was the very place where the Duke and his victims had died. However, Elisabeth simply scoffed at Kaito's downcast expression. "What are you on about? This land may be forbidden, but the less superstitious members of the townsfolk actually come here to relax quite often... Of course, as a result, they were the first to fall victim to the Duke... But my point stands. There is no disputing the excellence of this view nor how pleasant the wind feels. However, once we leave, the corruption will cause this place to be sealed off. True, this place has accumulated too much resentment, but it is a shame nonetheless." "I mean, you're not wrong..." "Having shed no tears, our prayers mean nothing. This is a funeral of sorts. Now drink, Kaito." "Whatever you say, boss. I guess you're right, though. No tears I shed nor prayers I offer would mean anything at this point." "We have dessert today as well! All manner of fruit tarts! Lady Elisabeth, if you please." Hina retrieved a smaller basket and removed the lid. Elisabeth, eyes sparkling, began making her selection. Hina watched over her with a sisterly expression. Gazing at their intimate exchange, Kaito let out a small sigh. Then he looked up at the pale-blue sky. Twisted as their circumstances were, at the moment, things were peaceful. Everything was going smoothly. The day-to-day life he'd longed for was safeâ€”and that was precisely why a bitter sense of anxiety gnawed at his chest. That's rightâ€”things are going too smoothly. Vlad Le Fanu had been contractor to the Kaiser, the greatest of the fourteen demons. After she'd defeated him, her fated opponent, Elisabeth's demon hunt had proceeded without a hitch. A few days ago, she'd defeated the Grand Governor, a foe even weaker than the Duke. While getting to the battle had been a bit of a struggle, it could be said that the fight itself was completely one-sided. In this world, fourteen ranked demonsâ€”the Knight, the Governor, the Grand Governor, the Earl, the Grand Earl, the Duke, the Grand Duke, the Marquis, the Grand Marquis, the Monarch, the Grand Monarch, the King, the Grand King, and the Kaiserâ€”had descended to the earth by forming contracts with humans. Upon fusing with their contractors, they would twist their bodies into grotesque forms in exchange for granting them immense power. Demons derived their strength from the lamentations of God's creations, in particular the suffering of humans. Because of this, demons and their underlings had brought harm to people all across the land. The higher the rank, the stronger the demon. The lowest ranked, the Knight, could handily rout any army other than paladins specially equipped by the Church. The highest ranked, the Kaiser, was unmatched by any human in the world. Aside from one woman, one who accumulated pain from her entire fiefdom in order to wield demonic power surpassing that of the demons themselvesâ€”Elisabeth Le Fanu, the Torture Princessâ€”that is. A few days ago, she had defeated the Kaiser, an opponent with whom she possessed a deep connection. Having defeated her strongest foe, it was possible that none of the rest would pose a challenge for Elisabeth. But that was problematic for Kaito. After subjugating the fourteen ranked demons, the Torture Princess was to be executed for slaughtering her subjects and countless other innocents. In a sense, every step she took toward completing her mission was like another step up toward the gallows. And as her servant, Kaito was slated to receive an inquisition before following her down the same path. He'd taken all that into account when he'd chosen to continue serving her. However, he'd just as soon not rush up those steps. He spoke gravely, his voice echoing with the weight of his unease. "Hey, Elisabeth?" "What do you want, Kaito? This pomegranate tart is mine, I'll have you know. Hmm? That face you're making... What an incorrigible fellow you are. Fine then, I shall grant you a single bite. Watch yourself, though. Should you do the unthinkable and take too large a bite, you shan't escape with a mere flogging. I would have no choice but to summon a cat-o'-nine-tails, andâ€”" "That's not what I'm after. Trust me, it's all yours. Anyway, you beat the Kaiser, right?" "Indeed, I did. Hu-hu-hu-hu, and what a weak fellow that Vlad turned out to be. Hu-hu-hu-hu-hu." "Please stop laughing like that. You're freaking me out. But anyway, you beat the Kaiser, who should more or less be the strongest of the bunch... Doesn't that mean the rest of them aren't going to be a match for you? At this rate, the demon hunt will be over likeâ€”" "Fool. That line of thinking is carelessness." Elisabeth bit into her tart, her response as sharp as a blade. Her mischievous, innocent expression from a moment ago had vanished without a trace. What replaced it was the stern face of a seasoned warrior. Kaito's eyes widened. She licked her crimson lips, instantly blowing away the relaxed atmosphere as she went on. "Vlad had been shackled by the Church, and on top of that, he hadn't fused with the Kaiser. If you recall, Hina and I were no match for the Kaiser himself, top-ranked demon and superlative hound that he was; we obtained victory when I was summoned to Vlad's location so I could kill him directly. Had he and the Kaiser unified as one, we would likely have had no way of surpassing him." "Really?" "Vlad more or less perished in service to his sense of aesthetic. After all, he was the sort of man who would rather die than abandon his pride... But while the Kaiser vanished due to losing his catalyst, Vlad, we have no reason to expect such favorable results from the rest. While I doubt any other demon's strength is on par with the Kaiser's... In particular, I lack any sort of information on the Grand King." "The Grand King?" "The next highest ranked, after the Kaiser. Its contractor trusted Vlad and none other. Acting as Vlad's daughter, I was made to attend a number of the demons' gatherings, but I met them not once... The more I consider it, the more questions this foe raises. 'Tis a situation I'd just as soon not be in." Elisabeth muttered to herself as she bit into the next tart. Berry jam oozed out of it, staining her lips red. She licked voraciously at her pale fingertips, deep in thought, and then turned to look at Kaito. "Hmm? Are you not going to eat that?" "Huh? Oh. No, knock yourself out." "Mm. No matter the battle, information is essential... This crust is truly excellent... And there is merit to doing our research beforehand... The sweetness and sourness are perfectly balanced... If only we had some data... 'Tis exquisite how the cream just melts in your mouth... Upon second thought, it would have been prudent to do the searching earlier." "Um...I think your food critique and your train of thought are getting mixed up." "It's decided. We'll set off as soon as I am done eating." Tossing a morsel topped high with custard cream into her mouth, Elisabeth declared her intentions. Hina, having just cleaned up the glasses, cocked her head to the side. Beside her, Kaito raised a hand to ask a question. "When you say 'set off,' where exactly are we going?" "That should be obvious. The Grand King had but one acquaintance: Vlad. So we will go to his castle. Given his personality, he likely filled the castle with things from his secret storehouse in order to make it more livable after he fled from the Church and returned to my hometown." Kaito thought back to the events of a few months prior. Back at Vlad's castle, deep in Elisabeth's hometown, the two of them had fought tooth and nail against Vlad. Even now, with the fight over, the castle and its surrounding ghost town were firmly blockaded. Elisabeth grabbed the final tart as she stood. "There may yet be precious information left there." Her proclamation was punctuated by a bite of grape tart. In one sense, Elisabeth's prediction had turned out to be correct, yet in another, it had turned out to be completely off the mark. "Grr, damn you, Vlad, damn you!" "Welp... Can't say I didn't see this coming." It was true that Vlad had brought a number of things with him to the castle. However, they had predominantly been furniture for decorating Elisabeth's childhood bedroom, cookware, curios, and the like. While there were also magical trinkets and tools for creating automatons, there was nothing that seemed like it would offer a connection to his demonic comrades. As Elisabeth violently rummaged through the desk in Vlad's room, Kaito looked through the jewelry cabinet. As he gazed at its luxurious contents, he thought to himself with a bit of dejection. Well, y'know... He didn't really seem like the type to be super-invested in his comrades. Behind Kaito, already willing to call it a day, Elisabeth was pulling tomesâ€”recipe books, by the looksâ€”off the shelf and hurling them to the floor. "Damn that man! Making light of me to the bitter end, I see! He disgraces the name of commander of the demons, bringing nothing with him but goods to support his lavish lifestyle!" "Man, it really does feel that way, doesn't it?" "I'd known that the Church had rounded up all the automatons, but every other magical good is fixed such that only he could use them!" "Hey, is it possible he was just being careful not to leave behind anything that was related to the other demons?" "Ha! As if he was a man who would spare a thought for such considerations. No doubt he simply ignored those who did not spark his intereâ€” Bwah!" As she complained, Elisabeth pulled hard on the handle to one of the desk's drawers. When she did, a black piece of cloth shot out from within and wrapped itself around her head. "Wh-what is this? Gah!" Elisabeth collapsed into a black lump. But based on how energetically she was rolling about, it didn't seem like she was in any immediate danger. Hina abandoned her investigation of the bed and made her way over to Elisabeth to try and extricate her. "Are you all right, Lady Elisabeth? Hmm, no, it doesn't appear that way. I'm going to pull you out now, so please be patient. Hrgh!" "Whâ€”grff... Hina... Hold it, that hurts, be gentler, geh!" "Hey, take it easy, you two." After calling out to them half-heartedly, Kaito returned to his task. He brushed a golden chess piece to the side as he returned an intricate bee-wing brooch to where he'd found it. All this stuff looks like it'd fetch a pretty high price, but I guess that's about all it's good for...huh? Kaito's hand stopped in its tracks, and he squinted. Amid the jewels sat an ornate black box. For whatever reason, it caught his attention, and he reached out for it. But when he opened it, he found the deep velvet interior was empty. ...Was it just my imagination? He began to close the lid. Right when he was about to, blue letters floated into the air. For my dear successor. "...What?" He was sure that the box had been empty, but now it appeared to house a transparent stone of unknown material. Opalescent lights dappled across its surface, and a blue rosebud sat sealed within it. Black feathers fell like snow around its tightly closed petals. It was like a little magical snow globe. "...Wait, is this...?" Kaito thought back to when he'd seen Vlad use magic. In contrast to Elisabeth, Vlad's magic had employed blue roses. Furthermore, black feathers were the symbol of demons. Kaito extended his hand and nervously grabbed hold of the stone. A familiar warmth spread across his palm. He frowned. The warmth was akin to that of a small flame, yet seemed