***

“I want to be your lover.”

It sounded more like wanting to be a protector than wanting to be a lover.

Leticia thought this without any sense of reality.

Honestly, Chamuka’s long speech sounded more like something one would say when wanting to adopt a child…

‘Shouldn’t he be saying things like wanting to hold hands or wanting to kiss?’

What did strongly feeling the desire to protect and care for someone have to do with romantic feelings?

Not all the overprotective people in Basilinte had romantic feelings for Leticia.

‘Did he like men originally?’

But I’m not a man.

‘No, wait, does he even like me in that way?’

It doesn’t seem like it, no matter how I look at it.

“Oh, my poor baby. You’re in shock. What did Chamuka do? Hmm? You can tell your master everything. I’ll protect you. Okay?”

Before Leticia could properly understand Chamuka’s confession, Ferik emerged from the forest carrying Astrid.

And Astrid, still in Ferik’s arms, charged at Chamuka, then left the father and son grappling with each other as she ran off with Leticia.

Before Leticia could even say “huh,” Astrid had seated her in the workshop, wrapped her in blankets, brewed warm tea, and placed it in her hands.

It was like treating a patient who had suffered some major accident.

“Master.”

“Yes. What should we do with Chamuka? Where shall we bury him?”

“…No. Why would you bury Chamu- wait…”

Leticia asked with a sense of unreality as she watched Astrid’s back and dragged furniture to block the door.

“What are you doing, Master…?”

“Blocking the door, dear. In case some damned fool tries to break it down again.”

Somehow, Leticia felt she knew who Astrid was referring to.

“…Is that damned fool Chamuka?”

“Smart girl. My lovely disciple. This conversation might get lengthy, and we can’t have that madman barging in.”

The terms used to refer to Chamuka were getting increasingly harsh.

Watching Astrid bustling about, Leticia suddenly spoke up.

“Master, Master Chamuka confessed to me…”

“Just a moment.”

Astrid firmly cut off Leticia’s words.

“I saw the needle marks on your forearm too. We’re going to talk about that first.”

Astrid said without turning around.

“I’m just as angry as Chamuka. Or would you like to change your answer from earlier? Should we bury Chamuka?”

“…No.”

“That’s good. You don’t need to think much about him. The fact that Chamuka is crazy about you isn’t what’s important right now.”

But it is. It seems important.

Isn’t she too casually dismissing the fact that her son is infatuated with someone of the same gender?

Leticia found it strange how things that seemed important were being treated as completely unimportant.

Could this all be a dream or something?

But the warm temperature of the cup in her hands felt too real for that.

“There, that should be enough blockage.”

Having dragged all the furniture in front of the door, Astrid dusted off her hands and sat across from Leticia. Then, she extended her hand.

“Give me your arm. Let me see it again.”

Leticia hesitated before answering.

“I’m fine. Whatever you saw…”

“Leti. Now.”

Astrid’s firm tone didn’t tolerate her refusal.

Leticia hesitated but extended her arm.

Astrid carefully rolled up Leticia’s sleeve.

“Ah…”

A long sigh followed.

The white forearm was covered in bruises.

From yellowish bruises where needles had been inserted long ago, to reddish bruises with burst blood vessels from recent injections.

There wasn’t a single unmarked spot.

“Chamuka misunderstood that I used you as an experiment subject… Looking at this, I can see why he would think that.”

“What? You using me? That’s absurd…”

“Then is this something you could do alone?”

Astrid gazed sadly at the bruise-covered forearm.

Even if there was a need for blood, this was beyond reasonable. No ordinary person would go this far, no matter how necessary.

“This level means you’ve been drawing blood almost daily. Drawing enough blood to fill a vial every single day with your own hands? An ordinary person would have stopped out of fear of dying.”

“….”

“That’s why Chamuka also suspected you were being forced to give blood to someone else.”

The words that this was something one wouldn’t do unless they were prepared to die remained unspoken, swallowed back by Astrid.

Astrid lifted her gaze from the forearm and looked up. Then, looking directly at her pale disciple’s face, she asked.

“Why did you do this?”

Unlike with Chamuka, the excuse that it was just an experiment couldn’t be made.

Leticia couldn’t bring herself to meet her master’s eyes and looked down.

“….”

“Did someone force you to do this?”

Leticia shook her head.

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

To Astrid’s question, Leticia softly answered, “Yes,” with a nod.

“Then will you stop doing this from now on?”

“….”

The silence was answer enough.

It was clear that Leticia would continue to draw her blood without regard for her body.

Astrid quietly gazed at her disciple, who had silently answered that she would continue “doing this” in the future.

“I- no, we have spoiled you, Leti.”

Because you were too beautiful, too cute, too pitiful, too lovable…

“Did you think this time, too, we would ask nothing and do as you wish? Did you think we would just overlook how you treat your body so worthlessly?”

“I wasn’t treating it worthlessly…”

Astrid let out a hollow laugh at the barely audible excuse.

“Yes, you were treating it worthlessly, Leti. Go ahead and try it again if you can.”

Though she said to try it, no one would take those words literally.

“Try drawing my beloved disciple’s blood as you please. I’m not sure if that will be possible.”

“…Are you planning to monitor me?”

Leticia bit her lip as she grasped the meaning of Astrid’s words.

Astrid found it rather surprising that Leticia hadn’t anticipated this.

After living together for 10 years, she still doesn’t understand Basilinte. Either everyone has been putting on an act, or they’ve been blinded by love.

Astrid rose and approached Leticia. Then, gently stroking her golden hair, she whispered. Unlike before, tenderly.

“You should be thankful it’s just monitoring, child.”

Seeing her beloved disciple’s eyes shake with shock, she couldn’t maintain her earlier cold tone.

“Ferik, who saw your forearm with me, suggested confining you. I haven’t heard what Chamuka thinks, but he would be worse, not better.”

“His Grace wouldn’t…”

“Ah, of course, he didn’t use the word ‘confinement.’ Basilinte has always been a bit like that, hasn’t it? Ferik just suggested keeping you in a safe, spacious, comfortable room shielded from all dangers, with people taking turns guarding you.”

Astrid muttered, “Honestly, I was a bit tempted.” The sincerity in her words was palpable.

“But I can’t behave like Basilinte, can I? I’m a more reasonable person than Basilinte.”

She hugged Leticia’s head tightly and gave a final warning.

“Of course, if you continue to say nothing and attempt to draw blood behind our backs… I don’t know what might happen.”

Leticia felt a chill down her spine.

“We love you so much that even a single drop of your blood is precious to us.”

You don’t seem to understand what that means.

Perhaps you’ll find out soon.