Moreover, she knew well what might happen next, having searched for various things to pretend to sincerely love Carlos.

Of course, she didn’t think Carlos would do such a thing to her… but you never know.

Anything can happen between a man and a woman.

So, despite thinking in her head that she should immediately push Carlos away and stand up, strangely, her body wouldn’t move.

Why is this happening? Unable to understand, Irene was confused, and in the meantime, Carlos’s face gradually approached.

Is he really going to do it?
Really… are they kissing?

The golden eyes, wavering meaninglessly in confusion, soon disappeared beneath thin eyelids. Lips lightly touched and parted like a mother bird feeding its chick.

“Haah….”

Irene sighed deeply, not realizing it herself because she found it disappointing. Carlos, seemingly understanding her emotions, embraced her wet back and kissed her again.

Cold yet dry lips met, and just as they were about to deepen the kiss, a sudden knock echoed.

“!”

Suddenly startled by the knocking sound on the eardrum, Irene pushed Carlos away.

While hurriedly adjusting the towel that had fallen during their thoughtless kissing, she crouched down on the floor. Her shoulders, unintentionally exposed, trembled.

As Irene anxiously looked around, her shirt slid up over her shoulders.

Not realizing it, Irene instinctively raised her head.

“Gasping.”

Upon discovering that Carlos had taken off his waistcoat, Irene hurriedly lowered her head, swallowing the breath she had just exhaled.

At that moment, glancing with a sidelong glance at his body, Carlos said with a puzzled expression, “If you want to see, you can just look.”

Irene’s eyes widened.

“N-no, I didn’t want to see; I just wanted to check if you’re injured…”

“Injured?”

Now that he mentioned it, he had asked earlier if she was hurt.

Carlos wondered why she asked such a question, but as Irene noticed blood on the shirt she was wearing, she instantly understood.

“This is not my blood, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Oh, I see. That’s a relief.”

As Irene finally sighed in relief and wiped her chest, Carlos smiled slightly.

“I unintentionally acted rudely in my eagerness to confirm you were safe. I apologize.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Confirm that I’m safe?

Perplexed by Irene’s question, Carlos smiled without saying a word and covered his wet silver hair with another towel.

His long towel obscured the view.

“I’ll go out first.”

When Irene lowered the towel that was blocking her view, Carlos was already gone.

In Carlos’s vacant spot, Jessie entered.

Hurriedly entering the bathroom, Jessie paused when she saw Irene wearing Carlos’s shirt.

Carlos had come out without his waistcoat, so she wondered if he had taken it off due to bloodstains.

Surely Irene wasn’t wearing the shirt he had taken off.

“What happened between you and the master, miss?”

When Jessie asked, Irene’s cheeks blushed with a shy peach blossom tint.

“Nothing… happened.”

Anyone could see that something had happened to the person’s face.

Jessie was very curious, but she didn’t ask any further.

“I’ll bring a gown; please wait a moment.”

Even though she doubted Irene would tell her anything, and judging by Irene’s expression, nothing seemed wrong, Jessie decided to let it go.
After Jessie left, Irene, who was left alone, glanced down at the shirt she was wearing.

Perhaps because there were many rose petals scattered in the bathtub, the scent of roses lingered heavily in the bathroom.

However, Irene couldn’t perceive the scent of roses at all.

Was it because she had deeply inhaled Carlos’s scent earlier?

Or maybe because she was wearing Carlos’s shirt.

The scent of him continued to linger at the tip of her nose, and she couldn’t sense any other scent.

…Moreover, they kissed.

Irene touched her lips with her fingertips.

Even though it was just a brief touch, the sensation from that moment was still vivid.

Why did that man kiss me?

Was it because he got caught up in the atmosphere, as men often do?

Even though the situation was enough to make anyone do that, could there be another reason?

If so, the reason might be me…

“Why are you like that, miss? Did you hurt your lips?”

When Jessie returned with a gown and asked, Irene smiled vaguely and shook her head.

“No, I’m fine.”

Carlos, who changed his clothes, headed towards Abel’s bedroom.

Abel, who was leisurely resting, raised his head with a puzzled expression as Carlos visited suddenly.

“It’s not time to fix the barrier yet. What’s going on?”

Carlos entered without saying a word, closed the door, and sat on the sofa.

Feeling that the conversation might be lengthy, Abel, who had a hunch, sat opposite and asked with a worried look.

“Why? You said you were going out, so what happened?”

“Do you happen to know where Dale is?”

As Carlos mentioned a name almost forbidden, Abel’s expression stiffened.

Abel looked at Carlos with an unusually serious expression, scratching his head and opening his lips.

“Well, I like wandering around here and there, but I don’t know where that guy is. Still, if I have to say something I know, it’s been quite a while since he left the territory.”

“I’m aware of that too.”

Considering I’ve been receiving reports from the observer placed in the underground world.

“But why are you suddenly asking about him? Did you find any traces?”

Before Carlos could answer, Abel continued.

“By any chance, did Dale cause the demon riot in the Esper Territory?”

“…”

Well, he’s surprisingly sharp.

Carlos sighed deeply and nodded his head.

“It seems so.”

Abel grimaced and continued.

“Does that mean Dale came to the Esper Territory?”

“Yeah.”

And undoubtedly, Dale was still in the Esper Territory.

To kill Carlos.

To end the tedious fight that had lasted for over a hundred years.