Conrad walked over to the breakfast nook in the kitchens where his big brother and their former teacher Gunter were having coffee. Conrad was carrying chocolate-chip cookies and milk on a tray for himself and the two other men for their midnight snack, no mean feat, considering he only had one arm.

"Some mess Wolfram made, huh? He's great with Japanese sweets but he makes a mess big enough to warrant calamity funding!" Conrad joked.

Gwendal had an almost imperceptible grin on his face.

Gunter crossed his arms and looked positively annoyed. "I know he is your brother, Conrad, but we also need to remember protocol. Lord Wolfram von Bielfeld is His Majesty's Consort now, and don't you forget it!" he warned.

Conrad shrugged and smiled agreeably at his friend and at his big brother. Their baby brother would always be their baby brother -- fiery and passionate like a wild fire, and sometimes, apparently, just as destructive.

Gwendal spoke. "You and Yuuri have made an agreement, Conrad?"

Conrad nodded slowly. He knew this topic would come up some time.

"Why?" Gwendal asked. He knew he wouldn't need to say more, so he didn't.

"I..."

"She's ten times younger than you," Gwendal scoffed. "If you'd been a full human, She could have been your great-great granddaughter twice removed," Gwendal declared with a smirk.

Gunter threw Gwendal a sharp look. "I thought we'd gone over this bullying issue of yours ninety-three years ago, Gwendal,"

Gwendal gave Gunter a cold sidelong glance. "You're not my tutor anymore, Lord von Kreist,"

Gunter stood up, a sad look on his face. "True. And it looks like I was not a very good one. Excuse me, gentlemen. Good night," he said, after which he stalked to the door, and in moments his form was cloaked by the shadows of the halls.

"Nice going, Gwen," Conrad said, his hand on Gwendal's shoulder. "Yuuri and I will work out something. It's not like –"

Gwendal buried his face in his hands. "Like this, you mean?"

Conrad raised an eyebrow, but stayed quiet and chose to listen as Gwendal continued:

" I know. I don't know why… he should know by now that I have loved him all my life and I want to tell him that, but my reputation precedes me. What's worse is that even I start to believe that I'm a cold person because people expect it from me," he said, his voice tapering to almost-inaudibility.

"So that you end up being mean even to him?" Conrad asked. He didn't mean to pry, but it looked like his big brother needed someone to talk to. Besides, it's grill or be grilled, and Conrad would rather not broil.

Gwendal broke down finally. "ESPECIALLY TO HIM! My efforts to show him I'm "the tough one" around here is making me look like "the jerk"!" his voice choked in his silent sobs.

Conrad blew his bangs out of his eyes and muttered, "And I thought I had issues," setting down the tray and rubbing his big brother's back to comfort him. Cookies and milk will have to wait for later.

It was only three in the morning, but already Doria, Sangria, and Lasagna busied themselves in the stables packing the horses down with provisions for the Demon King's journey when they heard a voice call them out by name into the yard.

"Good morning, Celi!" They brightly chimed in unison at a big white ball of light that shone just above their heads in the yard. When their employer meets them like this, something's DEFINITELY cooking and it's always juicy!

"Good morning, Angels! I have a mission for you," the voice from the ball of light said.