Chapter 76: The Secret Maneuvers of Mizuchi Haruka

"Mizuchi Haruka, why did you come to the Kingdom of Light a few days ago, a small kingdom in the world of gods?"

"Well, my eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki! That kingdom was under attack by rebellious youkai, plotting to conquer it. The Rainbow Goddess Aurora asked for my help to defeat that rebellious youkai."

"Is that so, Mizuchi Haruka, my sister? Did you alone defeat all those rebellious youkai?"

"My eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki, why are you so surprised? I had taken on my strongest fighting form, wielding the magical power of the diamond element. Furthermore, I mastered the magic of the 'Colorful Armament', so even though the rebellious youkai were numerous and ferocious, not only did they not harm me, but I also defeated all of them within a few rounds."

"Mizuchi Haruka, you are truly outstanding! So, how long did it take for you to learn the 'Colorful Armament' magic from the War God Bishamonten?"

"Oh, Kurogami Masayuki, my eldest brother! It didn't take too long in terms of time, but it indeed required a lot of effort! I had to strive very hard to master this magic."

"Well done, little sister, Mizuchi Haruka! So, in a series of missions of the quest to retrieve the 8 magical artifacts with extremely terrifying magical powers scattered throughout all three worlds, as well as in the mission to defeat the rebellious youkai; as to defeat the evil dragon gods of the dragon clan when this clan joined the rebellion with the youkai; you will be a valuable ally to me and Snow Sky-Dog!"

"Of course, my eldest brother, fighting alongside you and Snow Sky-Dog is a great honor and happiness that I will always cherish! But, my eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki, in the confrontation against the rebellious youkai and the evil gods participating in their rebellion; but perhaps you have forgotten that you and I still have another battle ahead!"

"I haven't forgotten, Mizuchi Haruka, my sister! I stand in support of you in the war for the affection of Snow Sky-Dog between you and Seraphina Frostwind, the beautiful human girl."

"Oh, my eldest brother, do you still remember that?"

"Do you think I would be swayed by the events at hand to forget my initial intentions? I'm not that ordinary, am I? So, is it that today you have another date with Snow Sky-Dog? If you need any help, just tell me frankly, I promise to help you to the best of my ability!"

"That's not what I meant, my eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki! I just wanted to tell you that in the journey to the Kingdom of Light, I made a very bold move to win Snow Sky-Dog's affection."

"What move was that, Mizuchi Haruka, my sister?"

"That's a secret, my eldest brother! I can't reveal it to you!"

"Come on, Mizuchi Haruka, tell me! Otherwise, I'll ignore you in the war for Snow Sky-Dog's affection between you and Seraphina Frostwind!"

"Sigh, all right, my eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki! I'll tell you about it. During the journey to the Kingdom of Light, I helped that kingdom defeat the invading youkai, so the Rainbow Goddess Aurora became a close friend of mine. I took advantage of this and asked her for help. I asked her to reveal a secret that Snow Sky-Dog never wanted to disclose to Seraphina Frostwind."

"Oh, is that true? Is that secret that Snow Sky-Dog approached and seduced Seraphina Frostwind mainly because of the orders of the master?"

"You also know about that secret, Kurogami Masayuki! The master confessed it openly to both you and me! Only Seraphina Frostwind doesn't know about it because Snow Sky-Dog concealed it from her too well! Of course, I won't let Snow Sky-Dog, that handsome seductive god, bury this secret forever! I asked the Rainbow Goddess Aurora to dig it up. Seraphina Frostwind will know this secret soon!"

"Mizuchi Haruka, are you being too cruel to Seraphina Frostwind?"

"My eldest brother, Kurogami Masayuki, our master has taught all three of us that sometimes, to fight for the light, I must touch the darkness first!"

"Light? This is just your personal love affair! This matter is purely personal, it doesn't have the grandeur to use the term 'light' as a metaphor!"

"Sigh, my eldest brother, I don't know how to respond to your words other than to tell you that the heart has its logic! And sometimes, in both war and love, we need to use a little cunning. Sometimes you have to do something bad to accomplish good things!"

"Sigh, my sister, Mizuchi Haruka! Winning Snow Sky-Dog's heart is only good for you!"

"My eldest brother, in a competition, there must always be a winner and a loser! Behind the glory of the winner always lies the bitterness and suffering of the loser. That is the law of operation of all three worlds, isn't it? Do you want me to share Snow Sky-Dog with Seraphina Frostwind?"

"Then it's up to you, I'm going to the bar in the world of the gods to have a few drinks!"

"Have fun drinking, Kurogami Masayuki, my eldest brother!"

As Kurogami Masayuki left, Mizuchi Haruka felt a complex emotion stirring within her. She couldn't deny that winning Snow Sky-Dog's affection had become one of the most important goals of her life. But behind that joy and happiness lay her constant worry about the future.

"Mizuchi Haruka, did you do the right thing?" She wondered silently, her gaze looking into the distance, with lingering worries still not dispelled. "Did I have to do those things to protect my love?"

In her confusion, she noticed a young girl wandering alone in the academy's garden of the gods. The sadness on the girl's face made Mizuchi Haruka stop and approach her.

"Is something wrong?" Mizuchi Haruka asked.

The young girl looked up, her eyes lost and filled with confusion.

"I... I don't know what to do anymore. Everything is so chaotic, and I can't understand it."

Mizuchi Haruka looked into the girl's eyes, sensing that her distress was not just a personal issue.

"Tell me," she said gently, "maybe I can help you."

As the girl began to share her story, Mizuchi Haruka felt her worries and pressures diminish, albeit not meaningless. Somehow, helping others was also a way to ease the anxieties within herself.

Listening to the girl's tale, Mizuchi Haruka gained a deeper understanding of herself, realizing that facing and overcoming difficulties not only made her grow but also helped her find the true meaning of life.

As the girl's story came to an end, Mizuchi Haruka offered advice and encouragement, promising to stand by her to help in any situation. The young girl felt lighter after hearing Mizuchi Haruka's sharing and support, and she thanked Mizuchi Haruka sincerely.

As the night fell, Mizuchi Haruka left the academy's garden with a lighter heart. She felt happy and content knowing that she had been able to help someone, realizing that in this life, there was nothing more valuable than sharing and spreading love. This also reminded her of Snow Sky-Dog and other important relationships in her life, and she was determined to continue protecting and cherishing those feelings in every way she could.