Capítulo 381: Confession, Part 1

“Kouhei-san, Aria…” Yumi’s soft voice broke through the air as she stepped closer to them. In her hands were fresh towels, neatly folded, the faint scent of soap clinging to the fabric. “Here.”

“Thank you, Yumi-sama,” Aria said as she reached out gracefully, taking the towel from Yumi’s hands with her usual elegance.

“Thank you, Yumi-san,” Kouhei echoed, his tone calm but genuine, as he took one as well.

But in that moment, when Kouhei’s fingers brushed lightly against Yumi’s, something unexpected happened. It was the smallest of touches, so brief that anyone else might not have even noticed. Something that should’ve been insignificant—forgettable. And yet, for Yumi, it was like a spark had run through her skin. Heat rose to her cheeks instantly, betraying the fact that she couldn’t control her emotions. Just from that accidental touch, her entire face flushed red.

Aria noticed it in her peripheral vision. Her eyes flicked toward Yumi, and she caught everything. Aria, who had once never known the feeling of love until Kouhei came into her life, understood it well now. She could read the signs easily—the way Yumi’s shoulders stiffened, the way her lips parted slightly, the way her eyes wavered. It was obvious. Yumi was in love, caught in the same tide Aria herself had once fallen into.

Aria, however, didn’t feel jealousy in that moment. Instead, she thought of giving Yumi her chance. A little push, something to let the younger girl find her courage. With that decision, she stepped back.

“Kouhei-sama, I’ll be heading to the shower now,” Aria said suddenly, her voice calm, but there was a certain softness behind it. “I need to attend to Yuuna-sama tonight, so if you’ll excuse me.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you. And sorry for taking your time when you’re busy,” Kouhei replied politely.

“It’s fine,” Aria said with a gentle smile as she turned her head slightly, her eyes glimmering. “I enjoy the feeling of swinging my arms freely… and I like being able to train you, Kouhei-sama.”

With those words, she turned around, her long hair swaying as she walked away, her footsteps fading little by little until she disappeared into the corridor.

Yumi’s gaze lingered on Aria’s back, her chest tightening. She knew. Aria definitely knew. No—Hina had already told her the truth before. Aria understood her feelings for Kouhei, and that was exactly why she had walked away like that. It wasn’t coincidence. It was deliberate. Aria was giving them space.

Which meant Yumi had no excuse anymore. This was her chance.

Her heart pounded inside her chest as Hina’s earlier words echoed in her mind, gnawing at her. Was she really going to let herself just stand on the sidelines forever, watching in silence, waiting for something that might never happen? Or was she finally going to step forward?

If she confessed now, at least Kouhei would know. Even if he rejected her, at least she wouldn’t be invisible. At least he’d be aware of her feelings. That alone made it worth it.

But still—the fear was there. Heavy. Unshakable. The fear of rejection clung to her throat, tightening it until the words almost wouldn’t come out. And yet… that fear was normal. Everyone who had ever fallen in love knew it. That trembling uncertainty, that terrifying thought of being turned away—it was inevitable.

Yumi swallowed, forcing herself to breathe.

“Um, Kouhei-san.”

“Yes, Yumi-san?”

His eyes turned to her, calm, steady, patient. It made her nerves twist even more.

“Would you… come with me for a moment?” she asked hesitantly, her voice soft but determined. “There’s something I want to tell you.”

Kouhei blinked, puzzled. He didn’t know what she was planning to say, but he could feel her seriousness. So, without question, he simply nodded and followed.

The two of them walked side by side, their footsteps quiet, until they reached the front yard. The evening breeze brushed against them, carrying with it the faint smell of grass and earth. Yumi stopped, turned, and faced him.

“Kouhei-san,” she began, her voice trembling just slightly, “I never really… thanked you properly for that incident, have I?”

“Incident?” Kouhei tilted his head, clearly confused.

“Fufufufu…” Yumi laughed softly, though her voice quivered. “You’ve forgotten already? That incident was pretty traumatic for me, you know?”

“Ah…”

Recognition flashed in Kouhei’s eyes. He knew exactly what she was referring to now. The Nagano Family’s soldiers.

That night had been dangerous, but fortunately, only a small number of soldiers had been sent. They were manageable—easy enough to handle. But if the Nagano Family had chosen to go all out, the Kouhei Faction would’ve been crushed under the sheer force.

Nagano Shigeo, the head of the family, had miscalculated. He had underestimated them, thinking a handful of his soldiers was more than enough. But he hadn’t considered Kouhei, or the other powerhouses standing at his side—Yuuna, the Crimson Princess, and Hina, the last Primordial Succubus.

Because of that arrogance, Shigeo had lost. Kouhei had beaten him, and with that defeat, Shigeo’s freedom to act recklessly had vanished. He couldn’t risk another all-out attack. Not now. Not when other factions, including Sarushima Kazuhiro, were watching closely, waiting to tear him down if he slipped again.

The reason he had gone after them in the first place was because of Yumi. She wasn’t just anyone—she was the daughter of a former demon lord, the one who once ruled the Nagano Faction. On top of that, Yumi carried a dangerous gift: the ability to make the one she loved immortal. But the cost of using that ability was her own life.

And Kouhei had stood between her and those who wanted to claim her. He had protected her.

“Because of you, I’m still here,” Yumi said softly, her lips curving into a smile that carried both warmth and fragility. “And I’m really grateful for that. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… for the first time in my life, I’m thankful that I’m still alive. That I was allowed to keep living. Because it led me to this moment… to meeting all of you.”

Her smile was radiant, tinged with a tenderness that made Kouhei’s chest stir. Warmth spread through him, a feeling he hadn’t expected.

Why? Why did Yumi look at him like that? Why had she been staring at him so often, her gaze lingering longer than necessary? Why was she suddenly so talkative with him, when before, they had barely even spoken?

It was like something was stirring at the back of his mind, refusing to fade away no matter how much he tried to ignore it.

And the strange thing was—he couldn’t explain why it felt so weird. For some reason, his eyes would always end up searching for her. Even when she had already left his line of sight, his gaze would drift, almost instinctively, as if it was always trying to find her again. Deep down, Kouhei knew exactly what this feeling was. He was old enough to recognize it. But he still couldn’t bring himself to believe it—that after everything, after already having five women by his side, he was greedy enough to feel this way again for another woman.

That’s right. Kouhei was in love with Yumi.

He had no idea when it began, but he realized it had solidified the moment he fought off those soldiers who tried to take her away.

It was then he understood—he didn’t want her being taken from him.

At first, he convinced himself it was only natural for a leader to protect a member of his own faction. That’s what he kept telling himself back then. But now? His heart was pounding. Pounding faster than he could even think straight.

It was greedy. No—this wasn’t just greedy. This was the pot of greed itself. He already had five women with him—Hina, Yuuna, Nagisa, Aria, and Misuzu. Adding another one into the mix would truly be excessive.

Sure, Hina had told him it was fine to add another member to his harem. But even with that permission, it wasn’t an easy decision to make. After all, before becoming a demon, Kouhei had been just a normal human. And even now, despite his transformation, his morality was still the same as any ordinary man. Having multiple relationships with so many women already felt questionable, but he could still justify it if he stopped at the number he had now. That would have been fine. That would have been enough.

But the truth was clear—he had already fallen for another woman.

And it seemed like Yumi also had some kind of affection for him.

Although he could be unbelievably dense, if Kouhei simply paid closer attention, he would notice it. He wasn’t so clueless that he couldn’t tell if someone was in love with him. And something about this moment made him feel it—feel that this was leading to a confession.

And whatever his answer would be, it was going to decide everything.