Chapter 51 : Getting acknowledged

[Tstuako P.O.V]

By now, I struggled to find words to describe today's events beyond sheer chaos. The day had begun like any other, except for Giyu bringing guests home—an uncommon occurrence. The guests intrigued me. The boy seemed around my brother's age but carried a serious demeanor. I found it peculiar that he insisted on keeping his hat on indoors, though I didn't dwell on it. His maturity and gentle manner toward the girl with him were evident.

The girl herself was equally captivating. Despite her sweet appearance, I couldn't shake a sense of concern about her lack of emotion. If I hadn't seen her content expression near the boy, I might have intervened. Learning they were engaged and had faced rater difficult hardships in the past together eased my worry. My gaze softened with newfound care for Kanao.

As we conversed, Kai returned from his hunt and joined our discussion. But our interaction was abruptly halted by a knock on the door—an event that shattered our worldviews. At first, I brushed off Haruto's warning about a demon behind the door as a joke. But when a demon actually burst through, nearly fatally injuring Kai, reality hit hard.

What followed was a fight that tested our sanity. The demon moved with terrifying speed and had claws capable of slicing through anything. Yet Haruto, to our astonishment, overpowered it with just a blade, eventually forcing it outside. Despite my brother's praise of Haruto's strength, I hadn't expected it to be so formidable. Even my brother seemed visibly surprised.

It had been some time since Haruto had led the demon outside, yet my worry for his safety lingered. Despite my legs trembling with fear, I gathered my courage and retrieved a knife from the kitchen. As I returned, I found Kai waiting for me with his hunting knife. That's what I admired about him—he understood my intentions without needing them spoken aloud.

"We should hurry. Maybe we can help Haruto deal with the demon more effectively," Kai suggested.

"You really get me. Giyu, stay here and protect Kanao. We'll assist Haruto, even though he seems capable of handling it alone," I asserted.

"B-but..."

"It's okay, Giyu. We'll be fine. You have to protect Kanao, since Haruto is risking his life for us. Understand?" I reassured him firmly. With that said, I ventured out alongside Kai.

But it seemed my worry was unfounded, as Haruto effortlessly cornered the demon and latter even seemed to consider fleeing. However, my perception took another jolt when Haruto created two more bodies identical to him to chase after the demon. Then without warning, the demon's words shook me to the core including Kai's: "You and I are of the same kind."

Did this mean Haruto, who appeared to be a mature boy, was actually a demon too? Would he have harmed us if the demon hadn't intervened first? No, I scolded myself. Even if Haruto was a demon, he is clearly protecting us. If he were truly evil, he wouldn't have shown concern for Kanao much less for Giyu. Instead of dwelling on my own conjectures, I should confront him directly.

As the fight concluded and Haruto stood silently, seemingly staring blankly in front of him, I summoned my courage and addressed him.

"Ha-Haruto, is that really you?"

.........

Upon hearing Tsutako's voice, Haruto froze in place. His head turned almost mechanically, and his eyes betrayed a conflict within him. Finally, he spoke, his voice tense with uncertainty.

"Why are you two outside?"

"Well, I can't just let you risk your life to protect us. As the future head, if I didn't help you now, what would I do in the future?" Kai responded earnestly. Hearing Kai's words, Haruto was at a loss for what to say next. Then, the question he dreaded came from Tsutako.

"The demon was calling you the same kind. Are you one too, Haruto?"

Haruto's mind went blank. No words came from his mouth. He lifted his head slowly, expecting to see fear and disgust in their eyes. Instead, he found hints of concern, leaving him dumbfounded. Shaking off his thoughts, he resolved not to trouble the family any longer, having already dealt with the threat to their lives.

"Yes, I am. But don't worry. I will leave immediately with Kanao. Thank you for your hospitality until now."

"What are you even talking about? I just asked you a question. I'm not chasing you out of our house. You even saved our lives, I'm not that ungrateful. For now, let's just go inside or Kanao will worry," Tsutako reassured him.

At the mention of Kanao's name, Haruto became a little relaxed. He followed them silently back to their home. Upon entering, Kanao spotted Haruto and dashed towards him, visibly relieved. Even Giyu, standing nearby, let out a sigh of relief at their safe return.

When they were all settled, Kanao beside Haruto and the others in front of him, Tsutako posed a question that left Giyu visibly puzzled.

"Why don't you tell us your story, Haruto?"

Haruto appeared to ponder for a moment, then sighed deeply and slowly removed his hat, revealing his horns to everyone present. Giyu seemed on the verge of saying something, but Tsutako intervened, gesturing for him to hold his words. With gentle pats on Kanao's shoulder, Haruto began to speak, his voice carrying a weight of sorrow and guilt.

"Well, to begin with, I was originally human. Kanao and I are from the same village, and our engagement was decided by our grandparents even before we were born. But I lost my parents early on. While Kanao still had hers, it would have been better if she didn't. They spared no expense in making her life a living hell. At first, she confided in me, but back then, I was a coward. I did nothing to help her. With no one to care for her, she became like this—cutting off her own emotions to survive in this world, like a puppet."

Haruto's voice trembled with guilt and remorse as he recounted their shared past. Then he continued

"Then that incident happened. One night, a demon attacked our village, toying with our lives as if they meant nothing. At that moment, I couldn't even believe if it was real. Demons were supposed to be legends told to scare us, not tangible beings. I was paralyzed, unable to move my legs. If I hadn't seen Kanao staring blankly at the demon, perhaps I wouldn't be here to recount this tale. Her display of emotionlessness, even in such a dire situation, made me realize the extent of my cowardice. I was meant to protect her, yet my own selfishness had driven her to bury her emotions just to survive in this world."

"At that desperate moment, driven by the need to save our lives, I took a gamble and drank the demon's blood. That act transformed me into what I am today. Though no longer human, I don't regret my decision of that day because it enabled me to defeat the demon and protect us. Since then, I've taken it upon myself to help Kanao regain her emotions, which were lost because of me. I've been traveling with her, showing her that life isn't just about dealing with her piece of shit parents, but about living for herself. That's my current goal."

After Haruto finished speaking, a solemn silence hung in the air, eventually broken by Tsutako's surprising embrace of both Kanao and him. Kai spoke up, acknowledging Haruto's dedication, "It's truly admirable how you've taken care of her. I can assure you, she doesn't blame you for what happened. It wasn't something you should have had to endure at your age. If she blamed you, she wouldn't rely on you like she does."

Emotions welled up in Haruto as someone finally acknowledged his efforts. He glanced at Kanao, who clung tightly to his shirt, her eyes filled with concern.

"Now, let's steer clear of those somber topics and rest for today. No running off in the middle of the night. Since you saved our lives, you absolutely have to be there for our wedding tomorrow, right Tsutako?"

Though Tsutako blushed red, she still nodded in agreement with Kai's words, prompting Haruto to chuckle at the whimsical turn of events.