The Kramer family really had so many fascinating spaces. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, another secret pops up like this.

Saena’s eyes automatically began to sparkle and shine.

Seeing her like that, he smiled and asked.

“Would you like to see inside?”

“If that’s allowed!”

“Come here.”

Saena quickly stepped into the space behind the bookshelf.

“There’s actually nothing special here.”

Perhaps because she expected something like the secret storage under the columbarium in the townhouse, the interior seemed ordinary, as he said.

It seemed to be a place for storing secret documents and records that only the family head should know, rather than being filled with fascinating items.

“This is…”

But there was one thing that caught her eye among all this.

It was a large picture hanging on one wall.

“They say it’s the first family head.”

Ah, a portrait of the first family head in the secret space…

But it was ambiguous to call it a portrait.

It wasn’t a portrait focused on the face but a full-body painting. Moreover, the figure wasn’t centered but stood to one side of the painting, with the other half painted completely black… creating a strange composition.

‘Perhaps Caligo…?’

Was this a painting of the moment of covenant?

“But this person… has black hair?”

The man in the painting resembled Constantine in his large, sturdy build and handsome features, but his hair color was completely different.

She knew the Kramer family’s Oathkeepers had white hair for generations, so it seemed odd that the first family head had black hair.

“We’ve had black hair for generations.”

But Constantine said something strange.

“I originally had black hair too.”

“…What?”

What on earth did that mean?

Constantine’s hair was white, down to his eyelashes. But what…

“The hair color changes during the succession process.”

Constantine had mentioned carving marks on his back when he previously shared his family history, but he hadn’t gone into much detail.

In fact, Saena had heard more details about how painful the process was from the nanny.

“Did your hair fade while carving the marks?”

“…It changed. When you awakened–”

She asked on a hunch, but seeing how he slightly missed the timing of his answer, she became certain.

“You’re lying. It faded, didn’t it?”

“……”

She had heard about it before.

About a lady whose hair turned white from the grief of losing her child.

Perhaps Constantine’s hair had turned that way because the process was too painful and agonizing?

Her heart suddenly tightened at the thought.

Ha. Saena leaned her forehead against his chest and hugged his waist. She didn’t know how to continue the conversation.

“…It’s already in the past.”

“That doesn’t mean it never happened…”

“Even if it had been more painful, I think it’s fortunate now.”

Not understanding, Saena looked up.

“Because I have the power to protect you.”

He gently held her chin and looked down at her.

His face came down calmly, planted a quick kiss on her lips, and drew a smile.

As if it were very sincere.

His peaceful eyes seemed to prove that sincerity.

“I’m not sure… if I deserve to be an Oathkeeper.”

While someone had become an Oathkeeper after enduring such pain that their hair turned white, what about her?

Wasn’t it through Yuri’s sacrifice rather than her own effort?

Saena sighed, feeling as if her own existence was somewhat like cheating.

“Don’t say that. Having power isn’t as pleasant as you might think.”

“……”

“There will be many troublesome things, and many obligations to bear.”

He stroked her cheek, speaking as if to comfort her.

“I suppose so. But…”

Saena lowered her eyes for a moment, then raised them again to look at him.

“I think I’m fortunate too.”

Her clearly upturned violet eyes looked straight at him.

“Because I’m the only woman who can love you.”

“……”

“Being able to have you all to myself, it’s all because I have the power of the covenant.”

His long fingers that had been stroking her cheek paused momentarily.

“So… that alone is enough to handle everything else.”

But soon they began moving again.

“My wife…”

Following along her earlobe, he grasped her chin. Haah, a low breath escaped through his teeth, released like something that had been held back.

“Is truly so lovable.”

Before his words finished, his lips met hers, preventing her response. His lips sealed tightly, persistently blocking any gaps as if to devour every escaping breath while delving deep.

Yet it remained gentle.

Saena found herself pressed against the wall by his clinging embrace.

The kiss in the secret room gradually deepened, turning into occasional gasps.

* * *

Only after quite some time did they emerge from the secret space of past family heads.

When they came out, Constantine held a flat, wide box in his hand.

“Open it.”

At first glance, it looked similar to a jewelry box used by noble ladies and young ladies.

“This is…”

But upon opening it, it really was a jewelry box.

Inside were various accessories giving off brilliant light.

There were various types of gems. Sapphire, emerald, topaz, and more. Even diamonds ranged from colored to clear ones. It looked like a package set up to allow various combinations with any dress.

“Try wearing this and this. Then let’s go train.”

“…What?”

What nonsense was this about training while wearing jewelry?

“These aren’t just ordinary jewels. They’re offensive weapons using Guardian Spirit power.”

“…Really?”

“They’ve been useless without a female Oathkeeper, but now my wife has become an Oathkeeper.”

“……”

“If Yolly is an offensive Guardian Spirit, these might not be very useful, but it would be good to learn how to use them just in case.”

It was fascinating that these beautiful jewels could become weapons.

“Ah, is the bracelet you gave me before part of this set?”

The platinum bracelet he had given as a gift still wrapped around Saena’s left wrist.

“Hmm. Similar but different. That bracelet was made to only contain Caligo’s power. There used to be a black diamond set passed down through generations of Kramer duchesses…”

Oh? Since the Duke has always been Caligo’s master, there must be such a jewelry set for the duchess.

While thinking this tradition seemed rather romantic for an ancient family, he suddenly sighed.

“But now only the bracelet remains.”

“Ah, really…?”

Did they disappear one by one until only the bracelet was left?

She felt strangely disappointed. Not because she particularly wanted them as the duchess, but because it was sad that Guardian Spirit-related items had disappeared. Or was it wasteful?

“The previous duchess was always so anxious about something, they say she wore them every day.”

“What? Then…”

That means they existed until just the previous generation?

“When she passed away in a demonic beast incident, they all disappeared.”

“……”

“I suspect the previous duke might have given them to her without charging them with power.”

Saena’s eyes widened.

“It’s ambiguous to call it an elaborate murder because the previous duke also met his end on the same day…”

He muttered dryly, seeming more puzzled by an incomprehensible problem than sad.

‘…His parents really must have had a bad relationship.’

The feeling was beyond emotionless, almost chilling, and Saena didn’t know what to say. But from what she’d heard, the previous duke and duchess were such bad people that she couldn’t feel sympathy.

“Yours is definitely charged, so don’t worry.”

He said with a faint smile, though whether it was meant as a joke was unclear. His smile seemed somewhat crooked, perhaps due to lingering feelings about his parents.

“I’m not worried about that.”

“……”

“If you wanted me dead, wouldn’t you have tried to stick closer to me rather than trying to stay away?”

“……”

Imagining the ironic situation of a husband having to show excessive affection to kill his wife seemed somehow funny. Pff. A laugh escaped, and their eyes met.

His face showed he didn’t understand why she was laughing at this moment. Ahem, clearing her throat, Saena spoke.

“You said we should go train? Let’s go.”

“We should choose a few items first before going.”

Constantine began explaining the functions of each piece of jewelry in the box so she could make her selections.

Various forms of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets, and rings had as many functions as their forms, and Saena listened very attentively to his explanations.

“Something worn on fingers would probably be most convenient to use. Especially this ring. It seems quite useful.”

He pointed to a ring said to have the ability to make opponents faint.

There were other functions too, like blinding opponents or creating blade winds, but Constantine carefully selected through them. He seemed to think Saena would be reluctant to use anything that might cause too gruesome scenes.

“This much should be fine, yes.”

For Saena too, fainting seemed like something she could use on people without feeling too burdened(?). She would only use it on people trying to harm her, and fainting was relatively mild.

Explanations about various other accessories continued. It was as if he had memorized a manual from somewhere.

Finally, it was time for the last item. It was a necklace with a simple design.

“This necklace is said to have the ability to use the Guardian Spirit’s attributes directly… Hmm, this isn’t the type that releases power but stores it. It seems a bit odd that it was placed here with offensive items.”