Novel Volume 3 Chapter 5

## Something Closing In

**Something Closing In** (迫るのは, *Semaru no wa*?) is the fifth chapter of Volume 3 of the *My Happy Marriage* novel.

## Summary

In the morning, Miyo Saimori heads to Fuyu Kudou's room after breakfast and finds her unwell in bed. Fuyu expresses strong disgust and blame towards Miyo for Tadakiyo Kudou's earlier scolding. Despite Miyo's attempts to reconcile, Fuyu remains rejective. Miyo voices her resolve to become a suitable noblewoman for Kiyoka. However, Fuyu insists that Miyo's background and innate qualities make her unacceptable. Miyo leaves in tears and turns to work to distract herself from the pain, laboring until evening. When Kiyoka returns, Miyo shares her conversation with Fuyu and asks him not to intervene, expressing her determination to keep trying.

The next morning, Fuyu joins breakfast for the first time since they arrived at the villa. Miyo tries to talk to her, but Fuyu snaps at her and leaves without finishing her meal. At that moment, Sasaki enters the room in panic. The village youth from before has come seeking help, explaining that a group of villagers tried to tear down the shack due to escalating anxiety over village rumors. A large fiend attacked the men, leaving them behaving erratically and unconscious. Kiyoka rushes to the village, leaving Miyo in charge of the villa. The village youth, who was also bitten by the fiend, has fallen unconscious. Fuyu opposes the man's stay, fearing a contagious disease, but Miyo offers to quarantine herself with him. Tadakiyo examines the man and finds his condition severe, with an unknown cause. Sensing a guest at the door, Tadakiyo leaves the room. Miyo then attempts to use Dream-Sight to save him but is interrupted by the arrival of Arata Usuba, who stops her from erratically using her Gift.

As Kiyoka reaches the village, he encounters unconscious men similar to the village youth's condition. At the shack, he faces a genuine Gift-user who manipulates the ground to create a swamp around Kiyoka to trap him, but Kiyoka freezes it. The man informs Kiyoka about the founder Naoshi Usui's goal and invites him to join their cause. Kiyoka refuses and attempts to capture the man. The Gift-user summons the giant fiend, which Kiyoka discovers is actually a human fully possessed by a fiend. They fight, and Kiyoka defeats the fiend, while the Gift-user escapes. Kiyoka seals the fiend's power, allowing the villagers possessed by the fiend's fragments to soon regain their senses, and heads back.

Meanwhile, Tadakiyo confronts three cloaked individuals on the road to the villa. He questions their motives, but they remain silent. The three simultaneously unleash a powerful tornado combined with fire. Tadakiyo directly counters the vortex, dispelling the maelstorm instantly. He then incapacitates the three assailants with electricity. While examining them, he discovers a vial containing a trace of fiend's blood, which he preserves, and then detains the three individuals.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Miyo Saimori
* Kiyoka Kudou
* Tadakiyo Kudou
* Fuyu Kudou
* Nae
* Kudou family chef
* Sasaki
* Village youth
* Arata Usuba
* Houjou
* Fiend
* Gifted Communion members

### Mentioned characters

* Takaihito
* Naoshi Usui