Chapter 360 - ALI MINI THEATER Side Story 18

"You have to stay away, darling. You might get infected too," Suzuki Akihiko told his wife as he tried to fend her off with a hand.

It's his third day in bed due to the flu. He was someone who didn't really get sick so easily but when he did, it would be bad as it was the case at the moment. Because of this, he sent both his children to his father's house so they wouldn't catch the illness.

Aki and Ara were both still young – ten and three years. He didn't want his children to be sick.

"What you are talking about? Silly," Kaoru answered fondly as she wiped her husband's sweaty forehead. "Have you forgotten about my ability?"

Akihiko stopped, remembering that one tidbit. He looked thoughtful for a bit as he scrutinized his smiling wife's face and then gave up. "Alright…"

Suzuki Kaoru was the former princess in Homura House, after all. She was not directly related to the first family, but her existence was a special one. Why?

It's because Suzuki Kaoru was the only remaining descendant from the Ritz Kingdom on earth – at least the only remaining one who had a divine inheritance. Her family had long since lost their abilities and now lived like normal humans. Most of them with the blessings from the Homura House even integrated themselves among the mortals and lived amongst them, letting go of their divine roots which had abandoned them. They didn't have any choice anyway. The blood of Perun and Raiden no longer flowed in their veins.

Except for Kaoru.

Kaoru was blessed with Perun's sealing ability. It was such a mediocre version, but still a valuable and very rare ȧsset. Therefore, since she was old enough to show her abilities, the Homura House took her in and was raised at the Cedar Palace, although in secret.

Why?

Well, Kaoru's power was a special one, indeed, but at the same time, she had an uncanny and unfortunate trait that made it difficult to expose her to mortals when she was younger. Her Divine inheritance was so unstable it suddenly explodes, and this made the mortals around her totally attracted to her which caused a lot of trouble.

Literally.

This was why, she remained a hidden gem until she reached ȧduŀthood, when she finally learned a semblance of control – well, at least better than before. She did still have "accidents" when she unleashed her celestial aura, but not as much.

Still, the Homuras let her enjoy a normal life and enrolled her at a university where she met and fell in love with her husband, Akihiro. At first, they were thinking that the Homura House would be against their union. However, contrary to their fears, the Cedar Palace even supported them and even allowed Kaoru's selfish request of letting them live normally as well as their children.

It was only when the Koutaishidenka was born that the Homura House had urgently summoned her and informed her of the prophecy that they directly contacted their family. It was to inform them that Kaoru was the destined mother of the chosen maiden, Kresnik's bride.

That's right. The seer of the Homura House had a powerful premonition when the Koutaishidenka was born. She had clearly indicated in her prophecy that their next child would be a daughter and the fated one of Ryuu.

Even if the Suzuki couple didn't want to agree to the arranged marriage, as someone who grew up at the Cedar Palace, and someone who was a descendant of the people of Ged, the couple was aware of the prophecy's significance ergo their reluctant agreement. However, they had requested that everything would be kept a secret from the Suzuki children until they were old enough. This meant that they wouldn't make the agreement known until after Ara graduated from middle school.

Going back, Suzuki Kaoru's sealing power could also fend off anything that might infect both her body and soul. She was not only immune to parasitic elementals, but she's also luckily immune to normal human illnesses caused by infections and viruses.

At least, she wouldn't die because of a disease.

"But still, you don't have to cater to me so much," Akihiko added. Even if Kaoru wouldn't catch his flu, he still worried. He guessed it was only normal since she was his beloved wife.

"Quit your worrying, mister. You're stuck with me. If you don't want me to fuss over you, then hurry up and get better," she scolded him with a mischievous grin.

"You…"Akihiko was exasperated but was not able to finish his reprimand when his wife smiled at him so brightly.

"You can't get rid of me. I'll be with you forever," she said confidently.

Akihiko then renewed the vow in his heart that he too, would stand by and be his wife forever. He would follow her wherever she might want to go.

Years passed, their love only became stronger. However, since she was someone who was special, it couldn't help that her path in life was also rough. In the latter years, the activity in the portal had gotten weirder and unpredictable. Even if she hadn't really returned to the Cedar Palace in ten years, she would still receive information about the elementals that wandered out of the portal and would sometimes aid the Fuuma to eradicate them – well, in her case, Kaoru sealed them.

Nonetheless, things were not easy to deal with all the time, most especially when Kaoru accidentally let one shadow lurker escape. What more, the dark elemental had attached itself to Kaoru. Since she was immune to infestation, it quickly transferred to the first vulnerable person she had encountered.

Technically, the first mortal she could transfer the parasite to was her husband. But Akihiko didn't harbor anything negative in his heart. Therefore, he was a bad host for the shadow lurker. Nonetheless, his younger brother was a perfect host for it with his scheming heart.

It was that time when Akihiko's younger brother was caught making under the table dealings and secretly taking funds from Suzuki Raiden Group. Both Akihiko and her confronted Daizo about it.

She should have known. She should have taken good care not to come in contact with anyone for a while. But that time, she was not thinking. She had been too upset to realize what was going on until it was too late.

And it was…

Months after the infestation, Kaoru had decided to clean up the mess she created herself. With the Cedar Palace's blessing, she had faced Suzuki Daizo, ready to seal him, but her husband found out and came to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Did you really believe I didn't know?"Akihiko countered.

He was aware. He knew.

After a month of being careful, Kaoru had only informed him that they were being stalked by his brother. But Daizo's mental downgrade was just too abnormal he refused to believe that it was natural.

"I told you I will follow you wherever. He's my brother. We will fix this," he told her.

Whenever Kaoru used her sealing powers, her energy got depleted. She was not that strong anyway. This evolved shadow lurker could even harm her. She needed energy and he was willing to give her that.

It was the perfect plan – and they almost won.

However, before they were able to seal the shadow lurker within Daizo, a huge shadow appeared behind the younger Suzuki, horrifying the couple.

A harpy!

Ozomene swooped down and devoured the shadow lurker within Daizo and forcefully made him her host.

"My Lady, we can't seal him anymore!"

"We should get the Koutaishidenka and the Young Master Gin," they suggested but it was futile.

Both were in Hakone. They couldn't arrive on time.

The Fuuma had lost all hope. However, they couldn't just give up. If they retreated, Daizo would go on a rampage with Ozomene, and the whole of Tokyo would be annihilated within the night.

"Darling?" Akihiko called his wife who had on a scared, and yet, determined expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry, my love," she told her husband, and instantly Akihiko knew what she meant.

"What are you talking about? Take me with you," he told her as he took her hand.

"But the children…"

"They are old enough to care for themselves. If we don't do this many people will die," Akihiko reminded her.  

Tears started streaming down her face, but her husband was right. She wiped her tears with her other hand and gave her husband a look of love and a smile as a seal appeared upon their feet.

"Then let's go together…"