The One Who Won't Be Abandoned - Chapter 38

For the first time, I truly wanted to skip one of the castle’s mandatory gatherings.

The mere thought of standing there, smiling as I welcomed Andre and the princess, made me nauseous.

But even an elderly maid—her back bent from years of labor, struggling just to walk—had come out for the event. There was no way I, young and healthy, could refuse to attend simply because I didn’t feel like it.

Standing among the other maids, I maintained a neutral expression, staring straight ahead.

Still, I could feel the eyes on me.

The ones who secretly resented me were stealing glances, smirking to themselves.

Their hushed laughter stung sharper than usual.

I knew what they said about me behind my back.

They had always whispered that I was desperate to climb the social ladder.

And now, they found it hilarious that I had ended up like a dog chasing a chicken—left staring helplessly at the roof.

Normally, I ignored them.

But today, their lowly behavior tested my patience like never before.

Thankfully, their attention didn’t linger on me for long.

Unlike when he had left, Andre was now returning with twice the number of people.

I looked up and saw him at the front of the procession, riding his horse.

It had only been two months since I last saw him, yet it felt like years.

For a moment, warmth rose in my chest.

But just as I was about to smile, my eyes fell on the carriage trailing behind him.

A magnificent, ornate carriage bearing the imperial crest.

My face stiffened.

The mere thought of the person inside made my stomach twist in agony.

I forced my gaze away—only to freeze at the sight of the imperial knights escorting the carriage.

A chill ran through me, as if I had been submerged in ice water.

The imperial knights.

Just seeing them was enough to awaken the horror I had buried deep within my heart.

Blood splattering from slashed bodies.

People collapsing, one after another.

Desperate cries for mercy.

Screams of agony.

The memories clawed their way back, so vivid it felt as if I were there again.

Suddenly, I was gasping for breath, cold sweat trickling down my back.

A hand touched my arm, steadying me.

“Jeanne, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?”

“Ah, n-no. I just got a sudden chill.”

“Geez. You’ve been pushing yourself way too hard lately. Once this is over, tell Madam Judith and go home. We’ll handle the guests.”

I nodded absentmindedly, agreeing just to end the conversation.

But my eyes remained locked on the knights.

A ridiculous, impossible fear took hold of me.

As if, at any moment, they would turn on us.

The heavy clatter of hooves came to a halt.

Andre dismounted and approached the lord, bowing his head.

Unlike me—who was trembling just from the presence of the knights—he showed not even a hint of fear or unease.

Then, one of the knights stepped forward and opened the carriage door.

A delicate, gloved hand reached out, grasping the knight’s for support.

The first thing that caught everyone’s attention was her hair—long, shimmering platinum blonde, cascading like liquid light under the sun.

As she stepped down gracefully, her movements sent ripples through the silky strands, which soon settled neatly around her face.

And what a face it was.

Porcelain skin, untouched by the sun.

Deep, expressive eyes, framed by thick lashes.

A straight, elegant nose.

She was beautiful.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind—so much so that, for a brief moment, I even forgot about my fear of the imperial knights. Her ethereal presence, combined with her exquisite attire, was simply overwhelming.

I swallowed dryly, an unfamiliar sense of defeat creeping over me. With a radiant smile, the princess strode forward without hesitation—straight into the lord’s arms.

The lord barely managed to hide his surprise, stiffening at the unexpected embrace.

Yet, he did not push her away.

Once she released him, she turned to Andre, linking her arm through his as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

His face twisted oddly at the contact.

But all I could see was her, beaming at him with sheer delight.

The staff, who had been watching in stunned silence, were soon dismissed by the lord’s command.

I walked away, biting my lip, feeling hollow and lost.

But I hadn’t even made it a few steps before I was forced to stop.

Someone had grabbed my arm.

Turning around, I found myself staring at a familiar face.

“Ah… Steward Louis.”

“Jeanne, how have you been? It’s been so long.”

Louis’s face lit up with genuine warmth. Mirroring his expression, I turned to face him with a welcoming smile. It had been a while since we last met. Though his long journey had left him looking weary and disheveled, for now, his face was bright.

“I’ve been well. Did you have a safe trip, Sir Steward? It must have been exhausting assisting the young master.”

“Not at all. Serving him was no trouble.”

Louis stole a quick glance toward the princess’s entourage entering the castle, then lowered his voice to confess that, in truth, it had been the princess’s stubbornness that had caused the most hardship.

“Oh, you must have had a difficult time. I’m just glad you’ve returned safely.”

The words slipped from my mouth effortlessly—an empty but polite sentiment. Yet Louis’s face brightened instantly at my response.

“Thank you, Jeanne. But I see you’ve gone back to calling me ‘Sir Steward’ again. Please, I must ask you once more—just call me Louis.”

“Oh… Right. My apologies, Louis. It slipped my mind.”

“There’s no need to apologize. If anything, it’s my fault for being away so long.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object, offering it to me.

“I found something that I thought would suit you. Please, open it.”

I took the tiny box, no larger than my fist, and lifted the lid.

A gasp escaped me. Inside lay a delicate gold thread ring, its simple yet elegant design catching the light. Enchanted by its beauty, I remained speechless, staring at it. Noticing my silence, Louis hesitated for a moment before hurriedly adding,

“Of course! It’s not a wedding ring. When the time comes, a proper engagement ring from my family would be—this is just something I brought because I always thought your hand looked too bare. It’s meant to be worn on your index finger.”

A ring? Given by someone who was neither a family member nor a fiancé?

Suppressing my surprise, I forced an awkward smile.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept this.”

“Oh… I see. I suppose I was too hasty. I was simply overjoyed to see you again and didn’t consider whether this might be burdensome for you.”

Despite taking back the box I had returned to him, Louis’s eyes remained filled with longing.

I couldn’t understand why he was acting this way toward me. Was he being too familiar, thinking I was easy to approach? A tinge of discomfort crept into my thoughts.

Just as I parted my lips to say something, a presence stirred behind me, followed by a voice heavy with disapproval.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Louis’s expression shifted to one of surprise as he looked past me.

“Young Master! You haven’t gone inside yet? You must be exhausted from your travels—shouldn’t you be resting?”

“What were you two doing?”

Before I even realized it, Andre had moved to stand beside me, his sharp gaze flickering between Louis and me as he pressed for an answer.

Louis, his face turning slightly red, quickly responded, “I was simply asking after Jeanne’s well-being.”

“…Since when were you two on a first-name basis?” Andre’s voice was cold with suspicion. “And what’s in that box?”

At Andre’s prying, Louis flushed deeper and hastily tucked the small box back into his pocket.

“It’s nothing of concern to you, Young Master.”

“…What?”

Andre’s expression darkened, a clear sign that he did not appreciate Louis dismissing him so easily. I immediately sensed the tension rising and knew I had to intervene before things escalated.

“Louis is right,” I said smoothly. “You must be exhausted from your journey. You should go inside and rest.”

“Jeanne.”

Andre uttered my name like I had just insulted him. His intense gaze bore into me, as if he couldn’t believe what I had just said.

Taking advantage of the moment, Louis gave a small bow toward both of us before quietly excusing himself. I waited until he had disappeared down the corridor before turning to face Andre directly.

“Did you have a safe trip?” I asked, deliberately changing the subject.

“What did he say to you? And what was in that box?”

“He said he brought me a gift,” I answered honestly. “But it felt like too much, so I declined.”

“What kind of gift?”

“A ring.”

“A ring?”

At that single word, Andre’s face twisted with barely restrained anger. Before he could say anything else, I cut him off.

“What about the princess?”

“She’s with Lady Judith.”

“She’s beautiful,” I remarked, keeping my tone light. “She suits you.”

It wasn’t just empty flattery—I truly meant it.

Andre, with his tall, broad frame and striking features, looked like the perfect match for the princess, whose delicate beauty carried an undeniable air of strength. They fit together, at least in appearance.

I recalled the way she had casually embraced the lord, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The confidence with which she took Andre’s arm, as though she belonged there, as though it was her right.

Remembering that moment brought back the same suffocating, burning sensation I had felt when I first witnessed it. My chest tightened with a deep, irrational resentment. Before I could stop myself, I shot Andre a glare, as if he were personally to blame for my unwanted emotions.

“You should go inside. I have things to do,” I said abruptly, eager to escape.

“When have you ever been busy?”

“I do have things to do,” I insisted. “What, do you think I spend all my days idling around?”

As Andre reached out—perhaps to stop me—I quickly stepped back, forcing a stiff, obviously fake smile.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Don’t go,” he said quietly. “Stay and talk to me.”

His voice lacked its usual confidence, sounding almost… uncertain.

But I ignored it. Pretending not to hear, I turned away and walked off, my strides quick and purposeful.

I could still feel his gaze lingering on my back, heavy with unspoken words.

I refused to look back.

A bitter, wretched jealousy churned inside me. No matter how much I tried to shake it off, it clung to me like filth that wouldn’t wash away. The sensation was unbearable, suffocating—almost cursed.

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