The Great Cathedral, courtyard.
"Another serving!"
At the enormous dining table piled high with plates and bowls, a figure almost buried beneath the dishes tossed aside the last empty bowl, a few grains of rice still clinging to her lips. The bowl neatly filled the final empty space on the table, and she immediately called for more with great enthusiasm.
"Ten beef shanks, twenty pies, and a few more dishes while you're at it. Make sure they all have meat. And bring another three tubs of rice."
Samael cleared his throat and gave the dumbfounded wind-fairy maid an awkward but polite smile as he placed the order.
"She can really eat, meow!"
"Yeah, that's more than the whole village eats in a month..."
"She's a total glutton!"
Habetrot, Freya, and Baobhan Sith huddled nearby, sneaking glances at the scene as they whispered among themselves.
None of this had the slightest effect on the blond, heterochromatic girl's determination to keep eating.
Dish after dish was brought out, only to vanish into the little blond girl's seemingly bottomless stomach in the blink of an eye. Yet her pale little belly did not bulge in the slightest.
Even Morgan and Mari could not help their cheeks twitching at the sight.
"It's fine. This is probably a side effect of devouring that ability. Maybe the symptoms will ease up in the future."
Samael forced himself to remain composed as he coughed and offered an explanation.
The blond, heterochromatic girl before them, who was eating as if she had gone eight lifetimes without a proper meal, was none other than Barghest.
Except the tiny child who had once been only seventy or eighty centimeters tall had now shot up to around one and a half meters, becoming a young girl with an extraordinary appetite.
Dog Demons belonged to the Fang Clan. They were mutated fairies, fairies that devoured other fairies.
According to Samael's memories, in one uncertain future, Barghest had solved the [Plague of Insects] threatening the Fairy Kingdom by devouring the hidden Chieftain of the Earth Clan, Foul Weather, and acquiring his abilities. She was then granted the title of Fairy Knight.
That was precisely why Samael had brought Barghest with him when he went to meet the clearly untrustworthy Chieftain of the Earth Clan.
From the very beginning, guided by the Divine Oracle, he had prepared for both possibilities.
If Foul Weather was smart enough to cooperate obediently, Samael would turn a blind eye to what had happened before and reluctantly spare his life.
But if the man remained stubborn to the end, then Barghest would get an extra meal, allowing the little one he had brought along to acquire Foul Weather's abilities.
What the Ancient Serpent had not expected was this. He had always assumed Barghest's future reputation as a huge eater came from the influence of her Dog Demon bloodline as she grew older.
Who could have guessed that devouring Foul Weather, Chieftain of the Earth Clan, and absorbing his abilities would cause such a dramatic change?
Still, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
The Chieftain of the Earth Clan's innate talent involved devouring and purifying the earth. That ability had apparently amplified Barghest's appetite.
By now, Barghest had already eaten enough food to fill seven or eight tables, and she showed no intention of stopping for a break. Samael was starting to feel that he simply could not afford to feed her.
Fortunately, Aurora, that wealthy spendthrift, was footing the bill. Otherwise, this single meal from Barghest would have wiped out all the provisions they had prepared.
"Are there any other hidden problems?"
Morgan rose and looked down at her ally, suspicion and scrutiny creeping into her gaze.
"Probably... maybe... none?"
The Ancient Serpent glanced guiltily at the blond, heterochromatic girl who was still wolfing down food and looked ready to clear yet another table.
If he remembered correctly, once Barghest grew up, it was not just her appetite for food that became excessive. Her sexual appetite was also unusually strong, and she seemed to have a hidden kink for devouring the people she loved.
Surely those could not all be side effects left behind by devouring Foul Weather this time, right?
Definitely not! I'm innocent!
Samael reassured himself internally and shoved the thought aside. Then he put on a smile, sat beside Barghest as she continued devouring her meal, and attentively peeled an entire plate of shrimp for her.
"Don't rush. Eat slowly. If it's not enough, I'll have Aurora send more."
Barghest poured the entire plate of peeled shrimp into her mouth, wiped her lips, then gave him a grateful smile and politely declined.
"No need, Father-sama. I'm already full."
"F-Father-sama? What Father-sama? There's no Father-sama here!"
Before the stunned Samael could react, an equally shocked Baobhan Sith jumped forward to object.
"That's right. This is Father-sama, and this is Mother-sama. I vaguely remember that they were the ones who raised me!"
Barghest sniffed the air as though she had found a familiar scent, then grabbed Samael and Morgan by the wrists, one in each hand, and answered with absolute certainty.
"Idiot! Samael is our teacher. He's not Mother-sama's husband!"
As Morgan's most devoted supporter, Baobhan Sith indignantly raised a finger to correct her, determined to protect Mother-sama's flawless image.
"That's wrong. I clearly remember them sleeping together. That's something intimate only married couples do!"
Barghest thought for a moment, then answered with a completely serious expression.
Baobhan Sith's little face stiffened upon hearing this secret she had known nothing about. She glared viciously at Samael, her small fists clenching tightly as her pearly teeth ground together.
"You actually went behind my back and made a move on Mother-sama! You bastard!"
"No, listen, let me explain..."
Just as Samael was about to defend himself, Freya gathered her courage and spoke up in support.
"Samael is a very good person too!"
"Exactly. Father-sama and Mother-sama are perfect for each other."
Barghest nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Huh? Did I misjudge her? Morgan clearly has no bridal charm at all, yet she actually managed to get married. Well, whatever. No point thinking about it. Do you need me to hurry up and make a wedding dress?"
Habetrot poked her head into the conversation as well, waving her spindle excitedly and clearly hoping for a chance to put her professional skills to use.
"Marriage? That means there'll be alcohol, right? I can handle throwing the flowers!"
The old drunkard Mari habitually stirred the pot while taking the opportunity to slack off.
"I absolutely refuse to approve of this marriage!"
Swept up in the chaos, Baobhan Sith puffed out her cheeks and thrust one slender arm into the air in protest.
Unfortunately for her, she was badly outnumbered.
"Enough! We can talk about this some other time!"
Unable to endure the racket any longer, the witch finally snapped in a cold voice.
The moment those words left her mouth, however, every strange gaze in the courtyard turned toward Morgan.
Morgan froze.
Realizing what she had just implied, she quickly cleared her throat and added,
"And you're not allowed to bring it up again later either! I have my own plans for my affairs!"
Baobhan Sith immediately looked smug.
"Hmph! You awful bastard who keeps bullying me, don't even think about taking advantage of Mother-sama!"
"What are you so proud of? Mother-sama didn't admit it, but she didn't deny it either. As far as I can tell..."
Barghest folded her arms and shot back.
"Baobhan Sith, have you learned all of today's Ougan script?"
"Huh?"
"You haven't finished? Go back and write it out a hundred times! And you, Barghest. Once you've digested your food, get on the loom and learn from Habetrot how to properly control your strength!"
"Me... weave?"
"One hundred bolts!"
"..."
Under Morgan's imposing glare, the two bickering foster daughters instantly fell silent and instinctively shrank back.
Then the witch's gaze slowly swept toward the others.
Even with her face hidden behind a veil, the remaining accomplices all shuddered and hurried to distance themselves from the situation.
"Teach Barghest weaving, right? No problem, meow! Right away, right away!"
"I-I need to pack my things..."
As for Mari, she had sensed trouble early and had already slipped out through the courtyard gate before anyone else.
Within moments, the previously noisy courtyard had become utterly silent and empty.
Morgan turned toward her ally. Her brow tightened, relaxed, then tightened again. Finally, after some hesitation, her lips parted.
"I..."
"If you haven't made up your mind yet, we can talk about it later."
Before Morgan could continue, the man opposite her stood up and stretched, then winked and smiled as he extended an invitation.
"If you're bored, how about coming with me to meet someone first?"
"Who?"
Morgan let out a quiet breath of relief. Her mood inexplicably brightened, and the tension between her brows eased as she rose and asked casually.
Samael twirled a crudely made teacup between his fingertips and smiled meaningfully.
"You'll know when we get there..."
That teacup looked familiar...
It was the one Foul Weather had given him...