Riche woke up from sleep and abruptly rose from the bed, looking around.

“Pa, Pythons?”

But the room was silent.

The night must have been deep; a full moon hung in the dark window.

‘It was definitely Pythons.’

Had Hickenka come?

Slipping on her slippers, Riche carefully opened the door.

Contrary to expectation, Philip lay on the living room sofa with a sword by his side.

“Hickenka…?”

“…….”

She cautiously called out, but there was neither a reply nor a stir.

Growing anxious, Riche closed the door and reached under her bed for a hidden wooden box.

Upon opening the lid, she found the squirrel body of Pythons, seemingly asleep with eyes closed.

With a gentle finger, Riche shook the squirrel. She felt its warm body temperature.

“Pythons? Pythons.”

But there was no response here either.

I’m sure I heard it. Was it a dream?

“…….”

Expectation drained in a moment, and her nose tingled.

She had things she wanted to say when she met Pythons.

‘I’ve been working hard alone while you were gone. I will work even harder to get you back. To become a trustworthy contractor to you.’

She wanted to say that, but she still hadn’t met him.

‘Do I just have to wait? Until Hickenka comes?’

Riche looked out the window.

In the past, on full moon nights, she had visited the forest of demons several times.

She had planned to seek advice from the stars by the lakeside.

Since she couldn’t use Pythons’ ability, sneaking out of the manor was no easy task.

But even when she did manage to find the forest, the tightly sealed entrance didn’t allow her in. Even though it had opened when she went with Pythons.

It was the same if she entered before sunset.

She waited for night in the forest. When the forest began to change its appearance, Riche thought she could finally go to the lakeside.

But after the forest stopped moving, a closed entrance appeared before Riche’s hopeful eyes. The forest of demons drove Riche away.

Seeing the full moon outside, she vividly remembered Pythons. He seemed ready to get up and go to the lakeside right then.

Feeling gloomy, Riche placed the wooden box containing the squirrel body on the windowsill. She wanted it to bathe in the moonlight at least.

“……?”

Someone was seen leaving the dorm. Riche pressed her forehead close to the window.

Though it was dark, the twinkling golden hair caught her eye. And a dark aura, visible only to Riche.

“Ian?”

Where was he going? Students were not allowed to go out at night.

It wasn’t like him to break the rules.

“What are you doing?”

Startled by the voice behind her, Riche turned her head.

Philip was leaning against the doorframe, but his right eye was golden.

“Hickenka!”

“I didn’t expect such a welcome from Retyom.”

Hickenka walked toward Riche.

Looking at Pythons’ squirrel body on the windowsill, he grinned and asked,

“Did you meet him?”

“Who?”

“Pythons. I let him out for a moment.”

Riche’s eyes widened.

She hadn’t misheard. What she heard earlier was Pythons’ voice.

“W-where is he?”

“You’ve grown a bit since I last saw you. Still a child though.”

Ignoring her question, Hickenka looked Riche up and down.

His hair was different from Philip’s usual unkempt style.

Beneath the slicked-back fringe, a pair of eyes of different colors shimmered as if spotting prey.

“So, Retyom?”

Even though he looked like Philip, when possessed by Hickenka he seemed entirely different.

A dangerous atmosphere enveloped him. Hickenka leaned in and whispered in Riche’s ear,

“Have you thought it over in these three years? You should be ready to choose me by now.”

“Not at all.”

Riche answered decisively.

“As promised, let me meet Pythons. I’ve enrolled in the academy just like you said.”

Straightening up, Hickenka looked at her.

“That’s it for today. Can’t bring him out anymore.”
“……What?”

Liche’s eyes sharpened, making Hickenka chuckle softly.

“Learned how to get angry?”

“……”

“The reason I couldn’t summon Pythons is that my power hasn’t fully returned yet. I came here today as a test.”

“Then I just have to wait—”

“I’ll summon Pythons soon. Within a month in your time?”

Hickenka said that, and Liche nodded reluctantly, finally seeming convinced.

“But about Rertium.”

A brief silence fell, and Hickenka called out to Liche.

Tight lips and cold eyes.

“Why didn’t you keep your promise?”

Hickenka asked in an angry tone.

It was an absurd question, independent of the creepy feeling it invoked.

Why didn’t you keep your promise?

Clearly, Hickenka had stipulated conditions—to release Philip from prison and place him in the ducal estate, and to save Iandwein.

Liche spoke to Hickenka.

“As you know, Philip remains in the ducal estate, and Iandwein will have to wait a bit longer. …In the future I experienced, he died at 16.”

Hickenka grabbed both of Liche’s shoulders.

It hurt. Liche furrowed his brows.

“Forgot what I said? I clearly said he seems like he’ll die soon.”

“So you say I should know. What I heard—”