Talking about how he behaved as a child… I hesitated, unsure if I should keep going. But seeing Nox frown made me feel like I had to answer quickly, so I shook my head hard and rushed my words out.
“During the day, you were… just like a kid!”
“…A kid?”
“Yes! About seven or eight years old? You’d run to me as soon as you woke up in the morning and… stick to me all day. I, um… I even washed your face for you, fed you. Oh, but you could hold a spoon yourself!”
“And?”
“Uh, well… I also taught you basic knowledge in the afternoons.”
“Basic knowledge?”
“My sister thought you didn’t talk because you didn’t know how to, so…”
Nox frowned slightly. The room was too dark to see every crease on his face, but it was obvious his expression wasn’t good.
“If I didn’t speak, why would I need basic knowledge?”
“Uh, um… I’d teach you words while telling you stories.”
“What kind of stories?”
“Fairy tales, mostly… You really liked the ones with dragons. Ah! Right, you even said you wanted to defeat a red dragon.”
I remembered how excited he’d been, cheeks flushed red—it had been adorable. Diana had been even more thrilled than I was at the time.
“And?”
“Oh, uh… sometimes my sister taught you songs. But she’s tone-deaf, so you sang them all wrong too…”
As soon as I said it, I felt I might have been a little too honest. But hiding things wasn’t really an option, not with the sharp look Nox was giving me.
Actually… was it just me, or was his stare growing more dangerous as I talked?
Did I just screw up?
“A-anyway, I’m right, aren’t I?”
“…”
I gave him a look that screamed, You don’t remember any of this, do you?
“…You don’t remember, right?”
I quickly turned my head away under that fierce gaze. What else could I do? Even when I looked away, I could feel his eyes following my cheek.
…At least I hadn’t mentioned how he ate tomatoes with a kiddie fork, wore a bib, or pouted about eating cucumbers. Thank God for that.
“Indeed… I don’t remember the daytime at all,” Nox said slowly, running a hand over his face.
“When I open my eyes, it’s night again. If things continue like this, maybe you’re right. Though I can’t be certain of anything yet.”
In the book, Nox had always been cold and calculating, even in war, where he was notorious for treating people like pieces on a board. Sometimes he was called heartless for ignoring the sacrifices of his own soldiers. Maybe that was why, even now, despite his lost memories, he was frighteningly composed. If it were me, I’d just be confused and panicking.
“When I was found, what state was I in? Was I badly hurt? In shock?”
“Um, no. You weren’t badly injured. Just a few scratches…”
Of course. After he transformed into a child during that fierce battle with the Crown Prince, his knights would have protected him with their lives. The fact that Diana found him with only minor injuries proved that.
“Those scratches seemed to be from wandering in the forest. But your clothes were filthy.”
Nox lowered his gaze, clearly lost in thought, before speaking again.
“Do you know anything about why I ended up like this?”
“Uh? Um… not really. Just that you were cursed with magic…”
“Magic?”
…Crap.
“Uh—I mean, like magic! Something like magic, right? What else could do something like this if not magic?”
I forced an awkward smile, laughing nervously. Yeah, that probably looked as stupid as it sounded. But at least I hadn’t said ancient magic. Small victories.
“It’s more like a fairy tale kind of thing. I’ve never actually seen magic myself.”
Ancient magic was a field only high-ranking, long-experienced mages or powerful nobles dealt with. And for ordinary people, magic itself was rare and unfamiliar. A woman living deep in the forest wouldn’t be expected to know anything about it.
“Magic, huh…”
He murmured seriously, still deep in thought. Then he lifted his head to look at me.
“Speaking of magic, I have a question—”
“Shh!”
I clapped a hand over his mouth, throwing myself at him instinctively. Then I whipped my head toward the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Amy? Are you awake?”
Startled, I scrambled upright, keeping my hand over Nox’s mouth, and cleared my throat.
“Um… Diana? What is it?”
“So you’re awake. I thought so.”
Her cheerful voice from behind the door only made me more nervous.
Idiot, why didn’t I lock the door?!
My throat went dry. What if she opened it right now?
“It’s almost midnight. You’re not keeping Nox awake, are you?”
“Diana, why would I do that? It’s just… um… Nox couldn’t sleep, so I was about to read him a story! He’s been going to bed early lately, right?”
“Really?”
“Yeah! He just couldn’t fall asleep tonight. Right, Nox?”
“…”
I glanced at him. Our eyes met, and I quickly looked away from his sharp stare.
“Well, okay then. Don’t stay up too late, alright?”
“Got it!”
Her footsteps grew fainter, and my pounding heart finally started to calm. Slowly, I raised my head—only to flinch when I met Nox’s unblinking gaze.
Awkwardly, I pulled my hand away from his lips with a strained laugh.
“H-ha… ha ha…”
“How exactly am I supposed to interpret what just happened?”
His fingers closed around my hand before I could pull it back. There was no way to laugh this one off. After making sure Diana’s footsteps had faded completely, I withdrew my hand cautiously.
“As you can see, Diana doesn’t know anything. I’m keeping it secret from her.”
“Why?”
We were still too close, his breath warm on my skin.
“Because…”
I could feel sweat trickling down my back.
The truth—that I was replacing my sister in the story, trying to keep the flags from triggering—was obviously something I couldn’t say. I couldn’t exactly tell him, One day, you’re going to kill my sister.
“If Diana knew, she’d throw you out. This is a house with two women, and she’s protective of me. She’d think you’re dangerous.”
I licked my lips nervously, lying through my teeth.
“If she found out… she’d take you back to the forest. I wouldn’t be able to stop her. Nighttime Nox might manage, but daytime Nox? Too dangerous, right?”
“So you want me to cooperate?”
“Y-yeah. Something like that.”
I swallowed, forcing myself to stay calm.
“What do you think? You need a safe place to stay, and… I don’t want to send a child out into the forest.”
“I’m not a child.”
“…Not you right now. The daytime you.”
Nox needed a safe shelter and steady meals. In his current situation, our house was the best possible choice. He wouldn’t be able to refuse, not when even he had to know how dangerous the forest was for his child form.
I laid out the offer carefully, and Nox allowed himself to be led—well, he seemed to. Releasing my hand slightly, he let his fingers brush against mine before dropping them.
“…Indeed, I can’t refuse that offer.”
I could feel his gaze sweeping over my face, sharp and thorough.
“Nox?”
“…Nox.”
He repeated the name softly, almost absently. When someone that beautiful whispered something so simple, it felt almost sacred, like scripture. Then he grabbed my hand again. His hold wasn’t even tight, but somehow, I felt frozen in place, like he had me completely trapped.
“Fine. I still have my doubts, but… we’ll do it your way.”
“…”
“But are you sure about this?”
“Huh? W-what do you mean?”
Startled, I instinctively leaned back. Nox smiled faintly, his lips curling as he leaned closer.
“You’re the one who suggested sharing a room with me.”
I went speechless.
…Oh no. He’d overheard my conversation with Diana, hadn’t he? Of course he had. He’d put it together instantly. His mind worked frighteningly fast.
Then again, who wouldn’t figure it out after hearing that?
He pointed out the one thing I desperately wanted to ignore, the truth I had been avoiding. My gaze darted awkwardly, rolling from side to side.
“Um, um, well, there is a storage room… maybe you could use that—”
“When do you think your sister might barge in again?”
“…”
…Fair point. If Diana suddenly appeared again, like earlier, and I wasn’t there to cover things up, we’d be in serious trouble. Still, it felt unfair—he was the one who needed my help, yet he looked perfectly calm in this ridiculous situation, as if none of it bothered him.
“Why are you acting so relaxed about this?”
“I’m not relaxed.”
“…Really? Because you look pretty relaxed to me.”
“Not going to sleep?”
“Huh? W-wait, what?”
I was still grumbling when his words hit me, making me jump so hard I nearly tumbled off the bed. But Nox caught me, keeping me from retreating any further.
After giving me a quick glance, he released my hand and lifted the sheet, examining the bed.
“…The bed doesn’t look too small.”
“Even if it is, w-we’ll just… make do.”
“Is that so.”
Of course, compared to the luxurious bed he must’ve had at the Grand Duke’s estate, this was probably worse than hay in a stable. Yet, unexpectedly, Nox lay down without a single complaint.
Strange. Wouldn’t his body instinctively remember better things?
Then again, remembering his grim childhood, I clamped my mouth shut.
“Get some sleep. I’m tired…”
As before, Nox fell asleep first.
He can just… sleep like that? Here?
I stared at his back for a long while before lying down hesitantly.
…Am I doing the right thing?
Worries about the long nights ahead swirled in my mind.
* * *
A few days passed.
Time flew quickly—Nox had been in our house for ten days now. Slowly, I’d grown accustomed to the boy version of him, until his presence felt as natural as air. Even when a little shadow followed behind me, clutching the laundry basket, I no longer flinched in surprise.
If only I could get used to the man he became at night as easily. But no—every time I faced those eyes in the dark, cold sweat still trickled down my spine.
Why was I so afraid of a man who hadn’t threatened or hurt me? Thinking about it, I realized it was his eyes.
Someone once said eyes were mirrors of the soul, and they were right. Back in Korea, people used to say criminals had dull, lifeless eyes with no focus. I barely remembered that now, but…
Not that Nox’s eyes were like a criminal’s. No, his were like a predator’s—raw and animalistic. A lion was still a lion, even if it wasn’t hunting. A gazelle would still tremble under its stare. That was how dangerous and overwhelming his gaze felt.
Worse, every time I looked at him, I couldn’t help but overlay the image of the Nox from the book—the ruthless Mad Grand Duke—and instinctively I shrank under his presence. And he… he seemed to accept my submission as natural.
“You’re going out? No way. There are monsters in the Night Forest!”
“…”
“…Right.”
Once again, my nerves failed me, and I couldn’t even manage a single casual word, not with him. I’d tried to stop him when he suddenly mentioned wanting to take a walk in the forest.
“Well, I suppose it would be difficult without a weapon.”
“Even with one, wouldn’t it be dangerous? You don’t remember anything, Nox. Hm… do you even remember how to wield a sword? No, wait—maybe your body remembers?”
He tilted his head.
“A sword? You talk like I do know how to use one.”
“What? Oh… haha.”
I almost slipped up.
“I just meant… you look like you would. You’re big, after all.”
“Being big doesn’t necessarily mean I handle a sword. But… it does make sense.”
“Ha ha ha. R-right?”
I tilted my head in what I hoped was a cute way, trying to cover up my near-mistake. My mouth—damn it. Why did it keep blurting out too much?
“Indeed, my muscles are developed in a systematic way. I might have been trained with a sword. …A mercenary? A knight, maybe?”
“Um… c-could you put on a shirt before we talk about this?”
“I don’t have one that fits.”
“…True, but still…”
…Did he not care that my poor eyes had to deal with this?
Currently, Nox was half-naked, and every conversation was torture. Whenever he moved, the way his muscles shifted under his skin was… let’s just say my mouth went dry every time.
This wasn’t like looking at some model’s airbrushed abs in a magazine. His muscles looked like something built over years of blood and sweat. It reminded me of those old gladiators in ancient films.
And those scars—far from being ugly, they only made him look more ruggedly handsome. Sometimes, when his bare skin brushed against me by accident, I flushed bright red.
…At least he was wearing pants. I should probably be thankful for that.
The pants were the ones he’d worn when Diana first found him. Later, I learned that the clothes he had arrived in were special—they adjusted themselves to fit his body and never got dirty. They had to be expensive, befitting a Grand Duke.
So during the day, he wore my clothes in front of Diana, but at night, he wore his own. The problem was his original shirt had been too damaged to wear, which meant every night, I had to face a half-naked male lead.
“…You owe my poor eyes an apology. Looking good isn’t everything, you know…”
“What?”
“…I haven’t even gotten married yet…!”
I’d never even held hands with a proper boyfriend, and now my first glimpse of abs belonged to the male lead—talk about unreachable temptation.
Nox stared at me with a strange look as I covered my face, pretending to cry.
“Then just cover your eyes.”
“I don’t want to.”
I might have said it was uncomfortable, but I never said I hated it. When I made up my mind, I was stubborn about it.
“…”
This wasn’t the first time either. Nox just shook his head, clearly exasperated.
Then he cleared his throat.
“Anyway, I have something to discuss.”