have known.

Now Yurisiel understood.

Someone had played a trick on her, and she had walked right into it.

Coming to this place was the real mistake.

The moment that painful realization hit her, her eyes met the young master’s.

His red gaze didn’t flinch or look away. She couldn’t begin to guess what was going through his mind.

He slowly raised one hand.

With just that small gesture, the butler gave her a glare full of fury, then turned and left the room.

The door clicked shut, and she was alone with the young master.

His eyes stayed fixed on her, calmly, without a word.

His stare felt heavy, like it was pressing down on every part of her.

He was the one who wasn’t wearing anything, yet somehow, she felt like she was the one who had been exposed.

Her lips wouldn’t move. She couldn’t even begin to explain.

Her mind went completely blank.

She had no room to think about who had set her up.

Would she be thrown out now? Or worse?

She shut her eyes tightly. A splash of water followed, then the slow sound of footsteps filled the room.

Yurisiel couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes until the footsteps stopped right in front of her.

A gentle hand touched her chin.

Through barely opened eyes, she saw his red gaze, now right in front of her.

Seeing her own reflection in Cassian’s eyes made her body tremble.

“Why do you look so shocked?”

“…”

“Did you come here without even preparing yourself for something like this?”

The trembling of her face reached his hand, and he felt it clearly.

Cassian let out a faint smirk, one side of his lips curling up with that same twisted expression he always wore.

“I didn’t know watching was your kind of thing.”

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