My Insolent Shadow - Chapter 29

Hael carefully recalled Yuriel from the past.

When El came out of that young master’s room, he was usually ashen.

No, that wasn’t all.

Every time after meeting that young master, he would come out crying.

Despite that, does he not want to receive the medicine I give?

Rather, even if he cries, does he prefer the medicine received from that young master?

That can’t be. Yuriel must have done it for my sake again, Hael tried to ignore his anxiety.

How much time had passed like that, Yuriel, who had only been moving his lips, finally opened his mouth.

“I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t stop that.”

It was a firm voice, as if he had made a decision.

“Why.”

“It’s not just about the medicine, but also the first-class status, and the house where I should be with Mother, and also…”

Throughout his speech, Yuriel’s face became increasingly ashen.

Just recalling that young master cast a shadow over El’s face.

Though his expression showed wounded pride, his effort to endure made him look like an old tree in Hael’s eyes.

“Anyway, that’s it. So just keep this.”

“…”

“If you take it back now, you might be able to get a refund.”

“No. Once received, it can’t be returned. So throw it away or keep it, do as you please.”

In fact, Yuriel was right. This medicine was so precious that if returned, the full amount would likely be refunded.

But…

Why could that young master do it, but he couldn’t?

Hael felt hurt that Yuriel wouldn’t even ask him for help.

Of course, he couldn’t provide the accommodation Yuriel mentioned.

Still…

So in a fit of anger, Hael pressed that medicine into Yuriel’s hand and left.

Two weeks had passed since Brit was sold.

Today, as usual, two officers entered Hael’s mansion, where police visits had become routine.

One of the officers was holding a horse’s reins, and unlike usual, a man was accompanying them.

As Lady Catherine came down, the older of the two stepped forward.

The officer with a small-brimmed hat bowed politely and stated his business.

“Is this the horse that disappeared from this ranch?”

Olga, who had hurriedly followed Lady Catherine, couldn’t hide her surprised expression.

A glossy mane despite the beastly eyes, tangled as they were.

Wasn’t this undoubtedly Brit?

Still, just in case, Olga instructed to call Hael, who had been taking care of Brit daily.

Hael, who rushed out upon hearing the news, had become gaunt in just a week.

‘Brit has returned?’

And with the police.

The words of the servant child saying that the culprit who stole Brit had been caught buzzed in Hael’s mind.

That couldn’t be. The culprit was here, so who on earth had been caught?

Rushing to the ranch like that, Hael unexpectedly faced Brit.

It was indeed Brit held in the officer’s hand.

Hael, who had shared daily life with the horse, couldn’t mistake it.

Behind were two officers and a man wearing a brimmed hat.

Hael stood like a statue, unable to compose himself from the shock.

Lady Catherine, finding her son’s behavior strange, urged him.

“This horse, isn’t it Brit?”

“…Yes.”

Hael’s reluctant voice was mixed with bewilderment and surprise.

But Olga and Lady Catherine, failing to notice their son’s state, couldn’t hide their excitement as they confirmed it was Brit.

“It is. It’s our Brit.”

Olga also belatedly affirmed it was Brit, following Lady Catherine.

“What kind of lunatic would take a horse from someone else’s ranch, really.”

Meanwhile, Brit, who had been staring somewhere with bloodshot eyes, suddenly bolted.

Breaking free from the officer who had lost the reins, Brit ran and embraced Hael.

Hael stood there with a blank expression, holding Brit, unable to do anything.

Catherine felt another strange sense of déjà vu at this scene, but dismissed it as unimportant.

It was natural for him to be in such a daze, as he was the one who cared for that horse the most.

Brit was the best breed in the ranch and particularly fond of Hael.

Of course he would be like this, after being held by strangers and wandering somewhere.

But was that the issue now?

She was determined to find out who had caused this trouble and make sure they could never set foot in Alfonse again.

How much had they agonized over the past few days?

The officers asked to investigate had even suspected it might be the work of a beast, given the perfect crime with no witnesses, but Olga and Catherine were certain it couldn’t be.

If Brit had fallen prey to a beast, wouldn’t there be at least one bloodstain on the ground?

Moreover, it was impossible for a well-trained horse like Brit to suddenly escape the fence.

It was clear that someone who recognized Brit’s value had committed a planned crime.

But for even the police to find no evidence, it must have been a thorough crime indeed.

They had been burning with frustration.

And now Brit appears.

With that unknown man, no less.

‘Could that man be the thief?’

Lady Catherine finally examined the man wearing a brimmed hat standing behind the officers.

Clothes woven from fine silk? Those were things even she, who enjoyed expensive items in this Alfonse, had never possessed.

For such a person to steal? It was puzzling indeed.

After seating the two officers and the man who brought the horse in the reception room, Lady Catherine got straight to the point as soon as the tea set arrived.

“Where did you find Brit?”

As she recalled the time they had spent running around looking for Brit, the officer spoke gravely.

“Brit, that child, participated in the horse racing competition that was held recently.”

“In the horse racing competition… you say?”

“Usually, new fine horses enter one by one in horse races, don’t they?”

“That’s right.”

It was to add variables and make it more interesting, as it would be boring if only trained horses entered.

The story continued quickly.

The lord was having quite a difficulty in selecting a horse of similar level to the others, and upon hearing this news, the man wearing the brimmed hat decided to lend Brit.

As the story flowed to that point, the man opened his mouth for the first time.

“It’s because Ranod is my close friend.”

“Ranod…”

“Yes. The friend who works as a butler in the lord’s mansion.”

To think the other party was someone high enough to be close friends with that impressive butler in the lord’s mansion. Surprised, Lady Catherine adjusted her posture.

Yet, she still pressed on about catching the thief.

“But why is Brit…”

Swallowing the question of why it was in their hands, Lady Catherine only observed carefully.

The man, seeming to have understood her intent, answered with a calm smile.

“There was an auction in Bronze Village recently. That’s where I happened to acquire Brit.”

Lady Catherine clenched her fist, unable to contain her anger.

“The thief must have gone to that auction and brazenly sold off Brit.”

The man wearing the brimmed hat also expressed considerable bewilderment with exaggerated gestures.

“I was quite shocked when the officers came, as I had paid a fair price for this friend.”

At this point, even the Olga couple couldn’t insist on getting the horse back.

After all, this man who bought the horse at the auction without knowing anything was also a victim.

A long shadow fell over the faces of Olga and Lady Catherine.

“Did you perhaps see the face of that thief?”

“I didn’t see the face, but I saw the personal information.”

“Then… has he been caught?”

Lady Catherine’s hopeful voice echoed throughout the space.

The officer who had been observing this scene opened his mouth with an embarrassed expression.

“That’s why I’m saying this… It seems the two of you are misunderstanding something.”

“Pardon?”

The man’s face slowly lifted and turned somewhere behind.

Hael, who had been watching all this from behind, naturally met his eyes.

At the same time, the man’s face flashed through Hael’s mind.

It was a face he had seen before.

‘Ah…!’

A belated realization struck his head.

This person was the one who had taken Brit, whom he had briefly seen at that auction.

Hael’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

The man stared at him intently with an inscrutable expression.

Could this person possibly know everything? No, that can’t be.

Even as he tried to reassure himself that it couldn’t be, Hael’s heart was burning up.

The man, whose expression seemed to know everything for some reason, did not take his eyes off him.

It was only for a moment that the man’s mouth opened.

“The person who sold Brit is your son.”

“…!”