Contrary to Kalos’s expectations, Irene wasn’t particularly afraid of Abel.

Rather than scary… he was an uncomfortable person.

When she looked at Abel, she felt like she was seeing a cunning and suspicious fox that often appears as a villain in fairy tales, so she didn’t want to deal with him if possible.

So when he suggested building a friendship by eating cake together and chatting, she was very flustered.

In her heart, she wanted to refuse outright, but.

Judging from what Abel had said before and his current attitude, it seemed that Abel also thought she was Kalos’s lover.

But she hesitated, worried that if she refused, it might cause trouble for Kalos.

Concerned that Abel might spread strange rumors outside if he felt rejected, Irene hesitated.

‘What should I do?’

Irene glanced at Kalos, who was standing behind Abel.

“……”

She wished he would tell her what to do, but Kalos had been silent since he arrived here.

It seemed to mean she should act according to her judgment.

Does that mean she should accept Abel’s proposal?

If he didn’t like it, Kalos would have firmly said no on his own.

Her wavering heart gradually leaned towards a decision.

Irene nodded, internally letting out a long sigh.

“I… will.”

*

Reflecting Abel’s suggestion that they shouldn’t stay cooped up indoors on such a nice night with a bright full moon and cool weather, the somewhat impromptu tea time was held in the northern greenhouse garden.

“The greenhouse garden is still indoors.”

Abel grumbled, dissatisfied that it wasn’t completely outdoors, but Kalos neatly ignored him.

He was already in a bad mood because Irene had accepted Abel’s proposal, so he had no patience to worry about such things.

Why did she accept Abel’s proposal?

I thought she was afraid of him.

Kalos couldn’t ask because Abel was there, so he just stared intently at Irene.

“……”

He stared so persistently that it felt like her cheeks would burn through.

Feeling too burdened to meet his gaze, Irene kept her eyes lowered and just sipped her tea.

Then Abel, sitting across from her, put a piece of cake on his plate and pushed it towards her.

“Don’t just drink tea, try some cake too.”

“……”

Irene found Abel’s kindness burdensome, but she also had no good reason to refuse.

“Thank you.”

Not wanting to ruin the atmosphere from the start, she bowed her head lightly and thanked him.

“Go ahead and eat it.”

As she was about to eat the cake, feeling somewhat pressured, Kalos, sitting right next to her, swiftly took the plate away.

He then put that plate back in front of Abel and personally served a piece of cake onto Irene’s plate.

“Eat this.”

“……”

Irene looked at Kalos, somewhat flustered.

Abel also looked at Kalos with disbelief and asked.

“What are you trying to do? Why are you giving this back to me?”

“I’ll take care of her myself, so mind your own business and just take care of yourself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Abel rested his chin on his interlocked hands and smiled somewhat lecherously.

“Is it like, ‘I’ll protect my woman,’ or something?”

My woman.

So Abel does think I’m Kalos’s lover.

Although she had already expected this, hearing it in person made Irene’s cheeks blush shyly.

Kalos chided him in an annoyed voice.

“Don’t say such strange things.”

“Strange things? I’m just repeating what I heard.”

“That’s what I mean by strange things.”

“Isn’t it strange that you’re saying such things?”

“……”

As Irene watched the two awkwardly bickering like borrowed rice sacks, she took a big bite of the cake.

‘It’s sweet’

It didn’t seem this sweet when she ate it before.

Even as Irene winced at the intense sweetness that made her tongue tingle.

Strangely, she didn’t dislike it and ate it all cleanly.

*

Irene thought that tea time with Abel would be entirely uncomfortable, but it wasn’t as bad as she had worried.

“Master, I have something to report.”

Yes. It’s not bad, but that doesn’t mean I want to be alone with Abel.

As Dewey acted like he was going to take Kalos away, Irene stiffly turned only her eyes to look at Kalos.

Kalos also frowned, not liking the idea of leaving Irene and Abel alone.

“Right now?”

“Yes. It’s a somewhat urgent matter.”

“Can’t you say it here?”

Even if it was about the underground world, it wouldn’t matter since Irene, who didn’t know about that world’s existence, wouldn’t understand anyway.

As for Abel, there was no need to worry unless it was top secret information that only a select few should know.

If it was that kind of information, Dewey wouldn’t have brought it up in front of Abel in the first place.

So when he asked, Dewey said in a voice low enough that only Kalos could hear.

“It’s about the investigation delegation.”

“……”

While it wasn’t top secret information that only a select few should know, it was definitely content that Abel absolutely shouldn’t hear.

Moreover, judging by Dewey’s urgent expression, it was clear that some problem had arisen.

If so, it was right to quickly grasp the problem and devise a solution.

“……”

It was clearly the right thing to do, but he couldn’t stand up because Irene kept catching his eye.

Ending the tea time here was also an option, but.

It hadn’t even been 30 minutes since they started, and if he said they should end it now, Abel would surely object, so he couldn’t use that card either.

“Master.”

As Dewey called out as if urging him, Kalos stood up, swallowing a deep sigh.

And he issued a warning to Abel.

“I’ll be back shortly, so don’t do anything unnecessary.”

Abel looked up at Kalos intently with a flower-like expression.

“I wonder what exactly counts as unnecessary?”

“Everything you’re thinking right now.”

Abel grumbled that Kalos was being too harsh, but Kalos neatly ignored him and turned to Irene.

“If this guy says anything strange or acts rudely, you can ignore him and go back to your room.”

Irene was very uncomfortable being left alone with Abel even for a moment, but hearing him say that made her feel a little more at ease.

“I will.”

“Just in case, I’ll call Jessie.”

Although Jessie, a mere underground resident, couldn’t stop Abel, who was the monarch, it was better than nothing.

Jessie, who had been waiting outside the greenhouse garden, quickly entered.

“Keep a close eye on Abel to make sure he doesn’t do or say anything strange to her.”

After leaving this important task to Jessie, Kalos left the greenhouse garden with Dewey.

Abel turned to Irene with a grin.

“Now that the nuisance is gone, shall we have an intimate chat?”

It was a charming smile that could sway anyone’s heart regardless of age or gender, but to Irene’s eyes, it looked cunning.

Irene swallowed hard and tightly gripped her hands hidden under the table.

She felt like the cake she had just eaten might come back up.

‘Should I stand up?’

She hesitated because Abel hadn’t done anything particularly strange yet.

“Hmm, what should we talk about?”

Still… I don’t want to be here.

Even if Kalos scolded her later, she was about to stand up when.

“Right. Shall I tell you why Kalos brought you here?”

What… did he just say?

*

After moving behind a large tree a little distance from the greenhouse garden, Dewey confirmed that there was no one around and then spoke to Kalos.

“The investigation delegation sent by the temple passed through Cammus this afternoon.”

Cammus was a small city about a two-day horse ride from Esper territory.

If they pushed themselves by reducing sleep and such, they could arrive at Esper territory in one day.

But the investigation delegation had passed through Cammus?

Kalos frowned and asked.

“Didn’t I say to make sure they don’t set foot in Esper territory for at least ten days?”

“That’s why we secretly poisoned their food. It’s a powerful paralytic poison that won’t endanger their lives, but will paralyze their limbs so they can’t move for a while.”

Dewey continued in a voice tinged with a sigh.

“We confirmed that they ate the poison and were unable to move due to its effects… but there was a variable.”

“A variable?”

“Yes. It seems all twelve priests and holy knights received blessings from a high priest.”

A high priest’s blessing was something that couldn’t be received no matter how much money one had or how high their status was.

This was partly because there weren’t many high priests, but also because the number of people a high priest could bless was limited.

But for all twelve priests and holy knights to have received blessings from a high priest? It was something that didn’t make sense common sense-wise.

But there was no way Dewey would have brought incorrect information, so it must be true.

Kalos laughed mirthlessly and ran his hand through his hair.

“They’re determined to send the delegation to Esper territory no matter what.”

Dewey bowed his head deeply and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Master. I should have just killed the pigeons… It’s my fault for wanting to avoid unnecessary killing and using poison instead.”

“No. I agreed with avoiding killing too, so you don’t need to think that way.”

Killing the priests and holy knights might put out the urgent fire in front of them, but it would bring a bigger storm later, so from a long-term perspective, Dewey’s choice was correct.

He hadn’t expected them to come so desperately as to even bestow high priest blessings.

‘Then I guess it wouldn’t matter if we kill one or two of them.’

Compared to what they’ve done, this much is just a drop in the bucket.

His purple eyes flashed ominously as he looked up at the night sky, now dark as the full moon had hidden.

“Deuce.”

As soon as Kalos called, Deuce quietly appeared from the darkness.

“Kill the highest-ranking member of the delegation sent by the temple.”

When the leader guiding them from the front disappears, the group is bound to falter.

“Kill the one in charge of communications too.”

That way, the remaining ones won’t be able to contact the temple for help.

Deuce asked in a calm voice.

“What should the cause of death be?”

“Falling off a cliff would be good.”

Stabbing with a knife would feel too much like murder.

Since they had received a high priest’s blessing, most poisons wouldn’t work, so disguising it as an accident was the most desirable.

Kalos added.

“You may use the magic beasts under my command if necessary.”

Humans can contract with only one magic beast in their lifetime, but Kalos, as the lord of the underground, was an exception.

Not only were there no limits to his contracts, but he could also control magic beasts without even making contracts.

Dewey cautiously said.

“If we use magic beasts, it might exacerbate the issue of magical beasts rioting during the Poyeon incident.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

The corners of Kalos’s lips, leaning against the large tree trunk, curved up crookedly.

“If they’re coming to Esper territory where magical beasts run rampant, they should have been prepared for at least this much.”