To You, So Noble and Vulgar (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
I thought the small, dark thing that dropped with a thud was one of the mice that lived in the underground dungeon. But it was slightly too large for a mouse and didn’t move at all.
I stared quietly at the black lump that had fallen beside my foot, then carefully picked it up.
It was a leather water flask. It felt quite heavy, as if filled to the brim with water.
“Hunger can be endured, but thirst is not so easily borne.”
At the low voice coming from beyond the iron bars, Ariana straightened her back. A large, dark figure loomed outside the cell.
“It seems the matter at Bronte Manor simply won’t come to an end.”
“Did you think I’d finish my business and leave, so why are you still lingering here?”
Instead of answering, Ariana looked down at the leather flask.
With a soft click, the lamp lit up, and Cyrus appeared, dressed exactly as he had been the day before.
Though this was already our fourth meeting, I still hadn’t grown accustomed to his face—so astonishingly beautiful it seemed almost unreal. Could that truly be a human face?
I didn’t want to accept Cyrus’s inexplicable kindness, but my thirst was simply too intense. As I looked away from his face and back down at the flask, Cyrus spoke.
“I’m not the petty sort who’d consider a few sips of water a grand favor, so you may rest easy.”
“Why, Your Highness, do you show me such kindness?”
“To speak of kindness over mere sips of water—your life must indeed be harsh.”
His calm voice settled gently upon Ariana’s heart.
Unlike his cold gaze or icy demeanor, those few words carried warmth.
My heart nearly wavered at the thought that someone finally understood this cruel life—this existence where even a few sips of water felt like excessive kindness, unnoticed by anyone else.
At that moment, Third Prince Herald Blenwit came to mind.
His tender gaze and gentle smile directed at Ariana, the warm touch of his hand caressing her cheek, the sweet, honeyed words that flowed from his lips.
-“You must have suffered greatly, Ariana. Why does no one recognize your brilliance and beauty?”
-“Ariana, I need you. Only you can help me.”
-“How could I have come this far without you? I’m truly fortunate to have you.”
All of it had been a lie.
I realized far too late that words could fabricate anything—even emotions.
Ariana, yearning for others’ affection, had believed the Third Prince’s gentle words without doubt—and died for it.
Looking back now, the Third Prince had only ever spoken sweet words; he’d done nothing at all for Ariana. With honeyed lies, he’d driven her straight into ruin.
Her heart, which had nearly softened, hardened once more.
Ariana pushed the flask toward the iron bars.
“Such kindness would be better bestowed upon a lady who desires it. Surely there’s a woman in this manor who longs for Your Highness’s favor.”
“Ah, do you mean the lady who’s hung my portrait?”
“Since you already know, all that remains is for you to show her kindness. She’s the noble daughter most cherished by House Bronte. With her influence in the Western Territory, there’s nowhere she couldn’t go or nothing she couldn’t say—she’d be of great help to you, Lord North Marquis.”
“Hmm. I suppose I could at least find out where they got my portrait.”
“And what would you do with that knowledge?”
“I’d kill the one who painted it, the one who sold it, the one who bought it, and even the one who merely admired it.”
Though spoken as if in jest, the sincerity behind his words sent a chill down her spine.
Until now, Cyrus had spoken to her like an ordinary man, making her momentarily forget the rumors that surrounded him.
Ariana lowered her head gently.
-“They say a merchant from the North has arrived in the Eastern District. He’s secretly selling portraits of the Lord North Marquis. Go buy the largest and best-painted one. I’d like to see just how handsome he really is.”
A month ago, Helena, brimming with excitement, had summoned Ariana and given her this order.
The Eastern District was a dangerous place, even among the lower classes—home to the destitute, thieves, and kidnappers.
Helena couldn’t send her own maidservants or handmaids to such a place, as no ordinary noble lady would dare pass through it, so she sent Ariana instead.
Ariana had no choice but to wrap an old blanket around her head like a hood and head toward the Eastern District. Though frightened, she feared punishment and imprisonment more than defying Helena’s command.
Trembling, the unarmed girl walked through that perilous street, found the merchant, and managed to safely purchase the portrait of the Lord North Marquis.
Cyrus’s eyes—promising death even to the buyer of the portrait—were far more terrifying than the destitute people’s gazes at Ariana, who walked the streets alone without fear.
‘Surely he doesn’t know I was the one who bought it?’
Ariana bit down firmly on her lower lip.
“You’ve gone silent all of a sudden.”
Though startled by his voice, Ariana replied calmly.
“I’m naturally quiet. I’ve also heard that His Highness, the Lord North Marquis, is a man of few words.”
“Are you telling me to shut up and leave?”
“Since Your Highness, so clever, keeps misinterpreting my words and asking again, I hardly know how to answer.”
“If I’m not misinterpreting, then may I take your past words to me at face value?”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
“Even the part about women’s hearts racing endlessly at the sight of me?”
“Yes.”
“And does your heart race the same way?”
“Certainly.”
Cyrus bent down to meet Ariana’s eyes.
“You’re truly terrible at lying. If you’re going to lie about your heart racing, at least put on a matching expression.”
“I simply wasn’t raised to be ladylike enough to make such expressions. But my heart is racing plenty.”
“Because if it didn’t race, you’d be dead?”
For a moment, Ariana found herself smiling without realizing it—astonished that Cyrus remembered her silly remark.
Cyrus silently watched the faint smile bloom across Ariana’s face. It appeared soundlessly—and vanished just as quietly.
“A man might even cut off his own ear with his sword just to see a woman smile.”
“Have you done such a thing, Your Highness?”
“Hmm.”
Cyrus straightened his back.
Beneath his shimmering silver hair, his handsome face instantly transformed into that of an arrogant sovereign. His crimson eyes, beneath thick ash-gray brows, pierced straight through Ariana.
“But I see now—your smile could become your weapon.”
“My weapon?”
“If you learn to wield your smile freely, you might one day possess the whole world.”
“Like you, Your Highness?”
A smile spread across Cyrus’s lips—soft and beautiful, like moonlight.
“You learn quickly. But I haven’t claimed the world yet.”
As always, Cyrus vanished without another word.
As Ariana swallowed a sigh, she noticed a small bundle lying where Cyrus had stood. Reaching through the bars, she picked it up.
Inside were two loaves of bread, a piece of ham, and a chunk of cheese.
‘Surely he didn’t bring this for himself and just forgot to take it?’
Most likely, he’d brought it for her.
Cyrus had claimed he wouldn’t care how many days she remained imprisoned here—yet he’d brought not only drinking water but food to fill her stomach as well.
Though hungry, she couldn’t bring herself to touch it easily.
Knowing the taste of bread, ham, and cheese only made her hungrier, but she deeply distrusted his intentions.
‘He wouldn’t show kindness without reason.’
Everyone who’d shown Ariana favor had always harbored hidden motives.
‘He must want something from me, which is why he’s being kind.’
Though she’d never met him before her death, she’d heard countless rumors about him. Even famously beautiful or clever women had only been used by him—none had ever won even a fragment of his heart.
‘But I have nothing he could possibly want.’
Had he approached her after she’d left the Western Territory to seek Lord East Marquis’s protection, she might have assumed he was being kind to use her once she became Princess of Dongryeong.
But it’s far too soon for that.
She’s merely the pitiful second daughter of the ducal house—imprisoned here, unable to do anything freely, not even permitted to walk in the garden, beaten and jailed just for speaking her mind at a party.
Cyrus has been watching her all this time—he must know her situation. Then why show her such kindness?
‘Could he have guessed I plan to leave for Dongryeong? But how? Did I accidentally give myself away without realizing?’
No. Ariana had been careful even when alone.
‘Whatever his reason for kindness, it surely won’t benefit me.’
Ariana pushed the bundle and water flask into a corner of the cell.
Seeing the food brought back her forgotten hunger; seeing the water intensified her thirst—but she resolved not to touch anything he’d brought.
+++
Only after confirming that Ariana hadn’t touched the bundle or flask did Cyrus finally leave the underground dungeon.
His movements, concealed by stealth and making no sound whatsoever, went entirely unnoticed by the soldiers guarding the East Tower.
Inside the dark East Tower, the maids’ weeping never ceased. Their reaction was only natural.
The place reeked of decay from the dead and brimmed with the aura of death. Yet Ariana showed no sign of disturbance.
No matter how accustomed one might be to imprisonment, being locked in a room was entirely different from being confined in the East Tower.
Not even a cup of water since last night implied they might leave her to die there—yet how could she remain so composed?
As Cyrus entered the forest bordering the Bronte ducal estate, two figures emerged from the shadows of the trees, blocking his path. A red-haired woman with downturned eyes that gave a gentle impression, and a black-haired man whose features seemed full of charm.
The black-haired man spoke first.
“My lord.”
“Did you confirm it?”
“Yes. The capital nobles hurriedly departed this morning, and other nobles left around the same time. A few remain, but none show signs of seeking a private meeting with Lord West Marquis.”
The two were the captain and vice-captain of Cyrus’s Black Knights—Louis, the female captain, and Noah, the male vice-captain.
Noah continued.
“Given that Lord West Marquis himself paid little attention to this party, it truly seems it was arranged solely as a stepping stone for the debut of the eldest noble daughter.”
“I see.”
“Oh, and Lord Isaac is holed up in his room drinking, claiming he’s bored.”
“You needn’t report everything he does.”
Louis and Noah, who should have vanished again after their report, eyed Cyrus suspiciously. Cyrus narrowed his brows slightly and asked,
“Is there more to report?”
“When do we return to the Northern Territory?”
“Not yet.”
Noah gave Louis a subtle glance, clearly hoping she’d speak next—but her tightly closed lips showed no sign of opening.
Finally, Noah asked reluctantly,
“Could it be because of Bronte’s second daughter?”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
I finally found the chapter corresponding to chapter 42 of the manhwa!
Here’s a mother who refutes the “instinctive motherhood” notion.