My Insolent Shadow (22 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 13
Cassian suddenly found the sight of his own reflection in the mirror unbearable.
It was absurd that he’d been sitting there, smiling over something so trivial.
The sharper his words became in response.
“Of course, from your standpoint, it’s better for me to stay alive—so you can scrape up every last drop from Blanchet.”
Yuriciel’s eyes twitched at the corners.
As though she’d just heard something utterly unheard-of.
To imply she’d come here just to snatch a single drop from Blanchet—how preposterous, given her position.
The girl wrinkled her nose, unable to wipe away her look of disbelief.
Beneath her expression lay clear contempt.
Watching her like this was rather enjoyable—just as always.
At the same time, something stirred within him—a sense of anticipation, as if there were an answer he was waiting for.
If you intend to keep scavenging every drop from Blanchet until I die, you’d better give me a different answer.
Even if it’s a lie.
His calm gaze captured Yuriciel’s face.
The shock and anger that had settled there vanished quickly.
Simultaneously, a steady, unwavering look—completely devoid of tremor—stared straight back at him.
“That’s right. I have no workplace as good as this one.”
“…….”
“That’s why I saved Young Master.”
Sometimes this girl acted so brazenly, armed with utterly unreasonable courage.
Again and again, she defied his expectations.
Each time, her actions unsettled him deeply.
Did she even realize what she was saying right now?
That she smiled at that silver-haired man because she liked him, but rushed to save his life merely as a means of earning money?
Did that mean she could just as easily be replaced by another money-making tool?
No—put more bluntly, she couldn’t be replaced.
Because the sum he’d offered was quite substantial for this backwater place.
Thus, there was no way she could ever escape him—not until he died.
Then she should’ve given a better answer.
A bitter smile spread once again across his lips.
“So, you’re saying that if it weren’t for that money, it wouldn’t matter if I died?”
Yuriciel met Cassian’s gaze directly. Countless emotions clashed within their flickering eye contact.
Eyes filled with mockery, and unmistakable hatred directed at him……
A suffocating pressure tightened around her.
Yet stubbornness still lingered, making her move her lips recklessly.
“Whether I hope for Young Master to live or die—why should that matter to you? I’m merely an employee.”
“Whether it matters or not is for me to decide. You just answer.”
Yuriciel clenched her fists. Humiliation and fear surged through her entire body.
She knew rationally how she should respond here.
That it wasn’t about money.
That how could anyone possibly stand by while Young Master was dying?
She ought to offer some belated, honeyed excuse.
Yet Yuriciel couldn’t bring herself to utter those words easily.
Cassian’s face, watching her as she agonized, held an inscrutable expression.
Veins stood out on his clenched fist.
A strange tension seemed to cling to his fixed gaze upon her lips.
But Yuriciel quickly dismissed it as foolish.
There was no way this Young Master would feel such emotions over her answer.
He was simply amused, as though he’d found an entertaining morsel.
As her emotions settled, cold rationality returned, restarting the train of thought that had stalled.
“I didn’t save Young Master.”
A red ripple surged like a wave in Cassian’s eyes.
“Oh? So the thing you saved must’ve been some stray beast’s cub, then?”
“I just saved someone who was in so much pain they were sweating cold sweat.”
“…….”
“It means I’d have done the same for anyone—not just Young Master.”
Tap-tap—the frictional crack beneath Cassian’s fingers grew progressively faster.
His face was tangled with faint anger, rage, and an indescribable flicker of something else.
From Yuriciel’s perspective, Cassian’s reaction was baffling.
Was this really worth such an angry expression?
She hadn’t completely conceded, but she hadn’t said it was about money either.
It was even an indirect way of saying she wouldn’t wish for his death even without the money.
‘Then isn’t that enough?’
Honestly, she could’ve given him the exact answer he wanted—but that would’ve been just another deception.
Besides, after he’d so callously insulted her by claiming even her goodwill was driven solely by money, she didn’t feel like going that far.
She at least wanted to preserve the last shred of dignity still clinging to her.
Yet after hearing her say she’d have saved anyone, his red eyes glared at her as though peering straight through her.
A long silence followed.
She instinctively shrank back like someone standing before a pyre.
“You’d have saved anyone, you say.”
“…….”
“Guess you’re overflowing with humanity. I thought you were desperate only for money.”
“…….”
“Must be someone else constantly haunting your thoughts.”
His voice sounded both angry and amused.
At the end of it—snap—a stray petal in Cassian’s hand was plucked and crushed.
“But what should I do? I hired a human to stay by my side—not one overflowing with humanity.”
“…….”
“Shouldn’t a lady so brimming with humanity step aside? Plenty of girls far more desperate than you are out there.”
Only then did reality become sharply clear.
With just a flick of this Young Master’s finger, her mother’s medicine expenses could vanish.
Her earlier resolve to do only what she could suddenly felt hollow, replaced by desperation.
Her body trembled—knowing that the new medicine, which might save her mother’s life, was right within reach if she just endured a little longer.
She’d thought of it as just an extra item she’d get incidentally, but it wasn’t.
She needed it more than anyone.
So no matter what he said, she should’ve just given in vaguely.
Regret washed over her too late.
From the start, she should’ve just left this Young Master alone, no matter his condition.
Why had she interfered again, chasing after some meaningless honor?
Only to hear that shameful remark—that she’d only done it to squeeze out another drop from Blanchet.
Honestly, it wasn’t shame she felt—it was injustice and anger over the entire situation.
Yet her pride was instantly crushed beneath the weight of all-too-real circumstances.
Before her mother’s illness.
“I made a mistake.”
“What?”
Yuriciel tightly shut her eyes, stung by the feeling that Cassian’s hand lazily twirling the branch was mocking her.
“I…… don’t want Young Master to die.”
“You should’ve told me that when you were looking at me.”
Cassian filled Yuriciel’s vision as she opened her eyes.
“I don’t want Young Master to die.”
“Like you’d say about anyone else?”
“I desire your life more than anything else in the world—beyond comparison.”
Only then did the anger finally fade from Cassian’s face as he heard her deliberate, clear reply.
Well, actually—it hadn’t truly faded.
It was simply that the girl’s absurd insistence on a lie so obviously false made even his anger feel pointless.
A malicious urge to crush this girl surged within him.
“I don’t feel even a shred of sincerity.”
Yuriciel’s face froze at his mocking words.
Cassian watched her expressionlessly.
He’d meant to crush her—but the more he tried, the more defiantly she bounced back. Left like this, she’d probably rise again with yet another lie.
Hearing more honeyed words from her now would only be unpleasant.
So he’d stop here for today.
“You’re worth your pay, at least.”
His low voice brushed past Yuriciel’s ear.
Her hand, stung by the insult, clenched tightly into a fist, hiding its trembling.
“You may go now.”
Cassian stared blankly as she left the room without even a bow, her back radiating arrogance.
His gaze stretched from the room to the door, then out the window, past the distant fountain, all the way to the main gate.
It followed that fragile yet strong shadow until it vanished completely.
Today, that girl wouldn’t meet that silver-haired man.
No—not for quite a while.
Because that silver-haired man would now manage every single one of the Lord’s horses, as payment for the praise he’d received.
Something about preparing for horse racing this time, if he recalled correctly.
[This is the timeline separator]Hael was buried under more work than usual.
Contrary to his expectation that life would be far more peaceful after returning as Alphonse, compared to the capital, the workload was heavier and more grueling.
Of course, personally managing the Lord’s horses and directly participating in a territory’s events were truly honorable privileges.
Especially since he’d even received direct praise from Young Master afterward.
Given that he’d only ever heard how kind this Young Master was, the golden-haired heir must surely be the type who warmly involved himself even in his servants’ affairs.
Yet for some time now, Hael hadn’t been able to shake an uneasy feeling.
A suspicion that this Young Master might not be as good as everyone claimed.
Because he’d grown busier, contrary to his expectation of seeing Yuriciel during work, Hael had fewer chances to meet her—so he found other ways to check on her.
He wrote letters as usual and visited her workplace late into the night.
Though even that often ended early when his mother sent a servant to fetch him home.
Yuriciel, who had always been bright and radiant, was slowly losing her smile.
Whenever villagers happened to mention Young Master Cassian, her gloom became especially noticeable.
There was no way Hael could miss it.
Worried, he’d asked why—but for a whole month now, Yuriciel hadn’t given him an answer.
‘There must be some trouble between her and that Young Master…….’
Every time he saw tear stains glistening on her lovely face, Hael’s heart burned with anxiety.
And so, finally, today he could no longer hold back the words that had been itching in his throat.
“Can’t you just quit that job?”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
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Damnnnnn why is this so interesting am I a masochist for liking this haha
I feel like the young master is probably going to get her back one way
I feel bad for Hael, he likes her so much but I feel like it’s hard for the FL to return that type of love