As if her heart tightened again, Beril let out a short sigh.

“He said times like these are spent with someone you love, but does he truly love me. Or not.”

As if her mouth was drying up, Beril bit her lip.

“Is it like the first time, where I was merely a sweet source of energy to him.”

If there’s no love, then what are these nights? Do I have a desire for this pleasure, or a desire for a future with him.

“I really don’t know…….”

Finally, Beril covered her face with both hands. Pocalor quietly listened to her story.

Beril realized that she had been talking to a stranger about things she couldn’t even tell to Beleld, with whom she spent a lot of time.

A sigh-like laugh escaped her lips.

“Strange, isn’t it?”

“No.”

Pocalor’s answer came right back. As he took his hands from washing, he continued talking with a serious expression.

“It’s natural to want to confirm love.”

Her pale sky-blue eyes seemed to sparkle.

“Love makes you naive, makes you say embarrassing things uncomfortable for others to hear.”

Pocalor’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m afraid of misunderstandings if I don’t put it into direct words. Worried that my feelings won’t get conveyed.”

But if you don’t even speak, like you, you can only be confused.

Pocalor continued to speak.

“You and him, you’re both likely unfamiliar with these emotions. Perhaps he’s as confused as you are.”

A smile again appeared on her face, even more vibrant than before.

“The sure thing is, whether you want pleasure or a future with him, you’re not wrong.”

Whatever you want, it’s not wrong.

That phrase strangely comforted Beril.

“What if he really likes me, and I am only interested in him for the pleasure?”

Pocalor promptly replied to that.

“That’s something Beleld has to work on, not something that should worry you.”

At that, Beril blinked her eyes. It was an angle she had never considered.

“And if Beleld also sees you just for pleasure, then you’ll just be good partners.”

Pocalor stood up as he spoke with finality.

“And if you’re doing something wrong, who will intervene in between the two of you?”
It was true. After all, it was an issue between him and me. Beril tightly closed her lips in a straight line.

It also meant it was a matter of my feelings……

I was, for certain, waiting for that person. Was I in love with that person?

I had to be sure. If I couldn’t grasp it, I couldn’t get an answer from him.

……Do I want to hear the answer, then?

Pokalror abruptly interrupted her complicated thoughts.

“There’s no need to rush. A demon’s time flows much slower than a human’s. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to confirm your feelings. And.”

—Click.

The black shoes stepped up the stairs. As he walked toward the gates of hell, Pokalror spoke.

“Does that mean I’ll have more time for some interesting sightseeing?”

“Huh?”

Instead of replying, a slightly smiling Pokalror headed towards the gates of hell.

“Want to hear more, but we’re out of time.”

What time? Beril opened her eyes wide.

Is he planning to enter the gates of hell? Can you enter, even if you can’t exit?

But how can a person pass through such a narrow gap that doesn’t seem like even an arm could fit?

Is there a way to open and close the gate?

Instead of resolving her tangled questions, Pokalror looked back at her and smiled.

“If you want to talk, come to the basement. Ah.”

As he reached toward the gates of hell, he spoke.

“I am Pokalror of the ‘Other Side.'”

The Other Side……?

As she mumbled to herself, he seemed to slip between the gates and disappeared.

Beril opened her eyes wide.