Saturday
Yuto stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the black-and-gold collar of his formal jacket for the fifth time.
It didn't help.
No matter how he tugged, shifted, or sighed in protest, he still looked like a noble.
A very uncomfortable, very reluctant noble.
"This is stupid," he muttered, staring at his reflection.
"Why does a banquet need formal wear, magical performances, and public affection?"
He gave his reflection a deadpan look.
"…Right. Because my life is cursed"
He turned, glancing around the room, quiet for once.
The usual chaos of the girls was noticeably absent.
They were all getting ready elsewhere, as tradition demanded "no peeking until the reveal"
Yuto didn't mind the alone time.
But part of him, against all reason, wondered how they'd look.
He groaned at himself.
"Don't think about it. Just get through tonight. Smile, wave, don't die"
Straightening his jacket one last time, he grabbed the enchanted invitation scroll and stepped out.
Outside the Dorm – Academy Courtyard
A soft glow lit the stone courtyard, evening sun dipping behind the distant mountains.
Mana-lamps floated gently above the path, glowing like warm fireflies.
And waiting near the gate—
Was a carriage.
Large, obsidian-black with golden inlay and gleaming, hovering wheels.
It was the kind of extravagant vehicle that said: Yes, I am richer than you, and yes, I brought backup gowns.
Two spirit-beasts, sleek silver-furred stags with glowing antlers, stood proudly at the front, their breaths visible in the air.
Yuto walked up slowly, half-expecting something to explode.
Instead, he saw them.
The girls.
All five, standing just ahead of the carriage.
And for a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
Alice wore a soft rose-colored dress that flowed with every step she took toward him, the ribbon in her hair matching her eyes perfectly.
Reika was in a dark sapphire gown, sleek with crystalline runes subtly etched across the hem.
Ayla's white dress shimmered with a faint spiritual aura, a gentle blend of wildness and grace.
Lilith…
He looked away.
Quickly.
"Dangerous," he muttered, resisting the urge to glance again.
And Evelynn…
She was radiant in a regal crimson gown, gold embroidery tracing her form like fire wrapping silk.
She met his gaze and smiled slowly, already knowing what he was thinking.
"Well?" she asked, hand on her hip.
"Do we meet the standards of your fairytale, fiancé?"
"I—I didn't say anything," Yuto said, flustered.
"You didn't have to," Alice said, cheeks pink.
Ayla clutched his arm with a gentle grin.
"You look handsome, Master"
Reika adjusted her monocle, not that she needed one tonight, and added, "Your appearance exceeds expectations by at least 43%"
"You've been calculating this?" he blinked.
"Obviously"
Lilith leaned in beside his ear, her voice like velvet danger.
"You clean up better than I imagined, darling"
He didn't respond.
He couldn't.
Evelynn stepped closer, threading her fingers through his.
"Shall we?"
The carriage door opened with a click of magic.
Yuto exhaled slowly.
"Alright. Let's get this banquet over with"
He stepped inside.
The girls followed.
And the carriage lifted off the ground, gliding toward the golden-lit academy ballroom, where nobles, students, and half the continent were ready to witness what chaos would come next.
Academy Grand Ballroom – Evening
The ballroom was a cathedral of light and sound.
Floating chandeliers sparkled with stored starlight, casting an ethereal glow over the vast marble floor.
Velvet banners bearing the academy's crest and the emblems of noble houses fluttered gently under a breeze that didn't exist.
Crystal music filled the air, and haunting melodies played by self-moving instruments lined the stage, enchanted to respond to the emotions of the room.
Yuto stepped out of the carriage and immediately regretted it.
Eyes.
Everywhere.
Nobles, faculty, alumni, even high-ranking adventurers turned their heads.
Some gasped.
Others whispered.
More than a few scowled.
He heard the words "Akimitsu," "fiancé of five," and "demon-blooded?" floating around like cursed confetti.
He tugged at his collar.
"This was a mistake"
Alice looped her arm through his and smiled brightly.
"Too late. You're already the main attraction"
Evelynn took his other side.
"Smile. Pretend you like this. And remember, we own the room now"
Ayla walked just behind, light trailing from her steps like soft wind.
Reika moved with her usual calm, scanning the room like it was a battlefield of data points.
Lilith… didn't even walk.
She glided.
Somehow.
Her smirk said, Let them stare.
They entered the ballroom like a royal procession, every gaze magnetized to them.
A loud, crystal-clear voice rang out.
"Announcing the arrival of Yuto Akimitsu and his attending companions!"
That… didn't help.
They approached the main table where select guests were seated: noble heirs, esteemed professors, and some council representatives.
Professor Cadence offered a nod of approval.
Even Professor Kurogane, seated at the far end, did a double-take before awkwardly looking away.
Yuto sank into his seat.
"This better not turn into a whole scene"
Spoiler: It would.
Because moments later, the Headmaster stood, lifting his glass.
"To new alliances, unexpected futures, and bonds stronger than fate!"
Polite applause followed.
But a certain old noble near the high table, a man wearing the emblem of House Grannis, stood up, voice booming.
"Headmaster. I must object"
Yuto groaned.
"Here we go"
The noble gestured with his cane.
"How can this academy condone a student being engaged to five different women, including a spirit beast, two commoners, and a foreign-born noble, all without prior sanction from the Noble Alliance?"
Reika calmly sipped her wine.
"Actually, I'm class-ranked highest in elemental theory and artifact design. My 'commoner' status is irrelevant"
Alice stood, her voice shaking only a little.
"My scholarship was merit-based. I earned my place here. With or without nobility"
Ayla blinked.
"I'm not sure what sanction means. But I love Master, and I'm not going anywhere"
Gasps.
Lilith tilted her head.
"Oh no, please keep talking. I adore public drama"
Yuto was about to speak, until Evelynn stood, full height, full nobility, voice sharp as a blade.
"House Astoria fully supports these engagements. If anyone objects—take it up with my father. Or," she added, narrowing her eyes, "with me"
The noble paled.
Sat down.
The room was silent again.
Yuto looked down at his glass.
"Why is it always like this?"
Reika passed him a small dessert plate.
"Sugar stabilizes the nervous system"
He took the whole thing.
Later That Evening
The banquet had shifted into something almost surreal.
Music spilled through the ballroom in waves of soft violins and enchanted harp tones.
Floating lights dimmed just enough to cast a dreamlike glow over the polished floor.
Yuto stood at the edge of the dance space, sipping something suspiciously fizzy and berry-flavored.
He didn't hate it.
That scared him a little.
Alice tugged on his sleeve.
"You promised you'd dance at least once"
"I said I might dance. If the world didn't end first"
"It didn't. Yet," she smiled sweetly.
"Come on, Yuto"
And somehow, that was all it took.
He let himself be pulled in.
The first dance was slow, soft.
Alice swayed with practiced ease, her hand in his, her eyes bright beneath the warm lights.
She didn't say much, just smiled.
He held her close, a little awkward at first, until the tension slipped from his shoulders.
Then came Reika.
Calculated steps.
Precision and grace.
"I read five volumes on court dances in preparation," she murmured.
"Of course you did," he replied.
She smiled faintly.
"Still, your rhythm is… pleasing"
Then, Ayla didn't move like a person.
She flowed like mist, like wind.
He barely had to lead.
She followed by instinct.
"You're happy," she whispered.
Yuto blinked. "What?"
"You smiled. Just now"
"…Don't tell anyone"
Evelynn, on the other hand, was elegance incarnate, one hand resting confidently in his.
"Careful," she teased, "You're starting to enjoy this"
"Blame the punch," he muttered.
Her laugh was warm, dangerous, and oddly genuine.
"Blame me instead"
When it was Lilith's turn, she didn't ask.
She just appeared, taking his hand with that usual look that promised nothing but trouble.
Their steps were slower, more intimate.
Her fingers lingered just a moment too long.
"See?" she purred.
"Not so bad playing the prince"
"I still hate the shoes," he replied.
But he didn't pull away.
But somehow, the instruments shifted.
And someone called out his name.
"Yuto Akimitsu, your companions requested a song…"
He froze mid-step.
Alice gave him a hopeful look.
Ayla beamed.
Evelynn was already sipping wine with anticipation.
Lilith just said, "I'll cast an illusion over your nerves if you need"
"No," Yuto said, shoulders rising, then falling in defeat.
"Fine"
He walked up to the glowing circle near the enchanted microphone.
He cleared his throat.
The crowd went quiet.
The music began, gentle, mellow, like the echo of moonlight.
And then he sang.
It was a bit rough at first.
But it was real.
No spell, no charm, just… Yuto.
His voice was deep and uncertain, yet raw with emotion.
He didn't try to impress; he just told the story.
Of finding peace in chaos.
Of being overwhelmed.
Of being surrounded… and somehow, never alone.
When he finished, there was silence.
Then applause.
But he didn't care about the crowd.
He looked only at them.
Alice.
Reika.
Ayla.
Evelynn.
Lilith.
And stepped forward to the center of the ballroom again, lifting a fresh glass.
"I didn't want to come to this banquet"
Laughter rippled softly.
"I don't like singing. I don't like dancing. And I hate fancy clothes more than I hate early-morning spell theory"
More laughter.
"But I came. And I'm glad I did"
"Because I got to spend tonight with people who somehow believe in me even when I don't"
He turned to the five girls.
He smiled.
Genuinely.
"Thank you"
Midnight – Academy Courtyard
The last echo of music faded as the chandeliers dimmed, and the final slow dance came to an end.
The banquet was over.
Servants swept through like shadows, clearing half-eaten desserts and empty glasses.
Nobles exchanged final words.
Students yawned, drifting off in pairs or alone.
Even the stars above seemed calmer now, dimmer behind a soft veil of clouds.
Yuto stood just outside the ballroom doors, staring up at the night sky.
His jacket was undone.
The top buttons of his shirt were loose.
His tie was long gone, probably somewhere near the punch table.
The girls had already gone ahead.
Alice and Reika took the east dorm route.
Evelynn was escorted back by her house's private guards.
Ayla and Lilith had returned to his room, as usual.
Lilith is probably stealing half the bed.
But Yuto?
He walked.
No real destination.
Just… away.
The cool breeze felt good against his skin, carrying with it the scent of night blossoms and mana-lamps.
His footsteps echoed faintly along the stone paths of the academy grounds.
He passed through the inner courtyard, now empty and silver-lit.
And then, he wasn't alone.
Again.
She was there.
Sitting on the old marble bench beneath the spirit tree.
The same girl.
The mystery.
Same long coat, same veil of shadows clinging to her.
Not an illusion.
Not magic.
Something… older.
Yuto slowed.
And stopped.
"…You again"
She glanced up, moonlight brushing over the lower half of her face.
Her lips curled in the faintest smile.
"You make quite the scene, Yuto"
He folded his arms.
"You saw the banquet?"
"I see everything worth seeing"
He exhaled sharply through his nose.
"You always speak in riddles. At least give me a name this time"
She tilted her head, amused.
"I told you once," she said softly, voice like a distant bell, "You must earn it!"
Yuto stepped closer.
Not threatening.
Just… tired.
"And what does that mean? A duel? A favor? Some kind of quest?"
"No," she said simply.
"You'll know when you're ready"
"…Great. More cryptic nonsense"
She stood, her movements fluid, too smooth to be human.
Yuto noticed again that she didn't leave footprints.
She walked past him slowly, brushing close enough for her hair to tickle his shoulder.
"You're getting closer," she whispered.
"To what?"
She paused just behind him now.
"…To remembering"
Yuto turned sharply, but—
She was gone.
Not vanished.
Not poofed away in magic.
Just… no longer there.
He stared at the empty path.
The wind carried the sound of distant bells.
Or maybe that was just in his head.
"I… don't want to remember"
It was true.
He didn't want to remember.
Those dreams or memories.
He didn't like how he was in them.
An arrogant asshole who instead of doing the right thing would threaten people.
Someone who wasted their time lusting over women and not training yet would complain that life was unfair.
He didn't understand these fragments clawing at the edge of his mind.
Images of foreign kingdoms, ancient beasts, and eyes that called him by names he never gave.
Lilith called him the Old Hero.
Ayla said it like it was gospel.
But he wasn't a hero.
Not him.
He saw those places in his sleep, the Dragonlands' scorched cliffs, the Coral Throne beneath the sea, the endless emerald color of the Elven Kingdom, and the beast folk's bloodstained arenas.
He knew them.
And yet… he didn't.
That person… whoever they were, wasn't him.
He was Yuto Akimitsu.
Fifteen.
Student.
Mostly sane.
Trying.
"I'm not him," he whispered, louder this time.
"I'm not—"
A soft laugh cut through the silence.
Chill crawled up his spine.
He turned.
There she was.
Again.
"You keep saying that," she said, stepping from the trees like a ghost.
"As if denying it will change what's already burned into your soul"
Yuto's eyes narrowed.
"You again"
"You keep running," she said, circling him.
"But no matter how many times you say 'I'm not him'—you are"
"I'm not!" he snapped, louder than he meant.
"That wasn't me!"
She tilted her head, amused.
"The one who stood above kings?"
"The one who kissed death and called it mercy?"
"The one who fought old gods and lived?"
"A man who, despite being criticized and condemned, still chose–"
"Shut up—"
"That was you, all you"
"SHUT UP!"
His voice echoed through the empty path, startling a flock of birds from the trees.
"I'm not that monster," Yuto said, breathing hard.
"I don't care what memories say. I don't care what name you think I have. That. Is. Not. Me!"
She paused, studying him.
Then she smiled again, softly this time.
Not mockery.
Pity.
"Then prove it, but you should probably get everything out of the way"
"The hell does that mean?"
She pointed to his back, and when he turned, he saw Lilith floating towards him.
Yuto turned back quickly, but she was gone.
Melted into the wind.
It took less than a second, and Lilith was next to him.
Her long hair shimmered with a faint violet glow in the moonlight, and her usual smirk was absent.
Yuto didn't say anything at first.
He just stared at her, hands clenched at his sides, jaw tight.
"I thought you would be in the room. Did you follow me because you were worried?"
"Of course," she replied gently.
There was no teasing.
No smugness.
Just the truth.
He looked away, his fists trembling slightly.
"Why?"
Lilith didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze lingered on his face, reading the weight behind the question.
Yuto slowly turned back to her, his voice lower than before, calmer, but not weaker.
"…Is it really me you're with?" he asked.
"Or just… who you think I used to be?"
She blinked.
The wind stirred the hem of her dress.
He didn't stop.
"You and Ayla keep calling me the 'Old Hero.' You talk about some life I don't even remember, some legend I never asked to carry"
"And tonight, she shows up again, mocking me like I'm just pretending to be something I'm not"
His eyes met hers.
"I want to know. Are you following me… or just the shadow of someone who died?"
Lilith's lips parted slightly.
She took a step closer, her voice quiet.
"…It was a reason, at first"
Yuto's heart dropped.
His expression shifted, the mix of feelings in his chest finally breaking through his voice.
"So that's it," he said.
"I'm just a replacement"
"No," she said quickly.
"That's not what I—"
He raised a hand, not to strike, but to stop her words.
"It's enough," he muttered.
"You said what matters"
"Yuto—"
"I'm not him," he snapped again.
"Whoever he was, whoever you loved, it wasn't me!"
Lilith stepped forward, trying to meet his eyes, but Yuto turned his back to her.
And for the first time since she'd met him, she didn't follow.
"…You're right," she finally said, voice soft as snow.
"You're not him"
He froze.
"But you're still you," she whispered.
It should've brought comfort.
It didn't.
He didn't turn around.
Didn't speak.
Because everything inside him was a storm.
If those visions weren't dreams… if they were memories…
Then what was this?
This life.
This school.
His family.
Alice.
All of it.
How does any of it make sense?
He clenched his fists so tight his nails bit into his palms.
"I don't want this," he muttered.
"I didn't ask for it"
Lilith hesitated.
"Yuto…"
"Everything's a lie," he said, louder now.
"If those memories are real, then what am I living now?"
"How do I know this isn't fake? My family's alive, Alice is here, and if I'm the Old Hero, then how are they even real?"
He turned to her then, eyes fierce, voice shaking.
"It doesn't add up. The timelines, the people, none of it adds up!"
Lilith didn't flinch.
She let him yell.
Let him break.
Because she knew this would happen eventually.
It always did, and for the right reasons.
"I'm not crazy," Yuto said, quieter.
"I know those places. I remember that sword, that fire, that pain. I know things no fifteen-year-old should"
He dragged a hand through his hair, staring down at the stone path.
"I remember dying. And then… I woke up in a soft bed, with my mom cooking breakfast and my little sister complaining about eggs"
"I was twelve… a child again"
He laughed bitterly.
"How?"
Lilith finally stepped closer, slower this time.
"You're right," she said gently.
"It doesn't make sense. Because it wasn't meant to. Not yet"
"What the hell does that mean?"
She sighed.
"It means you're caught between lives. Between what you were and what you're becoming"
He didn't answer.
She tried again.
"When you said 'she showed up again'… who were you talking about?"
Yuto's jaw tensed.
His eyes darkened.
"A girl," he muttered.
"The one who always appears when I'm alone. Under the tree, in my dreams, after battles"
"Always just watching"
Lilith stiffened, eyes narrowing slightly.
"She mocked me tonight," he continued.
"Said no matter how much I deny it, I am him"
He looked at Lilith now.
"Am I?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.
"Or am I just some second-rate copy? A puppet with hand-me-down memories?"
Lilith reached out then, touching his sleeve.
"I don't think you're a copy," she said.
"But I do think... you're afraid the truth will take everything from you"
He didn't respond.
Because she was right.
The silence stretched.
Until a soft snap of a twig behind the tree broke it.
Yuto's head turned sharply.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Come out," he said.
No threat in his voice, but the tension in his shoulders made it clear he wasn't in the mood.
A moment passed.
Then another.
And slowly, almost guiltily, Ayla stepped from behind the tree.
Her ears drooped, tail low behind her.
"…I didn't mean to eavesdrop," she whispered, eyes cast downward.
Yuto let out a shaky breath and ran a hand down his face.
Of course, she was here.
Of course, she heard.
"Ayla," he said flatly.
She winced at his tone, but she didn't run.
He looked at her for a moment.
This girl who followed him like a shadow, who had pledged loyalty before he even knew her name.
"You knew too," he said.
Not a question.
Ayla looked up, biting her lip.
"…Yes"
His fists tightened again.
"Have you ever seen me? Or was I always just… a vessel to you? A title? A ghost of the man I used to be?"
Ayla flinched.
"I…"
She looked up, meeting his eyes just for a second.
"I followed the scent," she whispered.
"The soul that called to me. I thought it was the same as before"
"Then it wasn't me," he said bitterly.
"It was him"
"No," she said quickly, stepping forward, ears lifting slightly.
"It was familiar. But it wasn't the same"
"Then what am I?"
His voice cracked.
"What do you see when you look at me, Ayla? A prince? A hero? A memory?"
She hesitated.
Her eyes softened.
"…I see someone who's trying"
He stared at her.
"I see a boy who doesn't remember how much he's suffered. Who wakes up every day and chooses to keep moving, even when it hurts?"
Her voice trembled now.
"And I… I'm not with you because of who you were. I'm with you because of who you are now"
Yuto turned his face away, his jaw clenched.
He didn't want to believe her.
Didn't want another comforting lie.
Because if he let himself believe it, and it wasn't true, he didn't know if he'd recover from the break.
Ayla stepped closer again, slowly, like approaching a wounded animal.
"You don't have to be the Old Hero," she said softly.
"But that doesn't mean you're not real"
He didn't respond.
The quiet wrapped around them like fog.
Until something stabbed through it.
Pain.
Blinding and sharp, like a dagger driven into his skull.
Yuto gasped, stumbling backward.
His hands shot to his temples as a fire erupted behind his eyes, hot, searing, familiar.
Ayla called his name.
Lilith moved to reach him.
But he didn't hear them.
Because something else was surging through him now, a memory, no, a reality slamming back into place.
---
Blood on snow.
A scream.
His name, called out with such love, it shattered the sky.
A white-haired girl was falling, midair, lifeless.
Her blood was soaking into white.
"Mizuki…" he breathed.
He remembered.
Not just the moment.
The pain.
The loss.
The curse he invoked after.
The war that followed.
The pact.
The vow.
The end of that life, dying alone, with no one seeing him off.
BZZZ
He collapsed to his knees, eyes wide, staring at nothing.
But it wasn't over.
Not yet.
Because the sky itself shivered.
A beam of radiance split the clouds above, no sound, just light.
Ayla's fur stood on end.
Lilith recoiled instantly, her eyes narrowing.
"No," she whispered, stepping back.
"Divine magic!"
Yuto screamed.
Holy light engulfed him.
It wasn't a fire.
It wasn't painful.
It was purification.
It was forcefully undoing everything demonic, everything dark, everything tied to the world beneath.
Everything… that had to do with the first round.
Lilith couldn't even touch him now; her hand burned just getting close.
"I can't stop it!" she growled, panic rising in her voice.
"It's the Goddess's Blessing," Ayla said, breath caught in her throat.
"It's rewriting him…"
Yuto arched back, mouth open in a silent scream as more raw power coursed through him, divine symbols spiraling across his skin, glowing gold, then vanishing.
His hair lifted.
The ground cracked beneath him.
Then, all at once—
Silence.
The light vanished.
His raven black hair was now pure white, as if another part of his identity was taken.
He took a shaky step forward, trying to stand, but the ground beneath him felt unsteady.
"What happened…?" he mumbled, his voice strained.
He lifted his hand to his forehead, feeling the slick sweat there.
His eyes flicked to the ground.
Blood.
Everywhere.
His stomach lurched as he scanned the area.
"Who's hurt?" he asked, his voice more urgent now.
Ayla appeared in front of him, her expression panicked.
She quickly reached out, steadying him as he teetered on the edge of collapsing.
"You need to rest," she said softly, her grip firm but gentle.
He barely heard her.
His hands went instinctively to the bloodstains, his fingers trembling as he tried to make sense of the scene.
It didn't add up.
"Did I do this?" His voice was thin, barely a whisper.
"Did I hurt someone?"
"No," Lilith answered, her voice tight, as she moved to his side.
She caught his gaze, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and concern.
"No, Yuto. It wasn't you"
But it didn't matter.
The unease was crawling under his skin, gnawing at him.
He straightened up slowly, trying to stand on his own.
But his legs wavered beneath him, and before he could steady himself, he felt himself tipping forward.
Ayla reacted instantly, moving quickly to catch him as he collapsed into her arms.
"Yuto!" she gasped, her voice cracking as she supported his weight.
Her fur bristled, her heart racing in panic.
He barely registered her, his eyes glazed, his body too weak to fight the inevitable exhaustion.
He felt the last of his strength draining away, but he tried to say something, anything to reassure her.
"Thank you," he muttered, voice quiet and distant as if speaking to a stranger.
"But who are you?"
Ayla's heart broke at the question.
She bit her lip, not knowing how to respond.
Lilith's eyes filled with tears as she watched the scene unfold.
Yuto's face was vacant, devoid of recognition.
"You don't need to worry about that right now," she said softly, her hands trembling as she carefully checked Yuto's pulse.
"We need to get you help"
Yuto didn't answer.
His eyes drifted closed, and his body went limp in Ayla's arms.
"Please, no," Lilith whispered, her voice barely audible.
She quickly lifted him out of Ayla's arms.
The sensation of his weight in her hands felt wrong.
He was too light.
"We need help," Lilith said urgently, her voice breaking.
"Now!"
Ayla nodded, fear gripping her chest, and bolted toward the infirmary.
Lilith held him close, her tears falling freely now, not just for what he'd lost but for what they were about to lose.
She could feel it in her bones, the knowledge that the Yuto in her arms, the one they've come to know, might be slipping further away.