"Young Master… what manner of creature is this?"

  It was Sebastian who spoke, his voice strained despite his effort to remain composed. His expression was a peculiar mixture of fear, shock, and utter confusion as he stared at the dark figure lingering far too close to him.

  Gregory, meanwhile, sat comfortably at the desk where he usually conducted his work, one arm resting upon the polished wood as though nothing unusual had occurred. He replied with untroubled ease.

  "It is my summon, Sebastian."

  "I see… in that case, would you kindly order it to cease this behavior?"

  Gregory raised a brow faintly.

  "What behavior do you mean, Sebastian?"

  "Please do not pretend you fail to notice it, Young Master. Restrain this creature from rummaging through my hair as though it were a nest of curiosities."

  Indeed, Legam had been thoroughly occupied. The shadow demon stood behind Sebastian, long fingers drifting through the poor man's carefully groomed hair with inquisitive persistence, tilting its head now and then as though studying some rare specimen.

  Gregory had been quietly amused for some time, recalling how Legam had treated him in much the same fashion earlier. A soft chuckle escaped him before he finally spoke in a firmer tone.

  "Legam, that is enough. Leave Sebastian be."

  The effect was immediate.

  A moment ago, Legam had been wholly absorbed in its exploration of Sebastian's hair. Now, at the sound of Gregory's command, it stilled at once. Its violet eyes shifted toward its master, and without hesitation it withdrew.

  In the next breath, Legam had already positioned itself behind Gregory's chair. It stood there in utter silence, posture straight and vigilant, like a knight forged of shadow, prepared to strike down any who dared harbor ill intent toward its lord.

  Gregory folded his hands upon the desk and regarded Sebastian with calm composure.

  "Now then, what was it you wished to discuss?"

  Sebastian drew a long, steady breath and carefully smoothed his disheveled hair, doing his utmost to preserve the dignity befitting a head butler. Though his composure had largely returned, his eyes continued, from time to time, to drift cautiously toward the dark figure standing silently behind Gregory.

  "The Kingdom of Lathra has begun to move, and I have received reports that their scouts have already clashed with ours near the border. War is drawing ever closer, and surely you understand what your duty must be."

  Gregory leaned back into his chair, stretching slightly as his gaze lifted toward the ceiling before he finally spoke.

  "Of course. I am well aware that as a member of the Lamont family, it is my duty to step onto the battlefield as a marshal and lead them. Has that not always been the tradition of this house, and the very reason our name is so deeply respected?"

  "And what if you do not survive, Young Master? You have no heir, no child to carry on the line. For this once, could there not be an exception? Remain here and grant your authority to one of the generals instead."

  Silence settled across the room after Sebastian offered his suggestion.

  Gregory did not answer at once.

  After a moment's stillness, he spoke again, his voice quieter but far sharper.

  "Sebastian… do you believe my late father would feel proud of me if I did something so cowardly?"

  Sebastian parted his lips, only to close them again, the question striking too deeply to answer.

  Gregory continued, as if his thoughts had not yet reached their end.

  "The Lamont family bears the title The Lions Guard of the North because the head of the house has always led the charge personally. Whether they survived or perished upon the battlefield, none could ever predict their fate. That tradition has lived within this family for generations."

  "But this time the situation is different, Young Master," Sebastian interjected quickly.

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  "Even so, I would have no face to show my ancestors when my time comes, let alone stand before my father."

  Sebastian fell silent, his eyes lowering to the floor.

  "Even if I go to war, I will not die, Sebastian. Look behind me."

  Sebastian raised his head and turned his eyes past Gregory. The dark creature stood there, lifting one arm as if to display its strength, its posture brimming with confidence, as though it took pride in its duty to protect its master.

  "By the way… where did you obtain such a creature, Young Master?"

  "This is a blessing from the Demon King."

  At those words, Sebastian's eyes twitched slightly as his mind struggled to process what he had just heard. He looked back and forth between Gregory and the creature, which nodded repeatedly, appearing to agree quite enthusiastically with its master's declaration.

  "What did you just say, Young Master? Have you lost your senses? I know you admire the Demon King, and there is no sin in that, but a blessing? What do you mean by a blessing?"

  Gregory regarded him with an expression poised between faint amusement and unshaken resolve. Folding his hands upon the desk, he spoke with measured calm.

  "I mean precisely what I said, Sebastian. This creature was granted to me by the Demon King himself. It is neither curse nor deception. It is power."

  Sebastian's brows drew together in concern.

  "Power that originates from the Demon King is rarely without consequence."

  "Power from any source carries consequence, Sebastian."

  The butler hesitated, for he found no ready answer to that truth.

  Behind Gregory, Legam stood motionless, though its violet eyes flickered faintly, as if observing every subtle turn of the conversation.

  Sebastian noticed this and, after a brief pause, asked,

  "Then allow me to speak plainly. Do you trust it?"

  Gregory did not bother to turn. His gaze remained fixed upon Sebastian, unwavering and confident.

  "Yes."

  Sebastian's eyes shifted once more toward the dark figure.

  "And you are certain it will not turn upon you?"

  Legam tilted its head slightly, as though mildly offended by the suggestion. A faint smile touched Gregory's lips.

  "If it had wished to kill me, it would have done so already. It emerged from my shadow. It kneels by its own will."

  Sebastian studied his master carefully.

  "Forgive my persistence, Young Master, but war approaches. If word spreads that the heir of the Lamont family bears a blessing from the Demon King, the nobles will not remain silent."

  "Let them speak. They show little concern when we stand on the brink of invasion or defeat. We must make use of every resource within our domain. And this blessing from the Demon King will serve us well upon the battlefield."

  "And the Church?" Sebastian pressed.

  "The Church worships the gods. You know well that I do not. Nor do most of my people. In a land such as ours, where war is a constant companion, survival holds greater importance than devotion."

  A strained breath escaped Sebastian as he absorbed those words.

  After a moment, he spoke again.

  "Then you truly intend to ride to the battlefield."

  "I do."

  "And you will reveal this… companion?"

  Gregory tapped his fingers lightly against the desk in quiet contemplation.

  "Not at once. Let them first behold the Lions of the North soldiers. Should circumstances demand it, then let the Kingdom of Lathra witness the shadow that hunts beside them."

  Behind him, Legam brought its hands together in a single, soundless clap, appearing thoroughly pleased with the declaration.

  Sebastian hesitated, then asked with careful gravity,

  "But what of your ancestors, Young Master? What would they think, knowing you carry a blessing from the Demon King? And your late parents… how would they regard such a path?"

  "My father was a man who believed strength must be seen, not hidden. He led from the front, carried the weight of this land upon his own shoulders, and never once questioned whether the cost was fair. If he were standing here now, he would not ask where the power came from. He would ask only one thing."

  "And what would that be, Young Master?"

  "Whether I have the will to use it to protect our people."

  Though sunlight streamed through the tall windows, the room seemed to grow faintly colder. A restless wind brushed against the glass panes, its low murmur filling the silence that followed.

  "And your mother?" Sebastian asked more gently.

  For a brief moment, Gregory's expression softened.

  "She would worry. She always did. Even when there was no war, she worried. Yet she understood what it meant to be born into this family. And it was she who first introduced me to the tales of the Demon King. She encouraged me to seek the truth behind those stories, to look beyond fear and rumor. I believe she would trust me. If I have been granted this blessing by the Demon King himself, then there must be a reason for it. As she often said, everything happens for a reason."

  Behind him, Legam remained perfectly still, as though even the shadow itself paid silent respect to the memory being invoked.

  Gregory straightened in his chair, the brief softness in his gaze fading like a cloud drifting past the sun.

  "I do not believe they would see this as betrayal. If this power allows me to defend what my late parents and our ancestors built, then it is no different from a sword in my hand. A blade does not become evil simply because of who forged it."

  "Power born from the Demon King is not something this world treats kindly. Even if you use it for the right reasons, others may not care about your intentions."

  "I know."

  Sebastian studied his face for a long moment, as if searching for hesitation and finding none.

  "…You truly have already decided, haven't you?"

  Gregory nodded once.

  Sebastian let out a slow breath, the kind that sounds like surrender rather than relief.

  "In that case, I will not try to stop you again."

  He gave a slow and respectful bow.

  "Then I will stand by your decision, Young Master, as I always have."

  A faint smile touched Gregory's lips.

  "Thank you for believing me. I would expect nothing less from the head butler of House Lamont."

  Behind him, Legam inclined its head once, as though acknowledging the long bond between master and servant.

  Sebastian turned once more toward the dark figure, his expression still cautious but no longer alarmed.

  "If you are to accompany the Young Master to war, then see to it that your loyalty does not waver."

  Legam did not speak. It simply placed one hand over its chest and bowed its head in solemn promise.

  Gregory observed the gesture from the corner of his eye and replied in a calm, unwavering tone.

  "It won't."

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