My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 39

The banquet wasn’t strictly for nobles, so it made sense that Hael’s family could be present.

But as far as Yurisiel knew, the lord had never once invited them before.

He was someone who clung tightly to aristocratic ideals, and rarely allowed exceptions.

In that moment, she caught a whisper from the Viscount of Bilrod, directed toward the lord.

“With so much on your plate, thank you for giving attention to my daughter’s engagement. We’re truly grateful you’ve prepared such a wonderful setting.”

Ah. It took her a moment to understand what that meant.

The reason the lord had pushed himself to host another banquet so soon, just one quarter into the new season, was for the sake of Lady Rike of House Bilrod.

So, tonight’s event was meant to help arrange a marriage for Lady Rike and a nobleman of suitable standing.

But then, why did that topic come up the moment Hael walked in?

Frozen in place, Yurisiel stared as Hael approached, accompanied by his birth mother, Lady Catherine, and his father, Olga.

Both Olga and Lady Catherine wore stiff, unreadable expressions, just like she did.

As always, Lady Catherine was the first to adjust her face.

She had something far more important to focus on than the girl standing in front of her.

What mattered most tonight was securing a noble title, one that could give their household more power than ever before in Alphonse, second only to the lord.

It was surprising that the lord himself was arranging the match, but either way, it was a rare and valuable opportunity.

If this worked out, Lady Rike, who as a daughter could not inherit the title, would pass that right to her future husband.

That meant Hael could become the head of a noble house.

He would become the Viscount of Bilrod.

There was no reason for her precious son to hesitate.

House Bilrod had been in financial trouble ever since their merchant guild began to decline.

Their greatest debt was to Gregot Bank, and recently, a collection notice had been issued.

Since Gregot Bank was secretly owned by House Blanchet, and the family rarely pushed so harshly, this sudden pressure had placed House Bilrod in a critical situation.

For them, this marriage was no longer about formality or prestige. It was survival.

If their son gained a title, their family would finally have the status they had long been denied. If House Bilrod married into them, they would gain stability and, perhaps, wealth again.

To both families, it was the perfect arrangement.

And yet her foolish son had nearly thrown it all away, all because of that girl.

Just this morning, Hael had refused to attend the banquet, and Lady Catherine had argued with him until her voice gave out.

It had taken everything she had to get him out the door.

He had even skipped breakfast. She had to beg him, and only then did he agree to come.

Even as they left, Hael made it clear he would only show his face and leave quickly.

Lady Catherine’s growing frustration had shifted away from her son, and was now aimed entirely at Yurisiel.

Her son had never been like this.

He used to be obedient, thoughtful, and affectionate toward his parents.

But somehow, because of that girl, he had sold Britt—something so precious—just to buy medicine for her mother.

Lady Catherine had gone to the clinic herself, unwilling to believe it at first. But the truth was undeniable.

Her son really had sold Britt.

He really had bought medicine with the money.

And that medicine, of course, was for Lady Jane, the mother of that girl.

Even without seeing the details, she understood what had happened.

That girl had clearly wrapped Hael around her finger, pulling him in with gentle words and false innocence.

To think she could betray them like this, even after being given a job out of pity.

She had never shown gratitude. From the very beginning, she held her head high, walking around with her son as if she had any right to do so.

Lady Catherine had spent the past several days trapped in regret, realizing too late that she should have separated them long ago.

Still, at least they had reached this banquet.

It was a miracle they were even here, with such an opportunity laid out before them.

But again, that girl appeared.

Lady Catherine had already made up her mind to have Yurisiel removed from sight for a while. She never imagined she would see her here.

If Hael even showed a flicker of hesitation now, there was no telling how Lady Rike would respond.

If the engagement fell through, everything would be lost.

Hael, unaware or simply ignoring everything around him, stood still, staring at Yurisiel.

He didn’t even try to hide it.

And that girl, dressed in something far too extravagant for someone like her, looked as if she had already found another wealthy man to cling to.

After everything she had done to Hael, now she was standing beside someone else.

Lady Catherine was speechless. She couldn’t believe it.

Hael must have felt the same. That had to be why he stood there like that, stunned.

In a twisted way, it might work out. If he realized what kind of person she truly was, he might finally let go.

But something about it didn’t sit right.

An uneasy feeling, like something crawling under her skin, kept growing inside Lady Catherine.

Hael’s eyes wouldn’t leave Yurisiel.

And the emotion in his gaze wasn’t shock or betrayal. It was something else.

Lady Catherine slowly shifted her attention back to the girl.

Now that she looked more closely, she noticed the gown.

It was a high-end, modern mermaid-style dress, one she hadn’t been able to get her hands on even through her own designer.

On someone else, it might have been too bold, but on Yurisiel, it only highlighted her beauty.

She looked like the star of the evening.

Lady Catherine stepped slightly to the side, placing herself between Hael and Yurisiel, blocking his line of sight.

She forced a smile as she did.

There was no benefit in letting the Bilrod family see her son staring at the wrong girl, lost in thought.

Nothing good could come of that.

After Olga and Lady Catherine exchanged handshakes with the lord, a polite and predictable conversation followed among the four of them.

As was customary at arranged meetings between noble families, the Viscount of Bilrod and his wife praised Hael, while Olga and Lady Catherine returned the favor by complimenting Lady Rike.

“Poets who described Lady Rike as an angel may need to reconsider,” someone said with a light laugh. “How could the word ‘angel’ possibly be enough for someone this beautiful?”

Lady Rike blushed, stealing a shy glance at Hael, then lowered her head even more modestly.

Not to be outdone, the Viscountess praised Hael in return.

“I’ve heard young Hael is outstanding, even within the Blanchet Foundation. You must be so proud.”

The compliments and formalities continued, one after another.

In the middle of it all, the only one who seemed to be fading into the background was Yurisiel.

Hael. The one being matched with Lady Rike… was Hael.

Lady Catherine, who had never once smiled at Yurisiel—not even politely—now wore a cheerful expression and spoke with a gentle voice.

The way she looked at Lady Rike was filled with sweetness, like her gaze had been dipped in honey.

Everything about this scene made one thing painfully clear: Hael and Yurisiel were never meant to be together.

Of course. That was why, from the very beginning, Yurisiel had been forced to live under a false identity.

She had pretended to be Lady Rike of House Bilrod, while the real Lady Rike stood here now. The difference between them was unmistakable.

Yurisiel had always known.

She was never an equal match for Hael.

Still, seeing that truth laid bare in front of her hurt more than she expected. It was deeply painful.

Hael, who once used to begin every greeting with some form of confession, now stood off to the side, glancing at her like someone who had done something wrong.

To be fair, Hael had never mentioned meeting another noble lady.

But Yurisiel had turned him away, so there had been no reason for him to tell her anything.

And she could imagine what his parents must have said to bring him here tonight. She didn’t even need to ask.

Even so, it was difficult to see it all play out in front of her.

No matter what had happened, Hael had been her first love.

There were times when he talked about their future together, and Yurisiel had felt like she was wrapped in something warm and comforting, something soft and sweet like cotton candy.

Each time she pushed it away, it hurt.

She had never allowed herself to take even a small taste of it, because if she did, she knew it would plant hopes and dreams she couldn’t afford to have.

Now, everything was moving toward its natural end.

Hael would go where he belonged.

And she would remain where she had always been meant to stay.

She had expected this. She had always believed that Hael would eventually make this choice.

So she wasn’t surprised.

And she didn’t resent him for it.

Hael had done everything he could. He had brought a doctor from the capital, sold Britt, and so much more.

In the end, it had been her fault.

She had allowed him to do those things. She hadn’t seen it coming. She hadn’t stopped him.

She still remembered the look in his eyes when he returned the money, barely holding back tears.

Just being by his side had made her feel like she was doing something wrong.

So, this—this pain, this reality, was something she was always going to face. She just had to face it sooner than expected.

Even so, realizing that all the words and feelings they had shared were now just illusions left her hollow and aching.

Yurisiel could no longer look at the scene before her. She turned her head away.

And that was when her eyes met his.

Cassian.

His red eyes, slightly narrowed, flickered with something unclear, and in them, she saw herself reflected.

There was a glimmer of amusement, sharp and deliberate.

And finally, she saw what she hadn’t been able to see before.

Why would the lord arrange a marriage between Lady Rike and Hael?

There was no real benefit to him in that pairing.

Cassian’s figure filled her vision.

He stood there, watching it all, as if the entire situation was something he had set in motion. He looked like the one who had designed it.

Now that she thought about it, he had worn that same expression when Hael first walked in.

When the two families exchanged polite praise, he had looked exactly the same.

A strange possibility crossed her mind.

Could it be that Cassian was the one who told Hael to come tonight?

She remembered the way he always seemed to be watching when she and Hael were together, his red eyes glowing faintly with something cold, something unreadable.

There had always been something unsettling about those eyes, something more than annoyance or disapproval.

Cassian was never someone who acted purely out of kindness.

At first, she had thought maybe he just didn’t like Hael.

Then, she had assumed he simply didn’t like her.

She tried to brush it off, thinking it wasn’t worth overthinking.

But now, all of it came together.

It led to one inescapable conclusion.

Cassian couldn’t stand the sight of her with Hael.

Her heart stopped.

It was like sinking deep underwater, her body numb, her breath gone, as if she were being pulled into the dark by something she couldn’t fight.

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