At lunchtime, steaming stew was served on the table. The fae gathered around the dining table eagerly dug in.
Samael looked around, his gaze falling on the empty seat at the end of the table. He frowned and asked,
"Strange. Where's Merlutsyn?"
"Maybe my rudeness scared her just now, so she hid back in her room..."
Barghest, who had been eating with gusto, immediately set down her huge bowl at those words. She scratched her head, a trace of unease appearing on her face, along with slight gloom and distress.
"You're overthinking it. It's just her nature. Dragonkind is generally rather solitary and prefers living alone."
"I see. That's good, then. But it'd be such a shame to miss out on something this delicious. I'll bring Merlutsyn some food."
Samael casually reassured her. Big-hearted Barghest quickly accepted the explanation and volunteered to help.
"No need. Eat in peace, I'll go. Otherwise, you won't even have any meat left—you'll only get potatoes."
As he spoke, Samael turned and took out a set of utensils from the cupboard, dished out a separate portion, and teased her with a smile.
Seeing the reddish-brown stew rapidly disappearing from the basin, along with the chunks of potatoes beneath it, Barghest faced a great enemy and nodded solemnly.
Leaving the living room, Samael crossed the corridor and arrived outside Merlutsyn's door.
However, the open door and empty room both showed that the girl was not inside.
After failing to find her, Samael lightly closed his eyes, spread out his divine sense slightly, and raised his gaze toward the roof.
"What are you doing sitting here?"
On the empty, silent eaves, Merlutsyn sat in the corner, staring forty-five degrees up at the sky. Hearing the sound, her muscles tensed at once. Only after seeing who had come