Noel remembered that day vividly. The day Jaelinne came to the Barnovil ducal estate.

“Say hello, Noel. This is Jaelinne from the Morehenson family.”

“……”

The small child holding his father’s hand seemed shy, keeping her head deeply bowed. All that could be seen was the sunset-colored crown of her head.

Noel simply glared at that small head without saying a word.

He hated it. This child who naturally held his father’s hand—something he had never once been allowed to do.

“Noel, don’t be rude.”

Those eyes. Noel had never once seen those cold eyes that looked down on others like earthworms soften with warmth.

Yes, that was the kind of person his father was. Someone utterly devoid of affection. A person whose only emotions toward others were contempt, disdain, and mockery.

Yet that same father wore a faint smile and gently stroked the tiny child’s head.

It was only natural that sparks flew in Noel’s eyes, having grown up in complete indifference. This child had effortlessly gained the attention from his father that he could never receive no matter what he did.

Noel, who would have pretended to die at his father’s word, ultimately said nothing and went to his room. Left alone, he cried out loud for the first time that day. 

At the young age of six, Noel realized something: his father was capable of smiling. That smile simply wasn’t directed at him.

After that, he tried consciously not to think about Jaelinne. Whenever he caught sight of that pretty-colored head, he would avoid her by going elsewhere, and he stopped attending the meals he had faithfully attended hoping to see his father even once more.

But mocking his efforts, young Jaelinne hovered around him. He couldn’t help but notice. She seemed to be trying to secretly spy on him, but she was clumsy about it, like a young meerkat keeping watch.

After more than two weeks of her following him around, Noel could no longer ignore her.

“Hey.”

Their eyes met. Her fresh green eyes wavered in surprise. She hurriedly hid behind a pillar, then cautiously peeked her head out after a moment. When their eyes met again, her face turned red.

He walked toward her with large strides and called to Jaelinne once more.

“Hey.”

“……”

She still didn’t answer. Noel felt a strange stubbornness rise within him. He found it annoying that she would stare at him so intently but wouldn’t even respond.

“Why are you following me around?”

“……”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“……”

The child remained silent. Just like when he first saw her, she kept her head deeply bowed, only fidgeting with her fingers. He had approached her intending to make sure she would never follow him again, but his enthusiasm deflated. 

He glanced at her and turned away sharply. He didn’t want to waste any more time.

After that, he simply left Jaelinne alone as she continued to follow him around. It wasn’t particularly bothersome, and he didn’t dislike her attention. For him, starved of affection, even this young child’s interest felt sweet.

Moreover, hadn’t his father smiled at this child? 

Since the child his father cared about was following him instead, a strange and twisted sense of satisfaction crept into his heart.

The two spent over a year together without exchanging a single word. They were peaceful days—until Jaelinne’s parents came to the Barnovil ducal estate.

That day, Noel heard Jaelinne’s voice for the first time.

“Mom, Dad!”

“Jaelinne!”

They opened their arms toward the running Jaelinne and embraced their child with joy and tenderness. They were an ideal family—loving parents and an adorable child.

He watched them expressionlessly. He knew Jaelinne wouldn’t stay here forever. Her parents, excellent mages, would surely return alive from the great war against the demons.

However, the timing was too soon. Sooner than he had expected.

“Daven, thank you. We’re in your debt.”

“I’m glad you’re both safe.”

Count Morehenson. His father’s dearest friend, wasn’t that right? Was that why his father wore such a relaxed expression? 

Observing Daven’s face carefully, Noel realized something new.

His father didn’t smile only for Jaelinne. The people of the Morehenson family—his father was consistently kind to all of them.

Jaelinne left for her family’s territory in her parents’ embrace, leaving him with a brief farewell.

“Goodbye, Noel.”

It was a shy parting greeting.

Noel met Jaelinne again five years later.

His father had suddenly passed away. Noel found himself shouldering the enormous Barnovil ducal house at a young age. No matter how intelligent and mature a child might be, taking full responsibility for a family was a burdensome task.

Moreover, it was difficult to endure the pack of hyenas who saw the young him as easy prey and tried to devour him to the bone.

At that time, it was Count Morehenson who protected him when he was thrown into cold reality. He willingly became Noel’s shield.

“A friend’s child is like my own child.”

Thus, Noel came to spend half the year at the Barnovil territory and the other half at the Morehenson territory.

On the first day he went down to the Morehenson territory, Jaelinne was genuinely delighted to see him. Twelve-year-old Jaelinne was much more talkative than she had been five years ago.

“Noel! I’m so happy to see you again.”

Her eyes, reminiscent of fresh greenery, were still vibrant. Only after seeing her did Noel realize how much he had missed her.

Those eyes that watched over him, her attention. A single drop of rain falling on a parched desert. One drop, two drops… gradually, Jaelinne fell into Noel’s heart. She was sweet rain.

“Jaelinne…”

I missed you.

***

“Jaelinne.”

“Noel!”

In the time they hadn’t seen each other, Noel seemed to have grown taller. Though he was already tall for his age, now he was looking down at Jaelinne from above. 

Much to Jaelinne’s reluctant admission, twenty-one-year-old Noel was quite handsome—handsome enough to make her cousin Irina blush when she saw him.

“Why are you outside?”

“You said you were coming today. I was waiting.”

At Jaelinne’s words, Noel smiled brightly with apparent joy. His face, which had looked cold and fierce, finally appeared his actual age.

“Really? Then give me a hug.”

When he spread his arms wide with those words, she let out a deep sigh. Since that day last year, he had become much more physically affectionate. 

Even her parents had given her meaningful looks, so she had tried to restrain herself, but she couldn’t treat him coldly after seeing him for the first time in so long.

Before Jaelinne could even approach him, Noel grabbed her arm and pulled her into an embrace. Her newly budding chest was pressed against his firm chest.

“Ugh, don’t squeeze so hard. I can’t breathe.”

“Ah, sorry.”

Noel released Jaelinne and looked around the first-floor lobby. The Count and Countess were nowhere to be seen.

“My parents went on a territory inspection.”

“When will they return?”

“In two weeks.”

“Hmm… I see. Let me just change clothes and we’ll have dinner together.”

“Okay. Come out after you change.”

Noel went into his room on the third floor. It was next to Jaelinne’s room. The Count and Countess thought of him like a son, so instead of giving him a guest room on the second floor, they had prepared a room on the third floor, which was used only by direct members of the Morehenson family.

He looked around his room with fresh eyes. Even though the owner hadn’t visited for a long time, it was spotlessly clean without a speck of dust. Feeling strangely ticklish in his chest, he quickly changed clothes and went out.

Noel ate much more food in proportion to his increased height. Jaelinne, who had a small appetite, watched Noel with fascination. Since Noel was the only male peer around her, his changes were intriguing.

“I guess everything Noel eats goes to his height.”

When Jaelinne spoke to Noel, who was already finishing his second plate, he stopped eating and looked at her.

“Why don’t you eat more? You’re the same height as when I saw you last time.”

It was only natural that she bristled at those words.

“What are you talking about? I grew too! You’re just the one who grew tremendously.”