Meanwhile, the same day, early evening, after Jasmine's departure.
Jasmine stepped down from the carriage once they were far enough from Ravenshade's domain.
Gently touching the storage ring on her finger, particles of light flashed around her. She signaled one of her escorts with a subtle nod: they needed to fly, fast.
The light pulsed as a sizeable flat pad dropped in front of them. They mounted the flying treasure, and the world dropped away beneath them in a gust of wind.
She had lied about visiting her aunt's place so her father would let her go out, but he had still insisted she go with an escort.
She had said nothing of it, accepting so as not to rouse suspicion.
But considering that it was now well after sunset, there was no time left to linger.
...
When she burst through the doors of her family estate, the tension in the grand foyer was immediate.
Jasmine flinched, stopping in her tracks as she stood face to face with her father, the Count.
He stood lanky and sharp‑featured, with a gaze so precise it seemed surgical, peeling back human layers like onion skins, intent on uncovering what lies hidden beneath.
In short, Count Azure was the novel description of a nouveau riche noble who liked to play politics.
As expected, his facial features were also above average, and sharp.
"Where have you been?" Count Azure's voice, sharp and controlled, cut through the silence.
His face was a storm behind calm eyes. On either side stood a couple of his retainers; their expressions were rigid.
Jasmine flinched, her breath caught in her chest. She opened her mouth, but no words came.
"I asked you a simple question!" He barked in her face.
She steadied herself, met his eyes. "Father, I told you I—" He didn't allow her to finish.
"That's enough. I just came from my sister's. I said....Where....Have...You...Been." He spoke each word slowly, putting pressure on her.
Jasmine's eyes dilated in panic when she realised she had no way out of this one.
Then, before she could say another word, the escort spoke up. His voice was firm, but respectful. "My lord, Lady Jasmine has just returned from visiting Ravenshade's domain."
Her father's eyes narrowed, his fists clenched. "Visiting? That boy, Kyle Ravenshade, he's been explicitly forbidden. I thought I told you to stay away from that place. Now you think you can just do what you want!?"
Jasmine's heart pounded. He'd said that. She'd heard him. But she… had to see him. She remained silent.
Count Azure's voice stepped down coldly, cutting into her thoughts.
"And because of that, because of your irresponsible impulses, this is why I must decide everything for you. Otherwise, who knows where you will end up on your own."
He cut into her pride with sharp words.
He liked to remind her that she did not have the right to decide her own actions, that right was reserved solely for him.
Her eyes glistened, her tears threatening to spill forth, but she swallowed down hard, suppressing the urge.
"While you were away, I have made a new arrangement." He paused, savoring the moment as her blood ran cold. "You will now be betrothed to Duke Von Gaussian's son, Noah."
Jasmine's breath stopped. She recoiled, raising her head to stare at him in disbelief.
"What!?" The room spun around her. Things were moving too quickly for her. 'Did I hear him right?' She began to think her ears had failed her.
But unfortunately, that was not the case.
"You heard me. Noah just left. You see, he came to me with a very appealing offer. One I could not refuse. And I accepted."
Noah Von Gaussian was no regular person to her. He was one of the few people Jasmine despised for more reasons than she could count.
A lecherous, womanizing, arrogant bastard.
Someone who liked to trample on the weak.
A person who abused his authority.
In short, he was lowly noble scum that believed the whole world was entitled to them.
He was as low as they came.
She felt her throat close. No. This couldn't be happening. "Father, please—" Her voice cracked.
He cut her off again. "This is not up for discussion."
Tears brimmed. She straightened, shouting, defying. "No! I won't—"
"Jasmine!" His voice thundered. The retainers shifted uncomfortably. "What I say is final. You will not see that boy again. You will learn your place and obey. And you will walk the path that is laid out before you."
She shook her head, words caught in her throat. "No… please… you can't—"
He turned away slowly, an icy calm returning to his expression. "I'm going to break the news to Marquis Ravenshade myself. And then we proceed as planned."
Rage, panic, grief, the feeling of betrayal, all those emotions swirled through her. Jasmine walked lifelessly to her chambers.
She collapsed to the marble floor, clutching a non-existent object to her chest, crying without restraint.
She could hear his footsteps echo through the hall, receding, taking her last chance with them.
Jasmine lay there, gasping, tears soaking the stone. The world around her fractured, and her heart felt ripped in two.
She lay still, unmoving in bed. Feeling like her heart had been fractured into a million tiny pieces.
What an awful feeling...
Later that night, alone in her chamber, a stone's soft glow lay across her trembling hands. Her tears fell upon its surface as she whispered into the silence:
He isn't lost yet…
But for now, all she had was disbelief and a shattered heart, the weight of her father's decree and her unwanted engagement pressed down upon her chest, like a heavy stone.
Around midnight, she was sobbing still, feeling more like she was still in denial. She thought about Kyle.
His words.
His confident smile.
He has changed so much. But what can he do? He is not even stronger than me. And I feel so powerless.
It was even difficult for her to put her trust in Kyle, who could not even cultivate.
Even though she liked his company, or even if she liked him. Reality was a different matter. And reality was crushing down on her from all sides.
Sobbing like this won't help me either. I need to get stronger. Even if right now, it is too late, I want to be able to stand on my own one day.
To not have someone else decide my fate, or to rely on someone else. I need to get stronger! I can cry about how things aren't fair, or I can stand tall and make things fair!
Rising shakily, she made her way to the eastern wing's training chamber.
It was well past midnight, the estate was silent, the moonlight whispering through open windows. Dust motes danced in the pale glow as she began.
"Huuuuu..."
Sitting in lotus position, she began to meditate.