“This is a gift I carefully selected for you, Madam. It’s a small token of my sincerity, so please don’t refuse and accept it.”
As Jeha repeatedly urged her, Mrs. Fanucci nodded, a look of defeat on her face. Seeing this, Paimon closed the box and placed it before her.
Sitting before the box, Mrs. Fanucci’s eyes openly expressed her favor. She made no effort to conceal it.
“I’ve long known the Belgarga family to be wealthy, but I was unaware that His Grace the Marquis was so generous.”
“Generosity? I merely offered a token of my sincerity.”
Jeha said, lifting his teacup. Whether Jeha’s remark amused her or simply pleased her, Mrs. Fanucci chuckled daintily.
“Having received such a precious gift, I truly must offer something in return….”
Mrs. Fanucci folded her fan, holding it as she feigned a moment of thought. Then, a smile gracing her lips, she spoke again.
“Since you’ve come to Encarosha, you simply must make an appearance in our society. Coincidentally, my youngest daughter’s birthday party is in a few days. How would you like to escort her?”
Mrs. Fanucci spoke not as if making a request to escort her daughter, but rather as if bestowing a favor. It seemed she intended to offer him a grand debut into Encarosha’s high society.
“Ah….”
Jeha wore a slightly surprised, almost flustered expression. Internally, he began to ponder.
As the Marquis of Belgarga, he would undoubtedly spend a considerable amount of time in Encarosha. To assist Hereis, he would need to establish himself within the social circles where the upper echelons gathered. Escorting the Pope’s daughter would indeed be an excellent way to make an entrance. But….
Jeha paused, displaying a thoughtful expression, before finally speaking.
“While it would be a most honorable role for me, I’m afraid I cannot accept your kind offer, Madam.”
Having uttered his refusal, Jeha quickly added before Mrs. Fanucci could react.
“I simply wouldn’t want to give my beloved any cause for jealousy or worry.”
The momentary stiffness on Mrs. Fanucci’s face, caused by his refusal, swiftly gave way to an expression brimming with intrigue.
“Oh my…. To cherish your beloved so deeply. I truly envy the Marquis’s partner. You are indeed a most affectionate lover.”
“You flatter me.”
Jeha wore a sheepish expression. There was no need for him to feign it. Mrs. Fanucci likely already knew of Hereis’s intimate relationship with Jeha. Given their genuine connection, Jeha couldn’t help but feel a flush of embarrassment at the Madam’s words.
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t wish to cast a shadow upon such a harmonious relationship. Then, would you at least attend my daughter’s birthday party?”
“If you would extend an invitation, it would be my honor.”
Jeha offered a polite, customary smile.
Mrs. Fanucci rose, concluding their exchange there. It seemed her probing had reached its limit.
Though not extensive, both parties had gained something. Mrs. Fanucci now understood that the Marquis of Belgarga held her in favor and was generously prepared to scatter gold coins like water. Jeha, in turn, realized that Mrs. Fanucci was not averse to accepting bribes.
****
After seeing Mrs. Fanucci off, Jeha returned to his bedroom and flopped onto the bed. He then questioned Paimon.
“That thing earlier looked incredibly expensive. I *am* rich, right?”
Even to Jeha, who knew nothing of precious metals, the gift presented to Mrs. Fanucci had clearly been of immense value. Having lavishly bestowed such a present at their very first meeting, Mrs. Fanucci’s expectations were undoubtedly soaring. This implied that the sums he would have to dispense in the future would be astronomical.
“While it was indeed a rather valuable item to humans, compared to the Belgarga family’s wealth, it’s merely a drop in the ocean. Even if the Belgarga family’s fortune were to run dry, gold coins could be procured indefinitely. You could diligently scatter gold for decades, Master, without a single ripple. Rest assured and enjoy yourself to the fullest.”
Paimon spoke in a businesslike tone. Yet, his face held a subtly proud expression. It seemed he rather approved of Jeha stirring up the human world, instead of constantly grumbling about boredom and the bother of living, and simply sleeping all day.
Well, in any case, reaffirming his immense wealth made Jeha feel utterly ecstatic. As a mere college student, when would he ever have had the chance to indulge in such luxury? It was the first time he felt grateful to the previous Bellarossa, who had passed on the Demon Lord’s position to him before vanishing.
Jeha nodded contentedly, then pulled Kkamangi into his embrace. With a languid yawn, he closed his eyes.
“Master, a letter from Archbishop Hereis has arrived.”
At Paimon’s voice, Jeha forced open his sleep-laden eyes. As he stretched and yawned, Kkamangi, who had been soundly asleep in his arms, also opened their maw wide and yawned in tandem.
Slowly, Jeha pushed himself upright, taking the letter Paimon offered and unfolding it. The letter was adorned with elegant, beautiful handwriting, neatly arranged. As Jeha read through it, he found himself smiling unconsciously. There was nothing particularly amusing within its contents; merely concerned inquiries about whether his first night in Encarosha had been comfortable and if he lacked anything, along with a small packet of tea leaves, just in case he couldn’t find a tea to his liking.
Jeha felt a thrill and delight simply from reading the letter from Hereis. Even the small gesture of sending tea leaves touched him deeply. This, he thought, must be how it felt to exchange messages with a lover in the early stages of a romance.
“I should send a reply as well.”
Jeha said, carefully refolding the letter he had received.
“Let’s have your meal first, Master. I will have tea brewed with the leaves Archbishop Hereis sent.”
“Ah, yes.”
Jeha nodded, gazing out the window. The sun was already high in the sky. Despite having gone to bed quite early the previous night, he had slept languidly until midday.
He experienced no inconvenience in washing his face, brushing his teeth, or changing his clothes. The maids of the mansion, accustomed to such tasks, attended to him with practiced efficiency.
Having changed, he sat at a small table in a corner of the bedroom, where a simple meal had been laid out.
Soft, freshly baked bread, emanating an appetizing aroma, along with ham, cheese, and butter, stimulated his appetite. Kkamangi, with paws on the table, buried their nose in the soup bowl, sniffing intently.
Even granting Kkamangi’s cuteness, Jeha had no desire to eat soup a cat had sniffed. Instead of the soup, he tore a small piece of ham and offered it to Kkamangi. Yet, Kkamangi still couldn’t let go of their longing for the soup, continuing to sniff at it.
“No, you can’t have that.”
Jeha stated firmly, then gently pushed the piece of ham into Kkamangi’s mouth. Only then did Kkamangi abandon their attachment to the soup and begin to chew the ham.
A maid tilted the teapot, pouring tea into a cup. From the steaming cup rose the familiar aroma of the tea Hereis had brewed for him.
Jeha took a bite of buttered bread, then lifted the teacup to his lips and, without hesitation, took a sip. The aroma was similar, but perhaps because a different person had brewed it, the taste was subtly distinct.
“Ah, speaking of which, where is Zephyr?”
Jeha asked Paimon. Zephyr had not been seen since yesterday.
“He said he had business to attend to and left briefly last night. He hasn’t returned yet.”
“Hmm… business, you say?”
Jeha murmured, a surprised expression on his face.
Wasn’t Zephyr the one who clung to his side like a burr, even in the Demon Lord’s Castle? For him to have ‘business’ here in Encarosha was indeed peculiar.
“Does he know anyone here?”
Jeha inquired, but Paimon merely shrugged, as if he didn’t know or simply didn’t care about Zephyr’s affairs.
‘Does he perhaps have a contractor here? Or is there another demon he knows in this place?’
Though his curiosity surged, he refrained from asking aloud due to the maid standing by. In any case, he could simply ask when Zephyr returned.
It was while he was taking a few spoonfuls of the thick, mushroom-laden soup that Jeha suddenly frowned.
“Master?”
Paimon, who always kept a watchful eye on Jeha, called out in confusion at his expression.
“Paimon… this tastes a bit….”
Jeha mumbled, still holding his spoon, then slowly blinked his eyes. Suddenly, the world before him spun in a dizzying circle.
“Wh-what?”
Jeha dropped the spoon from his hand and practically collapsed against the back of his chair. The world was spinning, and he felt intensely dizzy. But that wasn’t all. Suddenly, an absurd giggle escaped him.
“Master? What’s wrong?”
Paimon approached and practically embraced Jeha’s swaying upper body, supporting him.
“N-no… it’s just… ugh, what’s happening to me? I… I didn’t drink any alcohol… *Pfft*…”
Jeha, feeling as though he were thoroughly intoxicated, burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. Through his spinning vision, he saw Paimon’s face, somehow gravely set.
“All of you, leave at once.”
Paimon turned his head and addressed the servants waiting nearby. Then, he scooped Jeha up and gently laid him on the bed. The ceiling above the bed spun in a dizzying circle. Before his eyes, glittering specks fluttered about.
“Paimon… look at that. Shiny things are flying around. What are they? They’re so pretty!”
Jeha flailed his hands about, trying to catch the luminous objects. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, they eluded his grasp.
“Master, the seal….”
Paimon, who had been speaking with a slight frown, suddenly closed his mouth. He then helped Jeha sit upright, supporting his upper body. Without warning, he thrust his long fingers deep into Jeha’s mouth.