The Man Who Remained — His Second Life Began with a Humble Bow of Apology. - Chapter 95: An Unprecedented VIP Guest Arrives (Part Five).

An Unprecedented VIP Guest Arrives (Part Five).

At the back of the Kougyokuya, a renowned teahouse overflowing with lively, cheerful voices of many women, lay a spacious tatami room.

It had been reserved in its entirety, and inside, a crowd of beautiful geisha had gathered, laughing and playing various games with apparent joy.

Using cards, chasing each other, dancing—each activity infused with laughter and life.

At the center of that merry group was a young girl, striking with her long, silky black hair.

She wore a smile so pure and radiant, like a sunflower basking in full bloom, that it seemed entirely fitting for her innocent appearance.

Yet those who truly knew her understood—this girl had not always been able to smile like that.

She had lived for centuries in the body of a child, burdened by unrelenting misfortune and persecution.

Her smile, once twisted beyond her years, had until recently resembled more a cold sneer than genuine happiness.

It was true—she had grown brighter, more open—but a certain childishness still hadn’t returned to her.

To see her now, smiling in a way that matched her emotional age, felt nothing short of a miracle to Vaahl. It alone made the visit to this place worthwhile.

Just as Roza radiated unfiltered joy, Vaahl, her father, too wore an expression of gentleness and calm—a look unthinkable for him under normal circumstances.

“That’s the first time I’ve seen her wear that kind of face… Perhaps, after all, a child truly needs a mother.”

Vaahl murmured softly, to no one in particular.

In lieu of a reply, the geisha standing beside him silently refilled his cup with a clear, fragrant liquid.

Vaahl picked up the cup, lifted it to his lips, and drank.

The first sensation was a sweet, rich aroma that caressed his nose. Then, like a mountain spring, a clear, crisp taste spread through his mouth—followed by a sharp heat that burned like pain as it passed down his throat.

A flavor far beyond the reach of wines or ales, which lacked the strength to deliver such fire. And yet, unlike whiskey or spirits that burned too fiercely, this drink still held the gentleness of water.

The pain was not unpleasant. On the contrary, it was a comforting, familiar sting—something soothing in its warmth.

Simple, and yet sharp. Painful, yet strangely pleasant.

The taste of the drink reminded Vaahl of his own journey—of the long road he had walked.

He was swept by a wave of nostalgia and reflection.

“…Forgive my boldness…” the woman who had poured the drink murmured suddenly, prompting Vaahl to gently set his cup down.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Well, if you are considering finding a mother for Roza-sama… I must admit, I would not recommend it.”

Her unexpected statement surprised him. She had been with him for hours, since before dinner, but had spoken no more than a few curt, businesslike words.

“I see. I looked at Roza enjoying herself here and thought she should have more female company. But tell me, why do you feel otherwise?”

Vaahl turned his gaze toward Roza.

“Right this way! This way!”

“You’re doing great!”

The geisha women led the blindfolded Roza by the hand as she walked uncertainly.

“Wait, wait! Go slower!”

“You’ve got to keep moving! That’s the game!”

“Ahhh! I’m going to fall! I’m going to fall! Eeeeek!”

Even as she shouted in protest, Roza laughed with a joy that came from the deepest part of her heart.

“…This is only my opinion,” the woman beside him continued, “but Roza-sama is terrifyingly perceptive for her age.”

“I appreciate the compliment. But does her cleverness mean she doesn’t need a mother?”

“No. I think a mother figure is important. But only if she is a woman whom you, Valeria-sama, truly love and accept as your wife. Without love, I believe the result could be worse than nothing.”

She said it without hesitation.

In the woman’s eyes, Roza had grown up with ample love.

So much so, in fact, that she might already possess more emotional maturity than the woman herself.

Roza had grown into someone who could easily survive—even thrive—without the presence of a mother.

And if Vaahl were to take a wife merely for himself, Roza’s heart, wise beyond her years, would likely grieve.

“On the contrary,” the woman added, “what Roza needs most might be time like this—time where she can just be a child again and enjoy herself. I suspect she usually restrains herself, acts older than her age. That’s why what she needs isn’t necessarily a mother, but companions—friends, relatives, anyone—with whom she can simply be carefree.”

Vaahl’s eyes widened slightly at her insight.

“…I see. You’re right. What Roza needs is someone with whom she can reclaim the joys of childhood.”

“Forgive me if I overstepped.”

She bowed lightly, refilled his cup, and took a step back. Vaahl picked it up, and again, let the liquor burn down his throat.

The road ahead would be long and difficult.

He, who had never raised a child before, wondered if he could truly raise Roza on his own.

No—he knew he couldn’t. That much was obvious.

He would have to rely on others. He would need support. And even with that, uncertainty would still remain.

And yet, Vaahl felt deeply grateful.

Grateful that he now had something in his life—a reason to live, a will to move forward.

For someone so used to doing everything alone, confident in his own power, the simple act of child-rearing seemed impossibly complex.

But this pain, like the warmth of the drink, was something he had come to treasure.

“…All that said, would you marry me?”

The words came suddenly, without preamble. “After all, it would be ideal for Roza to have someone like you by her side. And with a woman who cares for her as much as you do, I believe I could make a marriage work.”

The woman responded with a gentle smile.

“I must decline.”

“May I ask why?”

Vaahl was a pureblood, a noble, a former Demon King.

Women often flocked to him in overwhelming numbers—so many that he could scarcely see them as individuals anymore.

He hadn’t expected rejection.

“As I mentioned earlier, unless true love is involved, any woman who takes on the role of Roza’s mother would likely hinder her growth. She is both more intelligent than most of us seasoned demons and still so very young. I see her as both.”

The woman hesitated, then added, “And there’s one more reason.”

“For future reference, may I ask?”

“I will only give myself to someone who truly loves me.”

She smiled as she said it, and in that moment, Vaahl realized his mistake.

“…I apologize. I did not mean to insult you. I was merely foolish and ignorant in the matters of the heart. Please forgive the arrogance of a man who has lived too long without learning enough.”

“Please, think nothing of it. But if I may say so, that kind of confession will never win a woman’s heart. And I assure you, any woman swayed by such words would not be right for Roza.”

“Your wisdom… I shall take it to heart.”

With a wry smile, Vaahl downed his drink in one go—her words burned more than the liquor.

“My, what a way to drink. So… how did it taste?” she asked, refilling his cup.

“You mean the drink?”

“Yes. Did you enjoy it? Feel pleasantly intoxicated?”

Vaahl took the cup again, let it flow smoothly down his throat, and murmured slowly,

“It tastes wonderful. But… truthfully, I can’t get drunk. Not with something like this, at least.”

Alarmed, the woman bowed hastily.

“I’m terribly sorry! I’ll fetch something stronger right away—”

“No, this is fine.”

He spoke gently, tilting the cup again.

His face didn’t look bored. It looked… quietly joyful. A little lonely. A little happy.

“If I may say, we can bring out much stronger drinks if you’d like…”

“No. I don’t wish to get drunk in front of my daughter. Besides… I’d rather be drunk on her smile—and on you, working so quietly for my sake. How’s that for a line?”

Vaahl gave a charming smile.

A face that would turn heads of both men and women alike, speaking so sweetly—it would be intoxicating to most.

But…

“I’d give it… thirty points. Being generous.”

“That harsh, huh? May I ask why?”

“Well… figuring that out is part of understanding a woman’s heart, don’t you think?”

“…A difficult thing indeed.”

“Of course. That’s why being a father to a girl is so hard.”

With those words, Vaahl let out a helpless smile.

“Goodness. You’re right. That’s one for you. Yes, I’ll think on it—seriously. For Roza’s sake.”

At that, the woman offered him a soft, approving smile.

Vampires, by their very nature, are famously difficult. Among them, the purebloods are especially troublesome—temperamental, prickly, and often regarded like volatile bombs one would do well not to disturb.

More accurately, it’s because they are so self-contained within their own kind that they rarely extend genuine affection toward others.

Put simply, purebloods are so deeply introverted and exclusive that interacting with anyone outside their own is a source of considerable stress.

Yet now, Vaahl showed none of that typical aloofness.

Perhaps it was because Roza was with him. Perhaps it was because she was enjoying herself.

Those were factors, surely—but the true reason lay elsewhere.

It was that the women of the Kougyokuya teahouse possessed an extraordinary talent for sensing and respecting personal boundaries.

Roza, who had only recently realized that she herself was a vampire—let alone that her father was a pureblood—was an exception. But Vaahl was no ordinary pureblood. He ranked among the highest of their kind.

Naturally, he bore the traits of his lineage in full, including a deep aversion to contact with other races.

And yet, the geisha of Kougyokuya had adapted with remarkable grace to Vaahl’s extremely broad personal space.

To be specific, only one geisha was ever allowed to attend to him directly.

She was not only skilled in her art and well-educated, but also experienced in child-rearing—chosen with great care.

Even then, she made no unnecessary moves. She limited herself to tending to his immediate needs and engaging in only minimal conversation.

By traditional standards—especially in a place meant to entertain men—this approach bordered on neglect. Yet this quiet, unintrusive time was exactly what Vaahl found most comfortable.

In truth, he was deeply grateful that the establishment had made such a profound effort to respect his nature.

Thanks to their attentiveness, he was able to spend time among non-vampires for the first time in ages without discomfort or resentment.

“…Come to think of it, even when I was with him, it didn’t feel all that bad.”

Murmuring to himself, Vaahl took a drink, his thoughts drifting momentarily to Cross.

Drinking while thinking of another man—he couldn’t say it enhanced the flavor.

As he nursed that thought, he felt a small tug at his sleeve.

Turning, he saw Roza looking up at him, and his face instantly melted into an absurdly doting smile.

“What’s the matter, little one?”

“…I’m getting sleepy…”

Roza rubbed her eyes, her head bobbing with drowsiness.

“It is getting late, after all. Very well, then—”

Vaahl began to rise, intending to lie down with her. But Roza turned toward the geisha instead.

“The nice ladies said they’d sleep with me tonight. So, goodnight, Daddy! Make sure you wake up on time tomorrow, okay?”

With that, she waved her hands cheerfully and toddled off, vanishing into the hall alongside a small crowd of geisha.

Left behind were only Vaahl and the one geisha assigned to him. The large tatami room, once filled with warmth, suddenly felt hollow and painfully quiet.

“…So this is… what they call a rebellious phase…”

Vaahl slumped, his voice a mix of disbelief and melancholy. The geisha watching him couldn’t help but smile wryly.

She knew she ought not make such an expression toward a guest, but his demeanor was too endearingly pitiful to resist.

“Roza-sama is truly… exceptional. To a degree that’s almost frightening,” she murmured.

Vaahl turned toward her, curiosity piqued.

“What do you mean by that?”

“She’s worried about you, Valeria-sama. I believe she was afraid she might’ve had all the fun while you were left out. She knows you’ve been thinking of nothing but her all evening.”

“Well, of course I have. My happiness lies entirely in hers.”

“And for Roza, it’s the same. I think she left you behind tonight so you could enjoy yourself, too… even, perhaps, to spend some time flirting—or more—with a lady.”

At those words, Vaahl made an expression of deep discomfort.

The truth was, he had no such desires. In fact, the prolonged presence of other races nearby often made him irritable.

The idea of forming a close bond with the geisha was unthinkable.

And yet… his brilliant, kind, adorable, genius of a daughter had gone out of her way for him.

To reject that gesture outright would feel like betrayal.

It put Vaahl in a genuinely awkward position.

“…Forgive my forwardness, but… I…”

“Yes. I understand.”

With that, the geisha rose quietly to her feet.

“Please wait just a moment. The others are preparing something more suitable for your enjoyment.”

“So… your part ends here?”

“Yes. Unless you have… certain needs I can assist with, I’ll be retiring for the evening. That said, if you’d like to enjoy yourself with me, even now…”

Vaahl shook his head.

“…I’m sorry. I’ve probably made you waste your time beside a man too boring for words.”

He lowered his head respectfully.

Seeing this, the woman smiled softly and shook her head.

“I expected this outcome, to be honest. But surprisingly… I actually enjoyed myself. I learned that even purebloods aren’t so different from us.”

“…In what way, exactly?”

“In the way you worry about your child. The way you think, the way you struggle to do your best. That tenderness… was truly beautiful to witness. Honestly, if I were your wife, I’d probably find myself jealous of your daughter.”

Vaahl was at a loss for words.

As he fumbled silently for a response, the geisha simply smiled, bowed gracefully, and slipped away without a sound.

“…Communication really is difficult.”

The words, coming from a former Demon King, sounded absurdly vulnerable.

With that, Vaahl lifted his cup and drained the now-lukewarm sake in one gulp.

Perhaps because of the changed temperature, the flavor hit far stronger than before. The burn in his throat was so fierce, it left his chest itching with heat.

Such a subtle shift—just a change in warmth—had transformed the entire experience.

Compared to that nuanced sake, he thought wryly, he himself felt flat and one-dimensional.

With a sigh, Vaahl exhaled slowly and deeply into the quiet night.