CHAPTER 34………………………………
“Let me know if you can see the crest!”
“I think you’ll need to come a little closer.”
The demon, whose vision was especially sharp, narrowed his eyes and craned his neck forward.
“I can see it now.”
The one who had been muttering I see it, I see it while nervously tapping his foot suddenly stiffened.
“Huh?”
At that strange reaction, tension spread across the servants’ faces.
“What is it?”
“What is it? Hurry up and tell us.”
Their expressions were filled with determination to run at once if it turned out to be a truly dangerous demon.
“…It’s the crest of House Gremory.”
Confusion filled the servants’ faces.
“House Gremory?”
“Is Count Beris and Viscount Vine coming again?”
“Again?”
“No way…”
The servants exchanged glances among themselves before turning toward Xenia.
“That’s over now, isn’t it? Right, Xenia?”
“Yes. It is.”
At her answer, the servants’ faces brightened. They must have truly disliked those two demons.
“Then who else would be using the Gremory Duke’s crest?”
After a brief silence, someone spoke.
“…The Duke herself?”
“What?!”
The servants, who had been whispering while watching the carriage rapidly approach, fell silent. And soon after, the carriage stopped before them and its door opened.
Luxuriously styled crimson hair, a golden crown resting atop it, and a black velvet dress.
Just from those features alone, it was obvious who she was as she stepped down.
The Duke of Gremory.
The servants immediately bowed deeply in greeting.
“We greet you, Your Grace.”
Xenia lowered her head along with them, but then a shadow fell before her. With a faint sense of dread, she looked up—
And met the Duke of Gremory’s refined smile directly.
Before Xenia could react, the Duke spoke first.
“Xenia. It has been a while.”
As the Demon King’s personal maid, and because of her unusual holy power, Xenia had encountered her a few times before. She bowed again.
“Yes. It has been a while, Your Grace.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
She was only going to serve for a single day—was there really a need to say from now on?
Xenia had that slightly crooked thought, but she answered politely.
“Yes.”
“Then shall we go meet Eligos first?”
The Duke decided their destination as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and Eligos’s earlier words came back to Xenia.
Guide her directly to His Majesty. Don’t let her stray elsewhere.
It seemed the two really were close.
Raising the Duke of Gremory’s danger level significantly in her mind, Xenia composed her expression and lifted her head.
“I’m sorry, but I was ordered to escort you straight to His Majesty.”
“Hm. By whom?”
The Duke didn’t seem like the type to get angry over something like this, but just in case, Xenia quickly invoked Eligos’s name.
“Lord Eligos…”
Gremory tapped her lips thoughtfully, then withdrew far more easily than expected.
“In that case, it can’t be helped.”
Relieved by her lack of reaction, Xenia let out a quiet breath and led her toward the Demon King.
The conversation had gone on for quite a while, and Xenia’s legs were beginning to ache.
Whenever confidential matters were discussed, she had to wait outside the office unless given special orders. Today was no exception.
As she endured the boredom, her thoughts naturally drifted to her biggest worry lately: Lumière.
It’s not like I’ve never received a confession before…
Confessions—and rejections—weren’t rare for Xenia.
But Lumière was different.
She had never once worried about hurting the feelings of those she rejected. They meant nothing to her.
But Lumière was special.
And she didn’t want him to be hurt.
That was why she couldn’t simply ignore him or create distance the way she always had before.
Beef’s advice is completely useless.
Xenia didn’t want to grow distant from Lumière.
How were you supposed to reject someone’s feelings… and still remain close?
Her head was a mess.
She felt as if her chest were tightening, and she let out a long sigh—
Just then, the door opened.
At the click of the sound, Xenia quickly turned.
“You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”
Gremory smiled gently.
“I was thinking of going to see Eligos now.”
They truly must have been close.
But regardless of their relationship, Xenia still had to be mindful of one particular demon.
When she glanced toward the Demon King’s office door, Gremory waved her hand as if to say not to worry.
“His Majesty agreed to lend you to me while I’m in the Demon King’s castle.”
Well… if that was the case.
Xenia nodded and guided her straight to Eligos’s office.
Of course, despite her obedient demeanor, Xenia’s face was full of displeasure as she walked ahead of Gremory.
Seriously, why does he keep “lending” me out?
Xenia wasn’t anyone’s possession.
Why did the Demon King always speak as if she were some object being borrowed?
Swallowing down curses under her breath, she passed by servants who startled at the sight of them.
Gremory looked down at the human woman, who was a full head shorter than herself.
Short black hair brushing her shoulders.
And violet eyes—rare even in the demon realm, and rare in the human world as well.
In a world where living for centuries was nothing unusual, a human who had lived barely twenty years seemed like an infant.
Yet this fragile-looking girl had adapted to the demon realm with ease.
Well… maybe not with ease.
Still, she had adjusted better than any other human who had ever lived here.
A young human who quietly did her work, doing her best to survive.
Eligos often sneered that effort was meaningless without talent—
But Gremory had always liked those who tried.
Recalling the Demon King’s dry expression throughout their conversation, Gremory spoke to the girl, even knowing Eligos would dislike it.
“You.”
“…Yes?”
The reply came slightly slow, as if she hadn’t expected to be addressed.
Gremory met those violet eyes and offered advice.
“It may be better for our side if things go a certain way… but it isn’t always bad to follow where your heart leads.”
“…Pardon?”
The girl’s confusion was obvious, but Gremory didn’t explain further.
Leaving behind the human who looked as though she had many questions, Gremory entered Eligos’s office.
She stepped in without even announcing herself, and Eligos immediately frowned.
“Where did you leave your manners? Knock.”
“Do we really need that between us?”
Eligos lifted his head as he removed his monocle with an irritated air.
Gremory, twirling a strand of crimson hair around her finger, smiled silently for a long moment even as she met his pale blue-gray eyes.
Eligos finally spoke first.
“What is it?”
“I thought you still hadn’t told me.”
Eligos answered flatly.
“It’s not time yet.”
“You plan to tell me only after you leave?”
“Yes.”
At his blunt response, Gremory sighed softly.
“You’ll be hated later, you know.”
“It doesn’t seem like I’m particularly loved right now either.”
At Eligos’s impenetrable attitude, Gremory shrugged as if giving up.
“Right. Once you decide on something, you always do it.”
He was the kind of man who never looked back once he chose a direction.
That was both his strength and his weakness.
Gremory’s gaze drifted toward the office door—
Toward Xenia, waiting beyond it.
“Since we’ve met, I’d like to check her power.”
Eligos’s eyebrow shot up sharply.
Seeing the clear refusal written all over his face, Gremory laughed.
“I can’t help it. I’m very interested.”
Though she was proficient in all magic, Gremory was one of the rare demons most skilled in healing magic.
Naturally, she was curious about Xenia’s power.
But Eligos had no intention of indulging her curiosity.
“That power belongs to His Majesty.”
His meaning was simple: don’t bother her, and leave.
Gremory chuckled.
“You really haven’t changed.”
“Why are you only like this in front of me?”
“Because you’re not the type to spread rumors.”
As a high-ranking noble, she couldn’t show such casual behavior freely outside.
She smiled playfully, and Eligos clicked his tongue.
“And they call that elegance?”
“Aren’t you rather talkative when you’re with me?”
More accurately, he was rougher with his emotions.
Eligos waved his hand dismissively.
“If you’re not going to do my work for me, then go.”
“…Hm.”
There was indeed a pile of documents on the desk.
Eligos was going to be very busy for a while.
“It can’t be helped. Fine, I’ll go.”
Of course, even if he was busy beyond belief, she had not the slightest desire to help.
After all—what was a friend’s suffering if not her joy?
She turned sharply, flung open the door, and spoke as she left.
“Good luck suffering for a while.”
At her teasing words, a crack echoed from inside—like a pen snapping in half.
The smile on Gremory’s lips deepened.
Xenia, waiting outside, looked puzzled toward the office, but Gremory simply curved her lips neatly and closed the door.
