Chapter 14
Standing in front of Noah’s door to retrieve the letter, I steadied my ragged breath.
‘Calm down, heart.’
All I had to do was go in, pick up the letter mistakenly delivered from Lastin, and leave.
So why was I trembling like this?
‘Is it because it’s been a while since I’ve seen his face?’
Pressing down over my pounding heart, I let out a deep sigh and gently turned the doorknob.
Click.
The brown doorknob turned smoothly under my hand.
As the door opened, despite having visited before, Noah’s room still felt unfamiliar.
The first thing that caught my eye was the small bed—its sheets messily rumpled, oddly uncharacteristic for someone as neat as him.
My gaze drifted to the crumpled bedding, where a bouquet of hydrangeas lay neatly placed on the white blanket.
‘He must’ve seen it already.’
Noah, whom I was seeing for the first time in weeks, leaned against the window frame, gazing out at the scenery beyond—unchanged, as always.
His platinum blonde hair flowed down to his waist, catching the moonlight and shining more brightly than usual.
Entranced by his picture-perfect figure, I stood in a daze until I noticed the letter in his hand and quickly approached him.
But something was off.
Even though I was clearly walking toward him, he stayed completely still—as if intentionally ignoring me.
There was no reaction at all.
With his face hidden behind the curtain, I couldn’t see his expression, but I was sure it must’ve been dull and uninterested.
I took a deep breath and finally parted my lips to speak to his unresponsive back.
“…Um.”
I meant to say, ‘Can you give that back?’
But my lips refused to form words.
It wasn’t like I missed a dialogue option or choked—it was just…
“……”
Nothing came out.
Clearing my throat a few times, I finally called out in a timid voice.
“Noah.”
“……”
“Noah Iosif.”
His continued silence was maddening.
‘There’s a limit to treating someone like they’re invisible.’
Deliberately making loud footsteps, I walked over, and perhaps moved by my petty display, his shoulders flinched slightly.
“Sorry for coming without warning. Just give that back and I’ll leave.”
My tone was sharp.
At last, his lips, which had been tightly sealed, parted in a raspy voice.
“Master?”
His voice, which I hadn’t heard in so long, wasn’t as sweet as I remembered.
It sounded like he’d swallowed a fistful of sand—his vocal cords rough and cracked.
The sheer chiffon curtain swayed gently as his pale hand pushed it aside.
Then his face came into view.
“Long time no see.”
His lips were cracked and swollen, and on his sunken left cheek was a deep, threatening bruise—like he’d been beaten.
A long scar, as wide as a finger, ran across his swollen right eyelid.
“You…”
I gasped at the pitiful sight.
Reaching out, I gently stroked the wound on his cheek, careful not to cause him pain.
The scar looked fresh—it hadn’t healed yet.
His body trembled at the ticklish touch, and a low, involuntary moan escaped his lips.
Blood seeped from the torn skin, trickling between my fingernails—a bright red so vivid it stung my eyes.
His sky-blue eyes quivered like shattered glass.
“What happened to your face?”
At my question, he murmured in a dull tone.
“There was a bit of an incident.”
“This isn’t ‘a bit.’”
“You’re not saying what you really came to say, are you?”
“……”
“What is this?”
The letter crumpled in his hand, as if he were squeezing tissue.
I reached out on tiptoes to grab the wrinkled paper.
“Give it.”
But he easily stopped me.
“No.”
He lightly grasped my left wrist.
“I said give it.”
“…No.”
Now he hid the letter behind his back where I couldn’t reach it.
‘What is wrong with him?’
Caught off guard, my eyes trembled.
The system had said I needed to trigger “possessiveness” in him to increase affection, whether I wanted to or not.
But this wasn’t the way I wanted it to happen.
I stretched out my free hand to grab the letter, but he suddenly turned his body away, blocking me.
My attempt failed completely.
“I don’t have time for games.”
“……”
“Hurry.”
His furrowed brow twisted his face into an unpleasant scowl.
He bent down slightly to meet my eyes and whispered in a swaying voice.
“You still haven’t considered my feelings, have you?”
His warm breath swept past my ear, making my shoulders flinch.
Then, as if to comfort me, his hand brushed my sweaty bangs off my forehead.
Cold air hit my now-exposed skin—not refreshing, just chilling.
“I thought you’d at least make an excuse.”
“What are you talking about?”
Staring at my angry face, he replied flatly.
“You’re dating that man.”
The absurd accusation made me laugh—though it wasn’t the time to.
So that’s what this is about?
He mistook the letter in the bouquet for a love note and overreacted?
Like a fish caught without bait.
“Ha.”
At my unexpected laughter, his brow twitched in irritation.
“Noah.”
He obediently lifted his head at my neutral call.
“What do you want me to do?”
I was testing him.
Because I wanted to know what he was thinking.
“Please don’t see that man anymore.”
He bit the bait instantly. Short but firm—and unwavering.
At that moment, a blue window popped up above his head.
{System: Current affection level of ‘Noah Iosif’ is 87.}
Just as I thought.
‘His affection hasn’t increased since that day.’
Fine. Maybe I should just provoke him like crazy and finish this game already?
‘A lost cause anyway.’
Scheming in my head, I finally opened my mouth.
When in doubt, just act.
With a smirk, I tilted my chin defiantly and crossed my arms, looking up at him.
“Why should I?”
His eyes widened—he’d never seen me act like this before.
My reflection shimmered nauseatingly in his dark, cloudy eyes.
“I gave you expensive dresses, jewelry, filled your room with flowers—why should I stop?”
“Master…”
He muttered in a choked voice, sounding like he might cry.
“Maybe I’ve been too generous with you.”
But I didn’t stop. My mouth moved on its own.
Sharp words shot out like thorns—like all the resentment I’d bottled up came pouring out.
“I fed you, housed you, saved you—and you think you’re something now?”
“……”
“I only took you in because I was curious. You’re a half-elf, after all.”
“……”
“Know your place.”
He stared at me blankly, then opened his cracked lips and said in a dry voice:
“My face.”
“……”
“You asked what happened to it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I got into a fight a few days ago.”
After hesitating, he finally forced out the words.
“Two servants I was working with insulted you.”
“……”
“I… I couldn’t stand it. Do you know what they said about you?”
My gaze dropped to his wounded lips, waiting for the answer.
“A filthy bitch. A vain, greedy whore.”
“……”
“They said you only care about money and your appearance. That they wished you’d just die.”
The sharp words made my heart sting.
I’d expected that some people didn’t think well of me, but…
‘Not to this extent.’
I looked at him with trembling eyes. My heart was pounding even harder.
“When I came to my senses, I think I might’ve hit them too hard. Even after a whole day, they weren’t breathing properly.”
A chilling sensation ran down my spine.
I tensed and bit my lip.
“…So.”
“So I buried them.”
He pointed out the window and mumbled.
“Over there.”
Far, far away.
I was speechless.
He did that—for me?
“Why…”
“You asked why, didn’t you?”
His pale blue eyes trembled, on the verge of tears.
There wasn’t a hint of hope left in them.
Having played the original game, I had an idea he might not let things slide—but this?
‘I never imagined he actually killed them.’
“Praise me.”
He smiled brightly, eyes softening.
{System: ‘Noah Iosif’ affection +3. Current affection: 90.}
His hand gently cupped my cheek.
The cold touch made me shiver.
‘His affection went up.’
Yeah. That damn affection went up.
Joy, grief, and rage tangled like a twisted skein.
I should’ve been happy.
Should I be happy?
‘Someone died because of me.’
Torn between guilt and relief, I shut my eyes.
“You wanted praise?”
My head—damn it, my head ached again.
One thing was clear.
“Sorry, but I’m a selfish person.”
“……”
“I think what I want. I decide on my own.”
“……”
“If I don’t need you someday, I might just throw you away.”
No matter what, this situation now benefitted me.
“You still want praise from someone like that?”
I lowered my head, consumed by confusion.
“What am I to you?”
“……”
“To you, what am I?”
Ironically, despite everything, a part of me welcomed this situation.
Yeah, disgustingly so.
Even though someone died because of me, I was happy that his affection rose.
“I don’t understand, Noah. I—”
As I wallowed in guilt, he blinked slowly and whispered:
“It’s okay.”
Lifting his head gently, he gazed at me.
Eyes loosened, dangerously unfocused.
“Master, you’re this kind of person to me.”
He pulled out a small object and placed it in my hand.
A familiar ring.
“I worked hard to get it back.”
My eyes widened as I recognized it.
“This is…”
“A precious item, right?”
It was my grandfather’s keepsake—something I gave him at the charity party.
But how did he…?
“Don’t tell me… did you kill for this too?”
His previous confession about burying the servants flashed through my mind, and I asked in a broken voice—desperately hoping the answer was no.
“Tell me.”
He remained silent for a long time.
And silence meant confirmation.
Suddenly uneasy, I pulled him closer by the arm. He didn’t resist.
“I asked if you killed them.”
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, it matters.”
He bit his lip, disappointed by my reaction.
“I thought you’d be happier.”
His black eyes were cloudy, just like when I first met him.
A bottomless abyss.
“Me?”
“……”
“I never said I wanted this.”
“Master.”
He called out to me.
And of course—
“No.”
I cut him off before he could say more.
“I—!”
Because I’m selfish.
Even now, I worried more about myself and had no choice but to draw a line.
Breathing heavily, I clutched my pounding chest and muttered:
“This is too much.”
“……”
“From today, we’re strangers.”
‘I don’t want a killer in my home.’
At my cold words, he looked like a puppy that had just been abandoned.
“Why?”
He asked, hollowly.
I swallowed hard.
My throat tightened.
“I did everything for you.”
“I didn’t know that.”
His lips trembled as he clenched his jaw.
Was it anger? Or grief?
From his parted lips came a sigh-like whisper.
“Whatever you thought—I didn’t kill them.”
“What?”
I blinked in surprise.
“Instead, I gave them my ear.”
Then, a strong wind blew through the open window.
His platinum hair scattered wildly, revealing something hidden.
Where his ear should have been—
“…What is this—?”
There was nothing.
No trace. No warmth.
As if it had never been there.
My heart dropped like a stone.
My body went cold, my blood drained away.
Elven ears were rumored to grant immortality—coveted by the rich and obsessed as miracle cures.
Even though elf bodies supposedly regenerate over years…
‘Not this.’
I should’ve realized when he didn’t notice me entering the room.
“Master.”
His soft fingers caressed the pale curve of my neck like a pianist playing a key.
“Do you like my gift?”
Blood stained the place his ear had been.
The stench hit me hard. I clamped my mouth with both hands, but a scream escaped.
“Ah, ah… AAAH!”
“You’re all I have.”
His hollow eyes met mine—and I swallowed hard.
Ah. What have I done?
As I collapsed, he stepped toward me and whispered in a dreamy voice:
“I did this for you, Master. You could praise me a little more, don’t you think?”
Tears streamed down my cheeks, unchecked.
“D-Don’t come any closer—!”
What have I done to him?
‘I’ve created a monster.’
My greed—my arrogance—ruined everything.
If I wanted to be loved, I should’ve loved even the darkness in him.
He was someone trapped in a far deeper place than I realized.
And I was someone who only knew how to swim in the shallow end. I thought he was in the same depth as me.
But that was all just delusion.
Pearls are born in pain.
They look beautiful on the outside, but inside they’re rotting, festering.
You pry open the shell, poke at the flesh, feed it salt and sand.
After hundreds of days, it forms a smooth white pearl.
Love is the same.
You feed it feelings like foreign objects, warm it, and over time it becomes the hardened essence of repeated pain.
And this was his love.
“Ah… ahh…”
A rusted love.
Collapse.
My legs gave out.
He gently helped me up, smiling sadly.
“Master.”
{System: ‘Noah Iosif’ affection +3. Current affection: 93.}
“I really love you so much.”
The tips of his lips glowed beneath the pale moonlight.
