Early morning, at home.
As his wife, Claudia stood before the dressing mirror, patiently straightening the clothes of her husband, who was about to head out, smoothing the wrinkles from the surface of his black clerical robes.
The man in the mirror wore a long coat that fell straight down. His posture was fit and upright, his stern features emphasizing the dignity of a clergyman, while his calm, unruffled eyes brimmed with profound darkness.
Perhaps only when he slept would that face shed its icy shell and reveal the innocence of a child once more.
Standing behind Kirei Kotomine, Claudia carefully studied her husband and could not help becoming somewhat captivated.
Though she had seen this face and this figure countless times, she had never grown tired of them. Each observation always brought some new discovery.
There was no doubt that she deeply loved this man, doting on him as though he were a child.
It was just...
The woman gazed at the lifeless coldness and suffocating gloom in the mirror, letting out a faint sigh.
"What is it?"
Kirei Kotomine noticed something unusual about his wife, his brow faintly drawing together.
"It's nothing..."
Claudia gently shook her head and gathered her thoughts. Her slender hands wrapped around her husband's waist, her pale cheek lightly resting against his broad shoulder. She lingered there fondly for a moment before reluctantly letting go and whispering softly into his ear.
"Darling, be careful. Remember to come home early for dinner tonight."
"Mm..."
Kirei Kotomine paused at the doorway. He seemed as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely nodded indifferently, gave a subdued hum, and stepped out of the house.
The courtyard was unusually quiet. Their daughter's nursery, as well as the guest room beside it, were both