Chapter 61

When Dylan asked the question, Noah smiled with his usual innocent face.

“It’s red and pretty. It sparkles. Like a jewel.”

Dylan realized two things at once. The boy had become much more talkative, and he could see things that others could not.

“Is it something only I have?”

Noah nodded several times.

“All the time. It gets big and small.”

He spread his hands wide apart and then brought them close together again.

“Today it’s big.”

At that, Dylan understood immediately.

Today marked the fifth day since his last feeding, the day he had promised Agnes. It meant he had not drunk blood for five days.

Noah must have been seeing the traces of the curse embedded within Dylan’s body.

The thought that something so grotesque could appear beautiful to the child left Dylan with a strange ache. He reached out and brushed aside Noah’s messy reddish-brown hair.

“Noah, don’t ever tell anyone that you see a pretty jewel on me.”

“Why not?”

Noah’s round emerald eyes widened with curiosity.

Dylan thought again how much the boy resembled Agnes. They shared no blood, yet there was an undeniable resemblance.

“That’s…”

He paused to choose his words.

It wasn’t Noah’s fault that he could see the curse. Nor was it wrong that his innocent eyes saw it as something beautiful.

But the world had a way of judging what it didn’t understand. Dylan didn’t want Noah to suffer from such judgment.

He wasn’t sure whether a child this young should be told about the world’s cruelty, or how much of it he should reveal if he did.

“It’s my secret.”

The excuse came out awkwardly. He had never in his life used such a tone before.

Fortunately, the moment Noah heard the word “secret,” he nodded quickly, as if he understood.

“I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you.”

“I promise.”

Noah held out his pinky finger, just as he always did with his mother.

Dylan stiffened at the unexpected gesture.

Noah’s big eyes stared up at him as if this was a solemn ritual that absolutely had to be done.

Dylan sighed quietly, then hooked his pinky around the child’s.

The boy’s finger was so small and soft that Dylan worried he might hurt him if he wasn’t careful.

“Stamp.”

Noah insisted on pressing their thumbs together. Because of the difference in their hand sizes, Dylan had to bend his fingers awkwardly to meet the boy’s thumb.

“There. Is that good enough now?”

“Yes.”

Only after completing that “important agreement” did Dylan finally straighten up. Now he had made a pact with both mother and son.

“Go on now and play with your maid. You can go anywhere you like, the garden or the library, but stay away from the training grounds. They’re dangerous.”

“Yes.”

Noah’s expression turned faintly disappointed at being sent away.

As he stood from the bench, Lizzie hurried over, took his hand, and helped him bow politely to Dylan before leading him away.

Dylan watched them until they disappeared, while Pavel stood nearby, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Uh, just now… what was that?”

“What was what?”

“The promise, my lord. You… you linked fingers with the young master?”

When Pavel asked in disbelief, Dylan pressed his fingers to his forehead and sighed.

“Pavel, what did I tell you your priorities were? Was mocking your lord one of them?”

“N-no, sir. I’ll go at once.”

Startled, Pavel hurried after Lizzie and Noah. In the distance, Dylan could hear the faint sound of the two of them chatting.

Only when the area was quiet again did Dylan let out a long breath.

He had thought that bringing Agnes and Noah to the North would give him fewer things to worry about, but somehow it seemed the opposite.

* * *

That night, Agnes lay beside Noah until he drifted off to sleep.

Once the boy’s breathing grew even, she carefully sat up. Lizzie approached quietly and whispered.

“Earlier, when the young master went to the training grounds, His Grace asked me and Sir Pavel to step out for a bit. He said he wanted to talk to the young master alone.”

“Really? Noah didn’t mention anything about that.”

Noah usually told her every detail of his day. Even when he had been unable to speak properly, he had drawn pictures or written words to explain what he wanted to say.

But tonight he had only mentioned visiting the training grounds, meeting many knights, and seeing Dylan. That was all.

So he had spoken with Dylan privately.

Agnes froze for a moment, caught off guard by a strange feeling.

She had known that someday Noah would have secrets he wouldn’t share with her, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. And of all people, with Dylan.

“My lady?”

“Noah… has a secret from me.”

Agnes murmured in disbelief, and Lizzie covered her mouth, laughing softly.

“That’s hardly something to worry about, my lady. You’re in trouble now. What will you do when he gets older?”

At Lizzie’s teasing tone, Agnes flushed bright red.

“You’re making fun of me. I’m going to rest now, so you should too.”

“Yes, my lady. Have a good night.”

Lizzie smiled and withdrew quietly.

Agnes left Noah’s room and headed toward the master bedroom.

The biggest change since coming north was that she now shared a bed with Dylan. Naturally, the place where he fed was also their bedroom.

Since today marked the fifth day, Agnes entered with a slightly nervous expression.

Dylan had already finished his work and was sitting on the bed in his nightclothes, reading a book.

He looked calm at first glance, but Agnes noticed the faint red gleam flickering in his blue eyes.

“Did you put Noah to bed?”

His tone was as composed as ever.

“Yes. He fell asleep quickly. I think he played a lot today.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Agnes wanted to ask what he and Noah had talked about but hesitated. Maybe she was overthinking it, just as Lizzie had teased.

Instead, she simply walked over and sat beside him.

“Are you feeling alright? You must still be tired after arriving in the North.”

“I slept well last night, and I only worked during the day. I’ve been resting all evening. I feel fine.”

Her confident tone made Dylan smile faintly. He reached for her wrist and held it gently.

“Then, I’ll ask for your help again tonight.”

Once every five days. That was the term of their agreement, yet Dylan always worried about her well-being whenever he fed.

Even when thirst consumed him, he endured it with effort.

He tried not to show it, but Agnes had seen him enough times to know how much it cost him to hold himself back.

Maybe this “five days” rule was something he had forced himself to maintain through sheer will.

When Agnes rolled up her sleeve, Dylan lifted her slender wrist to his face.

In the dim light of the room, her pale skin looked even whiter. Cool lips brushed against it, and his breath fanned over her skin.

His lips parted, revealing the sharp fangs that pierced into her wrist.

“Ah…”

A quiet sound escaped her lips. Dylan soothed her with his thumb, brushing gently over the inner part of her wrist.

The motion made her ears burn.

When she flinched, his lips touched her skin again with a soft sound.

He probably wasn’t even aware of what he was doing. To him, such touches were merely a way to calm a frightened prey.

As blood welled up, Dylan pressed his tongue against her skin and drank slowly, the movement of his throat deep and steady.

He was cold as ice, while Agnes felt heat rising through her body in contrast.