Chapter 9: The Crimson Bond

No doubt about it, Doroshi was certain of her guess.
Moved by sympathy, she opened her arms and gently hugged the slightly smaller girl.

Caught off guard by the sudden embrace, the brown-haired girl’s body trembled for a moment before going still.

‘Heh, does this mean she’s accepting my hug?’

Doroshi gave a gentle smile.
As she held the girl, she realized how frail she felt—delicate, like a fragile porcelain doll, evoking a sense of protectiveness.

If Doroshi had known that this girl nearly snapped her neck moments ago, she probably wouldn’t be smiling.

“By the way, do you know why the orphanage caught fire? That place has been abandoned for ages. Why were you there?”
Doroshi pointed toward the orphanage.

The brown-haired girl looked at her innocently, speaking in a slightly dazed tone.
“The fire… I didn’t start it.”

“Huh?”
Doroshi blinked, startled by her words.

In that moment, she thought she saw a glimmer of pleading in the depths of the girl’s eyes.
Without hesitation, Doroshi smiled and clasped the girl’s hands.
“I believe you.”

‘If this girl needs someone to trust her, then I, Doroshi, will be that person.’

Hearing the resolute “I believe you,” the girl’s eyes widened slightly, a surge of emotion flickering in her pupils.

“Oh, right!”
As if remembering something, Doroshi stood up.
Under the girl’s puzzled gaze, she ran to the spot where she’d tossed her bag earlier.

After a quick search, she found her student bag, returned to the girl’s side, and unzipped it.
Rummaging through, she pulled out a beautiful red ribbon.
Gesturing for the girl to extend her left hand, the girl complied obediently this time.

With a soft smile, Doroshi carefully wrapped the vibrant, lotus-red ribbon around the girl’s wrist, tying it with a butterfly knot.
Proud of her handiwork, she nodded smugly.
“Yup, just as I thought—red suits you perfectly! I’m a genius, aren’t I? Totally perfect!”

“Red…”
The girl lowered her head, staring at the ribbon wrapped around her wrist.

“Exactly! It’s my favorite color, so pretty.”
Doroshi held the girl’s hand, gently rubbing it, feeling her warmth.
“I believe you, so cheer up, okay?”
She scooted back slightly, flashing a bright smile.
“This is proof of our friendship!”

Until the ambulance arrived and took them to the hospital, the girl kept gazing at the red ribbon, softly repeating Doroshi’s words.
“Proof… of friendship.”

The memory ended there.
Doroshi overlaid the image of that girl with the Ren standing before her, concluding they were likely the same person.

“So, that girl from back then was you…”

Doroshi sighed with a mix of emotions.
She never imagined the dazed girl standing in the fire would transform into this elegant red-haired maid.

“You dyed your hair red, huh?”

“Because you like red, Lady Doroshi, I used my demon god powers to change it.”

“Okay, now I get why you know me.”
Doroshi exhaled softly, sinking back into the chair’s cushioned backrest.
“But thinking about it, the person I saved from the fire wasn’t some ordinary girl—it was a demon god…”

It felt strange.
If everything Ren said about being a demon god was true, a being capable of destroying worlds wouldn’t be endangered by a mere fire.
That didn’t align with her claim that “Lady Doroshi saved me.”

Hearing the question, Ren didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she gazed at Doroshi with her beautiful purple eyes for a long moment.

Only when Doroshi squirmed uncomfortably under her stare did Ren close her eyes, pressing her right hand to her chest.
“Because you said to me, ‘I believe you.’”

“Huh? That’s it?”
The answer was unexpectedly simple, leaving Doroshi with a baffled expression.

She had indeed said those words, but for that alone to make a demon god see her as a master?
It was almost unbelievable.
Doroshi’s unease grew—she felt like she was carrying a weight she wasn’t meant to bear.

At that moment, Ren stepped lightly forward, crouching slightly in front of Doroshi.
Her gloved hands gently grasped Doroshi’s in a moment of distraction.

Like a pilgrim, Ren’s reverent gaze reflected Doroshi’s image, making it impossible for her to pull away.
Morning light streamed through the dining room’s large windows, bathing Ren’s red hair in a dazzling glow.
The light also illuminated tiny particles in the air, lending Ren a saintly aura.

Her beautiful face radiated warmth in the sunlight, her skin so radiant it seemed to glow faintly.

“Please don’t feel uneasy, and please don’t doubt yourself.”
Ren looked up, offering a gentle smile.
“In my past, in the memories of the demon god Sophiatola, no one ever spoke words of trust to me.”
“You were the only one, Lady Doroshi, who said ‘I believe you.’ From that moment, I knew.”
“All I desire is to stay by your side, to be a source of strength for you.”

Ren guided Doroshi’s hand to her chest, letting her feel her heartbeat through the fabric of her maid outfit.
The demon god’s artificial heart, mimicking a human’s, pulsed steadily.

The curve of Ren’s lips radiated pure happiness.
“Right now, in my heart, there is only you, Lady Doroshi.”
“To me, you are the only light, the beacon guiding my path.”
“Do you understand?”
Ren tilted her head slightly, as if awaiting a response.

‘…’

‘I get it—you’re seriously obsessed.’

Doroshi hadn’t expected that her casual “I believe you” would mean so much to Ren, enough to make her see Doroshi as her master.
‘Are all demon gods like this?’

“Um, Ren, please stand up.”
At a loss for words, Doroshi helped Ren to her feet.

Ren stood and stepped back, sensing Doroshi’s confusion and choosing not to press further.
‘As long as I can stay by Lady Doroshi’s side and serve her, that’s enough,’ she thought, a conclusion she’d long reached.

The atmosphere between them grew quiet.

To escape the awkwardness, the timid Doroshi chose to dodge.
“Uh, it’s almost time for school… I should go.”
She knew her topic shift was clumsy, her eyes darting nervously.

Showing no displeasure, Ren maintained her perfect maid demeanor, extending a hand.
“Then allow me, your maid, to escort you to school, Lady Doroshi.”

Unable to refuse Ren’s kindness, Doroshi nodded.
She felt like she owed the maid something.
Just one sentence had turned this demon god so devoted, leaving Doroshi deeply uneasy.

And so, Doroshi climbed into Ren’s limousine, heading to school.