Had they been cleaning all through the night? The estate was so pristine it felt as if it had only just been built, and nearly every servant employed by the Ducal House of Albert had gathered before it.
With Lilia-san at the center, the staff stood in a perfect line stretching from the gate to the entrance. The sight alone emphasized the gravity of the visitor they were expecting; the very air felt thick with a tension that prickled against the skin.
Today was the 7th of the Month of Fire, and the time was nearly noon—Kuro would be here any moment.
I hadn't seen her in my room last night, perhaps because she was busy with the errand she mentioned or simply preparing for today's visit. Her absence had left me feeling a bit restless and nervous myself.
In the midst of the heavy silence, I glanced down at my pocket watch. The second hand completed its final rotation, and the moment it struck noon, the atmosphere shifted.
"——!?"
It felt as though the air had suddenly turned into lead. A crushing weight bore down on my entire body.
The scenery before me shimmered like a mirage, and Kuro appeared before the wide-open gates.
She was dressed in her familiar black coat, but the expression on her face wasn't the innocent smile I knew. Even the aura she projected was fundamentally different.
Instinctively, everyone present—including Lilia-san and myself—bowed their heads. It was as if the surrounding space itself was prostrating before her. All sound vanished, leaving only the steady rhythm of Kuro’s footsteps echoing through the silence.
Her beautiful silver-white hair shimmered in the sunlight, and her golden eyes stared regally ahead.
It was truly a King's Procession.
She walked alone, without a single subordinate in tow, yet her presence and Intimidation were so overwhelming that it felt as if a massive army of tens of thousands were marching behind her.
It took only a dozen seconds for her to walk from the gate to the entrance. We couldn't look away, we couldn't speak, and we even forgot to breathe as we watched the Absolute One advance with such effortless composure.
Kuro came to a halt before Lilia-san, who was bowing deeply, and spoke with a quiet elegance.
"I apologize for the sudden visit, Duchess Albert."
"N-No... you are most welcome. We are honored by your presence, Underworld King Kuromueina-sama."
"Thank you. I’m sorry to rush, but I’d like to have a proper talk. May we head inside?"
"Of course. Right this way..."
Exchanging greetings in a voice that was calm yet commanded undeniable authority, Kuro followed Lilia-san into the mansion.
We bypassed the smaller reception rooms and were led instead to a beautifully decorated grand hall. Only Lilia-san, Lunamaria-san, myself, Kusunoki-san, Yuzuki-san, and a few select servants were permitted inside before the massive doors were sealed.
Kuro radiated such an intense presence that even this cavernous room felt cramped. I watched her, feeling bewildered by this version of her I had never seen.
Then, our eyes met. Upon seeing me, Kuro flashed her usual bright smile, and the crushing pressure weighing on the room vanished instantly.
"How was I, Kaito-kun? My Serious Mode! I looked pretty cool, didn't I?"
"……"
She ruined it. It was such a total collapse of the mood that I felt the need to repeat the thought: she completely ruined it.
I wanted a refund on the respect I’d felt just moments ago—the awe that had made me think, "Ah, so this is the Underworld King." Also, the smug look on her face was annoyingly cute.
Regardless, it seemed Kuro had switched from her Serious Mode back to her Normal Mode, as she began chatting with me with her usual cheerful grin.
Lilia-san, looking stunned by the sudden transformation, managed to invite her to sit. Kuro took a seat at the large table and patted the chair beside her while looking at me.
"Kaito-kun, here, sit here!"
"……Uh…… yeah. Okay."
It was a direct command. Unsure of the etiquette, I glanced at Lilia-san, who gave me a silent, frantic nod.
I took that as a sign to follow Kuro's lead. I did as she asked and took the seat next to her.
Now, how should I handle this? Since she’d returned to her usual self, she’d probably get sulky if I started using formal language. It was probably better to just speak naturally.
"So, Kuro... you really are the Underworld King."
"Ah, about that. Other people just call me that on their own. I’ve never actually called myself that even once~"
"I guess it really doesn't fit your usual image."
"Ahahaha, right?"
Lilia-san turned deathly pale when she saw me speaking to Kuro as I always did, but Kuro didn't seem to mind at all, responding with a bright laugh.
Lunamaria-san then approached, looking visibly shaken as she served a cup of tea.
"U-Underworld King-sama... y-your tea..."
"Thanks! Wait, huh?"
"——!?"
After thanking her, Kuro tilted her head as she looked at Lunamaria-san's face.
Seeing the gesture, Lunamaria-san must have assumed she’d committed some grave insult; she hurriedly dropped to her knees to bow, but she froze at Kuro's next words.
"We met about ten years ago, didn't we?"
"!?!?"
"You were... Lunamaria-chan, right?"
"……Y-You…… remembered…… me……?"
Lunamaria-san stared up at her, eyes wide with disbelief, her voice a mere whisper.
"Of course I remember. Is your mother doing well?"
"~~!? Y-Yes! Thanks to the Underworld King-sama, she is the picture of health!"
"I see. That's good to hear."
"Yes…… it is all thanks to you. At that time, I couldn't even thank you properly……"
Now that I thought about it, Lilia-san had mentioned that Lunamaria-san met Kuro once years ago, and she’d been a fanatical devotee ever since.
Lunamaria-san clearly never dreamed that Kuro would remember her after a single encounter. Overwhelmed with emotion, she pressed both hands to the floor and bowed low.
"Don't worry about that. You've grown up so much. I'm happy to see you again."
"~~!?!? I-I am…… unworthy of such kindness."
Kuro gave her a radiant smile and patted Lunamaria-san on the head. Lunamaria-san trembled, large tears beginning to spill from her eyes.
From their conversation, I gathered that something had happened to Lunamaria-san's mother and Kuro had stepped in to help.
In other words, Kuro was a savior to her, which explained the depth of her devotion. It was actually a very touching story.
Lunamaria-san thanked her several more times before standing up to return to her position behind Lilia-san. As she passed me, I caught her muttering in a tiny, breathless voice.
"……The Underworld King-sama…… spoke my name…… and patted my head…… such bliss…… I could die happy right now……"
"……"
Yeah... Lunamaria-san... I think the needle on your emotional gauge has swung a bit too far into a dangerous territory. She had a look of pure ecstasy on her face, her cheeks were flushed like a girl in love, and her eyes hadn't strayed from Kuro for a single second.
Dear Mom, Dad—It turns out Lunamaria-san was saved by Kuro in the past. But even taking that into account—as I thought, she was a fanatic.