<CHAPTER 36>
What an Icy Couple
Unlike Ehilie, who came out bundled in a thick fur coat, Rek wore nothing more than a single coat.
“Rek, what is that outfit? What if you catch a cold like that?”
“I do not feel the cold very much, so I will be fine.”
“Even so—”
It was true that wearing only a coat looked better than being wrapped in fur.
So this is why some people say they would rather freeze in winter than give up their coat.
“Here, Ehilie.”
Rek gently wrapped a soft muffler around Ehilie’s neck.
“W-Wait, why are you giving this to me?”
“I will be fine.”
You really do not look fine.
Despite his firm reply, Ehilie stepped outside with a worried heart.
The snowstorm was far harsher than it had seemed through the window the previous evening.
Even with layers of clothing, the cutting wind pierced through her.
Her exposed face quickly grew numb and stung from the cold.
She carefully examined Rek’s condition.
On the outside, he looked completely unaffected.
Has he just gotten used to living somewhere like this?
Just as she let out a small sigh of relief and took a step forward, Rek suddenly slowed.
“Ehilie.”
“Yes?”
“It seems I may have underestimated the cold.”
He had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago.
Because of the swirling snow, his already pale face looked even whiter.
“I knew it. I told you to dress warmly.”
Muttering as she scolded him, Ehilie began removing her muffler to wrap it around him.
But Rek lightly drew her closer by the shoulders.
“Pardon me for a moment, Ehilie.”
Opening his coat, Rek pulled Ehilie into his arms as though shielding her.
“Is this not better?”
Cold wind slipped between the coat’s edges, and it felt as though it should be colder.
Yet Rek smiled, looking much more at ease.
“It feels warmer now that I can feel Ehilie’s warmth.”
If only he would stop saying things like that.
Perhaps because they were sharing warmth, her body did feel slightly warmer than before.
Even the night that had seemed ready to freeze them solid now felt flushed with heat.
“Rek, your heart is beating very fast. Are you sure you are not unwell?”
“It is always like this when I am with you, Ehilie.”
“There, I see Herond’s nest.”
Before she realized it, they had reached the tree where Herond’s nest sat.
Ehilie followed the direction Rek pointed.
On a dry tree branch piled high with snow, a small crow chick was huddled inside a roughly made nest.
“Herond!”
At her call, Herond poked his head out.
“Caw!”
Herond shook his body, scattering the snow from his feathers.
“He seems lively. He looks healthy.”
“Are you at ease now?”
“Yes. But since it has been a while, I would like to watch him just a little longer.”
“Of course. Stay as long as you wish.”
Ehilie watched Herond for quite some time.
The snowfall grew heavier, yet wrapped in Rek’s warmth, she did not feel cold at all.
***
Hooook, when are they going to leave?
Herond cried out inwardly.
Ehilie had to return before he could transform back into his human form and reenter the estate.
But the affectionate atmosphere between Ehilie and Redemberg Lu Edeltein showed no sign of breaking.
“Caw! Caw!”
“He must be enjoying the snow,” Rek said calmly.
“Rek, Herond has been crying nonstop. What do you think he is saying?”
“Perhaps he is happy that it is snowing.”
Your Majesty, I hate snow. I am freezing. My feathers are soaked. I am going to become a frozen crow at this rate.
Redemberg Lu Edeltein did not so much as pretend to hear Herond’s plea.
What an icy couple.
The only one who might truly freeze to death here was Herond.
Listening to their sweet exchange, Herond continued to cry loudly for a long while.
***
“By the way, Rek, where is the maid named Lucy?”
“Lucy is away briefly.”
“Really? When will she return?”
“She should be back tomorrow.”
The next day, early in the morning, Ehilie stepped outside and met Lucy right away.
Lucy had brown eyes and wore her hair in two braids, fitting the image of a typical romance-fantasy maid.
“You did not break the door.”
Her first remark was a baffled exclamation.
“Pardon?”
“Ah, never mind. I am Lucy, the maid who will be attending to you… I mean, attending to my lady. Please call me Lucy.”
“M-My lady? Rek and I are not in that kind of relationship.”
“Does ‘not yet’ mean that you soon will be?”
“N-No, that is not what I meant… Ahem. Anyway, you do not need to be so formal with me.”
From their first meeting, Lucy left Ehilie flustered.
“The dishes are all intact after the meal…”
Lucy muttered in surprise while clearing the table.
“Ah!”
“What is it, Lucy?”
“I think I just felt a spark of static… on my hand.”
“Really? I did not feel anything.”
Every time their hands brushed, Lucy jumped as though struck by static.
A few days later, Lucy cautiously approached.
“If I may ask, Lady Ehilie, have you ever had physical contact with His Majesty?”
“What…?”
Heat rushed to Ehilie’s face at the sudden question.
“Holding hands, perhaps, or an embrace.”
Why was she asking something like that?
Ehilie was utterly embarrassed.
Still, Lucy’s expression was so serious that she had no choice but to answer.
“W-Well, it just sort of happened once or twice…”
“And how did His Majesty react?”
“He… seemed to like it… I think?”
“He liked it?”
“N-No, I mean, he did not seem to dislike it.”
Lucy’s expression grew increasingly grave.
“It was not often. We only held hands a little.”
The more she explained, the more it seemed she was digging herself deeper.
***
When she made contact with Ehilie, Tusi felt a sharp tingling sensation like static.
This is definitely divine power.
Though a half-demon, Lucy was closer to human.
She had no innate magic and could not cast spells, and her body was nearly identical to a human’s.
Still, demon blood ran through her veins, so divine power acted like poison to her, though only as mild discomfort rather than lethal harm.
If I can feel it, then for the Demon King…
Magic and divine power were opposing forces, like oil and water.
When such opposing energies clashed, the recoil depended on the strength of the magic one possessed.
Therefore, the pain Redemberg Lu Edeltein must feel from contact with Ehilie would be immense.
Perhaps like searing flesh with a burning skewer.
And yet he liked it?
Lucy thought quietly.
His Majesty has truly gone mad with love.
***
Living peaceful days, Ehilie suddenly noticed something strange.
Gabriel has been unusually quiet lately.
Back at the old house, he used to ask constantly when the memory-recovery potion would be complete.
Since arriving here, he had not asked once.
That is strange.
The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Now that I think about it, has Gabriel not been staring at Rek quite often?
Whenever she felt a sharp gaze and turned around, her eyes would meet Gabriel’s.
His gaze had clearly been directed at Rek.
“Ah, that is right. The other day too…”
She suddenly recalled.
A few days earlier.
Lucy had been helping hang the laundry.
“Ehilie, I will handle this.”
Rek had suddenly appeared and taken the blanket from her.
“Ehilie is a guest of this estate. I cannot preserve my dignity if I make a precious guest do such chores.”
“But—”
“To be honest, I do not wish for even a single drop of water to touch Ehilie’s hands. However, I refrain because I know you would not want that.”
At that moment, Ehilie had turned.
From the corridor of the estate, sharp blue eyes had been watching.
It was Gabriel.
When their eyes met, he startled and quickly left.
That is right. He was watching Rek then too.
The more she pieced her memories together, the more serious her expression became.
Recently, Gabriel had been asking her strange questions.
“Miss Ehilie, have you ever seen Mr. Rek unclothed?”
“Do you know which parts Mr. Rek is sensitive in? For example, if touched somewhere, would his breathing grow heavier or his face flush?”
When she finally asked why he wanted to know such things, he hesitated.
“I wish to know more about him.”
“Why?”
“That is…”
He opened and closed his mouth, then avoided her gaze.
“…I have taken an interest in him.”
“What?”
“It is nothing.”
At the time, she had not thought deeply about it.
But now, thinking back…
“That was a full confession of interest!”
There was no doubt.
It was a blatant green light.
