After leaving the room where he spoke with Karna, Kazuya immediately headed toward the staircase leading to the third floor of the mansion.
Upon reaching the upper floor, he glanced at the silent library and let his eyes rest on the balcony.
Edmond Dantès, the infamous Count of Monte Cristo, was seated in one of the armchairs with an open book in hand, his legs crossed in an elegant posture. Beside him, perched on the stone railing with her legs gently swinging, was Valerie Tepes, her eyes fixed on the sky, seemingly lost in thought.
A strange glint crossed her eyes…
It had been nearly three days since Valerie was brought to the mansion. After that long conversation with her and having healed the damage to her soul and mind, she began to adapt surprisingly well to her new life.
She got along well with Jeanne, Asia, and even the strict Artoria Lancer. But, curiously… it was with Edmond that she formed the strongest bond. Yes, the very same man who had kidnapped her in Romania.
Since learning of this, Kazuya couldn't decide what was stranger: the fact that Valerie had forgiven him so quickly… or the fact that the two spent practically all their time together.
Vibes of dark romance?
Chills.
He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts; it wasn't his business.
But, come to think of it… it made some sense that the two would understand each other.
Valerie was someone who never had a choice. From birth, she was dragged between monsters, power games, and others' ambitions, used because of her Sacred Gear. The only person she truly showed affection for was Gasper, who, in the end, abandoned her to escape. Still, she said what mattered was having helped and saved him from that hell, that it was her responsibility as his childhood friend and older sister, and that it was enough.
But…
Even as a dhampir, half-vampire, she was still half-human, and Valerie had a "human heart." He didn't doubt that, over the years, in some lonely moment of silence, she had secretly thought that maybe she should have been the one to escape… That she didn't deserve to go through that hell, she must have felt betrayed…
Not that it meant she didn't love Gasper—quite the opposite. Since discovering he was part of Rias Gremory's nobility, she wanted to reunite with him. So, she held no grudge…
On the other hand, Edmond was a man who had gone through a similar experience—or something like it.
Edmond was unjustly imprisoned in the dreaded Château d'If, known as hell itself in stone form. Betrayed by a conspiracy that ruined his love and his life, he was thrown there without trial, a victim of others' envy and ambition. Yet, even in the face of despair, he maintained an iron will. Instead of succumbing to madness, he found calm and a mentor. It was in the depths of that prison that he met Abbé Faria, an erudite cellmate who guided and educated him, shaping his mind into something far beyond a simple sailor.
After years, he escaped Château d'If. With the abbé's death, he discovered the location of the legendary "Treasure of Monte Cristo," hidden on the island of the same name. With that treasure, he was reborn as the enigmatic Count of Monte Cristo and began his slow, meticulous, and relentless revenge. Upon returning to Paris, now as a mysterious and influential figure, Edmond dragged each person responsible for his downfall into the abyss—men who, once insignificant, had become pillars of the French elite. His actions were surgical, his judgment severe. For each, he offered the same hell he had endured.
The two were practically mirrors of each other in different ways: while one achieved his revenge, the other remained a mere tool used by her own family.
And so, Valerie, perhaps, had grown attached to him for a reason as simple as it was cruel: it was Edmond who pulled her out of that hell. And for someone who spent their entire life chained in nightmares… sometimes, the monster who breaks your cage seems more trustworthy than all the heroes in the world. And Edmond grew attached because she reminded him of his old self—or, more specifically, what he might have been if he had given up on everything…?
Well, either way, it was good to see the two getting along…
Letting out a sigh, he pushed open the glass door leading to the main balcony. The air there was fresh and pleasant, carrying the distant scent of flowers from the garden below.
That's when he saw them.
Kazuya paused for a moment at the door, observing the scene in silence.
"Looks like I interrupted the book club's focus…"
Edmond didn't look up from his book. He merely turned a page slowly and replied, "The world is always full of interruptions, mon ami. I'm used to it…"
Valerie turned at the sound of Kazuya's voice. A faint smile appeared on her lips, sweet and serene.
"Oh… It's you, Kazuya. Hello… Come to keep us company?"
He shrugged, approaching.
"Let's say that. But I actually came looking for you, Valerie."
She looked at him curiously, while Edmond slowly closed his book with a sharp snap and leaned back in his chair, watching the two with that impassive, impenetrable gaze that always seemed to hide something more.
Kazuya stopped beside Valerie, his eyes fixed on the horizon.
"We need to talk. And it's a pretty important matter. I held off until now to give you time to adjust to your new life…"
Valerie didn't respond immediately, but her eyes grew more serious. She nodded slightly.
"Understood. Whenever you're ready…"
"Now's perfect…" he replied, in a calmer tone than usual. "But let's take it easy. I don't want to turn this nice breeze into a war meeting… not yet…"
Valerie smiled, understanding his humor.
Edmond, on the side, sighed and spoke, "Do you need me to give you two some space, Master…?"
"…No, Edmond. You can stay and listen if you want…" Kazuya merely shook his head, crossing his arms.
Edmond tilted his chin slightly, as if considering the offer for a brief moment. Then, with a calm gesture, he placed the bookmark between the pages and closed the book with a soft sound.
"Très bien. I'll stay, then. After all… what's a good tragedy without witnesses?" he commented in that characteristic tone, somewhere between cynical and poetic, before leaning back a bit more in his chair, his eyes now fixed on Kazuya.
Valerie looked in his direction and asked, "So… what's this about, Kazuya…?"
"Well, it's about your stay here. As I mentioned earlier, I didn't bring it up before because I thought it was too soon and wanted to give you some time to breathe…"
"I'm all ears…"
Kazuya looked at her for a moment, his eyes calm as always, before nodding slightly.
Then he began to speak.
Using the right words, he carefully chose each piece of information, as if they were data gathered by his vast network of spies and informants, which, technically, wasn't a lie. He told Valerie everything he knew about Rizevim's plans for her and the horrors that would entail.
What he didn't say—and never would, unless absolutely necessary—was that this information came from a deeper place: his knowledge of this world's future. A secret he kept locked under seven keys. Something even his Servants didn't know and would only find out if they saw it in the dream cycles and he had to tell them everything…
His telling her now served a clear purpose: he wanted to recruit her as one of his subordinates in this world.
And she needed to know what she was escaping… to understand why she should accept.
When he finished, the balcony fell into an almost suffocating silence. The wind blew gently, but not even the whisper of the leaves whispering could ease the weight in the air.
Valerie, the young dhampir, remained still, staring at him with wide eyes wide open, her expression blank, as if the world around her had stopped for a moment.
After long seconds, she finally broke the silence. She cleared her throat carefully, as if choosing each word with extreme caution.
"So… you're saying you want to say that my power would be used for that?" she asked, her voice low and trembling.
"Yes. Though it's hard to believe, you're the target of a rather troublesome person. But you're safe here, so relax, so…"
"…Um… What would be the terms for me to stay here, in your home? I don't think it's for free you brought it up, since you mentioned it. Though I don't have much domestic skills, I'm more than willing to learn…"
"Though I appreciate the offer, Valerie, I must say I'm not exactly suffering from a lack of maids…"
The response seemed to slight shake Valerie's slight wavering enthusiasm. She looked away, her fingers nervously intertwining before she blushed and murmured, almost inaudibly, "B-b-well… I wouldn't mind being… more intimate, if that's okay with you…"
For a moment, he considered slapping his forehead on his forehead, but he held back. Beside him, he caught Edmond's glance, a look mixing mild disgust with silent judgment.
That escalated quickly…
Still, it wasn't wasn't entirely surprising.
Valerie must've been, what, what must Valerie have been? Seventeen, maybe eighteen? Young, yes, but raised in a world where words like "courtesan" and "mistress" weren't so far from her reality. She knew exactly what she meant, she was suggesting, and that made him feel, at the very least, uncomfortable.
Clearing his throat, he cleared his throat and replied with kindness, "I'm flattered, really. But you don't need to go that far. In fact… I already had an offer in mind for you…"
Valerie coughed delicately, a strong flush coloring her pale face. She shrank back a bit, as if she wished she could vanish into her own coat.
"O-oh… forget I said anything, then…"
Kazuya decided to ignore that awkward part of his conversation and suggest his plan.
"I want you to officially join my organization, Chaldea. Or you can choose it to stay as just a guest until all the trouble with Rizevim passes. Above all, what I want most is to protect you. If you want is a safe place, Valerie… I have no issue you staying here, with letting her stay in this house. You can live in peace, without needing to worry about—"
"No!" she interrupted, in a sudden outburst.
The intensity in her voice caught him off guard.
Valerie took a deep breath.
"You're basically asking me to fight by your side, right? Or just be someone protected by you… But you… I don't want to keep being… I'm tired of being… I'm tired of depending on others or being used by others. I'll fight by your side. I don't want to want that to happen again. Something like that… And… if it also lets me see Gasper, then it'll be even better…"
"…That's good. As for seeing Valerie, in about three weeks from Gasper, I'll take you to see him. Until then, so, I'll have someone train you… Sound good?"
"…Yes. I'll work hard to get stronger and help you, Kazuya… This is also my way of thanking you for getting me out of that place…"
"It wasn't me who did it. It was Edmond..."
"…I didn't do anything beyond what was asked of me…" Edmond sighed and said.
Valerie looked at the Count and gave an ironic smile. That was his reply every time she'd thanked him these past few days, she replied, "That's the same thing I got for him when I thanked her…"
"Don't worry, he's just being shy…"
"…"
"…Eh, really? I didn't know he was shy. I thought he was just more… What's that word again…? Emo?"
"Yeah, he's emo sometimes too…"
"…You two know I'm right here, right…? I'm not forgetting these insults!"
"…"
"…"
"Is there some rule for joining your organization…?" she asked, shifting the subject.
"Actually, yes. Two rules, to be exact: Treat everyone with respect and kindness, and try not to cause trouble. But if someone disrespects you or start causing problems, forget that rule. And finally, our goal is to make a better place for humans in this world, but we're not human supremacists or xenophobic. So, the rule's simple: stay loyal to that goal, but don't be obsessed with it…" Kazuya said calmly.
"…That's it?" Valerie tilted her head. She didn't have a bad view of humans; she'd lived most of her life with vampires, after all.
"Yes…" Kazuya nodded and said, "Valerie, I know you haven't had much contact with humans. I'm not saying humans are perfect—there are plenty who only cause harm. If you run into them, feel free to obviously kill them or… do whatever you want with them. We at Chaldea, we don't cover for them just because they're human."
"Got it… So, should I call you 'Master' too, then?" Valerie asked with a wry smile.
"No, Valerie, just call me Kazuya or… Director," Kazuya shook his head, his lips twitching, sensing this dhampir might be a headache.
Valerie let out a stifled giggle at his expression, and for a moment, the tension in the air faded like mist in the sunlight.
"Director, huh… Sounds like a villain's name from one of those anime animes you watch in your free time…" she murmured, her eyes teasing his.
"…I've been called worse," Kazuya replied casually, shrugging. "And, technically, they're not entirely wrong."
Valerie raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
He looked away, crossing his arms, gazing at the horizon with a faint sigh.
"I'm not exactly the hero of this story," he said, in a tone that sounded more serious than he meant. "…But if I can make sure you're never used again… that no other girl goes through what you did… that's enough for me…"
There was silence for a few seconds.
This time, it was Edmond who spoke.
"Hero or villain… those labels are meaningless when you're surrounded by tragedies. What matters is what you do with the power you have…"
Valerie just… nodded.
"Alright, it's settled then. From now on… I'm with Chaldea."
Kazuya extended a hand to her.
Valerie looked at him, then at his outstretched hand… and shook it firmly. Her skin was cold, like someone who'd lived too long in shadows, but her grip was strong, resolute. No hesitation.
"Welcome to Chaldea," he said, with a half-smile.
Edmond, beside them, snorted and opened his eyes again, flipping book open again, flipping through pages nonchalantly.
"Let the chaos begin…" he muttered, deadpan, but with a faint glint of amusement in his eyes.
Valerie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and laughed softly.
"…Do I get a uniform?"
"…No," Kazuya replied instantly, firmly.
"Damn…" She faked a pout.
"If you show up in a maid outfit, Valerie, it's on you, Kazuya…" Edmond drawled, sarcastic.
"Shut up, emo…" Kazuya grumbled, already regretting a bit letting these two get so close.
Valerie just laughed again.
After that, the three talked for a while longer before Kazuya went downstairs to prepare lunch with Jeanne and Asia. Artoria Lancer was in the kitchen too...