In a room dominated by a serene blue tone—Emeralda’s office—two women sat facing each other on a sofa.
One was Emeralda herself, characterized by her long blue hair and six wings extending from her back. The other was Milphobia, a red-haired succubus whose ample chest made it impossible to button the front of her suit jacket.
“Still, aiming to make someone a fully-fledged dark healer in just two months… Kiwi’s really ambitious,” Milphobia remarked.
“Indeed. By conventional standards, it’s unthinkable. But…”
“But?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just… I can’t help but think Lord Alaya might actually pull it off.”
Milphobia exhaled, half in exasperation, though her expression hinted at something akin to confidence—or perhaps trust. Noticing this, Emeralda smirked slightly.
“You’re as sharp as ever when it comes to understanding Kiwi,” Emeralda teased.
That was only natural. After all, Emeralda had orchestrated it that way.
Milphobia had a talent for effortlessly winning over even the most stubborn or eccentric individuals. Emeralda had recruited her as a direct subordinate for precisely that reason—her innate charisma and allure. There was no doubt Milphobia had used her charms to connect deeply with Kiwi, winning his heart entirely.
“Well, it’s already been almost two months since I started serving as Lord Alaya’s familiar,” Milphobia noted.
“True. Speaking of which, Milphobia, I wanted to discuss something with you—it’s about personnel matters.”
“Yes? What is it?”
Emeralda rose, retrieved some documents from her desk, and placed them before Milphobia.
“Promotion. You’ve done an excellent job as Kiwi Alaya’s familiar. Thanks to your efforts, everything has proceeded very smoothly. I want to appoint you as deputy chief in my department.”
“…! Really? Thank you so much!”
“As deputy chief, you’ll assist me with some of my responsibilities. You’ll also be assigned a few subordinates.”
“Wait… does that mean…”
Milphobia’s smile began to fade.
“What about my role as Lord Alaya’s familiar?”
“If you’re promoted, you’ll no longer serve as his familiar.”
“…!”
“And there’s one more thing I need to give you.”
Emeralda handed Milphobia another document, a “Transfer Request Form.”
“Emeralda, this is…!”
“As you’ve heard, Kiwi Alaya has become a key figure in the demon nation’s leadership. With this form, you can request to be transferred under his direct command.”
“But…”
Seeing Milphobia’s hesitant and apologetic expression, Emeralda realized something.
It wasn’t just Kiwi who had been captivated.
“There’s no need to hold back. Be honest with yourself, Milphobia. You want to work by Kiwi’s side, don’t you?”
…Perhaps that was what they called love.
Emeralda was aware of her own inexperience with such feelings. While she was keenly attuned to the affections others directed at her—thanks to her naturally magnetic presence—she struggled to recognize those emotions within herself.
“Well… maybe,” Milphobia murmured, lost in thought.
She gazed intently at the transfer form, alternately closing and reopening her eyes. Finally, she looked up and… tilted her head.
“Or… maybe not?”
Emeralda blinked in surprise.
“What? You’re not sure?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to work under Lord Alaya… it’s just… um, well…”
“Well, what?”
“It’s not a normal kind of motivation. It’s not about work at all,” Milphobia admitted, her brow furrowing.
“What do you mean?”
“Lord Alaya… he’s impossible to take my eyes off.”
Milphobia shrugged and smiled, half in frustration.
“If left alone, he’ll wander wherever his curiosity takes him, without a thought for safety. He’s not like us demons—he’s nowhere near as resilient.”
“Ah,” Emeralda sighed.
“When Alaya gets absorbed in his research, he even forgets to eat. And if I leave meals entirely up to him, he just eats the same thing over and over. So I have to make sure to cook something balanced for him.”
“Isn’t that basically what a mom does?”
“And listen to this, Emeralda! When I asked Alaya, ‘What about Sheth’s outfit?’ he just said, ‘If Sheth says a lab coat is fine, then a lab coat is fine.’ Not a shred of tact! Poor Sheth!”
“Are you sure you two aren’t a married couple? You sound like parents talking about their kid.”
“Well, I told him, ‘That’s unacceptable!’ and took Sheth shopping for clothes. It seemed to be her first time in a store—her eyes sparkled when she saw all the options. It reminded me of myself as a child; it was heartwarming.”
“That sounds like a mom reminiscing about her own childhood through her daughter.”
“Anyway, to sum it up…”
Milphobia took a deep breath, as if steeling herself.
“Emeralda, if I may be so bold, I think it’s best for Alaya and the others if I stay with him. So…”
She bowed deeply and respectfully.
“Please transfer me to the service of Kiwi Alaya, a leader of the demon nation. I humbly request your approval.”
“…Alright. I understand. Thank you for all your hard work so far. Do your best in your new position.”
Emeralda, though not particularly versed in matters of love and romance, could sense what Milphobia was getting at. Her decision wasn’t driven by something as simple as romantic feelings; rather, Milphobia had found a place where she was truly needed.
It was a loss to part with such a talented succubus, but in light of her conviction, Emeralda couldn’t argue.
“Still… what to do?”
“Emeralda? Is something worrying you?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking that, now that Kiwi is officially one of our peers as a demon nation leader, I should help arrange a suitable partner for him.”
“…! W-Wait, you don’t mean…?”
“Yes, of course. A marriage partner.”
The demon nation of Ougron was a place where over 70% of marriages were arranged. Producing lots of children was celebrated, and for species that reproduced in pairs, marriage was a given.
If Milphobia harbored romantic feelings for Kiwi, the solution would have been simple: she and Kiwi could be paired off. But since that wasn’t the case, forcing such a match wouldn’t be right.
“But Alaya is human! A marriage with one of us demons… it’s unthinkable!”
“Oh, my dear, interspecies marriages have been on the rise over the past century since the unification of the demon nation. Besides, Kiwi is a demon nation leader now. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of candidates.”
“T-That may be true, but…”
“Kiwi will just keep focusing on his research if left alone, never seeking a partner for himself. We’ll need to find someone suitable for him. Let me know if you come across any good candidates, alright?”
“Y-Yes…”
Milphobia nodded hesitantly, unsure of how to respond.
And so, unbeknownst to Kiwi Alaya, the search for his future spouse quietly began.
