My Insolent Shadow - Chapter 20

The next day, when Yuriel opened her eyes, she moved to convey her thanks to Hael at her mother’s insistence.

She had fish dangling from her hands.

While it might be ordinary fish for Hael’s family, it was quite precious meat in Yuriel’s household.

Recalling how Hael would empty the fish plate completely whenever he came to their home, her mother wanted to give him at least this.

In fact, if they saw this at Hael’s house, they might laugh.

That woman might even throw it in the trash.

Still, knowing her mother’s heart, Yuriel did not bother to dissuade her any further.

As usual, passing through the desolate alley and past the dock.

Mr. Brown called out to her.

“Where are you going at this hour?”

Brown was one of the adults who often gave Yuriel more money.

To be more precise, he was also the only adult in the village who had looked after Yuriel even before that.

Despite wearing the same clothes every day, earning him the nickname of miser, the large amount of daily wages he handed to her always contained a rough warmth.

It was partly because he felt a sense of kinship with Yuriel, and partly because it was heartbreaking to see such a small child running around alone.

If his deceased daughter were alive, she would have been just like that.

When everyone avoided him after his daughter received a terminal diagnosis, Yuriel was the only one who worked at Brown’s store.

Yuriel, too, was always grateful for Mr. Brown’s affectionate attitude.

Though she had never expressed it.

So if someone else had asked, she would have just said she had an errand, but she spoke a little more in detail.

“Just… going to see Hael.”

“Hael, that boy? I saw him going that way just now. With someone wearing gold-rimmed glasses.”

“Gold-rimmed glasses?”

“Yes. Ah, don’t worry, it wasn’t a woman.”

“Mr. Brown!”

The uncle who had thrown the joke disappeared with a smile, as if he had finished his task.

Even saying that she could come to work a little late today.

Shaking her head, Yuriel hurriedly headed towards the street the uncle had mentioned.

By the way, gold-rimmed glasses.

The snow-white face of the doctor she saw yesterday briefly flashed through Yuriel’s mind.

‘In this village, the only person likely to wear gold rims would be that doctor…’

She wondered why they were meeting from this early hour, but it wasn’t really an unusual matter.

It’s natural to entertain a guest you’ve invited.

Without any particular thought, her quick steps slowed only when she reached the place lined with modern cafes.

Her slowly moving feet came to a stop in front of Hardin Cafe, the tallest among them.

As expected, the person Hael had accompanied since morning was indeed that doctor.

Now that she confirmed it with her own eyes, the events of yesterday came back, making her heart sink once again.

No matter how many times she heard it, the terminal diagnosis never became familiar, always feeling like the first time.

Thinking that her mother must have felt the same way made her even more depressed.

Feeling that she couldn’t meet Hael like this, she managed to compose her expression and headed towards where he was seated.

But Hael’s expression was quite serious.

What kind of conversation is he having so seriously?

She quietly took a seat in the back, amidst the suffocating atmosphere that was too overwhelming to approach.

The place was noisy with tourists gathered for brunch from the morning, and neither of them noticed her presence.

The conversation between Hael and the doctor naturally flowed into Yuriel’s ears.

“So you’re saying it might be possible if we have that medicine.”

That medicine?

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me yesterday? Please get it for me. I’m begging you.”

Yesterday? Then is he talking about mother’s medicine? Yuriel’s heart sank.

“Well…”

“What’s wrong?”

“It needs to be made from a leaf that only grows in the far-off Hart Empire, and even that is so rare that it’s almost impossible for ordinary people like us to obtain.”

“But there’s still a way, right?”

“Recently, the Imperial Pharmacy brought one in for experimental purposes, and a considerable amount was spent on research costs. It was about 10 pantheons in imperial currency.”

After that, Yuriel heard nothing from behind her.

10 pantheons? That was an amount difficult to afford even for the wealthiest family in a village like Hael’s.

Of course, if Hael, the only son of the family, were sick, or if someone in that family had such an illness, it would be money they could definitely spend, but…

Looking at Hael’s back as he failed to continue speaking, Yuriel rose from her seat.

As she came outside, her ashen figure was reflected in the luxurious floor-to-ceiling windows.

After that, following her usual routine, Yuriel returned to Mr. Brown’s store and repeated kneading flour and flipping.

The uncle, who was watching her expressionless face with concern, threw some words of worry.

To her forced smile saying she was fine, the uncle didn’t ask further and placed some food in her hand.

Saying she needed to eat something to gain strength.

He also told her to take a break for a while.

But Yuriel stubbornly persisted in her work. It was because only then could she avoid thinking about that medicine, even if just a little.

In reality, she should tell Hael it’s okay and not to worry…

Could she easily say such words?

A deep sigh escaped from Yuriel’s lips.

As usual, Yuriel mechanically repeated her work, moved locations, and worked again.

In between, she made several mistakes she wouldn’t normally have made.

‘How stupid.’

The cut wound turned her finger red.

After several times of self-reproach, tidying up her work, and finishing, the outside had already darkened.

As she stepped out of the store, Hael was waiting for Yuriel as usual.

Upon discovering Hael, Yuriel put on a deliberately calm face.

As if she hadn’t heard anything.

In contrast, Hael’s face that turned towards her was ashen gray.

Ah, it must be because of that. Hael, who couldn’t hide his emotions well, looked as if he had just returned from a funeral.

“Did you perhaps visit Hardin Cafe?”

What Hael held out was a bundle of fish.

“Ah…”

It seemed she had left it there in the morning.

He would have known it was hers right away because of the way it was tied.

“Yes. Mother told me to give it to you.”

“But why didn’t you see me before you left?”

Should I just say I happened to overhear? Yuriel hesitated for a moment.

She should tell him not to worry about yesterday. But regarding this issue where her mother’s life was at stake, Yuriel couldn’t bring herself to say such words, as they got stuck in her throat.

“Did you perhaps hear something there?”

Hael’s eyes, filled with anxiety, trembled aimlessly.

Looking at him, Yuriel forced a faint smile on her face.

“No. You seemed very busy, so I just left it there.”

Hael let out a long sigh as if relieved, and immediately changed the subject.

Yuriel also went along with it appropriately.

The two walked back home with their usual peaceful steps.

Several days passed after that.

The relationship between Hael and Yuriel remained the same, and that conversation disappeared between the two.

It was different from Yuriel’s expectation that Hael would eventually bring up the medicine topic, given his personality.

Perhaps he thought that mentioning such a medicine would be more hurtful.

Hael would also know that it’s a medicine he couldn’t obtain anyway.

It would be difficult for Hael to get that medicine too.

Yuriel didn’t blame Hael. She just couldn’t help feeling bitter.

For a moment, a familiar-faced servant sent from Hael’s house approached.

Yuriel knew well that it was someone sent by Hael’s mother.

She probably disliked the sight of him being with her.

Once again, the cold face from long ago flashed through Yuriel’s mind.

“You go ahead.”

Yuriel smiled and waved her hand.

Hael disappeared with an apologetic look, saying he was sorry he couldn’t walk her home.

Yuriel, who returned along the same path today as well, reached the alley entrance as usual.

But today, for some reason, her mother wasn’t in her usual place.

With her heart sinking from an ominous feeling, Yuriel rushed out.

There, Alphonse’s people were gathered in crowds.

Among them were several faces Yuriel knew. The shop owners who saw her running quickly approached.

“Something terrible has happened, Yuriel.”

“They say the lord ordered your house to be demolished.”

Bang, the sound of workers striking with hammers echoed roughly through the space.

“De… molished?”

The house she had lived in for years was being torn down.

Inside, her mother was screaming as if she would be torn apart.

Her cries to stop were heard several times, but no one listened to her words.

Her weak, thin body was quickly pushed aside and rolled onto the ground.

While supporting her mother, Yuriel watched the scene with bloodshot eyes.

Eventually, after entrusting her mother to someone else, Yuriel, not knowing what had come over her, stood in the middle of the demolition site.

The work was instantly halted as she barely blocked the area they were about to strike with hammers.

As the shattering sound of hammers disappeared, creating a void, someone who looked like the foreman came out and shouted roughly.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Grabbing one of them, Yuriel asked with a trembling voice.

“Why, why are you doing this? There must be a reason for this.”

No matter how arbitrary the lord was, it was unlikely that he would suddenly try to demolish a house located in this secluded corner.

To begin with, he was the type who had no interest at all in the lives of the villagers.

But.

“How should we know? They say the presence of houses here ruins the scenery.”

Along with shouts to drag her away, the workers pulled her down.

No matter how hard she tried, her small frame was no match for several adult men.

The tears that had welled up in Yuriel’s eyes flowed down.

The lord, who never even came here once, said it ruined the scenery?

That couldn’t be.

Something was clearly wrong.

As Yuriel raised her head, for a moment, she saw a man standing far away.

A man in a neat suit that didn’t match this desolate country road at all.

He was the butler from the lord’s mansion who had recently taken her from this country road to the young master of Blanchet.

Only then did the voice that had been ominous but ignored, and now thought to never surface again, flash through Yuriel’s mind.

Top Celebrity Younger Brother Bears Her Child (Female-dominant)

One-line summary: Forced to live stream romance with a top celebrity in a female-dominant world.

Yan Jin transmigrated into a brothel, with a fellow transmigrated junior beside her.

Hearing the obscene words coming from outside, the unfortunate junior covered his ears tightly, his cheeks flushed red, and whispered to comfort her, “Don’t worry, I will definitely help you escape.”

“Don’t worry, I will definitely defend your chastity.” Yan Jin looked at the flawless and delicate features of the unfortunate junior and gently comforted, “Because we have transmigrated into a female-dominant world.”

※※※

Top celebrity Yu Shu suddenly fell into a coma during a concert.

Research scientist Yan Jin fainted in the lab after working overtime.

Two people with no connection were rushed to the same hospital.

Three days later, neither of them had woken up.

Suddenly, the entire nation discovered that a live streaming app had been forcibly installed on their phones.

Upon opening it, they heard the two discussing how to escape from the brothel.

The entire internet was in an uproar.

After the two successfully escaped from the brothel, Yu Shu’s fan group rushed to make a banner and sent it to the hospital overnight.

“Big sister bravely took action to defend the chastity of our idol!”

※※※

When Yu Shu was diagnosed with pregnancy, Yan Jin stared at his belly for a long time.

Covering his stomach, he muttered gloomily, “If you don’t like it, I’ll go get an abortion.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Yan Jin hugged Yu Shu and said softly, “I just feel like I’m not human.”

Yu Shu comforted Yan Jin, “I was already an adult when we got together.”

Yan Jin hesitated, “But you won’t be of legal marriageable age even after giving birth to the child.”

At the same time, a flood of bullet comments appeared in the live streaming room that the two couldn’t see.

[Although it’s inappropriate, I also want a young and handsome boyfriend to have my child.]

①Male pregnancy (highlighted)

The female lead is five years older than the male lead, and the male lead is already an adult when he appears.

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