1. They are relatively friendly toward Liria.

2. They hold secrets that Liria hasn’t solved. Or it could also be interpreted as having personal stories.

Her father, Classid’s heart was locked, so he must have secrets or stories he couldn’t tell her.

Her grandfather also would know many family secrets, but it made sense that he wouldn’t share everything with someone as young as her.

Even the key spirit Kiki—she hadn’t known his real name until she just saw it on the page.

Kiki must know many secrets about the key that she didn’t know. That was natural since he was an animal that couldn’t communicate with words.

And Eugene was definitely hiding something recently.

Going through them one by one, she became very curious about who the last subject might be.

Suddenly, Noah’s face flashed in her mind.

With his eye covered by an eyepatch and how he came to live in the mountain lodge, he seemed to have many secrets and circumstances he hadn’t been able to share.

She had an appointment with Noah today. Thinking that she should ask about his eyes again, Liria looked at the clock.

The appointment was at 8 PM, and the clock still showed 4 PM.

“Alright, I should start with Kiki since his condition is the easiest. Kiki, shall we go get some jerky?”

Liria asked as she picked up Kiki.

“Peep peep!”

Just then, Kiki pointed to his belly and climbed onto Liria’s shoulder.

Since she had started making jerky for him, Kiki’s taste had become so refined that he wouldn’t even look at the cheap, hard jerky sold in the market.

“…Yes, yes. I’ll feed you homemade jerky.”

Kiki jumped excitedly.

For both their happiness, she definitely planned to stop by the kitchen.

‘Noah must be waiting for our appointment today, too. I should bring something more delicious today!’

Perhaps because he wasn’t being fed properly by the lodge keeper, Noah seemed to eat everything well.

“The basket was always completely empty.”

He had never left anything behind. Seeing that made Liria feel somewhat proud.

Because it meant Noah was a little happier because of her.

“Come to think of it, the chef said his back was hurting…”

Chef Frederick was a valuable person who provided delicious food for Adrian, Kiki, and Liria.

“I’ll use my healing key to make him better.”

She had never used the healing key on anyone except her father, but she was sure it would help.

She had also promised to show her grandfather her next magical achievement, so she needed to confirm once more that the healing key definitely had an effect.

Liria packed the holy water bottle she had hidden in her desk drawer into her bag, picked up Kiki, and left the room.

In the drawing room, Marit, who had finished tidying up, stood up as if she had been waiting.

“…Miss, it’s time for a snack. Shall I bring you something?”

“No. Today, I’ll go to the kitchen myself to eat. I’ll feed Kiki some jerky too. I can go by myself!”

Marit noticed Kiki in Liria’s arms and said.

“But Miss, you promised to put a leash or harness on Kiki.”

“Ah… that won’t work. Kiki really hates it.”

The last time she put a leash on him, she met a creature that had turned into a demon.

He had made a mess of not only her desk drawer but also her bedroom.

And was it fortunate that he only ruined the room?

Kiki’s heart had almost closed after starting to open.

[The subject’s heart is opening. (0/1000)]

The moment when the 500 times of giving jerky that she had barely filled up was reset.

“…Whaaaat? W-why did it all disappear?”

Liria had become like a raccoon that had its cotton candy washed away.

Thanks to that, she learned one more piece of information.

If you do something the subject dislikes, all the favor you’ve built up so far becomes zero.

At least with Kiki, the required action was easy.

She didn’t even want to imagine what it would be like with someone else.

Marit approached Liria, who was shaking her head vigorously, and put Kiki in the bag, saying.

“Still, for hygiene reasons, you shouldn’t be caught taking a ferret to the kitchen.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll tell him not to come out of the bag.”

And so they arrived at the kitchen.

When Liria whistled, Chef Frederick of the main castle peeked his head through the orange curtains.

“…Young miss, you’re here?”

“Yes, I’m back, Chef! I wanted to ask you for a few things.”

“Oh my, I’m so sorry. Today is going to be difficult… This darn back of mine is acting up again, and I can’t do anything.”

“Ah… then you should rest today.”

Frederick, with his plump figure, patted his back and drooped his eyebrows.

“But Chef! I brought a really good remedy for your back.”

“…A remedy, you say?”

“Yes, this is really effective.”

Liria took out the holy water bottle and showed it to him.

“I’ve tried all sorts of good medicines, but none of them worked.”

“…Still, trust me just this once. This was made by the former Saint Melissa, the gardener!”

Melissa had only provided the holy water, but her contribution was undeniable.

For now, she had to use her name at least.

“If it’s medicine from a Saint, well then…”

That seemed to work, as Frederick turned around and showed his back.

“Hehe, I’ll make you all better. Oh, and! This medicine needs mana to be absorbed well, so please close your eyes for a moment.”

It was a lie she had just made up, but since using the healing key consumed mana, it wasn’t entirely false.

Liria emphasized once more that he should close his eyes, then summoned the healing key.

Paaah!

After using the healing key, Chef Frederick’s face, which had been furrowed with pain, immediately brightened.

“…How do you feel? Is your back better?”

“Well, you said it was made by a Saint, and it’s truly amazing! It’s better alright! Feels completely fine. A coolness spreading through my back—it’s the best…!”

“Hehe, really? That’s great. So… I’ll make some requests today. First, 50 pieces of jerky, five sandwiches, and ten butter scones!”

“…What?”

“Yes, hehe. It’s a lot, isn’t it? My pet and friend are a bit of big eaters… And from now on, if you could make lots and lots of jerky whenever you have time, I’ll definitely repay your kindness!”

“Are you raising a dragon or something? Wait just a moment!”

***

Soon it was 8 PM.

Step, step.

With a basket full of snacks, Liria passed through the hole in the wall that Kiki had found and walked toward the tree shade, their meeting place.

Unlike the interior of the Duke’s castle, which was lit by magic lanterns everywhere, the forest beyond the north gate was dark.

Walking while illuminating her surroundings with a lantern, Liria muttered.

“Ugh, it’s completely dark.”

As insects gathered around the light, Liria kept waving her hand.

In front of the tree shade where she arrived.

Looking up, she saw a boy leaning against the tree, holding an old lantern.

“…It’s Noah! Hi, how have you been… huh?”

Liria, who had been running over in excitement, stopped in her tracks with wide eyes.

The eyepatch that had covered Noah’s face was gone.

He wasn’t keeping his eyes closed either.

Blue eyes, shining like a winter night lake, were reflecting Liria.

That was the exact color of Adrian’s eyes that she had imagined while reading novels…

“Oh, your eyes…!”

Liria, who had been staring blankly at the mesmerizingly bright blue eyes, tripped over a clump of bushes in front of her and lost her balance.

“Whoa? Ahhh!”

“…!”

The startled Noah quickly approached and firmly grabbed Liria’s body.

“Hey, what are you doing not watching where you’re going?”

“Noah, what happened? Last time you kept your eyes tightly closed…”