"Back in the Real World"
Yuto's eyes shot open.
A gasp tore from his lips as he bolted upright, startling everyone in the room.
The magic that had wrapped around him shattered like glass, vanishing into the air with a final pulse.
"Ugh... how long was I out this time?"
Heads turned. Alice gasped.
Ayla dropped the water she was holding, her tail stiff like a startled cat.
Lilith blinked like she'd just been caught smiling.
Reika looked relieved.
Evelynn looked like she wanted to throw herself at him and maybe also slap him.
But it was the two standing at the front that drew his attention.
New faces.
Old memories.
The woman with soft gold-blonde hair and sky-blue eyes looked like hope wrapped in white and pink.
Catherine.
Her name flickered in his mind like an old melody.
The other, regal and composed with sea-blue eyes and flowing pink hair, stood like she was carved from war and grace.
Luna.
"Ah," Yuto muttered, voice still hoarse but his grin unmistakable.
"The Pope and the Priestess… now there's a duo I didn't think I'd see again"
Catherine's eyes widened.
Luna's expression didn't falter, but her hands curled just slightly at her sides.
Yuto sat up slowly, ignoring the slight ache in his body.
It wasn't pain, just the lingering weight of blessings and skills, making him far stronger than he used to be.
He stretched.
"Man... how many blessings did I end up with this time? Feels like I got smacked in the soul by a divine buffet"
Alice stepped closer.
"Yuto… are you okay?"
"Yeah," he replied, cracking his neck.
"Feel like I just got tossed through time and memory and slapped by the gods a few times"
"But I'm breathing. That's something"
Lilith narrowed her eyes.
"You should not be conscious yet"
"Guess I'm just built different"
He flashed her a peace sign.
Then his gaze slid back to Catherine, a strange softness creeping into his otherwise easygoing tone.
"…Hey, Cat," he said, as if testing the name on his tongue.
She flinched.
"Huh?"
Yuto shifted slightly, realizing he'd let his casual tone linger too long.
He could see the confusion in Catherine's eyes, the wariness in Luna's stance.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Sorry," he muttered, his voice softening.
"If the nickname made you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to cross any boundaries"
Catherine blinked, visibly caught off guard by his apology.
She gave a small nod, though she still looked uncertain.
Luna, however, didn't look nearly as forgiving.
Her sharp gaze locked onto Yuto as she stepped forward.
"Let's be clear," she began, her voice steady and direct, "We didn't come here to joke around with you. We're here because the Goddess Elise sent us"
"We need to know if the hero has been delivered. If you're the one who's supposed to stop the Demon Lord"
Yuto's expression darkened slightly, the casualness of his earlier demeanor slipping away.
"Yeah, about that," he said, stretching his arms.
"I'm not really in the mood to play hero, honestly. Seems like a lot of work"
He met Luna's eyes, a glint of mischief in his gaze.
"Sounds too troublesome"
Luna's eyes narrowed.
"You're not in a position to refuse. This isn't something you can walk away from"
He got up, putting on his shirt and school jacket.
"And who's gonna make me agree?"
Luna's eyes flashed with a spark of irritation, but she didn't flinch.
Instead, she took another step forward, her posture unwavering, her voice growing colder.
"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation," she said, her tone steady but edged with authority.
"This isn't a choice you can just ignore, no matter how much you want to avoid it"
Yuto let out a breath, shaking his head as he adjusted his jacket.
"Bloody hell"
His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the annoyance simmering beneath it.
He turned to face her fully, locking eyes with Luna.
"Look. I could care less what the church wants me to do"
The room was thick with tension.
Catherine shifted uncomfortably, casting a hesitant glance at Luna, who stood firm, her hands at her sides, clearly trying to keep her cool.
Alice, Ayla, and the others were all watching the scene unfold, each of them holding their breath in the silence that hung between them.
They had never seen Yuto so annoyed.
Luna's gaze hardened, but before she could respond, Yuto raised a hand to stop her.
"Before you say anything"
Without a word, he turned on his heel and made a beeline for the exit.
"Hey, where are you going?!" Luna called after him, but Yuto didn't even glance back.
Before anyone could stop him, he was out the door, moving quickly and smoothly as if he'd done it a hundred times before.
The room fell silent for a moment, and then the chaos erupted.
Alice, Ayla, and the others exchanged amused glances, and without missing a beat, they all bolted after him, laughing and calling out in mock surprise.
"Yuto! You're not getting away that easily!"
"I can't believe he just did that!" Alice laughed, her voice tinged with disbelief as she sprinted after him.
Ayla, her tail flicking with excitement, was the fastest, her laughter ringing through the air as she chased him down the hallway.
Luna and Catherine stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock.
Luna's expression twisted with a mix of irritation and confusion, while Catherine just blinked in utter disbelief.
"Did… did he just run off?" Catherine asked slowly, her tone utterly bewildered.
Luna's jaw clenched, her fists tightening at her sides as she processed what had just happened.
"He did"
She didn't sound impressed, but there was a flicker of something else in her eyes.
Frustration?
Annoyance?
Maybe even a small, grudging admiration?
She stared down the hallway where Yuto had vanished, the sound of his retreating laughter mixing with the giggles of the girls following him.
"Unbelievable," Luna muttered under her breath.
"This is not how I expected this to go"
Catherine's lips twitched at the edges, a soft, amused smile barely breaking through her surprise.
"Well, I suppose he's not exactly what we expected either"
Luna shot her a sharp glance, clearly not finding any humor in the situation.
"This is no time for jokes"
Catherine raised her hands slightly, as if to signal she wasn't mocking the situation.
"I'm just… surprised. He's not like what I imagined a hero would be"
Luna didn't respond.
Instead, she took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep her composure.
Academy Field
The girls gathered around Yuto, a mixture of joy, relief, and lingering tension in the air.
They had waited so long for him to wake up, and now that he finally had, the weight of the past week seemed to lift from their shoulders.
Yuto stood slowly, his movements a little stiff, but the moment his gaze met theirs, something in him seemed to soften.
Lilith was the first to approach him.
She reached out with trembling hands, her usually composed demeanor cracking for just a moment.
She wrapped her arms around him tightly, holding him close.
She didn't cry; she never did, but her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt, her breath shallow as she held him as if afraid he'd slip away again.
"You're back," she murmured softly, her voice low but thick with emotion.
"I couldn't—"
She cut herself off, pressing her forehead to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath her.
Yuto gently ran his fingers through her hair, offering a soft sigh as he embraced her back.
"Yeah, I know. Sorry to make you wait"
Reika and Ayla stepped closer, both of them holding back smiles, though their eyes shimmered with tears.
Alice, standing nearby, couldn't contain the small sob that escaped her lips.
She wiped it away quickly, but the emotions were too much.
"Don't you dare do that to us again," Alice chided softly, her voice catching, though she smiled through her tears.
Yuto's lips curled into a grin, but it was softer now, genuine.
"I'll try not to"
Evelynn, standing off to the side, watched the scene with quiet contemplation.
There was a tenderness in her expression that only Yuto had ever been able to elicit from her.
Without saying a word, she stepped forward, her movements graceful, and cupped his face gently in her hands.
"You're really here," she whispered, her voice just above a breath.
There was no teasing, no biting remarks, just a simple, quiet relief.
Yuto smiled at her, his usual easygoing nature returning.
"Guess I am."
Evelynn closed her eyes for a brief moment before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.
It was brief, almost a silent promise between them, but it was enough to speak volumes.
When she pulled back, she met his gaze again, and for once, there was no distance between them.
Lilith held him a little tighter, her grip never loosening.
She didn't need to say more.
He was back.
He was here.
Alice let out a slight chuckle.
"I know this isn't the time… but why is your hair like that?"
Yuto tilted his head in confusion.
"Like what?"
Reika stepped closer, eyes wide with surprise as she reached out, gently brushing her fingers through Yuto's hair.
"Oh, now I see it"
Alice chuckled, "Yeah, no more raven hair"
"It's white now," Ayla said softly, almost in awe.
"But… the black streaks…"
Yuto furrowed his brows, grabbing a handful of his hair.
"White…?" he muttered, then let out a quiet breath.
"What am I? An old man now?"
They chuckled, spending the rest of the day catching up on the week's events.
Night, Yuto's Room
"So that's basically what happened to me: met the goddess, saw a lot of deaths, and learnt most of the truth"
"Sheesh, I knew Elise held some form of resentment, but to have you see everything!"
Yuto chuckled as he adjusted the pillow.
"Well, ask, and one shall achieve, right?"
"Or is it received? Either way, I did technically ask her to tell me the truth, and what's more honest than showing things right?"
Lilith huffed as she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer.
"It was… a lot to take in… wasn't it?"
"..."
"I'm sorry, darling, sorry that you had to see so much in such a short amount of time"
She brushed the strays of hair covering his eyes.
Wiped the few tears that managed to escape.
"But you're here again, with us… and someday, the others as well"
Yuto didn't say much, he merely buried his head against her chest.
"Ayla stayed with Alice today, so you may cry if need be"
He let out a slight chuckle, "I think I cried enough for ten lifetimes"
Lilith smiled softly, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
"Even so… I'll lend you my warmth as long as you need it."
The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the night wind brushing against the windows.
Outside, the academy's lanterns flickered faintly, casting golden halos across the stone paths.
"Do you ever think it's unfair?" Yuto mumbled, his voice muffled against her.
"That I keep coming back, living and dying... while no one else remembers?"
She was silent for a moment.
"I think," she began, "that it's not about fairness"
"It's about purpose. You're not just wandering through lives… you're gathering pieces. Of yourself"
"Of the world"
Yuto tilted his head up, meeting her gaze.
"And what if I don't like what I find?"
Lilith's fingers traced lazy circles on his back.
"Then I'll help you burn it down… and rebuild it into something you can live with"
That got a real laugh out of him, tired, but real.
"You really are a demon, huh?"
She grinned, her sharp teeth gleaming under the moonlight.
"Guilty as charged"
"Lilith"
"Yes?"
"Thank you, and I thank everyone else for never giving up on me"
"..."
"I'll see you all again soon. Thank you for this pleasant vision"
She gave him a small smile before the world was enveloped in light one more.
…
…
Boop!
3
2
1
Rebooting… Rebooting… !
START!
Demon Castle – Yuto's Room – Morning
The red morning sun filters through high obsidian windows.
The walls, etched with infernal runes, pulse faintly.
It's quiet… until—
BANG!
"Wake up, runt!"
A sharp knock, then the door bursts open.
In strides Valek, Yuto's eldest brother, with that same smug grin he's worn since they were kids.
He doesn't wait for a response; he never does.
"Breakfast will start. If you don't get your ass out of bed, I'm eating your share"
Yuto groaned, face buried in the pillow.
"Then eat it. Choke on it, too, while you're at it"
A soft laugh, Mizuki's, comes from his side.
She's already dressed in her white kimono, kneeling neatly by the bed like she's been waiting for him all morning.
"Good morning, Yuto," she says gently.
"I'd let you sleep in today. You looked… peaceful"
"Dreams again?" Valek mocks.
"When the hell will you grow up?"
Yuto shoots him a glare, eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
"Shut it, Valek!"
"... WHY DON'T I SHUT–"
"Shut it," another voice chimes in, this one playful.
Selene, one of Yuto's younger sisters, peeks her head through the doorway, sticking her tongue out at their eldest brother.
"Maybe if you weren't such an ass all the time, Mother would actually call you by name"
That earned a deadly glare from Valek.
Mizuki rose smoothly, placing a hand on Yuto's arm.
"Come. You'll feel better after eating. And… the court has been whispering. About you. Again"
Yuto sighed and finally sat up, running a hand through his messy hair.
His horns throb faintly, a low, aching buzz like static in his skull.
"Let them whisper, ain't gonna change that they have to whisper like rats"
"You know, whispers turn to knives in this place," Mizuki says softly.
"Then I'll sharpen mine faster"
She chuckled as she pulled him out of bed.
"Let's go then!"
Yuto chuckled, noticing his brother had already left a while ago.
"Hmph, yes… let's go!"
Demon Castle – Grand Hall
The great obsidian doors groaned open.
CLACK.
CLACK.
Yuto stepped in, his boots echoing.
Mizuki walked at his side, her gaze forward, her presence serene.
Behind them, Selene practically skipped in, offering mocking waves to the more uptight lords.
Every eye turned.
They saw the faint shimmer of divine energy curling behind his steps like afterimages.
And they whispered.
"Holy power? In him?"
"An omen…"
"Lord Azazel must be furious!"
Yuto said nothing, sliding into his seat at the far right of the table, the seat no one had dared claim since the last fool lost their arm for trying to one-up him.
Valek, already seated near the front, didn't bother hiding his glare.
"Nice of you to finally join us," he sneered, slicing into a blood-soaked steak.
"Did you bring your guardian angel to cut your meat too?"
Mizuki didn't blink.
"I could. But Yuto prefers using me for cleaner cuts"
Several goblets froze mid-sip.
Yuto smirked, picking up a knife.
"Don't worry, brother. I'll save your bones for soup later"
The clatter of utensils, the tension thick enough to carve.
Then—
"Enough!"
The room froze.
Azazel Von Erebus entered.
He was ten feet tall, cloaked in shadows that bled from his form like ink in water.
His eyes were voids.
His crown of horns scraped the top of the archway.
He said nothing more as he took his seat beside Yuto's empty left, where she was always meant to sit.
Yuto's mother.
Absent.
Again.
Azazel didn't look at him.
Didn't speak to him.
Just ate.
Yuto didn't flinch.
But inside, he felt that same familiar void.
That same anger he buried under smirks and sarcasm.
Mizuki reached for his hand under the table, silent support.
And for a moment, Yuto relaxed.
Then, a voice echoed from one of the distant nobles:
"A demon who dreams of angels is just a tragedy waiting to happen!"
Yuto looked up, smiling coldly.
"Oh? Keep whispering, and I'll show you what kind of tragedy I can be"
A silence followed, sharp as broken glass.
No one dared meet Yuto's gaze, not with that divine shimmer coiling behind his eyes.
The noble who spoke, a minor lord with too much wine in his gut, swallowed hard.
His goblet shook.
Azazel didn't move.
Didn't scold.
Didn't speak.
But his presence darkened, a void pressing in around them all, like gravity threatening to crush bones.
Then, with a slow scrape of his chair, Yuto stood.
"Come on, Mizuki. Selene"
He didn't wait for permission.
Didn't bow.
Didn't acknowledge his 'father.'
He simply turned and walked.
Mizuki followed without a word, silent and composed.
Selene gave an exaggerated curtsy to the nobles, winked at Valek, and spun on her heel.
The doors slammed behind them.
Demon Castle – Eastern Courtyard
Wind rustled through dead branches in the garden of thorns.
The sky above was a sickly crimson, as always, bleeding sun over a decaying horizon.
Yuto stood still, looking out at the abyssal fog swirling in the distance.
He hadn't said a word since the hall.
Selene leaned against a stone gargoyle, arms crossed.
"They hate you, y'know"
"I know"
"They're scared of you too"
"I know"
Mizuki sat on the edge of a broken fountain, hands folded, eyes on Yuto.
"But you're not scared of them"
He turned, his expression unreadable.
"I'm not scared of what I can see"
"…But of what you can't?" Mizuki asked.
Yuto chuckled, standing up to stretch.
"Well, I do have my mother's support… soooo"
Selene snorted.
"You mean the woman who's been MIA since the last blood moon?"
Yuto shrugged, rolling his shoulders.
"Still counts"
Mizuki offered a faint smile.
"A shadow's still proof of light"
Selene made a face.
"That's deep. I hate it"
They stood there for a while, the silence not awkward, just… heavy.
Like something waiting to break.
Then—
"Yuto," Mizuki said softly, "they fear you because they don't understand you"
"And they don't understand you because you don't let them"
"Should I?" he asked, not looking at her.
"Would it change anything?"
She didn't answer.
He sighed and turned toward the garden gate, where twisted roses bloomed black and red, their thorns longer than fingers.
"I'm tired," he muttered.
"Of pretending this place ever felt like home"
Selene's voice came quieter than usual.
"It doesn't feel like home to any of us"
Yuto paused.
Glanced back at her.
She gave him a crooked grin.
"I just wear it better"
He almost smiled.
Almost.
He walked up to her and pulled her into a tight hug.
"It seems my baby sis still hides some things from me, huh?"
Selene froze for half a second.
Just half.
Then she melted into the hug, arms wrapping around his waist with a muttered, "Idiot"
"I didn't hide anything," she said into his chest.
"You just didn't ask"
Yuto rested his chin on her head.
"You'd lie even if I did"
"Absolutely," she mumbled, then added with a sly grin, "but only to keep you from worrying"
"I'm considerate like that"
Mizuki watched them, quiet, her eyes soft.
She didn't intrude.
Just let the moment breathe.
After a long pause, Selene pulled back slightly, her expression unreadable for once.
"You know I'd burn this whole place down if it meant keeping you safe, right?"
Yuto nodded.
"I know"
Then, a slight smirk.
"But I'd probably beat you to it"
She grinned.
"Only if Mizuki doesn't slice it apart first"
Mizuki lifted a brow.
"Don't tempt me"
She walked over to Yuto and planted a small kiss on his lips, causing him to pull back from Selene with a red face.
His eyes darted quickly toward Selene, whose expression was now far more entertained than anything else.
Selene raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a mischievous grin.
"Guess I'm not the only one with a few surprises"
Mizuki, her usual calm demeanor unshaken, glanced at Selene and shrugged.
"What can I say? He's irresistible"
Her tone was teasing, and there was a slight glint of amusement in her eyes.
Yuto let out a frustrated groan, running a hand through his hair.
"You two are a handful, you know that?"
Selene chuckled and stepped back, holding her hands up in mock surrender.
"Hey, I'm not the one who made this mess," she said, turning her grin toward Mizuki.
"Though, I'll admit, I enjoy watching it unfold"
Mizuki simply gave a serene smile and a nonchalant shrug, the teasing moment fading into something more comfortable.
Yuto's gaze softened, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
"Seriously, just what am–"
"Seems my son is doing okay"
Yuto froze, his heart skipping a beat as the voice broke through the quiet of the courtyard.
It wasn't the deep, commanding tone he remembered, this was softer, warmer, almost… welcoming.
He turned slowly, his gaze locking on the figure standing at the entrance of the garden.
There, bathed in the fading crimson light of the decaying horizon, stood his mother.
She was not the distant, cold figure from his memories.
No, this woman had a gentle grace to her.
Her eyes, glowing like rubies in the dim light, shone with a warmth that cut through the dark.
She wore a long, flowing black cloak, embroidered with rose-like patterns that shimmered faintly in the low light, giving her an air of ethereal beauty.
Her smile, when it came, was soft and tender.
"Yuto..."
Her voice was like a caress, the warmth in it making his chest tighten in a way he couldn't quite explain.
His breath caught in his throat.
The walls he'd built up around himself, the cold detachment he had perfected over the years, started to crumble under the weight of her presence.
"M-Mother?" he stammered, unsure of what to say or how to feel.
This was real.
She was real.
She was here.
She walked toward him, and he didn't move.
His body felt like it was frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch as she approached.
When she was close enough, she reached out, cupping his face gently in her hands.
Her touch was warm, comforting, grounding him in a way he hadn't experienced before.
"I've missed you, my son," she said softly, her eyes studying his face with an affection he hadn't realized he craved.
Yuto's heart clenched in his chest, and for a moment, all the weight of his childhood, the confusion, the anger, the distance, seemed to fade away.
"Why did you leave me?"
The question slipped from his lips before he could stop it, raw and unguarded.
Her eyes softened even more, and she shook her head slightly.
"I never wanted to. But sometimes, things beyond our control pull us apart. All I ever wanted was for you to be safe"
"To grow strong"
Yuto looked at her, his mind still racing but his heart beginning to settle.
"I'm here now," she continued, brushing a strand of hair from his face.
"And I'm not leaving again. I promise"
Selene, standing quietly to the side, raised an eyebrow at the scene unfolding before her.
She also wanted to hold her mother, but that moment could happen later, for she had never seen her brother shed tears as he did now.
Mizuki, too, stood by, watching the exchange with a soft smile.
Neither of them intruded, respecting the moment between mother and son.
"Thank you," he said quietly, almost to himself, but enough for her to hear.
She smiled again, that same warm smile that made his chest tighten.
"I'm back, Yuto," she whispered.
And in that moment, everything else, the weight of his responsibilities, the bull shit of his brothers, the ignorance of his father, did not matter.
Not now.
Not when he was bawling his eyes out.