Freshly arrived, I’m super excited!!

Season 2 of MHM is leagues above Shield Hero Season 2. Same studio btw.

Firstly, these are all spoilers for LN 9. I am summarising as much as I can because I don’t want anyone to spend an hour reading 1 post, nor do I want to split it into so many posts, so if you’re curious, read on. If not, scroll away.

SPOILERS for LN 9

 Prologue and Chapter 1

It starts with Eugene talking to his boss and that they came to the capital in search of something. At this point, Miyo and Kiyoka had only been married for a few months (it is now the summer season, following their spring wedding). Miyo thinks she saw something like a daydream, with a woman wearing bright red lipstick together with someone that looks like Kiyoka, but she couldn’t lip read what she said.

Arata arrives. Kiyoka (who had just returned from the night shift), asks him why he’s here, and Arata says he’s just here to give Kiyoka an update before he leaves for the Old Capital. Arata is helping to weed out the last of the Gifted Commune, but because they have been in operation for so long (more than 10 years) they have so many hideouts that they are still in the process of finding and destroying them,

The next day, Kiyoka heads to the Barracks, he is still working there as he didn’t feel that it was fair to just dump the Earth Spider case on Godou and leave. They head to the site where the Earth spider was sealed and all they see is the seal is broken and Kiyoka’s sword sticking out from the ground. The only thing left of the spider is one leg, the rest is gone. Kiyoka is due to leave for the Old capital soon, so he has no choice but to leave the investigation to Godou.

Chapter 2

Kiyoka and Miyo take the express train to the Old Capital. When they arrive, they are greeted by a driver working for the Miyakouji house. Kiyoka instructs the driver to bring them to the main Shrine where the Head of the house (Komon) is. They get invited to a restaurant at a hotel where they have dinner with Komon. As Kiyoka steps away for a while, a blond-haired blue-eyed man approaches Miyo and tries to get her to go with him. Miyo and Komon, both refuse him and they mention that Miyo is married, but he refuses to leave. Then Kiyoka returns and asks what’s going on. Eugene then backs off, but whispers something to Miyo. The words were foreign to Miyo, and she tells Kiyoka that he called her a Shaman princess, but they don’t really understand what it means.

Chapter 3

Kiyoka and Miyo are staying at the Miyakouji house. This is a separate area complete with bath and a kitchen for guests to stay in. Kiyoka mentions that as far as he understands, a Shaman is someone who can see the future, the power being like what Takaihito can do. However, he doesn’t understand exactly what a Shaman Princess means, so they decided toto send a message to Godou, who had studied overseas and might have an idea as to what that is. Kiyoka (jealous of what happened with Eugene and take the opportunity to let Miyo spoil him) uses Miyo’s lap as a pillow and tells Miyo that he had wanted her to enjoy this trip since it was in place of their honeymoon, but Miyo reassures him that she is enjoying it

The next day was the day of the tea party. Miyo wore a light-yellow green with a small floral-patterned kimono. Kiyoka is wearing his military uniform. It starts with a tea ceremony, which Miyo learned what to do from Hazuki, then everyone breaks off into smaller groups. Miyo goes around to introduce herself to various people with Kiyoka, before heading off to join the ladies’ circles. The ladies were very welcoming to her and complimented her on her beauty.

The Miyakouji family has not had many Gift users born recently. And any that are born, tend to be weak, some of the family members feel that Kudo (branch family) should not rise above the Miyakouji (main family) This is why when Kiyoka joins the men’s circles and he hears a lot of comments, like now that they (Kudo family) have included the Usuba bloodline, they are invincible and that he did such a good job getting a wife from the Usuba family. (These relatives then to refer to Miyo as the Usuba bloodline or the Usuba woman.) Kiyoka doesn’t talk back, since he can’t just cut off ties with them.

After the tea party, some members of the Miyakouji family barge into a restaurant that the family frequents and starts ordering drinks and food even though they are closed. Not wanted to offend such a big client, the owner has no choice but to comply. It is here that a Mr Wood comes to meet them and hears their complaints about the Kudo family, so Mr. Wood gives them some ideas of what to do.

Chapter 4

Kiyoka receives a reply from Godou after the tea party, but he is not familiar with the term shaman that was used and that it’s easier for them to talk face to face. Kiyoka asks Miyo how the tea party went, and she seemed to have an enjoyable time. They make plans to take a walk around town while they are there. That evening, Miyo was invited by the ladies from the tea party to a gathering, while Kiyoka decides to head to the Second Unit.

Miyako (one of the ladies Miyo met at the tea party) invited Miyo to ask if she could help a child that had problems falling into a deep sleep. They heard that she was from the Usuba family who has abilities that might help, so they just thought to ask. Miyo was reluctant at first, but she couldn’t just leave the child like that, so she agrees to at least have a look. Seeing the child (Izuko) Miyo agrees to try and tells Miyako that if she’s not awake in 4 and a half hours to call her husband. Miyo was able to successfully get rid of the nightmares plaguing Izuko, but she’s unsure if it is a permanent solution. She is more concerned about the nightmares that she saw and the word Heretic. She tries to ask Miyako about it, but as it has a lot of repercussions to it, she is advised to ask the head of the house instead.

Kiyoka arrives at the Second Unit and meets with Koumyouin. He takes out the sword named Setsujitsutou (雪日刀) and asks if the craftsman who is known only as The Master is around, Koumyouin says that he is and that he should be at home and also offers to help with the Earth spider problem but Kiyoka refuses, as Koumyouin had already lost a leg to it, so if he joins the fight it would probably be a very tough fight and Kiyoka doesn’t want to lose anyone else to it. Kiyoka then drives to a nearby shrine and heads to a shack at a nearby hill. The Master comes out to greet him. Kiyoka himself doesn’t know his name and only calls him Master. He asks if the sword can be repaired. While magical swords are usually repaired by their creators, the creator of this sword is no longer around, so the next best thing is to ask another craftsman that are also Gift users to try to repair them. Master says that it’s possible, but he’s unsure how long it’s going to take. Kiyoka decides to let him do it anyway.

Going back to Miyo, she has been chatting with the ladies for some time, and she wonders if Kiyoka has returned. Just as she was about to excuse herself to go look for him, the screen door opens and Kiyoka is standing there, looking for her. Miyo thanks the ladies for the chat and leaves with Kiyoka, much to the amusement of the ladies. Kiyoka had noticed that Miyo looked a little worn out and asks what’s wrong. Miyo wanted to discuss the nightmare with Kiyoka, but she wants to confirm a few things first, so she asked Kiyoka to help arrange a meeting with Komon. He agrees and pulls her into his arms. She wonders if she is giving him enough support, like how he always does for her. Miyo had said before that she wasn’t keen to use her Gift, but if the need arises, she will not hesitate to use it to help him.

Chapter 5

The next day, Miyo and Kiyoka go on tour of the streets of the Old Capital. They decide to stop at a nearby park near the Miyakouji house. Kiyoka receives a message from the Capital and steps a little bit away to deal with it. 3 people from the Miyakouji house comes up to Miyo and grabs her, saying that the Usuba woman should be marrying into their family etc, and that Mr Wood was right. Miyo tries to scream, but they put a hand over her mouth Miyo tries to use her powers on them, but they pull on her hand. That was when Kiyoka returns and punches one of them sending them flying. They let go of Miyo and Kiyoka punches another one of them. Miyo uses her powers in the end to render them unconscious. Kiyoka, seeing Miyo’s messed up collar where she was grabbed wants to kill them, while Miyo tries to calm him down.

Unbeknownst to them, Eugene was observing them and gleefully goes to meet with his boss to confirm Miyo’s abilities. His boss says that she wants to talk to Miyo and for Eugene to arrange it.

Back at the Miyakouji house, Kiyoka drags the 3 unconscious men and demands to see Komon immediately. This caused an uproar. Someone went to fetch Komon who was currently at the shrine, and all the other men who was of importance to the house all gather in a large tatami room. Miyo fixes her collar and both she and Kiyoka join them. Kiyoka is furious about what happened, and Komon also bows with his head to the floor to apologise for the incident. Everyone there understood the seriousness of the situation. Kiyoka says that breaks the trust between the Miyakouji and Kudo family. While Miyo is willing to accept the apology and although Kiyoka is not willing, he will forgive them.

The oldest man in the group is sad, seeing how far the Miyakouji has fallen If not for the Sin and heretic. The other men turn pale of frown. Kiyoka noticed that something is not right and asks what the Sin is. Komon agrees to tell him everything despite protests from the other men. Miyo, Kiyoka and Komon leave to go to a smaller room.

Komon reconfirms if Kiyoka wants to see the records they had on the Earth spider and Kiyoka says yes. He then asks Miyo about what she saw in Izuko’s dream. Miyo explains the 3 scenes that she saw was from a time from very long ago. The first was of a child that had been deemed as a failure and disposed of, the second a child that showed weak telepathic powers being force fed medication that enhances her powers, and the last scene was a mother who hears that her child (approximately 2 years old) will only have 10 years to live. The child was born with a horn growing from the forehead and very weak. Servants start gossiping, throwing around the words: Heretic, Curse and Heaven’s punishment.

Komon confirms that was indeed from the past of the Miyakouji house also known as Miyakouji the Heretic. Long ago, when the Earth spider was on a rampage in the Old Capital, The Miyakoujii, wanting more power to defeat the Earth spider They start researching ways to strengthen their Gifts. The research soon goes into human experiments. Miyakouji children born without Gifts were given a medicine to manifest a Gift, while those with weak Gifts were given medicine to strengthen it. It was around this time that the Kudo family realised what was happening and decides to separate from the Miyakouji family.

One by one, almost every member of the Miyakouji family has been given these treatments, these Gift users, grew up, had children of their own and that was when the Heretics were born. Children were born with a horn on their head, were physically weak and every time they used their Gift, it shortens their lifespan, and they all die young, leaving almost not descendants. They first thought that it was a coincidence, but as more children were born like this and they take notice, it’s too late. There’re very few Miyakouji who had not received the treatments. The Miyakouji has carried the burden of their Sin from then on.

Komon asks Kiyoka if this seems familiar to him, and it does seem like the research the Gifted Commune was doing, and Komon agrees. About 60 years ago a heretic born to the Miyakouji family made it to adulthood and ran away, still carry the hatred towards the family. Komon had thought that all the data was disposed of when the research stopped, but now he’s not so sure. It was always possible that there was some remaining data somewhere that the heretic took before running away. That added to the Sin that the family carried.

Changing the topic, Miyo mentions that the men who tried to kidnap her mentioned a Mr. Wood. Komon asks Miyo if she was talking about Eugene Wood. He had heard that there was a Mr Wood associating with the Miyakouji family recently, Kiyoka took note of the name, as it was a name that he had heard from Godou. After some discussion, Kiyoka decides that they should call Godou to join them, get information about Egene and return to the Capital once everything is over. Also, since Kiyoka can no longer trust the Miyakouji family Miyo will be with the Second Unit when Kiyoka needs to investigate something.

As they left the room, Miyako comes looking for her together with the group of ladies she talking to yesterday. They were all worried about her and glad that she didn’t get hurt. They tell her that they are her allies and not to hesitate to ask them for anything. She then returns to the room, holding hands with Kiyoka. In the middle of the night, Miyo suddenly awakens and finds herself in Kiyoka’s arms. He asks if she can’t sleep, but she replies that she had just woken up. Kiyoka tells her not to get kidnapped by anyone, but him and Miyo says she only wants to get kidnapped by him also that she will never leave him, then she closes her eyes and goes back to sleep. The next morning Miyo continues sleeping and doesn’t wake up.

Chapter 6

Kiyoka awakens and tries to wake Miyo, but no matter what he does, she doesn’t wake up. He checks her vital signs to make sure that she’s alive but is just unable to wake her. All he could do was hold her hand and pray.

Miyo finds herself in an unknown forest and realises that it was a dream. In it she meets Eugene. She knows that she didn’t conjure him up with his powers. He introduces himself as Eugene Wood, a Gift user from England, descended from a family of Shamans. According to him, the Shaman is like a prophet and can end up in a position of power to lead people. Eugene can enter other people’s dreams, but unlike Miyo, he can’t manipulate them or see the future. He asks her to join him which Miyo refuses. He had approached the Miyakouji family as they are the oldest family and a convenient source of information.

Having failed to convince Miyo to join him, he says that someone wants to talk to her and that she will not be harmed. Miyo initially hesitates but feels that the information might help Kiyoka, so she agrees to go with him and the scene changes to a field of flowers with a white gazebo.

That morning, Godou arrives in the Old Capital and heads to the Miyakouji house, only to see Kiyoka’s pale stern face. He couldn’t believe how weak Kiyoka looked. Kiyoka tells him that Miyo hasn’t woken up. Kiyoka himself just did the very minimum to dress even his hair is untied, it was like as if half of his soul was missing. He doesn’t know what happened, but a doctor came to see her and says that she’s fine, other than the fact she’s not waking up. Godou suspects that Eugene is involved, and tells Kiyoka that Eugene, a Gift user himself, is a from a family very similar to the Usubas Kiyoka is worried that Miyo might be caught in a dream that seemed too real and that she can’t distinguish the dream from reality, but Godou disagrees. Kiyoka then explained everything that has happened so far.

Godou says that Eugene hasn’t changed. As far as he knew Eugene had always looked gentle and kind on the outside but would do anything to reach his goals. Godou suggests they go after Eugene. As a foreigner who used his abilities to harm regular people, is a reason for the military to intervene. In that moment, Kiyoka pulled himself together and he became the Kudo Kiyoka that Godou knew.

Back to Miyo, an ageless woman with pale firm skin and shining silver hair wearing a black dress and hat invites her to tea. She introduces herself as a Witch named Diana explains that a Witch is like a Miko, she can use spells to summon spirits to tell the future or someone’s fortune. She can also use spells to change nonreality into reality. She was going to summon a goddess to grant her wish. And asks if Miyo has a wish. Miyo just wants to live peacefully with Kiyoka and everyone around her to have a long and healthy life. Which Diana considers a very small wish. On the other hand, Diana has a lot of wishes and can’t decide which ones she wants the goddess to grant. Miyo feels that she and Diana cannot see eye to eye.

Diana and Eugene are going around gathering shamans because they want to summon a goddess and asks Miyo to join them in which she refuses and leaves. After Miyo leaves Diana and Eugene say that they need Miyo for the ritual and decide to create a situation to force Miyo to help them.

Chapter 7

Miyo wakes up and Miyako was there to tell her that it was now 4:30 in the afternoon. They were all worried about her Komon then enters and says that he will inform Kiyoka that she’s awake and leaves. Miyako offers to make her a light meal while Miyo changes clothes. Miyako comes back with egg porridge topped with a sour plum and had yuba in it. That hit the spot and Miyo finishes everything.

Miyo feels very sorry for Kiyoka and that he must have been terribly worried about her. Now the only thing left was to wait for Kiyoka. She hears the screen door opening and she knew who it was. Kiyoka pulls her into an embrace, and she starts apologising but stops when she hears his trembling voice and fingers as he touched her cheek. Miyo apologies again and tells him that she’s alright. Kiyoka says that his mind went blank and when she disappears from him, he can’t go on and there was only despair.  She’s sorry for leaving him alone and asks for his forgiveness. He replies that if this happens again, he might not forgive her as he’s not as strong as she thinks. They hug again, as Kiyoka breathes out a huge sigh of relief.

Kiyoka, Miyo, Komon all gather to exchange information. Miyo tells them everything from her dream and they conclude that Eugene must be either part of or helping one of the many factions that worship a goddess. Godou hasn’t heard any rumours about Eugene being part of the faction when he was in school, and he is not close to him at all. Summoning a goddess is also no easy feat, granting wishes is a stretch. Miyo agrees. To summarise, they might have given up on Miyo and gone home or they have not given up on Miyo and they must stop anything that they might do in this country.

While Miyo was asleep, Kiyoka and Godou managed to track Eugene down. There are shiki in place to survey him. Miyo says she wants to help, but Kiyoka refuses, saying that it is not something an amateur can do. However, she was more than helpful with the information she had gathered from the dream

At sunset, Kiyoka and Godou head to the hotel that Eugene is staying at. They also bring Miyo to the Second Unit, where Koumyouin and Kaoruko are. As soon as the shiki they placed tells them of movement from Eugene, Kiyoka and Godou take action to bring Eugne in Unfortunately, due to magical interference from an unknown party, Eugene escapes and they suspect it is Diana who helped him.

That is proved to be correct, as Eugene meets up with her, and she tells him to be grateful that she helped him escape. As the streetlight come on, Eugene senses a presence and a man appears out of the darkness. The man looks like he is from this country, tall and hunched over. His hair was grey, and his eyes were dark and cloudy, and had stubble of the same grey colour on his face giving him a rather dirty appearance. Diana introduces him as a co-conspirator and says that despite his appearance, he will be very useful. The man gives his name as Takao.

End.

Epilogue

Kiyoka and Godou spar with one another while Miyo watches.

I put this under the spoiler tag just in case.

Overall Impression: I liked it. Is not MHM, but at the same time you can tell the influence. I mean, it is the same author.

1. This story is not for everyone. There is abuse of the FL. Quite a bit. There, I said it. I don't know if Akumi Agitogi has a thing for abused FLs, but yeah. Keep that in mind if you want to pick up this story.
2. There are some fantasy elements but is not like MHM. I'll try to explain without getting confused in the process.
3. The author herself said in the afterword she is using The Little Mermaid as a base for the story, but hopefully with a happy ending (here's where the bubble in the title comes to play).
4. There is a 7-year age gap that may become an issue for some readers, especially since the FL is still a minor.
5. Is not as romantic as MHM, maybe because of point #4.

What is it about:

The FL is the fantasy element here. She appears to be a descendant of the Yaobikuni, and thus has "mermaid blood" in her. She is treated like a monster by her family once a mark that looks like fish scales appears on her left wrist. She is the latest "girl with mermaid blood" to have been born in her family, the last before was her great-aunt.

HER FAMILY IS DESPICABLE. If you are like me, you are going to hate them (more than Kanoko and Shinichi). The girls with mermaid's blood were treated horribly in the past, and our FL is the one going through hell literally.

The ML is a kind young man who is the illegitimate second son of a prominent family. He agrees to become engaged to the FL to please his grandfather because the grandfather supported the ML and his mother when he was boy when his father didn't care his mistress got pregnant. The grandfather arranged the engagement. Somehow, his grandfather knows that the FL is a girl with mermaid's blood and tells the ML it is his destiny to wed such a girl. Why? Because when the ML was 15 years old, a mark appeared on his chest that looks like a flower. According to his grandfather, every once in blue moon, a boy with such a mark is born in the family, so the grandfather uses his influence to make the ML part of the family registry, though he remains illegitimate. How his grandfather found about the FL being of mermaid blood? We still don't know.

The leads met each other when they were young: she was 8 and he was 15 (first scene in the book). She had ran away from home and tried to scratch her mark away making it bleed, when he appears and tends to her. In the book it is said over and over that touching her blood could harm someone else. BUT, if the ML tended her bloody wrist, that means he touched her blood and the next day that's when he had the mark appear on his chest. We know this later in the story. She recognized him from the get go when they meet for the engagement. He takes longer to remember the young girl he helped and realized it is the FL.

Her family accepts the engagement because of the bride price. When I said earlier they are despicable, I meant it.

Like in MHM, the leads are drawn to each other. Since the ML is also a teacher in her school, she always addresses him as "professor" and the whole time they are keeping the engagement under wraps at the school. They don't fall madly in love with each other, and I am thinking the author is considering the FL's age in all of this. They do have a sweet relationship though. And though she tries to cancel the engagement to protect him (in her mind, remember this is a victim of horrible abuse here), he feels he needs to protect her, so at the end of the story they are still engaged. He actually asked her, which reminded me of MHM.

Conclusions: There will be people who will have tons of issues with this story. Why?

• The FL is a victim of horrible abuse by her father and elder brother. Since she has "mermaid blood" she heals quickly so the abuse is not visible.
• She is considered a monster because in Japan mermaids (ningyu) are considered as such.
• The age of the FL compared to the ML. She is a minor still, but apparently marrying young was the norm in Japan in early 20thh century. If they do get married, hopefully it will be when she above the age of consent...
• The story seems to be set early 20th century before television was invented. There are things like buses, streetcars, cars and even telephones (the ML uses a pay phone in one scene).

Where Akumi is going with this story is anybody's guess. I know there is a manga coming up in July. I am thinking whether to get it or not.

Hi guys! LN 10 has been out for exactly 2 months. Sadly, there is still no detailed summary. But there are some bits and pieces of what happened. Please take this, of course, with a grain of salt. If you also don't want to get spoiled, please be careful. If you want to know more about LN 10, I've made a translation of the first few pages, which you can read here.

1: GODO'S PAST + RECONCILIATION

• In this volume, we get to know more about Godo's past. A good chunk of this volume is about his past: his rivalry with Kiyoka, his school life, his feelings regarding his father's death, and a bit of his relationship with his family during that time, including his father. Godo's relationship with his family, especially his father, was tense and complicated, as Godo was in his rebellious phase, like most teenagers are.

• Godo studied abroad in England at a Hogwarts-type school from Harry Potter, where we get a glimpse of his experience there. He had an academic rivalry with Eugene Woods, the man introduced in LN 9 who wants to recruit Miyo in order to summon a goddess. It was during his studies abroad that Godo learned of his father's death and briefly returned to Japan for the funeral.

• After his father's death, Godo became cold and intensely obsessed with becoming stronger to avenge him. Eugene noticed this drastic change and approached him, asking why he had become so different after hearing about his father's passing. Godo gave a cold, blunt reply about putting one’s life on the line to grow, which inspired Eugene to declare that he also wanted to become stronger for his own purposes and would devote himself completely with a “do or die” mindset, directly sparking their serious academic rivalry.

• We also see more of Godo’s anger toward Kiyoka, whom he blamed for his father’s death, as well as their fight at the funeral. Godo attacked Kiyoka, while Kiyoka took the verbal abuse and even let Godo hit him until others pulled him away. Wanting revenge, Godo trained relentlessly to defeat Kiyoka. But because Kiyoka is the strongest gifted user of his generation, Godo failed every time after they both joined the military, no matter how much he trained or what strategy he used. During one of these moments, Godo completely spiraled after another loss, while Kiyoka could only apologize as Godo grabbed him by the collar. Godo joined the military to get closer to Kiyoka so he could kill him, while Kiyoka joined blindly out of guilt. We also see how the two eventually made peace and formed the relationship they have now.

• It becomes clear that Godo is telling Miyo about his past in the present while he and Kiyoka are sparring, continuing from where LN 9 left off, with Miyo watching on. The story keeps switching between past and present. While listening, Miyo becomes sad hearing about Godo’s father’s death, as she also lost her own mother. She is also surprised by the current relationship between Kiyoka and Godo, as they would normally be expected to still hold a grudge, but there is none left. As Godo tells his story, he briefly teases Kiyoka by revealing something from Kiyoka’s childhood, saying that Kiyoka once referred to himself as “boku” and followed Godo’s father like a baby duck, calling him “Sensei, Sensei”. In response, Kiyoka fist-bumps him on the head. This makes Miyo very happy and relieved to see how close they have become, comfortable enough to joke around. She becomes eager to know how they settled into their current relationship and made peace, so she wants to hear more despite the heaviness of the story. She also considers Godo someone close to her because of his relationship with her husband.

2: MOUNTAIN RETREAT + TRAINING

• Kiyoka is very distraught and dejected because the Tsuchigumo case isn't going anywhere, and he feels stuck. As Miyo's husband, he wanted to give her the best honeymoon possible, but feels like he failed due to what happened in LN 9 and the ongoing Tsuchigumo case. Miyo immediately sees through him and understands how he feels, so she uses all her might to pamper and spoil him. She takes care of Kiyoka while he simply lets it happen, creating many sweet moments between them.

• Kiyoka and Miyo are still on their honeymoon in the old capital, but it soon turns into a survival-style adventure during a mountain retreat. Since the Tsuchigumo investigation has stalled, they head into the mountains in hopes of finding new clues. It also serves as a chance for them to spend some proper alone time, especially since Kiyoka feels guilty that the honeymoon hasn’t gone as he planned for Miyo. During their secluded mountain stay, it is just the two of them with no one else around. Seeing how dejected Kiyoka is, Miyo starts actively spoiling and taking care of him throughout their time there.

• Miyo has also grown a lot as a gifted user. During the mountain retreat, both Kiyoka and Miyo train together. The training is very relaxing and intimate. Miyo trains her Dream Sight ability while Kiyoka guides her. But it feels more like a honeymoon than strict training.

3: TSUCHIGUMO ORIGIN + TEMPLE & SHRINE

• It appears that the Tsuchigumo may originally have been a woman who, out of resentment, became the Tsuchigumo? A human who transforms into a demon or monster due to strong negative emotions is often called a yōkai in Japanese folklore.

• The volume begins with a flashback. It tells the POV of a woman who sees her childhood village, where she grew up, completely destroyed. Her entire village, her family, her parents, everyone is dead. There is blood everywhere. A man who was the cause of this approaches and confronts her, and she completely lashes out in anger. The woman now feels a lot of resentment toward this man. We seemingly see her lose her humanity in the process because of that resentment.

• These two characters, the man and the woman in the flashback, seem to be from Kimio Nagaba's story that she told Miyo all the way back in LN 7 in order to put a charm on her. According to Kimio's story, a princess gets kidnapped by a cruel and cold lord to become his wife. She misses her childhood village, her home, her family, and her parents, so she cries every day. The lord could not stand that and threatened to destroy her village and kill her parents and family while the princess begged him not to.

• Miyo has frequent dreams about a woman dressed in a red kimono who is crying.

• During a date, Kiyoka and Miyo accidentally enter a temple and a nearby shrine. They hear a 900-year-old story that seemingly relates to the Tsuchigumo. Miyo connects this story to Kimio Nagaba's charm and to the dreams she has been having.

4: EUGENE, DIANA, TAKAO

• Not much is known about Eugene, Diana, and Takao. But they are still doing mysterious things surrounding gods-descend/goddess summon and the goddess faith?

• Apparently, the three of them are interested in the Tsuchigumo. Do they want to use the Tsuchigumo as a goddess vessel in order to summon a goddess?

5: ENDING LN 10

• Thanks to the story Miyo and Kiyoka heard, they prepare themselves for the confrontation with the Tsuchigumo.

• The volume ends on a cliffhanger, with Kiyoka, Miyo, and Godo heading out and preparing to confront the Tsuchigumo. In LN 11, they will all officially confront the Tsuchigumo.

Barely a few pages in and we get this sweet scene...

This scene is so sweet. Kiyoka showing his soft side and falling asleep on Miyo's lap. That's adorable.

There's another scene where they do the deed, and it makes me so happy that their relationship is progressing.

I mean excluding komon , I felt they are depicted as next next level foolish cuz the thing wood made them do had like 0% success rate.

Prologue

The autumn leaves, turned a brilliant crimson, were swept up by the wind and fell like rain, staining her vision in vivid hues. Red. Everywhere was red. Red. Red. Redder and redder, turning into a world of crimson.

The lukewarm scent of rusting iron filled the air, stinging the back of her nose, while a heat so intense it felt like it was scorching her skin brushed against her cheeks. The family home where she had been born and raised for over a decade was now covered, inside and out, in that same vibrant red. Perhaps it was because she hadn't returned in so long, but it felt like a completely different house.

Someone was shouting that they had to escape quickly, that it was dangerous. But this was undoubtedly the home where she had grown up. Why did she have to run away? Why were so many tears falling?

A kind father and mother. Warm meals. Toiling in the fields from morning and resting a tired body when darkness fell. She felt as though her memories of that life with her parents, overflowing with comfortable warmth, were being stained with blood before her very eyes.

No. This... this is all wrong. She collapsed on the spot, her eyes wide in a daze. Though she didn't want to look, she couldn't tear her eyes away. Her parents had already become silent fragments of flesh. The house was being licked and burned by crimson flames. Countless screams from men and women, young and old, rose from the surroundings.

Standing before all of this, holding a sword and smiling with genuine delight from the bottom of his heart, was the man she had come to resent so deeply. However, the emotions she now felt toward him surpassed the mildness of resentment. Intense hatred, rage, and murderous intent dyed her heart a deep red, a deep black. Everything before her was red; she could see nothing else.

"You... you did this..." Her last shred of sanity, on the verge of snapping, threw a question at the man to which she already knew the answer. The question was meaningless, for she had certainly heard it—the man’s cruel words: "Kill them, they are a nuisance. Once the parents are gone, that girl will eventually forget."

She had pleaded through tears for him not to do that. The man had grudgingly relented, saying, "It can't be helped." Or so she thought. Yet now, her parents lay dead from sword wounds, and her childhood home, along with the entire village, was about to be swallowed by flames. The man had never intended to listen to her plea from the very beginning. That was why he stood there, a sword dripping with blood and fat in his hand, before the corpses of her parents lying in pools of blood. He stood there calmly, laughing.

"There is no need to grieve. Don't make such a face; I can give you anything you desire. You should just forget about such lowly parents." Even his voice was so hateful she couldn't stand it. Just looking at his smile made a violent nausea well up, and her mind was dominated by an anger so fierce it felt as if her internal organs were being twisted apart.

If only the autumn leaves were the cause of this scene buried in red. A single cold tear, chilled by the autumn wind, flowed down her cheek. She felt every memory being painted over in red, and even the warm heart that used to be there was fading, being lost.

With every memory lost, a part of her heart cracked and crumbled. She couldn't even maintain her form as a human. But it didn't matter anymore. She let herself sink into a deep, deep hatred. She didn't care if she turned into a monster or if she ceased to be herself. She simply wanted to defile, destroy, and erase this hateful man and everything he cherished and cared for—even her own body. Her wish soared high into the heavens, carried by the sparks swept up by the cold wintry wind.

Chapter 1: Passing Years

To Yoshito Godo, his father, Itsuto Godo, was a man who was almost too perfect. Of course, as a young child, he simply adored and looked up to him as his father. As the commander of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit, his father was a busy man, but he always made time for his family. On his days off, he would train Yoshito and his older brother and have dinner with the whole family—he was a devoted and disciplined man.

However, as Yoshito grew older, his father’s way of being began to get on his nerves. This is likely something everyone experiences—the affection of family and the affairs of the home, things that had protected your younger self, suddenly feel stifling as you want to act grown-up. You want to show off and act like you can do everything on your own, even though you are actually just an inexperienced half-measure of a person.

Yoshito was no exception, and in his mid-teens, the first thing he grew to dislike was his father. When his father was strict, Yoshito would get angry, wondering why his father wouldn't acknowledge his ideas and methods now that he could do things like an adult. When he was praised, he felt patronized and looked down upon, which only irritated him further.

He began to think that family time could go to hell and refused to join the family circle. His older brother had reached that age earlier, but unlike Yoshito, he didn't seem to feel any discomfort at home. Though no one ever said it outright, Yoshito felt like he was the only "strange" one, making him feel even more out of place. He avoided family gatherings and, whenever he saw his father's face, he would show his irritation and lash out unreasonably. Looking back, he realized he was young and foolish, but at the time, he was deadly serious. His older brother did not possess supernatural gifts, so in the future, Yoshito would have to lead the Godo family. Perhaps that pressure and anxiety played a role as well.

"Being called a commander and acting all high and mighty in an empire with such outdated technology... it's pathetic!" When was it that he had rebelled against his father like that? Yoshito studied foreign languages intensely and decided to study abroad.

His parents did not oppose his decision. If he wanted to study abroad, he was free to do so. Normally, one would be grateful for such flexible and broad-minded parents, but for Yoshito, even that was annoying. To him, their easy approval felt like they were indifferent to him, as if they were giving up on him. Feeling more stubborn than ever, Yoshito departed for his studies in the United Kingdom.

In the UK, there was a large magical academy where Gifted individuals and practitioners from all over the world gathered, and where cutting-edge research was conducted. After a long sea voyage, Yoshito enrolled in the British magical academy and threw himself into his studies without distraction.

He had little interest in the stone, fortress-like school buildings, the mages walking around in black robes, or the familiars like cats and crows they brought with them. What mattered most was the technique. In principle, there wasn't much difference between the arts of his homeland and Western magic. However, there were differences in the output methods used to manifest phenomena. Furthermore, there were systems of magic in the world that did not exist in his home country.

He wanted to learn and incorporate new or rare techniques and theories that no one back home was using yet, in order to overwhelm the Gifted of his homeland, including his father. With that single-minded focus, Yoshito studied recklessly. "Godo! You're excellent." "As expected of someone who came all the way from the Far East to study." Godo’s grades were good, and his time abroad was going smoothly, to the point where he was celebrated by the students around him.

However, there was one student whom Godo couldn't help but be conscious of. (This exam... I lost.) Receiving his grade report from the professor, Godo gritted his teeth. Eugene Woods. He was a British student belonging to a laboratory specializing in magic related to domestic indigenous beliefs and folklore. Though their labs and specialties were different, they shared several lectures. Their academic abilities and skills were close, and their scores on exams were always within a few points of each other. Consequently, he naturally found himself concerned with Eugene during every exam.

That said, they weren't on speaking terms. He knew the name and was conscious of the scores and rankings, but that was it. Their relationship changed after a turning point for Godo: the death of his father.

That day had been a perfectly ordinary day. He attended lectures in the morning, had lunch, and during his free time, he spent his time in the lab, voluntarily pouring over documents with a dictionary in hand. However, toward evening, Godo was suddenly summoned by the school staff. It was the news of the death of his father, Itsuto Godo.

He was told that the message had arrived from his homeland over several hours via an international teleportation spell, which was only permitted in emergencies. Of course, since Itsuto had lost his life in the line of military duty, the details were withheld. However, the sender of the transferred documents was his brother, and it was undoubtedly written in his brother’s handwriting.

He scanned the pages again and again. The content did not change. It was a string of words announcing his father's death. His mind went blank. The hand holding the documents trembled, and he lost all sensation in his fingertips. He knew the staff member was looking at him with pity as he stood there in a daze, but his thoughts had stopped completely; he didn't know what to do.

His consciousness felt distant. His father was dead. Itsuto was a soldier, and as a soldier, such things happened. He knew that. He had known it. But he had never imagined, even for a moment, that such a day would actually come. He had never even doubted that when he returned from studying abroad, that picture-perfect warm family he had resented would be there to greet him. He had been nonchalantly dreading the day he’d have to return home.

(It’s a lie... it’s a lie, it has to be a lie.) If he researched foreign arts, became strong, and returned, only for his father not to be there—then who would acknowledge him? Who would say the words, "You've grown strong"? No one. There was no one but his father. The back of his head felt frozen cold. His whole body was chilled, and Yoshito’s lips trembled.

His memories of how he spent the following days and how he returned to his homeland to attend his father’s funeral were incredibly hazy. He remembered that the use of teleportation magic was permitted due to his father’s death. Even with teleportation magic, one couldn't return to the homeland in a single leap. Holding his passport and permit, he used teleportation spells several times, passing through several relay points scattered around the world, and reached his hometown in about two and a half days.

He remembered almost nothing of the journey. However, it was certain that he was desperate, pushing through a forced march without any sleep or rest. Although he didn't make it in time for the wake, he managed to slide into the funeral service. Many people had gathered at the family mansion he hadn't seen in a while. Those dressed in military uniforms were particularly noticeable.

His mother and brother were busy arranging the funeral, and his younger sister was still small. Yoshito heard the details of how Itsuto lost his life from his relatives. "They say Lord Itsuto fought to the very end. The young master of the Kudo family was with him at the last moment and heard his final words—" "If only the young Kudo master had arrived at the scene a little earlier..." "The military will likely try to push all the responsibility onto Itsuto. It’s disgusting, considering how it affects our family's reputation."

Relatives spoke to him one-sidedly about all sorts of unnecessary things. What stuck in Yoshito’s mind was "the young master of the Kudo family." Kiyoka Kudo, an acquaintance since childhood. In recent years, the opportunities to see him had decreased significantly, but Yoshito had, of course, heard of his abilities and reputation. In fact, it was Kiyoka who had cornered and sealed the Tsuchigumo that had wiped out the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit.

If he could seal it alone, why hadn't he done so from the beginning? He looked at his mother, who was greeting the funeral attendees with a face as stiff as a Noh mask, as if she were holding back tears. His brother looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept at all, and his once-bright younger sister was dazed, her eyes hollow as if her soul had left her body. The large house, now missing his father, felt somewhat chilly. Anger bubbled up from deep within his gut and erupted.

He finally realized it. The reason his father had felt so stifling was because he respected him more than anyone and felt he could never match him. He was an idol, unreachable yet someone to strive for. He was angry because he wasn't acknowledged by such a man, and he wanted to be an equal. But that would never happen now. If Kiyoka had accompanied him to the site, no one would have had to be sacrificed. He was at a university? There was no way academics were more important than human lives. Because he was involved in the unit's missions half-heartedly while being a student—because he was doing such lukewarm things—his father...

His mind was so full of grievances against Kiyoka that he felt like he was going to lose it. When the funeral began, Kiyoka was there. Pale-faced, he calmly offered incense before the altar. Regardless of his complexion, he appeared composed. At the very least, it didn't look to Yoshito like Kiyoka felt any responsibility for the sacrifices made because he hadn't arrived in time. Even though that couldn't possibly be true.

Yoshito heard the snap of his own patience. "How dare you show your face here, you murderer!" "Why are you the only one unhurt, while Dad...!" "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" In his overflowing rage, Yoshito lunged at Kiyoka and hurled insults at him. People around tried to stop him, but he didn't care and even struck him. Kiyoka only uttered a short apology. That attitude, too, got on Yoshito’s nerves.

It felt as if he were being told that his feelings and his father’s existence were only worth that much to this man. He felt as though his father—who was killed so helplessly by a monster that Kiyoka could defeat alone—and Yoshito himself, who grieved and raged over that death, and his family, were all being mocked. If he had even the slightest feeling of regret or a debt to the deceased, he shouldn't have been able to attend the funeral with such a calm face. He vented his misplaced anger entirely on Kiyoka.

Even after receiving an apology from the battered man, his resentment was not eased in the slightest. "...I haven't forgiven you, Kiyoka Kudo. I'll make sure you taste the same pain as my father." Just insulting and hitting Kiyoka wasn't enough to satisfy Yoshito. (I'll get my revenge.) He wanted to crush that smug face and twist it with pain. Something dark and heavy began to accumulate inside Yoshito. He felt that if he could make Kiyoka submit, he could erase this uncontrollable irritation and the coldness in his body.

Miyo Kudo let out a long, held breath. On the veranda of the detached building of the Miyanokoji estate, Kiyoka and Godo, who had been sparring at Godo’s request, were now sitting down to rest. It was only yesterday that a foreign Gifted named Eugene Woods had attempted to contact Miyo and the others. It was only natural that the past of Godo, who was an old acquaintance of Eugene’s, would become a topic of conversation.

The summary of Godo’s past was not something easily swallowed. At first, she had felt a smile at the thought of a younger Godo, and her heart raced at the stories of unknown schools in unimaginable lands. However, from the point where Godo’s father died, it felt as if something like a stone had settled in the back of her throat, making it painful. Miyo had lost her biological mother, but that was when she was very young, so she had almost no memory of it. She couldn't begin to fathom the feelings of Godo, who learned of the death of the parent he admired and loved while in a land far away.

A warm summer breeze drifted by. The Miyanokoji garden, overflowing with fresh, vibrant greenery, was so bright it stung the eyes, yet it was incredibly peaceful and quiet. As she listened to Godo’s story while looking at the scenery before her, for some reason, she felt like she was on the verge of tears. "Miyo, are you crying?" her husband, Kiyoka, pointed out. Miyo hurriedly shook her head. "No... I’m not crying."

"I’m sorry, Miyo. It’s an unpleasant story, isn't it? I don't think anyone would enjoy listening to such a needlessly heavy story about my old man dying..." She shook her head strongly once more at Godo, who was smiling with his eyebrows lowered. She wanted to know. She wanted to know Godo’s feelings, what words Kiyoka had said to him, what he had done for Godo—and how they had eventually settled into their current relationship.

She had known Godo for over a year now, just as she had known Kiyoka. While they weren't exactly friends—more accurately, he was her husband’s subordinate or an acquaintance—Miyo felt that their relationship was a bit closer than that. She couldn't help but be interested in the topics surrounding those close to her. "That's not true at all. If you don't mind, Mr. Godo, please tell me the rest."

When Miyo said this, Godo replied, "I don't mind, but..." and glanced sideways at Kiyoka to check his reaction. Kiyoka had a magnificent scowl on his face, but he didn't seem to be in a bad mood. Since he wasn't the type to be smiling all the time anyway, this was business as usual. Kiyoka seemed to pick up on the intent behind Godo’s gaze. "...Do as you like. If there is any information regarding Eugene Woods, I will listen to that part."

"Oh, is that okay?" Miyo didn't miss the way Godo’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk for a moment. "I know all sorts of things about the commander; is it really okay for me to tell Miyo?" Ignoring Kiyoka, who furrowed his brow suspiciously, Godo turned his gaze toward Miyo. "Miyo, did you know? When the commander was a kid, he used to refer to himself as 'boku.' And he was incredibly attached to my old man, following him around like a baby duckling calling him 'Sensei, Sensei'—"

A fist from Kiyoka landed squarely on Godo’s head as he spoke with a somewhat proud and joyful air. A sound like a squashed frog escaped Godo’s mouth. "That’s enough." Kiyoka’s voice was ice-cold, and his eyes were sharp enough to strike Godo dead. Even though it was summer, it felt as if a blizzard was brewing behind Kiyoka. "Man, that's violent. Didn't you say I could do as I like, Commander? A man should be as good as his word, usually." "I didn't say you could go around broadcasting my past however you like. If you're going to talk, talk about yourself." As Godo accused Kiyoka of being unreasonable and tyrannical with tearful eyes, Miyo felt a vague sense of relief.

Although Godo had been telling his past in a lighthearted tone, the relationship between the two described in the story was far too harsh. It was a situation where it would have been understandable for resentment to remain even now. Yet, knowing that the two were close enough to trade barbs like this made Miyo want to hear the rest of the story. How happy that was.

"Geez... the commander. It was a joke, a joke. From here on, it becomes a story about Eugene, so I'll tell it properly. Ouch, that hurts." Rubbing his head where he’d been punched, Godo grumbled his complaints. Then, he began to tell the continuation of his past.

At this rate, revenge would be impossible. After the funeral, Yoshito had formed a dark resolve. His desire for revenge against Kiyoka did not fade even as time passed. However, Kiyoka was the most powerful person in the country. With half-hearted determination and effort, he would never catch up, and if he couldn't catch up, revenge was nothing more than a pipe dream. At the very least, if the current Yoshito challenged him, he would be struck down in an instant.

"Yoshito, if you're thinking of doing something stupid, you'd better stop." His brother, perhaps sensing something, gave him such advice. When Yoshito glared at him, his brother flinched and took a step back. "Don't interfere, Brother... You can't do anything anyway." He was aware he was being harsh, but he felt no guilt. This was because, at the time, Yoshito believed he was right. He was trying to convince himself. His brother, who was not a Gifted, could neither stop him by force nor take revenge in his place. He truly believed that such a brother had no right to give him an opinion.

After that, his brother said nothing more. Leaving behind his brother, who bit his lip in frustration and sadness, Yoshito immediately prepared to return to the UK. For the sake of revenge, time was precious. His mother also looked as if she wanted to say something, but he ignored even that and flew back to England. The return trip was by sea, but he studied hard on the ship and, once back at school, he devoted himself solely to research. People around him likely didn't talk to him much because he seemed demonically possessed, like a changed man.

He hadn't been slacking in his studies before, but after his father died, Yoshito, who immersed himself in magic without distraction and without regard for appearances, saw his grades improve rapidly. (This isn't nearly enough.) He crumpled the grade report he received from the professor. It was no use just having good grades on exams. Good grades were to be expected. What Yoshito wanted was a way to become stronger. (I need to polish my combat techniques more. Techniques that efficiently combine magic and supernatural Gifts.)

He learned the theory, put it into practice, added his own innovations, and practiced again. He no longer cared about his grades, and naturally, he stopped being conscious of Eugene. In fact, by this time, he was no longer losing to Eugene in grades anyway, as Yoshito was taking first place in almost every subject. It was around that time that Eugene spoke to him. "Godo. You've changed." "...Eugene Woods."

Normally, he would have ignored him, but since Eugene stood in his path, Yoshito had no choice but to stop. He glared at Eugene in irritation, but Eugene didn't flinch at all and looked straight at him. "I heard your father passed away. But what has changed you this much?" "What's it to you?" His eyes were so serious and pure—the polar opposite of Yoshito, who was focused on revenge. It was a gaze of hope, believing there was salvation. That alone told him that Eugene hadn't come to make fun of him for losing his father. However, he felt no obligation to answer honestly.

Despite Yoshito’s attitude, which wasn't just curt but made no effort to hide his irritation, Eugene did not back down. "I want to know. You used to seem more... happy, didn't you?" "Happy? Me?" By "before," Eugene likely meant before his father died. But even back then, he felt he had been working quite recklessly. It was somewhat offensive to be told he had seemed "happy." As if he didn't care at all about Yoshito’s feelings, Eugene continued. "I also want to become stronger. For my own purposes." "So what?" "I want to know why you were able to change so much." "I don't know... If you care that much, why don't you try standing on the edge of a cliff yourself? If you have the determination that it's 'do or die,' you can do anything."

To Yoshito’s dismissive and half-hearted reply, Eugene nodded. "I see. Just as you have grown out of your shell, I will also devote myself to my studies with a feeling that my life is truly on the line. I feel that if I follow your example, I can become stronger too." Having made his one-sided declaration, Eugene turned on his heel without waiting for Yoshito’s response. "I thought I had already staked my life on this, but thanks to you, I feel like I can work even harder." Yoshito stared blankly at Eugene’s retreating back.

However, things changed after that. Yoshito, who had stopped checking his grades because he felt the lectures were just a preliminary stage for research, noticed that Eugene’s name was now above his on the ranking list. (...What does this mean?) To have this happen right after that declaration... Thanks to his research, Yoshito’s grades were much higher than before. Yet, Eugene’s grades had suddenly improved as well, and he had even overtaken Yoshito. No matter how much effort one put into wanting to be stronger, such sudden results shouldn't be possible. If that were the case, it meant Eugene had been hiding his true strength during exams until now.

For Yoshito, losing after putting in so much effort for the sake of revenge was intolerable. From then on, he became even more immersed in his academic work and research. He felt that if he continued to lose to Eugene here, he would think his own resolve and determination were only worth that much. However, Eugene also maintained excellent grades. Since then, there had been no opportunities to speak with Eugene, but while being conscious of him, Yoshito worked on his research into magic and supernatural Gifts until he was satisfied. In the end, neither gave an inch, and their rivalry continued until graduation, with both leaving the school as top students.

As a result, the competition with Eugene served as a good stimulus for Yoshito. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were both conscious of each other and improved together, even if they didn't say it aloud. Thanks to competing with him, Yoshito’s knowledge and techniques improved dramatically. (I will defeat Kiyoka Kudo.) With this much power, he could win against the Tsuchigumo and against Kiyoka. Yoshito returned to his homeland with that conviction.

Immediately upon returning, Yoshito joined the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit. Since he felt attending the military academy would be a waste of time, he took the special recruitment exam to become an officer, just as Kiyoka had. Entering through the exam was said to be quite difficult, but for Yoshito, it was a perfect test of strength. If he couldn't pass the same exam Kiyoka had, he wouldn't be able to beat Kiyoka anyway. With that mindset, he challenged the exam, successfully became an officer, and immediately confronted Kiyoka.

His smug face was the same as ever. Even seeing Yoshito, Kiyoka’s expression didn't change at all, and he performed his duties calmly without leaking a shred of emotion. That attitude, again, rubbed Yoshito the wrong way. (...Just you wait.) The fact that he had gained various insights from studying abroad and had passed the officer's exam had given Yoshito confidence and momentum. Not long after joining, Yoshito requested a one-on-one combat training session with Kiyoka.

By then, Kiyoka was already a central figure in the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit. He was deeply trusted by the commander, and his strength was known to all members; he was, quite literally, the pillar of the unit. If he could defeat such a man in front of everyone and show that Kiyoka was actually insignificant, then Kiyoka himself would realize it—that he had hurt many people with his own arrogance. Kiyoka accepted the challenge for a combat training session under the conditions of allowing weapons, supernatural Gifts, and magic.

Normally, such training wasn't conducted. The reason, of course, was that it was dangerous. A single slip could take the life of the training partner. Such a dangerous act could no longer be called training. Normally, the commander wouldn't even give permission, but for some reason, the application went through smoothly this time. (I'm fighting for real. With the intent to kill.) At this point, no affection for Kiyoka, who could be called a childhood friend, remained in Yoshito. He intended to take his life and thought it wouldn't matter if Kiyoka died as a result.

He didn't care if he was held accountable for the crime, as long as he could achieve revenge for his father’s death. They faced each other in the training ground. Although he surely sensed Yoshito’s bloodlust, Kiyoka remained expressionless and maintained his composure. There wasn't even a slight tremor in his heart. (You don't care about me at all, do you? You don't care what the person you're looking down on thinks, but I'm going to make you realize that's just arrogance.)

He gripped the saber he had drawn from its scabbard and took his stance. Receiving the signal from the soldier acting as the referee, Yoshito lunged all at once. It happened in a mere instant. Not a single one of Yoshito’s attacks reached Kiyoka. He combined swordplay, magic, and supernatural Gifts, unleashing continuous attacks with breathtaking speed... but before the Gifted hailed as the strongest in the Empire, they were nothing more than a gentle breeze. Parried, diverted, neutralized. In the blink of an eye, the tip of a saber was pointed at Yoshito’s throat.

How could he describe the feeling he had then? All the techniques, innovations, and feelings Yoshito had built up over several years abroad were shattered easily. It was too anti-climactic. It was as trivial as poking a bubble with a fingertip to pop it. Yoshito couldn't move even after Kiyoka returned his saber to its scabbard. How could it be that after all that effort, he couldn't even come close? At the British school, Yoshito had been excellent not only in academics but also in combat. He had almost never lost in mock battles between students. If that were the case, it meant that everyone weaker than Yoshito, or even those with the same level of skill, could not match Kiyoka. Most of the students at that school. (Was the study abroad itself a waste?)

He had thought he couldn't become strong if he stayed in the Empire. The world is vast. There are countless strong people in the world Yoshito couldn't even imagine, and unless he knew of their existence and competed with them, he would be nothing more than a frog in a well. However, perhaps that very choice was a mistake. Such a terrifying thought dominated Yoshito’s mind.

He could hear the other soldiers, who had become spectators, whispering among themselves. No one looked at Yoshito with a friendly gaze. It’s natural for a newcomer to lose; he was just an ignorant fool who went and got himself crushed. That was everyone’s evaluation of Yoshito. He was so scared he couldn't even blink. Under a shock and humiliation so great he felt he might faint if he closed his eyes, Yoshito could only stare blankly at Kiyoka’s retreating back.

After that, Yoshito did not slack in his training and devoted himself silently to his work. He had no intention of socializing with the others in the unit, and in his spare time, he concentrated on refining his techniques alone, just as he had during his studies abroad. He was treated as a complete eccentric within the unit, but he didn't care. He simply wanted to be strong. (Kiyoka Kudo’s movement. If I can just catch up to his speed, I can land an attack.)

He polished his speed and meticulously planned his strategies, such as the order of techniques and his movements. He was stunned that what he had built up over the years didn't reach Kiyoka’s height at all, but Yoshito didn't stop... he couldn't stop. He felt a certain kind of reality closing in on him. But if he were to face it head-on... He dared not think of unnecessary things and never stopped moving. After some time had passed and he saw a glimmer of hope, Yoshito again requested a combat training session with Kiyoka. At that time too, there was no particular opposition from those around him, and permission was granted easily.

And so Yoshito—lost again. After that, it was just a repetition of the same thing. Improving his strength, coming up with one strategy after another, and challenging Kiyoka only to be defeated. He challenged Kiyoka with every possible method—not just increasing speed, but using feints for surprise attacks, stalling for time to set traps with magic, and launching large-scale attacks that couldn't be avoided or crushed. However, Kiyoka was able to handle all of them without any sign of danger. By this point, Yoshito was almost at his wit's end.

"Why, why?!" After losing countless times, Yoshito shouted while crawling on the ground. He realized that Kiyoka, who usually left the scene immediately, had stopped. "Why can't I win?! Against someone like you! I just, I just—" Tears of frustration welled in his eyes. Tears and sweat mixed and flowed down his cheeks. Yoshito stood up, gritting his teeth, approached Kiyoka, and violently grabbed him by the collar. Just like on the day of the funeral.

"You! It's your fault! So why do I have to lose to you?! Just lose! Accept it! Die!" With his collar grabbed, Kiyoka listened to Yoshito’s verbal abuse in silence. He didn't argue or resist. He just looked at Yoshito with eyes like glass beads. They were much colder and darker than Yoshito had imagined, which unsettled him. He reflexively let go of the collar. "Damn it!" "...I'm sorry."

Kiyoka said this as if squeezing the words out, then turned on his heel. Yoshito felt anger welling up again, wondering what he was apologizing for, but for some reason, he couldn't lash out; he just shed tears of frustration. After that battle, he felt an incredible loss of motivation. (No more ideas.) Kiyoka was clearly superior in swordsmanship. However, when it came to magic and supernatural Gifts, there wasn't that much difference in power or effectiveness, and above all, Yoshito had trained to use them perfectly. He didn't think there was much technical inferiority compared to Kiyoka.

Even so, the more he fought, the less he could imagine himself winning against Kiyoka. He didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to understand it yet. If Yoshito gave up, wouldn't that mean his father's death was an unavoidable, helpless necessity? No. Itsuto Godo’s death was unreasonable and absurd. It was a tragic incident that occurred because of Kiyoka Kudo, and his father was not someone who should have died there—that’s how it was supposed to be. In a room in the dormitory where the members of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit lived, Yoshito lay on his futon, curling his body. He hadn't returned to the Godo mansion even once since joining the unit. He felt he had no right to return to the mansion until he had achieved revenge for his father. Because the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit handles all sorts of mysteries and apparitions that cannot be solved by modern science, its work is diverse.

On this day, Yoshito was ordered to go to an abandoned, ruined shrine along with several senior members of the same squad. "—Godo, you provide support at the very rear. If you judge it to be dangerous, retreat. I want you to keep this in mind." The squad leader gave instructions to each member and finally said that to Yoshito.

Although some time had passed since he joined, Yoshito was still a newcomer within the unit, and naturally within the squad as well. Because of his lack of experience, he was often given such instructions. Being told to run away if it got dangerous didn't feel good, of course, but it couldn't be helped. The ruined shrine was located on the outskirts of a mountain village not far from the Imperial Capital, inside a lush, low-lying mountain. It seems there used to be another village in this vicinity long ago, but the land wasn't very good, and because misfortunes continued, the villagers gradually decreased until it was now uninhabited.

The shrine that was cared for by that village had likely also fallen into ruin now that the villagers were gone. Throughout the Empire, there are such forgotten temples and shrines scattered about. Gods and Buddhas that have lost the faith of people also lose their power and vanish, and the empty shrines tend to be occupied by mysterious, wicked things. Dealing with them is also the duty of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit. However, as the number of Gifted individuals is decreasing these days, they can't quite get around to everything, and such ruined temples and shrines still remain even near the Imperial Capital.

The case at this time was one of those. (...I want to get this over with quickly and go back to train.) Since joining, few people had spoken to Yoshito. To begin with, the son of the previous commander who died during a mission was naturally difficult for those around him to handle, and Yoshito himself was likely always on edge and hard to approach. Furthermore, he had challenged Kiyoka to fights many times out of pure personal spite, only to be pathetically defeated. No one had the words to say to such a strange newcomer. Therefore, the failure on this day was also partly due to the fact that Yoshito had not properly interacted with his seniors.

As originally predicted, a grotesque—a former god that had fallen into a wicked path—was living in the ruined shrine. It was scattering black malice around, and anyone who approached would be swallowed by evil in an instant. Surrounding the ruined shrine with the squad members in a semi-circle, they would lure out the wicked god with magic and strike it all at once. If the plan were explained simply, that’s what it was. And that plan succeeded without any particular problems. However, the power of the god they faced exceeded their expectations.

"This is bad, it's escaping!" "We'll stop it here!" "Something is wrong. The malice is increasing...!" Though it was a god that had already lost its sanity and turned into a monster, a shred of intelligence seemed to have remained. It hid its power at first and brought out its true strength later. The squad members were caught off guard by the monster's tactic, even if they hadn't necessarily been careless. One by one, the soldiers struck by the dense malice collapsed. Gifted individuals and practitioners naturally possess a resistance to malice, and they also prepare to neutralize it. They shouldn't have been struck by malice so easily. Even so, the squad members were unsettled by the sight of their comrades falling one after another.

"We'll be wiped out at this rate!" "Everyone left, attack at the same time!" "Godo, support attack from the rear!" "No, wait. Don't force the newcomer—" The instructions were in conflict. Without being able to coordinate well, the soldiers other than Yoshito launched a simultaneous attack on the monster; however, none of them were effective, and they too fell to the malice. "I'll attack with magic!"

I mean isn't it quite amazing that from the Start miyo is depicted as an average looking girl and people around her don't expect her to gather any male attention. But every prominent male character is attached to her in some way😭 Kiyoka loves her , kouji also wants to be with her, she was supposed to marry kazushi via arrange marriage but later in LN he also admits that she is most beautiful girl he has ever seen,to godou she is an ideal wife and while Arata only wanted to marry her because of their bloodlines I do sense some kind of compassion coming from him.
would love to see some scene like the TEAM BUILDING GET TOGETHER where kiyoka gets jealous about other men praising her fiancee but admits their opinions.

I’ve read all of the light novels to My Happy Marriage. Does anyone have any suggestions to something similar that I can read that’s a light novel as well??

I just finished all of the light novels and they were great. I can’t wait for the new one to be released. I want to know what was your favorite book or favorite part in the series so far?? The last book yes it was good but I do wish it would have continued on from the point of after volume seven. Probably because I’m impatient lol. So please tell me your thoughts.

Favourite: light novel 7 Least favourite: light novel 5

I don't know about you, but I felt that the Proof of Love story might have...ended too early.

In fact, I would argue it ended right before the "good" part.

So, I took some creative liberties and wrote a spicy little fanfic for those who wanted a little more from that story

you can read it here:

https://www.tumblr.com/miyoka4ever/809879927929323520/for-those-interested-here-is-a-smutty-little?source=share

Okay, I know that people in this sub have issues with piracy and reading light novels for free, but I have no other choice. I've already read up to volume 8, but I can't find volume 9 anywhere. (I'm writing in English because most of the subreddit writes that way, and I've had bad experiences writing in my native language). There is no official translation of the light novel into my language, much less a free one on the internet; no website has it, so I always have to opt for translating it through my browser while I read. I've already looked to buy it and the prices are exorbitant, and that's just for the Kindle, and again, not in my language, and I'm not fluent in any other. There is a physical copy of the book, but it costs a whopping 110 reais (the currency of my country). I don't own a Kindle, I don't have enough money to buy a physical copy, and besides, I'd have to take photos page by page with good lighting to use Google Translate. I strongly support authors whenever possible, I buy physical copies of their works, I own 11 manga by the same author, and it took me almost 3 years to buy them all. What I mean is: not everyone has the same conditions, as some people in this subreddit, and others about manga, anime, and light novels, seem to think. So, if you, as fans of the work, want to help other fans actively participate, I ask that you suggest a place to read or download it. I am grateful in advance to those who have read this far. Note: Jnovels is not working; it actively redirects me to other websites, betting sites, pop-ups, online casinos, tax information sites, and scams, as well as links to download dubious apps. (I recognized one of those websites that appeared because I had previously caught a virus there. Thank you again for your patience.

Happy Sunday! Enjoy this little nugget (Under the spoiler tag, just in case)

It seems Kiyoka loves both marriage life and relaxing 😉

Was scrolling through X when I came acrss this from the publisher! OMG!

Is Kiyoka a virgin?

In the LN 7, his sister, Hazuki, says this:

“Ahh… Hm, well. Miyo? See, the thing is, I don’t really want to stick up for that fool, but even though he’s twenty-eight now, well, he still lacks experience. In many senses of the word.”

“…”

“So if he’s a bit clumsy with something, I hope you’ll let him off the hook a bit. At least, could you try not to get too angry with him?”

I feel like that strongly implies he is?

It also adds to his character. He has a tough exterior, and he is obviously confident, but I just find it so cute that he's never truly been in a relationship with a woman. He's had fiances, sure. But they all got scared away.

Of course it's not a bad thing. It's nice that they could potentially be each others' first everything. They're just so perfect for each other.

I was expecting it tomorrow, I’m so happy!

What the title says.

I don’t mind reading, but I mostly do it as a chore to keep my brain intact. However, I find most of the thing I read boring.

That all changed with the light novels. They’re easy to read and so entertaining. I haven’t felt this way about reading since I was a kid.

Thank you to Akumi Agitoki for helping me rediscover my passion for reading.