Chapter 4: Akitsuki Yuki
Author: Geraint
A few weeks later...
I was sitting on the couch in the living room, flipping through medical books I borrowed from the doctor's study. Lilith and Shiina were busy upstairs, cleaning a guest room as part of their maid duties. Meanwhile, Yuuka was still resting in her room—even though she had already recovered from the accident.
It felt strange. I didn't want to use my healing ability just yet; a full recovery without any scars would raise suspicion. That's why I was taking my time.
These medical books caught my interest. After all, my healing and revival abilities couldn't treat natural diseases. The books listed all kinds of illnesses, their symptoms, and treatment methods. The medical technology in this world was so advanced—it even documented diseases I had encountered back home in the demon realm.
If I'd had this information before, I could've saved countless lives. That's why I was absorbing everything I could. I planned to bring this knowledge back with me someday.
After finishing ten books in just a few hours, Lilith appeared beside me and poured tea into my cup.
"Thanks," I said, taking a sip before reaching for another book.
Suddenly, the front door burst open.
"We're back!"
Mia-san's excited voice echoed through the house. She rushed over to me, waving something in her hand.
"Hey! Listen to this, Yuki-kun! I've got good news!"
"...Yuki-kun? Who's that?" I blinked.
"Hehe... I'm glad you asked."
She pulled out a folder from her bag and handed it to me, grinning proudly. Inside was a certificate—with my photo and personal details.
One name immediately caught my eye.
Akitsuki Yuki?
"That's right!" she declared. "The doctor adopted you. He told the officials you were his child from a foreign woman he met while staying overseas."
"Wait! Weren't you the one who was going to adopt me? If you break the binding contract, it's dangerous!" I scolded her.
"Ufufu~ Don't worry about that. I'll still be your Mommy."
I noticed something shiny on her left ring finger.
"...Wait. Don't tell me—"
"Akitsuki-sensei finally proposed to me!" she squealed. "We're getting married! Kyaah!"
Honestly, I wasn't surprised. They'd been getting along ever since the accident.
Just then, Himiko-san walked out from the kitchen and bowed politely.
"Welcome back, Mia-ojousama."
Mia-san beamed with pride and raised her hand.
"Look, Himiko-san! I'm getting married to Shun! Isn't this proof I've won?!"
She spoke smugly.
But Himiko-san simply raised her own hand... and showed off a ring of her own.
"What a coincidence. Shun gave me one too."
"HUH?!" Mia-san froze.
"Don't worry. It's not like yours. This ring was meant to be his proposal... back when we were together. But I betrayed him. It holds no meaning now—just a promise that I'll stay and serve you both for the rest of my life."
Himiko-san smiled sadly.
Mia-san sighed and slumped onto the couch beside me.
"You're not thinking of finding another man, are you? You still have feelings for him, don't you?"
"...Yes," Himiko-san admitted honestly.
Mia-san scowled at her, clearly getting angry again.
Before they could start another fight, I loudly closed my book and set it on the table.
"Enough already. At this rate, you'll both lose him again."
"What?!" They both turned toward me in shock.
"I heard it from him myself. He still likes both of you. So why don't you just share him, instead of fighting all the time?"
"...Are you telling us to let him two-time us?" Mia-san asked in disbelief.
They were mad now.
"Look, he's clearly not fully committed. If things keep going this way, he might fall for someone new. Someone younger. Someone who hasn't been married or had a kid. He could end up leaving both of you."
"...!"
They fell silent.
"And let's face it... you're both getting close to your expiration date—"
That's when it happened.
They both grabbed my cheeks, glaring at me with terrifying expressions.
"Who are you calling close to expiring?!"
"We're still only 34!"
I've faced down the Demon King—my own father—and never flinched. But these two furious women... they made my spine tingle with fear. I was getting goosebumps. They didn't let go until they were satisfied with my punishment.
"...Himiko-san."
"...Mia-san."
The two of them looked at each other, nodded, and then joined hands. Wordlessly, they headed upstairs—probably to talk things out.
"Seir-sama! Are you okay?!" Lilith rushed over.
"I'm fine..." I groaned. "Now it's up to Akitsuki-sensei to handle the storm."
"I think they'll be okay," Lilith said with a smile. "Mia-sama and Himiko-san were best friends when they were young. That's what Himiko-san told me."
"Then I guess there's still hope."
With that, I picked up my book and resumed reading.
-------
After changing into fresh clothes, I stepped out of my room—just in time to hear a loud bang from next door. Shiina, dressed in her maid uniform, was knocking frantically on Yuuka's door.
"Yuuka-sama!"
I walked up to her. "Shiina, what's wrong? Isn't today her acting gig?"
"Umm... Seir—Yuki-sama, she..."
"Just call me by my name. I'm supposed to be your friend, not your master. You're only helping with your mom's job."
"Okay then... Yuki-kun. But shouldn't you start calling me by my first name too? 'Shiina' is my family name, not my first."
"Shiina?"
"I told you already—it's Ayaka! I bet you're just making fun of me!" she pouted.
"Hm... Let's shorten it. How about 'Aya'?"
"Eh—!?"
Shiina froze. Her face flushed completely red.
"Never mind, 'Shiina' is easier to remember."
I walked past her, heading downstairs.
"Eeeeh!?"
Since Mia-san had come out with her daughter earlier, I figured I should check on her. I knocked three times at her door.
"Who's there?"
"It's me, Seir."
"Who?"
I sighed. I knew where this was going.
"It's me... your son. Yuki." I said reluctantly.
"Yuki-kun? I won't let you in unless you call me 'Mommy.'"
"Hey!"
...
The silence said it all. She wasn't going to budge.
"I just want to ask something... Mom." I gritted my teeth.
"Good. From now on, I won't answer unless you call me that."
Tch. She sure enjoys this.
"The door's unlocked. Come in."
I opened the door to find Mia buried under a mountain of paperwork. Her desk and the floor around it were stacked high.
"Do you need help, Mom?"
"No, I'm fine. Most of this is done already."
"Alright... I wanted to ask about Yuuka. Did something happen with her work?"
She paused, lowered her pen, and sighed. Taking off her glasses, she leaned back in her chair.
"She's been replaced. Someone else has taken over her roles. She's not qualified to act anymore and was forced into retirement. After that accident... well, it's not surprising, but she still hasn't accepted it."
My expression tightened. Poor Yuuka.
"I'm such a terrible mother," Mia whispered. "I couldn't do anything to help. And yet... I understand why the agencies made that decision."
"You don't have to blame yourself. The accident wasn't your fault."
"But what do I do now? She's been locking herself in her room since we came home from the hospital. If this keeps up, she's going to become a shut-in... What do they call it here? 'Hikikomori'?"
"Don't worry, Mom. Since she doesn't need to appear in public anymore, I can heal her left eye completely—without raising suspicion."
I turned to leave.
"See you later, Mom."
"Wait."
I stopped and glanced back.
"Thank you for helping us, Yuki-kun. You've already done so much."
"Don't feel indebted. You and Yuuka can pay me back later—when I ask for a favor. I am a half-demon, after all."
I left the room and gently closed the door behind me.
When I got upstairs, Shiina was still waiting in front of Yuuka's door, clearly anxious.
"Yuuka! Come out and talk to me!" I shouted.
"Go away!" came the response.
"If you don't come out, I'm kicking this door down!"
"I'll call the police and have you arrested!"
"I don't care! Step back, Shiina."
Shiina quickly moved out of the way. I counted down.
"One... two—"
"Wait!"
The door creaked open, and Yuuka stepped out in her dress. Her eyes were red from crying.
"What's wrong with you?! Trying to destroy someone's door—"
I grabbed her wrist and dragged her with me.
"Let's talk downstairs."
"Hey! Stop that! Put me down or I'm calling my mom!"
"You mean our mom."
When we reached the living room, I dropped her onto the couch and sat beside her. She was panting, exhausted from all her yelling.
"Calmed down now?"
"Hmph!" she sulked and turned away.
"Take off your eye patch."
"What? Why?!"
"Just do it. Don't waste my time."
She shrank back slightly but obeyed, pulling off the patch to reveal her empty left socket, scarred and stitched.
Tears welled up in her remaining eye, and she began to tremble.
"Are you happy now?" she asked bitterly.
"No. Without the eye, I can't restore it completely. It's still an empty socket."
"So... even you can't fix it?"
I shook my head. "I never said that. I just have to use a different method."
I opened a dimensional void in the air—a storage space where I kept important items safe. I searched briefly.
"Ah, found it."
I pulled out a small rainbow-colored crystal sphere.
Yuuka's eyes widened. "What's that? It's beautiful..."
"It might look fancy, but it's actually an eye. I'm going to replace your missing one with this—so stay still."
I gently opened her eyelids and inserted the crystal into the socket. It glowed, releasing a blinding light. The scars around her eye vanished as fresh skin healed over the area. Her beauty returned—completely unblemished.
"Huh...?"
When she slowly opened her left eye, a vibrant rainbow-colored iris looked back at me. She now had heterochromia—one normal eye and one mystical.
"What do you think? Can you see clearly with your left eye again?" I smiled.
Tears spilled from both of her eyes as she looked at me.
"Why are you still crying? Aren't you happy to see again?"
"No... I'm just... happy. And speechless..."
I took a mirror from my storage and held it up for her.
"Here. Take a look."
She gasped. Her scars were gone, and the rainbow eye sparkled brilliantly.
"My new eye... it's so beautiful..."
She suddenly jumped on me and hugged me tightly, sobbing.
"Thank you... Seir—no... Onii-sama."
She trembled with joy, and I smiled gently, patting her head.
---------
Half a year later, Mia-san and Akitsuki-sensei finally had their wedding. The ceremony concluded at the church, with the two sharing a kiss at the altar after exchanging vows. Everyone applauded—myself included—and some guests were even moved to tears. Mia-san, now officially my new mother, glanced over her shoulder with a smug expression toward Himiko-san, who stood as her bridesmaid. Naturally, this annoyed Himiko-san to no end.
After the celebration, the newlyweds departed overseas for their honeymoon, leaving Himiko-san—the "mistress maid"—to look after us.
Yuuka, Shiina, and Lilith began attending a prestigious all-girls junior high school known for developing future entertainers. Yuuka had returned to acting, though under a different agency. She quickly rose to fame again and was well on her way to becoming the idol she had always dreamed of being.
While everyone else was busy, I found myself at home, alone on the couch reading books and sipping tea. Himiko-san stood nearby, watching me with a disappointed look on her face.
"You should go outside sometimes and play with kids your age, Yuki-sama. You're already studying for the Tokyo University entrance exam—it's not really fitting for a child."
"It can't be helped," I replied, not looking up. "Unlike humans, we demons mature faster mentally. At my age, I should already be working in the royal court or managing trade between nations."
"That might be the case in your world, but you're here now. You should try to get used to life here. Even if you return one day, it's good to build memories with the people around you."
She wasn't wrong.
"...Okay."
"Don't you have any hobbies besides reading or studying?" she asked as she sat beside me.
"Well, I enjoy practicing my swordsmanship, but I haven't found anyone in this world worthy of sparring with. Ideally, someone who can destroy a city with a single swing."
"WHAT?! Someone that powerful exists?!"
"There aren't many, even in my world. If someone wants to spar with me, that's the bare minimum. Otherwise, they won't survive."
"You're terrifying! You're telling me you're that dangerous?!"
"I am the Demon Prince—and a candidate to become the next Demon King."
Himiko-san trembled beside me.
"I'm not indiscriminately violent, you know. I'm kind to those who are kind to me. If I were a true villain, I would've destroyed this country the moment we arrived."
She looked pale at my words.
"Anyway, what were you doing in Mom's room earlier? I saw you carrying out a pile of folders."
"Ah, those... uh..."
She looked away, obviously trying to come up with an answer.
"Can I see them?"
With no choice, she sighed.
"...To be honest, Yuuka-ojousama asked me to dispose of those papers without you knowing."
"They're for me? Why would she do that?"
"They're a list of potential fiancées for you, Yuki-sama."
"...Seriously? How disappointing."
"There's also a list of potential suitors pursuing Yuuka-ojousama."
"Burn those immediately. Don't let Yuuka see them. As for mine, keep them—I'll take a look."
I flipped through the list of candidates. Most of them were spoiled daughters from rich families. Their bios bored me. Some wore so much makeup they looked like clowns.
"I prefer girls with natural beauty."
"Yuki-sama, don't judge a book by its cover," Himiko-san scolded me.
"I know... but judging by their personal info, I can already guess what kind of people they are. It's all fake."
"That's just how the world works. You'll need to meet them yourself and figure out who's genuine."
"Oh, I forgot to mention—I can actually detect lies."
"Yuki-sama, lying is part of—WAIT, WHAT?!"
"I can see a person's aura. The more malicious the lie, the darker it becomes."
Now she looked even more cautious around me.
"White lies, though—those without ill intent—are harder to see," I added.
She sighed in relief.
"Yuki-sama... you really are humanity's worst nightmare."
"I am the future Demon King. You humans are greedy and corrupt. Then, when disaster strikes, you blame us demons to hide your own immorality."
"Blame the leaders who cling to power... But still, you talk like you hate humans, yet here you are—bonding with us, becoming family. It feels contradictory," Himiko-san said with a smile.
"...I like the atmosphere here. It's different. In my world, it's rare to find a human village that treats demons kindly."
I flipped to the next profile. A girl with short blonde hair, caked in whitening powder and wearing fake eyelashes. Pass.
The next girl had an angry expression like her photo was taken without permission. She had long black hair, sharp black eyes, fair skin, and wore a traditional hakama with a sword at her waist.
"Hm?"
I picked up her paper.
"Mizuno Kaho?"
"Oh, she's the daughter of a Kenjutsu dojo master nearby. Interested?"
"More curious about her sword skills. I've read up on this country's history. Samurai techniques fascinate me—I want to learn them."
Himiko-san tapped her chin.
"I heard from Mia-sama that their dojo isn't doing well financially. It's close to bankruptcy..."
"So, they're planning to marry off their daughter into a wealthy family to keep the dojo afloat?"
"Yes, Yuki-sama. But I don't think they're bad people. The dojo's head and Shun-sama were close friends. He might've offered his daughter's hand in gratitude when he heard Shun had a son."
"I see... In that case, let's go visit that dojo. I want to witness their techniques firsthand!" I said, standing up with excitement.
"I'll call some bodyguards from the company to come with us," Himiko-san said, getting up.
"Wait—do I need bodyguards?"
"...I can't drive, Yuki-sama."
"...Right."
(To be continued.)