The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 89: An Unprecedented VIP Guest Arrives (Part One).

An Unprecedented VIP Guest Arrives (Part One).

The means of transportation for the parent-child trip to Hourai Village was—a carriage.

Not because they were being stingy by avoiding air travel, nor because they had no other options.

In fact, Valeria Garden—known as a pureblood vampire before whom even high-ranking vampires would kneel—could have transported a small group instantly with ease. There was no real need to prepare a method of travel at all.

So then, why did Vaahl arrange for a carriage for this important trip with his beloved daughter?

Quite simply—because it felt more like a real journey.

That was the only reason.

He wanted her to see many things.
To learn from them.
To understand that there are cities and lives beyond their own world—something that, for her, wasn’t a given. And above all, he wanted her to create new, joyful memories—more and more of them.

Moved by that wish, Vaahl chose a gentle, leisurely journey by carriage.

But of course, this was Vaahl—a pureblood vampire, and a famously doting father among a race known for going overboard. There was no way the carriage he prepared would be just a carriage.

From the outside, it looked like an elegant, charmingly crafted large wooden coach.
But on the inside—it was closer to a mobile fortress. A chariot in disguise.

It boasted reinforced durability through both physical and magical means, and yet, it prioritized passenger comfort to the utmost. The ride was so smooth it barely even jostled up and down.

It was a luxury vehicle far beyond what even a demon king might use for diplomatic visits—so much so that assigning a price to it was essentially meaningless.

As for the ones pulling the carriage: five renowned female warriors from the centaur tribes served as both horses and coachwomen.

And accompanying them inside, as both a bodyguard and a companion for the daughter, was the Sage of the Rainbow—and her attendant.

And yes, for some reason, Cross was also riding along on this parent-child trip.

As the proposer, planner, and mastermind who had dragged even a pureblood into this scheme, Cross had no choice but to go along with it.

“Honestly, I’m just glad I made sure to arrange a carriage that doesn’t shake,” Cross said with sincere relief. “Now then, my friend, would you care to explain—specifically—what reason you had for involving both myself and my daughter in this plan of yours?”

Vaahl spoke these words to Cross while continuing his cheerful conversation with Ellie and glancing at Roza, who gazed happily out the window.

“Yeah, well… I do feel kinda bad. Truly. But…” Cross started, sheepishly.

“I’m not angry anymore,” Vaahl replied calmly. “Roza’s enjoying herself and making beautiful memories. And as long as I’m with her, I can protect her. So no, I’m not angry. I’d just like to know what your aim is—what exactly you’re trying to achieve.”

Though they’d only met a few times—less than he could count on one hand—Vaahl had heard enough rumors and sensed enough of Cross’s character to know that he wasn’t the type to act out of malice or manipulation.

And if someone like him went out of his way to involve a pureblood vampire, there had to be some larger purpose behind it.

Cross, however, simply shook his head.

“If I told you now, it’d lose its meaning.”

“Oh? So you’re saying…?”

“Once you and Roza actually see Hourai Village, feel it, enjoy it… I believe you’ll both come to the same conclusion I did. If not—then this whole thing was a failure anyway.”

“Hmm… You really aren’t very good at keeping secrets or plotting from the shadows, are you? You may as well have given away the answer just now.”

“Wait, really?!”

Vaahl smiled and nodded.

“Indeed. It was quite obvious. Still, I don’t intend to interfere. Everything depends on how Roza experiences this. There are still a few unknowns, but… I suspect we’ll learn those soon enough.”

With that, Vaahl gazed—not at the wall of the carriage, but through it, seeing dozens of kilometers ahead.

Toward their destination: the hidden village of Hourai.

When they finally arrived—after a month-long journey—they stopped at the village’s entrance, the Seiryuu Gate.

Inside the carriage, Cross voiced his confusion:

“Vaahl… did you do something?”

Roza smiled brightly. Ellie remained quiet. Their expressions puzzled Cross, who couldn’t make sense of the situation.

Vaahl tilted his head.

“Hm? Did something happen?”

“Well… I mean, is this normal?”

“Seems normal to me. At least from my perspective. Is this… unusual for Hourai Village?”

“I mean… yeah. But you guys—”

Cross cut himself off as he turned again to look outside the gate.

There stood a long line of saluting guards, flanked by elegant geisha in exquisite kimonos, waving gently with kind smiles.

It was an absurdly grand welcome.

Over a thousand gate guards, and roughly a hundred geisha.

And importantly—Cross hadn’t told anyone they’d be arriving that day.

They had taken a deliberately roundabout route. Which meant these people had likely been standing like this… for at least a week.

This was far beyond any normal welcome that Cross knew of.

But to the pureblood vampire at the summit of all vampirekind—worshiped by the rest—this was a typical reception.

“Valeria-sama… May I ask something?” Ellie spoke up timidly.

“Of course. And please, feel free to call me Vaahl, Ellie-san.”

“Understood. Then, Vaahl… did you happen to send something ahead?”

“Hm? Oh yes. Since they’d be taking care of my daughter, I made arrangements for accommodations… and a small gift, under the village’s name.”

“A small gift…?”

“Let’s see… under the Jadeite House, I believe I sent one million Brood. And another nine million under the village name. Just a modest ten million total—neatly rounded, of course.”

Ellie let out a small, resigned sigh.

“Ellie,” Cross asked, tilting his head. “That a lot? How much is that, really?”

“Enough to purchase an estate—with land—in the Royal Capital.”

“…Yikes. Yeah, okay. That’s a lot.”

“Although,” Ellie added, “that’s probably not the only reason for this welcome. I’d bet Vaahl also donated under the name Valeria Garden.”

Vaahl nodded.

“Yes. I made the donation under both Valeria Garden and Roza Garden.”

“…Yeah. That explains everything.”

Valeria Garden. Also known as the Vaahl of the Crimson Rose, he was once infamous as the ruler of the “The Bloody Garden.”

Few today remember the details—but anyone who looked into it would be left speechless by the results.

A pureblooded vampire who once ruled flawlessly, revered even by the most prideful of vampires who now bowed in humility before him—a former Demon King.

If such a being announced they were “dropping by for a visit,” along with a massive donation, even the most excessive welcome might still seem insufficient.

“Wow… I always knew, but still—Father, you really are amazing.”

Roza said this with a bright smile.

And that alone… was enough to fill Vaahl’s heart with boundless joy.

Awaiting them beside the now-stationary carriage were two figures in uniform: Gyokuran and Haku.

“We’ve been expecting you,” Gyokuran said politely. “I am the village chief of Hourai, and today’s guide.”

“And I,” Haku added, bowing deeply, “am Haku, acting as interim captain of the Seiryuu Gate. Please, just call me Haku.”

“Wait—where’s Unyou?” Cross asked.

At that, Haku’s expression instantly went dead.

“Cross. When you met that incoherent barbarian of a man, what sort of chaos did he cause? Now, imagine if that happened today.”

“…Got it. Say no more. My soul understands.”

“Even so, I’m only a temporary substitute. Regrettably, I lack the qualifications to lead the gate. But I do believe I’m more than capable as a guide. So today, I’ll do my best—despite my unworthiness.”

“Fair enough. And as you can see, I’m not the main guest here. Make sure Roza has the best time—you see, it’s her very first trip.”

At this, Haku offered a warm smile.

“Of course. Valeria-sama, Roza-sama—you must be tired from your journey. We’ve prepared a seating area and some light refreshments unique to our village. Would you be willing to join us there first?”

“Do you have mochi!?” Roza exclaimed.

“Absolutely,” Haku replied with a nod. “A variety of kinds, all ready for you.”

Roza beamed and, delighted, took Haku’s hand, leading her away eagerly.

“This looks promising,” Vaahl murmured, watching them with gentle eyes.

“U-nyooon.”

Mochi stretched from Roza’s mouth as she gleefully pulled at it with a satisfied grin—pure happiness on her face.

“My apologies for the lack of manners,” Vaahl said. “But if possible, I’d like you to let her be. Everything here is new for her—she’s overwhelmed with excitement.”

Both Gyokuran and Haku shook their heads.

“Please don’t worry. Children behave like that all the time, and she’s eating properly. It’s not disrespectful. Besides…”

Haku glanced toward another table.

There sat Cross, doing the exact same thing—stretching his mochi with an exaggerated “unyooon” while Ellie watched with a resigned smile.

“The Sage is doing it too.”

Vaahl couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

“So, what do you plan to do from here on out? Are we free to move around as we please? Or would it be better to leave the itinerary to you both, like a guided tour?”

“You may choose either option, Valeria-sama,” Gyokuran replied with a genuinely apologetic tone. “However, I must sincerely ask that either I or Haku accompany you at all times as your escort.”

She spoke with clear regret in her voice.

Of course—that only made sense.

There was no need for an escort for someone like the former Demon King, who could not be defeated even by the combined might of the entire village. From her perspective, having a guard follow her around must have seemed like nothing more than a nuisance.

Even so, from the village’s standpoint, it was a non-negotiable condition.

“That’s perfectly fine. Roza is still unfamiliar with how to protect herself, so please do look after her.”

Vaahl responded with a soft smile.

“Thank you for your understanding. Now then, Valeria-sama, Roza-sama—do you have anything in particular you’d like to do? We’ve prepared a few ideas, but we’d love to hear your preferences.”

With that, Gyokuran showed them a handmade guide.

It included beautiful crafts like ornamental hairpins and combs, opportunities for hands-on experiences with tea utensils and soba making, and puppet theatre performances.

Vaahl picked up the pages, spread them out, and showed them to Roza.

“Roza, which one do you want to see?”

Roza answered without hesitation:

“All of them!”

“…It seems this will turn into quite an extended stay. We’re tentatively planning for about a week, but in that case, how much more should I offer in compensation?”

To that, Gyokuran waved her hands frantically.

“Oh no, you’ve already given us far more than enough. It’s perfectly fine.”

“I see.”

“If I may, this isn’t in exchange or anything, but may I ask you one thing?”

At Gyokuran’s words, Vaahl nodded.

“Of course, go ahead.”

“Is this trip meant to focus around Roza-sama?”

“Yes, of course. That’s the whole purpose of it.”

“I understand. In that case, I’ll try to come up with a few more activities that might appeal to children.”

“…Thank you. That would be very helpful. Embarrassingly, I’ve never done anything that could be called child-rearing before.”

“That must be difficult. During your stay, Haku and I will help however we can, so please don’t hesitate to ask. There are many things that only someone of the same gender can assist with.”

To those kind words, Vaahl gave a grateful smile and bowed deeply.

From a table set a little apart, Cross and Ellie observed the exchange while sipping their tea.

“Gyokuran’s really good at this, huh.”

Cross remarked, to which Ellie nodded.

“Yes. Even though she’s nervous, she’s doing her best to understand Vaahl’s wishes and fulfill them. That earnestness, that quiet strength—though it may sound blunt, she seems more suited to working for someone else’s sake than serving as the head of a village.”

She held back the thought, like you, Cross, and continued quietly.

“I see… Well then, I suppose it’s about time.”

Ellie nodded in agreement, and after clasping their hands before their meals, they both stood from the table.

“Vaahl, we’re going to head out on our own now. We’ll still be in the village, so if we run into each other somewhere, let’s chat then.”

“Huh? You’re not joining us?”

“Nope. This is a family trip, right? We’ve got no intention of getting in the way.”

Cross’s reasoning was seconded by Ellie, who nodded.

“But Roza might feel more comfortable with you two around…”

“Haha. That’s just you being nervous, isn’t it, Vaahl?”

Vaahl gave a strained smile.

“…I can’t deny that.”

He genuinely didn’t know what to do for Roza—what would make her happy, or how to act around her. That truth weighed heavily in Vaahl’s heart.

“You’ll be fine. Gyokuran or Haku will always be with you, and if you really get stuck, you can contact us anytime. Besides, this is a great chance to work on that awkwardness between you. You are her father, after all.”

“…Yes. I do hope… that’s how things turn out.”

“Exactly. So give it your best shot, alright?”

Cross slapped Vaahl heartily on the back.

To anyone watching, it would have been an outrageous scene—giving a former Demon King a pep talk and patting him like that. In fact, both Gyokuran and Haku were utterly dumbfounded.

Even so, Vaahl seemed genuinely happy.

“…Very well. I’ll give it some more thought. But if it ever gets too much, I’ll be asking for your help—as a friend.”

“Of course. I’ll come running, both as your friend and Roza’s. So hang in there, Father!”

With those words, Cross stepped out of the shop.

Ellie gave a polite nod and followed after him.

“…‘Father’, huh.”

Vaahl murmured, then looked at Roza with a renewed sense of determination.

“Let’s go explore and find lots of fun things together.”

“Okay! You’d better keep up, alright?”

“Haha, I might get left behind. May I… hold your hand while we walk?”

“Geez, fine. You can, Father.”

Roza let out a playful sigh and smiled.

Even now, both of them still had a bit of awkwardness showing.

Roza was forcing herself to act cheerful and childlike, while Vaahl remained overly cautious and reserved.

But even so, things were working out.

It might still be a clumsy, makeshift version of a parent-child relationship—but it was there. And now, step by step, they were ready to move forward.

So it would be okay.

Both Vaahl and Roza believed that, with all their hearts.