Early the next morning.

Viola prepared breakfast, then returned to the bedroom and gently tapped on the door to rouse the other two.

"Wake up~ Breakfast is ready."

Lilith stirred groggily from sleep, yawning as she dressed. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Alquett sitting silently beside her—and her legs instinctively tensed a fraction.

Last night, on this very bed, all three had squeezed together.

Right under Viola’s sleeping nose… at arm’s length… driven by a feverish impulse, they’d done something strange.

Lilith had never imagined this body could feel so good under the Hero’s touch.

They’d only collapsed into exhaustion near dawn.

"Ah—the sheets…"

Lilith lifted the blanket to find a large damp patch staining the sheet near her thighs.

"You’ve completely messed them up, Lilith," Alquett remarked lightly, nodding with a teasing glint.

"I—I’m not the one to blame! It was all Alquett—"

"*Shh!* Viola’s still outside—"

Lilith’s soft protest died instantly.

…

The dining table hung with thick tension. Viola sat primly, greeting the two latecomers like a proper homemaker.

"Sit. I made simple home-cooked dishes, fresh bread, and hot milk."

Her gaze was calm, but to Lilith, it felt like a heavy weight pinning her down. She tiptoed to her seat, barely breathing.

Alquett slid in right beside her.

"Hm? You two…"

Viola’s knife and fork paused mid-cut. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, freezing the pair mid-relief.

"W-what’s wrong—" Lilith’s hand trembled around her milk glass.

"…I thought the stubborn Hero would cause trouble even after surrendering to Demonkind. But Alquett’s fitting in so well." Viola smiled warmly. "It’s wonderful everyone’s getting along."

"Y-yes…" Lilith forced a laugh. Alquett ducked her head, cheeks flushing pink as she mumbled agreement, eyes darting away.

"Honestly, your bond surprises me…" Viola mused. "Alquett just arrived yesterday, yet you’re sitting so close, sharing this… atmosphere. Like lovers fresh in romance."

Lilith’s heart lurched. Beside her, Alquett’s fork clattered against her plate.

"If you weren’t both girls, I’d think you were showing off your love—" Viola sliced a buttered bread roll, leaning over to place it on Lilith’s plate.

"H-haha… Viola, you’re joking… right, Little Te-chan…?" Lilith stuffed the bread into her mouth, chewing mechanically without tasting.

"Mm! Of course! Lilith and I are just… ordinary friends! I’ve always thought she’s… cute… um…" Alquett’s flustered explanation trailed off.

"I understand. Not all demons are the ugly monsters the city preaches," Viola sighed, poking at greens on her plate. "They’re just… different."

"…If we must slaughter each other over race or looks until one side is wiped out… isn’t that too cruel?"

"…" Lilith silently stirred sugar into her milk.

"…" Alquett’s fork stilled, a flicker in her eyes.

Viola popped a leaf into her mouth. "If we’re all thinking beings with souls… why can’t we cooperate? Coexist? My Life School teacher once theorized: using skeletons as farm laborers could boost the kingdom’s harvest tenfold…"

Alquett cut in sharply, "The Church forbids human-demon contact. Your teacher was reckless." Such talk could land her in the Heretic Tribunal. Under Church rule, exterminating demons was politically correct. "Besides, skeletons lack true intelligence. They’d just wander and attack unless controlled by necromancers."

"True… she only mentioned it as a thought experiment," Viola murmured wistfully. "If magic were accessible to the poor… maybe fewer would starve paying lords’ taxes."

"…" Lilith stayed silent.

Viola’s ideas were progressive, but as a 21st-century Chinese transmigrator, Lilith knew deeper truths: instead of helping peasants pay taxes, eliminate the lords. Magic here focused on war—not farming or industry. With practical applications, it could rival modern tech. But change took time.

Lilith glanced at her system panel. Two proficiency points unused.

She finished breakfast swiftly while the others talked, patted her stomach, and turned to Viola.

"Viola… could you teach me human magic sometime?"

"Eh? You want to learn magic, Lilith?" Viola blinked in surprise.

"Yes… starting from the basics?"

"I… suppose. But I’ve little teaching experience. We’d need beginner books and materials from town—"

*Thump-thump-thump—*

A knock echoed at the door.

"Lilith home? Rise and shine~"

The familiar voice made Alquett set down her fork. "It’s Aunt Doros. Stay seated—I’ll get it."