Chapter 340: Gathering, Part 3
"Okumura-sama, it’s nice to finally meet you."
Kouhei’s gaze shifted toward the woman who had just stepped forward to greet him.
For a moment, his mind went blank. Her face didn’t immediately click. He forced himself to dig through the dozens—no, hundreds—of faces and names he had crammed into his head today. He had been so determined to memorize everyone who attended this gathering, but now all of them seemed to blur together in one overwhelming mess.
Shit... I think I forgot her name. Kouhei thought bitterly. His eyes darted quickly toward Yuuna, but she was busy entertaining another group of high-ranking guests. He was on his own. What the hell am I supposed to do now?
"Fufufufu... you look like you’re struggling to remember, Okumura-sama. But you don’t have to force it." Her lips curled into a mischievous smile as she gave a graceful curtsy. "I am Sano Yuka, daughter of the previous Demon King."
The name hit him like a snap of lightning.
Ah... right. Sano Yuka.
Now that she had spoken it aloud, the pieces fell back into place. But still—how could he forget someone like her
? Someone whose name carried so much weight? He felt a slight sting of embarrassment in his chest. It wasn’t like he wanted to forget, but there were simply too many important names, too many bloodlines, and too many clans. And in the storm of it all, some of them blurred together. Unfortunately, Sano Yuka had been one of those names—though she was arguably one of the most important people here.She wasn’t the daughter of the current Demon King—the one still sitting on the throne, soon to be dethroned when the upcoming election began. No, her father was the previous Demon King, the one before the current ruler. And now, it was whispered across noble circles that the head of the Sano Clan would be one of the candidates in the next election.
That alone made Yuka one of the most significant guests in this entire hall.
"Fufufufu... it seems you’ve tried very hard to memorize all the guests," Yuka continued, her voice smooth, layered with both elegance and sly amusement. "So very attentive of you, Okumura-sama. As expected of the one known as the Child of Anti-Prophecy." Her eyes sparkled faintly under the light. "Such a title, born from myth itself, is only natural to be respected—and recognized—everywhere you go."
"You’re giving me far too much credit," Kouhei said, forcing a modest smile. "I’m not that great."
"There’s no need to be so modest." Her words slipped out effortlessly, as if rehearsed. "I’ve heard much about you. That you’re close to Yuuna, and that you even defeated Souichiro. You know as well as I do—Souichiro holds the strongest faction among our generation. Yet you managed to overcome him. That alone demands respect. And more than that..." Her voice dropped slightly, her gaze locking on him with piercing sharpness. "...you are the Child of Anti-Prophecy. The one who will stray the path of Yesh’s prophecy—the destruction of Hell itself. With such a fate tied to your existence, it’s only natural for all of us to see you as someone extraordinary."
Kouhei couldn’t find the right words. Every sentence she spoke made it harder for him to respond naturally. The weight of her recognition pressed down on him, and though part of him wanted to brush it off, another part of him couldn’t help but feel cornered by it.
"Well, I am honored that you at least tried to remember me," Yuka said softly, a gentle smile spreading across her lips. "And I am even more honored to finally meet you in person." She gave another graceful curtsy, her eyes never leaving his. "Well then, I’ll take my leave. I only wished to greet you before departing."
"Ah, okay." Kouhei bowed his head lightly. "The honor is mine, Sano-san."
With a faint smile still tugging at her lips, Yuka turned and walked away. Her long hair swayed with each step, her bangs casting shadows over her expression, leaving it unreadable.
But as she disappeared into the crowd, Kouhei suddenly felt it—that familiar chill crawling down his spine again. A strange, unshakable unease.
***
Eventually, the gathering came to an end.
Kouhei had spoken with so many people, nobles of all kinds, and even managed to forge a few useful connections out of it. On the surface, the day had gone well. But the weight of it all clung to him heavily.
"That was... probably the most stressful day of my life," he muttered as he collapsed onto the bed.
He had stepped into the Sarushima Mansion, formally met Yuuna’s father, Sarushima Kazuhiro, and stood among high-ranking nobles whose names carried power. And somehow, he had kept himself composed long enough to exchange words with them.
Still, his shoulders felt heavy, his chest tight with the exhaustion of it all.
"Fufufufu... I’ve never seen you so stressed before," Yuuna’s voice teased.
She was already lying on the bed, her figure draped in a sensual nightwear that clung to her body in just the right ways. Her long hair framed her shoulders, and her skin glowed faintly in the dim light. She looked stunning. Ravishing.
And now, Kouhei was about to sleep beside her.
Of course, by now, he wasn’t nearly as nervous as he would have been before. They had already crossed so many lines together, done so much, that lying in the same bed seemed almost trivial compared to everything else. Yet still, seeing her like this, in such a suggestive state, stirred an undeniable arousal in him.
"It’s been such a long day," Kouhei said, sitting at the edge of the bed with a heavy exhale. "So many high-ranking people... Honestly, if it weren’t for Aria-san’s lessons, I doubt I could’ve made it through. Her teaching on etiquette and composure really saved me."
Aria had drilled into him not just swordsmanship, but etiquette, mannerisms, and the grace required to stand among nobles. Without her, today would’ve ended in embarrassment.
"Thankfully, nothing bad happened. Everything went smoothly, right?" Yuuna asked, her voice calm, almost reassuring.
But Kouhei hesitated. His mind wandered back to that unsettling sensation.
That fleeting smile he thought he saw. That momentary presence that vanished the instant he noticed it. It gnawed at him still, like a whisper he couldn’t push away.
Maybe he was just paranoid. But...
"Kouhei-kun?" Yuuna tilted her head slightly, noticing his silence. "Is something wrong?"
He blinked, snapping out of it, and forced a small smile. "No. Nothing. Let’s just go to bed. We’re heading home early tomorrow."
He still had his mission. Finding Yui. He couldn’t afford to waste time. Every second mattered. Heaven would eventually come for him, and when that day arrived, he needed as many allies as he could secure.
"So... no sex for tonight?" Yuuna asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing with a hint of playfulness—but also a raw, almost pleading desire.
Her gaze locked onto him, her body language practically begging for him to take her.
Kouhei leaned in and kissed her softly, his lips brushing against hers. "I’m sorry. We should save our strength for tomorrow. But I promise—I’ll satisfy you when I get the chance."
"That’s a promise then," Yuuna whispered back, her voice low, almost sultry.
"Yes."
With that, Kouhei slipped into the bed beside her. Immediately, Yuuna slid closer, pressing her body against his, wrapping her arms around him as if she couldn’t bear to let go.
And in that warmth, with the faint trace of her scent filling his senses, both of them slowly drifted into sleep, holding onto each other in the quiet comfort of the night.
***
Kouhei’s eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision hazy, his head throbbing as though the world itself was crushing him. But the very first thing that came into focus—the very first thing that burned itself into his brain—was Yuuna’s body lying motionless in his arms.
"Huh...?" His voice cracked, more like a broken gasp than an actual word.
The sky above him bled with an endless shade of crimson, stretching far and wide, as though the heavens themselves had been ripped open and soaked in blood. Yet, despite how terrifying it looked, he knew immediately... this wasn’t Hell. No, this was something worse.
Surrounding him were towering, modern buildings—collapsed, crumbling, some already swallowed in flame. Twisted metal, shattered glass, smoke curling upward like black veins against the red sky. This was Earth. The mortal world.
Not Hell.
"W-Why...?" His lips trembled as the single word left him, barely audible and almost choked.
Kouhei clutched Yuuna tighter, his arms trembling, his fingers digging into her as though holding her harder could somehow bring her back. But her warmth was gone. Her chest would never rise again. Her eyes would never open.
And when he forced himself to look past her, he wished he hadn’t.
All around him lay faces he knew. Faces he couldn’t mistake, even in death. Friends. Rivals. Companions. People who had fought alongside him, people who had once made him feel like he wasn’t alone in this cursed existence. Now, their bodies were scattered, broken.
Lifeless.