Chapter 70
Why on earth is the spirit who made a contract acknowledging Herion as their master responding to my voice?
“Do you still think I’m the one you’re contracted with?”
[Why are you only calling for me now! I’ve been sending you signals to summon me this whole time!]
The moment he appeared, Jubellios exploded in fury.
He had been fuming ever since entering the council chamber and seeing Herion getting scolded by all those nobles.
He’d even sent signals by flaring the ring’s light, demanding to be called out immediately—but Herion hadn’t noticed.
Fwoosh!
Whoosh—!
“Ah!”
“W-what?!”
As Jubellios made a grand loop around the meeting room, the air instantly filled with scorching heat.
The nobles—already dazed by the sudden appearance of the Fire Spirit King—recoiled, terrified of the blistering air that felt hot enough to burn their skin.
Basking in their fear and astonished stares, Jubellios landed lightly on Herion’s shoulder with a satisfied smirk.
[How dare you…]
His fiery gaze swept across the nobles.
They all sucked in sharp breaths.
So this is the Spirit King we’ve only ever heard of…!
Just sharing the same space with him was enough to make it hard to breathe.
No one dared open their mouths now. Not a single person could even meet Herion’s eyes anymore, unlike just moments ago.
Yes, that’s how you use him.
Herion still wasn’t ready to deal with these cunning old snakes.
Medically, she was talented enough to lead the Ellicia family, but politically? She still had a long way to go.
Let’s call it a lack of experience.
Still, Ceres wasn’t particularly worried.
After all—she had him, Jubellios.
Go on, try running your mouths like before in front of that guy.
[…]
“Ahem.”
“Mmhm.”
Jubellios apparently shared Ceres’s thoughts, his eyes still narrowed like burning blades as he glared at the nobles.
“Lord Jubellios, Lady Ceres wishes to speak with you.”
[Oh? And what would she have to say to me, Gre—…]
“Shhh.”
Shut up, you damned bird.
[…Speak, then. I’ll listen.]
Jubellios, who’d been about to approach her calling her by her old name, froze at Ceres’s fierce glare and quickly changed his tone.
After glancing around nervously, he fluttered off Herion’s shoulder and flew toward Ceres.
Just as he was about to land on her shoulder—
[Huh?!]
Jubellios shot back into the air in panic.
[You—you—you’re…!]
Only then did he notice Kynel.
[Frozen human!!]
“Long time no see, half-burnt chicken.”
[I told you not to call me that!!]
Kynel sat with arms crossed, expression flat, not even bothering to react to Jubellios’s outraged squawking.
[What are you doing here?!]
“If a roasted chicken can show up, a human has every right to be here too.”
[Grr! You people—always the same—mmpf!!]
Shut it, shut it, SHUT UP!
“‘You people’?!”
Ceres smacked Jubellios’s beak before he could blurt out more nonsense.
Enough babbling, you damned bird.
“When did you two start knowing each other?”
Ceres froze mid-motion at Kynel’s calm, probing gaze.
“Us…? The last time, when I went to visit the Second Prince and the Ellicia family?”
“That’s all?”
“Yes, of course.”
Going back to formal speech after talking casually for so long felt awkward.
“You seem rather close.”
“…I suppose we do.”
Go on, get back to your master!
Why did you even respond to my call? Lost your mind?
Ceres flapped her hand to shoo Jubellios away as he kept trying to perch on her shoulder.
Reluctantly, he fluttered back to Herion, beak jutting out in a sulky pout.
“……”
Even after that, Ceres had to pointedly ignore Kynel’s steady, unblinking gaze.
“Lady Ceres!”
…She really is bright no matter what. After all that in the council, and she’s still so full of energy.
Ceres couldn’t help but smile a little as Herion came running toward her, waving enthusiastically.
Jubellios was still perched proudly on her shoulder.
Even after the Emperor and Crown Prince had entered the chamber, the Fire Spirit King hadn’t vanished.
If anything, his haughty gaze seemed to say, Finally, humans of suitable rank have arrived.
“The Fire Spirit King?”
“Hooh, it’s been a long time since we last saw him.”
Both Emperor and Crown Prince were intrigued—Jubellios hadn’t shown himself since the previous family head’s death.
Maybe thanks to him, the meeting ended surprisingly quickly.
[Idiots! You think monsters would fall for a trick like that?!]
“Wh-what? No, I just thought—”
[A strategy? You dare call that pathetic thing a strategy?!]
“Well, um…”
[Which house are you from again? Eschle? That snot-nosed brat?]
“……”
Every time a noble said something foolish, Jubellios would roast them so thoroughly that no one could continue speaking.
“You’re leaving already? I wanted to talk with you more.”
Herion clung tightly to Ceres’s arm, reluctant to part so soon.
“How’s the work as family head? Tough?”
“Yes…”
Her eyes drooped at the question—but then a smile quickly bloomed on her face.
“But it’s fun! I get to do everything I always wanted to.”
“What you wanted?”
“Yes! I always hated how we prioritized treating nobles first.”
“……”
“I couldn’t stand seeing emergency patients waiting outside for hours. So I’m trying to fix that now.”
Herion had pinpointed exactly what had infuriated Ceres most when she first visited House Ellicia.
“Of course, a lot of people are against it… but oh well. I’m the head, aren’t I?”
Ceres didn’t need to see it to know—nobles from other families had probably already bribed members of the household left and right.
Just like before.
Back then, many nobles had tried bribing Ellicia staff to get their treatment moved ahead or to smuggle rare medicine for them.
Anyone caught was instantly expelled from the house, but such corruption was never fully stamped out.
It must be even worse now.
She gently patted Herion’s head.
You’ve got your work cut out for you.
“Hehe.”
Herion smiled, eyes soft with joy at the affectionate gesture.
How strange, she thought.
Herion was much younger than her, yet Ceres kept feeling this urge to protect her… to lean on her, even.
It had been that way since the very first meeting—and Herion herself found that feeling mysterious.
“Herion.”
“Yes?”
“If any human doesn’t listen to you—”
“Yes? Will you help me, Lady Ceres?”
“No. Tell him.”
Let him peck them to death with his beak.
Ceres gestured at Jubellios, still perched neatly on Herion’s shoulder.
[Exactly! That’s what I’ve been saying! Why are you letting those fools trample over you? Next time someone steps out of line, summon me!]
Jubellios nodded vigorously, scolding Herion as though he’d been waiting for an excuse. Clearly, he’d been frustrated for a while.
“Yes, but… I’ll try handling things myself first.”
[What?]
“Lord Ezley told me once. Whether I succeed or fail, I should learn to try on my own first.”
[That damned Ezley… always running his mouth with pointless ideals…]
At the mention of the late family head, a faint melancholy flickered in Herion’s eyes—and in Jubellios’s too.
Despite his grumbling, his once-fiery gaze softened a little.
Ceres patted Herion’s head once more.
Yes, you’re the head. Do as you wish.
“Lady Ceres, please visit our house again soon! There’s so much I want to ask your help with!”
“…Didn’t you just say you’d handle things on your own?”
What happened to that brave talk, huh?
“Hee~ Just a little help! There are things I really can’t do alone.”
“I’ll see how things go.”
“Really? You promise? Oh, and can’t you at least have a cup of tea with me today? I have so much I want to talk about!”
Herion clasped Ceres’s hand tightly, eyes pleading like a kitten terrified of being left behind.
