Chapter 339: Gathering, Part 2
Immediately, several of the noble house leaders moved in closer, their flowing garments brushing lightly against one another as they approached Kazuhiro. Their sharp eyes, glimmering with the weight of authority, didn’t just linger on him as they also turned toward Kouhei.
At first, the air was stiff and almost suffocating and it was really thick with doubt. The nobles weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea of a mere human standing in a gathering such as this. Whispers ran beneath their breaths, some sharp and some even dismissive. But after a while, after hearing how Kouhei spoke—measured, careful, and respectful despite the awkward pauses—they started to loosen up. That thin layer of hostility slowly peeled back, and what remained was a hesitant but growing respect.
Kouhei, on the other hand, felt like he was walking on the edge of a blade. Each word he let out had to be placed carefully, and even though his heart hammered in his chest, he forced himself to remain calm.
As long as I keep this up, I think I can make a strong first impression... maybe even win their favor, he thought, steadying his breathing.
Meanwhile, the eyes of the younger generation—the heirs and heiresses of the great houses—were fixed on him with a mix of intrigue and skepticism. Their stares carried weight, like they were measuring him up and deciding what kind of man he truly was.
Kawahara Yukina, the elegant heiress of the Great House of Kawahara—renowned for the Noble Syrens, demons gifted with voices that could command, enchant, and destroy—spoke first, her voice like a melody tinged with disdain.
"The Child of Anti-Prophecy... huh? I never would’ve guessed he’s nothing more than a regular human," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I was shocked when I heard Souichiro-sama actually lost to him, but now? I can’t help but doubt the truth of it."
From another side, Sakai Nozomi, heiress to the Sakai House—where the Fiends were born—leaned forward with a faint smirk.
"Well, it wouldn’t have turned out this way if it hadn’t happened for real," she replied, her words smooth but sharp. "I don’t think something like this could just be doubted, especially when the outcome is standing right in front of us. Don’t you think so?"
Fukuda Naoki, heir of the noble pact demon family, crossed his arms as his gaze flickered toward Kouhei.
"Considering he has Sarushima-sama’s backing, I don’t think anyone can deny he’s rising fast. Even my father... he seems to have taken a liking to him."
Yoshida Azumi, one of the refined daughters of the prestigious Great House of Yoshida, tilted her head, her curious eyes sparkling like she was studying a rare gem.
"There’s no doubt he’s bound for greatness. His very title—the Child of Anti-Prophecy—is enormous. It’s rooted in myth, and because of that, it’s only natural that countless people are flocking around him."
But the rising atmosphere of admiration was cut sharply by another voice.
"Don’t be foolish, all of you."
Sano Yuka, the proud daughter of the Sano House, spoke with a cold edge. Her father had once held the title of Demon King, and now, he was aiming to reclaim it. That ambition bled through her tone.
"Sarushima-sama could easily be orchestrating this entire thing. Think about it—it’s possible he staged the so-called faction war between Souichiro-sama and this ’Child of Anti-Prophecy.’ By turning him into some kind of manufactured legend, he makes sure people respect him. It’s nothing more than a ploy to build influence, and eventually, push himself toward the throne."
The idea wasn’t impossible. Sarushima Kazuhiro’s reputation was laced with schemes and shadowy dealings. No one could dismiss the possibility that he might be pulling the strings this time as well.
"It could all be an act, a performance crafted to make it seem like that human really is the Child of Anti-Prophecy," Yuka continued, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "But when you think about it, isn’t it strange? Someone who almost killed your child suddenly being treated like family? Sarushima-sama might not have thought this through as clearly as he should have."
Then, another voice entered the conversation, dripping with sharp intent.
"Then... would you like me to kill that bastard, Yuka-sama?"
Izumi Keisuke, a man from the bloodline of demon butlers sworn to serve the Sano family, leaned forward with a smirk tugging at his lips. His tone carried that cold excitement only killers had.
"You’re as hasty as ever, Keisuke," Yuka replied with a slight grin. "But maybe that’s exactly what we need. My father’s already planning the assassination of the Child of Anti-Prophecy. The only problem is the risk of it being traced back to him. That’s why I want you to handle it in our stead."
Keisuke bowed his head slightly, his smirk never leaving. "Affirmative."
Their exchange didn’t go unheard. The surrounding heirs and heiresses had caught every word.
"You’re really planning to go that far, huh?" one of them said coldly. "But if you do, you’ll make an enemy of the Sarushima family. Are you ready for that?"
"My faction’s already large enough to crush them," Yuka answered without hesitation. Her confidence was ironclad with her tone leaving no room for doubt.
Naoki let out a low chuckle, his lips curving into a sly grin. "Well, that’s your choice. But if you fail, I’d suggest you crawl back to your father after watching how it’s really done. Because if you don’t... I’ll be the one to slit that human’s neck myself."
The air grew heavy, the atmosphere charged with animosity.
Some hated Kouhei for the sudden attention he was drawing, others simply despised humans by nature. Right now, a dangerous current of hostility swirled around him—while some plotted his death, others had no interest in such schemes.
Off to the side, Murakami Shion watched silently, her half-lidded eyes glancing at the rest while she raised her glass of wine. The crimson liquid reflected the light as she drank quietly, letting the bitterness coat her tongue.
Her gaze, however, didn’t linger on them for long. It returned, inevitably, to the Child of Anti-Prophecy.
While some schemed to kill him and others sought to befriend him, her mission was entirely different. She was ordered to get close to him. Closer than any of them.
Even if that meant seduction.
Her father’s command was clear and that was to bear his child.
And so, as she sipped her wine, her eyes carefully traced Kouhei’s form, already measuring him for the role he was to play.
***
"Okumura-sama, it’s such a pleasure to see you," said one of the noble heiresses, Kawasaki Nanami.
Her tone was soft but clear, her posture perfect as she curtsied gracefully, one hand lightly lifting her dress to reveal just enough to match the etiquette of nobility. The movement was refined, every gesture practiced to perfection.
Kouhei blinked at her, his mind racing for a second before he finally recalled her name. He had memorized all of the names of the attendees here.
"Um... Kawasaki-san, right? Yeah... nice to see you too."
Nanami smiled with poise, her eyes shimmering like polished glass. Her voice carried both elegance and humility as she spoke.
"I’m truly surprised someone as great as you would even remember someone as lowly as me."
"Great as me? I wouldn’t really think so," Kouhei said, his tone steady but humble, his gaze fixed on the woman before him. "If not for the people who’ve been with me through all of this, I wouldn’t have come this far."
The woman standing there was Kawasaki Nanami.
The Great House of Kawasaki—famed for birthing the noble demon ghouls—had always stood as long-time rivals, sworn enemies of the Great House of Sarushima.
Then, without warning, Yuuna stepped forward. Her heels clicked softly against the ground as she moved to Kouhei’s side, her expression calm but her eyes sharp as glass. Sliding her hand onto Kouhei’s arm, she tugged him slightly away, as though putting herself between him and Nanami.
"Oh, so you’re here too, Nanami. I didn’t expect you to show your face here," Yuuna said coolly, her voice sweet on the surface but with a steel edge underneath. "How’s your father these days? Doing well, I hope?"
Nanami’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes glinting with something that made the air around them feel heavier. "Oh, it’s you, Yuuna. What a surprise. It’s been exactly fifty years since we last saw each other. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if we’d ever meet again," she said, her tone lilting, almost playful, though the subtle venom underneath couldn’t be mistaken. She tilted her head slightly, her hair slipping over one shoulder as she let out a small laugh. "But here we are. Even after all this time, fate has brought us together once more. Ahhh~, how delightful. I can’t deny it—I’m very elated."
Kouhei swallowed as he felt the temperature between them drop. The two women stood locked in silence, their glares colliding like blades crossing midair, their rivalry bleeding through without a single word about it. Kouhei could only wonder why the tension was so sharp and why it felt as if the air itself might split apart. Nobody had ever told him just how deep the animosity between the Kawasaki and the Sarushima really ran.
As he stood there, caught in the middle of their silent war, a sudden chill crawled up his spine, cold enough to make his skin prickle. His instincts screamed at him, warning him of something else... something beyond the two women. Slowly, Kouhei turned his head, scanning the area around them.
And then he saw it.
Just for the briefest second, in the corner of his vision, there it was—a smile. Someone, somewhere close, was watching him with a grin curling across their lips.
But the moment his eyes locked onto it, it vanished.
The smile was gone, erased as if it had never been there.
Kouhei stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest, certain of what he had seen, yet unable to prove it to himself. He could’ve sworn it was real, but somehow, the instant he tried to focus on it, the image slipped away like mist through his fingers, leaving only the heavy silence and the tension of the two women by his side.