***

What kind of bird is that talkative?

‘Reinhardt doesn’t seem to hear the spirit’s voice.’

Last time and this time as well, there was no response. It might be better this way.

She doesn’t know if spirits can die, but it is better this way as the hawk might get destroyed for being so noisy.

-I’ve been summoned and sent back dozens of times even though you’re not a contractor, and this time you’re summoning a different spirit! You have no conscience! This is the first time in my life that I’ve seen someone treat a spirit like this! How dare you summon me like this and turn your eyes away from me!

‘Dozen times…’

There was no exageration. In other words, Jin must have caught her trying to summon a different spirit.

Valletta understood what he wanted without any difficulty.

“… Uhm, sorry.”

She apologized politely.

She honestly felt that she was losing her soul as she heard all this nagging that was bombarding her dazed mind.

-Hmph, you probably called me this time to properly fulfill the contract.

Jin glanced at Reinhardt and moved away from him.

Reinhardt smiled as he looked at Jin stepped back.

“Clean the air here. I want you to get all the impure things out,” Valletta commanded.

-Good. The payment?

“I’ll give you my blood…”

“You can’t. Master.”

Reinhardt stopped Valletta’s mouth with his words and a smile.

“If you’re going to give blood to that little chick, give it to me instead. I will lick and eat it without leaving anything behind.”

“… What are you going to do with my blood?”

“I thought it would be delicious.”

Valletta’s face turned ugly.

Reinhardt smiled softly. She looked at Jin with troubled eyes. At some point, Jin had already moved far away.

‘… The spirit is afraid of Reinhardt.’

It is actually understandable that he was terrified. Since he was treated like that the first time they met.

Reinhardt still looked at Jin with a smile.

Of course, only the corner of his mouth was drawing an arc, his gaze was cold.

The colorless and transparent hawk’s neck shook once.

-… Then, I’ll do it as a service.

Jin, who glanced at Reinhardt, hesitated and said to Valletta.

“Is there something like that?”

-…

Jin didn’t answer.

He glanced at Reinhardt, then spread his wings and flapped them as hard as he could.

A gust of wind appeared from a deep part of the aisle, brushing against Valletta and Reinhardt, and exited through the door behind them.

Reinhardt tightly held Valletta who staggered against the wind. Covering her tightly closed eyes with his hand, Reinhardt raised his head and looked at Jin.

Jin trembled at that cold, emotionless gaze, and abruptly backed away.

At that moment, the sound of a sword being drawn was heard outside.

“Looks like there is someone inside!”

“Catch them immediately! We need to find clues about Lady Delight.”

At the sound of a familiar voice, Valletta’s expression was filled with dismay. At the same time, the smile on Reinhardt’s face disappeared.

“Those intruders inside, I will let you surrender! I’m Milrode Slaines, the officer in command for the investigation into Count Delight’s annihilation incident!”

Valletta touched her forehead at the stern voice. It was the Crown Prince who was still engaged to Valletta.

‘How did he know about this place?’

Are there any documents left?

Of course, Valletta didn’t see Count Delight’s work, and she couldn’t guarantee that he didn’t have any papers.

However, she did not know that they would meet again like this here.

‘… This one is annoying, but that one is annoying too.’

In regard to her engagement, she was definitely resolving it. But the situation is a little vague.

“Can I kill them, Master?”

“Don’t make things complicated for nothing.”

“Don’t worry, I can kill them without complicating anything.”

Reinhardt said while smiling.

She was well aware that he has such an ability. However, they have yet to release the prisoners.

After thinking for a while, Valletta decided to ignore the people outside.

She determined that it would be faster if the slaves were to be released first, and the situation outside could be monitored.

It became even more noisy outside.

Valletta took the key from the guard outside.

Reinhardt glanced at her hand and smiled bitterly.

If she would just give him a command, with a single snap of his finger, he could turn the building, as well as the prisons, into dust.

However, she refuses to use him. He could feel his stomach start to twist inside.

Reinhardt reached out and grabbed Valletta’s wrist.

“Master, command me.”

“I am not your master.”

“Then, are you going to open all these prisons one by one? Or are you going to use that stupid bird to blow up the whole building?”

Contrary to his gentle smile and his eye smile, he hit the nail on the head. Valletta shut her mouth.

He was right. The people from outside were about to rush in, and she was running out of time.

Reinhardt kissed the back of her hand.

Valletta took a step back, narrowing her brow.

It was hard to get used to his ethereal appearance, smiling brightly right in front of her.

‘… Is there no other way?’

She gently swept her face with her palm. Soon, after a deep breath, she slowly opened her mouth.

“Open the prison door.”

“Who are you asking?”

“What?”

“You have to say my name properly, Master. If you don’t tell me for sure, I won’t know if Master is giving orders or not.”

The wind thickened due to his whispering voice.

She glanced at Reinhardt once and then clicked her tongue. Just why the hell is he so obsessed with names?

“… Reinhardt.”

A deep smile appeared on his lips as he clearly heard Valletta’s low voice.

Soon, his eyes glowed even redder.

He didn’t even need to snap a finger. As his eyes were dyed red, a reaction appeared immediately.

Tang! Tang! Tang!

The locks exploded in succession with the sound of iron twisting.

The iron that hit everywhere was threatening. One of the iron locks bounced off the wall and bounced right in front of Valletta’s nose.

Reinhardt lightly stood in front of Valletta.

When he snapped his finger, the flying iron turned to powder and burned completely away, disappearing without leaving a trace.

He turned around and smiled sweetly.

“You didn’t get hurt, right?”

Reinhardt carefully stroked Valletta’s hair. She nodded her head.

There were slaves who hesitated to leave the prison, while there were slaves who hesitated to come out even though the door was opened.

“The Master who caught you is dead. You’re free, go out through the backdoor and live as you please.”

At Valletta’s words, the slaves continued to hesitate.

The newly captured slaves soon realized the truth of her words and hurriedly ran away.

Those who did not move were only children or those who were too enslaved to live alone.

‘I’ve done enough.’

She couldn’t afford to take responsibility for these people. She quickly turned her head away indifferently.

The entrance was very noisy.

“We are going in!”

In the end, the commotion inside seemed to have forced the guards outside to forcefully break through.

Reinhardt smiled leisurely and looked at Valletta’s expression.

“What should I do, Master? Kill them all? Or… should I let them live?”

Reinhardt, who asked her in a low voice, was watching her with his eyes. Valletta didn’t want to get involved in their fight.

Nor does she want to follow him back to the tower.

“I’m not going back to the tower with you.”

“That is not for Master to decide.”

Reinhardt smiled kindly and said. Valletta clenched her fists at his soothing voice.

She really wanted to punch him in the face.

“I am your master, and you are my master as well. It was like that from the beginning. Because in that mansion the only person who understood you was me, and the only person who understood me was you.”

At Reinhardt’s words, Valletta lost her words for a moment.

“You may give me any orders, but don’t try to get away from me. You make me want to chain you up and lock you away in a cage so you can’t go anywhere.”

Reinhardt gently swept her wrist with his thumb.

As Valletta flinched and tried to take a step back, he smiled, pressing painlessly against the center of her wrist.

She was so lovely that he wanted to swallow her up.

Reinhardt looked at her and thought.

Bang! At that moment, the tightly closed door opened.

To be exact, Reinhardt used magic to block it tightly. Light leaked into the dark basement.

It wouldn’t open if he didn’t allow it, yet it did.

‘They must have a priest.’

Reinhardt’s eyes narrowed.