(Yuuta POV)
"Look! Look!" I jabbed my finger toward the station platform like I'd just discovered buried treasure. "Erza, Elena—it's the bullet train! Do you see it?!"
My eyes were probably sparkling like a kid at an amusement park. I swear I could hear theme music playing in the background.
Elena gasped, clutching my sleeve. "Papa… it looks like a long-nosed mouse!" She burst into giggles.
"That's not a mouse!" I crouched down to her level, deadly serious. "That's one of humanity's greatest inventions. Sleek, powerful, unstoppable! This beauty can cross hundreds of kilometers before you even finish a nap!"
Beside us, Erza glanced at the train as if it were a loaf of bread. "Hmph. It's just an ordinary train."
I froze. My jaw dropped. "…Ordinary? Did you just Say Ordinary—?!"
I slapped a hand over my chest, staggering back in mock pain. "Woman, you wound me. Ordinary?! This is the fastest train in the world! A mechanical beast that defies distance and time itself!"
She arched a perfect eyebrow. "Oh, please. How can such a thing be that fast?"
"Ha! You don't believe me, huh?" I pointed at the entrance dramatically. "Then come. I'll prove it. We ride tonight!"
"Yuuta." Her tone was sharp. "Do you even have a ticket?"
I puffed out my chest with pride. "Already booked online."
Erza blinked. "…You actually prepared in advance?"
"Yes, and I would appreciate less surprise in your voice."
"Yay! Fastest train! Fastest train!" Elena cheered, bouncing up and down. Honestly, she was the only one who matched my energy.
Meanwhile, Allen carried all our luggage like a walking mountain. The man didn't even grunt. Just casually hauling three suitcases in each hand like a true Demon bodyguard disguised as a porter.
The train started moving after the short announcement. At first, it was slow, like it was testing the waters. And then—bam!—all of a sudden, we were flying. Top speed. My stomach did that weird flip-flop thing, and I couldn't stop my eyes from widening.
I glanced at Erza. Finally—finally—her eyes widened too. She whispered, almost in disbelief, "How… how can this piece of metal go so fast?"
"See? I told you!" I grinned, pointing at the blur outside. "This is the fastest train in the world! It's insane!"
She crossed her arms quickly, trying to act calm. "So… what's so special? It's just a little faster than normal. No need to make such a big scene."
Elena, of course, didn't listen to reason. She was sticking her tiny face to the window, bouncing on the seat like a pogo stick. "Papa! Look! The trees! They're running! They're running so fast!"
"Oh yeah, You are right Princess."
I pressed my own face against the window too because, come on, it was my first time on a bullet train! The wind whipping past, the scenery blurring into streaks—it was awesome.
"Papa, look, look! That tower is huge!" Elena pointed so hard I thought her finger might go through the glass.
I leaned closer. "Ohhh, that's Tokyo Tower. Famous spot."
Erza tilted her head, her crimson eyes sparkling with curiosity. "It's so big… do humans live in there?"
"Of course not," I sighed. "Why would they stay there? It's just a tourist attraction."
She puffed her cheeks at my answer and looked away, "I know that." She's clearly dissatisfied but it's worth it to tease her.
Then, She sat by the window, her chin resting on her palm, quietly watching the city roll past. Neon signs, towering billboards, and endless lines of cars painted the glass with flickering colors. Even though she didn't say anything, I could tell she was secretly fascinated—her eyes followed every little movement outside like a child discovering a new world.
"Look, Elena," I said, pointing at a sleek car speeding along beside us. "That one looks like it wants to race us."
Her eyes lit up instantly. "Really, Papa? Then we'll win, right?"
"Of course we'll win," I replied with a proud grin, as if I were the one driving the train.
Elena clapped her hands and laughed, her giggles bubbling out so naturally it made the other passengers smile but not most of them. I couldn't help but laugh with her.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Erza watching us. She didn't say a word, but her gaze lingered, soft and unreadable. She'd never admit it, but I was sure she loved these little moments even more than we did.
The bullet train hummed as it speed along, scenery blurring past the windows. Inside, we were laughing—loud, maybe a little too loud—caught up in the thrill of our first Tokyo adventure. Elena was still giggling on my shoulder, Erza had that smug look of hers, and even I couldn't keep the excitement from bubbling out of me.
That was when an elderly Japanese woman approached us. She wore a neat gray kimono, her back slightly bent, yet her eyes were kind. In careful but clear English, she said,
"Excuse me… could you hold your excitement a little? Some passengers may be disturbed."
The moment she spoke, I realized what she meant.
Other passengers were staring. Not the friendly kind of staring either. Faces pinched, eyes sharp, lips moving with disapproval.
"Look at these indecent people…" one muttered.
"So loud, in Japan of all places—the land of manners…" another whispered.
"That guy—he's unbearable."
The words cut deep. My smile faltered, but before I could respond—Allen exploded.
"You disgusting humans!" His voice boomed through the train car like thunder. People jumped in their seats. "Don't you ever dare speak about my master like that! If I catch you—I'll rip out that snaky tongue of yours and wipe your filthy ass with it!"
The entire carriage went dead silent.
Then smack!
Erza's fist landed on Allen's head, sending him sprawling onto the floor. "Knock it off!" she snapped, her crimson eyes blazing.
I froze for two seconds—then burst out laughing. Elena joined in, her little voice ringing with unrestrained joy. Allen looked like he'd just been flattened by a truck, his limbs spread out across the aisle. I couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.
That's when I felt it.
The death stare.
Erza's Voliet eyes pinned us both down like a predator spotting its prey.
"Elena," I whispered quickly, forcing my laughter down. "Looks like we should behave… like true gentlemen."
"Yes, Papa," she whispered back solemnly. "Mama's in a bad mood."
Erza sighed heavily, then stood up. She bowed deeply in the Japanese way, her long White hair falling forward. "I apologize for my husband's behavior," she said, her tone perfectly formal.
The entire carriage went quiet again.
The old woman tilted her head. "Husband? Wait… this young man is your husband? Not… your brother?"
"Me? Brother?" I pointed at myself, utterly baffled. "What's wrong with all of you?!"
Murmurs rippled across the train.
"What country are they from? Married so young?"
"Look—they already have a child, must be five years old at least…"
"While we're building our careers, that guy already…"
Their words clawed at me. I clenched my fists. How dare they? My marriage wasn't something to gossip about like it was a circus show.
And then…
From the floor, Allen's muffled voice rose again, like a vengeful spirit. "You disgusting humans… how dare you question my master's marriage—"
Crunch!
Erza's heel slammed down on his head, grinding it against the train floor. "Don't embarrass us anymore, you demon," she hissed.
The carriage was silent again—this time, completely out of fear.
And then… the old lady chuckled softly. Her laugh was gentle, almost motherly. She waved a hand as if brushing the tension away.
"Don't worry, young man," she said kindly. "It's not about you. It's just our culture. In Japan, we believe in building careers first. That is why people were… surprised."
Her words were like a balm to my boiling heart. Still, I couldn't help but pout.
Career first, huh? Maybe. But standing here, with Erza's hand still gripping mine and Elena's head resting on my shoulder… I wouldn't trade this life for anything.
That's when Erza suddenly crushed my hand in her grip, her Voliet eyes narrowing with an almost terrifying calm.
"My dear husband," she said, her voice silky but sharp, "if you would behave a little like a human, it would be better for all of us. Otherwise… I might have to cut your allowance this month."
"Nooo! That's not fair!" I yelped, wincing at her pressure.
She just glared at me.
"Yes, my wife," I muttered, hiding the sting behind a sheepish smile. "I will behave… exactly as you say."
With my excitement finally bottled up like a corked jar, we walked in silence for a while, Elena clutching my arm, Allen keeping a stoic watch, and Erza… Erza still silently judging every move I made.
And finally, after what felt like a lifetime of city chaos, neon lights, and narrow escapes from embarrassing situations, we reached the station.
Soon, the train slid to a stop, and the announcer's voice echoed: "Shinjuku Station."
The doors opened, and I swear—stepping out into that sea of people felt like I'd walked into another world.
"...What the hell."
People. Everywhere. A never-ending tide of humans rushing left, right, diagonally, and probably through alternate dimensions. It was like stepping into an anime scene where the background is just a blur of moving legs.
Erza narrowed her eyes, scanning the crowd like she was planning a battlefield strategy. "So many… humans. Is this a gathering for war?"
"No," I muttered, trying not to laugh. "This is just… Shinjuku Station. Normal Tuesday."
Elena grabbed my hand tightly, her eyes wide with both fear and excitement. "Papa, if we get lost, will Allen find us?"
Allen, standing tall behind us, didn't even flinch. "No matter how many humans gather, no force in this world could hide my lord from my sight."
Bro. Chill. We're at a train station, not facing Army generals.
We shuffled along with the crowd, and the moment we climbed the stairs to the street, the city hit us all at once.
Neon lights, giant screens playing music videos, a blinding sea of signs and advertisements stacked one after another. Cars honked, voices overlapped, the entire street buzzed with life.
Elena's jaw dropped. "It's like… like… a festival!"
Erza's eyes widened too, though she tried to keep her usual cool expression. "This city… it glows brighter than dragon fire."
I scratched the back of my head, grinning. "Welcome to Tokyo."
Tokyo city swallowed us whole the moment we stepped out of the station.
Neon lights stretched endlessly above, glowing like artificial stars. Giant screens flashed advertisements so bright they could probably be seen from space, and shopfronts spilled music and chatter into the streets. The crowd never stopped moving, a constant stream of people flowing past us as if Tokyo itself had a heartbeat.
Erza, however, wasn't impressed.
Her brows drew together, her lips pressed in a thin line. Every honk of a car made her shoulders twitch, her dragon-sharp ears catching every little sound in this urban jungle. Even though cars weren't honking that often, to her, it must have felt like standing in the middle of a battlefield.
I slowed down and reached for her hand.
The moment our fingers touched, the tension in her body eased. Her steps grew lighter, and the storm in her expression softened.
It was true—somewhere, I'd read that when a wife loves her husband, simply holding his hand can calm her down. Maybe it wasn't just one of those silly things the internet made up after all.
Erza's hand gripped mine tightly, refusing to let go.
"Don't worry," I said, smiling at her. "I'm not going to disappear."
She turned away quickly, puffing her cheeks. "Who cares if you went missing? I'm only holding your hand because Elena is sitting on your shoulder."
I chuckled. "Right, right. Whatever you say."
Elena laughed too, her tiny fingers tugging at my ear as if to agree with her mother.
To be continue....