Finally, a pitch-black Kraken monster revealed its house-sized body above the water’s surface.

The seawater splashed everywhere as a result.

Along with the seawater, something else fell from the eight massive tentacles that emerged in succession.

Plop-

Thud-

Several pirates who glanced back fainted with foam in their mouths.

What was falling from the monster’s tentacles were red liquid and chunks.

Monsters don’t bleed red blood.

So those must all be human blood and flesh.

“My, my. You should clean up, Octa.”

Kaiman lightly chided, casting a glance at the monster.

His eyes, curving in resigned amusement, were redder than the droplets of blood the monster was shedding.

Splash splash-

The Kraken washed its tentacles in the flowing seawater and mumbled.

Its teeth, sharper than most blades, rippled. Two more pirates fainted.

“ᛗᛓ……”

Incomprehensible language resonated like vibrations.

But the pirate monarch was no ordinary human.

“A human woman?”

“ᛚ……”

“Ah, humans die if they stay in the water too long.”

“ᛁᚾ……!”

“Is that so? Richard was wrong then. …Hmm. Just a moment, Octa.”

His voice, which had been affectionate like speaking to a young sibling, paused briefly.

Soon after came the sound of garnets rustling.

“My lord. A letter has arrived from a noble……”

The man who entered fixed his gaze straight ahead, trembling as he presented the letter at Kaiman’s feet.

Kaiman casually received it and stared at the red sealing wax stamped with only a plain circular seal.

Chu-

As he placed a brief kiss on it, black smoke rose and then dissipated.

Kaiman licked his lips with his red tongue as he opened the now unsealed letter.

His previously disinterested eyes suddenly sparked with interest.

“…Richard personally saved a woman from drowning, and now he’s dating her?”

“ᛗ……!”

“Oh? You’re saying she’s the same human woman you mentioned, Octa?”

At Octa’s confirmation, Kaiman’s eyes sparkled innocently like a child’s as he continued reading the letter.

Even the pirates who had managed to stay conscious until now trembled madly at this.

“…’Callia.’ What a pretty name.”

His lips curved pleasantly as he pronounced Callia’s name.

Kaiman rose with the fluidity of a jaguar.

Then he carelessly kicked through the mountain of gold and silver treasures piled to one side.

“Let’s see. It was around here.”

His large hand with protruding veins pulled out a dented hat from among the glittering gold coins.

It was a black-brimmed hat adorned with luxurious red feathers and jewels.

Kaiman plucked off one bright red feather.

While trimming the feather’s tip with the wooden knife, he spoke to the subordinate who had delivered the letter.

“Could you bring me some paper?”

“…Should I bring ink as well?”

“Hm? No, ink won’t be necessary.”

Kaiman waved away the subordinate with curved eyes.

Whoosh-

As he threw the hat back onto the pile of dazzling treasures, the Kraken caught it and placed it on Kaiman’s head.

Kaiman giggled as he pressed down the now completely crumpled hat.

It was an incongruously innocent laugh.

“Octa, did you want to see me wearing a hat?”

Seeing their mad monarch in such an apparently good mood, the couple of pirates who hadn’t fainted yet carefully observed the situation.

“My lord. Might there be any tasks you wish us to perform……”

“Hmm?”

Kaiman tilted his head after trying on the hat in various ways before passing it to Octa.

The man pressed his head to the cave floor and cried out.

“We, we are reflecting on our actions! So please give us any task! This time we will surely…”

“Reflecting? Why would you do that?”

At Kaiman’s puzzled voice, the pirate who had spoken blinked his eyes in confusion.

Upon seeing this, Kaiman’s blank stare transformed into curved eyes as realization dawned on him.

“Ah! Trying to get to heaven?”

His large finger flicked lightly.

Soon after, screams filled the place.

Kaiman left the cave whistling a cheerful tune.

Then, meeting the subordinate who brought the parchment, he smiled broadly.

“You came quickly? Thanks.”

“…I, I, I…”

“Yeah. It’s fine, just leave it inside and go. I just got plenty of ink anyway.”

Kaiman spoke brightly and continued whistling as he walked out to the seaside cliff.

“Mono, di.”

Then he tossed the wooden knife and doll he’d been holding in his large hand into the dark blue sea below the cliff.

Shortly after, a fin that briefly surfaced pulled them under and disappeared into the waves.

***

Rabius Villa in Basium.

“…Will you be staying home today as well?”

“Mikhail, it’s hot outside.”

Having successfully completed my first date with Richard, I was enjoying my legally unemployed life until the next appointment.

More precisely, I was living as a wealthy unemployed person.

Living carefree at home without worrying about making a living.

“You’ve been lazing around for three days straight, aren’t you tired of it?”

“Not at all. Having Mikhail here to acknowledge how hard I’m working at doing nothing makes every day fulfilling and rewarding!”

While it’s unfortunate there isn’t much content to enjoy, come to think of it, isn’t Mikhail’s face content enough?

‘Today too, your jet-black hair flows neatly, your skin is flawlessly clear, your posture is as proper as your features, and your expression is ice-cold.’

Thanks to this cold beauty, we don’t need air conditioning.

Though the building was already reasonably cool inside thanks to magic-integrated architecture.

“Mikhail, I won’t need dinner today.”

“…If you’re not feeling well, I’ll brew you some chamomile.”

“It’s not that, I’m just too full from looking at your face.”

“Don’t skip meals for such ridiculous reasons.”

Mikhail coldly rebuked and heaved a deep sigh.

That’s… the look of someone watching the world’s most pathetic idler. Ouch. My unemployed conscience is stinging.

“That’s too harsh, Mikhail. An introvert like me needs to rest at home for 5 days after going out twice a week. Especially after expending all my extrovert energy on a date like the recent one.”

“……”

“This is all about conserving energy for the next date, so please understand.”

“…Do you plan to make no other appointments while staying in Basium except for meeting with the Admiral?”

Though his expression had softened slightly, his voice still carried a hint of frustration.

Have I been causing him too much trouble?

Well, it would be natural to feel murderous when your superior makes pointless jokes while lazing around while you’re working… No, that’s not right.

Come to think of it, I felt indignant.

“Isn’t it better for you too when I stay still since it means less work?”

After all, Mikhail’s top priority duty from Duke Rabius was to clean up after me.

At my question, asked while lying on the bed with my chin propped up on one hand, Mikhail’s expression became subtle.

“What? Are you moved?”

“What’s there to be moved about?”

However, at my following frivolous question, he quickly regained his composure.

“Still, you should meet other people too. …Just don’t grab their hair.”

He must be talking about that sherbet terrorist lady.

I wonder how he knew when I never told him about it. The servant network seems faster than I thought.

“But that was part of the contract, wasn’t it? If necessary, I’m planning to cause even bigger scenes in the future. You can’t cause a scene carefully, can you?”

A quiet scene, really?

What kind of hot iced americano nonsense is that? Half-hearted attempts won’t work.

“Isn’t that only applicable when meeting Admiral Aquilus?”

“After causing such a scene four days ago, would anyone want to see me separately?”

Though somehow I feel like Louisa and Maribel would still want to see me…

But probably no one else?

“There are more than you think. …Surprisingly many, actually. What exactly have you been doing outside?”

Mikhail said with a disapproving look as he set down the tray he was holding onto the office desk.

Something was piled high on it.

“…What’s that?”

“These are all letters addressed to you. About half are probably invitations, and even if you decline, it’s courteous to send replies.”

Oh dear. Having to write replies to letters from people I barely know.

“Since I’m already being called a villainess, I shouldn’t be discourteous too, right? …Fine, I’ll write them, so stop looking at me like that and leave them here.”

Whether ignoring messages before or after reading them, it’s not good manners either way.

I sighed deeply and sent Mikhail away, then took about 10 more minutes to mentally prepare myself while lazing around.

Then I got up, stretched thoroughly, and sat down at the desk.

“Let’s see… There really are a lot, aren’t there?”

Regards letters from Louisa and Maribel, various social gathering invitations from southern ladies, dinner invitations from influential families, charity parties combined with balls, noble fishing gatherings…?

“…I’d rather take a break from fishing for a while.”

The memory of experiencing underwater diving during my first fishing trip was too intense, so I won’t go anywhere near fishing spots for the time being.

Clicking my tongue, I picked up the fountain pen neatly placed to one side and began writing a reply declining the fishing gathering.

I had no problem knowing how to write it since Callia’s memories remained about such things.

After all, in these matters, Callia was a noble lady educated from childhood.

…Though she didn’t always maintain courtesy, sometimes committing the atrocity of just writing ‘NOT ATTENDING’ in large letters and sending it back.

Anyway, after writing appropriate replies to the regards letters from Louisa and Maribel, I felt a gentle breeze on my cheek.

‘Did Mikhail leave the window open earlier?’

I tilted my head wondering, and took the opportunity to do some shoulder stretches.

Then I suddenly noticed a paper that had fallen to the floor.

“What’s this?”

It looks like parchment, but judging by the rough texture, it’s not the high-quality paper like the letters piled on the tray.

When I turned it over, bright red writing caught my eye.

[Are you really Richard’s lover?]

“…What is this?”

No sender, and just one line of content.

…Is this spam mail?