Kalos came back to visit Yomi in the late afternoon when the sun had slightly tilted.

After sending Irene away, Yomi’s drooping ears perked up.

The jet-black eyes looking at Kalos were filled with fear and wariness.

“I’m not here to kill you, so don’t worry.”

Rather, he had come to give Yomi a chance to escape this place.

…Though he wasn’t sure if it was really a chance.

Kalos smirked slightly and opened the box he had brought.

Inside the box was a choker with a black jewel embedded in it.

“You’ve received demon training, so you probably know what this is.”

Yomi blinked her large eyes, indicating that she knew.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Become my subordinate.”

At those added words, Yomi was startled and looked at Kalos.

As if fully understanding Yomi’s reaction, Kalos calmly continued speaking.

“If you become a subordinate, you cannot attack the master you serve under any circumstances.”

For example, even if one became a puppet with no will, bound by Dale’s threads, the contract of subordination would take precedence, making it impossible to attack the master.

More precisely, one could not attack those who possessed the master’s power.

In other words, if Yomi became Kalos’s subordinate, it meant she could never attack Irene under any circumstances.

That was exactly what Kalos wanted.

“……”

But Yomi, not knowing Kalos’s intentions, still looked at him in bewilderment.

Becoming a lord’s subordinate was a great honor, but there was also much to give up.

Once you became a subordinate, you could never escape until death.

“……”

Moreover, since Yomi had already become Irene’s demon, she hesitated to decide, reluctant to serve Kalos as her lord.

After all, it didn’t make sense to have two suns in the same sky.

“Kara.”

When Kalos called her by a new name, Yomi, now Kara’s ears twitched.

“It’s for Irene.”

At the mention of Irene’s name, the large eyes wavered.

Kalos asked, looking at his own reflection in those jet-black eyes.

“Will you become my subordinate for her sake?”

The wavering eyes suddenly became resolute.

Kara lowered her long neck and pressed her head against Kalos’s foot.

*

Dewey, who had been waiting at the entrance of the underground prison, looked at Yomi curiously when Kalos came out with her.

Didn’t he say he wouldn’t release Yomi until Dale was caught? Why is he suddenly bringing her out?

“…!”

Soon, Dewey’s eyes widened like saucers when he noticed the choker around Yomi’s neck.

More precisely, he was surprised to see the black jewel embedded in the choker.

The black jewel was a condensed form of Kalos’s power, and all his subordinates wore accessories with that jewel.

Jessie wore a bracelet, Dewey earrings, and Deuce had it embedded in his sword’s pommel.

It meant that Yomi had become Kalos’s subordinate.

“……”

It was Kalos’s freedom to take on whomever he wanted as a subordinate.

Similarly, as a subordinate himself, Dewey had no right to say anything about it.

He had no intention to, either.

…Right. If the lord hadn’t been cursed, I would have just accepted it and moved on.

“……”

Deep concern flickered in the crimson eyes looking at Kalos.

Knowing full well what Dewey was worried about, Kalos raised both hands to shoulder height.

“As you can see, I’m fine, so there’s no need to worry.”

The hands he waved lightly were intact.

There were no parts that had become translucent or disappeared.

“…Are you really alright?”

Dewey glanced at Kalos’s left leg.

The problematic leg that had been translucent for a long time due to excessive use of power.

Kalos smiled faintly and showed that his left leg was also unharmed.

Finally reassured, Dewey let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time asked curiously.

“What’s the reason for suddenly taking Yomi as your subordinate…?”

Dewey realized the reason as soon as he asked the question.

It’s because of Irene.

“It seems my answer is unnecessary.”

Kalos patted Dewey’s shoulder.

“For now, take this child to her. Let’s continue our remaining conversation later.”

*

“……”

Irene, who had returned to her bedroom after meeting Yomi, Kara, collapsed onto the bed.

She wanted to see Kara and was worried about her condition.

And thinking that Kara would want to see her too, she went… but it seemed like it was a mistake to go.

If she hadn’t seen Kara, there might have been hope.

She could have believed Kalos’s words that someday she would be able to call that name freely and waited.

The moment she saw Kara imprisoned, she realized it was a false belief.

As hope turned into despair in an instant, darkness fell over her body and mind, making her depressed.

At the same time, she felt grateful to Kalos but also slightly resentful.

That man’s lie was surely for her sake.

But the despair hit harder because of the vain hope and expectations she had harbored, so she couldn’t help but feel a little complaint.

…If he had said from the beginning that Kara would not be released, she might have resented him more.

Maybe that could have been an opportunity to sort out her feelings for him.

“Ha, I’m… really selfish.”

Finding herself pathetic for calculating gains and losses even at a moment like this, Irene laughed softly and covered her eyes with the back of her hand.

She wanted to forget everything and fall asleep like this, but sadly, she couldn’t.

Instead, Kara’s pitiful image came vividly to mind, stirring up her emotions.

She wanted to take Kara out of that dark underground prison… but it would be impossible with her power.

Eventually, tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

Since there was no one watching, Irene left the tears unchecked.

How much time had passed like that?

Knock knock−.

“……”

There was a knock on the door.

Irene groggily got up and stared blankly at the tightly closed door.

The person knocking must be Jessie.

At this hour, there was no one else who would come.

“May I come in?”

“…!”

Contrary to her expectation, when she heard Kalos’s voice, Irene’s eyes widened.

A tear that had been precariously hanging on the tip of her long eyelashes fell with a plop.

Knock knock−.

“Are you sleeping?”

“Ah, no! Just, just a moment!”

Irene hurriedly called out while rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

She didn’t want to show Kalos her crying face.

Showing such a face once was enough, so she had to erase the tear marks somehow.

…I tried to erase them, but why are they more noticeable now?

“……”

Looking at her reflection in the dressing table mirror, Irene unconsciously touched her furrowed brow.

Her rabbit-like bloodshot eyes, wet eyebrows, and reddened eye area made her look like someone who had just burst into tears.

Irene nervously bit her nails.

“What should I do?”

If she had just pretended to be asleep, she wouldn’t have had to worry like this, why did she answer?

Irene felt belated regret, but.

She knew that even if she could turn back time, she would have answered because she wanted to see Kalos’s face.

“Is something wrong?”

Oh no, this isn’t the time for this.

Irene checked her reflection in the mirror again.

There wasn’t enough time to fix her tear-stained face.

…I might as well just be honest and say I was crying because I felt sorry for Kara.

That would be better than making clumsy excuses.

Irene took a deep breath and opened the door.

The purple eyes she met head-on creased.

“Have you been crying?”

Of course he noticed right away.

It would be strange if he didn’t notice when it was so obvious.

Irene smiled awkwardly and avoided Kalos’s gaze.

“Yes, well… I was thinking about Kara.”

She revealed the reason first, fearing it might become difficult to answer if Kalos started probing.

“……”

Kalos, who had been staring down at her, asked.

“Shall we go for a short walk?”

It was sudden to suggest a walk, but.

Irene just blinked, perplexed that he would propose going out when she looked like this.

Kalos added calmly.

“There’s something I want to show you.”

“Something you… want to show me?”

Kalos nodded and held out his gloved hand.

“Will you come?”

Due to Kalos’s characteristic arrogant tone and gaze, it sounded more like an order than a suggestion.

She was still embarrassed to go out looking like this, but.

Curious about what he wanted to show her, Irene took Kalos’s outstretched hand.

*

Irene, who had come out to the garden holding Kalos’s hand, stopped abruptly after a short while.

A familiar silhouette was standing under a large tree in the garden.

Black fur gently swaying in the wind, a cute tail, and long legs stretched out.

“Kara…?”

Could it be another yomi that looks just like Kara?

Animals and magical beasts all look similar after all.

As Irene stood half-dazed, staring blankly at Kara, Kalos gently pushed her back.

The sound of rustling leaves being stepped on echoed quietly on the cool breeze.

Hearing that sound, the magical beast twitched its ears and turned its head towards Irene.

The moment she met those jet-black eyes, her uncertain heart became sure.

Irene ran over in one step and hugged Kara tightly.

Her cheeks, which had just dried, became wet again.

*

“I thought I wouldn’t see her outside…”

As Irene murmured while hugging Kara’s neck tightly, Kalos, who had approached from behind, replied nonchalantly.

“I told you. It’s possible if you want it.”

Irene, who had been burying her face in the soft fur that had become smooth again, raised her head.

Even though her vision was blurred with tears, she could clearly see the face of the man she loved.

As her resentment towards him melted away like snow, her heart beat pleasantly.

How could she not love this man?

When he understands my heart so well, how could I not?

As emotions welled up for a different reason than when she met Kara, Irene buried her face in the black fur again.

The red sunset poured over her faintly trembling shoulders.

This time, Kalos didn’t leave, but stayed until the end.

*

Upon hearing Kalos’s willing agreement to be a witness, the Emperor immediately went to inform the Empress of the news.

Although he knew that Kalos didn’t think favorably of the Empress.

He thought she should know since she was the one who prepared the fake culprit and evidence.

That way, it would be easier to match stories when Kalos took the stand as a legal witness.

“As the Empress well knows, the Lord is an important person to the Empire and the Imperial family. So, absolutely do not do anything that would be disrespectful to the Lord.”

The Emperor anxiously implored before leaving the Empress’s palace.

Taking off her shoes and sitting casually on the sofa, the Empress muttered while fiddling with her nails.

“I didn’t think he’d really come.”

To think such a big fish would bite when she had just thrown it out as a longshot.

Her lips, painted with delicate rouge, curved up smoothly.

The Empress hummed a tune while wiggling her bare feet that peeked out from under her skirt.

“I should give him a proper welcome.”

By inviting all the people he likes too.

She intended to repay him handsomely for finally doing something she liked.