When Yulia saw the Undead Knight again, he was back at his post by the door as if nothing had happened. He stood as still as a statue, guarding the threshold with his silver lance.

Yulia squinted at him, wondering why he had bolted like he'd seen a ghost. Maybe she hadn't pushed his buttons hard enough yet—she'd have to try a different spark next time.

"What is this?" Caerus asked, using a straw to stir the dark pudding settling at the bottom of the cup.

"Oat Pudding Milk Tea," Yulia answered simply.

Giotto and the other brides had been kneeling on the hard stone for what felt like hours, their bodies trembling. They caught the scent of roasted tea leaves and fresh milk drifting through the hall, their eyes wide with confusion.

"And that?" Caerus gestured toward a silver domed tray sitting on a golden platter.

"I know! I know!" Ollie flapped his wings and snatched the lid away with his beak. "It's meat! It smells better than the rarest beast I've ever tasted!"

In a world where cooking was an afterthought, the flavor of a dish usually depended entirely on the quality of the raw ingredients. Caerus knew the supplies came from the recent sacrificial offerings, so he didn't expect much from a mortal's kitchen.

But when the lid lifted, a girl in the back let out a hollow, starving gasp. "Is that... the aroma of the heavens?" she whispered.

Yulia had spent the extra time perfecting a secret sauce she'd memorized from a BBQ joint in her old life. The beef was seared to a perfect char, the rich seasoning locked into every fiber of the meat. Sizzling green peppers and onions were piled high, their juices mixing with the savory run-off.

The cold, detached expression on the black-haired youth's face flickered. Giotto and the girls watched, their stomachs turning over, as Caerus sliced off a piece of beef and ate it.

Then another. And another.

He emptied the plate in silence before washing it down with a long pull of the milk tea. Caerus set the cup down, his pale, cold fingers tapping twice on the table.

"I'll grant you a wish," the Black Dragon said, a rare flash of amusement crossing his face. "Let's hear it".

Yulia's eyes sparkled with hope. "Could you kill—".

"Except that," Caerus cut her off, effectively crushing her thought. "If you want to die, jump out the window. I have no interest in crushing ants".

Giotto glanced at the spot where the red-haired girl had been turned into a pulp earlier, his face pale with confusion.

Yulia marched to the window and looked down. The ten-story drop made her head spin, and she quickly pulled back. She couldn't even handle a roller coaster in her past life, let alone a literal leap of faith.

"Fine," she muttered, smoothing her dress.

She didn't have any grand desires besides a painless exit, but she saw the girls watching her with green, hungry eyes.

"Then let me share the rest of the food with them. Can I?"

The brides' pupils dilated in shock. Caerus stared at her, unmoving.

"Just that?"

"Just that," Yulia repeated. She could have asked for his gold, but what could she even buy in this century?. It was better to do a little bit of good with food that wasn't hers anyway.

"Heh," Caerus let out a short, sharp laugh—half-mocking, half-pleased. "Your wish is heard".

Yulia paused, then spoke up again. "Actually, can I add one more?"

The room went dead silent. Ollie buried his head under his wings, waiting for the dragon to snap her neck.

"And what is this one?" Caerus asked with surprising patience.

Yulia pointed toward Giotto and the others.

"Show them mercy, Lord Caerus. Give them jobs here in the temple. Let them work off their 'sins' so they don't have to be sent back to the Pope".

The girls held their breath. Staying in the Abyss was a terrifying thought, but it was better than being sold as a mistress or starving in the streets.

Yulia didn't mention her true motive: she just wanted a crew of assistants to handle the temple chores.

Caerus looked into her sapphire eyes, seeing every little scheme swirling in her head. She was a strange girl—too scared to die, yet too bored to live.

"And what will you pay for this, little girl?".

Yulia looked at her empty hands. She thought of her menu. "How about a 'Burger'? Smoked meat and greens between two buns".

Caerus stopped tapping the table. "What is that?".

He's falling for it again! Ollie screamed internally.

The milk tea and BBQ did the trick. Caerus wanted this "burger" thing next, but he wasn't in a rush. He gave Yulia time to prep and left the fate of her "friends" in her hands.

Since the death plan was on hold, Yulia needed a layout for survival. First priority: a bedroom that didn't double as a volcanic vent.

The girls she saved swarmed her. Their bellies were full of roasted meat and tea, and energy radiated from them as they gripped Yulia's hands.

"It must be torture, playing nice with that devil," Molly whispered, her eyes shiny with tears. "May the God of Radiance protect you, Princess Yulia".

Yulia waved a dismissive hand, her face a mask of humble modesty.

Jane and Molly were the oldest, so Yulia sent them with Ollie to fix up the room. She took Giotto—the only one fit for heavy lifting—to the storeroom to count the loot.

Ollie hadn't talked to anyone but a silent dragon and a skeleton for centuries. He didn't just talk; he erupted.

"You're all Caerus's maids now," the phoenix chirped, ruffling his crimson feathers. "Don't ask questions... He's the only God that matters".

Ollie's feathers stood on end as he preened for his new audience.

Molly and the others stayed quiet. The God of Radiance hadn't saved them from the altar, but the Black Dragon gave them a meal and a second chance.

"I'm the favorite divine servant, and Lily—I mean Yulia—is right there with me," Ollie bragged, his chest puffing out. "Now, let's go prep the master bedroom for the Lord and his girl."

A heavy silence fell over the hall.

"The... master bedroom?" Molly's voice shook.

The girls exchanged horrified glances. In their heads, Yulia was making the ultimate, tragic sacrifice to keep them alive.

Yulia finished the inventory and met Jane and Molly at the top of the stairs. They pulled her into a sobbing hug.

"We had no idea you were giving up so much," Jane cried. "We'll serve you forever."