There was a momentary silence where she saw her master’s posture shift. Even from behind, she sensed his curiosity ignite.

“And how exactly would you do that?” Cassius asked, a measured note entering his voice. “Ordinary folk can’t afford the sort of prices those fancy dishes command.”

Excitement flared in her eyes as she clasped her hands together.

“That’s precisely the point, Young Master!” She said, her tone brightening with fervor. “I want to serve those same dishes, but at prices that regular people can manage!”

“I’ve been working on ideas—learning how to recreate noble cuisine more affordably, using substitutions for ingredients that are just as flavorful but not so expensive…I’ve spent hours experimenting in the kitchen whenever I had free time, trying to find that balance between quality and cost.”

She paused to draw a breath, her mind drifting back to the memory that fueled this ambition.

“You see, Master, growing up, I was like most commoners. Food was a necessity, something that just kept us alive. We ate the same simple stews and bread day after day. It became routine to the point where I never imagined food could be…special.”

He finally turned halfway, casting her a sidelong glance. She could see the curiosity in his eyes, the reflection of the stars dancing there. “What changed?”

A wistful smile touched her lips. “When I was ten, my father took me to the capital for my birthday. We weren’t wealthy by any means, but he’d saved up a little money and decided to give me something extraordinary. He brought me to this…fancy restaurant. I don’t even remember its name now, but I remember how it felt—like stepping into another world.”

“…It was the first time I tasted something beyond the dull meals we had at home.”

She laughed softly, a note of fond nostalgia coloring her tone.

“I couldn’t even name half the dishes, but I remember the burst of flavors, the aromas, the way each bite made me realize just how amazing food could be. It was like I’d spent my life seeing the world in black and white, and suddenly, I discovered color.”

She exhaled, turning her gaze up at the same stars he’d been admiring.

“After that, I couldn’t stop thinking about how different my life would have been if I never experienced that taste. I started cooking at home when I could, trying to emulate even a fraction of what I’d eaten. It…It became a dream, I guess. I wanted to share that sense of wonder with everyone, especially the folks who might never get the chance to step foot inside one of those fancy restaurants.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Cassius shift, his posture hinting at subdued approval. “Quite a dream.” He remarked softly. “Providing noble cuisine at commoner prices…that won’t be easy.”

She felt her cheeks tug into a humble smile.

“I know. It’s an enormous risk. But I had faith that if I work hard enough—if I master the craft and find clever ways to reduce costs—it can become a reality. And I thought at that time, I’d rather try and fail than spend my life never attempting it at all.”

They stood in silence for a stretch.

In that hush, Isabelle sensed the depth of his thoughts. She could almost feel him weighing her words, imagining her ambition, considering the obstacles.

The wind swept by once more, carrying with it the soft rustle of leaves and the gentle hum of the nocturnal world.

Eventually, Cassius broke the quiet, his voice low, carrying more warmth than before. “It’s not a silly dream at all.” He murmured. “It’s…admirable.”

The unexpected praise made her blink in surprise, and a renewed blush colored her cheeks.

“T-Thank you, Young Master.” She stammered, dipping her head. “That means a lot coming from you. Sometimes, I worried in the past that it’s too grand or too foolish. People might ask, ‘Why do I care so much about feeding strangers food they’ll never afford otherwise?’ But to me, it’s more than just food. It’s…It’s giving people hope that maybe there are more possibilities in life than they realize.”

She realized she had spoken quite freely, but he showed no sign of annoyance. If anything, there was a certain softness in his expression, as though seeing her in a slightly different light.

“I see…” That was all he said at first, turning his head back to the sky. The stars shone on him, outlining his features in faint silver. “You’ve got your own star you’re trying to touch, then.”

She couldn’t hide her grin, touched by how he connected their dreams. “In a way, yes.”

He gave a slight nod, and for a moment, Isabelle wondered if he might add something—perhaps another wry comment or a murmured word of praise for her ambition.

Yet no further encouragement came.

Instead, Cassius remained poised there, his gaze trained on the glittering expanse above. His hands slipped behind his back, his shoulders tense, as though he needed that small barrier to shield himself from the weight of what he was about to say.

A reluctant sigh fell from his lips, and when he spoke again, his voice was markedly subdued—somber in a way Isabelle had never heard before.

“It’s a wonderful dream.” He began quietly. “And part of me wants you to achieve it with all my heart. But…I’m afraid that won’t be happening.”

She felt her pulse falter. The wind seemed to pause around them, as if even nature held its breath.

“Wh-Why would you say that, Master?” She asked haltingly, her voice edged with a sudden apprehension. “You’ve been supportive…Just now, you even said you found my dream admirable.”

He iinhaled slowly, pressing his lips together before continuing. “Why?…Because from here on out, you’re never going to have the opportunity to build a restaurant, Isabelle. Nor will you ever work in one. Even if you tried, no one would approve it—no one would accept you.”

Her eyes went round in alarm. She took a step closer, confusion and a creeping dread flooding her system.

“What…What do you mean by that?” She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t understand.”

He still refused to turn around. She could see his profile beneath the moonlight, the tense line of his jaw, the faint quiver in his posture that betrayed his reluctance.

“It’s because…” He said finally, his tone cracking faintly. “…ou’ve already been revealed to the public as…the one who attempted to assassinate me.”

From here onwards, Cassius knew that if she heard her voice right now he wouldn’t be able to fully say what he wanted to say because of the immense amount of guilt he was feeling.

Because of that he decided to not let Isabelle speak for a second on her own and as he looked away from her. He decided that he would ask the questions that she was probably also going to ask herself and also answer it himself in one long monologue, so that she wouldn’t have any questions or a chance to interupt.

“Now, I know that you want ask about the promise I made to you…” He questioned himself on his own on her behalf, before she could say anything and he also quickly replied to his own statement.

“I know.” Cassius broke in softly. “I did promise you’d be absolved. I promised that because I believed you acted with…well, reason. And deep down, I never truly wanted you to suffer for it. That was my original intention: to free you from all consequences, to let you walk away unburdened by your past.” His voice warbled, thick with regret. “But…something changed. It’s difficult to explain.”

“That night when the poison took effect…” He said slowly, as if measuring each word, as he imagined Isabelle’s reaction. “…someone else died. Not me, but the man you knew before—the Cassius you served—he…he’s gone. Truly.”

“You probably don’t understand what I’m saying right now, as your master Cassius is right in front of you and not dead like I say he is.” He explained his cryptic words, knowing that she wouldn’t comprehend what he’s saying. “But just take it as it the there were two parts of me for my whole life and after the assassination, one part of me died and was forgotten forever.”

He lifted a hand in a silent plea for her to listen.

“The old Cassius was a poor soul, Isabelle. He lived a wretched life—full of regrets and betrayals. So, to leave him without any form of retribution for his untimely demise…it felt wrong. It felt as though his soul would never rest if we just swept the matter under the rug. I know this sounds insane to you.” He added, voice heavy with resignation. “But…I need to do right by him. By the original Cassius.”

“Now, you might be trying to understand how all that leads to you being… publicly revealed.” He said as his head lowered, eyes fixed somewhere on the ground as he seemed to wrestle with the guilt.

“Well, that’s because I needed to punish you.” He admitted at length. “Not for my sake, but for his. I knew, from investigating your background, just how precious your dream was. How you spent years scraping and saving, all for that one chance to open the restaurant of your fantasies—one that would make noble dishes available to the common folk. And I realized that taking away that dream would be the only punishment severe enough to honor the injustice he suffered.”

“…I decided to target that very dream because I knew it would shatter you.”

Despite his harsh words, his tone was anything but triumphant. He sounded almost self-loathing.

“I announced to the public that you tried to assassinate me. You know how rumors in the noble circles and beyond can spread like wildfire. They’ll never trust you now, not with something as important and delicate as running a business that caters to families or travelers.”

“…People will surely be saying, ‘Why would we eat at a place owned by a maid who attempted to kill her master? Who’s to say she wouldn’t poison her customers next?'” Cassius said with a sigh like he was speaking against his will.

“And you also might think that they won’t believe such rumors. But let me tell you that they definitely do.” He continued softly. “I made sure they would.…But I also ensured your livelihood wouldn’t be completely destroyed.” His voice turned dry and hollow. “I couldn’t bring myself to ruin you entirely. So I told them that after your attempt, you turned over a new leaf—that you went on to help me unmask and remove the real traitors from my household. Because of that, society might cast scornful looks your way, but they won’t push you out completely.”

Cassius imagined Isabelle digging her nails into her palms, eyes stinging with disbelief and hurt. She probably had no words, no way to articulate the dizzying swirl of betrayal and sorrow tangling in her chest.

“Your job here is still yours, if you want it.” Cassius went on, forcing a neutrality into his voice that couldn’t hide the tremor. “I’ve made sure no one in my estate will cast you out. You can stay as a maid, keep your life. But…” He paused, a rueful laugh escaping him as he shook his head. “I doubt you’d want to remain in a place where your own master broke his promise and set you up to lose the future you’ve worked for your entire life.”

A heavy, expectant silence stretched between them the moment Cassius finished speaking.

He stood there under the pale moonlight, head still half-turned away as though he couldn’t bear to watch Isabelle’s expression. In his mind, he was prepared for the worst—for the furious shouts, the wounded shriek, or the bitter sobs.

…After all, he had just admitted to destroying her dream with the cold precision of a man settling a debt and there was no forgiveness for such a cruel act.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep