My Arrogant and Insolent Shadow - Chapter 53

“If I lose you, then my life as a mother has no meaning. Even if treatment is difficult, you must endure it, my son.”

Cassian responded with only a faint smile.

His father had turned away from his mother long ago, and since then, she had lived for him alone.

That had always been the case, and it would never change.

Not unless he took off the armor of being the heir to House Blanchet.

“By the way, Lord Alten seemed quite restless, so I arranged an engagement for you with the second daughter of the Western Border Marquis.”

Her tone was so calm that it was hard to believe she was talking about her own son’s marriage.

Cassian, the one directly involved, reacted no differently.

He simply replied with a distant look, as if this had nothing to do with him.

“I see.”

An engagement.

It was not a word that belonged to someone standing at the edge of death.

Still, he could clearly imagine the motives behind it.

The Marquisate of Periot in the West.

They were the only house that could realistically maintain a symbiotic relationship with House Blanchet.

Blanchet held unmatched magical power, while the Periot family, guarding the western border, had military strength.

Together, they made a perfectly balanced match.

Even if he might die at any moment, the Periot family had daughters to spare, and the engagement gave them strong political value.

If he died, they could simply discard the match.

It might be hard for the girl to remarry, but the Marquisate had enough power to find her another suitor at a reasonable price. It was a risk-free deal for them.

For his mother, who needed to prove the heir was still strong, and for himself, there was no reason to refuse.

It was a balanced alliance, not one-sided.

“Now the rumors that the heir of Blanchet is dying will finally go away.”

Soon, a carefully crafted love story would spread to the public.

No one would believe a dying noble was preparing for marriage, so it would be the perfect proof of his strength.

Rumors would spread that the heir of Blanchet was alive and well, and that the living legend would soon return.

A beautiful and romantic tale would capture the public’s imagination.

Cassian wondered how far that story would reach.

Would it make its way to that grey little place called Alphonse?

Would it reach her ears too?

It had to. Even if she tried to block it out, all of Alphonse would be talking about it.

Would that story sound romantic to her, or would it feel like ash?

What would you think, Yurisiel?

Would you say we look good together?

Or would you have no reaction at all?

But those watery eyes I last saw didn’t look like someone who felt nothing.

Of course, I know.

Those tears were nothing but crocodile tears, meant to get my mother’s medicine.

If I had been standing in front of her in that moment, she probably would have said she loved me again, with that innocent face, and then asked for the medicine.

Maybe even pretended she didn’t want me to go.

Still, I’ve decided to think of it however I want.

There’s no point in chasing the truth.

Not when the capital is so far from Alphonse.

A single white lily blooming in the grass outside the window caught Cassian’s eye.

That flower reminded him of her.

A girl who should have been nothing more than a wildflower, yet still somehow looked like a lily.

Anyone hearing this would probably laugh, but anyone who saw her would understand.

Inside the carriage, Elise’s gentle voice continued to fill the air.

She spoke about everything she had done for him over the years, and how that was why he had to live.

No, to be exact, she said he must survive.

While she spoke, Yurisiel kept rising and fading in Cassian’s mind over and over again.

Outside the window, the view had changed.

The lush greenery of Alphonse had disappeared, replaced by the bustling city filled with modern architecture.

Tall buildings towered on either side, and people filled the streets.

Stores lined the roads with colorful displays, more dazzling than he remembered.

Instead of the familiar cries of seagulls, the sounds of a lively crowd filled Cassian’s ears.

Soon, the scenery changed again, this time to the Blanchet estate.

Servants stood in two long lines, neatly waiting to welcome their master.

Cassian rose slowly, looking at the familiar sight he once believed he would never see again.

He was taller now as he stepped out and escorted Elise.

Time moved slowly for Yurisiel.

Since that day, she hadn’t been able to eat or sleep.

Hael had left, the young master had left, and all that remained in Alphonse was a deep, quiet emptiness.

But she had no room to feel lonely or sad.

She didn’t know what would happen if she couldn’t get her mother’s medicine in time. That was all she could think about.

If there was any small relief, it was that she hadn’t been ordered to leave the mansion.

She had expected the lord to send her away the moment the young master left, but for some reason, he gave no orders at all.

Even the butler, whom she sometimes passed, looked tired and uninterested.

Lady Ressler, who used to glare at Yurisiel and Jane like they were beneath her, said nothing either.

Day after day passed in this strange and unbelievable calm.

The maid who attended to her mother continued to visit with meals. The room was still cleaned at the usual time by the staff, kept in perfect order.

Even the smallest routines had not changed since the young master left Alphonse.

It felt as if he were still present, silently controlling everything behind the scenes.

The servants still treated Yurisiel and her mother with fearful respect, as if they were nobles.

What were they thinking, bowing their heads to complete strangers?

They knew nothing about who she and her mother truly were. And yet they offered more respect than they gave their longtime colleagues.

It was easy to imagine what that looked like in their eyes.

The lord had a sharp glint in his gaze whenever he looked at her mother. Lady Ressler, who likely knew everything, said nothing.

Even so, they had not been asked to leave.

Why?

Was the young master truly behind all of this?

He was far away now, somewhere in the capital, a place that felt as unreachable as a city from a fairy tale. Was he really using his influence just for her?

It seemed too ridiculous to believe.

Yurisiel let out a short, bitter laugh.

His cold face came to her mind again. The last thing he said to her was to step back.

That had been his answer to her confession.

The truth was clear.

He would never do something like this for her.

If he had cared at all, he would not have walked away, mocking her feelings and refusing to give her the medicine.

Besides, it was foolish to act as if she had any claim to it. She had no right to ask.

He had already done more than enough by giving her this room in exchange for the damage she caused. He had fulfilled his responsibility.

In truth, he had done more than that.

He remained noble to the end, as someone from House Blanchet should. She had only clung to him in desperation, and failed.

A cold breeze seemed to pass through her chest.

After he left, she tried to find money however she could, but it was impossible. The amount she needed was beyond anything she could hope to earn.

No matter how much she struggled, hell would never become heaven.

She had never even hoped for heaven.

She only wished they could survive together in hell. But even that had been too much.

Through the door, she saw her mother smiling again. Her expression was bright, unaware of the truth.

Her health had improved, but Yurisiel knew the color in her cheeks would soon begin to fade.

It had already been a month. The effects of the medicine would wear off any day now.

She could not bring herself to face her mother, who always smiled as if everything were fine.

Yurisiel turned away and returned to her room.

She picked up a pen.

To the young master,

I read in the newspaper that you have safely arrived in the capital.

I wonder if you are doing well now that the weather is growing colder.

Although she had written only a few lines, Yurisiel had to stop and breathe several times.

She pressed the pen too hard, leaving marks in the paper.

Thankfully, she stopped before the ink could smear or spread. At least she did not need to throw the paper away.

Still, her chest felt tight, and she shut her eyes for a moment.

After a few deep breaths, she opened them again and slowly continued writing.

Thanks to you, my mother’s condition has improved greatly.

I will never forget your kindness.

She wanted to ask if he could send more of the medicine. The words circled in her mouth but never made it to the page.

Yurisiel stared at the letter for a long time.

It felt empty, as if it lacked sincerity.

Should she add something? Perhaps tell him that she would do anything if he could help her again?

But what could she possibly offer him now?

There was nothing he would need from her.

Maybe when he was still in Alphonse, she had been a momentary distraction. But now she was nothing more than a part of his past.

A faint memory at best. Dust, at worst.

Even so, she had to hold on to something.

She had no pride left to protect.

She picked up the pen again and quickly added to the letter.

If there is anything I can do for you, I will do it.

Yurisiel stared at the end of her awkward letter, then sighed and wrote one final line.

I will be waiting and hoping for your safe return.

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