“The mansion is really quiet.”
The grand estate was steeped in silence.
The study was as quiet as a grave.
In the garden, the only sounds were the occasional cries of birds.
The training grounds were completely empty.
Charlotte and Julia were always running around, making noise wherever they went.
But now, the vast mansion had suddenly become quiet, leaving me feeling strangely melancholic.
“Is this what it feels like for parents who have raised their children and sent them off to be independent…?”
“How long has it even been since they left for the academy? They’ll be back soon, so stop being dramatic… Tsk.”
“…”
A voice full of exasperation came from behind me, shattering the peace.
I turned around to find Irene Vermont, casually munching on a snack while reading the newspaper.
…Wait a minute.
Is she even supposed to be here right now?
“Sister.”
“I’m not your sister anymore.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Can’t I be?”
“No, you can’t. You’ve been declared a traitor to the Vermont family and are currently wanted.”
“Oh, right. That did happen.”
“…”
Irene raised her eyebrows as if to say, So what?
I was dumbfounded.
She had completely swallowed up my shares in the Vermont Investment Corporation and vanished.
Yet here she was, making no effort to even pretend she was on the run.
“My shares?”
“What shares? They’re mine now.”
“When exactly do you plan to give them back?”
“I’m not. Like I said, they’re mine now.”
“…”
What is she even thinking?
I was at a loss for words when Irene lowered the newspaper and gave me a sly smile.
“If you want them back, you can always just take them. If you take me, my company comes with me. Don’t you think?”
“…”
I was momentarily speechless.
She wasn’t wrong—if I married Irene, I’d regain all the shares she had taken.
Was she staging a protest to pressure me into marriage?
A laugh slipped out.
“You were removed from the family registry, and now you’re a wanted criminal. What’s the rush?”
“Why wait? Just marry me already.”
“Let’s at least wait until I sort out the wedding schedule with Her Majesty.”
“Hmph. I don’t care about Her Majesty’s schedule. Do you have to marry her first? I was the one who liked you first…”
“Oh, no, I’m not delaying the order. I’m just coordinating everything so we can all have the wedding together. The younger ones who aren’t of age yet will wait, but for now, it’ll be you, Sylvia, and Her Majesty. It’s been my dream to have a grand wedding with multiple brides.”
“Ugh…”
Irene shuddered as if she had just witnessed something grotesque.
But she didn’t have a choice.
This was the ultimate fantasy for any man.
Just picture it—a grand hall filled with guests gathered to celebrate.
The triumphant march playing in the background.
Then, as I turn around…
Three brides, dressed in pure white, walking down the aisle together.
Ah, how could I possibly give up on that?
No way.
If I was going to abandon that dream, I would’ve given up on a harem entirely.
“You’re so stubborn about the weirdest things. Fine, I’ll wait a little longer. Being treated as a traitor is something I’ve gotten used to by now.”
“I appreciate your understanding.”
“Hmph… If you’re grateful, shouldn’t you show some appreciation? The kids won’t be back for a while yet…”
“…!”
Irene slowly wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer.
Her eyes were full of longing, as if she was hoping for something.
The children were at the academy.
Sylvia had gone with them, both as their guardian and to enjoy a bit of her own youth—having transformed into a younger form to blend in.
That meant the mansion was now occupied by only Irene and me.
Irene wasn’t one to let such a moment go to waste.
Just as she parted her lips and revealed her sharp fangs—
“Count, are you there?”
“…!?”
At the voice calling from outside the room, we hastily pushed each other away.
With a loud thud, the door swung open, and Yuri stepped inside.
By then, I was staring out the window at the distant mountains, while Irene was pretending to read the newspaper—upside down.
“Oh, Yuri. You’re back early today.”
“Yes… But, the room feels strangely stuffy. Did you have the heater on in this warm spring weather?”
“N-no. I guess it just got like this since I forgot to air it out.”
“…”
Yuri tilted her head, clearly suspicious.
I quickly opened the window to let in some fresh air.
Had I really been sweating that much?
She had an uncanny ability to pick up on the smallest details.
“And who is—ah. Irene Vermont.”
“‘Ah’? Did you just frown at me, kid?”
“…I didn’t do any such thing.”
Yuri’s expression darkened as she recognized Irene.
Had she always been this uneasy around her?
Her reaction was unexpected.
“What brings you here?”
“Do I need a reason to visit my own home?”
“This isn’t your home anymore. You’re not a Vermont anymore.”
“I will be again. Do you have a problem with me staying here?”
“…Not necessarily.”
Their voices had an edge to them.
Their gazes clashed, filled with clear discontent.
It looked like this was about to turn into a fight.
I wondered if I should step in.
[…!]
“This is…?”
At that moment, Laura’s avatar suddenly popped out from Irene Vermont’s embrace.
Flailing its stubby little arms frantically, it glanced back and forth between the two as if trying to break up a fight.
Wait… so Laura just lives inside Irene’s clothes?
If I were to be reborn, maybe coming back as an Evil God wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“Lady Laura, we’re not fighting, so you don’t have to worry.”
[···!!]
“What kind of Great Spirit is this?”
“It’s not a Spirit—it’s an avatar of an Evil God.”
“…Huh!?”
As if hypnotized, Yuri dropped to her knees and carefully placed Laura in the palm of her hand.
But the moment she heard the word Evil God, she flinched and started trembling.
Was this Yuri’s first time seeing Laura’s avatar in person?
She must’ve assumed anything small and cute-looking was a Spirit.
No wonder she was so startled when an Evil God suddenly popped out.
“So this is what an Evil God’s avatar looks like…”
[…!]
“I can’t understand what it’s saying. Even if it looks adorable, it must be saying something terrifying, right?”
“No. It’s just purring and telling you it loves being petted.”
“…Huh?”
Yuri blinked in confusion but continued stroking Laura nonetheless.
Laura, completely at ease, simply lay down in Yuri’s palm and purred contentedly.
Well, I couldn’t blame her.
Laura’s texture was highly addictive—springy yet squishy, kind of like Julia’s cheeks.
Yuri, who was already familiar with Julia’s cheek texture, must’ve instantly fallen for it.
Yeah, she gets it.
“I always thought Evil Gods were wicked and only cared about making humans suffer.”
[…!?]
“That’s not true at all. Well… maybe they do enjoy teasing humans all day long.”
“Hmm… I think I might’ve misunderstood both Irene and the Evil Gods.”
Yuri’s gaze softened as she continued to pet Laura, and she turned toward Irene with a more relaxed expression.
So that was why she didn’t like Irene—she thought she was a devotee of some sinister Evil God.
Glad we cleared that up.
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is screaming that she also wants to be petted by our Healer and is demanding to descend to the mortal world immediately!]
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is slamming the ground in regret, wishing she had created an avatar of her own!]
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is drowning in envy and wailing in despair!]
…Kali was being way too loud right now.
She must’ve been dying of jealousy, seeing Laura getting all of Yuri’s attention.
I’d never heard Kali this noisy before.
‘If Kali actually descends to this world, it’s going to be a disaster…’
She wasn’t just fond of children—she was obsessed with them.
Her love for them was so intense that even I couldn’t compete.
If she were unleashed into this world, Julia and Charlotte’s cheeks would not survive.
For the sake of public safety, Kali needed to stay permanently banned from entering the mortal realm.
And yet… I was curious about what she actually looked like.
A small part of me wanted to see her manifest.
If she did, though, she had to be cute.
If she showed up looking like some grotesque tentacle monster and scared the kids, the shock would literally kill her.
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ has cried herself into exhaustion.]
…Now I was starting to feel a little bad for her.
She’d helped me out plenty of times in the past.
And she’d been watching over the kids’ growth closer than anyone else.
“Come to think of it, Julia’s been researching Evil Gods along with Black Magic. She mentioned she might try summoning one soon…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ lights up with excitement and asks if that’s true!]
Whether or not she’ll succeed… heck, whether or not she’ll even attempt it… that’s still a mystery.
But for now, I figured I’d give Kali a little bit of hope.
Because even an Evil God needs hope.
