The royal forest where the hunting banquet was held.
It is usually not open to the public, so it is a secret, and because it is an outdoor space, it is relatively safe from the risk of fire.
No matter how I thought about it, it was a place that met all the conditions.
"But surely in the royal territory?"
Common sense would tell you that it would be too risky to take. It would give the impression that the royal family was hosting an illegal auction.
But the Second Prince shook his head.
"I told you. He's under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs. We can't rule that out."
Eventually, the clattering of dishes stopped and a heavy silence fell.
Then Sophia, who had been lost in thought, opened her mouth to express her concern.
"If they really did do something like that in the forest, I think the security around there would be tight even when the auction wasn't taking place."
I agreed with Sophia that direct confirmation would be difficult.
The sooner we can confirm that this is indeed the forest, the better.
At that time, when everyone was wondering if there was a proper way, a thought crossed my mind.
"I'll send my demon servant. Since he's good at shape-shifting, I'll have him disguise himself as a forest animal and watch the surrounding area."
Vermont!
Thanks to you, I survived. I proudly raised the corners of my lips and asserted confidently.
If possible, I was thinking of asking him for it, even today.
"Is that really possible?"
The Second Prince asked me with a look of genuine curiosity rather than suspicion.
When I turned my head, Sophia and Raphael had similar faces.
Come to think of it, I've shown Raphael how to use magic, but I've never let him meet Vermont.
"Is it okay if I call the demon servant now?"
I thought it would be faster to show it to their own eyes than to tell them a hundred words.
As it was the palace of the Second Prince, I got his permission first and checked to see if Sophia was afraid of cats.
Next, he picked up a new, unused knife and drew blood on my hand.
“Enrica!”
Raphael's eyes widened as he watched me as if he hadn't expected my actions.
He jumped up from his seat and hurriedly reached out and grabbed my hand as if asking what the heck I was doing.
But even faster than that, a single drop of blood fell.
Pop.
Suddenly, a fluffy cat was summoned onto the chair.
People's eyes were immediately focused on him. Arriving at an unfamiliar place, he looked around once and then glanced at me.
It wasn't a dangerous situation, and I didn't have any injuries except for my finger. For some reason, It seemed like Vermont was looking at me pitifully and asking.
"Did you get cut by a knife while eating?'
It seemed like he thought I had accidentally called him, and he even started to meow to pretend to be a normal cat.
"Whoa, wooooong..."
No, would people believe that? He appeared with a bang.
It's natural to be cautious in an unfamiliar place with people around, but this situation was quite absurd. How much of a jerk did he think I was usually?
"Can't we communicate?"
I was about to listen to that disgusting cry a few more times, but then I came to my senses and explained after hearing the Second Prince's question.
"Hi, Vermont. You can trust these guys. They share our same purpose..."
"Oh, really?"
Vermont answered without a moment's hesitation and soon stopped imitating the cat.
I thought he would be a little embarrassed, but his calm face was somehow annoying.
The cat, standing on two legs on the chair, stretched out its body and cast its gaze on the table. Sophia and the Second Prince, who met eyes, responded with curious expressions.
Meanwhile, Raphael leaned over to me and whispered quietly.
"Is that wound okay?"
"Um, I'm surprised. Sorry. When summoning a demon servant, you need blood."
"I thought my heart was going to drop."
Raphael, with worried eyes, lightly kissed the back of my hand and said.
'It was probably just a joke, but after I regained my memories, I couldn't laugh anymore.'
I turned my gaze again with a strange face that I couldn't tell whether it was laughing or crying.
"Huh?"
Then Vermont shouted loudly and tilted his head.
While everyone was looking at him with puzzled faces, the cat jumped down from the chair and ran to the opposite side.
Vermont said, lifting his head and examining the Second Prince's face.
"Oh, yeah. Looking closely, it's true. Aren't you Philip's grandson?"
"Vermont, His Royal Highness the Prince!"
It was when I was embarrassed by his characteristically rude speech and direct behavior that I tried to stop him.
"Do you know my great-grandfather?"
The Second Prince opened his eyes wide and reflexively raised his tone of speech towards Vermont.
What the hell is going on?
I leaned back in my chair, picked up a cracker from the table, and began to watch with interest.
Sophia, who was next to the Second Prince, also slowly came over and joined the viewing.
"Back then, I was helping the palace archmage with his work and had the chance to run into him several times. He was a really smart kid."
Vermont muttered in the tone of an old man reminiscing about old times.
The Second Prince suddenly sat up straight, his back stiff.
Then Sophia spoke quietly next to me as if explaining something.
"As I said last time, His Highness the Prince is a bit old-fashioned and values tradition. In particular, he is surprisingly sincere about respecting the elderly."
"Vermont also always emphasized that he lived for over 400 years. In fact, I thought it was half a joke..."
I shared crackers with Sophia, whispering to each other.
"Oh, yeah! You have a little freckle on your nose."
Then Sophia gasped.
"That's His Highness's complex that can only be known if you look at it very closely."
As if Sophia's words were true, the Second Prince's expression seemed to harden slightly.
I waited anxiously for Vermont's next words.
"It's okay, it's okay! Philip had that too, but it disappeared as he got older."
"Oh my god, is that true?"
"Yeah. It'll probably disappear when you're thirty too."
Whether that part was really complex or not, the Second Prince's expression became the brightest I've ever seen.
Oh surprisingly, the two of them play well together.
Vermont also looks happy to finally have someone who accepts his actions.
"No! I like freckles. I find them secretly cute."
Sophia spoke quietly from the side with a shocked face.
"Anyway, the reason I called you is..."
I was shaking my head, but then I called Vermont back and started explaining.
There was no need for a long explanation, as he was also busy helping Sarah find a place to hold an auction these days.
"It's all a reasonable guess... but would he really be that bold?"
The cat frowned and muttered to himself, then nodded.
"Yeah, I'll check that out this morning. It shouldn't be too hard to disguise myself as a rabbit or something."
As the conversation was coming to an end, the Second Prince hurriedly opened his mouth.
"Since you've come such a long way, why don't you have a meal before you go? I'll order them to bring out some new food."
At those words, Vermont glanced over the table. He nodded in satisfaction, seeming to like the food.
"Hmm. I guess so. It's been a while since I've had a royal banquet."
Again, with a bang. Vermont transformed into human form.
The Second Prince, who saw the silver long hair, seemed to be more confident in Vermont's abilities and was pleased. Sophia was the only one who was a little surprised at this, but she quickly calmed down and accepted it.
After such a long meal, Vermont set off straight into the forest.
Raphael and I boarded the carriage to the Grand Duke's residence.
***
"Phew, I'm tired. I thought we were just going to eat, but there was more to do than I thought."
"Get a good night's rest. You can sleep on my shoulder now."
Could Vermont really figure something out?
My heart was pounding with a mixture of excitement and worry.
Maybe that's why I couldn't sleep well. I looked out the window and asked Raphael.
"Raphael, this is your first time seeing Vermont. How was it?"
A crooked smile appeared on the man's lips. I interpreted the signal positively and felt a sense of relief.
"I didn't really like it."
"Hmm? Really?"
I liked them both, so I had to hide my embarrassment.
The two of them didn't even talk to each other during the meal, and there was nothing that could have hurt Raphael's feelings.
"Can I ask why?"
"Well, it's a bit hard to put it into words..."
Raphael mumbled without giving a clear
answer.
But as I continued to stare at him questioningly, he reluctantly opened his mouth to speak.
"Actually, I didn't like the way you and your demon servant seemed so close. You seemed like close friends."
"What, what did you say?"
My pupils shook at the unexpected answer.
"He's a devil. He's not human."
"But doesn't it also transform into the form of a human male?"
Now that I looked closely, I could see the discomfort on Raphael's face. Even he, who was good at hiding his expressions, had this side to him.
That sight was so... cute. I couldn't help but ask.
"Raphael, are you jealous right now?"
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