The mansion had looked magnificent from a distance, but the interior was even more striking. The drawing-room was a gallery—every curtain, every chandelier, every piece of furniture was practically a work of art. The vast expenditure had avoided vulgarity entirely.

Perhaps the Aylesford chairman, even while raising his grandson as a prodigal, had an excellent aesthetic sense.

Jina wiped her eyes with a tissue and picked up the teacup. The gentle, flowery aroma filled the room, and the water was a beautiful amber color.

She took a sip. The aroma exploded in her mouth, quickly followed by the characteristic clean bitterness of fine black tea.

The sheer power of quality was a shock. Just one sip significantly calmed her mind. Jina subtly flipped over the saucer—a famous pottery brand, engraved with the Aylesford crest. Custom-made, of course.

Clink. She set down the teacup and pressed the throbbing ache in her head. To think I followed that man. I must be crazy, truly crazy.

The memory of what had just happened made her face burn with shame.

She’d seen him lick his hand and thought he was genuinely insane. But the next moment, his smile had vanished, replaced by an expression of moderate embarrassment—the kind of look any decent person would wear in a public scene.

Because of that, Jina had doubted her own sanity, convinced she’d hallucinated the strange intimacy.

That look is gone, so I’ll never know the truth.

Ah, why does this kind of thing have to be entangled with my life… Let go! Anger surged, irrational and hot. She resented Ian as if he were the one who had snatched away her salvation. She knew the thought was illogical, but the loss of that fragile hope made rational judgment impossible. The accumulated sorrow from the past year finally breached the dam, and she broke down, crying profusely, momentarily forgetting who was beside her.

She wept snot and tears, a pathetic, ugly spectacle. When she finally regained composure, she realized Ian was still holding her wrist.

He had guided her to his car, saying they should go inside.

I was just kicked out of there. You were told I was a potential threat to you. Looking toward the guards with her tear-streaked face, she saw them watching her and Ian with tense, wary expressions—a wry laugh escaped her at their sudden deference.

Just then, something heavy was draped over her shoulder: Ian’s coat. It smelled like a dense, dry forest. Where have I smelled this recently?

“Let’s go inside and talk for a bit.” Without releasing her wrist, he led her to the car. She no longer had the strength to push him away.

As they got in, the driver sped off urgently. The main gate, which had been so difficult to pass through—requiring queues and identity checks—opened with surprising ease. The car drove along the central, private path, not the winding route the cart had taken, and stopped directly in front of the main building.

As Ian got out with Jina, the secretary who came to open the door seemed momentarily flustered but quickly regained her composure.

Escort the guest to the drawing-room. Ian gave the order, then disappeared.

“Ha…” Jina took another sip of tea, then selected a cookie from the plate. She’d wanted more during the test, and she had certainly gotten it now. The staff had brought plenty, anticipating her need. She sampled all the varieties, finished her tea, and neatly organized her belongings.

Her earlier intention to throw away the bag the secretary had given her had completely vanished. She would use every single coupon tenaciously. She regretted not demanding more, not asking if this was truly all they were offering.

She stood up. Just then, a knock. Before she could return to her seat, the door opened, and Ian entered. Seeing Jina standing, he gestured to the sofa, a request for her to sit down. His sudden, polite demeanor made her pause her exit.

Once they were both seated, Ian spoke. “I have confirmed what happened. First of all… I apologize.”

The apology felt misplaced. He hadn’t been involved in any of today’s humiliation until the last minute.

“It’s fine. It’s not something you need to apologize for today.”

Ian gave a bitter smile, confirming her assessment that he was responsible for far greater matters. “And here, this is the contract that Miss Troll was unable to complete. I know you may still be upset, but if you are still willing to work here, may I ask you to sign it?”

What Ian presented was the same contract the secretary had snatched away moments ago.

He presented something Jina hadn’t expected, and she took the contract with a bewildered expression. The creases in the paper, proof of her furious examination moments earlier, were still visible.

She scanned it, top to bottom. Not a single term had been altered. It was the same perfect offer. She looked up from the page, her gaze sharp, and confronted Ian.

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking of hiring you.” His answer was utterly nonchalant.

“Why?” The question was heavy, demanding a genuine answer. There was no rational reason for him to rehire her now, not after the Aylesford Group had just rejected her. The terms were impossibly good; the line of applicants would wrap around the mansion twice. Her sensitive palate wasn’t a unique miracle.

“If you changed your mind because you pity me, I want to refuse. It’s not like this is the only place to get a job.”

Jina knew she was being stubbornly, stupidly defensive. She wouldn’t find a job with these conditions anywhere else, not now, maybe not ever. Yet, the words of refusal came out anyway. She thought she’d sold her pride for cash, but a stubborn kernel of it remained.

“It’s not like that. We were genuinely having trouble finding someone who could make edible food.”

“If the chairman’s taste has suddenly become so picky, wouldn’t it be better for him to go to the hospital than to find a new chef?”

Her advice was a mix of sarcasm and genuine concern. She knew the Aylesford chairman was in his eighties. This sudden, violent need for a new chef, this inability to eat—it sounded like a neurological problem, not a culinary one.

“Grandfather is fine. The trouble is on my end.”

His response instantly recalled the incident at the hotel. He had sent back the steak twice. At the time, she’d assumed he was just being an arrogant patron, but was he truly that sensitive?

“I’ve barely eaten meals at home lately. I’ve sought out famous restaurants in London, but there are still few that satisfy me.”

“……Someone who isn’t satisfied even by those renowned places is unlikely to be satisfied by my cooking.” She spoke with deliberate, sarcastic humility, but Ian’s expression remained unchanged.

“I was satisfied. The food that day was truly delicious.”

The only dish she had made that day was a lightly grilled steak. If it was delicious, it was the quality of Aylesford’s meat, not her minor contribution, that was responsible.

Jina stared at the contract. Honestly, she couldn’t accept this easy favor. She suspected he was playing some pathetic, manipulative game.

Perhaps he wanted to trample on her already broken pride and grind it into dust…

She’d known Ian had a vile personality from their first encounter. Though he had been acting like a gentleman since, the feeling that his current demeanor was a false flag was hard to shake.

“I heard someone was fired just two days after signing the contract. Wouldn’t it take me about a day?”

“……If you doubt my sincerity.”

Ian took the contract back and picked up a pen, writing something in the special conditions section at the very end.

“How about this condition?”

Jina took the contract and read the clause he had newly added.

“You’ll pay the annual salary upfront?”

“Yes. And even if you quit midway, I won’t ask for it back.”

The contract had already been perfect for Jina. Now, it had become truly unbelievable.

Jina snatched the pen he’d set down, signed the contract with a quick, decisive stroke, and shoved it back at him.

“I’m done signing, so do as you promised.” Her attitude was a challenge, a dare.

Ian left the drawing-room, his coat draped over his arm. As soon as he was in the hallway, he buried his nose in the fabric.

He sniffed greedily, like a dog searching for a buried bone, and muttered in a displeased voice.

“It’s faded.”

That night, he had licked every part of her. Her head, her face, her neck, her chest. He’d wanted more time, wanted to lick deeper, but had been forced to pull back. He had covered the coat thoroughly with his saliva, and now the scent had almost disappeared.

He had been planning to find her again soon anyway, but now she had come to him.

He found it amusing and pathetic how she was satisfied by simply adding a few human numbers to a piece of paper. With this, she had promised to stay within these walls, eliminating the need for him to seek her out.

“That’s a good thing.”

This mansion, surrounded by high walls and dense woods, was a place where he could avoid the gaze of other humans. As a predator, he would be able to take his fill of that delicious morsel.

Ian stuck out his tongue and licked his hand, right where Jina’s tears had touched him earlier. He savored the sensation, like a child sucking on a candy.

Ian took the signed contract and the coat, then returned to the drawing-room shortly after. He said in a light voice,

“They say the money has been deposited. Please check.”

Jina, who had been drinking her second cup of tea, opened her banking app. Her eyes nearly popped out when she checked her balance.

“One hundred fifty thousand pounds…?”

The special clause he had added—the annual salary for the first year was £150,000, to be paid immediately upon signing—had been honored. She had signed the contract quickly, daring him to go through with it. Now, in less than thirty minutes, the enormous sum was in her account, with the condition that it would not be returned even if she quit.

“What are you thinking?”

“Just as I said. I haven’t been able to eat properly for quite some time. But Miss Troll’s cooking was acceptable, wasn’t it? Grandfather won’t be able to complain if he knows. He’d probably welcome it, thinking it’s a big deal if I can finally eat.”

He claimed it was solely for his meals, with no other intentions.

“I’d like you to move in as soon as possible. If possible, starting this evening. Then, from tomorrow morning, I can eat the food Miss Troll makes.”

“So soon?”

“Your secretary mentioned you seemed eager to move, didn’t she?”

“That’s true, but…”

Getting out of her current apartment and saving money was a primary concern. Her hand tightened around the teacup. She felt like she had been on a wild roller coaster today: soaring high, plunging to the bottom, and now rocketing into the sky again. Her head was spinning.

Was this all a dream? The misery of the day, the warmth of the teacup—it was too vivid to be a fantasy. But the most unreal thing was the favor Ian Aylesford was showing her.

“I don’t understand why you’re being so nice.” She finally blurted out the words she’d been holding back. “You weren’t like this at first. Do you have another purpose?”

“Another purpose.” He didn’t immediately answer no. That, ironically, brought her a strange sense of relief. If he had answered no, it would have been an obvious lie.

“Yes. I clearly remember how much you looked down on me. And then you trespassed into the mansion, which was all a nuisance. You told your team members you wanted to see me in trouble, so you should visit more, didn’t you?”

Silence. He couldn’t deny it.

“Someone like that, at the hotel… you saved me. So, honestly, I’m very confused. I don’t understand why your attitude has changed so much.”

Had he truly forgotten? When she mentioned the hotel incident, Ian’s expression shifted, as if a sudden memory had surfaced. He seemed to ponder for a long time before finally speaking.

“Because I wanted to eat.”

“……What?”

“Because I have to eat.”

Ian answered, his eyes locking onto her with a sudden, intense glinting gaze—the look of an animal hunting its prey.

Is this how a mouse feels when a snake stares at it?

The moment their eyes met, Jina felt infinitesimally small, a being so insignificant she could be swallowed whole the moment he opened his mouth.

As the fear set in, she tried to pull back, but he let out a soft chuckle. The fear instantly evaporated.

“To put it simply, it’s about the succession of the Aylesford Group. My grandfather seems to have become impatient after last year’s events. And he’s demanded that I, as his successor, behave properly. Because of that, we’ve been moving around together since the start of the year. You know what kind of group Aylesford is, don’t you?”

Of course. In Britain, Aylesford was synonymous with the word ‘food.’

“But from the farms to the related restaurants, I can’t eat anything properly wherever I go. It’s like I’ve lost my appetite. Because of this, there are all sorts of speculations circulating about my health. Naturally, this leads to talk that I’m not fit to be a successor.”

“Anorexia… or something like that?”

“It’s not like that. I have no aversion to raw ingredients, and I can eat them. I don’t vomit. However, once it’s cooked, I lose my appetite. For some reason, things that people have touched seem disgusting to me. I managed to avoid speculative articles by eating well at a children’s cooking competition I attended recently. But I can’t hire children, can I?”

Ian continued to explain his bizarre condition.

“Doctors only say it’s a psychological issue, but they don’t know the exact cause. The reason they tested so many people and hired them was that the ones they managed to select could at least eat a bite.”

Having said that much, Ian gave a small, conspiratorial wink.

“It would be best not to mention what I’ve just told you to anyone. You might think, ‘What’s the big deal if my appetite is just picky?’ but there are quite a few stocks that will fluctuate based on that news alone.”

“…….”

Jina still wasn’t sure why he was treating her so well. As her doubt lingered, he adopted a serious expression.

“I understand why Miss Troll finds it strange. Until last year… I was probably an annoying brat who relied on my family’s money and power to cause trouble.”

It was a perfect, concise explanation.

“I intend to change a lot starting this year. You could say that Kno Diarg Mansion gave me a new opportunity. I felt I needed to change quite a bit after that incident.”

Indeed, he seemed like a different person after experiencing such a major event. People were rumored to change after a brush with death, and Ian appeared to be one of them.

“So, I hope you’ll forget all about my past actions. Of course, I’m not just asking you to do it for free. I know you’re having quite a bit of trouble with matters concerning the mansion. That’s why I’m suggesting you move in here as soon as possible.”

He paused, then continued, his voice persuasive.

“Besides, this salary, these conditions, will be a great help to you, won’t they? And… this job posting is a special case, but most people working at this mansion are long-term employees. As long as you don’t cause any trouble, you can work here for as many years as you wish.”

“Even if your eating disorder gets better?”

“Yes.”

Watching him answer so readily, Jina fell silent in thought. The annual salary was enormous, and the contract listed numerous special allowances. Enough to pay off a significant portion of her debts related to the Scottish mansion.

Some of those debts were caused by this man, but not solely. Colin, whose whereabouts were unknown, also bore responsibility.

Compared to Colin, who had vanished, Ian was standing here, providing her with the most necessary help.

Jina’s assessment of Ian improved slightly. Perhaps sensing this, he extended his hand for a handshake.

“Think of the old Ian Aylesford as dead.”

When he’d said he could arrange for her to move in that very day, Jina hadn’t believed him. The service industry in London was notoriously slow. When she’d moved into her current flat, she’d booked a cheaper company, only to be told they could only fit her in three weeks later. And then they hadn’t even shown up.

She expected a more expensive company to at least be competent, but she still expected delays.

Yet, barely one hour after Jina returned home, her phone rang. It was a moving company, asking what time they should arrive today.

“Today?”

📱—Yes, we heard you wanted to move today, didn’t we?

“That’s not it, but I just got home, so I haven’t organized my things at all.”

📱—You don’t need to worry about that. We’ll pack and move everything for you. Shall we come right away then? Oh, and if you have any large furniture, please let us know. We’ll send specialized personnel.

“There’s nothing like that. The bed belongs to the landlord, and my belongings are just clothes and books.”

📱—Understood. We’ll see you shortly then. Please pack your valuables separately beforehand.

The employee was exceedingly polite, friendly, and efficient. Jina couldn’t tell if she was speaking to a moving company or a high-end hotel concierge.

Twenty minutes later, the company arrived in a large truck, despite her small volume of luggage. After a quick look around Jina’s room, they went to work. They brought soft boxes and began packing everything. Their hands were so fast and precise that Jina could only stand by and watch. They were so thorough they seemed ready to pack even the trash.

“No, I’m throwing that away. Give it here.”

As she hastily gathered a few rolling pieces of trash, an employee picked something up from the table.

“Are we throwing this away too?” He pointed to a crumpled napkin.

Jina was about to tell him to throw it away, but she noticed the doodling covering the paper—drawings she’d made while waiting for Inspector Haywood.

“I’ll throw that away too. Please give it to me.” She put it in her pocket, intending to throw it away later. She missed the opportunity when an employee called her from outside.

The packing was finished in one hour. She took a photo of the tidy, empty room and sent it to her landlord, who quickly replied, saying she didn’t need to check in person and just asked her to leave the keys in the mailbox.

After the moving truck departed, as Jina was about to head to the bus stop, the door of a luxury car parked behind the truck opened. A driver stepped out.

“Would you like to go now?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Weren’t you heading back to Hampstead Heath? Please let us know if you have any other places you need to visit.”

The driver’s polite words flustered Jina. She hesitantly got into the car, sinking into the soft, comfortable seat. The car exited the narrow alley of her old life and headed straight for the mansion. The entire journey felt like floating on clouds.

The road that had required a long, complex journey by subway, bus, and foot during the day was covered quickly and comfortably.

The mansion’s barrier, which had firmly blocked her entry, lowered for the car, and they drove up the central path to the main building.

Even though she was just an employee, a secretary came out to open the door, just as she had for Ian.

“You’re here.”

The secretary who had handed her the contract was standing there. Her demeanor was completely different now.

Earlier in the day, she had been ruthlessly business-like, but now she was as friendly and kind as she had been in front of Ian.

Jina didn’t mind. Before signing the contract, she had been an outsider.

Her new, friendly attitude was a relief—it confirmed that she truly belonged here now.

“I’m sorry to rush you, but I’d like you to go to the kitchen right away. Dinner time isn’t far off.”

“Right now? Without even knowing what to make?”

“You have every ingredient imaginable, so just make it.” The secretary replied as if Jina’s worry was trivial. “Besides, we’re short on time!”

“Ian-nim already said a simple sandwich would be fine.”

Hearing the secretary refer to him as “Ian-nim” sent a shiver down Jina’s spine.

“Ian-nim? Do I have to call him that?” She frantically tried to recall the contract. Surely such a ridiculous clause would be burned into her memory.

“It’s not mandatory… but it would be nice if you could be a little mindful in front of the chairman. Though you probably won’t see him anyway.”

The secretary led Jina to a changing room and handed her a work uniform. The kitchen uniform also bore the Aylesford crest.

After changing, the secretary led her back down the corridor to the kitchen. It was different from the staff kitchen she had seen earlier—slightly smaller, but equipped with far more expensive and rare facilities. Jina was speechless, reminded of the ideal kitchens she’d only seen at exhibitions.

Three chefs were waiting for her there.

“Let me introduce her. This is Miss Jina Troll, who will be in charge of Ian-nim’s meals starting this evening.”

The chefs introduced themselves. They were all older, and one had even appeared in cooking magazines. Jina instinctively flinched, expecting hostility, but they seemed welcoming.

They’re more friendly than I expected?

She’d expected wariness, given that she was a sudden, unvetted addition to the team. Instead, they seemed relieved.

Upon hearing they had to prepare Ian’s meal, they kindly showed her where the ingredients were and offered help. Thanks to them, Jina was able to prepare his meal smoothly. Although a sandwich was an option, she couldn’t bring herself to make such a simple first offering. She chose quick, presentable dishes from her repertoire, preparing a generous meal.

As the secretaries took the meal away, Jina chatted with the other chefs while cleaning up. They told her the chairman had a special affection for Ian and had been extremely worried since Ian came to the mansion and barely touched his food.

So that’s why they were relieved when they heard Ian brought me himself.

A moment later, one of the people who had taken the food returned with a bright smile.

“He finished the sandwich.”

The elderly chefs clapped in relief. To get applause just for eating. What an extraordinary life. Jina shook her head.

After finishing the cleanup, the secretaries returned with the empty plates. There was no food left.

“That’s a relief. Now, I’ll show you to your room.” The secretary’s face was as bright as the chefs’. Ian’s meal was clearly that important to them.

She changed back into her clothes and followed the secretary. She expected to be led to the staff building, but the secretary headed toward the back of the main building, opened a door, and gestured for her to enter.

“This is the room for Miss Troll. Please check it.”

“This room?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“Didn’t the staff accommodation have its own building?”

“There are people who stay in the main building as well. Ian-nim specifically requested that Miss Troll be assigned to the main building, so we’ve arranged it here. It was in the contract, but he wants you to be ready to prepare late-night snacks immediately.”

“……” So, they had assigned her to the main building with the intention of having her on call 24 hours a day.

He did say he’d be busy, so it’s not like I’ll be working all day, though.

He would likely be attending events. Preparing late-night snacks wouldn’t be much of a chore. Considering the money he had sent, even preparing meals from breakfast to late-night snacks was a non-issue.

Jina went into the room. As expected of a room in the main building, it was quite formal and elegant. It had a private bathroom, and though the secretary called it small, it was about four times larger than her previous one. The antique furniture matched the mansion’s atmosphere. She almost asked if this was really her room, but closed her mouth, not wanting to sound pathetic.

The secretary reminded her to be on time for breakfast the next morning and then left.

Alone in the room, Jina lay down on the bed. The soft mattress and clean bedding enveloped her body, and her tense muscles relaxed.

“Really… money is a wonderful thing.”

Since the end of the year, every waking moment had been filled with crushing worry. She couldn’t find a way out of the darkness, but all of that had been resolved in an instant. The bleak future was starting to become visible again.

If I work here for a few years, I can pay it all off… but even if not, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The work here won’t be too difficult, so I can prepare for future endeavors.

As genuine smile bloomed on her face Jina got up from the bed, weary, and opened the door. She looked around, but there was no sign of anyone. The room is nice, but it’s surprisingly secluded. She actually liked it. Her previous room had terrible soundproofing.

She closed and locked the door again, then took out a change of clothes. She quickly washed up, put on her pajamas, and lay down. How long had it been since she’d slept so peacefully? Jina soon fell into a deep, deep sleep.

Then, she woke up with a strange feeling, her eyes meeting a gaze fixed upon her.

Deep blue eyes glinted in the darkness.

“……!”

She tried to scream in surprise, but her body wouldn’t move. Not only was her voice silenced, she couldn’t even lift a finger. She was frozen. Because of that, Jina couldn’t avert her gaze from the blue eyes staring at her.

The owner of the gaze was furious.

📱—I put something pathetic in my room.

The voice boomed and spread through her mind, carrying a terrible heat that threatened to burn her to ashes. Jina could only listen.

📱—Did you think it was useful after blocking me once? Did you think that insignificant thing could stop me?

She didn’t know. She had no idea what the other person was talking about, or why they were so angry. All she could do was tremble.

What was happening? More importantly, Who was it?

She desperately tried to recall her last memory. A good day. Money. Kind people. Comfortable accommodation… Jina’s mind flashed back to the unusually quiet corridor. And the room where no sound could be heard from the surroundings.

This was her room. In a corner of the Aylesford mansion. Who would dare intrude here…

📱—As I said, I came to eat.

The furious voice filling her mind shattered Jina’s reason. Her thoughts melted in the heat of the anger, becoming a jumbled mess. She could no longer think. The only thing she knew was that her only task was to obey.

A hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed Jina’s throat. The thick, long fingers of a man’s hand squeezed her neck, the veins on the back of his hand bulging with strain.

“Cough…!” Her breath was instantly cut off. She opened her mouth as wide as she could, but only a choking sound escaped. Unable to even twist her body, Jina endured the intense killing intent. That was what the other person wanted.

Her vision blurred from lack of air. Her mind grew hazy, and all her senses dulled. Just as she thought she was truly suffocating, the hand around her neck slightly loosened its grip.

“Cough!” Jina gasped for air, the instinct to survive screaming through her terror. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Then, her neck was squeezed again. Her body, having already reached its limit, became breathless even faster than before. Just before her eyes rolled back completely, the hand around her neck loosened its grip again.

Pushing her to the limit, giving a little slack. And then pushing again.

Jina realized the other person was enjoying this, like a cat toying with a mouse—not eating it, but slowly preventing escape. Her suffering brought them pleasure. Her neck was squeezed again. Realizing she couldn’t escape, Jina surrendered her body to the rapidly darkening consciousness. And then, she lost consciousness, convinced she might never wake up again.

Seeing Jina’s body hang limply, devoid of strength, he released his hand. He still wasn’t perfectly accustomed to using a human body. He had almost killed her.

But.

He turned his head, his eyes flickering with an inner fire. There lay a crumpled napkin.

He hadn’t been in good spirits for the past few weeks. Had someone noticed? His grandfather, the chairman, had asked.

“Is something wrong? Why do you look like that lately?”

“I can’t eat.”

He replied honestly, using a tone he was now accustomed to. The meal he had at the hotel was the last. Since then, he hadn’t eaten anything, and his limits were approaching.

Appetite was his everything. The single desire that had formed him from the moment he existed in the world. When he devoured everything in sight, swallowing living things, he felt his gnawing hunger subside for the first time. Satiety.

But that sensation was always fleeting. Soon, the hunger would make him gasp for air again. So, he ate, and ate, and ate.

His desire had sharpened during the long time he spent trapped in darkness. So, when he finally emerged, he thought he could begin a joyous hunt, but it wasn’t so. Humans were everywhere, yet he couldn’t devour them as he pleased.

When the chairman heard he couldn’t eat, he became flustered. It wasn’t something the chairman needed to worry about. However, he tried harder to adapt to human society. That way, he wouldn’t be trapped in darkness this time and could devour them all.

And then, that human.

“Good day, Mr. Ian Aylesford. Inspector Andy Haywood. I’m contacting you because I have some questions regarding Kno Diarg Mansion.”

A human with a sharp voice contacted him.

“As a successor to a major corporation, you must have been very busy attending various events. I spoke with Mr. Jeremy Carrington…” The man spoke casually, but asked about the events at the hotel at the end of the year. He was cunning.

If it were the original Ian, he would have foolishly blurted out clues. But the current ‘Ian’ was not. Even through the machine, he could feel the human’s heartbeat and the tension in his pupils. The cunning glint characteristic of humans who set traps only made him feel more disgusted.

“Regarding what Mr. William Evans insisted upon before his death. The whereabouts of Mr. Colin Parker. Everyone claimed to have no memory while they were unconscious, but perhaps…”

He wanted to find the source of this immediately and swallow it whole. However, those called police moved in packs and were sensitive to each other’s whereabouts. He suppressed the rising anger and ended the call as ‘Ian.’

After that, he immediately ordered the driver to take him to the mansion. He had another evening engagement, but he didn’t have the luxury to care.

He had already spotted a human among the mansion staff who looked edible. No matter how things turned out, he needed to chew on something to quell this anger and hunger.

Then, just as he was almost arriving, he saw a human walking down the street. A human walking with tears streaming down their face, clutching a paper bag tightly. Jina Troll.

He immediately shouted for the car to stop.

As soon as he opened the door and stepped onto the street, he had to take a deep breath. The path Jina Troll had walked was filled with a sweet scent. His body trembled violently. Just smelling it calmed the sharp hunger that had been clawing at him. At the same time, he craved it.

I want to eat it. I want to eat that.

So, he approached and grabbed her. Seeing her startled gaze made his insides churn.

He wanted to swallow her whole, leaving not a single strand of hair, regardless of whether there were other humans around.

How satisfying it would be to chew her up, leaving no bone behind. Perhaps he wouldn’t feel hunger for several years.

But his mind, mixed with human consciousness, made him think of the aftermath. It would be an incredibly satisfying meal if he devoured her immediately. But what about afterward? Would he be able to eat something like this again? He couldn’t end this pleasure all at once.

Troll was in worse condition than before. Her wrists were thinner, and her face bore the fatigue common to low-status humans.

I have to take her.

If he brought her into the mansion, she would become more appetizing, like the other humans there.

So, he made her stay in the mansion in a human way. When he promised money, she smiled brightly without even knowing who she was dealing with.

He reached out without hesitation and began to undress her. He wanted to tear her clothes off, but he knew that would make her suspicious, so his touch was gentle.

As the buttons were undone one by one, revealing her bare, pale chest, he immediately opened his mouth and bit into it.

Slurp. Slurp.

The sounds of him greedily sucking on her flesh filled the room. Like a starving child, he sucked on human flesh. The taste had lingered in his mouth since he had tasted it once at the hotel.

As he moved his tongue, enjoying the elasticity, the tip of her breast quickly hardened, just like last time.

He slipped his arm beneath Jina’s waist, lifted her body, and buried his face deeper. Her full breasts were crushed mercilessly against his sharp nose.

“It’s almost all gone.”

He had licked and licked it before, marking it with his scent. So, he could find her wherever she was, and so that others would know she was his and not dare to covet her.

He knew that beings similar to him were now almost gone. Especially in this vast city, their existence was only faintly present in the deep shadows of the ancient underground.

There were no beings who dared to covet what was his. Nevertheless, he meticulously applied his scent.

Mine. What I will eat.

“Ngh…”

As he meticulously applied his scent to her chest, a faint sound escaped her lips, which had only been letting out strained breaths. He lifted his head.

Her mouth, wide open in pain, remained so. He gazed intently at the sight, then slowly lowered his head, pressing his lips against her parted mouth.

Slurp.

His tongue, which had been holding back its hunger, swirled inside the mouth full of sweetness. He came to know the truth: the inside was even more delicious.

His tongue tangled with Jina’s. The rough tongue dug deep, not content to swirl around, but probing her throat. The body he held trembled—a movement he quite liked. It was similar to the helpless wriggling of a bird pleading for its life. Her struggling, which felt like a helpless plea, only excited him further as he savored the taste.

More. Open wider.

Licking away the viscous saliva frantically, he tried to delve deeper. Her tongue moved to push him away, but it was useless.

“Ngh, hht, hngh……”

As her breath caught again, a sound of struggle escaped between their joined lips. But this sound was distinctly different from pain.

As he frantically rummaged inside Jina’s mouth, he grasped and pulled the tip of the breast he had been sucking moments before.

“Ungh……!”

Her body jolted so violently that his body, on top of her, swayed. At the same time, her tongue, which had been trying to push him away, wrapped around his.

“Ah……”

He stopped moving. His lower body was stirring again. Having experienced this once before, he knew how to satisfy this inexplicable contentment.

Without withdrawing his tongue from her still-slick mouth, he grabbed her lower garment with one hand and pulled it down. Her drawers were stretched taut, almost tearing.

He took Jina’s hand and rubbed it over the rising bulge. Her breathing grew ragged. Even as he held her utterly weak body, he didn’t dislike the sensation of her breath catching.

He applied more force, rubbing her hand against his lower body. Inside the fabric, a massive pillar of flesh shifted under her hand.

As he let her grasp it slightly and stroke it up and down, a tingling sensation spread through his entire body.

Precum began to ooze from his penis, pulsing against the fabric. The wet cloth clung, making the outline of his arousal more distinct.

He let out a short groan, having savored the tingling for a long time. The stain on the fabric deepened. As if frustrated, he irritably pulled down his drawers, using Jina’s hand. It was slower, but he strangely preferred it this way.

As soon as his underwear was lowered, his penis sprang out and swayed. Despite having ejaculated once already, it had not lost its strength. When she held the half-erect member and made her grasp it, it quickly regained its hardness.

As he continued to rub it against her, pressing it against his abdomen, the wet sounds grew louder, and her hand became smeared with semen.

He paused his movements and lifted his head. A long strand of saliva, its origin indistinguishable, stretched like silver thread. Regretfully, he lowered his face, licking her lips, then looked at Jina and swallowed his disappointment.

Semen, which he had ejaculated, pooled in her palm. His gaze lingered there, then he moved his hand and unbuttoned the rest of the buttons below her breasts.

As her pale abdomen was revealed, he poured the semen pooled in his hand onto it. Then, he used Jina’s hand to spread it widely across her belly.

A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he looked at her abdomen, stained with his semen.

This was a human expression he had grown quite accustomed to. What came from below had a stronger smell than saliva. That, too, was his scent.

“Haa……” He exhaled languidly and pulled Jina into an embrace. Their stomachs pressed together, and his penis, caught between them, was pressed against their bodies.

“Eu, ng……” As his penis moved slightly to spread the semen wider, her body flinched. He liked that, so he continued to move his hips.

“Haa, ha……” It was ecstatically good. So good that he forgot his hunger for a moment, so engrossed was he, so much so that all the anger that had been building up within him vanished.

He etched the delicious and pleasurable things into his mind: licking her mouth, caressing her breasts, rubbing his lower body.

How satisfying would it be to do this together?

He acted on his thoughts without hesitation. At another time, he might have paid more attention to his surroundings.

But this was a secluded spot in the main building. Moreover, all the humans he had encountered on his way here were trembling, having lost their reason.

Even after he had tasted his fill and left, the humans would remember nothing.

“Hup.” As three places were stimulated simultaneously, Jina’s neck slowly bent backward. Annoyed that she was trying to escape his mouth, he swallowed her lips again and tangled his tongue with her soft tongue down to its root. He liked her plump tongue. As if giving her a reward, he chewed it gently, and she drooled. Naturally, he swallowed it all.

Delicious.

Should I bind this and make her drool forever?

It gave him a sense of fullness that was hard to come by. If he had only this, he thought he wouldn’t need anything else.

He thought about what this body could do. It was a powerful one, even among humans. More precisely, it was the power of an old human who cherished this one. A human who doted on his bloodline would, if he wished, easily confine another human.

Ah, if he did that.

He ejaculated again in satisfaction. He was pleased with the thick scent of himself filling the room. If he kept ejaculating until his hair was soaked and dripping semen, wouldn’t the scent linger for a very long time?

Then, suddenly, he felt a pang of regret. He liked his own scent lingering, but the stronger his scent, the more it erased her unique fragrance.

How wonderfully she smelled…

He squeezed the breast in his hand with all his might. The elastic flesh was crushed into a mess.

On the day he would devour this body, he decided to eat this place last. Something that exuded such a wonderful scent must surely taste good too.

He gleefully massaged the flesh he would eat someday. Like his own lower body, he found it amusing that this part also hardened when stimulated.

Just as he was considering spending the time until morning like this, it happened.

“……?”

He noticed a scent, sweeter than the saliva he had swallowed, wafting towards him. A spark ignited in his languid eyes. The beastly glint, dulled by mingling with humans, flashed in his pupils.

It was definitely her scent. But it was a fragrance that made his mouth water far more than any he had smelled before.

Sniff, sniff.

He buried his face from the top of Jina’s head, sniffing. He didn’t forget to lick her face once to sate his hunger. His face moved, following the scent, past her neck, her breasts, her abdomen. And finally, he found its source.

Beneath her pants, between her legs.

It was a scent from deep within.

He immediately grabbed Jina’s lower garment and pulled it down. The training suit she wore as pajamas came down with ease.

Hook, the scent he sought rushed towards him. He was momentarily dazed by the dizzying sensation that assaulted him. His saliva, which had dripped down unnoticed, ran down his chin, but he didn’t care.

He immediately buried his nose in the source of the scent.

“Here.”

The bridge of his nose rubbed against the thin fabric covering her legs. Like his own drawers, her lower garment was also wet. He buried his face between her legs. His tongue moved so busily that he thought the thin fabric might wear through.

Hup.

He closed his eyes in ecstasy. This was not the first time he had seen a wet Human Female. A very long time ago, when he had swallowed humans he had mated with, he had seen this area become a messy, wet mess. But it didn’t smell like this. So this must be Jina Troll’s scent.

“What is this?” He murmured softly as he licked frantically. As his hot breath touched the heavily soaked underwear, her thigh, which he held, trembled, and the plump flesh beneath the fabric twitched.

Then, the scent grew even stronger. The reaction intrigued him, so he exhaled more hot breath between her legs.

The stain grew larger. His penis, which had momentarily lost its strength, once again stood erect, just like before.

He recalled the memories of humans he had swallowed.

“Ah.” He remembered an act that a human named Ian had enjoyed. Pushing this erect member inside. Like all beasts, humans reproduced in that manner. Humans even found pleasure in that act.

He was already excited, his body aching all over, and there was something even better than this.

His face was full of smiles. This meat offered him new amusement the more he tasted it.

Now that he had brought her into his nest, he could taste every part of her as he pleased. Just like now.

It was when he exhaled a rough breath and inserted his finger inside the fabric.

Woof! Woof!

The sound of dogs barking echoed from afar.

“……!”

He immediately lifted his head. Dogs were animals that served only humans. That was why they were his most hated animals. If it weren’t for them, he would have eaten many more humans in the past. Because they would notice if he approached and bark, humans would escape while he was tearing them apart. Yet, those four-legged beasts were loyal to humans.

He withdrew his hand from the place that was wet enough to be sticky. His fingertips were now gooey. He stuck out his tongue and licked his wet hand. It tasted different from the inside of her mouth. As he licked, the taste made his body tremble, driving him mad.

I didn’t know this.

If he had known there was something so delicious flowing between a Human Female’s legs, he would have caught her and licked it after tearing her open. He sighed, recalling the countless beings he had swallowed.

He wanted to bury his face there again, but he no longer had the leisure. The barking was getting closer. Humans had an instinct to be wary of the sound of their barking.

Therefore, there was a risk that the humans he had placed under suggestion might regain their senses.

Of course, Jina Troll, who was lying before him with her legs wide open and unconscious, was no exception.

If this one regained consciousness and saw his current state, and became suspicious, she would know this place was not safe and try to escape. He had no intention of letting that happen. With his scent permeating her, she was his now.

He leaned close to her ear, which was panting, and whispered.

“Wash up and go back to sleep.”

“Eu, ng……” Jina answered slowly to his command. Pleased with the docile attitude of his prey, he stroked all the parts he had licked with his hand as if rewarding her.

Then, seeing the marks left on her neck, he stopped. In his uncontrollable rage, the marks were deeper than he had expected.

The marks were not just on her neck. Her breasts, her abdomen, and between her legs. Especially the hand marks on her neck and the bite marks on her breasts would not disappear even if she washed.

“Tsk.” He ran his hand over the marks he had left. The traces gradually disappeared. In the past, he used to erase his marks like this to use the humans he caught as bait. Before long, Jina’s body was clean again, without any traces.

As he was about to turn away, he remembered an action humans performed at such times from the memories he had swallowed.

He swept aside her sweat-drenched hair with one hand, tidying it. Then, he pressed his lips against Jina’s, which were slightly parted as she exhaled.

He wanted to leave the marks behind.

As the luxury sedan stopped in front of the main building, a waiting secretary quickly approached. A dog with mixed white and brown fur poked its head out of the half-lowered window, barking ferociously.

As the secretary fumbled to open the door, the dog was the first to dart out. Chairman Aylesford emerged slowly behind it.

Arthur Aylesford, eighty years old, was remarkably healthy. His upright posture, stiff neck, and sharply shining eyes gave him the bearing of a monarch who had built and maintained an empire. He commanded the dog, which was barking madly at the mansion.

“Be quiet.”

“Kkiiing……” The dog tucked its tail at its owner’s command. Nevertheless, it stood in front of the chairman, glaring at the mansion.

“What is it about this mansion that makes you act like this?”

“Chairman, this dog…?” The secretary was flustered by the unfamiliar animal. The chairman stroked its head and said, “Can’t you tell? It’s a hunting dog. I raised it at the Sandringham hunting grounds, but I had to return in a hurry.”

The chairman casually mentioned the royal hunting grounds. At the end of the year, his grandson had nearly killed Carrington’s grandson, shattering that relationship.

Although they had officially buried the incident, they had not buried the resentment. As proof, the Carrington family had begun to sever ties with anything Aylesford-related, including expelling the dogs they had managed together.

Seeing the many hunting dogs that arrived at the headquarters today, the chairman clicked his tongue. He instructed his secretaries to send them to a facility, but personally brought one of the most intelligent ones with him.

“Where is Ian?” the chairman asked as he headed inside.

“He returned early. And he ate his meal.”

At the mention of eating, the chairman stopped.

“He ate? Is he alright again?”

“We hired a new cook today. He ate all the dinner that person made.”

“Hoo.” The chairman exclaimed in admiration. “That’s good. Who is it?”

“Well, that is…”

As the secretary hesitated, the chairman looked at him with a cold gaze.

“It’s a woman named Jina Troll…”

“It’s a name I recall. Yes, surely… isn’t that the name of the owner of the Scottish mansion?” His still sharp mind recalled her identity. The chairman, who personally verified anything related to his grandson, had reviewed all reports related to the Kno Diag incident.

“How did that woman get in here? Didn’t you verify her credentials?”

“No! The secretariat confirmed her affiliation and sent her away without a contract. However, as Mr. Ian was returning to the mansion, he personally brought the woman with him…”

“Ian? Personally?”

As suspicion flickered in the chairman’s eyes, the secretary nodded desperately.

“Yes. According to the driver, he spoke with the woman after getting out of the car and then put her in the car. After that, a employment contract was signed at the mansion, and she started working this evening.”

“And he ate all of that meal?”

“Yes.”

“Anything else?”

“Mr. Ian personally ordered her accommodation to be assigned to the main building.”

“……” The chairman’s face soured. “I recall she was a young woman… what did she look like?”

The secretary, guessing the chairman’s concern, answered cautiously. “She has features strongly characteristic of an East Asian. She looks younger than her age… and I consider her attractive.”

“Tsk.”

The chairman frowned at the word “attractive.” He was well aware of his grandson’s history with women.

Before the Scottish incident, Ian had brought women home almost daily. He had warned him sternly about drugs, so Ian had indulged in sex instead, often with multiple women a night.

However, after the incident, Ian had become like a different person and no longer brought women around. The chairman worried this habit might resurface.

Just then, someone emerged from the mansion. It was Ian.

“Grandfather.”

At the sound of his name, a gentle smile spread across the chairman’s face.

“Oh, Ian.”

Outside, he was a manager who would fire thousands of employees at once for no reason, but to his own family, he was a surprisingly gentle and kind grandfather.

The only time I’d seen my grandson come out to greet me was when he was very young.

Suddenly, as he was about to approach Ian, moved by emotion, the dog brought by the chairman blocked his way and barked madly at Ian.

Grr! Woof! Grr!

The barking sound echoed through the mansion, creating a loud resonance. Ian slightly frowned at the sound.

“It’s been strange ever since this guy came in…” Ian said, his voice flat. “I think he’s a foolish dog. He doesn’t even know who he’s barking at right now.”

The chairman handed the leash to the secretary in response to his grandson’s discontented words. “Take him far away, to another building. Make sure he doesn’t make any more noise.”

“Yes.” The secretary hurriedly tried to take the dog by holding its leash. But the dog braced itself and stubbornly held its ground in front of the chairman. The other secretaries also came outside, wondering if something was going on due to the continued noise.

In the end, the big security guards came and took the dog away as if they were dragging it. The dog continued to bark while looking at the chairman and Ian, even as it moved away.

“Let’s go in.” The chairman patted Ian on the shoulder and went inside.

The dog continued to bark without resting, even after the chairman entered, as if sensing something terrible in the mansion.

When Jina opened her eyes in the morning, the first thing she felt was the strange smell that filled the room.

Without realizing it, she frowned, realizing that it was more of a unique scent than a bad smell. As she continued to breathe it in, she became more eager to take in more.

What is this smell?

It was definitely a scent that she had smelled recently.

When she was thinking for a long time about when that was, Zing! The phone with the alarm set vibrated loudly.

“Ah!” The sound instantly made her lose all her sleep. She remembered where she was, who she was, and what she needed to do from now on.

As soon as she quickly got out of bed, she felt a subtle tingling sensation and her back relaxed. Jina had to struggle for a moment to stand up straight.

“Ugh… what is it?” Her neck hurt as if someone had hit it. Moreover, her voice was terribly cracked.

“Is it because of the heater?” She thought it was no wonder her throat felt this way, with the dry, warm air filling the room. However, the condition was quite serious to say that. It seemed like it wasn’t just cracked, but completely locked tight. Jina opened the wardrobe and looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror attached to the inside.

“There’s no particular problem…” She wondered if she had been pressed somewhere while sleeping, but there were no noticeable marks on her neck.

First, she took off her pajamas to change clothes. When she grabbed the bottom of the shirt and tried to take it off, the wrinkled fabric pressed firmly against her bare chest.

“Eek!” The tingling sensation she felt as soon as she opened her eyes spread throughout her body. It was an intense sensation that made her stagger for a moment.

In an instant, her body heated up and her breathing became rough. Jina stumbled back, eventually sitting down to stare blankly at the mirror.

She knew what this feeling was. Was she actually feeling aroused just by taking off her shirt?

She took off her shirt completely and looked in the mirror. Just like her neck, her chest also had no problems. Thinking it was strange, Jina headed to the bathroom. Even though it was winter, she felt that washing with cold water would help calm her down a bit.

“Huh?” As she entered the bathroom, she became puzzled again. It was a room so dry that it made her throat hurt. However, there was moisture left in the bathroom.

No way? She thought it would already be dry since she washed before going to sleep. Moreover, when she touched her hair, it still felt damp.

“Did I… wash again?” But if it was to the extent that she would take a shower again, she shouldn’t have forgotten it.

Jina, who had been lost in thought for a moment, hurriedly turned off the alarm that rang every 10 minutes and quickly turned on the shower. This was not the time to be thinking so leisurely.

After quickly washing up and drying her hair, Jina headed straight to the kitchen. The people she met yesterday welcomed Jina.

As she had heard beforehand, preparing breakfast did not take much effort. She just had to wake up a little earlier because she needed to bake bread.

Yesterday, she reshaped the dough that others had prepared and waited before putting it in the oven. While the bread was baking, she prepared the fruits by cutting them nicely and organized the ingredients to be baked.

Jina kept thinking while preparing. Is it okay to be this comfortable? The only thing she was responsible for was Ian’s meal. The chairman’s dish was handled by three other chefs next to her.

Baking bread and preparing fruits, eggs, sausages, and bacon may sound like a lot, but compared to the hundreds of servings she prepared at her previous jobs, this felt almost embarrassing to call work as it finished in an instant.

When the time came, the secretaries went out to deliver the meal. Now, they could stay here until the meal was finished to prepare for any additional requests or issues that may arise.

“However, that almost never happens,” the head chef said. “The chairman always eats just the right amount, and I remember that the young master rarely asks for more.”

Another chef nodded. “To be precise, there was hardly any eating done here. Even if he ordered it, he would quickly go back to Chelsea… But why does your voice sound like that?” One of the chefs looked at Jina with a worried expression. It seemed that her voice, which kept cracking, was bothering them.

“I guess it’s because I slept with the heater turned up too high.”

“Oh dear, take care of your health. If you catch a cold, you are prohibited from cooking that day. The chairman hates that kind of thing. We are three, but you are all alone, so you need to take more care.”

“Yes, thank you.” It was natural to worry when someone was sick, but she was so moved to the point of choking up because the kitchen at the hotel she worked at during Christmas was such a hellish experience.

When she was really thinking that she should work here for a long time, another chef opened his mouth as if he remembered something.

“By the way, did everyone hear the dog barking yesterday? Ugh, what dog is barking all night long like that? At least in the morning, the guard took him out to the park, so it’s quiet now, but I couldn’t sleep properly because of that noise.”

“A dog?”

“Yes. I heard that the chairman brought him last night, didn’t you hear?”

“…not at all.”

“Were you very tired? It seems like you really had a good sleep. Is it rather fortunate?”

Just as they were speaking, one of the secretaries who had delivered the meal entered. Everyone in the kitchen looked at him, wondering if something was wrong, and he spoke with an awkward expression.

“Ian says he would like to eat a bit more. Can you make it again as much as was just uploaded?”

The chairman looked at Ian, who was sitting in front of him. Even when Ian stayed at Chelsea, he would call them here about once a week to have breakfast together. Each time, Ian did not hide his expression of being extremely annoyed.

He was a grandson who lived a chaotic life, wandering around clubs all night. There was no way he could have a proper breakfast early in the morning.

The grandson, who used to be like that, was now dressed neatly and eating politely. There was no sign of being drunk or tired on his face anywhere. Not only that, but he was looking at the materials from Aylesford that the chairman had left out for reading.

This was always the morning that the chairman had dreamed of. My one and only grandson growing up properly under his protection and inheriting the Aylesford he has cultivated.

It seems that the incident where he almost died had a significant impact. I understand that you have been hanging out with those who do ridiculous things, claiming to be a video production team. I never thought that the death of one of them would be such a shock that it would change a person this much.

If I had known it would be like this, I should have gotten rid of the trash around Ian sooner. The chairman looked at his grandson with a satisfied expression, calmly thinking about the shocking thoughts that others would have if they knew.

In the past, he was a grandson who could do no wrong as long as he kept his mouth shut. Since he was young, he was well-off, so he managed to do well in foreign languages. The work is done by the subordinates anyway. The head does not need to do everything well. What is needed from a superior is the ability to effectively utilize those who are skilled at their work in the right places.

At that moment, the secretary came in holding a generously filled plate. Ian threw aside the materials he was looking at and gazed at the plate in front of him as if in ecstasy. And soon after, he began to eat.

Despite the slow pace for such an expression, Ian finished his meal completely.

I don’t know what the difference is.

They said the woman Ian brought made it.

In the chairman’s view, that meal did not seem to be much better than the one he received. This was understandable as those responsible for his cooking were individuals who had worked at Michelin 3-star restaurants in the past. Among them, the chefs of the restaurant that the chairman frequented the most. I brought those who are thinking about retiring now to a mansion with a lot of money.

The meal, made by those people, seemed to lack a bit of skill compared to what they created, but the grandson, who had not touched food until recently, finished everything without leaving a trace.

That would be enough.

' I don’t know what kind of feelings my grandson had when he brought this woman in, but for now, as long as Ian is eating well, that’s enough.’

It doesn’t really matter if I bring it into the room. If Ian can live quietly with that, then what’s the big deal about one woman? There are many ways to detach it anyway.

While the chairman was looking at Ian and having various thoughts, Ian was contemplating his breakfast.

As expected, the food of humans did not evoke any feelings in him no matter how much he ate.

The grass was needless to say, and the meat was also close to tasteless. Fresh blood has been completely drained, and the meat is masked with all sorts of flavors. Why on earth do people eat this kind of thing?

Nevertheless, the reason he ate it all was because of the faint lingering smell of Jina Troll. It is more likely to remain in fruits or vegetables than in meat. It must be because she touched it with her own hands.

Should I go find you now?

But there were many problems with that.

The night is his time. Therefore, there was no problem in going to Jina’s Trolly last night and suppressing her spirit. But it’s different during the day. Because the power that dominates the mind also weakens.

At that moment, he remembered Jina, who was gasping for breath as if in agony while he was running his tongue inside her mouth.

Why is that? Looking at Ian’s memories, the other women didn’t seem to suffer that much. It only showed a desperate plea for more.

As he was thinking about what he was not able to imitate properly, his phone, which was on the chair next to him, rang. The name of the person who made the call appeared on the screen.

[CAMILLA]