I was confused due to receiving too much information.

“The spirit kings stopped the demon god from descending?”

“Yes, they stopped it. But they couldn’t stop it properly, so something called a rift was created. The demon god’s true form shattered and made holes in the world, and those holes connected to the demon realm.”

“Then why do people think spirits created the rifts?”

“When they stopped the demon god from descending, there were also several humans present. They were very great and brave heroes who came to stop the demon god’s descent. And before the demon god completely lost its power, it made them an offer.”

The demon god knew that the power of spirits was incompatible with its own.

“It said if they blamed everything on the spirits and pretended not to know about it, it would grant them wealth and prosperity for generations. At that time, the demon god had the power to manipulate oath contracts.”

Ifrit’s eyes turned cold.

“In exchange for making a false oath, the humans there gained wealth and prosperity. Ah, of course there were humans who didn’t fall for the demon god’s tricks, but they died on the spot so they couldn’t reveal the truth. And so our brave heroes blamed everything on the spirits, killed all the spirit sorcerers, and have been living happily with wealth and prosperity for generations. Isn’t it an interesting story?”

“…Are the descendants of those humans still alive?”

“Why? Want to kill them if you know?”

“…”

“Well, some are living well, some families have gone completely bankrupt. How well do you think the demon god kept its promise? So don’t worry about it and just focus on solving your own problems.”

“I… can’t find Lanian.”

“That’s probably because black magic is involved. It’s hard to find things surrounded by demonic energy. But don’t worry. We’ll find him.”

“Will we really?”

“Yes. Everyone’s trying hard for you, so smile, Roxy.”

Ifrit caressed Roxiana’s cheek.

“We really care about you.”

The otter nodded, but Roxiana didn’t see it.

“The demon god and monsters are problems for the kings to solve. So you just think about being happy like a human among humans.”

“I’m… not sure if I can be happy. I’m worried that because of me, even Kal, Floyd are becoming unhappy.”

“Well. This guy only lives in reality, so he’s quite happy just having you by his side, so don’t worry. If you smile, he’ll smile too. He’s a bit of a fool. Fools tend to smile when others smile.”

Seeing Ifrit pat his chest proudly with a big grin, Roxiana smiled a little too.

“I should go back now. It’s fun talking, but don’t call me often. When I descend, this guy’s body gets very tired.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ifrit lay down and closed his eyes. Roxiana could feel something leaving his body. Only after confirming that his breathing had become steady did Roxiana lie down using his arm as a pillow and think about the story Ifrit had told her.

The demon god. And the spirit kings trapped in the bodies of something.

“Where could the spirit kings be? Are they really close to me?”

The otter at the head of the bed, the wolf in the corner of the room, and the eagle outside the window were all staring intently at Roxiana as she muttered.

+++

Floyd woke up feeling more tired than ever before. Even though he seemed to have slept deeply without dreaming, he had never felt this heavy before. Even on days when he had fallen asleep exhausted after dealing with monsters, he hadn’t been this tired.

Thinking it was strange, he felt a gaze and turned his head to find Roxiana sitting beside him, staring down at him intently, having woken up sometime earlier.

“Did you sleep well?”

At the careful, worried greeting as their eyes met, Floyd smiled brightly, not showing his fatigue.

“Of course. How about you?”

“Me too. Aren’t you tired?”

How did she know? Did she do something while I was asleep?

Floyd was suspicious but soon dismissed his doubts. What could this small, delicate woman do to his body?

“Not really. How about you?”

This time Roxiana gave a suspicious look. It was a look that said, you should be tired, why aren’t you tired, but Floyd decided he must have seen wrong.

While Floyd raised his upper body and stretched his arms out, Roxiana’s worried gaze continued to follow him.

Floyd stopped stretching and grabbed her chin to make her look straight at him, narrowing his eyes.

“You did something to my body, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t mean to…”

“What did you do? Did you attack me in my sleep?”

Roxiana’s face turned peach-red.

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Then?”

“I called Ifrit.”

“Who’s that?”

“The being inside your body. The king of fire spirits.”

At those unexpected words, Floyd held his breath and widened his eyes in surprise.

“Ifrit.”

“Yes.”

“The king of fire spirits.”

“Yes.”

“The crazy guy inside me responded to your call?”

Roxiana nodded with an apologetic look, lowering the ends of her eyebrows. She knew how many times Floyd had tried to talk to the being inside him.

“My words are like shit on the road, sorry. Anyway, he treated me like whatever but responded to your call? This guy?”

“He’s a king. Even though he’s like that.”

“A king…”

Now he understood that the power Roxiana used was spirits. He thought that what was inside him might also be a spirit as she said. Even Aywiss had said so recently.

But a king?

“Is that impressive?”

“When I summoned a Jin, which is below that, I was able to eliminate a rift, so isn’t it impressive?”

“But I can’t eliminate rifts.”

“It could be that you can’t draw out all that power because you’re not a spirit sorcerer.”

While Floyd looked down at his own chest, Roxiana told him about the conversation she had with Ifrit. Floyd chuckled.

“Whatever it is, this guy and I agree on one thing.”

He lightly wrapped his finger around the ends of Roxiana’s hair, pulling her in for a gentle kiss. Then, with their foreheads touching, he whispered softly.

“That I’d like you to be happy without thinking of other things.”

“If we use that power well, the rifts…”

As if to stop Roxiana’s words, he pressed his lips against hers again. This time it was a bit longer. His tongue slipped between her parted lips, gently caressing and sucking. Roxiana trembled slightly and let out a low moan at the sensation stimulating the inside of her mouth.

He gently stroked her back, then laid her down on the bed and naturally climbed on top of her, firmly holding her wrists above her head.

His hot, moist lips were soon nibbling on her earlobe, then trailing down her neck.

Suddenly realizing the sensual atmosphere, Roxiana tried to push against his chest, but with both her wrists held by him, she twisted her upper body and said,

“It’s morning, Kal.”

“So?”

As he spoke with his lips still pressed against her, a strange stimulation flowed from her abdomen down between her legs. Roxiana swallowed a moan and tried again.

“We’re busy today.”

“I’ll finish quickly.”

That he wouldn’t do so, both Roxiana and Floyd knew. Once he started, he never knew when to stop.

A sweet thrill spread from where his hands and lips touched all the way to her toes. Eventually, he released Roxiana’s wrists, but she no longer pushed him away. Her slender arms wrapped around his neck and she naturally accepted him.

After the time filled with hot passion ended, he lay down and embraced Roxiana. Finding her so lovable as she fit perfectly in his arms, he kissed the top of her head repeatedly and interlaced his fingers with her fidgeting hands, spending a leisurely morning.

Finally, as Roxiana regained some strength, she raised her upper body and said,

“Kal, we need to leave soon.”

Today Floyd is going to meet an influential noble residing in another territory of Gania. It was to lay the groundwork for what would happen later.

“I don’t want to go.”

“People can’t live doing only what they want.”

“You’re so strict.”

Floyd grumbled as he got out of bed, and Roxiana smiled a little at his childish behavior.

After exchanging a long goodbye with Roxiana, Floyd left the bedroom and asked a passing maid to prepare a glass of Roxiana’s signature juice and bath water, then entered his own room. Unlike Roxiana’s bedroom where he had been until now, it was a bleak room without even a blanket.

While sitting on the windowsill thinking about the story of Ifrit that Roxiana had told him, servants prepared the bath water. As he sat in the tub with herbs floating in it for a moment, Hexten entered with the juice.

“You look tired?”

Hexten asked curiously, having never seen Floyd tired before.

“There was a reason for that.”

“Aren’t you tormenting the princess too much? The princess has a weak constitution.”

Floyd glared at him, but Hexten just grinned and said nonchalantly,

“Yes, I understand that feeling well. I’m your senior when it comes to romance, after all. It’s good times. Very good times. Percy and I had times like that too. Percy was so passionate then…”

“That’s enough useless talk. What’s the matter?”

Hexten was dressed in full military attire.

“Ah, I just came back from the royal palace a little while ago.”

Floyd frowned as he got out of the tub. Hexten picked up a towel that was nearby and handed it to Floyd. As he wiped off the water with the towel, Hexten reported,

“Just before dawn, the king sent someone. He said something happened at the palace and asked for help. Since our lord would surely be busy, I quickly went and came back.”

Hexten made a proud expression as if asking for praise, but Floyd ignored him. Hexten clicked his tongue and continued speaking.