“……!”

Irene, startled by the unexpected situation, froze without even thinking to dodge.

From the start, she was too close to Yomi to avoid it.

Just before the sharp fangs could bite into her pale neck, a large hand suddenly intervened.

Thanks to this, Irene’s neck was safe, but instead, Kalos’s hand was mercilessly torn.

Crunch-

As flesh was ripped away, blood splattered everywhere.

Her pale face was stained red.

“……!”

Finally coming to her senses, Irene collapsed, shuddering at the sight of Kalos’s hand, torn so brutally it was hard to look at.

Blood dripped onto her trembling body, shaking like an aspen tree.

“……”

Though it must be incredibly painful, Kalos stared at Yomi without blinking.

The brilliant light of the magic circle faded, and the floating characters returned to their places.

“Kyaah, Master!”

Only then did Jessie realize what had happened and let out a piercing scream.

“……Hold!”

Dewey quickly cast a binding spell to restrain Yomi from thrashing about.

“Kalos!”

Abel rushed to Kalos’s side in one step.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t just empty words; he really was fine.

Although his power had weakened considerably from being bound to the human world for so long, he hadn’t become so weak that this level of attack would cause him problems.

But Irene wasn’t the same.

If he hadn’t blocked it, and her neck had been bitten, she would surely have been seriously injured.

In the worst case, she could have died.

So Kalos, considering it fortunate that he had sacrificed his hand instead, turned to look at Irene.

“……”

Irene was staring blankly at Yomi.

More precisely, she was looking at the translucent blue threads dangling from Yomi’s body.

The sight resembled a ‘marionette’.

A pitiful puppet bound by strings, forced to move as controlled by the one holding the wooden cross, regardless of its own will.

Perhaps… was Yomi also being controlled by someone to attack me?

This sudden doubt turned into certainty when she saw Yomi’s eyes, which showed no malice or killing intent.

The large eyes, brimming with tears, were filled only with sadness, guilt, and a sense of injustice.

It was like seeing her own image screaming that she wasn’t a witch until her veins popped, and she couldn’t leave it alone.

‘I want to… save Yomi.’

The moment she thought this, Irene felt something hot spreading from her heart.

Though she still didn’t know how to save Yomi, for some reason, she felt like she could do it somehow and approached Yomi.

“It’s dangerous… ugh!”

Jessie tried to stop Irene, but had to halt as the magic circle activated again.

Abel, who had been looking at Kalos’s wound, also startled and stepped back, then reached out towards Irene again.

“What are you doing now…!”

“Wait.”

Kalos held Abel back by the shoulder.

Even then, Kalos’s gaze remained fixed on Irene.

On her, who was emitting the same energy as himself with her whole body.

Ignoring the pouring gazes, Irene approached Yomi and tightly embraced her, who was trembling in fear.

“It’s okay. I’ll save you.”

As soon as Irene’s words ended, the characters drawn on the floor floated up again and the magic circle shone.

The light flowing from the magic circle melted away the blue threads binding Yomi without a trace.

Whine-

Yomi, now returned to being a gentle and kind child, made a pitiful sound and nuzzled her face against Irene’s arm.

“Thank goodness.”

I was worried what if it didn’t work, but I’m really glad.

Irene looked up, feeling deeply relieved.

Then she saw the characters floating in the air.

Earlier, she couldn’t even tell if they were characters or pictures, but strangely, now she could read them.

“Le debea asrien……”

As Irene read the characters, the magic circle shone even more brilliantly.

Finally, when Irene finished reading all the floating characters, an unidentified voice sounded in her head.

[You who wish to accept the child of La (Ra). May blessings fill your future]

The mysterious voice spoke in a language she had never heard before, but strangely, it was translated into the Imperial language in Irene’s mind.

[The child’s name?]

The child’s name must mean Yomi.

Irene answered in a slightly trembling voice.

“It’s… Kara.”

The unidentified voice asked again.

[Do you really intend to contract with this child?]

“Yes.”

As Irene answered, the characters connected with each other and stretched out, linking Irene and Yomi before disappearing.

At the same time, she felt something warm filling her body.

Ah, the contract is complete.

Irene instinctively realized.

Though it was what she had longed for, she couldn’t be happy.

“Ugh.”

The moment she realized this fact, her back began to burn with pain as if stabbed with a fire poker.

The terrible pain that started from around her shoulder blades spread throughout her body, tormenting her.

It seemed like she had felt this exact same pain before.

When was that…

Thud-.

As the intense pain that had now taken over her body consumed even her consciousness, Irene lost consciousness and collapsed.

*

When Irene collapsed, Yomi threw herself to catch her.

And she licked Irene’s face clean, which was covered in blood.

It was quite strange to see the monster, who had tried to bite Irene just a few minutes ago, now caring for her so tenderly as if nothing had happened.

It was also suspicious.

But no one could react because the scene they had just witnessed was too shocking.

Amidst everyone’s half-dazed state, Jessie muttered in a stunned voice.

“How… did the human young lady read the Rune language?”

Rune language. The language used by the inhabitants of the underground world, and while not common, there were some humans who knew the Rune language.

But Irene wasn’t one of them.

As evidence, when she first saw the magic circle, she didn’t recognize the Rune language at all and asked Jessie what it was.

But suddenly she not only read the Rune language but also activated the magic circle herself and completed the summoning ritual, so it was very perplexing.

While everyone was bewildered, not knowing what was going on, Kalos moved.

The eyes of those in the basement naturally followed Kalos.

As Kalos approached, Yomi flattened her ears and hunched her neck.

“……”

However, Kalos didn’t even glance at Yomi and lightly picked up the still unconscious Irene.

Seeing this, Dewey hurriedly approached and said,

“I will take care of the young lady.”

“It’s fine.”

“But your hand, Master……”

“This much is nothing, there’s no need to worry.”

His flesh was torn to shreds and blood splattered everywhere, yet he says it’s nothing.

Dewey wore an expression of disbelief, but Kalos paid no mind and gave orders to the guide.

“Until I give further orders, keep that spirit beast with you. Watch her closely so she doesn’t do anything foolish.”

“Y-Yes!”

The guide answered in a voice rigid with tension.

Kalos glanced at Dewey, who was still looking at him worriedly, then strode out of the basement carrying Irene.

Dewey, who had been staring blankly at his retreating figure, only came to his senses after Kalos had completely disappeared from view and hurriedly followed after him.

Jessie also followed after Kalos and Irene.

And when even the guide left with Yomi, Abel was left alone in the large basement.

“Hmm.”

Abel scratched his head as he looked at the magic circle drawn on the floor and the blood messily splattered over it.

“Seems like things are taking a strange turn.”

*

Kalos, who had intended to take Irene to her bedroom, changed his mind and brought her to his bedroom instead.

If Dale did something strange again while he was momentarily distracted, it would be a big problem.

He judged it safer to keep her where he could respond immediately if something happened.

Kalos laid Irene on the large bed, then stood by the bedside, quietly watching her sleeping form.

His eyes looked at the present, but his mind traced back to the past.

The image of her emitting the same energy as himself came vividly to mind.

“……”

He knew that Irene, being a sacrifice for the curse, would have the same energy as himself.

It was because he knew this fact that Jerdin could unhesitatingly inject mana into Irene.

In the past, when Kalos taught magic to Jerdin, there was no mana collision.

So he thought that if Irene ever used magic, he would be able to see her emitting the same energy as himself, but…

“……It was beautiful.”

To the point where it was regrettable to take his eyes off even for a moment.

It was such a beautiful sight that he unknowingly let out a deep sigh when the energy disappeared.

But what was beautiful?

The energy of mine that she emitted?

Or her appearance, wrapped in my energy?

“……”

At this sudden question, Kalos pressed his fingertips to his brow.

The image of Irene, shrouded in pitch-black darkness and wrapped in his energy, came vividly to mind again.

A sight so beautiful it was dazzling.

Only then did Kalos realize clearly.

That it was the latter, not the former.

*

Knock knock-.

Awakened from his reverie by the soft knocking sound, Kalos turned to look at the door.

“Excuse me for a moment, Master.”

Dewey’s voice was heard from beyond the tightly closed door.

“What is it?”

“I thought we should treat your hand……”

Ah, come to think of it, his hand had been injured.

Kalos looked down at his hand. Even to him, the hand with its torn flesh and dried blood looked ghastly.

But that was all; it didn’t particularly hurt.

It had healed to some extent thanks to his exceptional recovery ability, and he had also become numb to this level of pain.

So he was about to say it was fine, not to worry about it, but changed his words.

“Come in.”

It seemed Dewey would only be reassured if he showed him directly that it was fine.

Dewey entered, laden with everything from a wet towel to a first aid kit and clothes for Kalos to change into.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Dewey carefully wiped the blood from Kalos’s hand with the wet towel.

This revealed a hand that had already grown new flesh and healed completely.

Except for a faint mark in the shape of Yomi’s bite, there was no trace of injury at all.

He knew the lords had extraordinary healing abilities, but to this extent…

Dewey gasped in surprise, then smiled sheepishly.

“It seems I worried unnecessarily.”

Kalos neither confirmed nor denied this as he withdrew his hand.

Dewey, gathering up the now unnecessary first aid kit, asked,

“Then shall I prepare bath water for you to wash right away?”

Kalos considered for a moment, then shook his head.

“No. I’ll just change clothes quickly.”

“Yes.”

“And call Jessie. She needs to change clothes too.”

That meant he intended to keep Irene in his bedroom.

Dewey glanced at Irene, who was occupying Kalos’s bed.

As far as he knew, for whatever reason, Irene was the only woman, human or underground dweller, who had ever lain in Kalos’s bed.