When I got home, had made some tea for us.
“Oh my goodness… Lord Arens made tea for me…”
Enkaruna seemed to admire Sebirino and was drinking the tea with great reverence.
Enkaruna sat beside me while Ekvar took the seat across from us. Sebirino had prepared some snacks to go with the tea.
As promised, I gave Ekvar one elixir, one amrita, and one soma as a birthday present. He was absolutely delighted, while Enkaruna—and, for some reason, even Sebirino—looked envious.
But Sebirino could make all of these himself.
“…By the way, why does Lord Arens call you ‘master,’ Iriya ?”
Enkaruna quietly asked Ekvar . She was referring to when he greeted me at the door with, “Welcome back, Master.”
“It’s just the truth. She’s his master.”
“What?! But Lord Arens is a court mage, isn’t he? And she’s younger than him, isn’t she?!”
Right?! That’s the normal reaction, isn’t it?
“She is a brilliant mage. Talent isn’t bound by age.”
Whenever Sebirino praises me, he does it in this overly proud way. I don’t quite get it.
Enkaruna, with her mouth agape, stared intently at me.
“I even wrote it in the report, didn’t I? I said she’s superior even to Sebirino. That’s what he claimed himself.”
“But I didn’t think it was true!”
Wait, he wrote that? What kind of reports is Ekvar submitting?
Sebirino placed a beautifully arranged tray of baked sweets shaped like five-petaled flowers in the center of the table.
When did he get such a stylish dish? I’ve never been one to care about tableware, but he’s incredibly meticulous.
“The reparations to the Kingdom of Chenkaslar have been settled with items and magical technology. There’s no need for concern on our side. Any other questions?”
“I also checked the traces of that Demon King’s attack… Did you really manage to banish such a monster? I find it hard to believe it ended there after provoking it so much…”
Well, you’re not wrong. We haven’t actually banished it yet. But somehow, it seems to have settled down for now.
How will Ekvar explain this to a suspicious-looking Enkaruna? I should probably stay out of it.
“It wasn’t the type to drag unrelated people into its mess, and that’s that. Poke a bush, and a snake comes out, Enkaruna.”
“…Fine, I get it.”
Simple and to the point. It seems she won’t press further.
“Oh, right. When I visited your place under the guise of paying my respects, I met your elder brother. I made up some excuse about His Highness being in a meeting and sent him back.”
“My brother…? He wasn’t part of the former Mage Commander’s faction, though…”
The sudden change in topic made Ekvar pause as he reached for a baked sweet.
“As grim as always, huh? But he seemed genuinely worried about you. Apparently, your parents didn’t even bother sending a messenger.”
“That’s normal for my family. But why would my brother…? What’s he trying to find out…?”
Ekvar ’s expression grew tense. Given that he’d left the country under the pretext of recuperation, a visit would typically be a gesture of concern, wouldn’t it?
Enkaruna was grinning as she watched him overthink and spiral into suspicion.
“Apparently, now that he has children of his own, he’s reflecting on how poorly he treated you when you were young and wants to mend your relationship. Your parents and your younger brother? That’s a lost cause, though.”
“I don’t think there was much of a relationship to fix in the first place. Although my brother did give me a fire-element grimoire once.”
“Iriya , is someone here?”
Perhaps all the noise drew him out, as Belial appeared. Enkaruna froze in place, staring at him intently.
Does she recognize him as a high-ranking demon?
“It’s Lord Belial. Don’t go poking around where you don’t belong,” Ekvar warned immediately.
“So… magnificent…”
Wait, that’s not it? She’s not investigating?
Standing abruptly, hands clasped near her chest, her eyes glistened as she flushed with happiness.
“Oh, that piercing gaze, the arrogant smirk, those chiseled features, that sharp stance, and his voice, so low and smooth—it’s incredibly seductive! To think such a captivating demon exists…”
“…A candid girl. Is she an acquaintance of yours?”
“Regrettably, she’s my colleague…”
Ekvar sighed in exasperation.
“…Are you contracted with Lady Iriya ?”
“What business is it of yours whether I’m contracted to this little girl?”
Belial’s tone was sharp, clearly suspicious of her intentions.
“Lady Enkaruna…”
“Little girl?! I’m envious! I wish he’d call me that, no—insult me even more harshly!”
Envious? Of being called “little girl”?
She wants to be insulted more harshly? Why?! Is that something to be happy about? Even Belial seemed at a loss.
“…Huh? A peculiar woman indeed. It’s fitting she’s Ekvar ’s colleague.”
“Don’t lump me in with her! That’s too much!”
“By the way, when I paid you a visit in disguise, I met your elder brother…”
Belial and Lucifer, who had joined in, exchanged some words and then left the room together. Despite everything, they seemed to get along well.
Enkaruna, meanwhile, was lost in bliss, clasping her hands near her chin and sighing deeply.
“Lord Arens is so admirable as a mage. His serious expressions and clear, firm words are incredibly attractive and charming.”
“Uh-huh…”
Sebirino, as usual, paid no attention. He was busy refilling the tea canister after running out of leaves.
Strangely, even his indifferent demeanor seemed to appeal to her.
“Lord Belial’s sharp gaze and elegant rebukes are my ideal. He’s so graceful and beautiful—it’s perfection. Crude insults hold no charm.”
“Lord Belial doesn’t insult people, though…”
“Such a shame, isn’t it? But even more than that, Lord Lucifer…! That exquisite smile, his refined and cold reprimands—it’s a sophisticated pleasure…”
“…Is it?”
I really can’t understand her world.
When Lucifer scolds me, it’s just terrifying. Her gaze seemed fixed on some distant, ethereal plane.
“Iriya , you don’t need to take this conversation seriously. Enkaruna, when will you get back to the main topic?”
“I understand why Ekvar doesn’t want to leave this place… It’s paradise.”
“Don’t lump me in with you!”
Finally fed up, Ekvar leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
That day, Enkaruna, utterly intoxicated by her happiness, never returned to her senses. Rest in peace.
