As usual, Cassian sat calmly, once again holding a sketchbook open.

And this time, he placed it down in front of him as if throwing it.

“This time, you draw.”

“…”

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to sit?”

A cruel smile spread across Cassian’s face as he wiggled his finger as if commanding a dog.

An oppressive gaze and attitude.

Blanchet, everything about him scratched at Yuriel’s suppressed emotions.

The thought that it didn’t matter whether Cassian was the informant or not was instantly reversed as if it had never existed.

If that quack was driven out by this young master’s hand…

Since when had he known?

No. Why did he start taking an interest in that quack?

Could it be because of her? No. The young master who spoke of her as if looking at an insignificant ant, calling her vulgar, wouldn’t have paid such attention to her.

This all too rational thought barely managed to apply the brakes.

However, Yuriel’s tongue had already moved on its own.

“Do you… know Mr. Litorn?”

The red pupils reflecting the scattered sunlight stared directly at Yuriel.

With a light of great amusement.

“Do you think I know? Or don’t know?”

A pure white smile was laid over Cassian’s languid voice.

As if teasing, like dangling bait in front of a dog.

“Young master!”

Yuriel’s body trembled. It was because she instinctively realized.

That Cassian knew everything.

That he was behind all of this.

‘Could it be that he’s known about it for a long time?’

How much did he know?

Seeing that he even knew about her workplace, seeing that he sent the butler there, this young master could probably know everything about someone like her with just the flick of a finger.

That prediction was unfailingly accurate.

“Criminals should be punished, right?”

Then he also knew that her mother needed that medicine, that she came to this mansion every day for that useless medicine…

So he knew everything, even that she was sitting in front of him like this every time.

And while knowing all that, did he just watch, amused by the sight of her begging before him?

Yuriel was so dumbfounded she couldn’t even speak.

The trembling she had always hidden under her maid uniform had now grown too large to conceal.

As he watched Yuriel turn pale, the cruel smile that had spread across Cassian’s face faded for the first time.

“Why are you trembling like that?”

Sharp eyes pierced through Yuriel.

She was the one who was dumbfounded, but the young master seemed to not understand that at all.

That demeanor once again took Yuriel’s breath away.

Meanwhile, Cassian slowly rose and moved languidly towards Yuriel.

He stopped at a distance of less than one step and lowered his head towards her.

In that position, Cassian reached out and grabbed her chin.

A strength that seemed unbelievable to come from such dry branch-like hands was applied to her chin.

A cool scent brushed Yuriel’s nose, but she, already breathless, couldn’t properly feel anything.

It felt as if her limbs were paralyzed.

In that moment, his oppressive voice once again brushed her ear.

“You shouldn’t make that expression when I’ve kindly saved you from being fooled by a con artist.”

“…”

“In this situation, you should say thank you, Yuriel.”

The tears that had been shimmering in Yuriel’s eyes finally fell with a plop.

“You did such a thing because of me?”

“What other reason do you think I would have had for taking an interest in such a lowly creature?”

The words of this person who had said he’d lost interest in noble things struck her mind like lightning.

So he took an interest in that quack because of her.

“Since when… have you known?”

“Known what?”

“That that person was a con artist.”

Yuriel’s voice trembled.

He must have found out only recently.

Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to have only now banished him after all this time.

Even while firmly believing that this young master was also human after all, Yuriel’s body trembled endlessly.

Cassian’s red eyes watching that sight were calm. His fingertips still hadn’t let go of her chin.

“Is that important?”

“It is important.”

Cassian laughed softly and released his grip, freeing Yuriel’s clear face.

“When do you think I knew?”

“Of course, a long time ago…”

“How naive. Ah, or are you underestimating Blanchet?”

“What do you mean…”

The emerald eyes trembled endlessly.

As if denying reality.

In those eyes, once again without fail, Cassian, herself was fully reflected.

Satisfyingly so.

What expression would she make this time if he distorted those eyes?

“From the beginning.”

Cracks spread across Yuriel’s green pupils.

As if mocking her, Cassian curled up one corner of his mouth, which was quietly reflected in her eyes.

“You didn’t think I wouldn’t know, did you?”

“Then you knew he was a quack, and yet you…”

You knew everything?

Then in the end, this young master knew everything and was just watching to hold her in the palm of his hand and play with her? Just for fun?

How could a person do such a thing?

What had she done so wrong to this young master?

Yuriel struggled to grasp her trembling hands and looked directly at the young master before her. Cassian laughed at those eyes that were still straight despite trembling.

Because it was amusing how her eyes, which had been tearful just moments ago, had now become dry.

“Shall I recite why you came into the mansion?”

“…”

“To save your dying mother. What a praiseworthy filial daughter.”

“How could you… when you knew all that…”

“I told you. You’re interesting.”

So for the sake of amusement, he had been toying with her all this time.

How much must this young master have laughed at the sight of her stupidly running around trying to get that medicine, completely oblivious and doing everything to please him?

And now that his interest has waned, did he banish that con artist because he needed another stimulus?

Was I once again showing a crying face before him?

This time, I did not want to move according to his will at all.

Yuriel forcibly put strength into her trembling legs and hardened her expression.

This young master who openly called her worthless to her face could do such things.

For a moment, she had forgotten that fact.

“So you’re saying you did this for amusement?”

“Does the reason matter?”

“…”

“In conclusion, I’m the benefactor who saved you from that con artist.”

“Young master… is everything so easy for you?”

This wench is again sitting here today, daring to look straight into Blanchet’s eyes.

Moreover, now there is not even a hint of wavering in those eyes.

The calm gaze, without a single tremor etched in it, was quite interesting.

And just as much, it twisted Cassian’s insides.

Unaware of this fact, the wench protested once more.

“What have I done so wrong to you, young master?”

Her sharp eyes were dry beyond compare. As if even the tears to shed had dried up.

Yuriel’s appearance, neither smiling nor crying, grated on Cassian’s nerves.

Even he could not understand the reason.

It felt as if he had become a child throwing a tantrum.

Would it be satisfying to make this wench cry?

A thirst-like sensation he had never felt before surged from deep in his throat.

Though the cause was unknown, one thing was certain.

This happens every time he’s with this girl.

This wench, whom he finds himself seeking out despite being twisted each time they clash, is dangerously addictive.

Meanwhile, today’s attendant had abandoned his duties and did not quench his thirst even a drop.

Yes. If we’re being honest, as this girl said, he knew everything.

Her circumstances, the reason she begged before him.

Rather than pitying her rushing headlong into false information, it was interesting.

So he came to this point, with a perverse thirst to watch that sight more.

In reality, Blanchet’s noble spirit should not have done such a thing, like a madman.

But what of it.

He had merely interestingly observed the falsehood opposing this Blanchet’s nobility.

If we’re counting, you’ve committed far greater deception, haven’t you?

So.

“You’re not the one to say that.”

As if in protest, Yuriel’s lips pressed tightly shut. Cassian looked at that sight straight on, without avoiding it.

“You, who are not even a lady of the Vilrod family, came here every day, didn’t you?”

For the first time, a different color clouded over the girl’s dry eyes.

Her face turning pale was a sight to see.

“You, a commoner, dared to act like a noble and even deceived me.”

Cassian’s lips curled up pleasingly.

“And now you say you’ve done nothing wrong to me?”

The price for a commoner impersonating a noble is enormous. Especially a lie directed at Blanchet, one of the most prestigious among the great nobles.

Of course, it was all a lie ordered by the lord, but that wouldn’t matter. Not to this arrogant young master before her.

Yuriel’s legs trembled at the feeling of everything going white before her eyes.

“I was wrong. That…”

Cassian watched Yuriel with interest, wiggling his foot.

Yuriel was more ashamed than ever, but she couldn’t be consumed by even such emotions.

If things go wrong here, even if not for her sake, for her mother’s…

With her eyes tightly shut, Yuriel begged and begged again. That she was wrong.

So please forgive her just this once.

“I’ll never appear before your eyes again, young master.”

For a moment, wrinkles formed on Cassian’s face, which had been like white porcelain.

The subtle cracks gradually spread, forming noticeable creases. Even that beautiful Cassian exuded an unreal yet overwhelming atmosphere.

Yuriel gazed at him blankly.

He wore an expression that was impossible to pin down, seeming both angry and dry.

As always.

The words that came from his mouth after a brief moment were also like that.

“Who said you could decide that?”

Yuriel’s slowly raised eyes were brimming with moisture.

Like a lake filling up, green moisture glistened over them.

Just moments ago, he had thought he would be satisfied if those eyes were clouded with moisture.

But now, looking at those eyes, Cassian felt awful.

Once again, an unidentifiable anger rose towards this wench who carelessly spoke of quitting this job.

In reality, this girl before him is no different from that quack of a con artist.

Only the degree is weaker. No, can we even say it’s weaker?

The con artist who deceived those worthless commoners and this wench who dared to deceive the noble Blanchet like himself.

It’s impossible to weigh which is worse, to determine the severity.

So this girl’s pledge to never appear before this Blanchet’s eyes again is truly reasonable.

But why is it so dissatisfying?

“Try it if you can.”

Yuriel’s face turned to him as if asking what he meant.

Her pupils, reflecting his mocking face, trembled aimlessly once again.