* * *

Since she tossed and turned until dawn and had fallen asleep late, Satin woke up late. As she burrowed into the blanket, trying to sleep more, she suddenly felt something unfamiliar and snapped to attention, feeling dazed for a moment.

Where is this place?

Oh, right. This is Rublier’s room.

Goodness. Satin sprang up. She was alone in the bed, not knowing when Rublier had left for work. She remembered tossing and turning, unable to sleep, but she had no idea when she finally drifted off.

As she left Rublier’s bedroom, Satin felt embarrassed in many ways. Running to the distant Rublier like a child seeking their mother when she got scared, and waking up all the servants in the middle of the night by claiming there was something there.

However, the servants’ bewildered reactions had completely transformed by the time she woke up. Larie fussed over her.

“Madam, we found out why you were so startled last night.”

“Huh? Why?”

“It seems a predator hunted a goat from a nearby ranch. We found one dead outside the fence. You must have sensed it. I never knew you had such sharp hearing, Madam.”

Now it was Satin’s turn to be bewildered.

“Really?”

Was this area suitable for predators? Setting aside her doubts, it was a relief to have an explanation. Still, she couldn’t shake the unease in her heart.

Was it really a predator? That feeling? That presence hidden in the darkness that she couldn’t even see the outline of?

“…It didn’t seem like a beast…”

But since all the servants accepted it, Satin couldn’t ask further. Moreover, when she faced Rublier, who had returned from the Papal Palace, she realized that the conclusion of a mere predator was a convenient story for the servants.

“Satin, move all the valuables from your bedroom to my room.”

Sir Ka Dillon, you’re here now. The prelude she had prepared to discuss with Rublier vanished with his first words. As soon as he returned from work, Rublier sought out Satin, took her to the closed bedroom, and said something incomprehensible.

“Why?”

Satin asked again.

“No, why?”

“It’s better if you don’t stay alone for a while.”

“Because of the predator? I heard in the morning that they found the goat’s carcass,”

Rublier interrupted Satin, correcting her.

“It’s not a predator. It’s an evil spirit.”

She forgot what she was about to say. Satin asked, bewildered.

“An evil spirit? What are you talking about, Rublier?”

“You’re not calling me Sir Ka Dillon anymore. It sounds much better. You should have done that earlier.”

“That’s not important right now.”

At Satin’s protest, Rublier brought up the topic.

“Do you remember what we learned at the academy? Demons seep into shadows when you let your guard down.”

It was a story that was always mentioned when explaining the origin of the Guardian families. Naturally, as a citizen of Caldeblanca, she had heard the founding legend countless times. Frozen, Satin only nodded. Rublier added.

“And demons use evil spirits to ruin the world.”

“…That’s a legend from two hundred years ago.”

“It’s not just a legend. It was reality back then. You know that, Satin. As someone who keeps Del Mare’s relic, you should know.”

“But still… an evil spirit? Are you saying something from two hundred years ago has appeared now?”

“Rather than appearing, it’s more accurate to say a small part of it remained until now. It’s a strange story for us who were born and raised in the capital, but they say traces of evil spirits sometimes appeared in the provinces.”

“What…”

“I first heard about it during my last business trip. I also saw dead birds. I don’t know if it’s the same one or how it got near the capital, but your senses were very sharp last night. I got permission from Kirion. The Holy Knights will patrol every night until we catch it. Don’t leave my side until we do.”

It would have been better if it were a predator. This was beyond her comprehension. Satin murmured in disbelief.

“What… How can this be?”

“There’s no need to worry. You just need to stay in a safe place.”

Considering the Holy Knights’ power, often referred to as the Pope’s army, she didn’t doubt them. But was it really that simple? Satin hesitated. Meanwhile, a servant peeked in and called for Rublier.

“Sir, a guest from the Holy Knights is here. They said they need to discuss the patrol. Shall I bring them to the drawing room?”

“No, I’ll go out. Larie will come to help you, so take your time, Satin.”

It was bewildering that an ancient story had become reality, and that the safe place was by Rublier’s side.

In a dreamlike state, Satin gathered the items she frequently used from her bedroom she had left for a day. Valuables from her home, cosmetics, and even the relic of Del Mare hidden in the room.

Holding a small piece of the relic, Satin stood still for a moment. Demons, evil spirits. If it were a joke, it was a very bad one. Since the predator had turned into an evil spirit, the servants were just as confused. Larie, helping Satin organize the bedroom, shook her head.

“I don’t understand what you two are talking about at all.”

Right. Satin couldn’t admit she didn’t fully understand either. Wasn’t the chaos of Caldeblanca supposed to be quelled when the demon was sealed? But the remnants of the demon were still roaming this country.

“Madam, I’m ignorant about evil spirits and such. I’ll just think of it as a predator. My mother told me a story. When she was young, she lived in a small village near the mountains. Sometimes tigers or wild boars would come down and cause a ruckus. They ruined crops and ate cows. If they were hungry, they even harmed people. If the evil spirit that killed the goat is like those animals, what’s the difference? Anyway, I’m glad you two are finally living like a married couple. Madam, should I pack the dressing table, mirror, and chair too?”

“No. Leave the furniture.”

It was only temporary, until the Holy Knights dealt with the evil spirit. Moving the furniture would make someone else’s bedroom too cluttered, so she gave up. After packing only valuable and important items, she swept the miscellaneous things that popped out into the dressing table drawer and closed it.

Tigers and wild boars. As she emptied the bedroom, Satin pondered Larie’s simple analogy. The form might be different. Maybe very different. But in terms of harming people and animals, it was somewhat similar. Larie’s words made sense.

But the evil spirit was a creature of legend. That was the problem. After moving her belongings to Rublier’s room and organizing them, Satin hugged the relic and looked at Rublier as he returned.

“Satin?”

“…You’ll be coming home late at night again for a while, right?”

Having experienced his long business trips and flood relief, she had a feeling. As the person in charge, he would be the busiest.

“I arranged the patrols so the knights each cover the area near their homes. I’ll be around here. If anything happens at our house, I can come right away.”

It was obvious he was trying to reassure her. But her heart was still uneasy.

“Do you know what the evil spirit looks like?”

“Well. As far as I know, you’re the only witness… Since you said you couldn’t see it, we have to follow that statement. I informed the knights that it’s likely to be a color or shape that isn’t easily visible.”

“Then how do you distinguish it?”

“By sense. You felt it too. It’s similar.”

“Can you catch it? They said it’s been rumored in the provinces for a while but hasn’t been caught.”

“My goal is to eliminate it no matter what. The provinces have fewer people and shorter active hours, so there was less damage. But here, we have more people and animals, so if the evil spirit roams, the damage will be greater. And I’m a Paladin. I can’t let an evil spirit roam freely in the capital where His Holiness resides. Once we deal with it here, we can inform the provincial militias on how to handle it.”

No matter how much she heard, her mind wouldn’t ease. Satin fiddled with the relic that had vanquished the demon. Come to think of it, the heirloom Rublier had brought was also sitting on the bedroom table.

There were two relics in this room. One was destined to return to the Ka Dillon family, and one was still in Satin’s possession.

Satin habitually hid Del Mare’s relic between the pillow and the bed. Rublier watched her closely.

“You still carry that piece with you?”

“I feel at ease when I keep it with me.”

Rublier had once pointed out that Satin behaved like a traveler who’s about to leave, locking herself in a box. It was true. She believed that everything from Del Mare, whether people or items, should eventually return to Del Mare. Her heart still felt that way.

“Satin. There’s enough space for two more people in the middle. Don’t roll off, come closer.”

“It’s fine. I’ve never fallen off the bed while sleeping.”

Satin replied, lying far away like the previous night. She was still curled up like a shrimp. Having always slept alone, sharing a bed with someone else felt very unfamiliar. She worried about tossing and turning or talking in her sleep, and Rublier wasn’t someone she could be indifferent to.

“It’s like a contest of whether I’m uncomfortable for you or the evil spirit is dangerous.”

Rublier accurately pointed out, half-joking. It matched her feelings perfectly, and despite her tension, Satin stifled a laugh.

“This really hurts my pride as a husband.”