I had to make an effort not to make a startled expression.

“Oh my, that person.”

That couldn’t possibly be true, but I should play along.

“Lately, he’s been even more excessive…”

I cupped my cheeks with both hands as if to hide the flush creeping up them.

Perhaps my act was convincing, as the people around me smiled warmly, thinking I was feeling shy.

Wait, was my face really blushing? It did feel a little warm…

Just then.

Knock, knock. A polite knock sounded, and then the door to the dressing room opened.

“Oh my, Your Grace is here? Hurry and admire my masterpiece.”

“Mmmaaa!”

At Madame Cindy’s affectionate words, I turned toward the door, and sure enough, Cedrion entered the dressing room holding Angie.

“Oh dear, the little lady has arrived as well. I had her outfit prepared, too.”

At Madame Cindy’s words, the dressing room staff skillfully took Angie from Cedrion’s arms.

And throughout all this, Cedrion stood frozen in the middle of the dressing room. His gaze was unmistakably fixed on me, and I found myself shrinking under the weight of his stare.

“Your Grace, she looks just like a fairy queen descended from the Snow-White Mountains, does she not?”

“…”

Madame Cindy nudged him with her eyes as if urging him to say something, but he remained stiff and silent. His lips barely moved, as if he had forgotten how to speak.

“Oh my, Your Grace, you’re so shy.”

Madame Cindy’s interpretation was impressively optimistic.

“Right? For His Grace to be this flustered… it must be the power of love.”

Dame Greta’s interpretation was even more exaggerated.

It seemed our recent performances had been quite convincing. The maids and dressing room staff, hearing their words, all smiled broadly and giggled with amused, nasal laughter.

I fidgeted with my fingers to contain my embarrassment before finally speaking.

“Y-You look great today too.”

“…”

“Light colors suit you well.”

Cedrion, too, was wearing one of Madame Cindy’s masterpieces today. Since we had to match outfits for Michael’s arrival, he had donned formal attire in a pale shade to complement my dress.

Considering he always wore black for formal occasions, the contrast was striking.

And like when he had visited the Blue Roof Manor to propose—or something close to it—his hair was neatly styled.

Perhaps because the light-colored fabric acted as a reflector, his already handsome face seemed to glow even more.

“You are truly…”

As the silence stretched, Cedrion finally managed to speak.

“Growing more beautiful.”

“What?”

As everyone wore puzzled expressions at his strange phrasing—

“No, I mean… incredibly…”

As he flusteredly corrected his mistake, I could hear people chuckling.

What’s this? It’s not like he’s suddenly fallen for me all over again and can’t even form proper words. It’s not like this is the first time he’s seen me dressed up.

I kept my grumbling thoughts to myself and glanced around nervously.

The atmosphere was becoming increasingly awkward.

“Now, the little lady is all dressed up!”

Just then, the cheerful voices of the staff who had been dressing Angie finally broke the tension.

She wore an adorable dress made of the same fabric as mine, accented with black tulle ribbons matching Cedrion’s pants.

“Oh my, who is this? Who is this precious little darling?”

“Doa, Oa!”

In an effort to dispel the awkward atmosphere, I greeted Angie with exaggerated enthusiasm. Fortunately, she truly looked like a baby angel, so my reaction didn’t feel over the top at all.

“Angie, who is that baby in the mirror? Whose baby is so fairy-like?”

I held Angie up to the mirror, and she giggled excitedly. She was so thrilled that she wiggled with such energy that I almost lost my balance.

“Oh my, the little lady can recognize beauty.”

“That must be why she won’t leave Her Lady’s side.”

“Now, My Lady, it’s time for you to finish your hair and makeup.”

Just as the maids who had dressed Angie approached to take her from me—

“Angie.”

Cedrion suddenly stepped forward, closing the distance between us in an instant. With a fluid motion, he took Angie from my arms and held her securely.

Thinking back to how awkwardly he had held her at the Blue Roof Manor, his progress was remarkable.

The only difference now was that he raised her slightly to make direct eye contact.

Their identical golden eyes met, shining with an air of solemnity.

“Tonight, as the embodiment of your mother’s and my love, you must display a dignified presence.”

Cedrion tried to speak as quietly as possible, but the room was so silent that everyone still heard him clearly.

Um, isn’t that an awful lot to ask from a five-month-old baby?

I was used to it, but the others would surely find it odd.

“Do you understand?”

“Wung!”

“If the heir of Arcadia approaches your mother…”

“Waaang…!”

For a moment, I thought Angie was actually about to cry. But, thankfully, she was only pretending, and soon she was making a determined face again.

“Good idea.”

Cedrion’s lips curved into a satisfied smile. Angie, too, seemed to mimic his expression.

But wait, did Angie actually understand the words ‘heir of Arcadia’?

***

“All dressed.”

The most luxurious guest room in the Grand Duke’s residence, located in the annex.

Before long, Raven, now in human form, stepped out of the adjacent room while tidying his attire. With his white hair neatly tied back in a ponytail, he was dressed in the formal uniform of the Imperial Guard knights.

“So, the result?”

“Well, before that, hehe.”

When Raven chuckled obsequiously, Michael, not bothering to hide his irritation, extended his wrist.

Raven’s sharp teeth sank into his contractor’s wrist, and after a short while—

“Ah, I feel alive again. I was a cat for far too long.”

Raven returned Michael’s hand with a satisfied expression.

Perhaps because he had been surrounded by the scent of Lady Lure’s magic, it didn’t taste particularly good, but Raven feigned contentment as always to avoid displeasing his contractor.

Ten years in the middle realm had even taught demons how to navigate social interactions.

“So?”

Michael, adjusting his cuff, snapped impatiently.

“The Grand Duke of Norhart seems utterly smitten with Lady Lure.”

“You’re still not human enough.”

Michael’s brows immediately furrowed ominously. That was not the answer he wanted.

Or was it? Raven tilted his head in confusion.

From what he could tell, the Grand Duke of Norhart seemed to have a rough idea of Raven’s true nature.

Whether he knew Raven was a demon was uncertain, but he at least seemed to realize he was no ordinary cat.

‘The way he looked at me when he restrained me and sent me back to Meldorf was chilling.’

Recalling the golden eyes of the Grand Duke of Norhart, Raven involuntarily shuddered.

To think a young human could instill fear in a demon.

And today was no different. When Raven had charmed Lady Lure’s maid with his cuteness to get close, the Grand Duke had immediately regarded him with cold suspicion.

After Lady Lure went to change into her dress, the Grand Duke had returned once more to fetch the baby, and at that moment, Raven realized the man’s heartbeat had changed from before.

Specifically, compared to when Lady Lure had been present.

Though the Grand Duke’s magical core showed no abnormalities, meaning he did not emit the scent of magic like Lady Lure, his immense magical presence was unmistakable.

‘And he seems to know I’m weak against that baby…’

That thought made Raven shudder again, recalling how Angie had grabbed both his tail and body, rendering him immobile.

It had been truly humiliating.

‘She seems to be of quite a high rank among the Flappers.’

But if she were truly of the Celestial realm, her appearance would be far too human.

He couldn’t jump to conclusions. Besides, if he admitted to being weak against the baby, who knew how much this ill-tempered contractor would mock him? Raven swallowed his concerns about Angie.

Meanwhile, lost in his own thoughts, Michael absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the armrest.

He, too, had changed into his formal attire for the banquet. Dressed in the red ceremonial uniform symbolic of the Arcadian royal family, his features shone even more brilliantly.

“Hah, there’s no definitive proof. Just suspicions.”

“Suspicions?”

“For Odelia Lure to fall in love? That’s absurd. She clung to the crown princess position for over a decade, always stiff and unyielding toward me.”

Well, the magic leaking from Lady Lure’s heart had faded somewhat, making it hard to be certain… but from what Raven observed, her heartbeat did accelerate when facing the Grand Duke.

It also quickened when facing his contractor, but the nature of the reaction seemed different.

The former suggested passion, the latter, rage.

Yet his contractor repeatedly dismissed Raven’s assessments regarding Lady Lure and the Grand Duke’s emotions.

‘Well, I have only been in the middle realm for a short time, so it makes sense that I’d be mistaken.’

Surely, a human like his contractor would have a better grasp of human emotions than a demon who had only spent a little over a decade among them.

‘But still, when Lady Lure is with the Grand Duke, the delicious scent from her is much stronger.’

Raven licked his lips as he recalled how he had instinctively buried his face in Lady Lure’s hand when she stroked his lower jaw.

Ah, he wanted to get closer.

Rolling his turquoise eyes, Raven cautiously suggested,

“Perhaps it would be best to stay a little longer and observe…?”

“I suppose so. At least until I find definitive proof that they’re plotting treason.”

Michael’s ice-blue eyes gleamed darkly.

“My father’s will is my will, after all.”