Failed to Train the Beast Male Lead

Truly, as one ages, baseless worries only increase.

If things go wrong, she can handle it then. She has made full preparations.

“Don’t worry.”

When Noah spoke resolutely, Mrs. Wells could only smile contentedly.

‘A child comforting an adult.’

He was a kind boy, brimming with consideration.

“The ginger cookies are delicious but one is too much. Shall we share?”

“Okay.”

With a serious expression, Noah applied equal force with both hands to perfectly split the cookie in half.

“…Here you go!”

Noah beamed, saying it was a perfect half.

“Thank you. I really did want exactly half.”

“Not at all.”

“As a token, I have one secret I’d like to share with you.”

“A secret?”

The two made eye contact and laughed together.

There was no faster way to become friends than sharing secrets.

By the time the two finished the cookie sitting side-by-side, footsteps were heard outside.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

Click.

“Happy Founding Day, Mrs. Wells. And Noah. It started snowing on the way up to the Duke’s Mansion, so I’m a bit late.”

“Teacher Carol, you’re here.”

“…Huh?”

At the word “teacher”, Carol glanced at Noah. She hadn’t yet explained to Noah that she was actually a tutor, not a servant.

“I told him. I thought it’d be better if he knew this much.”

Mrs. Wells smiled, wrinkling her nose so only Noah could see.

This was the secret Mrs. Wells had just shared. Seeing Carol’s flustered reaction, Noah mischievously added,

“That’s right. You should have told me sooner.”

Noah beamed so widely at Mrs. Wells that his teeth showed.

“Oh, if it snows overnight, I’ll have a proper room prepared for you this time.”

****

“It smells delicious.”

Noah’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked toward the trolley Carol was pulling.

“Noah.”

“I know.”

He pretended to be overly bright, but truthfully Noah was tense as well. He finally felt the reality of meeting the Duke.

“…Nervous?”

“A little.”

“He’s a kind person.”

Carol’s face softened whenever she described the Duke. Noah glanced at her serene expression.

Before long, they arrived at the corridor with the Duke’s room.

“What if he’s kind but dislikes me?”

“Why are you worrying about that already?”

“But still…”

“We can just go in and find out.”

Carol closely examined Noah’s stiffened face. Mrs. Wells had instructed her to cancel the meeting if Noah showed strong reluctance beforehand. However, while he seemed tense, he didn’t appear averse to it.

“Shall we go in?”

“Yeah.”

Noah nodded solemnly, and Carol knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

“It’s Carol. I’m coming in.”

“Ah, come in.”

With permission from inside, the heavy door creaked open.

A scratchy voice could be heard. Though it sounded rough, the gentle tone made it not scary at all.

Once inside, the first thing Noah noticed was that the lighting was dimmer than elsewhere.

The building was perfectly symmetrical, and he had been to the other side because of Margaret.

Though the same space, the atmosphere was distinctly different. The air felt heavy.

Without realizing it, Noah tightly gripped Carol’s dress hem.

Carol whispered to the fidgeting Noah.

“You need to greet him.”

“Right. Um… Hello. My name is Noah!”

Though he had practiced greetings diligently when alone, he ended up stumbling over his words.

“Yes, I should have come to see you sooner, but I couldn’t.”

“Oh no! You didn’t even know I was here.”

Since the Duke was seated on the canopied bed, Noah couldn’t see him until fully entering the room.

They both seemed tense even before seeing each other’s faces, so Carol naturally interjected.

“Norman prepared a lot of food today for Founding Day.”

Carol released Noah’s grip on her dress hem and brought the trolley over to the sofa.

Noah stood rooted by the door like someone whose legs had frozen.

The Duke also caught Carol’s intent and continued the conversation.

“Since you’ve come on a holiday, I can’t give you an unpleasant reception.”

“It’s good you came today. I was curious what nobles eat on Founding Day.”

Carol conversed comfortably with the Duke. The candlelight flickered from the wind through the window crack.

Noah stood frozen by the door, listening to their exchange. As the conversation lulled, a quiet silence fell between the three. Noah audibly gulped.

Despite being the owner of this grand castle, the servants said they hadn’t seen the Duke in over a year. Servants go everywhere, so why had they never seen the Duke?

He felt he should move, but while his toes fidgeted, his legs refused to budge.

“Would you like to come closer?”

The Duke’s call made Noah start. Only then did he realize he had been hanging his head.

He had boldly entered, but this was an overwhelming moment for a child.

Noah looked to Carol, who nodded slightly as if to go ahead.

“Yes.”

Only then did Noah’s feet move as if released from shackles. He slowly approached the bed.

“It would be a lie if meeting me wasn’t burdensome.”

“…Huh?”

“This is your last chance to turn back.”

The Duke gave his final warning. Whether Noah accepted or rejected his appearance, the child’s life would change completely after seeing him.

The Duke clenched and unclenched his fist. Should he have asked when Noah was older and could take responsibility?

“Are you feeling tense?”

Though in a monotone voice, Noah detected a faint tremble at the end of the Duke’s words.

He had thought only he would be tense, but realizing the Duke felt the same way put him more at ease.

“No. I promised to see you today.”

His heart pounded tensely. Noah clenched his fist.

Step.

Step.

Before getting completely close, Noah stopped abruptly.

The Duke slightly pulled back the canopy curtain. Noah didn’t immediately sense anything amiss about the sharp nails on the hand drawing the curtain.

Noah’s confusion lasted only a moment before the curtain fully opened.

And there sat the Duke on the bed, his appearance completely revealed.

Noah froze on the spot.

He had imagined the Duke having all sorts of hideous forms.

With festering wounds and permanent scars.

But in none of his imaginations did the creature have a fur-covered body and sharp fangs like a beast.

He vaguely resembled a wolf, but the horns on his head signaled he was no ordinary beast.

Noah muttered in a hushed, bewildered voice.

“…Horns?”

Next, Noah’s gaze was drawn to the horns. And the silver fur beneath them.

“You seem quite startled.”

“Ah…”

The Duke gave a bitter smile at Noah’s reaction of not even screaming.

It should be considered fortunate that he didn’t scream, but the Duke couldn’t help feeling a tinge of bitterness.

“As you can see, this is my unfortunate condition. I should have been more careful.”

“……”

“So I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes. Everything about the Duke’s castle is my responsibility.”

Though not by the Duke’s intent, Noah felt assured he wouldn’t be cast out. The Duke already considered Noah his responsibility.

Only then could Noah meet the Duke’s same burning red eyes.

Those fiery eyes amidst the pale world were surely the symbol of the Winternox family.

His body, frozen as if under a spell, finally became free.

“You’re……”

He had thought the Duke avoided his gaze fearing Noah would be scared, but that wasn’t it.

“…You can’t see?”

“…That’s right.”

Noah let out a sigh.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t scared.

But Noah remembered – Mrs. Wells cherished him, Carol said he was kind, and the person before him had apologized.

‘He could have just ignored someone like me.’

Their words were not mistaken. Despite his changed appearance, he was the same person inside.

And the tension was not just Noah’s.

“I……”

Noah faltered.

If it was this difficult face-to-face, it may be better to quickly send him out rather than make him stay uncomfortably.

“You can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”

“Huh?”

“It’s alright, don’t worry.”

Carol was the odd one out. The Duke rubbed his tired eyes tightly.

When alone with Carol, he wished to enjoy delicious food with her, have casual conversation. It seemed those moments naturally dispelled the uneasy feelings in his chest.

“No, I didn’t mean I want to leave…!”

“Then what?”

“I wanted to ask if I could sit beside you.”

“Hmm?”

The Duke momentarily doubted his hearing at Noah’s outrageous request.