On the second floor of Cat Boss’s Restaurant—Talia’s home.
The wooden beams and slanted rafters formed a ceiling embedded with skylight glass. The angled panes gave the living room the feeling of a terrace where one could gaze directly at the starry sky.
On such a quiet night, sitting inside her home, looking up felt as if one were bathing in the brilliance of the Milky Way.
The walls’ delicate wood grain carried a steady beauty, while the warm-toned furnishings filled the place with a gentle, comforting atmosphere.
Originally, Talia’s home had only a reclining chair, and in the bedroom, a desk with one chair.
But at some point later, an extra chair appeared in the living room.
It seemed as though she had bought it specifically for Lan Qi.
Now, Lan Qi had let Huperion sit in that chair, while he stood to the side.
Without Talia’s permission, he would never touch her personal belongings—such as entering her bedroom or using her recliner.
Moonlight and starlight streamed through the skylight, mingling with the soft yellow glow of the lamps that lit the wooden beams and shelves. The aroma diffuser on the dresser released layered scents of milk, magnolia, and brandy.“Talia’s home… it makes one feel so at ease,” Huperion murmured, gazing at the sky above Ikerite.
Even now, recalling the uncanny resemblance, she felt that if Talia and the Great Poet stood side by side, they would be indistinguishable twins.
Perhaps because she had spent so much time with the Great Poet, Huperion felt a strange warmth of familiarity in her heart when looking at Talia.
“This is the reliability of an older woman,” Lan Qi said with a smile.
But the next instant, hearing the sound of a key turning in the lock, the elegance he had carried like a butler instantly vanished, and he quickly pretended he hadn’t been chatting with Huperion.
Talia opened the door, her golden eyes sweeping over the slightly nervous Huperion seated in the chair, and then over the properly-behaved Lan Qi.
“……”
It seemed another chair would be needed at home.
Talia pondered briefly.
She didn’t stare at Huperion for long—she didn’t want Lan Qi to notice anything.
Although she sometimes fantasized about Huperion living here, she knew it wasn’t realistic.
A duke’s daughter could never casually stay in a stranger woman’s home.
Most likely, tonight they had simply come to ask her something—or perhaps it was about the last incident in the Shadow World.
But now that she had met Huperion, there would be opportunities to get closer, little by little, until she visited often.
“What do you want from me?” Talia asked, her tone as always without question intonation.
“My classmate has been targeted by an assassin. Talia, can you protect her? Because the source of my intel isn’t through normal channels—I can only rely on you.”
Lan Qi always spoke plainly with Talia; after all, he couldn’t lie.
“How do you want me to protect her?”
Talia found it strange—how was it that this boy always seemed to foresee danger?
She still hadn’t figured out who had tried to kill Lan Qi back then.
And now he was saying someone wanted to kill Huperion.
And when tested—it was the truth.
“Let her live here for a while. At most, two weeks.”
Lan Qi’s eyes were earnest as he pleaded.
Talia froze for a moment.
Had she misheard?
But soon she regained her composure.
“What’s in it for me?”
Her tone remained cold.
If she agreed unconditionally, Lan Qi would grow suspicious—so she had to at least make it sound like a deal.
No matter what he promised, she could simply accept later.
Ever since meeting Lan Qi, her life had been one stroke of fortune after another.
Even doing nothing at home, good things kept happening.
Was this what humans called “happiness”?
“……”
Lan Qi studied her carefully without answering immediately.
Her reaction was better than expected.
If she wanted to negotiate instead of outright refusing, it meant she wasn’t against it—so long as the “price” was right.
“…Though I can’t make it happen immediately, if you protect Huperion, you’ll earn the friendship of House Aransal. Within two years, you will be an honored guest, an advisor to the ducal house.”
Lan Qi spoke on Huperion’s behalf.
The favor of a duke’s family could not be measured in gold.
So long as the duke returned—or Huperion could inherit the title.
“I swear it, in the name of House Aransal, Talia,” Huperion said solemnly, bowing respectfully.
Talia simply looked at them, silent.
She didn’t know what kind of trouble Huperion had run into to make them beg her like this.
And she understood even less why Lan Qi—this reckless boy—seemed determined to throw himself into a storm to recover Duke Migaya.
Lan Qi didn’t know.
But she too had long been searching—for her important younger sister.
After meeting Lan Qi, she had stumbled across traces of her sister Ifatia through his Shadow World trials—a half-demon girl who resembled her sister: Huperion.
After secretly observing her, Talia was certain: Huperion was Ifatia’s daughter.
For Talia, who once saw no hope, this discovery gave her a vital goal.
But Lan Qi wasn’t stopping there. He even seemed intent on reuniting the entire ducal house.
If she let him continue his search…
Maybe she could simply enjoy her cozy, melting life in Ikerite, and Lan Qi would find her sister for her.
“Talia, I will do everything in my power to make that promise real,” Lan Qi added, when he saw she remained unmoved.
“……”
At his words, Talia averted her eyes.
Her gaze was filled with tangled emotions: gratitude, confusion, tenderness—and resentment.
She was grateful for the fortune Lan Qi had brought her.
But she absolutely did not want to be entangled too deeply with a human.
Finally, she calmed herself.
“Let’s go.”
Talia stood up.
“…So it’s not possible after all…”
Huperion, who had been nervously waiting, deflated like a balloon.
Sure enough—asking a demon to shelter in her home, even if she were Lan Qi’s teacher, was too much to ask.
“Go to school and fetch your clothes. Also, buy some daily necessities and bedding. I only have one quilt.”
Talia walked to the door, hand on the handle, speaking lightly.
“Thank you… Talia…” Huperion whispered in a daze.
She had expected Talia, from Lan Qi’s descriptions, to be terrifying. Who would have thought she’d be so gentle?
“…?”
Lan Qi, who had already been planning his next move, froze in shock.
That single, stubborn, centuries-old demon woman who could never marry—was she really this agreeable?
She was actually letting Huperion stay here—and even sharing her bed, rather than making her sleep on the floor or couch!
As he thought this, he pulled out the 【Great Poet】 card, frowning at it to confirm he wasn’t being tricked by a fake Talia.
“……”
But Talia noticed.
She turned, glaring at him.
And what exactly did this brat mean, pulling out the 【Great Poet】 card right now?
He might look innocent on the surface, but in his heart he was definitely thinking a thousand damned things!
One day, she would read his thoughts.
And when that day came, he’d better not let her catch him!