“You’re taking Yomi as a spirit familiar?”

When Jessie asked in surprise, Irene nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes. When I said I was sad about parting with Yomi, His Grace the Grand Duke suggested taking him as a spirit familiar first.”

It was surprising enough that Kalos allowed it, but to think he suggested it first.

It was truly one surprise after another. Jessie couldn’t close her gaping mouth for a while.

On the other hand, Irene asked Yomi with pure joy.

“Aren’t you happy that you can keep staying with me?”

As if understanding her words, Yomi perked up his ears and rubbed his head against Irene’s arm.

“That tickles.”

Irene burst into clear laughter, hugging Yomi’s long neck and burying her face in his soft fur.

“…”

Coming to her senses belatedly, Jessie shrugged her shoulders.

It was quite unexpected that Kalos suggested it first, but she decided not to worry about it since the outcome was good.

She had also anticipated this might happen, seeing how Irene doted on Yomi like a real pet.

“Now let’s stay together from now on, Yomi.”

My, she really likes him a lot.

Although Yomi looked cute, he was still a magical beast.

A magical beast that people shunned and feared.

Moreover, Irene had been badly hurt by magical beasts before.

So Jessie thought Irene might be a little afraid of Yomi or reluctant to accept him as a spirit familiar, but there was no sign of that at all, which made Jessie a bit curious and she asked.

“Aren’t you afraid of magical beasts, my lady?”

“Of course I am.”

Irene stroked Yomi’s head as he looked up at her with innocent eyes.

“But not all magical beasts are scary. Cute and lovable ones like Yomi aren’t scary.”

“That’s interesting. Usually, people are afraid of magical beasts no matter how cute and lovable they look.”

“Then I guess I’m not a usual person.”

Irene meant it as a joke, but.

“…”

Knowing that she really wasn’t a usual person, Jessie felt a pang and quickly changed the subject.

“Well. It seems you like Yomi so much, I’m getting a bit jealous?”

“Oh come on. I like you too, Jessie, so don’t be jealous.”

Jessie was about to wrap it up with a word of thanks, but thinking of an interesting prank, she asked with a mischievous smile.

“Do you only like me?”

“Pardon?”

“What about the master?”

Irene’s eyes widened at the sudden mention of Kalos.

Jessie put her hands behind her back and leaned her upper body slightly towards Irene.

“You like the master too, don’t you?”

“…”

Like Kalos?

Irene’s eyes rolled rapidly, confused by a question she had never thought about before.

Her mind was bubbling and complicated like a volcano about to erupt.

She could just say she liked Grand Duke Esper like Jessie did, but strangely, the words wouldn’t come out.

It’s not that she disliked Kalos.

Rather… she liked him.

But why couldn’t she say that she liked him?

Not understanding at all, Irene just gnawed on her innocent lips.

Seeing Irene like this seemed strange to Yomi, who tugged lightly on her collar with his mouth.

“…”

Looking into those pure eyes without a speck of dust, the confused thoughts in her mind gradually calmed down.

Thanks to that, Irene came up with an appropriate answer and slowly parted her lips, looking at Jessie.

“I think… he’s a good person.”

The answer came not from the front, but from behind.

“Kalos is indeed a good guy.”

“…!”

Both Irene and Jessie were startled and turned around.

Emerging from the bushes with heavy steps, Abel grumbled as he brushed off the leaves stuck to his body.

“Phew, why are there so many trees and bushes in the castle?”

“…”

It wasn’t just imagination that this scene seemed familiar.

This was exactly how it was when they first met Abel.

Jessie looked at Abel with bewildered eyes and asked.

“Why do you keep going through strange places, ignoring the perfectly good paths?”

“Curious?”

“I asked because I was curious.”

“Well, you see.”

Abel looked around widely, then leaned slightly towards Irene and Jessie and said in a secretive voice.

“I got lost.”

“…”

They were curious about what great reason there might be, but it was just for such a trivial reason.

Irene, taken aback, just blinked her eyes, while Jessie frowned and touched her forehead.

“Really… Do you think that makes sense, Lord Abel?”

“But it’s the truth.”

Abel shrugged his shoulders.

“As you know, Jessie, Esper Castle is quite vast. Plus, there are trap barriers set up here and there to prevent intruders, so it’s not easy to find your way.”

Trap barriers? Are there such things in Esper Castle?

Irene was perplexed, not knowing anything, but Jessie seemed to know something as she affirmed with silence.

Abel grinned and turned to Irene.

“I’m glad I found my way here properly though.”

Irene flinched and stepped back as she met the purple eyes.

Yomi also trembled and hid behind Irene.

Jessie stepped forward, blocking Abel’s view of Irene.

“I don’t know what business you have with my lady, but please get permission from the master first.”

Abel gave a hollow laugh.

“That woman isn’t Kalos’s possession. Do I need Kalos’s permission even to give her a gift?”

“A gift?”

“This.”

Abel took out a small box from his pocket and opened the lid to show them.

Inside the box were red berries slightly smaller than wild strawberries.

Seeing that, Jessie’s eyes widened like saucers.

“Could this be Alegria?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh my. To think I’d see such a precious thing with my own eyes.”

“Is that fruit so precious?”

It looks like an ordinary berry to me?

As Irene asked curiously, Jessie nodded her head vigorously.

“Of course! Alegria is said to be so precious that only the chosen ones can eat it. Its taste is also exquisite, and people who eat it all say they’ve seen heaven?”

That fruit tastes that good?

As Irene looked at the berries with wonder, Abel held out the box towards her.

“Try one.”

“What? Is it alright for me to eat it?”

“Of course. I brought it for you, so go ahead and try it.”

He’s giving me such a precious fruit?

Why on earth?

“…”

Unable to understand his actions, Irene was wary of Abel like a cat with its fur standing on end.

Abel sighed deeply as if disappointed and drooped his shoulders.

“Oh dear. I came with good intentions, but all I get in return is suspicion and wariness. How disappointing.”

“…”

When he says it like that, it makes me feel a bit sorry…

Besides, I’m curious about how delicious this fruit must be for people to say they’ve seen heaven after eating it.

“It’s not often you get a chance to eat Alegria, so why don’t you try it, my lady.”

When even Jessie said so, Irene gave in and picked up a berry, putting it in her mouth.

The moment she bit into the berry, a tangy and sweet juice burst out, filling her mouth, and soon a joy like fireworks exploding filled her vision.

“It’s delicious…”

When Irene unconsciously let out an exclamation, Abel smiled with satisfaction.

“Right? Have another one.”

The moment she ate the Alegria, her wariness towards Abel completely crumbled.

Irene readily picked up another red berry and ate it.

She thought the impact would be less this time since she already knew the taste, but it was still delicious enough to make her exclaim.

She could understand why people said they had seen heaven.

Perhaps because of that, her vision swayed slightly, and her mind became hazy.

Her face also seemed to be getting a bit hot.

“…Can I try one too?”

“Of course…”

She could hear Jessie and Abel’s conversation in fragments.

“Want to eat more?”

It was strange that Abel’s offer of Alegria was clearly heard amidst all this.

Irene picked up and ate the berries as if entranced.

And not long after, her vision spun, and her legs gave out.

“My lady!”

Jessie quickly supported Irene as she collapsed.

“Are you alright, my lady?”

“…”

“My lady.”

“…Jessie.”

Irene, who had been limply leaning against Jessie’s chest, sluggishly raised her head.

Her face was abnormally red.

She had been fine until just now, why did her face suddenly turn red?

“It feels too hot here…”

“Ah, my lady!”

As if that wasn’t disconcerting enough, Irene tried to take off her clothes, startling Jessie who hurriedly tried to stop her.

“How can you say it’s hot when the wind is this cold! What nonsense are you talking about!”

“But I’m hot?”

It’s not like fanning a burning house, what is he doing?

As Jessie glared at him, Abel turned his head away, pretending not to notice.

“Hot…”

“It’s not hot, my lady.”

“No, it’s hot. So, I want to take off my clothes…”

With her red face and all. Her behavior of whining like a child was just like a drunk person.

Could it be…?

“Is it possible to get drunk from eating Alegria?”

The answer came from a completely unexpected direction.

“That’s right. While underground dwellers have no side effects from eating Alegria, when ordinary humans eat it, side effects like hers can occur.”

“…!”

Only then did Jessie notice Kalos walking towards them and froze in place.

“This is bad.”

Abel fidgeted like a dog desperately needing the bathroom, then slowly tried to back away.

“Where do you think you’re going.”

But Kalos used his shadow to grab Abel’s ankle, preventing him from escaping.

Before long, Abel came face to face with Kalos and an awkward smile spread across his lips.

“Ha, ha… Hello, Kalos.”

His thick eyebrows rose diagonally.

“If you were me, would you be able to say hello?”

“Umm…”

At a loss for words, Abel rolled his eyes.

Kalos, who had seen and heard everything that happened through the shadow he had attached to Irene on the way here, was very irritated.

There was no way Abel, the lord of the underground, wouldn’t know about the side effects of Alegria, yet he fed it to Irene.

No matter how he thought about it, it seemed intentional, so Kalos glared at Abel.

“Why did you feed her Alegria?”

Abel scratched his cheek awkwardly with a forced smile.

“Don’t glare at me like that. I just gave it to her with good intentions, hoping she could taste something delicious too.”

Kalos snorted.

“You’re not going to say you didn’t know that ordinary humans would have side effects from eating underground food like Alegria, are you?”

“Of course I knew. But she’s not an ordinary human…”

“Abel.”

Kalos cut off Abel’s words and turned to look at Irene.

Irene had already lost consciousness and was slumped in Jessie’s arms.

He was worried she might have heard what Abel was saying, but thankfully she hadn’t.

“I’ll take her.”

Kalos received Irene from Jessie and skillfully lifted her into his arms.

Abel whistled softly at the adept manner that didn’t seem like it was his first or second time.

“…”

Kalos frowned at the sound, annoyed, and turned to Abel.

“Go repair the barrier alone today.”

“What? What do you mean…”

Abel was flustered and tried to object, but Kalos’s words came first.

“Or would you rather go together and have a long talk about what you did today?”

“…”

Imagining the horrible scenario of being nagged by Kalos throughout the barrier repair, Abel shuddered and shook his head.

“No, I’ll go alone.”