Contrary to Raven’s expectation that Sione would blame him and drag him to a lab, Sione closed her mouth in what seemed like deep emotion.

Not stopping at that, she quickly stood from her chair and reassuringly patted his shoulder.

“Thank you so much. Raven, you’re the savior of Bella’s life. If you hadn’t been there, something worse would have definitely happened.”

“Something worse?”

“Vampires usually feel the urge to suck blood long after their childhood. Until then, they consume energy in other ways. It’s the same for Bella. The fact that the child-like Bella showed a will to suck blood means it was almost her last resort, near death.”

“So, you’re saying she might have died if left untreated?”

“Even if not, she would have likely fallen into a deep sleep from which she might not have awakened. Especially risky for Bella, who already had a long period of deep sleep as a baby. It would certainly have a bad impact on her lifespan.”

“It’s good I gave her first aid then.”

“Exactly. The reason Bella is now awake and healthy is all thanks to you.”

Although he had already suspected it, hearing Sione confirm it gave him a sense of relief.

Even though it was a small amount, giving his own blood as a non-vampire was a very foreign experience for him.

He had been internally worried that there might be some side effects for Bella later on, so a sigh of relief naturally escaped his lips.

“I’m really sorry, Raven. I didn’t know you showed such goodwill towards Bella and kept you locked up here, even setting up a barrier.”

“…Apologies seem insufficient for that.”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my master, it’s to not just talk, but to show my intentions through immediate action. I promise to reward you sufficiently.”

Sione left him with the suggestion to freely consider what he would like to have or do in the future, and gracefully exited the room.

Of course, she had completely lifted the ward that had tightly sealed his door before leaving.

‘She really kept her promise.’

Although Sione had not yet provided a proper reward, he could somewhat confirm her sincerity from the immediate action she took in lifting the ward and leaving.

After a long time, he opened the door himself and saw an unusually bright and round moon in the sky.

Unbeknownst to Raven, that day was one of a huge full moon that only appeared once in decades.

‘Is it an illusion, or just my mood? I feel like something inside me is changing significantly.’

Breathing in the somewhat chilly air of the early summer night, Raven became absorbed in his thoughts.

Although he was not physically free, and the future was uncertain, he felt like better things would come than what he had experienced in the past.

Such a tingling premonition strongly flowed down his spine.

‘Can I really become friends with Bella?’

Raven had never had a friend in his life.

He had had neighbors with whom he was close when he lived in a human village.

But his mother always warned him to keep his distance for fear of revealing that he was of the Benian tribe, telling him not to consider those children as friends.

‘I did have a child who felt like a friend.’

A girl his age who lived next door.

The three-year-old child who knew nothing about the world would snottily follow Raven around.

But life is unpredictable.

On the day he awakened as a Benian, the next-door child witnessed for the first time Raven transforming into a demon.

Seeing his pupils change from round and black to elongated golden ones like a beast, the child burst into tears and ran to her parents.

And Raven had to deeply regret it.

Had he not given his heart to the neighbor child he secretly considered like a younger sibling.

Had he not missed the chance to console her when she cried.

Had he gagged her and sent her away somewhere, his mother wouldn’t have lost her life so cruelly.

He bitterly realized that his once resented mother’s words were all too correct.

‘But Bella is different. She is a vampire.’

Although they were both of the demon race, there was a huge gap in status between Bella and Raven.

Bella was of royal lineage, and he was less than a commoner.

‘But maybe, just for now… isn’t it alright?’

He didn’t know what the future held, but for now, both were confined in the cozy cave called Rose Palace and couldn’t go out.

Becoming friends with her might be a very short and sweet dream.

But the word “friend,” which he had never dared to entertain before, irresistibly attracted Raven’s heart.

Perhaps it was more appealing because it might be an unattainable dream.

After staring at the endlessly expansive night sky for a long time, Raven closed the door and returned to his room.

Somehow, he thought he would be able to sleep more deeply tonight than usual.