I Am Campione

Seeing their reactions, Ichika puffed out her chest proudly, flashing a confident smile.

'Hehe, you're surprised, aren't you? Didn't expect an international actress like me to be here, huh?'

Ichika thought they were stunned because of her reputation as a famous star who had made it into Hollywood films. However, what she didn't realize was that they weren't shocked because of her celebrity status.

They were shocked because the woman in front of them was the sister-in-law of the Campione they were waiting for!

Kaoru immediately stepped forward, his face cold as he glared at one of his subordinates who had been arguing with Ichika earlier.

"Were you the one who blocked Nakano-sama earlier?"

"I… I didn't know she was—"

"No excuses. Your salary will be cut for three months." Kaoru interrupted with a cold tone.

"Understood."

The subordinate could only resign himself to the punishment.

"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Ichika asked, concerned. In her opinion, it was just a trivial matter and didn't warrant such a punishment.

Kaoru turned to her, and together with Touma and the other members of the Committee, they bowed deeply to her.

"We sincerely apologize for our rudeness, Nakano-sama!"

"Huh?"

Ichika blinked, her confident expression quickly turning awkward.

'Are they my fanatical fans? They even used the honorific -sama. They're acting as if I'm some kind of noble or something!'

*DING-DING-DING*

Before Ichika could tell them to stand up, her phone suddenly rang. Seeing the name on the screen, she answered it with a playful smile.

"Hello, Rokuhara-kun~ It's unusual for you to call me first. Could it be that you miss Onee-san? That's not allowed~ You already have Itsuki, so you shouldn't be thinking bad thoughts about Onee-san." Ichika didn't miss the chance to tease Ren, which made Itsuki, who was beside her, jealous.

"Ichika-san, let that tomboyish woman and that four-eyed guy come with you." On the other end, Ren's voice came with a snort.

"Huh? But they're waiting for someone important."

"That's me."

"You're not joking, are you?"

Ichika knew Ren liked to joke around, and she didn't want to be the butt of a joke in front of a group of people who looked like bodyguards for someone important.

"Just tell them. If they refuse, let them be."

Feeling that Ren wasn't joking, Ichika could only agree. "Alright, I'll relay your message."

As soon as the call ended, Ichika shrugged and looked at Kaoru and Touma. "So, my brother-in-law said you can come in with me."

However, before she could explain further, Kaoru and Touma immediately exchanged glances.

They had clearly heard the entire conversation.

Without a second thought, Kaoru bowed his head.

"Please allow us to meet Rokuhara-sama!"

"We can't miss this opportunity." Touma also nodded.

"Huh? Aren't you waiting for someone important?" Ichika looked at them in confusion.

"Yes. And that person is indeed Rokuhara-sama." Kaoru nodded seriously, not showing any signs of lying.

'Rokuhara-sama?!?'

Ichika glanced toward the apartment, then back at them.

'My brother-in-law, that playboy jerk? The important person they're waiting for is him?! Isn't he just a regular high school student? Could he actually be the heir of a wealthy family living a normal life?'

Before Ichika could let her imagination run wild, Kaoru politely opened the apartment door and gestured for her to enter first.

'Well, I'll find out soon enough.'

Still not fully understanding the situation, Ichika stepped into the apartment under the respectful gazes of the other members of the History Compilation Committee.

◆━⊰✧⊱━◆

Ren sat casually in the middle of the living room sofa. To his left, Ichika looked at him curiously, while to his right, Itsuki sat with a questioning expression.

Across from them, Kaoru and Touma sat stiffly, clearly showing unusual nervousness.

Ren looked at his two guests with a small smile.

"I must admit, the government moves pretty fast. How did you find me?"

"There were CCTV cameras at the construction site."

"I see."

Kaoru's explanation matched his speculation. At the time, Ren had been in a hurry to leave after defeating the Heretic God. Still unfamiliar with his Divine Authority, he hadn't had the chance to erase his tracks.

"..."

Ren's silence prompted Touma to get straight to the point.

"Rokuhara-sama, we from the History Compilation Committee have come to pledge our loyalty to you."

"Oh."

Ren raised an eyebrow, while beside him, Itsuki and Ichika exchanged confused glances.

"In addition, the Emperor has acknowledged your existence and bestowed upon you the status of Imperial Prince."

"What?!"

Hearing Touma's words, Itsuki and Ichika almost exclaimed in unison.

They didn't fully understand what was being discussed, but they knew one thing—the status of a prince in Japan wasn't something that could be easily obtained!

Itsuki, still trying to process the information, unconsciously hugged Ren's arm, her eyes filled with confusion as she looked at her husband.

"Husband… can you explain what's really going on?"

"Rokuhara-kun. Don't tell me this is some kind of over-the-top joke?" Ichika wore a skeptical expression.

"..."

From the beginning, Ren had no intention of hiding his power from the women beside him. He just hadn't found the right time to reveal everything.

Now, with the History Compilation Committee already aware of his identity, and Ichika and Itsuki sitting beside him, Ren felt there was no reason to delay any longer.

"I am Campione."

This reminded him of the scene where Tony Stark said, "I am Iron Man." in front of reporters and cameras broadcasting live.

"Campione?"

Ichika and Itsuki exchanged glances, clearly confused by the foreign term Ren had just mentioned.

"Campione are tyrants, for they slay all the gods in the heavens and seize their Divine Authorities!"

"Campione are kings, for they wield the Divine Authorities taken from the gods they've slain, using them to rule over humanity on earth!"

"Campione are Devil Kings. No mortal in this world can stand against them!"

As Ren finished his explanation, the room fell into silence.

"..."

Ichika and Itsuki were still trying to process Ren's words, while Kaoru and Touma remained silent. There were no smiles on their faces, only serious expressions as if confirming Ren's statements.

Then—

"Pfft… Ahahahaha!!"

Ichika burst into loud laughter, her body slightly hunched forward as she held her stomach.

"Rokuhara-kun, you're such a chuunibyou, aren't you? Your imagination is truly wild. Seriously, if you hadn't said that with such a straight face, I might have believed you."

Itsuki, sitting next to Ren, covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back her laughter. However, her slightly trembling shoulders clearly showed that she also found this ridiculous.

"I know my husband likes to tease others, but this time it's a bit too much."

Clearly, she didn't believe such an absurd story. As a physics teacher, she believed only in science and the truths of the world.

Supernatural beings were nothing more than superstitions to her.

On the other hand, Kaoru and Touma remained silent, their faces showing no signs that this was a joke.

Of course, Ichika and Itsuki didn't realize just how serious the situation was.