Chapter 43

The Vasteron Townhouse, which had always felt cold and lifeless, had once been thrown into cheerful commotion when Agnes arrived. She had a way of brightening even the most serious maids with her warm smiles.

This time, however, the cause of excitement was even greater. A tiny boy, with hands no bigger than leaves, had entered the household. The servants could hardly contain their delight, pacing and whispering as they watched him.

The Duke of Vasteron had never harmed anyone under his employ, but frightening rumors about him had long circulated. Serving near him required courage.

Yet, in that tense household, the appearance of a small boy holding his mother’s hand was enough to melt every heart.

When they reached the main hall, Dylan handed his gloves to the butler and turned to Agnes.

“I’ve had a room prepared for Noah. What would you prefer?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay in the same room with him until we move north.”

“Of course. That will be best for Noah as well.”

Even while Dylan and Agnes spoke, Noah’s eyes never left him. The boy seemed more curious about Dylan than his own mother, whom he had only recently reunited with.

Dylan, as he often did, tried to kiss the back of Agnes’s hand, but under the intense gaze of the small observer, he turned his head instead.

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Even the servants, who were usually quiet and focused on their duties, paused to listen.

But Noah said nothing and instead hid behind the folds of Agnes’s skirt.

Dylan gave a quiet laugh, pressed a brief kiss to Agnes’s hand, and stepped back.

After all, he had no obligation to bond with the child. He and Agnes were not truly married, and during their stay, Noah would still be considered part of the Overhen family.

His only real responsibility was to protect both of them and, when the time came, ensure that Noah inherited the Overhen name without the stain of his father’s crimes.

If possible, Dylan also intended to find a physician who could help the boy speak more easily again.

That, however, was as far as his duty went.

He was about to turn and ascend the stairs when Agnes gently caught the sleeve of his coat. The moment Dylan turned to look at her, she released it.

“Um… you know what day it is tomorrow, right?”

Dylan understood immediately.

Tomorrow marked the fifth day since he had last drunk her blood. The tension in his body already warned him of it. His senses were unusually sharp, every sound and touch amplified. Even the way Noah had stared at him earlier had made him uncomfortably aware of himself.

And now, remembering that he had once held Agnes in his arms while feeding, his mind tensed.

He had been trying not to think about that, but now the memory surfaced again.

Dylan kept his composure and gave a small nod.

“Yes. I remember. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He inclined his head and continued up the stairs, determined that this time he would not lose control again.

* * *

That night, Agnes bathed Noah herself and tucked him into bed beside her.

The boy still seemed uneasy, perhaps because he wasn’t returning to the Overhen townhouse that night.

“Mom.”

He whispered the word softly, holding her close.

It had been so long since she had seen him act so affectionately, and it filled her with warmth.

Agnes embraced him and stroked his soft curls.

“Noah, do you remember what I promised you?”

In her letter to him, she had written:

‘In our new home, you won’t have to be afraid of anything. We’ll live there happily together every day.’

Noah nodded, remembering.

“When I thought about it, living with your father didn’t feel like the right kind of home. I didn’t have the strength to protect you there. It felt like I was always showing you only the weakest, most pitiful side of me.”

Agnes spoke gently, hoping he could understand.

Noah’s emerald eyes looked up at her, wide and full of attention. Those eyes, which seemed to absorb every word she said, sometimes frightened her. Not because of the child, but because she feared what kind of mark she might leave on him.

No matter how hard she tried, she could never be a perfect parent.

She pulled him closer and kissed his round forehead.

“So, I found a new home where we can be together. That home is with His Grace, the Duke of Vasteron.”

“Gaah.”

Noah made a small sound, stretching the word out. It sounded like he was trying to say “Your Grace.” Agnes smiled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. His Grace.”

“Gaaah.”

She chuckled softly.

Before his mutism, Noah had spoken perfectly well, so it wasn’t that he didn’t understand her words now. He simply wasn’t used to speaking again yet.

“That’s enough for now. His Grace will understand.”

It comforted her that Noah didn’t seem afraid of Dylan. Cautious, yes, but not scared. In fact, his eyes were curious, alert, and filled with interest.

“Mom. Gaaah.”

“Yes. Do you want me to tell you more about His Grace?”

Agnes shifted slightly and continued speaking.

“The Duke of Vasteron is very dignified and handsome. Of all the gentlemen I’ve met, he’s the most impressive. But that’s not why I’m with him. His Grace needed a little help, and I needed his. That’s why we decided to stay together.”

She paused, watching Noah’s expression carefully before continuing.

“So, His Grace and I decided to get married. We’ll be husband and wife.”

She worried the boy might feel hurt. Though Noah feared Rickman, he was still his father. Would he feel betrayed to hear that his mother would marry another man?

But Noah only blinked up at her, eyes wide and curious.

Agnes couldn’t tell if he truly understood or simply didn’t mind. For a moment, she wished someone could tell her the right way to explain it.

She let out a small laugh and rubbed her eyes.

“Even after I marry His Grace, nothing will change for you. You don’t have to do anything special, just be polite to him.”

Noah nodded without hesitation.

Strangely enough, he didn’t seem afraid of Dylan at all.

That was remarkable, considering that even the longtime servants of House Vasteron feared their master, and Agnes herself had once trembled the first time she met him.

They said children instinctively recognized those who meant them no harm. Maybe that was it.

Agnes brushed her fingers against Noah’s cheek. His once plump, bread-soft face had grown a little thinner from all the hardship. Tomorrow she would make sure he ate well until his cheeks puffed back up like freshly baked buns again.

Holding her warm, sweet-smelling child close, Agnes fell asleep.

She needed him deeply, more than she had ever realized.

* * *

While Agnes slept in peace, the Everchen household was in complete uproar.

“You said you had a way to prepare the dowry!”

“I do. The Derive Trading Company offered to lend us the full amount. The interest is practically nothing. When will we ever get such an opportunity again?”

“Practically nothing still means there is interest! And they want the estate as collateral!”

Viscount Everchen clutched the back of his neck and staggered as if dizzy at the thought. His wife, on the other hand, threw up her hands in disbelief.

“My dear, do you even know how much our estate brings in each year? Barely three thousand gold. And we don’t even get to keep it all. Between maintenance and expenses, there’s hardly anything left. But if we invest that into Agnes’s dowry, she could marry well enough to bring in four thousand or even more in return.”

“Money isn’t everything. That estate was granted to us by the Imperial Family itself. A noble’s honor matters more than wealth. How could you manage a household with such a shallow way of thinking?”

Viscount Everchen clicked his tongue, looking down at his wife with disdain.

She felt anger boiling up inside her, but this wasn’t the first time he had been stubborn like this.

Fine, then. There was a better way to deal with him.

Her tone softened immediately, her voice turning calm and coaxing as she laid a hand on his shoulder.

“My dear, it’s just collateral. That doesn’t mean we’ll lose it for sure, right?”