SCT-Novel Chapter 217: The Gathering Of Heroes
Chapter 217: The Gathering Of Heroes
Chapter 217: The Gathering Of Heroes
“What do you mean, husband-to-be?! We’re not in that kind of relationship!”
When Yukika hurriedly denied her relationship with Kim Yu-seong, Fuma Kotaro chuckled knowingly.
“You don’t have to be so embarrassed. I met your mother when I was in high school too.”
“No, it’s not because I’m embarrassed!”
Caught off guard by the sudden conversation, Yukika tried her best to explain, despite her confusion.
Finally sensing something strange, he stiffened and asked.
“Don’t tell me that guy learned everything he could from you and then refused to take responsibility? If that’s the case...”
“That’s not it! Please just listen to me!!”
Finally, when Yukika raised her voice in frustration, Fuma Kotaro obediently closed his mouth.
Yukika sighed, thinking the atmosphere had finally calmed down enough to talk.
“Kim Yu-seong and I are not in the kind of relationship you think. At first, we did try to pass on Swift Wind to him under the condition that he’d become the clan’s son-in-law, but we negotiated with the elders to have him defeat a powerful demon that had settled in the mountain near the village instead.”
“The village elders agreed to that condition?”
“Yes. They probably needed a new successor to fill the void left by you. No one in the village has been able to master Swift Wind since you disappeared nearly ten years ago.”
“Indeed, those cunning old men wouldn’t have agreed to such a condition without a reason.”
Fuma Kotaro nodded as if he understood, then paused, deep in thought.
“So, are you really not in any kind of relationship with that Korean, Kim Yu-seong?”
“...For now, we’re just regular senior and junior.”
“I see...”
He didn’t seem entirely convinced, but Yukika decided to let it slide.
Because that wasn’t the most important thing right now.
“So, was that really the only reason you suddenly came to see me, Father?”
“Does a father need a special reason to come see his daughter?”
“It might be different for other families, but with ours, yes. Why did you leave without a word ten years ago?”
Fuma Kotaro fell silent, seemingly finding it difficult to answer Yukika’s question.
Then, he let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“It’s time I told you. The reason I left the village that day.”
After saying that, Fuma Kotaro pulled something out from his robe.
It was an old pack of cigarettes.
“Mind if I smoke one?”
“Our apartment is non-smoking.”
“...I see.”
Awkwardly putting the pack back into his robe, he spoke with a somber look in his eyes.
“Thirteen years ago, when you were just five years old...”
Her mother, Yukiko, was originally a healthy woman.
She was so rambunctious in high school that she was infamous around the school.
But after giving birth to her in their hometown, she suffered from postpartum fever and her health deteriorated rapidly, leading to her death after a few years of illness.
The village elders approached him as he mourned before her mother’s body and whispered to him.
‘Take a new wife and produce a male heir to continue the family’s bloodline.’
But he truly loved her mother, so he refused their demands.
He believed that bringing a new wife into their home while she was still so young would only confuse her.
“My parents are coming to Japan to see me tomorrow. They said they want to meet you.”
“...What?”
At that moment, my mind went completely blank.
After all, Sasha’s father was Ivan Romanov, the man I had humiliated during Golden Week.
According to Senior Fuma, he was the leader of the Seven Powers, considered the strongest in the underworld.
The man known as Russia’s “God of Destruction” was Sasha’s father.
I couldn’t help but feel my hands tremble as I asked.
“Wh-why are they coming to Japan all of a sudden?”
“It’s been almost half a year since I came to Japan, right? My mother said she wanted to see my face. Video calls every day aren’t the same as seeing me in person.”
“Is that so?”
Warning bells were ringing loudly in my head.
No matter how I thought about it, nothing good would come from meeting Ivan again.
Even though I had defeated him once when he let his guard down, even after all the growth I’ve had since then, he’s still a formidable opponent.
For one thing, normal people don’t just try to kill someone because they’re upset.
His way of thinking is fundamentally different from that of an ordinary person.
But unaware of this, Satoru excitedly chimed in after hearing Sasha’s words.
“Wow, if he’s Russian, Sasha’s dad must be a real macho man, right? I mean, on the internet, you see Russians riding bears on the road.”
I wanted to tell him that was a narrow-minded view, but I couldn’t exactly deny it.
After all, Sasha’s family did keep multiple bears as pets.
Ivan perfectly matched Satoru’s image of a Russian macho man.
“So, what time should we set for the meeting?”
“Wait, hold on. This is so sudden, I need to think...”
As I said that, trying to figure out a way out of this sudden predicament.
“Wow! Come to think of it, we’ve never been to Sasha’s place before, right? Why don’t we all go together this time?”
“...What?”
I was stunned by Rika’s sudden suggestion.
Who was meeting whom?
“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. I can also show my parents that I’m doing well by introducing them to my friends.”
The person who should be rejecting this idea, Sasha, was instead reacting positively, which was driving me crazy.
“So it’s decided, we’re all going to Sasha’s place tomorrow? This sounds fun.”
As Satoru, who didn’t know any better, chimed in, Sasha gave a wry smile and said.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it a house. It’s just a temporary place we’re renting.”
“Hahaha, well, that’s understandable for an exchange student.”
I was envious of the wealth that allowed her to casually refer to a penthouse suite as a temporary rental, but now wasn’t the time for such idle thoughts.
“Wait, wait. Are we really set on going?”
“It’s not like you have plans tomorrow anyway. Or are you trying to ditch us, Yu-seong?”
Disappointed?
I shot a resentful glance at Satoru, who was unknowingly stirring things up, then reluctantly nodded.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Even if I enter the tiger’s den, as long as I keep my wits about me, I’ll be fine.