Lucius didn’t come inside; he just stood there, gripping the wood of the door. His eyes were wide and a little bloodshot, fixed on Julian with a look of guilt

Julian felt a sharp pull in his chest as he looked at the boy’s face. He remembered the way Lucius cried from the top of the pit, restless and scared. And how he ran to go get help despite his own fear and the darkness of the woods.

What a brave boy he had been.

"Lucius," Julian called out quietly.

The boy flinched like he’d been struck.

He didn’t respond, but his face crumpled, and he looked down at the floor. He stayed in the doorway, trembling, looking like he felt he didn’t have the right to be in the same room as the man who had nearly died for him.

Duke Alaric, who had been watching the maid, turned his head and saw Lucius.

He looked at his son for a while before turning his gaze to Julian, then back again.

He didn’t look angry, just tired. He stayed in his seat, his hand still resting near Julian’s on the bed, providing that steady, heavy presence Julian had relied on all night. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Julian tried to lift his hand to beckon the boy closer, but the movement sent a jolt of pain through his hip. He winced, his breath turning ragged in an instant.

Lucius saw the wince and took a small, hesitant step into the room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, wilted yellow flower.

He walked to the edge of the bed, his head bowed, and carefully placed the crushed flower on the silk blanket near Julian’s hand.

He didn’t make a sound. He just stood there, his small shoulders shaking as he stared at Julian’s bandaged leg.

Julian looked at the flower, then at the boy. "It’s okay," he whispered.

He picked it up. It was a small gesture, but it was everything.

"Thank you, Lucius," he whispered, sniffing the flower. It was a thank you for not just the flower, but the brave action he took.

If not for Lucius, Alaric wouldn’t have found him when he did, and he might’ve stayed deep in that pit all night.

And the next morning, he’d have been nothing but a corpse. He had every reason to be thankful.

The Duke looked at Lucius for a brief moment and then back to Julian. He did not say anything, but the light in his eyes made it known that he was silently proud of his son.

Before the food was served, Alaric stood to adjust Julian’s position. He didn’t call the maid over; instead, he reached behind Julian’s back and lifted him gently, stacking the heavy feather pillows to prop him up.

Julian’s heart fluttered at this action, feeling the Duke’s warm hand brush over the fabric of his shirt.

His heart wouldn’t stop racing. It was a simple action filled with care, but his heart just wouldn’t calm down.

’I seem to be going insane somehow,’ he thought, squeezing his eyes shut

The Duke saw this and asked,

"What? Is it uncomfortable?"

Julian opened his eyes and found the Duke’s face so close to his. His breath hitched, and he quickly rolled his eyes away.

"Um, no, it’s comfortable. Thank you, your grace." His face got a light shade of pink that he wished the Duke would interpret as a symptom of the fever.

The maid stood by the cart, her face flushing a deep pink as she watched the Duke of the North handle his son’s tutor with such focused, personal care.

There was no way she wasn’t going to believe the rumors flying around after witnessing this.

Lucius had finally climbed into the chair beside the bed, his feet dangling as he watched the scene with wide eyes, the guilt from earlier seeming to fade and be replaced with a vague curiosity.

Julian cleared his throat, hoping he wasn’t presenting a bad image in front of the child. But then something caught his attention.

His gaze drifted to the top of Lucius’s head. He wanted to see how much this child’s affection level has increased, and sure enough, it was very high.

> [Target: Lucius Alaric Blackspire]

> Affection Level: 94%

> Status: [Total Devotion / Protectorate]

Julian nearly choked on his own breath. Ninety-four? It had jumped forty points.

This was no longer just a student liking a teacher; this was a child who had tied his soul to the person who saved him. It was terrifying, and Julian felt the weight of that responsibility settle in his chest.

In a way, the rumors were right. He did have the Duke wrapped around his finger. And not just the Duke, the son of the Duke as well.

It was a mess he didn’t know would come of an increased affection level.

’It’s no wonder the affection level of everyone around me is in the negative or very low.’

The fact that a single affection percentage could change a person’s thoughts about him was quite terrifying, no matter how good it sounded.

Julian looked at the bowl of porridge Alaric was holding, then up at the Duke’s tired face.

He had been up for most of the time, and hadn’t slept properly. And now it was time to eat too, but the Duke didn’t have his portion here.

"Are you not going to have breakfast, Your Grace?"

"I am not hungry yet," Alaric replied, his voice flat. "I will eat later."

Julian furrowed his brows a bit and then turned his gaze to Lucius. "And you, Lucius? Have you eaten?"

The boy nodded quickly, but he looked so nervous that Julian didn’t entirely believe him. Julian sighed softly, looking between the two of them.

"It isn’t good to skip meals," Julian said, his voice gentle but firm. "Your Grace, you shouldn’t skip a single one. And you should have them with Lucius. If you eat alone, the boy will think his father doesn’t want him at the table."

Alaric looked at Lucius. The boy froze, his tan skin pale with nerves as he waited for his father’s reaction. The Duke reached out and placed a heavy hand on Lucius’s head, ruffling the golden hair.

"Alright," Alaric said. "I shall heed that."

"No," Julian insisted, a small, playful spark in his tired eyes. "Make a promise. A pinky promise."

Alaric’s brow furrowed into a scowl. "A what?"