"Why can't you keep your pants on?"
"I'm sincerely devoted to you, you're the best woman."
Hakushi hurriedly said.
This was the truth, words from the heart.
"And Ayane too?"
"Hmm..."
It was hard to say.
But is there anything wrong with a man being lustful? I just don't want to betray anyone's love.
After all, as they have grown into men and women, they won't be so secretive about feelings as before.
To me, they are uniquely irreplaceable.
I would die for them if I had to.
Although I think this way in my heart, saying it out loud feels like something terrible will happen.
"If you're lying to me, I won't forgive you. I'll kill you."
"I'm not lying to you."
"Then what about Ayane?"
The grip of ten fingers grew stronger.
There seemed to be blood under the nails.
"It seems you have no excuse, so I'll kill you tonight."
The murderous intent was apparent.
Hakushi initially thought Ruri was joking, but at this moment, he realized that Ruri might not be joking and was serious.
The sound of wind and snow outside seemed louder.
...
When they woke up in the morning, the stove was still burning, and here it was cozy, unlike the cold outside.
Hakushi's cold still hadn't improved, with severe dark circles around his eyes.
The woman sleeping beside him, not wearing any clothes, also opened her eyes and softly exhaled fragrant breath by his ear, asking, "How many times was I able to 'kill' you last night?"
"..."
His whole body ached, reluctant to speak.
Seeing Hakushi not respond, she knew he was exhausted and significantly deprived of sleep.
Even so, Ruri showed no sympathy but mercilessly ravaged his body.
"I almost thought I really died."
After a long while, Hakushi sighed with fatigue.
"For men like you, two-timing is the best if you're dead."
Ruri gave him a cold glare and ignored his complaints.
This man and that Byakugan woman couldn't say a truthful word, both corrupted together.
Hakushi didn't refute, indeed, he was a despicable man.
He turned around and embraced Ruri's body, one hand caressing her lower belly.
"We didn't use protection last night, could it make you pregnant?"
"Don't worry, on the day the child is born, I'll kill you, the heartless man."
"Stop saying 'kill'; saying such things brings bad luck."
"I hate you."
Hakushi hugged Ruri tighter, letting her rest her head against his chest.
"Then hate me for a lifetime, but I'll love you for a lifetime."
Ruri didn't know whether to be happy or angry; if only she had locked him in the basement when they were young, there wouldn't be so many issues now.
So she opened her mouth and bit hard on Hakushi's bare shoulder.
◎
The night the festival arrived.
A new year began.
In January, the weather turned even colder, but the atmosphere in the city could dispel the cold and bring warmth.
Speaking of it, the New Year's eve festival in the Land of Demons is quite different from Konoha's.
To put it plainly, Konoha's New Year's festival doesn't have much worth praising.
It's just shopping, eating, and watching some festivities, along with some tricks borrowed from unknown countries, amusing people and making Hakushi feel Konoha lacks its own cultural heritage.
Even the Land of Fire has large scale rituals, where the Daimyo specially invites genuine Monks from the Temple of Fire to hold events in the capital.
In Hakushi's view, unique culture isn't just for deepening belief in a particular existence; it's also for strengthening the cohesion and community recognition of the 'organization'.
Although Konoha is the Ninja Village of the Land of Fire, it never holds Monk ceremonies, implying that Konoha and the Land of Fire do not share the same beliefs.
Not just Konoha, but other Ninja Villages and Countries are similar.
Based on this, Ninja Villages and Countries have a long-lasting, effective contract or alliance of interests rather than co-governance or unified authority.
The Land of Demons is a country without a Daimyo, where military, political, and economic powers are entirely under the Witch's control.
Evidently, this country has its charm in mysterious culture involving the Witch, rather than forcefully applying other nations' customs onto the most important festival of the year.
On the main street of Shion City, besides ordinary dressed pedestrians, many people wearing bizarre costumes were surrounded by the festive cheer.
In comparison, Hakushi, Ruri, and Ayane, merely wearing masks to obscure their faces, appeared quite ordinary in the crowd.
The vendor of open-air grilled octopus balls was dressed as a ghost.
The entrance of the clothing store was illuminated with strange lights, making it look like a haunted house, appealing to people's curiosity.
There were also little girls wearing Witch's Attire holding Imperial Coins running by, probably off to slay demons.
The mysterious culture of ghosts and spirits was particularly prominent.
For a first-time attendee, this kind of festival inevitably sparked curiosity.
The huge moon in the sky shone down over the snow-covered roads of the city.
Smoother than in previous years, the streets were cleaner, boosting the enthusiasm for holding the festival.