“Hello, water owner.”

The boy’s voice was flat, without any teasing.

So, Evie did not take offense to being referred to as water owner and simply admired it.

I had wondered who the child was, demanding a large amount in return for cooperation, and it turns out it was you who could call me water owner even at our first meeting.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Evie Ariate.”

“I’m Ubia. I don’t like formalities. Neither doing nor hearing them.”

To Evie’s greeting, the boy, Ubia, calmly replied.

Ubia’s attitude was neither particularly polite nor rude.

So, Evie thought of Ubia as a small, white rabbit.

Ubia had a pale, round face with a triangular mouth.

Moreover, with long white hair tied in two plaits, and wearing a colorful wool poncho, Ubia looked utterly adorable.

And the way Ubia was tightly holding the tea cup with both hands was especially cute, though the face was expressionless and the tone monotonous.

So, Evie thought Ubia’s attitude resembled the insouciance of a rabbit that doesn’t know it’s cute.

As if to prove Evie’s first impression, Ubia spoke while sipping the tea like an old man.

“I heard from DS.”

“Ah, about the curse, you mean?”

“No, that you’re very cunning.”

At Ubia’s words, Evie grinned and glanced at the butler beside her, who then started to actively look at a distant mountain.

Evie wondered how to punish this person, and remembered the time she told the tower owner that DS loves his tea cup every day.

As if the lady wasn’t the butler, Evie and DS were fairly trimming each other’s honor when the other wasn’t around.

In the end, Evie forgave the butler in front of the universal truth that the world turns, and in the meantime, Ubia continued speaking with that same rabbit face.

“We finally meet.”

“I’m sorry for making you wait. No, sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’m good at waiting.”

At Evie’s apology, Ubia cheerfully shook her head, and the swaying plaits were cute.

As Evie judged, Ubia was neither particularly warm nor cold, just a bit indifferent in personality.

And this confused Evie rather.

DS introduced, so of course, a safe person, but Evie’s mind still harbored prejudice against the demon called Biss of the night clan.

So, Ubia’s tame appearance was quite awkward. Tame night clan, to Evie, was a counterintuitive expression like ‘hard water’ or ‘soft stone.’

Noticing Evie’s mood, Ubia blinked her black eyes and asked,

“Is it your first time seeing the night clan?”

“Yeah, it’s my first time.”

“Interesting?”

“Yeah, interesting.”

Evie answered honestly in succession and then regretted the curse for a moment. Then hurriedly added,

“I’m sorry for saying interesting. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Just that it’s different from what I thought, but…”

“You don’t need to explain. I know it’s because of the curse.”

Ubia sipped tea and replied, and the natural response touched Evie’s conscience.

Ubia was a fluffy boy, like a rabbit buried in the snow.

Evie ended up feeling ashamed of her deeprooted prejudice and humbly reflected.

“I thought all the night clans were dangerous, but that’s not always the case.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Except for me, most are crazy. So, don’t let your guard down.”

But Ubia ruthlessly slapped down Evie’s reflection, and as a result, Evie became even more unable to understand what kind of tribe the night clan, including Ubia, was.

Meanwhile, Ubia got to the point.

“As I wrote in the letter, I found out where the snake that cursed you is. But I don’t know who it is, so I asked you to come.”

So, Evie pulled herself together and nodded.

“You said it was confusing because there were other night clans nearby…”

“Yeah. The snake must have known it would be tracked. So it hid beside another clan member.”

Evie bit her lip quietly at Yubia’s conjecture.

It would be better if the snake she had to catch was foolish. Unfortunately, the snake seems to be quite cunning.

“There are two more of the Night Tribe next to the snake now. So we have to find out who the snake is among the three.”

“What do I need to do?”

“You have to let me examine your curse.”

Yubia’s voice was still cute and monotone.

But Evie hesitated without realizing it.

Because the request to let her look seemed like an intrusion.

“…If we find that snake, we can lift the curse?”

Evie delayed her response and asked to confirm. Then, Yubia hesitated this time.

“Is lifting the curse urgent?”

“Yeah, it’s urgent.”

“Why?”

“I can’t become a saint like this.”

Yubia tilted her head at Evie’s reflexive response. Then she said with a truly innocent face,

“You can just be an honest saint.”

“Uh…”

Evie closed her mouth tightly and laughed at Yubia’s pure remark.

Perhaps sensing Evie’s soulful pain, Yubia spoke again, sipping tea.

“Finding the snake won’t immediately lift the curse. Didn’t DS tell you? To lift the curse, you must either break the intermediary or the person who cursed you must die.”

“He did…”

“Yes, he did.”

When Evie reluctantly nodded, DS also chimed in quietly.

Evie glared at the annoying servant, and DS pretended not to notice, filling Yubia’s empty teacup.