Vincent Shining had decided to remain on the outskirts of the district until Seo-yul’s body had fully recovered. Because of this, he ordered his aide to find accommodations other than an inn.
A few hours later, the aide returned with news that there was a suitable mansion in the west and that its owner was once a Shining.
“A Shining in such a small town….”
After some thought, he decided to seek out the Shining himself. Though his aide tried to dissuade him, concerned about his still-recovering condition, as always, Vincent’s stubbornness could not be overcome.
Once he had finished preparing to leave, he approached Seo-yul, who was fast asleep despite the bright afternoon sunlight pouring in. With careful hands, he reached out and gently swept aside the strands of hair that clung to the young man’s pale forehead.
Unlike the mansion in District 1, the inn’s room was cramped and stifling. Seo-yul spent most of his time confined within it, making a more spacious and comfortable environment necessary.
At the very least, it had to be large enough to breathe freely—Seo-yul wouldn’t be leaving the room until his recovery was complete, anyway.
“I’ll be back.”
Leaving a quiet farewell to the sleeping Seo-yul, he instructed his aide to watch over him before exiting the inn. He also made sure to reinforce security around the premises, ensuring that no one could enter or leave unnoticed.
Only after completely cutting off any possible escape route for Seo-yul did he set off toward the mansion in the west.
After crossing a steep hill and traversing a vast field, the mansion his aide had mentioned came into view in the distance.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the rusted gate and stepped inside. Despite its worn exterior, the mansion’s interior was surprisingly well-maintained. Signs of regular upkeep were evident throughout the space.
‘Not as bad as I expected.’
The garden was filled with white roses—nothing but white. Without paying much attention to the neatly tended flowerbeds, he moved toward the entrance of the mansion. Just before stepping inside, he sensed someone’s presence from behind the building.
‘The owner?’
He turned to see a woman emerging from the garden. Her hair was lighter than expected, but it was clear at a glance—she was the Shining his aide had spoken of.
She, too, noticed him belatedly and came to a halt.
“Lately, there’s been an unusual number of unwelcome guests.”
From kidnappers to a Shining—this was the second time an uninvited visitor had shown up at the usually quiet mansion.
Helen made no effort to hide her displeasure as he approached her. He stopped before her, offering a slight bow in greeting.
“It is an honor to meet the owner of this mansion.”
A searing red flashed before her eyes, so intense it twisted her mood. Even though she had abandoned the name of Shining, her inferiority complex about colors had never truly faded. That was why Helen still hated red.
“In that case, should I greet you as the young master of the district?”
Not only the color but even his features were unmistakably similar to Luis Shining. The moment she laid eyes on him, Helen knew—this was the infamous Vincent Shining.
She had no idea why the esteemed successor to the district leader had come all the way to such a shabby place, but the moment she recognized him as Luis Shining’s son, a wave of distaste surged within her.
Luis Shining, selfish, arrogant, and insolent. If this was his son, then surely his temperament would be no different.
“You don’t have to go that far. Even if you’ve cast aside the name of Shining, that doesn’t mean you were never one.”
Helen’s brow arched at the unexpected response. Perhaps she found his answer somewhat pleasing—her pheromones, which had been seeping out in warning, momentarily receded.
“So, what brings an esteemed Shining all the way here?”
“It’s going to be a long conversation. Would you be willing to let me inside?”
She didn’t like it, but she figured she should at least hear him out. Without another word, Helen personally opened the mansion doors for him.
As he followed her inside, he quickly scanned his surroundings.
‘Not bad.’
From the outside, the place had seemed endlessly small, but the interior was surprisingly spacious. It was barely a quarter of the size of the mansion in District 5, but it would be far more comfortable than the suffocating inn—a place where he could stay with Seo-yul.
Helen took her seat in the place of honor in the reception room, while he settled into a nearby chair. Though the furniture was old, the various decorations scattered throughout the space made it feel like a rough imitation of the mansion in District 1.
Well, before a single Shining was officially chosen, she had lived there. It was only natural to seek out what was familiar. Having been cast out to the very edges of the district, she could never return to that mansion—perhaps a lingering attachment still remained.
“There’s no servant to bring tea, so you’ll have to bear with it.”
“I don’t mind.”
“So, what is it you came here to say?”
Helen pressed him to get to the point. Maybe it was just her impatient nature, but more than that, she clearly didn’t want him lingering in this place for long.
That much was expected.
Truthfully, he had planned to outright threaten her into handing over the mansion. But now that he was facing Helen, it seemed a different approach was necessary.
And he had realized exactly what that approach should be the moment he stepped inside.
Most wouldn’t have noticed, but he caught it immediately—the faint yet unmistakable scent of thick cocoa lingering throughout the mansion. Seo-yul’s pheromones.
The reason he hadn’t been able to find Seo-yul, despite searching the entire town, was because he had been here—at the farthest edge of the west.
It made sense. After all, he hadn’t even known this mansion existed until now.
“I need a place to stay while I remain in town.”
“In that case, you should find an inn. There’s no reason it has to be here.”
“The inns in this town aren’t exactly ideal for recovery.”
He wasn’t wrong. The inns here were hardly suited for long-term stays. The far edge of the district saw almost no visitors, so it was only natural that the inns weren’t properly maintained.
“That’s strange. You left behind a comfortable mansion just to come all the way here for recovery?”
“It’s not for me. It’s for someone else’s recovery. Someone you’re probably familiar with.”
He deliberately let Seo-yul’s scent seep through, revealing what he had been masking with his own pheromones. Only then did Helen catch the distinct, lingering trace of Seo-yul’s fragrance on him.
“…I see.”
She had vaguely known that Seo-yul’s bonded partner was a Shining, but she hadn’t expected it to be Vincent Shining. Helen couldn’t suppress the sigh that escaped her lips.
Thinking back, Seo-yul’s appearance had also reminded her of someone. So people really don’t stray far from their tastes. Helen was once again struck by just how much Vincent resembled Luis Shining.
“…Seo-yul, is he all right?”
“I can’t say he’s doing well. But at least it’s not bad enough to be alarming.”
Only after hearing his answer did Helen feel some relief. If Seo-yul was bonded to a Shining, just being near him would gradually help his body recover.
Now that she looked at him closely, Vincent’s complexion, which she had thought to be nothing but pale, wasn’t all that great either. Given how badly Seo-yul had suffered from imprint sickness, Vincent must have endured just as much. If he hadn’t been a Shining of such strong color, he might not have been able to withstand it.
“Is Yeo-min staying with Seo-yul?”
“He’s around.”
Originally, Choi Yeo-min should have been dealt with alongside the remnants of Night. However, due to the potential shock it would cause Seo-yul, his punishment had been postponed.
Still, every time Vincent recalled that it was Choi Yeo-min who had brought Seo-yul here, a deep-seated killing intent stirred within him.
For now, he would wait until Seo-yul’s body had fully recovered. The moment they left the mansion would be his opportunity. As an Apostle of Night, Choi Yeo-min would not be able to return to the mansion—he would have to remain behind.
Vincent was simply waiting for that moment to come.
“So, what you want is to stay here until Seo-yul recovers?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”
He smoothly pulled a pouch from inside his coat and placed it gently in front of Helen. Even from the outside, the pouch looked thick and heavy. Inside, it was filled to the brim with gleaming gold.
Helen hesitated. She didn’t like the idea of letting a Shining of such deep color into this place—it was a shade that only reminded her of deprivation. But when she thought of Seo-yul, she knew the town’s inns weren’t an option.
With his bonded partner nearby, Seo-yul’s recovery wouldn’t take too long. And, more than anything, the compensation Vincent mentioned was a strong incentive.
Back when she was in the mansion, it hadn’t mattered. But once she was out in the world, she quickly realized that the most essential thing for survival was money.
A discarded Shining had to struggle just to keep living.
“I’d prefer it if you didn’t stay longer than a month.”
As expected, her answer was favorable—just as he had predicted.
