n

n

n

nThane, who blinked in wonder at my request to call my name, nodded and pursed his lips as usual.

n

nAnd this time it would be fine.

n

nThane, who was about to smile, finally felt the change and his eyes widened.

n

nI could see his amazement through his trembling lips. But even as he noticed the change, Thane did not easily speak out.

n

nHe only exhaled a small breath with his eyelashes shivering, as if he couldn’t believe he had recovered the voice he had lost.

n

n“Thane.”

n

nI held his face gently at Thane’s hesitant appearance. I don’t understand all his fears, but at least he could rely on me.

n

nI looked straight at Thane and spoke slowly but clearly.

n

n“Trust me and try to speak. Just look at me and call my name.”

n

nAt my words, Thane’s gaze shook unsteadily.

n

nAnd after a moment, Thane closed his eyes and opened his mouth.

n

n“Oh, oh, ohㅡ”

n

nThe first thing I heard was the cacophony of a vocal cord he hadn’t used in a long time.

n

nA harsh sound came from his throat, since he’s using his voice for the first time in fifteen years. For me, hearing his vou6was the most pleasant sound there could be.

n

nThane, who stared at me puzzledly, touched his neck with his hand trembling in astonishment.

n

nOn his white neck, an old scar was still visible.

n

n“You’re doing great.”

n

nI looked straight at him and nodded as affectionately as I could.

n

nA few times he just licked his lips. And a few short words followed.

n

nThen a word, no maybe its a name, to be exact, came out of his mouth.

n

n“E…rita.”

n

nThat moment felt perfect, Thane’s voice calling names for the first time.

n

nIt was a call that cracked, but it was bolder and more beautiful than any other.

n

n“Yes, Thane.”

n

nI answered his call with my red teary eyes more brightly than ever.

n

nThane called my name and I heard him…

n

n

n✿

n

n

n“Eㅡrita.”

n

n“Yes, Thane,”

n

n“Erita…”

n

n“I’m here.”

n

nThane, who kept muttering my name welling up tears in the corners of his eyes continued to call me.

n

nHis face was still wet and his swollen eyes looked pitiful as he had been weeping for a long time.

n

n“…Erita.”

n

nAt the sight of Thane repeating only my name over twenty times, I finally burst into laughter.

n

nThane’s appearance was similar to that of a baby bird staring blindly at its mother bird.

n

n“Are you going to keep calling my name?”

n

nI leaned against the back of the sofa and asked with a smile.

n

nAt my question, Thane slowly lowered his gaze.

n

nHis ears, which seemed excited above his head, looked discouraged to see me leaning down.

n

n“I can’t keep calling you, can’t I?”

n

nAnd Thane’s the sullen voice that followed.

n

n‘Somehow I felt like I’ve become a bad person… ‘

n

nWas it my misunderstanding that he looks like a dog scolded by its owner?

n

nThe cracked voice was still the same, but Thane quickly adapted to making sounds.

n

n“My voice, it’s not good to hear.”

n

n“No! It’s Great!”

n

nI was going to say something else, but my eyes widened at Thane’s depressing words.

n

n“You can keep calling me. You can call my name as many times as you want. Okay?”

n

n“Yes, Erita.”

n

nThane’s expression brightened for a moment at my words and then smiled faintly.

n

n‘It’s hard to say no to Thane for some reason.’

n

nI breathed out a smile as I watched Thane reflect on my name again.

n

n‘Well, it’s just a name that he wants to call with such a cute look, but what can’t be done?’

n

nYurgen told me over and over again, but I had a particularly weak side for Thane.

n

n“Yurgen said I was too protective of Thane.”

n

nOf course, Thane rarely bothered me, but sometimes I was exceptionally soft towards Thane.

n

n“…Erita?”

n

n“Huh?”

n

n“What are you worried about?”

n

nAfter thinking about something else for a moment, I suddenly realized that Thane, who was calling me with his head tilted, spoke, “Is it because of my face and ears?”

n

nThane, who boasts pure blood even among the wolfbeasts, was never weak even now that he became an adult.

n

nHe grew up with incomparable reliability compared to when he was young, when he could be called weak.

n

n‘But, strangely, his face was the same as when he was young.’

n

nMaybe that’s why I’m so sensitive when it comes to Thane.

n

nAlthough he has grown in size, his innocent face has not changed at all from his childhood appearance.

n

nSo, it seems that I’m particularly soft to Thane.

n

nShaking my head in agreement with my thoughts, I reached out and gently stroked Thane’s curly hair.

n

nThe hair wrapped around my fingers was as soft and glossy as his well-maintained hair.

n

n“Hehe, I think Thane is still the same as when he was young.”

n

nThane, which had been groaning as he closed his eyes and enjoyed my touch, suddenly stopped.

n

nBut I did not feel anything strange and continued talking.

n

n“When you were a child, I liked to pat your head like this. It was so small that I could put it on my lap.”

n

nAlone, drenched in memories and smiling, I did not notice the desperate change on Thane’s face.

n

nAfter that, I started arguing about how cute the young Thane was.

n

n“…Erita.”

n

n“Yes?”

n

nWhat stopped me was the call of Thane, who suddenly got up.

n

nThane lowered his gaze with a stiff expression and whispered.

n

n“It’s very late.”

n

nAt his words, I looked at the clock.

n

n“Oh, it’s past ten o’clock. Thane, can I take you to the top? If I take you by teleport, you won’t get caught, so that would be better, right?”

n

nHaving concluded the decision, I quickly got up from my seat and tried to grab my coat.

n

n“Shh, I don’t like it.”

n

nI was going to wear only a hood over my indoor clothes, but I froze at Thane’s words.

n

n“Huh?”

n

nThane, who had never said no, looked at me without hiding his embarrassed face, but Thane shook his head again, saying no.

n

n“I can go alone.”

n

n

n“Well, I know that.”

n

nOf course, with Thane’s skills, I know that it’s not dangerous even on a night like this, and I know that he could find the way alone…

n

n“But let’s go together.”

n

n“I can go alone.”

n

nWasn’t that good? The words I was about to ask were swallowed again by Thane’s insistence, who spoke firmly with a determined expression on his face.

n

n“Is that so? All right then.”

n

nWhen I nodded with a shrieked expression, Thane’s expression became brighter.

n

n“You don’t want me to go with you?”

n

nI felt a little sad at the thought of such a thing, but I thought that he might want to be alone today.

n

n“Then go home safely. I’ll come and see you next time.”

n

nAfter reorganizing Thane’s disorganized hood, I regretfully made my way to the balcony.

n

n“Erita, Iㅡ”

n

n“Yes, Thane.”

n

nThane, who stopped for a moment in front of the balcony, called me with a determined expression.

n

n“…Thank you so much.”

n

nPerhaps he forgot to say thank you countless times with tears earlier, but I smiled softly at Thane, who bowed again.

n

n“I kept my promise.”

n

nMy words struck a strange note on Thane’s face. No wonder I never told Thane about his voice.

n

nIf I fail, I might hurt him again.

n

n“I made a promise to get your voice back. I’m glad it’s not too late.”

n

nHis questioning stare made me smile, and I answered. Then, Thane bit his lip and slowly grabbed his wrist with the bracelet I gave earlier.

n

n“…I’m so sorry to have made you a bracelet.”

n

nI looked at Thane’s wrist with sullen eyes and apologized.

n

n“Originally, I was going to make them into earrings. But I couldn’t reduce the size of the jewelry any more.”

n

nAt my words, Thane shook his head quickly.

n

n“Erita, if you give it to me, I like all of it.”

n

n“Then I’m glad.”

n

nThen, for some reason, I laughed softly and tapped Thane on the back as he spoke in a desperate tone.

n

n“Well, go ahead, then. If it’s too late, Yurgen will be worried.”

n

nThane, who had hesitated for a moment at my urging, jumped over the balcony, saying he would come back soon.

n

nWhen I asked him how he didn’t get caught, he seemed to have stepped on the roofs of buildings.

n

nWatching Thane’s back disappear until the end, I massaged my shoulder and headed to bed.

n

n“Phew… I’m glad it worked out safely.”

n

nLaying down on the soft bed, I closed my tired eyes and muttered.

n

nOf course, I checked it several times, but I was quite nervous because I felt uncertain about its outcome.

n

n“But is it just me that I feel like I’ve forgotten something?”

n

nFor some reason, I looked back at my thoughts again, but nothing came to mind.

n

nMaybe it’s because I’m tired.

n

nIt was then…

n

nKnock, knock!

n

n“Lady, this is Marilyn.”

n

nMarilyn’s voice came along with the knock, and I shouted for her to enter as I was resting on the bed.

n

nWith a click, the door opened and Marilyn with a grim expression entered.

n

n“Lady, it’s time to take a bath. What would you like to do?”

n

n“Umm…”

n

nI pondered for a moment at her words. The desire to lie down and sleep and the desire to soak in the hot water were both enticing.

n

n“Well, I want to take a bath. Is it ready?”

n

nIn the end, it was the temptation of warm water that won.

n

n“Yes. You said that you went out today. I thought you would be tired, so I even released the new bath products.”

n

nAt my question, Marilyn nodded her head as if it were natural, and grabbed my outstretched hand and lifted me up.

n

n“And the bath bombs? Hehe, Marilyn is the best!”

n

nI smiled and put my arms around Marilyn.

n

n“Oh, that’s right. Wait a minute.”

n

nThe moment I was leaving the room to go to the bath, I rushed to my desk when something suddenly came to my mind.

n

nThere was a present I had bought for Marilyn when I went to the bookstore during the day.

n

nI picked up a square gift wrapped in wrapping paper.

n

n“Come on! This is for you Marilyn.”

n

n“What? What kind of gift are you giving me all of a sudden?”

n

nI handed over the gift to Marilyn, who had a puzzled expression on her face, and then opened the door with a smile.

n

n“I’ll see you in the room. You’ll probably like it.”

n

nIt’s the next volume of the novel Marilyn has been eagerly waiting for.

n

nMarilyn’s eyes opened wide at the whisper I made, with a playful wink.

n

nShe stammered on the present and stared at me. But I couldn’t be that cynical normally.

n

n“You can’t stay up all night reading that!”

n

n“Of course!”

n

nMy steps toward the bath and Marilyn’s steps were light.

n

nIt was the next day that I remembered something that I had forgotten earlier.

n