"Hmm..."

A boy's clear, slightly hoarse voice came from under the blanket. A moment later, a slightly disheveled head appeared, platinum blonde hair brushing against his damp eyelashes, blurring his vision.

Behind the gauze curtain, her exquisite face was blurred, exuding an innate nobility that made one want to touch her, yet dare not approach.

The deep-colored ruby, refracted in the dim light, appeared a cold hue. The boy sat up listlessly, staring blankly at the bedsheet.

My brother isn't here today.

I almost forgot that Elijah is no longer the boy trapped in the castle studying in a boring way, but a man who can handle family affairs independently.

He was extremely busy every day trying to reclaim the property that had been seized from the Hughes family.

However, without that familiar scent that had lingered around him for over a decade, Willie felt somewhat unaccustomed.

He still remembered that when he first met Elijah, the other man always acted like a noble elder brother, even though his desire to get closer was evident in his eyes, his lips were still tightly pursed.

But the longer they spent together, the less he could control his emotions.

At first, he only took over all of Deville's work, waking him up and putting him to sleep. Later, he even personally selected the clothes in the wardrobe, reportedly having them tailored by the best human designers outside, and sometimes Deville could even find the latest styles in magazines.

Fortunately, he's never been too concerned about these things, and Elijah's aesthetic sense has always been impeccable. If it were someone else, they probably wouldn't have been able to stand Elijah's suffocating possessiveness long ago.

According to the system, in the original storyline, the young master did indeed have a very cold relationship with Elijah, and he hated Elijah's control the most, eventually to the point of breaking up.

However, these words only made Willy, who knew his background, feel even more sorry for him.

Therefore, on that stormy day, with thunder and lightning, listening to the pounding heartbeat outside the door, almost drowning out the thunder, he finally opened the door.

He looked like a Maine Coon cat that had been soaked in the rain.

This was the thought that first came to Vili's mind when he saw Elijah.

Her platinum blonde hair fell down, clinging to her forehead, its usual shine dull. Raindrops dripped down her beautifully curved jawline, sliding into her deep collar like tears.

Her lips, which always wore a faint, mocking smile, were tightly pursed. Her dark red eyes had never looked so dim, and when she met Willy's gaze, there was still a trace of vulnerability and confusion.

He seemed completely unprepared for his brother to open the door, his eyes widening slightly, his body trembling almost imperceptibly.

“...Vili.”

Even for vampires, this lip color would be considered deathly pale.

"Are you sleeping well? I just came to see you... I..." He looked flustered and at a loss, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. "I'll go back now."

"elder brother."

Compared to him, the little boy looked more like the mature older brother, and sighed softly.

Elijah looked even more nervous, as if he was about to say something but was interrupted.

"Take a shower first."

Vili stepped aside to make way for him to enter the house.

A bathroom was also set up in his room.

Seeing that Eleanor still wanted to refuse, Vi used his dry, soft hands to grab his wrist and look directly into the boy's eyes.

"elder brother."

His tone was slightly harsh, and although he didn't say anything, it made Elijah lose all strength to resist, and she followed his movements into the room.

Vili ran to the boy's room, retrieved his pajamas, placed them in the bathroom stall, and then sat down on the bed, yawning sleepily.

"Il, is today a special day?"

His older brother wasn't the type to go out in broad daylight and get soaked in the rain. Even though it was a cloudy day without the sun, it still felt a bit dangerous.

Moreover, he always paid attention to etiquette and was highly praised by his tutors.

Vili often felt that although he looked like a teenager, he was more like a centuries-old vampire, full of lifelessness.

Only when you see yourself...

Upon hearing the host's words, the system quickly searched the database and suddenly realized what was going on.

"...Today's date is exactly the same day that the Hughes family was wiped out."

"..."

"Hmm... The test results show that he went home alone, and even the housekeeper didn't know."

Willie picked up a cushion from the bed, rested his chin on it, and stared into the air, lost in thought.

When Elijah emerged, still damp with sweat, the boy had already closed his eyes and was sprawled out on the bed, fast asleep. The pillow he was holding had somehow fallen to the floor.

My previously chaotic thoughts seemed to calm down the moment I saw him.

Elijah unconsciously curved the corners of his lips into a smile, a smile that seemed to be both helpless and joyful.

At least... he still has a home.

He picked up the cushion at Willy's feet, dusted it off, and gently placed it back on the bedside.

Then, Elijah skillfully picked up the boy, placed him on the bed, and tucked him in, his eyes lingering on the sleeping face.

By the time he realized what was happening, he had already instinctively lay down next to Vili and pulled him into his arms.

The stray hairs behind her ears were gently combed. Vili didn't open her eyes, but instead gently rubbed her cheek against Elijah, like a spoiled kitten.

It's as if it's saying, "I'm still here."

Since then, Elian has abandoned his original bedroom. Every night at bedtime, he would wait outside the door in his pajamas, and then quietly leave before Vili woke up the next day.

This habit remained unchanged even after they both reached adulthood.

"Bang."

A soft knocking sound came from the corner of the room, startling Willy from his reverie. He looked toward the source of the sound.

It's his wardrobe.

Surprisingly, the boy seemed to have expected this. He pursed his lips, walked quickly towards the cabinet, and then opened the cabinet door without hesitation.

In the darkness, the silvery-white fur shimmered with a soft, moonlit sheen, rivaling even the most expensive and exquisite silks. The giant wolf, as tall as two adult men, curled up listlessly among the boy's clothes.

Hearing the commotion outside, it released its front paws from its head and looked over.

His icy blue eyes were like the vast, clear winter sky, with tiny, shimmering ice crystals hidden within, reflecting a mysterious depth as the light changed.

At this moment, however, those eyes seemed to be misty and moist as they met the gaze of the wardrobe's owner.

"Dario".

Vili suppressed his anger and called out its name, completely unmoved by the look in its eyes, his gaze sweeping over the clothes that the white wolf was pressing down on him.

"Didn't I tell you not to sleep in my closet?"

"You're shedding fur everywhere!"