73 – Cypress Mosaic

“But, ​Mr. ​Lockhart, ​you ​also…”

“That’s why I ​wore ​a ​turtleneck. ​Unlike ​some people, I came ​well-prepared ​for the weather ​here. Wrap it ​tightly ​a ​few ​times.”

Lorenz ​had ​already turned around ​and ​was ​petting Toby. His ​resolute back seemed to ​say that ​there was ​no point ​in trying ​to ​give ​it back.

Elian fiddled ​with the ​end of the muffler ​draped around his neck ​and murmured softly.

“……Thank you.”

As ​Lorenz had ​suggested, ​he wrapped it around his neck ​two or three more ​times. ​Though ​he ​had ​only covered his ​neck, warmth ​spread ​through his entire ​body ​as if he were wrapped ​in a ​thick ​blanket. Yet, a ​slight ​chill ​suddenly ​ran ​down his ​spine. ​Perhaps he ​had caught a cold as a price ​for failing to ​properly gauge the ​weather here.

Lorenz, having bundled ​up both ​Elian and Lucas, ​wore ​a satisfied expression.

“Now, ​shall we go ​roast some ​marshmallows?”

Lucas ​responded with ​a ​smile and ​reached ​his arms ​toward ​the ​sky. [visit our site][Read on Read BL Novels]Woof, woof! ​Toby ​barked a ​couple ​of ​times ​as if wanting to join in. Lorenz stroked the dog’s head with a faint, barely visible smile.

The expedition began to retrace their steps for the return journey. This time, everyone moved side by side in a single line. Just like the three people in the painting Lucas had drawn. Then, suddenly, Lucas let go of Elian’s hand and ran forward with all his might. Toby ran after him. Two fond gazes watched the scene. From the west, beyond the river, the world began to be dyed in red—a nostalgic color.

■

Lucas was completely absorbed in learning how to roast marshmallows over the fireplace. In the meantime, Elian asked for Lorenz’s understanding and slipped away. His excuse was that he wanted to look around the villa.

After touring the first floor, he headed to the second. His steps were cautious as he climbed the creaking, old stairs. He meticulously examined every single frame hanging on the landing. However, just as it had been on the floor below, the object Elian was searching for was nowhere to be seen.

The second floor also had a small living area, similar to a family room.

Approaching the window, Elian pulled back the linen curtains a bit more. The Hudson River stretched out refreshingly below the hill. The sunset, spreading wide across the sky, reached the forests and cliffs far across the river. It was a landscape like a scene from a movie. It was hard to believe that a metropolis like Manhattan was only an hour away; there was nothing around but silent nature.

Elian’s gaze shifted back inside.

Inside the display cabinets, family photos on the sideboard, frames hanging in the hallway… He searched the second floor thoroughly, but in the end, he couldn’t find any particular clues anywhere.

Far from anything related to a crescent moon, not even the Lockhart family crest was visible here. Was it because this wasn’t a villa owned by the Lockhart family?

According to Margaret, this stolen contentvilla was visit our sitean inheritance left to Lorenz by his mother, not his father, Damon Lockhart.

Elian picked up one of the many decorated frames.

It was a photo of a young Lorenz with a puppy that resembled Toby. The background was the driveway in front of this very villa.

In the photo, Lorenz, who looked to be only six or seven years old, already possessed a firm gaze and a stubborn set to his mouth. His posture, which was correct to the point of being overbearing, was particularly impressive—looking exactly like he did now.

When he had decided to come here after consulting with Lorenz…

His greatest hope was that there would be progress in Lucas’s situation, but that wasn’t all. There was also the hope that he might find something related to the Clinical Trial.

The crescent moon painting that had been hanging inside the North River Biomedical building.

Or perhaps even a crescent moon badge that the employees wore on their lapels…

But in the end, he found no link to the Clinical Trial here either.

“You didn’t think you’d find out easily, did you?”

Vincent was right.

Uncovering secrets from this giant griffin would not be an easy task. Furthermore, having observed him up close, Lorenz was a man more thorough than anyone, almost to the point of obsession. If he were the mastermind behind the Clinical Trial, there was no way he would have carelessly left evidence lying around. Even if the mastermind were Joshua, the situation would be no different.

This level isn’t enough.

I have to be able to access deeper places.

Deep enough to enter closed doors. Deep enough to open the drawers of his bedroom…

Elian’s grip tightened on the frame.

He looked down at the child in the photo once more. From the child, who was stiff like a soldier, he could feel a strong sense of pride and self-esteem. But at the same time, he glimpsed a suffocating obsession. It was the kind of tension often seen in children who are strict with themselves—those who crumble from the smallest mistake. It was likely a mark carved in by Damon Lockhart’s harsh upbringing.

If he had encountered such a child at the center, there would have been a high probability of judging them as a child in need of intervention.

Elian returned the frame to its original place.

He felt as though he wouldn’t be able to forget the green eyes of the young Lorenz, desperately longing for someone’s help, for a long time.

When he returned to the living room downstairs, the thirty-two-year-old Lorenz was kneeling on one knee in front of the fireplace. He was just about to pick up another piece of firewood. The series of movements—carefully placing the wood on [unauthorized copy]the [Read on Read BL Novels]embers, adjusting the position of the logs for better airflow, and tidying the ash with tongs—was quite [unauthorized copy]skillful. It was somewhat unexpected, as he had an image of someone who would leave such tasks entirely to the employees.

Behind Lorenz, in a spot not too close to the flames, Lucas was fast asleep. Lying on his side on the carpet, using a cushion as a pillow and covered with a blanket, the child’s body rose and fell in a small, regular rhythm. The long ears of the doll he held peeked out from under the blanket, and Toby lay beside him, half-closing his eyelids while basking in the warm fire.

It was a scene that naturally brought a fond smile to one’s face.

A child who, until not long ago, couldn’t take a single step out of his room,

was now sleeping by Lorenz’s side,

in this place he had visited for the first time,

without his caregiver or Elian.

It meant that he now trusted him completely and felt safe by his side.

Approaching the fireplace, Elian lowered his voice so as not to wake the child.

“It’s a wonderful place.”

Setting down the tongs, Lorenz looked back.

“Is it?”

Dusting off his palms, he returned to his spot on the carpet where drinks and snacks were spread out. He then invited Elian to sit.

“It doesn’t feel like the outskirts of New York. I’d believe it if you told me I was in the Surrey region of England. I could see quite far across the river from the second floor. The view is great.”

“Have you been to Surrey?”

“Only for a short stop on the way from London to Bath.”

“For travel?”

“Yes. I took a trip around Europe for about a month during my summer break in high school.”

“Backpacking, was it?”

It was a question that brought back nostalgic memories. A faint smile appeared on Elian’s lips as he searched his memory.

“That’s right. To save money, I stayed [visit our site]in guest houses and there [visit our site]unauthorized copywere times I ate nothing but sandwiches for three days straight.”

“Judging by your expression, it seems you enjoyed it nonetheless. Though it sounds like you suffered quite a bit.”

“Even if I took the wrong turn or missed a train, it was all just fun. At that age, anything is enjoyable as long as you’re with a friend.”

“’At that age.’ It wasn’t that long ago, was it?”

Lorenz chuckled. It was a laugh that seemed to tease a teenager pretending to be an adult. At the attitude of being treated like a child, Elian hurriedly added, almost as an excuse.

“I’m younger than you, Mr. Lockhart, but I’ve finished graduate school. So, high school was naturally a long time ago.”

“Hmm, seeing how you get worked up over age, I think you really are still a child.”

“……”

Elian clamped his lips shut. He couldn’t help but admit that his words were true to some extent. Lorenz was simply teasing him in his own way, and reacting sensitively to it was precisely the proof that he was the younger one.

Lorenz, who had been glancing at Elian’s reaction and chuckling, asked tentatively.

“By the way, you mentioned a friend…”

“I traveled with Vincent.”

“Hmm.”

The conversation, which had been flowing naturally until then, suddenly cut off.

Letting out an ambiguous sigh, Lorenz picked up a glass containing an amber-colored drink. Then, handing another glass from the tray to Elian, he changed the subject.

“Drink some of this. You don’t seem very interested in the cocoa.”

“What… is this?”

“Apple cider. It’s been warmed up.”

Elian hesitantly took the glass. Noticing his reluctant expression, Lorenz let out a chuckle.

“I guess you’ve never had it?”

“Warm fruit drinks are somehow a bit…”

“I really think you are a child.”

Lorenz murmured in a voice laced with amusement.

“Try it. It’ll help you relax. It’s not just Lucas’s body that’s grown cold.”