Cassian suddenly felt disgusted by his reflection in the mirror.

It was absurd that he had been sitting there laughing over nothing.

The more he felt this way, the sharper Cassian’s words became.

“Well, from your perspective, it would be better if I didn’t die so you could lap up even a drop more from the Blanchets.”

The corners of Yuriel’s eyes trembled slightly.

As if she had heard something she shouldn’t have.

Despite being the one who said she came to get a drop from the Blanchets.

The girl wrinkled her nose, unable to erase the bewildered expression on her face.

Beneath that expression, contempt had settled.

It’s quite enjoyable to see that look. As always.

At the same time, he felt a sense of anticipation. As if there was some answer he was waiting for.

If you want to keep lapping up drops from the Blanchets until you die, you should give a different answer.

Even if it’s a lie.

Yuriel’s face is captured in his calm field of vision.

The bewilderment and anger that had settled on it soon faded away.

Simultaneously, an unwavering gaze, without a single tremor, looked directly at him.

“That’s right. There’s no better job for me than this place.”

“……”

“That’s why I only saved you, young master.”

Sometimes this girl acted so boldly. With such ridiculous courage.

She consistently defied expectations, time and time again.

Each time, those actions disturbed his composure.

Does this girl know what she’s saying right now?

That she smiles at that silver-haired man because she likes it, and that rushing out to save his life was just a means of making money?

So does that mean he could be replaced by another money-making method?

No, to put it more bluntly, it means he can’t be replaced.

Because the amount he provides is quite significant in this backwater place.

So there’s no way she could escape from him. Until he dies.

Then she should have answered well.

A sardonic smile spread across his lips once again.

“So you’re saying that if it weren’t for the money, you’d be fine if I just died?”

Yuriel looked directly at Cassian. Numerous emotions crossed in the rippling gaze that met his.

A gaze filled with mockery, clear hatred directed at him…

A suffocating feeling constricted her.

Nevertheless, the remaining stubbornness made her lips move on their own.

“Whether I want you to die or live, is that important to you, young master? I’m just a mere employee.”

“Whether it’s important or not, that’s for me to decide. You just answer.”

Yuriel clenched her hands. Shame and fear mixed together, overwhelming her entire body.

Rationally, she knew well how to answer here.

That it wasn’t because of the money.

How could she not have done so when seeing the young master dying?

She should make a belated excuse with honey on her tongue.

However, Yuriel couldn’t easily utter those words.

On Cassian’s face, as he watched her agonize, an inscrutable expression was etched.

The veins on his clenched fist stood out prominently.

In his gaze fixed on her lips, there seemed to be an inexplicable tension.

But Yuriel soon concluded that it was a ridiculous thought.

How could this young master feel such emotions over her answer?

He must just be interested, having found some amusing prey.

As her emotions settled, cold reason returned, restarting the flow of thoughts that had stopped.

“I didn’t save you, young master.”

A red ripple waved like a tide in Cassian’s eyes.

“Oh? Then what you saved must have been some animal cub?”

“I only saved someone who was in so much pain they were breaking out in a cold sweat.”

“……”

“I mean I would have done this for anyone, not just you, young master.”

Tap tap, the cracking sound spreading under Cassian’s fingers gradually quickened.

On his face, albeit faintly, anger, rage, and an indescribable peculiarity were intertwined.

From Yuriel’s perspective, Cassian’s reaction was perplexing.

Is there any reason to look so angry?

She hadn’t completely yielded, but she also hadn’t answered that it was because of the money.

It was also an indirect way of saying that even without that money, she wouldn’t want him to die.

‘Isn’t that enough?’

Honestly, she could give a more explicit answer if that’s what he wanted, but there would be no greater deception than that.

Moreover, in front of him who had so realistically insulted her by saying that all her goodwill was just for money, she didn’t want to go that far.

She wanted to maintain at least a minimum of her dignity that was already on the ground.

But after hearing that she would have saved anyone, those red eyes stared at her as if seeing through her.

A long silence continued in that state.

Her body involuntarily shrank like a person placed before a stake for burning.

“You say you would have saved anyone.”

“……”

“You must be overflowing with love for humanity. I thought you were only desperate for money.”

“……”

“Something else keeps catching my eye.”

A voice that seemed to be filled with anger, or perhaps interest.

At the end of it, pop, an innocent flower petal was torn from Cassian’s hand and crumbled.

“But what should we do about this? What I hired was someone to stay by my side, not someone overflowing with love for humanity.”

“……”

“Shouldn’t the young lady overflowing with love for humanity give up that position? There are plenty of more desperate kids out there than you.”

Only then did reality clearly come into view.

With just a wave of that young master’s hand, her mother’s medicine costs would become nothing.

Despite her resolve to do only as much as she could, she became desperate.

Her body trembled at the thought that the new medicine that might save her mother’s life was right in front of her if she could endure just a little more.

She had thought it would be something she’d get as a bonus, but that wasn’t the case.

She was more desperate than anyone.

So she should have just agreed with whatever she heard.

Belated regret washed over her.

She should have left this young master alone in whatever state he was in from the beginning.

Why did she get involved again, thinking she’d gain some glory?

Hearing such shameful words about trying to get even a drop more from the Blanchets.

Honestly, rather than feeling ashamed, she felt wronged and angry. This entire situation.

Nevertheless, her pride was instantly crushed. In the face of all the reality that clouded her mind.

In the face of her mother’s illness.

“I made a mistake.”

“What?”

Yuriel tightly closed her eyes, feeling as if she was being toyed with by the hand twirling the branch mockingly.

“I… don’t want you to die, young master.”

“You should say such touching words while looking at me.”

Cassian filled Yuriel’s view as she opened her eyes.

“I don’t want you to die, young master.”

“Unlike others?”

“I desire your life incomparably more than other things.”

At this clearly enunciated answer, the anger finally receded from Cassian’s face.

No, in fact, it hadn’t really receded.

He just found the girl who boldly told such an unfunny lie so amusing that even his anger cooled.

A malicious desire to crush the girl wells up inside him.

“I don’t feel any sincerity at all.”

At these mocking words, Yuriel’s face froze.

Cassian looked at her expressionlessly.

He had started to crush her, but the more he did so, this girl would probably stand up again with another lie if left like this.

It seemed that more flattery coming out here would be equally unpleasant.

So, today ends here.

“Still, you’re worth the money.”

A low voice brushed past Yuriel’s ear.

Her hand, insulted, clenched into a fist, trying to hide its trembling.

“You may leave now.”

Cassian blankly watched the arrogant back leaving the room without even a farewell.

His gaze stretched from the space to the door, from the door back to the window, past the fountain in the distance, all the way to the main gate.

Until that fragile yet strong shadow disappeared.

Today, she won’t meet that silver-haired man.

No, not for quite a while.

That silver-haired man will end up managing all of the lord’s horses in return for the praise he showered.

This time, he’s even preparing for horse racing, they say.

Hael was buried in more work than usual.

Unlike the expectation that he would be able to enjoy a much more peaceful life than in the capital after returning to Alphonse, the amount of work was large and arduous.

Of course, it was truly an honor to directly manage the lord’s horses and participate in the events of a territory.

Moreover, there was even direct praise from the young master after that, they say.

Given that he had only ever heard good things about the young master, that blonde young master must be someone who warmly involves himself even in the affairs of his subordinates.

But somehow, Hael couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling he’d had for a while.

The thought that that young master might not be such a good person after all.

Unlike his expectation that he would be able to see her while working, Hael, who had fewer opportunities to see Yuriel due to being busier, observed her in a different way.

He would write letters as usual and head to Yuriel’s workplace late at night.

Of course, even that couldn’t last until the end if his mother sent a servant from home, but still.

The always bright and shining Yuriel was losing her smile.

She would become noticeably darker especially when the villagers occasionally mentioned young master Cassian.

Hael couldn’t fail to notice this.

Worried, he asked her what was wrong, but for a month now, Yuriel hadn’t given him an answer.

‘There must be some problem with that young master…’

Every time he saw traces of sparkling tears on that pretty face, Hael felt his insides burning up.

And so, finally, today he had no choice but to utter the words that had been tickling his throat.

“Can’t you stop doing that job?”