My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 42

After gently sending the flustered maid away with a reassuring word, Yurisiel stepped into the restroom. A deep silence wrapped around her.

Perhaps because this floor was separate, even the loud music from outside now felt distant and faint.

She turned the gold-trimmed faucet. The sound of the water was calm, like a flowing stream.

Leaning against the counter, she stared blankly into the air.

Suddenly, the thought crossed her mind. Right now, Hael was probably walking the garden path with another noble lady.

He would likely be engaged to her soon.

Just as the young master had said, the two of them looked good together.

Before long, Hael would be a nobleman, officially receiving a baron’s title or higher.

The one who had no place in that picture was her.

This was bound to happen eventually, so maybe it was better that it happened now.

She had known it all along, but having to accept it now felt surprisingly bitter.

Her mood sank sharply. Yurisiel looked down and began rubbing the hem of her expensive dress.

As if she could wipe away the misfortune of today and the emotions tied to it.

Water stains began to spread across the elegant fabric.

She briefly wondered if it was wrong to ruin such a luxurious dress, but then reminded herself. It wasn’t like she would ever wear something like this again.

The more the dress soaked up water, the more shabby it looked, not cleaner.

Just like how her heart felt.

She couldn’t bear to look at it anymore. Shaking off the dress, she stepped into the corridor, where bright light poured down over her.

Wandering aimlessly in an attempt to escape, she found herself in a quiet part of the estate, standing before a large pillar.

Leaning into its shadow brought a small sense of calm.

In the distance was the terrace where the young master had been. She wondered briefly if he might still be there, but quickly dismissed the thought.

Even if he was, there was no way he could see her from here.

Clinging to that fragile reassurance, she leaned her body fully against the pillar.

Since the music and the crowds were all on the lower floors, no one seemed likely to come up here.

Cassian had also told her to leave with that cold look on his face. So, for now, it felt safe.

Closing her eyes, Yurisiel took deep breaths in and out.

Letting herself rest in the quiet shadows, where no one would find her.

From a distance, Cassian watched her quietly.

A strange thought came to mind. Maybe he was the one acting like a voyeur.

As expected, Lady Catherine was making a dramatic scene, acting as though she were deeply upset.

Several nobles seemed to be sympathizing with her, and one maid was already climbing the stairs, heading in the direction where Yurisiel had gone.

Even before he had sent Yurisiel away, Cassian had noticed that one maid had been sticking unusually close to her.

The same maid, who had been loitering nearby, had just been speaking with Lady Catherine.

Now, with a troubled look on her face, the maid quickly found Yurisiel and approached her.

When the maid spoke, Yurisiel’s pretty face twisted in confusion.

She looked startled, maybe even scared.

Then she turned and hurried down the stairs, completely unaware of what she was about to walk into.

Now it was Cassian’s turn to act.

He rose slowly from the terrace and began walking forward.

Toward a dazzling night where something interesting awaited him.

“I’m sure I left the ring there, but now it’s gone.”

Lady Catherine’s voice was filled with urgency.

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her expression enough to draw concern from the gathered nobles.

“It was her wedding ring, wasn’t it?”

“Goodness, who would even take something like that?”

“Some people have no shame, honestly.”

Voices buzzed and echoed throughout the room.

Standing in the middle of it all, Yurisiel swallowed hard.

Lady Catherine had lost her wedding ring.

And just now, the lady of the house, Lady Ressler, had summoned her here.

And on top of that…

“I remember clearly. I left it in the restroom. I washed my hands and walked out without it.”

The restroom. That was exactly where Yurisiel had been just a short while ago.

Of course, she had only been there to adjust her dress. She hadn’t seen any ring. She didn’t even remember anything like that being there.

Logically, there was no reason for her to be in trouble.

But her heart was racing.

Why had Lady Ressler called for her at this exact moment?

And both Lady Ressler and Lady Catherine were now looking straight at her.

Yurisiel tried to calm her panic with reason.

There was no way they would ever view her kindly in the first place.

Neither Lady Ressler nor Lady Catherine liked her. That much had always been clear.

To be more accurate, they probably hated her.

There was no need to even explain Lady Catherine’s feelings.

Lady Ressler had never approved of Yurisiel or her mother living in this manor.

Yurisiel had long heard the rumors that Lady Ressler didn’t look kindly upon them. So, she had done her best to avoid her, but avoiding someone entirely in the same house was impossible.

One day, when they happened to cross paths, Yurisiel would never forget the way Lady Ressler’s face had twisted in disapproval.

Of course, no one had dared to lay a hand on her, not with the title of being the young master’s personal attendant.

But that only made this moment feel even more terrifying.

Lady Ressler and Lady Catherine were both women who wanted her gone.

Their eyes were full of hostility, and it stirred dark thoughts in Yurisiel’s mind.

The murmurs of the nobles around her grew louder, and her heart pounded in her chest like a galloping horse.

It couldn’t be. It wouldn’t be.

Just then, Lady Ressler finally spoke.

“Yurisiel, were you in the restroom earlier? Matil says she saw you heading there.”

The maid Lady Ressler referred to was the very one Yurisiel had bumped into in front of the restroom.

Their eyes met briefly before the maid quickly turned her head away.

Suddenly, all the nobles turned to stare at Yurisiel.

It was exactly what she had feared. Her mind went blank.

Once trapped, the more you struggled, the tighter the snare would pull.

There was only one answer she could give.

“…Yes.”

The murmurs around her grew louder.

“Could that young lady have really stolen something?”

“But she’s the one who always followed the Blanchet heir. That doesn’t make sense.”

No matter how many questions were asked, they all ended up in the same place.

They couldn’t believe the heir of House Blanchet would associate with a thief.

Yet slowly, a more serious doubt began to spread.

“But… has anyone actually seen her before?”

“Now that you mention it… is she really a noble?”

“Surely not. That can’t be true.”

Realizing the situation, the lord of the manor cleared his throat loudly.

Only then did the nobles start to quiet down and glance around, trying to read the room.

But the damage had already been done.

Rumors were spreading quickly, and the nobles whispered to one another about whether Yurisiel might not be a noble after all.

In the middle of the chaos, the steward and the lord looked pale and shaken.

The line they had so carefully balanced was starting to collapse.

Even if the young master already knew that Yurisiel wasn’t truly a noble, having that truth publicly revealed was an entirely different matter.

It would be seen as a disgrace to House Blanchet, and more than that, it would suggest that the Alphonse estate had tried to deceive a great noble house on purpose.

If only Cassian knew, they could still count on his silence.

But if Duke Blanchet were to find out…

The consequences would be horrifying.

The idea that a mere regional lord had tried to deceive someone like Duke Blanchét?

Their entire family could be wiped out without a trace, and no one would dare question it.

Lady Ressler, too, was struggling to hide her unease. She had only wanted to get rid of Yurisiel and her mother from Alphonse because she couldn’t stand the sight of them.

She never imagined it would escalate this far.

People like her, who were used to getting their way, always underestimated the consequences.

Now, the lord and lady of the estate could no longer hide their pale faces.

As Lady Ressler turned her head, trying to avoid the pressure of the room, her eyes widened in shock.

Somehow, without anyone noticing, Cassian had appeared behind them, standing like a pale ghost.

He looked cold, proud, and perfectly composed.

Still, there was one last chance.

Even if word reached House Blanchet that Yurisiel wasn’t a noble, they could frame her for lying and accuse her of deceiving them.

She might be punished harshly, but at least it would take the blame off the Alphonse estate.

To do that, they needed to paint her as someone shameless and arrogant.

Lady Ressler made her decision quickly and turned the pressure up.

“Yurisiel, did you take the ring?”

Her words sent shockwaves through the room.

The nobles began to murmur again, now openly calling her a thief.

Yurisiel could barely breathe. The world around her turned gray.

And yet, in the middle of it all, there was one person who remained vivid.

Cassian de Blanchet.

She had no idea when he had arrived, but he now stood among the nobles, straight and still.

His usual expressionless face made him look like a passive observer, but his brow was slightly furrowed.

It seemed he was displeased by how flustered she looked.

Maybe he was concerned that his own reputation would suffer if she were labeled a thief.

That had to be the reason.

And yet… his expression felt strange to her.

But she didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Lady Ressler stood with her arms crossed, smirking as if daring her to explain herself.

Had Lady Ressler planned all this?

No. As much as she disliked Yurisiel and her mother, she wouldn’t have risked ruining her own party to do it.

Not when it could all go so wrong.

That meant… this plan wasn’t hers.

Yurisiel’s gaze slowly turned toward someone else.

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