As Yamato Kyoka's mother, Yamato Miku could naturally tell—her daughter had truly fallen for Ren Kuroda.
In the past, Ren's identity as a half-yokai would have made any future between them almost impossible.
But times had changed.
The world itself had changed.
Exorcists now stood above ordinary society, and the great exorcist families far surpassed mundane conglomerates in influence and power.
And yet—
In the looming Calamity of the Gods, that very same group of exorcists had become the most dangerous targets of all.
If humanity failed to withstand what was coming, exorcists would undoubtedly be the first to be wiped out.
As for whether Kyoka and Ren could truly be together, the elders of the Yamato family were still in deliberation. However, the majority opinion was clear:
Allowing a direct heir of the Yamato family to unite with a yokai—
That was simply too absurd.
Maintaining a friendly relationship with Ren was acceptable.
But sacrificing their most outstanding descendant?
Unthinkable.
When Miku heard the elders' conclusion, she couldn't help but let out a faint, mocking laugh.
As always, those who sat high above saw only benefits and the hollow glory they intended to carry into their graves.
Sacrifice?
What a joke.
As Kyoka's mother, did she not understand her own daughter?
Kyoka wasn't being sacrificed by loving Ren.
If anything—
Forcing her into a political marriage for the sake of the family…
That would be the real sacrifice.
For the first time, the Yamato couple—who had always placed the family above all else—chose to go against the elders' decision.
Before they were heads of the Yamato family—
They were Kyoka's parents.
If their daughter had found someone she loved, then they should bless her…
Not destroy it with their own hands.
There was no longer any need to question Kyoka's feelings for Ren.
She couldn't hide them, especially not from her mother.
Aside from swordsmanship, Kyoka was surprisingly simple-minded—transparent in the way she wore her heart.
But whether Ren felt the same…
That was something Miku, as a mother, had to confirm personally.
So when she suddenly asked him—
Ren was visibly caught off guard.
Even if he did have feelings for Kyoka… was this really something to be asked directly by her mother?
"Lady Yamato, I—"
"Call me Aunt Miku," she cut him off, lightly tapping her folding fan against her palm. "Even if you and Kyoka don't end up together, given your relationship—and my friendship with Miyabi—'Lady Yamato' is far too distant."
Ren hadn't even finished speaking before being interrupted.
And just like that, his overly formal address was rejected.
To be fair, this wasn't their first meeting.
Though admittedly…
Both previous encounters had been extremely awkward.
"…Aunt Miku," Ren corrected himself with a sigh. "Then you should already know—my true identity is that of a half-yokai. If Kyoka were an ordinary person, maybe it wouldn't matter. But as the direct heir of a prestigious exorcist family… there's no way the two of us could be together."
Did Ren have feelings for Kyoka?
If he denied it, he'd be lying.
She was one of the women he had spent the most time with. In terms of personality, appearance, and figure—she was practically flawless.
And when his identity as the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons had been exposed…
Even though Kyoka had always been hostile toward yokai—
She still chose to trust him.
She even risked everything to bring her family to his side.
That alone…
Had moved Ren deeply.
But he also understood something else.
No matter how often Kyoka stayed away from home, her parents—and the Yamato family itself—held an irreplaceable place in her heart.
So in Ren's eyes, the two of them had no future.
Given her personality, Kyoka would likely suppress her feelings and continue living as the Yamato family's heir.
"I'm not asking about your circumstances or your identities," Miku said, her gaze sharp. "I'm asking you. Do you like Kyoka? Do you want to marry her?"
"…I do."
Faced with such a direct question, Ren found himself unable to dodge—or lie.
And when she heard his answer, Miku's lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"That's all I needed to know."
She leaned back slightly, her tone softening—but her words carried weight.
"As for your identities, leave that to us elders to handle. You don't even need to marry into the Yamato family. In fact, even if you want multiple wives in the future, that's acceptable."
Ren: "…Wait, what?"
"There's only one condition," Miku continued calmly, ignoring his reaction. "You must promise us this—you will always love Kyoka, and you will protect her. No matter what."
This wasn't something she said lightly.
She and the head of the Yamato family had already discussed it thoroughly.
With the impending descent of the gods, remaining within the Yamato family was, ironically, more dangerous for Kyoka.
The gods' primary targets were exorcists.
And as one of the most prominent families, the Yamato clan stood at the very center of danger.
Against divine power, no one could confidently claim they could protect their loved ones.
Not even the head of a great family.
In contrast—
Ren was not truly part of the exorcist faction.
He wouldn't be a primary target.
And more importantly—
He possessed the strength to confront gods head-on.
If Kyoka stayed by Ren's side…
That would be the safest place for her.
And knowing how much Ren valued his family—
Once Kyoka became part of it, he would undoubtedly protect her with everything he had.
Of course, this decision was only made because Kyoka already loved him.
Otherwise, they would never have gone this far.
The Yamato family head had even decided on something drastic—
Kyoka would be expelled from the Yamato clan.
Allowing a direct heir to unite with a yokai violated the family's core laws.
And for that, he would take responsibility and step down from his position.
Losing the title of family head…
In exchange for their daughter's safety and happiness—
To Miku and her husband, it was more than worth it.
After a moment of thought, Ren understood everything.
"…Does it really have to go this far?" he asked, his voice low. "Even if Kyoka remains part of the Yamato family, I'd still help her if she needed it. We're friends, after all. If you do this… she'll definitely be heartbroken."
"Friends are still just friends," Miku replied without hesitation. "Only a bond like marriage—like family—is unbreakable."
Her gaze softened slightly.
"And in the world we're facing now… we truly don't have the ability to protect her anymore."
For the first time, there was a hint of vulnerability in her voice.
"So as her parents… all we can do is selfishly entrust her to you."
Ren froze for a moment.
Then his expression slowly turned serious.
"…Has the situation with the gods descending really become that severe?" he asked quietly. "When I was out on the streets earlier… everything looked completely normal."
..
Want to unlock up to 60+ early-access chapters with NFSW Content and exclusive novels ?! Join my Patreon today and dive deeper into the adventure!
patreon.com/denji21