Lilith stood in a place without distance.
Without sequence.
No space.
No time.
Only layers.
Infinite universes surrounded her—
suspended like quiet stars.
Each sphere carried a faint blue glow.
Soft. Alive.
Lilith reached out.
Her fingers pressed against one.
Resistance.
A surface that yielded—
but refused.
She pushed harder.
The universe rejected her touch—
like flesh rejecting a foreign blade.
Then—
slowly—
Her hand slipped through.
The resistance thickened.
Pressure closed around her arm.
Then her shoulder.
Then her body.
Entering from the outside was never simple.
"An external being does not belong by default,"
Lilith said calmly,
her voice steady as the universe swallowed her whole.
"The framework resists. As it should."
The pressure vanished.
—
She hovered above a modern city.
White buildings.
Moving cars.
Glass and steel.
Alive.
Yet wrong.
"So this is the place Valerius has been lingering,"
Lilith murmured.
She stood at the edge of a skyscraper—
ignoring gravity entirely.
Movement passed beneath her.
People. Traffic. Noise.
Her eyes shifted.
A construction site.
Red lightning sparked.
Brief.
Violent.
A worker flinched—
barely catching it at the corner of his vision.
"Did you guys see that…?"
he asked, voice trembling beneath his yellow helmet.
"See what?"
another man replied,
pausing with a sack of sand on his shoulder.
The answer arrived first.
Red thunder slammed down.
The unfinished wall shattered outward—
and a massive crimson portal tore itself open.
The sky darkened instantly.
Clouds rolled in like bruises forming overhead.
Tools hit the ground.
Workers froze.
"It's a Gate,"
someone whispered, stepping back.
"Call the Void Hunters!"
another shouted, panic breaking through.
A shaking hand pulled out a phone.
Lilith observed quietly.
"A Portal-Link Universe,"
she said.
"Monsters do not originate here."
"They intrude."
Her gaze sharpened.
"A Trans–Realm Invasion structure."
—
She walked the sidewalk.
Stores to one side.
Traffic to the other.
People passed through her—
unaware.
Lilith stopped.
A massive screen flickered on the side of a building.
THE WORLD'S GREATEST VOID HUNTERS GUILD
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Found you."
The environment shifted without transition.
Only reassignment.
She stood inside a shopping mall—
second floor.
White walls.
Glass railings.
Shops lining every direction.
A sliding door opened beside her.
A double pram rolled out.
Two infants slept inside—
white hair.
Peaceful breaths.
Pressed together instinctively.
Valerius pushed the pram forward.
The door closed behind him.
He stopped.
Slowly looked up.
Lilith stood before him.
"…You chose an odd place,"
Valerius said, tone measured.
"Even for you."
He pushed the pram closer—
subtly placing himself between her and the children.
"I have questions,"
Lilith said softly.
"First—are those yours?"
"No,"
Valerius replied at once.
"I'm watching them. Temporarily."
Lilith tilted her head.
"And their father?"
she asked.
"Shouldn't he be the one doing this?"
"That would be impossible,"
Valerius said quietly.
"Because he's missing."
Lilith's gaze sharpened.
"Missing?"
She stepped closer.
"You could find him."
A pause.
"But you didn't."
Her voice lowered.
"…Are you trying to replace him?"
Valerius stiffened.
His grip tightened around the pram handle—
just slightly.
"That's not—"
He stopped.
Looked down.
Guilt flickered behind his eyes.
"…No,"
he said, less certain.
A voice interrupted.
"Valerius?"
Soft.
Gentle.
The sliding door opened again.
A woman stepped out.
Velmaria.
Navy blazer.
Gold buttons catching the light.
White collared shirt.
Striped tie.
Plaid skirt.
A black bag in her left hand.
Her steps slowed.
"…Who are you talking to?"
Velmaria asked.
Valerius turned his head halfway.
"…No one,"
he said smoothly.
Back atop the rooftop—
Ronóva rested sideways on Haruto's lap,
her head against his chest.
Her long, silky white hair spilled over the edge,
brushing the stone.
Haruto idly twirled a strand around his finger.
Slow. Absent.
The night sky stretched endlessly above them—
stars scattered like quiet witnesses.
The full moon reflected in Haruto's golden eyes.
Beautiful.
Yet behind them—
worry lingered.
Unnoticed.
Haruto exhaled through his nose.
(I'm overthinking again.)
(Focus on now. Not what hasn't happened.)
He lowered his gaze—
And froze.
Another figure sat at the edge of the rooftop.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Different weight.
Legs dangling.
Back straight.
The other Haruto.
"The man who loves without limit,"
the figure said calmly,
"is destined to suffer in equal measure."
Haruto's jaw tightened.
(Get lost.)
The other Haruto glanced at him once—
golden eyes sharp, distant—
then turned back to the city.
Warm yellow lights spilled from windows below.
Life continued.
His body rose.
Mist swallowed him—
piece by piece—
until nothing remained.
Haruto's arm tightened around Ronóva.
She stirred.
Looked up.
"…You're hugging me tightly,"
Ronóva said softly.
Haruto lowered his chin to her shoulder.
"Sorry,"
he murmured.
"Can I hold you a little longer?"
Ronóva relaxed instantly.
Her cheek pressed back against his chest.
"Take your time,"
she said, smiling.
Silence settled again.
A private one.
Then—
"Darling,"
Ronóva whispered.
"Yes…?"
Haruto replied.
"When everything is over,"
she said quietly,
"let's live together. Forever."
Her hand slid to her stomach.
A slow, deliberate motion.
"Maybe…"
she continued, voice softer—
"…we could share something truly personal."
Haruto stiffened.
Understanding struck instantly.
"…You want a child,"
he said carefully.
"We're not even married."
Ronóva's cheeks flushed pink.
She nodded—shy, but firm.
(She's not impulsive.)
(She never is.)
(She thought this through.)
"When the baby comes,"
Ronóva said,
"we focus on the future."
"After the war."
"A peaceful universe."
Haruto closed his eyes briefly.
(A universe without fear.)
(Without enemies.)
He lifted her hand slowly.
Ronóva blinked—confused.
"When the war ends,"
Haruto said softly,
"and the hatred in this universe is purified…"
"…something will be waiting."
His free hand rose.
Fingers curved—
as if holding something invisible.
White light bloomed between them.
Not harsh.
Gentle.
"Imagination Manipulation"
The glow compressed—
flowed like liquid thought—
until it shaped itself.
A rose-gold filigree ring.
A blush gemstone at its heart.
Pastel sapphires and diamond leaves blooming outward.
Haruto took her hand.
"I don't believe in rings,"
he admitted quietly,
sliding it onto her finger.
"But believe me—"
"I have nothing else more honest to give."
Ronóva stared.
Then smiled.
Soft. Shaken.
She pressed her ringed hand against Haruto's chest.
Warmth spread between them.
"Your love,"
she said gently,
"and you being here with me—"
"…means more than words could ever hold, darling."
Haruto smiled softly,
eyes narrowing just a little.
Not teasing.
Not playful.
Relieved.
Their gazes held.
Neither spoke.
They leaned in slowly—
no rush—
until their lips met.
A gentle kiss.
Unhurried.
Warm.
Haruto's hand slid to Ronóva's waist, fingers barely tightening.
As if asking.
She answered by leaning closer.
He broke from her lips only to trail lower—
to her jaw—
then her neck.
Soft kisses.
Lingering.
Ronóva's breath hitched.
A quiet sound escaped her—
not loud,
not uncontrolled—
but close enough that it brushed Haruto's ear.
Heat followed.
Her cheeks flushed,
warm pink spreading as his lips lingered at her neck.
Each kiss earned another soft breath.
Another quiet sound.
Haruto felt it.
All of it.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then—
Ronóva's hand pressed against his chest.
Firm.
Gentle.
She pulled back just enough to break the moment.
"…Let's stop for now,"
Ronóva said softly, eyes lowered.
Haruto blinked.
The closeness vanished too fast.
"…Huh,"
he said quietly.
"Did I do something wrong?"
Ronóva shook her head immediately.
White hair swaying with the motion.
"No. No,"
she said, quick but gentle.
"You didn't."
She exhaled—slow, steadying.
"It's already early in the night,"
Ronóva continued, tone calm.
"I promised Kuroko I'd return soon."
"I decided she shouldn't come along."
Haruto nodded.
For a moment, disappointment flickered—
quick.
Contained.
Then it vanished behind a small smile.
"I understand,"
he said simply.
Ronóva smiled back.
She shifted—
elegant, unhurried—
sliding off his lap.
Haruto stood as well.
When she turned—
He was already there.
Too close.
Her chest brushed against him.
Unavoidable.
They both stilled.
Haruto leaned down slightly.
"Just one kiss from you…"
he murmured, voice low.
"I can't get enough."
Instead of her lips—
He pressed a slow, gentle kiss to her forehead.
Longer than necessary.
Intentional.
Ronóva parted her lips to speak—
But—
Haruto vanished.
"Instant Teleportation"
The night air rushed in where he'd been.
Ronóva froze.
"…What was that…?"
she whispered to herself.
Her fingers rose unconsciously to her lips.
"…Why were his lips shaking?"
Worry edged her voice.
She glanced to the side—
To the glass he'd been holding earlier.
Empty.
Only streaks of cream clung to the inside.
Gone.
Ronóva's expression softened.
"…Idiot,"
she murmured.
But her hand curled slowly over the ring on her finger.
Tight.
Protective.