Rei still kneeling, dared not lift her head until his voice echoed again.
"How long are you going to stay like that?"
Her breath caught.
She raised her head slowly.
'is it over?'
But his next word frozen her in a place.
"Take a seat," he said, not looking directly at her. His eyes merely flicked toward the dinner table...
'Huh...?'
Her eyes blinked—once, twice—then widened slightly.
She wasn't the only one surprised. Even Kiel's eyes twitched minutely in reaction.
'What's with this development…?'
She stood quickly, not with grace, but with urgency, brushing dust from her knees.
No matter how she tried to act composed, kneeling for that long and then being told to sit—it was humiliating in its own way.
Still, she hesitated.
Her eyes flicked across the dining table, unsure where she was supposed to sit, if she was supposed to sit there at all.
But the moment her gaze lingered too long, the Demon King turned slightly, meeting her eyes with a cold, narrowed look.
She flinched.
Not needing to be told twice, she quietly moved to the furthest end of the table—away from her siblings, away from him. Like a shadow on the edge of the flame.
Silence draped the room like heavy velvet.
The only sounds were the delicate clinking of silverware and the low, respectful murmurs of the maids moving to refill wine or wipe the table edges.
She lowered her gaze and began to eat.
The food—unsurprisingly—was divine. Rich, savory, soft textures that melted in her mouth with every bite. The meat was so tender she barely needed to chew.
Every sauce was balanced with precision. The vegetables, even the simplest ones, had a burst of flavor that no street food stall could ever replicate.
And then—her eyes caught it.
At the center of the table, in a chilled silver bowl, sat three different scoops of something pale and glistening.
One was glossy white, one a soft rose pink, and the other a muted lavender hue.
...Ice cream?
Her lips parted slightly.
Is ice cream really that popular...?
Without thinking, she licked her lips.
She reached forward, scooping up a spoonful of the icy dessert and brought it to her mouth.
The moment it touched her tongue, her whole body shivered.
Cold... sweet... smooth...
Then the aftertaste hit—like delicate berries soaked in moonlight. The second scoop had a floral note, soft and fleeting, like petals dissolving on her tongue.
The third was thicker, almost creamy, with a whisper of vanilla and something faintly spiced.
She closed her eyes, unable to stop the soft exhale of pleasure from escaping her lips.
For a moment, the world didn't exist.
Only the taste.
The sweetness.
The rare stillness in her chaotic life.
When she opened her eyes again—
Lily was staring at her.
"…"
Their eyes met, silent and unreadable
'Ugh whatever…'.
Rie turned back to her bowl and scooped more ice cream, unbothered. She didn't even glance at the remaining food. Just reached for another bowl and started again.
A The cold sweetness of the third scoop danced on her tongue—smooth, rich, and just a little too perfect.
She let it melt slowly, savoring the blend of fruit and cream, when his voice rang out again—low and unhurried, yet heavy enough to silence the air itself.
"The Crimson Oath ceremony will begin in three days."
Its was like a sudden bombshell kiel who know this didn't show much expression but lily face red as she looked at demon king then kiel..
To which he gave her teasing smile making her flush harder the room become somewhat light…
'So it's starting…'