Episode 7

A carriage owned by Liber & Tea rolled through the city streets, its exterior adorned with the brand’s logo and images of their signature products. The marketing strategy was working wonders, as everyone who passed by couldn’t help but turn for a second look.

Matthew, the promising young man who came up with this advertising method, prided himself on understanding people’s psychology. Especially Kyle—he was so pure that his thoughts were easily readable on his face.

But now, the man sitting in front of him was different.

It was undoubtedly Kyle, yet Matthew couldn’t decipher what he was thinking or feeling.

His face, which had been so clear and composed when the children at the orphanage bid them farewell, had grown serious. Was he still grappling with his career path?

Recently, Matthew had heard about Kyle from an unexpected source, which made him even more curious about what Kyle had been up to.

“Thanks for the ride, Matthew.”

“It’s on my way to the office, no need to thank me.”

Kyle, who had been gazing out the window, turned to face Matthew.

“You’ve got something to say, don’t you? You’ve been staring at me for a while.”

“Ah… was it that obvious?”

Matthew scratched the back of his head.

“Do you happen to know a lawyer named Vlad?”

“A lawyer? No, why?”

“I met him recently, actually.”

“For what? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m planning to expand the business, you see. I’m thinking of selling teapot sets and cookies as well. With the department store opening soon, I needed some legal advice.”

“I saw the ad in the paper. You’re really good at what you do. I’ll definitely visit when it opens.”

“I’ll give you a special discount, my friend.”

Matthew laughed heartily, then realized the conversation had drifted off course.

“Anyway, that lawyer asked if I knew a theology student named Basilio. From what I recall, you’re the only one from seminary who uses that baptismal name… so I thought I’d ask if you knew him.”

Kyle frowned slightly.

“I’ve never heard of him. Did he say why he was looking for Basilio?”

“He didn’t give me a reason. I just told him I didn’t know anyone by that name. Since it’s been a while since I left seminary, I said I might not remember, and he couldn’t argue with that. I thought you should know, though.”

“Thanks.”

Kyle mulled over the name. Vlad…

He was sure he didn’t know anyone by that name. But then, suddenly, he remembered.

“Basilio, right?”

That strange woman came to mind again.

Come to think of it, that woman had a red wound on her palm. Everything had been so chaotic that day, and the events remained a mystery, but he was sure he saw it. The wound had disappeared so quickly that he thought it might have been his imagination… but he couldn’t shake the memory. Why did he care so much about whether she was hurt?

Perhaps it was because she knew his baptismal name. Even though she couldn’t have seen his face through the veil, she had been certain he was Basilio. How? What had she noticed? Was she just guessing, or did she have some evidence? His thoughts were tangled and confused.

Was that woman trying to find him through this lawyer named Vlad? What was their relationship, and why was he asking on her behalf? What did she want from him?

Kyle couldn’t fathom why she might be looking for him.

The only one who knew the answer was the woman herself. So, should he try to meet her? He hadn’t even seen her face clearly, yet she had been an enchanting presence. Her pale skin, sharp jawline, long and thick hair, and that sweet scent that lingered when they were close…

Kyle quickly suppressed the thoughts that had surfaced involuntarily.

No. What am I thinking?

I should never have gone to that séance. I saw and heard things there that were entirely inappropriate for a theology student. It was a misguided experience.

‘Forget it. Forget everything that happened that day.’

Kyle repeated this to himself, over and over.

“Kyle! We’re here!”

“…Oh.”

The carriage had come to a stop in front of Ingdberry Cathedral.

“What were you thinking about that you didn’t even hear me?”

“I’m just a bit tired. I didn’t sleep well.”

“I thought you prided yourself on being healthy. Even when life gets complicated, it’s important to stick to a simple routine. Consider that advice from someone who’s been around a little longer.”

Matthew often took on the role of an older brother, using the fact that he was born a few months earlier to bolster his authority, especially when it came to boosting Kyle’s spirits.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good. That’s the right attitude. Get some rest, and I’ll see you later.”

“Sure.”

With Matthew’s encouragement, Kyle managed to push aside his troubling memories as he entered the cathedral. It was time to distance himself from the secular world once again.

* * *

It had been a busy day.

Rosanna had taken Tanesia and Henry to a café famous among artists, followed by watching Vlad’s polo match. Henry, who had been thrilled to spend the day out with his mother, clung to her the entire time. Usually, Henry stuck to Rosanna, but not today. No matter how much time she invested, she could never quite match the bond between mother and child.

I need to find a new “attachment toy” soon.

While she was lost in thought, Vlad’s team won the match. To celebrate, Rosanna treated everyone to dinner at a high-end restaurant. Living among humans had led her to dine out more frequently.

A series of beautifully plated dishes, meant to delight the eye more than the palate, were served. As a vampire, she couldn’t taste the food, but the presentation was impressive. The Countess of Haywood had recommended the restaurant, boasting that it was renowned among their kind.

“So this is what the reputation of a former royal chef looks like.”

“And it tastes great too, right, Henry?”

“Yeah! It’s delicious!”

Henry grinned, his mouth covered in food, as Vlad asked him. Tanesia, sitting next to him, wiped his face with a napkin.

Rosanna, in the middle of sipping her wine, couldn’t help but chuckle. It was one thing for Henry and Tanesia to enjoy the meal, but hearing Vlad comment on the taste was amusing.

“You can’t even taste it.”

“I can now. They say when you’re in love, you start to resemble the person you love. My feelings for Tanesia are so strong that I’ve become attuned to her.”

There’s a superstition among vampires that if a vampire falls in love with a human partner, they can begin to feel things as their human partner does. However, such unions are so rare that there’s no way to prove it.

“How can you say something like that? It gives me the chills.”

“I find it sweet,”

Tanesia replied with a smile directed at Vlad. Just look at that silly brother of mine, grinning like a fool. If they were sitting next to each other instead of across the table, they’d probably be kissing right now.

“We’re in public. Could you both tone it down?”

“Jealousy is unbecoming, dear sister. Are you feeling lonely all by yourself?”

“Hmph? Dad’s mean! I’m here! Rosanna is always with me!” Henry interrupted, waving his fork in the air.

“When I grow up, I’ll marry her!”

“What a horrifying idea!”

Vlad exclaimed before launching into a lecture on relationships, with Rosanna topping the list of unsuitable partners. Henry, finding the lecture tiresome, covered his ears while Tanesia chided Vlad for taking it too seriously.

Rosanna, who had drifted out of the conversation, watched her brother’s noisy family with detached amusement. It was the typical image of a loving human family. While vampires do have a tendency to care for their family, the atmosphere is never quite this warm. Perhaps this is what people mean when they talk about something being “human.” She had never cared to understand the term, nor did she think she ever would…

And yet, she suddenly caught a whiff of something comforting, like the warmth of sunlight.

‘Ah, that man’s scent.’

Why he came to mind, she couldn’t fathom.

Before she could question the randomness of her thoughts, memories of the séance night surged up like a tide. The sensation of their bodies pressed so closely together, the contours of his form beneath her hands, his scent even stronger than during their first meeting. If no one had been around that night, she wasn’t sure she could have resisted the urge to bury her face in his neck and lick his sun-warmed skin.

Despite having nearly lost her composure to such an extent, the fact that she wasn’t angry was probably due to her curiosity.

After only two encounters—no, from the very beginning, his existence intrigued her. She had vaguely sensed that he met the criteria for her “attachment toy.” Although she had no intention of getting too involved because he was a theology student, his scent was simply too addictive.

That’s why she carried his handkerchief with her. Even though the scent had faded, bringing the handkerchief to her nose brought back the memory of it.

Rosanna suddenly pulled the handkerchief out of her purse. She had developed the odd habit of checking on it regularly, as if she feared she might lose the memory of his scent without it.

As she was about to put it back after confirming it was safe, something at the bottom of the handkerchief caught her eye.

‘…Embroidery.’

How utterly foolish of me.

Caught up in the baptismal name, Rosanna had only given Vlad limited information. If she had also provided the initials, the investigation would have been easier. Her urgency had clouded her judgment, preventing her from thinking clearly.

As she pondered telling him after the meal, the waiter arrived with dessert. A sponge cake filled with raspberry jam and fresh cream was placed at the center of the table, and the waiter poured a glossy chocolate ganache over it.

“Choco! Choco fountain!”

Suddenly, the chair rattled. Henry had tried to reach for the cake, his excitement getting the better of him. Even though Henry was usually well-behaved, the sight of chocolate turned him into an unstoppable force.

“Henry, no!”

Tanesia tried to catch him, but it was too late. Just as his little hand was about to plunge into the cake, Henry’s body lifted off the ground. He hovered briefly before landing gently in Vlad’s arms.

High-ranking vampires possessed special abilities in addition to their common traits of immortality, attractiveness, extraordinary strength, and healing. Vlad’s ability was telekinesis.

“Henry. You know better than that.”

“Mm… choco…”

Henry’s eyes welled up with tears.

“I’ll give you some. You’ll get some, I promise.”

Vlad, now desperate, reached out, and Tanesia handed him a plate with a piece of cake. Only after stuffing his mouth full of cake did Henry smile.

“It’s yummy…”

Rosanna, watching Henry’s cheeks puffed with happiness, snapped her fingers.

“Waiter. Look at me.”

The waiter, who had been shocked by the earlier scene, turned his head. His eyes quickly glazed over as if under a spell.

“Forget. You saw nothing, right?”

His pupils dulled as he lost all awareness.

“Answer me.”

“…Yes.”

Rosanna snapped her fingers again. The light returned to the waiter’s eyes.

“You may leave now.”

The waiter, now looking composed as if nothing unusual had happened, politely bowed and exited the room.

“Cleanup is always my job.”

Rosanna remarked with a cynical tone.

Vlad looked at her sheepishly.

“I didn’t mean to… Thank you.”

Their abilities were as natural as limbs, so it was understandable that they were difficult to suppress. After living for centuries as a ruler, being mindful of others’ gazes in Britna was exhausting beyond words. A momentary lapse in vigilance often led to mistakes.

“So what if he got his hands dirty with some chocolate? He’s just a kid. Now I can’t use my power on that waiter anymore.”

“I know. The charm doesn’t work on someone a second time… Sorry.”

Rosanna’s charm ability was incredibly versatile. When someone was charmed, they lost their sense of self, allowing Rosanna to command them to do anything—even something as final as their own death. She typically used the ability for memory erasure, with the enforced amnesia lasting until the person’s death.

However, as a power superior to hypnosis, it came with a limitation: she could only use it once on the same person. It wasn’t a concern since she had no reason to use it on that waiter again.

“In that case, you can take care of the bill.”

Rosanna fully intended to make Vlad pay for the inconvenience. After all, there’s a certain joy a sister finds in emptying her brother’s wallet.

That day, half of Vlad’s monthly salary was gone.