"—So, basically."
"That's what happened."
A crystal chandelier hung from the lofty ceiling of the mansion's dining room. Hundreds of flawless crystals refracted dazzling radiance beneath the lights. The polished marble floor reflected the silhouettes of the three people seated side by side at the dining table. Their faintly swaying figures suggested that none of them was free from anxiety.
After more than ten minutes of explanation.
Lanchi sat between Talia and Sigrid and told them the whole story.
"So the Dimensional Bishop happened to receive an important commission to help you find your fiancée, and he happened to think the two of us were a good match. So he wanted to surprise us and introduced me to you?"
After seriously listening to Lanchi finish his story, Sigrid's expression eased slightly.
"That Toliado..."
Talia muttered through clenched teeth.
If Toliado had simply helped her deliver a girl who resembled Sigrid, she might have thanked her old demon friend.
But the problem was that this woman had not been delivered to her. She had been given to Lanchi as his wife. That was unforgivable.
"I originally thought that since neither the Allied Forces nor the Dimensional Branch had managed to introduce a candidate for a fake fiancée, I'd have Tata cover for me. But I'd just returned from the Shadow World today, and halfway through contacting Toliado, he was arrested. It was a serious handover failure. I failed to receive you properly and failed to explain things to Tata in advance. It was all my fault."
Lanchi solemnly shook his head and sincerely apologized to both of them.
He rested his hand on the edge of the fine Walnut Wood dining table. Its sharp edges were clearly defined, while the tabletop was covered with an immaculate Lace Tablecloth whose intricate patterns