The cook, who had been looking at me with pity, cautiously gestured.
'Then please eat this. It's leftovers anyway. I can't eat it alone. It was hard to dispose of, so this is good.'
At the time, I ate without thinking, but thinking back, the food was steaming as if it had just been made, even though it was leftovers. I think I had eaten it like that a few times.
"That cook..."
I muttered as I reminisced.
After meeting me that morning, the cook seemed to have occasionally waited for me and cooked for me. Why did he do that? He probably didn't even know when I would come.
That cook was soon kicked out of Orobas, whether because of what happened that morning or something else. He was groundlessly accused of being a heretic.
His life and death were unknown after that. I couldn't even say thank you.
"...It was delicious."
I let out a short sigh. Suddenly, I realized that his eyes were focused on me.
Belled looked back at the fire-handling demon with a serious face, and the demon flicked the fire from his fingertips and said.
“Are you talking about the cook?”
“Yes?”
I asked back, not understanding his serious tone for a moment.
Then I remembered what I had said earlier and waved my hand.
“Not the person, but the food he made!”
“Ah.”
The fire went out from the demon’s fingertips. Belled only then began to pick up the dishes again.
...Belled didn’t misunderstand, did he?
I couldn’t bring myself to ask.
A few hours later, in Belled’s office.
He was lost in thought.
In fact, it didn’t really matter to Belled what Beryl ate.
Of course, he was a little surprised, but it was a misunderstanding, so that was it. The useless misunderstanding was completely erased from his mind.
What was bothering him was something else.
"The cook..."
'Then please eat this. It's leftovers anyway. I can't eat it alone. It was hard to dispose of, so this is good.'
At the time, I ate without thinking, but thinking back, the food was steaming as if it had just been made, even though it was leftovers. I think I had eaten it like that a few times.
"That cook..."
I muttered as I reminisced.
After meeting me that morning, the cook seemed to have occasionally waited for me and cooked for me. Why did he do that? He probably didn't even know when I would come.
That cook was soon kicked out of Orobas, whether because of what happened that morning or something else. He was groundlessly accused of being a heretic.
His life and death were unknown after that. I couldn't even say thank you.
"...It was delicious."
I let out a short sigh. Suddenly, I realized that his eyes were focused on me.
Belled looked back at the fire-handling demon with a serious face, and the demon flicked the fire from his fingertips and said.
“Are you talking about the cook?”
“Yes?”
I asked back, not understanding his serious tone for a moment.
Then I remembered what I had said earlier and waved my hand.
“Not the person, but the food he made!”
“Ah.”
The fire went out from the demon’s fingertips. Belled only then began to pick up the dishes again.
...Belled didn’t misunderstand, did he?
I couldn’t bring myself to ask.
***
A few hours later, in Belled’s office.
He was lost in thought.
In fact, it didn’t really matter to Belled what Beryl ate.
Of course, he was a little surprised, but it was a misunderstanding, so that was it. The useless misunderstanding was completely erased from his mind.
What was bothering him was something else.
"The cook..."
He didn’t know why his heart seemed to sink at her words. Was it because he cared about her being uncomfortable without the cook? Was he afraid that she would not like this place?
Of course, it was too different from where she lived to be appealing.
Is that why I’m afraid she’ll leave? Because I feel like I’ll die without her? Because I feel like the future where I’ll be turned into a monster will come again? Is it because of that longing?
...No.
Belled couldn’t figure it out.
A strange feeling he hadn’t felt in hundreds of years surged through his mind like a tide, then receded, leaving behind only ruins.
“Ronove.”
Belled, who hadn’t been able to do any of his work because of that, finally called Ronove.
“Did you call?”
Soon, a red fog rose up in front of him, transforming into Ronove and settling down.
Then, Ronove’s expression turned into one of surprise.
“Did something happen? Your complexion...”
Belled raised his hand to deny his words.
“Nothing happened.”
Probably. He tried to add that but stopped. Then he frowned slightly.
Wasn’t there sincerity behind the words he was about to add?
He was definitely going through something. He just didn’t know what it was.
“...Please give me the order.”
Ronove was waiting for his order with a serious face.
Belled looked at him and asked out of the blue.
“Did Didas know how to cook for humans?”
Didas was a demon who resided inside the gates of Hell. He was also known for his interest in human culture.
Ronove hesitated at that. He had also been informed of what had happened during the meal.
“Didas was more interested in art than food... But he is inside the gates of Hell.”
As the Demon Grand Duke, Belled could bring the abilities of the demons residing in the human world, so there was no way he wouldn’t know that.
However, Belled, who was asking the question, looked very serious. As if...
“...Are you planning to open the gates of Hell by force and bring him here?”
Ronove’s expression, which he had thought was impossible, hardened as Belled didn’t answer.
He couldn’t bring himself to ask if he was in his right mind. Now that the remaining magical power in the human world was insufficient, an astronomical price was needed to bring out a single demon from hell.
For example, the magical power that constituted the essence of the Demon Duke Belled.
“...No, it would be better to try to save him from the human world.”
Belled shook his head as if to say that it was impossible. However, Ronove clearly saw the moment of agony that passed over his face.
It would be easier to use demons than to bring humans.
Which human cook would want to come to this land that was said to be teeming with monsters, a land that the Saintess had even pointed out as possibly containing demons? A land where there was no distinction between day and night?
Furthermore, if humans came, it would be difficult to hide the identities of the demons. If they tried to escape, they could just deal with them... but the presence of outsiders was inconvenient in many ways.
“I will take the risk. Find out about the cook quickly.”
Repeating an order that had already been given during the day must have meant that it was urgent.
“Understood.”
Ronove lowered his head and examined Belled.
His master was not originally a playful person, but he looked even more serious now.
If the price had not been a little higher, he might have already opened the gates of hell a little.
Belled was sincere.
When he saw that, Ronove became confused.
‘...If you delay this work any longer, it will cause disruption to the fieldwork.’
Belled was clearly having trouble concentrating.
After dinner, Ronove took him to his office with a troubled expression. Beryl deliberately did not follow him.
'I also have work to do inside the mansion.'
It was true.
A visit to the temple.
It was a good excuse for Belled, who couldn't concentrate because of her.
...A good excuse to convince himself, who strangely couldn't take his eyes off him.
'... A custom.'
'Can't you close your eyes for a moment when necessary?'
Belled talked about a custom, but Beryl tried to say so.
Judging from Ronove's reaction and Decarabia's timid reaction, that 'custom' seemed unfamiliar to them too.
If there had been such a custom, wouldn't his desk have been free of work during the first week of their honeymoon, or at least the amount would have been reduced?
...So, did he create that custom on purpose?
Of course, it was too different from where she lived to be appealing.
Is that why I’m afraid she’ll leave? Because I feel like I’ll die without her? Because I feel like the future where I’ll be turned into a monster will come again? Is it because of that longing?
...No.
Belled couldn’t figure it out.
A strange feeling he hadn’t felt in hundreds of years surged through his mind like a tide, then receded, leaving behind only ruins.
“Ronove.”
Belled, who hadn’t been able to do any of his work because of that, finally called Ronove.
“Did you call?”
Soon, a red fog rose up in front of him, transforming into Ronove and settling down.
Then, Ronove’s expression turned into one of surprise.
“Did something happen? Your complexion...”
Belled raised his hand to deny his words.
“Nothing happened.”
Probably. He tried to add that but stopped. Then he frowned slightly.
Wasn’t there sincerity behind the words he was about to add?
He was definitely going through something. He just didn’t know what it was.
“...Please give me the order.”
Ronove was waiting for his order with a serious face.
Belled looked at him and asked out of the blue.
“Did Didas know how to cook for humans?”
Didas was a demon who resided inside the gates of Hell. He was also known for his interest in human culture.
Ronove hesitated at that. He had also been informed of what had happened during the meal.
“Didas was more interested in art than food... But he is inside the gates of Hell.”
As the Demon Grand Duke, Belled could bring the abilities of the demons residing in the human world, so there was no way he wouldn’t know that.
However, Belled, who was asking the question, looked very serious. As if...
“...Are you planning to open the gates of Hell by force and bring him here?”
Ronove’s expression, which he had thought was impossible, hardened as Belled didn’t answer.
He couldn’t bring himself to ask if he was in his right mind. Now that the remaining magical power in the human world was insufficient, an astronomical price was needed to bring out a single demon from hell.
For example, the magical power that constituted the essence of the Demon Duke Belled.
“...No, it would be better to try to save him from the human world.”
Belled shook his head as if to say that it was impossible. However, Ronove clearly saw the moment of agony that passed over his face.
It would be easier to use demons than to bring humans.
Which human cook would want to come to this land that was said to be teeming with monsters, a land that the Saintess had even pointed out as possibly containing demons? A land where there was no distinction between day and night?
Furthermore, if humans came, it would be difficult to hide the identities of the demons. If they tried to escape, they could just deal with them... but the presence of outsiders was inconvenient in many ways.
“I will take the risk. Find out about the cook quickly.”
Repeating an order that had already been given during the day must have meant that it was urgent.
“Understood.”
Ronove lowered his head and examined Belled.
His master was not originally a playful person, but he looked even more serious now.
If the price had not been a little higher, he might have already opened the gates of hell a little.
Belled was sincere.
When he saw that, Ronove became confused.
***
‘...If you delay this work any longer, it will cause disruption to the fieldwork.’
Belled was clearly having trouble concentrating.
After dinner, Ronove took him to his office with a troubled expression. Beryl deliberately did not follow him.
'I also have work to do inside the mansion.'
It was true.
A visit to the temple.
It was a good excuse for Belled, who couldn't concentrate because of her.
...A good excuse to convince himself, who strangely couldn't take his eyes off him.
'... A custom.'
'Can't you close your eyes for a moment when necessary?'
Belled talked about a custom, but Beryl tried to say so.
Judging from Ronove's reaction and Decarabia's timid reaction, that 'custom' seemed unfamiliar to them too.
If there had been such a custom, wouldn't his desk have been free of work during the first week of their honeymoon, or at least the amount would have been reduced?
...So, did he create that custom on purpose?
Then Beryl suddenly stopped, having reached a conclusion.
Why?
Usually, if you're interested in the other person, that's how it is. Beryl thought as she smoothed her clothes.
Let’s not expect too much.
She kept expecting, but she had felt it painfully in her past two lives that if she expected too much, she would only hurt herself.
“...Let’s change the atmosphere of the entire mansion.”
The first thing Beryl had to do was this.
When she left the temple to give thanks, the first thing she encountered was the appearance of the mansion.
Since only steak was served for the meal, the priests who would eat one or two meals might not notice anything strange.
However, the ancient tapestry hanging in the dining room as if it were a given, and the overall gloomy atmosphere of the mansion needed to be changed.
Especially in the garden, which was decorated with the thought that it was the face of the noble family, there was nothing right in Vine.
First, she had to remove the dusty things from the dining room, and it seemed necessary to organize the weapons and assassination devices that the demons had placed or stored here and there in the mansion.
‘There’s something strange there? Oh, I think it was something Lord Naberus hung 70 years ago.’
Most of those traps that most demons didn’t even remember were set by Naberus.
“Then should I clean them up when Naberus comes?”
Decarabia simply answered her as she said that.
“Naberus wouldn’t know either. He’s not the type to remember things like that.”
“...”
Since she couldn’t deny it, she decided to start by removing the traps he had set up and forgotten about throughout the mansion.
The problem was whether Belled would allow it.
When she stopped by the office to ask about that, he greeted her at a speed that made it suspicious that he was working.
Why?
Usually, if you're interested in the other person, that's how it is. Beryl thought as she smoothed her clothes.
Let’s not expect too much.
She kept expecting, but she had felt it painfully in her past two lives that if she expected too much, she would only hurt herself.
“...Let’s change the atmosphere of the entire mansion.”
The first thing Beryl had to do was this.
When she left the temple to give thanks, the first thing she encountered was the appearance of the mansion.
Since only steak was served for the meal, the priests who would eat one or two meals might not notice anything strange.
However, the ancient tapestry hanging in the dining room as if it were a given, and the overall gloomy atmosphere of the mansion needed to be changed.
Especially in the garden, which was decorated with the thought that it was the face of the noble family, there was nothing right in Vine.
First, she had to remove the dusty things from the dining room, and it seemed necessary to organize the weapons and assassination devices that the demons had placed or stored here and there in the mansion.
‘There’s something strange there? Oh, I think it was something Lord Naberus hung 70 years ago.’
Most of those traps that most demons didn’t even remember were set by Naberus.
“Then should I clean them up when Naberus comes?”
Decarabia simply answered her as she said that.
“Naberus wouldn’t know either. He’s not the type to remember things like that.”
“...”
Since she couldn’t deny it, she decided to start by removing the traps he had set up and forgotten about throughout the mansion.
The problem was whether Belled would allow it.
When she stopped by the office to ask about that, he greeted her at a speed that made it suspicious that he was working.
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