Chapter 28
It was a tone so bubbly it could barely contain its glee. The red-glowing magic circle blinked rapidly—a change that made it seem like the circle itself was offended by the atmosphere.
"Master! There are two weird things here! Help!"
"W-wait a second. Calm down first."
She'd already called out twice, and if it went off like this a third time, she'd have nothing left to say. But the magic circle's glow didn't stop.
Kiiiek.
"...Miss Panya. Don't you ever get tired?"
A voice thick with exhaustion soon called out to Catherine. The grand duke, whom she was reuniting with after half a day, was dressed as casually as yesterday. But the eyes behind his silver-rimmed glasses were unfocused, as if he'd pulled an all-nighter.
"What bizarre nonsense have you done this time to summon the watchman to call me? At this point, I'm starting to think you're just trying to torment me."
His gaze then shifted toward Yaong, his brows subtly narrowing as if appraising something. Yaong responded defiantly, crouching low and baring its teeth.
Grrrrr.
It was a menacing rumble impossible to imagine from such a tiny body.
"Haa. I gave you time to think it over carefully, and this is what you do? Tame a mere beast?"
Tame? To Catherine, who'd only fed it a few meals since moving here, nothing could feel more unjust.
"Tame? I've just been feeding it a few times since I moved in. It's a bit unusual, sure, but it's such a good kid. Right?"
Even as she asked Yaong, she had a bad feeling. Sure enough, Yaong's response lived up to her fears, as if it'd been waiting for the cue.
"No way! Catherine Panya totally tamed me!"
"When did I ever?"
"Accepting food means you've been tamed! Of course, a great and ruthless beast like me isn't easy to tame! I'm just slightly in the process of being tamed!"
Even the beast world has its rules, huh. Well, yeah, that makes sense.
Chezare's already fatigued eyes twitched irritably. His face openly showed his displeasure.
Did I mess up somehow...?
He was always so composed and calm. But right now, Chezare looked... well, pale as if he'd just witnessed his spouse's infidelity.
"You must have learned this in demonology. Demons are extremely sensitive about personal territory and possessions. Have you forgotten already?"
"I haven't forgotten."
"And yet you boldly tame a beast right in front of me?"
His genuinely hurt expression flustered Catherine, and she waved her hands dismissively. She knew demons were possessive. But Chezare had always felt so different from typical demons that she hadn't worried about it.
"Calm down. Yaong said itself it's not fully tamed, right? I didn't even expect it'd get this attached just from me feeding it."
"How many days since our contract, and you're already two-timing me?"
Words weren't getting through. Catherine shut her mouth. Fine, even if Chezare was a very human-like demon, their ways of thinking could still differ. "Two-timing" might mean something else in demon world than what she knew.
But looking at the grand duke's face amid her pondering, it probably meant the exact same thing.
He's really upset about this.
She didn't know what was wrong, but apologizing first seemed right. She didn't want to hurt him over something like this.
"Sorry. This one's on me. I didn't know you'd hate it that much."
Chezare drew a long breath.
"Your soul is mine now. The soul exchange is proof of that."
"But you've contracted with other demons too, haven't you, Chezare?"
"I didn't contract with them—I took them in. All demons under me in this world must obey my commands."
She vaguely remembered reading something like that in a book.
"So you should be more careful with your behavior. I will be too."
He said he'd do the same, so she had nothing to say.
"So what now? Should we keep it out of the mansion as much as possible?"
"Kyaaak! No way!"
"No need for that. Gargoyles are an endangered species too... What I want is for you to at least mention these things before bringing them in."
Chezare pinched the scruff of Yaong's neck with two fingers. Yaong, for whatever reason, seemed delighted. Its wary fur smoothed down, and it wagged its tail furiously.
Now that she looked, its body was cat-like, but its behavior was a perfect dog-cat hybrid.
"Hmm. A beast wouldn't eat cat food, though. What exactly have you been feeding it?"
"Food! It was yummy! I grew big and strong eating Catherine Panya's food. I ran into those cardinals at the worst time and nearly got squished, but Catherine Panya took care of me. Catherine Panya's the best!"
Yaong had been in rough shape when they first met.
"Even hunted humans for it? If it was injured by cardinals, recovery would have been tough."
"The food did taste nice and savory, like human meat!"
Chezare's face soured.
"Unexpected. I didn't know murder was your hobby... I don't care, but you should be careful. Sir Mel, who oversees this area, used to hunt with me—he'll catch on quick."
"That old human's pretty sharp for a hunting dog owner. Haa, I nearly got caught a few times myself!"
Sir Mel being from the capital was secondary; turning a perfectly fine person into a murderer? Catherine shot to her feet in outrage.
"How do you have time to kill people when you can't even weed properly? Don't talk nonsense. Sorry for summoning you arbitrarily. Now I need to eat and help Demian with the garden."
"You mean you're still on that?"
"Demian's too laid-back. And we can't afford a professional gardener."
"It's not like you don't have the means. Just use your wish for vast wealth, no?"
She almost snapped back at his bluntness but held her tongue. Because her planned wish was exactly that.
Vast wealth. She'd racked her brains for something better, but nothing was more practical.
In this day and age, what can't money buy? Even honor follows the money...
With Chezare right there, Catherine decided not to drag it out any longer.
"Fine. That's my wish, then. Make sure I never lack for money my whole life. Cash, jewels, land deeds—tangible stuff only."
Even as she said it, a flicker of worry crossed her mind: where would all that wealth come from?
Seemingly pleased by her decisive choice, Chezare's lips curved into a smile.
"You know once it's set, it can't be changed, right?"
"It won't all be fake, will it?"
"Fake? Are you calling the fortune of Shagweed II's only brother fake?"
Pondering his words, Catherine had to ask in a slightly shocked voice.
"Wait, you mean I should use your money?"
"Whose money would it be if not mine? You don't expect me to raid the emperor's vaults. I could, but no need."
It was more human and reasonable than she'd thought.
"Not enough?"
"Mm, no, probably not."
Catherine recalled the lavish spending of the salon ladies she'd mingled with. They'd sponsored any woman they fancied regardless of status, and she'd been one of them. The sums they'd lavished on her ran from hundreds to thousands of reids.
Chezare tossed around 1,000 reids like pocket change, so even extravagant spending till death wouldn't dent it.
"If it runs low, I'll refill it then. Good. Now..."
Catherine swallowed hard. Declaring the wish was the final step to seal a demon contract.
If he tried pressing his lips to hers again under some "tradition," she wouldn't just take it this time.
But against her wariness, Chezare simply straightened from leaning against the wall—no sudden face-approaching like last time.
"I am Chezare Jean Wald Christopher. As you know, Duke of the Iterana Empire, kin to Emperor Shagweed II, and lord of Christopher Duchy and ten other territories. Full name's too long, so I'll skip it."
...Out of nowhere like this?
His abrupt self-introduction short-circuited her brain for a moment. Catherine belatedly responded, standing dazed.
"I'm Catherine Panya. Panya's not my real surname, actually... I was a noble bastard, but disowned, so commoner works fine."
Her noble origins didn't seem to surprise him; his expression remained calmly composed.
Yaong, sitting beside her, wagged its tail even harder and chimed in.
"I'm Yaong! It's kinda hickish, but since Catherine Panya named me, I'm okay with it."
"...Yaong, you sure say whatever's on your mind, huh."
"Ahem. Praise makes me happy!"
It wasn't exactly praise, but if it was happy, whatever.
"Normally, we'd hold a grand ceremony befitting my true name's dignity... but better to skip it. The Papal Court watches Christopher too closely."
"Doesn't matter to me. It's not like we're getting married."
"Haa, Miss Panya. This is..."
"We agreed on first names. Don't slyly use my surname."
Chezare cleared his throat shortly.
"Fine, Catherine... This is a pact far weightier than mere marriage. Can't compare it to a wedding. Our souls get each other's true names etched in."
True, for a once-in-a-lifetime contract, the process felt a bit underwhelming. Not even a contract scroll to make it feel official.
Chezare gazed at her with an inscrutable expression, then closed the distance.
"You must know this: contracts only complete once you learn the demon's true name. But names hold power, so speak them with care."
"What's your true name?"
His eyes gleamed a jewel-like brilliant purple. Chezare's lips moved. The voice was so soft and delicate it was barely audible—yet the instant it pierced her ears, it stung like shattered glass slicing flesh.
"Leviathan."
⟨ Leviathan ⟩
Grrrrr.
Leviathan.
Yaong suddenly bowed its head low, baring its teeth. In its narrowed golden pupils, Catherine read terror, awe, and instinctive wariness.