After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

"So many people haven't raised any objections yet, what's your rush... It's better for everyone to complete the process patiently."

The rebuttal was quite forceful, but in the current situation, no one dared to oppose her words.

This golden-eyed beauty, who was suspected of betraying the recently deceased Toyokawa Shoko last night along with Toyokawa Yuu, is not some powerless villa manager.

Regardless of the circumstances, the power of the Wakaba family is indeed significant enough to warrant the attention of everyone present.

However, the people present found it hard to believe in Toyokawa Yuu and even the man in front of them, Wakaba Mutsu, and some even gloated and began to look forward to some other unexpected changes.

Until... the sound of a car approaching and stopping outside the Toyokawa family mansion, the sound of the car door opening and closing drew everyone's attention.

The hurried footsteps were particularly clear in the quiet courtyard, and a blonde figure suddenly entered everyone's sight.

Unlike the other attendees at the funeral who were dressed in suits or formal attire, the person who arrived was dressed casually in what appeared to be ordinary home clothes, and even carried a guitar case.

People dressed like this don't look like they're attending a funeral at all, especially now that the funeral is coming to an end.

Therefore, the woman was stopped as soon as she entered the courtyard and before she could even get close to the hall that had been turned into a mourning hall. She was only allowed to pass after she showed the funeral invitation that Mortis had sent her.

However, some people recognized the blonde beauty who had rushed over and quickly revealed a hint of schadenfreude.

The protagonist of the biggest internal scandal in the Toyokawa family in the last thirty years has returned at this critical juncture.

Compared to the things Toyokawa Sadaharu did back then, the actions of Toyokawa Yuu and Wakaba's daughter last night were rather minor. At least the two of them knew to sneak out of the house and didn't do anything like that in front of Toyokawa Shoko's coffin.

With Toyokawa Hatsune as a precedent, some older guys suddenly felt that both of them were more pleasing to the eye.

Many eyes began to focus on Mortis, wondering how she would handle the mistake of being sent away by Toyokawa Shoko, only to rush back at this critical juncture.

"Xiao Mu..."

Clutching her guitar case, Toyokawa Hatsune looked somewhat helpless under a group of ill-intentioned gazes, and turned her pleading eyes to Mortis, who was closest to the entrance of the funeral hall.

She hadn't expected the timing to be so unfortunate, receiving so much attention so soon after her return.

At the same time, she was secretly relieved. Although it was embarrassing, she had at least managed to make it.

The vehicle carrying the coffin was already parked in front of the door. If Chihaya Aine and Nagasaki Sase hadn't come to pick her up, she probably wouldn't have been able to see Xiaoxiang one last time.

Now, the doors of the mourning hall have been closed, leaving only a small crack, clearly indicating that Lord Youyu is inside saying his final goodbye to Xiaoxiang.

After that, Xiao Xiang's body should be taken to the cemetery for burial.

But would the villa manager, who was looking at him coldly and clearly didn't want him to appear at this time, really let him in and disturb Lady Yuyu?

"You truly have no idea what inappropriate timing means. It's always been this way; you always manage to cause trouble for others at the worst possible time..."

Looking at Toyokawa Hatsune standing in front of her, Mortis tried her best to keep a straight face and not let herself show any more obvious expression. Instead, she gritted her teeth and spoke angrily in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

The door is already closed, and Youyu is inside saying her final goodbyes to Xiangzi. Should I go and push the door open now, and let him disturb Youyu?

But what could they do if they didn't let her in? Were they going to let word get out that someone had come all the way from Europe to mourn, only to be refused entry by the host family?

Mortis, who had already planned what to do today and how to use the Wakaba family as leverage to negotiate with the branch family using the main family's resources, was suddenly forced into a dilemma by the hurried return of Toyokawa Hatsune, which could easily embarrass him.

At this critical juncture, maintaining authority and prestige is crucial, primarily demonstrating control of the situation to avoid being caught off guard later.

Who would have thought...

Mortis's face darkened; she was starting to regret her actions.

If I had known, I should have sent an invitation to Toyokawa Hatsune instead. I should have waited until Shoko was completely laid to rest before telling her the news.

"...Go in through the side door, and don't disturb Youyu. You can only approach after he and Xiangzi have finished saying goodbye."

Ultimately, Mortis, having no other choice, came up with this compromise.

When the last syllable escaped her lips, her eyes were filled with dissatisfaction towards the blonde woman before her.

"Thank you, Xiaomu."

Sincerely thanking the golden-eyed beauty before her, Toyokawa Hatsune could certainly sense Mortis's displeasure at her presence, but that didn't matter anymore.

As long as I can see Xiao Xiang and Lord You Yu, I'm not afraid of being met with cold stares; I'm already used to it.

"and many more."

She called out to Toyokawa Hatsune, who had just obtained her permission and was in a hurry to go around to the side door to enter the mourning hall.

After a moment's hesitation, Ruoye Mu took off his black suit jacket and draped it over the blonde woman's shoulders, covering her overly simple, even somewhat casual, everyday attire.

"No matter what, this is the last time you'll see Xiangzi. Dress up properly, Hatsune."

............................................................

Inside the mourning hall where Toyokawa Shoko's coffin was placed, Toyokawa Yuu was leaning against the coffin, reaching out to stroke the coffin lid that she had personally put back in place.

He didn't feel any deep sorrow or reluctance about his deceased wife's impending burial.

Ultimately, Yuu Toyokawa did not actually intend to accept the fact that Shoko Toyokawa was dead, nor did she intend to let it actually become a fact.

He hesitated to open the door and signal the people outside to move the coffin to the cemetery, simply because... he did not intend to witness Toyokawa Shoko's burial.

He knew Mortis and Ruoye Mu's plan. If he followed their predetermined steps, he might be able to save his life and even retain a small part of his dignity.

Regardless of the circumstances, he is now the de facto head of the Toyokawa family, and on the surface, he still holds some status.

However, I don't intend to listen to them.

The property of the master belongs to you. Why should you give it away for the sake of your own life, which also belongs to you?

Yuu Toyokawa knew that his thinking was nothing more than greed and wanting more, but he had no intention of changing it.

The reason I didn't directly refute Mortis and the others' ideas was simply because I didn't want them to have any unnecessary worries because of my decision.

What's causing Toyokawa Yuu to linger in the funeral hall, her face filled with turmoil, is actually... how she should die.

He didn't have any deadly poisons on him, and Mortis and Ruoye Mutsu wouldn't let him come into contact with them.

He'd never done anything like smashing his head against a wall to his death. If he didn't control his strength and didn't actually die, the embarrassment would be minor, but causing unnecessary worry for Ruoye Mu and Mortis would only make things more troublesome for him.

As for finding a knife in the kitchen or running upstairs to jump... well, Yuu Toyokawa admits that even though he has died several times, he has had the idea of ​​giving up his life to go back to ten years ago, but he is still afraid of death.

Especially the act of ending one's own life.

I can't just wait for those people to come and kill me...

Feeling somewhat ridiculous for her own cowardice, Toyokawa Yuu picked up a burning white candle holder from the altar.

I lack the courage to end it myself; I should leave this to Liehuo.

Holding her palm above the candlestick, feeling the heat of the rising flames, Toyokawa Yuu finally smiled.

The hand holding the base of the candlestick tilted, pouring the hot candle wax onto the altar. It quickly solidified into splattered white spots, melting into clusters of white flowers.

She let go and threw the candlestick into the white flower bushes. The flame quickly rose from her mind and gradually magnified in Toyokawa Yuu's eyes.

Looking at the flames burning higher and higher in front of her, Toyokawa Yuu's initially uneasy heart suddenly calmed down a lot.

He wasn't sure if he really had any self-destructive tendencies; he hesitated before lighting the fire, filled with fear of death.

However, once the fire was lit, a sense of disgust began to rise in his heart.

They complained that the fire wasn't spreading fast enough, and that there wasn't enough fuel. They wished there were more full gasoline drums.

Even... Toyokawa Yuu regretted driving those branch family members out so early; if only she could have burned them all to death.

However, Toyokawa Yuu knew that this was just her overthinking. Setting a fire in front of so many people would probably be extinguished before it even got going.

Moreover, people have legs and can run. Even if he secretly sets a fire, he probably won't burn many people to death, and he might even implicate Ruoye Mu.

There are some things that cannot be done simply because one can go back and reset after death; otherwise, one would not have chosen to protect Wakaba Mutsu last time.

Well, it's actually quite good this way. At least I still have Toyokawa Shoko to keep me company.

As she approached the mansion's gate, Toyokawa Yuu slammed the door shut, which had been slightly ajar, and even locked it from the inside, effectively cutting off her fastest escape route.

Then, disregarding the possibility of burning her arm with the flames, Toyokawa Yuu waved her hand and knocked over all the candlesticks. The flames spread across the carpet and began to lick at everything around her that could be ignited.

The funeral was already lit by carpets, and there were also flammable items such as bouquets and tables and chairs. The fire quickly spread to a point where it was impossible for one person to put it out.

The smell of smoke began to rise, slightly choking, but Toyokawa Yuu did not cover her mouth and nose. Instead, she deliberately inhaled the hot smoke into her nasal cavity, followed by a violent cough.

A feeling of dizziness quickly overwhelmed my mind, and I even started to see some stars in front of my eyes.

Yuu Toyokawa simply sat down next to Shoko Toyokawa's coffin, showing no respect whatsoever for his deceased wife.

However, based on his relationship and how he interacted with Toyokawa Shoko, he felt that Shoko probably wouldn't care too much about his behavior.

The fire gradually started to burn, but fortunately, although the doors of the mourning hall were only slightly ajar, they still managed to block the view from the outside world.

Otherwise, judging by the firelight inside the mourning hall, someone would probably rush in to check the situation before the fire got too big. Toyokawa Yuu could even faintly hear some noisy discussions outside the door, perhaps indicating that the outside world had already noticed something.

With the help of numerous flammable materials in the mourning hall, the fire had spread completely. Waves of heat mixed with smoke would occasionally hit Toyokawa Yuu's face, and the burning sensation and the suffocating feeling of rapidly depleting oxygen made her somewhat delirious.

Resting her head against the coffin, Toyokawa Yuu slowly closed her eyes.

When I open my eyes again, I'll probably be back ten years in the past.

Thinking about it carefully, there have been quite a few changes this time.

The betrayal of Hachiman Kairin, the equal status of Mortis and Wakaba Mutsumi, the departure of Toyokawa Hatsune by Toyokawa Shoko, and Mori Minami, who seemingly lost to Mortis but had actually won completely...

The cause of all these changes should be Hachiman Kairin's betrayal of Toyokawa Hatsune's identity, so what needs to be done next is quite obvious...

"Lord Yuu...cough cough...Lord Yuu..."

Amidst the smoke and flames, Toyokawa Yuu, who was gradually becoming delirious, suddenly heard a familiar shout.

At first, he didn't pay much attention, taking it as a sign that he was about to die and was experiencing auditory hallucinations.

After all, why would the owner of that voice appear here at this time?

It wasn't until a violent shaking came from his shoulder that Toyokawa Yuu managed to open his eyes. A pair of purple eyes appeared in his eyes, brighter than the surrounding firelight.

Hatsune Toyokawa grabbed Yuu Toyokawa's shoulders and shook him violently, trying to bring him back to his senses, but was suddenly grabbed by the wrist by the man who looked like he had already suffocated in the thick smoke and fire.

What are you doing here...?

The face of the blonde beauty in front of her was even slightly blurred, but Toyokawa Yuu still tried to open her eyes wide in the thick smoke, her occasional coughs filled with confusion.

The main gate of the mansion has been closed by myself. Although there is a side gate that can be used to enter, but... why would Toyokawa Hatsune appear here at this time?

"I've come...cough...to see Xiao Xiang, and also...cough cough...Lord You Yu."

Releasing her grip on Yuu Toyokawa's shoulder, Hatsune Toyokawa was also choked by the smoky environment, but at this moment, a slight smile appeared on her face.

Taking off the guitar case from her body and placing it next to Toyokawa Yuu, Toyokawa Hatsune simply knelt down on the already scorching ground.

"This is something that Aine... asked me to give you on my way here... cough... cough."

What? Aine told me all that? I thought Yuu-sama was really dangerous.

No, perhaps it really was dangerous. I personally experienced the darkness of the Toyokawa family back then.

But if Lord Youyu's idea is to follow Xiaoxiang, then these trivial details don't matter at all, do they?

It would be wonderful to die alongside these two.

Just like Yuu Toyokawa, Hatsune Toyokawa also leaned against Shoko's coffin, her smile genuine.

Yuu Toyokawa grabbed the guitar case handed to her by Hatsune Toyokawa and tried several times, but the plastic zipper seemed to have been accidentally burned by the flames, and part of it had melted, so she couldn't open it.

In a moment of desperation, Toyokawa Yuu simply ripped off the zipper, revealing an old, bluish-green guitar.

“Aiyin said, cough...you’ll understand when you see this.”

Resting her head on Yuu Toyokawa's shoulder, Hatsune Toyokawa's face was full of a satisfied smile.

"However, judging from your current state, her and Hachiman Kairin's worries are probably unnecessary... It's alright, I'll stay here with you. To be able to leave with Sho and Lady Yuu, I'll be content even in death—"

【Snapped--】

A loud slap echoed in the burning mourning hall, even briefly drowning out the sound of flames licking at the house.

Yuu Toyokawa left a bright red mark on Hatsune Toyokawa's face with her palm, though it was not very noticeable in the firelight.

Looking at the guitar in front of her, Toyokawa Yuu was trembling with anger. Coupled with the fact that she had been in the fire for too long, she couldn't control her anger and almost for the first time got into a fight with someone.

A guitar...

Are you kidding me? It's just a guitar, and you went straight into a fire to bring it to me?

No, you didn't even die a heroic death to fulfill a promise; you simply felt that dying with Toyokawa Shoko was worth it, even if it meant giving up your own life.

The smile on Toyokawa Hatsune's face, which seemed to indicate she was planning to die alongside him and Toyokawa Shoko, kept replaying in his mind. If it weren't for the lack of oxygen and suffocation leaving him with little strength, Toyokawa Yuu would have loved to tear that woman's face off.

What exactly do you take for what I value most: a safe, prosperous, and free life, and the one life that everyone only has once?