Yuriel reluctantly picked up the spoon.

The moment she took a spoonful, Yuriel’s brow furrowed.

Unlike her expectation that anything eaten in front of this young master would taste bad, even if it were precious lobster brought from far away, her appetite was aroused.

Amusingly.

With just one bite, Yuriel couldn’t help but be captivated by the taste.

A soup that offered a feast of savory flavors with every spoonful, and soft bread full of flavor despite having nothing spread on it.

Yuriel lowered her head, finding it absurd that this soup and bread tasted so good.

“Why. Does it taste bad?”

“No. It’s not that…”

“If it’s bad, say so.”

Just then, she felt the gaze of a servant who had brought new food, looking at her with a rather tense expression.

She knew what would happen the moment she said it was bad here.

Right. This young master is someone who could so casually cut someone’s lifeline.

Yuriel swallowed hard and said calmly.

“No. It’s delicious.”

One must not go against the young master’s temperament.

Unlike when she first came to this mansion, that resolve had solidified a million times over within Yuriel.

After that, until dessert arrived, Yuriel silently ate everything.

Only after watching her to the end did Cassian seem satisfied and rise from his seat.

Only after seeing his retreating figure did she let out a long breath.

At the same time, her tense stomach expanded, turning her insides upside down.

Yuriel ran outside and rushed to an empty place to completely empty her stomach.

Only then did she feel a little better.

Why does that young master insist on dining together?

Surely there would be a line of people wanting to dine with him, even without her.

But why insist…

Is it his hobby to hold onto someone who dislikes it?

Then should she just pretend not to and wait for the young master’s interest to wane?

No. If his interest wanes, that would be a problem in itself. It would mean she’s no longer needed.

As she slowly closed her eyes, a cool breeze rippled across the tip of her nose.

Only then did her cleared mind awaken her consciousness.

Returning to her room, Yuriel found her mother sitting at a table set with the same menu as hers.

Her mother, with an extremely surprised expression, couldn’t eat more than a few bites and was restless.

Saying how could one eat all of this precious food. It was truly like her mother to say that.

Servants who entered on time collected the plates that had barely been eaten.

Of course, in this house, all of that was familiar.

However, the servants’ eyes looking at the plates with a lot of food left were ominous.

It seemed as if they were questioning if she was being picky about food.

Perhaps it’s just an illusion since no one actually asks such questions.

She hadn’t wished for such excessive and uncomfortable treatment.

While it was nice to see her mother enjoying it, at the same time, an anxious feeling surged that all of this might disappear in an instant. Paradoxically.

Her mother didn’t forget to thank the servants as well.

But their response to her mother was rather cold.

Nevertheless, the fact that this place was the most comfortable greenhouse remained unchanged.

It would continue to be so in the future.

She had to endure somehow. No matter what happened.

In reality, when recalling what happened today, dining together was all there was to it.

It was an incredible course meal that would leave others in awe if they saw it.

The people of Alfons’ territory wouldn’t even dream of tasting such food once in their lives.

So if anyone knew she was thinking like this, they’d say she was ungrateful for her good fortune.

The house, her mother’s medicine, the meals, everything was provided by that young master.

Even the clothes she was wearing.

The more dependent she became on him, the more her anxiety surged.

After that, one season passed through Alfons.

The season when the ubiquitous pink leaves fall and the early summer’s green leaves paint the colorful city in verdant hues.

The girl still read books, drew pictures, and ate meals in front of him with a dying face.

The more they did together, the more life bloomed in him, and the more ashen she became.

As if he was stealing the warmth of life from her.

The most spectacular was when he encountered the girl’s birth mother.

The girl’s birth mother was undoubtedly a beauty noticeable even from afar.

It made sense why that girl was so pretty.

Flowing platinum blonde hair, emerald eyes that revealed where Yuriel’s eye color originated, a face as white as if transparent…

‘They say she’s called a foreign princess in the village.’

Even Cassian, who had thought it was a nickname only suitable for rustic Alfons, acknowledged the rumor upon seeing Jane’s actual appearance.

Seeing that appearance, Yuriel, that girl, naturally overlapped in Cassian’s mind.

It was because of the features that were exactly like her birth mother’s.

The only difference, if any, was that unlike her mother who looked as if she might break at the slightest touch, that girl had a strong light about her.

Especially the contrast between the red hair and platinum blonde hair starkly highlighted that strength.

Their attitudes towards him were just as contrasting.

The birth mother named Jane would often approach him first whenever they happened to meet in the hallway.

And her manner of bowing was no different from any commoner.

She didn’t forget to express her gratitude either.

“I heard that the young master has bestowed special grace. Thank you so much.”

Her gentle voice didn’t match her age at all.

Even with a pale complexion as if she were ill, her attitude of being favorable towards him seemed elegant at a glance.

The girl’s birth mother truly seemed to know nothing.

How ridiculous to thank the one who destroyed her home.

In that respect, that greeting was as if he was intercepting what the lord should receive.

‘Did she say I was the one who allowed that girl to stay in this mansion?’

That couldn’t be.

The girl’s expression, which twisted behind her every time her birth mother greeted, was quite a sight to see.

Of course, Cassian had no intention of correcting that.

How entertaining it is to observe the girl’s face twisting solely because of him.

Why would he kick that away of his own accord?

Come to think of it, it is true that he was the one who allowed her to stay in this house.

So he was fully qualified to receive that greeting.

After nodding to accept the greeting, the girl would bite her lip, bow roughly, and disappear with her birth mother as if fleeing.

Many days have already passed like that.

For the past few days, the girl has been appearing less frequently before him accompanied by her mother.

While she used to always stick close by when her birth mother came out to the hallway for a walk,

Now, as if even that was difficult to endure, she didn’t show herself at all.

As if trying to express her will to have minimal contact with him.

It’s amusing.

For a page who should come running immediately when he calls.

How skillful his esteemed page is at saying she can’t stand the sight of him so politely.

What did she say yesterday? That she was hesitant, fearing it might inconvenience the young master?

The sight of her making such ridiculous excuses is clearly insolent.

But it’s quite bearable.

Right. She should at least maintain that appearance.

Since he got hold of her birth mother’s medicine, she has no choice but to be like that to him now.

Even if she’s cursing him black inside, she must wear a false mask at least in front of him.

With eyes that express gratitude, not eyes that reproach how he could do this in front of her.

He thought he would be satisfied seeing that.

Yet why is he still in this state, this condition?

What more does he want to see?

As if intending to catch the fleeing Yuriel, Cassian rose and moved languidly.

Behind him, the restless butler followed, trying to dissuade him, but was stopped by a single gesture from him.

While the servants could neither act nor stand still, stamping their feet anxiously to keep their positions, he left the mansion.

Though he took more steps than the physician had allowed, Cassian didn’t mind.

After all, a man facing death has nothing to be wary of.

Even standing at a distance that would have normally left him breathless, a smile rippled to the edge of his chin.

Where has she hidden this time?

As if playing hide-and-seek with him at every moment, what expression will she make when she sees him this time?

While he’s looking forward to it, he can’t help but feel resentful.

Passing by the garden trees, the purple flower buds she had been looking at before were now in full bloom, gazing at him.

As if asking to be plucked.

As Cassian plucked that flower and twirled it, Yuriel finally entered his sight.

In an instant, the flower petals crumpled and fell in his hand.

The bursting purple stained his hand like paint. Even as that, which also resembled blood, spread all over his hand, Cassian didn’t move an inch.

First, Yuriel is captured.

Then, silver hair is captured in the rippling red view.

So, the girl who had been hiding where he couldn’t see all this time was secretly meeting that fellow in his mansion.

As soon as the term ‘silver hair’ rises to his lips, he recalls the trembling girl.

As if caught doing something that shouldn’t have been discovered.

If it was that precious, she should have hidden it even better.

Unlike in front of him, her natural appearance of not trembling is beyond compare.

Though the intensity of that smile has faded compared to before, it’s not as wooden as when she’s in front of him.

Is she shameless, unable to obtain even one medicine and being dragged before him?

Hmph, a sneer was poured over Cassian’s face.

In an instant, the silver-haired one’s eyes slowly widened, taking him in.