Chapter:Impulse

In a space surrounded by roses, Lucas murmurs.

“It was said to be wonderful, but it’s truly magnificent.”

The golden hair of Lucas, illuminated by moonlight, seems to shine on its own. With roses at his back in the moonlit night, he is frighteningly beautiful.

Eva is overwhelmed by Lucas’s presence.

Passing through the rose arch in a corner of the garden, a proud rose garden unfolds, full of various roses in full bloom, emitting a sweet and elegant fragrance.

On the night breeze, the scent of roses wafts towards the two.

“The fragrant aroma is so pleasant, it feels like coming back to life.”

Lucas inhales deeply, as if taking a big breath.

“If you like it, I’m honored. This is a place with sentimental value, a cherished place.”

Eva, looking at Lucas, suddenly remembers something.

“By the way, my mother made this place with the purpose of’stopping by to revitalize here,’ as I heard. If Lucas-sama feels that way coming here, it means my mother’s feelings reached you.”

Lucas looks at Eva with surprise at her casually spoken words.

“Your mother was from the Dacian Empire, right? Do you have any interaction with relatives over there?”

“No… I don’t know anything about my mother’s family. just that she was from the Dacian Empire. I think she was supposed to tell me someday.”

“Have you ever been to the Dacian Empire?”

“No. But I want to visit the Dacian Empire someday. My mother told me. There are people of various races living in the Dacian Empire, right?”

For a moment, Lucas seemed to be searching for words at Eva’s statement.

“…Certainly, there are many different races compared to the citizens of this country. I heard that people in this country fear that. Aren’t you scared?”

“Yes. It’s true that many people in this country value pure human blood. But… I am a different being here. So… maybe I admire the diversity in the Dacian Empire.”

“Different?”

“My hair color and eye color are different from the people in this country.”

“I think your hair color and eye color are beautiful.”

Said casually, Eva instinctively looks at Lucas beside her.

Did he just say I’m beautiful?

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, you are very beautiful. You can be confident about it.”

Lucas turned towards her, and their gazes met. It was not mocking but a straightforward statement.

“Thank you. Even if it’s just flattery, I’m happy.”

It was all she could do to express her thanks while looking down.

“I don’t say things I find troublesome. I just said it because I think so.”

Lucas’s matter-of-fact words make her blush even more.

(I must be turning bright red; how embarrassing.)

The warmth in her cheeks felt good as it met the night breeze.

After a brief silence, Lucas unexpectedly asked.

“Do you know the origin of the Dacian Empire?”

“Yes, I read about it in a book. It’s a legend that they inherited a country ruled by the Spirit King.”

“That’s right. The ones who inherited it were the dwarves, beastmen, dragonkin, elves, vampires, and humans with the bloodline of the Spirit King. Even now, descendants of those who inherited it, known as the Five Great Noble Families, are at the center of politics. And in noble houses that pledge loyalty to the royal family, there is always a rose garden. If your mother created this splendid rose garden, she might be nobility.”

“But there are rose gardens in noble houses in this country too.”

“No, the style is different. This rose garden’s design belongs to the Dacian Empire.”

Knowing that style means…

“Lucas-sama is also a noble of the Empire.”

Lucas muttered in a somewhat indifferent tone, “On the outskirts.”

Indeed, the coat of arms on Raymond and Lucas’s sword belts…

“When your parents passed away, did you receive any communication from your mother’s family in the Dacian Empire?”

Lucas redirected the conversation.

Eva shook her head silently.

“They said she married my father after a grand love affair. I never asked about my mother’s family while she was alive because she had overcome family opposition to marry and come to this country. Maybe they’ve severed ties.”

“Don’t you want to know about your mother’s family?”

“I…”

I?

I’m not sure if I want to know or not… In the end, dealing with family matters is unpleasant.

But does Lucas even know that my mother passed away? Should I tell him if he doesn’t? Does he want to visit her grave if he knows?

What is the right answer?

“…I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry. I might have asked too much.”

“No! It’s not like that. Thank you for telling me various things.”

It was something no one had told her.

Feeling like she had learned a little about her mother, Eva smiled at Lucas, who was staring at her intently.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah… no, it’s getting a bit chilly. Shall we head back to the mansion?”

Certainly, it feels colder than before. While talking with Lucas, she didn’t notice the chill, perhaps because her feelings were heightened.

“Yes. Oh, Lucas-sama, could you wait for a moment?”

Eva cut a rose branch with a concealed self-defense knife.

After gently removing the thorns with the knife, she presented a single rose to Lucas.

“Here, please take it. Will you accept it?”

Lucas, with wide-open red eyes, looked surprisingly innocent; even his unsociable expression softened.

“It’s a lesson from my mother. Please place it by your pillow, and may you have wonderful dreams—a kind of charm.”

After a moment of surprise, Lucas nodded in agreement with Eva’s words, then raised the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you.”

As Lucas reached out to take the rose, instead of accepting it, he gently grabbed the hand that had been lowered by Eva.

“You’re injured.”

“Ah, I’m sorry for showing you something impure. It’s just that I got pricked by a thorn earlier, so it’s nothing to worry about… right, Lucas-sama?”

Before Eva could finish her sentence, Lucas slowly brought the finger where the rose thorn had pierced, now oozing blood, to his mouth.

A tingling sensation crawled up Eva’s body as if from her feet.

Sucking?

(Eh? Eeeekkk!!!)

Eva, surprised by the situation in front of her, could only open and close her mouth silently.

With a smacking lip sound, Lucas’s mouth finally separated from Eva’s finger.

“Good. The thorn didn’t prick you.”

Lucas, with a slightly flushed cheek, lifted his face from Eva’s hand and smiled enchantingly. The red eyes visible beyond his drooping bangs sparkled.

Eva could only nod silently.

Taking a handkerchief from his pocket, Lucas wiped Eva’s fingertips and gently lowered her hand.

“Th… thank you very much?”

Taking the rose from Eva’s other hand, Lucas smelled its fragrance.

Lucas suddenly seemed to smile with satisfaction, and Eva couldn’t help but feel her heart jump at his charming expression.

“I-I’ll be going back now.”

With awkward movements, Eva, as if fleeing, headed toward the exit of the rose garden. Lucas watched her with narrowed eyes.

In the moonlit night, joy was evident on Lucas’s face.

“Lucas, huh. What a fragrant rose.”

Lucas, who casually stopped by Raymond’s room, sat on the sofa as if throwing his body.

“I went to the mansion’s rose garden. It was a gift from the young lady.”

“Oh, Lucas, did you drink blood?”

Raymond, noticing a different, pleasant fragrance from the rose emanating from Lucas, chuckled with amusement.

Seeing Lucas’s red ears as he turned to the side, Raymond laughed even more.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you drink. Which young lady was it?”

“…The young lady who guided us here today. I didn’t drink much. Just licked a bit…”

“Hehe, that girl. What was your impression, tasting it for the first time?”

“It was sweet… surprising.”

“Heh heh, that’s good. Let’s celebrate your becoming an adult.”

“No, not necessary.”

“What, how cold!”

To think of it, she had had a fragrant scent since the first time they met in the forest. When he felt the scent of blood from the thorn pricking her finger, an irresistible impulse for bloodsucking attacked Lucas.

Once he realized he wanted this girl’s blood, he found himself unconsciously sucking on her finger.

He thought he managed to endure it with just that small amount.

If he hadn’t mobilized all his reason, he might have ended up biting and sucking her blood.

Without any hesitation in the first encounter with the bloodsucking impulse, he unintentionally tasted the blood in front of him.

Is this my true nature?

Even though he thought it was somewhat incomplete, is this considered passing? He felt a complex mix of emotions.

“By the way, Roch took a liking to her. Moreover, he let her touch him willingly.”

Raymond said mockingly in response to Lucas’s sulking tone.

“Oh, even Roch fell for her. She’s an interesting young lady.”

“The rose garden she showed me was in the style of the Dacian Empire. What does she know?”

Seeing the serious Lucas, Raymond, grinning as if finding it amusing, emptied his cup, thinking it would be a long night.