Silence.

That was the only reaction the two had after seeing a massive creature floating in the ocean.

The sound of the waves, the sea breeze caressing their skin, and the cries of the seagulls. As the sun's rays fell upon the coastal city as if the entire world were at peace, the residents walked about the streets.

"Orion!"

A blonde woman rushed out of the front door of the castle that stood majestically behind them, and threw herself at his back gently.

Hearing the gentle voice of his friend and lover, Orion glanced at Olivia, who rubbed her cheeks against his clothes.

"Olivia."

For a moment, Orion smiled, before a strange feeling took over him. With confusion, he looked at her shoulder.

'The magic I placed on her is gone?'

Orion recalled hearing through the linked portal that she personally dealt with the army, but thereafter, he was unable to recall hearing anything from her. The same could be said with May and Deveralna.

'When have I...'

That's when he remembered.

'When Miasma appeared in front of us. I was too focused to notice.'

With a faint smile, he closed his eyes and placed a hand on Olivia's head.

"Thank the world, you're safe and sound."

Olivia removed her face from his back, and looked at him with a serious expression. Her gaze shifted to Henrietta, who was unable to remove her eyes from the marine creature.

"What happened?"

Hearing the words coming out of her mouth, Henrietta turned her face away, biting her lower lips.

"Nothing escapes you."

Orion caressed her hair for a moment, appeasing the raging feeling in his heart.

"Of course. Henrietta wouldn't be here otherwise. They've been found out?"

"..."

"Worse. Let's move inside, I'll tell you after waking Amelia."

His tone wasn't the usual to Olivia. She looked into his eyes, and noticed a shadow that wasn't there before.

A bitterness that slowly crept into his soul, eating at his core.

Her demon blood boiled, as the desire to remove his pain became stronger each passing seconds.

"Alright. Follow me."

She gently removed his hand caressing her hair, and turned around while holding it.

Orion firmly grabbed her hand, feeling her worries through her voice. With Henrietta, they entered the castle, and walked inside its long corridors.

A few minutes later, they arrived in front of a room.

"Marie, I'm coming in."

After knocking on the door and announcing herself, she entered.

Most of the maid squad were inside the room, with two sent to fetch a drink after seeing the guests from the windows.

"How is she doing?"

The maid bent lightly at the arrival of their master, before straightening. Marie placed her finger in front of a strand of hair bothering her, and dragged it behind her ear.

"She is perfectly healthy. There is nothing wrong with her currently."

"If there was one element worrisome, it is that she is exhausted, hence her condition."

Orion walked in front of Olivia, still holding her hand. The two walked past the head maid, who recoiled by instinct at his approach.

'Why did I...?'

Confused, she blinked, before looking at him. Orion, who noticed it, smiled warmly and nodded to appease the woman.

He continued past her, and stopped next to the bed. His eyes scanned Amelia's body from head to toe.

'There is indeed nothing going on physically. They weren't lying.'

While gazing at Amelia's sleeping state, he opened his mouth.

"You have my thanks. Giving her such a comfortable bed and watching over her."

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The maids all blinked as their gazes focused on him. They weren't expecting anything from him in that situation, as it was simply an order from their master.

Yet, inside, they felt appreciated. Few people thanked them for the hard work they did, where even the citizens of Noctelagia barely had the chance to talk to them.

To say that they didn't care about others apart from their master was no lie, but nonetheless, his appreciative words changed the view they had of him.

Olivia smiled next to him, looking at the side of his face.

'Even in these circumstances, he is kind to everyone. It wasn't a mistake to fall for him.'

As she thought that, Orion placed his right hand, which was free, over Amelia's forehead. He placed his index finger on it, releasing a faint white light that permeated inside her.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

Removing the exhaustion from her muscles and the strain on her brain, Orion smiled as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Who're you calling a sleepyhead?"

Wiping her eyes with a smile, she sat in bed while yawning.

"Where am I?"

Her eyes then examined the room. She noticed twenty-five maids, Olivia, Orion, and... her mother.

"Mom?!"

She hurriedly stepped out of the bed, and ran to Henrietta. With a concerned expression, she grabbed her hands and clenched them.

"Are you alright? If you're here, then..."

She glanced over her shoulder, and looked at Orion, who nodded.

"We've lost Tetra."

Silence fell inside the room.

...

"Damn it!"

Amelia slammed her left fist into the wall, leaving a large dent that spread cracks all around it.

"..."

With a tearful and distressed face, Olivia clenched her fists, not knowing what to do with herself. Appearing calm, inside, all she wanted was to cry.

"Fuck!"

Turning around, seething from anger, Amelia walked to Orion.

"We're making him pay, right?! We won't let him go further after what he's done!"

"We share the same feelings. That's why I'm asking you to settle down. If you don't, forget about Miasma."

"..."

Orion received the entirety of her wrath as she glared at him. Despite that, he never looked away.

Seeing the blood dripping from her clenched fist flow toward the ground, he gently pulled her arm and placed his free hand over it.

Feeling the warm light remove the pain and close her torn skin made her reflect on her actions.

"I... I'm sorry."

She placed her other hand on her face, and looked down.

"I didn't mean to lash at you."

"I know."

Orion placed his hand behind her head, and pulled her in his embrace. Sticking her face into his chest, she wrapped her hands around his back and squeezed his back.

"We'll simply have to send those feelings toward Miasma, and properly send Tetra off after everything is done."

The maid opened their mouths wide open at the sight of Orion's gaze. The only one unable to see it was Amelia, yet, she wasn't oblivious to it.

'It might be even harder for him...'

'Tetra was a part of our family at this point. She possessed a piece of his heart, and now that she's gone, he needs to fill the hole.'

Amelia contained her tears, and removed her face to look into his eyes.

Orion and Amelia stared into each other's eyes with the same expression.

Hatred, and determination.

As they nodded to each other without saying a word, they broke off.

"It's settled then."

"I'll go with you."

She walked past him and sat on the bed, crossing her legs and placing her elbow on her knees.

Then, she stayed quiet for the rest of the conversation.

Orion understood that she had to carefully work around her feelings, to avoid becoming a liability in battle, so, he let her be.

Suddenly, the pressure around him and Amelia subsided, finally giving room for the others to breathe.

"You two are dangerous... I'm glad to be on your side."

Olivia walked in front of him, and smiled dryly.

"For that, there's nothing I can do. But I can at least tell you one thing."

His gaze fell on everyone in the room. The twenty-seven maids, Henrietta, and Olivia.

"None of the people in this room is in danger. On the contrary, I will do everything to protect you."

Marie stepped forward.

"Even us? While you don't know a single thing about us?"

Seeing the woman walk forward with a concerned expression, Orion nodded.

"Even you."

Orion stepped in front of her with loud steps, releasing his powerful aura. The point wasn't to scare the maids, but to make a point.

"And I know more about you all than you think."

Looking up into his deep gray eyes, she understood why Olivia succumbed to his charm.

'Those eyes... aren't the eyes of a killer.'

She knew what his gaze represented, and what his power was meant to be used against. She simply couldn't accept it before, afraid for her master's safety around this man.

"People who share Olivia's ideals are the ones I wish to protect. The twenty-seven of you defended this city, with nothing in return. At her order, you are ready to place your life on the scale."

"I always believed that humans were weak-willed, easy to corrupt. Frail and pitiful, yet managing the feet of mastering magic."

"Even though I hate humans, I do not despise you. You have thrown your pride as humans and entered the entourage of a demon. Your dedication to pursue what is just in your hearts is none but praiseworthy."

The maids, who were feeling threatened a moment ago, looked up to the man who understood them with respect.

"That is why, you are part of the group I will defend until the end. You have protected Olivia until now, and for that, you have my respect."

He put a lid on the aura he was releasing, making the room normal again.

"Orion, please don't seduce my maids."

With a serious expression, Olivia glared at him. Orion glanced toward her, and smiled faintly.

"That wasn't my intention. I simply wanted them to know how I felt about them as a group."

She sighed, looking at the women intently.

'...'

Each one of them was carefully checked, until Olivia closed her eyes.

'Seems like it was an overreaction on my part.'

All she could see in them was admiration and respect. Maybe a few of them looked flushed, but she knew none of them were interested romantically in him. But...

It was just Marie, who looked at Orion with an entirely different gaze. Far greater than admiration, and stronger than respect.

Her mind idolized Orion, as if he had become a divine being. Still, that changed nothing apart from the perception she had of him.

Olivia opened her eyes, and called out to the maid.

"Marie. Is there something you want to add?"

"No. I understood without fault."

The woman bowed in front of Orion, before taking a step back into her original spot. She then looked at Olivia, nodding to her that she wouldn't interrupt again.

For the first time in since forming this maid squad had she seen these women respect someone besides herself.

And, she was all for it. It meant that Orion was accepted by them entirely. The only thing she refused was for them to fall in love with him.

On the other hand, she knew that they would probably never lead a normal life anymore. Their 'quirks' were a little too difficult to handle for normal people, and it was far too late to bother with love.

As she nodded in response to her trusted maid, Orion walked to the window.

"I know everything that happened during the invasion. What I don't know..."

"Is what that creature is."

His eyes fell on the floating monster, far into the sea.

"Ah..."

All the maids opened their mouth and looked at Olivia, who scratched her head.

"It's... right. A little something happened."

Olivia began to explain what happened after pushing back the three false Corrupted Lord, starting with the appearance of this gigantic sea monster.