Chapter 7 : It is the role of adults to trust children .

Dantalion stared at the mirror stained with darkness.

He tilted his head, tapped the mirror, and then glanced at Citrie.

Still, the image inside the mirror did not change.

The spiritual entity had fainted under the weight of Dantalion’s presence, so it was no surprise that the reflection remained still.

“This is troublesome.

I still had something to say.”

Eventually, Dantalion resigned to the outcome and leaned back into the sofa.

Citrie moved the mirror to the corner and spoke.

“Still, you did say not to make a mess by yourself.”

“Did you really need to interpret it that way?”

“Well, young demons tend to be straightforward these days.”

You’re not really a young demon, though.

After a brief hesitation, Dantalion swallowed the words he was about to speak.

Though Citrie’s tone was a bit off, she was a diligent and capable subordinate.

Dantalion wasn’t someone who would speak just to provoke others, even though he knew it would make them sulk.

He glanced up at the ceiling and snapped his fingers.

“Citrie, could you bring me a coffee?”

“Which one would you like?”

“Why ask?

Just bring the usual.”

“Well…”

Snap!

As Citrie snapped her fingers, the shadow around them stretched.

From within the shadows, she pulled out a can of coffee and a cigarette and threw them to Dantalion.

Her ability to assess her superior’s preferences and prepare the right items was a testament to her skill.

She was an exemplary secretary.

“You’re thinking something strange right now, aren’t you?”

“I was just thinking my secretary is truly excellent.”

“It feels a bit odd…”

After glaring at Dantalion for a moment, Citrie left the office.

Dantalion, who had gotten up from the sofa, headed toward the window.

Instead of the black sun, the rain falling today was a blood-red hue.

As he listened to the sound of the rain tapping against the window, he poured the coffee over his skin.

The sweetness soaked in, and his tension eased, calming his mind.

‘I must have been too worried. Joanna turned out to be more upright than I expected.’

Citrie’s words about making her a judge came to mind.

A judge should never allow personal feelings when judging a criminal.

To weigh sins with a tilted scale goes against the laws of Hell.

In that sense, Citrie’s eyes had pierced through Joanna’s essence.

‘Unwavering beliefs are like a compass for life.’

Dantalion had often seen such individuals while judging criminals.

People who, because of their firm beliefs, fell into Hell but never regretted it.

Among such individuals, some were irredeemable trash, but usually, when their good deeds and bad deeds were weighed on the scale, they were often found innocent.

‘I can’t say for sure yet whether Joanna is that kind of tough character.’

But there’s no denying that she shows potential.

‘Still, something’s bothering me.’

Just as Dantalion felt a sense of déjà vu, he pulled out a cigarette.

He felt like he had completed something, but there was an annoying feeling, like a flaw remaining.

Just as he was getting closer to the reason for his unease,

Suddenly!

“Oh, right! Today, there are exactly 51,231 trials!”

Instead of replying, Dantalion shoved the cigarette into his mouth.

His original intention to discourage Joanna from taking lives vanished, lost to the smoke.

Well, it was probably too late for that anyway.

A new family member had joined Joanna’s household.

Since it was a newlywed home, it was naturally the fruit of Mesella and Clove’s love—

“Caak!”

“Oh my, is the walk already over?

I prepared some soft chicken for you!”

…But it wasn’t a child; it was a crow.

It had been less than two years since their wedding, and if they had a child, that would be surprising in itself, wouldn’t it?

The crow flew in through the window and boldly demanded food.

With a playful step, the crow entered the window and headed for the food bowl.

Breakfast that morning had been chicken torn into small pieces.

‘Human! Today’s offering is excellent!!’

With that meaning in mind, the crow cawed.

Though it had no great power yet, as a spiritual being, its intelligence was no different from that of a human.

Its arrogance, referring to the human as “the one who feeds” and “offering,” was somewhat comical…

“Nuahr, eat well.”

“Caaak!”

Of course, Mesella had no way of understanding the crow, Nuahr’s words.

By the way, the name Nuahr, derived from ancient empire language, meant “black,” so it could be roughly understood as “the black one.”

Mesella, who had been watching Nuahr eat for a while, then prepared breakfast on the table.

Mashed potatoes, sandwiches with eggs stuffed inside, and sausages mixed with herbs made up the morning meal.

“Mm~ The smell of food is always so wonderful.”

Clove and Joanna, finished with their morning routines, came down to the first floor.

The family of three—now four—gathered to start their meal together.

As usual, Joanna and Clove devoured their food, but…

“Father.”

“Hm?

What is it, Joanna?”

Unlike usual, Joanna left a piece of sandwich uneaten and spoke.

Clove, swallowing the sandwich in his mouth, looked at her.

Usually, when it came to food, Joanna was focused, so what could have made her call him?

“I want to enroll in the academy.”

“The academy, you say?”

The Academy.

A prestigious institution supported by the Empire, a cradle of learning that accepted all, regardless of status.

Since it received the Empire’s backing, graduates had a smooth path ahead of them.

But Clove couldn’t nod his head in agreement right away.

‘Most people’s admiration for the academy is just an illusion.’

 Clove himself had graduated from the academy, an elite.

However, if asked whether he had enjoyed that time, the answer was no.

Could he endure being crushed under the weight of his status? He had managed it.

Born as a commoner, his flexibility had helped him.

Bowing down wasn’t an embarrassing thing; after all, Joanna was the daughter of a knight, so she likely had a much easier time.

What Clove was genuinely concerned about, however, was something else.

‘Those born into noble families, eating well and receiving the best education, have a different starting point from the beginning.’

The feeling of helplessness, which came from the knowledge that they were already at a different starting point in life.

He knew Joanna was talented, but he worried that, because of that talent, she might despair even more severely.

That concern made Clove uneasy.

“Can you tell me why you want to go to the academy?”

Clove, putting down his fork and knife, asked in a serious tone.

The heavier atmosphere made Joanna cautiously respond.

“Do I have to tell you?”

“Yes.

You might not understand, but I am the head of this family.

As the head, I have the responsibility to take care of the family.”

Though still young, he was the head of the family.

He had no intention of blocking Joanna’s education, but the academy wasn’t necessarily a bright, hopeful place.

If Joanna had decided to go to the academy thinking it was a place of dreams and hope, Clove, as the head of the family, would stop her.

Feeling his sincerity, Joanna carefully opened up.

“I know what you’re worried about. I also know that the academy isn’t just full of dreams and hope.”

“Even so, you still want to go?

As a father, I feel awkward saying this, but… it will be tough.”

“Yes, because it’s the fastest way to help many people.”

Clove flinched.

Without a word, he stared at Joanna.

He had often thought that Joanna wasn’t like other children.

He had sometimes thought that losing her biological father early had made her more mature.

But sometimes, Clove thought this:‘Isn’t this child special?’

It was said that old heroes had different beginnings from birth.

Maybe, as the head of the family, he was hindering her growth.

After a moment of thought, Clove asked one final question.

“Many people may hate you for no reason.”

“It’s okay.”

“Sometimes, the world will feel unfair.”

“I’ve felt that way deeply.”

“The world may seem like an insurmountable wall.”

“I won’t give up without even trying to climb it.”

Joanna and Clove met each other’s gaze.

Both of them were unwavering, creating a tense atmosphere.

“Phew… You’re definitely my daughter, just like my childhood.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said.”

Clove chuckled and smiled as he shoved the last piece of sandwich into his mouth.

 After chewing a few times, he swallowed the sandwich and stood up, speaking.

“I’ll try to get an academy recommendation letter.”

“Do you think it’s possible to get into the academy?”

“…Isn’t that a bit too greedy?”

Clove looked at Joanna with a slightly displeased expression.

Out of all the many academies, only a few were as difficult to enter as the Royal Academy.

Had his father passed down a harsh request?

“Hmm… If I talk to my old teacher, I might be able to get a recommendation letter.

But don’t get your hopes up too high.”

Still, Clove readily accepted.

It wasn’t something impossible, and he didn’t want to refuse his daughter’s request.

In the end, Clove was a generous person.

From early in the morning, Mesella was busy handling household chores with a beaming smile on her face.

Though the atmosphere had been somewhat heavy, she could sense that the relationship between the two had progressed a little.

Perhaps that’s why the housework went by so quickly today.

“Hmm~

Which church should I visit today?”

Mesella filled the basket she had prepared in advance with bread, fruit, and cookies.

All of them were snacks to give to the children at the orphanage.

Not wanting to embarrass her husband, she dressed herself modestly and grabbed the basket before opening the kitchen door.

At that moment, Joanna, who had been waiting by the door, poked her head in.

“I want to go too.”

“Gah!?”

Mesella, startled, dropped the basket.

Joanna skillfully caught it and tilted her head.

She thought it might be a little surprising, but wasn’t Mesella reacting too much?

With her legs trembling, Mesella gasped for air and thought to herself,

‘Ah, I thought my nightmare had come true.’

Joanna might not know, but sometimes Mesella had nightmares about her.

They were usually dreams where Joanna would kill her after she became useless.

Taking a deep breath to calm her heart, Mesella slowly rose to her feet with trembling arms.

“J-Joanna?

Why are you suddenly going to the orphanage with us?”

“You father already gave in.

I should do something to make him happy, at least once.”

 Mesella sighed in relief at Joanna’s unexpectedly normal response.

It seemed that Joanna had remembered her husband’s suggestion to visit the church and possibly make some friends.

Mesella, regaining her composure, handed the basket to Joanna and asked,

“You’re thinking of making friends at church, right?”

“Something like that. I’m trying to find people who share similar values.”

“Ah, you mean what you said at dinner.”

Mesella recalled Joanna’s words about wanting to help many people.

She was sure Joanna had meant it in that context, but…

“Something like that.”

“…” Something about it felt a bit unsettling.