I regained my composure, though it was less of composure and more of speechlessness, powerlessness, and hopelessness. Kneeling beside Neil, who appeared devoid of any color, I found myself devoid of any coherent thoughts, only the desire to fill every moment and every second with him. As I observed the bloodless figure before me, an unconscious question slipped from my lips."How could someone suddenly start bleeding without cause?""Perhaps it's due to internal injuries," Ethan responded naturally, unaware of my murmurs."Internal injuries?" The words stirred something within me. "Neil mentioned being attacked, injured, but I couldn't see any wounds. I even accused him of fabricating it.""Wounds that couldn’t be seen?""Yes, even the vampire claimed Neil was injured.""Master, may I examine Mr. Neil?" Ethan's request triggered a realization. "I've heard of a magic that conceals surface truths, masking external injuries while internal ones persist. Without prompt treatment, these int
In one hand, I held Neil's diary, and in the other, Ethan's USB drive, handed to me personally. As I delved into the diary, I discovered Neil too had fallen for me at first sight, but his self-doubt clouded his feelings. Many times, his thoughts and emotions mirrored mine, only he was more naïve, yet all this was before my transformation. I never noticed my own change, let alone its downward spiral. Initially, to win Neil over, I resorted to deceit and manipulation; once together, driven by my possessiveness, I controlled and punished him. Returning to the castle, I felt I had veered further off course, and the damning truth lay on the next page of the diary: the second day at the castle. No one admonished me, not even Neil, and it was only after his passing that I found my faults within his diary.Turning to the last seventh page of Neil's diary:"On the second day at the castle, I anticipated it to be a splendid one, with breakfast followed by a leisurely stroll. But then I saw him,
I continued to flip through Neil's diary: the last, sixth page."This morning, my alarm went off, but I was too tired to get up. My eyes wouldn't open, and my muscles felt heavy. I couldn't wake up, and the noise woke Ryan. He was a bit grumpy from being disturbed.I realized Ryan couldn't see my wounds either, because when he grabbed my wrist to wake me up, his fingernails dug into my wound, causing me a sharp pain. Why can't they see my injuries?I got into Paul's car. He looked angry, and I didn't dare to look at him. I secretly called Ryan, but Ryan didn't pick up. I tried calling again, but he still didn't answer. He must be busy.We arrived at a waterfall area, where I saw Rainey and the others, along with the people from yesterday. Paul dragged me to the center of the crowd and punched me in the stomach, making me collapse in pain. He then placed his leg on my chest, and my back hurt from being pressed against the rocks.I heard Rainey and the others ask Paul if he was crazy. P
I took out Neil's phone, retrieved the blocked contacts, and found Harry's number. Using my own phone, I called him. This was the second time I had reached out to him. The first time was to keep him away from Neil, fearing he might hurt him. Now, the second time, I had hurt Neil myself and needed his help."Hello.""It's Ryan.""What happened to Neil?""Neil is dead. I caused his death.""Ryan Lucas!""I know you hate me. I'll pay the price, don't worry about that.""What do you want?""I need your help. I need you to get rid of three werewolves. Are you up for it?""Are they the ones who killed Neil?""Yes.""Okay.""First, find someone capable of protecting you all the way to Lucas Castle. Once you're at the castle, I'll protect you. This isn't just confidence—it's a promise on my life.""Then why didn't you protect Neil with your life back then?"I couldn't answer that question. I wanted to tell him that I realized my confidence was misplaced only now, but what use was that now? My
"Ryan, get to the point.""Alright, Harry. Most of the people who bullied Neil are dead now. The only ones left are the patriarch 's grandson, Paul, my sister, Rainey, and her boyfriend, Cole. I'm not in a position to deal with it, so it's up to you.""Brother!""Ryan! That's your sister!" The old woman, in a rare display of maternal love, intervened."Did she think about that when she was bullying Neil, the person I love the most?""That was only a human, brother!""You're just a werewolf, sister.""Dad, brother's gone mad, you have to help me," Rainey pleaded, clinging to her father's hand."Say something! Your son is about to kill your daughter!""Ryan, that's enough.""No, I won't stop. What can you do about it?""If he died, that's his fate. What does it have to do with Rainey? What does it have to do with me? What does it have to do with your father?""Joseph Lucas, Rose Lucas, are you going to stand there and pretend you don't know about the things your daughter and her thug bo
Ethan still brought meals three times a day, but each time he delivered a meal, he would take away the untouched one from before. He had tried to persuade me many times, but I always replied that for someone on the verge of death, eating one more meal or one less didn't make a difference. This morning, however, he was so shocked by my actions that he dropped the entire breakfast on the floor because I had harmed myself.I had been lying in bed, looking at Neil, thinking about his pain and my guilt, repeatedly dwelling on the same thoughts. Suddenly, an idea struck me. If I followed Neil in death, I would only experience dying. My poor Neil endured unimaginable pain alone, pain that no one else knew or understood.I picked up something sharp and started cutting into my own flesh. Wherever Neil had a wound, I made a cut on myself in the same place. I had made about a dozen cuts when Ethan walked in. Seeing what I was doing, he immediately threw the food aside and rushed over to take the
Recently, I told them I was planning to move out. The old man and his wife earnestly tried to persuade me to stay, asking what dissatisfaction I had that they could try to remedy. I mentioned my desire not to live with them, and the next day they had someone expand the castle grounds, erecting a secondary castle behind the main one, to be solely under my jurisdiction. To make a clear distinction, the main castle was renamed Joseph Castle, while the secondary one was christened Ryan Castle, and no one referred to this abode as Lucas Castle anymore. Under my management, no one except Ethan could enter Ryan Castle while I was at home, so Ethan would instruct the servants to clean only when I was away. As for magic shield, the old man suggested maintaining a barrier even though I lived alone, but I agreed superficially while secretly having Ethan cast another spell, allowing the castle's master to be exempt from the barrier. What needed to be known, I would know; what didn't need to be k
Before returning to my castle, Ethan and I roughly confirmed whether my brother's abandonment was related to Neil. Ethan responded that from the private conversation between the old man and the old woman earlier, it could be inferred as one of the reasons. I speculated that another reason might be that Roy was an untamed free spirit, someone whose thoughts could never be accurately predicted. This unpredictability was a major taboo for the old man when choosing an heir. He could accept rebellion, but not someone who played entirely by their own rules. Given this reasoning, what I needed to do most was to strengthen myself to a level surpassing the old man, and then break the rules. This was my strategy for dealing with the Lucas family. Moreover, once the Lucas family was under my feet, the wolf pack wouldn't be an issue. They were like swarms of ants and bees; as long as I was strong enough and provided them with benefits, they wouldn't pose much of a problem, if any at all. My gr
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