Ch#264
Fragment of the Broken Glass Slipper Side Story 1 Episode 9
How could such a person exist? He felt anew grateful to his fate for the day he had gone to House Debenzel and seen Cisse de Bischwaltz's smile.
Had it not been for that, he would never have tasted this feeling in his lifetime. He wouldn't have known what true love was, either.
Not only that. He would have thought jealousy was just a word found only in dictionaries.
In any case, Cisse was innocently smiling now, completely unaware that she had unleashed the collar of a large beast. Thus, he slyly revealed his lecherous inner thoughts, boldly displaying his greed.
Though Cisse didn't know it, the real Michael Aires was a man who knew no such thing as refusal. At times, he acted selfishly to an inexcusable degree. The only ones he yielded to were family, friends, and Cisse.
And yet, for such a man, she uttered the word "accept." What was he to do with this innocent girl?
Especially her plea not to scare her was a fatal blow. He gazed at Cisse, who casually raised and lowered his heart, curving the corners of his eyes softly. He felt like he was falling in love again. More than before, a great deal more.
Of course, that didn't mean he intended to let the opportunity she gave slip away. It was a chance to casually vent his usual grievances. Only a fool would miss it.
Thus, he began bringing up the matter that had bothered him most in a nonchalant tone. Though petty emotions were mixed in, his face, uttering it so casually, was astonishingly brazen.
"Sometimes when I visit House Bischwaltz, there's a young boy by Cisse's side."
"A young boy? Jack, you mean?"
"Yes, that must be him."
"Why Jack?"
"He's there every time I come."
"I occasionally call him to hear street stories. Jack is truly a skilled storyteller."
Cisse cleverly hid that Jack worked at an information guild. Michael knew but pretended not to, continuing.
"He doesn't seem like an ordinary storyteller. It seems Cisse cherishes him greatly—is that right?"
"He's a good boy. Along with Arina."
Michael held Cisse's waist and moved skillfully. He quite liked how her slender body turned in a soft spin before clinging back to him.
The rich rose scent wafting from her hair with each movement was surely from the roses he had sent that morning. He tried to steady his softening heart due to the fragrance and unleashed his long-held grievance.
"I know he's a good boy. Otherwise, Cisse wouldn't bring a child into the mansion. But he's there too often."
"......Pardon?"
"Aren't you too close to that boy?"
"Wait a moment, Mel. So......"
"A male is a male, no matter the age."
"Heavens, Sir Ailes, what are you saying?"
Michael swallowed his rising spite at Cisse's shocked reaction to his words. What was this surprise when he revealed his honest feelings as she had asked?
Indeed, he truly had much to say about the boy named Jack. He sometimes felt uneasy wondering why she cherished a boy not even blood-related so dearly.
Wasn't it that same boy who had stuck to her side even on the battlefield following the Crown Prince, bellowing rumors about Radel Relshin as ordered? Loyalty as a subordinate was fine, but anything more was unwelcome.
Michael Aires sincerely didn't want to share Cisse with anyone else. Arina the girl was one thing, but Jack occupying a corner of her heart was unacceptable in every way. Of course it was. For Cisse de Bischwaltz was far too captivating a woman.
"Didn't you tell me to bare my honest heart?"
"But that's......"
"I'm jealous."
"Pardon?"
"I wish there were no men around Cisse."
"Pardon?"
"I wish your gaze, smile, and gestures were directed only at me."
"Pardon?"
Michael Aires planted a light kiss on Cisse's annoying lips, which kept responding with "Pardon?" as if not understanding. Would this make her come to her senses?
Even though he deliberately chose the overt word "jealousy," her disbelief stemmed from seeing him too favorably. Yet he was human too, capable of envy. Michael Aires could feel jealousy even toward a passing ant when it came to Cisse.
"I'm a man with much jealousy. So I feel jealous of that boy sitting close to Cisse. I'm so busy I can barely meet you a few times, yet that boy easily sees you."
"But he's still young......"
"Doesn't the age difference matter much? Is it more than five years?"
"Not exactly, but......"
"Then he'll soon grow up and become a man."
"Good lord, Mel. That's truly not it."
"The problem is whether that boy will think so too."
Clearly, the boy Jack still saw Cisse as a sister and followed her. Michael could see that plainly. But who knew if affection for a sister might turn into a lover's affection?
'Better to cut off suspicious buds early.'
This could also imprint that he was a jealous man. He was already stressed by the men loitering around her.
He hoped she would understand his anxiety even a little. In their relationship, Michael was always the one yielding.
Even if she abandoned him, he could never imagine abandoning her, even in death. Thus, if the day came they parted, it would be because Cisse's heart had cooled.
"I'm not saying don't meet at all. How could I dare request that? Just know that if there's a male by Cisse's side, boy or child, I feel extremely uneasy. Yes, that's all."
Cisse's body spun round again. Michael held her thin shoulders with his other hand and slowly stepped aside. Her skirt bloomed like a flower, gently sweeping the surroundings. Her breath was quickening little by little.
"Jack...... sees me as family. And I him. So I didn't know Mel would feel uneasy about that child."
"Because I'm extremely petty and base. That's why. But I love you so much, Cisse, that I harbor such feelings."
By now, the music had stopped and their dance ended. But Cisse was still in Michael's arms, slowly stepping.
"Is it because I haven't given you faith, sir?"
She asked him in a quiet voice.
Cisse felt uneasy thinking Sir Ailes's anxiety stemmed from her. The love she knew was nothing but obsessive clinging. Thus, she feared his jealousy might turn into the filthy emotion like her past self.
"No. It's my problem. Even though it's natural for others to be drawn to Cisse, I can't accept it."
"It's natural for people to be drawn to me?"
Cisse asked him with wide eyes. In her previous life or this one, no one had ever said such words to her. Thus, the words building her self-esteem sounded ecstatic, like dreaming.
"Yes. Otherwise, how could I love you? I too fell for your charm. No, even if not drawn, I would surely have loved you."
Once again, you're casually saving me.
Cisse wanted to cry. Strangely, hearing Mel's words made the anxiety lodged in a corner of her heart fall away. She felt she no longer had to act like Roena. Her dress, her actions, even the jewels she bought—all of it.
Though she had escaped fate, the lingering fear was offset by him. Like shackles falling away. Thus, she wanted to sob loudly like a child in his arms, spilling everything.
But suppressing the hot emotion filling her throat, she beamed. She couldn't show tears on such a good day.
Instead, she whispered to him in a gentle tone.
"Then, jealous Sir Mel, what should I do to reassure you?"
Michael reached out, softly cupping her small face. And in a low voice, he whispered.
"No matter who—Jack or anyone—when you meet them, sit far away. And each time, come running to me for a kiss."
"Will that do?"
"More than enough."
"......And now?"
Michael overlapped his lips on hers instead of answering. He slowly swept her palate, parting the warm soft flesh, exploring every corner—teeth, tongue, even below—sucking in sweet saliva. All his senses concentrated in his mouth. As if it were natural.
Thus, he devoured her lips obsessively, clinging persistently as if pushing.
Placing a hand on her neck, gripping her waist strongly, pressing their bodies without a gap for air. Even as her breasts crushed against him.
And only when Cisse panted near fainting did he finally part lips, asking in a playful tone.
"Then give me the surname Bischwaltz."
"When?"
"Right now, even."
Cisse burst into clear laughter. By now, music had started again. Michael led her body once more, dancing briskly.
The night deepened endlessly, but the music didn't stop, urging their feet to move. Cisse and Michael kept laughing and dancing without rest. Until their legs ached too much to move. And finally, with a melting kiss, they whispered love. On eyes, cheeks, nose, lips, chin, nape.
"I love you. I love you so much, Cisse."
The fervent love confession shone more brilliantly than the stars in the night sky. It held more value than the necklace around her neck. Thus, Cisse thought there would never be a more perfect debutante than today.
It was a lovable day.
The next day, rumors swirled in society that Cisse de Bischwaltz was the only one to perfectly pass the "greeting grave," and that she had received an enormous gift from Michael Aires.
People could observe those jewels in detail for a while, as she wore them whenever she went out.
Meanwhile, the empire's second-largest information guild was overwhelmed by commissions pouring in from House Aires. They specifically named Jack to handle them, so thanks to that, Jack spent very busy days unable to visit House Bischwaltz for a while.
Until the day Michael Aires, finishing documents with superhuman strength, camped out at House Bischwaltz all day.
Side Story 1 End
Fragment of the Broken Glass Slipper
Novel by Yeolmae
Author: Yeolmae
Publisher: Kwon Tae-wan, Woo Cheon-je
eBook Publication Date: 2017-12-22
Production: CL Production
Address: 1108-ho, 41 Digital-ro 31-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul
This book is published as an eBook by KWBOOKS under contract with the copyright holder.
Unauthorized reproduction of this book's content without the publisher's permission is prohibited by copyright law.