[Dominic’s POV]

[Location: Morningstar Manor, New York]

Click! Click! Click!

Grayfia walked into the dining hall, finding everyone still lingering around the absurdly oversized breakfast table like some supernatural sitcom that refused to end.

Eris sat comfortably on my lap while I cut pancakes into smaller pieces for her.

"Paaapa, Mama is back!" Eris chirped happily, immediately spotting Grayfia the moment those silver heels touched marble.

’Like the clicking of her heels wasn’t audible across three dimensions,’ I thought tiredly.

Grayfia’s silver eyes shifted toward Eris first.

Then toward me.

A microscopic pause followed.

Not enough for anyone else to notice.

More than enough for me to.

Ah.

Something happened.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Meanwhile—

Gabriel waved enthusiastically from across the table.

"Lady Grayfia! We saved pancakes for you!"

Selene, upside down on a chair for reasons known only to witches and failed physics textbooks, pointed dramatically.

"Return of the Ice Queen Arc!"

Zeraphira sat beside me with her arms crossed, expression neutral.

The word neutral was once again performing manual labour.

Carmilla, meanwhile, sat elegantly across from us with a teacup in hand, looking perfectly composed after drinking my blood like it was a scheduled nutritional supplement.

At least she looked healthier now.

Which, admittedly, was good.

Still weird.

But good.

Grayfia approached calmly.

Elegant.

Controlled.

Unbothered.

The embodiment of refined demonic nobility.

Then she stopped beside me.

And lowered her head slightly.

"Master."

Ah.

’Have I ever mentioned her fetish of being a maid while looking capable of personally freezing civilisations?’ I thought tiredly.

Grayfia remained slightly bowed beside me.

Perfect posture.

Perfect composure.

Perfect elegance.

Meanwhile, her silver eyes were very clearly checking whether I looked pale after Carmilla’s feeding.

Which I absolutely did not appreciate noticing.

"I’m fine," I said before she could ask.

Grayfia’s gaze lingered on me for half a second longer.

"...I did not ask, Master."

"You were about to."

"...Correct."

Selene pointed dramatically from her upside-down position.

"Married Couple Telepathy!"

"We are not married," Grayfia replied instantly.

A pause.

Then—

"...Yet."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Even Zeraphira blinked.

Gabriel dropped her fork.

Carmilla calmly sipped tea like this was perfectly normal.

Valeria, tired of being ignored, stood up from her seat between Ezravia and Ravvy, who, by the way, was neck deep in pancakes and still a cute little hamster.

Valeria planted both hands on the table dramatically.

"No fair."

Every eye shifted toward the pink-haired demoness.

Even Ravvy paused mid-pancake consumption.

Which, frankly, was historically significant.

Valeria puffed her cheeks immediately.

"Everyone keeps making relationship progress while I’m being emotionally neglected."

"You are sitting three feet away from him," Ezravia said flatly.

"Distance means nothing when my heart is suffering."

"Your heart suffers professionally," Carmilla observed calmly.

"Thank you for recognising my talent."

Zeraphira pinched the bridge of her nose.

Selene pointed enthusiastically.

"Lust-san enters the battlefield!"

Gabriel tilted her head innocently.

"Is this another argument?"

"No," Ezravia replied without hesitation. "This is Valeria seeking attention."

"I seek affection," Valeria corrected with dignity.

"You attempted to seduce the toaster yesterday."

"The toaster understood me."

"It caught fire."

"Passion."

I sighed quietly while Eris happily continued eating pancake pieces from my lap like none of this was abnormal.

Which, honestly, was becoming concerning.

Grayfia finally straightened beside me, silver gaze sweeping across the table once.

Assessment complete.

Threat level:

Catastrophic, but manageable.

Probably.

Then—

Her eyes shifted toward Carmilla.

A very small pause followed.

Carmilla met the look calmly over the rim of her teacup.

Ah.

Information exchange.

Silent women communication.

One of the most terrifying forces in existence.

Grayfia’s gaze lowered briefly toward the faint mark near my collar.

Then back to Carmilla.

Carmilla smiled faintly.

Grayfia’s expression did not change.

But somehow the room temperature still dropped half a degree.

Zeraphira noticed immediately.

"So," Wrath said slowly, arms still crossed. "Something happened."

Grayfia answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

Direct.

Efficient.

Dangerous.

Selene leaned forward so quickly she almost fell off the chair entirely.

"Oho?! Plot detected!"

Gabriel clasped her hands together anxiously.

"Was it bad?"

Grayfia’s silver eyes shifted toward me for one brief moment.

"Potentially."

The dining hall quieted slightly.

Even Valeria stopped performing emotional theatre for half a second.

Okay.

Now we were entering serious territory.

I gently set down the fork in my hand.

"What happened?"

Grayfia moved gracefully to my side.

Not sitting.

Standing.

Like a royal attendant reporting directly to a king.

Which remained mildly concerning for my blood pressure.

"We were observed," she said calmly.

Silence.

Ezravia’s purple eyes sharpened immediately.

Carmilla lowered her teacup slightly.

Zeraphira’s gaze narrowed.

Only Gabriel blinked innocently.

"Observed?" she repeated softly. "Like... watched?"

"Yes."

Selene slowly sat upright now.

The cheerful atmosphere faded by a fraction.

Not gone.

Just quieter.

Grayfia continued evenly.

"A group of four individuals established surveillance several hundred meters from the manor."

Ravvy finally looked up from her pancakes.

"...Hunters?"

Her voice was soft.

Calm.

But the table still seemed to tense slightly around the word.

"...Bounty Hunters."

Grayfia inclined her head once, correcting.

"On whose head?"

The question settled over the breakfast table.

Calm.

Simple.

Dangerous.

Grayfia’s silver eyes remained steady.

"...Yours, Master."

Silence.

Absolute.

Then—

Gabriel blinked twice.

"...Oh."

That was it.

That was her entire reaction.

Not because she didn’t understand the severity.

But because Gabriel processed catastrophic revelations with the same energy most people used for weather forecasts.

Selene, meanwhile, slapped both hands onto the table dramatically.

"I KNEW IT!"

Everyone looked at her.

The witch pointed at me as if she had just solved a murder mystery.

"Main character energy! Mysterious heritage! Powerful women! Ancient conspiracies! This was inevitable!"

"That is not comforting," I muttered.

Valeria leaned forward immediately.

"Wait, wait, wait—"

Her crimson eyes sparkled dangerously.

"Are we famous now?"

"Infamous," Ezravia corrected flatly.

"Even better."

Ravvy slowly swallowed another pancake bite.

"...Can we kill them?"

The question came with horrifying casualness.

Gabriel nearly dropped her orange juice.

"Ravvy!"

"What?" the black-haired demoness blinked innocently. "They came to hurt Dominic."

Carmilla rested her chin lightly atop folded fingers.

"No," she said calmly. "Not yet."

Zeraphira’s eyes shifted toward Grayfia.

"How much do they know?"

Grayfia answered immediately.

"They confirmed the manor’s existence."

Her gaze flicked toward me.

"They know the Morningstar heir lives."

Ah.

Wonderful.

Fantastic.

Exactly the kind of morning news everyone wanted with breakfast.

I leaned back slightly in my chair while Eris happily munched pancake pieces on my lap, blissfully unaware that apparently Hell’s version of LinkedIn had decided to update my employment status to:

Wanted internationally.

Cool.

Very cool.

"By ’they’ you mean—" Carmilla started, but got interrupted.

Grayfia didn’t mince words.

"The whole world, yes."

Silence settled again.

Not the comfortable kind.

The kind that made pancakes taste as if they had suddenly become part of geopolitical tension.

Valeria slowly raised her hand.

"...So I’m dating someone who is technically trending globally?"

"No," Ezravia corrected immediately. "You are emotionally harassing him in proximity."

"That sounds worse."

"It is worse."

Ravvy tilted her head.

"So we’re famous-famous."

"That is not the takeaway," Zeraphira said flatly.

Selene leaned forward, eyes sparkling like she was watching a new season drop.

"This is it! The ’Bounty Arc’ has officially begun!"

Gabriel nervously raised her orange juice.

"Is that... bad?"

Grayfia answered before anyone else could.

"Yes."

One word.

Clean.

Final.

The temperature dipped slightly again.

I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Okay. Let’s structure this."

Everyone paused.

Even Selene stopped mid-gesture.

That was always the dangerous part.

When I sounded like I was actually going to manage things.

"I’m guessing this isn’t just random bounty hunters," I continued.

Grayfia nodded once.

"Correct."

Ezravia narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Organised?"

"Highly."

Carmilla lowered her teacup.

"Then it is not curiosity," she said softly. "It is authorisation."

Ravvy blinked.

"What’s authorisation?"

"It means," Ezravia replied, "someone told them it was okay to try dying."

"Oh."

Valeria leaned forward again, suddenly excited.

"So like... group activity murder?"

"Please stop phrasing it like that," Gabriel whispered.

Selene pointed at me again.

"This is what happens when you unlock hidden route flags! The world sends side quests!"

"I did not unlock anything," I muttered.

Grayfia’s gaze shifted to me briefly.

"...Debatable."

I stared at her.

She didn’t blink.

Zeraphira crossed her arms tighter.

"Where are they now?"

Grayfia answered immediately.

"Gone."

Silence.

Valeria tilted her head.

"Gone gone?"

"Yes."

Ezravia frowned.

"Retreated?"

"No."

Grayfia’s voice remained perfectly calm.

"Erased from perception range."

That landed heavier than anything else so far.

Even Selene stopped smiling.

Gabriel lowered her orange juice slowly.

"...That sounds like Grayfia’s work," Ravvy said thoughtfully.

"It was not me," Grayfia replied.

Pause.

Another pause.

She continued.

"They withdrew voluntarily after confirmation."

I leaned forward slightly.

"So they saw you... and left."

"Yes."

"And didn’t come back."

"Yes."

Valeria blinked.

"...That is kind of offensive."

"It is logical," Ezravia corrected. "They are not suicidal."

Selene raised a finger.

"Or they saw Ice Queen and selected the ’nope’ option!"

Carmilla’s lips curved faintly.

"A wise choice."

Zeraphira exhaled slowly.

"So they know about Dominic."

Grayfia nodded.

"And they know enough to organise a hunt."

I leaned back again.

Eris happily patted my cheek with pancake-covered fingers.

"Papa is popular!" she said cheerfully.

"Yes," I muttered. "Unfortunately."

Gabriel looked worried now.

"So... does that mean more people will come?"

Grayfia’s silver gaze flicked to her.

"Yes."

Simple.

Unavoidable.

Valeria suddenly raised both hands.

"Okay! Then we prepare a reception!"

Ezravia blinked.

"...A what?"

"A reception!" Valeria repeated proudly. "Like fancy! Guests arrive! We smile! We maybe stab them politely!"

"That is not a reception," Ezravia said flatly.

"It is in my culture."

"No, it isn’t."

Ravvy nodded thoughtfully.

"I can help with stabbing."

"NO," three voices said instantly.

Selene leaned back dramatically.

"This is evolving into a base defence arc!"

Carmilla’s gaze turned slightly toward me.

"This will escalate further."

"I noticed," I said dryly.

Grayfia stepped slightly closer.

"Master," she said calmly.

Her voice lowered just a fraction.

"There is more."

That tone.

Not panic.

Not urgency.

But precision.

I straightened slightly.

"...Go on."

Her silver eyes held mine.

"The bounty notice is not local."

Silence again.

Ezravia’s expression sharpened immediately.

"Global distribution?"

"Yes."

Valeria’s smile froze slightly.

"...So I can’t even pretend I’m not involved?"

"No," Ezravia said.

"Damn."

Grayfia continued.

"And..."

A pause.

That pause mattered.

"...It is not a standard bounty structure."

Selene tilted her head.

"Define not standard!"

Grayfia’s gaze lowered slightly.

Then—

"Every enemy of the Morningstar bloodline would be glad to know the location of the last living Morningstar and..."

She paused.

Not because she lacked information.

But because even she seemed to consider the phrasing carefully.

"...and the structure around him," she finished.

Silence settled again.

Different this time.

Heavier.

Ezravia’s purple eyes narrowed.

"Structure?"

Valeria blinked.

"...That sounds like we’re a building."

"We are," Carmilla said calmly, sipping her tea. "Metaphorically speaking."

"No, I think she meant literally," Selene murmured, leaning forward.

Grayfia continued without acknowledging the interruption.

"The notice does not only target Dominic Nocturne von Morningstar."

Her silver gaze lifted slightly.

"It designates everything within his immediate domain as collateral value."

That word—

Collateral—

hit differently.

Ravvy slowly set her fork down.

"...So us."

"Yes," Grayfia replied.

Simple.

Unflinching.

Gabriel’s fingers tightened around her orange juice.

"Oh..."

Valeria blinked.

Then pointed at herself.

"...Even me?"

Ezravia answered immediately.

"Especially you."

"Why, especially me?!"

"Because you are loud."

"That is not a crime!"

"It should be," Ezravia muttered.

Zeraphira finally spoke, voice low.

"So they’re not just hunting Dominic."

Grayfia nodded once.

"They are harvesting the environment around him."

That phrasing made the room go still again.

Even Selene stopped smiling.

Carmilla lowered her teacup.

"...That is more efficient than a bounty," she said softly. "It is a purge strategy."

Grayfia inclined her head slightly.

"Correct."

I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temple again.

Of course, it wasn’t simple.

It never was.

Eris tugged at my sleeve lightly.

"Papa?"

"Yeah?"

"...Are bad people coming?"

I paused.

Then smiled gently and patted her head.

"Not yet."

Grayfia’s gaze flicked to me for a fraction of a second.

She didn’t correct me.

That alone was answer enough.

Valeria leaned forward again, suddenly serious in a way she rarely was.

"So what happens when they do come?"

Silence.

Ezravia answered before anyone else.

"They die."

Valeria blinked.

"...That was fast."

"It is efficient," Ezravia replied.

Ravvy nodded.

"I can help."

"No," everyone said again.

Selene raised a hand.

"Okay, but plot-wise this is escalating into raid boss content."

Gabriel whispered nervously.

"I think we’re the raid boss..."

That line actually made the room quiet for half a second.

Even Valeria stopped fidgeting.

Carmilla’s red eyes drifted toward me.

"...They are not wrong," she said softly.

Zeraphira’s gaze sharpened.

"They will come prepared."

Grayfia nodded.

"Yes."

"More than before," she added.

I leaned back slightly in my chair.

"Doesn’t matter, let them come or better yet... take the fight to them, I would hate to see this manor damaged~"

Tti-ring!

[A new quest is available.]

’Long time no see, system.’

***

A/N: Sorry for the massive unannounced break and neglecting the book.

Stone me, I can take it!

Leave a review, seriously, it helps.

— Comment your thoughts.