The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology.

A Moment in the Night.

Yes, this was her rightful claim.

After having her ears caressed so thoroughly, she deserved to be cherished even more—no, she had to fulfil her original promise to serve that great man with her entire being, leaving no part untouched, and thereby atone for her sins.

Thinking so, Ouka, the Cerberus Trinity, silently infiltrated the Jadeite Inn where Cross was staying that night.

Despite being three bodies moving simultaneously, only a single footstep could be heard, and even that one sound was nearly imperceptible.

It was stealth so perfect that it deserved to be called flawless.

This was the true nature of Cerberus.

Even with multiple bodies, they could move in perfect unison, coordinating instantly and seamlessly. That was their strength as a race.

Furthermore, Cerberus were naturally adept at night operations. Silencing their footsteps completely was trivial for them.

Even Ellie, who could detect by magic, or Cross, with her finely honed instincts from years of combat, would not notice Ouka in her current state.

Yes, nobody could sense the perfectly concealed Ouka—except for the master of this establishment.

When Ouka arrived at Cross’ room, she found Gyokuran standing before it and immediately froze.

Gyokuran, the master of Jadeite Inn and the leader of Hourai Village.

Naturally, to Ouka, a vice-guard of the Suzaku Gate, Gyokuran was an unassailable superior—someone deeply revered.

Though Gyokuran wore a smile, it radiated an oppressive force. Frankly, Ouka was terrified.

“Welcome, visiting so late at night. However, I don’t recall receiving a report that a Suzaku Gate Vice-Guard would be patrolling here today?”

Gyokuran’s voice was soft and low, the kind that could make a man’s knees buckle.

But Ouka understood.

That voice was hiding genuine anger.

“P-Pii!”

A strange squeak escaped her as she cowered in fear.

Gyokuran smiled gently as if to soothe her, stepping closer.

To an onlooker, it would have seemed like a warm, tender scene. But to Ouka, it felt as though he was wordlessly declaring that no help would come.

“So then, why are you here at this hour?”

“Well… um… I… I came to… to apologise…”

As she stammered, her three bodies cast furtive glances toward Cross’ room.

Normally, Ouka paid little attention to clothing, often wearing her armour and helmet even off duty because “choosing clothes and fixing my hair is a hassle.”

Yet tonight, she was uncharacteristically dressed up.

Each of her three bodies wore something different: one in a red kimono, another in a short skirt, and the last in a suit-like outfit.

Usually, all three wore similar styles due to their identical tastes as the same being.

But now, she had deliberately chosen completely different outfits.

This clearly showed her intent: she was trying to gauge which look Cross would prefer.

“…The deputy is an honourable man. He would never want, nor take pleasure in, an apology offered through your body.”

“Th-then… as thanks for saving me from my sins…”

She hastily blurted out another excuse.

Gyokuran shot her a sharp glare.

“Don’t worry, I’m not angry. Just tell me your true intention.”

At that, Ouka deflated, becoming meek and quiet. She whispered softly:

“I came to receive his seed… because he is strong.”

That was her honest feeling.

There was no deep or tragic reason behind it.

In fact, there wasn’t even romantic affection as a man.

It was simple, direct, instinctual attraction.

There were certainly parts of him she liked: his skillful ear rubs, the way he patted her head.

She also felt it would be fun to be with him.

But it was closer to friendship than love.

Her reason for coming here was purely rooted in racial instinct.

Ouka’s mentality, as a Cerberus, was very beast-like.

He had fought powerfully, so she wanted his genes, to pass them on.

Cerberus felt little in the way of romantic love between sexes. Instead, they were driven strongly by loyalty and devotion.

Thus, at times, their minds would be overwhelmed by their instincts for procreation, leading them to act recklessly.

Just as Ouka was doing now.

Gyokuran let out a small sigh.

There was no anger.

It was pointless to feel anger towards someone acting out of racial instinct.

However, he could not simply let her proceed as she wished.

“Vice-Guard Ouka. If this were between villagers, and both parties agreed, I would not interfere. But here, he is the Demon Lord’s representative, and this is my Jadeite Inn. I cannot allow this.”

That was his pride and duty as master of this place.

At the very least, he would never permit anyone not trained in the ways of the Jadeite Inn to provide such services here.

“Y-yes… I’m terribly sorry. For attempting to take the Lord’s guest for myself… Before I further intrude, I will take my leave…”

With her head hanging, Ouka vanished silently into the night.

“W-wait! It’s not that I’m his… I didn’t mean it like th…at…”

Gyokuran tried to stop her, but his words echoed only into emptiness.

Ouka was already gone from the Jadeite Inn.

“That girl… really never listens, does she…”

Muttering to himself, Gyokuran fidgeted with his long, lowered hair, looking uncomfortable.

“Hisu—no, Gyokuran. Do you need something?”

Hearing the commotion, Cross peeked out from his room.

Seeing him, Gyokuran’s expression shifted to slight surprise, then melted into a gentle smile.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Did I wake you? My apologies.”

“No, I wasn’t asleep yet. …You’re not in work mode right now, huh.”

Seeing Cross smile at him, Gyokuran realised his own carelessness and looked troubled.

“Ahem, ahem! Forgive me. Yes, I’m fine.”

“You don’t have to force yourself in front of me, you know. I actually prefer it when you’re natural. By the way, can I ask you something?”

“W-what is it?”

“Are you feeling okay? You haven’t been losing sleep again, have you?”

“Eh? No, I’m fine… Why do you ask?”

“Your face has been red for a while. I was worried. Sorry I haven’t been able to help much.”

How should he describe this feeling, this emotion?

Not knowing, Gyokuran just looked troubled, glancing out the window at the moon.

“…I think I just got a little overheated.”

“If that’s all, then good. Just be careful with those long baths.”

At Cross’ words, Gyokuran smiled softly.

Light-hearted, easy-going, yet strangely grounding.

Talking to Cross always calmed his heart.

That was just his nature.

It wasn’t necessarily a good thing for Cross, but for Gyokuran, speaking with him always brought peace.

His flushed cheeks cooled, his anxious heart settled, and he found himself able to look up at the moon with simple appreciation.

“Cross… May I come into your room for a while?”

At his unexpected request, Cross blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly.

“Anywhere is fine. I don’t have it in me to turn down an invitation from a beautiful woman… Well, technically it’s not my room, just borrowed.”

With that, Cross guided Gyokuran inside.

“I thought the embarrassment couldn’t get worse after the Seiryuu Gate Captain picked a fight… But to think it would continue. Truly, I’m sorry. But… it’s better if I don’t apologise, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right. Honestly, I enjoyed the fight. But… well…”

“Yes, I’ve received the reports. I will ensure stricter oversight of the gatekeepers.”

Gyokuran understood what Cross wanted to say.

More than himself, he cared about others.

‘He can’t stand seeing those in power misuse their position to harm others.’

Even Gyokuran could see that.

“I know it’s hard, though. No matter how hard those above try, it’s impossible to keep an eye on everyone below.”

“Especially Suzaku Gate, with its unique ways… But there is a solution.”

“Oh? I may not understand, but can I hear it anyway?”

“Yes. I will assign the vice-guard Ouka to oversee and manage them.”

“…Why her?”

“She’s extremely capable. When it comes to paperwork, excluding myself, she’s probably the best in the village.”

“…Forgive me, but I find that hard to believe.”

Her wild nature, her refusal to listen, and the way she melted under ear rubs—Cross couldn’t help but categorise her as a ‘dumb dog’ in his mind.

“Cross. She is a trinity. Three bodies, perfectly synchronised, constantly updating information and understanding each other without words. Her learning speed is effectively tripled, and her paperwork processing speed is likewise. It’s hard to measure just how much work Ouka alone can accomplish.”

“Ah… That’s impressive.”

“Yes. I will delegate authority to her and have her produce reports. That should resolve things, at least for now. …Though I admit it’s partly petty retaliation.”

Cross chuckled softly at that.

“This is the first time I’ve heard you let emotions influence your work.”

“Well… she was the cause of all this extra work. And she really is best suited for it.”

“Besides, she said she wanted to atone for her sins. Seems like a good match.”

“Indeed. Speaking of which… is your body alright now?”

“My body?”

“When I heard you collapsed after that fight… I felt a fear so deep it chilled me to the bone.”

“Ah, I’m fine. I won.”

He grinned proudly, and Gyokuran could only smile wryly.

“That’s not what I meant… But yes, you seem okay.”

“Yeah. Ellie healed me, and the medicine worked so well I don’t even feel any lingering pain.”

“Yes. Suzaku Gate’s healing salves are exceptionally effective.”

“Really?”

“Yes. That district is filled with combat-hungry demons. Their medicine was created so they could heal quickly and get back to fighting. It’s incredibly potent.”

“Huh… I should buy some as a souvenir.”

“You won’t even need to buy it. If you ask, they’ll probably give you a whole box.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because, Cross, you’re now… quite the celebrity there.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You know the demons of Suzaku Street are fierce. But despite their roughness, they’re not malicious or self-centred. They’re quick to fight, but generally good-hearted.”

“Hmm.”

“To them, fighting is more than words. It’s a form of communication, a way to understand each other.”

“I see. But why am I so popular? Did they find out I was a former hero’s companion? Or my status as a sage?”

Gyokuran shook his head, smiling softly.

“It’s because you defeated Hibushi, the Suzaku Gate Captain. You didn’t dodge or flee. You fought her on her own terms, enjoyed the battle, stood victorious, and collapsed forward in triumph. That left a deep impression. Right now, all of Suzaku Street is talking about you.”

Hearing that, Cross scratched his cheek bashfully.

“…Haha. That’s… a bit embarrassing.”

“Eh? Haven’t you always been praised? From the past until now, you’ve always been a hero.”

“No… I’m not used to it. Not then, not now. Especially… being praised for who I really am.”

He smiled shyly.

Seeing that smile, Gyokuran felt a sharp pain in his chest.

Cross was simply smiling. And yet, Gyokuran felt tears well up.

Because he understood that feeling all too well.

No one saw Gyokuran as simply himself anymore. Even his name had become a title. He had lost his personal name.

That’s why he understood Cross’ feelings so deeply.

“Even if they learn you were a former hero or sage, the people of Suzaku Street won’t change their attitude. At most, they’ll say, ‘Huh, that’s amazing,’ and move on. What they value is that you challenged their captain of your own will, fought, and stood victorious. They saw you enjoy the battle, laugh, and afterwards, become friends without resentment. They admire that. Do you understand? They saw you, the real you, and that’s why they respect you. Or rather… it is because you were your true self that they came to like you.”

“Haha… I see. So they like this reckless, childish, stubborn side of me, too.”

“Yes. They’re all the same kind of people there.”

“I see… That makes me… really happy. Truly.”

And so Cross smiled.

For the first time, he felt like his true self was seen and valued by strangers. For the first time, he felt like he had finally caught up, even just a little, to his former comrades.

That thought filled him with pure, genuine joy.

After that, they continued chatting idly until it was about time to sleep. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Cross voiced a question that had been on his mind.

“Hey. If it’s not rude to ask… can I?”

“Yes. Please, ask me anything.”

“Um… what exactly is your species, Gyokuran?”

Hearing his words, Gyokuran paused to think for a moment. It wasn’t something she was hiding, nor was it a secret to be kept. Her form was a little unusual, so perhaps Cross, who was originally human, might feel frightened, but he would get used to it quickly. Gyokuran knew he was that kind of man, so she felt no fear in telling him.

Still, simply answering outright seemed boring… and she thought this might be a good opportunity to try again. An opportunity to repay her debt of gratitude.

“There’s a little troublesome condition before I can tell you… would you be willing to hear it out for me?”

Slipping into an old-fashioned dialect from a faraway place, Gyokuran let out not the persona of Gyokuran, but of Hisui, the woman who served at Kōgyokuya. She closed the distance between them, looking up at him, making sure he could not help but focus solely on her.

Seeing Cross react by swallowing nervously, Hisui let out a bewitching smile and then pulled away slightly.

“S-So… what’s the condition?”

“Oh my. Even so, you really want to know about me?”

“Well, yeah… if I can know, I’d like to. I want to know everything about a beautiful woman.”

“Not just ‘beautiful’… I want you to say you want to know me, or I’ll sulk, you know? Is that what you want?”

Saying this, Hisui gently sat down on top of the futon.

“Uh, um… sorry. Yeah. I want to know more about—”

“Call me Hisui for now. That was my name long ago.”

“I… I want to know more about Hisui.”

“…Fufu. Being wanted like that… it’s the greatest joy for a woman.”

As she said this, Hisui patted the spot beside her on the futon, as if to say, come here.

Cross understood perfectly how Tōga had felt. Even if he knew what this was, resisting it never crossed his mind. He simply had no such thought within him.

Drawn to her invitation, he moved to sit next to Hisui on the futon. Then, Hisui lay down on her side and leaned her body against him.

“If you want to know what my species is… my final condition is… if I said it was to sleep with me… what would you do?”

Lured by her words, Cross lay down beside her.

Hisui wore a fabricated smile – a bewitching smile meant to entice men.

Barely five minutes later, Cross was fast asleep, completely out cold.

He slept so soundly that it seemed he wasn’t even aware of the woman lying next to him.

How did it come to this?

She had definitely felt his reaction. Seducing a man was an easy task for Hisui. She could tell he was definitely in the mood. In fact, she worried if someone as susceptible to seduction as him would be alright in his role.

And yet, Cross had not laid a hand on her.

Why?

This had never happened before.

Unlike last time, there had been no reason for Cross to refuse. Hisui hadn’t been forcing herself. She had been happy when he said he would help her. Having someone to rely on for her final moments eased her heart greatly. As a gesture of gratitude, she had willingly, genuinely, as herself, invited Cross.

And yet, he hadn’t touched her.

Why?

Was he simply not in the mood? Did he not find her attractive?

She considered this for a moment but dismissed it immediately. If she couldn’t tell at a glance whether a man desired her or not, she would never have lasted in Kōgyokuya.

So then, what was it?

Was he simply exhausted from the fistfight earlier that day?

That was probably true, but that alone could not be the reason.

What, then, could it be?

As she pondered, the truth dawned on her.

It was such a foolish, utterly ridiculous reason that she almost wanted to laugh.

Cross had taken her words about sleeping together literally.

“My goodness… what a complete fool. Opportunities like this don’t come around often, you know…”

Given Cross’s current position, he could hardly afford the luxury of sleeping with a woman casually. Hisui had meant it as comfort as well, and she whispered this with a wry smile.

However, the fact that he hadn’t touched her made Hisui happy, in a way.

Because no matter how dense, how foolish he was, one day he would surely realise it.

One day, he would remember this unbelievably obvious situation and understand exactly what she had intended that night.

And when that day came… what kind of face would Cross make?

She didn’t even need to think about it.

He would undoubtedly regret it deeply.

“Why the hell did I fall asleep back then when I could’ve had her?!”

He would probably yell something like that.

Missing the chance to sleep with a woman like her, all because of a misunderstanding – there was no way he wouldn’t regret it.

Just imagining it made Hisui smile so much she almost couldn’t hold it back.

Because, after all… for him to regret it so deeply, to mourn the chance to hold her, meant that she, as a woman he couldn’t have, would be etched into his memory forever.

That, too, was a great honour for a woman.

Yes, in that sense, she was very happy.

But… there was still a small sting to her pride, having not been touched.

Only a little, but still, Hisui couldn’t deny that she felt a hint of frustration.

So, before she went to sleep, she leaned forward, pressed her lips softly to an inconspicuous spot below Cross’s neck, and left behind a mark – her mark.

“A visible place… well, I’ll spare you that much. Honestly… you’re such a cruel man.”

Murmuring this, Hisui collapsed onto Cross’s chest, closed her eyes, and let herself drift off to sleep, wrapped in his warmth.