Despite these changes, Romei wasn’t entirely certain how she felt about Barmas. She simply spent her time doing what she could until she gained clarity.

“Are you very tired?”

Barmas asked while diligently massaging Romei’s legs on the bed. He posed the question because she had been lying down for quite some time, even after her labored breathing had subsided.

Romei, who had been staring at the ceiling, rolled her eyes to look at him. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

“…”

“Too exhausted to even speak?”

When she only stared without answering, Barmas asked again with a hint of concern.

Romei broke into a small laugh. Her facial muscles pulled gently, forming curves with her lips and eyes. Though visibly fatigued, her smile was refreshingly bright.

“It’s definitely challenging, but not that bad.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Barmas replied, then quickly added:

“You did well today. Excellent progress for your first practice. In a few days, you might be scurrying around the mansion.”

“I hope so. Once I can walk properly, I’d like to stroll through the garden again. I enjoyed it more than I expected.”

“Feel free to do so whenever you wish. Meanwhile, I’ll make sure the garden stays well-maintained so nothing withers.”

“Thank you. By the way, perhaps it’s from reading all those novels, but your speech has improved considerably.”

“Do you like it?”

Barmas paused his massage to ask, his expression completely focused, like someone receiving crucial information that shouldn’t be missed.

Romei found his passionate crimson eyes somewhat overwhelming, yet not entirely unpleasant.

“It sounds much better than before.”

“…I’m glad my dedicated reading paid off.”

Seemingly embarrassed by her compliment, Barmas averted his gaze and resumed massaging her legs while changing the subject.

“It’s almost dinner time. Will you be eating?”

“Yes, I’d like to. Just that little bit of walking has made me quite hungry.”

“Good. I’ll have the servants prepare something.”

As Barmas was about to call for a servant, Romei suddenly asked out of curiosity:

“Don’t you… eat?”

“…”

She had asked because while he always ensured she was fed, she never knew when he himself ate. There was no response from him.

Romei wasn’t ignorant about demons primarily consuming life energy, but during her waking hours, Barmas hadn’t attempted to take her energy or do anything of the sort.

That’s why she asked, but Barmas was busy avoiding her gaze. He seemed like someone with something to hide, trying to change the subject.

“Well… didn’t you say you were hungry? Let’s get you dinner first…”

“What did you do while I was asleep?”

“What do you mean, what did I do?”

Though Barmas responded to her questioning like she was asking something strange, his massaging hands gradually slowed. He appeared to be wracking his brain for an excuse.

“Did you take my energy while I was sleeping, so I wouldn’t remember?”

“…”

“Or do you get life energy from somewhere else?”

Romei thought he might be using the same method he had employed in Picardin, setting traps to harvest people’s life energy and souls in large quantities.

However, Barmas seemed to interpret her question differently. He suddenly raised his head and grew angry.

“I may be garbage, but I’m not that much of a bastard. I can’t believe you’d think I’d embrace other humans while you’re here.”

“…”

“And asking if I did it while you were sleeping, do you think I’m some depraved person who pounces on sleeping people?”

“You were plenty depraved before. And your tastes were certainly perverse.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Romei responded, recalling their past relationship when she had used coquettish behavior to manipulate him.

He had indeed tormented her in various ways, seemingly having waited for such opportunities.

She still vividly remembered being tied face-down to a cross-shaped frame with a peculiar opening at the chest area.

When she positioned her chest there, Barmas, with a delighted expression, attached heavy weights and bells to her n*pples.

This painfully pulled her br*asts downward, causing her to m*an in agony while Barmas grabbed her buttocks from behind and thr*st into her.

The momentum from behind made her br*asts swing with the weights, ringing the bells. Barmas, excited by the sound, moved his hips more roughly.

This alone demonstrated that his s*xual preferences were far from ordinary.

Barmas couldn’t deny this fact, given what he had done.

At a loss for words, he remained silent for a while before finally continuing:

“I told you I’ve reformed. I swear I didn’t do anything cruel to someone who looks like they’d collapse if touched.”

“Hmm… really?”

“No matter how sadistic my tastes might be, it’s too much for you to think I’d go around embracing other humans while you’re here.”

Barmas spoke with a tone that conveyed not just indignation but genuine hurt.

Though unsure what had made him so upset, Romei sensed he had misunderstood something. She sat up and calmly explained:

“No, that’s not what I meant. Have you forgotten why I came here in the first place? You set traps in the Picardin forest to consume people’s life energy and souls. You tried to do the same to me.”

“…Oh.”

“I was wondering if you obtained energy that way. From my perspective it’s horrifying, but from yours, it must be quite efficient.”

Romei’s point was valid. For Barmas, it had been a highly efficient method. It was the best way to regularly supply himself with life energy and souls while avoiding troublesome work.

But Barmas no longer wanted to consume life energy through such means.

“While it is efficient, I haven’t set traps elsewhere. I don’t even feel inclined to.”

“Then where do you get your life energy?”

Romei asked out of genuine curiosity.

If he hadn’t touched her while she slept, hadn’t approached her while she was awake, and hadn’t set traps either, there seemed to be no way for him to obtain life energy.

To this, Barmas gave a vague answer, seemingly finding a detailed explanation bothersome:

“I have my familiars gather it for me. Sharing energy dilutes the quality, but it’s enough to keep me from starving.”

“Ah… How fascinating that you can share energy with familiars.”

“So don’t worry about unnecessary things. I’ll take care of my own energy needs.”

“…Alright, I understand.”

Though not entirely convinced by his explanation, Romei nodded. Barmas then rose hurriedly from his seat, awkwardly acting like he feared she might ask more questions.

“I just remembered something I need to attend to. I’ll go out briefly and bring back your meal while I’m at it. If you need anything in the meantime, call the servants.”

“…”

“Just wait a little. I’ll be back soon.”

With that, he left the bedroom swiftly, before Romei could stop him.

Romei watched his retreating figure and thought to herself that he was definitely hiding something from her.

* * *

After leaving the bedroom, Barmas moved quickly to distance himself. He wanted to ensure Romei wouldn’t discover his secret.

Once he was far enough that she couldn’t hear his footsteps, Barmas sat on the edge of a staircase and heaved a deep sigh.

He had been feeling precarious lately, but he never expected to collapse in front of Romei.

‘Judging by her questions about meals, she seems suspicious. Not only is she intelligent, but she’s also quite perceptive.’

Barmas mused inwardly, lost in thought.

He had vaguely told Romei that he obtained energy through his familiars, which was partially true, but he wasn’t sure how convincing that excuse would be.

In reality, there were limitations to the energy obtained through familiars. The quality was far inferior to direct consumption, and the quantity was significantly less.

Yet he couldn’t send all his familiars out to gather life energy either.

The easiest method would be to embrace Romei and take her energy, but his conscience pricked him at the thought.

The conscience he had previously barely acknowledged was now functioning diligently. In such circumstances, he couldn’t bring himself to embrace Romei, who had only just begun to eat properly again.

“Haah…”

He was sighing deeply at the precarious situation, needing to endure at least until Romei opened her heart to him, yet already struggling, when a familiar emerged smoothly from the shadow at his feet.

Barmas raised his head, looking at it with eyes that demanded it state its business. The familiar bowed its head in greeting before getting straight to the point.

“Lord Barmas, I’ve gathered the life energy you requested previously.”

“I see.”

“You mentioned the last batch tasted unpleasant, so I was more selective this time.”

The familiar presented a small jewel box before him.

Taking the box, Barmas skillfully unlocked its intricate mechanism with practiced hands. Inside appeared a transparent crystal, like a jewel with a reddish tint similar to his eyes.

Barmas picked it up and held it against the sunset light streaming through the window. Though it contained some impurities, it was considerably more refined than what he had consumed previously.