Chapter 47: Chapter 25.1

Cassian, who had just started eating, belatedly grabbed a fork.

Yernia pretended to be alright with it and ate the pasta.

But then, she felt a stinging gaze next to her, and she turned her head to check it out.

Cassian’s shoulders stiffened when Yernia stared at him.

Yernia had strongly suggested to her parents–who were both puzzled by the quick change in Cassian’s attitude–that she would make an effort to connect with him.

She would work hard this time compared to yesterday.

“If I make peace with Cassian… chocolate!”

“Chocolate?”

“Yes, if you give me chocolate, I will make peace with Cassian.”  Yernia sounded determined. “If you don’t, I won’t.”

Cassian nodded as if Yernia had done well.

As encouragement, Yernia faced Cassian and flashed him a bright smile.

“I did a good job, right?” Yernia whispered in Cassian’s ear, forgetting that she was acting.

Cassian frowned and pushed her away.

However, everyone at the table except the two had already figured their secret out.

Soon, the kitchen was filled with laughter.

Realizing that she couldn’t beat Yernia this time, the amused Countess lifted her three-month chocolate ban.

***

“Cassian!”Someone called him while he was seated on the garden swing.

He glanced up to see Yernia from a distance–all dressed up–as she ran towards him.

Night had fallen, but Cassian could still see Yernia due to the lights from the Cilliard Mansion and the garden streetlights behind them.

Cassian’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw Yernia’s face up close.

Her eyes were as black as a panda, and her lips were red as if it was dripping with blood.

How strange!

Yernia had worn a black hooded cloak.

Her pink hair was tied in pigtails.

Large canine teeth had exposed themselves when she grinned at him.

Those things didn’t appear real on the surface.

Where did she get those artificial teeth?

“How do I look, Cassian? You are scared, right? Do you think I look exactly like Dracula?”

Yernia had run to him as fast as she could, and once she arrived in front of him, she twirled in place as if urging him to look.

Her black hood fell from the top of her head, unleashing her pigtails in the air, slapping Cassian in the face.

But to her, the sudden assault wasn’t enough.

Yernia bit Cassian’s arm to test her fake fangs.

“Stay still, Cassian. I think the fangs I have is similar to Dracula.”

Cassian scowled at Yernia and shook her mouth off his arm.

Her bite wasn’t that painful, but the strength she had applied had left small teeth marks on his skin.

“It would have been nice if we dressed up together!”

The Hilliard Estate held a cool festival that had blown away even the hottest summer days in his mind.

It was an exciting gathering where men, women, and children showed off their costumes.

Yernia had begged him to dress up together, but Cassian had refused and told her that it was annoying.

He also hated the makeup application that came with it.

There were quite a few people dressed up in the square, and Yernia met several Draculas like herself.

Cassian thought she would be sad because she wasn’t that special anymore, but it seemed like she liked it even more.

“I think I’m Dracula, Cassian.” She whispered in his ear as if she had just revealed a precious secret.

The street stalls in the Square were filled with children and adults laughing under the streetlights.

Yernia’ss excitement was so contagious that he couldn’t help but laugh at her bouncing steps.

“Cute.”

Without thinking,  Cassian made the mistake of omitting a compliment to the troublesome girl.

Embarrassed,  Cassian pursed his lips.

Yernia, who stood a bit far ahead, looked over her shoulder.

“Do you think I’m cute, Cassian?”

“Y—you’re crazy!”

“Everyone says I’m cute. I heard you say it as well.”

Yernia had been told several times that she was cute, so Cassian’s compliment meant nothing to her.

Unfortunately, it mattered to Cassian very much.

He couldn’t take it lightly.

He only found animals cute and never used that term on people.

Warmth flushed Cassian’s cheeks.

Fortunately, it was nighttime, so the few lights around them couldn’t expose his chagrin.

Yernia hadn’t noticed that his ears had turned red.

“Dracula isn’t supposed to be cute, Yernia. You have to be scary.”

“What?”

“You’re the worst Dracula ever.” Cassian teased her, but she wasn’t in on the joke.

Insulted, she narrowed her eyes at him before she bit Cassian’s arm.

How faithful was she to her newfound vampire role?

Cassian smiled in amusement as he looked at her.

She was silly and annoying, but her cuteness made up for it.

Cassian thought of Yernia like that, but another incident had happened not long after.

***

“You can’t control your power yet.”

Cassian was often ill, and no doctor could cure his condition.

Espers.

They were called monsters.

An Esper usually had to pay to become one.

Of course, Espers and Guides were the chosen ones.

Cassian had paid the price of his mother’s death.

He was a natural-born Esper.

Lily’s body had been sick since she gave birth to him, and little Cassian couldn’t control his power.

An inexperienced young esper who can’t control their strength often makes the people around them suffer without even realizing it.

“You have to hide it, Cassian. Not for yourself, but for the people most important to you. You’re going to eat everyone up and destroy them from the inside out.”

The Earl of Cilliard had covered up the monster.