Episode 51

Rosanna had wasted a whole five hours staring at print.

“Kyle. Are you messing with me on purpose?”

“What do you mean?”

“Was this really what you wished for?”

“Yes. It’s nice, isn’t it?”

Seeing the sincerity in Kyle’s face, Rosanna swallowed a sigh. She had been curious to see what he would take the lead on for once, expecting something exciting—only to be met with… reading. Was it really possible to just sit here, alone together in this cramped space, doing nothing but reading? Apparently, it was. Kyle was so immersed in his book that he hadn’t spoken a single word.

Honestly, she couldn’t understand what was so enjoyable about this. He’d called it a wish, so she had no choice but to go along with it, but she wasn’t exactly thrilled.

Wanting to avoid another long stretch of silence, Rosanna searched for a conversation starter. As it turned out, the perfect topic was right in front of her.

“Whose books are these?”

The luxurious velvet-bound editions looked far too expensive to belong in a theology student’s dormitory. They were undoubtedly the work of a master bookbinder. Of course, they were nothing compared to her own collection, but still.

“They originally belonged to a classmate. I did him a favor once, and he promised to return it someday… but then he left the seminary, so he gave me these books instead.”

“Why did he leave?”

“He had to get married in a hurry.”

Rosanna hummed in response.

“That must’ve felt strange. He must’ve struggled with his path, just like you. But he left first.”

“…Our circumstances were different. In many ways.”

Kyle, a hint of self-mockery in his voice, closed the book he had been reading and ran his hand over its soft cover. It looked almost like a ritual. Rosanna could tell it was something he did to soothe himself.

Then, Kyle brightened up again.

“What kind of books do you like best, Rosanna?”

He placed his hand on the towering stack of books between them. It seemed that despite being absorbed in his own reading, he had noticed how she kept jumping from one book to another without settling on a single one.

Rosanna lifted the book she had been skimming. It was about an orphaned protagonist locked away in a castle by her aunt’s new husband, who was after her inheritance. The way the novel described the castle reminded her of Balasa Castle, her childhood home, which was why she had found it somewhat interesting.

“This one. It’s at least entertaining.”

“A Gothic novel. That suits you.”

Kyle smirked, as if he had expected it to be her taste.

“What about you? What do you like?”

“This one. Have you read it?”

The book Kyle picked up had a completely different tone from hers. It was a romance novel set in the Ingdberry era, revolving around misunderstandings and conflicts between men and women, the institution of marriage, and a love that overcame differences in social class.

“Not my thing.”

“I guess our reading tastes don’t match.”

Rosanna closed her book and set it aside.

“They say opposites are good together. That they complement each other.”

“Who said that?”

“Tanesia. Henry’s mother.”

Seeing her opportunity, Rosanna pushed the stack of books aside onto the desk and leaned against Kyle.

“It’s already evening. Let’s take a break.”

Kyle looked startled.

“Oh… I almost forgot! You must be hungry. I’ll go get us something to eat.”

“…Alright. Go on.”

Rosanna didn’t need to eat, but she couldn’t say that out loud. She intended to reveal her true nature eventually, but that was a conversation for another time—when Kyle was so entangled in her life that he could no longer walk away. If nothing unexpected happened, she would tell him then. Besides, Kyle still needed to eat, and it was better if he brought food here and they dined together.

Kyle left to fetch their dinner. When he returned, he carried two loaves of bread with butter, chilled tomato soup, Scotch eggs, mashed potatoes with cooked vegetables, and milk.

“It’s humbler than my usual meals, but please bear with it.”

“It’s fine. I chose to stay here, after all.”

Rosanna took a bite of the buttered bread. She thought it wouldn’t matter since she couldn’t taste it, but the texture was an issue. It was too dry, forcing her to sip some soup to swallow it down. After that, she only picked at the mashed potatoes and vegetables.

“Here, eat this too.”

Kyle speared half of a Scotch egg with his fork and held it out to her. Rosanna shook her head.

“You eat it. I’m full.”

“But you barely ate.”

“Look at the size difference. You need to eat more.”

Rosanna snatched the fork and popped the food into Kyle’s mouth instead. He took hold of her hand, lowering the fork as he chewed. The rich yolk of the boiled egg and the savory meat filled his mouth.

For a moment, he had foolishly thought he could share the taste of happiness with Rosanna—the same happiness he had only occasionally known since his orphanage days. But even the best food to Kyle was no more than a servant’s meal to her.

“Where’s the wine, by the way? I feel like drinking.”

“…I have some. I’ll get it.”

As Kyle moved to stand, Rosanna quickly grabbed his sleeve.

“Finish eating first. We have plenty of time.”

Kyle sat back down and focused on his meal. Once he had finished, he took the empty dishes away and returned with a bottle of wine and a single glass.

“Why only one glass?”

“I don’t need any.”

Kyle poured the wine into the glass and handed it to Rosanna. She swirled it first, savoring its aroma. That deep red liquid was as fragrant to a vampir as human blood. For reasons unknown, it carried a faint sweetness, earning it the title of the “blessed drink.”

As Rosanna emptied her glass, Kyle merely watched from beside her. He could tell she was enjoying herself. She must really like wine. Another difference between them—Kyle didn’t drink.

“I want more.”

“Just drink enough to keep from getting drunk.”

“I can handle a few more glasses. Hurry and pour.”

Kyle refilled her glass, though this time with half the amount. That earned him a pout and a grumble of, “So stingy.”

Rosanna didn’t drink immediately. Instead, she swirled the glass, watching the liquid form a spiral. Kyle’s gaze followed the motion.

“Don’t you want to try it?”

“To be honest, I don’t really understand the taste of alcohol.”

Rosanna’s lips curled into a sly smile.

“Then I’ll teach you how to enjoy it properly.”

Rosanna emptied her glass in one go and set it down. Then, before Kyle could react, she cupped his face and kissed him. His unguarded lips parted easily, and she poured the wine she had been holding into his mouth.

Gulp. The sound of him swallowing echoed in the quiet room.

As if that had been her only intention, Rosanna pulled away. A trail of crimson liquid slipped from the corner of Kyle’s lips, trickling down his chin.

“You spilled it. How careless.”

“I— You did that out of nowhere….”

Teasingly chiding him, Rosanna leaned in and licked away the spilled wine. Her lips trailed from the corner of his mouth to his chin, then further down. Even after she had cleaned away every drop, she didn’t stop. She grazed his skin with her tongue, then bit down lightly, shifting her weight onto him. Naturally, Kyle toppled onto the bed.

“Stay still! You said we were just going to sleep.”

Kyle tried to push her away, but his hands landed in an unfortunate spot—her chest. Realizing this, he quickly withdrew them, opting to grab her arms instead and peel her off him.

“We’re not sleeping yet.”

“No more than hugging. Keep your promise.”

Kyle felt the urge to voice his frustration. Rosanna always claimed she felt at ease with him, yet he was constantly on edge. He was always tense, worried about what unexpected thing might happen next. He was always aware of her every word and action. Did she even realize the effect she had on him?

He sat up and got off the bed.

“The shared bathroom isn’t an option for you. I’ll go fetch some water.”

Kyle left immediately and returned shortly after, setting a basin of water on the floor. He pulled a towel from the storage chest, soaked it, and wrung it out tightly. Rosanna crouched beside the basin.

“A washcloth will have to do. It’s just for one night—bear with it.”

“I know. If I used the bathroom, I’d get caught.”

Kyle handed her the damp towel.

“Take your time. I need to wash up too, so I’ll step out.”

“Kyle, are you mad? I won’t know unless you say something.”

“How could I be? You’re… you’re Rosanna.”

As if that explained everything, Kyle swallowed back the words he truly wanted to say and left the room.

By the time he returned, it was late into the night. The only light in the room came from the oil lamp he had left burning. Rosanna was already lying in bed.

He hesitated, wondering if she was asleep, but as he approached, the blanket was pulled back.

“You took too long. It’s late.”

He had needed time to calm himself, walking and washing away his thoughts, but he didn’t bring it up.

“If you were waiting, I’m sorry. You could’ve slept first.”

“Just get in.”

Rosanna pulled the blanket aside further, revealing herself in a thin white slip—the kind worn as sleepwear. The dress she had been wearing earlier was neatly draped over a chair.

Kyle froze. He hadn’t thought about this. Of course she would take off her dress before sleeping, but he hadn’t considered the implications of sharing a bed with her dressed like that. The answer to whether he could handle it was painfully obvious.

“…Actually, this bed is a bit small. You should take it. I’ll sleep in the other one.”

Rosanna, watching him unceremoniously throw himself onto his roommate’s bed, sat up.

“What? Are you avoiding me because I didn’t wash properly?”

Kyle immediately sat up as well.

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then what?”

Clearing his throat, Kyle lowered his head and covered his face with his large hands.

“Rosanna… you have no idea… just how dangerous this is.”