My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 38

The gift was a sleeping aid.

When Lanod, the steward, told him that the young master had sent it out of concern for his sleepless nights, the lord was furious.

In noble society, sending a sleeping aid as a gift was a subtle but cutting insult. It was a way of saying, “Go to sleep—forever.”

The meaning was clear. It was a warning disguised as concern.

And to think—he was the one who had allowed that girl and her mother into his estate.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, now he had to tiptoe around a commoner, afraid even to touch her without worrying about being watched. Ridiculous.

After that, the lord made sure to avoid going anywhere near Yurisiel or her mother.

He couldn’t shake the bitter taste of humiliation. The memory left behind an uncomfortable shame.

If not for that boy, if not for Cassian, he could have taken Lady Jane for himself by now. What a waste.

The lord told himself to be patient. Just wait. Cassian wouldn’t live much longer anyway.

Then, suddenly, Yurisiel appeared before him. Her face looked ghostly pale as she moved through the crowd.

She looked just like her mother. Lady Jane’s elegance and beauty were reflected in her daughter.

A woman like that might be praised if taken as a nobleman’s mistress. But now, she stood here—at a formal banquet, surrounded by distinguished guests.

Cassian must have brought her to humiliate him. There was no other explanation.

He couldn’t tell if his real mistake had been taking in a commoner as a servant, or ever allowing that cursed young master to step into Alphonse.

Everything had become hopelessly tangled.

Still, the lord’s eyes stayed fixed on Cassian.

Cassian’s gaze didn’t wander. It remained locked in one place.

His red eyes were focused entirely on the girl with red hair.

The heir to House Blanchet, standing beside a commoner girl. He had always suspected, but seeing it for himself was something else entirely.

From the beginning, Yurisiel’s face was tense and the closer Cassian came, the more rigid she became.

He moved through the crowd, walking straight toward her with long, confident strides.

His golden hair shimmered beneath the chandeliers, and his red eyes sparkled like rubies. Even in this extravagant ballroom, he stood out like he was carved from the very luxury surrounding him.

He didn’t look out of place among the finely crafted statues. He was flawless.

Before she could fully register it, Cassian was standing in front of her, offering his arm.

“How long are you going to stand there? You’re my partner tonight.”

Partner?

She had already guessed, from the moment she saw the dress, that she’d be expected to follow him. But hearing that word, partner froze her in place.

It was supposed to be a beautiful, elegant word. Romantic even.

But from Cassian’s lips, it somehow sounded cold, as if it had lost all its warmth.

She couldn’t tell if he was trying to provoke her or if something else lay beneath his expression. He showed no signs of withdrawing his arm.

Around them, the nobles Cassian had pushed through earlier were whispering. All eyes were on her now.

Yurisiel could imagine the kinds of things they were saying. But refusing him wasn’t an option.

With effort, she took his arm.

Cassian stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them.

A cool, clean scent that matched him perfectly brushed past her nose.

Time seemed to slow. Everything blurred.

Before she could process anything, Cassian gently pulled her closer. Her body was drawn in until it pressed against his chest.

It was steady. Firm. Secure.

But her heart felt like it would burst, pounding violently like she had just finished running.

Meanwhile, Cassian’s expression stayed calm, like she was nothing more than an accessory.

Even after all this time, she couldn’t get used to the feeling. The quiet humiliation settled over her like a heavy coat. Still, she followed his lead, her feet moving in time with his.

Cassian walked calmly, guiding her from one group to the next.

At every stop, Yurisiel bowed and smiled like a puppet, rehearsed and controlled. She wore her best imitation of a noble’s smile, the kind she had practiced over and over.

It was suffocating.

The nobles were clearly eager to know which family she belonged to. Their eyes gave them away.

But no one dared ask. Not in front of Cassian.

Then, they arrived in front of a well-dressed nobleman and a young lady beside him. As introductions began, Yurisiel’s breath caught in her throat.

“This is my daughter,” the man said.

He introduced himself as the Viscount of Bilrod, and gestured toward the young lady standing quietly at his side.

She bowed with grace and elegance. Every movement was refined and proper.

Her skin was flawless, untouched by sunlight, her face as clear as porcelain.

This—Yurisiel thought, this is what a real noble looks like.

The young lady introduced herself as Rike.

Yurisiel’s heart sank.

She had never imagined she would meet the real daughter of House Bilrod, the one whose name she had borrowed.

Cassian was the only one who knew the truth. And that truth had already been exposed. Still, her legs shook.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her fading vision and ground herself.

The high heels pinched her feet, but she forced herself to endure the pain.

She smiled, bowed politely, and turned away, hoping to move on.

She hadn’t done anything wrong. Not now. But the guilt in her chest refused to let her go.

Standing in front of Rike made her feel like she was wearing someone else’s skin.

Just as she tried to leave, Cassian stopped her.

He wouldn’t even let her escape.

Yurisiel opened her mouth to say something, but instead bit her lower lip and fell silent.

Even if she asked, he wasn’t the kind of person who would listen.

She lowered her head in resignation. Around her, conversation continued as if she didn’t exist.

They exchanged polite greetings. They praised the reputation of House Blanchet. They admired its long history.

They spoke of the family’s scholarship programs and its charitable work. All of it was familiar.

Yurisiel had copied those records herself, countless times.

Cassian had probably heard all of this before too. Yet he stood there, listening with an unreadable face, showing no reaction at all.

She was still holding onto his arm.

Whether Cassian noticed the curious expressions from the nobles around them faces clearly growing more desperate to understand their relationship, he showed no reaction at all or perhaps he did notice.

This arrogant young master always seemed to know exactly what was happening, and he seemed to enjoy it.

When Yurisiel glanced up, he was smiling.

That expression, so full of amusement, slowly turned toward her. It was the look of someone clearly enjoying the moment, fully aware of how uncomfortable she was.

Just before their eyes met, Yurisiel quickly turned her head away.

She didn’t want him to see her trembling. Especially not him.

Even so, she couldn’t hide the way her heart raced.

With their arms touching, he could probably feel it too. That made the embarrassment rush to her face like heat.

Of course, Cassian didn’t care. He kept her by his side and stayed there, taking his time.

He seemed to linger even longer in front of the real daughter of House Bilrod, as if trying to make her reflect on all the lies she had told.

She couldn’t look at his face. It felt like he was enjoying watching her suffer. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

After the music changed a few more times, the lord of the estate finally approached.

Since entering the mansion, Yurisiel had seen the lord many times.

Each time, she had seen the way he looked at Lady Jane, her mother, from the shadows, his gaze sharp and disturbing.

He held power over everything within this estate, yet until now, he had done nothing.

There is only one reason someone with power chooses not to act because someone stronger is watching.

She remembered how, when she first entered this ballroom, his eyes had scanned her like a product. But now, he couldn’t even meet her gaze.

The only difference was that Cassian was beside her.

The lord stood before Cassian without raising his head. He bowed instead, his attitude completely different from before.

He was unpleasant, that much was obvious, but showing how she felt wouldn’t help her at all.

As always, Yurisiel began to lower her head out of habit, preparing to bow in return.

Cassian stopped her.

His hand tightened around her arm, firmly holding her in place.

Forced to keep her chin up, Yurisiel stood straight. The lord’s face flushed with frustration.

He must have been thinking, “To think I have to bow even in front of a girl like her.”

But with Cassian at her side, he couldn’t say anything.

And even if Cassian wasn’t standing right there, as long as he remained in Alphonse, that wouldn’t change.

Swallowing his pride, the lord forced a smile and played along.

At first, Yurisiel felt uneasy, but soon she started to understand.

With Cassian beside her, she felt protected, as if a thick wall stood between her and the people who used to look down on her.

The man who had once aimed so many sharp words at her now felt like a shield when facing others.

Even after only a few greetings, she could feel the difference.

Trying to recover from the awkwardness, the lord kept speaking, exaggerating his praise of Blanchet.

He repeated things other nobles had already said, adding a few new compliments to make up for earlier discomfort.

But to Yurisiel, it all sounded the same. She had copied all of it before, word for word.

It was boring, until he said something unexpected.

“Oh yes, and it’s truly thoughtful of the young master to take interest in House Bilrod’s marriage matters.”

He had already said it more than once, but now he brought it up again, right in front of the Viscount of Bilrod and everyone else.

His reason was clear. He wanted to stir something.

Cassian ignored him. Without showing any interest, he raised his glass and answered calmly.

“As the head of the Blanchet Foundation, I believe it’s my duty to take full responsibility for those under its name.”

He wasn’t speaking to the lord. He was looking elsewhere.

What really interested him was Yurisiel.

He wondered how she would react when she found out who the daughter of Bilrod was supposed to marry.

Just imagining her face when she realized it made him quietly amused.

Right now, she still didn’t know. She stood beside him, lost in thought, listening to talk about arranged marriages like it had nothing to do with her.

Yes, let her keep thinking that.

Let her believe it’s all someone else’s story. If she stayed just like this, detached and unaware, he might find some peace.

As the nobles chatted on, their voices faded into a dull hum.

From across the ballroom, a new guest entered.

More people were arriving, so it wasn’t surprising.

Cassian slowly turned his head, and Yurisiel followed his gaze.

The guest’s face came into view as he stepped under the light.

As soon as she saw him clearly, Yurisiel froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

“Hael… why are you here?”

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