IBACM Chapter 64

Chapter 64

“Got something to ask?”

[Go ahead.]

“You’ve studied a lot, huh?”

“You kept giving me those red marks , so I had to work hard too.”

Feeling proud, I waved the paper in the air.

He hesitated for a moment before asking me,

“Do you know what that gemstone is? Are you sure it belongs to you?”

[Yes, it’s mine. It’s like my heart itself.]

“…You knew?”

I drew a circle on the paper.

Just like I naturally knew I was a closet monster, I also understood the meaning of the gemstone attached to my horn.

It just felt obvious somehow.

“Then… are you a different species?”

A different species, all of a sudden?

[I’m a closet monster.]

He looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression.

“But I heard it’s a gemstone from a different species.”

“Huh?”

I stared at him, mouth agape.

I knew what the gemstone meant to me—it was precious beyond words, something I wanted to give to Didi.

But I never knew it was from a ‘different species.’

“Giving this gemstone means giving your everything to someone. Do you still want to give it to him?”

[Of course! I love Didi more than anything.]

What kind of question is that?

He glanced at the paper with a strange expression.

“Do you know anything more about this ‘different species’?”

[Nope. Oh! Can you investigate it for me?]

“…Aren’t you making me work too hard?”

[You know Didi’s situation. I can’t be discovered.]

I have to protect him for a long, long time.

“There are many types of different species… Oh, should I keep this a secret too?”

[You can tell Didi. And also, if there’s anything similar between me and that species…]

Wait, how do you write ‘similar’?

I forgot how to spell it.

After hesitating, I scratched out my original sentence and rewrote: “If there are any parts that are the same, let me know.”

“This is how you write ‘similar.’”

“……”

“Still a long way to go.”

I glared at him with all my might.

“Though, I don’t know when I’ll get the information. I’ll be busy soon.”

[That’s okay. No rush.]

I was going to stay by Dedrick’s side anyway.

After finishing our conversation, I returned to the closet. Dedrick was already sitting there, waiting for me.

“Didi.”

His face lit up when I called him.

“Did everything go well?”

“Yeah! I’ll tell you later. It might take some time, though.”

“I’ll wait.”

By now, it had become natural for us to share a pillow and lie facing each other.

After a moment of hesitation, Dedrick gently touched my cheek.

When I closed my eyes in comfort, his warm voice echoed in my ears.

“Good night, Mary.”

Smiling, I replied,

“Good night, Didi.”

I wished to wake up every day to a beautiful morning with Didi.

---

After a few seasons passed, spring returned once more.

Before dawn, Dedrick quietly entered the room, careful not to make a sound.

He glanced at the closet before heading to the bathroom.

Click.

Standing at the sink, his reflection appeared clearly in the mirror.

The boy Dedrick had once been had grown into a tall, striking young man.

Slowly, he unbuttoned his sweat-soaked shirt, revealing his firm chest and well-defined abs.

As he removed his shirt entirely, his broad back came into view.

Running a hand through his damp black hair, he wiped away sweat with the back of his hand.

His deep blue eyes, once filled with hesitation and anxiety, now looked calm and determined.

The sweat trickling down his sharp jawline made him look even more mesmerizing.

With his long lashes, sharp nose, and faintly flushed lips, Dedrick had become a breathtakingly handsome young man.

Yet, he seemed indifferent to his own appearance, quickly washing up and changing into a fresh shirt and pants.

Meanwhile, inside the closet, his precious little monster continued to sleep peacefully.

His blue eyes softened with warmth as he quietly opened the closet door.

Inside, Marilyn lay curled up, sleeping soundly. Her chubby cheeks were pressed against the pillow, her tiny horns still adorable, and her lips moved slightly as if dreaming.

Dedrick perched on the edge of the closet, simply watching her.

His heart pounded just looking at her. She became more precious to him with each passing day.

Just seeing Marilyn made Dedrick feel as if he had the whole world in his hands.

Reaching out, he gently poked her lips.

“Mmm…”

She scrunched her brows, tickled by his touch.

Leaning down, Dedrick pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

“Mary, wake up.”

“…Is it morning?”

Her drowsy voice made him chuckle. He kissed her cheek again and whispered,

“Yes, it’s morning.”

Morning kisses had become their daily greeting.

Marilyn blinked, her golden eyes rolling around before finally settling on Dedrick’s face.

Seeing her sleepy gaze, his smile deepened.

“Didi, did you grow taller?”

Lately, his little monster kept asking that question, and he had grown used to answering.

Lifting her up, he nodded.

“My arms and legs hurt. I think I’m still growing.”

“…How tall are you now?”

“Around 180 cm. Maybe a bit more.”

“But we eat the same food… How come only you keep growing?”

Maybe it was because their sleeping schedules were different.

As Marilyn mumbled to herself, Dedrick took her hands and placed them on his shoulders, pulling her close.

“This time, I ranked first again in dueling and the monthly exams.”

He had never lost first place, but Marilyn always showered him with praise as if it were his first achievement.

“That’s amazing! Do you want anything? I’ll give you a present!”

Holding her tightly in his arms, Dedrick whispered,

“You.”

“You say that every time.”

Marilyn giggled, and with her laughter, Dedrick once again felt deep satisfaction as he started his day.

---

I stared at the horizontal lines carved into the wall.

Over the past four years, those lines showed how much we had grown.

Mine hadn’t changed much, but Dedrick’s lines stretched farther apart, proof of how quickly he had shot up.

Now, I had to tilt my head back just to look at him properly.

“Wow… so this is what a teenage growth spurt looks like.”

At this rate, he really would reach 190 cm when he became an adult.

But why hadn’t I grown much?

As I frowned at my own barely changed lines, Dedrick suddenly placed his arms on either side of me, trapping me against the wall.

Then, he rested his chin lightly on top of my head.

“Staring at it won’t make you taller, you know?”

“Oh, our Didi. Now you even know how to talk back rudely…”

You’ve grown up so much…

He chuckled playfully, his voice rumbling, before pulling me into a tight hug from behind.

“It’s suffocating.”

“Just bear with it.”

I struggled and turned around to face him. Not only had he grown taller, but he was also becoming incredibly handsome.

His soft hair swayed at the ends of his shoulders, his deep blue eyes had matured, and his broad chest was now big enough for me to completely fit in his embrace.

The only thing that remained the same was his bangs, which still covered his eyes.

‘The one time he walked around without them, it caused a huge commotion.’

Thanks to that, Dedrick’s stunning looks became widely known, and he became incredibly popular among the young maids and servants.

‘At least the bullying has decreased a lot.’

Some even fought over the chance to serve him.

But Dedrick rejected them all.

‘They ignored him before, and now they suddenly like him just because of his looks? Of course, he wouldn’t be happy about that.’

Anyway, we just need to endure one more year.

‘Then I can escape my death ending, and Didi won’t have to worry about going to Herba Academy.’

Herba Academy was a terrible place.

‘Even the journey there is dangerous.’

Delani was always on the lookout for Dedrick’s weaknesses, but I wasn’t going to give her anything.

Seeing how well Dedrick had grown under my protection, I felt proud of myself.

I tried to pat his head, but the height difference made it impossible, so instead, I rubbed his strong arm and said with satisfaction,

“Wow, you’ve grown well.”

“You still need to grow more, Mary.”

“Exactly! But what if this is all I grow?”

I nervously touched my cheeks, and he reassured me by gently tapping my nose.

“You’re small and cute. I like you just the way you are.”

“Well, you’re the only one looking at me, so as long as you like it, that’s all that matters.”

As long as he didn’t do anything reckless that Delani could use against him, he’d safely reach adulthood.

“I wish you’d become an adult already!”

“Why?”

“Because then we’ll have more freedom to play!”

He absentmindedly traced a horizontal line on the wall before turning to me.

“Want to measure your height again? It’s been a while.”

“Sure! But—”

“I want to measure my horns too!”