"Welcome to my home. I am the head of the Ducal House of Albert, Lilia Albert."
"Uh... Er, Acht... what am I supposed to say here?"
"I haven't a clue... My apologies, Milady. This girl and I weren't exactly raised with manners, so please overlook any rudeness on our part."
"No, please, make yourselves at home."
It had taken quite some time for Noin-san to regain her composure, but once she had, I escorted her to the reception room where Lilia-san awaited.
While Acht and Eval were part of Kuro’s family, they didn't seem to be Peerage-class High-ranking Demons. Consequently, it appeared that Lilia-san, as a Duchess, actually held the higher social standing.
As Acht and Eval spoke with visible nerves, Noin-san smoothly stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lilia-san.
"Her Excellency Duchess Albert, please forgive the discourtesy of greeting you while clad in armor. It is an honor to meet you. I am Noin, a vassal of Kuromueina-sama. I cannot find the words to express my gratitude for Your Excellency’s kindness in welcoming us so graciously despite our sudden intrusion."
"...I see. So that's how you're supposed to do it..."
"Bringing Noin along was definitely the right call."
Unlike the other two, Noin-san offered a proper knightly greeting, dropping to one knee before Lilia-san. She seemed like a completely different person compared to her behavior just moments ago.
Lilia-san responded with a gentle acknowledgment, and once she told her she could relax, Noin-san rose. Then, at Lilia-san's invitation, Acht and his wife took their seats. Lunamaria-san watched the scene with a look of deep nostalgia.
"...How should I put it? It feels like an eternity since Milady actually held the superior rank over a guest. She is a Duchess, after all, so she is technically quite a prominent figure..."
"...Yes, truly. Finally, Kaito-san has brought over someone sensible... That’s right. It’s finally over. Everything is settled. He won't be bringing any more world-shaking figures who make me faint! Honestly, I’m being far too sensitive... getting so worked up over nothing..."
"..."
Seeing Lilia-san looking so genuinely relieved with that bright smile on her face made a cold sweat break out across my back.
What should I do? Should I tell her about Noin-san now, or should I keep quiet?
"Hey, Kaito... what on earth did you do? That Duchess looks like she was just liberated from the depths of hell..."
"Ah, no, well..."
"...U-Um, Kaito-san... should I reveal my true identity?"
"Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"...Yes, I don't mind."
As Acht whispered to me and Noin-san checked for my permission, I felt a fresh chill run down my spine.
As a side note, Noin-san seemed to realize that I already knew she was the First Hero. In fact, she had apparently assumed I’d figured it out the moment she first showed me her face.
I was terrified. Lilia-san was scary—beyond scary. But if I kept my mouth shut now and she found out later, the consequences would be even more horrific. That meant the only real choice was to be honest, especially since Noin-san had given me the green light.
"...Noin-san, I’m sorry. Please."
"...I understand."
Watching Lilia-san's expression of utter peace, I felt the blood drain from my extremities. I moistened my parched throat with a sip of black tea before finally speaking.
"U-Um, Lilia-san..."
"Yes?"
"...P-Please, try to stay calm and listen to what I have to say."
"...Eh? What is it? I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this..."
"I must ask this of you as well," Noin-san added. "Please, keep this matter in the strictest confidence..."
"...Eh? Um... Noin-sama? What in the world are you...?"
Hearing the grave tone in our voices, Lilia-san’s face clouded over, and a single bead of sweat rolled down her forehead.
Before her eyes, Noin-san reached for her helmet. The suit of armor dissolved into a black mist, vanishing to reveal a beautiful Japanese woman with long black hair.
If Aoi-chan’s hair was a glossy raven-wing black, Noin-san’s hair was a deep, powerful black like obsidian. Combined with her refined features, the term Yamato Nadeshiko fit her perfectly.
And the moment Lilia-san saw Noin-san’s face... she tumbled straight out of her chair.
"..."
She began to crawl across the floor, desperately grabbing hold of Lunamaria-san’s skirt.
"...Luna, Luna... I’ve seen that person before... She has the exact same face as the statue in the Friendly City..."
"...P-Please, pull yourself together, Milady! It—It’s just a striking resemblance, I’m sure!"
"...Y-You’re right! I’m sorry, I lost my head for a moment."
Lilia-san seemed to regain a shred of composure after Lunamaria-san’s frantic reassurance. She stood up gracefully, but Noin-san delivered the finishing blow without mercy.
"Allow me to introduce myself once more. Though I currently go by Noin... my true name is Kujo Hikari."
"..."
At that firm declaration, all life vanished from Lilia-san’s face.
"...Eh? Kujo Hikari... Eh? The First Hero-sama? The... the real one?"
"Yes."
"...Ah, um, hawa, awawa... I—I have been s-so disrespectful... kyuuu~"
"Milady!?"
Lilia-san’s complexion turned a ghostly white before her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. Lunamaria-san rushed to her side, then slowly turned a trembling, horrified gaze toward me.
"...Miyama-sama... to think you were still hiding cards like this... What a terrifying man. I can feel your burning conviction to destroy Milady’s stomach once and for all."
"I don't have any such conviction!"
A short while later, Lilia-san recovered from her faint and sat in her chair, clutching her head in both hands.
"...The First Hero-sama became a Demon? That’s a disaster... A world-shaking revelation... Oh, I can't take this anymore... Kaito-san is terrifying... Next time, he’ll definitely bring back a Demon King who was secretly alive all along... Kaito-san is scary... I want to go home..."
"Please calm down, Milady. This is your home."
Lunamaria-san desperately tried to console the pale, muttering Duchess. While I stood there dazed by the sight, Acht and Eval approached me.
"...Kaito, what did you really do to her? She’s trembling like a frightened rabbit..."
"I-It’s a long story..."
"Kaito, are you secretly a bit of a sadist?"
"No, that’s not it..."
"I didn't expect her to be this shocked," Noin-san remarked. "Or rather, that reaction was as if she’d met all of the Six Kings-sama at once... No, it was even more intense than that."
"..."
I was too afraid to tell her that I’d met the Six Kings and all of the Supreme Gods, too.
After muttering to herself for a while longer, Lilia-san suddenly stood up. She wore a smile that was so beautiful it was bone-chilling.
"Acht-sama, Eval-sama, Kujo Hika—no, Noin-sama. If you would excuse us for a moment... Kaito-san."
"Ye-Yes!?"
"...Let’s step into the other room. We have an important matter to discuss... a very, very important matter..."
"...Yes, ma'am."
Lilia-san’s eyes were completely dead as she stared at me. It was the most terrifying thing I’d ever seen. With no room for argument, I was marched off to another room and made to sit in the seiza position.
"What is the meaning of this!? How do you even manage to stumble upon the First Hero-sama!? Honestly, you... and judging by the way you spoke, you’ve known about this for a while, haven't you!?"
"I-I’m sorry!"
"No, I will not forgive you today! I just finished asking you to have some mercy on me... and before the words have even dried, you go and do this! I am not telling you that you shouldn't make friends, I am telling you that you must report these things properly! You always, always do this..."
"...I-I’m so sorry."
I proceeded to receive a grueling lecture from Lilia-san, who had transformed into a terrifying demon of wrath. It was two full hours later when I finally crawled back to Acht and the others.
Dear Mother, Father—
Acht and the others met Lilia-san, and upon learning Noin-san’s true identity, she fainted again. And then—well, it was entirely my fault, but—Lilia-san scolded me.
As expected of Her Excellency Duchess Albert; one moment she faints, and the next she’s already setting up her next collapse. I’m impressed by her tenacity, but I certainly don't envy the position she's in.