In the evening, as the sun dipped toward the west, it dyed the clouds in the sky crimson, creating layers of sunset glow.
The manor returned to its usual tranquility. The purple flames that had previously filled the garden had vanished, and the air temperature had returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.
This was, of course, an illusion.
After all, Shiina Mahiru had already returned to her own apartment to begin moving out.
Leon had transferred the rights of use for a room in the manor to this "Angel-sama." Thus, like the other peerage members, Shiina Mahiru would soon move into Leon's home and become a new member of the household.
Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna had originally wanted to help, but Shiina Mahiru refused.
"I want to bid farewell to my past with my own hands."
Leaving behind those words, Shiina Mahiru departed.
Both Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna sensed something in Mahiru's attitude and tone, so they returned to the basement to continue their training.
As for Kasumigaoka Utaha, she escorted Eriri out of the manor.
The two were currently saying their goodbyes.
"Are you sure you don't need us to arrange a private car to take you back?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha stood at the main gate with her arms crossed, speaking in a measured tone.
"No need." Eriri glanced at Utaha, speaking rather grumpily. "I need some time to organize my feelings. Otherwise, my mother will definitely see that something is on my mind."
Everything that had happened today had been a massive shock to Eriri.
Therefore, she truly needed time to sort through her emotions.
"You're just worrying over nothing," Utaha's sharp-tongued nature flared as she said to Eriri. "When I first came into contact with all this, I wasn't nearly as pathetic as you."
"That's because you have a heart of stone," Eriri counterattacked without hesitation. "How could a normal person easily accept all this? You aren't a normal person at all!"
"I'm not even a human anymore," Utaha said nonchalantly. "I'm a devil now."
"You were always a devil," Eriri muttered. "Even if none of this had happened, you'd still be 'Kasumigaoka the Demon.'"
"You're certainly a 'losing heroine' now, aren't you?" Utaha's brow twitched slightly, and she gave a faint, insincere smile. "Who was it earlier claiming that only the three of us were being deceived, while she and Shiina-kouhai were the only sane ones?"
"Now that Shiina-kouhai has come over to our side, you're the only 'Highland Flower' left at Sobu High who's all alone. Isn't that the definition of a losing heroine?"
Eriri's expression stiffened, rendered speechless by Utaha's retort.
"Why don't you just join us too?" Utaha looked at Eriri and spoke casually, as if she didn't care. "Even though you're a blonde losing heroine, our President probably wouldn't mind taking you in as a servant."
Upon hearing this, however, Eriri refused without a second thought.
"I don't want to be someone else's servant!"
In Eriri's view, actively choosing to become someone else's servant was something only a person with a mental deficiency would do.
Especially for beautiful girls like them, becoming a servant to a male of the same age—how was that any different from encouraging someone to commit a crime?
They were all favored daughters of heaven; why bother doing something that would lower their own value?
Of course, Eriri had heard about the circumstances of Yukinoshita Yukino and the others from Utaha, so she didn't look down on them.
Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuuki Asuna had both been forced to reincarnate as devils because they had lost their lives. Leon had saved them; using the lives they should have lost to serve their savior was not an unfathomable thing.
Though Utaha had actively chosen to reincarnate, she was a Sacred Gear user. If she didn't choose a faction to join, there was a risk of her power going out of control in the future, leading to her being eliminated. Thus, her choice was also justifiable.
But Eriri truly could not understand Shiina Mahiru's choice.
In her eyes, Shiina Mahiru didn't need anyone to save her, nor did she need to worry about her life being in danger in the future. She wasn't in some desperate situation; her life was worry-free, her family background was exceptionally superior, her appearance was outstanding, and her grades were peerless. She was a true winner in life, the apple of everyone's eye who would be pursued by countless people.
Why would someone like her choose to become a servant to a male peer?
Even if she were selling her freedom, there ought to be a reason, right?
What exactly are you after?
Are you really just tired of being human?
Eriri found it completely incomprehensible.
As for possessing supernatural powers, longevity, and eternal youth—these were certainly tempting. But if the price was becoming someone else's servant, Eriri was inclined to decline.
This was where Eriri and Shiina Mahiru differed.
Shiina Mahiru had nearly reached a state of despair regarding reality and no longer held any expectations for it. Eriri, on the other hand, felt quite satisfied with her life.
She had no worries about food or clothing, her family was harmonious, and her daily life was ordinary yet warm. She could immerse herself in her favorite hobbies, drawing doujinshi and illustrations every day. There was nothing about this life that made Eriri feel dissatisfied.
Eriri had never thought about living longer. Eternal youth was equally unnecessary to pursue intentionally for a fresh-faced youth like herself. Therefore, Eriri would never consider sacrificing her personal freedom for such things.
To put it simply, she, Sawamura Spencer Eriri, had no grievances about her life and was content with her lot. Consequently, she wouldn't harbor any thoughts of becoming a servant, let alone discarding her humanity to become a devil with a bad reputation, potentially being targeted by entities like the Church.
"Fair enough. You really have no reason to choose this path."
Regarding Eriri's thoughts and resistance, Utaha wasn't surprised at all.
Rather, this was the logical thinking of a normal person in the modern era.
What century was this? Modern people complained even about being "corporate slaves" working for others; it was only natural to balk at becoming a literal servant.
If it weren't for the fact that she was a Sacred Gear user destined to enter this hidden world—destined to face dangers and terrible difficulties—she, Kasumigaoka Utaha, wouldn't have become a servant either, even if that person was someone she knew well.
Never mind being like Eriri—with a happy family, no financial worries, and being a popular light novel author—even if her life were a bit harder or her conditions more difficult, she wouldn't have become a servant.
But what could she do? She was a Sacred Gear user.
Given the rarity and power of "Create World," even if she didn't lose control or become a threat in the eyes of various factions, she would have been targeted sooner or later and forced to join some organization.
In that case, why not choose someone she was familiar with?
Even if being a servant was a bit degrading, it wasn't as if Utaha hadn't tried to find another way. It was the people of the Church who had failed to value her; what choice did she have?
Utaha was not without pride; quite the opposite, she was a very proud person. In her three years at Sobu High, countless people had been attracted to her, and the line of people confessing their love could stretch from the school building to the front gate. Yet, faced with these people, Utaha had more than once lectured them until their spirits broke, sending many a suitor running in shame, never daring to show their faces to her again.
Would such a girl become a servant to a boy her own age?
If someone had told her past self this, she would have snorted with contempt and ignored them entirely.
But Utaha was also a very rational person. Being highly intelligent, she knew that every benefit required a price. Expecting a perfect outcome without paying any price was simply unrealistic.
Thus, after hitting a wall with the Church, Utaha decided to check out Leon's side. Ultimately, after understanding the life of a devil, she took a bit of a leap and accepted Leon's Evil Piece.
The result was better than she had imagined. Although she was technically a servant, Leon showed no sign of acting like a "master." He was very casual in their daily interactions, making them feel as though they weren't inferior at all.
Nothing unacceptable had happened since becoming a devil. Aside from the daytime being a bit difficult to endure, every other aspect was quite good.
Supernatural power was interesting. She had even taken a trip to the legendary Underworld, contracted a familiar, and could interact with all sorts of strange things previously thought to be impossible. All of this stimulated Utaha's heart as a light novel writer, giving her a sense of wonder and the feeling that her fantasies had been realized. It was truly marvelous.
Thanks to this, Utaha no longer worried much about her writing. Once her mindset relaxed, her inspiration actually flowed like a fountain. After a burst of frantic writing, the second volume of Koisuru Metronome, which she had sent to her editor today, had actually been approved. She received praise she hadn't heard in a long time, and it would be officially released soon.
Utaha was already prepared to take it to that "unscrupulous master" who had been criticizing her before, to see what kind of score he would give her this time.
In short, though it hadn't been long, Utaha was quite satisfied with her current life, so she had no complaints.
The two of them suddenly fell into an unutterable silence as their conversation halted.
"...I'm leaving."
Eriri looked at Utaha with a complex expression, then spoke up.
"Take care of yourself."
With that, Eriri turned around and walked into the distance.
Utaha watched Eriri's retreating back and suddenly felt as if an unbridgeable chasm had appeared between them.
One stood at the manor gates, while the other walked toward the distance. It was as if they were drifting apart, destined to never cross paths again, leaving a trace of loneliness lingering in her heart.
"...I'm not as rational as I thought I was."
Utaha gave a self-deprecating smile, but she quickly composed her emotions.
Once Eriri's silhouette vanished from her field of vision, Utaha turned around and returned to her future home—
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi