C12—- The Runaway Bride XI

It was well known among the nobles that Count Augustine had no children and no lovers.

 

This was extremely rare. These days, almost every nobleman had two to three lovers – they were basically high society social flowers, one born more delicate than the other.

 

The Earl was a loner, they didn’t even see a woman’s shadow around him.

 

A bachelor, especially a rich, noble bachelor, was undoubtedly extremely popular. The Earl of Cumberland, with whom he often interacted, also moved to marry his sister to him, he privately and quietly hinted to Augustine many times.

 

But the Count didn’t seem to understand, he didn’t even give a half-hearted response. He was still as unsmiling as ever to the dainty Miss Cumberland, who couldn’t even get a glance from him.

 

The Earl of Cumberland was so distressed that his wife finally suggested, “Why don’t you ask Augustine to come and sit at the manor? He rarely visits people’s homes, so I’m afraid he doesn’t know the benefits of having a wife and children.”

 

This was a valid point. The Count and Countess of Cumberland had just conceived a boy, who hadn’t yet been baptized. He looked at the little sleeping face in the nanny’s arms and reached out to tease the baby’s cheek.

 

The next day, he invited Augustine to his home.

 

That was the first time Augustine saw the child.

 

The child was different from what he had imagined, and different from those painted on the church frescoes. In fact, such a soft and fragile mass seemed pink. He slept soundly in that crib, breathing too lightly, his little body stretched and undulated, Augustine had to reach out and probe the child’s nose to be sure he was alive.

 

 

His eyes lingered on him for a long time, and the Countess noticed, she winked at her husband, smiled and asked him to hold it.

 

Augustine’s brows furrowed.

 

“Can I?”

 

“Of course,” the Countess’s smile widened and she placed the child gently in his arms. She saw the lord stiffen, as if he had been turned into a wooden statue, she couldn’t find a place in his arms, so she instructed him gently, “You can hold his back.”

 

He was soft and gentle, with a milky scent, as if he could melt away in his hands.

 

Thin and tender, with a neck so thin and a hand so small that it wasn’t much longer than his thumb.

 

It took Augustine a while to learn how to rock him gently, he watched the boy put his face close to his chest and fall sleep soundly.

 

“Little Nolan doesn’t have a godfather yet, if you don’t mind ……”

 

Augustine’s movements paused. The Earl of Cumberland actually didn’t have any expectations, he knew that Augustine was out of touch, distant, and had remarkable merit, even in the face of the royal family, he most likely wouldn’t agree.

————————

Augustine watched him grow up with hidden joy, watched him toddle around and learn to speak. Seeing him stagger into his arms, his hands gently wrapped around him.

 

 

There was only one thing lacking in his heart, the child didn’t belong to him.

 

Augustine didn’t want anyone else. No matter how bright-eyed and cute the other children were, he only wanted this one. He wanted to be the closest person to this child.

 

But little Nolan still had his parents.

 

Until late that night when little Nolan was five years old, a servant knocked hastily at the door of Augustine Manor. The Cumberland Manor was on fire, the Countess wasn’t able to escape, the castle was in chaos, and the young master had to be temporarily placed in the care of his godfather.

 

The boy, still holding the toys Augustine had made for him, stood at the door, looking fearful, but he held back his tears. It was only when he saw his godfather that he pounced on him and buried his head in the other’s lap, with a sob in his voice.

 

“Godfather ……”

 

Augustine patted his back, but his heart quietly relaxed.

 

He didn’t let his godson go back, and had since left him in the care of his manor. A month later, when the Earl of Cumberland died of a genetic disease, his godson had even less reason to go back.

 

Augustine raised him himself.

 

 

He watched the boy grow from a child to a young man, and the whole manor came to life because of him. His godson became more and more talented every day, and Augustine gradually began to see him in a different light.

 

However, these were just sprouts, the godfather didn’t dare to really think.

 

He knew that he loved the boy. But exactly what kind and what degree of love, he couldn’t tell.

 

In the year of Nolan’s coming of age, Augustine prepared a banquet for many guests. His godson was polite and courteous during the banquet, and he had a great personality and humor, many people noticed. Before the end of the banquet, people quietly went to Augustine to inquire, asking whether Nolan had a woman of his choice.

 

Somehow, this question was like a green olive to the godfather. He felt a sour and bitter taste and it stuck in his throat, unable to go up or down.

 

“Naturally not.”

 

He responded indifferently.

 

But the man didn’t believe him, “How can you be so sure? At this age, it is a good time for children ……”

 

 

The godfather said in a cold voice: “He won’t have.”

 

 

His words were cold and hard, like a block of iron, and at once the man who asked the question lost face and turned his head away.

 

How could he have?

 

The godfather thought to himself, “My godson…”

 

His godson, naturally, should only love him.

 

He stood at the window with a sullen expression, his godson, realizing what was going on, came over to him.

 

“Are you not feeling well?” His godson said, “You look awful.”

 

He surveyed his godfather, a little worried.

 

“You haven’t eaten anything, would you like some water?”

 

He went and poured a glass of water, Augustine wouldn’t have refused him even if he didn’t want to drink it. He lowered his head, but through the wall of the glass, he vaguely saw a bruise on the teenager’s hand, like a slithering snake, lying on his inner veins.

 

He frowned furiously, “What is this?”

 

His godson followed his gaze, but didn’t care, “Perhaps it was accidentally hit somewhere. You–”

 

He looked up and was startled by the look in his godfather’s eyes. His eyes were dark and deep, a look he had never seen before.

 

The godfather didn’t even stay for another moment. He lifted himself hastily to his feet and went to the doctor.

 

He remembered that the Earl of Cumberland before the onset …… also had such bruises in the same position.

 

 

The doctor came to check Nolan’s health.

 

 

“I’m afraid he won’t last the year ……” he said to the godfather, “even with careful care, it is impossible for him to fully recover ……”

 

A hereditary illness that couldn’t be healed, the Church called it the handwork of the devil.

 

Count Augustine’s chest rose and fell violently a few times, he couldn’t respond.

 

 

The doctor was at his wits’ end and could only politely advise him, “If you wish, you might as well prepare the young master for the afterlife sooner rather than later.”

 

…… afterlife.

 

What afterlife?

 

The godfather didn’t want such an afterlife.

 

 

His godson had become his at such a young age, how could he be turned into white bones in a coffin?

 

He couldn’t sleep night after night, and several times when the godson opened his eyes, he would see his godfather standing at the foot of his bed. The man was holding a candlestick in his hand, looking at him steadily.

 

Since it was a familiar person, Nolan wasn’t frightened, but he was inevitably confused, “Godfather?”

 

“……”

Count Augustine didn’t answer, but his hand stroked his forehead.

 

He finally made up his mind.

 

 

The Church couldn’t save his godson, he could only find help from the midst of hell.

 

And then, he searched for months, and finally found a way to summon the demon from the possessed farmer. The Butler helped him draw the spell with blood, and the godfather waited alone in the middle of the night to see if a demon would answer his request.

 

After a long time, a voice asked him lazily: “Did you call for me?”

 

The Godfather replied, “Yes.”

 

“So, what do you want?”

 

The Godfather’s voice was cold and hard.

 

“…… I want my godson to live.”

 

 

“Then I can’t help,” the demon said sweetly, “What do you mean by alive?”

 

In the middle of the spell, a man gradually appeared. The godfather knew from just one glance that this wasn’t a living person, this person’s skin was pale, he was obviously not breathing, his neck and head had extremely obvious signs of stitching, it even had a visible long thread.

 

But the man bowed to him and spoke in a voice that was uncharacteristic, “My lord.”

 

“Do you want him to live like this?” The demon said, his voice full of compulsion, “I can make your godson like this. He will never decay, and even after a thousand years, he will still be this way.”

 

 

“But in contrast, you must grant me a request.”

 

“I like the eyes of your godson, and I like the soul of your godson -”

 

 

He spoke slowly, finally revealing a pair of blood-red eyes from the middle of that spell. Those eyes peered around wistfully, and before the godfather knew it, it had appeared on the walls of his godson’s room. It greedily surveyed his face, sweeping its gaze up and down.

 

 

Something unprecedentedly delicious, something that even the demon wanted to have all to himself. From the first moment he saw him, he wanted to devour him straight into his belly.

 

 

“If he doesn’t behave himself ……”

 

 

“Then he, will be mine.”

 

The godfather closed his eyes, “Okay.”

 

 

“Very well,” the demon chuckled softly, lengthening the tone of his voice, “but I need something else-”

 

“It’s been too long since I’ve made a toy like this, I need practice.”

 

 

“Do you have someone you can give me to practice with?”

 

 

He spoke of people as if he was talking about livestock.

 

 

A little smile appeared on the corner of the godfather’s lips, “Me.”

 

 

The demon was stunned, obviously not expecting this answer.

 

“You?”

 

“-me.” The Godfather repeated, “I will be your test subject.”

“And I,” a sudden voice spoke from behind, he stood there with a candle flame, “I am also willing to be your test subject for the young master’s sake ……”

 

It was the butler.

 

He came down the stairs with an unnatural love burning in his eyes.

 

“With your permission ……”

 

They then both laid on the phalanx.

 

 

“I will make him beautiful,” The demon said as he emptied their flesh and blood, “and he’ll be fit for a wedding. He will look even more beautiful in a wedding dress than he will now.”

 

He hummed a little tune and pulled out a fine needle and thread.

 

“Get the best tailor, the fluffiest cotton–”

 

 

Little by little the Count became new. He closed his eyes, “He’s afraid of pain.”

 

 

The demon laughed and said warmly, “Don’t be afraid. …… If it’s him, I will use my fangs.”

 

“He will be senseless and become my bride.”

 

Thus.

 

The Godfather closed his eyes, thinking, that this was for the best.

 

When that day came, he would tell his godson, ‘don’t be afraid ……’

 

It won’t hurt.

 

When he opened his eyes again, they would both be the same “people” who would never die.

 

 

 

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2 Replies to “C12—- The Runaway Bride XI”

  1. Thank you fir your hsrd work! I’m really looking forward to what all the novel and the characters have to offer.

  2. This is such a well written story! I hope I can tell the actual author this as well.

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