It was early in the morning, around 08:00, when Haruto and Yuna were on their way to school, sitting in the back of the car while the driver focused on the road ahead. Haruto's hat covered most of his face, leaving his features partially hidden within the shadow beneath its brim.
Outside, only a few cars traveled along the streets, while high school students made their way toward school and adults hurried toward their respective workplaces.
(I've saved an entire universe from destruction, won countless battles, and yet I don't feel any attachment toward those things.)
Haruto's fist slowly tightened against his palm.
(It's all on you, Father.)
Yuna noticed the subtle movement of his hand and would normally have asked whether something was wrong, but this time she remained silent. Instead, she turned toward the car window, her eyes narrowing slightly with an expression of quiet dislike.
I don't know why, but I feel like Big Brother did something. Because of that, I have this feeling of disgust toward him.
She didn't know the reason behind those emotions, but they were there nonetheless.
Yuna was right about one thing. Haruto had removed her memories of what happened inside the ballroom, including what he had done to Rose and Leon.
As a Spiritual Life-Form, Haruto could sense the emotions of the people around him with perfect clarity, allowing him to understand exactly what Yuna was feeling toward him even without her saying a word.
(I don't get it. All I've done was for you... Oh, what the hell. I guess I don't have to please Yuna anymore.)
His eyes narrowed slightly, a trace of sadness passing through them.
(I don't blame her... I am.)
By the time they arrived at school, Haruto was the first to step out of the car. His friends immediately greeted him at the gate, most of them carrying the rough appearance of delinquent students.
Yuna watched as Haruto walked into the school with them, her expression remaining blank and her eyes still slightly narrowed. However, the moment her own friends approached, her expression quickly returned to its usual bright and beaming appearance.
The school day continued normally, and during break, Haruto stood behind the school building with his four delinquent friends. Haruto was the only one sitting down, while the others gathered around him, casually talking among themselves.
"Man, I'm telling you, this school has some top dog fighters," said a muscular guy with short black hair and a scar on his lip, his voice carrying a firm tone.
—Ryo—
"Yeah, of course. What did you think? It's a public school, after all," replied a tall, lean guy teasingly, his blazer left unbuttoned as his smooth green hair caught the wind. Smoke drifted lazily from the cigarette between his fingers.
—Julian—
"And what if they are?" Kian asked angrily as he crushed his cigarette in his palm, narrowing his black eyes. "We private-school guys can still kick their asses."
—Kian—
"Who are you kidding, man? You got your ass handed to you by some first-year NPC," the final guy said before bursting into laughter.
—Damien—
A vein popped on Kian's forehead as he glared mockingly at Damien. He was about to fire back when Haruto suddenly stood up and casually blew the smoke from his cigarette into the space between them.
"You know what? Why don't we beat up some guys after school?" Haruto said calmly. "We can even get some money from them. Paying taxes, you know."
"Ahaha! My gangster! You and I have the same mind," Kian said excitedly as he slapped a hand against Haruto's back. "I've been dying to throw some hands."
"Man, I didn't know you were such a psycho, Haruto," Ryo said with a grin, the cigarette resting between his fingers. "I've liked you since the moment we met."
"What?! Sorry, man, I don't swing that way."
Haruto rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, causing the other three to burst into laughter. Ryo took a moment to understand what Haruto meant before his expression collapsed into embarrassment.
"Anyway, guys, we'll probably find some people to beat up at the karaoke place," Julian said as he threw his cigarette onto the ground and stomped it out. "I always see them around there."
"Huh..."
The group suddenly fell quiet as everyone noticed Yuna and her friends standing nearby. They had apparently stopped at the same time, their expressions carrying varying degrees of surprise as they stared at one another.
Yuna's eyes immediately caught the cigarette in Haruto's hand.
Haruto didn't seem particularly concerned. After taking one final puff in front of Yuna, he casually threw the cigarette away and turned his back toward them.
"Let's go, guys," Haruto said calmly as he began walking away.
The other four followed him, their presence carrying a tense pressure as they disappeared farther down the corridor, leaving Yuna and her friends watching their retreating backs.
"Huh?! Yuna, wasn't that your brother?" Aoi asked, staring at Yuna with clear shock and surprise after seeing Haruto smoking.
"Oh, he smokes... That's so hot," Kuroha whispered to herself, lightly biting the tip of her finger with an oddly fascinated smile.
"Yeah. It's him," Yuna replied quietly as she turned forward and continued walking.
Yet the feeling inside her chest remained.
She disliked the fact that Haruto smoked, and somehow, the sight of him doing something she had never expected from him felt almost like a betrayal. In her eyes, Haruto had never been someone who would do something like that.
"Man, that chick with the white headband is such a hottieeee," Damien said as the group walked down the stairs toward the field, where students were playing football.
"For real," Ryo replied with a nod before placing a reassuring hand on Damien's shoulder. "Unfortunately, she's already dating someone."
Damien immediately froze, stunned by the revelation.
Perhaps he had been considering asking her out himself, but that possibility had disappeared before he could even act on it.
(I wonder if having fun is wrong if it means it will hurt someone.)
Haruto slipped one hand into his pocket and looked up toward the sky, his expression quiet as the thought lingered within him.
Back at the Satoria Federation, Haruto was resting comfortably in his office, casually devouring a freshly made jelly that sat on his desk.
"So, my dude, how did things go?" Haruto asked as he looked toward Vhalzareth.
"I can confidently state that everything went flawlessly, my Lord," Vhalzareth replied with unmistakable happiness as his eyes settled upon Haruto.
"Beautiful. Done as always. I expected nothing less," Haruto said, looking up with pleased eyes. "I'm glad. So, nothing troublesome happened?"
"Nothing occurred that requires your attention, my Lord," Vhalzareth answered happily, his refined tone softening slightly. "Except that the Kingdom of Lumina is ruled by a Devil."
"Wait, what?!" Haruto suddenly leaned forward in shock. "That can't be. Aren't you supposed to be the only Devil in this Reality?"
"Oh? Devils? No, they are fundamentally different species from me, my Lord. As for myself, I am a Demon," Vhalzareth explained, placing one hand against his chest with a faint look of offense.
It was clear that Vhalzareth felt personally wronged by Haruto's mistake, especially since, in his own view, being mistaken for a Devil was an insult. To him, Demons were vastly superior to Devils, and the distinction was anything but minor.
"For real...?" Haruto said in surprise, his disbelief obvious from his expression before he leaned back into his chair. "More importantly, Vhalzareth, can we consider her a threat?"
"No," Vhalzareth answered with absolute certainty. "I did hear that she is involved with a Demon Lord, but the power of a Demon is insufficient to defeat you. To even consider such a possibility would be an insult, perhaps even a sin."
(Man, this guy holds me in incredibly high regard. But then again... I am his Lord,) Haruto thought internally, unable to help but smile slightly at Vhalzareth's unwavering confidence in him.
(Demon Lord, huh? I forgot about those. If I remember correctly, Seraphina said they are powerful entities that protect... huhhh, what was it called again? The multiverse or omni-something?)
Haruto rubbed his forehead with one finger as he tried to retrieve the information from his memory.
Eventually, he shook his head slightly, deciding to push the confusion aside for now before rising from his chair.
"Alright, then," Haruto said firmly. "Since everything is good, let's get the festival going and begin the preparations."
"I'll accompany you, my Lord," Vhalzareth replied as he turned toward Haruto, who was already walking past him.
"Please do."
Haruto stepped outside his office, while Vhalzareth followed closely behind.
(We can finally relax. I dearly hope nothing bad happens again.)
Before long, Haruto and Vhalzareth arrived at a massive, elegantly designed kitchen where Arisa, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, was already present.
"Yo, Arisa. How's it been?" Haruto asked casually.
Arisa immediately turned toward him in surprise, while the maids working in the kitchen froze upon recognizing him. One of them instantly dropped to one knee and formally greeted Haruto.
"F-Father, what are you doing here?" Arisa asked as she fully faced him, straightening her posture before neatly folding her hands in front of herself.
(Ahahah... Guess Arisa is still the disciplined one among the Servians) Haruto thought happily as he looked at her.
"Well, I've come to see you because I need your aid in organizing the food and everything else related to it. So, you can put your chefs to good use."
"Of course, Father. But when are we expected to have everything prepared?" Arisa asked worriedly, already imagining the possibility that they might be forced to work around the clock.
"It's Monday today, so it should be done by Friday," Haruto answered with a plain smile.
He remained completely unaware that his casual deadline had just turned the kitchen staff's upcoming days into a nightmare.
"F... Friday?" Arisa repeated in shock.
She was about to say something else, but Haruto had already turned away.
"Well, then, I gotta go. Don't disappoint me."
With that, Haruto and Vhalzareth left the kitchen, making their way toward their next destination in a flash.
Deep into the night, the Elarion Skyhold Kingdom was swallowed beneath a dark, cloudy sky as heavy rain poured down from above, the storm raging with such intensity that it felt as though the end of the world had descended upon the kingdom.
Inside the royal bedroom, Ronóva stood alone in the darkness as thunder suddenly erupted outside, its flash illuminating the entire room in white for a mere second while rain continued ticking steadily against the glass balcony doors.
Her gaze rested upon a flower pot placed upon an elegantly designed dark-brown table.
In an instant, it disappeared.
It had been killed by Ronóva's Ultimate Skill: "Thanotós Sovereignty".
Another thunderclap shook the night, and the brief flash revealed Ronóva's widened eyes, filled with horror and shock. She instinctively took a trembling step backward, her hands tightening into fists at her sides.
(I-I didn't activate "Thanotós Sovereignty"... So why did it suddenly activate?)
Ronóva shook her head repeatedly, desperately refusing to accept the possibility forming within her mind.
A possibility in which her Ultimate Skill, "Thanotós Sovereignty", could activate randomly without her command, leaving her with no way to stop it or even understand the cause behind it.
Ronóva sharply turned her gaze away, but her eyes immediately landed upon the chair standing nearby.
Her consciousness shifted.
"Thanotós Sovereignty" activated.
The chair disappeared as it was killed by the Ultimate Skill.
"No... No... No..."
Ronóva repeated the words again and again as she closed her eyes, pressing both palms tightly against them as though she could shut out the reality before her.
"Please... not this."