The moment Irene took Kalos’s hand, she felt a sharp pain near her heart.

Soon after, strength drained from her body, and it became difficult to stand on her two legs. As Irene braced herself against the dining table with her other hand, the pushed dishes fell under the table.

Clang—

A loud noise echoed through the dining room, but no one paid attention. No one came in through the dining room door either.

Irene stared blankly at the purple eyes that held her image. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t. She felt like a fragile herbivore caught in a tight snare.

Just as fear of being devoured by him was rising to her throat, the purple eyes that had held her gaze dropped away.

Kalos let go of Irene’s hand and stepped back.

“This is really troublesome.”

He muttered to himself, covering his contorted face with his hand.

Finally coming to her senses, Irene tried to stand up straight without leaning on the table, but staggered and leaned on it again.

“Sit down.”

Kalos gently pressed on Irene’s shoulders and seated her in the chair. Then he began picking up the fallen dishes from the floor.

“I-I’ll do it.”

“It’s fine. You can’t even stand up straight, so how could you?”

…Isn’t it your fault that I’m like this?

The words she couldn’t bring herself to say rolled around in her mouth. Irene was still too afraid of Kalos to ask such things.

Kalos put the collected dishes on one side of the table.

“I should have new ones brought.”

“No, you don’t have to.”

After all, they weren’t being used anyway. The fork and knife she had been using were neatly placed on the steak plate.

Kalos looked at them and narrowed his eyes curiously.

“That’s a fish knife.”

In other words, she had used the wrong utensil. Irene’s earlobes turned slightly red as she quietly put the knife down beside the plate.

“And you’re using a salad fork.”

“…”

“The way you cut the steak is wrong too.”

Irene’s face turned as red as a ripe tomato at the repeated criticisms. She lowered her head and stammered an excuse.

“I-I’ve never learned proper dining etiquette… So I just used whatever.”

“Do you want to learn?”

Irene raised her head again at the question. Emotionless, indifferent eyes were staring at her.

Strangely, looking into those eyes created a small space in her chest that had been completely blocked by fear.

“…If I say I want to learn, will you teach me?”

Thanks to this, Irene found the courage to ask him, and Kalos nodded.

“If you wish.”

Until now, Irene’s life had been full of coercion.

Not only her violent father, but even her gentle mother only ever told Irene what she should do, never giving her choices.

It was the same with Kalos. Saving her when she was in danger of being killed as a witch, bringing her to the Esper estate – it was all his coercion. He had never asked Irene what she wanted to do.

Of course, she was grateful that he had saved her life.

But that feeling was buried because he had forcibly brought her to the Esper estate. Right now, Irene’s mind was filled only with questions, anxiety, and the desire to run away.

“Do you want to learn?”

“…”

In any case, Irene was flustered by suddenly being given a choice. She felt a bit reluctant too.

It felt like even the choice was being forced on her.

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

Kalos said, as if he had read Irene’s mind.

As her anxiety subsided a little at his calm voice, Irene rolled her eyes to look at the dishes. She vaguely recalled what Kalos had pointed out as wrong.

Her deliberation didn’t last long.

“Yes. I want to learn.”

That way, she wouldn’t be looked down upon by Kalos or others.

“Alright. I’ll tell Dewey.”

Hearing Dewey’s name, Irene recalled the man she had seen near the knights’ quarters earlier that day. Dewey’s twin brother. She hadn’t heard his name yet.

“Is there anything else you want to do?”

I want to run away. Irene crumpled up the thought that suddenly occurred to her. Saying such a thing would be like pulling the whiskers of a sleeping lion.

Then what should she say she wants to do?

Should she say she wants to look around the estate?

No. She hadn’t even finished exploring the castle yet, so it would be strange to suddenly say she wanted to go out to the estate.

Besides, even if she went out of the castle right now, there was no chance of escape. She needed more time to prepare.

“Can I tell you later? I don’t have anything I particularly want to do right now…”

“As you wish.”

I thought he would say no, but thank goodness. Irene felt deeply relieved that Kalos had readily listened to her opinion.

“Then I’ll be going now, finish your meal.”

Kalos left as abruptly as he had appeared.

Left alone in the spacious dining room, Irene put the steak she had been about to eat into her mouth.

“It’s tough.”

The cold steak was as hard as a rock and difficult to chew, but Irene ate it all without minding.

Earnestly hoping that she could overcome the problems to come just like this.

*

“Find an etiquette teacher.”

At the sudden order, Dewey, who was picking up Kalos’s discarded clothes, asked.

“An etiquette teacher?”

“Yes. That woman will learn.”

“You mean Lady Irene.”

Finally understanding why Kalos had said such a thing, Dewey asked again, looking slightly troubled.

“A teacher to teach the lady etiquette would have to be human… Is it alright to bring a human into the castle?”

“No.”

Kalos said firmly.

“Select from among the underground residents.”

As expected. Dewey said with an awkward smile.

“However, most of the underground world residents are ignorant of human world etiquette.”

“There should be someone who knows among them, look carefully.”

“Umm, I understand.”

Dewey answered that he would do so for now since it was Kalos’s order, but he was at a loss as to where to start looking. As far as he knew, there was no one among the underground residents in the Esper estate who knew human world etiquette well.

Then should he ask for help from other estates? But that would be problematic in its own way.

Scratching his head and thinking deeply, Dewey soon came up with an idea and asked Kalos.

“How about you teach the lady etiquette directly, master?”

The large hands buttoning up the pajamas stopped. Purple eyes tinged with doubt turned towards Dewey.

“Why should I do that?”

“Well, because you know human world etiquette best among the underground world residents, master.”

“You should know it well too.”

“I’m too busy to spare the time.”

What nonsense is this now. Kalos raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

“So you’re saying I’m not busy?”

“Of course you’re busy too, master. But I’m saying this because you need to meet the lady often like this to get closer to her quickly.”

“I need to get closer to that woman?”

“Yes. That way, the lady won’t think of running away and will grow attached to this place”

Dewey let out a soft sigh.

“All the previous ones couldn’t grow attached to this place and tried to run away. It was quite troublesome when they died in the process… So it would be good to get close to the lady quickly this time to prevent such incidents.”

Every word made sense, but Kalos didn’t readily nod because he thought, ‘Is it really necessary?’

Is it necessary to make an effort to get closer to Irene by squeezing out non-existent time?

She seems like she would grow attached to this place and live here even if she gets close to others instead of me.

“Also, I think it would help in undoing the seal if the lady opens her heart to you, master.”

The added explanation tipped his wavering mind decisively to one side

“Alright. I’ll teach her directly.”

Dewey, having achieved his goal, smiled brightly and said he would relay this news to Irene.

*

“He said… he would teach me directly?”

Facing the thunderbolt-like news before going to bed, Irene asked back in a trembling voice. On the other hand, Jessie nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes! He said he would teach you for an hour every day starting the day after tomorrow.”

For a moment, Irene’s vision went dark and she staggered. Jessie, startled, supported her.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“…No.”

Normally, she would have said she was fine no matter how hard it was, but she couldn’t do that now.

Because nothing was fine at all. Just thinking about learning from Kalos was already suffocating.

She had said she would learn etiquette because she didn’t want to be looked down upon again, but she never dreamed such a trial would come.

Should she say she doesn’t want to do it even now? He said she didn’t have to if she didn’t want to, so it should be okay, right?

“Are you scared of learning from the master?”

As she was pondering, Jessie hit the nail on the head. Irene answered by lowering her head.

“Oh dear.”

Jessie patted Irene’s finely trembling back with sympathy.

“Don’t worry too much, my lady. The master is a kind person, unlike his appearance.”

That man is kind?

At this absolutely unacceptable description, Irene raised her head and looked up, and Jessie made an awkward expression.

“Umm, was ‘kind’ a bit too much? Then should I say gentle? Or maybe mild?”

“…I don’t think any of those fit.”

When Irene denied it, Jessie let out a small laugh.

“You’re right. None of those expressions suit the master. But it’s certain that the master has a lot of affection. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved us.”

“…Did he save you too, Jessie?”

“Of course.”

Jessie smiled broadly.

“If the master hadn’t saved me, I wouldn’t be here.”

We’re the same then. Irene felt a sense of kinship with Jessie.

“So please don’t hate the master too much.”

“…I don’t hate him.”

Whatever the reason, Kalos was her benefactor who had saved her.

He hadn’t done anything strange to her afterwards, and had even shown her more favor than she deserved, so there was no reason to hate him.

She was just afraid.

“Then sleep well, my lady.”

“You too, Jessie. Good night.”

After Jessie left, Irene buried her face in the soft pillow. She closed her eyes under the fluffy blanket, but sleep didn’t come. It was because her mind was complicated with various thoughts.

The problem that troubled Irene the most right now was that she had to receive etiquette education from Kalos.

‘Should I refuse?’

If she just said she didn’t want to, Kalos might be displeased, so it would be better to make an excuse that she couldn’t take up a busy person’s time.

Then Kalos would probably nod in agreement and find another teacher.

Irene thought it was a pretty good excuse, but…

“It’s fine. I can spare an hour a day.”

Unfortunately, it didn’t work on Kalos.