“……”

Asking when Yomi would be released, but suggesting to go see her?

Irene’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden proposal.

This man may have noticed her desire to see Yomi and made the suggestion.

But more than that, it sounded like he was politely refusing, saying Yomi would never be released.

Certainly, no matter how much she was controlled, he wouldn’t want to spare the beast that ruthlessly bit his hand.

Irene understood Kalos’s feelings, but she felt pity and sympathy for Yomi.

Her eyes reddened with emotion welling up suddenly.

“……”

Not wanting to show Kalos her crying face, Irene quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and lowered her gaze.

Then she saw his left hand with the bandage removed.

The left hand was perfectly fine without a single wound.

It had clearly been severely injured with flesh torn off and blood spraying everywhere, so how…

“How can it be perfectly fine…?”

Irene muttered as if talking to herself, bewildered.

“……”

Come to think of it, he had removed the bandage because it was bothersome.

He also didn’t want to show the bandaged appearance to the priests.

Kalos, belatedly realizing this fact, was flustered but calmly gazed at the golden eyes filled with suspicion and confusion, pretending nothing was amiss.

How should I gloss over this?

Kalos’s mind spun faster than a top.

As they say, there’s always a way out even if the ground caves in. A good excuse quickly came to mind.

“…Around lunchtime, an investigation team sent by the imperial family and temple arrived in Esper territory.”

Kalos said, openly showing his left hand without a single wound.

“There was a priest among them with excellent healing abilities, so I asked him to treat my hand.”

“Ah, I see.”

Irene finally understood why Kalos’s left hand was completely healed, but was surprised that a priest’s healing abilities could be this remarkable.

This must be why there are rumors that when a high-ranking priest uses healing abilities, they can even revive someone on the brink of death.

“So, are we going to see Yomi?”

Kalos smoothly changed the subject to prevent Irene from saying anything more about the left hand.

“……”

As the topic of Yomi came up again, Irene’s expression darkened.

Thinking of Yomi imprisoned for actions that weren’t her own will, but controlled by someone else, made her heart ache.

Moreover, judging from Kalos’s reaction, it seemed there was little chance of Yomi being released, which made her even more depressed.

Irene pondered what to do and cautiously asked.

“Can I… go see her later, not now?”

Though she desperately wanted to see Yomi right away, she held back, thinking she would just cry foolishly if she saw Yomi in this gloomy state.

“Alright.”

Irene had worried Kalos might refuse or show annoyance, but fortunately, he readily agreed.

Irene felt relieved but wanted to know for certain what would happen to Yomi in the future, so she asked.

“Will there come a day… when I can freely call Yomi’s name?”

Unable to directly ask if he was going to kill Yomi, she asked indirectly.

Being able to freely call Yomi’s name meant that child would return to her side.

“……”

Kalos looked down at her with strange eyes, as if he had much to say.

He rubbed his face, then nodded.

“If that’s what you want.”

*

As the sunset that had dyed the sky reddish disappeared behind the snow-covered mountains, darkness settled thickly.

Whoosh, the wind, grown colder with the night air, brushed past their skin.

As Irene shivered slightly and hugged her arms, Kalos took off his coat and placed it on her shoulders.

“……”

At this seemingly indifferent yet caring gesture, Irene blankly stared at Kalos.

Patting off the grass stuck to his bottom, Kalos stood up and held out his hand.

“Let’s head back now.”

*

Throughout their return to the room, no particular conversation passed between them.

Irene wanted to say something, disliking the awkward and heavy atmosphere, but Kalos’s expression was darker than usual, so she silently followed behind him.

Kalos, who had been walking silently looking only ahead, turned around when they arrived at her bedroom.

“……”

Facing Kalos as he turned, Irene swallowed dryly.

Thump thump, the sound of her heartbeat echoed loudly.

Kalos had escorted her to her bedroom many times before, but this was the first time her heart pounded like this.

As if declaring it would no longer hide now that she had realized her feelings, her heart made its presence clearly known.

Though Irene felt shy about looking directly at Kalos’s face.

She kept glancing at him, wanting to keep seeing his face.

“……”

As if noticing something, Kalos approached with a stiff face.

Irene froze, taking a deep breath at the suddenly close distance.

“……”

Soon after, as a cold hand touched her forehead, her eyes widened to their limit.

The golden eyes within them trembled needlessly.

“You don’t seem to have a fever.”

As Kalos stepped back, Irene exhaled the breath she’d been holding.

“But seeing how your face is flushed, there seems to be some problem, so have a physician examine you.”

Irene shook her head.

“N-no, I’m fine.”

She wasn’t sure if her face was really flushed.

But if it was, it wasn’t due to illness, so a physician wouldn’t be able to cure it.

“Still, just in case, get checked.”

At the polite command disguised as a suggestion, Irene had no choice but to nod.

Then she took off his coat that she was still wearing and held it out.

Kalos slung the coat over his shoulder as if it were a burden.

“Rest well.”

As Kalos was about to walk away, Irene unconsciously grabbed his fluttering coat.

Kalos turned his head to look at Irene.

Irene felt a sense of déjà vu the moment she met his purple eyes.

No, this isn’t déjà vu.

Because the same situation had occurred before.

The only difference from then was the reason for holding him back.

Because she didn’t want to let him go.

She had unknowingly reached out, feeling reluctant to let him leave like this.

Irene inwardly laughed at herself for having such thoughts, despite having run away saying it was uncomfortable to stay in his bedroom.

Yet she didn’t loosen her grip on Kalos’s coat.

Kalos raised one eyebrow and asked.

“Do you have something to say?”

“……”

There were things she wanted to say, but nothing she could say right now.

She hadn’t held him back because she had something to say either.

But since she couldn’t truthfully say why she had held him back, she had to make up a reason.

Irene’s mind raced faster than ever.

“Um, you said you’d have breakfast with me!”

Fortunately, she came up with a good excuse just in time.

“But we haven’t eaten together recently… so I was wondering if we’d eat separately tomorrow too.”

Kalos smiled.

“The reason we haven’t had breakfast together lately is because you overslept.”

“……”

Hit right on the mark, Irene’s face flushed bright red.

Feeling the heat so much that she could tell she was blushing, Irene covered both cheeks with her hands and lowered her head.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

It wasn’t said to receive an apology.

“Then let’s have breakfast together tomorrow.”

“Yes, yes. Then…”

“However, that’s only possible on the premise that you don’t oversleep.”

“……”

At the clearly teasing words, the redness spread to Irene’s earlobes.

“I-I absolutely won’t oversleep! I’ll definitely wake up early tomorrow!”

Kalos burst into laughter at her lovely appearance, clenching her fist tightly and burning with determination even in that moment.

*

“……”

Jessie, who had come to attend to Irene and unintentionally overheard Kalos and Irene’s conversation,

and even saw Kalos burst into laughter, leaned against the corridor wall and covered her face with both hands.

“……”

I thought it was a small spark.

I thought it would disappear soon if no attention was given, if its existence was continuously ignored… but I was mistaken.

Well, with the fuel named ‘Irene’, how could the spark easily disappear?

“I hope he doesn’t realize…”

Now only two flower buds remain.

Jessie fervently hoped and prayed that Kalos would not notice his own feelings until the flower buds fully bloomed and the curse was lifted.

*

After escorting Irene to her bedroom and returning to his own room, Kalos stopped as he was about to enter.

…There’s a strange scent.

A scent that seems unfamiliar yet familiar.

Where have I smelled this before?

Ah, it’s that woman’s scent.

“……”

Having quickly found the answer, Kalos scanned the bedroom.

It was strange that her scent filled his room after staying for just about two days.

Is it usually like this?

I don’t know. I’d have to have let someone else stay in my bedroom before.

Dewey and other servants come and go, but they don’t stay for long.

Irene was the first to stay in his bedroom for that long.

It’s also the first time I’ve given up my bed to someone.

“……”

Kalos sat at the bedside and stroked the blanket with his fingertips.

Perhaps because it’s where Irene stayed the longest.

Her scent was most strongly felt here.

“……”

Kalos lay down on the bed as if collapsing and inhaled the faintly spreading scent deep into his lungs.

At first it seemed familiar yet strange, but now the unfamiliar feeling had completely disappeared.

Instead, he felt a cozy sensation as if surrounded by clouds.

Come to think of it, his head had been splitting with pain because of the Empress’s involvement in this incident.

But after meeting Irene, the pain disappeared and his mind became at ease.

As the sense of urgency faded, his range of thoughts also broadened.

…I should go to the capital after all.

There were several reasons for this, but what concerned him most now was that the person the Empress had chosen as the fake culprit happened to be a believer of Parthenos.

The current leader of Parthenos was none other than Dale.

Long ago, the lord of the underworld who created Parthenos was the former lord of Pero.

When Dale succeeded that position, he also inherited the leadership of Parthenos.

After losing part of his body as payment for cursing Kalos, he stopped showing himself even to Parthenos, but the fact that Dale was the leader remained unchanged.

The fact that the Empress used a believer of Parthenos meant there was a very high possibility that Dale was involved.

Perhaps the two had joined hands, but… well.

Basically, since the Empress and Dale pursued different goals, that possibility was extremely low.

Unless Dale approached the Empress hiding his true intentions.

In any case, since a connection had formed between the Empress and Dale, there was a need to check.

“If I may humbly offer my opinion… I think it would be good for you to go to the capital.”

Hadn’t Dewey said that too?

Knock knock−.

“Excuse me, Master.”

As Dewey entered just then, Kalos immediately ordered.

“Dewey. Prepare to go to the capital.”