BR 1.5

Bright sunlight pierced through the curtains and struck Erons’s face. He forced his eyes open, the light blinding even through closed lids.

Unlike before falling asleep, the room was now filled with a warmth so intense it made sweat bead on his skin. Despite sleeping in a bed he’d never had before, Erons felt neither stiff nor sore, but completely refreshed.

“Mmm, I slept so well! I feel completely refreshed.”

Uncomfortable beds had been his norm, so he couldn’t recall the last time he’d slept this soundly. It was the kind of deep sleep he might get once or twice a year, if that.

As he stretched and rose, a knock came at the door.

“… This is probably the last night I’ll be sleeping here, right?”

“My lord, are you awake?”
“Is that you, Lelis?”
“Yes. May I come in?”
“Come in.”

As Lelis opened the door, warmth flooded in. It was just the right kind of pleasant warmth.

Truthfully, she had come here secretly at dawn, worried that Jowen might have harmed Erons. Even then, the bedroom had been warm and cozy, just like now. Seeing it maintained so well, Lelis smiled lightly. 

She knew Jowen had taken good care of Erons.

“By the way, my Lord. It seems you slept soundly last night.”
“Yes! The bed was incredibly soft, and the room was warm, so I slept very well.”

The excitement was palpable in his still-sleepy voice, clearly delighted with the bed.

“That’s good to hear. You must be hungry, so I’ve prepared breakfast. After eating, there are no special arrangements, but you will need to stop by His Grace’s study briefly.”
“His study?”
“Simply put, it’s where he works. His Grace instructed that once you rise, I should ensure you’ve eaten before escorting you there.”
“I see.”

He was definitely hungry.

Judging by the daylight, it seemed well past noon. He must have slept for a very long time.

Erons kicked off the covers and stretched his slender legs down from the bed.

“So, shall we go to the dining hall first?”
“Just a moment.”
“Huh? Why?”

Lelis’s hand pointed to the opposite side of the bed. Turning his head in that direction, he saw only the table and chairs that had been there yesterday.

Erons tilted his head, puzzled, not grasping the intention.

“How about washing up first before we go?”
“…Oh.”

A basin of water for washing sat on the table, and a white towel hung from Lelis’s arm. Erons’s face flushed with embarrassment at nearly leaving without washing.

He’d almost wandered around looking scruffy and become a laughingstock.

After washing up cleanly, Erons headed straight for the dining hall.

The rule was to change into regular clothes, not pajamas, but the only clothing that fit Erons right now was the nightshirt.

Just how tall were these guys that this was the only thing that fit?

Well, just looking at Nike, he easily seemed over six feet, and Fedor looked even taller than that, so it made sense.

Perhaps because it was breakfast, the food was much simpler compared to the banquet. Yet even this was an exclusive menu made entirely from expensive ingredients.

The Duke’s residence was nothing short of heaven.

Not only was there no stale bread, but there was such exquisite food to eat. 

Erons beamed with a bright smile with every bite.

After finishing this simple yet abundant meal, he headed straight for the study.

The Duke’s study was much larger than the room where Erons had slept. The brown wooden furniture, like the mansion itself, was adorned with indigo paint and jewels that resembled his eyes, creating a dark yet sharp atmosphere.

At a glance, the room itself seemed to mirror its owner.

“Come here.”

As Nike extended his hand, Erons swiftly ran to him. Nike naturally sat him on his lap. Having been held in his arms for hours just yesterday, Erons felt no particular aversion to this awkward position.

In fact, he wanted to stay in that warm embrace longer.

“Did you sleep well last night? Was the bed uncomfortable?”

“Not at all! I didn’t dream once and slept incredibly well. Almost like I passed out. Maybe it’s because this is the first time I’ve had such a good bed. Where should I sleep starting today?”

“Huh? Starting today? What do you mean?”

“That room is too much for me. Sleeping there was enough for just yesterday. And working people don’t use rooms like that, right? I’ll be sleeping where Lelis and the others stay starting today, right?”

The more Erons spoke, the more Nike’s face twisted in displeasure. Perhaps he didn’t like what he was saying, for he even let out a sigh.

“I don’t know what you’ve heard, but don’t say things like that anymore. That room is yours. It’s a room I prepared specifically for you, so don’t refuse it – just use it.”
“But…”
“Hmph. It’ll be difficult at first, but you’ll get used to it as time goes on. So I’d like you to put those thoughts aside. I told Lelis to make sure you ate breakfast before leaving. Did you have your meal?”

“Yes, I just finished eating.”
“Good. You have something to do today.”
“Work? Cleaning? Or laundry?”

“Wrong on both counts. I wouldn’t burden you with such menial tasks. Go to the tailoring room. Jowen and the maids will make you clothes. They’re quite skilled tailors, so you can look forward to it.”
“My clothes? New clothes?”
“Yes. This nightshirt suits you well enough, but you can’t keep wearing just this one.”

New clothes? Erons’s face lit up. A flush spread across his pale cheeks.

Flustered and not knowing what to do, Erons fidgeted with his hands and shoulders.

“Are you that excited about new clothes?”
“Yes… Hehe.”
“So you like clothes more than me, huh?”
“How so?”
“Didn’t your ears turn red when I said you’re getting new clothes?”

The flush rising from his cheeks had already spread to his ears. Nike pinched his earlobe, examining it curiously as he fiddled with it.

Startled, Erons quickly covered his own ears.

“Ah, no! It was just for a moment… I was so excited. It’s been so long since I got new clothes…”
”They must have given you clothes there at some point.”

“The headmaster said the finances were tight, so he only bought me one or two outfits per season. But this year, the day I was discharged came before the day I was supposed to receive clothes, so I didn’t get any. The clothes from yesterday were also from about three months ago – ah… I guess you didn’t see them because they were torn.”

“Yes, unfortunately, I didn’t get to see you wearing it. But considering the fabric scattered beside you, I can roughly imagine what it looked like. Did that headmaster ever fail to give you clothes on time?”

“No! He always gave me clothes on the very first day of each season. He never forgot once. Ah, Your Grace.”
“Yes, child.”
“You don’t have to give me nice clothes. I’m fine with anything that covers me. Even hand-me-downs are okay. Clothes with stains are fine too. As long as they’re comfortable for work, anything will do.”
“Not that again. I told you not to say that.”

Erons always said exactly the things he wished he hadn’t, so Nike’s expression never improved. But Erons only grew more stubborn the more he insisted.

“I won’t allow that. You, just as you are, are more precious than anything else. Just accept it and relax.”

Erons had a conscience, too. Knowing he couldn’t repay even half of what he was given, Erons wanted to stop the deluge of gifts that would surely follow. Even though he vaguely knew Nike wouldn’t allow it.

Nike, who had no intention whatsoever of granting his request, gently stroked Erons’s long, flowing hair down.

“My child, while you’re here, how about getting your hair trimmed?”
“My hair?”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s beautiful as it is, but it’s so long, I worry it might be uncomfortable for you.”

Erons’s hair, uncut for quite some time, had grown down to his waist. It matched the length of most women’s hair.

As Nike said, the long hair was inconvenient. Its length meant it got caught on things easily, and washing and drying it was a real hassle.

“I’ll cut it. It’s too long now. Should I cut it to the same length as the Duke’s hair?”
“Yes, that should suit you well. Lelis.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”
“The child must still be tired. Finish everything before the banquet, if possible. After the banquet, he should be able to rest immediately.“
”I will obey your orders.“

Nike patted the small buttocks pressed tightly against his knee a couple of times. He lightly kissed Erons’s long hair, which he would soon no longer see.

“Go now. I’ll see you in the evening.“
“Yes, Your Grace.“

Erons immediately followed Lelis to the tailoring room, where Jowen was waiting. He went with a heart full of anticipation, but Erons encountered unexpected hardship there.

“Ouch!”
“Oh dear. Did you prick yourself again?”
“Be careful, kid.”
“I’m sorry, Lord Erons. I try to be careful, but I keep making mistakes. Please have mercy on me.”
“…It’s fine. You’re doing it while I’m wearing clothes, so it’s understandable.”

When Erons hesitated to undress, the maids weren’t annoyed – they actually seemed pleased. Erons thought it was because they felt awkward seeing a stranger’s naked body. But that wasn’t it.

Seeing everyone scrambling to help, he realized his choice had been wrong.

Pearl-studded pins and needles pierced his flesh, not by accident but by their deliberate mistakes. Once one did it, others began secretly copying her. Even counting just once per person, at least five maids had attacked him with pins. 

And then there was Jowen.

The atrocities didn’t end lightly. Some, perhaps afraid of being caught, stopped after one or two tries, while others deliberately jabbed and twisted the pins into flesh until blood beaded.

Worried that stained clothes might expose them to Nike, they later forcibly stripped him and repeated the act.

“Lord Erons is incredibly generous. Did growing up without much make him that way? He overlooks all our mistakes.”
“He grew up without parents. It must have been tough, right? He’s been through hell and back, so this is nothing.”
“He’s just good-natured. Maybe growing up under everyone’s disapproving glances made him kind?”

“Ah, that’s true. Anyway, I think it’s a blessing we got someone as kind-hearted as Lord Erons. The whole atmosphere of the mansion has changed completely, hasn’t it? Especially our master.“
”Right. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have someone like this here.“
”I envy you, Sister Jowen. The only Omega in the duke’s household, where only Alphas exist, is your master! It’s like something out of a novel, isn’t it?“
”Exactly. I want to serve Lord Erons by his side, too.“

Even if Erons was slow on the uptake, he wasn’t dumb enough to miss this. The maids’ so-called compliments were pure mockery. Whether heard in passing or dissected carefully, they were nothing but barbed insults. Conversing with them, who insulted him to his face in roundabout ways, was beyond uncomfortable.

“Ugh!”
“Oh dear, I’m so sorry. Your hair is so long it keeps getting in the way.”

The measuring tape was another problem. As they wrapped it around Erons’s body to take measurements, his long hair became a hindrance.

Tying it up would have solved it, but they claimed there was nothing suitable to use as a hair tie and continued measuring with his hair spread out.

It made no sense that there was thread scattered on the floor, yet nothing to tie it with, but Erons was too intimidated by their teasing and the way they looked down on him to ask them to stop.

“Surely you can overlook something like this with your generous heart?”
“Yes, yes… I’m fine. You can continue.”

He was used to this kind of contempt anyway. He could endure it. He had expected it to some extent.

There was another reason he couldn’t leave.

His high excitement over the new clothes had made Nike excited, too.

Erons didn’t want to give up, thinking of how much he had smiled at him.

“As expected of you, Lord Erons. We’ll finish quickly since you’ll need your hair done after the tailoring.”
“Yes, ugh!”

Just pulling his hair hurt enough to bring tears, but the tape measure, wrapped around his neck under the pretense of measuring his circumference, quickly tightened, choking him.

The maid didn’t loosen her grip on the tape measure until Erons’s face turned bright red, and he began to choke and tear up.

“I… can’t breathe…!”

”Oh my, I’m so sorry! I guess I was too rough measuring your neck.“
”You really should be more careful, girl.“
“It was an accident, an accident. I’ll measure again, Lord Erons.“

“Huh? No, ugh!”

His body was left in tatters by their rough handling.

The floor was littered with cut threads and torn strands of hair. Sharp scratches and gouges covered the smooth insides of his arms and thighs. They took pleasure in creating wounds that looked painful just to look at.

They showed no remorse whatsoever.

The way their eyes darted around, searching for new places to scratch, sent a chill down Erons’s spine.

He never imagined he’d spend so much time in the tailoring room. Or perhaps it just felt long.

Erons regretted letting Lelis leave when she said she needed to step away for a moment. If Lelis had been there, it wouldn’t have been this grueling.

The only silver lining was that they didn’t use a knife, and they didn’t cut him with the tailoring shears. They didn’t openly inflict major wounds. They steadily inflicted minor ones.

But the petty persecution went on for hours, to the point where he wished they’d just slashed him once and been done with it.

“Lord Erons, I’ll trim your nails too.”
“… Huh? Out of the blue?”
“They look a bit long.”
“Ah, no. It’s fine. I’ll do it later.”
“Oh, come on, you might as well get it all done while you’re at it. Give me your hand.”

Erons absolutely refused to extend his hand. Seeing what the maids held in their hands, he simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Who on earth uses tailor’s scissors to trim fingernails?

Those high-end tailor’s scissors, capable of slicing through tough fabric, would surely draw blood if used on those tiny nails.

Or maybe a finger would get cut off. The maids would be careful, so that probably wouldn’t happen, but considering how the maids had just been drawing patterns on his body with needles, leaving this place unscathed would be about as likely as plucking stars from the sky.

That’s why Erons refused adamantly, “I’ll do it! I can handle this much myself.”

“No, we’ll do it for you. Please give us your hand.”
“Hic! Fine, fine. I really can do it myself!”
“Now, now, don’t be like that – ” 

”Follow me.”

A hand slipped between the maid and Erons, pulling him. Then, it forcefully pushed away the maid’s hand that had been tugging Erons’s arm.

“Jowen…?”
“What are you just standing there for? You said you needed your hair cut. Come with me.”
“Ah… Yes.”

Surprisingly, it was Jowen’s hand. For some reason, Jowen had saved him from the danger of his hand being cut off.

She dragged Erons, who was staring blankly at her, out of the tailoring room.

‘What…? Jowen must hate me, so why is she helping me?’

Erons couldn’t fathom why Jowen had saved him.

The moment she’d pushed away the maid’s hand, Jowen had let go of Erons’s hand too, as if it were filthy. The irritation evident in her leading strides clearly showed she disliked him.

He’d clearly heard her cursing with the maids earlier – had her feelings changed so quickly?

“Sit. Stop wandering around pointlessly.”
“Yes…”

While she consistently used formal speech in front of the other maids, Jowen spoke boldly when it was just the two of them.

Since it wasn’t the first time, Erons obediently sat down on the chair as she commanded. After sitting for a moment, Jowen, who had gathered the beauty tools, wrapped a large cloth around his neck.

Looking at the mirror placed right in front of him, Erons couldn’t help but sigh. His face, peeking out from under the cloth, looked haggard, as if he had just returned from a battlefield. His appearance made him realize anew how much he had been tormented by the maids in the tailoring room.

“If you don’t want to see blood, you’d better stay still. I won’t be careful cutting your hair, not even a bit.”
“I’ll be still. But is Miss Jowen cutting my hair?”
“Uh, yeah. Why? Is that weird?”

The maid spoke informally while the master used honorifics. It was a truly strange sight.

“No, it’s just impressive. You know how to make clothes and style hair. There’s nothing Jowen can’t do.”

Jowen’s eyebrows twitched.

What’s with all this flattery, you little brat?

Jowen appreciated the kind words, but had no intention of treating him any better because of them.

Whether he was nice to her or not, the fact remained that her new Master was just some motherless Omega.

“It’s nothing.”
“No, it really is amazing. I can’t do anything like that…”
“I suppose not. You probably never had anyone to teach you these things. Being an orphan and all.”
“Ah… well, yes.”

When Jowen openly mocked him, Erons bit his lip. He’d only been impressed because she excelled at things he couldn’t do, yet all he got in return was her scorn.

As Erons clamped his mouth shut, Jowen’s hand, gripping the scissors, brushed past his ear.

Snip, snip.

Long strands of hair fell away, gradually growing shorter.

On the smooth floor, once free of even a speck of dust, Erons’ hair fell, piling up like a mountain.

With each sharp snip of the scissors cutting through hair, Jowen’s expression changed subtly. She stared at the well-sharpened, gleaming blades.

Her gaze, fixed and intense, was strangely unsettling. Erons assumed it was just her focus on cutting hair.

Until he felt an indescribable pain.

“Aaah!”

The scissors, instead of cutting the hair, were aimed at poor Erons’s ear.

The blades were so well-sharpened that even a light graze split the skin, blood dripping steadily.

“Jowen! What the hell are you doing?!”

The pain from the torn flesh was beyond imagination. Erons clutched his injured ear, leaping to his feet and shouting.

The wound must have been deep, because blood soaked his hand and drenched the cloth wrapped around his neck.

Yet even seeing Erons in pain, Jowen intermittently let out short bursts of laughter. She didn’t feel the slightest bit sorry for Erons.

Only then did Erons realize it was a deliberate act, and he shuddered, backing away.

“It hurts? Would it hurt less if your ear was completely cut off? Ah, maybe that would hurt more? Just bear with it for a moment. Let me try.“
“… Are you insane? Do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
”You call that a question? Of course I know. If I could, I’d even slit your throat.”

The overflowing blood soaked the cloth and stained even Erons’s only garment, his nightshirt, crimson red.

Jowen, who had been staring blankly at the color enveloping him, growing darker, licked her lips and suddenly lunged forward. As if possessed by a demon, she attacked fiercely.

“G-get away! Don’t come near me!”
“I’ll finish cutting it off. If I just cut it off completely, it’ll hurt less, right?”
“No, no! I don’t want to!”

Erons desperately kicked out in defense, but sadly, he was outmatched by Jowen in both strength and skill. Jowen pushed Erons down and pinned him, swinging the scissors wildly.

The blades slashed indiscriminately, leaving wounds on the back of his neck and the tip of his opposite ear.

Erons’s voice trembled as pitifully as his feeble hands, trying to block Jowen. He desperately covered his ears and face, but the scissors, approaching with the intent to gouge out his eyes, pushed aside the obstacles and drew ever closer to their target. Already near, they opened wide and made another cut on his temple as they grazed past.

Beads of blood mingled with tears streaming from the corners of his eyes, dripping onto the floor with a soft trickle.

The blood-soaked scissors approached once more. Their sharp edge glinted coldly. The sight was chilling, as if a piece of flesh would be torn away the moment they touched.

“No, Jowen! Aah, please spare me! Spare me!”
”Shut up! I said it won’t hurt!“
”No! No, don’t do it!“

Snip!

”Aaaah!!“

With a crisp sound, the scissors’ blades snapped shut. What was cut fell thudding to the floor between the clasped metal.

”Huh…!”

It wasn’t an ear, but Erons’s long, uncut hair.

Jowen’s hands, touching Erons’s head as he sat still, were gentle and careful. Not a single drop of blood was mixed in the hair scattered on the floor.

What?

I definitely hurt my ear, right?

It didn’t hurt. 

There was no blood.

The hands, cloth, and clothes that had been soaked in blood all returned to their pre-soaked state. A quick glance at the mirror on the side showed only an unharmed, perfectly normal reflection. And Jowen, too, was calmly cutting hair without a trace of agitation.

He couldn’t make heads or tails of what had just happened. Had he been dreaming for that brief moment? Or had he hallucinated? It felt too vivid for that.

“Hey, Jowen.”
“…”
“Jowen…?
“…”
“Jowen, I’m talking to you…”

When Jowen gave no response, Erons, who had only glanced at the mirror to avoid interrupting the cutting, instantly froze.

His mouth, unable to utter the words swirling inside, flapped open and shut like a goldfish.

”Y-your eyes… ”

Jowen’s eyes, usually dark brown, glowed red like burning logs. They were unfocused, devoid of life. They were eerie, like the eyes of a dead animal.

“Gasp!”

When his gaze met Jowen’s reflection in the mirror, Erons recoiled in shock, ducking his head sharply. Those crimson eyes went beyond unsettling; they somehow sent a chill down his spine. Perhaps it was because they glowed as if they would devour him.

‘How can light come from human eyes? Is it a demon disguised as a human…? But how could a demon be cutting hair? Is it a clever demon…?’

Swallowing nervously, Erons frantically racked his brain for a moment. But no answer came. This absurd situation was unprecedented.

“… Is this a dream?”

Even ghosts that shouldn’t exist can appear in dreams, right? Wounds disappearing in a dream wouldn’t be strange at all.

Thinking he’d just dozed off briefly and had a nightmare, Erons cautiously raised his head.

In the mirror, the red glow in Jowen’s eyes had vanished completely, leaving only her original irises.

Seeing Jowen’s eyes return to normal – or perhaps they had always been normal – Erons let out a sigh of relief.

Yeah, there’s no way Jowen would be a monster.

Thinking the recent incident must have been a mistake, he could now relax and let Jowen, who had calmed down, handle his hair.

“It’s done.”
“Thanks, Jowen.”
“…”
“…Jowen?”

Jowen’s movements as she untied the cloth around his neck felt somehow stiff. If a statue moved, wouldn’t it feel like this?

Her expression was strange, too. She didn’t blink once. Like someone half out of their mind.

Jowen started acting odd after Erons had that nightmare. 

He tried to dismiss it as just a nightmare, but Jowen acting like that kept making him doubt. Was it really just a nightmare? Maybe it was real. That red light… maybe he hadn’t seen it wrong, maybe it was real…?

“Erons, are you done with your hair?”
“Lelis! Yes, I just finished.”

Just then, Lelis returned to fetch Erons. How did she time it so perfectly? 

Of course, it would have been better if she’d come just a little sooner. 

She smiled brightly at Erons’s newly shortened hair.

“It really suits you. Shall we go see His Grace now?”
“Yes, that’s fine. Let’s go.”

Lelis led the way, and Erons followed behind. While keeping pace with Lelis, Erons suddenly stopped and turned around.

“Jowen, thanks for saving me earlier.”

Jowen paused briefly before giving a slight nod. Erons had expected her to be stiff and not even respond to his words, but her somewhat positive reaction made him break into a wide smile. At least she wasn’t frowning.

Though it was strange, Jowen’s changed attitude made Erons cling to the hope he’d almost let go of. He fell back into step behind Lelis.

“Where did you go?”
“I had something to say to Jowen. Come on, let’s go!”
“What was it?”
“Hehe. It’s a secret.”

The door closed.

And the haze in Jowen’s eyes cleared. When she came to her senses, only she was reflected in the mirror, holding the cloth Erons had been wearing.

Where had he gone?

“… What? The orphan brat? When did it finish?”

At that moment, at the glass window to Erons’s side – through it, along with the white sunlight, slipped in the faintest of shadows, so pale it was barely even there.

“If you so much as harm your master’s body one more time, I will personally take your head. Keep that in mind.”

“… Yes.”
“Hm? Jowen, what did you just say?”

The man perched on a branch of the towering garden tree beyond the window rose to his feet. No matter how sturdy the branch, it would snap instantly under the weight of a grown man. Yet only the leaves touching him stirred; the branch itself didn’t budge.

Naive child.

Even after getting beaten like that, Erons still meekly offered his head. It looked ridiculous to the man.

Stupid and cute.

That was why he liked him, though.

Feeling something strange, the man wiped his lower jaw with his sleeve. His shirt, which had been clean, was now stained with something red like his hair.

“Ah… Damn it. This really is having some serious aftereffects.”

Drip.

Another drop of blood fell onto the tip of his shoe. Frowning, the man impatiently rubbed his shoe against a branch.

Fortunately, the bleeding stopped quickly after some quick first aid. The stained clothes and shoes were enveloped in a red glow before returning to their original clean state.

“See you next time. Stay alive until then.”

The man smiled down at Erons, then snapped his fingers. 

This time, a large red light engulfed his entire body. As the crimson whirlwind gradually shrank and vanished, the man’s form disappeared too.

The faint shadow left by his absence completely vanished as well.