MDIJTOMOH CH 10

I could clearly hear the sound of a heartbeat beside my ear.

Maybe it was because it was nighttime.

Or perhaps it was because this man had such an intensely decadent appearance that he could take your breath away.

Our fingertips had barely touched, yet my lips had gone dry and the pounding of my heart had become intense.

I hurriedly opened my mouth to answer.

“This is enough.”

It was neither too close nor too far—a degree of kindness and distance that I could even offer to a passing stranger.

Sir Dylan honestly held onto my fingertips, almost like a machine, and replied,

“That’s a relief.”

His indifferent tone and faint touch felt unmistakably comforting.

I pressed my hand a little closer against the hand holding my fingertips and smiled shyly.

“Yes, I really don’t feel scared anymore. Thank you.”

At that moment, Sir Dylan visibly flinched.

……Things suddenly became much more awkward.

After several minutes had passed, perhaps—

“I’ll go finish putting away the rattles and the mobile for a moment.”

Only then did I understand why he had been holding the rattles.

After completely calming my trembling breathing, I answered cheerfully.

“Yes! Would you like me to help put away the rattles?”

“No. I’m finished.”

Sir Dylan turned around coolly, his expression seemingly indifferent.

However, on the back of his head was a tiny bedhead that you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely.

It was an unexpectedly adorable side of a knight who looked like he would even sleep with every strand of his hair perfectly in place.

I covered my mouth and giggled quietly.

I slowly walked over to the sofa and plopped down.

There was a small tabletop mirror on the table opposite the sofa.

And reflected in that mirror was…

“Why is there a monster here?”

A monster with horribly swollen eyes was staring back at me.

What an ugly appearance to have on the very first night of my marriage.

But let’s think positively.

If I keep looking this unattractive, he’ll get sick of me and divorce me before the year is even up.

Wait.

That wasn’t positive at all.

If I got divorced, I’d end up homeless!

I was about to mess up my hair completely when I suddenly stopped.

It was because the reflection of me looked like a roaring monster.

Just then, Sir Dylan came out after putting the rattles, baby crib, and other things away in the storage room.

The moment his eyes met mine, his face turned bright red.

Well, considering how swollen my eyes were, I probably wasn’t exactly pleasant to look at.

“Ah… I couldn’t sleep. Sir Dylan, you should go in and get some rest.”

Who knows when the thunder will start again.

I was planning to close the blackout curtains in the living room tightly and sleep on the sofa.

But Sir Dylan didn’t seem reassured.

“Will you be all right? It will be uncomfortable.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Then, until you fall asleep, perhaps we could stay together…”

His voice trailed off.

“Yes?”

“I can’t sleep either, so I think it might be… nice to stay here in the living room together and talk.”

His gaze briefly shifted toward the window.

Is he worried that I’ll be frightened if the thunder starts again?

“Yes, that sounds good. Ah, then I’ll need a blanket to cover myself on the sofa for a while—”

“I’ll get one.”

Sir Dylan went into the nursery and returned with a spotless white blanket.

As he lifted the soft blanket, his usually expressionless face relaxed for just a moment.

“Will this be enough?”

“Yes! Come over here!”

I patted the empty spot beside me on the sofa.

Sir Dylan walked over, casually carrying the thick blanket in one hand.

He was a huge man with the build of a great bear—someone who might have seemed intimidating at first glance.

But thanks to the connection we had shared earlier, I wasn’t afraid of him.

If anything, I was simply grateful.

A little excited, I said brightly,

“Today is our first night as a married couple!”

Technically, we were more like housemates despite being married.

But that was when it happened.

Sir Dylan turned his gaze away and gripped the blanket tightly.

“So this is our first night.”

The blanket rustled in his hands.

He looked like he would stand there forever with that blanket unless I spoke to him first.

His cheeks were flushed like peaches.

His slightly parted lips let out soft breaths.

Even the corners of his eyes were tinged red.

Watching all of that from the front row, I swallowed hard.

How can someone look that attractive?

When he was still, he had a cool and intimidating air.

But when his cheeks flushed, there was an inexplicable sensuality to him.

Wasn’t he basically a cheat character?

I deliberately avoided Sir Dylan’s gaze and swallowed the saliva gathering in my mouth.

I adjusted my crooked glasses and looked straight ahead.

Sir Dylan walked over with a stiff, creaking gait while maintaining his expressionless face.

When he finally sat down on the sofa—

A mischievous smile appeared on my lips.

“Um, don’t you think you’re sitting a little too close to the edge?”

He cautiously moved closer to me.

Leaving enough space between us that not even a single strand of hair could touch.

His behavior was completely different from the Sir Dylan I normally knew.

People whispered that Sir Dylan was arrogant and rude.

‘Honestly, Sir Dylan completely ignores all of us.’

‘So what if he’s skilled? He’s not humble at all, and he doesn’t socialize with anyone.’

‘Isn’t it ridiculous that he’s always the only one who actually turns off the lights at night when nobody else does? He’s basically telling us all to screw off.’

‘Does being handsome make up for everything?’

‘Well, if you’re handsome, it kind of does. Sigh.’

In other words, I might not mean much to him.

Still, we were living together now.

“At least while we’re living together, let’s get along!”

His eyes, tinged with a mysterious reddish hue, stared at me.

“…Yes.”

For a brief moment, a tiny smile bloomed at the corner of his lips before disappearing without a trace.

Did I imagine that?

I tilted my head awkwardly before holding out my hand.

“Hand!”

“What?”

The corners of Sir Dylan’s eyes, which had almost softened, twisted.

Come to think of it, maybe I looked like I had ulterior motives.

I lightly waved my hand through the air.

“Nothing like that! I just mean, let’s shake hands! As a way of saying we’ll get along!”

Only then did he seem to understand and cautiously held out his hand.

“…Yes. I look forward to getting along with you.”

“Great! But there’s one thing I want to tell you.”

After finishing the handshake, I was about to bring up the next topic.

But Sir Dylan was acting strangely.

He was still holding his hand up in the air.

Why?

Why was he keeping his hand raised like that, as though he had malfunctioned?

“Well, actually, I’m not on very good terms with my family.”

“…Ah.”

“So if my family ever causes you even the slightest trouble! Don’t worry! I’ll bite them like a Chihuahua.”

“Then, truly, like a Chihuahua…”

“Yes! The moment they mess with you, I’ll bite them.”

I may have no conscience, but fortunately, I have strong jaws.

I flashed him a toothy smile.

Sir Dylan nodded obediently.

His ears seemed slightly red, too.

The sight of this enormous, rigid man somehow reminded me of a giant dog.

“Chihuahuas are really impressive.”

That was why I didn’t hear what he muttered quietly between his teeth.

And so, that eventful day finally came to an end.

‘Ishael. You’re an adult now. Why are you afraid of thunder?’

‘Stop trembling and take some sleeping medicine and go to bed already!’

‘Tsk, how troublesome. Even if you’re feeling a little sick, you still have to go to work. You need to earn money, don’t you?’

Memories of my family tormenting me resurfaced, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

But over those old traumas, the memories I had made with Sir Dylan began piling up softly, like a thin layer of snow.

Memories like the first snow—something that might disappear once today was over.

It wasn’t enough to erase my initial resolve to keep my distance from the person I was living with.

But I couldn’t deny the truth that, as our quiet conversation gradually came to an end, my heart had felt a little warmer.

The next morning.

I woke up, running my fingers roughly through my hair, then suddenly stopped.

“Gasp.”

I sat bolt upright and looked around.

“W-What is this?”

There was corn soup and a sandwich sitting on the table in front of the sofa.

When I listened carefully, I could hear the sound of the shower running from the bathroom.

He had not only made sure I was tucked comfortably into the sofa, but had also prepared breakfast before going to take a shower himself.

Was Sir Dylan a god?

Just then, with a click, the bathroom door across from me opened.

“…Gasp.”

“Ah…”

Sir Dylan and I looked at each other.

No, to be precise, our eyes didn’t actually meet.