novelThe Beginning of Night
| ← Ch.401 | Ch.403 → |
Translator: Reflet
Editor: ryunakama
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Ruri was the last one standing. She was quite literally standing for a long time by herself.
"As expected of you, Ruri-chan. You have the strength of a hundred."
"It was like every time we got back up, there were more of her...were we really beaten that badly?"
Akiha asked as she threw out her feet. She was the weakest of them all, but she constantly challenged Ruri at close combat, actually getting defeated the most, her clothes tattering.
"In that case, you should say Ruri cuts down a hundred or a thousand people. It indeed sounds cooler."
"Right."
"Are you all right, Kohaku-san?"
"A-Aye...nothing crazy, ja."
Taiyou hugged Kohaku's shoulders, peeking his head through.
Kohaku didn't have any visible injuries, but she was the most exhausted out of everyone here.
Her young face was pale, and it felt like her eyes were sunken in.
It was clear that this was due to the aftereffects of overusing the dagger of blood and soul.
"You're clearly not fine. This is just...I'm sorry for not realizing what was happening. I was distracted."
"Aye, ye were pretty absorbed, ja..."
"Sorry."
"I would've expected a 'thank you' from ye, Danna-sama, but wow, never thought I'd hear a 'sorry'..."
Kohaku teased him in a weak voice.
Taiyou was surprised. He had realized something.
The next moment, he took a deep breath, changing his facial expression.
And then he smiled and looked at Kohaku.
"Thank you very much, Kohaku-san. And I'd like to apologize for what I just said. Sorry again."
"Danna-sama."
"Yes."
"I love ye."
"No."
He shook his head with a serious face, surprising Kohaku.
"I love you way more."
"...No, Danna-sama, I cannot yield even to ye in this regard. I love ye more, ja."
"No, I do."
"Then how about we call it a tie with you two and say I win."
Akiha joined in. She said it jokingly, but she probably thought it would be her loss to sit out on the topic of love.
"Unfortunately, it be impossible for ye to love him the most. Plus ye got Aoba too, ja."
"Whaaat, so you're saying just cause I like Aoba too I can't love him the most? Then Taiyou definitely can't love you more."
"Danna-sama's on a whole other plain, ja. Simply increasing the people he likes won't split up the love, ja."
"Kohaku-tan's weakened, indeed. She's so weak right now that she doesn't realize her contradictions, indeed."
As Hera said that, Ruri walked over silently from where she was.
"Are you...alright?"
Her tone was now back to what it had been as of late. She had an apologetic look on her face.
"Fear not. Ye held back good enough to prevent anything bad from happening. Plus..."
"Plus...what?"
"Now that I'm like this, I get to have Danna-sama nurse me back to health, ja."
"Ahhh, that makes me envious."
"Mhm...envious."
Akiha and Ruri spoke almost at the same time.
Taiyou made a small wry smile as he held Kohaku.
"Let me just say that I don't make you envious on purpose."
Taiyou clarified, but he still didn't try to move his hands away from Kohaku. She wasn't hurt at all, but he understood that Kohaku was too weakened to walk by herself.
He had made sure to clarify beforehand so that they wouldn't misunderstand.
"Alright, I think we can return now."
"You are returning?"
"Yep."
"That's fine, but Taiyou-chan, wouldn't it be best to confirm if it was a success or not? You could still keep holding Kohaku-tan."
"Confirm?"
"Yes indeed."
Hera nodded.
Taiyou briefly looked at her, then shook his head in disagreement.
"W-Why the reluctance?"
"Well, look..."
"Aye, well, I'm sure that she doesn't realize it herself, ja."
"You too, Kohaku-tan?"
"Dummy, you dummy."
"I'm what now!?"
"Then...a foolish commoner?"
"Now I'm pretty sure I'm hearing straight up insults!?"
Following Taiyou, the other brides all let Hera have it.
Hera wasn't sure why they were saying such things.
Taiyou took another sigh before speaking.
"You know you were called over by Youran and the others already, right?"
"Yes indeed. Everyone is horrible for calling me over and then suddenly leaving me hanging."
"...And you still don't realize what happened?"
"Realize what?"
"C'mon, you couldn't go through the wall earlier."
"...Ohhh!"
After a bit, Hera clapped her hands together as if being suddenly enlightened.
"Yes, now it makes sense, indeed. I couldn't take out my rage on any of them because I couldn't go through the wall—-wait, what? Why could I not go through the wall?"
Hera looked at the wall, cocking her head.
"Isn't it cuz she can touch it now?"
"Can touch it..."
"Do I have to spell it out for ya? The wall became something you could touch. So it's a success."
"...Ohhh!"
Hera reacted the same as earlier.
"Did you...seriously not realize that?"
"Well, I guess that's sort of to be expected with her?"
"Exactly."
The door opened, and Youran and the others filed in.
The brides who weren't able to participate in the fight also entered the room, and now the entire Taiyou household was together.
"Master, leave the rest to me."
"Okay, gotcha."
"Please rest now, everyone. We have rooms and every necessity all gathered for you."
Sakura said.
"And you guys?"
"We will be..."
"Going to..."
"Begin discussing Hera-chan's clothing with her."
"Kay."
Akiha nodded.
Leaving Hera there, Taiyou and the members who had fought in the battle left the room.
Sakura's subordinates had been waiting outside, and they led them to the rooms they would be staying in.
Taiyou entered, supporting Kohaku.
"Alright, good night."
"Good...night."
Akiha and Ruri said to him.
Taiyou turned back, his eyes slightly widened as he spoke,
"What are you saying? You guys are coming in too."
"Eh, but..."
Akiha said, looking at Kohaku.
Taiyou grasped her chin, kissing her.
"Just come in."
He said.
"O-Okay..."
Akiha's face went red as she followed Taiyou into the room...
And there was Ruri, somehow ahead of them, gazing at Taiyou with excited eyes.
| ← Ch. 401 | Ch. 403 → |