My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 47

Yurisiel’s frail body trembled, just a beat too late.

Strange, considering she had been the one to start this bold act.

Now it almost felt like she was the guilty one.

“You’re the one who started it,” Cassian said.

When he gave a slow smile, her trembling became even more noticeable, and it reached him through her skin.

To anyone watching, it would look like she had made the first move. It would seem like everything was her doing.

Not exactly what you’d expect from someone who had just attempted such a daring kiss.

If she had meant to use seduction, she should have done it properly.

Did she not realize what happens when you tempt a lion and then hesitate?

This innocent servant or rather, someone pretending to be innocent was now reflected fully in Cassian’s clear, glass-like eyes. And he seemed pleased with what he saw.

Yet now, as if regretting everything, Yurisiel kept her lips tightly closed.

Finally, she took a shaky breath through her parted lips.

She had no idea how that breath warmed the space around them or how it affected him.

Her lips, which had only left behind a rough sensation, couldn’t handle his gaze and slowly opened.

“I… I was just…”

Her wide eyes tried to escape, looking anywhere but him, but they were soon caught again by Cassian’s.

Her red hair slipped through his fingers like silk.

In that brief moment, heat rushed over her lips.

It felt like a massive wave crashing into her, shaking her from the inside out.

His saliva coated her chapped lips like a soothing balm.

Each breath she took with his mingled with hers, dizzying her and making her toes curl.

She had known she was risking everything the moment she decided to defy him.

She thought she wouldn’t care what this arrogant man did to her.

But her body instinctively recoiled and tried to retreat.

Still, the strength that held her in place never loosened.

His words echoed through her mind with the sound of the rain. You started this.

Their mixed breath made her head foggy, like her mind was slipping away.

As if she were caught in an endless cycle of trying to escape and being pulled back in, over and over. It was silent, dangerous, and intimate.

The kiss lasted much longer than anyone could have imagined.

Especially in a place like this, where no one would dare to picture such a thing.

Outside the door, the sound of the guards’ restless footsteps could be heard.

If they opened the door now, everything would be exposed.

All of it.

But she couldn’t push him away. She didn’t have the strength, or the right to.

Because, just as he said, she was the one who started it.

Once her resistance faded, only the raw feeling of it all remained, flooding her body.

It was painful and sweet at the same time, a twisted kiss full of contradictions. Her heart pounded wildly, like the rain hitting the earth outside.

Only when saliva began to shine faintly on her lips did the long, torturous kiss finally end.

Cassian’s breath came hot and fast, brushing over her shoulder from close range.

Just moments ago, she had been accepting that very breath. Now it was so close, it overwhelmed her.

Thinking about it made her feel like she was about to lose herself.

Her body swayed, but he caught her easily.

Anyone watching might have thought she was the one who had collapsed.

Once she managed to stand on her own again, his voice fell gently across her shoulder.

“Your mother will not become anyone’s mistress.”

Only then did her thoughts begin to return.

She knew better than anyone that his word could move all of Alphonse, even if not the whole world.

The lord who bowed so deeply at the banquet would never dare disobey him.

Relief came all at once, and her legs nearly gave out.

But it wasn’t his arms that kept her from collapsing. It was his next, cold remark.

“Is that enough for you?”

With those words, Cassian turned and left.

Enough?

Shame hit her hard, all at once.

She couldn’t even remember what had possessed her to throw herself at him like that.

It felt like a memory had been cut off, like she had blacked out.

It was something she wanted to forget but she knew she never would.

Just a moment ago, she thought she could do anything. That confidence now felt like a lie.

It had only been a kiss, but it clung to her like chains.

She felt like she could never return to the person she was before.

She wiped away the sticky feeling from her lips, but the heat from the memory wouldn’t fade.

She sat down on the cold floor, dazed, staring into empty space.

She didn’t know how long she sat like that.

Eventually, the guards and a few strangers arrived to inform her she was being released.

One of them, clearly uncomfortable after seeing her in such a mess, hesitated before speaking.

“I heard you were falsely accused. I’m sorry. We were just following orders from above…”

Their apology buzzed in her ears, but she didn’t hear it.

It felt like someone had frozen time and was forcing her to replay that moment with Cassian again and again.

She wished she could forget. She wanted a curse to take the memory from her completely.

That feeling didn’t fade until she returned to the estate and finally saw her mother.

Lady Jane and Yurisiel held each other tightly, tears falling freely between them.

Lady Jane looked down at Yurisiel’s bruised and worn face with deep sorrow. She reached for a small jar of ointment.

It had been kindly sent by Steward Lanod, who had thought she might need it.

She gently applied the balm to Yurisiel’s cracked lips and the bruises from when she was dragged to the prison.

It must have hurt, but Yurisiel didn’t flinch once. Lady Jane watched her with sad eyes.

Yurisiel had grown up far too quickly, at an age when she should have still been leaning on her parents. It broke her heart.

And when she thought about how she had failed to protect her daughter properly, the pain turned to guilt.

But Yurisiel, unaware of her mother’s feelings, simply smiled. She was trying, once again, to act like an adult.

“Mom, everything’s okay now.”

“…”

“I’m free, and you…”

Yurisiel stopped before finishing her sentence. She couldn’t bring herself to say, You won’t have to become the lord’s mistress.

Her mother didn’t know that she had learned the truth. There was no need to expose something so shameful.

In fact, just a little while earlier, Lady Jane had been nervously preparing herself to visit the lord, only for the meeting to be abruptly canceled.

And then, Yurisiel had suddenly returned, free.

Lady Jane cried tears of relief and whispered thanks to the heavens.

“But how were you released, Yurisiel?”

Yurisiel hesitated. A flicker of discomfort crossed her face.

Lady Jane noticed right away that something was off.

Meeting Yurisiel’s emerald eyes, she asked gently, “Nothing happened… right, Yurisiel?”

“Nothing like that. They just found out I was innocent, that’s all.”

Yurisiel buried her face into her mother’s shoulder, clinging to her like a child. The fact that her mother was still here, safe, filled her with quiet relief.

If her mother had become the lord’s mistress because of her…

No. Just being here now, like this, was already more than she could ask for.

Even as the memory of Cassian came back to her and made her grimace, she still felt grateful.

“I don’t know how they figured out the truth, but… it’s a miracle. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

Lady Jane gently stroked Yurisiel’s hair, her touch full of comfort and love.

In that warmth, Yurisiel couldn’t help but think of him again.

“Maybe the young master said something… helped out somehow.”

“The young master?”

“Yeah. That’s what I heard.”

She tried to sound casual, but her whole body tensed just to keep from shaking.

Even hearing the words young master brought the memory rushing back so sharply it made her dizzy.

Seeing her mother nod, Yurisiel quickly changed the subject, using a playful tone to shift the conversation.

They talked quietly for a while. Little by little, normal life began to return.

As night fell, Yurisiel nestled beside her mother. She hadn’t done that in so long.

She would return to being the young master’s servant tomorrow. But just for tonight, she wanted to stay like this a little longer.

Trying to push the memory of the kiss from her mind, Yurisiel slowly drifted off to sleep.

That night, she dreamed she was traveling to the capital with her mother.

A beautiful, dreamlike city unfolded before them.

In that dream, the two of them made joyful memories.

It seemed her mother’s dreamcatcher had finally done its job.

Morning came, and the new sun bathed the land in golden light.

The rays pouring through the window gently woke Yurisiel.

Her mind was still filled with the memory of that kiss, clinging to her and refusing to let go.

Trying to shake it off, she picked up the daily paper. Her eyes landed on an article about the recent theft at the Alphonse estate.

“Revealed to be a scheme by Lady Catherine…”

The bold headline made it clear that the entire incident had been fabricated.

Was this also the young master’s doing?

He didn’t need to prove her innocence. It would’ve been enough to save her mother from that disgrace.

By his logic, the kiss had already paid for everything.

In the corner of the article was a small note: Anonymous tip.

That was all the proof she needed.

It had to be Cassian.

The paper had a reputation for exposing ordinary informants. The only person they’d protect was someone like him.

Right on schedule, Yurisiel left her room and headed toward the young master’s chambers.

With each step, her thoughts tangled more.

Why had he helped her?

Was it just because he despised Lady Catherine? Did he feel pity for her?

Or maybe he simply didn’t want his servant’s name dragged through the mud?

Whatever the reason, she knew one thing: she was grateful.

If it weren’t for him, the people of Alphonse would still be calling her a thief and mocking her behind her back.

The hallway toward the main floor was unusually busy.

She spotted Aunt Mary giving orders in the center of the commotion, servants moving quickly around her.

There had just been a banquet, so another one seemed unlikely.

Curious, Yurisiel walked over to Aunt Mary and asked quietly, “Is something going on?”

“Yes. The Duchess of Blanchet will be arriving soon.”

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