Kirkwood was, after all, a merchant of considerable standing in his own right, and he had no desire to offend the leader of a major faction like the Royal Selection candidates. The fact that Emilia herself had come in person — that alone carried enormous weight for a merchant like Kirkwood.
Of course, Emilia, who was sipping her tea with a carefree expression, had no such intentions. Garfiel, hovering indecisively over the sweets beside her, was the same.
The only person in the Muse Company's reception room who truly understood what was going through Kirkwood's mind was Otto, seated across from him.
"I'm terribly sorry for making you come all the way here. I knew it was discourteous, but you see, I've been quite busy myself... I understand I shouldn't be bustling about restlessly, but visiting the front lines has become a habit of mine."
"I think that's a very admirable approach. We're the ones who should apologize for taking up your time. I didn't expect we'd be able to meet so soon after arriving."
"Haste makes waste, especially in negotiations."
As they exchanged pleasantries adorned with surface courtesies, Otto appraised the man before him.
Kirkwood Muse — seated across the table, he cut exactly the figure one would expect of one of
His age was still young, probably somewhere in his mid-to-late twenties.
Tall and slender, he was wrapped in well-tailored clothes, his pale blonde hair carefully swept back. Accessories of just the right degree of ostentation lent him an air of composure and refinement, and both his words and gestures betrayed the polish of a well-bred education.
Otto, who had accumulated experience in dealings with influential and powerful figures through his work as Emilia camp's domestic affairs official and Roswaal's aide, judged that Kirkwood's demeanor could match those without any sense of strain.
To put it plainly, he was inwardly relieved that he had come along.
If Emilia had gone alone, she probably would have been sweet-talked into buying some absurdly expensive vase or other.
In the past year, Otto had come to evaluate Emilia to just about that degree.
"Shall I get to the matter at hand, then? I've heard from Lady Anastasia's envoy that your company carries merchandise we're interested in."
"In that case, I'll get straight to the point. Actually, you see—"
As Kirkwood was about to dive into the main topic, Otto paused and glanced at Emilia.
As a general rule, Emilia's stance was to leave negotiations to Otto. Incidentally, Garfiel was gnawing on a sweet and glaring sharply at the man standing in the corner of the room — a man dressed head to toe in white.
For an employee, this person was remarkably self-assertive. According to Kirkwood, he served as a bodyguard. He had argued that things had been dangerous lately, which was why he'd requested permission to attend.
Otto had a feeling about the man in white.
He was probably a member of the mercenary unit "White Dragon's Scale," which the Muse Company reportedly relied on heavily in Priestella. It was a historically renowned mercenary band, known even in parts of Lugunica.
He'd heard they were a jack-of-all-trades sort of group, and that they'd been on close terms with the Muse Company for the past several years. Judging by the way things stood now, it was likely Kirkwood's own decision to bring them on board.
"Our request is singular. Among the magic mineral stones your company handles, we'd like the ones of exceptionally high purity — the colorless variety."
While rating the man as not to be underestimated, Otto went straight for the issue.
Indirect requests would serve no purpose here. The very fact that Kirkwood had arranged this meeting meant he already knew the full reason for their visit.
And Kirkwood himself knew that he couldn't refuse Emilia's request.
"I see. We do, in fact, take great pride in the quality of our magic mineral stones — even compared to others in the trade. The colorless stones Her Excellency Emilia desires could certainly be made available in any quantity..."
"Kirkwood. Let's drop the roundabout talk. Our request is exactly as stated — the highest-purity colorless magic mineral stones. Nothing more."
"My apologies."
This wasn't quite stubborn resistance. It was simply the give-and-take of negotiation.
Kirkwood, playing dumb despite understanding perfectly, probed their financial position with a series of calculated moves. For him, this negotiation was already decided — the merchandise would be handed over. The only remaining question was the price tag.
"On our end, we understand we're making a special request, so we're prepared to be more flexible than market rates. However, Margrave Mathers, Lady Emilia's backer, holds mining rights for magic mineral stones in the Elior Grand Forest..."
"Ripping people off is a poor fit for single-unit mineral transactions. Our business is built entirely on trust. Surely you understand, Lord Otto."
So they know my family background too, Otto sighed inwardly.
The Suwen family was far from matching the Muse family in the merchant world, but they weren't so small as to be untraceable. In the camp of a Royal Selection candidate — one who would determine the fate of the kingdom — it was only natural for someone well-informed to look into the backgrounds of key figures.
Still, what made Emilia's camp so formidable was precisely how much remained untraceable.
Garfiel, who had been shut away in the
For someone like Otto, whose identity was clearly legible, they could look into whatever they pleased.
"Lord Otto? You don't look well."
"Oh, no, don't worry about it. My thoughts just went down a few rather absurd rabbit holes, and it put me in a strange mood."
Shaking his head at Kirkwood's words, Otto temporarily abandoned his fruitless line of thinking. He then prompted Kirkwood for a response to the main issue. Kirkwood made a show of mulling it over.
"Speaking for ourselves, it would be strange to refuse to hand over merchandise when it's being requested. Naturally, we intend to comply with Her Excellency Emilia's request."
"Then—"
"However, the magic mineral stones you desire are a special case. You see, when I was assigned to manage the Muse Company's Priestella branch, the head of the company — my father — transferred them to me personally. I value them more as gifts than as merchandise."
"That—"
Whether it was true or performative, Otto bit his lip at the skillful framing.
As Kirkwood had said himself, rare as the mineral stones were, the transaction was for single units. In the scope of a company-scale deal, the profit margin was hardly significant.
If that was the case, then the added value beyond the price had to come from somewhere else. Not from the product's worth, but from the human element. He was parting with something precious to him, and he wanted that acknowledgment to serve as added value.
"I see. Something so important..."
In truth, Kirkwood's explanation had thrown Emilia into considerable distress. Watching her guilt-stricken expression, Otto thought: she really couldn't play the scheming game. He needed to hold things together, and gave a discreet cough.
"Your sentiments are fully appreciated. But we must ask you to part with it regardless."
"I understand. I am a merchant who deals in magic mineral stones, after all. Such things shine brightest not on a shelf, but in the hands of those who need them. I'll let you have them. — However, there are a few conditions."
"Conditions. Let's hear them."
Having laid the groundwork to inflate the price to its fullest, Kirkwood entered the real negotiation. Otto accepted the challenge, and Kirkwood held up three fingers.
Otto's stomach tightened at the thought of what unreasonable demands might follow.
"First — please understand that the Muse Company has not been maliciously concealing the colorless magic mineral stones you were searching for."
"...Of course. Now that you've been open about your circumstances, there's no reason to doubt you."
First, Kirkwood sought to dispel any notion of past wrongdoing against the Emilia camp. To wrap things up amicably, there was no choice but to accept.
"Second — we'll exchange receipts later, but I'd like Hoshin Trading Company to serve as witness, so that it's on record this was a legitimate transaction."
"That too, we'll accept. ...There should be no issue."
It seemed Kirkwood's company also did business with Hoshin Trading Company. He intended to make Emilia's debt to Anastasia known both internally and externally.
It was mildly concerning, but since it was a legitimate request, they couldn't refuse.
But everything up to this point was easily recoverable. It was the third demand — the one held for last — that would reveal where Kirkwood truly stood.
Before Otto's held breath, Kirkwood lightly waved his third finger.
"Third. — I'd like you to refrain from making contact with the 'Songstress' Liliana, who is staying in the city."
"...I'm sorry?"
The sudden mention of an unrelated person's name left Otto dumbfounded.
Emilia and Garfiel were equally taken aback — no, rather, the two hadn't changed their demeanor at all. Emilia was sipping tea; Garfiel was glaring at the man in white. Even though the negotiation had been left to Otto, their refusal to be rattled was almost admirable.
"Forgive me. Unless I misheard, you asked us not to contact the 'Songstress'?"
"That's correct. That is the extent of our request. If there's a problem with that, I'll have to reconsider this transaction..."
"I don't particularly mind, but could I ask the reason? Up until now, I didn't see any connection between this deal and the 'Songstress'..."
"...I don't think that's something I need to explain. What I need to know is whether you'll agree."
Lowering his tone, Kirkwood showed a flash of an emotional side he hadn't revealed until now. Otto hesitated over how to respond to the puzzling request.
To put it bluntly, the third demand was unexpected, but even if they accepted, it posed no real obstacle to Emilia going forward.
Emilia might be disappointed about not being able to meet the "Songstress" mentioned by Anastasia, but she could simply accept it as the price of achieving their current objective.
Thinking that through, the answer came surprisingly easily.
If that would seal the deal, there was nothing more to wish for. Before Subaru — who had been left behind somewhere along the way — caught up and muddled things, they should finalize this now.
"Emilia-tan, is that alright with you?"
"Mm. It's a little disappointing, but I guess there's nothing to be done."
At Emilia's confirmation, she nodded, and Otto was about to deliver his assent. Kirkwood received it with a look of satisfaction, and with that, the preliminary battle over the mineral stone transaction was concluded. All that remained was to discuss the actual price and take delivery.
"Here is the merchandise in question. I have several other high-quality specimens as well... Would you like to see them?"
Kirkwood rose and brought out a wooden box from a cabinet in the back.
When he set it on the table and opened it, the box shone like a jewel case, making the eyes of Emilia and Otto blink in wonder.
Colorful magic mineral stones were carefully arranged on cushions. Most striking among them was a transparent mineral stone that was not tinted with any elemental color.
That was surely the very colorless magic mineral stone Emilia sought.
"Would you like to handle one to confirm?"
At Kirkwood's words, Emilia looked up.
When Kirkwood nodded, Emilia took a small breath and extended her fingers toward the mineral stone. But then— "Emilia-sama."
"Young master."
At the same time, the two combatants in the room called out to their respective charges.
They exchanged a glance, then turned to their perplexed masters.
"Something loud is coming."
"Someone's hurrying up from below. I'll check."
The man in white moved silently toward the room's entrance, while Garfiel rose lightly from his seat. A quiet tension filled the reception room. And the commotion they'd noticed seemed to have already reached the vicinity of the door, when— "You damn loudmouths, knock it off! Give it a rest! In here, Emilia-tan is in the middle of a negotiation—"
The moment he recognized the familiar voice, the man in white opened the reception room door.
There, wearing a blank expression, was the unmistakable figure of a well-known man — flanked left and right by small girls, none other than
"...Subaru?"
Called out by Emilia, Subaru finally noticed who was in the room and turned pale.
Otto wanted nothing more than to sigh with his entire being, but he held back, gauging the reactions of those around him.
Subaru raised one hand sheepishly.
"H-Hey, Emilia-tan. What a coincidence, huh?"
"What coincidence? You were being so loud... Huh, Kirkwood?"
At Emilia's puzzled tone, Otto's own reaction was delayed.
Looking over, Kirkwood had risen from the wooden box he'd reached into, his eyes burning with frenzy as he glared at Subaru.
In his hand, he gripped a high-purity blue magic mineral stone — and— "You-you-you-you-you! Don't you lay a finger on my Liliana!!"
In a cracking voice, he hurled the magic mineral stone.
Without anyone needing to stop it, the projectile flew as though drawn in, striking Subaru with a flash of blue light and sending him flying.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "Well, that was something. Our young master is normally sharp as a tack, but when it comes to Miss Liliana, he goes even sharper... I'll have him calmed down by tomorrow, so for today, would you mind just going home?"
After the commotion, the middle-aged man in white bowed apologetically as both camps were pacified.
From inside the closed room behind him, Kirkwood's shrieks could still be heard. It was clearly not a sight fit for outsiders, and the room was now strictly off-limits.
"Really, Kirkwood is just too much! Trying to steal my chance to talk with Lady Emilia and Master Natsuki Subaru! I'm fuming — just fuming!"
On her end, Liliana's indignation showed no sign of abating. Having been schemed against behind her back, she puffed out her cheeks and channeled her anger into indignant onomatopoeia — this, mere moments after she had attempted to produce a new song called "The Ballad of the Falling Hero" upon witnessing Subaru's dramatic collapse, only to earn
"Miss Liliana, you'll understand the young master's feelings today, won't you?"
"...Fine."
It took her quite a while, but Liliana finally relented.
As a result, the Emilia camp was forced to triumphantly return from this negotiation having accomplished absolutely nothing — all thanks to Subaru's grand performance.
"So here's the thing. That Liliana kid is one of those celebrity-obsessed fans — super starstruck — and Kirkwood wanted to keep us away from her. The third condition was basically that."
"And you ruined what was about to be a done deal. I see. You really are good for nothing, aren't you!?"
"I know I'm in the wrong this time too, but who could've predicted I'd pick up that flag right after getting seasick... That was pure misfortune..."
Otto wore an expression that could not conceal his dissatisfaction over the collapsed negotiation.
The fact that Subaru's excuses lacked their usual punch was partly due to the lingering damage, but also because Kirkwood's frenzy suggested tomorrow's negotiations would be difficult.
"Now, now, Otto-kun, don't get so worked up. Subaru didn't mean any harm. Things like that just happen sometimes."
"That's right, Emilia-tan. Lay into me some more."
"Subaru, you need to properly reflect. Forget about Liliana — making that much noise in someone else's place of business is just inconsiderate. It puts the reception staff in a difficult position, too."
"Sorry."
When Subaru bowed his head sincerely, Emilia nodded with a "Very well."
Watching this disarmingly straightforward master-servant exchange, Otto let out a sigh.
"In any case, that puts a stop to today's negotiations. I'd like to return to the Water Raiment Inn and rework our strategy... but I'm going to step out briefly on some business."
"Business?"
At the unexpected remark, everyone looked puzzled. Otto gestured toward the other side of the Muse Company building.
"We've come all this way to Priestella, so I need to build connections where I can. Today it'll just be me doing the talking, but later on, we may need to have Emilia-tan visit personally. When that time comes—"
"Mm, I understand. But you don't need me to come along today?"
"If Emilia-tan were to show up unannounced, there'd be no way to give her the reception she deserves, and that would cause all sorts of trouble. Acting rashly without advance notice is something we need to avoid."
"Okaaay. Got it. I'll remember that."
When Emilia gave her cheerful reply, Otto said "Do go straight home" as if speaking to a child, and headed off into the depths of Second Avenue.
Garfiel had shown signs of wanting to accompany Otto, but was refused: "Getting Emilia safely home is the priority."
"So, Subaru, what were you talking about with that Liliana person?"
"Oh? Emilia-tan, you're curious about what I was talking about with another girl? I wonder what that could mean. Those tiny little changes like that make me really happy, you know."
"No. I'm just curious about what kind of person the Songstress is, so don't get the wrong idea."
"I'd rather you kept getting the wrong idea!"
As ever, Emilia's guileless nature cut ruthlessly into Subaru's heart.
In any case, there was no reason to keep quiet, and it was the same as always, so Subaru quickly bounced back and started telling Emilia about the journey.
"When I first spotted her singing in the park, I thought, 'Whoa, now that's something.' The voice earned the title of 'Songstress,' no question about it. Right, Beatrice?"
"I won't deny that. That I won't deny. That, however—"
"Beatrice is emphasizing this so hard. Did something happen?"
"One talent standing out above all else might mean other important qualities have been stripped away — that's the difficult proposition Liliana presented to us."
Subaru understood why Beatrice wanted to emphasize this point so strongly.
Liliana had poured everything into her singing voice, and the result was the utterly hopeless girl she'd become.
"Just because you're blessed with the talent you wished for doesn't mean you'll become an amazing person. That's a separate question entirely, isn't it?"
"Whoa there, look at you getting all philosophical, boss. Was that the kind of song she sang — the kind that makes you think like that?"
"That part, I won't deny. That, I won't. This answer works universally whenever Liliana comes up."
As they marveled at the breadth of that catch-all response, the group made their way home on foot — unlike their journey here. The waterways still presented the problem of leaving Subaru behind, and— "I want to properly walk around and see the sights while we're here. It's such a beautiful city, and from what Otto-kun said, it sounds like we don't have anything else to do today."
Emilia seemed to feel a twinge of guilt about voicing what was essentially a selfish request, but it was so adorable a demand that calling it selfish would be presumptuous.
Subaru, Garfiel, and Beatrice all raised no objections.
"The real question is whether I can get Emilia-tan back to the inn in one piece."
"Don't worry about it. If push comes to shove, Betty can just touch a wall with her left hand."
"We already thoroughly discussed the flaws in that method."
"Neither of you need to worry. I've got this nose of mine. I've got the inn's location and that midget's scent both memorized right here."
"—Oh."
The fact that Garfiel's list of scents included Meili made Subaru grin despite himself.
The small cat girl's reactions to Garfiel were a bit excessive to the point of being hard to read, but they could only be an expression of affection. They were also close in age, making for a promising match.
Incidentally, Garfiel continued to be endlessly spurned by
"In any case, Garfiel. I sincerely hope for your happiness, little bro."
"Wha—? Don't go saying weirdly creepy stuff out of nowhere, boss. ...Well, it's not like it feels bad or anything..."
Garfiel tilted his head but showed his teeth in a grin as Subaru clapped him on the shoulder. Bless this straightforward, impossible-to-hate little brother. Subaru meant that from the bottom of his heart.
"What a wonderful city, though. Everywhere you look is something new — it's hard to stay calm."
On the way back, Emilia was in high spirits as she took in the rapidly changing scenery. Just watching Emilia's cheerful expressions made Subaru's mood lift, and she was right — the cityscape was truly something.
The architectural style was meticulously calculated, crafted with the precision of artwork or fine craft. The waterways running through the city center possessed a beauty that went beyond mere convenience.
"The city's origin story is all kinds of suspicious, though."
"Something about the limits of the technology at the time, or trying to trap evil magic beasts. But regardless of the cause, what's here and now is beautiful. Isn't it?"
Standing on a bridge and gazing out over the main waterway, Emilia smiled.
Subaru, entranced by that smile, nodded with a bright feeling.
"Yeah."
No matter what the cause, what existed here and now was everything.
The spirit of reaching toward a result, and the result obtained — if you could reach that, then the beginning was good.
What mattered wasn't the start, but the finish.
"That's right, Mom."
"Did you say something just now?"
"I was remembering the words of magic from the woman I respect most in the world."
Even with time having passed since those memories, they continued to offer encouragement.
He would never forget, and he had been given things worthy of never forgetting. Natsuki Subaru lived on today, carrying those gifts with him.
As Subaru and Emilia shared that smile, Garfiel and Beatrice read the room and waited at a slight distance.
Providing these quiet moments for the two of them — who were always busy with no time to spare — was a common consideration shared by everyone around them. Even Beatrice acknowledged this openly.
"His face is all dopey. Pathetic, really."
"If the guy's got a good vibe with a girl he's into, that's how it goes. Honestly, I'm relieved. It just shows the boss is honestly a man through and through."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, there's a lot of young girls around the boss, and other than that, it's mostly guys... If he wasn't always cozying up to Emilia-tan, I'd kinda start to wonder."
"Subaru has absolutely no issues being a perfectly normal, perverted man! He's always groping Betty and Petra for no reason!"
"Pretty sure that guarantee doesn't exactly inspire confidence..."
The two of them exchanged observations about Subaru's proclivities right there in the street. For the record, in Subaru's defense, his contact with younger girls carried no intention beyond simple affection.
Oblivious to the uncomfortable conversation happening behind him, Subaru enjoyed the Water City with Emilia.
"Well, let's head back soon. I want to check out today's inn properly too. It was shaped really strangely."
"Some interesting architecture. Honestly, I'm curious too — though for different reasons than Emilia-tan."
"Oh really? Hehe, then we'd better hurry."
Letting go of the railing, Emilia laughed and took a light step backward. Perhaps because she was a bit hasty, she stepped back without checking behind her, and— "Ah."
"Whoops."
She bumped into a hooded figure who happened to be passing by. The figure steadied Emilia with a hand as she let out a small sound.
"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going..."
"I'm sorry too. This one's always so scatterbrained. I'll be sure to lecture her properly."
Rushing over, Emilia apologized to the hooded figure. Subaru hurried to Emilia's side and bowed as well.
The fact that he didn't blurt Emilia's name in the moment was a small precaution — who knew if the other party might figure out who she was. On the street, if someone learned Emilia's identity, it could draw unwanted attention. Naturally, Emilia wore an identity-concealing cloak as well.
Thus, a minor collision with a stranger was unlikely to develop into a major problem.
And this time was no different.
"I was at fault too, this time. I was momentarily captivated, you see."
"Huh?"
"By the beautiful silver hair of the young lady I bumped into. I once knew a woman with hair nearly as lovely — someone I once thought to make my wife. That memory caught me off guard, and I failed to move out of the way."
Depending on how one heard it, it could sound like a line of flirtation, but the voice carried a thick tinge of genuine enchantment.
The hooded figure was a slender man, but from the tone of his voice he was probably still young. That he had once been about to take a wife — Subaru wondered how long ago that had been.
Still, he judged purely that this was not the kind of person he wanted near Emilia.
"Okay, let's call it mutual inattention this time. Our apology has been received, so we'll be—"
"Hey, Subaru. That's a terribly insincere apology—"
"Just trust me, okay?"
"—!"
When Subaru pulled Emilia's arm and drew her back, Emilia seemed to sense something and fell silent. Watching the two of them, the hooded figure slowly shook his head.
"It's fine. For now, I bear neither anger nor business toward you. Go where you wish. Should it be needed, fate will no doubt arrange another encounter on its own."
"Yeah, right. Then here's hoping fate leads us to meet again tomorrow."
Offering a poetic response to a poetic counterpart, Subaru took his leave.
While tugging Emilia along, Subaru glanced at her. She kept flicking glances toward where the hooded man had been, and— "I know my attitude was a bit off just now, but I was just trying to protect Emilia-tan from some weird creep. I hope you can cut me some slack."
"Huh? Oh, no, that's not it. I did think Subaru's attitude was poor, and really it was my own carelessness that caused it. But that's not why. It's not that... it's that..."
She trailed off, uncertainty clouding her eyes.
But the expression on her face said she couldn't stay quiet. Her lips trembled.
"That person... I feel like I've met him somewhere before. I couldn't get a good look at his face, so I can't be sure, but..."
"Someone Emilia-tan knows? If that's the case, I'd probably know them too."
"Yeah. ...But I don't know. Who was he?"
Clearly bothered, Emilia glanced back once more. But the hooded figure was already gone, and it seemed the answer would remain elusive.
"Yo, boss. You hauled Emilia-tan away in quite a hurry. Were you scared some handsome guy was gonna steal her away?"
Waiting on the other side of the bridge Subaru had crossed with Emilia, Garfiel teased in his usual manner. Subaru clicked his tongue.
"You idiot. This isn't the time for jokes. What if some creep had been bothering her and you weren't there? If it was someone I couldn't handle alone, Emilia-tan would be in danger."
"That's where you're supposed to show your manliness by putting your body on the line, right?"
"One layer of my meat shield isn't much to bet on. What if it goes right through? I've got no confidence in the thickness — as a shield or as a person."
At Subaru's self-deprecating assessment, Garfiel laughed ruefully.
Garfiel seemed to think Subaru was being modest, but from Subaru's perspective, it was a fair evaluation. If anything, they overestimated him.
"Relax. I'd fly in too if I thought the other guy was bad news. As for that guy earlier, no worries at all. His walk, the way his eyes moved — everything screamed amateur. Never been through real danger, and not even a shred of martial training."
"You can say that for certain?"
"It's obvious just from looking. I even noticed the boss had swung a sword before — the way you move your feet and swing your arms have distinctive tells."
"Seriously? That's a freaky talent."
He'd never mentioned his kendo experience to Garfiel.
It was only middle school kendo, and he'd already proven it didn't translate to this world. Still, the marks of that training lingered in his body, and someone with a trained eye could pick up on them.
If Garfiel was that confident, then maybe the worry had been unfounded after all.
"So that's that — let's go, Emilia-tan. Or are you still curious?"
Putting his own thoughts aside for the moment, Subaru asked Emilia.
She was still looking around, but eventually she shook her head with a resigned expression.
"No, I'm fine. Sorry for being weird about it. Let's head back."
"Yeah, let's. We can go back and cuddle Meili for some comfort. Oh wait, I'm perfectly content just holding Beatrice, so don't pout on me."
"I wasn't saying anything, was I?!"
Beatrice reacted with a poke, and Emilia laughed.
Then, with her hand still at her mouth— "Yeah. Cuddling Meili-chan would feel really satisfying. Let's do that."
Saying that, she set off again with a look that had already put her unease behind her.
※※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "—Ah. So this is what it means to come *here*."
The figure let the hem of a loose coat sway as he murmured to himself in a low voice.
The hooded man. He painted the image of the girl he'd just bumped into behind his eyelids and allowed a smile to form at the corner of his mouth. It was a dark, sinister sort of smile.
"I had myself brought all the way here for this. I was prepared to be merciless if it turned out to be trivial, but if that sort of thing exists, it's a different story entirely."
His tone was calm, but beneath it seethed a feverish heat.
What could be glimpsed there was the end result of an obsession that had been stewing until it burned onto the bottom of the pot, thickening over the months and years into something viscous — a fragment of a horrifying, all-consuming adoration.
"I never let what is mine slip away. I must be complete in myself. It is precisely because nothing falls away from my completion that I am who I am. To be fulfilled means to continue being fulfilled. That is why it is only natural for a vacancy to be filled."
Rapidly stringing those words together, the man looked up.
At that instant, the hood fell away. And the white hair that had been hidden was revealed.
A wind swollen with moisture stirred the white hair, and the man let out a small, displeased click of his tongue.
"I suppose I'll have to go and wed my seventy-ninth wife, who has been left unoccupied for so long."
With those words, the white-haired demon wore a sneer over the Water City.