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Holding her breath, Ekaterina looked once more at the window.

Night in this world was utterly different from the glittering Tokyo skyline of her previous life. Night here meant darkness, and light came only from the moon and stars. That was the world’s default.
Precisely because of that, the moonlight felt far brighter than in her previous life. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the silhouette of a black bird of prey outlined in moonlight, and to its red-glowing eyes.

“Esteemed Demon Dragon King…!?”

Startled, Ekaterina sprang to her feet. Throwing a shawl over her nightdress, she hurried to the window and opened it.

Perched upon the outer frame of the large window from which she had waved to the people was the black raptor.

The moment she recognized it, the bird vanished. In its place—

In human form, Vladforen sat gracefully upon the window frame, long legs leisurely crossed, his body angled toward the inside of the room.

.

“It has been a while.”

Crimson flame-like eyes lifted toward Ekaterina with a smile in them.

“Y-yes, it has indeed been some time.”

She answered reflexively, then abruptly came back to herself.
She stood by the window, and Vladforen—though on the window frame—was seated facing into the room. Essentially, he was inside.
At night, alone in the same room with a man. For a noble young lady, a fatal scandal. You’re up to no good, madam. Okay, no jokes, me.
More importantly, he’s close. Far too close.

“I am honored by your visit, however… to step into a young woman’s bedchamber at such an hour runs contrary to our customs.”
“I assumed as much.”

Vladforen spoke calmly.

“But I wished to speak with you.”

Without thinking, Ekaterina met his eyes—and hurriedly looked away.
As beautiful as ever! Too beautiful to look at directly.

“My territory is this great northern forest. You will soon depart from it, will you not? Before that, I wished to see your form and hear your voice… But if I came where others were present, I thought it would cause an uproar.”

…Well, I mean..
Yes… if this person appeared where my brother or the prince were present, it would become absolute chaos.
That said, this is problematic in its own way.

“I am grateful for your consideration. However, if anyone were to see this, my reputation would fall to the ground and bring disgrace upon my house. If that were to happen, how deeply my brother would grieve.”

More like my brother would challenge the Demon Dragon King to a duel and trigger a localized ice age.

Though worrying like a proper brocon, Ekaterina fully understood this would be a scandal—yet she entirely lacked a sense of danger about being alone with a man. In her previous life as a systems engineer, being alone late at night in a sealed room with a male colleague—namely a server room—had not been unusual at all.

“As ever, your brother is what matters most to you?”
“Of course!”

When Ekaterina declared that proudly, Vladforen laughed.
Then he lightly stepped over the window frame and stood outside the window.

“I have concealed my presence so as not to be hindered by your guards. And to others, I appear in the form of a bird. Your honor should not be harmed… but I will respect your wish. This way, I have not set foot inside.”

Involuntarily, Ekaterina peered at his feet. Of course, there was nothing there. Vladforen stood effortlessly upon empty air.

Come to think of it, the first time he took human form he positioned himself like this too. How is he floating, really? So mysterious. And how does he appear as a bird to others? What is the mechanism?

Vladforen narrowed his crimson eyes and gave a soft chuckle.

“I once saw a man in love call to a woman from outside her window like this. It seems I am imitating humans quite thoroughly.”

You’re floating in midair, which already disqualifies you from being human… she thought, but could hardly say aloud. Then suddenly, this situation felt familiar, and she searched her memory.

Ah… I remember. Romeo and Juliet…
No, that was a balcony. There is no balcony here. And there are plenty of other differences. Don’t think about things that make you freeze, self. Don’t think about being called a spouse. On hold!

…Even with such consideration, this is still improper for a young lady.
Even so, though this is interspecies communication, he is clearly trying as much as possible to meet her within human norms. If he wished, he could easily abduct her by force.
She could hardly say, “Even outside the window is unacceptable, please leave.” Consideration should be met with consideration.

Besides… there was something she wanted to confirm.

“You do not carry me off without asking for my convenience. As a gentleman, you have made remarkable progress.”

When Ekaterina said it teasingly, Vladforen unexpectedly grew serious.

“I care nothing for the conduct of gentlemen. I simply will not do what you do not desire. Because I hold you as special.”

Stop, I’m freezing, please stop.
Though he likely could not hear her inner voice, Vladforen suddenly changed expression.

“That aside, there is something I must tell you.”
“What might that be?”

Ekaterina tilted her head blankly.

“You must learn caution. How could you allow yourself to be deceived by a mere fairy?”

Gah!
Waaah, even if you say that—!

“W-was it indeed you, Demon Dragon King, who reprimanded that fairy?”
“Yes. I have warned that fool that if he behaves indecently toward you again, I will cast him into the crater of a volcano boiling with lava.”

I-I see… No wonder that fairy was terrified. A lava-filled crater… even an urban legend like that would vaporize instantly.
Wait—so you were watching!? I knew it! Did he see my thighs!?

“I have also ordered him to obey your commands. They are not evil, but they possess not a shred of sincerity. Do not release them on the basis of a mere verbal promise.”
“A-at that time… my attendant said she would sink him into the riverbed, and I only wished to stop that.”

Shrinking her neck, Ekaterina nevertheless protested.

Tie weights to an old man and sink him in a river… no thank you, that would haunt my dreams. Straight out of a Showa-era crime film.
The strawberry cultivation and acting as liaison with the forest folk were ideas she had come up with on the spot. Even if the fairy had promised and then run off, it would not have caused her real damage.
Back in her corporate slave days, “Use even demons if they are standing” had been her motto. But that was when she was constantly putting out fires in crisis projects. She was not that desperate now.

“You were on the verge of being unable to return from the fairy realm. With such complacency, if that one targeted you again, he could easily carry you off.”

Ugh!
W-well, that’s true. Mina’s fine play saved my skin, and I never truly felt the danger of being abducted. If called complacent, I could not refute it.
It was like a Japanese tourist accustomed to safe public order wandering in a rough overseas area with their wallet visible from their bag—I’m making myself an extremely vulnerable easy target!
That’s bad. That’s very bad.

Though presently still complacent as a young woman, Ekaterina clenched her fist in her heart.

“Thank you for your instruction! If I were taken to a world without my brother, I could not live. I shall be thoroughly cautious and never again encounter such danger!”
“…Ah. But what has come over you so suddenly?”

At her sudden fervor, Vladforen looked puzzled.
Then—

A discreet knock sounded.

“Lady Ekaterina… are you awake?”

At Flora’s voice, Ekaterina froze.