#79
The square and streets, which had been a chaotic mess, grew quiet. Those who hadn’t managed to escape, having fallen and been trampled, slowly lifted their heads, looking around in confusion.
“The demon beast is dead! Everyone, calm yourselves!”
Lord Evan pulled out the sword he had plunged into the demon beast’s heart, raising it high as he shouted.
…….
…….
Waaahhh!
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into cheers.
Lord Evan, accompanied by the Holy Knights, dragged the demon beast’s corpse down from the altar. They threw it onto a pile of wood and straw, then immediately set it ablaze.
Whoosh—!
The demon beast’s body began to burn. As the flames grew larger, people finally confirmed the beast’s demise, embracing one another and crying out in shouts of relief and joy.
Even those who had fled into buildings or small alleys now rushed out into the streets, one by one, adding their voices to the chorus of cheers.
“Your Grace, Marquis Belgarga.”
A knight, who had escorted Mrs. Fanucci and her daughter inside for safety, cautiously poked his head out onto the terrace and called out to Jeha.
“The demon beast is truly dead and burning now. It’s safe. Prepare to escort the ladies back to their mansion.”
At Jeha’s words, the knight’s face visibly brightened, and he retreated inside. Soon after, the terrace door swung open, and Ainel Fanucci rushed out, throwing herself into Jeha’s embrace.
“I was so scared, Your Grace!”
With both hands wrapped around Jeha’s neck, Ainel Fanucci began to sob. Jeha found himself in an awkward stance, unable to bring himself to touch the innocent young woman, yet equally unable to push her away.
“Heavens… how could such a thing happen in the heart of Enkarosha? We were all nearly killed, weren’t we? Oh, my God…”
Mrs. Fanucci emerged onto the terrace, her face pale, and spoke. She watched her daughter cling to Jeha’s neck, sobbing, yet showed no inclination to intervene.
“It’s truly fortunate that His Grace, Marquis Belgarga, was with us. I can’t express how relieved we were.”
‘They had scurried inside and trembled in fear, yet they spoke so eloquently.’
Jeha offered an awkward smile, then cautiously patted Ainel Fanucci’s back. Just like that, the girl’s sobs miraculously subsided.
“There, there, everything is fine now, so don’t worry. If you cry too much, your eyes will get puffy.”
Jeha spoke with feigned gentleness, subtly easing Ainel away from him. He then retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to her.
Ainel accepted the handkerchief, carefully dabbing the tears from her eyes. Evidently, she didn’t want her eyes to become red and swollen either.
“Both the Young Lady and the Madam must be quite shaken, so I suggest you return to your mansion promptly. His Holiness the Pope will undoubtedly be very worried, so it would be best to inform him immediately.”
At Jeha’s words, Mrs. Fanucci nodded.
****
After seeing the mother and daughter off, Jeha leaned against the terrace railing, watching the square. He saw the Holy Knights hastily escorting the high priests into the Grand Temple.
Presumably, a meeting about the incident would soon convene inside. Benato would likely face reprimand instead of praise, and suspicions would undoubtedly arise regarding why the demon beast specifically targeted Hereis. Hereis would manage the meeting’s affairs on his own. For now, Jeha’s tasks were complete.
“Let’s go back too.”
Jeha said, his voice weary, as he pushed himself away from the terrace. Merely witnessing Hereis under attack had left him feeling utterly drained of energy.
Upon arriving at Belgarga mansion, the staff, having already heard the rumors, gathered and murmured amongst themselves. Paimon offered a few reassuring words to them before escorting Jeha to his room.
Entering his bedroom, Jeha collapsed onto the bed before even changing his clothes. He then sighed deeply, stroking Kkamangi, who immediately snuggled into him.
“Master.”
Paimon called. Jeha flickered his gaze towards him. On Paimon’s hand, as he approached the bed, sat a small mouse.
The mouse, with its bright red eyes, held a piece of crimson flesh in its snout. Jeha quickly pressed down on Kkamangi, preventing them from leaping towards the mouse.
“It appears to be a piece of the demon beast’s heart, judging by what it’s holding in its mouth. Did you command this?”
Paimon inquired. Jeha nodded.
“Well, even if it was just a mindless demon beast, it was still a creature living well within my domain. I felt a pang of regret… Besides, that mouse has already consumed my blood, so it won’t be able to return to its original state anyway.”
“All life that resides and thrives within your domain exists solely for you, Master. Having been used by you, they should be grateful. In any case, it is fortunate for these two creatures that you would show them such consideration.”
Jeha sat up. He then made a small cut on his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the piece of the demon beast’s heart that the mouse, still perched on Paimon’s hand, was holding.
The fragment of the demon beast’s heart absorbed Jeha’s blood, then began to twitch and pulsate as if coming back to life. The mouse, as if it had been waiting, devoured the piece of the demon beast’s heart in a flash.
Paimon set the mouse down on the floor. The mouse’s body began to twitch and convulse.
Its entire body swelled and pulsed as if something within was transforming, a sight that was far from pleasant. Yet, feeling responsible for both creatures, Jeha silently observed the transformation.
After a short while, the mouse was no longer a mere rodent. It had transformed into a small, bat-like demon beast with vibrant red eyes.
“It’s done. Now, send it back to the Demon Realm and let it live freely.”
Paimon nodded, then vanished, holding the small, newly formed demon beast in his hand.
****
Perhaps due to the near-massacre of high priests in public, the Grand Temple was completely closed for a time. Consequently, Jeha was unable to meet Hereis.
There was a vast difference between choosing not to see someone and being unable to see them. With their interactions forcibly blocked, his desire to see Hereis only intensified.
For several days, Jeha exchanged letters with Hereis daily, alleviating his disappointment. Of course, slipping into his bedroom late at night was no difficult feat.
However, with vigilance heightened, it was prudent to be cautious, and more importantly, he greatly desired to continue this human-like romance.
Jeha was sprawled across the table, rereading Hereis’s letter over and over, a wide grin spreading across his face. Just then, a knock sounded, and Paimon entered, announcing news.
“The youngest Young Lady of the Fanucci family has come to visit.”
“Miss Fanucci? Without prior notice?”
Jeha, whose enjoyment of Hereis’s letter—each sentence subtly imbued with affection—had been interrupted, frowned. As Jeha understood it, it was customary for nobles to always announce visits in advance.
“Well… she’s the Pope’s beloved daughter, so I can hardly turn her away… Escort her to the reception room.”
Jeha grumbled, then leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to the name signed beneath Hereis’s letter. He knew it was an utterly childish act, but he couldn’t help himself.
Even just kissing the signature sent a thrill through his fingertips. Unable to resist, Jeha pressed several more kisses to Hereis’s name before finally folding the letter neatly and setting it down.
As Jeha entered the reception room, Ainel Fanucci, who had been seated on the sofa, rose. They exchanged brief greetings and then sat opposite each other.
Naturally, Miss Fanucci was not alone. A woman, appearing to be a governess, sat at the far end of the room, vigilantly monitoring them to ensure no inappropriate behavior occurred.
Jeha, in fact, considered this a blessing. It would be troublesome if he were alone with her and misunderstandings arose.
“I know such a sudden visit is impolite, but as I was passing by and saw Belgarga mansion, I couldn’t help but impose.”
Ainel Fanucci spoke, revealing a hint of embarrassment. She then reached into her sleeve and pulled out a neatly folded handkerchief.
“This is the handkerchief you lent me a few days ago. I needed to return it, but I haven’t had a proper opportunity until now…”
Jeha took the handkerchief, observing Ainel Fanucci’s slightly flushed face. The handkerchief appeared to have been thoroughly washed, ironed, and perfumed.
“Thank you, Young Lady. You are very thoughtful.”
Jeha offered a compliment he didn’t truly feel, then placed the handkerchief on the table in front of him. A flicker of disappointment crossed Ainel Fanucci’s eyes upon seeing this.
‘She had likely hoped he would tuck it into his pocket or keep it closer.’ However, putting a perfumed handkerchief, offered by a woman, into his pocket could easily lead to misunderstandings. Jeha pretended not to notice Ainel’s gaze.
“Given the incident a few days ago, His Holiness the Pope must have been quite worried. Did you convey the news properly?”
As Jeha asked, Ainel quickly composed her expression. “Yes. I reported that we were safe thanks to Your Grace, Marquis Belgarga.”
“My doing? Not at all. It was the knights of the Fanucci family who protected you.”
At Jeha’s modest reply, Ainel Fanucci clenched her hands and spoke. “That’s not true! While the knights were flustered, Your Grace quickly gave instructions, allowing us to safely take shelter indoors. I saw everything.”
“Haha…”
Jeha simply chuckled softly, offering no further words. He truly had nothing else to say.