I lay back down on the bed, trying to suppress my anger and fall asleep again. However, my emotions refused to settle and, instead, I found myself growing even more furious because sleep continued to elude me. I made up my mind: I was definitely going to fire the new servant. Once I got myself ready, I planned to find Ethan and personally reprimand the newcomer before dismissing him on the spot. As I passed the second floor, I heard someone repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The voice was coming from Roy's room. Puzzled by the fact that Roy had already left, I wondered who could be in there. I walked over and pushed open the door, which was slightly ajar. As it opened, a small figure came into view. It was Neil. He was bare-chested, kneeling in the corner of the room facing the wall, his hands raised in the air, his head bowed, and continuously muttering "I'm sorry." I quickly rushed toward the small figure. “Neil, what’s wrong? Why are you kneeling here?” “I’m
Neil Wesley loved the sea deeply, for it symbolized freedom to him. I still owed him a special yacht trip, though the chance to set sail with him again was long gone. However, I decided to bring Neil Caster along for a similar experience. After all, they were Neils and they both share the name Neil, and surely, he would enjoy it just as much. Not only did I need to understand him better, but I also aimed to create cherished memories together.Using the excuse of a private trip, I managed to take him away from the castle, providing him with an opportunity to understand the werewolf philosophy firsthand. I didn't disclose our destination; I simply instructed him to get in the car. Throughout the drive, he diligently worked on his assignments and asked me questions, his demeanor reminiscent of Neil Wesley's lectures—serious, scholarly, and charming.It wasn't until we arrived at the marina that I revealed our plan to embark on a yacht. Contrary to my expectations, he stood there, stunned
I really wanted to clarify his first encounter with Roy—did he remember it correctly? Was Roy really fishing? Because my impression of Roy was that he absolutely detests fishing. He had mentioned before that fishing was an incredibly boring activity, and even as a companion, he would never choose to accompany someone on a fishing trip. And was that when Roy and Neil started? During Neil’s school days? When he was a teenager?Just as I was hesitating about whether to ask directly, I noticed something was off. He was hugging the teddy bear, leaning against its shoulder, sometimes staring blankly ahead with a bright smile, sometimes lowering his head, clenching his fists, and wiping his eyes."Neil, are you okay?" Seeing him repeatedly wiping his eyes, lifting his head, and then lowering it again to wipe his eyes, I felt uneasy and asked softly."I'm fine." He kept wiping his eyes."Is it sand in your eyes?" I asked."No, it's just..." He said he was fine, but his hands didn't stop."Jus
I held my phone and walked out to the balcony. Partly, I didn't want Neil to overhear my conversation with Roy, since most of what Roy and I discussed was rather adult in nature. Additionally, I was concerned that Roy might catch on to what Neil and I had been doing."Hello.""Are you with my baby?""Didn't you ask him to come to me?""Help me out, brother. It's just one paper. Just give him some rough guidance, and he'll sort out the rest. Don't be fooled by his naive look; he's quite smart.""Are you really that comfortable letting your baby stay with me?""Of course. Why wouldn't I be? A timid human with an impatient werewolf like you—the worst that could happen is you'd get annoyed and leave him behind."So, Neil was a timid soul in Roy's eyes. I glanced back at Neil, who was lying on the bed. He did seem like someone who needed protection, but I believed he wasn't actually timid. He just lacked a sense of security, something even his fiancé, Roy, had failed to provide.This was s
The sudden yank and pull of the blanket jolted me awake. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the small figure who had slept in my arms last night, now looking a bit nervous. From his bewildered expression, I could guess that he had blanked out and forgotten the promises he made to me the night before. I knew I could explain everything that had happened, and while I wasn't entirely without fault, I was certainly not to blame. However, my current concern was that this child might be frightened or anxious due to his perceived betrayal of Roy. After all, he wasn't like that scoundrel Roy, and he probably didn't know that Roy had another lover outside."Neil, don't be scared. Can you listen to me first?" Seeing him nod, I pulled him back to the center of the bed, as he was about to fall off. Noticing his lingering wariness, I gave him the blanket and wrapped him up snugly. "I did cross a line last night, and if it bothers you, just tell me, and we can figure something out, okay?" My priorit
After our meal, I took him for a stroll around the island to help him digest. Knowing his fear of the sea, I avoided the shore and instead led him through some of the recreational areas in the heart of the island. Despite the lack of anything particularly special, he walked with such enjoyment and delight, marveling at unfamiliar sights with an inquisitive gaze. His focused expression and occasional smiles reminded me once again of Neil Wesley.As noon approached and the sun reached its zenith, I couldn't bear to let Neil walk under the scorching sun. He was my precious treasure, meant to be cherished, not to be exposed to the harsh sunlight. We stepped into a high-end Japanese restaurant where I had also reserved a buffet. Neil was far too thin for his height of 170 cm, weighing just around 50 kg. If I didn't help him gain weight, I wouldn't be Ryan Lucas.He ate with great enthusiasm. I was quite amazed at his digestive capacity; even after a hefty breakfast that could feed two and
"Neil, what happened three years ago?""It was the year the school organized a holiday trip that everyone had to attend. I was worried about the cost because, living in an orphanage, I had no money. But then the school said a philanthropist had sponsored our trip. Everyone in our orphanage was so happy because it was our first chance to go somewhere other than the orphanage or school. Thanks to that philanthropist, we had our first trip."The first trip. That meant there had been no such arrangements before, only three years ago. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Ethan, asking him to check the records of all the holiday trips organized by Rollen Boy’s School. Then I quickly put my phone away; I needed to know more and couldn't interrupt Neil's confession.I held his hand tightly. "I remember we were divided into two groups that year: one for a sea trip and one for a mountain trip. I initially chose the mountain trip because I'm afraid of the sea. But on the day of the
Ethan's text message read:"Master Ryan, I've found the results you asked for and some additional information that I think you should know: -1. Rollen Boy’s School had only ever had one holiday trip, which was three years ago.2. The trip was initially divided into a sea group and a mountain group, but the mountain group was canceled the day before the trip, leaving half of the children without the chance to go on the holiday.3. After canceling the mountain group, the school made some adjustments, pulling some kids from the sea group and replacing them with the children from the mountain group.4. The kids who got to go on the trip and those who didn’t had different backgrounds. The former were all from wealthy families; the latter were all orphans.5. There was one exception: Mr. Neil. Mr. Neil was the only orphan who went on the holiday trip."This last point struck a chord with my deepest fears. Since Neil was the only orphan who went on the sea trip, it meant Roy had his eye on
Three days later, on a bright and sunny day, the warm light bathed the earth, as if even the sun was adding a touch of radiance to our wedding. The venue was set up like a dream—white flowers adorned every corner, and the air was filled with a faint, sweet fragrance, as though each petal had been carefully chosen just for us. The guests had all arrived, their faces lit with brilliant smiles, their eyes brimming with blessings and hope. In that moment, all the exhaustion and pain seemed to be forgotten, replaced by nothing but boundless joy and warmth.This day belonged to us three couples, the happiest day of our lives. Neil and I, Peter and Nick, Harry and Nelson—standing together, it felt as if fate had already woven an invisible thread, tying us all together. Each of our faces radiated joy, our eyes filled with love and devotion for one another. Just before the ceremony began, I stole a glance at Neil standing beside me. His eyes sparkled softly, filled with warmth and unwavering d
Ethan continued to describe that miraculous moment: "When Neil's blood entered your body, everything changed dramatically. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but soon, the operating room was filled with dazzling light. Countless beams of light intertwined in the air, and the entire hospital was suddenly powered down, as if a mysterious force had illuminated it. Everyone was startled, and you, it seemed, experienced some kind of extraordinary transformation in that instant." There was a calmness in Ethan’s eyes. "Then, the situation settled. Power was restored, the readings on the instruments returned to normal, and your arm miraculously reconnected, fully healed. The symptoms of blood loss vanished in an instant, as though nothing had ever happened."I murmured, "If this is true, then what the Black Wolf said in the virtual world must also be correct. It claimed the calamity has been averted, the curse is broken." The Black Wolf had told me that these changes signified that the crisis
Everything went black, and I was suddenly jolted back to reality. The chaotic scene of battle unfolded around me—Kim and Peter had been knocked to the ground by the vengeful spirits, and Maria was visibly struggling, her strength fading. I looked around in shock, my heart heavy with realization. All of this suffering, all of this fighting—it was because of the decision I had made. I had refused to let go of Neil, going to any lengths to bring him back to life. But in doing so, I had led us into an endless cycle of calamity, and even Neil had been forced to endure so much pain. Perhaps the root of all this, the key to ending it, lay within myself.Slowly, I rose to my feet, a sense of clarity settling over me as I began to understand the true meaning of goodness. It was selfless letting go—it was the willingness to forsake oneself for the sake of others.I took a deep breath, releasing all my obsessions, letting go of the desire to fight for selfish reasons or love. I would fight now,
Ken Yimo raised his hand high, summoning the fragile thread of magic he could barely muster, and hurled it toward the demon with all the strength he had left. Though his magical abilities were far from impressive, his gaze was resolute, unwavering in the face of death. The demon, however, merely smiled faintly, effortlessly neutralizing Ken's attack. The vast disparity in power sent Ken crashing to the ground, his body feeling as fragile as an ant under the weight of the demon’s overwhelming force.But just as Ken fell, something in Fred's heart shifted. He could no longer bear to watch this crumbling scene unfold. Tears welled in his eyes as he screamed in desperate anguish, his voice cracking with raw emotion, “Ken, no! Don’t sacrifice yourself for me! I’m not worth it!” His words were soaked in sorrow and despair, filled with regret—as if all his anger and jealousy had now melted away into nothing but remorse.Ken Yimo struggled painfully to rise from the ground, blood and bruises
Nick forced himself to put on a defiant expression and coldly said, "Who's afraid?" But I could see a flash of fragile fear in his eyes, and my heart ached even more. Nelson had just recovered, his face pale, his body swaying slightly. Upon hearing Harry's call, he struggled to lift his head, his eyes still filled with trust and dependence on Harry. He parted his lips weakly and whispered, "Harry..." His voice was so faint, it seemed like it could vanish into the air at any moment. Neil, the most sensitive of the three, looked at us with fear in his eyes. But he didn't cry out for help; instead, he anxiously glanced at Nelson, as if silently urging us to take care of the more fragile brother first.Facing the scene before me, a surge of anger filled my chest, and I coldly demanded to know what Fred wanted. Fred stood in the shadows, his gaze as cold as ice. He gave a faint smile, revealing a sickly, cruel satisfaction. "It's simple," he said, his voice low but carrying an undeniable o
Meanwhile, the others had scattered, continuing their search for any trace of Neil, their faces grim with concern. The tension in the air was thick, and every passing second felt like we were hurtling toward something far darker than we had anticipated.As everyone scrambled in panic, Maria suddenly called out, "There's a trace of magic here!" Her voice was tinged with urgency and surprise, clearly indicating that she had discovered something unusual. We hurried over to find her standing at the entrance of Ken Yimo's bedroom, eyes closed in concentration, her hands moving gently through the air as though she were carefully unraveling an invisible barrier. Soon, the tips of her fingers began to glow faintly, as if she had torn through a thin veil. In that instant, the magical barrier dissolved, and everything behind the door came into view, causing me to gasp in shock.Inside the bedroom, Ken Yimo lay on the cold floor, his face ashen, as though he had endured some immense shock. Scatt
"It turns out that Ken's coldness stems from such a painful past," I murmured softly, a deep, indescribable sorrow washing over me. The suffering Ken had endured was far beyond our comprehension. No wonder he kept everyone at arm's length, as if wrapped in a hard shell to shield himself."What's even more tragic is that our 'old-fashioned' people, upon learning about Ken's sexual orientation, grew even more hostile toward him. They have no idea that his sexuality was, for the most part, twisted by that monstrous foster father of his," Maria sighed, her eyes filled with profound sympathy and understanding for Ken. She shook her head, adding, "They ostracized him, yet they have no clue what kind of pain he went through."I couldn't help but ask, "What happened after that? What did Ken go through?"Maria gently shook her head, a shadow of sorrow crossing her face. "He left our place. By the time I found him, that beast of a foster father had gathered thirty or forty people, trying to for
Ken Yimo chuckled gently, the smile on his face tinged with a trace of self-mockery, as if he had already come to terms with his fate. "For me, Neil’s safety is the most important thing. As long as he can get away from here, away from all this conflict, I fear nothing."His words were firm and tender, that kind of selfless, fatherly love stirring something deep within me. I clenched my fists in silent resolve, taking a deep breath. "Alright, Ken. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to take Neil away. I won’t let him come to any harm. I swear, I will protect him with everything I have."A flicker of gratitude passed through Ken Yimo's eyes as he nodded slightly. "I know you will, Ryan. Your care for Neil, your dedication to him—it's something even I deeply admire. He’s a child who deserves love and protection... Please continue to show him kindness, and give him the warmth he truly needs."His words struck a chord deep within me. I had planned to turn and leave, to end this
Ken Yimo nodded slightly, his expression laced with a complex mixture of emotions. “Yes. Fred knows he’s nothing more than a replacement. But he... he’s different. Despite everything, he still desperately seeks my attention. He doesn’t mind being my servant, if it means he can be close to me.”"A child with ambition," I murmured to myself, trying to grasp the psychological dynamics at play in such a twisted situation.A bitter smile tugged at the corner of Ken Yimo's lips. "Do you think Fred acts out so recklessly, causing chaos everywhere, even disregarding the reputation of the Yimo family? What do you think he’s trying to achieve?"I furrowed my brows, pondering for a moment, before the realization dawned on me. "Could it be... that he's doing it just to get your attention? He’s deliberately being reckless, making sure everyone knows."Ken Yimo nodded, his tone unnervingly calm. "Exactly. He knows that by antagonizing people, the Yimo family will inevitably be ostracized. But what