Nox finished collecting one of the empty plates and held it with both hands as he looked around the dining room of the Pyrell Household.

Dinner had ended only a few minutes ago.

In one corner of the room, Catherine was fast asleep on a thick rug.

Claws lay beside her, while Felix slept on top of the bear’s neck as if it were a pillow.

"I think Catherine ran out of energy after eating."

Misty let out a small laugh as she gathered some silverware.

"I would’ve fallen asleep too after eating that much."

Audrey nodded.

"She ate more than Claws."

"That’s impossible."

"Apparently not for her, because she did."

The two continued arguing as they walked toward the kitchen.

Nox smiled.

For a moment, everything felt almost normal.

Too normal.

Too peaceful.

But the peace didn’t last long.

From the main table, a much more serious conversation could be heard.

Tessa sat across from Senna.

And neither of them looked particularly happy.

"You’re still not answering me."

Senna rested both hands on the table.

"Why do you keep saying the Church is a lie?"

Tessa let out a long sigh.

"Because it is."

"That doesn’t explain anything."

"The Church declared me dead."

Senna opened her mouth to respond.

But Tessa continued before she could.

"Doesn’t that seem strange to you?"

The red-haired woman pointed at her own chest.

"I’m here. I’m alive. And yet they announced my death."

Senna lowered her gaze.

"Maybe it was a mistake..."

"A mistake?"

Tessa’s voice hardened.

"The other Inquisitors abandoned me. When I disappeared, nobody came looking for me. The Church didn’t send help. The Church didn’t send a rescue team. The Church decided it was easier to declare me dead."

Nox listened to everything while carrying another stack of plates into the kitchen.

It was impossible not to listen.

Every word Tessa spoke was filled with resentment.

And pain.

Senna remained silent because she knew her daughter was right.

◇◆◇

Several minutes later, Nox returned to the dining room to collect another batch of dishes.

When he came back, the conversation had only gotten worse.

"The nearby towns don’t live like this either."

Tessa rested her elbows on the table.

"Everything you see in this wealthy district of the Capital is a lie. The Church sends titled individuals to control entire villages. Some of them help people, but others are genuine tyrants."

Senna looked more confused with every passing second.

"That can’t be true."

"Of course it is. I’ve seen it with my own eyes."

Tessa struck the table.

"Not everything is as beautiful as they want you to believe."

Nox watched Senna’s expression slowly change.

First disbelief.

Then concern.

And finally doubt.

The same doubt that had begun appearing in Tessa’s eyes a long time ago.

"They also murdered an old man."

Tessa stated through clenched teeth.

"They called him a deserter, humiliated him in front of the entire city, and executed him."

Nox felt a small ache in his chest.

The image of the old man surfaced once more in his mind.

His voice.

The liquor they had shared.

And his final words.

’That’s what friends do.’

Without realizing it, Nox tightened his grip on the plates he was carrying.

"They also made other heroes disappear."

Tessa continued.

"Some were declared dead. Others were turned into criminals. All to protect the Church’s image."

Senna seemed incapable of processing so much information.

It was obvious.

She had trusted them her entire life.

And now her own daughter was dismantling those beliefs one by one.

◇◆◇

The conversation finally ended several minutes later.

Tessa was practically out of voice.

And Senna looked emotionally exhausted.

"In short."

The former Inquisitor finally said.

"If I’m still alive today, it’s thanks to Nox and his group."

Senna turned her head and looked directly at the demon.

Nox was currently trying to carry far too many plates at once.

Rather clumsily.

It looked as though they might all fall at any moment.

Across the room, Misty and Audrey had already begun washing dishes.

Though they seemed far more occupied arguing than working.

"I’m just saying that taking advantage of the situation to bathe with him was very opportunistic."

Audrey said.

Misty smiled.

"I was only helping him."

"Sure."

"Sure."

"Liar."

"Jealous."

"Tease."

"Jealous."

"Tease."

Tessa burst out laughing.

Even Senna ended up smiling a little.

Finally, the woman looked back at Nox.

"Young man."

Nox stopped.

"Yes?"

Senna watched him for several seconds, as if trying to understand who he really was.

"Promise me you’re not leading my daughter down the wrong path."

Nox blinked.

Then he smiled.

"Don’t worry."

Senna remained silent.

"We actually helped her get off the wrong path."

The woman stared at him for several seconds, searching for any sign of mockery.

Any fake smile.

Any lie.

But she found nothing.

Nox’s voice was completely sincere.

And for some reason, that reassured her.

"Thank you."

She finally murmured.

Nox simply nodded.

◇◆◇

An hour later.

The kitchen was spotless.

The dishes were clean.

The trays had been put away.

And the dining room looked orderly once again.

Nox let out a long yawn.

"I’m going to bed."

The moment he said it, Audrey looked up.

"I’ll finish this and come with you."

Misty immediately turned around.

"What do you mean you’re coming with him?"

Audrey blinked.

"What’s the problem?"

"You already spent the night with him."

"So?"

"Now it’s my turn."

The room fell completely silent.

Nox felt a sudden sense of danger.

Tessa did too.

"Excuse me?"

Audrey asked.

"You heard me."

Misty replied.

"It’s my turn."

"Your turn?"

"Yes."

"Since when are there turns?"

"Since now."

Audrey slowly set down the plate she was drying.

"I don’t remember agreeing to that."

"That’s because nobody asked you."

"How convenient."

Nox slowly began backing away.

Tessa watched the scene with a smile on her face.

The two women slowly approached each other without taking their eyes off one another.

"I was here first."

Audrey said.

"I bathed with him."

Misty replied.

"That doesn’t count."

"Of course it counts."

"That’s cheating."

"That’s strategy."

Tessa finally started laughing.

"You’re both ridiculous."

Audrey immediately pointed at Misty.

"She started it."

"Liar."

"Truth."

Tessa shook her head.

Then she picked up one of the freshly washed plates.

"Argue all you want."

She said with a smile.

"But be careful with the dishes."

She held the plate up in front of them.

"Because they’re fine porcelain."

Both women froze.

Staring at the plate.

Then they looked at each other.

And finally took a few steps apart.

"I would never break a plate."

Audrey said.

"Neither would I."

Misty replied.

Nox seized the opportunity.

He turned on his heels and quickly started walking toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

Both women asked at the same time.

Nox pointed toward the upper floor.

"To sleep!"

And he disappeared upstairs before either of them could stop him.

Behind him, he could hear Tessa’s laughter.

Audrey’s complaints.

Misty’s teasing.

And the mixed snoring of Catherine, Claws, and Felix.