The iron gates of the Maho estate opened without a sound.
Not a creak. Not a groan.
Only the soft sigh of old metal surrendering to their return.
Snow had begun to fall again—slow, patient flakes drifting through the torchlight like ash. The courtyard beyond lay still, wide and immaculate, as if the world itself were holding its breath.
Toki was the first to step down from the carriage.
He offered his hand to Utsuki, steady and practiced, then helped Sephira and the children one by one. Their movements were slow, weary. Whatever had happened earlier still clung to them like cold on the skin.
Ozvold guided Umma toward the stables without a word, his expression unreadable as always, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed how tightly he held himself together.
Lilith remained where she was for a moment, her eyes studying the estate.
Something about the place amused her.
Or unsettled her.
"Charming," she murmured under her breath, lips curling faintly. "So this is where the hero hides."
Utsuki heard her—and stiffened.
Leonard opened the main doors with a practiced bow.
"Welcome home," he said calmly, though his eyes lingered on their faces, reading the exhaustion written there. He said nothing else. He didn't need to.
The moment they stepped inside, the warmth embraced them.
And then—
"Toki!"
Three small bodies collided with him at once.
Haru, Natsu, and Aki clung to his legs with the force of a small stampede.
"You're back!"
"You took forever!"
"Did you bring something?!"
He laughed softly despite himself, kneeling to steady them.
"I see I was missed."
"Obviously!" Natsu huffed.
Toki ruffled their hair gently. "I said I'd come back."
From the kitchen came a sharp voice:
"Hey! Don't just stand there blocking the doorway—if you're home, get in here and help!"
Yuki leaned halfway out, hands on her hips, apron already dusted with flour. Her eyes flicked over Toki, assessing.
"Seriously," she added, "you look like someone dropped a mountain on your head."
Utsuki shot her a look. "Yuki—"
But Toki raised a hand.
"It's fine," he said mildly. "She's not wrong."
He turned toward the kitchen. "I'm coming."
Yuki scoffed. "About time. And don't think I didn't see you trying to sneak past like you're not about to collapse."
As he walked past, she leaned in just enough to whisper, "You look awful."
"Good evening to you too."
She smirked. "Perv."
Utsuki opened her mouth to scold her, but Toki only smiled faintly.
"You don't have to defend me," he said. "I didn't tell my story for sympathy. I just didn't want lies between us.I don't want anyone's pity, I just said it so you can learn something from my mistakes. I'm the same Toki as always"
Yuki snorted. "As if I'd pity you. "
He chuckled softly.
In the kitchen, the smell of simmering broth wrapped around him like a blanket. He rolled up his sleeves automatically and reached for a knife.
"So," Yuki said at last, her voice edged with sarcasm, "you came back looking like the sky fell on your head. What happened this time?"
Toki didn't look up. His eyes remained fixed on the potato in his hand, following the blade as it shaved away thin strips of skin.
"I just had to remove the peel," he replied calmly. "Nothing more. But thank you for your concern."
Yuki snorted. "As if I care about your problems. I was just curious for everyone else's sake."
A faint, almost reluctant smile tugged at the corner of Toki's mouth. He let out a quiet chuckle, barely audible beneath the crackle of the fire.
"To be honest," he said after a moment, his tone softening, "I do have some very serious problems. Ones I don't really know how to deal with. I just… I have to make sure they don't swallow the people around me."
Yuki clicked her tongue and turned away, pretending to busy herself with a pot on the stove.
"Well, make sure you do," she snapped. "Someone needs to smack some sense into you every once in a while."
He smiled faintly. "You know, it's strangely comforting to have someone who hates me no matter what I do."
She shot him a glare sharp enough to cut stone. "If you want, I can do it right now. With pleasure."
"Maybe later," he replied calmly.
"Hmph. Don't get ahead of yourself. I wouldn't say I hate you… but you disgust me. You're like a cockroach that just won't die."
He laughed under his breath. "Seems I've really grown on you, then."
"Don't flatter yourself," she snapped back. "You're more like a tumor."
Despite herself, a snort escaped her lips, and for a brief moment, the tension broke. The two of them shared a short, reluctant laugh — the kind born from exhaustion rather than joy.
A new voice cut through the moment.
"Well, you two seem to be having a wonderful time. Mind if I join?"
Lilith had appeared in the doorway, her presence immediately altering the atmosphere. Her eyes scanned the room with idle curiosity, lingering on every detail as if she were cataloguing weaknesses. Her smile was soft, polite… and deeply unsettling.
Yuki turned sharply. "Get out of my kitchen!" she shouted, hurling the knife in her hand toward her without hesitation.
The blade sliced through the air — and stopped.
Lilith caught it effortlessly between two fingers, the metal halting inches from her face. She examined it with mild interest, turning it slightly to inspect the edge.
"My, my," she murmured. "You have good taste. Sharp. Balanced. I think I like you."
Yuki bristled. "Who told you that you could use my name? Get out of my kitchen, you slut. Go dance in someone else's lap."
Lilith's red-tinged eyes gleamed with amusement as she smiled wider.
"What a charming way to greet a guest," she said lightly. "I'll wait in the dining hall, then. The food smells divine, sister."
Before Yuki could grab another knife, Lilith turned and left the kitchen with unhurried steps, her presence lingering like perfume long after she was gone.
Yuki clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath as she turned back to Toki.
"What a bitch… I can't believe I'm saying this, but I almost feel sorry for you, idiot. That woman's bad news. She'll drain you dry like a leech."
Toki didn't deny it. He simply sighed.
"As long as the Order and the Church of Moonlight leave me alone," he said quietly, "I'll endure whatever conditions they put on me."
Yuki scoffed but didn't argue further.
Not long after, dinner was served.
They gathered in the dining hall, the long table lit by warm candlelight. Utsuki sat on one side of Toki, Lilith on the other—far closer than necessary. Utsuki's jaw tightened visibly, while Lilith leaned in just a bit too comfortably, her arm brushing Toki's sleeve now and then as if by accident.
The triplets and Hana stared openly at the newcomer. Lilith met their gazes with a polite smile that somehow made them uneasy.
Lilith inclined her head toward Leonard with a graceful, almost ceremonial motion.
"Thank you for hosting me," she said smoothly. "Your hospitality does honor to this house."
Leonard returned the gesture with measured dignity, placing a hand over his chest.
"The pleasure is mine," he replied calmly. "To serve the realm—and those entrusted to it—is both my duty and my honor."
"If it isn't too much trouble," Lilith said smoothly, "as a supervisor and… partner, I'll require a room close to Toki's. And a spare key, of course. For inspections."
The words had barely left her mouth when Utsuki slammed her hand on the table, standing so abruptly her chair scraped loudly against the floor.
"Enough!" she snapped. "Can't you leave him alone for even a moment? At this rate, you'll be sitting on his lap next. That behavior is unbecoming of a priestess of Moonlight!"
Lilith blinked, then let out a soft laugh.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry if I'm being too affectionate. I only want to get to know everyone better. I'd never dream of stealing your knight."
Utsuki flushed crimson and dropped back into her seat, fists clenched.
Suzume broke the tension by gently addressing Toki who finished eating. "You look exhausted. The bath is still warm. Why don't you go and rest a little?"
Toki nodded gratefully. "That sounds like a good idea."
He glanced at Ozvold, who shook his head. "I already bathed earlier."
Leonard declined as well, citing unfinished duties. Kandaki excused himself, saying he needed to help Yuki clean up.
"So it's just me, then," Toki murmured.
He rose from the table and made his way down the corridor, the murmur of voices fading behind him. The bath chamber welcomed him with steam and the gentle sound of water. He undressed slowly, letting his clothes fall to the floor, and stepped into the hot water.
The heat enveloped him instantly, wrapping around his weary body like a gentle embrace.
For the first time that day, he exhaled.
The steam curled lazily around the stone walls of the bathing chamber, rising in soft white coils that blurred the edges of the room. The water shimmered faintly under the lantern light, its surface trembling with the faint movements of Toki's body as he sat half-submerged, arms resting on the edge of the basin.
Silence wrapped around him—but it was not peace.
His thoughts churned louder than the water.
He leaned his head back, eyes half-lidded, staring at the ceiling as though answers might be carved into the stone.
So this is what it's come to…
The events of the day replayed relentlessly in his mind. The unease in the city. The corpses. The way the air itself had felt wrong—too heavy, too watchful. He clenched his jaw.
I still don't know enough.
The Star Collector remained a shadow. An enemy without form. Without a face. Something that struck from the dark and vanished again, leaving only corpses and fear behind. How was one supposed to fight something unseen? Something that moved through others like a whisper, leaving death in its wake?
And worse still—something that wasn't alone.
Fangs in the dark… servants that obey without question.
A slow breath left his lungs.
"How many more will die before I understand what I'm facing?" he murmured.
The water rippled as he shifted, frustration tightening his chest.
How many times must I die before I find the right path…?
His thoughts darkened further when another image surfaced.
Lilith.
Just thinking of her made the fine hairs on his arms rise.
He exhaled sharply.
"Bringing her here might've been a mistake…" he muttered.
The way she watched everything. The way she smiled as if she already knew how every story would end. There was something deeply unsettling about her presence—something that scraped against his instincts like a blade against bone.
And yet…
"She's devoted." he admitted quietly. "But not hollow."
A pause.
"Dangerous people are usually the most useful."
A faint scoff escaped him.
"And the most dangerous to keep close."
A sudden voice cut through the steam.
"Would you mind if I joined you?"
Toki froze.
His spine went rigid as he turned his head—and nearly lost his breath.
Lilith stood at the edge of the pool, utterly unashamed. The warm mist curled around her like a living thing, tracing the elegant lines of her body as her long black hair spilled down her back in a silken cascade. Droplets clung to her skin, catching the dim light and turning her pale curves into something almost unreal—half dream, half temptation. She made no attempt to hide herself; the confidence in her stillness was far more provocative than any deliberate display.
Her chest rose and fell with a slow, steady rythm, the movement subtle yet impossible to ignore. The curve of her breasts was soft and natural, shaped by the warmth of the steam that clung to her skin like a second veil. They were not displayed with vulgar intent, but neither were they hidden—resting openly, confidently, as if she had long since stopped caring about the weight of another's gaze.
The light traced gentle shadows along her form, emphasizing the quiet strength in her posture rather than overt temptation. There was something disarming in the way she carried herself: not an invitation, but a statement. Her body was simply hers—unapologetic, unguarded, and powerful in its calm acceptance.
Her crimson eyes gleamed with open amusement.
"I could wash your back," she added lightly. "If you'd like.", as though offering tea.
Toki snapped his head away so fast his neck protested.
"Don't—! Don't say things like that!
"W-What are you doing?!" he blurted, face burning. "Put some clothes on!"
He felt the heat rush to his cheeks, his pulse hammering in his ears.
She stepped closer. The water rippled.
"Oh?" she said softly. "Is that a problem?"
Her tone was playful, but there was curiosity beneath it. Testing. Measuring.
Toki swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the stone pool until his knuckles turned white.
"Y-You can't just—! This is inappropriate!"
Lilith tilted her head. "Strange. You've faced monsters without fear, yet this makes you panic?"
He clenched his teeth. "That's different!"
A soft laugh escaped her. "You're adorable when flustered."
She stepped into the water , the warmth curling around her legs as she sank in opposite him. Toki shut his eyes as if that might help.
"You're… unbelievable," he muttered.
She leaned back against the stone, entirely at ease. "You're the first man who's ever reacted like this," she said thoughtfully. "Most would have tried to take advantage."
"That's exactly why I won't," he snapped.
Silence stretched between them.
Then, quietly, she spoke again.
"I've used my body before," she said simply. "If it meant fulfilling my duty. If it pleased Moonlight."
His eyes opened slowly.
"And if she asked me to do it again," Lilith continued, voice steady, "I would.Faith is all I have."
He turned to her then, expression hard but not cruel.
"That's not devotion," he said firmly. "That's erasing yourself."
She blinked.
"For a god who truly cared," he went on, "your happiness would matter. Your safety would matter. Faith shouldn't mean destroying yourself piece by piece.A god worth following wouldn't want you to disappear," he continued. "If your devotion costs you your humanity, then something is wrong."
For a moment, the teasing light in her eyes dimmed.
Her voice softened. "You speak as if you've thought about this before."
"I have."
She studied him—really studied him—for the first time.
"…You're strange," she murmured. "Too kind for this world."
He snorted softly. "I've been told."
She looked away, a small, genuine smile touching her lips.
"If you keep talking like that," she said quietly, "I might start falling in love with you.."
He exhaled, tension easing slightly.
"You deserve more ," he said. "Everyone does."
Her expression softened further, something vulnerable flashing beneath the confidence.
"I suppose," she said after a moment, "that's why people follow you."
"I know I've brought discomfort into this house," Lilith said quietly. Her voice no longer carried its usual teasing lilt. "I've always tried not to grow attached to people. It makes things… easier. Cleaner. When the mission ends, I disappear. That's how it's always been."
She spoke without looking at him, her gaze fixed on the rippling surface of the bathwater, as if her reflection held answers she was afraid to face.
"I don't allow myself roots," she continued. "Attachments make you weak. They make you hesitate. And hesitation gets people killed."
Toki listened in silence, his expression tightening with every word.
"I've lived my life that way," she added. "Detached. Useful. Replaceable. When the mission ends, I leave. No farewells. No loose ends."
There was a faint pause—just long enough to reveal the weight behind her words.
"And when this mission is over," she said quietly, "I will disappear from your lives as well."
Toki's head snapped toward her.
"That's wrong."
His voice came out sharper than he intended.
She blinked, surprised.
"That way of thinking," he continued, turning fully toward her now, "it's completely wrong."
She frowned slightly. "Wrong?"
"Yes," he said firmly. "If Moonlight were to turn her back on you tomorrow, who would be there for you? Who would you have left?"
She opened her mouth, but no answer came.
"You're not a tool," he went on, his voice rising with conviction. "You're not something meant to be used and discarded. Connections don't weaken us—they're what keep us alive."
"I can't blame your little princess for not wanting to lose you," Lilith said softly, her voice carrying a hint of something unreadable beneath the teasing tone.
Toki froze for half a second before his face heated instantly.
"That's—" he stammered, then caught himself. "Utsuki is just trying to protect me. That's all. I don't think she feels that way."
Lilith tilted her head, studying him with a knowing gaze.
"You really are hopeless," she said lightly. "Kind… but hopeless."
He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She let out a quiet breath, something between a laugh and a sigh. "You see devotion everywhere except where it's pointed directly at you."
Toki looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're reading too much into things."
"Maybe." She stepped a little closer, her tone softening. "Or maybe you refuse to see it because you're afraid of what it would mean."
He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again.
Silence stretched between them, thick but not uncomfortable.
"You're a good man," Lilith said at last. "But a foolish one."
He scoffed. "That's not exactly comforting."
She smiled faintly. "It's honest."
Then, after a pause, she asked gently, "May I?"
He blinked. "May you… what?"
"Embrace you."
The words landed softly but carried weight.
Toki stiffened immediately. "N-No. Absolutely not."
Her eyebrow arched, amused. "I wasn't going to do anything improper."
"I know, but—" He gestured vaguely toward the water. "This isn't… appropriate."
She laughed quietly, a sound like glass chiming. "You're surprisingly pure-minded for someone who's seen so much blood."
"I just have boundaries," he muttered.
"That's admirable," she said. "Rare, too."
She leaned back against the edge of the bath, respecting the invisible line he had drawn.
Then she straightened, slipping back into her usual composure.
"I won't push you tonight," she added lightly. "But don't think I won't keep watching."
"I'll help with the investigation. I've noticed the same things you have. The enemy is invisible. They command at least eight beasts. They move with experience. Precision. Purpose."
He looked up sharply.
"And the killings?" he asked.
"Not ritualistic," she replied. "Too messy. Too personal. Whoever it is… they're sending a message."
She rose from the water, droplets glistening against her skin like silver.
"I'll write my report," she said over her shoulder. "And… thank you. For speaking to me like a person."
"One more thing," she added. "Members of the Evernight Church are already gathering. They are not as gentle as your order. Most are Division Four or higher."
That made his jaw tighten.
"Be careful," she said softly. "Even allies can be dangerous."
She reached the door, then glanced back with a faint smile.
"I won't tell anyone what I saw," she teased.
"Good night, Lilith," Toki said softly. "Thank you… for talking with me."
She paused at the doorway, turning just enough for the torchlight to catch her profile. For the first time, her smile wasn't teasing or sharp—it was almost gentle.
"Call me Lili," she said quietly. "Sweet dreams, Toki."
The door closed behind her with a soft click.
Silence returned.
The steam slowly thinned, leaving the room cooler, emptier. Toki remained in the water a moment longer, letting the warmth fade from his skin, letting the echo of her presence dissolve. When he finally stood, he felt heavier—not in body, but in thought.
He dried himself in silence, dressed without hurry, and made his way down the corridor toward his room.
The manor was quiet now.
Too quiet.
Candles burned low in their sconces, shadows stretching along the walls like watching eyes. The distant sounds of night—wind through trees, the faint cry of something far beyond the walls—slipped in through narrow windows.
Toki closed his door behind him and leaned against it for a moment.
His chest felt tight.
He exhaled slowly, then crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. The mattress dipped beneath his weight, familiar and grounding.
"So…" he murmured to the empty room, rubbing his temples. "I guess it's just you and me now."
He lay back, staring at the ceiling, the flickering candlelight casting slow-moving shadows above him.
"Sephira," he said quietly.
The name lingered in the air.
"I think it's time we talked."