Black Demon King

550 Sweet New Life (1)

20^th of Pristine Water Month. We left the dilapidated dormitory, along with the memory of our awkward first time. With Merry, the immortal horse; Marie, the ordinary horse; and Shiro, the white Pegasus, we went to our new home.

Since the day we bought the Cursed House, we had it cleaned and renovated by a contractor. We’d also finished moving the large furniture. Fiona, Sariel, and I went back and forth inside the mansion to prepare for the new house, so we already had a rough idea of its structure.

So, all we had to do was start living there from now on.

We arrived in front of the main gate, which was surrounded by iron fence. However, in the next moment, the imposing iron fence opened on its own, as if welcoming the arrival of its new owner.

“So, the mansion’s curse remains.”

“Isn’t that fine? It’s more convenient this way.”

By getting rid of the baron’s malevolent spirit, the mansion’s curse was significantly reduced. However, since the place was infested with evil spirits, the pure grudge that had been ingrained in it separated itself from the baron, becoming a dependent existence. In other words, rather than being controlled by the baron, the mansion now had its own will.

Normally, I’d give all my money to the Pandora Temple to formally request for an exorcism ritual, but seeing the gate opening on its own, I felt sure that the curse remained within the mansion.

“Well, it’s convenient after all.”

There was an easy way to control this mansion’s curse, which was by using the top hat left behind by the baron’s evil spirit.

After Fiona purified the evil spirit with golden flames, only the top hat, the symbol of a gentleman, remained. When I picked it up and wondered if it was a special item, I soon noticed that the top hat allowed me to manipulate the mansion’s curse at will.

By wearing that, I could envision the entire layout of the mansion. There was probably a link between evil spirits and the senses. With a simple command in my mind, I could open and close the windows and the doors, or even turn on the lights. I also discovered that the furniture inside the mansion, including the objects inside it, and the black, thorny fence around the mansion could be moved freely.

With this, I’d certainly be able to turn my mansion n to a house of traps and repel the intruders just like the baron did.

As a side note, even when I wasn’t wearing a top hat, I could control anything that was within my field of vision. Even the mansion itself recognized me as the owner of the top hat and acted with consideration. The reason why the gate opened on its own was because the mansion recognized its master’s return.

“For now, if there’s any inconveniences, let’s clean it up.”

“Yes, the cleanup costs aren’t ridiculous.”

Although we were now rich, it’d be better to avoid unnecessary expenses. For the time being, during the preparation period of the past few days, there was no harm caused to us or to the cleaning and transportation companies. On the contrary, the Cursed House was very considerate and helped us in various ways.

When we were carrying something huge, if the door frame was too narrow, the Cursed House would forcefully widen it so we could get through. We didn’t know why or how the non-stretchable wood and metal could bend like rubber.

Will it be possible to do so by mastering the psychokinesis of the poltergeist, or is it some kind of spatial magic?

In any case, I thought that the Cursed House was a good and sensible child. When I put on the top hat, I heard a voice saying, “Please don’t purify me, Master.”

I guess this guy is also desperate to survive…

At any rate, our new life started in the mansion that still had a curse in it.

Today, everyone would organize their own room, which they’d decided on in advance. The rough layout had been completed, but the details were still to be worked out.

I’d be in charge of the bedroom on the second floor, which used to be the study of the baron. Fiona while be in charge of her long-awaited basement workshop and a room on the second floor. Of course, not the same bedroom as mine. Sariel had the dining room, a lounge. As for her room, it took some time for Fiona and I to decide, but we finally settled on the attic on the top floor of the East Tower.

The original servant’s room was located at the back of the East Wing on the first floor, but I wondered if Fiona chose that tower to keep Sariel away during the night. I offered the original one to Sariel, but she insisted on the attic of the tower, so we let her be. According to Sariel, it’d be easier for her to monitor the surrounding vicinity from the highest vantage point.

I don’t think anything will happen in such an aristocratic district, but… Well, if Sariel wants to play the role of a security guard, I guess I have no reason to stop her.

“Master, dinner is ready.”

“Whoa, is it that time already?”

I didn’t have that many personal belongings, so I didn’t think it’d take much time to organize them, but once I started, I got hooked. I also raided the drawing room and library along the way, so I didn’t make much progress.

Well, it’s okay. My house is tidy enough for me to live comfortably.

That night’s dinner was curry, as per Fiona’s request. Last time, it was a pork curry that tasted just like home. But this time, it seemed to be a slightly more luxurious beef curry made without compromising on the quality of the ingredients. The seasoning was somewhat spicy, but it was perfectly balanced. Delicious. Sariel was a genius after all.

“Master, Mistress Fiona, your bath is ready.”

After we finished eating, we were lazing around on the sofa in the lounge while talking about our progress when Sariel called us. After dinner, I was going to take a bath, I felt like such an old lady. When I looked at how messy Fiona and I were, I felt like we were two lazy brother and sister.

It’s strange, until recently, Sariel acted as my sister…

“Let’s go, Kurono.”

“O-okay…”