A satisfied smile spread across Irene’s face as she ate freshly baked plain bread with wild strawberry jam.

‘Delicious.’

There were many expensive and fancy jams like rose jam or apple jam, but somehow this one suited her taste the best, perhaps because her late mother often made wild strawberry jam.

Of course, the wild strawberry jam here was more sophisticated and tastier than what her mother used to make, but since the basic flavor was similar, she ended up eating only this.

While she was enjoying her bread, Kalos suddenly asked.

“Are you going to take care of Yomi today as well?”

Irene quickly swallowed the bread she was chewing and answered.

“Yes, yes. I’m planning to go today too.”

Her throat got a bit choked from eating the bread hastily.

Irene took a sip of milk and then carefully asked.

“Is it not okay for me to go?”

“No.”

Kalos picked up his coffee cup.

“You can go until tomorrow. I originally gave permission for you to go for a week anyway.”

That’s true.

Irene inwardly agreed while watching him elegantly drink his coffee.

Coffee, it’s incredibly bitter… What taste do they drink it for?

Coffee was a luxury item for nobles, and naturally, Irene, who was just a commoner, had never tasted coffee before meeting Kalos.

Then, after coming to Esper Castle, she had the chance to try coffee.

As soon as it touched her tongue, she felt such a terribly bitter taste that made her tongue tingle, and she put down the coffee cup with a shudder.

Seeing that, Jessie had jokingly said that coffee was something only adults drink.

Anyway, the coffee Irene knew was more bitter and potent than the medicine the doctor prescribed to replenish energy.

Just thinking about it made Irene furrow her brow, feeling as if that bitter taste from back then was lingering in her mouth.

Misinterpreting this, Kalos asked.

“Looks like you don’t want to part with Yomi.”

“Huh? Oh, yes. That’s right.”

It wasn’t because of that that she frowned, but she was too embarrassed to say it honestly.

It was also true that she didn’t want to part with Yomi, so Irene didn’t deny it.

“I’ve grown quite attached to Yomi while taking care of her all this time. It’s also been my dream to raise a cute animal like Yomi since before.”

“Then why didn’t you raise one? Did your parents object to it?”

When the topic of parents came up, Irene’s expression darkened.

Kalos, recalling the report that Irene had been abused by her father, added.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“Ah, it’s not that… I just wonder why my parents did that.”

“What do you mean?”

Irene answered, fidgeting with her hands.

“As I mentioned before, I wasn’t allowed to take a single step outside the house until my parents died and the house burned down.”

That’s right.

In fact, he had seen old bruises and scars on her body.

“When I asked my parents why I couldn’t go outside, they always answered like this. It’s not time yet. When the time comes, we’ll let you out then.”

This is the first time I’m hearing this.

Kalos’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“So, did you ever find out when that time your parents spoke of was?”

Irene shook her head.

“No. My parents never told me until the end.”

“Is that so?”

Kalos had thought that Irene’s parents not letting her go outside the house was simply a form of abuse.

But from what she’s saying now, it seems there might be another reason.

Although he didn’t know what it was, there was a very high chance it had nothing to do with him.

After all, Kalos had never met Irene’s parents.

Of course, even though he had never met Irene before, he had a deep connection with her, but that was limited to her alone.

He had nothing to do with her parents.

But… it bothers me.

Thinking he should look into it, Kalos asked.

“Was there nothing else they said?”

“What do you mean by something else…?”

“Anything. It could be about you, or about other people. If there’s anything you remember your parents saying, tell me.”

Irene was puzzled as to why Kalos was curious about such things, but since there was no reason not to tell him, she carefully searched her memories.

“It’s because of you. This happened because you gave birth to such a monstrosity, so why are you blaming me!”

…Ah, I don’t think I can say it.

Having recalled such a terrible memory, Irene squeezed her eyes shut.

The abusive words her father had spewed endlessly echoed in her ears, tormenting her.

“Irene?”

“…”

At the sound of Kalos calling her, Irene barely regained her composure and opened her eyes again.

Then, with a faint smile, she said.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t remember anything… so I don’t think I can tell you.”

An expression filled with fear.

“Then it can’t be helped.”

Although she’s trying hard to appear calm, it seems talking about her parents is still difficult and frightening for her.

Well, it’s not easy to recall and talk about people who abused you.

Kalos felt that if he could hear more about Irene’s parents, he might be able to find out something, but he was disappointed that he couldn’t. However, he cleanly let go of his lingering feelings.

He had no hobby of tormenting others to satisfy his own curiosity.

*

Perhaps recalling her parents’ affairs was quite shocking, as Irene ate very little, unlike earlier.

Her complexion was also dark.

‘I shouldn’t have brought it up.’

If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn’t have even mentioned the ‘p’ of parents. It was a mistake.

Kalos thought deeply about how to resolve this issue and then said.

“Should I let you keep raising Yomi?”

The hand that had been meaninglessly pushing around the salad stopped.

Irene looked at Kalos with puzzled eyes.

“You’re saying… you’ll let me keep raising Yomi?”

“You said it would be a shame to part like this.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Then keep raising her as a pet. Of course, we’ll have to bring that child in as a magical beast.”

Whether as a pet or whatever, for a human to keep a magical beast, they had to contract with that beast and bring it in as a magical beast.

“I don’t know if you remember, but humans can only bring in one magical beast in their lifetime. If you’re okay with that, then keep that child as a pet.”

“I don’t mind!”

Irene answered immediately without a moment’s hesitation.

“I wasn’t planning on raising any other magical beast besides Yomi anyway. So if you allow it, I’ll do my best to raise her.”

“I’ll make preparations so you can contract with Yomi soon.”

Wow. I’m really going to raise Yomi.

Her eyes, which had been gloomy just moments ago, now sparkled with life.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

It’s something I’m noticing anew, but she looks prettiest when she smiles.

Kalos hid his involuntarily rising lips behind his coffee cup and replied in a nonchalant tone.

“It’s nothing.”

*

“But hasn’t the day for the summoning ceremony already passed?”

As far as Irene remembered, the day for the summoning ceremony was only one day a year.

That’s why the summoning festival was held on that date.

But saying he would set a date for the contract soon, does that mean the summoning ceremony can be held on other days as well?

As Irene asked in bewilderment, Kalos kindly answered.

“I can hold the summoning ceremony any day I want.”

“What? But before, you clearly said it was only possible for one day…”

“We deliberately let it be known that way. That way, there won’t be people coming at all hours asking for a summoning ceremony.”

Irene looked at Kalos with a dumbfounded expression.

She never imagined there would be such a reason hidden behind it.

She couldn’t have dreamed of it even in her wildest dreams.

“Are you disappointed that I lied?”

“What? Of course not. I’m not disappointed at all.”

“Then that’s good.”

Kalos smiled faintly and stood up.

“It seems we’re done with the meal, so let’s get up now.”

*

“As you commanded, my lord, I disguised the deaths of the highest-ranking priest and the holy knight in charge of communication among the delegation as accidents.”

Deuce stood at attention in front of the desk, calmly reporting terrifying events.

“The high-ranking priest was immediately thrown off a cliff to his death, and the holy knight in charge of communication resisted too fiercely, so I had no choice but to kill him first and then throw him off the cliff.”

Kalos leaned back in his chair and asked.

“How did the delegation react after discovering their bodies?”

“They were very agitated, not knowing what to do, and after wandering around, they entered a nearby village. There, they asked the village chief for a way to contact the temple, and when the chief said there was no other way except sending a letter, they had no choice but to send a letter to a nearby temple.”

The nearby temple must mean the Camus Temple.

It will take at least five days for a reply to come, even if they send a letter.

I’ve properly caught them by the ankle. Kalos smiled with satisfaction.

“Good work. You may go now.”

As Deuce left, Kalos immediately called Dewey and ordered.

“Prepare for the summoning ceremony.”

“Pardon?”

With the rebellion of the magical beasts, not only the summoning festival but even the summoning ceremony had been canceled, so why prepare for the summoning ceremony now?

Bewildered by the sudden order, Dewey asked back.

“Why the summoning ceremony all of a sudden…?”

“Irene has decided to make Yomi her magical beast.”

“Ah, so that’s what happened.”

She’s been focusing on taking care of Yomi lately, and now she’s finally going to welcome her as a magical beast.

As it was an expected outcome, Dewey understood immediately.

“I understand. When should I prepare it for?”

“As soon as possible. We won’t be able to do it once the pigeons arrive, so it would be better to do it before then.”

That means there’s really no time left…

Dewey calculated possible dates in his head and then asked.

“Then how about two days from now? It’s too rushed to do it tomorrow, and there’s a possibility the pigeons might arrive after that, so I think that time would be good.”

“Let’s do that.”

“I’ll inform the young lady myself.”

Kalos shook his head.

“No. I’ll tell her directly.”

It was clearly unlike Kalos, but with Irene in the middle, it felt natural.

“I understand. Then I’ll go prepare for the summoning ceremony.”

As Dewey was about to leave with a polite bow, Kalos added.

“Investigate Irene’s parents.”

This too was a sudden order, but this time Dewey didn’t ask for the reason.

“Which aspects should I focus on investigating?”

“Whether they were going around saying strange things, and if so, what kind of things they said. Also investigate their surrounding relationships. If there’s anyone suspicious, investigate that person thoroughly as well.”

Dewey engraved Kalos’s orders in his mind and replied that he would do so.

“Is there anything else you’d like to order?”

Kalos was about to answer that there wasn’t, when suddenly Abel’s unpleasant face appeared before his eyes, making him frown.

This wasn’t something he was seeing with his own eyes, but what the shadow he had attached was showing him.

And the only person Kalos had attached a shadow to right now was Irene, that woman.

In other words, it meant that Abel had approached Irene.

As soon as that thought occurred to him, his body moved reflexively.

“M-My Lord?”

Kalos left the bewildered Dewey behind and headed almost running towards where Irene was.