After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

However, he never intended to gamble on whether Mortis could save himself.

Regardless of whether Mortis's plan succeeds or not, the Lord's property will certainly not be preserved.

These things that should have belonged to him, the things that Toyokawa Shoko left him, were now being divided up and devoured by the family... He would rather hold them tightly in his palm and let them all drown together.

so......

“Mortis said, ‘This pocket watch is the one I gave you at our wedding ceremony… Sooner or later, I will make you return it to me yourself.’”

Chapter 144 As long as it's not from the heart

"Aine, Soyo, thank you so much for helping me..."

In a black sedan heading towards the Toyokawa family mansion, a blonde beauty sat side by side with Chihaya Aine in the back seat, her eyes filled with relief, repeatedly thanking the other two ladies also sitting in the car.

She was actually aware that, although they were friends, her relationship with Nagasaki Sose wasn't particularly close or intimate.

To a large extent, the other party was only acting on Toyokawa Shoko's request to help him leave Tokyo.

If it weren't for the connection with Toyokawa Shoko, the other party probably wouldn't have been very willing to contact him.

Otherwise, Nagasaki Sase wouldn't have stopped contacting him even after Toyokawa Shoko's death.

As for Chihaya Aine...

Turning to look at the pink-haired beauty with a deep expression, who seemed much more mature than when they last met ten years ago, a bad premonition rose in his heart, and he didn't even dare to look her in the eye.

After all, it's true that I wasn't the mastermind behind the incident where that woman in the gray trench coat left Tokyo, nor did I need to take any responsibility, but I did put considerable pressure on her back then.

In Chihaya Aine's eyes at the time, she was undoubtedly a villain, the idol she had once worshipped.

I'm naturally extremely grateful that the other party is willing to help me, but...

"No need to thank me. Actually, it was Anon who brought me here. You should really thank her."

Nagasaki Sase, who was driving, did not accept Toyokawa Hatsune's thanks, but instead steered the conversation toward Chihaya Aine.

In front of Toyokawa Hatsune, an outsider, Nagasaki Sosei, as always, adopted that cloyingly sweet and even somewhat shrill voice that would make Toyokawa Yuu feel nauseous if it reached her ears.

However, although the two people sitting in the back seat could not see the face of Nagasaki Sase who was driving, they could still hear a hint of genuine joy in her voice.

Even if it's possible that she just thinks it's more convenient for her to use her resources since she's currently quite wealthy and powerful in Tokyo, Chihaya Aine is still willing to take the initiative to contact her.

I helped Aine contact Toyokawa Hatsune, which was a way of helping her since she was all alone in Tokyo. I wonder if she can help me out in return?

Even if I no longer expect her to forgive me, at least... I should meet up with everyone from MyGO!!!!!

With a slight tightening of his grip on the steering wheel, Nagasaki Sase felt a certain anticipation in his heart.

She wasn't sure what Chihaya Aine was planning to do with Toyokawa Hatsune, but she suddenly received her request for help last night, so she immediately took action and didn't even go directly to the Toyokawa family mansion today.

Having learned from past experiences, Nagasaki Sase has come to realize that many things he thought were right were actually just wishful thinking.

Not everyone thinks the past is important; everyone else is already moving forward. Only you are fixated on the past and can't move on no matter what.

In fact, she still feels the same way now; otherwise, she wouldn't have been so happy when she received Chihaya Aine's request for help.

However, Nagasaki Sase has learned to be more discreet.

No matter what Chihaya Aine, who had finally agreed to communicate with her, wanted to do, she neither intended to ask nor interfere. As long as there was no danger, she would just silently be her tool.

Once she has completed everything she wanted to help with, the connection between the two will be re-established, and Chihaya Aine will no longer be able to leave without a care in the world as she did back then.

I don't expect her attitude towards me to return to what it used to be, but at least... by then, she probably wouldn't refuse my request to get everyone together again.

Thinking of this, a bitter smile involuntarily appeared on Nagasaki Sase's lips.

Even now, I still haven't gotten over that day... or rather, those two days.

Firstly, it was the day Shoko Toyokawa announced the launch of CRYCHIC.

Secondly, it was the day that Yuu Toyokawa saw Aine Chihaya off on her flight away from Tokyo.

Thinking about it carefully, I realized that I had an unimaginable karmic entanglement with that couple. To this day, I don't even know whether to blame them for throwing me into the past twice, or to lament that I am a genius who brought this upon myself.

"Aiyin, thank you for helping me. I really didn't expect to have the chance to see you again."

It's unclear what Nagasaki Sase is thinking, but since she says the person she should thank is Chihaya Aine, then Toyokawa Hatsune, who is currently all alone in Tokyo, will naturally not forget to express her gratitude once again.

"It's nothing. I just feel that Youyu needs you more right now."

Without looking at Toyokawa Hatsune's purple eyes, Chihaya Aine turned her gaze to the side, watching the scenery outside the car window rushing past.

Since Chihaya Aine couldn't see her eyes, Toyokawa Hatsune naturally couldn't tell what she was thinking.

But since Toyokawa Yuu is involved, I'm afraid...

"Xiao Xiang has just passed away, and Lord Yu Yu must be very sad. However, I think that if you, Aine, could go and see him, Lord Yu Yu would be happier than me, someone who only ever causes him trouble."

Even though they haven't seen each other for several years, Toyokawa Hatsune still habitually uses a respectful term when addressing Toyokawa Yuu.

However, this name, which is completely different from the one ten years ago, still bothered Chihaya Aine.

"Yu Yu...sir?"

The polite and hierarchical form of address made Chihaya Aine pause for a moment, and finally she uttered a remark that was hard to tell whether it was a joke or a sign of disdain.

"I never expected Youyu to have this kind of hobby."

"No, Aine, please don't misunderstand Lord Yuu. I only use this title out of respect for him."

Seeing that Chihaya Aine seemed to dislike Toyokawa Yuu because of how she addressed her, Toyokawa Hatsune quickly spoke up to explain.

When her identity was brought to the forefront by Hachiman Kairin, her biological father was implicated, and even the long-expelled Lord Seigaku was helpless, she was almost in despair.

She couldn't understand why Hachiman Kairin would go back on her word. She had promised to keep her secret, but then chose to reveal it at that particular time and even sent the information to the branch family.

He clearly... truly trusted her, and even after Lord Youyu and Xiaoxiang got married, he would regularly update her on their lives.

However, in any case, Hachiman Kairin's sudden betrayal really pushed her to the brink of despair. At that time, Toyokawa Hatsune even thought about whether she should just disappear from this world.

My very existence is a mistake, and I've done so many wrong things because of my willfulness.

He abandoned his mother and sister, harmed Xiao Xiang's father, then harmed his own biological father, and in the end, even Xiao Xiang was implicated by him... It's probably not inappropriate to call himself a jinx.

But in the end, the one who reached out to him and offered to cover his tracks was the man who had been quietly cleaning up everyone's messes since the Ave Mujica era.

Toyokawa Hatsune had no idea how much Toyokawa Yuu had paid behind the scenes. She only knew that Yuu had finally supported Xiao Xiang in formally taking her into the Toyokawa family, and that Xiao Xiang had sent her to Switzerland to keep her away from this troublesome place.

Hatsune, your long-held wish has now come true. You can truly say that you and I are family now.

On the day he left Tokyo, Yuu Toyokawa did not come; only Shoko Toyokawa carried his suitcase and saw him off at the airport.

She wasn't Chihaya Aine after all, and she didn't deserve to receive this kind of treatment from Toyokawa Yuu.

In the end, all that remained of his memories of the city was Toyokawa Shoko's excuse, which seemed to be deliberately driving him away.

From now on, think carefully about what you truly want to do, and stop carrying the burden of living for me.

"I see. Youyu is really selfless towards his own people. He does care about you. It seems that I was right to come to you."

After silently listening to Toyokawa Hatsune's explanation, Chihaya Aine didn't even turn her gaze back, but simply spoke softly.

"Unlike me, I have never really given anything to him, nor have I ever really asked anything of him. In the end, we were just passersby in each other's lives, and we only showed some unnecessary smiles on the part of the road we walked together."

Hearing Chihaya Aine's incomprehensible words, Nagasaki Sase, who was driving in the front seat, completely shut his mouth, giving up any thought of getting involved in the conversation.

This is not a topic I should get involved in. In fact, it would be best if no one spoke up at all, letting Chihaya Aine herself turn the page on this unappealing topic.

"Aine, please don't think like that. For Lady Yuu, besides Xiangzi, the most important person is you."

That's really bringing up the very thing I shouldn't have said...

Nagasaki Sase bit her lip, forcefully suppressing the urge to speak.

Saying such things at this time, even if it's meant to be sincere comfort, sounds almost like mockery or sowing discord.

When Chihaya Aine left Tokyo alone, dejected and heartbroken, even Toyokawa Yuu only went to see her off.

If Chihaya Aine is truly that important to Toyokawa Yuu, why is it that the things he did for his former best friend are far less than what you, who have always caused him trouble, have done?

Nagasaki Sase suddenly felt a bit stuffy in his car and even wanted to say a few words of comfort to Chihaya Aine.

If she gets angry because of what Toyokawa Hatsune said and chooses to leave Tokyo like she did back then, her wish will probably never be fulfilled.

But just before her lips parted slightly, Nagasaki Sosei suddenly stopped. In the rearview mirror, she saw something that Toyokawa Hatsune could never see from her angle—Chihaya Aine's eyes.

Calm and profound, completely devoid of the melancholy that should have been present in his previous words of reflection, he seemed like someone sitting quietly on a fishing platform, patiently waiting for their prey to bite.

Biting her lip, Nagasaki Sosei shut herself up completely. She roughly understood why Chihaya Aine had specifically sought her out in order to contact Toyokawa Hatsune.

This woman, who once caused great trouble for Toyokawa Yuu and Toyokawa Shoko, is one of the few people who can now openly visit the funeral parlor and interact with Toyokawa Yuu in full view of everyone.

"...That's true. How could I not understand Yu-Yu's feelings for me? Choosing to abandon everything and run away back then must have hurt him a lot...So, this time it's my turn to run away with him."

"escape?"

Toyokawa Hatsune, I'm a little confused.

She hadn't been back to the Toyokawa family home for a long time. Toyokawa Shoko didn't want her to come back, and she didn't know how to face Toyokawa Yuu.

"Hailin told me that Youyu is in danger now, and she plans to find a chance to take her away from Tokyo."

Chihaya Aine did not hide anything from Toyokawa Hatsune about this matter, and told her everything that Hachiman Kairin had told her the night before.

"Hachiman Kairin is unreliable!"

After hearing what Chihaya Aine said, Toyokawa Hatsune didn't hesitate for a moment before refuting it.

But soon she realized that her rebuttal was somewhat vague.

“I’m not saying Lady Yuu isn’t in danger, but rather that she intends to help Lady Yuu… If she really had that thought, she wouldn’t have done so many things that were harmful to Lady Yuu time and time again.”

Is Yawata Kairin doing what's best for Toyokawa Yuu?

No matter how many times this joke is told, Toyokawa Hatsune will never believe it.

During the turmoil in the Toyokawa family, Toyokawa Yuu experienced the greatest hardship and could no longer stay by Toyokawa Shoko's side. She sent him away from Tokyo. Wasn't that all thanks to Hachiman Kairin?

"I also think that Hailin is untrustworthy, so... can I choose to believe you, Hatsune?"

This was the first time Chihaya Aine had turned her gaze to Toyokawa Hatsune since the car started moving. She took out her guitar case from her side and handed it, along with her own guitar, to the blonde beauty in front of her.

"Besides you, I really can't think of anyone else who can help Youyu right now, so... could you please protect him with me, just like Youyu protected you back then?"

He controlled the muscles in his face, managing to force a slight smile at the corners of his mouth.

This smile was no longer as warm as the one from the high school girl ten years ago; it had become much more subdued, as if she had something on her mind all along.

It looked like... the forced smile on Toyokawa Yuu's face during Ave Mujica's troubled period.

“I know Yuyu might be wary of you, but once he sees this guitar inside, he’ll understand.”

"...I understand, leave it to me."

After a moment's hesitation, Hatsune Toyokawa reached out and took the guitar from Ayane Chihaya.

Seeing the solemn expression on Toyokawa Hatsune's face, Chihaya Aine gave a bitter smile to herself.

She roughly understood that this was the feeling Toyokawa Yuu had when she communicated with people.

Words can sound exceptionally sweet if they don't come from the heart.

Chapter 145 You Have No Right to Die for Love (6k)

As time passed, the light of dawn grew increasingly intense, and the morning temperature gradually became hot.

Outside the Toyokawa family mansion, the crowd stared at the door that had been ajar for so long, with only a crack left, and gradually began to lose patience.

Some time has passed since Toyokawa Yuu asked everyone to leave and then spoke privately with Toyokawa Shoko to say some "goodbye words".

Although this time is far from being long, in fact, in the history of the Toyokawa family, there have been instances where some deeply affectionate head couples have locked themselves in their coffins for an entire day during the farewell ceremony.

However, the branch families, who were already impatient to let Toyokawa Shoko rest in peace so as to start the feast that would wipe out the main family's lineage, no longer had much patience and felt that Toyokawa Yuu was deliberately delaying.

Last night, she secretly slipped out with Wakaba Mutsu and didn't come back all night. According to hints from Mori Minami, the two of them even shared a bed in the same room last night.

He did this before his deceased wife was even properly buried, and now he's still putting on this act.

“Miss Mu, the head of the family has been inside for quite a while now. Shouldn’t we… urge him on?”

One of the members who had split up the family leaned close to Wakaba Mutsu and whispered a reminder.

"You have a good relationship with the head of the family, so you shouldn't let him continue to be so sad."

Everyone knows about your shady dealings with that man in the film. Now that things have come to this, you shouldn't keep acting and waste everyone's time.

Mortis coldly turned his head away, his golden gaze so sharp it seemed to pierce through those little thoughts, and stared straight at the "well-meaning" family member who had come to mediate.