The unfinished painting had been touched up by her hand over the past few months.

She, who couldn’t even think of hiring a private tutor, drew better than expected.

Of course, it was only “better than expected”.

From an objective eye that had seen countless exhibitions of skilled painters who graduated top of their class from the Capital Academy, it was still far off.

Nevertheless, the combination of lines that seemed to be crudely drawn with pencil formed a fairly convincing likeness of me.

Unlike the combination of lines I had drawn for her.

Of course, I could do it, but I just drew that kind of thing, so it’s not a fair comparison.

Cassian looked down at Yuriel’s drawing indifferently and brushed it aside.

Deep shadows were cast around the elegantly extended jawline and the straight, high nose bridge.

It was drawn properly in its own way, showing a will not to displease me as much as possible.

The thought of her form sitting there, trying to please me with those white hands that didn’t suit her, while inwardly chewing on curses, made me smile.

Nevertheless, this drawing couldn’t hide one fact.

The eyes looking down as if staring directly.

Those eyes, which anyone would feel were unlucky, contained exactly what she felt when looking at me.

She used to tremble whenever our eyes met.

Is this how I appear in her eyes?

The dry eyes couldn’t look away from that drawing for quite a while.

Time flowed indifferently, not minding anyone.

In the midst of the gradually warming season, Yuriel enjoyed a rare moment of leisure, looking at the now lush green leaves.

In fact, this place was too dangerous and unstable to indulge in leisure.

But just for a moment.

This place, away from the hot air when visiting that room and facing that young master, was under the scorching sun.

As if there was nowhere for her to escape the heat.

The hellish heat that repeats every year still hadn’t become bearable.

As she stood still, a gentle breeze pierced through the heat and brushed her face.

It cleared her airways a little.

Perhaps this heat was better than being in front of that young master.

It was heartbreaking that she wanted to leave right away but couldn’t even do that.

Truly, if she did, she would be steamed to death in this sweltering heat.

Those who have nothing are prone to perish even from small external factors.

Moreover, her mother, who had just regained a healthy complexion… she didn’t even want to imagine.

That young master was, in the end, her lifeline, whether she liked it or not.

Come to think of it, it was nothing short of funny. Why did that young master go to such lengths over something he could have just ignored?

He destroyed the house once, then gave a house again.

He gives medicine saying he’ll save her mother, but only one pill at a time.

Putting aside his treatment of her as a clown, what he did when he encountered Hael…

After that, she didn’t seek out Hael as much as possible.

For fear that something might happen to him because of her.

It was enough that only she should be the one to displease and contradict that young master’s eyes, and thus suffer retaliation.

The more she saw, the more Cassian was completely different from what Hael had told her.

The young master she saw in the capital was someone who didn’t even speak to commoners, yet never lost his nobility.

Could he be this different only to her?

At first, she thought he had turned nasty after becoming terminally ill, but in reality, it was only towards her.

He didn’t say nonsensical things like a lord to anyone else around him. He didn’t act selfishly.

Seeing him like that from the outside, Alphonse’s people respected and liked the young lord of Blanchet.

Still unchanged.

It seemed only she feared him from within.

Everyone was being deceived.

By that young master’s angelic face.

As her thoughts matured, Hael entered Yuriel’s sight.

Hael waved his hand and ran towards her.

As always.

The way he stretched out his legs quickly like a horse, being a child who loved horses, made her wonder if he was becoming more like a horse.

“Why haven’t you been around lately?”

“Just been a bit busy.”

Instead of explaining the situation, Yuriel smiled awkwardly, and Hael faced the ominous premonition he had been putting off.

During that time, Yuriel hadn’t been that busy.

She was often seen with her mother under the lamplight, and sometimes walking alone under the bushes.

He thought they would see each other often since he worked in this house and Yuriel stayed here.

That expectation was mercilessly trampled.

That day, when they were caught together by the young master, he had approached her first.

Could it be that Yuriel knew what he had heard from the doctor at that cafe?

Hael’s insides burned as he felt that Yuriel’s attitude towards him had changed since that day.

But he couldn’t bring up that story first.

He had gathered all the money and odds and ends he could from the household, but it was insufficient to raise that amount.

When he was finally caught and called by his father, he was scolded for asking for that money.

He had roughly explained it was for a horse, so his father probably wouldn’t guess it was for Yuriel.

After that, Hael had been selecting one of the horses he cherished.

He planned to sell it at the market tomorrow.

It broke his heart to think of selling that horse he had raised for years, looking into its eyes and breathing together, but he had no choice.

Because he didn’t want to see Yuriel cry.

Of course, even if he sold it, it wouldn’t fundamentally cure Aunt Jane.

There would be a limit to the capital he could contribute.

Still, Hael wanted to do his best for Yuriel.

‘Yuriel not approaching me lately must be because she’s worried about her mother.’

With that, Hael deliberately pushed back his bitterness.

Over the past few days, Hael had tried to actively approach Yuriel, who wasn’t coming to him.

But seeing her seemingly avoiding him blatantly these days, he decided to give it some time instead.

Fearing Yuriel might dislike it if he approached more.

Yet today, he couldn’t bear it anymore and ended up coming to meet El.

However, when Yuriel noticed him, she looked momentarily flustered and glanced around.

‘Is it because of that young master, not the medicine?’

The unidentifiable roughness deep in Hael’s heart finally surfaced.

“What did the young master say?”

Yuriel’s green eyes trembled subtly.

A few strands of her pretty red hair, usually hidden under that snow-white hat these days, fluttered over her face.

It felt like his heart had dropped. Because that sight was so beautiful.

It was a mistake to think that young master wouldn’t find her this beautiful in his eyes.

It was foolish to be relieved thinking they were from different worlds.

Being from a different world made it even more dangerous.

“What would he say? Just being unpleasant as always.”

Yuriel smiled as if it were nothing.

But Hael couldn’t feel reassured at all.

While working here, Hael had heard various things.

Aunt Mary, who worked as the head maid in the lord’s household, said she felt relieved after bringing El in.

Before that, the young master who kept changing servants now only sought El.

But from Hael’s position, he couldn’t tell Yuriel to quit, so it was eating him up inside.

The reason El couldn’t quit the young master’s servant job was because of Aunt Jane.

After El resumed her servant duties, she was given a room in this mansion.

Since then, Aunt Jane seemed to be regaining some of her complexion.

All of these were things that Hael, I, couldn’t do for Yuriel.

So he couldn’t carelessly utter irresponsible words like telling her to quit.

Still, if he could raise money by selling Brit this time, maybe…

Yuriel broke into Hael’s vision, which was hazy like smoke.

“Are the horse racing preparations going well?”

Hael, forcing his expression back to normal, spread a smile across his face.

“Of course.”

After that, Hael talked about horses for a long time. Rather, to erase such complicated thoughts from his head.

This horse is like this, that horse is like that.

Brit was naturally missing from those stories.

As Hael was someone who showered equal affection and attention on all horses, Yuriel quickly noticed this change.

“How’s Brit these days?”

It was a question Yuriel asked, remembering how Hael was upset not long ago, saying Brit’s condition wasn’t very good.

“He’s doing well after treatment.”

Somehow, Hael’s expression didn’t look very bright.

Yuriel was worried about something, but feeling that asking more here would make Hael more distressed, she just nodded.

“That’s good. Well, I’ll be going now.”

For a moment, Hael grabbed Yuriel’s arm.

“Hey, El.”

“Yes?”

Despite grabbing her, Hael just stared at Yuriel silently.

For quite a while, Hael just held Yuriel in his blue eyes like that.

There seemed to be a hint of bitterness in those rippling blue gazes.

Yuriel tilted her head with a questioning face. Could it be that the horse racing preparations weren’t going well?

But if that were the case, there would be no reason not to say it honestly. What kind of big secret would that be?

A warm breeze passed through the space, gently scattering Hael’s silver hair.

A long shadow fell over Hael, who stood with his back to the sun, his face wistful.

At last, Hael’s lips opened slowly.