Chapter 101: Haruno — Go Find Someone Else, I Don't Want to Become a Widow!
"Alright, I'll drop you off here."
In front of the gates of Sōbu High School, the car doors opened and everyone stepped out. From the driver's seat, Hiratsuka Shizuka spoke calmly.
"Okay, Shizuka-sensei."
Yukinoshita Akira nodded. After several days away, he was once again standing in front of Sōbu High's familiar gates.
This trip had brought in an enormous haul—two Upper Ranks and one Lower Rank.
An absolutely massive gain.
"Click—"
"Akira, Yukino-chan, you finally made it back. Nee-san was almost bored to death waiting for you."
At that moment, a slender figure stepped out from beneath the shade of the trees in the distance.
Tall and graceful, wearing an off-shoulder top and shorts that reached about a third of the way down her thighs, combined with the aura that had grown even stronger after learning Flame Breathing—Yukinoshita Haruno's charm had clearly risen to a whole new level.
"Haruno, why are you here?"
Seeing Yukinoshita Haruno, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked slightly surprised.
This student—and friend—of hers was not someone easy to deal with. She was the "problem child among problem children."
"Ah, Shizu-chan, I came to pick up Yukino-chan and Akira. It's Mother's order, after all."
"Mrs. Yukinoshita's order?"
Hearing the name "Mrs. Yukinoshita," even Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a slight chill.
Someone like her, with an open personality and a dislike for formalities, was the worst at dealing with stiff, old-fashioned people. And Mrs. Yukinoshita fit that category perfectly.
At that moment, Yuigahama Yui and Hikigaya Hachiman, who had just gotten out of the car along with the others, felt a bit confused by the strange atmosphere that had suddenly formed.
"Well then, Shizuka-sensei, Yui, Hachiman, Komachi—see you next time."
"Yeah, see you."
"See you, Akki-kun."
"Later."
"Bye, Akira-nii."
After saying their goodbyes, Yukinoshita Akira and Yukinoshita Yukino walked toward Yukinoshita Haruno. The Yukinoshita family's car was parked not far away.
But Yukinoshita Haruno glanced at Yuigahama Yui, with her pink hair tied up in a bun, and immediately curved her lips into a faint smile.
So this was the girl who was so close to her little sister.
The first friend her adorable little sister had ever truly acknowledged.
How interesting.
As the saying went, mountains and rivers could change, but a person's true nature was hard to alter. Yukinoshita Haruno was still very much Yukinoshita Haruno.
"So, what are you planning to say to Mother this time?"
Inside the car, Yukinoshita Haruno asked Yukinoshita Akira.
Before this, Mrs. Yukinoshita had called them in to talk more than once. And every single time, Yukinoshita Akira had used the "art of procrastination" to drag things out.
But now, after so many rounds of this, it was obvious that their mother was starting to lose her patience.
For Mrs. Yukinoshita, giving birth to two daughters and no sons was the greatest regret of her life.
After all, this was Japan. A woman's position, compared to a man's, was still separated by a very wide gap.
Even though, in name, the head of the Yukinoshita family was Mrs. Yukinoshita's husband, the one who truly controlled everything was still Mrs. Yukinoshita herself.
But even so, she could not deny that women were, by nature, placed in a weaker position.
And Yukinoshita Akira was the son-in-law she had chosen—someone she had treated in that special way since he was young.
Her goal was simple.
It wasn't to raise an outstanding son-in-law to take control of the Yukinoshita family's future.
It was for her daughter to give birth to a son who truly belonged to the Yukinoshita family.
She wanted to personally raise a grandson—one exceptional enough, strong enough, to support the Yukinoshita family in the years to come.
"I've already made a decision."
"Hm? What decision?"
"If Mother really wants us to get married and hold a grandchild as soon as possible, then—let's get married."
"…Hah?"
Yukinoshita Haruno froze on the spot.
What did you just say?
After refusing for so many years, you're suddenly agreeing just like that?
Even the driver nearly lost his grip on the steering wheel.
Good grief. This news was way too explosive.
"What exactly do you mean?"
But once her initial shock faded, Yukinoshita Haruno felt more confused than anything else. Because the Yukinoshita Akira she knew wasn't someone who would make a decision like this so casually.
"During this camping trip, two Upper Ranks and one Lower Rank appeared."
"What?"
Akira's words instantly stunned Yukinoshita Haruno.
Two Upper Ranks?
She had once seen an Upper Rank demon with her own eyes. The feeling of her blood freezing throughout her entire body from just a single glance—that was something she would never forget for the rest of her life.
And now Akira was saying he had encountered two of them this time.
How could that not shock her?
"Are you okay? Were you hurt?"
"Don't worry. Just light injuries. They've almost completely healed."
"That's good~"
Hearing that Akira was fine, Yukinoshita Haruno finally let out a breath of relief.
In the back seat, Yukinoshita Yukino watched all of this. In her heart, she could only sigh softly.
So in the end, nee-san really was just like her.
"I've already become that person's target. So just in case—if I really fail and meet a bad end, leaving behind a successor for myself… isn't that only natural?"
The moment Yukinoshita Akira said that, both Yukinoshita Haruno's and Yukinoshita Yukino's expressions changed.
Because they both understood very clearly—this wasn't an empty threat.
It was reality.
Over the past few months, they had been exposed to countless incidents of demons devouring humans. In just three months, more than a thousand people were confirmed to have died at the hands of demons. On top of that, there were still many other victims whose fates couldn't even be verified.
And up until now, the only one truly fighting on the front lines against the demons was Yukinoshita Akira.
Even the two of them, as sisters, along with the young lady of the Busujima family and Hiratsuka Shizuka, had only inherited fragments of that power at best. To form real, dependable combat strength—they were still painfully far from it.
And Yukinoshita Akira, fighting alone—if he really lost, he truly could die.
"If that's your reason, then go find the young lady of the Busujima family. I think she'd be more than willing. As for me—please, have mercy and let me go."
"Nee-san?"
Hearing Yukinoshita Haruno's words, Yukinoshita Yukino was stunned. Was this really something her nee-san would say?
But Yukinoshita Akira didn't show the slightest bit of dissatisfaction. Instead, he looked at Yukinoshita Haruno with a faint smile on his face.
"Either way, I don't want to become a widow. The same goes for Yukino-chan."
"Yeah. In that case… just forget it."
"Good."
The atmosphere inside the car instantly turned heavy.
At the same time, the driver up front felt like he might just die on the spot.
Even though he didn't understand what the young master and the young ladies in the back seat were talking about, words like death and widow carried far too much weight.
He was just a small-time driver.
Knowing things like this—would he end up being "silenced" later?
After all, people who knew too much often ended up unable to speak ever again.
And the way to silence someone was simple—erase them from this world so they would never open their mouth again.
Especially since the Yukinoshita family, despite all the luxury on the surface, clearly had no shortage of darkness hidden beneath.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Full Novel Available!
All chapters are now complete and available in full on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —