Chapter 62

Agnes felt dizzy, though she couldn’t tell if it was from the blood leaving her body or from Dylan’s unconscious movements.

She kept her gaze turned aside and waited quietly until he finished.

At last, Dylan swallowed the final drop and lifted his head.

Sanity seemed to return to his eyes, the deep blue settling into calm stillness.

He looked at Agnes, who sat stiffly with her head turned away, and asked with concern, “Did it hurt?”

Agnes shook her head quickly.

“No, no. It’s just…”

She wanted to keep him from feeling uneasy, but she couldn’t think of a proper excuse.

She couldn’t tell him that it wasn’t pain but the unfamiliar heat and breath against her skin that had unsettled her.

“It just stung a little. But I’m fine.”

In the end, she could only describe it as pain.

Dylan let out a quiet sigh, brushing his thumb gently over the small wound he had made. He took out a handkerchief, wiping and pressing it softly to stop the bleeding.

His touch was as careful and courteous as ever, so much so that Agnes began to wonder if the strange, fluttering feeling earlier had only been her imagination.

Once the bleeding stopped, Dylan disinfected the bite and wrapped it neatly with a clean cloth.

He used a decorative piece that looked natural enough to pass as an accessory, since it would be strange for the Duchess to wear bandages on her wrist every day.

“I can do it myself.”

“I know. But it’s easier if I do it.”

Dylan spoke firmly as he tied the final knot.

Agnes smiled faintly, pulling her hand back once he released her. Her wrist ached slightly from being held for so long.

Dylan watched her quietly as she flexed it but said nothing.

This stubborn woman rarely admitted pain, even when it was obvious. It would be better to have a physician check on her later.

But there was something else far more important to discuss.

“Has the inspection result from the Imperial Department of Magic arrived yet?”

“No. It’ll probably take another week.”

“I see. Let me know as soon as it does.”

Agnes looked puzzled, prompting Dylan to explain further.

“Noah seems to see the curse that’s placed on me. I don’t know exactly what he sees, but he described it in detail.”

“He can see your curse?”

“Yes. Do you remember when Noah said he liked my brooch?”

Agnes tilted her head, unsure why that story came up, but nodded.

“Yes. He still plays with it sometimes. I think he really likes it.”

“That’s what I thought too, but it seems that wasn’t the case.”

“You mean he wasn’t looking at the brooch but at the curse?”

“Yes. Even today, while I was in training clothes, he pointed at me and said something similar. So I asked him about it. He said he saw a red, sparkling jewel shining from me. He said it kept changing in size and that today it looked larger than usual. It matches too well to be coincidence.”

Agnes’s eyes widened, and Dylan nodded slightly, as if he understood her unease.

“I don’t like the thought of a child being able to see a curse. Until the test results come, it would be best if he avoided me for a while.”

He spoke calmly, then rose from his chair and headed toward the bed.

Agnes followed, lying beside him under the covers, but her mind remained tangled with thoughts.

Even after the lights went out, she stayed awake, deep in contemplation.

What startled her wasn’t that Noah could see the curse.

During the trial, the power Noah had used could affect the physical world.

But according to Dylan, Noah also possessed the ability to see things unseen to others.

Two unknown powers in one small child, whom she only wanted to raise peacefully, filled her with unease.

Dylan, however, seemed troubled simply by the fact that Noah could see his curse. Perhaps because he was the one cursed, he wanted to shield others from it.

Agnes didn’t want to tell Noah to avoid Dylan.

But Dylan always treated his curse with such rigid hostility that she didn’t know how to talk to him about it.

In the end, she shut her eyes tightly, clutching the blanket as if to summon sleep by force.

Whether it was fortunate or not, her exhaustion from the day finally pulled her under. Between managing the household, caring for Noah, and the feeding earlier, her body could no longer fight the weight of sleep.

* * *

The next morning, when Agnes opened her eyes, the bed beside her was empty.

The sheets were slightly rumpled, but there was no lingering warmth. Dylan must have gone to the training grounds before dawn.

Agnes sat up and rang the bell. The maids entered to help her dress for the day.

Since only a few were allowed on the third floor, there weren’t many attendants, yet they were all skilled and efficient. Her preparations finished in no time.

As soon as she was ready, Agnes went to wake Noah.

She touched his shoulder gently, shaking him a little. He grumbled in his sleep, his face still heavy with drowsiness, but when she tickled his side, he burst out laughing and sat up, squirming.

His cheeks were warm and rosy as he looked up at her.

“Good morning, Noah.”

Agnes brushed her fingers through his messy hair with a soft smile.

“Good morning.”

Noah’s bright little voice echoed her greeting. Agnes’s heart melted, and she pulled him into a quick hug before letting go.

Soon, Lizzie brought in a bowl of warm water, and Agnes personally helped Noah wash his face. When she wiped his cheeks dry, his eyes looked clearer, the sleepiness gone.

Agnes sat close, gazing quietly at him.

He was still a small child who seemed to need her for everything, yet lately, there were more and more things about him she didn’t understand.

Noah saw what she couldn’t, did what she couldn’t, and even had secret conversations with Dylan.

The one who hadn’t kept the secret wasn’t Noah but Dylan.

Noah hadn’t even thought an adult might break a promise, so he hadn’t told his mother about that private talk.

It made her proud and fond of him, but also a little hurt. Agnes rubbed his cheek gently and said,

“Noah, starting today, you shouldn’t go to the training grounds.”

What she really meant was that he shouldn’t seek out Dylan, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

For some reason, Noah seemed to like Dylan. He wasn’t afraid of him at all. He approached first, kept his secrets, and even acted comfortably around him.

Agnes knew how cautious Noah usually was, so she couldn’t bring herself to tell him to avoid someone he trusted so naturally.

Fortunately, Dylan had been spending most of his time at the training grounds lately, so as long as Noah didn’t go there, they wouldn’t meet.

Agnes assumed he would accept it easily, as he always did.

“Why?”

The unexpected question caught her off guard.

The child who always obeyed without question was now asking why. It wasn’t like when he asked why thunder roared or why dogs wagged their tails.

This time, his “why” carried protest.

Agnes felt the weight of her child’s growth. It wasn’t about height or strength, but about the awakening of his own thoughts.

She took a breath and steadied her heart.

Giving him a clear and honest reason would be the safest way to help him understand.

“The training ground isn’t safe for children. The knights run and swing swords there. You’re still small, Noah, and they might not see you.”