DxD: Building A Demon Clan From Scratch.

A trial by karmic fire?

Oko lowered his head, eyes wide with dread as sweat poured down his forehead.

The agonized screams of the Shinomiya clan members echoed in his ears.

Gulp!

Oko swallowed hard, and large drops of sweat fell to the floor.

With his own understanding of his sins, if he were to jump into that karmic fire, he'd be reduced to molecular dust in seconds!

He raised his head with great difficulty and said in a trembling voice, "Father… I'm your biological son!"

Seeing Oko's pitiful state, Gan'an had a brief thought, but maintained a calm expression and slowly spoke:

"Oko, this is a necessary sacrifice for the Shinomiya family."

Oko clenched his fists and shouted angrily at Kaguya, "Why should I be the one to sacrifice for this idiot's mistake?!"

Kaguya's body trembled.

Gan'an's tone turned cold. "Oko, don't make this harder than it already is."

"Make it hard?"

"Heh…"

Oko suddenly laughed. "Then don't do it!"

"Even if I die, I'll drag the entire Shinomiya clan to hell with me!"

His face twisted with hatred, Oko turned to leave.

Suddenly!

Bang!

Several hands grabbed him, locking him in place!

He froze, and before he could react, he heard his brother's cold voice.

"Brother, I'm not about to die just because of your actions…"

With that—

Oko's feet left the ground.

His eyes widened. "What are you doing?!"

"Wait! Father!"

"No—!!"

With a wave of his hand, Oko's brother ordered him thrown into the karmic fire.

"AAAAHHHH—!!"

"Damn it!!"

"Kaguya, you disgrace of the Shinomiya family!!"

"I curse you! Curse you all!!"

Oko's vengeful screams rang out from within the karmic fire.

But before long, they faded into silence.

Gan'an closed his eyes.

He still felt the sting of watching his own son be executed.

However...

For the sake of the Shinomiya family, it had to be done.

Kaguya trembled from head to toe.

Kaguya, the sinner of the Shinomiya family…

She was the cause of all this.

All of it happened because of her!

"Kaguya, it's your turn."

Gan'an spoke, his voice filled with complicated emotion.

Upon hearing this, Kaguya looked up dully, her scarlet eyes vacant.

She pushed herself up from the floor, but after only two steps, collapsed again.

Her strength had long since left her.

Still, her expression did not change. She continued to rise, fall, and crawl toward the karmic flame using both her hands and knees.

Gan'an and her brother watched silently, expressions mixed with grief and confusion.

When had they ever seen Kaguya in such a broken state?

Kaguya's eyes were lifeless. She stared at the roaring black fire before stepping into it without hesitation.

She was a sinner.

Let the flames of karma reduce her to ashes in atonement!

However...

Fwoosh—

The sound of burning echoed in her ears, but—

Why…

Why didn't it hurt?

Kaguya's expression twisted in confusion.

Was her sin not great enough?

Gan'an wasn't surprised. He had already anticipated this outcome.

Though she had triggered disaster, Kaguya was still a fundamentally innocent child.

The surrounding members of the Shinomiya family exchanged complex looks.

They now understood this calamity was partly Kaguya's fault.

Yet despite that...

She was completely unharmed?

That stirred resentment in many hearts.

Kaguya bit her lip and clenched her trembling fists.

She stood there waiting, hoping the karmic fire would judge her.

But—

Whoosh!

The flame suddenly blasted her out.

"Ugh…"

She fell to the ground and couldn't get up for a while.

Raising her eyes, she was met with cold and resentful gazes.

Those stares stabbed into her heart like daggers.

She had to atone…

Meanwhile—

Hayasaka Ai returned to the estate and found her mother, Nao.

"Mom, what's going on?"

Nao replied solemnly, "The Shinomiya family is about to change completely…"

Though her tone was heavy, Ai could hear a hint of schadenfreude.

After all...

What the Shinomiya family faced now was no different than what had once befallen the Hayasaka family.

Still...

Ai had a more pressing concern.

"Mom, does this mean we're getting a new master?"

Nao's expression froze before she sighed deeply. "Yeah…"

They had been servants of the Shinomiya family. Now that the family itself had become someone else's vassal, they had no choice but to follow.

"I wonder what the new master is like…"

Nao murmured with some worry.

"Um…"

Ai thought of Lynn's face and softly said, "Probably not bad, I think…"

…

The next day.

When Haruno returned to the Shinomiya estate—

Gan'an had already prepared everything.

All the transfer agreements for the family's industries were present, exactly as she had predicted.

Haruno glanced around and noticed that many members were missing. She nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Gan'an and said, "Not bad. You acted decisively."

Gan'an gave a forced smile.

Haruno spoke bluntly, "Stop smiling like that. It's disgusting."

Gan'an's smile froze awkwardly.

From a distance, Ai couldn't help but smirk.

Old man, now you know how it feels…

Haruno continued, "Your home now belongs to the Lynn Group. Move out as soon as possible."

Gan'an didn't react.

After all...

The Shinomiya family had once treated the Hayasaka family the same way.

Suddenly.

Kaguya squeezed through the crowd and knelt before Haruno with a loud thud.

"I'm sorry! This was all my fault!"

Her voice trembled with emotion. "I… I will atone for my sins to Lord Lynn. So please…"

Tears glimmered in her eyes. "Please allow my father and the others to stay here."

It was all her fault. She had to do something—anything—to protect her family.

Haruno raised a brow and stroked her chin, a strange gleam in her eye.

"Master Lynn does happen to need a personal maid…"

Kaguya trembled but said firmly, "I'll do it. I'll serve him well!"

Gan'an opened his mouth but, seeing Kaguya's unwavering eyes, chose to remain silent.

He just let out a sigh.

Kaguya… she's really changed.

Haruno's lips curled into a faint smile.

"Then it's settled."

Originally, Haruno hadn't intended to destroy the entire Shinomiya family.

They were still useful—well-trained, disciplined, and obedient.

Why not put them to use?

However...

She narrowed her eyes at Kaguya and warned coldly, "If you fail to satisfy Lord Lynn, I can't guarantee what will happen~"

Kaguya shuddered, but bowed her head silently.

Satisfied, Haruno nodded.

"Of course, if you do well, Lord Lynn rewards generously."

Her eyes swept across the remaining Shinomiya members and landed on Gan'an.

"I suppose your father doesn't have much time left, does he?"

Kaguya's lips tightened.

Haruno smiled, half-mocking, half-genuine. "If Lord Lynn is pleased, maybe your father can work in Hell after he dies~"

Gan'an blinked.

Even if I die… I'll work in Hell?

"Hell?!"

Kaguya's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise.

Gan'an's heart skipped a beat.

Hell…

His thoughts flashed back to the previous day.

The three-headed hellhound.

The fire that judged sin.

Hiss—

Could it be…?

Could the Lynn Group actually be connected to the Hell from legends?

Gan'an's heartbeat accelerated.

If he could become a worker in Hell after death, that might not be so bad…

Maybe…

Maybe the Shinomiya family could even rise again from the depths of Hell.

His eyes lit up as he glanced at Kaguya.

Yes...

Kaguya, you must repay Lord Lynn properly!

After finalizing the arrangements.

Kaguya, now dressed in a maid outfit, stood behind Haruno.

Her face was full of anxiety.

She was unsure of her future. She didn't know how to face Lynn.

Most importantly...

She had never been a maid before!

What if she messed up and angered him?

What would happen to the Shinomiya family then?

Kaguya was deeply worried.

"Kaguya."

"Eh!!"

Kaguya jumped in fright.

Ai: "…"

"…It's me."

Kaguya patted her chest, exhaling in relief. "Hayasaka…"

Then, noticing Ai's maid outfit, she asked, "You're dressed like that too?"

"Same as you," Ai replied casually.

Kaguya froze. "You're going to be Master Lynn's maid too?"

Ai nodded.

"Great!"

Kaguya grabbed her hand. "Hayasaka, I don't know the first thing about being a maid. Please teach me, okay?"

Ai looked at her quietly. Seeing Kaguya's sincere and humble expression, a complicated emotion stirred in her chest.

Then she nodded.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure to guide you properly."

(To be continued.)

***

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