To conclude, fortunately, there were no suspicious decorations in the mansion.
Except for the fact that the old mansion had a gloomy gray atmosphere and an old-fashioned atmosphere.
No, more than that.
“Ah...”
I looked at the sky that spread out a little further beyond the mansion.
It was as if the world had been split in half, the night area and the afternoon sunlight were clearly divided.
Maybe it was because it took all the attention away, but there was nothing in the mansion that humans would feel out of place.
In addition, there were sufficient amenities for the residents.
However.
“...If I had known you would come here, I would have told them to clean up a little. It’s a bit messy.”
Belled said as if he was not satisfied with it.
“I don’t think it will be uncomfortable.”
I shook my head. The best part was that there were no suspicious decorations.
It would be a good place to stay for a while, see the tailor, and prepare for a banquet.
Since they will be in Orobas during the banquet anyway, there will be no one coming to this mansion or staying there.
Furthermore, the fact that only a group of tailors will be coming to a remote place.
“It seems like it would be good for practicing dealing with humans.”
Rather, it would be a good environment for practicing dealing with humans.
“I cleaned up the inside as much as possible.”
A devil with an awkward face, perhaps a demon from the villa, greeted them.
“The tailor?”
He asked if there had been any progress on the work while riding the carriage. In response to Belled’s question, Ronove, who had received a brief report from elsewhere, immediately lowered his head.
“I’ve already found him. I told him to visit as soon as possible, so he said he would be back in less than two days.”
“Even though it’s the social season?”
I looked back at him in surprise. Any famous tailor would already have a full schedule during this season.
However, it didn’t seem likely that they would hire a nameless tailor.
“Yes.”
Ronove lowered his head. Then he added a brief explanation.
“He said he wanted to spend his old age building a mansion on a calm seashore and being served by servants.”
I blinked at those words. That must have been the tailor’s desire. In short.
“Did you give him a villa?”
Belled chuckled softly at those words.
“I don’t know about others, but persuading humans is a specialty of demons.”
Many noble families would have tried to hire a tailor by paying more money.
However, it was purely thanks to Vine’s ability that he was able to choose a tailor even in a season when most would have been rejected.
To be exact, it was thanks to the demon’s instinct to see through human desires in detail.
As we sat down inside the mansion, Naberus approached us.
“Your Highness, and Madam.”
Since they were outside, he did not use the title of vision.
It was when the two of us looked at him. Naberus said with a serious expression.
“Decarabia will be excluded from the Madam’s escort for this schedule.”
“Ah...”
Before I could even wonder why, I realized the reason.
It was because the crimson sunlight was still streaming into the building.
The star demon Decarabia, whose power weakened when daylight came, would be unable to escort me here.
“So how about I personally escort you, Ma’am?”
Originally, Naberus was supposed to escort Belled during external schedules, as befitting his position as a general.
However, the reason for coming in person to ask for permission was clear.
I looked up at Naberus, who was not used to hiding his expression. His face looked very troubled.
To be exact, he was not used to the absurd words ‘Belled’s mercy’, so he was struggling to atone for his wrongdoings, but I could not possibly know the inside story.
His lord always makes the right decisions, but how dare he commit the disloyalty and impertinence of thinking lightly of His Highness!
If they were enemies, then it would be different, but now that it was clear that he was the one to serve, Naberus felt like he was going crazy with guilt every time he saw me.
I wanted to repay my rudeness somehow.
But.
“I will not allow it.”
Belled answered without hesitation. Naberus lowered his head.
It seemed that it was indeed too rude. It was when he was thinking that.
“You will be in charge of blocking those who approach Beryl first, but the other female demons will be in charge of close escort.”
When Belled, who had narrowed his eyes for a moment, said the word 'woman', Naberus instinctively realized.
He had made a mistake!
"...I will follow your orders."
He quickly backed away. It was almost instinctive. He then broke out in a cold sweat.
"...I will follow your orders."
He quickly backed away. It was almost instinctive. He then broke out in a cold sweat.
It was just an escort issue, so why would he do that? Someone who clearly distinguished between public and private matters?
However, Naberus quickly came to a 'typical' conclusion.
After all, how could Madam need more escorts when His Highness the Grand Duke Belled was with her?
This was no different from his remarks ignoring His Highness the Grand Duke.
As expected, this was a handling of affairs befitting someone who clearly distinguished between public and private matters.
He went through a self-justification process that would have made Ronove grab the back of his neck if he had heard it and then backed away with a refreshed expression.
The next afternoon.
"Night..."
I was looking out the window.
Fortunately for an outsider, I didn't have much to deal with. I could just focus on preparing for the banquet.
But Beled wasn't me. He had separate fieldwork to do in the daytime, so he had to go out often.
I understood that, so I saw him off.
'I'll finish as quickly as possible and come back,'
He said, cupping my cheek. When I thought my cheek was being held in his large hand, Belled narrowed his eyes and said.
'... If it's difficult for you to stay during the day, please let me know at any time.'
At that time, I didn't know why he added that.
But now that it was time, I knew.
"It's awkward..."
A dry towel was carefully placed on my head as I spoke. It was the hands of the maids who had finished bathing me.
I thought as I watched the afternoon sunlight, which was hidden by the towel and then poured in.
This light was already awkward.
I had clearly been in the nighttime realm for a shorter time, but it was as if I had been in a place where there was only night for a long time.
Everything was unfamiliar.
And the air seemed suffocating.
It was natural for demons to do that, but I didn't know why I was doing this...
"...Ah."
But soon I found the cause.
Under the sunlight of the day, I kept thinking about what had happened here. Even things I had forgotten in the realm of the night were about to come to mind.
Then the maid asked cautiously,
“Would you like to go to bed early today?”
They were the maids who had helped me bathe. There was no Decarabia among them.
She was a star demon.
Is she okay...? Where could she be?
However, Naberus quickly came to a 'typical' conclusion.
After all, how could Madam need more escorts when His Highness the Grand Duke Belled was with her?
This was no different from his remarks ignoring His Highness the Grand Duke.
As expected, this was a handling of affairs befitting someone who clearly distinguished between public and private matters.
He went through a self-justification process that would have made Ronove grab the back of his neck if he had heard it and then backed away with a refreshed expression.
***
The next afternoon.
"Night..."
I was looking out the window.
Fortunately for an outsider, I didn't have much to deal with. I could just focus on preparing for the banquet.
But Beled wasn't me. He had separate fieldwork to do in the daytime, so he had to go out often.
I understood that, so I saw him off.
'I'll finish as quickly as possible and come back,'
He said, cupping my cheek. When I thought my cheek was being held in his large hand, Belled narrowed his eyes and said.
'... If it's difficult for you to stay during the day, please let me know at any time.'
At that time, I didn't know why he added that.
But now that it was time, I knew.
"It's awkward..."
A dry towel was carefully placed on my head as I spoke. It was the hands of the maids who had finished bathing me.
I thought as I watched the afternoon sunlight, which was hidden by the towel and then poured in.
This light was already awkward.
I had clearly been in the nighttime realm for a shorter time, but it was as if I had been in a place where there was only night for a long time.
Everything was unfamiliar.
And the air seemed suffocating.
It was natural for demons to do that, but I didn't know why I was doing this...
"...Ah."
But soon I found the cause.
Under the sunlight of the day, I kept thinking about what had happened here. Even things I had forgotten in the realm of the night were about to come to mind.
Then the maid asked cautiously,
“Would you like to go to bed early today?”
They were the maids who had helped me bathe. There was no Decarabia among them.
She was a star demon.
Is she okay...? Where could she be?
Suddenly, I became worried about that childish demon. Maybe because it was a place where only bad things had happened, my thoughts kept going to bad places. They say that exposure to the sunlight of the day makes her weak, so isn’t that bad for her health?
“...That,”
“...That,”
I was about to ask about Decarabia.
Crack!
In the brief moment that I turned around, a firm hand tugged at the knot of the curtain.
The shadow of the tied curtain covered the body of the man who was close to my face.
Belled was standing in the place where the light was blocked by the curtain.
“Beryl.”
As he spoke, the sunlight poured through the curtains that were shaking as he laughed.
It’s bright. I suddenly thought.
There was a bright light that was no longer ominous just because it touched him, even though it was daylight.
His hand brushed the back of my head, then he pulled me into his arms.
Belled whispered in his firm embrace.
“Have you stopped liking the sun, or something?”
He leaned in slightly and kissed my head.
“Have you already missed Vine?”
I opened my mouth slightly at his words.
He was right. I would rather return to Vine than be in the realm of daylight.
It was a place that would be unfamiliar to other humans, but it was such a warm place for me.
Click.
While I was lost in thought for a moment, the maids left the room like the ebb tide. It was after Belled’s gesture.
And Belled grabbed the towel on my head. It seemed like he was going to dry my hair like the maids had been doing.
“Oh, me.”
I, realizing this, grabbed the towel in surprise. But Belled shook his head.
“I have to do it for you since I have already taken care of all the people who serve you.”
His words had a power that was hard to refuse.
Swishing.
The towel began to run gently through my hair.
I glanced up at him. A faint smile appeared on his face as I met his gaze. I wondered if he, the Grand Duke, could do something like this, but his hands soon became skilled.
Perhaps because he had been served many times, he seemed to instinctively know what to do.
“Relax here.”
The hand that seemed to be drying my hair gently massaged the back of my neck and then moved down to my shoulders.
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