#054
Chezare was quick on the uptake, as befitting a demon who had lived for thousands of years. It was certain that he had already figured out Catherine's hometown was Orleans without her needing to say it.
He didn't reply, merely drumming his fingertips on the table before gesturing lightly toward her with his chin.
"That key."
For a moment, she wondered what he meant, but he seemed to be pointing at the magical key she wore around her neck alongside the royal pendant.
"There's no need to procure a mana car. That single key can open any door."
"Ah……."
"Planning to meet your father, I take it."
"No. I left in such a hurry when I was disowned that I have some things still there. I just plan to pop into my old room and grab them before heading to Chen."
"Chen?"
"My little sister is getting married there. Not Magi, the one you saw before—the youngest."
Catherine felt a strange twist in her gut as she referred to Anne as the youngest. Anne was the girl who had stolen her fiancé and ultimately driven her out of the family. And yet, that outcome had led to a far more satisfying life than before. Was she an enemy to hate or a benefactor to thank……?
No. An enemy is an enemy. Even in death, an enemy remains an enemy. Even if they kneel and apologize for a hundred years, an enemy is still an enemy.
Was she some woman who had been living happily these past few days? It seemed she had forgotten the sense of emptiness from back then. No matter how liberating disownment had felt, what happened was what happened. She might have neatly forgotten it all if she'd lived her whole life as a stranger to them…… But in the end, Anne's wedding invitation hadn't reached her hands.
"That girl stole my ex-fiancé."
Chezare's face showed rare surprise. Catherine shrugged at his reaction.
"Uh, too personal?"
"No, not particularly. I just didn't think you were the type to take things lying down, Miss Catherine."
He gazed at her steadily before speaking.
"You must not have cared much."
"About what? My ex-fiancé?"
"Your ex-fiancé or your sister. You, Miss Catherine……."
Chezare's voice trailed off slowly. He quickly smoothed the faint furrow between his brows.
"You're pretty, after all."
What was that supposed to mean? It was an uncharacteristically disjointed way of speaking for him. Pondering his intent, Catherine came up with the most plausible answer.
"Were you trying to say I'm indifferent?"
He raised one eyebrow, confirming her guess.
"I've heard that since I was little. It doesn't bother me, so feel free to say it straight."
So Chezare did care about others' feelings. Or maybe he was being a bit more considerate because she was his contractor? It didn't feel bad to be treated as someone special.
"To be precise, I meant you only pay attention to what you like."
"Me?"
"Have you already forgotten our conversation a few days ago? You were hounding me about when you'd learn magic."
"Magic… I do want to learn it."
"I'll teach you even on the days you whine about not wanting to, so don't worry."
Chezare casually shifted his gaze back to the puzzle, then slyly continued the topic.
"So. Does that mean you'll attend your ex-fiancé and sister's wedding, Miss Catherine?"
Of course. She had every intention of going. Not just Anne's wedding, but her ex-fiancé's as well, if possible.
"Her groom isn't my ex-fiancé. It's the Chen Viscount."
"Now I'm curious how charming he must be. If you're all right with it, I'd like to attend as well."
"Mm. You'd probably be disappointed."
Neither the scenery of Orleans nor Anne's charms would catch Chezare's eye. As the grand duke of the Iterana Empire, he had surely seen only the most splendid and finest things in life.
"Then, to see just how disappointing a sister she is."
After a moment's thought, Catherine nodded. They were family she'd likely never see again in her lifetime, so introducing them once wouldn't hurt.
"So, how do you plan to get revenge?"
"You think I'm going to get revenge?"
Chezare looked at her as if asking what sort of obvious fact she was questioning.
"Isn't that right? The Miss Catherine in my mind… as I said before, doesn't seem like the type to just take it."
"Does that mean you're willing to help?"
If Chezare joined her personal vendetta, it would be all the more entertaining. Of course, if he cared about appearances, she'd planned to torment them quietly on her own…….
"That does sound rather amusing."
His handsome face curved into a sly smile, though he didn't seem particularly inclined to do so.
The late afternoon of the final day of the cruise. The Lilith Ship dropped anchor at Christopher harbor. It had been ten days since departure.
The pier was thronged with families come to greet the passengers.
Fontpado Madam reverted to her usual glamorous madam form, saying she wanted to walk on her own two feet at least when disembarking.
As Catherine left her cabin, she relayed the plans she had made with Chezare to Fontpado Madam.
"Oh my."
"What do you think? Sounds pretty fun, right?"
Fontpado Madam nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling like she'd heard the happiest ending from a romance novel.
"It's perfect. So much fun. I'm thrilled already!"
「Aunties would love this sort of thing.」
"I love being the center of attention. And there are tons of dresses in the style you want, miss. Want to check them out now?"
"No, checking on the day should be fine."
Fontpado Madam was staying at Catherine's mansion for the time being. To thoroughly disrupt Anne's wedding, no one could help more than she could. Having heard the full story of the sisters' feud, Fontpado Madam snorted and vowed dramatically.
"That Anne or whatever got on the wrong person's bad side. What? Daring to steal her big sister's fiancé? And then what? Steal him and get dumped? That little wench needs her hair yanked to behave."
Demian, who had been hovering protectively close, whispered in Catherine's ear.
"That lady looks like she'd actually do it."
"Hmph. I was getting tired of running from those Busperfield creeps anyway. Time to chill by the grand duke's side for a bit."
Chezare waited for Catherine at the foot of the stairs leading down from the pier, accompanied by Col Chancellor.
"Miss Anne, Miss Magi!"
Col Chancellor's face was noticeably ashen compared to before as he called out to her.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Chancellor Col."
"The pleasure was mine. When will we meet again after parting today? Why don't you visit the capital sometime and meet my daughter? She'd be over the moon since she's a mage too, haha!"
Despite the major incident during the voyage, Col Chancellor shook her hand calmly. Facing him, Catherine suddenly wondered what choice Chezare would make. Would he tell the emperor that the archdemon Behemoth had ultimately been summoned? Or would he keep silent?
"I'll consider it positively."
"If possible, please bring your mentor, Grand Duke, as well."
Col Chancellor glanced slyly at Chezare before whispering in Catherine's ear as they descended the stairs.
"The palace folks are dying to meet you."
"I can hear you, Viscount."
"Hahaha! That was meant to be heard."
The group boarded a train and left the harbor. Col Chancellor said he wasn't heading straight to the capital but visiting the Christopher Ducal Residence first.
Before boarding the carriage home, Catherine pulled Chezare aside to thank him alone.
"Thanks to you, it was a fun experience, Chezare. I bought a bed, a chair, a dining table……."
"If you're satisfied with just buying a bed, that's fortunate in its own way."
「The height of satisfaction!」
Silent for a moment, Chezare scolded her in a gentle tone, as if handling a child.
"Just in case— if you sense any danger, call my true name without hesitation. You don't even need to speak it aloud. I'll know if you want me."
"Got it. I'll do that from now on."
"And be wary of other archdemons' contractors. I recommend avoiding them if possible."
Other archdemons' contractors. The words stirred a vigilance she hadn't felt before. Recalling Percival Benedict Parhenrine, Behemoth's contractor whom she'd instinctively tracked down that day despite not intending to, she asked.
"Besides me… and that demon's contractor, are there more?"
"Yes, two more that I know of. You'd sense them just by making eye contact, Miss Catherine."
I see. Then again, if she hadn't contracted with Chezare, she'd have lived her whole life unaware he was an archdemon. There must be others blending among humans while hiding their true forms.
"We're the same as them. Why do I need to be careful?"
Chezare's brows furrowed at her question.
"The same?"
His displeased expression made Catherine wonder if she'd made some grave mistake.
Chezare let out a short sigh.
"We are beings who can alter the course of human history, Catherine. And summoning us requires over ten thousand sacrifices. What sort of person would desire and successfully forge a contract with such an archdemon?"
Catherine instantly grasped what he meant. There weren't many in the world willing to offer ten thousand sacrifices for their goals. Fewer still who actually pulled it off.
How lucky was I, exactly?
The odds of coincidentally encountering the archdemon Leviathan and contracting without sacrifices? Better to say it was impossible.
"I don't want you harmed, physically or mentally. The most basic precaution is keeping your distance from lunatics."
Lunatics. Several faces immediately came to mind. If only she could keep her distance and that be the end of it.
To ease Chezare's worries, Catherine nodded promptly.
"Understood."
Her own wish was a smooth, uneventful life, after all.
On her first day back, after showing Fontpado Madam to her room, Catherine collapsed into bed. Despite spending ten days in one of the finest cabins, the accumulated fatigue must have lingered.
When she opened her eyes again, birds were chirping in the early dawn. She'd slept nearly half a day.
Three days remained until Anne's wedding. Feeling refreshed, Catherine headed to the kitchen.
"……Are you sure you don't need me to come along?"
"I'm just grabbing my stuff, so it's fine. Demian, stay here and properly tend the garden."
Properly, she emphasized, glaring at him.
Demian averted his gaze innocently and brazenly replied.
"Still, heads can fly off in the blink of an eye……."
"Shut it and get out here, young man! You've turned the garden into a wasteland."
At the sudden shout, both turned toward the window. Fontpado Madam, dressed impeccably as a gardener from who-knows-where, was glaring at Demian while brandishing a massive shovel.