Jean’s expression turned cold at the request.
Feeling threatened, the primordial evil began squirming in his arms.
The knight, puzzled by Jean’s silence, repeated his question.
“It will only take a moment—your name and age, and…”
“Is there a specific reason you need to verify my identity?”
“Well, have you by any chance seen a man named Jerome around this area?”
Jean froze at the mention of the familiar name.
Sensing his hesitation, the knights stepped closer, their suspicion growing.
Just as the primordial evil’s identity was about to be exposed, the soft chime of the doorbell echoed again, and Jerome entered, his shoulders soaked from the rain. He smiled awkwardly.
“Wow, it’s pouring out there—oh?”
Noticing Luke, Jerome briefly looked surprised.
This was the first time Jean had faced a situation like this since becoming who he was now.
While Jean was visibly tense, Jerome greeted Luke with ease.
“Luke, what brings you here?”
“A beast with unusual traits appeared at the dimensional border.”
“So? It’s my day off.”
“I assure you, I have no desire to see your face, even on a weekend. The temple demands your return to the capital tomorrow.”
Luke’s frosty response made Jerome pout in annoyance.
Having achieved his objective, Luke turned his attention back to Jean and asked Jerome a question.
“Do you know the person over there?”
“Yes, that’s my lover.”
“A man, I see.”
“That shouldn’t be surprising to you, should it?”
Jerome’s sly smile only deepened the scowl on Luke’s face.
Amidst the growing tension, Jerome approached Jean and gently took the child from him.
“Love, let me take the baby. You can come out when you’re ready.”
Jerome winked subtly.
Catching on, Jean gave a small nod.
Holding the primordial evil, Jerome whispered a spell to mask its presence.
‘He’s using magic to hide the evil aura.’
With effortless composure, Jerome passed by Luke and left the cafeteria with the child in his arms.
Just as Jean was about to follow, Luke’s low voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Wait a moment.”
Jean’s heart pounded as Luke’s footsteps grew closer.
If Luke remembered even a shred of the past, this fragile peace would shatter.
Struggling to appear calm, Jean turned to face him.
Luke handed over a handkerchief.
“You dropped this.”
Jean’s racing heart began to settle.
As he took the handkerchief, he hesitated. Luke, who had always despised Sacreans, wouldn’t normally show such kindness.
Could his memory be returning?
Jean cautiously asked.
“Are you not from the Aileenian faction?”
“I am.”
“Yet you’re helping me?”
Luke looked momentarily startled before replying calmly.
“It’s true I find Sacreans unpleasant.”
“…”
“But lately… I don’t seem to hate them as blindly as before. It feels like there was something more important than hate…”
Trailing off, Luke reached toward Jean’s face, but his hand stopped just short of touching him.
After a moment of hesitation, Luke lowered his hand and nodded briefly.
“Never mind. Goodbye.”
Luke walked past Jean and exited the cafeteria.
Jean exhaled shakily, calming his thundering heart.
The way Luke had looked at him lingered in his mind.
‘I’m not the only one who’s changed.’
Smiling faintly, Jean left the cafeteria.
The rain had stopped, leaving the outside bright and clear.
Spotting Jerome waiting by the carriage, Jean quickened his pace.
His steps felt lighter than ever.
✽ ✽ ✽
Not long after reuniting with Luke, Jean moved into the Howard family mansion as promised.
Unlike the cozy and intimate atmosphere of Emma’s house, the vast mansion was so immense that it was impossible to estimate its size.
The primordial evil, terrified by the sheer grandeur, clung to Jean, refusing to leave his arms.
With its flushed cheeks and dazed expression, Jean carefully observed the child and placed a hand on its forehead.
“Your forehead’s burning hot.”
The sudden change in environment had clearly taken a toll on the child.
Just as Jean was about to inform Jerome about the child’s condition, a maid who had been waiting by the entrance naturally stepped forward and took the child into her arms.
The moment the child left Jean’s embrace, it woke up and burst into tears.
Flustered, Jean instinctively moved to approach the child, only for Jerome to block his path with an outstretched arm. His tone was firm.
“Taking care of the child isn’t your job—it’s the servants’ responsibility.”
“But the child seems sick. I think it needs me.”
“You’ve just arrived, and you’re just as exhausted. Don’t worry about the child—rest first.”
Jean hesitated, his expression troubled. He knew Jerome’s words were well-intentioned.
After all, the two-day carriage ride had left his body aching and stiff.
Still, he couldn’t ignore the crying child, whose wails grew fainter as the maid carried it away.
Unable to take his eyes off the retreating figure, Jean’s conflicted gaze didn’t escape Jerome, who shrugged off his coat and remarked with a sly smile.
“This is exactly why I hid the existence of the primordial evil from you.”
“…….”
“Because knowing you, you’d easily take pity on even a monster.”
Jerome chuckled softly as he lightly pinched Jean’s cheek.
Annoyed, Jean pried his hands away with both of his own, his gaze dropping to the floor.
He couldn’t help but care—it wasn’t in his nature to ignore what he knew.
With his lips pressed into a thin line, Jean turned his body as if resigning himself to what he had to do.
“So now that we have a child, I’m invisible to you, huh?”
Before Jean could reach the child, Jerome wrapped an arm around his waist, hoisting him up effortlessly.
Jean’s feet dangled a handspan off the ground, and he kicked in protest.
Jerome pressed a firm kiss to Jean’s head, his arms an unyielding cage around him.
Irritated, Jean glared at him and grumbled.
“You’d be just fine without me.”
“It’s me who can’t live without you.”
“Don’t you feel anything seeing a baby cry so miserably?”
“If crying solved everything, I’d start bawling right now.”
Jerome grinned mischievously, but his smile quickly faded as he drooped his head, feigning a pitiful sob.
Watching Jerome’s exaggerated act, Jean heaved a long sigh.
Since the death of Duke Michael and Jerome’s succession as head of the family, the Howard family had gradually expanded its influence by backing the second prince, Carlisle, instead of Delmos.
This puzzled Jean—Jerome had ended up in the underworld because of Carlisle.
Though Jerome had no memories of it, Jean couldn’t help but ask why he supported the man who had betrayed him.
Jerome simply replied with a cheerful smile.
“As a friend, I can’t say much, but as a ruler, he’s a competent guy.”
“…….”
“I can’t let my personal feelings interfere with matters of state.”
The Howard family’s alignment with Carlisle, previously a neutral entity, significantly bolstered Carlisle’s influence.
Lacking a proper strategist apart from Luke, Carlisle achieved remarkable victories in battle after acquiring Jerome’s support.
This led to his eventual ascension to the imperial throne a few months ago.
Jerome’s judgment had proven correct.
Carlisle’s rise solidified the Howard family as the most powerful in the empire.
Jerome even became the youngest head of a family to earn the title of Grand Duke.
‘Outside, he’s a brilliant figure, no doubt…’
Jean cast a skeptical glance at Jerome.
Though he was undeniably impressive in public, here he was, humming a tune while carrying Jean like a sack.
Resting in Jerome’s arms, Jean poked his cheek with a finger, watching his face scrunch in response.
“What are you doing?”
“Sometimes I can’t believe it.”
“…….”
“That you really came back.”
When Jerome had walked into the underworld, Jean had believed they’d never meet again.
Even though his nonsensical chatter often annoyed him, Jean couldn’t deny how grateful he was to see Jerome’s face, laughing and talking like this again.
Jerome, who had been silently listening, finally spoke, his voice tinged with amusement.
“I told the staff not to come up to the second floor tonight.”
“…….”
“So don’t hold back. Cry and cling to me all you want…”
Before he could finish, Jean’s face flushed crimson, and he let out a startled yell.
Despite Jean’s protests, Jerome adjusted his hold and carried him toward the bedroom.
Even before they reached the room, Jerome’s large hands slipped under Jean’s shirt, causing him to flinch and lower his head.
Jerome, nibbling on Jean’s flushed ear, murmured in a voice thick with excitement.
“And tonight, I’ve prepared something special just for you.”
At Jerome’s ominous grin, Jean’s face turned pale.
It had been a while since he’d seen that particular smile.
Before he could ask what exactly Jerome had in mind, the bedroom door closed firmly behind them.
