By Zephyria 
The interior of the Lord’s manor was spacious. Located much further south than Adelmaid, the weather was warm, and the large windows gave the entire place a bright, airy feel. I thought the manor suited Andusias and his bronze skin quite well.
Once I was guided into the drawing room and took my seat, the servants—who had gathered for the first time in a while—huddled around me. Andusias called for the staff working in the manor.
“Please bring every kind of snack available.”
“Understood.”
The servants bowed politely and withdrew. Since the territory was inhabited only by members of the same clan, the hierarchy seemed blurred; even though he was the Lord, Andusias appeared to consistently use formal language with them.
As the servants left, I felt them stealing glances at me. Gazes filled with curiosity. All of those eyes were red, the symbol of being a Demon.
…The fact that everyone had those familiar red eyes evoked a strange sense of longing.
“You said you are currently the second son of the Valentasia family? What are your current family members like, my Lord?”
Andusias asked, his eyes sparkling. Focalor and Gremory, as well as Zeon, turned toward me, waiting for the answer. Come to think of it, I had never told Zeon the details of my family history.
I thought for a moment about my family before speaking.
“My father and mother are both in good health, and I have one older brother and one older sister. Since they are the first ‘family’ I’ve ever properly had, it’s hard to compare, but I think they are good people.”
They cherish and love me. I feel it from time to time. And whenever I feel that love, a sense of fulfillment—different from the one I feel during Ardian’s courtship—fills my chest. Focalor, who had been observing me intently, narrowed his monolid eyes into a smile.
“I can tell by your expression. I am glad you have found a good family.”
Gremory nodded beside him. Andusias, who seemed to be quite emotional, wiped away tears again before suddenly turning his arrow of accusation toward Zeon.
“You’ve been by my Lord’s side for over a year, so what exactly do you know? You didn’t even tell us this touching story! Don’t tell me you didn’t know? Is that it? Hmm?”
Andusias glared at Zeon with an expression of blatant exaggeration. Zeon couldn’t refute him and only furrowed his brow. Becoming even more triumphant, Andusias placed a hand on his forehead.
“Ha! I should have been the one by my Lord’s side! If only I weren’t the Lord!”
However, Zeon, perhaps having thought of something, shrugged his shoulders with equal triumph and raised his voice in rebuttal.
“What are you talking about! I’m better than you. I’m confident that my love for my Lord is second to none. And though you might not know it, my Lord welcomed me more than he did you.”
As he said this, he looked at me, his intentions transparent. He didn’t mention the fact that he had forgotten things for my sake, but he was appealing to the fact that he remembered properly. Unaware of this, Andusias slammed the table with a grumpy face.
“How do you know that?!”
“I have my ways. Something you’ll never know no matter what you do.”
“This bastard is actually pissing me off.”
As Zeon’s shoulders shrugged even higher, sparks flew in Andusias’s eyes. Focalor and Gremory, refusing to get caught in the middle, simply watched while eating the snacks the servants had brought.
“Ah, my Lord, please try this. It tastes wonderful.”
“Mhm, I think these are cookies made with lemon.”
They occasionally encouraged me to try the delicious treats.
Eventually, Andusias and Zeon, now completely oblivious to anyone else, continued their bickering. Watching them, my memories—which had been blurry as if shrouded in fog—cleared slightly, and something vaguely came back to me. Come to think of it, these two seemed to fight this often back when I was Mephisto.
‘They’re exactly the same as they were.’
Even if I couldn’t remember everything perfectly, the fact that their nature hadn’t changed gave me a sense of stability and comfort. Smiling quietly at their squabbling, I took a sip of black tea.
The warm tea, cooled to just the right temperature, gave off a particularly subtle and sweet fragrance.
After they had chattered for a long while, and the sun was beginning to dip toward the middle of the mountain, I was guided to where I would spend the night. However, instead of going to my room to rest, I had to leave the manor with my old servants.
This was because the Demons of the village had decided to hold a Fire Festival to welcome my visit.
When we descended to the plaza, the Demons had lit a massive bonfire and were carrying out food. Some of them welcomed us warmly, and one Demon, who appeared to be the organizer, rushed over to speak privately with Andusias to report the situation.
“Once things officially start, would you be willing to come out to the front stage? I want to formally introduce my Lord to the Demons here. Everyone is looking forward to it.”
“Sure. What do I need to do?”
“Just show your face! Everything else! I will handle it!”
Andusias clenched his fist with a face full of ambition. Behind him, Zeon glared at Andusias with dissatisfaction. It seemed they had been talking privately earlier…
I could roughly guess the situation. No doubt Zeon had stepped forward saying he would do it, only to be pushed aside by Andusias’s abuse of his authority as Lord. They really are such easy-to-read fellows.
Just then, the organizers, having finished the food preparations, gave the signal to begin. Receiving the signal, Andusias gently took my hand and left a kiss of reverence on the back of it.
“Then, my Lord. May I dare to walk beside you, matching your pace?”
The gesture brought back quite a few old memories.
With a small chuckle, I played along with his master-servant roleplay.
“I permit it.”
Even though I looked down at him with a face that could be seen as arrogant, an even greater joy spread across his features. Following me up onto the front stage, Andusias raised his voice toward the Demons who were gazing up with sparkling eyes.
“To speak of this person, they are the one who, in the days when Demons were persecuted by humans, was the only one not afraid of those humans and saved the Demons from that persecution. Because one can recognize the soul of their master upon forming the Contract of Eternity…”
I let the long-winded and detailed explanation flow in one ear and out the other as I looked down. From adults to children, every eye was fixed on me.
Those eyes were filled with a familiar respect and awe.
Meeting those gazes, I think I smiled unconsciously. One child jumped up and down with joy, then whispered to the family member beside them that I had smiled at them.
A moment later, as Andusias finished speaking, a torrent of applause and cheers erupted. As the festival began in earnest and I headed toward a suitable table, the Demons brought food and urged me to try it.
Pairs of Demons gathered around the bonfire, dancing in circles, and cheerful music filled the air. Focalor and Andusias, having poured liquor down their throats and caught the mood, joined the dance.
Gremory clapped as if watching a child perform a talent show at their clumsy movements, and other Demons laughed out loud. As I watched the festive atmosphere as if I were a third party, I suddenly felt a presence approaching. I turned to see it was Zeon.
“May I join you?”
“You don’t need to ask for permission so formally.”
At my light reprimand, Zeon gave a bashful smile and sat beside me. He kept his gaze in the direction I was looking before tentatively speaking. Amidst the noise, Zeon’s low voice pierced through.
“Raymond. No… my Lord.”
“Hmm?”
“Actually… there is something I have been hiding from you.”
Having turned serious, Zeon shifted his body to face me.
“Could you possibly forgive me for daring to hide something from my Lord?”
I watched him blankly while resting my chin on my hand, then I adjusted my posture.
“The fact that you’ve brought it up… means you intend to tell me what it is, right?”
“Yes.”
What could there possibly be that I couldn’t forgive? I tilted my head, signaling him to speak freely. Zeon gave a faint smile, fidgeted with his fingers, and spoke.
“I knew that Ardian is Gilbert.”
That was a far bigger bombshell than I had expected. As I looked at him in considerable surprise, Zeon checked to see if there were any eavesdroppers nearby before continuing.