Irene startled and stepped back. Meanwhile, Jessie chuckled softly and stroked the creature that had licked Irene’s cheek.

“Yomi. You shouldn’t startle the young lady.”

Yomi? Irene touched her damp cheek and looked at the creature called Yomi.

It was a young deer with two small antlers. The difference from ordinary deer was that its fur was pitch black, as if covered with a black cloth.

“I apologize.”

Jessie apologized on behalf of the creature that couldn’t speak.

“Perhaps because it’s young, it’s unusually fond of people for a magical beast, which led to this rudeness.”

“A magical beast… you say?”

The magical beasts Irene knew were extremely ferocious, terrifying, and frightening-looking races.

But the deer before her was too cute and lovely. No matter how she looked at it, it didn’t seem like a magical beast.

“Not all magical beasts look scary,” Jessie said, as if knowing exactly what Irene was thinking.

“There are many cute magical beasts like this one. Of course, they’re only cute when young, and become scary when they mature.”

Thump thump, as if understanding Jessie’s words, Yomi stomped its front hooves on the ground, expressing dissatisfaction. Jessie chuckled and patted Yomi’s back.

“Alright, I’ll say you’re majestic.”

Seemingly satisfied, Yomi stopped its behavior. Then it rolled its innocent eyes to look at Irene.

“My, it seems to have taken quite a liking to you, young lady.”

“Isn’t it just fond of people in general?”

“It is, but not to this extent. Well, you do have… that the young lady would sense.”

Jessie muttered as if talking to herself, then held out a handkerchief to Irene.

“Wipe it off, young lady.”

“Thank you.”

Irene wiped Yomi’s saliva off her cheek with the handkerchief. Fortunately, it wasn’t sticky. Jessie continued speaking.

“I’m sorry, but I need to take this little one to the magical beast enclosure. Would you mind waiting here for a bit?”

“Of course.”

After retracting her promise to return quickly, Jessie forcibly dragged Yomi, who still couldn’t take its eyes off Irene, and hurriedly left.

Left alone, Irene approached the castle wall. Up close, the wall seemed even higher.

“As expected, climbing over this is impossible.”

So the only option was to leave through the main gate…

Ah, wouldn’t there be a separate door for the servants? Surely they wouldn’t lower the drawbridge every time they come and go…

Thinking she should look for it, Irene turned around and noticed someone walking towards her along the castle wall.

“Dewey?”

It was indeed Dewey. When Irene called his name, he stopped abruptly. Scarlet eyes stared at Irene.

Facing those eyes, cold as a well-honed blade, Irene froze in place.

That man… is not Dewey.

Though he looked exactly like Dewey, the feeling was completely different. If Dewey gave off a soft, yellow feeling, this man gave off a cold, blue feeling.

Who could this man be, looking exactly like Dewey?

Wondering, Irene noticed a thin trickle of blood running down the man’s cheek.

‘He seems to be hurt.’

Feeling she should wipe off the blood, Irene approached the man. As the distance closed, the man’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“This…”

Just as Irene, now close enough to reach out and touch him, was about to offer the handkerchief she had received from Jessie, it happened.

Clang-.

With a sharp metallic sound, a cool sensation touched Irene’s neck.

The man had drawn the sword at his waist and placed it against her neck.

Thud, the handkerchief Irene was holding fell to the ground.

“Don’t come closer.”

The man said in a chilling voice as he stepped on the handkerchief.

“Don’t come closer, you filthy human.”

A terrifying hostility flowed out, enough to make one’s hair stand on end.

Irene was both bewildered and scared by this stranger’s sudden aggression.

Especially the sharp sword at her neck made her fear it might pierce her throat at any moment.

The fear of death she had momentarily forgotten rose like a mirage. As Irene trembled with a terrified expression, the man’s eyes narrowed.

“You bastard!”

At that moment, a powerful voice rang out from behind Irene.

It was Jessie. Seeing her, the man frowned as if annoyed, then lowered his sword.

Snorting like an angry bull, Jessie rushed over in one breath, hiding Irene behind her back, and glared fiercely at the man.

“How dare you point a sword at the young lady. You must be out of your mind.”

“She approached me first.”

“Not ‘she’, but ‘the young lady’!”

“Right, that woman.”

“Eek…!”

Seeing that the man wasn’t listening to her at all, Jessie stomped her feet. It looked similar to when Yomi had gotten angry.

“You, surely you don’t not know who the young lady is?”

“I know.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

“Is there a problem with that?”

The man tilted his head quizzically.

“She’s going to disappear soon anyway.”

I’m… going to disappear? Irene peeked out her head at these incomprehensible words.

On the other hand, Jessie seemed to understand what he meant and shouted angrily.

“No! This time, she won’t disappear!”

“Well, we’ll see about that.”

The man answered indifferently as he sheathed his sword, then looked at Irene.

He stared at her clear blue eyes that sparkled with innocence, then clicked his tongue as if annoyed before turning away.

Jessie raised her middle fingers at the man’s retreating back.

“He’s always such a jerk.”

Her face, which had been contorted, smoothed out as if ironed the moment she laid eyes on Irene. Her eyes drooped sadly.

“I’m sorry, young lady. That dog-like bastard must have startled you a lot, right?”

Irene shook her head. She was surprised, but not enough to cling to Jessie and complain.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No. Who was that man? He looked similar to Mr. Dewey…”

“Of course he would. He’s Dewey’s twin.”

“Twin?”

As Irene asked in surprise, Jessie let out a short exclamation.

“Come to think of it, the Ruman Empire considered twins to be unholy, didn’t they?”

As she said, twins were classified as beings not permitted by God, and it was customary to keep only the firstborn child alive and kill the one born later.

If it was discovered that both were kept alive due to unnecessary sentiment, the temple would rage that this was against God’s will and kill them all.

That’s why Irene was so surprised to hear that Dewey and that man were twins.

It was also strange that Jessie seemed to realize this belatedly. At first glance, it sounded like a foreigner speaking rather than an imperial citizen.

“Jessie, are you not an imperial citizen?”

“For now, I am. Since I live in the Esper territory.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Hmm, how should I explain this…”

Jessie scratched her head and thought for a moment, then added an explanation.

“Let’s say, originally I’m from another country, but I became an imperial citizen when I came to serve the master. Is that easier to understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“That’s good.”

Jessie smiled brightly and linked arms with Irene.

“Then let’s go to the knights’ training grounds, young lady.”

*

After finishing her tour of the knights, Irene bathed and headed to the dining hall. While breakfast and lunch were simple affairs in her bedroom, dinner was taken in the dining hall.

It was Jessie’s opinion that eating in the room made it difficult to enjoy a variety of dishes.

Indeed, eating in the dining hall allowed for a greater variety of food, but it was almost too much. At a glance, there were over ten different dishes. The portions were enormous as well.

When Irene first saw the set table, she asked Jessie if other people would be joining them.

But everything was solely for Irene. She was dumbfounded and overwhelmed by this luxury she had never imagined.

The dining hall and table, unnecessarily large for a solitary meal, were also intimidating.

What made her most uncomfortable was the cutlery. When Irene ate at home, she only had one fork, one knife, and one spoon.

But here, there were three forks and three knives. There were many glasses too. The plates were also changed once.

So this is how nobles dine. Having never seen it before, she had no way of knowing.

If there were other people dining with her, she could awkwardly follow their lead, but that was impossible. So Irene just picked up the most familiar fork and knife, one of each.

Then she glanced at Jessie and the servants waiting a little distance away.

She looked to check if this was correct, but thinking she was uncomfortable, Jessie told her to eat comfortably and left the dining hall with the servants.

Thanks to that, there was no one to be conscious of, so Irene used the cutlery as she pleased.

It was the same that day. While she was having dinner alone in the large dining hall, the firmly closed door opened.

Is it already time for dessert?

“Ahem.”

Irene, who had turned her head carelessly, was startled to see Kalos entering through the door and gave a small cough. Fortunately, she hadn’t put the bite-sized steak in her mouth yet, or she might have spit it out.

Kalos, whom she was seeing for the first time in almost two days, looked very tired. Normally, this should make someone look unattractive, but not Kalos. Rather, it gave him a more decadent feel, and Irene stared at him in a daze for a moment.

Kalos also approached with his gaze fixed on Irene. The strong smell of blood felt at the suddenly close distance awakened Irene’s senses.

“The smell of blood…”

Irene muttered unconsciously, and Kalos stopped abruptly.

She also closed her mouth and looked at him. Despite the strong smell of blood, strangely, no bloodstains could be found on his body. Was it because he was wearing black clothes that the bloodstains weren’t visible?

That’s not it, I should stand up. She couldn’t just sit there to greet a nobleman.

Just as Irene was about to stand up, Kalos spoke.

“…I’m sorry.”

At this apology that didn’t suit him, Irene stopped mid-rise and looked at him again.

“I should have washed up before coming, but I was in a hurry.”

“…”

“And I’m short on time.”

After making these incomprehensible excuses, Kalos reached out his hand towards Irene.

“Would you hold my hand?”

Irene’s gaze naturally fell to his hand.

“You probably don’t want to hold a hand that smells of blood in the middle of your meal… but please.”

The word ‘please’ didn’t suit him either.

If he had said it was an order, she would have taken his hand without thinking, but him saying ‘please’ made her think too much.

“Do you dislike it?”

“…No.”

It wasn’t a lie, but the truth. Irene truly didn’t completely dislike or feel repulsed by the idea of holding Kalos’s hand.

However, she didn’t have a sudden desire to hold his hand either, so she remained still. Kalos spoke again.

“Please.”

His earnest voice suppressed the hesitation stirring in her heart.

Irene nodded slightly and took his hand.