Chapter 76

Ｒｅａｄ ​ｏｎ Ｋａ​ｔＲ​ｅａｄｉｎｇＣａ​ｆｅ

It had been a long time.

A long time since I’d admired cherry blossoms with someone else.

Eugene stared at the delicate petal he had caught without thinking.

In the past, no matter how much he tried to catch one, they’d slip through his fingers, almost mocking him. But now, it felt effortless, as if he didn’t even need to try.

The memory brought a bitter smile to his face.

For the past five years, he had avoided confronting the past as much as possible.

Because facing it only brought sadness. Remembering it only brought pain.

The tears had long dried up, but his heart still ached, as if torn apart.

Ever since he had been left alone, he avoided places tied to his memories.

That was why, when Lucia suggested attending the cherry blossom festival, Eugene had been taken aback.

But he couldn’t keep running forever. And foolishly, he let himself hope—it was a date, after all.

So, for the first time in years, he faced his memories head-on.

Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as he thought it would.

The longing and nostalgia mixed, leaving a dull ache in his chest.

But it wasn’t unpleasant.

If anything, it felt comforting.

So this is what it’s like…

Eugene brushed off the petal, watching it drift away in the wind.

The pink blossom fluttered irregularly before settling on the ground.

Five years—it was enough time for wounds to heal.

Had he forgotten the pain of the past completely?

No, that wasn’t it.

If he had, the relentless anxiety and searing hatred for the monsters that had taken Yui would have been extinguished by now.

Even now, the memory of that time made his eyes burn with anger.

The fury churned in his stomach, almost unbearable.

But he could endure it.

Yes, he could endure it now.

The child who could only cry had learned to calm his heart.

Lucia… Is this what you wanted me to realize?

It had been so long since he felt this kind of peace.

For years, he had felt pursued—not just by the past but by himself.

That relentless pressure had driven him to train mercilessly, swinging his sword until his hands were torn and bleeding.

But now, stepping back and reflecting, he could see how recklessly he had been running forward without a moment’s pause.

Lucia’s words finally made sense to him. Why she had told him to lean on others. Why she had reminded him he wasn’t alone.

Lucia likely hadn’t brought him here knowing the significance of this place. She had simply wanted him to rest and find peace.

Eugene felt a tinge of embarrassment. How desperate and unstable must he have appeared to her?

She was a thoughtful girl. He had known that, but the realization hit him anew. How had she noticed the turmoil within him so quickly, and with so little interaction at that?

“So beautiful.” 

She had said that while brushing her hair back from the breeze, watching the scattering petals.

“…Yeah, they are.” 

Eugene agreed. But it wasn’t the cherry blossoms he was thinking of.

The petals, falling like pink snow, were enchanting. But what stood before him was far more beautiful.

…Now I understand.

Why his heart raced every time he saw her.

Why his chest tightened and his pulse quickened.

Why he was afraid, yet still drawn to her.

The reason was so simple it almost made him laugh.

I’m in love with Lucia.

“She’s… late.” a hesitant voice called out from below.

Eugene snapped out of his thoughts at the sound, looking down to see deep blue eyes gazing up at him.

Alice was staring in the direction Lucia had disappeared.

“Yeah… I wonder if something happened.” Eugene murmured.

A glance at his watch showed it had already been twenty minutes.

Considering the convenience store’s distance, she should have been back by now.

Could she have run into trouble?

Worry began to creep in, but he decided to wait a little longer.

Maybe she had gotten distracted.

She could have bumped into someone she knew—or perhaps nature had called.

Thinking about her hurried demeanor earlier, the latter seemed plausible.

If that was the case, it was only polite to stay quiet.

Eugene turned his gaze toward the direction Lucia had left, then let his eyes fall to Alice.

Fiddling with her fingers, Alice stood awkwardly close.

Eugene couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly.

She really does look like her.

The day he first saw Alice, during the entrance ceremony, he had nearly tripped.

Her resemblance to Yui was uncanny, save for the difference in hair color. For a moment, he had wondered if he and Yui had an unknown sibling.

Of course, upon closer inspection, the differences became apparent.

Just like how siblings born to the same parents might look similar but still be distinct.

Perhaps, if he traced their lineage far enough, he and Alice might share some distant connection.

But she isn’t Yui.

She merely resembled Yui.

Alice was a completely different person.

Projecting Yui onto Alice just because of a resemblance would be an insult to her.

That’s why Eugene restrained his hand, which kept wanting to reach out and pat Alice’s head, by holding it down with his other hand.

That sort of behavior would be a nuisance. He sighed deeply.

Why did she have to wear a yellow dress today?

Alice already looked so much like Yui, but the similar clothing made it almost unbearable.

Don’t impose. Don’t project Yui onto someone else. They’re entirely different people—starting with their personalities. Yui was lively and outgoing, Eugene reminded himself while massaging his wrist.

Meanwhile, Alice stole sidelong glances at Eugene.

She didn’t dare look directly at him and instead sneaked peeks at his profile.

What exactly is this person’s relationship with Lucia?

The shocking scene she had witnessed in the infirmary made it seem obvious that they were dating. A hug from behind—that wasn’t something people who weren’t romantically involved would do.

But watching them since then, Alice had seen no evidence of a deep relationship. They talked casually, but that was all. They didn’t meet after school, nor did they behave like a couple. For a romantic relationship, it felt far too platonic.

Two mornings ago, when Lucia had asked Eugene to meet on the weekend, Alice thought, ‘Finally, the inevitable has come.’

But here they were.

Alice wasn’t tagging along because she had insisted. Even if she had wanted to, her personality wouldn’t have allowed it.

What if she had pushed too hard and made Lucia dislike her? The very thought made her heart tremble.

Lucia had been the one to suggest Alice join them. It had left Alice baffled.

If they’re meeting on a weekend, isn’t that supposed to be a date? Then why am I here…?

Friends wouldn’t hug like that. If they were dating, they would’ve met alone.

Alice’s thoughts whirled as she tried to piece together the puzzle.

If they were truly dating, perhaps they weren’t ready to meet alone yet. Was that why she was here, as a buffer?

Or maybe she had blown everything out of proportion, and they were just close friends after all.

Her lips quivered as her mind wrestled with possibilities.

Each hypothesis seemed plausible and yet completely implausible at the same time.

No matter how much she thought about it, it all felt like baseless speculation.

There was only one way to find out for sure.

The answer was right beside her.

If she simply asked Eugene directly, she could resolve this endless cycle of doubt.

‘But…’

If she could’ve done that, she wouldn’t be agonizing like this.

‘Frey, what should I do?’

[…….]

As usual, there was no answer.

A heavy silence filled her mind, as if she were entirely alone.

But she wasn’t. Frey was still there.

Unlike the past, when Frey’s consciousness had been buried in a deep abyss, she was now present. She saw what Alice saw, heard what Alice heard, and felt what Alice felt.

She simply refused to speak.

Ever since that day—when she had unleashed brutal violence on Lucia—Frey had remained silent.

Even though Frey didn’t speak, Alice could sense her emotions.

Frey was overwhelmed with shame.

She didn’t have the courage to face Alice—and especially Lucia—again.

Her moment of reckless rage had led to an unforgivable act.

It was a sin that could never be erased.

[…….]

And so, she stayed silent.

Carrying the heavy burden of guilt within her chest.

Alice didn’t push her. She understood what Frey was struggling with and had decided to wait until she was ready to apologize to Lucia.

But that meant Frey couldn’t help her now.

Alice had to overcome this obstacle on her own.

‘Alright.’

She lightly patted her cheeks, mimicking Lucia’s habit of pinching her soft cheeks.

Drawing strength from the memory, Alice straightened her posture.

‘Be brave. You can do this. You promised yourself you’d protect Lucia. If you can’t handle something this small, how can you protect her?’

Alice looked up at Eugene.

With over 20 centimeters in height difference, she had to crane her neck. Her throat was dry, and she swallowed nervously.

“Uh, um…”

“Hm? What is it, Alice?”

“W-Well…”

Her heart pounded in her chest. Talking to anyone other than Lucia was always a challenge.

Her throat felt constricted, and only a wheeze escaped her lips.

“It’s okay. Just speak freely.” Eugene said with a warm smile.

That smile—it was infuriating.

‘Is this how he charmed Lucia?’

The thought made her blood boil.

Ugh…

‘Ughhh!’

Her irritation forced her words out.

“You—you and Lucia… w-what kind of rel—”

She froze, her sentence hanging in the air.

Her expression turned blank, and her heterochromatic eyes wavered violently.

“…?”

Eugene tilted his head, confused.

Something was off about Alice’s gaze.

She looked as though she’d seen a ghost, her focus shifting behind Eugene.

Frowning, Eugene turned to see what she was looking at.

What could possibly be behind me…?

Click.

The sound of high heels echoed clearly.

Despite the cacophony of bustling crowds around them, that distinct sound stood out as if piercing through the noise.

The air shifted, spreading like spilled ink and seizing control of the atmosphere.

Click. Click. Click.

The sound grew louder, drawing closer with each deliberate step.

“Well, well, who do we have here?”

A girl leisurely approached, her parasol slung over her shoulder as though shading her from the glaring sunlight.

Perhaps it was the parasol’s dark crimson hue—so deep it resembled blood—that made the shadow it cast feel like it was dripping.

“Fancy meeting you here, of all places. I suppose this means we share a special connection, doesn’t it?”

The girl’s delicate arms and legs peeked out from under a billowing black dress.

The stark contrast between her opera gloves, which stretched to her elbows, and her snow-white stockings heightened her eerie elegance.

Her obsidian-black hair flowed down to her waist, shimmering like polished onyx with each step.

“You…”

The moment Eugene laid eyes on her, his senses froze.

It wasn’t a metaphor—he truly felt his instincts locking up, as though his body was resisting her very presence.

Taking a step forward, he moved to shield Alice behind him.

His chest felt like it was on fire, his heart pounding so hard it sent adrenaline coursing through his veins.

“Astaroth…!”

Eugene spat the name with a voice thick with tension, his blood boiling.

At the sound, the girl halted mid-step and waved at him with an innocent smile, as if she’d run into an old friend.

“Hello, big brother. Nice to see you again.”

Her voice was light and lilting, but the undertone carried something that sent shivers down the spine.

The girl with the red fox mask let out a soft, playful laugh.

She seemed genuinely pleased to see him.

 

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
At a point where Eugene has already fallen in love with someone else, treating Alice like a younger sister is counterproductive.

He really ended up treating her like a younger sister.

Lucia is such an idiot!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Remember when devils are supposed to stay on low profile? Heh, me neither.