“CHIRP.”

“You’ve got a wound on your wing. I’ll treat it when we get back.”

Calliphe examined the griffin’s flank and wing injuries, then patted it gently.

“SCREECH.”

The griffin limped and flopped down.

Watching it, Calliphe raised the corner of her mouth.

“Even if you exaggerate, training will continue.”

“KUK.”

Making a sound like “tch,” the griffin stood up again abruptly.

“I wonder who you take after.”

Shaking her head, Calliphe turned around and called for Lynen.

“Lynen, what are you doing? We need to head back now.”

“…Ah, y-yes.”

Lynen hurriedly put something in his pocket and approached her.

Calliphe narrowed her eyes.

“What are you hiding?”

“…The imaging orb.”

“From our training just now? We should look at it when we get back.”

“No. It’s broken.”

“Broken? Let me see.”

As Calliphe’s hand reached for the pocket hiding the crystal orb, Lynen quickly dodged.

“It only captured you being dragged around ungracefully in the sky. This footage is unusable, so we’ll just record anew.”

“Ungraceful, really.”

It wasn’t exactly a beautiful sight, but still, tch.

Calliphe grumbled as she took the griffin’s reins and walked ahead.

Lynen followed behind her.

In his mind, the images recorded in the orb just now kept replaying.

Himself embracing Calliphe. And Calliphe leaning against him, seemingly accepting his embrace.

“…”

Lynen once again wiped his slightly reddened face with his dry palm.

This imaging orb… he decided not to show it to anyone.

* * *

Several more days passed.

During that time, my griffin riding skills improved remarkably.

SWOOSH!

I smoothly passed through the rings of aura at different heights that Lynen had created.

“CHIRP!”

After passing through all the obstacles, the griffin roared, challenging me to try more.

“Quiet.”

THWACK.

After receiving a quick flick on the head from me, it became subdued and landed obediently.

I patted its nape.

“Good job with today’s training. Next time, I’d like less shaking when we fly. My backside hurts.”

“CHIRP CHIRP!”

The energetic response sounded just like “Yes, boss! I’ll fix it!” which satisfied me.

I turned my head.

“How was it this time, Lynen?”

Lynen, who had been recording my flight with the imaging orb, quietly made a circle with his finger.

It was the first okay sign I’d ever received.

“Oh! Really?”

I should check it out! I immediately hopped off the griffin’s back. But I twisted my hand and lost my balance.

“Let me see that imaging orb… Ah?”

Strong arms caught me just before I would have fallen to the ground.

“Be careful until the very end.”

“Thanks.”

As I grabbed his arm to stand up straight, I suddenly felt a tickling sensation near my ear.

Lynen tucked my disheveled hair behind my ear.

His fingertips traced down my earlobe from top to bottom.

“…!”

For a moment, I remembered our close contact in the forest and became flustered.

“If I leave it alone, you look ready to eat your hair too.”

“…”

“Calliphe?”

“Hmph, b-be quiet.”

I belatedly swatted his hand away.

Since our forest visit, physical contact with Lynen had made me oddly self-conscious.

‘I need to get a grip. This is all because of Lynen’s good looks, not because I’m actually attracted to him!’

His affection for me is only at 10, so it makes no sense for me to like him first! I can’t repeat my embarrassing history.

“My lady.”

While I tried to compose myself, the sturdy maid Lina approached.

“The saint from the Grand Cathedral has arrived.”

“Ah, he’s early.”

I had invited the saint and the light spirit to investigate the change in corrupted magic I felt when fighting with the griffin.

“Tell him to wait a moment. I need to change out of these dirty clothes.”

After Calliphe and Lynen went inside.

A small head popped out from behind the wall, seemingly waiting for this moment.

It was Noah.

“Is no one here now…?”

Today too, Noah had disguised his bed with pillows to make it look like he was taking a nap, all to go to the imperial palace.

Now he just needed to get into the carriage where the special unit member waited.

“Sir. I’m on board.”

As soon as Noah got into the carriage and spoke.

“Oh really?”

Suddenly, the closed door opened and another person poked his head in.

It was Raul, with an expression that seemed to say ‘this little master.’

“Young master. I’m going to have to arrest you in the act.”

“…!”

Looking quickly through the window at the driver’s seat, Noah saw the special unit member who had kept his secret well, smiling apologetically.

“I got caught by the captain, what can I say.”

Raul snorted and picked Noah up under his arm, carrying him out of the carriage.

“Let’s go together.”

“W-where…”

“Where do you think?”

Raul answered, telling him to prepare himself.

“To our lord and Lady Offensa, of course. My goodness, going to the imperial palace alone of all places. You’re in for a spanking, a spanking.”

“N-no!”

Noah struggled belatedly, but it was already too late.

* * *

I entered the reception room.

Except for Lynen who was already there, Alensis and the light spirit both jumped up at the same time. They resembled Retrievers wagging their tails.

“It’s been a while, Lady Calliphe.”

“Thanks for coming, Allen.”

“I’m always welcome to Lady Calliphe’s invitation.”

I smiled brightly and also greeted the light spirit.

“Have you been well?”

But the spirit’s reaction seemed strange.

―◎▭◉?!

Looking somewhat confused, it circled around me, observing me closely.

It didn’t behave this way before. It appeared to sense something unusual about me.

“I’m glad I called you. You’ve detected something, haven’t you?”

―⸍▵⸌;;

Hesitating, not entirely certain, it nodded.

Allen looked at me and the spirit in bewilderment.

“Um… Lady Calliphe. What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain.”

I sat Allen and the light spirit down in front of me and revealed my secret. I told them that I had corrupted magic within me.

Allen surprised me at first, but.

“You had complicated circumstances. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.”

…he said, comforting me instead. He said that if I were truly evil, I wouldn’t have been able to awaken the light spirit.

After hearing my story, Allen pondered deeply and said.

“My thoughts match Duke Ortega’s. The corrupted magic in you, Lady Calliphe, seems like traces of someone having cast black magic on you.”

“Though I don’t know the nature of that black magic. Anyway… a few days ago, I had to use magic, and I felt the corrupted magic within me waver.”

I also mentioned that because of this, the griffin I hit immediately showed its belly.

I didn’t need to talk about my ability. This much sufficed.

Allen, who had listened carefully, looked up.

“In that case, I’ll examine your corrupted magic immediately. The light spirit will help too.”

―⸌‿ ⸍ !

Allen and the light spirit positioned themselves on either side of me and slowly channeled their holy power.

They moved very carefully to avoid disturbing my corrupted magic.

A few minutes later, when Allen opened his eyes again, beads of sweat had formed on his forehead.

I quickly asked.

“How did it go, Allen? Did you find anything?”

“Lady Calliphe. This is…”

After a moment of confusion, Allen spoke cautiously.