How much time had passed? I could feel Noel approaching the room. I slowly got up and started to wash.

After soaking in the hot water for a while, my shaking body finally began to settle. I washed my hair, scrubbed my body, and brushed my teeth. Then I dried myself with a towel and put my clothes back on.

Before I went outside, I opened the metal door a little to see what was happening. Noel was busy cleaning up the broken things that were scattered around. His back was facing me, all I could see was his broad shoulders and long legs. I couldn’t see the expression on his face.

I closed the door again and sat on the toilet. I planned to wait until Noel had finished tidying up the room before going out. I didn’t want to see the horrific mess that Cane had made.

It seemed that Cane’s actions were less about actually wanting to destroy those things and more about trying to intimidate me. If he wanted to destroy something that was a threat, he should have broken the chair he always sat in and got rid of all the books.

He wanted to instill so much fear that I wouldn’t dare to act recklessly or even attempt to sneak off to find a key. And Cane’s goal had been entirely successful. I felt sufficiently terrified.

In front of Cane, I would never again dare to rummage through his belongings.

I thought about Cane. Although gathering information now seemed somewhat meaningless, I often reflected on what I knew about him. It was the only form of rebellion I had.

He was in his forties, had participated in wars, and learned various skills during those conflicts. He had traveled to several countries, and he was particularly knowledgeable about Seyon. He was quite talkative, charming, and lighthearted. While he spoke a lot, it was difficult to discern what was genuinely behind his words.

According to Cane, he had killed five personalities to be employed by Theo, but the truth of that claim was hard to determine. He didn’t particularly like Theo, and I noticed he also didn’t seem to care much for Noel.

One more piece of information about Cane had been added. I had always known he had a cruel nature, but he showed no hesitation in expressing that cruelty. The moment I realized that he was someone to be cautious of became concrete, based solely on the look in his eyes.

He does not want to have an emotional exchange with me. Physically, he may know me better than anyone else of the three of us, but mentally he never shares a close bond.

The more I thought about it, the more a chill settled in the corner of my heart. Everything felt like Theo’s well-crafted game of Go. He was skilled in strategy and had an exceptional ability to manipulate people.

Noel played the role of comforting and reassuring me, while Cane wielded the whip, instilling fear and restraining me.

The division of roles was clear. If Cane was making me obedient, training me, and taming my body, then Noel was endlessly fulfilling my requests, wrapping me in kindness and warmth. He was taming my heart.

I also had my own goals, so I aligned my desires with Noel’s feelings, but for some reason, it felt like Theo could see through all of that.

I felt a churn in my stomach.

[Knock, knock, knock]

Noel knocked on the bathroom door. Even though the door was slightly open, he didn’t push it open without permission.

“Yuel, are you done washing up?”

I didn’t respond and got up to open the door. Noel stood at the entrance and took a step back.

The room had been cleaned up. The parts that had looked like scattered corpses were neatly put away.

The spot where Cane had thrown the lights and the stereo was slightly scratched. I looked blankly at the ugly dent on the luxurious marble.

Noel came over and gently put his arm around my shoulder. I was taken aback. He usually kept physical contact to a minimum. A sudden sense of caution washed over me.

‘First will be Theo Blaine.’

I recalled Cane’s words. After Theo came at me like a randy dog and had wild s*x with me, I wondered if the reins binding me to Noel were finally loosened. My body tensed up.

But Noel merely patted my shoulder.

“Were you surprised?”

His soft voice brushed against my ear. It was a sweet tone that always made my tension slowly melt away.

Moments ago I had thought of Noel as a piece on Theo’s Go board, but now I felt a sense of relief. It was as if Noel’s presence was neutralizing the chaotic energy of Cane, who was acting like a psycho.

It was as if I was trapped in a room with a murderer, and suddenly a normal person appeared in that lonely, terrifying space. In this situation, where I was pushed to the edge, I couldn’t help but look to that person for comfort.

Even though it was a highly questionable situation whether I could truly trust Noel.

“I was surprised.”

“Come here and sit down. Let’s eat.”

Noel took my hand and led me to sit on the bed. He pulled a table over and placed it in front of me. There was mushroom soup, soft bread, and a dish of white fish. The smell wafted up, but I had no appetite.

He squeezed my hand tightly for a moment before letting go. As the warmth faded, I felt an unexpected sense of longing. If I were to diagnose my mental state as a doctor specializing in neurology, I would say that the intensity of my anxiety was so overwhelming that I could not maintain control, leading to temporary avoidance or functional confusion, essentially a mild panic state. At such times, one tends to engage in anxious responses to escape the fear or to crave a loving figure who can provide a sense of security.

I slowly brought the food to my mouth. Noel sat across from me, watching my every move.

The food was delicious, as always. I couldn’t help but wonder if Noel had formally learned to cook somewhere.

I ate my meal while steeling myself once again. It didn’t matter what my mental state was. If I felt weak, I could simply use that weakness to my advantage.

As long as I didn’t forget my “goal”—the desire to escape and the necessity of that escape.

In that sense, showing a vulnerable side to Noel was one of the cards I held.

Tears fell into the soup. This was the first time I had cried in front of Noel since I had wept, saying I wanted to wash up.

Unlike before, Noel didn’t seem flustered. He simply raised his hand to wipe away my tears. His warm hand brushed against my cheek before pulling away.

“I just felt trapped in the shackles.”

I opened my mouth to explain my actions, but Noel remained silent.

“I was wondering if you might have the key…”

“Yes, Yuel.”

Noel nodded in acknowledgment.

As more tears flowed, Noel wiped them away.

“Cane has a volatile side to him.”

Cane had said that Noel was too soft. It was strange to see them dissing each other. The personalities were not only aware of each other’s existence but also seemed to perfectly understand each other’s traits. It was clear that Theo’s condition was unique and had many unfamiliar aspects.

A moment of silence fell between us. I had no appetite, but I forced myself to chew and swallow the food. Fortunately, everything was soft and easily digestible, so it wasn’t too much of a burden.

After finishing the meal, Noel gathered the dishes and moved them to the tray. The time was around two in the afternoon, a late lunch compared to usual.

“I’ll bring brighter and prettier lights. I’ll also get a new stereo.”

“I don’t need the stereo.”

I answered quickly. I didn’t want to think about Cane every time I saw the stereo. I had even imagined striking Cane with that stereo, which made it even more unsettling. Noel smiled kindly and began to turn to leave the room.

I felt an inexplicable urgency. Impulsively, I grabbed the hem of Noel’s clothing.

My relationship with Cane was a complete mess. (In truth, it wasn’t a relationship that could be easily described as such.)

I had no idea how long it would take to build trust with him.

He actively moved to intimidate me, and Theo may have set up both Cane and Noel to effectively control me.

I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit there and bite my nails.

I wanted to make Noel completely on my side.

And the thought of not wanting to be alone, especially with my weakened state of mind, filled my heart.

“Noel.”

He looked down at the hem of his clothing that I had pulled and then looked at me.

“I’m still scared. Please stay by my side.”

I watched Noel’s eyes fill with confusion. His cheeks were slowly turning red. It was the same as before – he looked shy, an expression that didn’t suit him.

This time I felt a little awkward too. It was true, I didn’t want to be alone. Sitting here in this empty room would probably make me feel depressed and frightened, especially on a day like today.

Suddenly I was curious about how much of Noel’s shyness was part of a planned act.