Chapter 109
“Lord Al, a lot happened today, didn’t it?”
“It did.”
As she started the conversation, Alnazir replied while glancing at the clock. Fay slowly walked over to the bed and pulled back the blanket.
“I think I’m a bit tired. So… I’m going to sleep early.”
Hearing he mentioned sleep, his head snapped away from the clock.
“If it’s your birthday, shouldn’t you enjoy it a bit more?”
“N-no! I already enjoyed it plenty.”
“Do this, do that. You’re going to give me more orders.”
There was clearly a pointed edge to his words.
“N-no, it’s enough. Really. Thank you so much—for listening to me all day…”
“Are you really grateful to me?”
“Yes, yes!”
It was obvious he still had the whole day’s demand on his mind. Fay suddenly felt even more afraid of tomorrow.
She had really worked him hard—from telling him not to move, to ordering him to clean this and wipe that. She had made him do quite a lot. On average, maybe just a little—just a little more—than what witches usually asked of their summons.
“An invoked isn’t a witch’s slave. You should respect them and be grateful for their help.”
Her godmother had emphasized that countless times when she was young.
But today she had gotten carried away and completely forgotten.
Had she respected him today? If Merga returned from the dead and asked her that question, Fay wouldn’t have had a single excuse.
Whenever she was with him, she tried to behave maturely, yet somehow she always ended up acting childish and losing control of her reason.
So she chose the coward’s way out. Instead of accepting her fault with humility, Fay hid under the blanket.
“Good night.”
After offering a one-sided farewell, she closed her eyes.
It was true that a lot had happened today. Her body really was tired. This isn’t running away. I’m actually sleepy. Really. She tried to convince herself, but the piercing gaze burning into the back of her head made it impossible.
In the tense silence—
Ding, ding. The clock rang.
It was the clock little Zynie had made years ago. The small bell inside chimed twelve times.
Fay desperately wished it would stop.
As expected, the moment midnight arrived, Alnazir walked toward the bed.
She could feel him standing right behind her. Fay swallowed hard. She tried to do it quietly, but in her ears it sounded thunderously loud.
He’s right behind her. Did he hear that?
She prayed the darkness would at least hide how tense she looked.
The blanket she had pulled up to her chin was slowly lowered. He made a space for himself and slipped underneath.
Then he pulled the blanket back over them—carefully making sure her shoulders were covered so she wouldn’t feel cold.
Contrary to all her fears, he didn’t touch her at all.
Even beneath the same blanket, he kept his arms folded against his own chest, as if deliberately avoiding contact.
Silence filled the dark house.
Is that it? Even if tonight was fine… what about tomorrow morning? Would he wake up sulking, angry that she had ignored him and gone to sleep?
Anxious thoughts slowly crept through her mind. She wished real sleep would come and shut all those thoughts off.
“Fay. I know you’re not asleep.”
His low voice broke the silence. Fay nearly jumped out of her skin. She flinched instinctively, ruining her act.
She got tricked again! Still, she squeezed her eyes shut and stubbornly continued pretending to sleep.
Then a large hand approached her hip.
“Fay.”
A fox-like invoked who’s better at tricking witches than anyone. Fay thought this while he ran his hand over her body through her pajama dress in a husky voice.
When she didn’t react, he lifted the dress up to her waist and began touching her bare skin.
“It’s no longer your birthday, so I can touch you now, right?”
“……”
“Stop pretending to sleep and answer me. Otherwise I’ll take that as permission and do whatever I want.”
With a threat like that, she couldn’t just stay silent.
Fay tried to open her mouth to speak. But no sound came out. Instead, her lips moved uselessly before she finally asked:
“Lord Al… do you love me?”
“I love you.”
Seriously? He’s not even human—does he even know what love is?
His quick answer made her thoughts twist in that direction, yet at the same time all the tension melted away.
“If you don’t want to, just say so. I’ll hold you quietly until morning.”
He buried his nose against the back of her neck and rubbed against her like he was pouting, insisting he could hold back.
Strangely, it felt… cute. It didn’t feel like he wanted her simply out of curiosity or animal desire.
Fay turned to face him. Her eyes were still closed out of embarrassment, but she leaned into him first and wrapped her arms around him.
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