***

“Meow~.”

“…!”

As Charles rubbed his head against his knee, Daniel looked up at me with eyes full of emotion.

He looks like a dad watching his daughter’s first steps.

I suppressed my laughter and gave Daniel a thumbs up.

“I feel both happy and regretful that the request is already over.”

I smiled slightly and answered.

“The process wasn’t easy, but I’m glad Charles finally opened his heart.”

“Indeed. It’s frightening to imagine living with Charles hating me for the rest of my life.”

“Haha… Above all else, please be careful not to step on his tail again. Charles seems to hold grudges for a long time.”

“I will.”

I smiled lightly and glanced up at the sky.

The sun was already setting.

“Then I’ll be heading back now.”

“I’d like to see you off, but it’s Charles’ feeding time, so I apologize.”

“It’s fine. Then I’ll really be going, client… no, Captain Daniel.”

As I awkwardly corrected myself, Daniel smiled kindly and said he hoped to see me again.

Just as I was about to leave, Daniel urgently called me back.

“Ah. I forgot to tell you this.”

“…?”

“The day before yesterday, the youngest member of our knights said he found a clue about Adriel’s disappearance.”

My heart pounded in staccato beats.

“…Is that so?”

“I’m telling you this because you seemed concerned about that boy when I saw you last time.”

Sweat gathered in my palms.

What kind of clue did they find?

I was curious, but I was afraid asking more would raise suspicion.

“So don’t worry too much. Adriel will definitely return to the knights.”

I answered, licking my dry lips.

“…I think so too.”

***

After returning home, I couldn’t fall asleep at all.

What kind of clue had they found, and had they possibly discovered my residence?

I was spending days going crazy with such worries when it happened.

“We’re looking for someone.”

The city guard came.

A guard with a stern expression unfolded a scroll and showed it to me.

“Have you seen a woman who looks like this?”

Inside was none other than a portrait of me.

“……”

“Did you not hear me?”

Calm down, calm down.

It’s an unexpected situation, but if I respond calmly, I can get through this.

“I… don’t know. I’ve never seen this person while living here.”

I cleared my throat and spoke as calmly as possible.

When the sharp voice altered by my voice-changing magic device came out of my mouth, the guard looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“Excuse me, but could you remove your robe?”

“…I have a large scar on my face, so I’m a bit uncomfortable showing it.”

“Even just a part would be fine. Could you show me just your eyes?”

What? Why is he so persistent?

Emergency, this is an emergency.

Just as a red alert light went on in my head.

“Don’t bother my Master!”

Thud-!

“Ugh…!”

The guard, struck by a blunt object, staggered and collapsed with a thud.

“Master, Wit came to help!”

The figure of Wit, fluttering his small wings, appeared where the guard had been standing just a moment ago.

I pointed at the man lying on the ground and asked.

“Wi-Wit. Did you just knock that person unconscious?”

“Yes, Master! Wit did well, right? Right? Kekeke.”

Hey, you…

How could you knock that person unconscious?

This will make things more suspicious, and he’ll bring other guards back.

“Master, if you need cleanup, just say the word! Wit is good at cleaning too! Kekek! Kekeke!”

What kind of cleaning are you talking about? You demon…

I had a lot I wanted to say, but I just covered my face with my palm and sighed.

“Never mind… just take that person and leave him outside the forest.”

Wit pouted at my reaction and snapped his fingers.

“We’re doomed. Truly doomed.”

While Wit took the unconscious guard away, I sat at the table nervously shaking my leg. Adriel was already sitting across from me, apparently awakened by the noise.

I was already worried sick about Daniel’s mention of finding a clue about Adriel’s disappearance, and now there’s a search party looking for me.

The tightening net around us was suffocating.

“There’s no other choice now.”

It was truly time to leave this city.

I had somewhat understood why Adriel refused to sign all this time.

The moment he signed the magical contract promising not to harm Wit and me, Adriel would be unable to fulfill his purpose of killing all the demons who murdered his family.

But now I had no time to worry about his circumstances.

I immediately went to my room and opened the drawer.

After finding the contract, I took out a pen for magical contracts and held it out to Adriel.

“Please sign this.”

When I thrust the contract in front of him, Adriel blinked, confusion apparent in his expression.

Then his gaze moved from the contract to me.

How long did we stare at each other like that?

Adriel’s lips opened slowly.

“Why are you doing this? So suddenly…”

“Please sign it, Sir Knight.”

I cut off his words and repeated the same request.

And honestly, this isn’t sudden at all.

The fact that this has never happened before is what’s more surprising.

Adriel’s red pupils trembled slightly as he looked at my resolute face.

It was a look that seemed to hope for some words of retreat from my mouth.

But I maintained my serious attitude without saying anything, more earnest than ever before.

“……”

“……”

After several minutes.

Finally, as if my sincerity had been conveyed, his expression gradually hardened.

“…I can’t.”

Right. I knew he would say he couldn’t.

Because he can’t let the demon who killed his family live. Because he wants to kill Wit.

I swallowed a sigh and closed my eyes tightly.

Wit and I have our souls bound together. That means if Wit dies, I die too.

My hand holding the contract tensed involuntarily.

Don’t be ridiculous. I still want to live.

I want to live. To achieve the dreams I couldn’t fulfill in my previous life and live a long, long time until I die of old age.

I barely calmed my mind which felt like it would explode and slowly opened my eyes.

“Sir Knight, let me ask you seriously.”

Adriel’s gaze, which had been slightly averted, turned back to me.

I looked directly into his red eyes and asked.

“Do you like me?”

For a moment, Adriel wore an expression of incomprehension.

“What are you…”

But then he became serious and immediately denied my words.

“Please say something that makes sense.”

“I’d like to believe that too.”

I sighed and continued.

“But your actions right now make you look exactly like someone who won’t sign because you like me.”

I deliberately chose words that Adriel would hate to hear the most to provoke him.

I hoped Adriel would get furious at my words and sign out of anger.

“Ha.”

And as I intended, Adriel twisted one corner of his mouth.

“If that was meant to amuse me, you’ve failed, my lady.”

His lowered red eyes were cold as if he had heard a joke that wasn’t funny at all.

“It’s the most absurd and unpleasant thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

I was about to retort to his words but slowly closed my mouth.

He dislikes me that much?

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hurt.