Kaito stepped out of the room, his footsteps echoing softly against the worn wooden floors. The hallway was eerily silent. No servants were bustling about, no maids tending to chores—only the stillness of an old, forgotten house.
He glanced around, realising he was on the second floor of a three-tiered mansion. Though the building was large, it felt abandoned, hollow, as if time itself had given up on it.
Turning slightly, he looked over his shoulder and asked, "Iris, is there anyone else?"
Iris, walking gracefully behind him with the other wives, answered in a calm, respectful voice, "After the death of the former head, and with no funds left to maintain the household, all the servants and workers left. Now, only we remain within Grimveil Palace."
Kaito's brow furrowed at her words." And the others?" he pressed.
Iris gave a small bow before replying, "The seven Shadow Knights, sworn personally to you, still remain. They are outside—guarding the grounds, cleaning what they can, and keeping a watchful eye over the surroundings."
Kaito nodded slowly, a strange calm settling over him. A crumbling house, no servants, and only a handful of loyal shadows to his name. Somehow, it didn't feel like a setback. It felt like a beginning.
Kaito began making his way toward the stairs. The mansion was almost empty of furniture, but everything was spotless. As he walked, he asked casually, "Who cleaned this place?"
Iris answered with her usual calm, "We, along with the knights, cleaned it, my Lord."
Kaito raised an eyebrow, a little surprised but quietly pleased. After a moment, he asked another question, his eyes still on Iris."Why are you the only one answering?"
Without missing a beat, Iris replied, "As the oldest among us, it is my duty to respond to general questions, my Lord. Of course, if you address one of us directly, they will answer. But... the others are still quite shy, which is why I speak on their behalf for now."
As they walked, Kaito spoke again, his voice calm and curious."By the way, how old are all of you?"
Once more, it was Iris who answered without hesitation."Biologically, I am twenty-two years old, my Lord, while the others are twenty-one."
Kaito narrowed his eyes slightly, picking up on her choice of words."What do you mean by biologically?" he asked.
Iris remained composed as she explained,"We, along with the knights, were summoned into this world by the gods two days ago. We have no memories of a past life, but we possess a strong sense of duty and unwavering loyalty toward you, my Lord."
Kaito was a little surprised by their story but chose not to press further. After a moment of silence, he offered a rare smile."So, you managed to clean this entire mansion in just two days. Very good work."
All of the wives' faces lit up at the unexpected praise. A faint blush colored their cheeks as they smiled shyly, clearly pleased.
By the time they reached the entrance hall, seven shadow knights were already waiting, each kneeling on one knee. They wore simple but clean robes, much like the wives' clothing. Yet, the most intriguing part about them was that they wore black masks adorned with intricate gold and dark purple linings. Each mask was similar in shape and size, but the fine, detailed patterns carved into them were different, giving each one a unique yet unified look.
Kaito stepped closer and, with a gentle voice, addressed one of the knights."Why are you wearing a mask?"
The knight answered immediately, his tone respectful."We are unable to remove these masks, my Lord. We have tried, but they are unbreakable and refuse to leave our faces. Please forgive us for not being able to show ourselves properly."
Kaito shook his head lightly and replied,"There's no need to apologise. It's just a mask. You've done nothing wrong."
Then, turning his gaze across the kneeling knights, he gave his first order."For now, guard the mansion. Do not let anyone enter without my permission. If someone does come, inform me immediately."
The knights moved so swiftly it was as if they vanished into thin air. Kaito blinked, slightly stunned by their speed.
"These movements..." he thought to himself, "they're certainly not human."