Upon hearing the news that Kalos was having clothes tailored, his loyal servant and butler Dewey immediately came to the reception room.

They re-measured Kalos’s dimensions and selected fabrics and designs.

Wanting to quickly escape this bothersome situation, Kalos finished swiftly, but Irene had not yet chosen a single outfit.

“Miss, how about this one?”

“No. This one suits better!”

“…”

There were too many choices, and everything was so beautiful that it seemed too good for her, so she hesitated, unsure which to pick.

Irene wanted help from others, but Jessie said it would be better to choose her own clothes and didn’t assist.

The boutique staff were each clamoring that their own creations were the best, so she couldn’t get help from them either.

That left only Dewey and Kalos.

Since Dewey was busy with Kalos’s clothes, it was more accurate to say only Kalos remained.

‘Is it okay to ask him about this?’

Irene glanced at Kalos sitting beside her, only moving her eyes.

As it happened, he was looking at Irene too, so their eyes met directly.

Irene flinched in surprise and tried to turn her head, but before she could, Kalos asked,

“Do you have something to say to me?”

What should I do? Should I speak or not? As Irene pondered, she suddenly recalled what Kalos had said.

That if she had something to say, she shouldn’t hesitate to speak.

“Um… which clothes should I choose?”

If Kalos had been purely scary and intimidating, she would have kept her mouth shut even after saying that.

But now she had somewhat adjusted, and knowing Kalos wouldn’t get angry for asking such a thing, Irene was able to speak up readily.

At that, Kalos looked at the clothes the boutique staff were holding.

As the choice was passed to the lord, the staff all tensed up and swallowed hard.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Kalos’s selection.

As if aware that everyone was expecting, Kalos seriously scanned the dresses, but in the end, couldn’t choose.

He too didn’t know which one would be best. Having never chosen women’s clothes in his life, he had no way of knowing.

The solution to this problem was quite simple.

“Let’s purchase them all.”

What did this man just say? Irene’s eyes widened as big as saucers.

“Understood.”

In contrast, Dewey responded calmly. The faces of the boutique staff, including the madam, brightened like full moons.

“N-No, that’s not necessary!”

Belatedly coming to her senses, Irene hurriedly tried to dissuade Kalos.

“There’s no need to buy them all! Just one, just one is enough!”

Kalos looked at Irene with questioning eyes.

“Is one outfit really enough?”

“Then… two?”

As Irene cautiously corrected herself, Kalos gave a wry laugh.

“This is the first time I’ve heard that two outfits is too many.”

At his expression and tone that seemed to mock her, Irene blushed slightly and lowered her head.

Above her head, an indifferent yet low voice rang out.

“The winters in Esper territory are longer than elsewhere, so it’s better to have many winter clothes.”

Irene raised her head again.

“Still, this is too much.”

“Not at all. It’s good to have this much.”

“But…”

“I’m giving them as a gift, so there’s no need to decline.”

Kalos spoke firmly, as if telling her not to argue with his words anymore, and stood up.

Irene, who stood up with him, looked at the clothes the boutique staff were organizing.

She had once read somewhere that the price of one outfit worn by nobles was equivalent to a commoner’s living expenses for a year.

So when he said he would give all these expensive clothes as a gift, she was bewildered.

She was also curious why he was being so kind to her, someone he had never met before.

“Why… why are you being so nice to me?”

Irene didn’t just wonder but asked Kalos directly.

At that, Kalos turned and looked down at her. Irene, meeting his eyes, gripped her skirt tightly. In the past, she would have avoided his gaze, but this time she faced it.

A strange silence fell as if only the two of them existed in the reception room.

The one who broke the silence first was Kalos.

“Think of it as pity.”

“Pity…?”

“Yes.”

All of this is just a bit of pity for the woman who will die for me.

Kalos swallowed the words he couldn’t say yet and turned away.

*

Having finished his thorough preparations, Trope requested an audience with Kalos, but was rejected on the grounds of being busy.

“Then when might I be able to see His Grace the Grand Duke?”

“Well, he’s been busy lately, so I can’t give you an exact date.”

“But… I must see His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“We’ll call for you as soon as there’s time, so please wait a little longer.”

Knowing he couldn’t meet Kalos by being forceful, Trope withdrew for now.

And he waited for the butler named Dewey to call them, but there was no word even after four days had passed.

Tired of waiting, Trope requested an audience again. He expected to be rejected this time too, but surprisingly, it was granted immediately.

At this, the priests frowned and grumbled instead of rejoicing.

“Playing with people like this, just what is he trying to do…”

“The Duke of Esper will pay dearly for daring to toy with us, the servants of God.”

Trope, who had been silently agreeing with his fellow priests’ words, suddenly noticed something strange and tilted his head.

One, two, three… six?

He thought there were seven fellow priests, so why were there only six?

“His Grace the Grand Duke of Esper enters!”

With a booming voice, the audience chamber doors opened, and Kalos entered side by side with an unfamiliar woman.

“Oh my.”

“Heavens.”

The priests all exclaimed in admiration at the sight of the woman. Some even clasped their hands in prayer.

And for good reason – wearing a translucent silver dress the same color as her hair, adorned with mellit jewels known as God’s tears, the woman looked just like an angel from the scriptures.

If she had had wings on her back, they would have thought an angel had truly descended.

In contrast, Kalos was dressed all in black like the devil from the scriptures. All his accessories, like cufflinks, were red, giving the impression of being stained with blood.

Kalos, seated in the place of honor, pulled the woman onto his lap, embracing her waist.

The woman, naturally sitting on Kalos’s lap, smiled shyly and leaned against him.

“Why are you standing there so stupidly?”

Cold eyes turned towards the frozen priests.

“Aren’t you happy to meet the woman you’ve been searching for so desperately?”

“…!”

That angelic woman is the rumored witch?!

The priests, belatedly realizing this fact, all looked at the woman, Irene, in surprise.

One reason for their surprise was also that Irene was nestled in Kalos’s arms as if she were his lover.

Irene remained impassive despite the flood of gazes.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t afraid. How could she not be scared of those who had come to kill her?

Yet she could remain calm thanks to what Kalos had told her before coming here.

“You won’t be hurt or killed. I promise.”

It was somewhat ridiculous to believe the words of someone she once thought might kill her.

But thanks to Kalos’s words and actions so far, Irene could trust his words to some extent.

‘So it’s okay. It’ll be alright.’

Irene tried to hypnotize herself inwardly, but she couldn’t completely suppress the rising tension. As evidence, her hand hidden in her sleeve trembled slightly.

“So, why did you want to see me? Did you perhaps bring some evidence?”

Kalos knew why the priests had come, but he pretended not to know and asked.

Trope, standing at the forefront, spoke on behalf of the priests.

“I’m sorry, but we haven’t found evidence yet. Instead, we’ve brought a way to find evidence.”

“A way to find evidence?”

“Yes. We conduct a witch trial.”

“Ha…”

Though he had expected it, actually hearing it made Kalos let out a small laugh of disbelief.

Irene too lowered her anxiously trembling eyes.

Seeing their reactions, Trope and the priests’ expressions became triumphant. Trope bowed his head to hide his smiling face.

“If we conduct a witch trial, we can know for certain whether that woman is a witch or not.”

“Hmm.”

As Kalos tilted his head disapprovingly, Trope hastily added,

“If you refuse even a witch trial, the suspicions towards Your Grace won’t disappear. Rather, they might snowball and someday cause trouble for Your Grace, so you should settle this clearly now.”

“…What if she’s not a witch?”

“Then, according to the responsibility system, I will take all responsibility.”

“That’s not enough.”

Kalos swept his eyes over the priests.

“Let’s have everyone here take responsibility.”

At the sudden words, the priests’ eyes widened. Trope too was surprised and froze for a moment, then quickly regained his composure and asked Kalos,

“Then will you allow us to conduct the witch trial?”

“Yes.”

“…Very well. We’ll do so.”

He took the bait. Kalos twisted his lips and signaled with his eyes to Deuce, who was waiting at the entrance of the audience chamber.

Immediately understanding what he wanted, Deuce promptly left the audience chamber.

Right after, Kalos stood up with Irene and said to Trope,

“Let’s conduct the witch trial right now.”

*

Trope said he would conduct the witch trial at a lake in the west of Esper territory, and guided Kalos’s party there.

As soon as he heard the word “lake,” Kalos immediately knew what the priests were planning.

‘They intend to do a water trial.’

Water trial. A type of witch trial where the suspect’s hands and feet are shackled, heavy stones are tied to them, and they are dropped into a lake imbued with holy power.

If they sink and die, they’re human; if they resurface or survive, they’re judged to be a witch – an absurd trial.

It was also the most vicious of witch trials.

Choosing the water trial showed their strong determination to kill Irene by any means necessary.

As expected, the priests imbued the lake with holy power for the water trial. The lake sparkled as it was infused with holy power.

The sight was incredibly beautiful, but Irene didn’t think so at all. The moment she saw the lake, she realized what the priests were planning to do.

‘I’m going to die.’

No one can protect me.

Not even this man.

Her face turned pale as the fear of death rose again.

As Irene started to slowly back away as if to flee, Kalos grabbed her shoulder.

“I told you earlier. You won’t be hurt or killed.”

He embraced her small, trembling body and firmly grasped her even more trembling hand.

“Trust me. Nothing will happen.”