Episode 20

“It’s not proper. Entering an unmarried woman’s bedroom is unacceptable.”

“Why?”

“Well… it’s against social norms…”

Rosanna tilted her head slightly and looked back at him.

“But I’m a foreigner.”

“Lumanó probably has similar customs.”

“I’m an exception. With the name of the Enache family, there’s nothing I can’t do. No one dares to gossip behind my back.”

Rosanna suddenly stepped closer and grabbed Kyle’s hand.

“I decide who enters my bedroom. And right now, I’m taking you there. End of discussion.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected turn of events, Kyle allowed himself to be led to her bedroom, unable to pull his hand away for some reason, even though he could have.

“Pardon the intrusion…” Kyle muttered, stepping in cautiously. Rosanna chuckled at his formality.

“Why are you apologizing? You’re with the owner.”

“Well, it’s just… entering a lady’s bedroom feels…”

“Embarrassing?”

“More like guilty.”

“Oh, come on. Should I stop being a lady then?”

Rosanna gestured for him to follow as she headed further inside. Her playful smile suggested that if he didn’t follow, she might do something even more outrageous. Kyle sighed and followed her onto the terrace. A tea set and a three-tiered dessert tray were already laid out on the table.

“It’s the set you gave me. I’ve been using it well.”

Kyle sat across from her, watching as Rosanna poured the tea. Her bright smile, while she commented on his gift, was… lovely—no, pure. It made Kyle question whether it was right to doubt her.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Kyle said as he accepted the teacup he had given her as a gift. Rosanna then took a plate from the bottom tier of the tray and placed it in front of him. It had scones and cucumber sandwiches to fill his stomach.

“Go ahead, eat. You were hungry.”

“It’s really not that bad…. Aren’t you going to have some?”

“This is enough for me,” Rosanna said, taking a spoonful of lemon syllabub from the top tier and then looking at Kyle, as if to say, “Satisfied? Now it’s your turn.” Feeling her silent pressure, Kyle spread clotted cream and strawberry jam on a scone and took a big bite. The dough was fluffy, different from store-bought ones, and it went down smoothly. In no time, one was gone.

Suddenly, Kyle felt a wave of self-reproach. What was he doing, eating in the house of someone he came to confront? But Rosanna seemed pleased with his appetite. Her gaze wasn’t the kind directed at a romantic interest, Kyle noted—it felt different.

“See? You were hungry.”

“It was just tasty… I ate too quickly.”

“I like seeing it. Have some more.”

Kyle changed the subject. “It’s the weekend. Where’s your family?”

“My brother and his wife are out on a date, near Ingdberry. Henry is upstairs, napping.”

“I’ll have to say hello when he wakes up.”

“He’ll probably beg you to play with him. Why don’t you stay for dinner? The staff has been working hard to prepare a feast.”

“Oh… I didn’t mean to trouble you.” Kyle gave a lukewarm response, picking up his teacup. He seemed like he had something to say but was hesitating.

Rosanna leaned back, resting her chin on her hand, eyeing him.

“You’re holding something back. What is it? Go on, speak.”

The surroundings grew quiet, save for the clatter of Kyle setting down his teacup. After a long pause, he finally met her gaze.

“Are you really considering conversion? Or was that just a pretense for another purpose?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m asking if it was just an excuse to meet with me.”

Kyle’s face was incredibly serious, as if he already knew something.

“Why would you ask that?”

“You knew all along, didn’t you? Who I was. And yet, you pretended not to know. Why? What was the reason?”

Rosanna quickly considered her options, trying to gauge how much Kyle had figured out. Should she stay quiet or test the waters? The weight of her decision leaned toward the former.

“I have nothing you would want. No reason to lie just to approach me. So, why? Was it amusing to watch me, waiting to see when I would figure it out? Was it a game?”

“…”

“The strange thing is, I’m not even angry. You deceived me, yet I keep thinking there must have been a reason, that you would’ve explained it eventually, and I just found out first. Even now, I keep defending you in my mind.”

Her voice was damp with emotion. Rosanna could hear the sadness in Kyle’s confession—a faint sense of betrayal, disappointment, and frustration with his own foolishness.

Negative emotions have a distinct scent, and vampires are remarkably adept at picking up on them. It was their specialty to exploit people’s vulnerabilities and charm them.

“Are you upset with me?”

Feeling upset means you have positive emotions toward someone, Rosanna thought. If there were no expectations, there would be no disappointment. She realized she held a strong hand.

“Yes, I knew who you were. You might think I deceived you, but I had no choice. I have a mistrust of humans. Until I decide whether to keep someone close, I maintain a distance. So, no, I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to act familiar, pretending we’d met before.”

“But you did acknowledge me at the séance. You called me Basilio.”

“I was surprised too. It was the first time something like that happened. I spoke without thinking because I was just happy.”

“How did you know it was me? Did the Countess of Somerset…?”

“She kept your secret. Remember the day I gave you the handkerchief? I didn’t catch your name, but I heard your voice.”

“You remembered me just from hearing my voice briefly? I didn’t recognize you at all.”

Kyle’s expression briefly reflected regret.

“Most people wouldn’t. I didn’t know for sure based on just your voice.”

“Then how?”

“I have good instincts.”

In truth, she remembered him by his scent, but she couldn’t say that directly, so she covered it up with intuition.

Fortunately, Kyle seemed to accept that explanation.

“Anyway, it’s true I hid things from you, but if you knew my situation, you’d understand. I hold a higher title, but I came to Britna as Viscountess Dacia on purpose. What does that tell you? I was tired of people clinging to me, hoping to gain something. It’s exhausting not being able to make genuine friends.”

The veins on Kyle’s hand, which was holding the teacup, became visible.

“Even if there was no deception between us… I would’ve gladly been your friend, without expecting anything in return.”

A small smile played on Kyle’s lips as he said that, his demeanor softening, returning to the kind and gentle man Rosanna had first met.

“Thank you for your kind words, sweetie.”

Kyle looked away, embarrassed by the endearing nickname. Rosanna could see his discomfort in the way the tips of his ears reddened.

“But Kyle, I don’t want to be just friends with you.”

“Pardon?”

“Did you forget? I kissed you. Friends don’t do that.”

“Oh…”

Kyle’s lips moved slightly as he replayed the memory, then he downed his tea, as if trying to quench a thirst. Clearly, he was thinking back to that day.

“I’ve been wondering ever since—what did that kiss mean?”

“It didn’t have any hidden meaning. I just wanted us to be closer, to the point where we kiss. Why would I need a reason to do what I want?”

“Does that mean you like me…?”

“Yes. I like you, Kyle.”

Rosanna smiled brightly.

She was sincere. The more time she spent with him, the more excited she became. Her feelings swelled inside her, so much that she felt as if they might crush her organs. If this wasn’t affection, then what could it be?

Just as Henry cherished his stuffed toy like his own life, Rosanna could lavish her affection on Kyle.

“But I’m a theology student.”

“I know. So?”

“It’s a problem, at least for now.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is an important time for me. I want to focus entirely on theology. It’s the right thing to do. But when I’m with you, I’m happy. Even when we’re apart, I keep thinking about you, and I lose focus.”

Rosanna felt a twinge of disappointment, even though his words were meant to be flattering.

“I haven’t chosen one path or the other yet. I need time to sort out my feelings. I want to postpone things until after my ordination. If you can wait for me…”

“Wait? Me? Rosanna Enache?”

Kyle’s words disintegrated in her mind, floating around without making immediate sense. Was he saying that, to him, Rosanna was a lower priority? That she had been pushed aside? How could that be? After she had even revealed her feelings?

Rosanna barely managed to swallow her agitation. Her expression stiffened, but Kyle didn’t seem to notice.

“Kyle. You haven’t told me yet—your feelings.”

“I… think I like you.”

Kyle’s voice faltered with uncertainty, and he added an explanation.

“This is the first time I’ve felt or experienced anything like this, so I don’t know how to express it. I’m not sure how to put it into words. But if you’re willing to wait, I think I’ll be able to reflect on my feelings and express them properly.”

“Don’t call me that stupid title.”

His gray eyes widened in shock. The sudden harshness of her words and her voice, sharper than the northern winds, froze Kyle in place. It was an instinctive response of prey, unaware of what had triggered the predator.

“Every woman in your life is a ‘sister,’ right? Do you think I’m the same as them?”

Rosanna had finally shown her true colors. She could never truly hide them—she had suppressed them to blend in with humans, but now, as her patience cracked, it all seeped out.

At least she hadn’t bared her fangs or growled. That small restraint kept her dignity intact as a higher being.

“Oh, that wasn’t what I meant… I hadn’t thought about it that way. I asked for time, but you are someone special to me. So, Rosanna—”

Kyle corrected himself with a soft smile. That smile eased the storm brewing within Rosanna. He really was absurdly handsome. Without much effort, he had a way of swaying people’s hearts, making even the most determined feel capricious.

As Rosanna calmed down, she reflected. Was this what humans meant by the feeling of “going from hell to heaven”? She didn’t believe in an afterlife, but if it existed, she felt as though she had just returned from it.