《Gin and Kuro: The Greatest Stories》


 Opening: The Start of the World

    In the beginning of the world, there was nothing¡ªonly the stars in the sky, the twinkling and shining homes of the gods. Then, on one magnificent day, two gods were given a star to reform into a home for mortals.


    These two gods were siblings, Bekin and Emaya, the strongest of their kind. Emaya reshaped the star into earth, water, and flora; Bekin reshaped the air around it so the sun didn¡¯t scorch the land and clouds flitted above the sky in a lazy dance.


    The siblings then created all living things, animals that rose up above the trees and creatures so small no one but the gods could see them. They put them all on a single island, the only point of land in a vast sea.


    Bekin and Emaya were satisfied with their creation, but shortly things fell to chaos. The larger animals sought the blood of the smaller¡ªthe land was not sufficient to house all of their creations. To aid them in managing the chaos, they created Itoki and Aimiki, young gods with their same powers.


    Bekin and Aimiki took charge of the skies, while Emaya and Itoki managed the ground. Things returned to peace as more troublesome beasts were exiled or killed while the rest were introduced to a reasonable means of living. The island reached a steady balance.


    One hundred years passed before Aimiki and Itoki approached their parents. They both gave an earnest plea for a new creation¡ªAimiki had grown bored of flying with the birds, while Itoki had nurtured every plant he could. They argued that surely the highest gods¡¯ will for this world would contain beings closer to the gods themselves.


    Thus, Bekin and Aimiki created humans and placed them on the island. Their features were chosen by Aimiki and Itoki themselves. Aimiki and Itoki led the humans as rulers, guiding them towards a prosperous future.


    It was oftentimes thankless work, and in another hundred years¡¯ time the island once again fell into chaos as humans attempted to gain the gods¡¯ good graces. Aimiki and Itoki rejected all advances, save for those of a certain duo of fraternal twins.


    Despite their parents¡¯ warnings, Aimiki and Itoki were charmed by the twins. They held their respective weddings on the same day, Aimiki in the east and Itoki in the west. They were blessed with clear skies and amazing flora to surround the newlywed couples, even if Aimiki and Itoki could not return to the godly refuge until their spouses met their natural ends.


    Not many years passed before each god was given a son; the child of the east¡¯s cries were drowned by howling winds, while the child of the west was whisked away to safety among a terrible earthquake. Bekin nor Emaya were pleased, even as Aimiki¡¯s child was named Ginshin and Itoki¡¯s child was named Kurokami.


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    The children shared a bitter rivalry, even as youths. With the strength of a god but the mortality of a human, they were quick to challenge and oppose others in a desperate attempt to achieve something in their short lifespans. They wanted glory¡ªthe same kind of fame their parents received by helping shape the world.


    One day, Ginshin and Kurokami met at the center of the island and dueled for seven days without rest. When Aimiki and Itoki came to calm their conflict, they raised their swords higher and tried to break the stalemate between them. They did not cease, even as a tempest rose around them and engulfed their nearby surroundings.


    Aimiki and Itoki tore their children away from each other, hoping to end the conflict with kind words. Instead, Ginshin and Kurokami turned against them, declaring that they would wage war amongst themselves¡ªif Aimiki and Itoki stepped in again, the half-gods would fight the heavens.


    Thus proceeded a conflict greater than any war since, blood-soaked swords clashing against one another in a battle that never came to a clear winner. Each side was evenly matched, and neither one could gain the advantage. In the chaos, a second nation¡ªone of snow, sunshine, and birds¡ªwas created, ruled by Torigami, so that the humans who sought peace could flee there instead.


    A century into the conflict, Ginshin conspired with Torigami to create tengu, intended to be messengers that could easily navigate the mountainous region he ruled. In retaliation, Kurokami led a massacre of foxes, reviving them to create kitsune that would manipulate the enemy. Neither race complied with their given roles, instead fleeing to their homes where they carried out the remaining war in joy that humans could only dream of.


    Bekin and Emaya created oni and kijo¡ªstrong, hideous warriors¡ªto forcefully end their grandchildren''s conflict, but they were instead used by Ginshin and Kurokami to increase the fatalities. They only lived in the sunlight for twenty years before they were banished underground.


    The earth changed amongst Ginshin and Kurokami¡¯s fighting, to the point where vast mountains and deep forests overcame areas that were once open fields. In light of this drastic change, Ginshin and Kurokami sought to end the fighting in one final duel.


    Before they could raise their swords, Bekin and Emaya appeared. When Ginshin and Kurokami refused to put down their weapons and end the war amicably, the higher gods saw no other solution than to permanently separate the two nations with a wide river.


    The land to the river¡¯s east would be Ginshin¡¯s kingdom. It contained high mountains, a constant breeze across fields, and rocky shores on its farthest side. Although they would never want for food or shelter, Ginshin¡¯s people were cursed to one day bear the burden of destruction.


    The land to the river¡¯s west belonged to Kurokami. It held large forests with a variety of creatures, beautiful lakes of shimmering water, and easily navigable seas across all borders. Despite that, Kurokami¡¯s people were promised that they would struggle.


    Ginshin¡¯s people became complacent among prosperity, while Kurokami¡¯s people assembled ships to steal resources from other nations. What Bekin and Emaya put in place to guide the nations together only pulled them further apart, extending the contention between nations instead of reducing it.


    In time, the island will fall. Kuro¡¯s greed will mix with Gin¡¯s curse, and the island¡¯s history will end when the tainted child of Gin ends the cruel cycle amongst Kuro¡¯s attacks and threats.

 Chapter 1: Your Life Is Not Your Own

    Your life is not your own, little Seiko. One day¡ªone day soon¡ªyou¡¯ll travel down our path. Continue on with this horrible legacy¡­


    We will drive you mad.


    Seiko¡¯s eyes opened at the last line, bringing an end to the night¡¯s rest. She¡¯s heard those same words every morning for a week, now. She didn¡¯t want to worry Mikka by admitting that her ¡°childhood imaginary friends¡± were voices that tended to utter ill tidings or ancient musings.


    She turned over and looked out the window. At least the weak sunlight meant it was a reasonable hour.


    Sleep wouldn¡¯t return even if she tried, so she stood up and went to the outfit she laid out the night before. She brushed her hair with her fingers on the way there, and slipped out of her nightgown and into her daily dress with practiced ease. All the while, her voices commentated¡ªhow some of them hated her, some of them envied her, some of them quipped about the weather and others were so quiet she couldn¡¯t hear them.


    The voices were enough to fill a room completely¡ªif they were people, she doubted they could comfortably fit in the Tsujihara home. But, despite sounding like dozens of people, Seiko was alone.


    She sighed. She has been for a while now, hasn¡¯t she?


    Of course you have, one voice murmured. You¡¯re an oddity. If you were anyone else¡¯s daughter, they would have banished you to the kitsune or tengu.


    A knock on the door startled her.


    ¡°Are you awake yet, love?¡±


    Mikka. The voices grew inexplicably quieter. ¡°Y-yes, Mother. I¡¯ll start breakfast soon.¡±


    ¡°I made something simple¡ªyou¡¯ve worked too hard these past few days.¡±


    Seiko turned towards the door, but didn¡¯t answer. She hated that Mikka tried to downplay it¡ªthat her mother was dying, but had enough regret to insist her daughter spend her days doing something else. Then again, Mikka likely blamed herself for Seiko¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°¡­May I come in?¡±


    ¡°You may,¡± Seiko answered. The door creaked open, revealing Mikka¡¯s frail figure; she relied on the frame for support. Seiko took a few concerned steps forward to help her. ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªeverything¡¯s all right.¡± Mikka offered a smile, as strong as she could manage. ¡°How would you like to see the capital again?¡±


    The voices grew louder¡ªa mixture of excitement, fear, and laughter¡ªand Seiko winced as it culminated into a headache. After a second of pain, it passed, and she carried on with a protest so Mikka didn¡¯t have the chance to ask about her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you here,¡± Seiko argued. ¡°And you¡¯re not well enough to travel; if something happens while I¡¯m gone, then¡ª¡±


    Mikka offered a small smile and moved a little closer, standing tall despite her pale skin and half-tamed hair.


    ¡°Peace, dear. A shrine maiden will be here to help.¡±


    Seiko tried to relax¡ªtried to release some tension in her shoulders. Mikka paused at the edge of the bed, keeping one hand on the frame for support.


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    Honestly, Seiko didn¡¯t want to ask about the worst case. The voices urged her otherwise, almost uttering the words for her.


    ¡°If you die while I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll be alone.¡± It came out as a murmur; Mikka winced and her smile slightly fell. ¡°I¡¯d rather watch you die than be surrounded by strangers.¡±


    Mikka took a short breath. ¡°Seiko, you¡¯ll be alone here. At least in the capital, people won¡¯t think you¡¯re strange¡ªthey won¡¯t be scared to interact with you. You can make friends, and then you will have other people to turn to when I¡¯m gone. That reassurance will help me more than if you stayed by my side.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Seiko tried in vain. She couldn¡¯t change Mikka¡¯s mind but she could at least maintain her stance. No one else knew how to care for Mikka more than Seiko did, and she didn¡¯t trust anyone else to take that role.


    Your life is not your own, the voices reminded her.


    Seiko grasped for any words she could use to protest, but the voices repeated the line like a mantra and refused to give her any way to combat it. Finally, after a few seconds, she sighed.


    ¡°You have something in mind for when I get there?¡±


    ¡°The royal family is looking for a governess. You¡¯re good with kids, Seiko¡ªit¡¯s a better use of your talents than staying here.¡±


    She froze. The voices spat out a response in her stead.


    ¡°They won¡¯t want me. I¡¯ll have the same reputation in the palace that I do here¡ªinsane.¡±


    ¡°Your father sent the invitation himself. He wants to see you again.¡±


    Seiko turned away and folded her arms, glancing at the floor. In a murmur, she said, ¡°Fourteen years later, he changes his mind? I find it hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t lie,¡± Mikka maintained. ¡°Everyone who remembers you won¡¯t say a word, I promise. You can consider it a second chance.¡±


    She still hesitated. Mikka gave a little smile in response and took a few steps back.


    ¡°Think about it,¡± she requested softly. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask for now.¡±


    ¡°...I will.¡±


    ¡­


    Two days passed¡ªthe voices were clear on their choice, so Seiko obeyed them and told Mikka she would go. She had reservations, but it hurt to go against their will. She¡¯s long since learned it was better to play along.


    She didn¡¯t have that much to pack, so she waited for her ride to the capital. Mikka seemed happy, at least.


    ¡°You can buy more dresses with what¡¯s left,¡± Mikka said, pushing a little money bag towards Seiko from across the table. ¡°Your father will keep sending money to support me, so don¡¯t feel bad about taking it.¡±


    Seiko nodded and accepted it.


    ¡°...He has two others now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± The voices kept up with news from the palace, but she personally didn¡¯t care for most of it; they seemed to be the first to know about anything.


    ¡°Maenomi and Kyuru,¡± Mikka recalled. ¡°Do you remember Maenomi? She was born before we left.¡±


    ¡°I vaguely know I was confused on how we were sisters with different mothers,¡± Seiko admitted.


    ¡°Kyuru is only six,¡± Mikka added, bringing in a little smile. ¡°You should have a chance to get to know them¡ªeven if it¡¯s just as governess and charge.¡±


    Someone knocked on the door and Seiko perked up.


    ¡°That might be Sir Kyou,¡± Mikka said. She looked at Seiko as the latter stood up. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be better off there than you are here, whether or not you believe it yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Seiko promised. ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter once I get there¡ªand please let me know if your condition gets worse so I can come back. Family or no, I¡¯m closest to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear.¡± She gave a look that made Seiko think, for a second, that she wasn¡¯t ill¡ªher eyes had a kind of youth and health that overshadowed the way her face and body spoke otherwise. ¡°Now go on; live like you should be. The capital is beautiful this time of year.¡±


    A few of the voices cackled, whispering, It¡¯s so close now¡­ Are you watching, Lord Bekin? Lady Aimiki? Soon¡­

 Chapter 2: The Capital

    The man who took her¡ªhe never shared his name, but considering his attitude towards her, Seiko assumed that he already knew about her reputation¡ªonly gave a terse ¡°We¡¯re here¡± before glaring at her to retrieve her bag and leave. Seiko didn¡¯t overstay her welcome.


    Her voices kept her company, only adding to the noise that the chatting passerby made. They seemed to recognize the city more than she did¡ªthey loathed it or loved it, varying from voice to voice. She could barely take note of her surroundings¡ªacknowledge the sakura-flecked stone paths¡ªsolely from their activity. Seiko prayed she looked presentable enough to be considered sane here, although none of the passerby seemed to care if she was.


    Seiko followed the voices¡¯ direction towards the shrine. She wouldn¡¯t know where to go otherwise; anyone visiting was expected to be a local, or otherwise had experience in large cities. While she appreciated the sense of anonymity, the paths twisted enough that she would be lost without the voices¡¯ previous experience.


    When she finally arrived, three girls sat by the entrance and ate. shrine maidens, one voice murmured. A few others gave some kind of agreement. Learned ones, at that, since they changed out of their uniforms.


    Seiko carefully made her way towards them. With any luck, they wouldn¡¯t notice that she heard people who weren¡¯t there.


    One of them¡ªthe youngest, it looked like, although she must be fifteen or sixteen¡ªperked up, putting down the crackers she was nibbling on. Her bored look shifted into something like interest.


    ¡°Hello, stranger,¡± she said. One girl looked up at Seiko and continued eating, while the third stopped but didn¡¯t acknowledge her. ¡°It¡¯s an odd time for visitors. Do you need the head priestess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­not sure,¡± Seiko admitted. The voices mocked her hesitance. ¡°My mother was a previous shrine maiden¡ªshe told me to check here to drop off my bag before I went to the palace.¡±


    ¡°Are you applying for the governess position?¡± the youngest shrine maiden asked.


    ¡°Yes. Should I be somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°No; if anything, Lady Aimiki guided you to the right place.¡± She gave her remaining crackers to the shrine maiden next to her, then stood up and brushed off any crumbs. Once she finished, she straightened herself up and held her head high. ¡°You are in the presence of Gin-Hyomoto Maenomi, daughter of Gin-Betomo Ozuru and Hyomoto Yukira.¡±


    She¡¯s disappointed you didn¡¯t recognize her, one of the voices murmured with a tsk. What a poor little princess. That¡¯s why she isn¡¯t worthy.


    Seiko tried to ignore them to give a bow as customary. A vague memory of playing with a baby with the same name crept into the back of her mind, but she set it aside for now. The princess would have no memory of her.


    ¡°My apologies for not noticing,¡± Seiko replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Something in the princess¡¯s expression implied it wasn¡¯t, although she hid it well enough that Seiko only saw it because the voices pointed it out. ¡°One wouldn¡¯t expect a princess alone with shrine maidens.¡±


    She fell silent for a second, then gestured for Seiko to follow her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you to the palace¡ªyou can keep your things. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Seiko murmured some agreement and followed after the princess without another word. Oddly enough, some of the voices quieted¡ªothers grew louder, repeating ¡°poor princess¡± like a new mantra.


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    The princess didn¡¯t say anything and Seiko, in turn, remained silent. It let her actually acknowledge what was around her¡ªhow the people held themselves with more dignity than at home, some looks of disdain towards others, and murmured conversations. The adults seemed prone to scowling while the children, weaving among the crowds, laughed and played.


    No one stood aside for the princess; her demeanor slowly softened until they made it to the palace gates. The single guard standing by bowed as a greeting.


    ¡°Get my father,¡± the princess said firmly. ¡°This young woman is here to apply for the new position.¡±


    The guard nodded, and wordlessly slipped into the front gate. Maenomi didn¡¯t move¡ªshe didn¡¯t even face Seiko¡ªand simply observed the small flower bushes nearby.


    Naive girl, several voices said. There are no witnesses. You could easily kill her now¡ªtake a little knife and stab her, or strangle her where she stands.


    Seiko tensed. Such violent pleas were¡­new, to say the least. It sent a shiver down her spine, not least because she subconsciously looked around just to verify their claims.


    Fortunately, it only took a few minutes before the guard returned. Following behind him was a weary man and elegant woman, contrasting merely by standing next to each other¡ªalthough their physical features were both typical of Gin¡¯s people, the man had on little adornments while the woman had a necklace and gold hairpiece.


    Seiko bowed when the princess did, recognizing them as Lord Gin-Betomo and Lady Hyomoto. Her father and stepmother, in other words.


    Lord Gin noticed Seiko first, taken aback for a second before nodding.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    She knew he already understood, but she played along anyway.


    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko, sir.¡±


    ¡°Your parents?¡± Lady Hyomoto asked.


    ¡°Tsujihara Mikka is my mother.¡± She paused for a second, glancing at Lord Gin before looking away again. ¡°I never knew my father.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem offended by the lie, but Lady Hyomoto gave him a curious look. Princess Maenomi, ignorant, let out a surprised ¡®oh.¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re very pretty for a bastard, Miss Tsujihara,¡± she noted innocently.


    The comment brought Lord Gin out of his indifference, his scowl turning towards his daughter.


    ¡°Maenomi. Don¡¯t insult strangers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m complimenting her!¡± the princess protested with a small whine.


    Rather indelicate for a princess, the voices hummed. Did she learn anything, we wonder?


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Seiko admitted.


    ¡°Did your mother marry, then?¡±


    ¡°No. But her reputation is good enough in my hometown that it didn¡¯t affect me.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t tell if he looked relieved or annoyed. Regardless, he carried on with the true conversation.


    ¡°Miss Tsujihara, what qualifications do you have for this job? You would be in charge of helping the elder children with their studies or keeping the younger ones entertained, depending on who you¡¯re assigned to. How will you do that?¡±


    ¡°I have experience taking care of others,¡± Seiko said, standing up a little straighter. ¡°I¡¯m good with children, I¡¯m neat and punctual, and I know when it¡¯s best to stay silent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s already an improvement,¡± Lady Hyomoto replied. Her eyes implied teasing, but it seemed cruel. ¡°Miss Tsujihara, what if I hired you to be my new daughter? Maenomi would do well to learn from you.¡±


    The comment was met with a ¡°Mother!¡± from the princess, a glare from Lord Gin, and a suppressed wince from Seiko.


    ¡°Yukira, that¡¯s as impossible as it is inappropriate,¡± he hissed. ¡°You could stand to hold your disdain until we¡¯re alone, at least.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only joking,¡± Lady Hyomoto defended, albeit it held no real strength. ¡°What¡¯s a little harm in it?¡±


    She maintained her smile; Maenomi crossed her arms and looked away while Lord Gin sighed and glanced at Seiko.


    ¡°If you could stand through that unfazed,¡± he said carefully, ¡°You may just be what we need. Visit tomorrow morning¡ªI¡¯ll have you introduced to my son and, should that go well, the rest of the family. You¡¯ll need the approval of the king and queen consort to receive an official position.¡±


    Seiko bowed. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity, sir. Have a good rest of your day.¡±


    ¡°You as well, Miss Tsujihara,¡± Lord Gin replied evenly.


    He turned around to leave without another word, his wife and daughter trailing after him silently. She chose to distance herself from them for now.

 Chapter 3: The Royal SIblings

    Seiko had the time to pay for a space at the inn, give some thanks for the safe trip at the shrine, and write and send a letter to Mikka about her progress so far. She kept herself busy with sightseeing for the rest of the evening. Her voices refused to stay quiet¡ªthey demanded that she look at the sakura, compared the capital to her hometown, and occasionally gave a few words towards the royal family.


    She tried not to listen to said murmurings, if only because some comments bordered on treason¡ªand for the fact that their disdain of others influenced her view of people. Truly them was as nigh impossible, unfortunately.


    She woke up to their usual morning bustle and quickly got ready by their insistence. You need to make a good impression, the voices insisted. He¡¯ll push you away again if he thinks you¡¯re still mad. You¡¯ll only be a bane to Mikka then.


    Honestly, Seiko didn¡¯t know if she really believed it¡ªbut they held enough influence over her thoughts that she complied to keep them a little softer. They weren¡¯t as persistent if she did as they asked. Having less control over her actions was worth having a slightly clearer mind.


    She let the voices guide her back to the palace, trying to obey each little criteria they gave her. Look elegant, but not haughty. Make sure your bangs are straight. They¡¯re vain, so you can¡¯t look better than them¡ªbut you can¡¯t look like a country girl, either. The voices protested whenever she let herself relax, so she stayed tense.


    A single guard stood by the gate, just like the previous afternoon. He looked her over, then slipped into the courtyard without a word; he didn¡¯t close the gate behind him.


    You should go inside, one voice murmured. Even Mikka agreed¡ªit¡¯s a beautiful place.


    Seiko shook her head and stayed still. She shouldn¡¯t push the boundaries of being here¡ªeven if she would prefer to be at Mikka¡¯s side, she ought to make an effort to satisfy her mother¡¯s wishes. Some voices praised her for ignoring the temptation, while others seemed disappointed.


    The guard returned after a few minutes, returning to his post and examining the area beyond her. Not very long after, Lord Gin arrived with Princess Maenomi and a younger boy she assumed was Prince Kyuru.


    She bowed as her first greeting.


    ¡°You¡¯re punctual, as expected,¡± Lord Gin noted. The trio made it fully past the gate, then he stepped back behind it. The princess noticed and cast him a curious look. ¡°Spend the morning doing whatever they want of you¡ªif you can please these two, you¡¯ll have no trouble with the rest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not coming with us, Father?¡± Princess Maenomi asked, curiosity clear in her tone with a small hint of¡­something like betrayal, if Seiko¡¯s voices were to be believed. ¡°I thought you would want to see Miss Tsujihara for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m needed somewhere else,¡± Lord Gin replied unconvincingly. ¡°I have to help plan for your uncle¡¯s little ¡®test.¡¯¡±


    Princess Maenomi frowned. ¡°Ah, so Jukazu is more important than us? Or are you just scared of Mother¡¯s teasing?¡±


    Lord Gin¡¯s immediate response was a sigh, ignoring the question altogether. Have you noticed that he never looks at you? some voices asked. He still believes it, just like the people in your home¡ªbut he¡¯s not wrong, either. He doesn¡¯t know how to approach you.


    He met her eyes for a second, then completely turned around.


    ¡°Maenomi should be at the shrine around noon,¡± Lord Gin said simply. ¡°Whether or not Kyuru returns to the palace depends on his preference.¡±


    Seiko nodded and gave another bow. ¡°As you wish, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He glanced over his shoulder at the frowning princess and distracted prince. ¡°You can give your report this afternoon. If Miss Tsujihara passes, I¡¯ll send someone out so she can greet the rest at dinner.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Father,¡± Princess Maenomi said a little unwillingly. Her younger brother murmured something to agree.


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    Lord Gin waited only a second before going back inside the palace gate. The princess crossed her arms and stared at him for a moment before smiling at Seiko.


    ¡°Well, Miss Tsujihara, it seems you¡¯ll be following me,¡± Princess Maenomi said.


    Prince Kyuru only then fully noticed. Had he even known his father was there, then left? one voice wondered.


    ¡°I want to lead!¡± the prince whined.


    Princess Maenomi glared at him. ¡°You¡¯ll only want to visit the games¡ªyou¡¯re too old for them.¡±


    He¡¯s still a boy, several voices noted. Those games were meant for children his age.


    The siblings¡¯ expressions only grew into deeper scowls, so Seiko opted to step in. The difference in ages might negate it, but quarrels like this were usually solved quickly.


    ¡°I saw shops on the way to some of the game stalls,¡± she said carefully. Both siblings gave her their attention, curious at her reasoning. ¡°We could visit the stores that the princess finds interesting on our way to the games. If we run out of time and we haven¡¯t visited the games by the time the princess needs to be at the shrine, I can take the prince separately. Does that sound fair?¡±


    Princess Maenomi straightened herself a little, giving Seiko a feigned calm look. Her eyes showed some kind of embarrassment.


    ¡°It does to me, at least.¡±


    Prince Kyuru crossed his arms and huffed, but it wasn¡¯t genuine; he smiled even as he pretended to be dissatisfied. ¡°Okaaaay¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Seiko said, trying to offer her best smile. She rarely had the chance to give it to strangers, so a part of her wondered if it looked too friendly. ¡°Let¡¯s get going, then, shall we?¡±


    The siblings seemed satisfied and¡ªdespite their bickering¡ªmore-or-less walked next to each other. Seiko kept a few steps¡¯ distance to be respectful while still being close by.


    They had to walk a bit before they made it to any stores¡ªPrincess Maenomi seemed to have an eye for certain ones in particular, so Seiko didn¡¯t stop her. Every now and then, she paused at a stall selling jewelry or little trinkets; she¡¯d smile at one, contemplate it for a second longer, then walk past it.


    No one paid attention to them¡ªif they did, they were often looking at Seiko¡ªand she couldn¡¯t determine what she thought of it. On one hand, it meant that barely anyone recognized the royal siblings; on the other hand, Princess Maenomi held herself stiffly, frowning when she wasn¡¯t distracted by jewels. Prince Kyuru took some convincing to keep from running off.


    About an hour of wandering passed with only a few words exchanged; the most conversation was with Seiko successfully bribing Prince Kyuru to stay by her side with a few pieces of candy. They went into two stores, but the princess didn¡¯t buy anything.


    Princess Maenomi paused and glanced at Seiko from over her shoulder.


    ¡°Out of curiosity,¡± the princess said, ¡°If you were going to give someone something, what would you choose?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much experience,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve only gifted my mother.¡±


    ¡°A girl with your looks must have received gifts, though,¡± Princess Maenomi pointed out. She completely turned around, an interested look on her face. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re beautiful. Even if your birth father left, you must¡¯ve gotten proposal gifts¡ªwhat types did you like best?¡±


    Seiko couldn¡¯t find a good answer. You shouldn¡¯t tell her they all thought you were mad, her voices reminded her. But what else could she say? Maybe a general answer would work best.


    ¡°I prefer simple things,¡± Seiko replied vaguely, hoping there wasn¡¯t too long of a pause. ¡°Shorter necklaces that won¡¯t get caught on anything, or something to hold my hair back while I clean.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, given the position you applied for,¡± Princess Maenomi noted. She looked around to glance at the surrounding stalls. ¡°Something relating to the recipient¡¯s personality, then.¡±


    Prince Kyuru perked up and bounced down a little.


    ¡°Oh! Oh! Is it for me? Do I get the gift?¡±


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯ll get from me is old toys,¡± the princess said immediately, glaring at her brother for a second. The prince deflated again and sighed, while Princess Maenomi shook herself off and stood a bit taller. ¡°A close friend of mine is moving east. It might be a while before we have the chance to meet once she leaves, so I want to give her something as a parting gift.¡±


    An interesting situation, a voice murmured. And wise for the other girl. The poor people here would wish they were the same¡­


    Still, Princess Maenomi still wanted Seiko¡¯s opinion. The voices were kind enough to help give her the words.


    ¡°Try thinking about what she likes,¡± Seiko suggested. ¡°And if you can¡¯t find anything, there¡¯s no harm in asking. If she has time, I¡¯m sure she would want to walk around the city one last time with a friend.¡±


    Princess Maenomi paused for a second, then smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re full of good ideas, Miss Tsujihara; thank you,¡± she said nicely. She frowned a little. ¡°But could I ask you to keep it to yourself? Mother doesn¡¯t like when I spend money on others. Kyuru already knows to be silent.¡±


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m asked to share, I won¡¯t,¡± Seiko promised.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask. It¡¯s nice to hear.¡±


    Readjusting herself and facing forward again, Princess Maenomi continued waking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. If I¡¯m going to get something for her, I¡¯d like to get it before I go to the shrine.¡±


    Prince Kyuru had nothing to protest and Seiko didn¡¯t have a right to, so they went on with their wandering.

 Chapter 4: After The Wandering

    Princess Maenomi managed to find a few trinkets for her friend before Seiko had to walk her to the shrine. The princess, at least, seemed satisfied¡ªshe looked the most comfortable when she let her guard down, and apparently Seiko gave her some kind of assurance that she didn¡¯t need to be above others. Princess Maenomi even played a single game near the shrine after both Prince Kyuru and Seiko sat down to participate.


    The prince still wanted to visit other games, so Seiko walked him around. He didn¡¯t have as much direction as his sister, but he still had demands; he asked for candy at every other stall, accumulating enough trinkets that Seiko could barely carry the bags. He offered to hold a wooden toy and still kept an eye out for more things, yet kept from asking for anything else when he realized Seiko might not be able to play games with him if he did.


    By the time Prince Kyuru murmured about going home, he had spent about three times the allowance Mikka gave Seiko. It didn¡¯t surprise her¡ªall things considered, the money she received was only meant to last her a few days¡ªbut most of it was given up to game attendants. The prince tried every one; any that required two players was tried until he got bored. He maintained conversation most of the time¡ªrandom ramblings about people Seiko didn¡¯t know, or how fun a certain game or toy looked.


    Seiko expected the single guard in front of the palace gates, accepting his presence while her voices pointed out the danger in it. With no one else to carry the bags, Seiko followed behind the prince when he entered.


    Finally, her voices murmured. This place could be your home, Seiko¡ªyou should take care to memorize the layout.


    Prince Kyuru half-ran a bit too quickly for her to make full sense of the details, but for once she agreed with them¡ªat least on the grounds that the place had a magnificent splendor about it. Sakura petals drifted down from trees lined around the edge of the courtyard, the sweet smell of flowers surrounding her, yet the place felt¡­empty.


    The prince slipped off his shoes quicker than Seiko could, subsequently disappearing up the left staircase. She didn¡¯t want anything to get into the candy if she left it there, so she took an extra few seconds to take off her own shoes and set them out of the way; she straightened the prince¡¯s immediately after, if only so no one else would trip on them.


    Her voices had a better idea on where to go than she did, so Seiko followed their lead. A few portraits adorned the walls¡ªof particularly brutal battles with Kuro, or of previous kings¡ªbut it intimidated her more than awed her. She didn¡¯t belong in a palace.


    You don¡¯t, the voices agreed. And you never will, little bastard girl.


    Seiko sighed. No matter what, they would never give her any kind of confidence. Their opinions only made the distance between her and the people living here seem wider.


    ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re carrying all those bags?¡±


    Seiko tensed, then turned around to face the stranger. The speaker¡ªbased on his apparent age and the pale blues, silvers, and little jewels in his outfit she assumed he was Prince Jukazu¡ªalmost smiled while he waited. She couldn¡¯t convince herself to relax, squirming back a little and praying he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°I was watching Prince Kyuru during the morning and early afternoon,¡± Seiko explained, bowing as best she could. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to drop off what he bought.¡±


    ¡°Are you one of the governesses they¡¯re trying to hire?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko.¡±


    Any threatening look in the man¡¯s eyes shifted to amusement, and he let out something like a laugh. He glanced over her, but his whole demeanor changed¡ªfrom menacing to almost amicable, although that barely made her feel any better.


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    He opened his mouth to say more, but someone¡¯s footsteps coming closer made him pause. The walker turned a corner through the hallway, scowling as he approached. Seiko bowed, but the other royalty member only sighed.


    ¡°Jukazu, please don¡¯t leave while I¡¯m still working with you¡ªmuch less leave to chat with a girl in the hallway.¡±


    Prince Jukazu gave his uncle a tired look.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so guilty as to invite her back,¡± the crown prince said. ¡°I merely wanted to greet her, make sure she knows where she is. Isn¡¯t that only proper for someone like her?¡±


    Lord Gin didn¡¯t entertain whatever Prince Jukazu wanted from the response. The latter seemed disappointed when Lord Gin just shooed him off.


    ¡°Could you let Miss Tsujihara be?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you can actually recognize her. How did Yukira react when¡ª¡±


    ¡°To Tsunkei, Jukazu. Before I lose my patience with you and finally convince your father that you can¡¯t be fixed.¡±


    That made Jukazu pause, but he seemed less than willing. He brushed himself off and left with a little huff after a second¡¯s glare from Lord Gin.


    Once the crown prince left, the remaining royal cast Seiko an almost sympathetic look.


    ¡°I hope he wasn¡¯t bothering you.¡± So genuine, a voice noted.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t talking for long,¡± Seiko replied honestly.


    ¡°Good. That boy is likely to drive anyone mad.¡± He shook his head in contempt for his nephew, then gestured towards Seiko¡¯s bags. ¡°Are those from your morning with Maenomi and Kyuru?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re mostly the prince¡¯s. He ran quicker than I could follow.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that you still took your shoes off¡ªmany people forget.¡±


    ¡°The palace is a home,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°And a prestigious one, at that¡ªI don¡¯t want to give the cleaning staff any more work than needed.¡±


    Lord Gin let out a small chuckle, although it seemed subdued. ¡°Well, you¡¯re more considerate than the rest of us, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± He didn¡¯t give her enough time to respond when his brief smile shifted back into professional curiosity. ¡°While I have you here, Miss Tsujihara, could I ask how you think your trip with my children went?¡±


    It honestly surprised her. ¡°You¡¯re asking for my opinion, sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªeven if Maenomi and Kyuru are satisfied, there¡¯s no point in hiring someone who¡¯s unwilling.¡±


    How nice of him, a voice whispered. Seiko tried to grasp a good way to describe it, only thinking of a question instead.


    ¡°...They don¡¯t spend much time with others, do they?¡±


    Lord Gin¡¯s frown deepened, but not necessarily towards her. ¡°Not with people who can adapt to their interests and give them their full attention, no. Tsunkei¡¯s children have two doting mothers and a strong father¡ªon the other hand, Yukira prefers to spoil them from afar while I have a duty to help my brother.¡±


    Seiko nodded. We could¡¯ve guessed as much, a few voices murmured. But you ought to give him some kind of firm answer.


    To satisfy them, she recalled the morning. Her voices already had a specific path in mind¡ªshe knew what they wanted her to choose, and they just gave her the illusion of freedom. Still¡­


    ¡°I think, if given time to adjust, I could manage,¡± Seiko said. Those were her own feelings¡ªalthough they aligned with what the voices wanted, they were what she chose to do.


    Keep believing that if you wish, a small chorus hummed.


    Lord Gin seemed pleased, yet frowned deeper, almost as if he scowled to show larger amounts of joy. Or maybe he just hides joy with a wide wall, one voice suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad they didn¡¯t intimidate you; a majority of girls we¡¯ve sought so far have claimed one or the other was too much for them.¡± Moving on with the rest of the conversation and slightly shifting away from her, he said, ¡°Kyuru¡¯s room is down the hall; turn left once, then his door is on the right. It should be open¡ªand if not, just drop his things off nearby. After that, you¡¯re free to walk around the palace. I¡¯ll make sure Jukazu knows not to bother you.¡±


    ¡°All right. Thank you, sir.¡±


    Yet by the time she finished the second sentence, he had already turned the corner to belatedly follow his nephew.

 Chapter 5: Dinner

    The initial intimidation of the palace didn¡¯t diminish as she wandered around it more¡ªif anything, it only seemed more foreign. Grander than anything she could remember, yet eerily familiar based on the voices¡¯ opinions. Seiko dreamt of it, sometimes, but even that palace¡ªwarped by the perceptions of a young child and dulled by age¡ªseemed more navigable.


    Seiko lingered in the sakura garden, taken aback by the painted fences around the trees and speckled walkway. It took up the better half of the back courtyard, almost unnaturally. The royal family¡¯s gravesite was just behind it.


    What a place to spend eternity, one voice murmured. Beautiful, serene, and respected. In theory, at least.


    It would be an even better place to die, another said. Brevity at its finest.


    She would have protested¡ªout loud, if they wouldn¡¯t listen otherwise¡ªuntil she heard someone else come closer. Seiko turned and offered a bow once she saw Princess Maenomi.


    ¡°That was quick,¡± the princess noted, almost surprised. ¡°Most people don¡¯t realize I¡¯m there until I speak.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to put me on edge,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°Especially in an unfamiliar place¡ªLord Gin said I could wander.¡±


    ¡°He told me the same, regarding you still being here. You should be honored; Father doesn¡¯t often extend kindness to strangers.¡±


    A ¡®stranger¡¯ he once turned away, no less, a few voices added.


    Seiko chose to ignore them for now.


    ¡°Has his mind changed about letting me stay?¡± Seiko asked the princess.


    ¡°No,¡± Princess Maenomi replied. ¡°He actually sent me to get you¡ªyou¡¯ll be eating with us.¡±


    She¡­must have misheard that. Princess Maenomi seemed no more sure than she did. Lord Gin said as much earlier, yet hearing it as a request was¡­surreal, almost.


    ¡°Father said, if you¡¯re hired, you¡¯ll have to eat with us to escort Uncle¡¯s youngest to their rooms when they¡¯re done,¡± the princess explained. ¡°It doubles as being able to meet everyone.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t even try to fully grasp it, but there wasn¡¯t a real reason to protest. No matter the situation, denying a request coming from the princess¡ªwho, in turn, was told by the king¡¯s brother¡ªwould be disrespectful.


    ¡°Lead the way, Princess. I¡¯m afraid I couldn¡¯t get there on my own.¡±


    The voices could, but Seiko preferred to pretend they didn¡¯t exist.


    Princess Maenomi nodded, simply gesturing for Seiko to follow before she started making her way out of the sakura garden. The princess didn¡¯t walk extremely fast, letting Seiko trail behind her without any issues. She seemed to trust that the older girl wouldn¡¯t disappear.


    The princess didn¡¯t talk to Seiko on the way there¡ªeither to maintain some distance, or to hold topics for later in the evening¡ªso Seiko did the same. The voices were none too quiet, however; they more than made up the silence with all their chatter. Some of them were excited, others terrified, and the rest commented on how ¡®lucky¡¯ Seiko was. Their collective tones didn¡¯t help ease any concerns she had.


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    When they made it to the dining hall, Princess Maenomi waited by the door and lightly knocked on the wooden frame. After a murmur came in response, she entered with her head held high and standing fully straight.


    ¡°I brought Miss Tsujihara,¡± Princess Maenomi announced.


    ¡°Good. Go ahead and take your seat.¡± Seiko couldn¡¯t see him, but it was Lord Gin¡¯s voice.


    The princess nodded, then left. Seiko cautiously entered¡ªsuddenly, all the voices were screaming. She couldn¡¯t even tell what they were saying, just that it gave her a headache.


    She bowed once she stepped inside, and stayed there until one of them spoke. It took an odd amount of time.


    ¡°Miss¡­Tsujihara Seiko, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°You have your own table. Sit down and be calm.¡±


    Seiko rose and looked around for the table; right in the corner, only seating one, with the entire meal set out for her. The main table, on the other hand, held thirteen. The king, the queen, the king¡¯s mistress, the king¡¯s six children, Lord Gin, his wife, and their two children, the voices noted, their loud chorus simplifying into something understandable. Such a large family¡ªand not one servant in the room.


    You¡¯re alone, surrounded by strangers. If things get too much, little Seiko, you could always take a knife and bring it to their skin. That would certainly end their governess issue.


    She shivered the thought away and prayed none of the royal family noticed. The voices quickly resumed their aimless chattering.


    She took a seat at her allotted table, almost noiselessly sliding across the mats making up the floor. The placement had her facing the royal family, but she avoided actually looking up at them. The voices in her mind would be enough to drown out anything spoken aloud, except for whatever pieces of conversation they deemed necessary for her to hear; the headache made it hard for her to even eat.


    The royal family held constant conversation, but she only heard pieces of it. One of the children asked why a commoner ate with them; a little while later, Prince Jukazu teased Princess Maenomi, leading to the latter storming off. A servant was called in to bring her remaining food to her, but it didn¡¯t seem like they would chastise the princess for it.


    Seiko just wished the voices would stop. They talked over each other, commenting on all the people in the room. They criticized the royal family for bickering or for holding conversations that she couldn¡¯t even understand, while they were disappointed in her for being overwhelmed.


    A few more servants came in after a while to clean up after the royals. Seiko didn¡¯t even finish the first dish.


    Lord Gin came over, at first stern. It almost shifted into a kind of concern¡ªeven if most hosts would be annoyed at how little she ate.


    ¡°Was it unsatisfying, Miss Tsujihara?¡± he asked, curiosity over all.


    The voices quieted enough to let her think and form her own words.


    ¡°No, it was good. I¡­lost my appetite; I suddenly got a headache.¡±


    Something in his expression changed, but she couldn¡¯t read it.


    ¡°Does that happen often?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± The voices only screamed while she was in the capital, it seemed. They rarely got this loud at home.


    Seiko couldn¡¯t tell if he believed her or not, but he still seemed to understand.


    ¡°Regardless, please escort the younger children to their rooms,¡± Lord Gin said. ¡°I¡¯ll have a room prepared for you.¡±


    ¡°I met your expectations, then?¡± All she really did was sit there. It¡¯s not that you deserve it, her voices murmured. Just that they want you to take the job.


    ¡°You¡¯ve surpassed them¡ªfar better than any girl we¡¯ve introduced to the children so far. If circumstances change, your position might as well; but for now, consider yourself hired in service of the royal family of Gin.¡±

 Chapter 6: First Days Morning

    There wasn¡¯t much to Seiko¡¯s job, honestly¡ªit sounded easy on paper, and even with their other mockings the voices agreed that she wouldn¡¯t have any trouble. She had to wake up early to help Princess Maenomi prepare for the day, but she had done the same for Mikka; for the rest of the day she had to entertain and somehow manage to educate the middle few children, although Lord Gin made it clear that it could be as simple as making them count the sakura petals as they fell.


    They gave her a room down the hall and off in a corner from where the royals slept, adjacent to the mistress¡¯s room.


    They consider you to be nothing more than a servant, her voices murmured.


    But at the same time, Seiko passed more than a few servants on her way there¡ªthey had separate rooms on the ground floor, if they lived at the palace at all. Lord Gin trusted her enough to keep her close, and the voices couldn¡¯t find a way to discredit that.


    Maybe they just trust you too much, then.


    Her voices kept up a constant buzz even while she slept. She woke up with a faint headache, but shook it off. Her inadequacy would only encourage them to be louder; she had to resist their urging to cause harm, but if she gave in they would mock her.


    Seiko could handle a little pain, if it meant avoiding conflict. Causing trouble would only get her sent home with a worse reputation than the one she arrived with.


    You really think you have control? one of the voices asked. None of us do.


    No one does, another voice corrected. A few others murmured some agreement for the statement.


    Despite their grim tone, they actually quieted down significantly. Maybe they saw their duty done for now¡ªsatisfied in giving Seiko something to repeat in her mind, so that her thoughts were still theirs even when they had very little control over it. She couldn¡¯t fight them any more than she already has, so she continued to prepare for the day.


    The king¡¯s mistress left her room a little bit before Seiko did, helpfully reminding her of where Princess Maenomi was before disappearing into her two children¡¯s shared room.


    Seiko knocked on the door as instructed, then cautiously entered. The princess still laid in bed, lightly snoring while hugging a pillow.


    Inelegant, but endearing. Any hesitance Seiko had when she entered the room vanished, fading away into the kind of care she gave Mikka on her worst days.


    ¡°Princess,¡± Seiko said softly. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to get up.¡±


    Princess Maenomi sighed and her eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°Does it have to be now?¡±


    ¡°I was told you need a little over an hour to get ready, so yes.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll stop pretending to sleep.¡±


    The princess half-tossed the pillow she was holding to the other side of the bed, then sat up and stretched. With the first part done, Seiko made her way to the wardrobe in the corner.


    ¡°Shiharu¡ªUncle¡¯s mistress, that¡¯s her surname¡ªnever made sure I was awake, but she always made a huge racket.¡±


    Princess Maenomi slid off her bed, combing through her hair with her fingers on the way to the vanity.


    ¡°Did she help you in the morning before?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but her priority was on the littlest ones. She laid out clothes for me, but unless I needed to wear a kimono she rarely stayed. It wasn¡¯t out of malice, though¡ªmore people are willing to watch the king¡¯s niece than his barely-legal children.¡±


    Seiko opened the wardrobe, intimidated by the sheer amount of dresses packed into a relatively small space. A majority if it was made up of pinks and reds.


    ¡°Do you have any preference on what you want to wear today?¡±


    ¡°No. Choose whatever dress catches your eye first.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Seiko looked at the selection, and pulled out a pale pink one. It reminded her of the sakura. ¡°One last question¡ªdo you prefer to dress first, or do your hair?¡±


    ¡°Dress; I don¡¯t like to sit down and then stand again.¡±


    Seiko gave the princess a little smile. ¡°You and my mother share an opinion, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious¡ªare we much alike, your mother and I?¡±


    Seiko brought the dress over to the princess; the latter stayed standing, squinting at the cloudy mirror. She responded as Princess Maenomi took off her nightgown.


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    ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to say,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°I haven¡¯t spent much time with you to know. You¡¯re both¡ªor were, in my mother¡¯s case¡ªshrine maidens.¡±


    Princess Maenomi let out a hollow chuckle; she undressed on her own, but accepted Seiko¡¯s help for the new outfit.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m terrible at it. Teha always distracts me.¡±


    ¡°Teha?¡±


    The princess paused for a moment¡ªthe voices suggested she didn¡¯t realize she said it¡ªbefore explaining as Seiko gently latched the back of the dress closed.


    ¡°Tekazu Hafumi. She¡¯s the friend I mentioned yesterday¡ªthe one I bought a parting gift for.¡±


    ¡°Are you two very close?¡± Seiko moved so she could straighten the sleeves; it had a poof to it at the edge, but the end came too far up and it made it look awkward. The whole thing flowed in a way that mostly obscured the figure underneath.


    ¡°Very. We used to go out and shop together.¡±


    She gave something like a fond smile to the mirror before frowning and shaking her head. Seiko tried to keep the silence from getting too deep by returning to the earlier point.


    ¡°Still, with that in mind, that¡¯s one other thing you and my mother have in common.¡±


    Princess Maenomi¡¯s sad look was replaced by curiosity. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°She always told me she was a horrible shrine maiden¡ªalthough she was distracted by my father, not a friend. He¡¯d whisk her away for some romantic trip around town and bring her back before the head priestess noticed.¡±


    ¡°Those are kind words to give to a cowardly man,¡± Princess Maenomi admitted.


    ¡°She¡¯s never held it against him,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°She only held contempt for a short while after he left, but she decided to take every moment as a story to share later instead.¡±


    ¡°Lady Aimiki truly blessed her, then. I would never be able to muster that kind of forgiveness.¡±


    Seiko murmured a kind of agreement, moving on to the other sleeve. Princess Maenomi ended conversation there for a few minutes, allowing Seiko to wrap up the dress without much more distractions.


    Princess Maenomi sat down at Seiko¡¯s quiet instruction, and the latter picked up the hairbrush on the dresser. The princess¡¯s eyes stayed glued on the reflection, but they didn¡¯t focus on one specific thing in it.


    ¡°By the way,¡± she said with a little hum, ¡°Has Father given you proper warnings yet?¡±


    ¡°¡®Warnings?¡¯¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a ¡®no,¡¯ then.¡± She sighed, but continued with relative indifference while Seiko brushed her hair. ¡°Well, I suppose all you need to know is that Jukazu is abhorrent¡ªavoid him if you can¡ªand Teiki will do whatever he can to please him, so he¡¯s impossible to negotiate with. Rinatsu, Akemi, and Chiki¡ªyou¡¯ll likely be teaching them¡ªare annoying, but harmless, and you shouldn¡¯t see much of Dazuko unless you run into Shiharu.¡±


    Seiko recognized those were the names of the royal children, but not much else. Out of the list, she only knew Prince Jukazu as a child; Prince Teiki and Princess Maenomi were born at the time, but neither seemed to recognize her.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot to remember.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about the names themselves,¡± Princess Maenomi said with a dismissive hand wave. ¡°Even Uncle needs a note to keep them straight. The most important part to know is which ones are more or less likely to make your day miserable.¡±


    Seiko finished brushing and gently brought the princess¡¯s hair behind her shoulders.


    ¡°Do you want me to tie it back for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­In a braid, please. I like the look of it best.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Behind or to the side?¡±


    ¡°Side, on the right.¡±


    Seiko quietly started working on it, trying not to pull. If Princess Maenomi had complaints, they were hidden.


    She¡¯s just jealous her hair isn¡¯t like yours¡ªdark brown and straight, a voice suggested.


    She glanced at her own reflection in the mirror. Honestly, she couldn¡¯t quite see what made everyone so stunned with her¡ªshe looked like everyone else. She just happened to fit in with what others would consider ¡®ideal.¡¯


    Spoken by a girl who¡¯s never truly been uncomfortable with herself, one voice murmured. Better to not recognize it than overly flaunt it or try to hide it.


    Princess Maenomi didn¡¯t say anything else while Seiko braided her hair, letting it trail off to the right side as requested. The princess smiled at her reflection and opened one of her vanity¡¯s drawers.


    ¡°Can you tie this in as well?¡± She took out a string of small jewels and showed it to Seiko. ¡°I can never get it in myself, and I want to take full advantage of you being here.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Seiko carefully took the string¡ªworth more than the cumulative money her father sent each month, she was sure¡ªand nestled it through the braid. It took a few minutes, but at the end it weaved in and out with the braid, occasionally hiding in hair and usually showing out in front.


    When Seiko stepped back, Princess Maenomi caressed the string of jewels and smiled a little wider.


    ¡°That¡¯s everything in my usual routine,¡± the princess said as she stood up, ¡°So you¡¯re free to start heading to the dining room. I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°I was told to take you there.¡±


    Princess Maenomi looked surprised, for a second, then gave a sheepish shuffle. She glanced at Seiko in the mirror instead of turning around.


    ¡°Stand outside the room, then? I need to get something and I¡¯d rather keep the contents a secret.¡±


    But she still trusted you with the information that she has a secret, one voice mused. Silly girl.


    Still, Seiko had no reason to pry and the princess¡¯s eyes shone with a kind of pleading.


    Without another word, Seiko nodded and walked back to the door. Princess Maenomi murmured something like thanks, but was quiet compared to a few voices mocking Seiko for her consideration¡ªand even then, some voices praised her for the same reason.


    She closed the door behind her and waited as requested. The other members of the royal family seemed to be awake already, their doors half-open to show that they were absent but no one was allowed inside.


    It only took a minute or two before Princess Maenomi appeared, relatively nonchalant and with the same mustered strength that she had while in town. She held her head high and led the way without any gestures; Seiko followed behind her by a few steps, enough distance if she needed it while still being relatively close.

 Chapter 7: First Days Teaching

    Unlike the night before, Seiko shared a table with the king¡¯s mistress. Miss Shiharu actually smiled at her in stark contrast to the scowling royals. She¡¯s loved, but she¡¯s not one of them, Seiko¡¯s voices murmured. She¡¯s a decade older than you at most. King Gin Tsunkei has no right to wonder why his eldest son is so flippant with others¡¯ feelings.


    Miss Shiharu seemed to enjoy the company, but didn¡¯t entertain much conversation. Her gaze was fixed on her daughter; her son, the younger of the two, was too young to eat with the rest.


    The voices were kind enough to let her think while she ate, buzzing but never enough to cause pain. She wondered if being with someone else helped¡ªthat worked in the past, at least. The voices themselves never confirmed or denied the theory, insisting on irrelevant topics instead.


    Miss Shiharu left as soon as she finished eating, giving a few words to the king before heading out of the room. The royal¡¯s conversation stayed cordial¡ªif it seemed like it would fall into an argument, Lord Gin called for a reconsideration. Most instigations were from Prince Jukazu; most comments were pointed towards Princess Maenomi or Miss Shiharu at the other table, occasionally veering to insult Prince Kyuru and a few names Seiko didn¡¯t recognize. She tensed every time he said her name, even if he used ¡®Tsujihara.¡¯


    ¡°Please stop trying to cause trouble,¡± Lord Gin said tiredly.


    ¡°Blame Father,¡± Prince Jukazu replied with a shrug. He slowly stood up, to the visible relief of a few people at the table. ¡°Who, I should remind you, is also the reason we¡¯re going on an inane trip halfway across the country.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll change your tune once we¡¯re there,¡± the king argued. ¡°For one, it¡¯s beautiful. For another, you¡¯ll be grateful you know the lay of the land when Kuro invades again.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say Kuro will be the next to invade?¡± Prince Jukazu rose up with a kind of viciousness that made Seiko wince but excited the voices.


    ¡°History,¡± his oldest sister said passively. ¡°Kuro¡¯s always attacking. You¡¯re kinda doomed if you can¡¯t fight back, Jukazu.¡±


    His second-youngest brother chuckled. ¡°Then we get to call you the Last King of Gin! That¡¯d be great, actually.¡±


    Prince Jukazu hissed at his siblings while the youngest stifled laughter. Lady Keichiro bent over and smacked each one¡¯s hand, earning an ¡®ow¡¯ from both children and a tsk from each one of Seiko¡¯s voices.


    ¡°Be nice,¡± she said unconvincingly. ¡°Or he¡¯ll die and you¡¯ll be the last ruler of Gin.¡±


    ¡°That fails to be threatening when women can¡¯t inherit the throne,¡± Princess Maenomi commented, almost quiet enough that Seiko couldn¡¯t hear. She only really noticed because the voices brought it to her attention, repeated it for her understanding.


    Prince Jukazu pulled away from the table, looking down at his family with contempt.


    ¡°Have you seen this place? Sometimes I think we would only benefit from my rule¡ªeven if it¡¯s the last.¡±


    Such hubris! a voice noted. It¡¯s a shame. He¡¯ll never be king¡ªand neither will Teiki or Chiki or Dazuki. They¡¯re all too lustful, or too childish, or too young to even live.


    Prince Jukazu left without another word. After he closed the door behind him, Lord Gin sighed.


    ¡°...Teach that boy a lesson while you¡¯re out, Brother. Do your best to help, Teiki, or you¡¯ll need a lesson next.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he never forgets it,¡± Prince Teiki promised. He slid out of his spot with ease. ¡°That being said, I should make sure I have all my things. We¡¯re leaving tonight, Father?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The second eldest prince bowed, then left with a thin smile. Afterwards, the remaining members of the family left the main table¡ªPrincess Maenomi first, once she asked to be excused, then her mother. The king and his wife left at the same time, murmuring about Miss Shiharu.


    Seiko considered her cue to stand when Lord Gin got up and glanced at her.


    ¡°Do you have a headache again today?¡± he asked.


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    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He looked back at the children behind him, anywhere between ages twelve and three. ¡°Rinatsu, keep an extra eye out for Akemi. Kyuru, don¡¯t roughhouse with the toddlers. All of you, be nice to Miss Tsujihara.¡±


    The youngest¡ªPrincess Akemi, she assumed¡ªblinked. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because tengu will fly off with you otherwise,¡± Lord Gin replied dryly. The threat made all but Princess Rinatsu shiver. ¡°Then they¡¯ll keep you from ever coming home again.¡±


    Princess Akemi whimpered, but Prince Kyuru must have stopped listening¡ªhe was already making his way towards Seiko.


    ¡°Can I play with Miss Tsujihara first, Father?¡± the prince asked while looking up at his caretaker.


    ¡°You have to share her,¡± Lord Gin answered.


    The prince seemed accepting, but not wholly satisfied. Still, after another second, he beamed again and grabbed Seiko¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go! I wanna go outside!¡±


    He tugged her as much as a six year old boy could, and the other children joined in with the chorus. Lord Gin didn¡¯t quite smile, but he almost looked a little pleased.


    ¡°If they start to give you trouble, just ask Shiharu for help. She¡¯s been watching them before.¡±


    Seiko nodded, and not a second later all the other three ran towards her and pulled alongside Prince Kyuru. She allowed them to guide her; following their whims wouldn¡¯t be as troubling as giving in to the voices¡¯ silent whispers.


    ¡­


    The children were surprisingly easy to please¡ªthey didn¡¯t ask the impossible of her and, for the most part, they understood that her attention needed to be divided amongst the four of them. Prince Kyuru was the most active¡ªthe most ¡®demanding¡¯ by a majority of people¡¯s standards¡ªbut he didn¡¯t play as much with the other three either.


    Seiko sat on the walkway through the sakura garden, where the children voted to be. Only the first hour or so was spent on anything resembling schoolwork; Princess Rinatsu found more interest in arranging the fallen petals than counting them, while Prince Kyuru and Prince Chiki jabbed at each other with sticks. Princess Akemi, apparently exhausted from the exciting petal collecting earlier, found Seiko¡¯s lap comfortable enough to lay in. Seiko was both honored at the trust and horrified at what her voices insisted she did with it.


    The voices were quieter around the children, yes. But that made it all the more jarring: It wouldn¡¯t be hard to snap each one¡¯s neck. There would be no witnesses. You could say a thief came in and you would be believed if you looked harmed as well.


    The thought distracted her enough that she briefly lost track of the boys. Her slight panic bothered Princess Akemi, which in turn alerted Princess Rinatsu. The eldest chuckled after a second, but someone spoke from behind Seiko before she could ask.


    ¡°Are you a tengu, Miss Tsujihara?¡± Prince Kyuru. Seiko glanced over her shoulder, with both princes being there. Prince Chiki played with a bug on the path while Prince Kyuru looked at her curiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s a stupid question,¡± Princess Rinatsu said haughtily. ¡°Miss Tsujihara looks nothing like a tengu. She doesn¡¯t have a red face or long nose.¡±


    ¡°But how else is she gonna take Akemi away?¡± the prince retorted.


    ¡°Oh! Oh!¡± Prince Chiki came back into view, holding a leaf with a caterpillar on it. ¡°Are you a kitsune, Miss Tsujihara?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kitsune,¡± Seiko said patiently. She almost wanted to smile¡ªshe likely would have, if her voices weren¡¯t so dark in the back of her mind. ¡°Nor am I a tengu.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Prince Kyuru asked. He poked her back, making her tense but nothing else. ¡°You can be a kitsune and not know it. Kuro has one now.¡±


    ¡°Kuro has a half-kitsune,¡± Princess Rinatsu corrected him. ¡°Mother told me that once. The kitsune¡¯s mother was a princess, so now Kuro¡¯s royal family has a fox in it. I heard Father say they had oni blood, too, and that¡¯s why we can¡¯t beat them¡ªthey cheated and made themselves stronger by marrying monsters.¡±


    ¡°Ew!¡± Princess Akemi declared, throwing her arms out. ¡°No kitsune, no oni. Not nice.¡±


    ¡°Not every kitsune is rude,¡± Seiko said. All four children gave her a combination of confusion and disbelief, almost like she had gone mad but they wanted to know how so she could retell the story. She obliged. ¡°Someone in my hometown was saved by a kitsune once.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Prince Chiki asked.


    Seiko nodded, nevermind the fact she could only remember half of it and heard the story secondhand; the children would accept it anyway, even if it¡¯s only fiction.


    ¡°The man fought Kuro,¡± she explained. ¡°And, once, he saw a kitsune across the river. When they crossed it, he was separated from his unit. He was in enemy territory for a full day before the same kitsune brought him back to the main army; he thought it might lead him to an enemy ambush, while the soldiers in his unit were sure he died. When all misunderstandings were cleared, he tried to introduce his friends to the kitsune, but it was gone.¡±


    Even Princess Rinatsu gave her wide, amazed eyes. Prince Kyuru, perhaps the most involved, firmly plopped down on the stone.


    ¡°Do you have more stories?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to listen to?¡± Seiko asked. ¡°I have stories about my mother, a shrine maiden, or folktales I¡¯ve heard from villagers in my hometown.¡±


    ¡°I want to hear about more fighting and action!¡± Prince Kyuru declared.


    ¡°Me too!¡± Prince Chiki added. ¡°I wanna hear how awesome Jukazu isn¡¯t!¡±


    Princess Rinatsu chuckled as her sign of agreement, and Princess Akemi simply seemed pleased at such a lively conversation. All of them were much more enthused than Seiko expected. They don¡¯t have this kind of attention often, one voice suggested.


    Still, Seiko nodded. Drawing on some half-forgotten memory, she gave another story that Mikka had told her, hoping to draw the same reaction.


    It almost made her homesick, actually, but the voices soured it.


    That place is no more of a home than this one...

 Chapter 8: Goodbyes

    Maenomi liked spending time with Teha. She knew she would have a hard time letting it go from the first afternoon after work.


    Her parents had already moved all the valuables, leaving only bare necessities. Maenomi chose not to question why Teha¡¯s parents were still out¡ªshe assumed they were told the two would offer some final prayers before the Tekazu family went away. That¡¯s what Maenomi said to explain her morning-long absence to her parents, at least.


    Instead, Maenomi toyed with the edge of a ribbon forgotten on the floor while Teha flipped through the poetry book the ribbon had encased; the candies that Maenomi brought with her were mostly gone by now, dispersed between the two girls and casually eaten as the desire came. Maenomi watched Teha through the corner of her eye, and every now and then Teha looked up and smiled. After a specific page, however, that smile faded.


    ¡°...Did you ever ask your parents if you could come with us?¡± Teha asked. ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit late, but then you could meet up with us down the road.¡±


    Maenomi shook her head and sighed. ¡°I never had the chance to ask Father, and all Mother would do with the information is carry it along to Jukazu. She wouldn¡¯t even give it consideration¡ªjust gossip.¡±


    Teha bit the edge of her lip. ¡°...That¡¯s unfortunate. My parents would have loved to host you.¡±


    ¡°Their hospitality would have run out eventually. They¡¯d get tired of me.¡±


    Maenomi shrunk a bit, but Teha barely delayed in slapping her book closed. That startled Maenomi enough to catch her attention as Teha¡¯s expression shifted to sympathy.


    ¡°Just because your family did doesn¡¯t mean mine will,¡± Teha pointed out.


    Maenomi couldn¡¯t help a little bit of self-deprecation¡ªaround Teha was the only time she was allowed to indulge in it. ¡°Oh, I doubt they even notice me. My only use to Mother is gossip, and only Lady Aimiki understands what runs through my father¡¯s mind every day.¡±


    ¡°What about your brother? He cares.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re less ¡®siblings¡¯ than we are strangers that happen to share parents. He¡¯ll listen to me, but he doesn¡¯t really spend time with me unless I¡¯m the only one available. I don¡¯t think that counts.¡±


    Teha frowned, but didn¡¯t give any immediate response. She turned on her back to face the ceiling with a sigh.


    ¡°...I¡¯m worried about you¡ªabout how you¡¯ll fare in the years to come. I just¡­have a sense of dread. Like we¡¯ll never see each other again.¡±


    Maenomi¡¯s heart ached at the admittance of it; she had the same feeling ever since Uncle Tsunkei left with Jukazu and Teiki. It made it hard to appreciate her time without the two eldest children mocking her.


    She slowly sat up, took a deep breath, and reached for the poem book. The movement caught Teha¡¯s attention, but she just watched instead of speaking.


    Maenomi opened the book, flipped to one of the last pages, then pushed it towards Teha. She shuffled a bit as Teha read the passage.


    ¡°¡®On sunny blue skies; our clear future lies ahead; a hope eternal.¡¯¡±


    Teha gave her a quizzical look. Maenomi would have laughed if she wasn¡¯t so nervous.


    ¡°Turn the page.¡±


    Teha nodded and complied, carefully moving the page over. Her eyes lit up when she saw a folded letter inside, pressed flat to stay hidden. It took ages to write without Miss Tsujihara noticing. She didn¡¯t have as much free time as she used to.


    She watched as Teha scanned the letter, read and understood the words and let it sink in. Maenomi didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Teha whispered it and trailed off, almost unbelieving.


    ¡°A promise,¡± Maenomi said firmly, finding it in her to smile. ¡°I have everything planned¡ªa few months after I turn eighteen, I¡¯ll fake a letter saying that an eastern noble wants my hand in marriage. They¡¯ll send me off without too much investigation because that¡¯s my role, and they¡¯ll never check on me because it¡¯s too much of a hassle to get past the mountains. I¡¯ll change my name, find you, then we¡¯ll call each other sisters or whatever we must to actually live together.¡±


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    ¡°And you¡¯re sure that would work?¡± Teha asked. She didn¡¯t seem to doubt Maenomi¡¯s sincerity, just the logistics. It was ambitious¡ªor at least, ambitious considering the normal things girls her age would try to seek out.


    ¡°By then, Jukazu will be king.¡± She couldn¡¯t place a reason why, but she knew that was true. It echoed like a voice in the back of her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll be as inconsequential as a weak Kuro heir, so he won¡¯t care. Father and Mother won¡¯t bat an eye with all the other marriages they¡¯ll have to arrange, and I can invite Kyuru so he¡¯s not alone.¡±


    ¡°A lot can change in two years,¡± Teha murmured. ¡°What if we¡¯re different?¡±


    Maenomi shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll just hide away in the east somewhere. Once Princess Maenomi is married off, whoever she becomes afterwards is free to do anything. I won¡¯t miss the palace¡ªI never will.¡±


    Teha paused for a moment, then sat up and smiled.


    ¡°I accept, then.¡± She gave a teasing look¡ªa genuine, joking one unlike what Mother always wore. ¡°I expect to see you on my doorstep in two or three years¡¯ time, Mae¡ªyou better not keep me waiting.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Maenomi moved a little closer, then hesitated. Teha chuckled and gave her a peck on the cheek; she pulled away as they grew warm, Teha doing the same.


    They sat there for a moment, then Maenomi stood up.


    ¡°I should head back. Miss Tsujihara hasn¡¯t been feeling well, and with Shiharu busy I¡¯m the only one left to help wrangle the younger ones.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    Maenomi nodded. ¡°Travel safely, Teha¡ªand send me a letter once you get there, if you can. It¡¯ll be nice to have a reason to hide away once Jukazu comes back.¡±


    Teha murmured a promise, and Maenomi swept down to pick up the ribbon on the floor. She held it out to Teha, but she shook her head¡ªso Maenomi took it with her instead, idly tying it to her wrist like a bracelet on her walk back home.


    ¡­


    Maenomi went to the bedrooms as soon as she came home to decide on an outfit for the next day¡ªshe didn¡¯t like making Miss Tsujihara do it when she very clearly hid pain. No one hid anything as long as they were in these walls, whether it be the truth or an ailment of some kind. Everyone always knew.


    Instead, she paused halfway there; Shiharu¡¯s impatience showed through, undetectable to everyone but those most experienced with it. Knowing her uncle¡¯s mistress might start yelling made her want to ignore it, but she also knew Kyuru would be in a foul mood for the rest of the day after. She hated the idea of her goodbye to Teha being overshadowed by family drama at home.


    She followed the voices to Miss Tsujihara¡¯s room and carefully poked her head in as Shiharu sighed. Her somewhat-aunt perked up when she noticed Maenomi; Miss Tsujihara, drawing with Akemi an arm¡¯s length away, looked at her but stayed silent. The rest must not have noticed, too busy arguing or drawing or doodling in the corner of the page instead of doing math.


    ¡°Oh, good, you¡¯re back.¡± She offered a smile despite firmly gripping both Kyuru and Chiki¡¯s shoulders. The boys glared at each other, likely over a toy. ¡°I need to check on Dazuki¡ªcan you help me get everyone over to the nursery?¡±


    ¡°I can still watch them,¡± Miss Tsujihara said, frowning both in dissatisfaction and pain. ¡°It¡¯s just a migraine.¡±


    ¡°A migraine that no remedies we have here can fix, apparently,¡± Shiharu pointed out. ¡°You need rest, dear¡ªrest, water, and a good meal. I¡¯ll not be responsible if our first successful hire wounds up dead from overworking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just noise. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the dedication, but maybe it¡¯ll stick if I put it this way¡ªyou write to your family back home, don¡¯t you? And your mother¡¯s ill, isn¡¯t she? If you suddenly stop writing, she¡¯ll be worried. No one here wants to tell a parent they¡¯ve outlived their child.¡±


    That managed to make Miss Tsujihara pause, but she still resisted.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that serious.¡± Yet she murmured it and glanced away like she knew it wouldn¡¯t work. She probably didn¡¯t want to seem weak or lazy, but the bar was low¡ªothers had gotten out of work with much less.


    Maenomi stepped in, only now being noticed by her little brother. Rinatsu and Chiki saw her by extension, but Akemi kept drawing.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to win an argument with Shiharu,¡± Maenomi said relatively gently. ¡°Teha is now on her way out of the capital, so¡­I have the free time. I can help Rinatsu with her schoolwork.¡±


    Shiharu loosened her grip on the boys¡¯ shoulders and beamed at Miss Tsujihara.


    ¡°See? We have a plan. Now let Maenomi and I get these children out of your room so you can rest. I don¡¯t want to see you out and about until you¡¯ve gained some color and you¡¯re not stumbling around from pain, do you understand?¡±


    Miss Tsujihara opened her mouth to protest, shivered, then sighed and shuffled back. Akemi let out a little whine once she realized her distant drawing partner was done for now.


    Shiharu stood up and clapped her hands.


    ¡°Okay! Rinatsu, go with Maenomi. Kyuru, Chiki, and Akemi, we¡¯re going to visit Dazuki¡ªbe very quiet or his crying will summon an oni.¡±


    Threats of mythical creatures always put the littlest ones into shape; they had imaginations where such an abstract warning was terrifying. It encouraged them to get up and obediently follow Shiharu out of the room, the woman scooping up any paper they were using to draw with. Rinatsu took an extra second to show some disdain, but didn¡¯t actually say any protests.


    Maenomi closed the door behind her and Rinatsu. Miss Tsujihara was such a hard worker¡ªit would be a shame to lose her.

 Chapter 9: Changes

    The voices hadn¡¯t let up for two whole days, now. Even when Seiko slept as Miss Shiharu asked, she couldn¡¯t be rid of them.


    Every one of them had a face¡ªa smile or a frown, laughing or crying¡ª-but at the same time she could barely make out any features. By extension, she realized every voice was a person¡ªor represented by a person, at any rate¡ªand some had scars, others bruises, and the rest were deathly pale. Most of them were adults, her age or older, but some were younger.


    ¡°Am I not allowed some kind of reprieve?¡± Seiko asked, looking around at the strangers. Not one face was familiar.


    There is no reprieve for one like you, a few voices¡ªpeople¡ªsaid around her. We will continue to remind you, and remind you, and remind you until you finally give in.


    Or have you already forgotten? another set asked. Your life is not your own. Your body may be yours, but in the end that¡¯s all you have¡ªnot your choices, not your actions, not your ending. We¡¯ve already decided this all for you.


    You only feel pain because you resist us, several others added. This has a rather simple solution¡ªlet us use you, and you will finally have ¡®reprieve.¡¯


    ¡°You know my answer to your offer,¡± Seiko pointed out. Any of the smiling people were starting to frown, and those that were already frowning made them deeper. It resembled a painting more than life, where Seiko was the only thing portrayed realistically. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for no more than two weeks, and you¡¯ve asked me to hurt others every day since. I know you don¡¯t mean well.¡±


    Wouldn¡¯t you like to be called a legend? Your story to be passed down to generation upon generation?


    ¡°I have no reason to. That kind of extravagance isn¡¯t something I look forward to.¡±


    Oh really? But it will be yours¡ªevery last fragment of it.


    They were lying. She had no reason to believe they were true¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t aim that high, wouldn¡¯t try to make a place for herself as anything more than a governess; she had no desire for any of the extravagance she technically had a right to.


    The people in front of her vanished, then reappeared around her. Those closest to her reached forward and grabbed her neck while the rest shoved her onto the floor. As soon as she knelt down, they stepped on her hands to keep her from clawing at them.


    Her heart raced quicker than it did after her worst nightmare; despite the complete silence her head managed to pound and ache, and their grip made it impossible for her to breathe.


    You¡¯ll be the last. The life that is not your own will do so much, Seiko. And if we¡¯re wrong, and someone else comes after you, we¡¯ll just repeat ourselves to them, over and over¡­


    You¡¯ll be one of us, one way or another. Saved when we are, or else stuck like this until someone finally comes along to end it.


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    ¡­


    Seiko woke up with a sudden breath, wasting no time in fully gathering her bearings. She sat up and tried to steady herself. Only a few voices milled about in the back of her mind, aimlessly chattering about something. One of them vaguely sounded like the king, but the murmurs were too quiet for her to know for sure.


    She glanced out the window; very little light came from outside. It must be very early in the morning¡ªshe slept through dinner, then. Without the migraine¡ªfor right now, at least, her mind was clear and she didn¡¯t feel any pain¡ªshe might be able to eat something.


    She got out of her bed, quickly changed into one of her normal dresses, and brushed her hair with her fingers while she left the room and went down the hallway. A few of the doors were half-open, while others¡ªthe rooms of the youngest ones¡ªwere completely closed. Voices¡ªreal ones¡ªcame from further down.


    Seiko intended to avoid it, if only because her own thoughts grew louder when the voices she could actually hear did. If she knew she wouldn¡¯t be hungry in the morning, she would just head back¡ªbut two days of barely eating left her running on the bare minimum. Mikka would be worried just by her eating less than usual.


    As Seiko got closer to the kitchen, she recognized the voices as Lord Gin and Prince Jukazu. The latter must have returned.


    ¡°¡­But why don¡¯t you have any guards?¡±


    ¡°I told you, they were killed.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll believe that? You¡¯re barely hurt.¡±


    ¡°Teiki¡¯s arm is nearly sawed off!¡±


    ¡°I see that, and Yukira and Shiharu are getting medicines now. But you, on the other hand, just have a few scratches. Did you sneak off without them? I assume I need to send someone to get your father.¡±


    Seiko paused at the dining hall door; she had to pass through to get into the kitchen, but the two men stood around there arguing.


    You should stay, a few voices murmured.


    Solely because of that, she turned to leave again. She could make due without a snack¡ªit¡¯ll only be a few hours.


    But when she tried, she couldn¡¯t move her foot forward¡ªcouldn¡¯t take any steps away from the door, away from a conversation she had no right to listen to. She couldn¡¯t give them a semblance of privacy even if she wanted to.


    Jukazu half-chuckled with no real humor. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to. He¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Where? I don¡¯t see him.¡±


    I¡¯m here, a voice said¡ªthe king¡¯s voice. It startled her.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? We were attacked by thieves.¡±


    I told Jukazu we were meeting someone from Kuro. That¡¯s where I met Shiharu Yaroko; out fighting our sister kingdom.


    ¡°Our guards noticed first. Their fighting alerted me to the thieves.¡±


    Jukazu got angry. Said we were cursed enough as it is; he refused to associate with Kuro, let their need for bloodshed overlap with our skill at it. I didn¡¯t understand what he meant at the time.


    ¡°I joined the fight, and so did Father and Teiki.¡±


    He drew his sword at me, called me a coward. Teiki tried to step in when he noticed Jukazu was getting violent.


    ¡°The thieves killed the guards first and attacked Teiki¡ªthey greatly injured him.¡±


    Jukazu lashed out against the guards when they started to defend me. Once they were killed, he stabbed Teiki for the same reason¡ªbut a part of him didn¡¯t want to kill his brother, I think, so he focused on me.


    ¡°One last thief remained; while I was distracted with Teiki, they targeted Father.¡±


    And in the end¡­


    ¡°A madman killed King Gin-Betemo Tsunkei. Gather a crowd, Uncle¡ªthey must hear it from us, first, as I take his place as king.¡±

 Chapter 10: Coronation

    They held a funeral for Tsunkei immediately¡ªit was a private matter, regardless. How Jukazu and Teiki managed to drag their father back without harming the body, Ozuru didn¡¯t ask.


    Tsunkei had a few small scratches, then one gaping wound in his chest; he must have bled out. Ozuru couldn¡¯t decide if it was better or worse than sudden illness, like how their father went¡ªat least Erumi and Yaroko were still alive.


    The youngest few didn¡¯t know what was happening¡ªbeing woken up, asked to dress nice, then brought to the graveyard to stare at their father¡¯s still body. They paid respects¡ªor silently stared, depending on the person¡ªthen left him to be cremated. Ozuru decided to return in the evening to watch him be buried; whether or not anyone else joined him would depend on how Jukazu¡¯s coronation went.


    Ozuru went through the motions of preparing the second coronation he¡¯s had to manage¡ªfirst for his brother, now his nephew. The longest part was always carrying the news.


    By midday, Ozuru stood next to Jukazu in the opening room. The doors were open, letting in cloudy sunlight; the last few sakura petals of the season flew in, landing near the back next to the portraits of Tsunkei, the king before him, and his wife. A crowd amassed by the door, staying out of the building for no reason but respect, while those living at the palace¡ªthe royal family and Seiko¡ªstood around at a distance.


    ¡°King Tsunkei came to power twenty-one years ago,¡± Ozuru told the crowd. ¡°He followed his father¡¯s legacy¡ªclosed the gap between royals and nobles, nobles and commoners. It¡¯s from his continued efforts that everyone here can watch history.¡±


    Ozuru looked at Jukazu. ¡°Tell them¡ªthe gods and the people¡ªof your intentions. What do you aim to achieve?¡±


    Jukazu¡¯s eyes shone, a kind of ambition that he rarely managed. Something about his movements¡ªhis smile, his small sway¡ªmade Ozuru wonder if he had been drinking. The vigor in Jukazu¡¯s voice didn¡¯t seem like his.


    ¡°Kyuburu and Tsunkei¡¯s reforms were unprecedented,¡± Jukazu admitted. ¡°There¡¯s no way that I, alone, can surpass it. So I won¡¯t¡ªI¡¯ll shift our focus, from social to economic and militaristic. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve all heard the rumors of Kuro making alliances, spreading out to kill us all.¡±


    Jukazu raised his head and grinned. ¡°Tsunkei avoided conflict. If Gin was to fall under him, it would be pathetic. But I swear¡ªto Lord Bekin, Lady Aimiki, and the people gathered here¡ªthat I¡¯ll fight it. As much as I¡¯m able, so that if we fall, it¡¯ll be glorious. I¡¯ll make innovations, improve our tactics, and make us better than everyone around us. For centuries, even islands across the seas will be talking about Gin! I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡±


    The crowd cheered; Ozuru wondered how long Jukazu had his speech planned. Honestly, a part of him was surprised that he didn¡¯t speak ill of the dead. Although he had yet to manifest any kind of sympathy for his siblings, especially the unusually quiet Teiki.


    Seiko, in the very edge of the room, grimaced and leaned back towards the wall. Jukazu bowed towards the crowd, but did it for the gods.


    They waited for his dark hair to shimmer, roots first, into the silver-white that the royal family used as a crown. But when Jukazu stood a minute later, there was no change.


    Something laughed in the back of his head¡ªand he knew it wasn¡¯t his own due to the genuine amusement. Yaroko held her littlest son closer as he started to sputter off a cry. The crowd whispered.


    ¡°Be more earnest,¡± Ozuru suggested to Jukazu.


    His nephew glared at him. ¡°How the hell can I be ¡®more earnest?¡¯ More foolish kings were appointed with fewer words!¡±


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    The crowd heard, concern sprinkling on the faces of the closest few.


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing yourself any favors,¡± Ozuru hissed.


    Maybe Lady Aimiki didn¡¯t like Jukazu¡¯s prayer¡ªhistorically, she didn¡¯t like her children fighting. With that in mind, he looked at Teiki; he half-cradled his injured arm, avoiding eye contact with his older brother but paying enough attention to notice that Ozuru¡¯s attention shifted.


    ¡°Teiki. Come up here.¡±


    The second-eldest prince obeyed, and Jukazu stepped out of the way with a huff. Teiki took his place.


    ¡°...If you¡¯ll accept me, Lady Aimiki, I¡¯ll follow my father. I¡¯ll make sure craven like those that killed him are punished.¡±


    Jukazu scoffed, but kept comments to himself for once. Teiki bowed for a full minute, but just like Jukazu, nothing happened.


    ¡­That might be an issue.


    ¡°Chiki.¡±


    Teiki went back into the royal family, receiving a worried look from his mother. Chiki bowed once he stood next to Ozuru.


    ¡°I¡¯ll, um¡­try to follow Father, too.¡±


    Nothing happened. Ozuru gestured for Kyuru next.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure no one will be sad. I¡¯ll make sure everyone stays happy.¡±


    He bowed and stood with no change. Ozuru tried to hide his growing fear. Are Lord Bekin and Lady Aimiki absent? Or were four people just unsatisfactory? The crowd¡¯s murmurs only grew.


    ¡°Yaroko, bring Dazuki.¡±


    She carried her baby son over, and spoke on his behalf. The little boy was still sniffling. ¡°I¡¯ll raise him well. He¡¯ll make his father proud, I promise.¡±


    Yaroko sat Dazuki on the floor and got down on her hands and knees. It must be hard for her¡ªall the boys were tested, all with no success. There hasn¡¯t even been a case of one person staying without the metaphorical crown.


    She didn¡¯t stand until Ozuru gently nudged her, and she avoided facing the crowd as she picked up Dazuki again. She joined Tsujihara Seiko in the corner instead of going back to her daughter.


    ¡°Maenomi.¡± He didn¡¯t have any other choice¡ªhe might as well try.


    She must not have expected it, but she mustered some elegance and stepped forward with more confidence than she actually had. Jukazu leered and she hesitated, so Ozuru half-pushed his nephew further away. With a grunt, Jukazu finally left the center of the room.


    Maenomi had more conviction than Teiki, albeit with a similar message.


    ¡°If I could have such an honor,¡± she said, her voice strong but not loud enough to reach the full crowd, ¡°I would like to build on the policies of my uncle and my grandfather. There are still barriers¡ªbetween social classes, between people¡ªthat very few really understand. Should Lord Bekin and Lady Aimiki give me their blessing, I¡¯ll improve the kingdom with no malice.¡±


    If that plea didn¡¯t reach Lady Aimiki, Ozuru didn¡¯t know what would. Yet Maenomi bowed and stood, with the same result as her brother and cousins before her. The seconds painfully ticked by.


    ¡°Rinatsu.¡±


    Maenomi seemed both disappointed and relieved, wordlessly letting her younger cousin take her place.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help everyone grow,¡± Rinatsu promised. ¡°Give proper motivation for artists and facilitate trade so we can experience new cultures.¡±


    She bowed, waited, and stood. She didn¡¯t need to be told it hadn¡¯t worked¡ªnoticing the pattern, she ushered Akemi in behind her.


    The toddler didn¡¯t have any idea what was happening, so she just bowed like her siblings did with a scared look. She must know that this wasn¡¯t normal, but she didn¡¯t have the words to grasp it. Even Ozuru struggled to explain it.


    Ozuru faced the crowd, their confusion and mistrust clear from their murmurs and expressions.


    ¡°Lady Aimiki may still be in mourning.¡± It hasn¡¯t happened before, but he couldn¡¯t think of how else to explain it. ¡°King Tsunkei¡¯s death was sudden¡ªwe would all do well to go an extra day to process it. We¡¯ll reconvene tomorrow.¡±


    The crowd dispersed after some prodding; Yukira disappeared after them, inconsiderate, to gather their opinions. Jukazu left in a huff and Teiki went in the other direction; Yaroko left with Seiko and Maenomi in tow, Seiko looking particularly ill; Erumi gathered Rinatsu, Chiki, and Akemi so they could visit their father¡¯s grave again before he was buried.


    Ozuru sighed, going alone to his study. He needed to get a few things in order, just in case Lady Aimiki still didn¡¯t answer.

 Chapter 11: A Matter of Safety

    Seiko¡¯s voices kept her trapped in a nightmarish sleep for the whole day. She didn¡¯t wake up until the next morning¡ªand even then, it was by Miss Shiharu giving her some breakfast. The voices were still louder than usual¡ªmocking the royal family, lamenting the situation, repeating that her life didn¡¯t belong to her¡ªbut they were manageable. Or maybe several days of their constant chattering just hardened her to them.


    Miss Shiharu helped her with the younger children, but Seiko couldn¡¯t tell if it was out of sympathy for Seiko or trying to make up for the king¡¯s death to her children. The voices were conflicted¡ªalthough the king¡¯s voice, in particular, seemed to suggest the latter.


    He popped up, clear and distinct, every now and then. Seiko had to half-choke to keep his words from escaping through her mouth, scared of Miss Shiharu¡¯s reaction. The woman only seemed to notice it as a point of concern.


    Princess Maenomi sat outside with them, entertaining her little brother¡¯s whims in ways that both confused and elated him. Princess Rinatsu drew on a piece of paper, but then she tore them off and let her younger siblings¡ªPrincess Akemi especially¡ªcrudely color them, even if she shuddered when they disregarded the lines. Miss Shiharu kept hold of the sleepy Prince Dazuki, but he liked to reach over and toy with Seiko¡¯s long hair, so she stayed close.


    Seiko, by Princess Akemi¡¯s insistence, helped color in a simple drawing of a blooming tree. The toddler chose to make the leaves pink.


    ¡°Ma,¡± Princess Akemi said, looking at Miss Shiharu. She pointed at the mess of pink on her paper, then the cherry and peach trees above them. ¡°Trees aren¡¯t pink?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to know why they¡¯re green now?¡± Miss Shiharu asked kindly, that absent look in her eyes vanishing. It was one of the better ¡®why¡¯ questions her daughter could be asking.


    At least she¡¯s still watching the kids, the king¡¯s voice murmured. I knew I could trust her in that. Erumi prefers to give them toys and things.


    Princess Akemi nodded. Miss Shiharu slightly shifted her position, holding Prince Dazuki gently in her arms. She smiled, prepared to tell a story¡ªit would be easier for the toddler to understand than science¡ªbut footsteps behind her served as an interruption.


    ¡°Tsujihara bastard.¡±


    Seiko half-responded, tensing, but didn¡¯t turn around after Miss Shiharu looked behind her and frowned.


    ¡°Try again, Jukazu¡ªnicer. You¡¯re setting a bad example.¡±


    The eldest prince gave a heavy sigh¡ªthe sentiment was shared by the king¡¯s voice, although his came more out of aggravation.


    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko.¡±


    She glanced at Miss Shiharu, who nodded; then she obediently stood up and bowed towards the eldest prince. He glared at her, cold and unfriendly, and he didn¡¯t acknowledge anyone else.


    Usually he would insult Maenomi, the king¡¯s voice murmured.


    Maybe he just thought she was easier to tease¡ªor maybe he knew the reason Lord Gin chose to send her away, and that the same argument could still be made. Maybe he knew that she overheard his conversation with his uncle, or even sensed that the whole time the king told the true story.


    It would be foolish of you, of all people, to fear a murderer, a few voices said. But stay naive if you wish. There¡¯s still some time yet¡­


    Prince Jukazu blinked and she realized she hadn¡¯t responded yet.


    ¡°Yes, sir? Am I needed somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Ozuru wants to see you,¡± Prince Jukazu said simply. He turned around and gave a dismissive wave. ¡°His priorities are skewed, but Lady Aimiki forbid I¡¯m allowed to have an opinion.¡±


    He left before she could do more than listen to the voices laughing.


    I¡¯m sorry, Seiko. That boy will never learn respect, the king¡¯s voice said. Then, with the rest and in a distorted tone that made her shiver¡ªThat¡¯s why he¡¯s not worthy.


    ¡°You should go,¡± Miss Shiharu said kindly. ¡°Ozuru knows what I can and cannot handle.¡±


    ¡°He might just want to check on us,¡± Princess Maenomi murmured, looking up from the game she was playing with Prince Kyuru. ¡°He mentioned it during breakfast¡ªgetting Miss Tsujihara¡¯s view of the work.¡±


    Seiko nodded. There wasn¡¯t a reason to delay for too long, even if she didn¡¯t like the thought.


    ¡­


    Seiko had to rely on the voices to actually guide her towards Lord Gin¡¯s study; she had yet to explore the side of the palace reserved for work, if only because she never felt like she had a reason to. She would have preferred to go back to ask Miss Shiharu, but the voices grew louder. To avoid coming into a conversation pained, she listened.


    She lightly knocked on the door when she got there. Papers shuffled on the other side.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Tsujihara?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Seiko slid the door open, meekly entered with a bow, and closed the door again behind her. Lord Gin pushed aside some books¡ªthe voices identified them as biographies left behind by previous kings, and a citizen ledger.


    If only I could assure him¡­ the king¡¯s voice started, ending with an echo of the rest, His efforts are futile. Even if he tries a relative, it won¡¯t work. Only one person is ready¡ªbut Lady Aimiki wants to deny it, just like him.


    ¡°It¡¯s reassuring that you¡¯re awake,¡± Lord Gin admitted. He leaned back in his chair, looking at her with a version of how he regarded Princess Maenomi. She wondered how much he knew, or how much he guessed she could remember. ¡°I can definitely say you¡¯ve made a positive impact on the children, based on their reactions yesterday when you were absent. Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± She frowned a little. ¡°Were they worried about me?¡±


    ¡°They were¡ªMaenomi and Akemi, especially, although Kyuru was disappointed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lord Gin shook his head. ¡°No need to apologize. Like I said earlier, I see this as a good thing.¡±


    It means they trust you, the king added. I¡¯m glad I was able to convince him to invite you.


    ¡°That being said,¡± Lord Gin continued, his expression softening for a second, ¡°If you even think you might have migraines again, let Shiharu know. I still have some medicines that worked for your mother.¡±


    Seiko looked away. ¡°...Thank you, I suppose. I will.¡±


    He nodded and a little smile broke through for a second. Funny how he still cares for a monster like you, a few voices murmured.


    Lord Gin glanced at his books, then continued on with a graver tone.


    ¡°What happened yesterday was¡­unprecedented. I know I¡¯ve given my side, but I want to hear yours¡ªhaving seen the failure of a coronation, do you still trust us?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She couldn¡¯t say she trusted everyone, but she trusted a majority and the walls that surrounded them. But the voices still murmured doubt.


    Lord Gin must have noticed. ¡°Let me put it this way, then.¡± He leaned forward on his desk, resting his head on his cupped hands. ¡°If you heard fighting outside the palace and were asked to stay put, would you feel safe knowing that the soldiers will be protecting you as well?¡±


    The voices¡¯ cynical answer bubbled up before she could swallow it down. ¡°Does it matter if a ¡®governess¡¯ dies?¡±


    Lord Gin grimaced and pulled back, lowering his eyes to his desk.


    ¡°...Just answer the question as a hypothetical.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± She paused, but the voices had nothing to comment. She was forced to form her own response, so she kept it honest. ¡°More or less. I can believe that I would be protected by proxy, but not directly¡ªbut danger is still a possibility, so I couldn¡¯t be at ease.¡±


    ¡°...I see.¡± Lord Gin looked at his desk, pulled open a drawer, and took something out. ¡°Would this help?¡±


    He showed her a knife¡ªsheathed, decorated with silver and gold and a handle painted blue, meant for the royal family¡ªwith the blade facing him. Seiko tried to suppress a wince, tried to keep her breath from hitching as the voices both screamed and laughed at the sight of such a danger.


    No witnesses, they murmured. And you could frame it as a suicide¡­


    Seiko shook her head, mostly to dismiss the voices. It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t, sir.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be intimidated by the decor,¡± Lord Gin reasoned, misunderstanding her hesitation. ¡°No one will notice if you keep it hidden.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡± Her voices completely abandoned her. They must want to see her struggle for words¡ªand honestly, she couldn¡¯t think of the best way to explain it. She couldn¡¯t even read Lord Gin¡¯s expression to see what he thought the reason was; he held out the knife with a kind of patience.


    After a minute, Seiko settled for a half-truth. ¡°I might hurt someone by accident.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the sheath is for,¡± Lord Gin pointed out.


    ¡°Do you expect a shrine maiden¡¯s daughter to know anything more than basic self-defense?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a hard thing to learn,¡± Lord Gin reasoned, although he didn¡¯t seem to doubt her question. ¡°Just stab someone who tries to stab you first. It doesn¡¯t have to be pretty or clean, just effective.¡±


    Maybe she had to admit another portion of her thoughts for him to understand.


    ¡°...Having that will make me feel less safe. I associate knives with danger and death¡ªit might hinder my work.¡±


    Finally, something like sympathy showed through. Even if he still looked confused on why someone would deny a weapon.


    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t push you,¡± he murmured. A bit louder, he said, ¡°How about this¡ªit will stay here for you. If your mind changes, or if something happens, just come in and take it. There¡¯s nothing confidential here.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you.¡± She tried to make it sound meaningful, but if she failed he didn¡¯t show any signs of it. ¡°Is that it, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Seiko bowed in acknowledgement and turned back towards the door. Lord Gin spoke up again when she put her hand on the door.


    ¡°Actually, if you could humor me for a moment?¡±


    Seiko glanced over her shoulder at him. Lord Gin¡¯s eyes looked at everything but her.


    ¡°Ignoring your upbringing¡ªif you were with us the entire time, actually had a position here¡ªwhat would you say to Lady Aimiki if you were to be crowned? I heard something from everyone else, but I¡¯m¡­curious, to say the least.¡±


    The voices mocked the question, but she answered evenly.


    ¡°Less conflict with Kuro, if possible,¡± Seiko said. ¡°I doubt true peace is attainable¡ªthe day we stop fighting is the day both kingdoms fall¡ªbut something close would help. Make an agreement so they¡¯re not ¡®wars,¡¯ per se, but rivalries.¡±


    Interesting, the king¡¯s voice hummed. I vowed something similar, albeit in private.


    She could rattle off a few more things¡ªthe difference between east and west Gin, the economic distance of small villages and the capital, the lack of support bastard¡¯s mothers get unless a man agrees to marry her out of pity¡ªbut she didn¡¯t want to stay here long. She didn¡¯t know when Lord Gin¡¯s patience would end.


    Lord Gin looked at her again for a second, then waved her off.


    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re free to head back to Shiharu now.¡±


    Seiko gave one final bow, then left. Lord Gin continued shuffling papers from behind her.

 Chapter 12: Two Nobles

    The news of the king¡¯s death came after rumors that the royal family was forsaken by the gods. That made the wildfire gossip make more and less sense at the same time. It actually felt like the east of Gin might be affected for once.


    It caused a minor panic in a few towns, then everything proceeded as normal. Whether or not the royal family was ¡®worthy,¡¯ they were the only ones who could inherit the throne¡ªthe only ones Lady Aimiki would give silver hair. She wouldn¡¯t betray her son¡¯s line by doing anything else.


    Unfortunately, not everyone understood that; the royal family called for more soldiers, and those that opposed them took that as their admittance of failure. Soldiers weren¡¯t drafted, per se, but citizens were told to pick sides. Lord Gin wanted to resolve it peacefully if he could¡ªSonoru had a good enough idea of what people were capable of when slighted that he knew ¡®peace¡¯ wouldn¡¯t happen. Not in the two months since the king¡¯s death.


    The royal family promised good pay and, honestly, that¡¯s what his family needed right now. They dug up some old memories and checked if Sonoru might have some company heading to the capital. Fortunately-unfortunately, Kinjo Asahi was the person they sent.


    They got along like oil and water some days, but it was infinitely better than making a week-long journey alone. Sonoru had a chance to catch up, too¡ªmainly about Asahi¡¯s older siblings, what they were doing, and their spouses. Both Sonoru and Asahi were at the age where they were getting lectured on looking out for ¡®the right girl,¡¯ albeit for different reasons. Asahi¡¯s parents were more insistent, making it something of a sour topic, but he didn¡¯t mind talking about his brother and he only slightly hesitated to share some details about his sister.


    They arrived at the capital around midday. Neither of them knew the way so they decided to wander.


    ¡°The townsfolk look pretty well off, for being so close to danger,¡± Sonoru noted.


    It reminded him of Masaaki territory¡ªor what it used to be, at any rate. Children ran around, unwatched by anyone older than a teenaged sibling, playing and laughing. He would¡¯ve thought there was a festival if there were any decorations, anything to show why the people here were so¡­naive. Maybe, because it was built into a mountain, they had a sense of superiority.


    Asahi half-hummed in response. He looked at everything without actually observing anyone.


    Sonoru attempted a smile, betraying his actual thoughts. ¡°Could you loosen up a little? You¡¯re making yourself seem at least two decades older.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the palace to fight. I don¡¯t see why I should be happy about that.¡±


    ¡°Well, try to find a tiny reason so you don¡¯t permanently indent a scowl on your face. That¡¯ll hurt your reputation more than scars.¡±


    Asahi sighed and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll never understand how you still manage to joke after what your family has gone through.¡±


    ¡°Humor is a fine way to cope,¡± Sonoru replied with a shrug. ¡°You would do well to learn a few jokes and actually tell them with some heart. Or learn how to give a deadpan delivery and anything becomes hilarious.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re Nayano, maybe. Not if you¡¯re anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you need someone like your sister.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯d rather be skewered by a Kuro sword.¡±


    Sonoru laughed. ¡°Okay, Mr. Frowny. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you, let you know if anyone wants a complete downer as a husband. I¡¯m sure women will come in droves.¡±


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    Asahi chose not to answer, letting them continue on in silence. Sonoru looked for any signs they were getting closer, but there weren¡¯t as many soldiers as he expected¡ªnot as many obvious soldiers, anyway. Barely anyone even had a knife, unless they looked like merchants.


    They approached the grand shrine, and he noticed a young woman and a boy sitting on the bench; probably waiting for their sister to finish work, or waiting for an older family member to pray. They played with a little ball, bouncing it between them with their hands.


    A girl came out of the shrine just as the woman tossed the ball back; the boy got distracted and forgot to grab it. The toy fell to the ground and rolled over, stopping right in front of Asahi.


    Asahi just blinked at it like an idiot, so Sonoru sweeped down to pick the ball up in his place.


    ¡°Who dropped it?¡± Asahi asked, looking at the other side of them. He wasn¡¯t paying attention beforehand.


    ¡°There¡¯s a family at the shrine,¡± Sonoru replied. Asahi glanced in that direction, his expression shifted from blank to slightly curious.


    The oldest of the three started making her way over there; she brushed herself off a little self-consciously, although she seemed focused on the toy and nothing else. Asahi just looked at her for a second, then half-choked and looked away again. Sonoru gave him a quizzical look before he noticed his friend¡¯s expression¡ªa kind of respect noble boys were taught to give girls they thought looked cute, so it wouldn¡¯t look like they were ogling her¡ªand Sonoru tried not to laugh.


    Even if he knew what story he would tell as soon as Asahi got out of earshot. At least he had genuine respect and didn¡¯t just fake it.


    Sonoru could guess the woman wasn¡¯t from any noble circles just by the way she didn¡¯t seem to notice it.


    ¡°Is this yours?¡± Sonoru asked, offering the ball.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you for getting it.¡± She took it without much hesitation.


    ¡°Try to keep your brother from losing it,¡± Sonoru suggested.


    She hesitated for long enough to someone to say a word or two, then shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not his elder sister¡ªI work for his father.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You could¡¯ve fooled me; you look a lot alike.¡±


    He glanced at Asahi to see if he would take the chance at smalltalk, but he continued to ignore her. Sonoru lightly jabbed him with his elbow, soliciting an ow and an annoyed look.


    The woman turned back towards the other two not-siblings. Sonoru smiled when Asahi actually managed to get some words out¡ªeven if they were relatively useless.


    ¡°Could you tell us if we¡¯re going the right way to the palace?¡± The woman glanced over her shoulder and blinked; Asahi pulled out the fabric patch identifying him as a member of the Kinjo family, and she seemed to understand.


    ¡°Are you applying for the soldier positions?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Mhm. We haven¡¯t been here before, so we¡¯re a little lost.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Just follow this road¡ªit¡¯s hard to miss, once you know what to look out for. Even easier now that there are soldiers. As long as you¡¯re unarmed and have some kind of identification, you shouldn¡¯t have trouble getting inside.¡±


    ¡°All right. Thank you, miss.¡± Asahi slid the patch back into his bag.


    The woman stayed there, apparently noticing Asahi¡¯s hesitance. She flinched away when his eyes met hers, although something in her expression implied she didn¡¯t fully read Asahi¡¯s. His look, at least, wasn¡¯t the reason she moved.


    ¡°Do you frequent the palace much, miss?¡± Sonoru asked, half trying to avoid awkwardness and half trying to show Asahi how to talk to nice-looking women.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll cross paths again.¡± He bowed with a bit of theatrical flair. ¡°Masaaki Sonoru. My shy friend here is Kinjo Asahi.¡±


    Asahi bowed. The woman just¡­blinked, like she didn¡¯t know how to exchange greetings. Her shoulders tensed, then relaxed again.


    ¡°...Tsujihara Seiko.¡±


    Sonoru didn¡¯t succeed in making it less awkward¡ªhe might have made it worse, actually, now that Miss Tsujihara here didn¡¯t know whether they were done talking or not¡ªbut he did get her name in less time than it would take Asahi, at least. This way, they were all acquainted.


    ¡°Miss Tsujihara!¡± the girl from behind her called. Tsujihara¡¯s attention immediately shifted to the girl and boy. ¡°We¡¯re all ready to go now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±


    Tsujihara gave no wave of goodbye, no murmur of parting¡ªshe just went straight to the younger ones, gave the ball back to the boy, then let the girl lead in the opposite direction of the palace.


    Once they left and Sonoru and Asahi continued walking, the former gave his friend a smirk.


    ¡°So? She seemed nice. What¡¯s your opinion?¡±


    Asahi looked off to the side, failing at hiding some embarrassment. Knowing him, the whole conversation only now hit processing.


    ¡°...I both do and do not wish she lives somewhere nearby so we can talk more.¡±


    Sonoru laughed. He always appreciated a chance to tease.

 Chapter 13: Guards

    All soldiers were asked for identification and were told to swear allegiance to the royal family before being initiated. Then, they were asked if they wanted to guard the royal family¡ªthat led to another round of investigation and, if deemed suitable, a meeting with the children.


    Miss Shiharu led the interrogation, while Seiko often sat in just to ensure compatibility. Who the children favored may not make the best guards, or else might come into conflict with Seiko herself. Maybe to ensure no one left, Lord Gin did his best to make sure everyone¡ªchildren, servants, and soldiers¡ªcould get along without any issues.


    Soldiers came in waves, usually traveling in groups of two or three. Most were men closer to the late king¡¯s age¡ªa majority of the women were the same, albeit often unmarried and childless by choice. ¡®Guard tests,¡¯ as Princess Maenomi dubbed them, were held almost every evening after dinner.


    Every prince and princess, barring Prince Jukazu and Prince Dazuki, came with Seiko and Miss Shiharu to the front courtyard. Every soldier who agreed to the scrutiny of the late king¡¯s mistress were lined up, side by side, standing straight and facing forward. The only thing Seiko knew about the general instructing them was that he was from the Hiroki family, which guarded the border between Gin and Kuro.


    All of the younger ones were used to the routine, so they lined up as well, albeit by age. Seiko stood behind the line while Miss Shiharu ended it, holding Princess Akemi¡¯s hand.


    Her voices sighed, prompting her to look at the soldiers¡¯ faces. She immediately recognized the men from earlier¡ªKinjo and Masaaki. For whatever reason, her voices didn¡¯t like them; they cited superficial, petty reasons. Maybe them being here was her chance at knowing why.


    Both lines stood there in silence. The younger ones thought that having a stranger protect them from strangers was paradoxical; Prince Teiki only came due to his mother¡¯s insistence, while Princess Maenomi seemed intimidated by the concept.


    After a minute, Masaaki¡ªstanding right in front of Prince Kyuru¡ªbent down and offered a smile.


    ¡°Hey, little prince.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± he replied, confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Gin-Hyomoto Kyuru.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Masaaki Sonoru. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Kyuru.¡±


    Every soldier and the older children shuddered.


    Such disrespect! one voice complained.


    Not quite; he means it kindly, a distorted version of the king¡¯s voice added. Seiko couldn¡¯t distinguish him as clearly anymore.


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    Misplaced kindness, considering the ultimate outcome¡­


    Prince Kyuru, on the other hand, laughed.


    ¡°Are you good at playing games, Sir Masaaki?¡± the boy asked.


    Masaaki¡¯s smile only grew. ¡°What kind of games do you like to play?¡±


    Prince Kyuru rattled off a few and Masaaki playfully described his skill at each. Seiko only saw the boy so excited once, maybe twice in her time being here. Miss Shiharu seemed impressed as well.


    While his cousin had a successful conversation, Prince Chiki stepped forward and looked up at Kinjo.


    ¡°If you¡¯re my guard, can I use your knife to stab Jukazu?¡±


    ¡°Chiki,¡± Miss Shiharu chided. ¡°That¡¯s very rude.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how,¡± the boy replied, crossing his arms and frowning at her. ¡°Jukazu did something weird to Teiki and now he¡¯s all quiet! Teiki¡¯s never quiet!¡±


    The second eldest prince cradled his arm and looked away. ¡°¡­Assuming you¡¯re worried, don¡¯t be. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    He¡¯s not, her voices half-sung, almost happy at the fact. He¡¯s terrified of Jukazu now. He knew of the murder, but didn¡¯t think he would get hurt. Things will only get worse for them from here¡­


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind Chiki,¡± Miss Shiharu told Asahi, who stayed relatively still and even-expressioned. His eyes never quite touched her; she didn¡¯t understand why. ¡°He¡¯s been testing his limits.¡±


    Kinjo murmured some kind of response, and Prince Chiki stepped back with a huff. On the other hand, Prince Kyuru¡¯s conversation with Masaaki ended. Lord Gin¡¯s son looked at Miss Shiharu.


    ¡°Aunt Shiharu, can I have this one?¡±


    Miss Shiharu looked over Masaaki, then glanced at Seiko.


    ¡°Do you have any objections, Miss Tsujihara?¡±


    Kinjo perked up then shrunk again, earning a smirk from Masaaki, while Seiko shook her head.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try, at least. He can change positions if minds change.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Miss Shiharu focused back on Masaaki. ¡°You are¡­Masaaki Sonoru, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Masaaki replied with a bow. ¡°And I would be honored to watch over Lord Gin¡¯s son, if all agree to it.¡±


    ¡°Ozuru trusts anyone his children do,¡± Miss Shiharu said. She paused for a moment. ¡°Well, his children and Miss Tsujihara, I should say. So as long as you don¡¯t betray them, you¡¯ll stay in his good graces.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    He won¡¯t last long, the voices predicted.


    Yet something in his expression implied sympathy, and Seiko had to disagree with her voices. The way Masaako smiled at Kyuru, letting the boy tug him halfway around the courtyard before Miss Shiharu asked them to come back, made Seiko feel like he might stay.


    Besides, agemates will be hard to find here. Mikka would be glad to hear of some good news, mixed in with all the updates on her safety and the official state of the capital. She would be pleased that her daughter didn¡¯t stay away from people¡ªactually made friends, or at least made an attempt.


    You¡¯ll wish you never came.


    The voices were the only thing that made her feel that regret. Maybe they were concerned that she would prove them wrong¡ªthat, with other people nearby, she wondered if the voices might dull to nothing more than a quiet murmur.


    It won¡¯t be so easy, they warned.


    Seiko didn¡¯t care. She almost smiled, actually, thinking about it. Just having the illusion of control was enough for her, until the actual concept became a more plausible goal.

 Chapter 14: Candies and Questions

    As soon as a new rumor spread, the royal family made a change or official announcement that proved it was false¡ªor tried to cover it up if it was true. When a few people suggested the children didn¡¯t know enough, shrine maidens were brought in from the shrine to teach them; Seiko only watched the ones without guards in the afternoons and evenings. She didn¡¯t work as long, but when Miss Shiharu told her of the change she emphasized that Seiko¡¯s pay would be the same.


    After taking Princess Maenomi to the shrine in the morning, Seiko found herself at a loss of what to do. Her voices wanted her to take the knife Lord Gin had offered¡ªtoy with it and practice making stabs, but that scared her. She didn¡¯t want to hurt someone, especially one of the royals. She didn¡¯t want to give them that satisfaction.


    Miss Shiharu wanted to spend more time with both her children¡ªmake sure that, in a time of need, they went to her and not Seiko¡ªso Seiko didn¡¯t even have Princess Akemi nearby. She just¡­sat in her room, writing to Mikka, trying to ignore the voices despite nothing stopping them.


    Soon¡­ Finally! When the time comes, girl, you¡¯ll know what to do¡ªwe¡¯ll guide you through the motions of pure, perfect murder. You¡¯ll be covered in so much blood, yet they¡¯ll think nothing of you until the very end.


    She shivered and stopped writing, pushing away the letter. She can write more in it later, when her voices didn¡¯t influence her tone.


    Seiko glanced outside; warm sunlight filtered in the window, the beauty of early summer. She sent most of her pay back home, but she had enough to buy herself a few little things; maybe she could look for a few books. That would help pass the time.


    She stood up and went to the door, only thinking about checking her reflection in passing. She still wasn¡¯t used to it; brushing through her hair didn¡¯t leave behind any knots, so she assumed she looked fine.


    She opened the door, greeted by Kinjo and Masaaki on the other side. Seiko flinched back in surprise, and Kinjo¡ªthe closest, likely ready to knock¡ªbacked all the way to the wall. Masaaki chuckled.


    ¡°Sorry for startling you, Tsujihara,¡± Masaaki said, still grinning. ¡°But I heard from the prince that you¡¯re free in the mornings?¡±


    ¡°For a few hours,¡± Seiko replied with a nod. ¡°After I bring Princess Maenomi to the shrine, until Princess Rinatsu and the younger ones are done with lessons.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. He doesn¡¯t lie to me a lot, but I wanted to confirm.¡± Masaaki gave a prompting look at Kinjo. The latter didn¡¯t quite respond to it; the way he refused to look at her made her anxious. It held no disdain, but¡­it made her worry that he knew about the little voices in the back of her mind, or the life she was denied because of them.


    Masaaki sighed, then looked back at Seiko.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to watch Prince Kyuru until the afternoon, either,¡± he explained. ¡°And Kinjo here¡¯s not bound to any one place, as long as there are guards in the palace. So he¡ªnot myself, but Kinjo¡ªwas curious if you wanted to hang out for a bit.¡±


    Kinjo moved his head to glare at Masaaki, but his eyes met Seiko¡¯s on the way.


    ¡­Thinking about it, he may be the first person Seiko knew with blue eyes. Her voices¡ªthe ones that sounded younger¡ªquieted down in awe. An ancestor of his¡ªor maybe even a grandparent¡ªmust have wed someone from the northern island.


    She looked at the ground when she realized she was staring¡ªwhen she started mentally comparing the color to a river and debated if it stood out or blended in with his otherwise-typical features¡ªand answered the request like she should have half a minute ago.


    ¡°I was already on my way out, so I might as well.¡±


    Kinjo looked relieved¡ªeither because she broke off the stare first or because she accepted, she couldn¡¯t tell¡ªwhile Masaaki smiled even wider. He never seemed to frown unless it was theatrical, given to Prince Kyuru for some impersonation or another.


    ¡°Great. I already have something in mind, so let me grab something from my room and we can head out to wherever there¡¯s a decently small amount of people.¡±


    ¡­


    Masaaki chose one of the gardens adjacent to the sakura path; the front of the courtyard was more decorative, while the back had benches and tables. The soldiers could go wherever they wanted as long as it wasn¡¯t blocked off or closed.


    He sat a small bag down at the center of a table and took a seat. Kinjo took the chair to his left; Seiko sat across from Masaaki, making Kinjo tense for a second before he relaxed again.


    ¡°I just want to play a quick icebreaker game,¡± Masaaki said. He opened the drawstring on the bag and gently emptied its contents on the table; they were wrapped candies, nine altogether. ¡°Basically, there are three colors¡ªred for self, brown for family, and gold for hometown. You pick a color, then the other two ask a question related to that. So if, for example, I pick a red candy and Kinjo asks if I have any siblings, I say I¡¯m an only child; whether or not Kinjo adds that he has siblings is up to him. All the candies are the same type, but you¡¯re free to eat them after the questions¡¯ asked. Does that make sense?¡±


    Seiko nodded and Kinjo murmured some agreement. Masaaki grinned.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go first.¡± He picked a gold candy and unwrapped it, putting it in his mouth while he waited for a question.


    Kinjo stayed silent, so Seiko spoke up¡ªout of idle curiosity, if nothing else.


    ¡°You¡¯re from the east, aren¡¯t you?¡± Most soldiers were; they were more separated from the rest, so they were easier to convince that the royal family did nothing wrong.


    Masaaki answered after chewing and swallowing. ¡°Technically, yes. My family¡¯s territory is in the south; we¡¯re geographically south-central, but we¡¯re considered east by way of lifestyle.¡±


    ¡°I grew up in the west, myself,¡± Seiko said. She glanced at Kinjo. ¡°You¡¯re from the east as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªa bit further in, off the shore.¡±


    He hesitated, as if he didn¡¯t know whether he wanted to stay more or end it there. Ultimately, he paused; after a few seconds, he took one of the candies himself. Brown.


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    Masaaki gave Seiko an expectant look¡ªlike he wanted her to ask a question¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t think of anything. They already addressed siblings. What else could she say?


    ¡°Having trouble thinking of something?¡± Masaaki asked after a minute.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Seiko admitted. She gave a kind of lie to explain it, ¡°It¡¯s a¡­broad but unclear topic.¡±


    His confusion cleared up with a laugh. ¡°Oh! If that was the problem, you could¡¯ve asked me. Anything about siblings, parents, or extended family is fair game¡ªso marital status, where they live, that kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just explain a little bit about them,¡± Kinjo decided. Masaaki seemed pleased that he offered a solution. ¡°I have an older brother and an older sister¡ªtheir birthdays are almost on the same day, but on different years. When my parents tried to do it intentionally, I was born a month before.¡±


    ¡°Must be a busy time of year,¡± Seiko murmured. ¡°I only live with myself and my mother¡ªbefore I came here, at least.¡±


    She waited a moment, then stared at the candies. Picking red would make it even, but talking about herself might be troublesome. She had very little family to speak of and feared being asked about her father¡ªfeared having to admit to being a bastard, then learning if they were the kind of people who pitied or hated her because of it. She didn¡¯t have much to say about her hometown, either.


    You¡¯re pitiful¡ªyou want to hide your imperfections, but you can¡¯t. Not for long, not when the little cracks grow until the entire pretty vase shatters¡­


    Seiko finally opted for red, finding it the lesser of three evils. She unwrapped and started to eat the candy so she could have more time to think of a lie if she had to.


    Asahi gave her a curious look. ¡°This is more of an observation than a question, but are you left-handed?¡±


    She perked up, but couldn¡¯t immediately answer. The candy melted in her mouth and went down easily after she chewed and swallowed; the sweet taste remained on her tongue.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Seiko said once she could. ¡°It runs from my mother¡¯s side.¡±


    The royal children didn¡¯t usually notice¡ªPrincess Maenomi must have, judging by the hand Seiko used to hold the brush, but she never commented on it¡ªand she couldn¡¯t tell if that made Kinjo very watchful or if the children were just oblivious. Masaaki must have considered it to be something like the former, laughing.


    ¡°You can ask any question about her you want and you choose to confirm her handedness after you already saw her get something,¡± he teased, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s a reason you¡¯re hopeless, Asahi.¡±


    Kinjo glared at him, and a question bubbled up but Seiko decided to wait to ask it. Then she wouldn¡¯t have to struggle to find something later.


    ¡°Still, may I ask a real question?¡± Masaaki said, looking back at Seiko. He smiled when she nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your favorite animal, and why?¡±


    She could answer that without much issue, fortunately.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯re called, but there are certain birds in my hometown that sing all year,¡± Seiko replied. ¡°The village elders sometimes say they¡¯re young kitsune who just learned how to shapeshift, but others say they¡¯re baby tengu.¡±


    ¡°My brother told me something like that once,¡± Kinjo noted, less reserved than he was before. ¡°Is the bird¡¯s call similar to a giggle, sometimes mixed in with something else more ¡®bird-like?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Not many people could guess the bird¡¯s call; Mikka¡¯s hometown was a bit out of the way and didn¡¯t have anything remarkable about it, so they didn¡¯t get a lot of visitors. ¡°Was your brother in the area before?¡±


    ¡°He participated at the very end of the last war with Kuro. I wonder if he passed by your village.¡±


    ¡°He might have. I vaguely remember some soldiers coming through one year.¡±


    Kinjo nodded and the line of conversation ended. After sufficient silence, Masaaki picked up a red candy. Kinjo let Seiko answer the question, and she sprung it out with very little hesitation.


    ¡°Are you two good friends?¡± She could guess they were acquainted, at least, because they traveled together; but using one¡¯s first name implied more familiarity than a traveling partner.


    ¡°I would consider us that, yeah,¡± Masaaki replied. He slowly unwrapped his candy, focusing more on that than either of the other two. Odd for the one that usually maintained some form of eye contact. ¡°I was engaged to his sister.¡±


    ¡°Did it fall through?¡± Realizing it sounded insensitive¡ªespecially considering her own situation¡ªshe explained. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here if you were preparing for a wedding.¡±


    Masaaki¡¯s smile shifted into something a little sadder, but it didn¡¯t fall.


    ¡°My family fell on hard times. Lord Kinjo decided his daughter deserved more than what I could provide and, after deliberation with everyone of both households, we broke it off.¡±


    ¡°Masaaki and I grew close during those two years of waiting,¡± Kinjo added. ¡°We were expected to work together¡ªor at least cooperate with each other¡ªso I came to Masaaki territory whenever my sister visited.¡±


    As they quieted down, Masaaki got a teasing look in his eye. After it appeared, he half-shoved the chocolates towards Kinjo. Despite donning a quizzical expression, Asahi took a golden-wrapped candy; he hasn¡¯t eaten his first yet.


    ¡°What would you say the prettiest spot in your territory is?¡±


    Kinjo considered it for a second, then said, ¡°Probably near the ocean. We can¡¯t get a lot of goods shipped in due to the rocks, but it¡¯s nice to watch the waves roll over stone.¡±


    ¡°All right, all right.¡± His gaze turned to Seiko, sporting a smile that scared her yet also made her want to smile back; something about it mixed curiosity with a playful air, and she feared the former. ¡°Your turn, Tsujihara.¡±


    She hesitated, then chose the last gold candy. She shrunk back when Masaaki half-slammed his hands on the table.


    ¡°Were you dating anyone in your hometown?¡±


    ¡°Sonoru!¡± Kinjo hissed, but Masaaki just sat back with a smug look. ¡°That¡¯s¡­barely related to her hometown.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about the people in it,¡± Masaaki defended nonchalantly. ¡°Besides, I mentioned my love and it doesn¡¯t take much to guess you¡¯re single. Trying to help you out here, my friend.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not..!¡± Kinjo started a protest, then sighed. He truly looked at Seiko and offered an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, he¡¯s hard to argue with. You don¡¯t have to tell if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Seiko admitted. She glanced away from them, towards the flowers scattered around the trees. ¡°I wasn¡¯t very¡­popular. People avoided me when they could.¡±


    Kinjo opened his mouth and took a breath to comment, but immediately closed it again. He blushed and completely turned away from her. Masaaki must have picked up on what he was going to say, because he spoke up instead.


    ¡°A bit surprising,¡± he said. ¡°You get along really well with the royal children¡ªPrince Kyuru in particular says a lot of good things about you. Are you comfortable sharing the reason?¡±


    ¡°...Rumors.¡±


    ¡°Ah. I¡¯m sorry to hear that a few gossips had that much of an influence.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t even call them rumors, or the people who spread them gossipers¡ªyes, they held on to certain ideas for longer than they applied for, but they weren¡¯t wrong to call her insane. Her voices never left¡ªthey never faded, not back there¡ªshe just pretended that they did. Her earliest years tainted their view of her for what could very well be the rest of her life.


    You¡¯re meant to be alone, the voices murmured. If your own mother doesn¡¯t know you, then who does? Certainly not strangers.


    They were trying to convince her to leave. Defiant¡ªdespite the small flare of pain that came up in response¡ªSeiko instead continued on with the little game. Masaaki made a point to keep things light from then on, with Kinjo eventually joining the conversation more frequently after a few minutes of silence.

 Chapter 15: Sent Off

    Honestly, Jukazu always scared Teiki. It just wasn¡¯t in an actually threatening way¡ªit was fun to conspire with him, and he always knew if he would be affected. Jukazu was intimidating, sure, but harmless; Teiki figured he would mellow out by the time he became king, like Father wanted.


    He knew Jukazu was going to kill Father; they planned it all together. But it didn¡¯t happen like it was supposed to¡ªJukazu and Father were supposed to go ahead, then come back with Father dead and say they stabbed him without realizing who he was. Instead, Jukazu decided to kill all the guards and stab Father while Teiki watched.


    Teiki didn¡¯t know how and why Jukazu kept him alive. Whenever his right shoulder hurt¡ªalmost sewn to stay in the right place, then bandaged to hide the crude stitching and slung across his body to minimize the stress on it¡ªhe remembered that night. It might be useless once it healed, but at least he could hide it.


    Mother was too busy working with Ozuru and Jukazu, so Teiki gravitated towards Shiharu. She wasn¡¯t even quite old enough to be his mother, but she felt more like it. Maybe she just reminded him of Mother before he grew up¡ªshe was gentle even to Tsujihara of all people.


    Teiki sat on the floor of Dazuki¡¯s room. He tapped on the infant¡¯s musical toy, prompting Dazuki to slap it. Teiki smiled every time Dazuki laughed. Shiharu stayed on the other side of the room, encouraging Akemi to play with a few plush toys.


    At some point Dazuki paused, blinked, then made grabby hands at Teiki. He didn¡¯t cry much anymore, just motioned. Teiki gently pushed him closer to his lap, and that seemed to satisfy the kid; he closed his eyes and settled in to sleep.


    Shiharu looked up from playing with Akemi once she realized the music stopped.


    ¡°You know, he warmed up to you really quickly,¡± Shiharu noted with a fond look. Akemi didn¡¯t notice; she just kept talking to herself about whatever story she concocted about the plush toys.


    ¡°He can¡¯t tell me apart from anyone else.¡±


    ¡°He can. He won¡¯t reach for Jukazu.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because Jukazu is¡­Jukazu. I don¡¯t even know how he managed to find a girl who cooperates with him.¡±


    ¡°Tsunkei was the same when he was younger.¡±


    Teiki let out a hollow chuckle. ¡°For starters, you didn¡¯t know him then.¡± He lightly let his left arm drape over the sleeping Dazuki. ¡°And at least Father shaped up before he was king. Besides, I thought Ozuru was the deviant.¡±


    ¡°Yukira just spreads that around as gossip. She likes the idea of having ¡®tamed a beast.¡¯¡±


    ¡°If she thinks he actually loves her, she¡¯s delusional. They don¡¯t even share a room most nights.¡±


    Shiharu sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re too young to be able to pick apart relationships,¡± she murmured. ¡°And so is Maenomi, for that matter¡ªit¡¯s no wonder she spent so much time with that girl. They were so normal, compared to the rest of us.¡±


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    ¡°You just told me not to listen to what Yukira says.¡±


    ¡°Yukira painted it like a scandal, wanted Maenomi to be ashamed. She was just jealous that her daughter actually loved someone who genuinely cared about her.¡±


    The door opened without warning, keeping Teiki from responding. He tensed before the interrupter even spoke.


    ¡°Teiki.¡±


    He avoided looking at Jukazu.


    ¡°What?¡± He wanted to spit it out like Jukazu did to him, but it came out like a mumble. Shiharu pulled Akemi a little closer to herself.


    ¡°I need you at the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost dinner¡ªcan it wait?¡±


    Jukazu took a dangerous step closer, waking up Dazuki and making Teiki flinch. He tried to shield his little half-brother, just in case.


    His brother regained himself, stood a little straighter, then stepped back again.


    ¡°No,¡± he said firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll still eat, just not with the rest of us.¡±


    The night of Father¡¯s murder flashed through Teiki¡¯s mind, and as much as he wanted to run he knew it was better to agree. At this point, Teiki was as good as useless¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want Jukazu to lash out at Dazuki, or even Shiharu or Akemi. If his role was to be the punching bag, he would take it; it kept others from suffering, maybe even atone for the little things he did for Jukazu in the past.


    Teiki gently pushed Dazuki off him, then rose. The infant watched him go; he wondered if Dazuki knew he didn¡¯t want to. Shiharu definitely could, at least, but she wouldn¡¯t say anything¡ªnot if she wanted to stay with her children.


    Jukazu¡¯s expression softened for a second, then returned to neutrally scowling. Teiki stood up and followed him out without any more protests.


    They didn¡¯t pass by anyone out of the ordinary; Tsujihara was probably wrangling the younger ones for dinner, while the soldiers and guards moved accordingly. Anyone they did pass was new enough that they didn¡¯t bat an eye towards the brothers.


    Jukazu took him all the way to the gate; there weren¡¯t any guards, just a dozen soldiers. He turned back towards Teiki, straight to the point.


    ¡°There¡¯s a band of rebels in the north,¡± Jukazu said. He barely glanced at the soldiers¡ªall similarly confused. ¡°You¡¯re leading these soldiers to kill the rebels.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware there were ¡®rebels¡¯ now,¡± Teiki replied, only half-lying.


    Jukazu leaned forward just a little, and Teiki flinched back. Satisfied, Jukazu continued.


    ¡°All you have to do is lead these soldiers and avoid fighting. You¡¯re dead weight with your good arm half-attached.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you go?¡±


    ¡°Ozuru needs me here. The acting king shouldn¡¯t run off to battle halfway across the nation.¡±


    ¡°Can I hear the same from Ozuru himself?¡±


    Jukazu¡¯s eyes narrowed, then he spat out a lie. ¡°Ozuru¡¯s busy. He let me give the order.¡±


    Teiki bit his tongue to keep himself from responding. The actual reason, then, was that Ozuru doesn¡¯t know.


    Maybe Jukazu wanted to kill Teiki off, too¡ªhe was the only one that knew Father was murdered by his son, after all. The fact that this seemed like a secret credited to that; Jukazu could claim that Teiki left to avenge Father. If Teiki came back, he could be praised for his choice¡ªif he died, then Jukazu could make a show of how he ¡®tried to talk Teiki out of it.¡¯


    No one in the family would believe him, of course. But he could have the illusion of control.


    ¡°I assume Ozuru has our supplies ready?¡± He might as well play along with it. The soldiers were already nervous, needing to take commands from a seventeen year old with one arm.


    ¡°Yes; they¡¯re just outside town. Don¡¯t waste time sending letters about your progress¡ªit won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Teiki tried to stand up a little straighter, match his brother¡¯s authority¡ªthen he remembered how Jukazu used said authority, and almost shrunk back again.


    ¡°We¡¯ll head out now.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Jukazu turned away, took a few steps, then glanced back with the most genuine look Teiki¡¯s ever seen from him. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Your death would be hard on the others.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Maybe Jukazu didn¡¯t completely want Teiki dead after all. He could at least hope that some fragment of the cool, unfazed older brother he admired somehow survived past fifteen.

 Chapter 16: The Possibility of Death

    Seiko¡¯s voices knew Prince Jukazu lied about his brother¡¯s ¡¯abrupt leave.¡¯ Lord Gin seemed to have suspicions, but Lady Keichiro dismissed it as Prince Teiki¡¯s choice; especially with the death of his father being so recent, he would run if he came across trouble. They credited his uncharacteristic silence and avoidance to guilt, mourning, or shock; in that way, him leaving to search for his father¡¯s murderers was the best way they could think of letting him cope.


    Miss Shiharu, when Seiko saw her, looked more worried¡ªa few times over the week, Seiko passed her while the older woman was going to Lord Gin¡¯s study. She murmured a few concerns over meals, mentioned that Prince Dazuki got a little more fussy without his older half-brother.


    Nine days after Prince Teiki left, his voice was added to their chorus. Of course¡­ Why would he care if I died? ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid¡­¡± I didn¡¯t have a choice, and he knew it. I¡¯m sure he did.


    The next three days were mostly spent in her room, the voices¡¯ conversation¡ªabout death, about Prince Jukazu, about ¡®control¡¯ and ¡®purpose¡¯¡ªdrowning out everything else. A room full of people chattered on, but didn¡¯t want her input. She couldn¡¯t do anything but listen.


    They quieted down long enough on the fourth day for her to help with Princess Maenomi¡¯s morning routine and eat breakfast, then nearly made her collapse when they suddenly laughed once she made it back to her room.


    Seiko laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, as Prince Teiki¡¯s voice argued with the rest. Each syllable brought a sharp pain.


    Everyone dies.


    Even her?


    Even her.


    Why not kill her now, then?


    She will be the last. The final one of us to die.


    And if she isn¡¯t?


    Then the cycle will last, on and on, until sacrifice is made.


    Someone knocked on the door and the coherent conversation ended, replaced by consistent murmurings that still hurt but she could ignore them more easily.


    ¡°Are you awake, Tsujihara?¡± Miss Shiharu. That made sense.


    ¡°Yes.¡± It sounded weaker than she preferred, but Miss Shiharu must have heard.


    ¡°May I come in?¡±


    ¡°Quietly, preferably.¡±


    Miss Shiharu opened the door slowly. Seiko tilted her head to watch her; the woman sat next to Seiko¡¯s bed and put a little bottle on the table next to it.


    ¡°Sit up for me, please. Lord Gin wanted me to give you some medicine now that you have some food in you; it should help dull the migraine¡¯s symptoms.¡±


    The pain and sensitivity were only parts of the issue, but she appreciated the concern; her voices, on the other hand, scoffed at it. Seiko pulled herself up so she leaned on the wall, albeit with a wince.


    ¡°Most employers would have found a replacement,¡± Seiko noted.


    Miss Shiharu picked up the bottle again and uncapped it.


    ¡°The children have gone through enough loss as it is. Finding a new aide for Maenomi will be hard on its own, but the rest of the children need to be considered as well. Not many have the talent that you do to keep them entertained.¡±


    Seiko knew the answer, but she asked a question anyway. ¡°Did something happen to Prince Teiki?¡±


    ¡°¡­He won¡¯t be coming back.¡±


    I¡¯m sorry, his voice murmured. Then, it grew violent. I would have returned if Jukazu let me.


    Miss Shiharu gave Seiko the bottle before she could express any condolences. The liquid reminded her of Mikka¡¯s medication; odorless, colorless. It lacked any taste when Seiko drank it.


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    ¡°Go ahead and rest,¡± Miss Shiharu said kindly. ¡°And don¡¯t worry¡ªno one will send you home unless you¡¯re ready to leave, so long as Lord Gin is here.¡±


    Seiko murmured some kind of agreement and laid back down. Miss Shiharu took the empty bottle and left her to her voices. She managed to sleep now that they were muddled, still painful and troubling but in a way she could handle.


    ¡­


    The voices were oddly quiet during Prince Teiki¡¯s funeral. They burned and buried the body before the younger children could see it; judging by the way he appeared when Seiko dreamt of the voices, it wasn¡¯t a pretty sight¡ªsomething they couldn¡¯t cover with bandages and clothes. They wanted to maintain whatever innocence they could.


    The youngest few¡ªPrince Chiki and the ones below him¡ªcouldn¡¯t even fully grasp that their father was dead. And now they have two family members that they¡¯ll never see again.


    Yet Seiko stood there, with her head bowed in respect while the others murmured apologies or praised Prince Teiki¡¯s actions, and she could hear them. The king¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t as clear anymore, distorted and broken like the rest, but Prince Teiki¡¯s was still perfectly audible. She could understand every word as Prince Jukazu gave a grand speech in front of his brother¡¯s portrait.


    ¡°He knew what he was getting into,¡± Prince Jukazu said.


    At least he could feign some remorse, Prince Teiki¡¯s voice scoffed. But he isn¡¯t meeting Mother¡¯s gaze, nor is he even looking near Shiharu.


    ¡°I tried to talk him out of it, but he was sure.¡±


    Ha! I knew it. He wants to prey on their sympathies.


    ¡°...We fell out after Father¡¯s death. I¡­regret, to say the least, that I had to part with him so soon. There was still a lot he couldn¡¯t do¡ªa lot I couldn¡¯t help him with. If I could change the way or time he died, I would.¡±


    All of the voices prepared to mock him, but they paused. Their whisper was more chilling than if they had screamed it: He¡¯s genuine.


    How? Prince Teiki¡¯s voice asked, growing louder. He sent me off¡ªpractically gave me a death mission! He can¡¯t be sorry, he¡¯ll never be sorry!


    It goes against our nature to regret, the other voices agreed.


    Seiko shivered, stepping back to lean on the wall as her breath caught and she half-coughed at the sudden lack of air.


    Your nature, perhaps, a voice¡ªfemale, strong, echoing in her mind in a way no other voice did¡ªsaid. But he is still human.


    Barely, Prince Teiki¡¯s voice retorted. He killed his own father. He asked me to leave, knowing I would die. Would you call that ¡®human?¡¯


    His nature is exactly to be expected. Flawed, misguided, but usually trying their best. He¡¯s doing what he sees is ¡®right,¡¯ even if it¡¯s wrong. You, on the other hand, only want what¡¯s worse¡ªyou¡¯re a cruelty, to the dead and the living.


    The voice faded and Seiko could breathe again, trying not to take in air quickly enough to draw attention. In the silence after Prince Jukazu¡¯s speech, however, she failed; Miss Shiharu immediately noticed and frowned.


    ¡°I told you she wasn¡¯t ready yet,¡± she hissed to Lord Gin.


    ¡°She deserves to be here,¡± Lord Gin replied. He gave a second¡¯s glance at Seiko¡ªhe tried to hide some form of concern, himself.


    ¡°You¡¯ll drive her away at this rate. She needs rest.¡±


    Before Seiko could speak up in her own defense, Prince Kyuru sniffed and looked up at his father.


    ¡°Is Miss Tsujihara gonna leave, too?¡±


    No one answered him for a second; Princess Maenomi spared a worried look in Seiko¡¯s direction, while the other adults avoided looking at the boy. Lord Gin turned towards Seiko, his frown deepening as he observed her, then looked back at Prince Kyuru.


    ¡°I would like to hope she¡¯ll be here for a long time,¡± Lord Gin ultimately said. ¡°And even if she leaves one day, I hope she¡¯ll come back to visit you.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s such a good governess?¡± Prince Kyuru guessed.


    Because you¡¯re special, the voices wanted him to say.


    Lord Gin sighed, ignoring Seiko again. ¡°...Because I know her mother will be heartbroken if Miss Tsujihara never came back to see how much you¡¯ve grown.¡±


    Prince Kyuru seemed to take it at face value¡ªthat Seiko¡¯s mother would want her daughter to spent time with the royal children, even if she had to move back home for her own safety¡ªbut Seiko understood the finer meaning even without the voices telling her.


    Seiko made herself a friend of sorts of Princess Maenomi, made herself a part of the children¡¯s schedules; if she went home, they would still beg for her to see them. Naturally, she would oblige, if only for the half-siblings and cousins she just now started to bond with. But if Seiko left and never returned, then she would be dead.


    Honestly, with the way the voices were treating her now, it was scarily easy to imagine the possibility.


    Consider it this way, her voices murmured. She spoke to us. That means it¡¯s almost over¡ªone way or another, you¡¯ll be free of us soon.

 Chapter 17: The Sight of Blood

    The voices quieted down, but they still murmured grim prophecies. You¡¯re defenseless here. No one has needed to fight an internal war before¡ªthey don¡¯t know what to expect. But they won¡¯t stop at Prince Teiki.


    Although that shouldn¡¯t surprise you. You wouldn¡¯t have a purpose if they did. Just watch, Seiko¡ªwatch, join, do whatever you need to. It will end no matter what.


    The same soldier who reported Prince Teiki had died also brought news that those who killed him¡ªthey were deemed ¡®rebels,¡¯ since Prince Jukazu insisted they didn¡¯t deserve any more distinction¡ªwere heading towards the capital. Lord Gin chose not to tell the children; it would just worry them.


    Seiko¡¯s job, then, was to continue watching over the children without letting them catch on. Princess Maenomi proved to be the hardest¡ªthe rest had a shakier grasp on death and imminent danger, although Princess Rinatsu seemed aware that information was withheld from her¡ªbut she never outright asked. Chances were high that she wanted to be in ignorance if she could; Seiko couldn¡¯t blame her.


    Her mornings were still relatively free, so she decided to help set up for the summer festival. It granted a kind of normalcy¡ªsomething to think about other than the voices and their mutterings¡ªthat she felt she needed.


    Kinjo and Masaaki usually came with her, unless the latter was busy¡ªeven if he had a habit of abandoning them at first opportunity. His excuse today was to negotiate with one of the stall owners to see if he could buy a fish for Prince Kyuru to take care of. He stayed within sight, but he more or less ignored them.


    Seiko sat by one of the to-be stalls, painting clay figurines for the owner. Kinjo helped set up the stall itself in the meantime, making sure the table was stable.


    Kinjo glanced at her for a second, then picked up the folded fabric next to the table.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing pretty well with those,¡± he noted.


    ¡°The right side is a little sloppy,¡± Seiko admitted. ¡°I¡¯m hoping no one will notice.¡±


    ¡°They look pretty good from where I¡¯m standing¡ªbesides, the left side would look off if anyone else did it, so it¡¯s not too unnatural. It¡¯s just mirrored.¡±


    She frowned at it, but continued painting. Kinjo carefully put the fabric over the table, tucking the excess underneath and holding it in place with rocks.


    ¡°Do you paint a lot?¡± Kinjo asked after a few seconds, going into the topic hesitantly. ¡°You¡¯re putting in a lot of fine, smaller details¡ªpainted jewelry and shading when you were only required to do one color.¡±


    ¡°It gives me something to focus on¡ªthere¡¯s a bit of nostalgia to it as well. My mother made little toys and things when I was younger, for myself and for others; she usually let me paint them.¡± She half-smiled at the memory; the voices didn¡¯t seem as loud back then. ¡°They all looked hideous, of course, but as far as I know everyone kept them.¡±


    ¡°You still have yours?¡± Kinjo guessed; he had his own little smile as he set up poles at the four corners of the table.


    ¡°They¡¯re in my room back home, waiting for the next child to play with them. I promised my mother they would be the first toys any child of mine received.¡±


    ¡°An heirloom of sorts, then?¡±


    Seiko shook her head. ¡°Not quite. I just know they¡¯ll be better used if they¡¯re tucked away for twenty-something years then taken out again than if I left them on my shelf to collect dust.¡±


    Kinjo murmured in response. She appreciated the silence of the voices as she put down her current figurine and got a new one, but it made the real silence feel a little more notable than it would be otherwise. She failed to think of any good follow-ups, however, and Kinjo seemed focused on draping another piece of fabric over the poles.


    Seiko lifted up the figurine¡ªa little cat licking its paw¡ªand she tried to decide how she wanted to paint it. White, maybe, with gold jewelry; pure but elegant. She was given plenty of colors to work with; she could mix a good shade if she didn¡¯t have one available.


    Someone swatted the figurine out of the palm of her hand; she flinched as it hit the ground and split into five uneven pieces.


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    Broken, her voices mused, quiet but clear in the back of her mind. Just like the future of the nation. And they¡¯re both so delicate¡­but at least it¡¯s possible to fix a clay thing without bleeding for it.


    Kinjo noticed, lowering the drape so he could face the stranger. There were four¡ªall men, roughly middle-aged, in thick travel clothes despite the warm weather.


    ¡°Can we help you, sirs?¡± Kinjo asked, his tone respectful but with some underlying offense¡ªunderlying anger¡ªthat Seiko had a little trouble picking up on.


    ¡°Which way to the palace?¡± the leader¡ªjudging by his posture and position, at least¡ªasked.


    ¡°You have to show some identification first,¡± Seiko replied, glancing up at him. He scowled, the rest of the men behind him tense. She stood up and brushed herself off, bringing herself as tall and calm as she could; her heart sped up as if it sensed a danger that her mind didn¡¯t quite understand yet. ¡°A family seal of any kind would be enough, or a letter from the noble that watches over your area.¡±


    ¡°Could we skip that? We¡¯re in a bit of a hurry.¡±


    Seiko noticed Masaaki behind the strangers, down the street a little ways away; he watched with narrow eyes, wary but prepared.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make an exception,¡± Seiko maintained. ¡°And if you won¡¯t give identification, then¡ª¡±


    The man cut her off with a shove, pushing her to the ground. Her right hand landed on one of the figurine pieces; the pain silenced the voices, but they screamed once she lifted her hand up and saw the small dots of blood welling up.


    Finally, they said. This is what we strive for¡ªwhat gives us strength.


    Her heart had a reason to beat now, and she slid away from the strangers while trying to avoid looking at her bleeding hand. If she focused on the pain, the voices didn¡¯t say anything.


    Kinjo came behind her almost immediately, his knife drawn with the blade facing the men. Yet when he looked down at Seiko, his expression showed nothing but concern.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    She could only nod, and he helped her up. She hid her injured hand behind her back¡ªmore so she wouldn¡¯t see it than worry about Kinjo¡¯s reaction. He would just insist she had it cleaned and bandaged.


    Masaaki approached the group from the other side, walking nonchalantly but¡ªunlike Kinjo¡ªactually in his armor. Maybe seeing him would scare them off.


    Kinjo must have thought the same; he slowly lowered his knife, but stayed close to Seiko.


    The leader took a step forward and Seiko flinched¡ªalbeit at the voices¡¯ reaction and not the movement. One of the strangers looked behind him, noticed Masaaki, and cursed; the leader glanced at the same direction, but still returned his gaze to Seiko.


    ¡°If you answered the question, you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt.¡±


    Masaaki casually stepped past the other three, straight to the leader, and put his hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I would like to point out that harassing townsfolk is illegal,¡± he said. He maintained a neutral expression better than Seiko or Kinjo could; it seemed as easy for him as it was to smile.


    The man rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Men.¡±


    He gave a quick look around them¡ªno doubt acknowledging that only Kinjo and Masaaki were armed¡ªthen drew his own knife and lunged.


    Her voices laughed. A chance, at last. We¡¯ll protect you, Seiko¡ªyou need to stay until the end, after all.


    From there, she lost control over her own body. The leader chose to attack her, while two men focused on Masaaki and the last went to Kinjo; the strangers were disarmed almost as soon as they drew their knives, but they still put up a fight and mutually drew blood. Knowing that only made the voices louder, more controlling, kept her from fully understanding her actions.


    The leader shoved her down again, but she snatched the knife away from him. He wasn¡¯t expecting resistance from her left side.


    He froze. She took her right hand and pushed him on the ground by his neck, flipping him over with strength she didn¡¯t really possess as he lost his breath. He didn¡¯t resist as she put pressure on her hand, her own blood making his neck red; he barely even choked on the lack of air.


    His eyes went to his group, all bleeding from knife cuts while Kinjo and Masaaki sported no worse than a few forming bruises. Seiko slowly moved the knife near the man¡¯s heart, only partially aware of it.


    Finally, he coughed. ¡°At least¡­we¡¯re not blindly following¡­a lost cause.¡±


    The ignorance is appalling. She mouthed the voices¡¯ words, but didn¡¯t actually say them. Total rejection and blind obedience often have the same result.


    ¡°...Death.¡±


    She put all her weight on the knife, and the man sputtered his final breath. The sight of all the blood excited the voices¡ªthey grew louder and louder, until they truly took over everything.


    She couldn¡¯t see; couldn¡¯t feel anything after stumbling back and collapsing. Even the voices faded, repeating the same thing over and over.


    This cycle¡­everlasting, as promised, until a tainted child ends it¡­


    And what taints better than red, pure blood?

 Chapter 18: Moment of Weakness

    Asahi stayed with Tsujihara while Sonoru went to report the corpse and his beaten-up followers. The owner of the stall they were helping let Tsujihara sit inside on a mat.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if it would be better to stay relatively close or keep his distance, and the shopkeeper left in favor of bringing in the figurines Tsujihara painted before going upstairs. She gave him permission to use whatever was in the shop if it helped Tsujihara, so he got some water and bandages to clean and dress her hand.


    He had enough time afterwards to wash the blood off of his own hands, check for any scratches on his arms or any other places Tsujihara might have been hurt, then went on to clean his knife. Aside from dirt stains and a bit of the man¡¯s blood on her left hand, Tsujihara didn¡¯t have much injuries. Asahi took it as a relief.


    Tsujihara stirred after roughly thirty minutes, opening her eyes and looking around. Asahi tried to offer a reassuring smile¡ªdumbly, most likely, and if Sonoru was here he would tease him for it¡ªbut her face turned pale once she saw the remaining blood.


    She coughed, something more like a choke, and winced.


    ¡°...I killed him,¡± she whispered, barely audible.


    Asahi slid his knife back in its sheath, away from view, and took a little step closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You did what you had to.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I¡­¡± She looked down at the ground, paused for a moment, then looked back up at him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be scared of me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why,¡± Asahi admitted. He walked until he was halfway across the room, still reasonably distanced from her, and sat down.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­really in control.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what reflexes do¡ªfight or flight. They tend to kick in if you or someone you care about is put in danger.¡±


    Tsujihara¡¯s expression implied he misunderstood¡ªor maybe she found his approach at comforting her childish¡ªbut she didn¡¯t elaborate. Eventually, she sighed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect ¡®reflexes¡¯ to be capable of killing someone.¡±


    ¡°My father always said they have a mind of their own; he broke a friend¡¯s arm once, because said friend thought it would be fun to sneak behind him while they were on patrol. Were you familiar with anyone in your hometown that was in the military?¡±


    ¡°Not really, but I was taught some self-defense.¡±


    ¡°Chances are, you picked up something from that¡ªcombined with the preparation lectures everyone got, that probably contributed to it.¡±


    Tsujihara murmured some kind of half-hearted agreement and fell silent. Asahi didn¡¯t know what else to say¡ªit hadn¡¯t quite clicked for him, either. But knowing what he did about Tsujihara¡ªher way with kids, her dedication and fond memories of her mother, that little smile she gave when she saw something sweet or charming¡ªhe couldn¡¯t define her as a ¡®murderer.¡¯ Nor could he understand why she thought he might be scared of her.


    After a minute, she glanced back up at Asahi. ¡°...Could I get you to clean the blood off my hand? I¡¯m¡­afraid of getting ill if I look at it too long.¡±


    ¡°...If you¡¯re alright with it, sure.¡±


    He moved back to reclaim a clean cloth and a little pail of water, then went over to Tsujihara. She didn¡¯t watch him, instead sitting with her head leaning against the wall and her eyes closed.


    It didn¡¯t take a lot to scrub the blood off; Tsujihara sat completely still the entire time. He pulled away once only small specs remained.


    ¡°Is that good?¡±


    She opened her eyes, briefly glanced at her hand, then closed her eyes again.


    ¡°Mhm. Thank you.¡±


    Asahi shuffled back, pulling the pail and dirty cloth with him. He tried not to stare at Tsujihara, but his eyes still strayed back towards her direction¡ªwatching her frown, gently shake her head, and wince as if someone was talking to her¡ªbefore he reminded himself of decency and looked away again.


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    ¡°...Kinjo.¡± He startled when Tsujihara spoke up, but he still gave her his attention. She only slightly opened her eyes. ¡°What do you think I should do¡­if I¡¯m scared of myself?¡±


    The odd question didn¡¯t give him an easy way to respond. It lingered between them for a minute, maybe two, as he struggled for something to tell her. Should he advise her to talk to someone? Tell her she didn¡¯t need to worry? Or was it something better left unanswered, something she needed to decide on her own?


    There was a light knock on the door, then Sonoru poked his head in.


    ¡°Did anyone else come by after the first set?¡± he asked cautiously.


    ¡°No,¡± Asahi replied. ¡°Were they more around town?¡±


    ¡°They were outside the city¡ªthe group we saw was for reconnaissance. On the bright side, I reported it soon enough that they didn¡¯t get in.¡±


    ¡°Were there any casualties?¡±


    ¡°Only on the enemy¡¯s side. They didn¡¯t even have proper weapons.¡±


    He knew what he wanted to ask next, but hesitated. Tsujihara fell silent again.


    ¡°...Were they killed, or taken prisoner?¡±


    Sonoru sighed. ¡°Prince Jukazu watched, so¡­you can guess.¡±


    Killed, then. The eldest prince didn¡¯t seem like the type to spare the lives of anyone he saw as an enemy¡ªgood in some cases, bad in others.


    ¡°At any rate,¡± Sonoru said, readjusting himself a bit, ¡°We can officially say we survived the first attempt of conflict. This¡¯ll be known as the first true battle of the war.¡±


    ¡­


    Was it stupid to be more worried about Tsujihara than anyone else? Yes, probably. Sonoru¡¯s look suggested as much when Asahi brought up the idea.


    Yet he must not be the only one who wanted to make sure she was fine, because ten people contributed to the gift he held as he waited for her to come. Miss Shiharu gave her the invitation, but Sonoru half-demanded Asahi to speak to Tsujihara alone.


    He kept shuffling, debating the pros and cons of just leaving the gift behind. He knew she wouldn¡¯t read into it¡ªshe didn¡¯t even realize he avoided eye contact with her out of respect, judging by how she asked him to stop after a few days of regular conversation¡ªbut it made his heart race all the same.


    Asahi heard her before he saw her, looking up and tensing. Tsujihara came into view, turning a corner into the cherry tree garden, and stopped. They just¡­stared at each other for a minute; she recovered first.


    ¡°I was expecting Miss Shiharu,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ No, it¡¯s all right. You and I haven¡¯t really had a chance to talk since last week, is all.¡±


    She avoided calling the day ¡®the first battle,¡¯ skipped over any details that implied or led to violence. It seemed to be her way of coping; she wasn¡¯t held responsible for that one rebel¡¯s death¡ªas far as he knew, it was barely even discussed or known¡ªbut she must want to avoid it. Asahi couldn¡¯t blame her.


    ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± Why was talking to her harder now, in the open garden, then it was in a closed area? Lack of adrenaline? Proper lighting? No hope of being interrupted?


    ¡°More or less. I¡¯ve been worse, at least.¡±


    Asahi murmured some agreement. After a few seconds of silence, he carried on.


    ¡°I have something for you¡ªfrom Miss Shiharu, Masaaki, the royal children, and myself.¡± He offered the small box to her, and she took a few steps forward to accept it. ¡°Have you ever heard the story of the komainu?¡±


    Tsujihara nodded, holding the gift like it was made of gold. ¡°A kitsune made friends with a shrine maiden, once; he wanted to protect her, but he couldn¡¯t as a fox. So he turned himself into a lion-dog creature and stood watch, day and night, as she worked. He made sure no harm ever came to her¡ªand, eventually, he grew fond of the whole village. Allegedly, he still guards the place as a komainu.¡±


    Asahi gestured for her to open the box. She smiled once she pulled away the ribbon and removed the lid, small but sweet and severely underused. He forgot to breathe for a second.


    ¡°Miss Shiharu thought a komainu was appropriate, so it can guard your heart from hardship and pain,¡± Asahi explained. Tsujihara gently stroked the little figurine¡¯s head. ¡°Princess Rinatsu painted it, Princess Maenomi wrapped it, and Masaaki got the younger four to pick out the colors.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tsujihara murmured. She looked up at Asahi, curious. ¡°Was there any reason you, specifically, came to present it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he lied as a first reaction.


    He didn¡¯t want to admit it; that the gift idea came from him, that he first thought of the komainu when looking for figurines that suited her. If he did, then he might say it all¡ªhow he adored the way she had a unique smile for every happy situation, how her laugh could make him chuckle, how he wanted to protect her the same way the komainu protected the shrine maiden.


    He valued her as a friend, if he sat aside his attraction and love for her. For that reason alone, he wanted to make sure she didn¡¯t get hurt again¡ªfor her sake as much as his and the royal children¡¯s. Sonoru had no shortage of murmurs about how Prince Kyuru couldn¡¯t handle any more losses; the others couldn¡¯t be much different.


    Tsujihara¡¯s expression changed, but he couldn¡¯t tell if it was disappointment or relief¡ªit might even be both. It shifted back to grateful¡ªgeneral gratitude for the gift¡ªin a second.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cherish it,¡± she promised softly.


    Asahi smiled, and she gave one of her own in return. They stood there for another minute, not quite meeting each other¡¯s gaze but still searching for the other¡¯s eyes, before Seiko murmured some goodbye.

 Chapter 19: Inspiration

    Seiko kept herself busy. Everyone assumed it was to cope with taking a life, but her voices¡¯ reaction to the violence bothered her more. It was easier to ignore them¡ªtheir demands for more fighting, the delusions they gave her of blood on her hands, their stronger suggestions to turn against the royal family¡ªwhen her own thoughts were focused wholly on something else.


    She resumed helping with the summer festival as if nothing happened; as if she hadn¡¯t killed a man and didn¡¯t spend a full day shaken and withdrawn. No one questioned her. No one¡ªexcept for the voices, at least¡ªblamed that rebel¡¯s death on her, nor thought it appropriate to even bring up the first battle in her presence.


    One stall owner needed help piecing together fabric dolls, so Seiko offered to help. All she had to do was sew on the limbs¡ªthe stall owner said she could handle stuffing on her own, unless Seiko happened to have time later.


    She let the chatter of passerby act as background noise, otherwise devoting most of her attention to the dolls. She weaved the thread in and out through the fabric, smiling when she could tell it pulled closer together.


    ¡°Good morning, Tsujihara.¡±


    She jumped at the sudden noise. Kinjo gave an apologetic look in response, but she shook it off and gave a little smile before he could say anything.


    ¡°Good morning. Do you want to help?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Kinjo admitted, shifting to a sheepish grin. ¡°I¡¯m terrible at stitching¡ªI can never get the spacing right.¡±


    ¡°It takes a bit of practice.¡± She paused for a second, then gestured to the spot next to her. ¡°Would you like to keep me company, then? I still have a few more to go.¡±


    ¡°Thank you; I¡¯d be glad to.¡±


    A bit awkwardly¡ªhe¡¯s been like this since he gave her the komainu figurine¡ªhe took a seat. He didn¡¯t immediately say anything; just watched and admired the three dolls she put together so far. Each one had a distinct color palette; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. White and black were reserved for the fancier porcelain dolls.


    Kinjo leaned over to pick up one of the finished dolls.


    ¡°A lot of thought went into these,¡± he noted.


    ¡°The stall owner told me she made a set of six each year,¡± Seiko explained. ¡°Most of them are gone by sunset, I hear, on their way to daughters or sisters.¡±


    ¡°We mostly have porcelain dolls at home,¡± Kinjo said, putting the doll back down. ¡°A lot of them are shelved and put up the following year. My sister once bought a whole stock and gave them out to the girls in our territory; then she kept a few and hid them around the house.¡±


    ¡°That seems like something Masaaki would do, from what I know of him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think he helped her.¡± Kinjo chuckled, his caution fading. ¡°Imagine Masaaki, but just a bit more chaotic with a penchant for dry humor and scaring the living daylights out of people, and you¡¯ve pretty much got Kinjo Nayano.¡±


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    She managed a little smile as she pictured it. The concept of siblings seemed as foreign as that of a father¡ªshe knew who they were, but she couldn¡¯t see herself fully in that role. At this point, at least, she was merely a stranger to them and vice versa. She could imagine what it was like, but didn¡¯t think she would get to live it.


    Seiko shuddered at the memory of the dying rebel and tried to shake it off and continue sewing. Maybe she didn¡¯t really deserve to be with them¡ªwhat if she hurt them?


    And yet¡­what if that was just the murmurs of the voices, and in actuality there wasn¡¯t any harm in it? Could she even know for sure?


    Kinjo¡¯s murmur brought her out of her thoughts and back into the present. She opted to glance over at him in an effort to silence the doubts, once again noticing his blue eyes.


    ¡°Fabric dolls always seem to have more personality,¡± he mused. ¡°They¡¯re more common, sure, but they¡¯re more likely to actually be played with. They get more scuffs and little openings that are sewn over and fixed, in addition to the imperfections from the creation process.¡±


    ¡°My mother preferred fabric dolls for that reason,¡± Seiko said. ¡°The one porcelain doll I own was put up on a shelf almost as soon as I got it¡ªit was supposed to be a toy, but it was too fragile for me to feel comfortable using it.¡±


    Kinjo sat back and hummed. ¡°It just¡­fascinates me, how much different stories these dolls could carry out. They could stay as they are and are seen as nobles or princesses; they could be modified to have horns, or tails, or wings, or even taken apart and sewn back together in a completely new project. A doll that started as being a ¡®princess¡¯ might get a cut near the eye and become a pirate, then maybe a dog would come along and snatch its hand and now she¡¯s a battle-hardened admiral.¡±


    Seiko laughed. He shifted back from enthusiasm to confusion as he gave her a quizzical look, and she explained.


    ¡°You¡¯re very interested in this,¡± she noted. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it, that''s all.¡±


    He blushed for a second before shaking it off, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°I write stories in my spare time,¡± he confessed. ¡°Inspiration strikes at odd times, I¡¯ll admit, and you had to sit through it. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Seiko said, shaking her head. She smiled a bit and added, ¡°I actually find it a bit endearing. Sharing stories about little objects like toys seems fascinating.¡±


    Kinjo smiled back with some embarrassment remaining, then perked up.


    ¡°Another inspiration idea?¡± Seiko guessed based on his growing grin.


    ¡°Somewhat.¡± He completely turned towards her, curious and hopeful with none of his hesitance remaining anymore. ¡°What if you, Masaaki, and I put on a little show, using toys as actors? Not during this festival, of course, but maybe in the fall or spring¡ªjust a little something to keep the children¡¯s spirits up. I¡¯d provide the script, you could make the puppets, and Masaaki could handle the puppetry itself.¡±


    Seiko nodded. It seemed like a good enough chance as any to keep herself occupied, despite the voices¡¯ mocking.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to help.¡±


    Kinjo laughed in some mix of relief and joy. Their eyes met for a moment, brown looking into blue and vice versa, until he jerked his head away and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check and see if Masaaki would help,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later today, if not tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    They exchanged little waves and he left. Seiko waited until he left sight before settling back into sewing, a faint smile remaining even as the voices mocked her for some kind of optimism.


    They were the only ones that believed she needed to cause conflict, the only ones that encouraged her to do what she didn¡¯t want to. Maybe eighteen years and some odd months was a good time to start truly challenging that, now that she had people who dulled the voices and would help her if they bothered her.

 Chapter 20: Unexpected Visit

    Seiko helped around the city where she could, even after the summer festival. Everyone warmed up to her so quickly¡ªshe had no way of memorizing all of their names and faces, but they knew hers. She only gained popularity when she, Kinjo, and Masaaki debuted a short puppet show the following fall festival, promising to return it every season thereafter.


    She finally learned how to ignore the voices after a year and a month. They didn¡¯t get louder to compensate, merely mocked her naivete. She let herself pretend she was normal. When she made that choice, the difference was clear enough that Princess Maenomi asked about it¡ªSeiko explained it as finally coming to terms with something. It even let her grow closer to the royal children than she felt able to when the voices told her to do harm.


    Seiko walked through the entire summer festival three times now¡ªonce with Maenomi and Kyuru, once with Miss Shiharu and her children, and now with Kinjo by his request¡ªand it never ceased to fascinate her. The difference in moods likely helped; Maenomi and Kyuru focused on games and gifts, while Miss Shiharu treated it as a history lesson for her little ones.


    Kinjo led, entertaining some idle conversation as they went. He had a destination in mind, allegedly, but she couldn¡¯t tell if he took a winding path there on purpose or to avoid it. Curiously, the voices were almost completely silent.


    They stopped to rest next to one of the food stalls; Seiko watched the festival workers light each lantern by the road while Kinjo got something to eat. He returned with an assorted collection of candies. She reached over to pick out the gold-wrapped ones before he even sat down.


    ¡°You really like those, don¡¯t you?¡± Kinjo asked with a little smile.


    She smiled back and shrugged. She did it for his reaction, honestly¡ªthat chuckle and the gleam in his eyes that seemed special, even if she couldn¡¯t quite place how¡ªbut she didn¡¯t want to admit it. It was more fun this way.


    Kinjo passed along the golden-wrapped candies to entertain her whims. He still had a majority of the candies¡ªhe only got ten, and four were gold¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t by much. They were small and sweet, enough to give her energy for the rest of the walk.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been out for over an hour,¡± Seiko noted after she finished one candy. She gave him a curious, if slightly teasing, look. ¡°Do you really have a place in mind, or did you just want to walk around with someone?¡±


    ¡°Can it be both?¡± Kinjo asked with a grin.


    She hummed. ¡°Maybe. Where were you thinking of going?¡±


    ¡°Can it be a secret?¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason?¡±


    He glanced away and cleared his throat. ¡°¡­Maybe.¡±


    Seiko unwrapped another candy.


    ¡°I can accept that for now.¡±


    Kinjo gave her a thankful smile, briefly ending the conversation. She put the candy in her mouth and chewed as people passed by; mostly couples, although sometimes there were trios and rarely quartets.


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    Seiko ate her third candy, then her fourth. The crowds thinned a bit by then; she could tell which ones were visitors and which ones were local depending on their outfits, whether they were more focused on their company or the decorations.


    A familiar woman came into sight; thin, with long, brown hair and no escort or company. She just blinked at her before the woman turned around, letting her see her full face.


    Seiko didn¡¯t know if she was concerned or grateful to see Mikka¡ªthe murmur of her voices suggested the former¡ªbut regardless, she seemed to be looking with a purpose. She wouldn¡¯t come all this way to sightsee.


    She cast Kinjo an apologetic look and sat aside the empty candy wrappers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± she promised.


    He nodded and let her go without any protests. Seiko made her way to Mikka, hesitant at first and then quicker. Her mother noticed and smiled.


    A question bubbled up and escaped before anything else could be said.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t well enough to travel? Much less alone.¡± That¡¯s what the recent letters suggested, at least. The fact that Mikka looked better than expected worried her more.


    ¡°I had someone bring me,¡± Mikka replied simply. ¡°I wanted to come while the weather was nice, and it¡¯s safer for me to come here than it is for you to come back home.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t see how,¡± Seiko admitted. She took a little breath to shake off her worried anger, then offered a little smile. ¡°But I¡¯m¡­glad to see you again, Mother.¡±


    ¡°You as well.¡± Mikka smiled back. ¡°While I¡¯m here, I want to catch up on everything¡ªand that starts with learning who you were talking to before you saw me.¡±


    ¡°I can introduce you.¡±


    Seiko gestured for her to follow, and Mikka complied with an interested and slightly teasing look.


    Kinjo perked up once he noticed they were returning, unwrapping his last candy and putting it in his mouth before they fully came over. Mikka spoke up first.


    ¡°Are you one of Seiko¡¯s friends?¡±


    Still eating, Kinjo just nodded. Mikka bowed in greeting.


    ¡°I¡¯m Tsujihara Mikka, Seiko¡¯s mother.¡±


    Kinjo half-choked on the candy in surprise. He recovered, finished chewing and swallowing, and stood up before Seiko could ask if he was all right.


    ¡°Kinjo Asahi; I¡¯m one of the royal family¡¯s soldiers.¡± He bowed. ¡°I apologize for the reaction; I was¡­under the impression you lived a fair distance away, so I didn¡¯t expect you.¡±


    ¡°No worries,¡± Mikka said with a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m just glad Seiko seems to have good company.¡±


    ¡°Would you like a tour of the city, Miss Tsujihara?¡± Kinjo asked. ¡°Your daughter and I can show you around, if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been nearly fifteen years,¡± Mikka murmured. ¡°If neither of you would mind, I¡¯d be grateful to see what¡¯s changed and what places you like best; maybe tomorrow, if I¡¯m allowed to, Seiko could show me around the palace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright with that if Kinjo is,¡± Seiko said. She gave a curious look towards the man in question. ¡°I know you wanted to go somewhere specific.¡±


    ¡°It can wait,¡± Kinjo reasoned. ¡°I¡¯ll have more chances to talk to you than you¡¯ll have chances to talk to your mother in person.¡±


    Seiko nodded, then offered Mikka a little smile. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not waste too much time. The stalls will start to close in another hour or so.¡±


    With everyone in agreement, Seiko and Kinjo led Mikka on a walk around the city. They took the time to talk¡ªMikka mused about her time in the capital while Seiko explained the finer details of her past year here, with Kinjo occasionally chiming in.


    For a second, she genuinely thought she couldn¡¯t hear the voices¡ªthat she was normal, that she could have another chance like this again. She held onto that even as the idea faded into something of a pipe dream. Maybe one day.


    But not with us here, the voices warned, buzzing in the back of her mind. She chose to ignore them.

 Chapter 21: Mikka and Ozuru

    Mikka hadn¡¯t been in the capital since Seiko was four. It barely seemed any different; the people and their attitudes were the same. She wondered if anyone at the shrine would recognize her¡ªprobably not, but she could check before she left.


    Seiko looked more at home here, illuminated by the warm glow of the lanterns, than she ever did in the village. Seeing that gave Mikka the energy to keep going, to keep talking, to hide the waver in her steps and her voice so she left her daughter with a happy memory.


    Mikka stayed at an inn for the night, then Seiko introduced them to her other friend¡ªMasaaki Sonoru¡ªthe next morning. He joined them as they walked around more, then left with Seiko in the afternoon to work.


    Seiko and Masaaki walked her to the palace, and from there Mikka got around on her own. She took her time looking around¡ªSeiko meant to show her, but work snuck up on her first¡ªand tried to remember if a few plants were new or old. They were well-taken care of, at least; perky and colorful, maybe in a few new varieties. They must have people tending to them.


    She gave Tsunkei and Prince Teiki her respects when she passed by the main room, then made her way up to Ozuru¡¯s study. Some of the decorations were different; the farther she got from the places most visitors saw, the more personal portraits there were. The hallway with the bedrooms even had a few children¡¯s scribbles displayed.


    The door to Ozuru¡¯s study was open. She poked her head in just to check and see if he was inside.


    Unsurprisingly, he was¡ªsitting at his desk with a furrowed brow, frowning while he shuffled through papers. Mikka expected as much; he didn¡¯t have an easy job. He never did.


    Mikka waited for a minute until his eyes flitted up. He blinked, then lifted his head and straightened somewhat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you,¡± he said, taken aback. ¡°I heard you were in the capital, but didn¡¯t think you would have forgiven me.¡±


    ¡°I hated you for a while,¡± Mikka admitted. ¡°But then I decided it wasn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    ¡°Could I ask why?¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m only getting worse. I didn¡¯t want to be bitter and physically ill. It would¡¯ve made me and Seiko miserable.¡±


    Ozuru shuffled in his seat, gesturing to the chair in front of the desk.


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    ¡°I assume you''re here to talk about her? You wouldn¡¯t come without a reason.¡±


    ¡°First things first,¡± Mikka said, wandering closer, ¡°Would it be all right if I met with Maenomi and Kyuru? I¡¯d like to see my daughter¡¯s half-siblings.¡±


    ¡°As long as Seiko is with you.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know, do they?¡±


    ¡°No. Only Jukazu remembers her, and I¡¯m trying to keep them separate. She¡¯s adjusted remarkably well, though, all things considered.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. She had a few reservations, so I was a little worried.¡±


    Mikka sat down and they fell into silence. She took note of the room around her¡ªthe exact same study Kyuburu had before his son, with the same arrangements¡ªwhile Ozuru just stared at her. Once she noticed, she flashed him a little smile and he flinched.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he mumbled. Louder, he explained, ¡°I¡¯m¡­trying to figure out why you¡¯re so calm. I essentially forced you and Seiko away out of unfounded fear; I convinced myself it was the right thing, but I never stopped doubting it.¡±


    ¡°It¡­was hard¡ªfor both of us,¡± Mikka replied, looking down at the desk. ¡°Seiko didn¡¯t understand it for a long time¡ªconsidering she held on to that reputation even in my hometown, I don¡¯t think she has a very high opinion of you. But it doesn¡¯t do anyone any favors by holding a grudge.¡±


    She sighed. On to the main point.


    ¡°...That being said, I need to ask you a favor.¡±


    ¡°Anything you need, Mikka, I¡¯ll do my best to provide,¡± Ozuru promised. ¡°I owe you as much.¡±


    Mikka nodded and took a little breath. She let herself fully relax, noticed every little ache in her body, realized how much effort it took to keep her eyes open. Ozuru must have seen it¡ªher frailty, her illness¡ªbecause he frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect to see the end of this year.¡± He looked away when she said it, like he used to when he heard news he wanted to avoid. ¡°Consider this my final wish¡ªwatch over Seiko. Make sure she¡¯s happy, socializing, getting along with Maenomi and Kyuru, doing the best she can despite the war. You never have to interact with her beyond that, just¡­give me the assurance that she¡¯ll have a home, for once. She deserves to be happy now that rumors aren¡¯t following her.¡±


    ¡°Yukira has barely been here to spread them,¡± Ozuru noted, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Good riddance¡ªthat woman¡¯s jealousy will drive her mad. She won¡¯t even let Maenomi be happy.¡±


    He shook his head and looked up at Mikka again, resolve in his eyes.


    ¡°I swear, Mikka¡ªI¡¯ll do everything in my power to keep Seiko safe,¡± Ozuru assured her. ¡°Her, Maenomi, Kyuru, and whoever else they want. If no one else lives, I¡¯ll make sure they do; as soon as there¡¯s strong danger, they¡¯re going east. That¡¯s all I can do for them now as their father.¡±


    ¡°You could still bond with them,¡± Mikka pointed out. ¡°Seiko might be harder to convince, but Maenomi and Kyuru must need some support. A few good memories to balance out the bad will help them just as much as protection.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the best you can do, then I¡¯ll accept that.¡± She paused for a moment, then managed a little smile again. ¡°But thank you for listening.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t thank me. I¡¯ve yet to do anything praiseworthy.¡±

 Chapter 22: Presence

    Maenomi liked not seeing Mother, actually. Her and Jukazu were the ones who made her the most miserable. Mother wasn¡¯t there to taunt her about Teha¡ªshe was too busy making the rest of them look like boars. Jukazu didn¡¯t have the energy to tease her with Father using him as a second opinion for policies.


    She could almost forget there were people out there that wanted her dead. At least Teha was safe in the east.


    She got off work and expected the usual entourage back home¡ªa soldier and whoever Father walked past that happened to be free. Instead, Miss Tsujihara, Kyuru, and an older woman were there; the latter told Kyuru a story, her voice low but full of emotion.


    ¡°...And when the tengu woke up, he was in a beautiful field. Nature had grown over and covered the earth. He lived a happy life thereafter.¡±


    Maenomi vaguely recognized the story¡ªsomething about a tengu who was injured trying to prevent two people from fighting¡ªbut it captured Kyuru¡¯s attention wonderfully. He¡¯d mostly grown out of fantasies sometime after Teiki¡¯s death.


    Miss Tsujihara noticed her first, offering a smile in greeting.


    ¡°All done?¡±


    Maenomi nodded. ¡°Yes. Will the stranger be coming with us?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much,¡± the older woman said, changing to her normal tone. She stood up and offered a bow. ¡°I¡¯m Tsujihara Mikka¡ªSeiko¡¯s mother.¡±


    She straightened and offered a bow. ¡°Oh! Your daughter may have already introduced me, but my name is Gin-Hyomoto Maenomi.¡± When she stood up, she added, ¡°Although I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised¡ªyou look very much like Miss Tsujihara.¡±


    Like Miss Tsujihara except a little paler and thinner, maybe. Father mentioned that Tsujihara Mikka was ill.


    ¡°Your mother is Hyomoto Yukira?¡± Tsujihara Mikka asked curiously. Her daughter started gathering up the little things Kyuru brought with him to stay occupied.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Maenomi replied after a second¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Do you recognize the name?¡±


    ¡°We used to work together,¡± the older woman explained. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call us friends, but we had a mutual acquaintance¡ªa few, actually, but one was especially notable.¡±


    Miss Tsujihara recognized something in her mother¡¯s eyes, her expression shifting to weary for a moment. Whatever it was, she chose not to say¡ªnot in front of Maenomi and Kyuru, at least.


    Instead, she gave Maenomi a curious look.


    ¡°You wanted to get something for your friend?¡±


    Maenomi nodded. Teha didn¡¯t believe that the capital still went on as if nothing happened¡ªUncle and Teiki¡¯s deaths weren¡¯t wounds anymore, just scars of life. Maenomi wanted to show her they were okay.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start walking, then,¡± Miss Tsujihara said kindly. ¡°You can lead.¡±


    Maenomi murmured some agreement, although ultimately Kyuru moved a few steps ahead of her. She would have complained before the war¡ªbut without Mother muttering slander at every opportunity, Maenomi actually felt safe to bond with him. He needed however many friends he could get.


    They idly chatted while they walked, sometimes telling stories and sometimes saying random things and building a conversation off of that. After an hour, they stopped to give Tsujihara Mikka a break¡ªMaenomi brought Kyuru over to a game to keep him occupied while Miss Tsujihara lightly pestered her mother about health.


    Maenomi watched Kyuru try to take out one of the goldfish with a paper scoop; Masaaki tried to get him a fish from the stall owner, but failed to negotiate. Kyuru must see this as his chance to finally attain a pet.


    He kept trying until the scoop broke, pulling back with a pout.


    ¡°Want one more try?¡± the stall owner asked.


    Kyuru gave Maenomi the best pleading eyes he could muster. Her heart tugged, but she shook her head.


    ¡°Miss Tsujihara only gave me enough for two games,¡± Maenomi said. She glanced back at her aide just to see her still talking to Tsujihara Mikka; her concern was still there, but faded. ¡°And it would be rude to interrupt her.¡±


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    ¡°I have some money you can use.¡±


    Maenomi startled at the voice, while Kyuru just gave a quizzical look in that direction. When she looked, she barely recognized Father¡ªthe sun made his hair look lighter, cast more shadows on his face. He wasn¡¯t even scowling. She couldn¡¯t remember the last time he came out to a festival; did he ever?


    Father took out a little pouch, retrieved a few pieces, then handed them to the stall owner. Kyuru perked up when the owner gave him a new scoop and a bowl.


    This time, he watched all of the goldfish with a determined eye. He took a minute, then quickly but carefully put the scoop in the water. He caught a fish, pulled it out of the water, and dumped it in the cup.


    He bounced up quickly enough that the goldfish almost spilled out again. His laugh made Maenomi crack a little smile¡ªin the corner of her eye, she could¡¯ve sworn Father looked the same.


    Kyuru¡¯s celebration caught the Tsujihara women¡¯s attention. Their first reaction was to smile, but when they noticed Father they differed¡ªTsujihara Mikka gave a curious look, while Miss Tsujihara just stood a little straighter.


    Tsujihara Mikka stood up as the stall owner went to get something for Kyuru to take the fish home with. She stopped at the other end of the stall, the pool of goldfish between them, and bowed.


    ¡°Lord Gin.¡± She stood, and her eyes shimmered. ¡°Are you here to enjoy the festival as well?¡±


    He looked away. ¡°...I had free time.¡±


    ¡°Do you mind if I stay?¡± Tsujihara Mikka asked. ¡°You can spend time with your children, and I can spend time with mine.¡±


    ¡°It would be rude to separate mother and daughter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Kyuru received his goldfish in a little bag. After admiring it for a few seconds, he turned and smiled at Father.


    ¡°Can I try again to get him a friend?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°Maenomi still needs to get something, it looks like,¡± Father replied, shaking his head. He glanced at Maenomi, his expression something like cautious curiosity. Like he wanted to confirm, but he didn¡¯t know if he was allowed to. ¡°It¡¯s something for the Tekazu Hafumi girl, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She shuffled, waiting for the chiding that usually followed, but he didn¡¯t say anything about it. His eyes didn¡¯t even suggest any reservation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste too much time, then. Shiharu is going to need help with the younger ones soon, so the Tsujiharas will have to leave.¡±


    With no complaints, she took the lead again.


    ¡­


    Miss Tsujihara stayed with them for another hour before leaving; Tsujihara Mikka left with her, and Kyuru decided to bring his new pet home. It left Maenomi alone with Father.


    She expected it would be more awkward to walk with a man she barely knew, but his eyes lacked the judgment that Mother¡¯s often had. She let herself relax.


    Maenomi had brought the letter with her so she could send it as soon as she got her gift. She found a necklace and a fan, put them and the letter in a box, then handed it off to the people responsible for communications. Father didn¡¯t say much during the whole process.


    Father stopped walking on the path up to the palace gates, where it was truly just the two of them. He attempted something like friendliness, or maybe care.


    ¡°Do you miss Tekazu?¡± he asked. ¡°I know you spent a lot of time with her.¡±


    She bit her lip, scared of the question, but nodded.


    ¡°She¡¯s in the east, now, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    Another nod. She shuffled and looked to the ground, steeling herself for the disappointment, the derision.


    ¡°If you would let me, I¡¯d like to help plan how you¡¯ll get there. You deserve to meet her again in person, even if it¡¯s not for another year or so.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Maenomi blinked at him. She must have misheard him¡ªno one else would be willing to help. Why would he?


    Father seemed to notice her internal question and sighed.


    ¡°If Tekazu makes you happier than anyone else could, I won¡¯t tell you to cut off all ties with her.¡± His expression shifted to a much more familiar evenness. ¡°I regret that she had to leave the capital, but it means you¡¯ll have somewhere to go in the east. If I know where Tekazu is, I can send you there if the war gets too harsh.¡±


    ¡°Is this about me and Teha, or the war?¡±


    ¡°You and Tekazu make it easier for me to prepare for the worst in the war,¡± Father maintained. ¡°If you¡¯re willing, we can discuss some details later¡ªat what point you¡¯ll leave, your route, and notifying Tekazu¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°...I assume you¡¯ll tell Mother and Jukazu?¡±


    ¡°No. Yukira would ramble to the whole countryside in a heartbeat and Jukazu would write the whole plan out and leave it for the rebels to find just to spite me. Only you, myself, and anyone you trust will know.¡±


    ¡°And it won¡¯t hurt Teha? I don¡¯t want to put her at risk.¡±


    ¡°When you leave, you¡¯ll likely be claimed dead. I¡¯ll be staying here, but you, Kyuru, and Tsujihara Seiko will go.¡±


    ¡°Why Miss Tsujihara?¡±


    Father sighed and looked away. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just say that I¡¯d rather she stay with you.¡±


    Maenomi wanted to ask after it more, but she knew Father wouldn¡¯t answer her. She decided to be grateful for what he¡¯s already told her.


    ¡°I already had a plan to see her after I turned eighteen,¡± Maenomi admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not dedicated enough to stay here until the end; I want to make sure I live to see her again.¡±


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll do what I can to make that happen¡ªfor more than just your sake.¡±

 Chapter 23: Murderer! Murderer!

    Mikka left after four days. Seiko almost wanted to go with her¡ªjust to make sure she could get home¡ªbut the voices kept her from ever asking. A letter came a week later with the sole purpose of making sure Seiko knew Mikka made it back safely.


    The summer festival ended. Two months later, the season itself faded out.


    Her voices made a louder-than-usual reappearance midway through dinner. Again¡­and again¡­and again¡­


    Dazuki noticed her wince first and immediately waved his hands in his mother¡¯s face in response.


    ¡°Ma!¡± With Miss Shiharu¡¯s attention gained, he pointed at Seiko. ¡°Mi-Tsu!¡±


    ¡°What about Miss Tsujihara, dear?¡± Her little smile shifted into a bit of concern when she actually looked at her. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡±


    No one else¡ªsave Mikka, if she ever saw Seiko like this¡ªwould have been able to guess she was hurting. Even if Seiko let her believe it was just some kind of¡­vague recurring migraine.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Seiko replied.


    Miss Shiharu didn¡¯t look convinced, but didn¡¯t press her on it either. Dazuki squinted at Seiko, completely still in his mother¡¯s lap, watching her. Seiko hesitantly finished eating, wary of the voices.


    You shouldn¡¯t be scared of us, one murmured. We¡¯re a part of you. You¡¯ll never be rid of us, not until true death.


    Or, another said, You can consider this a warning. You¡¯re lucky¡ªnot everyone gets a chance like this.


    ¡®Chance.¡¯ What an odd way to describe voices and pains she never asked for.


    They laughed. It¡¯s the chance to know what¡¯s coming. Everything else is due to your defiance; you used to know that. If only you were still obedient¡­this could have ended on the first day you came here.


    She very gently shook her way as an attempt to dispel them, but it failed. Miss Shiharu¡¯s frown meant that she interpreted it as another sign of pain, but she still didn¡¯t ask.


    Seiko cast a little smile towards Dazuki to try to avoid the voices¡¯ murmur.


    ¡°Have you eaten everything?¡±


    The young toddler looked at his plate, mostly empty next to his mother¡¯s, and nodded.


    ¡°Are you ready to go to bed?¡±


    ¡°Mm! Beh!¡± He turned over and patted Miss Shiharu¡¯s chest. ¡°Ma? Beh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to bed, too, and Akemi is staying with us tonight,¡± Miss Shiharu said kindly. ¡°Everyone goes to bed after dinner.¡±


    Some for longer than most¡­ A few, in fact, never wake up.


    Seiko pulled back from the table and stood. The main group had a lapse in conversation¡ªthey didn¡¯t really say much unless they were exchanging insults or gossip, and neither Lady Hyomoto nor Prince Jukazu came tonight¡ªso the children knew that meant it was time to leave.


    Miss Shiharu waited for Akemi to wander over, then left with both of her children. Only Chiki and Kyuru needed Seiko to walk them to their rooms, but their respective sisters stood up to leave as well. The children chatted more amongst themselves while huddled around Seiko than they did at the table, the princes finding a reason to half-argue about something while Maenomi held a quiet conversation with Seiko.


    They all dispersed once they reached the bedrooms; Miss Shiharu already came with her children, it seemed, given their doors were fully closed. Seiko retreated back to her room once she knew no one needed her.


    She patted the little komainu figurine as she sat down on her bed, the voices murmuring just loud enough to bother her. Still, she tried to sleep.


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    ¡­


    Seiko couldn¡¯t remember much of her dream, just that it seemed to last for hours and she must¡¯ve cried during it.


    Pathetic, a voice murmured. You couldn¡¯t bear the weight of your duty without us.


    She sat up and gently wiped away a few tears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Seiko whispered.


    Then you¡¯d best listen, or else pray for mercy.


    ¡°...And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    Well¡­


    A real voice cut through the nighttime silence, making Seiko tense. Her voices laughed in response, mixing pitiful with again and again.


    Shuffling came from the room next to hers¡ªMiss Shiharu¡¯s, she realized¡ªand a little cry. Seiko stood up as her voices grew louder, clouding her mind the closer she got to the door. She left her room and cautiously stepped into Miss Shiharu¡¯s; she didn¡¯t know whether she should stay silent to avoid waking the others, or if she should do the opposite.


    She pushed open the half-closed door just to reveal a man hovering over Miss Shiharu with a knife; the latter seemed to be breathing, but didn¡¯t move, while both her children were slumped in the corner.


    In the second it took the man to notice her, Seiko could almost hear the little one¡¯s voices. Mother¡­ Help her, Mi Tsu. Please. She didn¡¯t need the rest to tell her what that meant by now.


    The man noticed her, glared, then lunged with his knife pointed at her. Her voices responded before she could fully process it, each action registering a second after its implementation.


    She stepped out of the way, surprising the man. Swiftly and silently, he tried again¡ªbut she took the knife from him as he came closer, cutting her forearm. The pain brought Seiko back for a second before the blood came up and the voices returned stronger.


    The brief change was enough to make the man pause, giving her a confused look. That shifted to horror as she knocked him down and stabbed him. Once, twice¡­five cuts by the time Miss Shiharu stirred.


    Mother! I¡¯m here! Akemi¡¯s voice cried. Her pleading grew louder, drowning out even the violent voices, as Miss Shiharu¡¯s eyes wandered across the room. No¡ªno, I¡¯m here. Not there. With Miss Tsu. I¡¯m with Miss Tsu.


    Akemi¡¯s voice kept Seiko from using her own¡ªkept her from trying to give Miss Shiharu the same warning, spare her the heartbreak. So Miss Shiharu turned, undeterred and groggy, towards the bodies of her two children.


    What should have been a cry came out as a whisper, and she slowly crept towards them.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Seiko pulled her knife out of the man¡¯s corpse, turned towards Miss Shiharu as she came closer to her children. Help her, Akemi¡¯s voice insisted.


    You¡¯ll help her best by ending this quickly.


    Miss Shiharu reached Akemi and Dazuki. She held out her hand, but neither responded.


    ¡°Why¡­¡± She choked, and a few tears ran down her cheek. ¡°But¡­I¡¯m still¡­¡±


    The voices used Seiko to outwardly give her their own words.


    ¡°Do you want to join them, Shiharu Yaroko?¡±


    ¡°I ought to.¡± Her answer made Seiko shiver¡ªthe silent despair was highlighted by the voices, and she didn¡¯t expect such an answer from her. ¡°I¡­ Tsunkei was the only reason I¡¯m here. If I¡­ If Akemi and Dazuki are¡­¡±


    ¡°We understand. You are not one of us, but your suffering is unnecessary. We¡¯ll show that we can end pain as easily as we inflict it.¡±


    She moved closer to Miss Shiharu, passing the knife from hand to hand, until she was behind the other woman. She bent down and gently placed her right hand on Miss Shiharu¡¯s shoulder, using the other hand to hold the knife.


    The voices quieted enough that she realized she held a weapon aimed to take a friend¡¯s life, but all she could do in protest was let out a little murmur.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    In the next breath, she moved her arm and stabbed Miss Shiharu from the front. The woman let out a gasp and fell back into Seiko.


    With their job done, the voices pulled back enough for her to realize she held a dying woman¡ªbut they kept her from actually moving away, didn¡¯t let her use her voice to call for help.


    It took tremendous effort to move so she leaned against the wall, letting Miss Shiharu¡¯s weight fall on her because it helped make the voices quieter. Seiko slowly moved her left hand so she slid the knife over her other arm.


    She closed her eyes so she didn¡¯t see the blood and focused on the pain. She let herself panic, choked down bile and tears while she still had a clear mind. When the voices grew louder, she cut herself again, all the way until morning. She didn¡¯t want to call it a dream, or¡ªworse¡ªallow her voices to move on to the rest.


    Seiko tossed the knife back towards the man¡¯s corpse after the sunlight started to creep in. She barely noticed when others actually came, didn¡¯t react when Lord Gin asked if she could stand.


    We already told you, the voices murmured as the last cut¡¯s pain dulled. This is your purpose.

 CHapter 24: Anger Borne of Worry

    The scene made it hard to tell what happened. Akemi and Dazuki were in the corner, dead but not stabbed. Yaroko and Seiko were both bloody, the latter more so. Then there was the matter of the other corpse, identified as one of the soldiers, with five knife wounds.


    Ozuru could only guess the sequence of events. Seiko was too shaken to have killed Yaroko and the children. Based on what he heard from Kinjo and Masaaki about the rebel¡¯s attack last year, he could believe Seiko acted in self-defense or on some kind of instinct.


    Not helping things was that Seiko herself spent the whole day unresponsive¡ªshe didn¡¯t let Erumi clean and dress her wounds, and rejected Maenomi when she tried to bring her breakfast. She refused company and comfort, even from Kinjo and Masaaki. Another day passed like that¡ªshe left her room to attend the funeral, but kept her distance from everyone else¡ªand then she carried on her morning routine as if nothing happened.


    Ozuru didn¡¯t want to ask her at this point in fear of sending her into a spiral. Separating herself from the incident was better than starving herself out of grief or guilt. At least she was alive, even if it was only barely. Mikka wouldn¡¯t forgive him for that.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if he worried for her because of how well she got along with Maenomi and Kyuru, or because¡ªsomewhere, in the part of his heart he tried to bury to avoid his own actions¡ªhe actually thought of Seiko as his daughter. A daughter he didn¡¯t deserve, granted, but all three of them were more than someone like him was worth.


    Ozuru sat in his study, doing most of the king¡¯s work while Jukazu leaned on the edge of the desk and complained¡ªabout Erumi, Yukira, Seiko, Maenomi, even Yaroko¡ªall while nursing a drink straight from the bottle. Ozuru used it as background noise while he sorted through and answered papers.


    ¡°¡­And gods, Eyako is a pain,¡± Jukazu muttered. Ozuru knew the alcohol altered his response; he used to defend his fiancee, not criticize her. ¡°She keeps asking about the wedding, then gets mad when I tell her I don¡¯t want one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too young to complain about love,¡± Ozuru replied wearily.


    Jukazu scoffed and took another sip. ¡°Says the man whose wife ran off after Shiharu¡¯s murder and who¡¯s favored woman is dying. You don¡¯t complain enough.¡±


    ¡°Eyako¡¯s worried about you¡ªyou¡¯d see it if you ever talked to her sober. You¡¯re lucky.¡±


    ¡°No amount of luck will balance out this damned curse. She shouldn¡¯t waste it on a man who can¡¯t give her anything in return.¡±


    ¡°You can tell her that, if you mean it.¡±


    ¡°Then she¡¯ll get upset. Somehow, that¡¯s worse.¡±


    He tilted his head back, lifted the bottle up, and finished up its contents. He sighed as he put the empty bottle on the desk. He didn¡¯t say anything else; let Ozuru¡¯s shuffling papers fill in the silence.


    Jukazu picked up his bottle again and shoved off the desk, but someone knocked on the door before he could continue his ranting.


    ¡°You asked to see me, Lord Gin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tsujihara. You may enter.¡±


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    Ozuru sat aside his papers for now; Seiko hesitantly opened the door and entered, immediately greeted by Jukazu¡¯s glare. She flinched at it.


    He leafed through a few papers and handed them to his nephew.


    ¡°Take these and work on responses,¡± Ozuru said. ¡°Have Erumi help, if you¡¯re too drunk to understand them. I¡¯ll get you when I¡¯m done talking with Tsujihara.¡±


    ¡°I needed another drink anyway,¡± Jukazu muttered. He gave a half-hearted wave. ¡°Enjoy talking with the bastard; she¡¯s not any better than the rest of us.¡±


    He left, avoiding eye contact with Seiko, and slammed the door behind him. Seiko stayed where she was despite a silent offer to sit in the chair. She leaned against the wall, her shoulders tense, keeping her eyes on the ground.


    ¡°¡­Is this about Miss Shiharu and the children?¡± she whispered, her tone a mix of sadness and fear. She winced.


    ¡°No. For the time being, I¡¯d like to focus on the living.¡±


    Seiko slightly relaxed and her expression shifted back to neutral.


    ¡°Do you want me to keep a closer eye on the rest of the children, then?¡±


    Ozuru shook his head. ¡°None of them have any less guards than they did before. You¡¯ll still have free mornings.¡±


    It only seemed to confuse her, so he sighed. He let himself show the concern he hid over the past two days. That surprised her, then she winced again; maybe she had another headache. Looking at her right arm¡ªbandaged from wrist to shoulder to hide all the little cuts she received¡ªgave him both guilt and encouragement to continue.


    When he actually tried to search for the words, they failed him. He could just barely hold a meaningful conversation with Maenomi, and he¡¯s watched her grow; now, a nearly twenty year old half-princess stood in front of him and he couldn¡¯t find the right way to say it. He hasn¡¯t been in her life for long enough to tell her he cares and know that she¡¯ll believe it.


    He opened one of the desk drawers and pulled out the knife. Seiko flinched back as soon as she saw it, looked down and away from the weapon itself when Ozuru put it on the table.


    ¡°Take it,¡± he said firmly. ¡°That way, you can stab first.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already explained why I can¡¯t accept it,¡± Seiko murmured. Her hand twitched, then she folded both arms behind her back. ¡°Having it will put me on edge.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hurt someone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­¡± She sighed, and for a second her whole body shook like a shiver. She bit the edge of her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to kill anyone else. There¡¯s blood on my hands, and I have no intention of letting it crawl up my arms until I¡¯m coated in it.¡±


    ¡°Any lives you take will be in self-defense; you won¡¯t be held accountable for them,¡± Ozuru tried to convince her. ¡°You¡¯ll only use it on people who attack you first.¡±


    Seiko partly turned away, her gaze still on the floor, until she glanced up at him a few seconds later.


    ¡°...What if I said I was afraid of death, myself? Would that make it any clearer?¡±


    Her eyes held fear and remorse; he rarely saw that from anyone. But it reminded him of what she¡¯s seen¡ªat least one death personally, maybe five, and only a few days ago lost one of the people she was closest to. Her response made a certain amount of sense that subsequently made Ozuru feel insensitive for having pushed her.


    Still, with a quiet voice to clarify, he asked, ¡°You think you¡¯ll use it to end your own life?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­a possibility. And one I¡¯d much rather avoid.¡±


    ¡°I understand, then,¡± he said. He pulled the knife back towards him, and Seiko faced him again. ¡°I appreciate your honesty. Instead of taking the weapon, I¡¯d like to ask you to stay near others¡ªnever go out alone, and preferably stay near people you trust. That way¡ªwhether you¡¯re threatened by someone else or yourself¡ªsomeone¡¯s there to protect you.¡±


    Seiko nodded.


    ¡°I will,¡± she promised, her voice slowly returning to her usual tone. ¡°Thank you for understanding. Is that everything?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please enjoy the rest of your day.¡±


    She murmured some kind of agreement and left. Ozuru leaned back and offered something like a prayer.


    He desperately hoped that Seiko would appeal to Lady Aimiki. If none of the rest did, well¡­ Seiko would have to, should the kingdom survive.

 Chapter 25: Three Words

    Seiko let herself forget about Miss Shiharu¡¯s murder. If the voices told her something about it, she decided they were lying; they were just taunting her by calling her a killer, they wanted to intimidate her by encouraging her to finish off the rest of the family. Ignoring it made it a lot easier to cope with¡ªotherwise, she feared the voices would overwhelm her.


    She almost believed that she dreamt she stabbed Miss Shiharu, that she wasn¡¯t there until the morning when the bodies were discovered. No one corrected her.


    At first, she ate alone during meals¡ªthen Maenomi noticed, and she happily took the excuse to ignore her eldest cousin. It inspired Rinatsu to sit with Seiko when she wanted a bit more silence. Outside of meals, as per Lord Gin¡¯s request, Seiko stayed near others; it helped her maintain some normalcy, as well.


    Summer officially ended, and a little over two weeks later came Seiko¡¯s birthday. It was her second at the capital, but the first when anyone knew¡ªit happened to come up in conversation during an earlier festival with Kinjo and Masaaki, while Maenomi learned of it through idle chatter. Kyuru heard not long after, likely from his sister.


    Seiko didn¡¯t expect to visit Maenomi that morning just to find the girl completely dressed, nor did she intend to sit down and have her hair brushed and pulled back until she told Maenomi she was satisfied with the look. Breakfast afterwards proceeded as per usual, albeit with everyone younger than her primary charge giving their congratulations.


    They¡¯re more willing to tell you to have a nice day than they are to continue mourning, the voices scoffed.


    She put aside the comment and let herself smile back at the real people. Mikka couldn¡¯t come to visit this year or the year before; to some extent, it made it feel like Seiko had a sort of real family here, instead of one she shared no relation to but one blood bond. She was honored to know the children cared enough to remember.


    The children all grouped around Seiko, maintaining conversation while they ate. Everyone dispersed as they needed to¡ªMaenomi and Rinatsu to the grand shrine, and all the boys followed Lady Keichiro out. Seiko left once the table emptied, afraid of lingering for too long without anyone else to dull the voices.


    Seiko wandered the halls uninterrupted, winding her way down to the entrance. The large doors were left open in nice weather; guards stood by it to make sure no one armed came in. She appreciated being able to see the beginnings of the changing leaves.


    Kinjo, both surprisingly and not, stood by the door. He offered a smile when he saw her, brushing himself off. He wasn¡¯t on duty¡ªhe had on civilian clothes.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted nicely. ¡°And happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that phrase more times in the past hour than I have my entire life,¡± Seiko admitted.


    ¡°Maybe I can help give some variation.¡± The voices quietly pointed out the little shake in his voice¡ªthe awkwardness mixed in with confidence. ¡°Would you mind if I took you on a little walk?¡±


    Seiko chuckled despite really meaning to. ¡°Will we actually reach a destination this time?¡±


    His eyes lit up with a kind of humor. ¡°Yes, I promise. So long as your mother doesn¡¯t come back for another surprise visit.¡±


    Kinjo took a step towards the door and gestured for Seiko to follow. Without another word, she agreed.


    He led her out of the front courtyard, nodding a greeting to the guards standing watch on his way past, and took the main road through town. Seiko did the same for any of the townsfolk she recognized on the way; an older couple, a few children, some shopkeepers.


    She focused on the warmth of the sun, rather than the chill of the voices¡¯ murmurings. Akemi¡¯s voice occasionally broke through, but she only said gibberish¡ªshe lost her clarity quicker than the king and Prince Teiki had. Her little brother sometimes joined, but usually stayed quiet enough that she could forget he had died.


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    After a few minutes, Kinjo glanced back at her and spoke up.


    ¡°Almost there,¡± he said. ¡°It was prettier during the summer festival, but it should be fine.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    He flashed her a quick grin, then looked ahead again. They strayed from the road and traveled along a trail up the mountain; wooden poles periodically dotted the edge of it. They were likely used to hold decorations and lanterns during festivals¡ªSeiko mainly stayed in the town itself whenever she helped set up.


    Kinjo paused at a clearing, then stepped inside with a bit of hesitation. Seiko followed after him. She smiled at the area¡ªa small bench in one corner, the rest being open space, with sunlight filtering in through the trees overhead. In between the wide trunks, she could see faraway pieces of the further mountains and even the ocean.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take credit for finding it,¡± Kinjo admitted. ¡°Masaaki asked around for me, but ultimately Princess Maenomi suggested it. It¡¯s a scenic place for some peace and quiet.¡±


    Seiko nodded and came a little further in. Kinjo lingered near the entrance. Even the voices remained relatively silent, either because she willed them to or because of the area.


    ¡°...You look beautiful here, Tsujihara.¡±


    Seiko startled at the sudden compliment¡ªsoft and caring in a way she hadn¡¯t heard before¡ªand gave him a quizzical look. Kinjo responded with sheepishness.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never had anyone tell you that?¡± he asked curiously.


    ¡°Not with that tone,¡± Seiko replied, shaking her head. Something about it made her heart beat faster, and then it steadied when she actually focused on Kinjo.


    ¡°Well, it might have been a little lie¡ªyou look beautiful everywhere.¡± He took a very small step forward. ¡°The way you take care of the royal children, how you¡¯re so willing to help others, how you¡¯ve convinced people you¡¯re trustworthy¡ªyour smile, your laugh, everything¡ªI¡¯ve never seen anything like it before.¡±


    A part of his tone scared her, but that part was influenced by the voices. Think about him. You don¡¯t want to be like Mikka, do you?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special,¡± Seiko tried as an attempt to deflect the compliment. ¡°I just happen to be good with children and spend time in the city.¡±


    Kinjo smiled, and the part of her that she controlled wanted to smile back but the voices kept her.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best happenstance I¡¯ve ever met, then.¡±


    ¡®Happenstance.¡¯ What an apt way to describe your circumstances. He doesn¡¯t even know who you are¡­not really. He¡¯ll never understand you.


    Yet she expected Kinjo¡¯s next few words, let the look in his eyes burn away the voices with its warmth.


    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko¡­ I love you.¡±


    The voices completely vanished with the confession, leaving her to try to find a good way to respond. Seiko looked to Kinjo for inspiration¡ªmaybe she could find some of his hesitance and answer based on that, or find something that implied he didn¡¯t mean it.


    Despite that, he stood there patiently, gentle blue eyes focused on her. He didn¡¯t move closer, nor moved away. Then she remembered his attempts to cheer her up, the way he tried to tell jokes, and realized that he must have felt this way for a year, now¡ªhe just shifted from awkwardly turning away to acting relatively normal. Her heart fluttered and she wanted to laugh, but subtle fear rose instead.


    Kinjo noticed; he stepped back with a little wince.


    ¡°Is that a rejection?¡±


    She hated the way his smile faded into something neutral¡ªsomething to hide another wave of sheepishness, or maybe even guilt.


    ¡°...Not quite,¡± Seiko admitted after a second. Kinjo¡¯s expression fell into a kind of relief. ¡°I¡¯m the same, I just¡­have some reservations.¡±


    ¡°About our different classes?¡±


    Seiko shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been¡­subjected to many rumors. I¡¯m the bastard daughter of a former shrine maiden¡ªit doesn¡¯t exactly do ¡®reputation¡¯ any favors. I don¡¯t want to get you involved.¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I try not to let rumors bother me.¡± He paused, then offered a sympathetic look. ¡°Still, I understand if it makes you uncomfortable. I have no intention nor desire to put you on the spot, so you¡¯re free to decline. We can stay friends.¡±


    She took a second to weigh the pros and cons¡ªor, maybe more accurately, decide if her joy or fear was stronger. She didn¡¯t want to lose a friend¡ªnot when she still thought about Miss Shiharu, expecting her to eat with her¡ªso ultimately, that side won.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ We could just keep it in mind and continue as we have been,¡± Seiko murmured. ¡°We can start there.¡±


    Kinjo nodded. ¡°I¡¯m satisfied with that.¡±


    She smiled, and he smiled back. He finally entered the clearing, sat down on the bench, and entertained some conversations.


    Seiko focused on the interaction so she could avoid the voices¡¯ murmur.


    He¡¯ll never understand¡­

 Chapter 26: What Shes Seen

    The autumn festival wasn¡¯t too long after Tsujihara¡¯s birthday; Asahi actually helped her set some things up after they spent an hour in the little forest area. All the children opted to join in once they were free from schooling, making them wander around as a unit of one dozen including guards. Tsujihara seemed to enjoy it, though.


    The air gained a considerable chill by the end of the month, but Tsujihara wanted to sit in the garden. She invited Asahi¡ªshe mentioned wanting company¡ªand maintained mostly-aimless conversation accordingly. Asahi just watched the wind brush up against the trees and shake the fallen leaves while Tsujihara painted little figurines and rattled off who they were for and the meanings of their colors.


    There were a few she didn¡¯t explain, but judging by the colors and shapes Asahi could make guesses; maybe something for Tsujihara¡¯s mother, and a few cranes that he assumed were for Miss Shiharu and her children. She had one for each of the living children and her notable friends¡ªAsahi, Sonoru, and a few girls from the city¡ªand a small collection of assorted ones she wanted to scatter across the city¡¯s graveyard as an offering.


    Tsujihara nodded off after two hours, laying her head back on the tree and closing her eyes midway through painting. Asahi closed the paint jars as soon as he noticed, careful not to disturb her. Sometimes she opened her mouth, then closed it again¡ªvery rarely a single word escaped, but it didn¡¯t seem to hold any meaning.


    Asahi let his mind wander for a few minutes. He came out of it when Tsujihara gently leaned towards him, but she was still asleep.


    He carefully tried to sit her upright again; she didn¡¯t even react with a murmur or wake up. She fell back over once he let go, her head on his shoulder.


    ¡°Tsujihara looks comfy.¡±


    Asahi startled at the comment, then glared at Sonoru after he recovered. He didn¡¯t feel particularly embarrassed until he saw his friend¡¯s grin.


    ¡°She¡¯s asleep, to start with,¡± Asahi pointed out in a murmur. ¡°Try not to wake her up.¡±


    Sonoru came a bit closer and bent down. He tilted his head to one side.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s too deep to care. They¡¯ve been running her ragged recently.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the only person who watches all the children now, so¡­¡± Asahi glanced over and gently brushed some of her hair away from her face. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s easy, at least. But I¡¯ve never seen her show it.¡±


    Sonoru sighed and sat down on the ground, cross-legged.


    ¡°Honestly? To me, it looks like she¡¯s hiding it¡ªshe doesn¡¯t want anyone to notice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot to handle, between what she¡¯s seen and what she has to do everyday. No one can blame her for taking it one step at a time.¡±


    Sonoru didn¡¯t look convinced, but Tsujihara let out a little noise before he could say anything. Asahi gave her a concerned glance when she shivered.


    She remained still and silent for another minute, then coughed. The cough turned into choking for air, and Asahi gently shook her shoulder.


    ¡°Tsujihara?¡± he tried to ask.


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    She stayed unresponsive, though¡ªshe didn¡¯t react to him, at least. Sonoru came closer to pull her upright and pat her shoulders, braver than Asahi. His heart sped up as he tried to think of options; will she wake up on her own, or should he get someone?


    Asahi remembered the still-unanswered question she posed when she killed the rebel leader. What she should do if she was scared of herself¡­maybe, somehow, this was related.


    Tsujihara¡¯s whole body shook as she sputtered again, and in the next instant her eyes opened. Sonoru took a few steps back as she tried to steady her breaths. She slightly raised one hand, then lowered it again.


    Asahi waited until her shoulders relaxed and the fear had mostly left her eyes before he spoke up.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    She looked up and glanced towards him, blinking for a second, then sat back up.


    ¡°...Yes. Sorry.¡±


    Her gaze focused on something distant, beyond Asahi and Sonoru. Maybe she could still remember whatever woke her up.


    ¡°You look pale,¡± Asahi pointed out gently. ¡°Can I bring you back to your room so you can rest?¡±


    Tsujihara shook her head and stood up.


    ¡°I should¡ª¡±


    She moved too quickly; as soon as she got on two feet, she winced and wavered. Asahi moved quicker than Sonoru could to get up and keep her from falling. Tsujihara pushed away from him and leaned on the tree instead. She took a breath and tried again, succeeding in being upright but still swaying.


    ¡°Please let Kinjo take you inside,¡± Sonoru replied, soft but firm. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the paints and figurines with you.¡±


    ¡°I want to do something first.¡± Tsujihara turned towards Asahi and offered a smile, but it didn¡¯t hold any happiness¡ªjust pain. ¡°Thank you for coming out with me. I can clean this up myself in a few minutes.¡±


    Tsujihara left before Asahi could protest, gathering up some amount of strength and walking off with a faint hesitance that most people wouldn¡¯t recognize.


    He hoped whatever happened didn¡¯t occur often, for her sake.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Seiko¡¯s head throbbed and spun. The voices wouldn¡¯t let up¡ªshe couldn¡¯t believe she even had control¡ªand they were shouting. But nothing they said sounded like actual words, just¡­incomprehensible gibberish meant to fill her mind so she gave it over to them. Her heart still raced from the dream of choking.


    She held herself with more steadiness than she felt; she let one hand trail against the wall in case she needed something to steady herself with when the voices tried to gain command.


    She knocked on the study door once she reached it. Thankfully, Lord Gin answered.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Tsujihara Seiko, sir.¡±


    Some papers shuffled on the other side. ¡°You may enter.¡±


    Seiko pushed open the door; Lord Gin¡¯s indifference quickly turned to concern once he saw her. She winced.


    ¡°You look¡­¡± Lord Gin began, then hesitated.


    Pathetic, a few voices suggested. Weak.


    ¡°...Unwell.¡± He shifted a bit in his chair. ¡°If you came for a few hours¡¯ break¡ªand even if not¡ªtake it. I¡¯d rather shuffle around servants to make sure every child is seen to than replace their primary caretaker.¡±


    Seiko shook her head. ¡°No, I¡ª¡±


    Before she could say it, pieces of her dream¡ªsomething she only half-remembered before¡ªflashed in her mind. Knives. Blood. Screaming. Tears. It didn¡¯t seem right to call it a nightmare, more like a¡­prediction of sorts.


    The voices screamed, and she tried to blink away a few tears. They tried to steal her senses from her¡ªshe found it harder and harder to breathe.


    ¡°Please.¡± It came out as a murmur; she didn¡¯t know if Lord Gin even heard it. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Please, Father, help me protect them.¡±


    Seiko lowered herself to the ground, the voices overwhelming her. Lord Gin stood up and gave her a worried look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill anyone else.¡±


    She blinked, then the world grew silent as the voices forced her into sleep.

 Chapter 27: Confession of Lord Gin-Betemo Ozuru

    Ozuru always knew he had an obligation to Seiko¡ªto watch her, to make sure she was happy, if only for Mikka¡¯s sake. He never felt it more than watching her slip out of consciousness, murmuring pleas the whole time. Whether or not she meant it, she called him ¡®father.¡¯


    He made sure someone was near Seiko¡ªto watch her, help her when she woke up¡ªand worked as usual. He anticipated the harsh knock on the door halfway through the afternoon.


    Erumi opened the door before he could say anything, her frown and furrowed brow showing anxiety, tiredness, and impatience all at once.


    ¡°Please get a doctor for Mikka¡¯s daughter,¡± she said.


    ¡°Has she gotten worse?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªby mine or your standards, at least¡ªbut she¡¯s still asleep.¡± She came inside and leaned against the wall, sighing. ¡°But this can¡¯t be good for her. Yukira abandoned us and Jukazu won¡¯t notice¡ªjust ask for someone to look at the girl.¡±


    Ozuru shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t justify it. Someone will see it, and then they¡¯ll realize Yukira is gone and make mad guesses.¡±


    ¡°A few rumors would be worth the peace of mind, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You underestimate how infamous we are. They¡¯ll assume, then spread it, then once Yukira gets hold of the information she¡¯ll either perpetuate their lies or announce the truth.¡±


    Erumi let her head rest on the wall and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°But what if it¡¯s¡­whatever Mikka has? Wouldn¡¯t it be best to confirm it before she starts dying?¡±


    ¡°Mikka didn¡¯t have episodes like her daughter does¡ªand far from the same degree. If anything, it¡¯s more serious than that.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re accepting that?¡± She opened her eyes and scoffed. ¡°And Tsunkei used to call me a bad mother. How selfish are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to consider her feelings,¡± Ozuru argued. ¡°Being put in the highlight of rumors won¡¯t make it any better¡ªnot when she still won¡¯t talk about Yaroko¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Mental ills won¡¯t kill her like physical ills will.¡±


    Ozuru sat back in his chair and glanced down at the papers on his desk.


    ¡°...You can¡¯t say that for sure.¡±


    Erumi let out an exasperated sigh. She wandered around the room, taking note of things; sometimes she helped, but more often than not she spoke with Eyako in town.


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    ¡°On another note,¡± she said after a minute, or tone changed to something more casual, ¡°It¡¯s about time you told Maenomi and Kyuru, don¡¯t you think? The rebels are due for another attack soon, I feel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good time,¡± Ozuru replied, shaking his head. ¡°And it won¡¯t be for a while.¡±


    ¡°Tsujihara could be our last hope,¡± Erumi pointed out. ¡°When and if that happens, it shouldn¡¯t come out of the blue¡ªthey¡¯ll just be suspicious of her.¡±


    ¡°A fresh start could be what we need. At the moment, Seiko has a fairly good reputation¡ªin town, at least. That could change if I said I¡¯m her father.¡±


    Erumi glanced at him for a moment, then walked back to the door.


    ¡°Just put it in writing,¡± she suggested. ¡°That way, at least, you don¡¯t have to rely on Seiko¡¯s memory to retell the events¡ªher, Maenomi, and Kyuru can hear the real story.¡±


    Ozuru nodded. ¡°I already planned to. Mikka¡¯s passed away; I want to make sure our story doesn¡¯t die with her.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She offered a half-wave and took a step to leave. ¡°Might as well check on it. I¡¯ll see if little Tsujihara is doing any better.¡±


    -.-


    Here is written the full confession of Gin-Betemo Ozuru. In honor of Tsujihara Mikka, my first and true love.


    My father Kyuburu wanted to push social reforms¡ªhe wanted to close the distance between nobility and the commoners. He chose to lead by example, so he held little events where Tsunkei and I were brought into the city and anyone would ask us whatever they wanted.


    He got more insistent about them when I was sixteen; I believe he wanted us to use it to find wives, especially when I barely left the palace otherwise. I never liked it, however.


    I snuck off one day, went to the shrine so my father wouldn¡¯t interrupt me. That¡¯s when I met her¡ªTsujihara Mikka. She was an orphaned shrine maiden. She was given permission to date solely based on the fact I was a prince¡ªthe head priestess didn¡¯t want to risk earning Kyurburu¡¯s ire. Mikka wouldn¡¯t have anywhere to live otherwise, and she would be laughed out of the palace.


    We planned to marry in the city, make history with the ceremony. But two things came along:


    First, trouble truly closing the gap between commoner and royalty. While nobles could convince their peers that their commoner spouses were suitable, I couldn¡¯t do the same for Mikka. Only my closest family approved¡ªas for the rest, even the servants disliked the idea of someone from such a low standing being elevated so highly.


    Second, a little daughter came along during the wait. Marrying a commoner was met with insults¡ªmarrying a bastard¡¯s mother, whether or not I was the father, would have all three of us scorned. But I didn¡¯t want to give up.


    I married Hyomoto Yukira, a shared friend of mine and Mikka¡¯s and the only woman who didn¡¯t mind that I preferred being with Mikka. I had a second daughter two years after the first. I intended to adopt Seiko so she had a home when Mikka grew ill, and both were allowed to spend time with her.


    When Seiko was four, she talked to herself¡ªheld full conversations. Sometimes she mentioned a name, and I recognized it as a former member of the royal family. It scared me.


    I made the mistake of telling that fear to Hyomoto. From there, she told everyone that a four year old girl was possessed. Mikka got upset that I never shared my concerns with her¡ªrightfully, I¡¯ll add. I told her to take her cursed daughter and leave.


    I felt guilty within days, but feared reaching out. I sent money to keep them away from poverty. After fourteen years, I invited Seiko to return to the palace. I wanted to see how she¡¯s grown, selfish as it is¡­and I knew that Mikka¡¯s ongoing illness must have gotten worse. Tsunkei wanted me to make amends, or at least attempt to repair some of the damage.


    I pray Lady Aimiki will forgive my reaction¡ªthe reason I am not worthy to take Tsunkei¡¯s place as king¡ªand that at least one of my children survives this war.


    Thus concludes the confession.

 Chapter 28: Promises You Cant Keep

    The voices never fully quieted. Seiko waited for the concern to turn to questions, but all that came out of it was that Kinjo learned how to look for her pain and Maenomi insisted on making Seiko do less work.


    The voices tried to paint it like a betrayal¡ªsomething Seiko should be offended by¡ªbut she found it reassuring instead. They trusted her to tell them if she was feeling unwell and they cared enough to ask her to rest. She preferred that over whatever reaction they might have to learning the reason behind that pain.


    She couldn¡¯t always listen to the recommendations¡ªthe voices demanded more attention than she preferred, and she couldn¡¯t abandon the children to take care of themselves when she was in pain¡ªbut she appreciated it nonetheless.


    The headaches and occasional migraine kept up for the rest of autumn and into winter. The year neared its end; Seiko and the children all helped set up the festival in town to prepare. It helped make the voices a little quieter¡ªhelped her focus on the people around her, instead of the grim promises murmured on the back of her mind.


    The shrine had a graduation ceremony of sorts that all older shrine maiden¡ªMaenomi included, although Rinatsu was exempt¡ªhad to attend, so Seiko taught the children in their stead. With Masaaki there to entertain Kyuru and Kinjo helping with actual teaching, however, the children were more focused on the partial strangers. Between that and a small migraine, Seiko didn¡¯t force them to learn anything. The rest of the children¡¯s guards still spent the morning away.


    She completely lost them by lunch, so she let them have fun. For Rinatsu, that meant getting paints, a canvas, and a brush; for Chiki and Kyuru, it meant running around in the snow. Masaaki went outside to play with the boys while Seiko and Kinjo stayed in, watching through the open front door.


    The boys¡¯ shouts were a bit too loud for Seiko, admittedly, but she didn¡¯t want to interrupt them. They¡¯d quiet down once they noticed regardless; they needed to release some energy. Kinjo and Rinatsu compensated by staying relatively quiet.


    Kinjo sat next to her, carefully writing some sort of story the best he could without a table. Seiko mostly observed the room, waiting for him to give it to her for input. After a few minutes, Rinatsu perked up and looked around.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Seiko asked kindly.


    ¡°...I thought I heard something,¡± the princess murmured. She glanced at Seiko, mild confusion shifting to curiosity. ¡°May I head back to my room now, Miss Tsujihara? I¡¯m getting cold.¡±


    ¡°You have to stay nearby until your guard comes back.¡±


    Princess Rinatsu let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°It took her two hours to come to town yesterday! Can you bring Chiki and Kyuru inside, then? Or leave them with Sir Masaaki?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair to keep them from playing, and Masaaki isn¡¯t qualified to watch both at once.¡±


    She put down her brush and completely turned towards Seiko.


    ¡°May I get tea and snacks, then?¡±


    Seiko nodded. The kitchen was close enough. ¡°Yes, just don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    The princess gave a quick bow in respect, then left. Seiko stood up to close the paint jars. Rinatsu claimed to work largely by choosing a few colors and going off of that, but it still fascinated Seiko whenever she caught a glimpse at a painting in progress. The splotches of color¡ªblue, green, and purple in this case¡ªcould take shape into anything over the course of a few hours.


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    Seiko sat back down once she finished, and Kinjo wordlessly passed along his writing for her judge. She read it for a few minutes¡ªhe had a talent for making up fairytales and putting them to paper, and her job was just to make sure it progressed smoothly¡ªbefore Kyuru poked his head in the room.


    ¡°Miss Tsujihara?¡±


    She immediately put down the paper and looked at the prince.


    ¡°Are you ready to come in?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Kyuru immediately answered, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m having a lot of fun! But, um¡­¡±


    He took a little step further in and glanced at the memorials in the back of the room¡ªone for the king, one for Prince Teiki, one for Miss Shiharu, and one for each of her children¡ªthen back at Seiko and shuffled.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He got quieter, almost a whisper. ¡°I just thought I kinda heard Uncle Tsunkei?¡±


    Seiko froze, and the boy misunderstood. In his haste to try to explain, he grew loud enough to catch Kinjo¡¯s attention.


    ¡°I-I mean, I think it was Uncle Tsunkei. I don¡¯t actually remember him that well, but it¡­ I heard it and I knew it was him, kinda..?¡±


    She finally recovered and readjusted herself so she faced the prince.


    ¡°What did he say to you?¡±


    Kyuru looked at the ground and bit his lip. She suppressed a wince as her voices flared in volume for a second.


    ¡°I need to know what he said, Kyuru,¡± Seiko said as gently as she could. She gestured for him to come a little closer. ¡°If you don¡¯t want anyone else to hear, you can whisper it to me.¡±


    ¡°M-maybe it¡­isn¡¯t actually that important¡­¡±


    She tried to smile. ¡°Please. If it¡¯s bothering you, I want to know what it is so I can help.¡±


    He hesitated for a second, then came a little closer. He sat down next to her, slowly creeping closer over the course of half a minute. He leaned into Seiko and buried his head in her dress.


    ¡°Uncle said¡­¡± Kyuru sniffed and paused. ¡°I think he said that ¡®the end begins.¡¯¡±


    He would be a good replacement, if you fail¡­ Not everyone can hear us so vividly¡­


    Assuming he lives longer than you, at least.


    Seiko flinched away from the boy, prompting Kyuru to look up. She had a harder time with it, but she tried to maintain the kind look and wiped away the few tears the boy shed.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± she murmured. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt.¡±


    You shouldn¡¯t make promises you can¡¯t keep, Seiko.


    She shook off the voices¡¯ comment and gently separated herself from Prince Kyuru. He watched her as she looked out the main door.


    ¡°Prince Chiki, Masaaki.¡± Both of them paused their game and gave her their attention. ¡°Princess Rinatsu left to get tea a while ago¡ªwhy don¡¯t you head inside and we can have it in the dining room?¡±


    About that¡­ Seiko startled and grimaced at the new voice, recognizing it immediately. I couldn¡¯t get it¡­ I couldn¡¯t even finish my painting¡­ I¡¯m sorry.


    Seiko startled when Kinjo gently tapped her shoulder. He pulled away at the reaction.


    Before he could ask, Seiko shook her head. She closed her hand into a fist so she could press her nails into her palm. The pain only dulled a few voices¡ªthe rest, Rinatsu¡¯s included, still murmured on, their indecipherable chatter turning into clear requests for more blood. She pushed her nails in deeper to compensate, hoping the greater pain would quiet them. It didn¡¯t work.


    Masaaki¡¯s eyes narrowed, so he must have noticed¡ªbut Kinjo focused more on her expression for any outward signs of distress. Seiko glanced at Kinjo.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any weapons with you, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, but why¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a knife in Lord Gin¡¯s study; tell him to be careful, then ask if you can take the knife.¡±


    Chiki obediently entered and Masaaki trailed behind him. Seiko took a few steps outside before Masaaki spoke up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I want to check something,¡± she lied. ¡°I¡¯ll meet up with you.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to be near them when and if the voices got too loud.


    Neither Kinjo nor Masaaki looked convinced, but they didn¡¯t protest. With a silent nod, they left¡ªSeiko went in the other direction. The voices only grew more cohesive.

 Chapter 29: From The Living...

    Based on the tone of Tsujihara¡¯s voice, Sonoru expected some kind of danger. He kept one hand ready to take out his sword while Asahi made sure the princes weren¡¯t getting too far ahead or behind. None of them spoke¡ªthere weren¡¯t even murmurs behind any of the closed doors.


    Maybe Tsujihara knew something they didn¡¯t. But why wouldn¡¯t she outright say it, in that case? Why wouldn¡¯t she stay with them?


    A part of him worried more about that than whatever she was concerned about. He just didn¡¯t say any concerns because he knew Asahi hated when he made assumptions or guesses, especially ones fueled by gut feeling and nothing else.


    They found the door to the study half-open. Asahi reached it first, hesitating before knocking on the frame.


    ¡°...Lord Gin, sir? We¡¯re here on behalf of Tsujihara Seiko; she¡¯s worried about something.¡±


    No response. Kyuru shuffled.


    ¡°He usually keeps the door closed if he¡¯s in there,¡± he murmured.


    Sonoru took a few steps forward and pushed open the door the rest of the way.


    ¡°Must have left. We can go to the bedrooms after Kinjo gets the knife.¡±


    He waited for someone else to enter, but it looked like he was the only one willing to go inside. It made sense¡ªKyuru and Chiki were likely raised to avoid it, while Kinjo didn¡¯t want to get in trouble. Sonoru, on the other hand, only had his job to lose; and the worst part of that is that he couldn¡¯t watch Kyuru anymore if he was fired.


    Sonoru expected something a little more grandiose, honestly; a few paintings were hung on the walls¡ªone of which, he noticed, was painted by Kyuru and Tsujihara during one of the afternoons over the past year¡ªbut nothing else spoke of personality. It could belong to anyone, if one went by sight alone.


    Papers were scattered around the desk, but he didn¡¯t read them out of decency. One might have been a letter, another a report of some kind. He went to the desk drawers and systematically opened each one until he found the knife, alone and in plain sight.


    ¡°Kinjo¡ªcatch.¡±


    Sonoru tossed the sheathed weapon in Asahi¡¯s direction, who clumsily caught it. He frowned when he noticed the silver, gold, and blue handle.


    ¡°Be careful with a royal weapon,¡± Asahi hissed.


    ¡°It can survive a few scratches,¡± Sonoru defended with a shrug. ¡°Whatever was bothering Tsujihara could be worse than the punishment we might get for misusing it.¡±


    He wanted to speculate why Tsujihara of all people knew it was there, but decided against it.


    Asahi opened his mouth to say something, then tensed. Sonoru waited a second to figure out what it was before hearing it¡ªshuffling, talking, metal against metal. He tried not to curse.


    ¡°...Right, so, we know why Tsujihara wanted you to have a weapon now,¡± Sonoru said, looking at Asahi. ¡°What do you think the odds are that we can get the princes out?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine they would leave their only exit undefended,¡± Asahi replied.


    ¡°We can wait it out, then.¡± He attempted a little smile in Kyuru and Chiki¡¯s direction, but neither prince took it at face value. ¡°Come on¡ªlet¡¯s get you settled in one of the spare rooms.¡±


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    Chiki obediently nodded and moved a little closer to Asahi while Kyuru hesitated. Sonoru walked over and patted Kyuru¡¯s head. The boy seemed to be grateful for it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on you and Prince Chiki,¡± Sonoru promised. He couldn¡¯t say that he could protect them¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t say something he couldn¡¯t keep, something that was largely out of his control depending on how the rebels moved¡ªbut Kyuru couldn¡¯t tell the difference.


    He appreciated that the boy knew little enough that the reassurance worked, unlike the smile from before. At least Kyuru wasn¡¯t used to being told lies regarding his safety.


    With barely any hesitation, Sonoru gestured for the rest to follow him. He prepared for a fight as they walked, but it must not have gotten this far yet¡ªit was close, though. The bedrooms weren¡¯t far so it didn¡¯t take long.


    He chose one of the empty ones and let the other three inside; he closed all the surrounding doors so the last one didn¡¯t seem so obvious, then ducked in the room himself.


    The princes sat in the corner and Sonoru and Asahi stood in front of them for protection. Then it came time to wait


    The usual silence of early afternoon was occasionally interrupted by a shout or shuffling. Swords clashing together didn¡¯t start happening for a few minutes as the rebels got closer. It gave him just enough time to wonder¡ªdid they come in from inside, or did they enter the front gate? He wouldn¡¯t be surprised by either.


    Each second and minute came by slowly enough that he couldn¡¯t quite tell how long it took for the voices to reach them more clearly.


    ¡°Search the rooms.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Sonoru and Asahi both took out their weapons and waited. The rebels seemed to systematically check each bedroom, but they must have taken longer with the ones that were used¡ªeither to get some kind of incriminating evidence or to make sure no one was hiding within them.


    Someone opened the door cautiously at first, then with a force that made Kyuru flinch. The soldier¡ªdressed in Gin¡¯s army uniform, albeit with the occasional blue fabrics replaced for gray¡ªblinked at them before coming in.


    Sonoru took a step forward and intercepted him before he even got halfway across the room, knocking him down with a single punch. Asahi held him down while Sonoru removed any weapons.


    ¡°We won¡¯t kill you if you don¡¯t try to kill us,¡± Sonoru hissed.


    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±


    The rebel tried to turn away and opened his mouth, but Sonoru took the man¡¯s knife and stabbed him in return. He yelped at the pain, alerting others to the room regardless.


    Sonoru glanced back at the princes¡ªboth terrified and far, far too young to see a man bleeding in front of them.


    ¡°Close your eyes. Cover your ears if it helps.¡±


    Kyuru nodded and obliged, but Chiki seemed more interested in the rebel; maybe it held some kind of grim fascination for him, or it reminded him of how his father and brother died.


    Asahi pushed the mostly-still rebel closer to one of the walls, then moved back towards the princes. Sonoru stayed in his same position, moving his sword as soon as he glimpsed the rebel uniform.


    Four rebels entered and Sonoru moved forward to try the same tactic as before; Asahi only came to the center of the room so he could aid Sonoru if necessary, but stayed relatively close to the princes. These four weren¡¯t as unprepared as the first, however¡ªthey came with their knives already out and ready for conflict.


    Sonoru sheathed his sword and used the stolen knife to attack instead. Two rebels approached him and immediately launched into a dual attack, but he had more practice dodging than they had skill in stabbing¡ªhe landed a few small hits on them before they even got one on him.


    A little cry from Kyuru caught Sonoru¡¯s attention, and he turned back on instinct. In response, both of the rebels took the advantage¡ªone stabbed him in the shoulder and the other pushed him to the ground. Asahi, torn between helping Sonoru or checking on the princes, had similar luck.


    Sonoru resisted the two men around him, pushing him down, while Asahi received a slash on his side and couldn¡¯t grimace past the pain. Sonoru shoved off the rebels, regaining some kind of motivation, just in time to witness the unoccupied rebel kneel down in front of the princes.


    The man obscured most of the view, but Kyuru and Chiki¡¯s yelps told the story well enough. When the soldier pulled back, both boys had a single fatal wound to the heart.


    Just like that, all four of the rebels left while Sonoru tried to process it. Once he actually recognized that Kyuru and Chiki were injured, he let the knife fall to the ground and made his way over as soon as he could. His own wounds didn¡¯t even bother him, seeing them like that.


    For once, he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say¡ªso he just sat there, gently patting his charge¡¯s head, while both boys slipped away from the living, to the unconscious, to the dead.

 Chapter 30: Plans to Escape

    Seiko could only remember pieces of the battle¡ªleaving the palace, encountering a few rebels but the voices used her to kill them, then she snuck off to the gardens to hopefully stay away from fighting. She recalled the actions she was in control of, and nothing more.


    She didn¡¯t fully regain herself until royal soldiers found her, shivering in the cold. They didn¡¯t need to tell her about who died, but she listened to Prince Jukazu¡¯s evening speech regardless.


    Lady Keichiro and Akemi were the first victims, killed in the dining hall while the latter waited for tea and her mother was taking a break from helping Prince Jukazu. The rebels only sought out the royal family¡ªonly injured or killed soldiers that fought them first¡ªso not many loyal men were lost. However, Chiki and Kyuru were both stabbed in the heart. Lord Gin engaged with a few rebels, who left him to die after enough heavy wounds; he succumbed to them before nightfall.


    Prince Jukazu claimed he fought, but the voices called him a coward. He expressed some form of sincere grief, then downed half a bottle of liquor with the small crowd watching and ordered his fianc¨¦e Yanzo Eyako to take charge of the battle effort. Hopeless, she apologized for his display as he stormed off to demand funeral preparations begin.


    Maenomi came back from the shrine unharmed but heartbroken. She stayed by her father¡¯s side until his last breath, then huddled close to Seiko. She couldn¡¯t blame her¡ªshe avoided the attack by mere happenstance, while everyone else she cared for was either hurt or dead.


    The only military orders that seemed to be passed along in the week since was that the former guards of the deceased children were to integrate themselves into the routine of normal soldiers. As for the rest of them, they weren¡¯t given anything new¡ªa majority of them continued on as normal, and a small portion of them outright left the capital. They weren¡¯t stopped.


    Any trusted soldiers or servants were invited to eat at the royal family¡¯s table by Maenomi¡¯s request; otherwise, with Prince Jukazu typically absent, the meal went by in a shared silence from only three people. It brought pleasant conversation that never came even when the whole royal family had been there.


    Maenomi asked Seiko and Kinjo¡ªMasaaki was invited to eat with them, but he rarely came¡ªto come with her after one breakfast, so both obliged. She led them to her father¡¯s now-abandoned study, every paper and book just as it had been before the battle.


    The princess took a little breath as she stepped inside, reverent and mournful at once. She gestured to the chairs and tried to smile back at them, but failed to show anything but sadness.


    ¡°Go ahead and take a seat. Close the door behind you.¡±


    Kinjo, the last to enter, nodded; Seiko cautiously sat down as Maenomi looked through the bookshelves, trying to find something in particular.


    Seiko waited to let her sister speak first.


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    ¡°Do you remember when I told you about Tekazu Hafumi, Miss Tsujihara?¡± Maenomi asked, glancing back for a second. ¡°I bought a few gifts for her when you first came here.¡±


    ¡°She left the capital not long after?¡± Seiko recalled, posing it as a question in case she was wrong.


    Yet Maenomi nodded. ¡°She¡¯s in the east now. We¡¯ve kept in touch ever since the war started.¡±


    She brushed her hand against the side of the books and scrolls, perking up and pulling out a small piece of paper near the far end. She unfolded it, nodded, then turned back to look at Seiko and Kinjo with a little bit of determination.


    ¡°Will you both promise to keep this to yourselves?¡±


    Seiko murmured agreement and Kinjo gave a little ¡®yes.¡¯ She should know by now that promises mean nothing, the voices whispered.


    Maenomi took another breath, then passed the paper to Seiko. She remained standing by the edge of the desk, instead of sitting down in the chair behind it.


    ¡°Father and I have been discussing a way for myself, Kyuru, and Miss Tsujihara to leave the capital,¡± Maenomi explained. ¡°Father only wrote down the most important things, in case he¡­couldn¡¯t oversee it. The Tekazu family agreed to take all three of us and whoever we trust most into their home.¡±


    Seiko skimmed the paper, then let Kinjo read it off.


    ¡°¡®Three week journey on horse, weather permitting. All east.¡¯¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t think much was noteworthy,¡± Maenomi admitted. ¡°Rightfully, he didn¡¯t want Jukazu to see it¡ªthe man would call both of us cowards and could harm the Tekazu family. Kyuru won¡¯t be able to come, but¡­¡±


    She looked away and paused, staring out the window for a moment. ¡°...Is it selfish that I¡¯d rather live and leave them here than die, myself?¡±


    Of course, the voices laughed.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Seiko replied. She winced at the little bit of pain that came at her resistance.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d like to believe Lady Aimiki saved me so I could meet Teha again. She only left because Yukira¡±¡ªshe stopped calling her ¡®mother¡¯ at some point after she disappeared¡ª¡±spread rumors about her. Maybe Lady Aimiki didn¡¯t appreciate the lies, or she wants to see us reunited; regardless, Father wanted us to leave if things got to this point.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll be taking you and Tsujihara to wherever the Tekazu family lives?¡± Kinjo asked to confirm.


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, yes,¡± Maenomi agreed, looking at them both again. ¡°You¡¯re friends with Kyuru¡¯s guard as well, aren¡¯t you? Masaaki. He can come; we might not have enough support without him.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in a few days,¡± Kinjo admitted, ¡°But I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to him soon. When I find him, I¡¯ll give a few details¡ªI know he won¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± The princess nodded, her sadness slowly fading in favor of something more positive. Seiko wondered if thinking about reuniting with Tekazu Hafumi helped Maenomi manage through the losses. ¡°I¡¯d like to start preparing as soon as possible, without Jukazu noticing. Gather up your warmest clothes and whatever spare money you have; I can arrange for horses and other supplies while I¡¯m in town in the mornings.¡±


    The other two gave some agreement, and they all left together. The rest of the day passed by without any real mention of it, but the voices were buzzing around in the back of Seiko¡¯s mind.


    She¡¯s learned, but she¡¯s still naive¡­ Does she really think she can run?


    No one can escape this fate. Not even you, Seiko¡­


    Although, perhaps if you¡¯re lucky, this will be over soon.

 Chapter 31: History

    I am sorry that it came to this. But please, do not hold it against yourself. It was my mistake to let the boy stray so far¡ªand my punishment is to see each of my children fall, because I cannot die in their place to atone for my own son¡¯s sins.


    Seiko startled awake at the voice she didn¡¯t recognize, but an actual person stood next to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave¡ªone of the shrine maidens gave us a warning that the rebels are coming. Jukazu isn¡¯t going to do anything to help.¡±


    Understanding the urgency in Maenomi¡¯s tone, Seiko sat up. The princess stood near her bed and Kinjo waited by the door. The voices were eerily silent, almost completely inaudible.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t able to talk to Masaaki?¡± Seiko asked, directing it towards Kinjo.


    He shook his head. ¡°It looks like he left; he wasn¡¯t in his room, at least. There was a letter for my sister, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame him,¡± Maenomi murmured. ¡°Kyuru treated him like an older brother. Running away seems perfectly acceptable for everyone in a case like this.¡±


    In an attempt to keep Maenomi from getting too upset¡ªmeeting with Tekazu Hafumi seemed to be her main motivation¡ªSeiko got up to gather her things. The other two were already prepared; both in warm clothes and armed, in Kinjo¡¯s case. Neither Seiko nor Maenomi felt they were safe with a knife of their own.


    Seiko slipped on a jacket and shoes, then patted her little komainu figurine before she left the room. She wanted to take it with her, but couldn¡¯t justify it¡ªsomething that fragile might break on the way.


    Kinjo led the other two out of the palace. The route avoided the main halls, winding through in the quickest way without being seen. Sometimes, a shout or two carried to them, and they walked a little quicker without drawing suspicion. On one hand, they look uncoordinated enough to just be fleeing servants; on the other, anyone who actually lived in the palace could recognize Maenomi and Seiko.


    Each footstep seemed too loud, every breath seemed a bit hard. But, at the same time, she was inexplicably calm¡ªlike some voice she couldn¡¯t fully remember was in the back of her mind, assuring her that she would live past this. Most of her fears went towards Kinjo and Maenomi, who didn¡¯t have the same vague promise. Even the voices¡ªwhen they occasionally made an appearance during the escape¡ªagreed.


    They didn¡¯t see any soldiers¡ªrebel or ally¡ªat all, merely heard the echoes of a struggle. Seiko wondered how many people left; Masaaki couldn¡¯t have been the only one. Even a princess didn¡¯t believe in staying here until the end.


    The trio went by the front door and into the garden cautiously; Kinjo made sure to stop and pause if he thought there might be any danger. Still, Seiko caught on to murmurs before he did.


    The people they belonged to¡ªa group of five rebels, based on their outfits¡ªwere still a little ways away at the front gate, but the snow and fallen leaves didn¡¯t do the escaping three any favors; only the still-dark sky gave them cover. Kinjo grimaced once he saw them and looked back at Seiko.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much for me to handle on my own,¡± he whispered. ¡°I can disarm one, then give you the knife? You won¡¯t need to kill them, just¡ª¡±


    Seiko shook her head. ¡°Not with Maenomi here.¡±


    Her main concern was the voices, but Kinjo took it to mean that he didn¡¯t want to distress the princess. He gave some murmur of understanding, even if Maenomi seemed to take a distraction by being called her first name.


    ¡°We can try to sneak around them, then. Come on.¡±


    The other two didn¡¯t have the means or minds to protest, so they let Kinjo lead around a few dead bushes and skeleton trees to make a wide berth around the rebels. Seiko moved as silently as she could¡ªshe could guess that the other two did the same. Given the time and some amount of luck, they might be able to get through the front gate without being noticed.


    Ha! ¡®Luck.¡¯ You would be better off praying for a change in fate.


    Seiko grimaced as the voices laughed at her apparent naivete. Both Kinjo and Maenomi stopped immediately and turned towards her.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Princess Maenomi asked.


    Just as Seiko began to nod, one of the rebels looked in their direction.


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    ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted. It gained the attention of the other four. ¡°What are you doing? Anyone walking around is in danger of getting caught up in the fighting.¡±


    Somehow, Kinjo mustered enough bravery to stand up a little straighter and respond.


    ¡°Is it not customary to visit the shrine at the end of each year?¡± he asked evenly. To her, at least, it sounded genuine. ¡°Given that the festival was canceled, we¡ª¡±


    ¡°You would let your home fall into chaos while you pray to the gods for blessings?¡± the rebel scoffed. ¡°I thought you were supposed to believe in honor.¡±


    ¡°Honor is useless if you end up dead.¡±


    The man glared at them for a few seconds, then stepped forward. Seiko instinctively moved back; she couldn¡¯t tell if he noticed.


    ¡°Let me check you first,¡± he decided. ¡°If you¡¯re really going to the shrine, you¡¯d have money but no weapons, yeah? Anything you can¡¯t explain will go against you; this¡¯ll go by easier if you just cooperate.¡±


    Kinjo took out his knife but kept it out of view. A part of her wanted to grab it, but she folded her hands behind her back instead.


    Seiko managed to steady her breath and present some outward impression of calmness. Maenomi moved a little closer, frowning but following Seiko¡¯s lead.


    Once the rebel came close enough, Kinjo lunged forward and hit him with the blunt end of his knife. The man stumbled back in surprise, and in the next second of weakness Kinjo slashed at his legs.


    ¡°We need to keep going,¡± Kinjo said, urgently looking back at the other two. He seemed prepared to say more, but the rebel cut him off.


    ¡°The man has a knife! They¡¯re resisting!¡±


    Kinjo winced and let out a curse while Princess Maenomi squeaked. Seeing no other option, Seiko swept down to take the fallen rebel¡¯s knife while he was still in pain.


    As soon as Seiko touched the hilt, a new voice popped into her mind and fell back again.


    Literally stabbed in the back¡­ A fitting end for someone as foul as me. Let this cursed line end, please, so I didn¡¯t kill for nothing.


    She worried Kinjo and Maenomi with her pause. It gave enough time for the other rebels to arrive.


    One of them reached for Maenomi; she froze under the threat, so Seiko moved forward and cut across his outstretched arm. She knew the voices wanted to react to the sight of blood, but something stopped them.


    The princess looked fixed in place, kept there by fear or memories or some combination of both, so Seiko and Kinjo did what they could to protect her. Seiko¡¯s stabs were weaker than if the voices controlled her; without them, she had no experience.


    She struggled to hold the knife correctly or put sufficient force behind it. It made her virtually useless; the only real fighter was Kinjo, and he was outnumbered.


    Seiko tried to jab at the nearest rebel, but he easily shoved her aside and into the snow. Kinjo fended off the other three while Maenomi watched.


    The soldier Seiko tried to attack took a step forward and brandished his knife. She waited for the voices to intervene, hopeless without them. The only voice that murmured¡ªthe one she woke up to, and the same that spoke when Prince Jukazu spoke about the late king¡¯s death¡ªdidn¡¯t seem able to control her the way the others did. If the rest were capable of intervening, they chose not to.


    She hesitated long enough that the rebel moved forward. She expected to hurt¡ªfor the knife to push into her¡ªso she winced. But someone else let out a whimper while she had her eyes closed.


    Maenomi took the stab for her and fell back. Seiko catched her by instinct. She didn¡¯t notice the blood on the girl¡¯s neck for another second¡ªand the others seemed to see it at the same time.


    The rebel that attacked her moved back, leaving Seiko free to lower Maenomi down. Without the voices, she felt the full weight of it; the urgency of trying to stop the bleeding so the princess wouldn¡¯t die.


    She didn¡¯t think she could put enough pressure on it with her hands alone. Would the snow be cold enough to slow it down?


    With every second her mind raced and her breathing grew unsteady, while Maenomi choked and sputtered on her own blood. Seiko pulled her closer, desperate. Kinjo sat on the other side of her sister, realizing Seiko¡¯s distress and trying to help.


    If Maenomi died, then¡­


    What would you do to save her? To still have a blood family?


    Her breath caught and she whispered her response.


    ¡°Anything.¡± Was there a point in even leaving the village, if Mikka¡¯s wish couldn¡¯t be fulfilled? She would still have Kinjo, but for how long?


    Are you certain, child? It will not be an easy path.


    ¡°It never has been. Just¡­please¡­¡±


    Seiko cradled Maenomi and her body moved without any resistance, completely limp. Kinjo pulled away while the rebels watched, the one who stabbed her muttering some kind of apology.


    Very well. She will have a second chance, and you will lead a new life. Do me proud, child, and avoid the mistakes of your ancestors.


    ¡°I¡­ I will. Thank you, Lady Aimiki.¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice faded. Seiko let out a relieved chuckle as Maenomi breathed again. Kinjo let out a sigh to the same effect, but he paused when he looked up at Seiko. She barely noticed, glad her sister was still alive and that the voices were completely quiet.


    The injured rebel scrambled back, while the rest looked at each other and dropped their weapons. They split up, two and two¡ªone went into the palace, the other into town. The fifth, unable to efficiently run due to his wound, repositioned himself to painfully bow.


    ¡°Lady Aimiki has come through! Lay down your arms, everyone¡ªGin now has a queen!"

 Chapter 32: The First Queen of Gin

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    Kinjo¡¯s frown reflected in the mirror. Seeing herself with silver hair was surreal, but she accepted it. Or maybe she just didn¡¯t have anything to consistently remind her of what it meant.


    Seiko nodded and tried to offer a little smile.


    ¡°They need to hear the full story. I don¡¯t think the rebels intend to continue fighting, but I want to give them the option.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look entirely convinced. She turned around to give him a light kiss on the cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a week. I know what to do.¡±


    He searched her expression for any signs of a lie or hesitance, then conceded and managed a smile back.


    ¡°All right. I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. It means a lot to me that you¡¯re still here.¡±


    Kinjo¡¯s smile shifted to a bit more pride and admiration.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave you,¡± he promised. ¡°Especially not after this long.¡±


    ¡­


    Seiko didn¡¯t hold herself any differently than she would have otherwise; if she did, they might not recognize her. The entire world seemed to fall silent this past week¡ªthe voices, the palace, everything. She felt better than she had in years.


    She never expected the role of queen, but for the sake of ending the war she would take it. She knew Lady Aimiki wouldn¡¯t have given her the silver hair if she wasn¡¯t worthy of it.


    If nothing else, having a queen that knew almost nothing about ruling is better than fighting a war and people dying. She wanted to protect those that managed to survive, and this was the best way of doing that.


    Kinjo walked with her to the city, the new year officially started and snow dusted the ground. Neither one had any weapons, but Kinjo carried a few important letters and documents in case they asked for proof.


    Everyone they passed paused, then curiously trailed behind¡ªthose that didn¡¯t went into their houses to alert their family. The mysterious chosen heir had finally made an appearance.


    Seiko stopped in the largest open area, then addressed the small crowd.


    ¡°One year and eight months have passed since King Gin-Betemo Tsunkei died,¡± she began. She caught their attention. ¡°Once the sakura falls, two years would have passed without a ruler. That changed when soldiers attacked the palace eight days ago.¡±


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    The voices would likely mock her speech, but so far the citizens seemed satisfied. They kept a respectful distance and remained silent, at least.


    ¡°Lady Aimiki saw the bloodshed and wanted to end it. She chose me to lead this kingdom, but first and foremost I want to clear all uncertainty. Many things were said these past few months, and today I will reveal everything.¡±


    She took a little breath, then explained every single scandal and important incident that she found records of in the palace.


    King Tsunkei had a few associated with him, starting with his deals with Kuru. His intentions were primarily to negotiate a long term ceasefire, but he kept it secret. Miss Shiharu came back with him on one of his trips to the far west; she had some Kuro blood in her, hidden so her children wouldn¡¯t be scorned.


    Seiko had a harder time with the rest. Maenomi said she could reveal her relationship with Tekazu Hafumi; she tried not to hesitate to show evenness. She still emphasized Lady Hyomoto¡¯s role instead¡ªhow Maenomi¡¯s own mother spitefully told the city that Tekazu was insane, forcing her to leave. The crowd was more disgusted at Lady Hyomoto¡¯s attitude than they were Maenomi¡¯s love.


    She used Lady Hyomoto¡¯s gossip tendencies to lead into her own story. The worst part of this was that she had to admit Mikka died¡ªwithout Seiko ever knowing, only reinforcing the fear that she would be alone and making her even more grateful to be alive with some kind of family. Seiko shared what Lord Gin wrote down in his confession, then her own view of the events and her life thereafter.


    The only thing Seiko didn¡¯t tell them was her part in Miss Shiharu¡¯s murder¡ªshe couldn¡¯t explain it without making herself sound unstable¡ªand that Maenomi still lived.


    Seiko looked around to gauge the crowd¡¯s mood before continuing. Not one of them seemed distracted, although there was a mix in expressions¡ªsome joy, some fear, some anger, some uncertainty. If she could dispel that¡ªgive them reassurance¡ªthen she would want nothing more.


    ¡°Many of you know me as Tsujihara Seiko¡ªa helpful, if sometimes dense or awkward, young woman. I have a unique connection to not just this city and the royal family, but to everyone gathered here. I¡¯ve lived through and personally seen things that no other ruler has¡ªsocial struggles, poverty, illness¡ªand I truly believe I can use that experience to better the kingdom.¡±


    Slowly and humbly, she knelt down on the ground. The snow chilled her hands and legs.


    ¡°I bow now, not just to the gods, but to all of you. If you would have me, I¡¯ll be honored to guide this nation to recovery.¡±


    She waited. Shuffling meant that Kinjo bowed as well, silently making the same vow.


    After a minute or two, someone clapped. A few more joined, then more, until it grew into thunderous applause. Only a moment later, they gave verbal consent.


    ¡°Long live Queen Gin-Tsujihara Seiko!¡±


    She let out a relieved sigh and stood, giving all of the gathered people a smile. It seemed they wanted the bloodshed to end as much as she did; whether or not they truly trusted her, they preferred it over the alternative. She gave Lady Aimiki some thanks for that.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Seiko said honestly. ¡°I promise to keep my actions and intentions open, and I invite everyone to tell me if they have concerns. To start with, I know I¡¯m inexperienced; as soon as I return to the palace, I¡¯ll be reaching out to the Hiroki family to help the transition, as they¡¯re the closest Gin has to a second royal family.¡±


    She nodded towards Kinjo as he stood up and brushed off the snow. He gave a sheepish grin once he realized.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware that having only one person in the royal family might be concerning,¡± she continued. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to dedicate the rest of this week to mourning for everyone who has died in these past two years¡ªbut afterwards, I¡¯ll start preparations for a wedding. Kinjo Asahi will rule alongside me.¡±


    No one in the crowd had any protests. Seiko gave a final bow.


    ¡°Thank you for your time, everyone. I¡¯ll come back out when I next have a few moments to spare.¡±

 Chapter 33: Tying Loose Ends

    Maenomi waited in her room, braiding and unbraiding her hair as she stared in her reflection in the mirror. Seiko said Lady Aimiki brought her back from the dead; she could barely remember that night, but the scar on her neck remained.


    She perked up at the knock on the door. It slightly opened and Seiko poked her head in, her silver hair falling down even more elegantly than it did when brown. It fit her well.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Maenomi nodded, completely turning without looking at the mirror again, her hair half-braided. She didn¡¯t care if she looked ridiculous.


    Seiko smiled and pulled back. A moment later, a familiar face came in. Maenomi let out as much of a laugh as she could muster when Teha smiled at her.


    ¡°Miss Tsujihara said you can¡¯t talk much,¡± Teha murmured. ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured to, all right? I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    Maenomi weakly gave some kind of agreement. She met Teha halfway across the room, gave her a light kiss on the cheek, and hugged her. Teha held her tight in response.


    ¡°Are you doing all right? Without¡­your brother and parents, I mean. I heard what happened.¡±


    Maenomi sighed. ¡°Father helped us. Kyuru is¡­hard. But Yukira?¡± She gently pulled both of them down so they sat on the floor, her head on Teha¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good riddance.¡±


    Teha fell silent, her eyes wandering to Maenomi¡¯s healing wound. When Maenomi noticed a little bit of tears, she wiped them away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she quietly assured her. ¡°...Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Lady Aimiki is kinder than most, it seems.¡±


    She looked back at Maenomi and stared for a minute.


    ¡°Do you still want to keep your promise?¡± Teha asked.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to stay here with Miss Tsujihara, or go east?¡±


    ¡°East.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°¡®Maenomi¡¯ is dead, remember?¡±


    Teha seemed to understand. ¡°Okay. Do you want to stay for the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She didn¡¯t feel safe here, being a supposedly dead person¡ªshe would have to stay in the palace, away from any servants, for a while until people started to forget what she looked like. Maenomi couldn¡¯t attend the wedding herself, but she could help Seiko prepare for it; her sister had enough to do as it was.


    ¡°That gives me enough time to prepare for the trip back,¡± Teha said. She smiled and brushed away some of Maenomi¡¯s hair off her face. ¡°We can catch up for another few days, then leave whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Maybe, when her scar faded, they could come back to see what Seiko managed during her reign. Maenomi looked forward to it.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Asahi stood in the study flipping through papers¡ªdocuments and forms, mostly. He only had some confidence because his parents showed him how to understand and decode all the legal words just in case something happened to his older siblings.


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    Every time he felt unprepared, all it took for him to regain some motivation was to glance at Seiko. She didn¡¯t have any experience; she could handle the public part of the role fine, but she struggled when it came to paperwork. Even the wedding-related papers were a bit much.


    He opened his mouth to offer to help. A familiar teasing voice cut him off.


    ¡°Paperwork. How romantic.¡±


    Asahi glared at his sister while Seiko looked up at the stranger.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little too early to joke, don¡¯t you think?¡± Asahi asked with a sigh.


    Nayano shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the stress finally fading. Mother was worried sick these past two years; it was hard to convince her that you sent back letters as often as you could.¡±


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡±


    ¡°You say that as if you think we¡¯d skip out on the last wedding of this Kinjo generation. We brought cousins! And, of course, Naonkei¡¯s family, too.¡±


    He managed to let out a chuckle, putting down the papers and leaning against the wall. The hardest part would be trying to figure out if they were genuinely happy for him, or just wanted to see the bastard village girl who turned out to be a princess.


    Nayano¡¯s gaze turned over to Seiko. They shared a blink for a moment, then Nayano straightened.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself,¡± she said. She offered a quick bow. ¡°I¡¯m Kinjo Nayano, Asahi¡¯s older sister; I¡¯m married to Wamiaki Naonkei, a fellow eastern noble. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Seiko pushed back the chair and stepped aside so she could offer a greeting bow as well. ¡°Tsujihara Seiko. Asahi told me a few stories.¡±


    Nayano¡¯s eyes glimmered with mischief. ¡°Good ones, or bad ones?¡±


    ¡°A mix.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be pleased to introduce you to the rest of us,¡± Nayano said kindly. Her smile faded into something a little more sympathetic. ¡°I heard you were the last of the Tsujihara and Gin families. We thought it would be nice to fill up the crowd with the family you¡¯ll be marrying into instead.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Seiko gave a sad smile back. ¡°None of it feels real yet, to be honest, but it¡¯s reassuring all the same. My mother¡¯s death has been the hardest to cope with.¡±


    They all fell silent for a minute in respect. Nayano¡¯s eyes traveled across the room while Asahi kept an eye on Seiko, watching her expression shift from her little smile to a frown to a slightly bit lip.


    After a little bit, Seiko shook it off and opened up one of the drawers.


    ¡°A letter was left for you, Miss Nayano,¡± Seiko announced. She pulled it out, then closed the drawer again while she passed it to Asahi¡¯s sister with her other hand.


    ¡°Who¡¯s it from?¡± Nayano accepted it, turned it around to see if it had any names on it.


    Asahi sighed and looked at her. ¡°Sonoru left it before he disappeared.¡±


    ¡°...Oh.¡±


    She winced as she unfolded it. He knew she still cared for Sonoru, to some extent¡ªit took her a while before she accepted Wamiaki¡¯s proposal. Seiko sat back down again while Nayano read through the letter once, then twice, then leaned against the doorframe and sighed.


    ¡°Something troubling?¡± Asahi guessed, trying to be gentle in case it bothered her.


    Nayano glanced away and fiddled with the edge of the paper.


    ¡°It¡¯s a confession written like a final will. He blamed himself for the deaths of Princes Kyuru and Chiki and fled¡ªabandoning what¡¯s left of Masaaki territory in the process. He says there aren¡¯t many people, but it¡¯s a large portion of land; he gave it to me and Naonkei.¡±


    She thought for a moment, then looked at both Asahi and Seiko.


    ¡°Wamiaki territory is too far to efficiently rule a second district,¡± Nayano noted. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk it through with Naonkei first¡ªhowever, I could probably let you two have it? Something of a wedding gift.¡±


    ¡°It would give somewhere for the Tsujihara family to grow without removing land from preexisting families and towns,¡± Asahi mused. He gave a curious look at Seiko. ¡°What about you?¡±


    She gave a tiny smile.


    ¡°...It sounds nice, at least.¡± She looked up at Nayano. ¡°Let me know what your husband says, then we can all discuss it when Hiroki gets here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a plan, then,¡± Nayano replied with a nod. She folded the paper back up and offered a little wave. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him about it now.¡±


    ¡°Every personal guest is invited to meals, so we¡¯ll see you then,¡± Asahi promised.


    She smiled back, then slid away. Asahi glanced at Seiko again, prepared to ask what she thought of Nayano, but she sat back and stared at the ceiling with a fond look.


    He didn¡¯t want to interrupt her. If daydreaming was what helped her through, he wouldn¡¯t interfere with that. She deserved to spend a few minutes just¡­thinking about what might come out of this.


    The war cost many lives, and in a sense Seiko was the last of two families. But for the sake of her smile, her laugh, everything¡ªAsahi swore to make the coming peace as happy for her as possible.

 Chapter 34: After Fifteen Years of Peace

    ¡°Oru, Rijiro, come on! I want to try that game over there.¡±


    ¡°Can you act any less mature, Teiyori?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop being excited when you actually start caring!¡±


    Seiko smiled as the boys ran ahead, joking and teasing all the way. Niru tugged at her arm so she could join her brothers, but Seiko only walked a little quicker to compensate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far,¡± Asahi warned.


    Teiyori turned so he briefly walked backwards, sporting a large smile and a gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°We won¡¯t!¡± he promised, whipping around again. He patted his brother¡¯s bags to encourage them to move a little quicker, guiding them over to one of the game stalls.


    Seiko let Niru go when they were closer, but kept a slower pace with Asahi until they reached the children as well. Niru giggled and pointed at all the fish in the stall over, babbling on about the similarities between them and the ones they had at home.


    The toddler let out an excited noise when she saw Seiko again; Asahi went to provide some money for the boys to try another game.


    ¡°Fish?¡± Niru asked, pointing at the stall.


    ¡°Do you want to play?¡±


    Niru enthusiastically nodded. Seiko took out a few coins to give to the stall owner and accepted the scoop and bowl in return. Niru practically bounced, eyeing the fish and searching for the one with the prettiest scales.


    Seiko bent down and smiled at her little daughter.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we try together?¡± Seiko suggested.


    Niru clapped in support of the idea, wasting no time in climbing into Seiko¡¯s lap and firmly grasping her wrist. Niru didn¡¯t have enough coordination to do it on her own, but Seiko obeyed the girl¡¯s movements as much as she could.


    Niru giggled as she tried to catch a fish. The chosen one¡ªspeckled white and orange, not unlike the ones they had at home¡ªswam away just as the scoop fell apart. Niru pouted, but didn¡¯t cry as Seiko returned the bowl and what remained of the scoop.


    Don¡¯t you remember?


    Seiko squeaked and tensed at the sudden voice. She hasn¡¯t heard them in years¡ªnot so clearly, at least.


    This was the last game your brother played before his death.


    She flinched back at the laughter, all its anger and the volume. A throbbing pain overcame her as the voices got louder and louder.


    Selfish¡­ Why does she want us to suffer, while you get to live freely? You could have ended it, Seiko.


    You have no one to blame but yourself for this.


    She caught the attention of nearly everyone else nearby¡ªthe stall owners, the strangers, her family¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t hear anything they said. She let herself collapse when Asahi came, closing her eyes shortly thereafter.


    ¡­


    The voices still buzzed around the back of her mind when she woke up again. Seiko shuddered as they repeated that long-lost threat.


    Kill them, Seiko. Fifteen years is still close enough for revenge¡­ Not that excuses would matter, if you and your sister fell as well. The Gin line shouldn¡¯t have made it this far. Do you really want to extend your children¡¯s torment?


    A hand gently brushed her cheek, and she leaned into it.


    ¡°Are you feeling any better?¡± Asahi asked gently.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Seiko murmured. She slowly opened her eyes again; seeing Asahi¡¯s worried look only made her feel worse. ¡°Was I asleep for long..?¡±


    ¡°About two hours.¡±


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    ¡°Please tell me the children are in bed.¡±


    ¡°It would be a lie if I did. All four are outside the room.¡±


    Seiko sighed and looked away. ¡°¡­I wish they wouldn¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine, I just¡­need a little bit of time.¡±


    ¡°It just means you¡¯ve raised them well,¡± Asahi reasoned. He readjusted his position so he could lean against the back of the bed frame, keeping one hand near her head. ¡°I sent out a letter to Maenomi and Tekazu so they knew. They¡¯re due for a visit anyway.¡±


    ¡°I hate bothering her.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, Seiko, I think Maenomi would stay here to live with us if she didn¡¯t still resemble the portrait we have in the entrance hall.¡±


    He gave her a little smile and she did what she could to return it. Asahi looked down at her after a second.


    ¡°Still,¡± he said, ¡°Is it alright if I call a doctor for you? If this is another migraine, I¡¯d like to know why they seemed to vanish these past fifteen years.¡±


    Seiko shook her head. ¡°I think I know why¡ªgetting a doctor¡¯s opinion would just waste time. Nothing works for these; Shiharu tried practically everything but the medicines that would just kill me quicker.¡±


    ¡°What is it, then?¡± Asahi asked, curious and concerned. ¡°Is it related to your mother¡¯s illness, or is it something else? Could I have someone take a look, just to be sure?¡±


    She bit her lip and turned away. You have to lie, Seiko.


    But did she, really?


    Asahi stood up and walked around to the other side of the bed so he could still make eye contact with her. She didn¡¯t refuse it this time.


    ¡°Please, Seiko,¡± he murmured. ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re not dying¡ªat least not soon.¡±


    If you kill him, then the children and the guards, Maenomi would come none the wiser¡­you could end this before the sakura petals fade.


    Seiko shuddered, the image appearing perfectly in her mind. She shuffled away from Asahi as the voices gave her the plan; there was a knife in the corner of the room, and they wanted her to stage a break-in.


    She didn¡¯t want this. She never did and she never will.


    She looked up at Asahi, and she knew he could tell she was scared. Would it hurt to tell him?


    He¡¯ll hate you, the voices warned. He¡¯ll call you a murderer, a liar, and take the children away.


    Considering the alternative, wouldn¡¯t that be better? Seiko didn¡¯t have to think about the voices¡¯ threats if her family was in the former Masaaki territory.


    She made up her mind with another glance at Asahi, and steeled herself for the voices¡¯ screams as she let out a small breath.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell the children,¡± Seiko said firmly. ¡°They¡¯ll just worry. Teiyori might need to hear it, but not right now.¡±


    ¡°It can stay between us for however long it needs to¡ªI¡¯d just like to know what suddenly caused you to fall like that.¡±


    Seiko mustered some strength to sit up, leaning against the bed frame to combat the faint dizziness. The voices were more persistent in making her feel miserable, she could give them that much¡ªshe couldn¡¯t remember the migraines being this strong before.


    ¡°...Would you believe me if I said that Lady Hyomoto¡¯s accusations against me were true? That I hear voices?¡±


    Asahi¡¯s expression shifted to confusion, then he flinched. She continued while she still felt ready to.


    ¡°They¡¯re not¡­imaginary, either. They¡¯re all deceased and they can¡­control me, almost.¡±


    She waited as Asahi turned away for a few seconds to process it. The longer it took, the more she worried. She didn¡¯t want to be alone with them again.


    Fortunately, when Asahi looked back at her again, his eyes showed only sympathy.


    ¡°During the war¡­ You heard them? Tsunkei, Ozuru, Kyuru, all the rest?¡±


    ¡°Do you remember when the castle was attacked in the winter, when I ran off to ¡®take care of something¡¯ while you and Masaaki watched Kyuru and Chiki? I¡­heard Rinatsu¡¯s voice just before then¡ªKyuru said he heard Tsunkei. That¡¯s how I knew when someone died.¡±


    ¡°Seiko¡­¡±


    Asahi hesitated for a moment, then came a little closer to hold her. Her breath caught¡ªshe didn¡¯t expect it¡ªbut she leaned into him instead of pulling away.


    ¡°You should have told me sooner,¡± Asahi said softly, brushing some of her hair back. ¡°I never would have held it against you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Seiko murmured. ¡°But I even let Mother believe they were just a childish phase. They were quiet until today.¡±


    ¡°You spoke with Lady Aimiki, didn¡¯t you?¡± Seiko nodded, and Asahi continued while gently giving her space again. ¡°Maybe something about her presence stopped them. Do you know of anything that makes the voices calmer?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes being near others,¡± Seiko said. She didn¡¯t want to worry him by admitting that certain kinds of pain made them softer and that blood made them louder.


    ¡°Try that for now,¡± Asahi decided. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it whenever I have a spare moment¡ªsee if I can extend the silent moments for you somehow.¡±


    Seiko smiled at his optimism, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to match it. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek and moved further to the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Can I let the children in now?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. The headache¡¯s fading a little.¡±


    He brushed her hand on the way up, sliding off the bed to go to the door.


    She readjusted herself to sit up a little stranger, trying to appear healthier for her children¡¯s sakes. She understood why Mikka did it so often.


    She didn¡¯t dare mention that what the voices wanted out of her was death.

 Chapter 35: The Last of Her

    Seiko appreciated Asahi¡¯s dedication, but telling him the truth didn¡¯t give her any significant sense of satisfaction. He watched her with extra care as the voices faded in and out throughout the day, ready to help her however he could as soon as he needed to. It only made her wonder if he would be more at peace with a lie than the truth¡ªor the partial truth, as it may be.


    The migraines forced her to be distant, whether through pain or deadly murmurings; within a week they wouldn¡¯t let her work and refused to let her think clearly when she visited the children. All four of them noticed¡ªshe hated that even Niru quickly learned to adapt to her mother¡¯s pain and stayed silent when Seiko needed it.


    She didn¡¯t even want to entertain the thought of listening to the voices¡¯ demands¡ªbut she didn¡¯t want to leave them, either. Her and the voices were at a stalemate.


    She went back to her room early, right after putting Niru to sleep for the night, and laid in bed while the voices surrounded her.


    Pathetic. Hopeless. Naive. Selfish. Who¡¯s to say Lady Aimiki didn¡¯t choose you because you were the last, and not that you were the least flawed? Or maybe she sees herself in you, too attached to her children to end them for the greater good.


    Seiko shook her head, pinching her arm even though it didn¡¯t do anything.


    ¡°No. I¡¯d rather die, myself. Alone.¡±


    ¡­As you wish.


    They fell eerily silent as the door creaked open. Asahi slowly entered with a worried look.


    ¡°You still look terrible,¡± he noted.


    She looked away and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine by the morning, they¡¯re just¡­loud.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making much headway with any kind of investigation,¡± Asahi said, his voice low and regretful. She wished that she could do more to help, but she was as good as useless like this. ¡°How much longer do you think you can hold up?¡±


    ¡°...I can¡¯t say for sure. They¡¯re worse than they ever were.¡±


    Asahi carefully made his way over to the bed and brushed her shoulder. ¡°Do you think you can try to hold on until Niru¡¯s a little older?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t make the promise,¡± Seiko admitted. She partially sat up and leaned over to give him a light kiss, then laid back down again. ¡°But I¡¯ll do what I can.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s all I can ask.¡± After a second, he pulled away and attempted a little smile instead. ¡°I¡¯ll wrap up your work for tonight. Maybe everyone¡ªthe kids, Maenomi, Tekazu¡ªcan go out tomorrow, if you¡¯re feeling any better?¡±


    Seiko managed to return a little smile of her own. ¡°That sounds nice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a plan, then,¡± Asahi decided as he stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to rest. Good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    She watched him go until the door closed behind him, then she nestled into unsteady sleep.


    ¡­


    From the very beginning¡­if you had not resisted, none of this pain would have been inflicted. This could have been over much, much sooner.


    Remember that you were the selfish one who chose to make this path longer and more painful than it had to be.


    Seiko gasped awake, struggling for air. She scrambled to sit up, waiting for Asahi to stir on his side of the bed, but he slept heavily. She tried to manage her breath as the voices whispered and murmured.


    It¡¯s your fault. Now get up, get dressed. You¡¯re going on a walk.


    They forced her to obey as they said it, controlled her actions the same way they did when they made her kill. Her heart beat faster just because of that single connection.


    She slid out of bed, searched through the wardrobe, and changed quiet enough that Asahi never even moved. She wanted to say something, try to wake him up, but the voices wouldn¡¯t let her move her lips. It terrified her.


    After she was in normal clothes, the voices walked her around the room. Her eyes searched, but she didn¡¯t know what for until they reached into a little box in the corner and pulled out a knife. The sight of it made them buzz even louder, excited.


    She left the room, went down the halls, all the way into the back gardens. The darkness made it hard to see, but the voices had no trouble navigating; they wanted her to be in the sakura garden, even if the petals were almost all fallen.


    The voices forced her to kneel by one of the benches and let the edge of the knife rest against her throat. She could breathe a little easier, although she didn¡¯t have a reason to; they wouldn¡¯t let her run.


    You told us you would rather die than take the lives of others. Do you still mean that?


    ¡°I refuse to kill my own children,¡± Seiko murmured. ¡°And if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking me to do, then yes.¡±


    The knife came close to cutting her flesh as a response, but she resisted it.


    ¡°Could I have tomorrow?¡± she silently requested. ¡°I could leave them with a nice memory, the same my mother did for me.¡±


    The voices scoffed. Monsters like us don¡¯t get final wishes.


    In the next second, they used her to slash her own throat. Seiko tried to let out some sort of cry, but it came out garbled as the wound bled and she choked. The voices left her alone for those last few moments, silent enough that she could hear the wind blow through the trees.


    She prayed that Lady Aimiki would keep her children safe from the voices¡ªthat she would prove them wrong¡ªand that they wouldn¡¯t be the ones to find her. A soldier would be best, so Asahi didn¡¯t either¡­


    She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she stood among the unrealistic figures she dreamt of that matched the voices. Instead of Seiko in the center, however, the space was empty.


    ¡°Reserved for the one who will do your duty,¡± the voices explained. ¡°And unlike you, he will not fail us. We¡¯ll be sure of it.¡±

 Legend of The First Queen

    Long ago, there was a little princess living in Gin¡¯s palace. Her mother was a shrine maiden, and her father was the king¡¯s brother. Despite genuine love, the girl¡¯s parents couldn¡¯t be married¡ªand because the girl was born a bastard, she was not allowed to take the throne.


    Her father still loved her, however, so she had everything she wanted. Her stepmother¡ªthrough whom the princess had a half-sister¡ªgrew jealous of the attention. At first, she merely tried to restrict what the princess could do, but her husband caught on and forbade it.


    The stepmother quickly resorted to rumors and spread lies about the princess.


    ¡°She¡¯s cursed!¡± she cried. ¡°The girl will bring nothing but misfortune.¡±


    It spread quickly, due in part to other murmurs of a bastard girl, to a point where nearly everything about her but her father was revealed through cruel gossip. The father had no choice but to send his daughter and her mother away.


    It gnawed at the princess at first, why any father would shun his own child, for she was too young to understand that living among such rumors would only give her a horrible life. Then, in a matter of years, it merely became fact.


    Over a decade passed before the princess was allowed back in the capital, at which point she no longer wished for any of the lavious lifestyle she was born into. The princess left at her mother¡¯s insistence, who was deathly ill and wanted her to see her extended family once more.


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    The princess became the aide of none other than her half-sister. They grew close, the older faintly remembering a time when the younger one was a babe.


    Life had a set routine until the king suddenly died. None of his children, nor his brother¡¯s children, were able to please Lady Aimiki and take the throne; the bastard princess was not tried, since her heritage had been hidden from the public.


    A war broke out, but the bastard princess remained strong and steadfast, even as her family around her fell apart.


    The princess kept the younger children optimistic and aided the townsfolk retain normalcy. She helped set up festivals and made a name for herself as a helper, all without the title of true royalty to add to her reputation.


    In a matter of a year and eight months, the princess was the last of her family to live. In her despair, she called out to Lady Aimiki to make an exception based on her heritage. The kind goddess agreed, and gave the princess the silver-white hair of a queen.


    She was the first queen of Gin¡ªalthough Kuro had queens before, they were rare and were brutish. The new queen, by contrast, paid delicate attention to her peoples¡¯ needs, and they adored her because of it.


    The queen was very beloved by her people, Lady Aimiki, and her family. With Lady Aimiki¡¯s blessing, she lived for another fifteen years before meeting her untimely end. Her murderer was never found; even former rebel leaders had no motivation to kill her.


    Ever since, each king and queen of Gin after her come to the throne with grim determination to better themselves and the nation, all so her sacrifice would be remembered. Should they stray like the royalty of the first queen¡¯s time did, Lady Aimiki will be unable to save them.

 Legend of the Kitsune-Advisor

    There was once a strong princess of Kuro that refused to marry. She had a short temper, but she liked being challenged; such a balance was hard to find a person for. Although she vastly overpowered her siblings, her father said she couldn¡¯t take the throne if she didn¡¯t have a husband.


    Aggravated, the princess ventured into the nearby forest. She met a young man there and swiftly felt charmed by his wit.


    The princess stayed in the forest for a whole year, never learning the name of the man but falling madly in love with him. Unaware of how much time passed, she was found by a group of hunters. Although she was recognized as a member of the royal family, and some months pregnant besides, her lover was identified as a kitsune and attacked. Although she tried to defend him, he escaped capture only by turning into a fox and running away.


    The princess was devastated, but returned home. She maintained that her lover was human up until she gave birth to a little half-kitsune daughter. The baby fox was given the name Yanami Sukaru, using her grandmother¡¯s surname.


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    The half-kitsune grew up in the castle rather normally, despite her fox ears and tail. Family members could use them to tell if she was happy, sad, lying, or telling the truth¡ªunlike full-blooded kitsune, she couldn¡¯t hide them. She was treated as a novelty, but her mother¡¯s strength protected her until her own talents showed a reason to keep her unharmed.


    Yanami inherited her mother¡¯s strength, which was amplified by her kitsune abilities. However, even more importantly, she inherited her father¡¯s wiles.


    As soon as the half-kitsune she could read, she poured through every book in the castle. Her favorites soon became biographies and strategies, and instead of playing she sat in the strategy room and wrote up elaborate plans. Every time she left one out, her mother read over them.


    The half-kitsune¡¯s tactical genius earned her the admiration of many and the hand in marriage of much, much more, but to this day Yanami Sukaru has remained dedicated to her role as tactician. Having seen many battles and witnessed the outcomes of many wars, she advises Kuro¡¯s rulers in more ways than one.

 Rumors fo the Masaaki Family

    Have you heard about the noble family that betrayed Gin? It¡¯s true! It was the Masaaki family.


    For years before the First Queen¡¯s War, the family struggled financially. With a large area in their territory, they used to strive. So how did they fall? Simply put, they lived in too much luxury.


    Masaaki Sonoru, the last of the family to live in Gin, was born into inherited nigh-poverty. His grandparents had been the last to see true wealth, while his parents were giving most of what they could spare so their people wouldn¡¯t want.


    When the war broke out, Masaaki Sonoru was sent into the palace. He took the role of Prince Gin-Hyomoto Kyuru¡¯s guard, but the boy died near the end. Masaaki Sonoru left! Can you believe that? What a coward!


    Well, his children thought so too. After the war, Masaaki Sonoru moved to the far west. He kept his name, but no one there knew the Masaaki family. He got married, had two children, lived a happy life¡ªuntil he told his then-teenaged sons that he abandoned the war effort. They killed him. Now, we don¡¯t condone patricide, but he kind of deserved it, didn¡¯t he?


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    Anyway. His children tried to go to the capital and join the army, but at that point King Gin-Tsujihara Teiyori was ruling and he didn¡¯t recognize the name; he advised that they make their own legacy instead of making up for their father¡¯s.


    They took it to heart, and tore their way through Gin and Kuro¡¯s border fort. Their response when they were interrogated?


    ¡°We were told to make our own legacy, and we¡¯re tired of Gin¡¯s.¡±


    Their audacity earned them a place in Kuro society. They were watched at first, but then they got everything they wanted within a few generations. Not fair!


    They¡¯re mostly just known for their rejection of Gin. But who knows? Some people think that they¡¯re getting ready to betray Kuro, too¡­

 History of the Northern Nation

    S¨®lstaeur has a history almost as long and storied as the first island nations of Gin and Kuro.


    Hylli¡ªknown as Torigami to those of the first island¡ªwas given a snowy but sun-filled land. Although it was devoid of his flying tengu, it had other creatures instead; birds, fish, and boars. From this, the people of Hylli¡¯s nation were given sustenance.


    A mischievous fellow, Hylli taught his human subjects nonsense in order to form a new language. This became distinct from Gin and Kuro¡ªshorter to say and harsher on the tongue, but a clear example of the nations¡¯ separation. The people of S¨®lstaeur embraced this.


    The nation gave rise to many strong people, men and women alike, and came to be ruled by a council of the strongest families. At one point, near the time of the First Queen¡¯s War in Gin, a man named Sk¨¢lpr Gekunsen ruled the council.


    Anxious to gain some kind of historical event like its sister nation had, Kuro sent ships north and attacked. Sk¨¢lpr led them into a bloody conflict, ending many S¨®lstaeuric lives in an honorable sacrifice. Even his own heir¡ªa distant relative he raised as his son, Makt Gekunsen¡ªdied in the war.


    After two years, the S¨®lstaeuric casualties were immense. The fighting finally ended when Sk¨¢lpr was killed, and Kuro occupied the nation. S¨®lstaeur was allowed to keep its initial government and maintain trade with whoever it desired, so long as meetings were held in the recently-developed shared language¡ªa mix of the first island¡¯s tongue and Hylli¡¯s nonsense-turned-real¡ªand Kuro soldiers were allowed to search any ships deemed suspicious.


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    The occupation continued until fairly recently, under the rule of Queen Kuro-Tatari Nari, King Gin-Mashimo Utaka, and Elias Rokensen. The spark of rebellion ignited when Kuro-Tatari Nari¡¯s daughter, Kuro-Masaaki Miya, came to avoid the war on the first island. She was housed in the Rokensen family when it was expected that she would have her own home.


    Many, Elias Rokensen included, were appalled at the thought of living among foreign royalty. The idea of a king or queen never sat well with the S¨®lstaeuric people.


    In secret, the council discussed ways they could regain control of their nation. The Kuro occupation had grown to be no more than for show¡ªthey didn¡¯t hold the territory as strictly, merely watched them from afar.


    All it took to intimate Kuro was the threat of conflict. The council prepared for a bloody conflict, but the kitsune-advisor Yanami Sukaru came to negotiate¡ªwith none other than the Kuro princess as her translator. It resulted in S¨®lstaeur¡¯s current state of affairs: only relying on the outside world when it''s necessary for good quality of life, and rediscovering whatever Kuro might have taken away from them.


    As part of negotiations, Elias Rokensen¡¯s son Andreas took his role in the council. Despite the tensions from Andreas marrying the Kuro princess, it barely compares to the trouble in the southern nations¡­

 Prelude: The Newest Queen

    Kyoumi squirmed under Suzu¡¯s contemplative stare and Emio toying with her hair, watching Jun in the reflection of her mirror. Suzu leaned over to tap her shoulder when Kyoumi started to bite her lip.


    ¡°You have to look presentable,¡± Suzu said firmly. ¡°Could you imagine if Erize saw you like this?¡±


    Kyoumi shuddered. If only closing her eyes would keep her from seeing the scene again in her mind.


    Emio dropped Kyoumi¡¯s hair and whacked her mother with the back of her hand.


    ¡°Gods, Mother. Could you imagine if Sorai heard you say that?¡±


    Suzu rolled her eyes, picked up her drink, and left. She slammed the door behind her, only making Kyoumi feel worse.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess,¡± Emio said after a second, gently bringing the front of Kyoumi¡¯s hair back to tie it up. ¡°Mother doesn¡¯t take loss well. Your parents were her friends, too.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­wish we didn¡¯t need to do this today,¡± Kyoumi murmured. She tried to sit up straight and practice something similar to a smile. Looking at it in the mirror, she knew it wouldn¡¯t convince anyone. ¡°Can¡¯t the kingdom go a day without a ruler?¡±


    ¡°It makes everyone anxious,¡± Emio replied. ¡°But we¡¯ll be here for you.¡±


    ¡°Emmy!¡± Jun whined, bouncing up and down on Kyoumi¡¯s bed. ¡°That¡¯s a lie. She only cares about Sorai.¡±


    Emio laughed as Kyoumi tried to look away to hide reddening cheeks.


    ¡°Atta girl,¡± Emio said teasingly. ¡°Just think about Sorai. You can mourn all you want after you¡¯re crowned¡ªjust make it through the next few hours with a smile.¡±


    Kyoumi took a deep breath and nodded, falling silent so Emio could work a little quicker. When she finished, Emio wrangled Jun out of the room to give Kyoumi some time to herself.


    She hated it¡ªall she could do was fidget and stare and pray that she wouldn¡¯t cry. The coronation itself didn¡¯t have a large number of guests¡ªespecially with deaths this sudden, only the closest nobles received the news¡ªbut the Fujita and Hiroki families would be coming later in the week. She had to be strong for them.


    She stood up when someone knocked on the door and carefully opened it. Her smile to Sorai and Takeo was half-genuine.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Takeo asked. Even he looked like his appearance was rushed; was no one prepared?


    ¡°As much as I will be,¡± Kyoumi replied. She cast Sorai a curious, hopeful look. ¡°Will you be with the others, or..?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather said it was okay to stay next to you,¡± Sorai said, managing a broader smile than she could even dream of. He was so good at that¡ªsmiling when no one else could. ¡°Exceptions are easier to make when there isn¡¯t any family to take that place instead.¡±


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    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Kyoumi raised her head and walked over to join them. She let Takeo lead, wondering if Utaka had been the same way. Takeo watched her father¡¯s coronation as well¡ªalthough that was because Takeo was closest to Utaka¡¯s mother, the ruler before him.


    She tried to shake off the train of thought. Yet another thing she hated about this: due to the nature of the crown, the previous ruler will never see the coronation of the next. She was lucky to have Takeo there to tell her the stories.


    Takeo slowed his pace so Kyoumi led once they made it close to the entrance hall. She hesitated when she saw the crowd, only going further because Sorai flashed her a smile and Takeo encouraged her.


    All of their eyes were on her in an instant¡ªthe teenaged girl who would be forced to become queen the same day she found out her parents died. They were only buried a few hours ago. She tried to keep her composure, even as she stopped in front of her parents¡¯ portraits and turned towards the strangers.


    She only recognized the Fujita family; the rest were nameless strangers, all scrutinizing her and waiting for whatever she would wish for during her rule.


    Kyoumi knew what she had to say¡ªit hasn¡¯t changed ever since the first queen¡ªbut the words wouldn¡¯t come out. She folded her hands behind her back as panic slowly crept over here, trying to focus on how the silk of her dress felt in her hands as she toyed with her sleeves.


    She can¡¯t do this. She just¡­she just can¡¯t.


    She caved in, letting a few tears fall and offering a bow to the crowd. It made her weak, but she couldn¡¯t help it. If they didn¡¯t expect her to come sorrowful, they should readjust their expectations; her parents were murdered. She should be allowed to cry.


    That you should, child. Kyoumi shivered at the unfamiliar voice. And I¡¯m sorry, but you must cry more. Stay strong. You will know peace in time.


    Kyoumi took a steadying breath and stood up, biting her tongue so she could distract herself from the disdainful, pitying looks of all but the Fujita family. Still, they bowed.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Takeo said, holding a kind of authority in his voice that Kyoumi hoped she could achieve. ¡°Honor the new Queen Gin-Kaiba Kyoumi.¡±


    ¡°May she be blessed,¡± the strangers replied together. They didn¡¯t sound genuine.


    She tried to keep an even expression. She couldn¡¯t let it show that it bothered her.


    She already made a bad first impression. These next few weeks could very well paint her reputation for the decades to come.


    ¡­


    There were certain things only rulers knew: the amount of money in the treasury, the names of every family and which territory they reside in, things that Kyoumi never cared for.


    She always found it strange that rulers after the first queen were given a week to understand everything. They weren¡¯t expected to be seen for days. It wasn¡¯t just for mourning¡ªUtaka told her that himself.


    Kyoumi knew now. It was to come to terms to the crushing weight of a secret as large as the first queen¡¯s suicide¡ªhow she heard voices and she killed to obey them, and ended her own life to stop her own misery. That¡¯s what her husband decided it must mean, at any rate.


    It made sense; sometimes on her worst days, she thought she heard things too. Unfamiliar voices telling her how easy it would be to die. How much quieter it would be¡ªhow everything would be over once her parents died, as well.


    Utaka always spoke to imaginary people when he got drunk¡ªargued about life and death and the purpose of it, what kept him there¡ªwhich only scared her more. The whole family seemed to be cursed.


    She decided to cope by ignoring it. Sorai knew she hid something, but the letter asked to keep it a secret.


    Kyoumi already had a shaky ground as a queen. If word came out under her rule that the line was cursed, she had no doubt they would blame it on her. It was the best she could do for now.

 Chapter 36: Helping Around

    ¡°Thanks for your help, boys¡ªyou too, Nesshin.¡±


    ¡°No problem! Let us know if you need more help later.¡±


    ¡°Certainly. Have a nice day, kids.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    The stall owner passed Taiyo three slips of paper¡ªfree passes for games, one for each helper¡ªthen disappeared inside her shop to check the merchandise. He turned back to his brother, friend, and cat; except Snowbell found a pile of sakura petals and toyed with them, and Maeko encouraged it by collecting up some petals and tossing them in the kitty¡¯s face and Rei held back laughter.


    He smiled and came a bit closer so they noticed him. Rei realized it first, shaking off his grin and standing up¡ªMaeko snatched up Snowbell and did the same. Taiyo handed a game pass to each of them.


    ¡°You up for more?¡± Taiyo asked Rei. After his older brother nodded, he continued, ¡°Okay. Sir Eidayu wanted some help with getting his trinkets ready¡ªbeading necklaces and painting figurines.¡±


    Rei gestured towards the road.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Taiyo turned and confidently strode in that direction. Maeko matched some of his enthusiasm, but Rei could only try not to sulk by comparison.


    A few of the people they passed recognized them¡ªmostly as ¡®the twins and that girl,¡¯ sometimes as ¡®Fujita¡¯s boys and Nesshin,¡¯ rarely as princes and Rei¡¯s sweetheart¡ªand he murmured back greetings to anyone who gave him one first. They were a little wary of Maeko, but they didn¡¯t mind the twins as much.


    It only took a few minutes down one road, then a turn into another before Taiyo saw Sir Eidayu putting some paint bottles on a table outside his house. Once he heard shuffling, he straightened and glanced over his shoulder.


    ¡°There¡¯s the twins!¡± he said nicely. ¡°And the lass and kitty¡ªcan¡¯t forget the ladies. How¡¯s your father been, boys?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s good,¡± Taiyo replied. He came up to the table and brushed off a few sakura petals. ¡°Same old, same old, I guess. Uncle Tezo is coming by soon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± The older man sauntered to a chair in the shade and lowered himself into it. ¡°What¡¯s the occasion?¡±


    ¡°They just wanted to see the festival. Aunt Emio and Aunt Jun are bringing their families, too.¡±


    Sir Eidayu chuckled. ¡°Family reunion, is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s sounding like,¡± Taiyo admitted.


    ¡°Is Suzu coming along?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. Are these paints for us, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Oh! Yes, they are. Could I bother you to run in and grab whatever you want to use them on?¡±


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    ¡°I can,¡± Maeko offered. She transferred Snowbell to Rei, then breezily entered Sir Eidayu¡¯s home.


    The man leaned back and sighed.


    ¡°The first family get-together since ol¡¯ Masaru passed away, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, hesitant but curious.


    Rei shuffled and came a little closer to the table.


    ¡°Father thought it would be better for everyone to come here,¡± he explained. He sat down after Sir Eidayu gestured to a spare chair. ¡°Everyone¡¯s a little jumpy, I think; even Maeko¡¯s mother doesn¡¯t want to take her west to visit family.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame them,¡± Sir Eidayu admitted. He leaned forward to rearrange the paint bottles as Maeko brought out a tray of assorted figurines. ¡°Kuro wants conflict¡ªattacking ships, coming into Gin¡¯s borders and killing innocents¡ªand they don¡¯t care who gets hurt. We¡¯re not suited for it.¡±


    Taiyo bit his lip a little. Sir Eidayu didn¡¯t say it¡ªno one would dare, in front of the twins¡ªbut he knew what he meant. Kyoumi wasn¡¯t suited for it, at least not without someone from the Fujita and Hiroki families helping her.


    Maeko sat the tray down and, without any prompting, changed the subject.


    ¡°Sir Eidayu, you have a lot of komainu figurines.¡±


    He accepted it with a smile, and Taiyo relaxed knowing it would give Rei a distraction. His main goal was just to keep his brother from worrying.


    ¡°Komainu were a favorite of Queen Tsujihara Seiko,¡± he said sagely. ¡°It¡¯s only suitable to show our admiration for her by giving her such a strong beast, yes?¡±


    Maeko took a spot next to Rei and pulled a cat figurine a little closer.


    ¡°I feel like we should give her something weaker, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± she asked. ¡°She protects us, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°We protect her memory,¡± Taiyo replied. He finally joined the rest around the table, claiming a komainu figurine for himself. ¡°As much as we can, at least.¡±


    Rei took a paintbrush and a rabbit figurine, letting out a quiet snicker.


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve protected her memory more than anyone else,¡± he said teasingly. ¡°You can rattle off the most obscure facts and somehow get it right. How do you even know half of that?¡±


    Taiyo shrugged. ¡°I just read a lot.¡±


    Hopefully Rei wouldn¡¯t catch on to the lie. Half of what Taiyo knew didn¡¯t come from books¡ªthe memoir the First Queen¡¯s husband wrote of her barely covered anything about her personal life, just the important moments of history in more detail¡ªbut from the First Queen herself, as odd as that sounded.


    In the back of his head, her voice sighed. You can¡¯t keep lying.


    But he could for now. One thing at a time¡ªthe festival came first, which meant painting his komainu statue.


    He let Tsujihara Seiko pick out the colors¡ªbrown and gold, although he had to mix the former since Maeko needed it to paint her figurine in the image of Snowbell¡ªthen led an idle conversation.


    Rei held Snowbell with his right hand while he painted with his left, and Maeko constantly glanced over to make sure she perfected the cat¡¯s patchy brown and white fur. Sir Eidayu did his part by participating in the chat, his hand a little too shaky to properly hold a brush or bead necklaces.


    Sir Eidayu¡¯s wife came out after a few minutes, reappearing with snacks for Snowbell before bringing out mochi for the teens as payment. Rei had an easier time around the older couple than he did most people¡ªSir Eidayu fought with Grandfather Masaru in the previous war, so he was something of a Fujita family friend¡ªso Taiyo didn¡¯t feel obligated to monitor the conversation too closely. Maeko and Snowbell being there definitely helped.


    They stayed until someone came to get Rei and Taiyo for the dreaded self-defense practice with Sorai. The twins bid farewell to Maeko and the Eidayu couple, thanking the latter for the treats, and Rei passed Snowbell to Maeko despite some resistance from the cat in question.

 Chapter 37: Self-Defense

    Nothing changed Taiyo¡¯s mood quicker than hearing some combination of ¡°self-defense lesson¡± and ¡°Father.¡± He visibly deflated by the time they reached the side garden where they practiced; Sorai already stood there with three knives and a scowl.


    He looked up and tried to flash a smile.


    ¡°Did you two have fun in town?¡± he asked, trying to be friendly.


    Arguing against the session would just make it drag on for longer, so Rei entered the clearing first. Taiyo hesitated at the entrance as per usual.


    ¡°We helped out a few people,¡± Rei replied in Taiyo¡¯s stead. His younger brother folded his arms and watched the clouds above him. ¡°Sir Eidayu asked after you and the Fujita family.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t surprise me. How¡¯s he been?¡±


    ¡°Good. He wanted us to give some condolences about Grandfather Masaru.¡±


    Sora¡¯s smile shifted into something a little sadder. ¡°Did you thank him?¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± Taiyo murmured.


    Their father nodded in response. With the starting conversation over, he went straight to the hard part.


    Sorai passed Rei one knife¡ªsheathed and probably dull, per this family¡¯s tendencies with bladed things¡ªand held out the other to Taiyo.


    ¡°Are you going to be difficult again today?¡± Sorai asked, his patience already gone. Even years with annoying siblings couldn¡¯t prepare him for Taiyo¡¯s stubbornness.


    ¡°...It makes me sick,¡± Taiyo spat. He briefly glanced at Sorai. ¡°Why can¡¯t I just¡­not have any weapons? Why can¡¯t I have someone nearby to defend me?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll always be with a soldier,¡± Sorai argued. ¡°And I¡¯m still not comfortable leaving Rei alone with a knife.¡±


    ¡°So Rei always gets a guard or someone nearby, but I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Rei has a reason.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t? What¡¯s different¡ªa few darker days?¡±


    Sorai didn¡¯t have an immediate answer. Rei went over to the corner of the garden to wait for the bickering to end.


    They always did this¡ªonce a week, every week, for the past two years. It used to be every day before Kyoumi decided it didn¡¯t do any favors. They tried not to argue too much, but they got lost in it sometimes. Taiyo had a tendency to catch himself before Sorai did.


    Sorai paused because he didn¡¯t want to upset Rei, but the deed had already been done and he just hadn¡¯t bothered to look over yet.


    ¡°...That isn¡¯t the issue,¡± Sorai eventually said. ¡°Both of you need to be familiar with how to protect yourselves¡ªI¡¯m just doing what I can to make sure you don¡¯t get killed.¡±


    Rei winced, but Taiyo maintained his stance.


    ¡°I know how to use a knife,¡± Taiyo argued. ¡°Otherwise I would be okay with getting lessons.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Can you prove it?¡±


    Taiyo bit his lip. ¡°Not comfortably, no.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep hounding you until you step in here for at least five minutes,¡± Sorai pointed out.


    The younger prince sighed and finally entered the clearing.


    ¡°...Fine.¡± He came up and snatched one of the knives from Sorai. ¡°But I¡¯m leaving after this.¡±


    ¡°As long as you put on a good fight,¡± Sorai reasoned, readjusting his knife to a position he was more comfortable with, ¡°You¡¯re free to do whatever you want for the rest of the afternoon.¡±


    Rei sat up and watched, despite preferring not to; he knew Sorai would use it as a basis for Rei¡¯s lesson later. Taiyo normally just left after a certain point.


    Sorai took a few steps back. ¡°All right. Begin.¡±


    Taiyo lunged forward with little to no expression to speak of. Sorai stepped out of the way easily, twisting around to nick Taiyo¡¯s shoulder. The younger stumbled a second, earning some brief remorse from Sorai, before Taiyo swung to hit Sorai¡¯s side. He didn¡¯t cut his father, but he came close.


    Sorai moved back, frowning, then stepped forward again to attempt another hit. Taiyo waited until the knife came closer and retaliated by moving away and slashing down Sorai¡¯s arm in response. Sorai grimaced and dropped his knife with a curse.


    Taiyo blinked a few times before emotion returned¡ªeven if he just sheathed his own knife and backed away in response, setting his weapon on the ground.


    ¡°Are both of you okay?¡± Rei asked in his stead.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sorai replied after a second. He picked both knives up and looked at Taiyo. ¡°I¡¯ll keep due on what I said; feel free to head out. I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡±


    ¡°A-all right,¡± Taiyo said, more shaken than Sorai. He gave a quick bow in respect. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He gave a little wave to Rei and promptly jogged back out of the garden. Sorai held his injured arm up and observed it.


    ¡°It¡¯s bad?¡± Rei guessed, shoving off the ground but leaving his knife there.


    ¡°Not the worst I¡¯ve gotten,¡± Sorai admitted. He tried to give Rei a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, just let me clean it up so your mother doesn¡¯t panic. Are you still up for something?¡±


    ¡°Depends on how much you¡¯re bleeding.¡±


    Sorai shifted away so Rei couldn¡¯t see the injury up close. He sighed and went to the little shed to get out the medicine kit instead; a mismatch of bandages and rags meant to cover up little scratches until they could get it officially checked. Not like anyone in the family did.


    Sorai murmured thanks when Rei brought bandages back, exchanging them for the knives; Sorai wiped off the blood, then wrapped the injury one-handed despite Rei being right there to help.


    ¡°...This is partly on you for aggravating Taiyo when he¡¯s already on edge,¡± Rei pointed out quietly. He went back to the edge to sit down now that his duty to try was done.


    ¡°I know,¡± Sorai conceded. ¡°I need to ask who taught him that¡ªno one in the Fujita family uses knives, and we have a reason for concern if he learned it on his own.¡±


    ¡°In his defense, disabling your opponent is a self-defense strategy,¡± Rei noted.


    ¡°It is, but at this rate I¡¯ll need to switch him back to wooden weapons. I swear some days he¡¯s trying to kill me.¡±


    Rei shuffled back a little towards a tree and closed his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s a different person in here,¡± Rei murmured. He held up his hand to visually count the list, ¡°First of all, this time of year he¡¯s always a little off. Second, he hates fighting. Third, he¡¯s not even completely wrong¡ªit wouldn¡¯t take that long to get him a guard, especially since he¡¯s a lot more amicable than me. You¡¯re the only one putting him on the spot.¡±


    Sorai tied off his bandage and looked in the opposite direction.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up with your mother,¡± Sorai promised. ¡°I doubt it¡¯ll convince her, though¡ªguards didn¡¯t save Utaka and Erize.¡±


    ¡°It saved them the trouble of constantly watching over their shoulders. I think it would help if you didn¡¯t pressure him.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± He turned back towards Rei. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s see how well you can hold up. You have the advantage of being left-handed when they¡¯ll expect attacks from the right, but after that wears off you need actual tactics.¡±


    Rei nodded and stood up, taking two of the knives with him back to the center of the clearing to begin his side of things.

 Chapter 38: Anniversary of Her Death

    There were two parts to the spring festival: one celebrating life, and the other celebrating death. Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s life and death, to be specific, but Rei only knew a handful of people that didn¡¯t generalize it to everyone.


    The weather never agreed with Taiyo while the sakura were out¡ªeither that, or he didn¡¯t want to attend the ceremony, which Rei couldn¡¯t blame him for¡ªso it didn¡¯t surprise him that Taiyo stayed in his room with a migraine. Kyoumi and Sorai were a bit disappointed, but understanding.


    Rei got to the first queen¡¯s shrine before his parents and tidied it up. The table had three tiers; the highest had a portrait of the first queen next to her multi-colored komainu figurine, the middle had all her favorite flowers in all her favorite colors, while lowest the held a mismatch of komainu, crane, rabbit, and owl figurines. At least one foot around the table were scattered flowers, unlit candles, and jewelry that the townspeople saw fit to offer Queen Tsujihara Seiko.


    He brushed off a few sakura petals and nodded to the first few arrivals. It proceeded a bit like a funeral, but oddly enough it never bothered him. It was just¡­something he had to stand through every year. It didn¡¯t make the first queen seem any closer or any farther away.


    A small crowd gathered by the time Kyoumi and Sorai came; the latter made rounds checking in on the people, asking about their day or if they contributed anything, while Kyoumi did a final check of the shrine. Taiyo silently came out a few minutes later, visibly unwell but more-or-less required to come. Rei went to his side as Kyoumi began her speech.


    ¡°Three hundred and twelve years ago, Queen Tsujihara Seiko died in the gardens behind the palace.¡± She took a little breath to steady herself before continuing, trying¡ªand mostly succeeding, in Rei¡¯s opinion¡ªto have her voice carry through the crowd. ¡°She was a woman of many achievements; the only bastard of the royal family to gain the throne, the only ruler that never held a war with Kuro, and¡ªof course¡ªthe first queen of Gin. She could have done so much more if she lived for just a little bit longer.¡±


    She gestured towards one of the guards, who disappeared back into the palace grounds, before returning her attention to the crowd.


    ¡°Every year since her death, the people of Gin¡¯s capital have remembered her and asked her for protection. I am ashamed to say that I am not the first to hope for peace, even when war seems most likely¡ªbut in her place, surrounded by her siblings and children and Lady Aimiki herself, may she hear us.¡±


    Silence fell for a few minutes, all eyes fixed on the shrine. Taiyo bit his lip in the corner of Rei¡¯s vision, but he tried not to look over to ask why by instinct. He could prioritize it after the ceremony¡ªfor now, they were in the company of a hundred or more strangers and he really didn¡¯t want to be remembered for the next year as the teen that disgraced Queen Tsujihara Seiko. Even if something told him she wouldn¡¯t mind.


    The guard came back with a lit candle and passed it to Kyoumi. She murmured some thanks, then bent down to light each candle with the flame.


    ¡°With these lights, let Lady Aimiki see fit to allow Queen Tsujihara Seiko and her kin to rest in peace.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    She lit the candles by going around the back of the table, placing the original candle on the highest tier alongside Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s portrait at the end. When Kyoumi bowed, the rest of the crowd followed suit.


    Every year, without fail, it seemed like the wind completely stopped. The candles¡¯ flames never spread onto the flowers, sakura petals never fell on them and alighted. It fascinated him even on his worst of days¡ªhow he could almost hear and feel something like Queen Tsujihara giving thanks. Kyoumi shivered for a similar reason, he guessed.


    Then the odd sensation faded and Kyoumi spoke up again.


    ¡°Thank you all for coming,¡± she said, her voice still soft from the moment of silence. ¡°I know things haven¡¯t been the best recently¡ªever since the northern nation broke away from Kuro, they¡¯ve been threatening our people¡ªbut I plan on having an official stance decided by the end of next week. Please, in the meantime, spend time with your families.¡±


    Kyoumi retreated back into the palace gates, followed by her family. Rei kept a cautious eye on Taiyo as they went back inside.


    ¡­


    While he didn¡¯t mind the ceremony itself, the atmosphere after was always grim¡ªeven more so this year, due to the situation with Kuro. Rei briefly paid respects to Grandfather Masaru and Kyoumi¡¯s parents before heading back out. Taiyo returned to his room, so Rei made the trip over to Maeko¡¯s house alone.


    He sprawled on the floor, Snowbell determinedly shoving her face into his hands.


    ¡°Sometimes I swear you¡¯re a dog and not a cat,¡± Rei murmured.


    Snowbell mewed in response, while Maeko¡ªworking on an embroidery project at a table near the edge of the room¡ªlaughed.


    ¡°I made sure she was extra cuddly just for you,¡± Maeko teased. ¡°Mother also spoils her, so she knows that if she¡¯s sweet she¡¯ll get more snacks.¡±


    Rei brushed his hand across Snowbell¡¯s patchy fur, earning a purr from the kitty. She plopped down on his right arm.


    ¡°You know I have to get up soon for lunch, right?¡± Rei asked.


    The cat meowed and closed her eyes. Only a few seconds later she twitched while dreaming.


    Rei smiled and carefully readjusted himself on his back. ¡°Well, I¡¯m trapped. I am one with the floor now.¡±


    ¡°I have said close to those same words every morning since we found her,¡± Maeko admitted, glancing back at him for a second. ¡°Unfortunately, no one thinks ¡®my cat was on top of me and she would hate me if I moved¡¯ is a valid reason to be late.¡±


    Rei chuckled. ¡°Shame. I don¡¯t think Taiyo¡¯s going to be at dinner and without him we¡¯ll be eating in complete silence¡ªan excuse to avoid that would be nice.¡±


    Maeko put down her project and completely turned around to give him a curious look.


    ¡°Is he all right, by the way? He looked terrible during the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s had a migraine since last night,¡± Rei replied, shaking his head a little. ¡°I think it¡¯s bothering him more than usual; as per family tradition, he probably won¡¯t complain about it for another day or two.¡±


    Maeko sighed. ¡°You guys really need to work on that. It¡¯s not ¡®complaining,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®properly expressing how you feel so you can get help.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I know. But that requires change, and it¡¯s easier to keep at least one aspect of our lives consistent than to alter everything at once, even if it¡¯s for the best.¡±


    She didn¡¯t respond, merely frowning and returning to her project. Snowbell got up just to come closer and stuffed her face into Rei¡¯s armpit. He closed his eyes and accepted it¡ªif his fate was to be a warm thing for Snowbell to hide under, so be it.


    He drifted off to sleep, briefly dreaming of seeing Taiyo with a woman implied to be the first queen before Miss Nesshin woke him up for lunch.

 Chapter 39: Dream

    Taiyo used to wonder why he dreamt of the garden with absolute clarity¡ªwhy he could wake up and tell someone each and every detail about the cherry trees and the flowers that had been uprooted and rehomed at some point after Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s death. Now, when he opened his eyes to the clear sight, he smiled and waved towards Tsujihara Seiko.


    She offered a brief sad smile of her own, readjusting herself so some space remained on the bench for him, if he wanted to sit down too.


    ¡°Your mother was oddly accurate, using Teiyori¡¯s name as inspiration for yours and your brother¡¯s,¡± she mused. ¡°You and Rei both look a lot like him. I even think of you as my children when we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m honored,¡± Taiyo said.


    Tsujihara Seiko sighed and leaned back.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t think you should be,¡± she admitted softly. ¡°I¡¯ve caused so much pain¡ªI left behind a legacy of strife and nothing more.¡±


    ¡°You did anything but,¡± Taiyo firmly argued. He walked around so he stood a few steps away from her. ¡°All of Gin looks up to you.¡±


    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t. For better or worse, Asahi refused to let anyone speak ill of me.¡±


    ¡°I find it hard to believe you, of all people, had things to hide.¡±


    Right after he said it, faint voices popped up in the back of his mind¡ªmurmurs and whispers from just outside the garden, but completely out of sight. Tsujihara Seiko winced; she must hear them, too.


    ¡°I wish it wouldn¡¯t have come this far,¡± she said. She looked up at Taiyo, firm but caring, in a way that Kyoumi never quite managed to master. ¡°Taiyo, please promise me that you¡¯ll leave the palace as soon as you wake up tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Taiyo asked. He tried not to sound like he was discrediting her, but he didn¡¯t understand the intention either.


    Tsujihara Seiko took a steadying breath and stood up, placing her hand on Taiyo¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You and I are unlucky victims,¡± she said quietly. ¡°We¡¯re the ones chosen to carry out Lord Bekin¡¯s promise for Gin.¡±


    Her expression twisted into worry and she kept rambling instead of letting Taiyo ask questions. Her body alternated between lifelike and featureless; the dream was already crumbling. Taiyo tried to catch her attention, but she paced around without ever letting him touch her.


    ¡°Pain will stop the voices, albeit not for long¡ªblood only excites them. Being near someone close to you dulls them, but it¡¯s not foolproof and it can be risky if said person is who they want to kill. They will try to change you and force you to do what they want; the remnants of who they were only last for a few weeks before they¡¯re taken over by the promise¡¯s curse.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Taiyo managed to get to her and grabbed her hand. She completely froze.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he murmured, a bit scared of the answer. Tsujihara Seiko never got this worked up over anything before; whatever it was, she faced it herself and she really didn¡¯t want Taiyo to have to do it alone. By itself, that worried him.


    She slowly faced him and her body lost all recognizable features for the last time, only her voice remaining.


    ¡°They will ask you to kill your brother, your mother, and most likely the Tsujihara line¡ªanyone who can be identified as a member of the royal family of Gin, so that the bloodline ends and the nation¡¯s history can go with it.¡±


    ¡­


    Taiyo jolted awake, his breath hard to manage and his heart racing. It took him a second to remember.


    Promise me.


    Even as other voices in the back of his mind mocked him¡ªyou won¡¯t escape, you¡¯ll never escape, it¡¯s impossible¡ªhe focused on the memory of Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s warning. He couldn¡¯t hear her now, but he still preferred to listen to her words rather than those of a hundred or more strangers seemingly whispering in his ear.


    Taiyo looked around his room for a few seconds. Okay, so¡­Tsujihara Seiko wanted him to leave. Judging by the light from the window, it was still early¡ªhe could sneak out pretty easily.


    But then what? Rei would have a hard time if he just¡­left. That didn¡¯t even consider that Kyoumi would¡ªarguably¡ªtake it even worse. Should he leave them a note? Pretend that he¡¯ll come back? Maybe he could wait until the morning, hold off for a little bit longer until the Fujita family left and then pretend to go with them.


    Or you could slit all their throats and leave, the unknown voices whispered. They¡¯d never expect you¡­ Put all the bodies together, and they would easily believe Kyoumi finally gave up and took her whole family with her¡­


    Taiyo startled at the dark thought; his breath caught when the image perfectly showed up in his mind.


    ¡­No. He¡¯d leave now. He didn¡¯t want to kill them, even if the alternative meant they would be living in perpetual grief or fear or sadness. Rei had Maeko and Snowbell to keep him happy; Kyoumi had Sorai and dozens of books to keep her mind off things. They¡¯d move past it eventually.


    Maybe he could come back later if the voices went away¡ªif Tsujihara Seiko was wrong, somehow¡ªbut for now, he didn¡¯t want to take that chance. Whether or not he would regret this and the actions he would take in that case could come later, when he knew these strange voices were either completely imaginary or actually harmless. Tsujihara Seiko had a reason to be worried, and he wanted to respect that.


    Taiyo got out of bed, grabbed a spare traveling bag he kept for Fujita family visits, and went around his room to gather a few essentials. Two or three days¡¯ worth of clothes, whatever money he had lying around, a few pieces of paper and something to write with in case he thought of a good reason later.


    He quickly changed into normal wear, picked up his now-full bag, and quietly snuck through the halls. All the while, the voices mumbled and murmured and muttered:


    You will be the end. You only delay the inevitable, just as she did¡ªbut we won¡¯t fail again. You will become the very monster that Seiko feared, the very being that will finally end this wretched existence and the history of this island.

 Chapter 40: Disappearance

    Rei knocked on Taiyo¡¯s door, each sound patterning out a folk song.


    ¡°All the Fujita family¡¯s here already,¡± Rei said. ¡°Are you ready to get up, or should I buy some time for you?¡±


    He waited for a minute but got no response.


    ¡°The little cousins will get you if you stay in too long,¡± Rei warned. ¡°Should I just tell Mother you have a migraine again so you can sleep in?¡±


    Still nothing. He bit his lip; normally Taiyo would say something, unless he felt particularly bad.


    ¡°...All right, sorry in advance, but anxiety is my enemy. I¡¯ll leave you alone in a minute, I¡¯m just coming in first.¡±


    Rei cracked open the door and peeked inside. He only poked his head in far enough to look at Taiyo¡¯s bed.


    Completely made and nothing seemed out of place, it just missed his brother. He pushed the door all the way to glance around the rest of the room.


    It didn¡¯t help to confirm that Taiyo wasn¡¯t there¡ªif anything, it made it worse.


    ¡°Death staring at a sleeping brother to wake him up? That doesn¡¯t work, trust me¡ªmornings would go a lot easier if it did.¡±


    Rei startled and hissed at Uncle Tezo. His teasing demeanor changed when he saw Rei¡¯s frown.


    ¡°Taiyo¡¯s not there,¡± Rei explained after a second, readjusting himself a little so he stood straighter.


    ¡°He could¡¯ve gone to breakfast early,¡± Uncle Tezo pointed out kindly.


    ¡°He could have, but¡ª¡±


    His uncle gave him a quick smile. ¡°No buts, kid. Wait to panic until you rule out the obvious.¡±


    ¡°...Right. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡ªI don¡¯t mind playing Sorai every now and then.¡±


    Rei hesitantly nodded. Uncle Tezo resumed a less-fatherly expression, shifting back to his usual teasing, and patted Rei on the shoulder. Rei followed him after some nudging.


    His thoughts refused to stay in one place. He tried not to chew on his lip.


    Taiyo did have a tendency to wake up early, but not on the days after he had migraines. Unless it left overnight, Rei didn¡¯t think he would even leave his room. Logically, he didn¡¯t have to worry, but logic was a foreign concept when certain ideas came up.


    He feigned enough composure by the time they reached the dining hall that his parents didn¡¯t immediately notice. Rei hesitated near the entrance to take mental attendance while Uncle Tezo went ahead.


    Uncle Tezo, Aunt Emio, Aunt Jun, their respective spouses and kids, Grandmother Suzu, Sorai and Kyoumi¡­ Everyone except Taiyo. His breath caught.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    In the meantime, Uncle Tezo went to Sorai and Kyoumi and had a few words. Sorai got up while Uncle Tezo sat down.


    When he got close, Sorai offered a little smile.


    ¡°Go ahead and sit down,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll track down Taiyo and bring him back here.¡±


    ¡°Can I come with you?¡± Rei asked.


    ¡°Your mother needs help fending off your grandmother,¡± Sorai replied half-jokingly. He patted Rei¡¯s head and left without any more room for argument.


    Rei reluctantly took his usual spot at the table, an action immediately noticed and cheered on by his youngest cousins. The laughter of the toddlers almost managed to get a smile out of him; he wasn¡¯t convinced that they didn¡¯t do it on purpose.


    ¡°Yay! Teiyo!¡± one giggled, throwing her arms up in the air. She tried to wiggled out of her seat and over to him, but Aunt Jun tiredly held her down.


    ¡°I¡¯m Rei,¡± he corrected gently. ¡°Shorter name, longer hair, and vice versa for Taiyo.¡±


    ¡°Vi¡­sa?¡± another¡ªalso Aunt Jun¡¯s¡ªasked.


    ¡°The opposite,¡± the toddler¡¯s father explained. ¡°So Taiyo has a longer name and shorter hair.¡±


    The curious toddler gave a nod to show whatever understanding he had. Grandmother Suzu waited until that topic concluded before launching into something else. She mainly led conversation, a role she typically shared with Taiyo; the two could spend an entire meal bouncing ideas and topics off each other without involving anyone else.


    Breakfast came out and everyone ate after giving their thanks and prayers. Rei tried to focus on everyone else getting put on the spot¡ªSuzu chose to leave him alone, fortunately¡ªinstead of his own worries.


    He perked up when Sorai reappeared at the entrance of the room, only to realize Taiyo still wasn¡¯t there. No one else seemed to notice but Kyoumi.


    Sorai mouthed his wife¡¯s name, and she didn¡¯t hesitate to stand up. She brushed Rei¡¯s shoulder on her way past him. He watched them for a minute before they left.


    Nothing made his heart sink faster than that.


    ¡ª¡ª


    ¡°And no one¡¯s seen him?¡±


    ¡°Not since last night.¡±


    Kyoumi paced around the study. She tried to gather reasonable thoughts despite her dread and fear.


    ¡°What about the guards?¡± she asked.


    ¡°All three that watched the gate said that no one came in and no one came out,¡± Sorai replied. In contrast to her, he stayed by the door. ¡°One admitted that it was left unwatched for a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°Did they say why?¡±


    ¡°An odd noise.¡±


    She took a short breath and forced herself to stop walking.


    ¡°Start the investigation there,¡± she said. ¡°Until Hiroki and Tsujihara come, I want as many people looking for him as possible.¡±


    Sorai nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll reevaluate during the war meeting?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hope we would know where Taiyo is by then,¡± Kyoumi admitted. She slowly sat down behind the desk. ¡°It¡¯s all fine and well if he went to stay at a friend¡¯s house¡ªI wouldn¡¯t even blame him for running away out of misery¡ªbut we need to know as much as we can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it helps or hurts,¡± Sorai said cautiously, ¡°But Taiyo wouldn¡¯t leave Rei without good reason. The boys are too close to ever leave the other alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what makes me worry.¡±


    Kyoumi sighed and paused for a moment, then shook her head.


    ¡°Go ahead and get breakfast,¡± she said, trying to smile. ¡°I¡¯m already here, so I might as well start working. If Rei asks, be honest with him¡ªthe truth will hurt less than the lie.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be back after I relay the orders and eat.¡±


    Kyoumi murmured some agreement, and with everything said Sorai left.


    Alone with her thoughts, she worried more about her sons than she did the papers of threats and reports and complaints in front of her. It wasn¡¯t like Taiyo to just¡­disappear¡ªhe actually told someone when things bothered him. Rei wouldn¡¯t take it well, and even as queen she couldn¡¯t see herself being able to fully help.


    She prayed that Lady Aimiki would take mercy on her, for once; that Taiyo slipped away early in the morning to get a gift or something similar, and that he would be back by lunch. The alternative¡ªthe voices, him experiencing them the same as the first queen did¡ªwas too cruel.

 Chapter 41: Balance

    Utaka and Erize barely told her anything¡ªnot about the war, at least, and Utaka never mentioned the truth of the first queen¡¯s death. They had a valid reason¡ªthey wanted to protect her¡ªbut it ultimately backfired. Kyoumi spent the better portion of her childhood worried that they didn¡¯t care about her, scared of losing Utaka whenever he went out to fight, desperately hoping they would say something to convince her everything would be fine in the end.


    Kyoumi understood the delicate balance between ¡®protection¡¯ and ¡®openness¡¯ as soon as she needed to explain why the boys only had one set of grandparents. It came again when Masaru died, except then they were old enough to know if she lied. She knew she would have to struggle with it again now that Kuro wanted conflict.


    The palace had a strategy room, but she doubted anyone regularly used it. The dull, lifeless room always gave her a sense of dread.


    Sir Hiroki sat across from her, with Tsujihara Isei to his right parallel to Sorai. The table in between them held a map, tokens scattered around it to mark recent sites of activity.


    ¡°The northern nation has officially initiated an embargo with Kuro,¡± Sir Hiroki reported. ¡°They had maintained trade until recently, even after they regained independence. That means more trade for us and more ire from them.¡±


    ¡°We have more than enough resources to go around,¡± Kyoumi reasoned. ¡°And we¡¯ll need the income for supporting soldiers. Has the north expressed any interest in helping?¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t count on it, but it¡¯s possible,¡± Sir Hiroki said. ¡°I know the chief has reservations and that Kuro¡¯s ship-sinking has caused unnecessary casualties, but they¡¯re weeks away from us. Anyone they send would be far from home in a war they had no place in.¡±


    ¡°I can draft up a letter,¡± Sorai suggested. ¡°If nothing else, just having a discussion will be enough.¡±


    Sir Hiroki shook his head. ¡°No need. I already received word that the chief and his children were on their way to Gin.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re one step ahead of us, then?¡± Tsujihara Isei asked.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Sir Hiroki replied, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I was merely asked if they could look out to Kuro¡¯s side of the river from the fort. The north might dislike Kuro, but those children still have that blood in them¡ªthe chief doesn¡¯t want them to be ashamed of it, from the sounds of it.¡±


    Tsujihara Isei scoffed, yet he held back any scornful comments. Kyoumi had no doubt he would launch into a tirade once he was in private; these meetings had a way of bringing out the worst in others, even if no one but that person knew it.


    ¡°Could you ask them to visit the capital?¡± Kyoumi requested. She dared to show a little hope towards a man that likely compared it to Utaka¡¯s relative gruffness. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t even need to speak politics; given the circumstances, we ought to give them some kind of recognition if they¡¯ll take it.¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°I can try, if I ever see them in person,¡± Sir Hiroki agreed.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She readjusted herself¡ªtried to sit up a little straighter, command more authority, despite Sir Hiroki nor Tsujihara Isei believing she held it. ¡°Until we have that talk, then, we won¡¯t declare war. I don¡¯t want to put the chief and his family in danger, even by proxy. In the meantime¡­¡±


    She sighed, and any courage and command she mustered vanished.


    ¡°...Do we have anyone to spare to look for Taiyo?¡±


    Two days since he vanished, and they hadn¡¯t heard any word of him. Kyoumi¡¯s fears only grew whenever she realized he wasn¡¯t there¡ªmost of them were of the safety of both sons, whether Taiyo was all right and if Rei could manage without him while avoiding the depths Kyoumi fell into at his age. The family¡¯s history didn¡¯t exactly do them any favors, either.


    Unsurprisingly, Tsujihara Isei answered with a kind of indifference.


    ¡°Theoretically, yes,¡± he said, ¡°But whether or not they actually search depends on how well received the order is. Do you really have no idea where he went?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t leave any note or signs of struggle,¡± Sorai reported grimly. ¡°He has a few friends outside of the capital, but he would have told us if he wanted to visit them.¡±


    ¡°What makes you sure he wants to be found?¡±


    Kyoumi half-choked on the comment while Sorai scowled. Everything about it¡ªfrom the words to Tsujihara Isei¡¯s delivery¡ªonly made her more worried, giving rise to anxiety, sadness, anger, regret, and self-loathing all at once. She looked away from the others and tried to bite her tongue hard enough to focus on the pain.


    Tsujihara Isei showed little remorse, merely putting up his hands and leaning back.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long,¡± he pointed out. ¡°He¡¯s sixteen¡ªhe can take care of himself. Maybe he just wanted to travel before he had to settle down, or wanted to get away from the Fujita family for a few days.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t go without telling someone,¡± Sorai maintained in a hiss. He acted defensively on Kyoumi¡¯s behalf. ¡°Even when he promises to keep it to himself, if he thinks something puts one of his friends or family in danger, he lets us know. Taiyo isn¡¯t the type of kid to go without saying something.¡±


    Tsujihara Isei shrugged and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help. I¡¯ll let the other eastern nobles know, if they ever feel generous.¡±


    He offered a half-hearted wave and left. Sir Hiroki cleared his throat and prepared to do the same.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter in advance if I convince the northern chief to come,¡± he promised.


    Kyoumi gave a brief, joyless smile as thanks. He understood the intention, at least, then vanished.


    Sorai cast her a worried look as she let out a shaky sigh. She forced herself to relax and stared out the window to watch the wind blow around the sakura petals. Sorai gently put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing your best,¡± he assured her softly.


    ¡°I¡¯d be a lot happier if I could actually believe that,¡± she admitted. ¡°How can I be sure I¡¯m doing everything? I just¡­want a normal life for the boys. It feels like I failed as soon as I first held them.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sorai said, giving a tiny little smile. ¡°But whatever happens, I¡¯m here for all three of you.¡±


    ¡°...Thank you, Sorai. That helps a bit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± He offered her a light kiss on the forehead and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the study?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. If Rei¡¯s still here, I¡¯d like to tell him the plan for now.¡±


    Sorai nodded and walked out of the room. Kyoumi took another minute to gather her bearings before she did the same.

 Chapter 42: Life Goes On

    Following Snowbell¡¯s lead¡ªsprawling on the floor, napping, letting her use him as a bed¡ªhelped Rei keep a semblance of normalcy. Maeko came to the palace so he wasn¡¯t going in and out, as per Kyoumi¡¯s request.


    Rei had to keep himself occupied so he didn¡¯t fall into worries. Sometimes that meant helping the festival, talking to Maeko, or sleeping. Reading was a hit or miss, same with any crafts or hobbies; he went out and pruned some of the trees, but that was probably his most productive moment. Kyoumi wouldn¡¯t let him help with ruling things.


    For now, Maeko used his desk to write a letter to her grandparents while Rei faded in and out of tiredness. Snowbell laid on his chest, letting out a tiny yawn and settling into a nap herself. Even with the silence, having someone else in there helped.


    Maeko scribbled her signature near the bottom of the paper and sat down the pen.


    ¡°I hope they¡¯ll actually send this over,¡± she murmured. ¡°They live right across from Hiroki¡ªit wouldn¡¯t take that much, would it?¡±


    ¡°Sir Hiroki might make an exception,¡± Rei said. He gently pet Snowbell, earning a little purr from the kitty. She shed everywhere now that the weather was warming up; all the courtyard flowers should be opening up soon. ¡°It depends on what ¡®heightened security¡¯ means to him.¡±


    Most nobles agreed to give basic watch for Taiyo, mostly just consisting of writing down if anyone with a similar appearance came around. The nobles near the edge of the kingdom were specifically asked to screen anyone coming or going in both Taiyo¡¯s interest and to keep more Kuro soldiers from sneaking in. Whether or not they flagged down everyone or just the ones that looked like they came from Kuro, he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I just want to make sure they¡¯re not panicking,¡± Maeko maintained, leaning back in the chair. ¡°They treat the river like an ocean¡ªas if every time we talk, it¡¯ll be the last.¡±


    ¡°In their defense, the only way over is through Hiroki unless you want to risk drowning.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m a little worried they¡¯ll change their mind about me and Mother staying in Gin, that''s all.¡± She glanced at him and gave a little smile. ¡°You¡¯ll never get out of the house if Snowbell¡¯s always with you¡ªif she even lets you get out of bed.¡±


    ¡°Kyoumi wouldn¡¯t let you leave until it was safe,¡± Rei assured her. ¡°Family ties or no, you¡¯ve been in Gin for the last ten years and that¡¯s enough to be a citizen.¡±


    ¡°That implies she would make some kind of¡­anti-emigration law just for me,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°Not for you, specifically; it could be a blanket ¡®don¡¯t leave for safety reasons¡¯ towards everyone,¡± he argued.


    Maeko blinked at him for a second, then laughed¡ªwhole and lovely, succeeding in getting him to chuckle just by proxy. Even Snowbell purred.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what people say,¡± she began after a couple of minutes, ¡°You, Gin-Fujita Rei, are hilarious. With your deadpan delivery of legal justifications, you could steal anyone¡¯s heart.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Rei grinned. ¡°Do I have permission to take yours?¡±


    Maeko fell into a giggle fit. ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask¡ªyou already have it.¡±


    Both blushed and Rei gave a smile so idiotic Taiyo would tease him for it. But for Maeko? He didn¡¯t even care. Taiyo and Grandmother Suzu and his cousins could tease as much as they wanted¡ªout of everyone his age, only Maeko fully understood and considered Taiyo¡¯s disappearance. She might be the only person that never bothered him.


    A light knock on the door startled him. Kyoumi offered a weak smile as an apology.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured. She looked at Rei. ¡°I just wanted to tell you that Sir Hiroki sent a letter. The Roken family agreed to come to the palace and should be here in a few days.¡±


    ¡°The north¡¯s chief, right?¡± Maeko asked. She paused for a second, then tried in the shared language, ¡°Uh¡­ S¨®lstaeur?¡±


    Kyoumi nodded. They didn¡¯t have a word for it in Gin and Kuro¡¯s native tongue. Only the royal families and leading people of each nation really knew the shared language¡ªthe rest, unless they were merchants or travelers, tended to stick with what they were raised with.


    ¡°Roken Andreas and his children,¡± Kyoumi replied. ¡°They¡¯re around your age¡ªa boy and a girl, I hear. Maybe you two could show them around while Sorai and I talk with Sir Roken?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being left out of the negotiation aspect?¡± Rei asked with a little frown.


    ¡°You hear enough of war as it is,¡± Kyoumi said firmly. ¡°Sir Hiroki and Lord Tsujihara will be there as well¡ªa room full of tired men and a hopeful queen would bore anyone.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to show some hospitality,¡± Maeko agreed. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to give them a tour of the city if Rei wants to be a translator.¡±


    ¡°Taiyo is better at it than I am,¡± Rei warned.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be adorable while you do it, and that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Maeko half-sung.


    Rei¡¯s blush returned and Kyoumi chuckled.


    ¡°Maybe I ought to leave you two alone more often,¡± she mused. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see things can still go on as normal.¡±


    ¡°More or less, as long as Taiyo not being here doesn¡¯t become normal,¡± Rei reasoned. ¡°Then this will be harder.¡±


    Her smile shifted into something sadder.


    ¡°We¡¯re doing what we can,¡± she promised. ¡°And if Sir Roken would be kind enough to give us the north¡¯s support, we¡¯ll be able to push Kuro back quicker and look for Taiyo more thoroughly.¡±


    Rei bit his lip a little, worry seeping through despite his efforts to fight against it.


    ¡°What if he isn¡¯t in Gin by then?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll write it into the peace treaty that Kuro needs to return our missing prince,¡± Kyoumi replied firmly.


    Rei nodded. He had to believe that¡ªhe had to try to make sure he didn¡¯t get dragged down too much. It would help him as much as Kyoumi.


    Kyoumi shifted her smile into something friendlier.


    ¡°I have to get back to work,¡± she said. ¡°Are you staying the night, Nesshin?¡±


    ¡°I was hoping to,¡± Maeko replied.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you both at dinner, then.¡±


    She offered a little wave and disappeared. Rei half-smiled in the space she left behind before Maeko stood up and brushed herself off; Snowbell perked up at the movement.


    ¡°I want to take a quick walk around, get something to eat for lunch, invite my mom for dinner,¡± Maeko announced. ¡°Do you want to come with?¡±


    ¡°Sure. A little exercise won¡¯t hurt.¡±


    He carefully picked up Snowbell and cradled her in his arms, then followed Maeko out. They maintained pleasant, mostly useless conversation as they went.

 Chapter 43: North and East

    Andreas mainly brought Kasper and Emelie to Gin just¡­so they could see what Miya did, at some point. She only told them the sweet stories¡ªabout her brother, sometimes retrospective things about the kitsune-advisor¡ªand only told Andreas the harder parts. He knew she adored her brother more than anything, but he also knew that Toru Kuro-Masaaki was the only one who would still talk to her.


    He wished she could be here to see Kasper roll his eyes at his younger sister¡¯s enthusiasm. He promised to make the trip as entertaining for the kids as possible instead. Emelie wanted to stay longer and despite his griping Kasper liked the warmer weather, so Andreas agreed to go to Gin¡¯s capital.


    One could see the palace in the distance as soon as you entered the capital, but getting there required some navigation and prayers that the townsfolk could understand the shared language. Kasper and Emelie helped with their limited vocabulary until they struggled for long enough that a teenage girl with a speckled cat noticed and came up.


    ¡°Um.¡± The cat in her arms caught Emelie¡¯s attention and she let out a little noise. The girl cautiously proceeded using the shared tongue. ¡°Are you going to the palace?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Andreas said. ¡°We¡¯re visitors from S¨®lstaeur; Byen Roken, to be specific.¡±


    The girl perked up and she gave a quick bow, surprising her kitty.


    ¡°I¡¯m Nesshin Maeko, a friend of both princes. I can show you.¡±


    ¡°That would be appreciated. Thank you.¡±


    She nodded and gestured for them to follow; without anyone else helping, Andreas saw no reason not to. The city seemed almost completely innocent.


    The girl weaved around the roads expertly, glancing back every now and then to make sure she didn¡¯t lose her company. Once she led them out to the front gates, she murmured something about getting the royal family and disappeared.


    Andreas wondered if Kuro¡¯s castle was similar from the outside, or if they were completely different. Miya couldn¡¯t remember it well enough to describe it; she only had the chance to visit once every three or four years, and even then she only went to the capital to briefly chat with the kitsune-advisor.


    It only took a few minutes before the girl returned, bringing with her a trio that looked¡­surprisingly normal, admittedly. Aside from greater use of blues and white¡ªand the woman¡¯s silver hair¡ªhe could easily mistake them for a normal family.


    Andreas merely nodded his greeting while the rest bowed¡ªKasper and Emelie parroted off the traditional greeting, words Miya taught them years ago, which made the queen of Gin smile a bit when she stood up again.


    ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± the queen said, straightening herself. She held her head high, but he couldn¡¯t tell if it was a matter of keeping up appearances or their differences in heights. Emelie was nearly as tall as the boy standing next to the silver-haired woman.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful to be here,¡± Andreas replied. He wanted to smile, but he didn¡¯t know if it would come off as threatening. ¡°I regret that I can¡¯t say much in your own language; I only ever picked up cognates and simple statements.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right¡ªthere¡¯s a shared tongue for a reason.¡± She gestured to the man on her right and the boy to her left. ¡°On the introduction side of things, I¡¯m Gin-Kaiba Kyoumi, the queen. This is my husband, Fujita Sorai, and our son Gin-Fujita Rei; we have another son, Taiyo, but he¡¯s¡­not here at the moment, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Andreas assured her. ¡°And for our part, I¡¯m Andreas Rokensen and these are my children Kasper and Emelie.¡±


    He managed to crack a grin and prayed to whatever god was listening that it had the right effect.


    ¡°Otherwise known as the most blatantly mixed-blood family in all three nations,¡± he joked. ¡°My wife Miya was from the Masaaki family¡ªfrom what I understand, they used to live in Gin.¡±


    ¡°Before Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s reign,¡± the king agreed. ¡°Your children have strong blood in them. I can only claim some S¨®lstaeuric heritage, myself.¡±


    ¡°The worst part is being too tall but too short at the same time,¡± Emelie noted cheerfully. ¡°Otherwise? I like my first island genes, thank you very much! Straight hair is a blessing.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± the Nesshin girl chimed in. Her cat mewed as well.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    The prince half-smiled for a second, which in turn got his mother to relax. The visible difference let Andreas know that they weren¡¯t wary around him, specifically. Maybe they knew they looked average, and wanted to make a good first impression.


    ¡°I would like to chat,¡± the queen said after a moment. ¡°Not necessarily about politics, just¡­a conversation. Would you three¡ªfour, if you would let Nesshin come¡ªlike some tea?¡±


    Emelie perked up. ¡°I¡¯m okay with her coming if I can pet the kitty after we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind either way,¡± Kasper murmured.


    ¡°In which case, I have no protests,¡± Andreas added.


    The queen murmured some agreement and silently led them into the palace.


    ¡­


    They all sat down around the table, the Roken family on one side and the royal family¡ªplus Maeko Nesshin and her cat¡ªon the other. The queen set out all their cups and returned a few minutes later with the tea itself, carefully pouring it into each cup.


    ¡°My mother hosted parties before she was married,¡± she explained wistfully. ¡°As such, please expect the best hospitality one can offer. Rei and Nesshin can show your children around the city, Sir Roken.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Andreas, please.¡± He added a little smile to show he had no ill will.


    She gave him a quizzical look in return before looking back at the next cup. ¡°Are you sure? That¡¯s¡­rather informal.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Andreas maintained. ¡°If I cared about formalities and propriety, I wouldn¡¯t have married a princess of Kuro.¡±


    ¡°...I suppose that¡¯s true¡ªbut I¡¯m only comfortable dropping the title, nothing more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I know S¨®lstaeur and Gin are quite different in terms of respect.¡±


    The queen murmured some agreement and continued pouring out the tea. She filled her cup last, gently placing the pot in the center of the table before sitting down. She gave a quick, soft prayer and nodded permission for the rest to drink.


    A few moments passed in silence as they sipped tea, then the queen hesitantly ventured a conversation topic.


    ¡°I apologize if it¡¯s sensitive,¡± she said softly, glancing at Kasper and Emelie, ¡°But your wife, Roken¡ªKuro-Masaaki Miya, I believe¡ªdied a few years ago, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    Andreas sighed, but carried on anyway. Kasper and Emelie weren¡¯t greatly affected, but they had practice tuning out conversations if they didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    ¡°She did,¡± Andreas replied with a small nod. ¡°She wanted to see her brother in Kuro; she never made it.¡±


    ¡°One of the early ship sinkings?¡± the king asked.


    ¡°Yes. I have reason to believe her ship was targeted out of envy, not least because King Shunji refuses to let S¨®lstaeur investigate.¡±


    ¡°I could spend hours making a list of how he and I are at odds,¡± Kyoumi said, frowning. She shook her head and offered a sympathetic look. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m sorry. I would have loved to speak with her if I had the chance.¡±


    Andreas gave a weak, sad smile as thanks while the king continued on.


    ¡°My father died just last year due to Kuro''s antics,¡± he noted grimly. ¡°Murdered on his way home after spending the summer with us. King Shunji has, unsurprisingly, refused to identify his killers. Even before that, King Gin-Mashimo Utaka and Kaiba Erize lost their lives in their own garden.¡±


    The prince blew on his cup and raised it up. ¡°All that to say,¡± he murmured, ¡°That we¡¯ve all suffered recently.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to get some sympathy for once,¡± Kasper said while Rei drank a little of his tea.


    ¡°S¨®lstaeur¡¯s people want a mix of revenge and isolationism, depending on the person,¡± Andreas went on, looking at Kyoumi. ¡°I know you said we wouldn¡¯t need to talk about politics, but I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to coming up with some kind of alliance draft.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t anger anyone in S¨®lstaeur?¡± the queen asked curiously.


    ¡°We work on a council system,¡± Andreas explained. ¡°A majority would have to agree in order for anything to go into effect. I can bring it up, at least, even if it¡¯s not approved by the end of spring.¡±


    He glanced down at his cup and lightly tapped the handle. The tea¡¯s sweet scent reminded him of Miya¡ªof what and who he¡¯s lost. S¨®lstaeur¡¯s freedom from Kuro was won easily enough, but that didn¡¯t mean the end of conflict with them. They still wanted control.


    ¡°Besides,¡± he continued, keeping his eyes on the steaming tea, ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Kuro¡¯s kitsune-advisor, Sukaru Yanami, in the past. She¡¯s a reasonable woman; Miya described her as a hard worker who refuses to be unnecessarily cruel, and she¡¯s prevented wars before. If she caught wind of an attempt to join S¨®lstaeur and Gin¡¯s forces, she would end the war effort then and there¡ªor at least give her best attempt.¡±


    The queen smiled a little, grateful and relieved all the same.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her voice coated in several different emotions; a few of them conflicted, like happiness and fear. ¡°My goal is, of course, to find a way to end a conflict before it truly begins. Should S¨®lstaeur accept the proposal and Kuro still aims to fight, however, it will be a relief to know we have someone on our side.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, it would be an honor to make due on one of my wife¡¯s greatest wishes.¡±


    Miya always hated Shunji¡¯s penchant for violence¡ªhow he wanted to solve all problems by stabbing it. Even if no one else in S¨®lstaeur would like the idea, he would¡¯ve still brought up the possibility and asked for votes.


    She had wanted her children to grow up in peace, and was taken away by a threat against it. Doing this would be as close as he could ever get to truly granting her desires as a mother.

 Chapter 44: Murderer

    Taiyo woke up with an immense migraine, already fearing the light when his eyes were still closed. The voices¡ªall of them, it seemed like, except Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s¡ªbuzzed around in the back of his mind.


    Someone closed the curtains and shuffled. With less light, he slowly opened his eyes.


    He startled when he saw the other person¡ªa kitsune, to be more specific, with fox ears and a sweeping tail. Her hair faded from red to orange as it went from her roots to her shoulder, completely straight. She didn¡¯t react with anything more than a flick of her tail.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake now,¡± she noted.


    ¡°Who..?¡± Taiyo coughed as he sat up. He hasn¡¯t really used his voice in a while. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I would prefer to ask you, first,¡± the kitsune replied. She sat down on a chair in the corner, on the other side of the room from him. He couldn¡¯t blame her. ¡°Another kitsune found you floating on the river¡ªyou¡¯re lucky she noticed, or you would be dead. Assuming death isn¡¯t what you were after.¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡­just wanted to get out.¡±


    ¡°Out of Kuro, or out of Gin?¡±


    ¡°...Gin.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry to say, but there¡¯s no place in Kuro for you,¡± the kitsune said simply. She looked back at the closed curtain and frowned. ¡°Whatever made you leave Gin, you¡¯re better off trudging through it.¡±


    She¡¯s right, the voices murmured. You can¡¯t escape us forever.


    Taiyo shook his head and remained silent. The voices never talked about Kuro¡ªonly Gin, its cursed people, how they wanted to kill his family. He thought they might be safer if he stayed here.


    The kitsune didn¡¯t press for details, turning over to the dresser to her left and reaching over to get a piece of paper and writing supplies.


    ¡°What is your name? I can¡¯t send you back unless I know who you belong to.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± He tried to come up with an excuse, but his mind refused to give a clear answer. He whispered out a lie instead. ¡°I don¡¯t have any family, and I don¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    ¡°Gin is rather kind to orphans,¡± the kitsune pointed out, giving him a quizzical look. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back to the border if¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Taiyo flinched at his own sharpness, and it caught the kitsune off guard. Her ears flicked up, then down again.


    ¡°You want to stay here, then?¡± the kitsune asked. ¡°Do you even know where ¡®here¡¯ is?¡±


    ¡°W-well, no, but¡­¡±


    Anywhere would be better than somewhere that the voices had more control. He¡¯d take a migraine and quiet shows of annoyance over murderous thoughts he couldn¡¯t shake off.


    The kitsune opened her mouth to say something else, but the door burst open. Taiyo shrank back from the sound alone; the kitsune stood up and brushed herself off while Taiyo kept his eyes shut to minimize the headache.


    ¡°Knock,¡± the kitsune said tersely. ¡°I thought Nari taught you manners.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Nari¡­ A certain voice came up in response, but he couldn¡¯t understand what they said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know I had to knock to see a murderer.¡±


    Murderer? Did he mean the kitsune, or Taiyo? He choked either way, some faint memory coming up and fading again.


    ¡°It¡¯s polite,¡± the kitsune argued. ¡°Now explain why you¡¯re here before I lose my patience.¡±


    ¡°So rude! I only wanted to check in on the little bastard that killed half of the raiding party into Gin. I need to know if he¡¯s worth keeping around or not.¡±


    Taiyo slowly opened his eyes so he could identify the stranger. He squeaked and shuffled back when he saw the man''s black hair, neatly cut short.


    Turns out ¡®here¡¯ is Kuro¡¯s castle, or somewhere close to it. Great. They were going to kill him.


    ¡­That didn¡¯t scare him as much as it should. He¡¯d accept it if he meant he didn¡¯t hurt anyone.


    The king laughed while the kitsune¡ªthe advisor, maybe?¡ªquietly growled at him. He shrugged off her reaction, merely coming closer and bending down to cup Taiyo¡¯s chin. He tried not to jerk away, despite his better senses desperately wishing he actually knew anything Sorai taught him without relying on the voices.


    ¡°He certainly looks human,¡± the king noted dully.


    ¡°W-why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    ¡°You slit three throats in one swing,¡± he hissed. ¡°That takes strength and dedication that it¡¯s taken generations to achieve in Kuro¡¯s bloodline.¡±


    The king patted his head, ruffled through his hair, then pulled away with a scowl, all while memories slowly bubbled up.


    ¡°...But you¡¯re just a damn north and east mix. A vicious one, at that.¡±


    ¡®Vicious.¡¯ Finally, a proper description¡­


    With the voice¡¯s comment, Taiyo remembered just enough to catch his breath; the kitsune that found him running off as he went into a group of Kuro soldiers, how he took one of their swords and just¡­massacred them. So much for the voices being weaker here.


    His whole body grew warm and he tried to choke down the bile. He killed them. Yes, they were going to Gin, but they were still nothing more than soldiers. People with families. The exact group he wanted to protect with his decision.


    ¡°Pathetic,¡± the king muttered. He looked at the kitsune. ¡°Sign him up for test runs. I want to see how he does in a controlled environment.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a teenager, not a monster,¡± the kitsune replied defensively.


    ¡°One can be both.¡± He turned and offered a dismissive wave. ¡°Get it done, Lady Yanami, or I¡¯ll take you out of the office and onto the field.¡±


    The king left and the kitsune walked a bit closer to Taiyo. Her even expression earlier shifted into something a bit more concerned.


    ¡°Did you mean to kill those soldiers?¡± she asked. When Taiyo shook his head, she continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. You wouldn¡¯t block it out if you had.¡±


    She paused for a moment, glancing out at the hallway, then looked back at Taiyo.


    ¡°I can still take you to Gin. Shunji won¡¯t be kind; it¡¯s kill or be killed, hurt or get hurt.¡±


    ¡°N-no.¡± Gods, talking was a mistake. He swallowed down more bile while the taste remained on his tongue, only inviting it back up. ¡°Why?¡±


    Fortunately, she understood. ¡°I have morals, unlike some people. And you remind me of someone who died just to stroke Shunji¡¯s ego.¡±


    The kitsune pulled away, her tail brushing against the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you some food and water,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe a new set of clothes. It looks like you might need it.¡±


    Taiyo murmured some kind of thanks. The kitsune left, closing the door behind her; something moved just outside it. Maybe they were trapping him.


    With one more turn of his stomach, he retched. He didn¡¯t spit up that much, all things considered¡ªjust whatever little thing he managed to eat before he went into the river. How long has it been since then? A few days, at least.


    He leaned against the wall, folded his legs against his chest, and let himself cry¡ªabout his migraine, the sick feeling of having killed people, and the voices mocking him for being miserable.


    Even if he did take the kitsune¡¯s offer and go back to Gin, would they even be okay around him? Not just physically¡ªmentally, too. Kyoumi would never look him in the eye; Sorai would try, but always falter. Rei might avoid him. As soon as they heard he took blood, they would hate him.


    And do you know what would solve that? the voices asked, pretending to be soft and comforting despite their echoing, harsh chorus after:


    Take their blood as well, before they hear of your sins. Then they can live in denial that you, Taiyo, are a monster.

 Chapter 45: Test

    Lady Yanami acted reasonably nice around Taiyo, all things considered. She gave him a few outfits to cycle through, had someone bring him food and water whenever he asked. She even got him a larger room so he could walk around without bumping into anything.


    Taiyo only had the voices to keep him company, but all they did was spout threats¡ªthey couldn¡¯t act on them unless he was given a knife, and the Kuro guards were very careful to keep any and all sharp things away from him. He tried to figure out a way to control the voices so he didn¡¯t have to worry about the voices making due on their mumblings.


    His stomach turned every time he even thought about killing again. He only managed because he tried to convince himself it was the voices, and not him.


    At least Seiko acknowledged that she killed, the voices murmured.


    He couldn¡¯t clearly hear Tsujihara Seiko¡¯s response, only that she gave one and the voices quieted down shortly after. She hasn¡¯t been as clear recently.


    Taiyo laid on the floor, watching the ceiling as the sun going in and out of clouds cast different shadows. One week passed since he came here. He wondered if he would stop counting eventually.


    Someone lightly knocked on the door. He scrambled to get upright as it slowly opened to reveal Lady Yanami.


    He half-bowed out of respect. It made her ears twitch every time.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your first ¡®test,¡¯¡± Lady Yanami announced. ¡°Just be warned that the king and both of his wives will be there to watch. I managed to convince them to use training dummies instead of real opponents.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She understood his reluctance and guilt over killing¡ªeither that, or she didn¡¯t want to deal with a few unrelated casualties and explain that soldiers were killed in a training session by a teenager.


    Taiyo stood up, brushed himself off, then met Lady Yanami at the door. The guards around her took out some rope and tied his arms around his back, but he could probably break out of them if he wanted to. No one seemed to have any knives, keeping the voices at a level that he could ignore.


    The halls of Kuro¡¯s castle were almost mirrored to Gin¡¯s, from what little he¡¯s seen. Portraits of former rulers and tapestries of their exploits were hung, without any sign of personal trinkets aside from small arrangements by a few bedroom doors. Sheaths hung on the wall without any blade inside them, although he couldn¡¯t tell if it was to keep him away from sharp objects or if they were always unoccupied.


    Lady Yanami led them to the area behind the castle¡ªgardens back home, but a large training area here. It even put the one near Hiroki¡¯s fort to shame.


    The king already stood there, arms crossed and scowling, one woman on either side of him; the one on the left glared at the other, who kept her eyes on the sky or the ground while smirking. They must be the king¡¯s wives.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a worse mood than I last saw you,¡± Lady Yanami noted dully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me, kitsune,¡± the king muttered back. He gestured towards the guards, who untied Taiyo¡¯s hands and shoved him towards the dirt arena. ¡°I need to know if the monster still works or not.¡±


    Lady Yanami sighed. ¡°...Of course. Kioshi?¡±


    She named him ¡®Kioshi¡¯ after two days of failed attempts to get his real one; he understood it referred to him and nodded.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Take that dagger in the center and do what you can against the training dummies.¡±


    ¡°The punishment for doing anything but is a withdrawal of your privileges,¡± the king added darkly. ¡°I don¡¯t have the time nor space for another weakling. Prove that Gin is capable of more than the illusion of strength.¡±


    Taiyo murmured some agreement and did as instructed. A dull dagger waited for him in the middle of the arena; picking it up gave the voices a little more sway over his movements, but he tried to control it as he turned towards his targets.


    He lunged, coming at the closest one and jabbing its chest at an angle. The force pushed it into the ground, prompting half-genuine clapping from one of the king¡¯s wives.


    He moved to the second, quickly switching the dagger to a backhand position and swiping at the training dummy¡¯s shoulder. The voices guided him¡ªhe did what he could to keep them from doing anything more than suggest what to do next. He didn¡¯t know whether or not the distinction was crossed.


    For the third and last, he moved the dagger back to standard and dug it low into the training dummy¡¯s stomach. He blinked¡ªor maybe he blacked out for a second¡ªand when he next opened his eyes again he stood on top of it, stabbing it three times before forcing himself away.


    He stood up and stared at the fluff thrown around, a few stray pieces stuck to the jagged edges of the dagger. Taiyo jumped when the king spoke.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re still a little murderer after all.¡±


    He turned towards the king as the latter continued with a sick grin.


    ¡°We need a monster like you to destroy Gin and the north when they come asking for ¡®peace.¡¯¡±


    Lady Yanami¡¯s tail flicked and she scowled before Taiyo had a chance to question him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not factoring a teenager into my battle plans,¡± she hissed.


    ¡°Then he¡¯ll just be thrown in there with no backup or regard for safety,¡± the king replied with a shrug. ¡°The only conscience that will be affected if he dies is yours, Lady Yanami. Keep that in mind.¡±


    He half-heartedly waved some kind of goodbye and left, both of his wives trailing after him. Taiyo sat the dagger back down on the ground as Lady Yanami went back towards him with the rope, apparently the bravest of the three remaining.


    She went behind him and loosely wrapped the rope around his wrists again. Taiyo bit his lip for a few seconds until he decided to voice a question.


    ¡°Gin and the north? Not just one?¡±


    Lady Yanami sighed. ¡°There are rumors of an alliance. It makes sense tactically¡ªGin doesn¡¯t have a large army, and the north just happens to have lost an important figure due to Shunji¡¯s nonsense recently¡ªbut he can¡¯t seem to understand his own hubris brought him here. There was a reason we negotiated peace with the north instead of fighting them.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have ended well,¡± Taiyo guessed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that your little murder habit might determine whether or not we win. Keep that in mind.¡±


    She pulled away, brushed herself off, then walked away. The two guards escorted Taiyo back to his room, leaving him alone for the rest of the day until someone brought dinner.


    On one hand, at least he knew that Gin might have some support. On the other, it meant the prospective death toll just increased dramatically.

 Chapter 46: If You Left...

    Average ships made it from Gin and Kuro to S¨®lstaeur in two weeks; Roken claimed that in good conditions and with a fast ship, it ended a little after one week. Roken and his family left, then returned six weeks later. He brought good news¡ªS¨®lstaeur¡¯s council agreed to aid Gin in whatever capacity needed, largely on an ¡®enemy of my enemy¡¯ basis. Soldiers were heading towards Hiroki to defend the front line.


    On the other hand, not even a full day later and meals were even quieter, with Kyoumi and Sorai both grim despite trying to put on smiles. Rei wondered if they thought it would work or if they just pretended it did. Regardless of the reason or the cause, it didn¡¯t put him any more at ease.


    His thoughts immediately strayed to Taiyo¡ªmaybe something happened, or they got news. But at the same time, he knew what they looked like when they were grieving; if it was about Rei¡¯s twin, it wasn¡¯t a matter of death. The only other thing he could think of was about the war, which held enough possibilities that he didn¡¯t dare try to sort the most likely ones.


    The Roken children¡ªEmelie, specifically¡ªstill wanted to see more of the city, so Rei offered to tour them. He hoped it would keep his mind off things, but the silence only made his fears worse. Maeko and Snowbell came along to give moral support.


    They went around the city in the morning, then cycled back to the palace for lunch. They all grouped on one side of the table; Emelie regularly broke off little pieces of her meal and fed it to Snowbell, and Kasper sat next to her. Snowbell stayed on Maeko¡¯s lap, but watched Emelie every time she took a bite.


    Snowbell mainly led conversation, in her own cat way¡ªor at least, Maeko and Emelie quickly bonded over the cat.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have tiny kitties at S¨®lstaeur,¡± Emelie mused. ¡°We have, like¡­big kitties.¡±


    ¡°Rei and I found Snowbell last winter,¡± Maeko explained, petting the cat in question. Snowbell purred. ¡°Stray cats¡ªor cats in general, I guess¡ªare rare in large cities. I think she was a surprise baby that either wandered off or was released.¡±


    Emelie perked up and looked at her brother. ¡°What if we found a kitty and brought it back with us?¡±


    ¡°Elias would throw a fit,¡± Kasper mumbled. He kept a sketchbook next to his plate, always doodling.


    Emelie deflated, muttering a disdainful comment in her native language before perking up again. Rei followed her gaze to see Roken entering the room.


    ¡°Papa!¡± Emelie switched to S¨®lstaeuric to ask a question.


    After Roken responded, Kasper chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I told her.¡±


    Roken gave his daughter an apologetic look.


    ¡°Sorry. But we also need to start preparing to leave.¡± Roken shifted his attention to Rei. ¡°Your parents want to talk to you.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Rei nodded and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll head over now.¡±


    Roken flashed a little smile¡ªRei wondered if he did it subconsciously, since he was more comfortable with it than anyone Rei knew¡ªand gestured for his kids to follow him. Rei patted Snowbell on his way past Maeko.


    ¡­


    The study door was already creaked open; Rei knocked before he fully pushed it. Kyoumi and Sorai¡¯s shared scowls shifted into something friendlier.


    ¡°Is this about Taiyo, or the war?¡± Rei asked almost as soon as he entered, closing the door behind him.


    Kyoumi grimaced and Sorai¡¯s expression fell for a second.


    ¡°Both, to an extent,¡± Sorai admitted.


    Rei took the seat in front of the desk and Kyoumi shuffled some papers and put them aside. She didn¡¯t let him see them¡ªhe could guess the contents enough, though. Her reputation didn¡¯t exactly improve as time went on.


    Sorai looked to see if Kyoumi would elaborate, but she sighed and leaned back in her chair instead. Sorai gave Rei an apologetic look.


    ¡°First of all, we¡¯re giving you a choice, so please take this lightly.¡± What an excellent way to start a conversation; he dreaded the words before they were even said. ¡°Your mother and I have to go to Hiroki¡¯s fort.¡±


    ¡°To fight?¡± Rei asked, biting his lip a little.


    ¡°Preferably, no,¡± Kyoumi murmured, trying to give him a gentle look. ¡°I haven¡¯t held any kind of weapon for over twenty years, so I would be a liability; your father might be asked to go out, but for the most part he¡¯ll be with me.¡±


    ¡°So I can come with, then.¡±


    He didn¡¯t mean it as a request¡ªto an extent, it was a demand. Both of his parents understood.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take you out there with a clear conscience,¡± Kyoumi said firmly.


    Rei sat back and folded his arms. ¡°So I don¡¯t actually have a choice?¡±


    ¡°You do,¡± Sorai maintained, walking from the edge of the room closer to the desk. ¡°It¡¯s whether you wanted to stay here with Tsujihara Isei or stay with your uncle.¡±


    ¡°So a stranger or a house full of loud cousins? I¡¯ll be miserable either way.¡±


    ¡°Nesshin will still be here,¡± Kyoumi pointed out.


    ¡°If I only had Maeko as company, we¡¯ll get tired of it,¡± Rei argued. ¡°I¡¯d rather not lose the one person that isn¡¯t listening to rumors or taking pity on me because my brother has been gone for about two months now.¡±


    Neither of his parents had skill in continuing their points; they didn¡¯t have to, in most cases. Conversations that led to conflict were few and far between¡ªrelegated to when Taiyo resisted training, mostly¡ªso they didn¡¯t have much practice.


    Rei sighed, taking a few seconds to search for a way that would actually get to the point.


    ¡°...It¡¯s already normal to only see you two during meals,¡± he murmured, looking down as he said it. ¡°Honestly, if Taiyo was here I wouldn¡¯t question it¡ªbut I don¡¯t want to go every day for the next few weeks or longer without seeing anyone in my immediate family. It¡¯ll be too easy to imagine that none of you are coming back.¡±


    In the corner of his eye, both of his parents¡¯ expressions softened. Sorai came over to gently pat his shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯ve convinced me,¡± Sorai conceded kindly.


    Rei looked up and offered a tiny, grateful smile as Kyoumi nodded.


    ¡°You just have to promise to stay out of any danger,¡± she said.


    ¡°I will. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving tomorrow morning with the Roken family,¡± Sorai explained. ¡°Make sure you tell your friends and pack a few things before then.¡±


    Rei murmured some agreement and waited a few seconds before standing up. With Kyoumi and Sorai¡¯s silent permission, he left the room with a faint sense of relief.


    It would feel better than sitting around the palace without anything to do, at least.

 Chapter 47: News of a Monster

    Kyoumi made sure Rei said whatever goodbyes he had to and trusted that Tsujihara Isei wouldn¡¯t turn the entire city against her while he was there. Anyone she had more faith in was either dead or didn¡¯t hold enough power to be comforting.


    She dyed her hair at the start of the trip and again whenever it got too pale for her liking. It let her enjoy it more, at least¡ªshe didn¡¯t have to worry about the mark of a ruler, identifying her immediately as someone to dislike or protect. No one in the group¡ªRoken, his children, her own family, and two guards in normal traveling wear¡ªseemed to mind, so she let herself relax.


    It took a week and a few extra days to get to Hiroki¡¯s fort. One of his sons showed them around and Kyoumi waited on the side facing the border for Sir Hiroki himself to insist on some kind of meeting. Sorai and Roken both stood around, the latter watching his children from a distance while Sorai stared into Kuro¡¯s forests.


    Roken glanced at them for a second, then back at his children. They were far enough¡ªactually inside, Kasper drawing and Emelie walking around¡ªthat they were out of earshot.


    ¡°...May I ask an insensitive question?¡±


    Kyoumi cast him a curious look. ¡°You¡¯re considerate enough to seek permission, so yes, you may.¡±


    He still hesitated a moment before he actually said it.


    ¡°You have a second son, don¡¯t you? I never saw him in the palace.¡±


    ¡°...I should have expected that, but you caught me off guard,¡± Kyoumi admitted, scrounging up some form of sheepish, self-deprecating humor. ¡°No other visitor noticed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m told I¡¯m overprotective, at least by S¨®lstaeuric standards,¡± Roken replied. ¡°I would like to see my children every now and then, so I assume most families are the same¡ªat the very least, you care enough about your remaining son that you were willing to bring him along.¡±


    ¡°That might be the best assumption a stranger has made about our family,¡± Sorai joked. Kyoumi knew it wasn¡¯t a complete lie. ¡°Even Sir Hiroki and Tsujihara¡¯s first impression was ¡®what did you do.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Granted, Tsujihara never liked me,¡± Kyoumi noted. ¡°In his mind, who else to blame for a missing teenager than his own mother?¡±


    That caught Roken¡¯s attention. ¡°So he isn¡¯t in the palace at all?¡±


    ¡°Nor the closest territories,¡± Sorai replied, shaking his head. ¡°Taiyo vanished the morning after the memorial for Queen Tsujihara Seiko¡ªroughly two months ago, at the start of the season.¡±


    ¡°I can only imagine¡­¡± Roken murmured. He tilted his head up and looked at the sky¡ªclear with the looming threat of clouds later in the day or tomorrow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It took three months before I received the word that my wife had died; that kind of worried waiting is horrible. I wish I could help.¡±


    ¡°Just the sympathy is enough,¡± Kyoumi reasoned, sparing him a smile. ¡°We have to prioritize the war first, but the second it¡¯s over, every resource is going towards finding him¡ªdamn whatever should ¡®come first,¡¯ I¡¯m making sure my son is safe.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had such conviction.¡± She startled at Sir Hiroki¡¯s voice, but when she turned around to face him he only held a thin smile. ¡°Maybe you take after your father after all.¡±


    ¡°Utaka taught me to protect what matters,¡± Kyoumi said. She hated how tense she was now that she was in the presence of her senior. ¡°To me, that means the twins.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you¡ªI¡¯d do the same for my boys, or their little ones. It¡¯s a good trait to have; it¡¯ll save you if things go sour here.¡±


    Kyoumi nodded. Sorai moved to look directly at Sir Hiroki while Roken readjusted himself to stand a little straighter.


    ¡°Do we need to go somewhere else for a meeting?¡± Sorai asked.


    ¡°Extensive tactics can wait until tomorrow,¡± Sir Hiroki replied. ¡°I just wanted to give a few reports for you to stew over.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wait, then,¡± Kyoumi said, crossing her arms. ¡°Go ahead and share the news.¡±


    Sir Hiroki came further out and heaved himself onto one of the benches. She knew he exaggerated¡ªhe liked to surprise people with his strength. He dropped the facade with Kyoumi early on, but the stranger likely encouraged him.


    ¡°First things first, Kuro¡¯s position is the same as it has been,¡± Sir Hiroki explained. ¡°Every communication I¡¯ve gotten has suggested that they¡¯re ready for full war¡ªno more games. Are you ready for that, Queen?¡±


    ¡°As much as I can be,¡± Kyoumi replied. ¡°Just, please, don¡¯t let me on the battlefield¡ªfor Rei¡¯s peace of mind, if nothing else.¡±


    ¡°I had no plans to ask any of you to fight,¡± Sir Hiroki assured her. He nodded towards Roken. ¡°Sir Chief is, of course, free to do as he wants¡ªhe might be good as a commander, someone in the back but still present, at least for S¨®lstaeuric troops¡ªbut Gin¡¯s royal family only goes on the field to die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll offer as much as I can without risking too much,¡± Roken promised. ¡°I won¡¯t leave my children orphaned, at least not to a foreign war where only a handful of people can understand them.¡±


    ¡°As expected; we don¡¯t intend to ask you to do anything that we won¡¯t,¡± Sorai said. ¡°We all have obligations to our families¡ªI wouldn¡¯t want to be taken away from mine, and likewise I won¡¯t assume you¡¯re comfortable dying for a cause like ours. That extends to the rest of your men, to a reasonable degree.¡±


    Roken murmured some agreement, and after a short pause Sir Hiroki spoke up again.


    ¡°There¡¯s just one other thing I want to say.¡± He shuddered, making a chill run down her own spine before he even said anything. ¡°Starting two weeks ago, I¡¯ve had men¡ªscouts or soldiers that strayed too far away from the front line and somehow made it back¡ªof some kind of¡­killer that Kuro has employed.¡±


    ¡°Like an assassin?¡± Roken asked, curious as much as he was cautious.


    ¡°It would be more accurate to liken him to a beast,¡± Sir Hiroki said. ¡°Not many have seen him and lived, I¡¯m afraid, so rumors from Kuro¡¯s people itself is all I have to give; they describe him as S¨®lstaeuric, maybe a child of an oni but with a wholly human body. He came alongside the Yuneda family, who governs Kuro¡¯s southernmost fort, but he¡¯s ¡®lent¡¯ to the front line for now. Most shockingly is that this little monster can¡¯t be much older than Gin¡¯s princes.¡±


    ¡°Gods,¡± Kyoumi murmured. ¡°Is there anything Kuro wouldn¡¯t do? Sending someone that young into battle is harmful at best.¡±


    ¡°Could it be an intimidation tactic?¡± Sorai asked, focusing on Sir Hiroki. ¡°Something Kuro made up to encourage us to act?¡±


    ¡°It might,¡± Sir Hiroki agreed, ¡°But my own men have said it themselves. It¡¯s a well-planned ruse, in that case.¡±


    Kyoumi stood up a little straighter, calling on her parents to give her some kind of strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough to warrant further investigation, at least,¡± she said firmly. ¡°If there is a boy serving in Kuro¡¯s army, mass murderer or not, he shouldn¡¯t be there. We have rules for these kinds of wars¡ªsending teenagers into battle happens to be against them. If Kuro wanted to gain my ire from doing so, then they¡¯ve succeeded.¡±


    ¡°Miya would say the same,¡± Roken mused. ¡°I find it hard to believe that their kitsune-advisor agreed, but regardless of the situation I refuse to let it be forgotten.¡±


    ¡°We can go over the details tomorrow, then,¡± Sir Hiroki decided. He got himself back up and stretched. ¡°In the meantime, feel free to relax¡ªgrab a bottle of sake, lay down and rest, talk with your kids, whatever you need. Dinner should be ready in the next hour or so¡ªI¡¯ll send one of the little ones to get you.¡±


    All three of them murmured some understanding, and he left with a little wave. Kyoumi had a hard time relaxing even as she looked out towards the river, her only thoughts now of the poor boy trapped away from home and possibly forced to take lives. When her mind shifted towards Taiyo, she entered a little spiral that left her silent for the rest of the day.


    She didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it, but at the same time¡­ What if it wasn¡¯t a coincidence?

 Chapter 48: Conversation Game

    Rei didn¡¯t care if all three of them were deemed cowards; he enjoyed the peace of mind, knowing that Kyoumi and Sorai wouldn¡¯t go out to fight. Roken chose to personally lead his troops, but Kasper and Emelie seemed sure of their father¡¯s ability to protect himself or, in the worst case, run. Gin¡¯s soldiers knew better than to die for a worthless war, as well, even if it painted their retreats as inelegant attempts to flee in Kuro¡¯s eyes.


    It left Rei with plenty of time to acquaint himself with his age mates; aside from the mix of Hiroki blood, Kasper and Emelie were the only fellow teenagers. They could go wherever they wanted in the fort itself, but needed permission or a guard to head into the town behind it. Sometimes it was easier to give a soldier or servant some money and ask them to buy things for him.


    With a bag of candies acquired through that method, he found Kasper and Emelie sitting in one of the viewing areas¡ªfacing the town, thus more decorated than the one that let you stare at the river border.


    Emelie perked up first at the bag¡¯s rustling and waved. Kasper half-waved without looking up from his drawing, scribbling new lines and scowling at it.


    ¡°Are you up for an icebreaker game?¡± Rei asked. ¡°Just to pass the time, mostly.¡±


    Emelie enthusiastically nodded; Kasper sat his pencil down and folded his sketchbook shut. Rei took that as a ¡®yes¡¯ and sat down in one of the empty seats. He carefully shook the candies onto the table.


    ¡°All you need to do is pick a color candy, and the others ask a question related to that,¡± Rei explained. ¡°Red is for a question related to yourself, brown is for a question related to family, and gold is a question related to your hometown. If one of you picked a gold candy and asked where I grew up, for example, I¡¯d say it was Gin¡¯s capital. Sometimes conversations build off of that, but sometimes it¡¯s just straightforward questions and answers. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡± Emelie hummed. ¡°Are the different colors different kinds of candy?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all the same,¡± Rei replied, shaking his head. ¡°Simplifies the thought of ¡®what if someone only does one question just because they like that color¡¯s taste better.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Fair enough! Since me and Kasper already know each other, can we still ask each other questions?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a good way to tease siblings if their crush is around.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it?¡± Kasper asked, slightly amused.


    Rei managed a little smile. ¡°My brother has a knack for it. He does it for friends, too.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer to be the instigator of chaos,¡± Emelie half-sung.


    Kasper gave her a tired look for a second, but she reached for the candies before he could make any comments.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first!¡± She dramatically took out a brown and immediately unwrapped it. She giggled when she plopped the candy in her mouth.


    ¡°Do you have any aunts or uncles?¡± Rei asked.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Emelie nodded, although it took her another few seconds to eat and swallow the candy before she fully answered.


    ¡°Yup! Aunt Amanda. She lives with us.¡±


    ¡°Her and Father are twins, actually,¡± Kasper murmured.


    Rei perked up. ¡°Fraternal?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Do you know a set?¡±


    ¡°Taiyo and I are identical,¡± Rei explained. ¡°For the longest time, only our parents and grandfather could tell us apart. It must be easier with a girl and a boy.¡±


    Emelie¡¯s eyes sparkled with more questions, but she didn¡¯t ask any. Maybe they were about Taiyo, and someone¡ªRoken, most likely, if he knew¡ªtold them it was a touchy subject.


    After a nod of permission from his sister, Kasper took a red candy. He flicked it over to Emelie shortly afterwards, thanked by a silly grin.


    ¡°I noticed you draw a lot,¡± Rei said, gesturing towards Kasper¡¯s sketchbook. ¡°Is that a hobby of yours?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. My mother liked to paint, so every now and then I¡¯d draw something for her. To this day, I¡¯m pretty good with lineart but shading and coloring are¡­far beyond my abilities.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to master,¡± Rei reasoned. ¡°I can¡¯t draw anything to save my life, but my girlfriend doodles cats pretty well.¡±


    Emelie perked up but didn¡¯t say anything; Rei ventured a guess as to her question and picked up a red candy for himself. She wasted no time in spouting out what piqued her interest.


    ¡°Is that girl with the kitty your girlfriend?¡±


    Rei nodded. ¡°Maeko and Snowbell, respectively. I met Maeko four years ago and we adopted Snowbell last winter.¡±


    ¡°She was really nice!¡± Emelie noted, smiling. She unwrapped the candy Kasper gave her. ¡°And the kitty¡¯s super sweet, too. Do you think she¡¯d be able to visit?¡±


    ¡°Her mother¡¯s a little protective,¡± Rei said, hoping he didn¡¯t sound disdainful. Miss Nesshin was no more or less ¡®protective¡¯ than Kyoumi, really, and he understood her reasons. ¡°Unless the front line gets pushed into Kuro¡ªwhich has never happened, mind you¡ªand we stay here at the border, Maeko won¡¯t visit.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t blame her,¡± Kasper mused as Emelie plopped the candy in her mouth. ¡°Kuro doesn¡¯t exactly have a pristine reputation.¡±


    Rei murmured some agreement and gestured for Emelie to take another candy from the pile. Better to keep going than dwell on negatives for too long.


    Emelie chose a gold candy, patiently waiting a few seconds before Rei thought of a good question.


    ¡°How would you describe your hometown?¡± Rei asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard mixed messages¡ªsome say there¡¯s only a difference in the winter, some say it¡¯s colder year-round, others claim it¡¯s hundreds of times better or worse than the grandest city in Gin or Kuro.¡±


    Emelie paused for a moment to think of a response, then ventured a bit thoughtfully into the answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much,¡± she admitted. ¡°There¡¯s a comfy community fire in the center of Byen Roken¡ªin the center of most S¨®lstaeuric towns, honestly. Roads are well-established and there¡¯s lots of forests; it¡¯s fascinating to go from heavy woods to a residential center in only a few minutes. The houses are tiny and they hold more people than they were built for, but it¡¯s home so I can''t complain.¡±


    She unwrapped and quickly ate her second candy, then continued. ¡°Although temperature-wise, it is warmer here than over there. It¡¯s not safe to stay outside for hours on end during the winter¡ªjust hunting can be risky if you¡¯re not careful¡ªbut everyone knows the limits and how to avoid reaching them. It¡¯s not a maze like Gin¡¯s capital is.¡±


    ¡°Most cities in Gin are more open than the capital,¡± Rei said. ¡°They say Ginshin had a fondness for riddles and perplexing others, and his city reflected that. Kuro¡¯s capital supposedly mirrors it, but only one or two people have seen both and compared them.¡±


    After a short pause, Kasper picked up another candy and the game continued. Rei did his best to keep everything light. The Roken kids picked up on it and silently did their best as well¡ªmore than he could say for a majority of people, his age and older. It helped the time pass by nicely even after the candies were eaten and the game ended.

 Chapter 49: Passive Suggestion

    Being an advisor meant guiding others. Pointing the kingdom towards a better future. But it was worthless if she wasn¡¯t listened to.


    Anyone would understand her better than Shunji. Sukaru regretted letting Nari choose him¡ªthe longer the line continued, the more reckless they became. She couldn¡¯t remember her mother or cousins being so¡­flippant and aggravating. It wasn¡¯t just age grinding on her nerves, either, because a majority of other people were fine.


    Kioshi snapped if he was bound and walked around if she wasn¡¯t there with him¡ªa boy his age would likely assume it meant more pain or even death, despite everyone being terrified of him¡ªso Shunji put Sukaru on babysitting duty. She wouldn¡¯t mind if he didn¡¯t also ask her to watch Lady Yuneda¡¯s children.


    Sukaru stayed inside, vaguely concerned about being spotted by Gin¡¯s forces. They were nowhere near close for visibility, but the bridge¡¯s security was waning and she wanted to be on her way to the next fort as soon as possible. Gin and S¨®lstaeur might not kill her if she plead her case and explained her position¡ªMiya¡¯s husband didn¡¯t seem like one to unnecessarily take a life¡ªbut Shunji would as soon as he heard.


    In the corner of her eye, Kioshi had Lady Yuneda¡¯s children staring at him with fascinated expressions as he told stories. They saw him as a novelty, not a murderer, and treated him as such. Unlike Sukaru, he didn¡¯t seem to mind.


    ¡°We have tengu in the mountains,¡± Kioshi whispered, waving his arms around to help illustrate his point. ¡°Some are good and give people food; others are bad and steal evil children.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so like Shigeru?¡± Ryobe asked.


    His sister hit him, and not gently from the looks of it. Neither one pursued it further, however, with Shigeru curiously asking a more relevant question.


    ¡°Are tengu strong? Like, oni and kijo strong?¡±


    ¡°Tengu are stronger than kitsune, but weaker than oni and kijo,¡± Kioshi explained.


    Shigeru nodded, turning around to look at Sukaru.


    ¡°Miss Yanami? Are you stronger or weaker than a real kitsune?¡±


    ¡°I can make your father fall over with the flick of my tail.¡±


    The Yuneda children found something hilarious in her deadpan delivery, although Kioshi just tilted his head at her in silent confusion. It didn¡¯t really answer the children¡¯s question, but it satisfied them.


    The laughter immediately ended when they sensed the presence of Lady Yuneda. All but Sukaru tensed; Shunji did the same stunt fairly often. Honestly, the two were meant for each other.


    ¡°Shigeru, Ryobe, get away from the demon,¡± Lady Yuneda said tersely. Both children shuffled away from Kioshi. ¡°Leave it to the company of the half-kitsune; we¡¯ve got to get ready to move.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°Already?¡± Ryobe whined.


    ¡°Yes. Now get your things.¡± She half-glanced at Sukaru while her children left. ¡°The north¡¯s breached the border; their army should arrive before nightfall. Shall I tell the soldiers to move ahead as per your instructions?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sukaru replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly; I just need to confirm that Kioshi knows what he needs to do.¡±


    Lady Yuneda turned away with a half-wave, completely uncaring towards anyone but her children and husband. Sukaru waited until they were a fair distance away before looking at Kioshi.


    ¡°Before you head out to the field, I¡¯d like to give you a brief lesson on Kuro¡¯s army structure.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Kioshi asked, almost despondent. All light from his eyes and emotions in his voice faded when the possibility of fighting¡ªof taking blood¡ªwas brought up. She hated that her ears tried to fall every time. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be relevant to whatever I need to do.¡±


    ¡°It will help you make an informed decision,¡± Sukaru reasoned. ¡°You¡¯ll be surrounded by black and white armor alike; you should know how the battle around you might play out.¡±


    Kioshi readjusted his position a little, then hesitantly nodded.


    ¡°...All right. What do you want to tell me?¡±


    Sukaru stood up and paced around, taking note of the outside view of the bridge and the dark interior of the fort.


    ¡°Kuro¡¯s army only had two segments,¡± she said. ¡°The commander and the soldiers. A few soldiers are delegated as message-carriers, but in most cases the commander is fighting alongside everyone else. Once the commander falls, however, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the soldiers lose their confidence and flee the field. This is considered an acceptable tactic.¡±


    She turned towards the window for a moment, noticing the group of soldiers coming across the bridge in the distance. She couldn¡¯t stay here for much longer without risking her safety; strong as she may be, she wasn¡¯t a fighter.


    Sukaru returned her attention to Kioshi. ¡°You will be spending the battle in a variant of Gin¡¯s royal armor, as decided by King Shunji¡ªsilver plating, but red fabric. This is to help you blend in among the enemy while still being recognizable to your allies, and you¡¯ll have many chances to be near commanders. If a soldier wearing Gin¡¯s armor kills a commander¡­¡±


    ¡°...The battle ends?¡± Kioshi guessed, frowning.


    ¡°Yes. As soon as the commander is dead, Kuro¡¯s soldiers will start leaving.¡±


    Her duty done, she moved to leave. She only took a few steps before Kioshi got up and moved towards her, his voice low in consideration of the implications.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡±


    Sukaru sighed. She had hoped she wouldn¡¯t have to answer the question.


    ¡°One of my most important duties is keeping casualties to a minimum,¡± she explained, glancing over her shoulder to read Kioshi¡¯s expression. ¡°The north entering the war makes it as good as lost on Kuro¡¯s end¡ªthey breached the bridge, for Kurokami¡¯s sake¡ªand we need as many soldiers as possible to defend the castle. This way, it looks and feels like we put up a fight without losing hundreds of men in one day.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Kioshi shuffled and looked away. ¡°What should I do?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you feel is right,¡± Sukaru said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly unlikely that Gin and the north will suffer the same kind of casualties that Kuro will, so your own people are not in grave danger. I won¡¯t force you to take any blood¡ªit will be easy enough to hide you until the fighting¡¯s over. Just let me know before the battle begins so I can adjust strategies accordingly.¡±


    ¡°...Okay.¡± He tried to give a little smile, but it failed. ¡°Thank you, Lady Yanami.¡±


    She gave her own meager smile in return, then shook it off and carried on. Kioshi waited for a few seconds before sitting back down to stare out the window.


    Sukaru wondered if he missed his home, even if he didn¡¯t seem keen on returning¡ªjust as she used to yearn for the forests her kin were raised in, rather than the stone and wood of the castle. Maybe, unlike her, he¡¯d see reason while he has the chance.

 Chapter 50: Making History

    ¡°We¡¯re making history. Your reign might yet have a redeeming quality, Queen Gin-Kaiba.¡±


    Kyoumi knew and acknowledged that, but still a majority of her thoughts went to her sons. Rei was doing better than expected; sooner or later, though, would it wear on him? To say nothing about Taiyo¡ªshe could spend hours fretting about him alone.


    Still, she had a duty that¡ªaccording to nearly everyone but herself and those she was closest to¡ªcame first. She leaned back in her chair and let Hiroki continue.


    ¡°We already gained a lot by overwhelming them at the bridge,¡± Hiroki said. ¡°And we¡¯ve taken the first fort across from it.¡±


    ¡°How many soldiers did we lose?¡± Sorai asked.


    ¡°Only a dozen Gin men were killed,¡± Roken reported. ¡°Another three or four dozen were injured, but they¡¯ll bounce back by the time we¡¯re ready to move on. None of my men are worse for wear, either.¡±


    ¡°A record,¡± Kyoumi murmured. ¡°We lose soldiers fairly consistently in battles.¡±


    Sorai sighed. ¡°I hate to be a pessimist, but I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t skill on our side or complacency on theirs¡ªKuro¡¯s too proud for mercy. Do you know what conditions led to their defeat?¡±


    ¡°They lost their general¡ªthe army¡¯s only weak point,¡± Hiroki said. ¡°Those men and women are as strong as they come; they¡¯re descendants of Kuro¡¯s royal line or arranged to join it. None of our soldiers would be able to take one out with the structure of our attack.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s a mystery?¡± Sorai asked. ¡°He just¡­dropped dead?¡±


    ¡°The only people close enough to see were either Kuro¡¯s soldiers or our deceased,¡± Hiroki replied. ¡°And before you ask, I personally saw to it that the man was located, blessed, and buried¡ªhe¡¯s not coming back.¡±


    Kyoumi closed her eyes for a second to piece it together. She could only think of one real possibility.


    ¡°...Maybe they¡¯re saving their forces for a final confrontation,¡± she murmured. ¡°Making us think they¡¯re an easy target, or hoping that I would give some foolish order and get half my men killed for no reason.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a risky strategy, yet sound,¡± Roken said, leaning forward onto the table. ¡°I¡¯ve only spoken with the kitsune-advisor once, but Miya told me a few stories. S¨®lstaeur isn¡¯t an easy opponent¡ªwe don¡¯t fight fair and we have more experience in different kinds of weapons¡ªand I¡¯d imagine she would acknowledge that. Lady Yanami would likely prefer to minimize casualties until a full confrontation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a sound theory,¡± Hiroki agreed. ¡°Especially considering they only left behind meager rations and no extra weapons. It also extends the war so she has more time to come up with plans.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Kyoumi nodded and moved on to her next point of concern, frowning a bit.


    ¡°Has anyone seen the ¡®monster¡¯ Kuro has?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s run into the same issue as the general,¡± Hiroki said, shaking his head. ¡°No one¡¯s lived to see him clearly, but a few have reported seeing a teenaged boy on the field that matches the appearance. He retreated alongside the rest of the army, however.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°All right. Thank you for the report.¡±


    Finding that boy was, admittedly, more of a priority than actually winning the war. In the next year or so, all the fighting will end and they can go back to their normal lives; but the worrying part of her¡ªthe mother in her¡ªwanted to make sure that boy was safe. Almost like a little voice in the back of her mind wanted to make sure she didn¡¯t forget about him; that only made the desire to find him stronger.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Hiroki carried on after a few seconds, ¡°We¡¯ll move into the recently-gained fort and proceed to the next early in the next month. If we¡¯re quick, we can wrap this up before winter sets in.¡±


    ¡°With a bit of luck, we¡¯ll be in another waiting period this time next month,¡± Kyoumi agreed.


    Hiroki and Roken understood it at face value¡ªshould Lady Aimiki see it fit, they¡¯ll have the second fort taken before the last two weeks of next month. Sorai¡¯s expression shifted into a regretful look, meaning he alone actually understood it.


    The boys¡¯ birthday was on the twentieth. She didn¡¯t want it to be overshadowed by fighting and the possibility of death.


    ¡­


    Kyoumi wandered until she found Rei laying on the grass outside one of the tents, reading a letter with a faint smile. He glanced over once he saw her approaching, letting the letter rest on his chest.


    ¡°Something from Nesshin?¡± Kyoumi asked nicely. She carefully lowered herself nearby, trying to smile back.


    ¡°Mhm. Apparently Snowbell made a new cat friend. He¡¯s taken a shine to Maeko, but she¡¯s trying to rehome him¡ªa mother and daughter duo can¡¯t really take care of two cats. I could help if I was there, but¡­¡±


    He trailed off and his happiness faded. Kyoumi did her best not to do the same.


    ¡°She¡¯s free to take whatever she needs from the palace,¡± Kyoumi offered. ¡°There should be plenty of food still.¡±


    Rei perked up a bit. ¡°That¡¯d be alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I can write something for her to give the remaining guards so they know to let her in; I¡¯m happy to help.¡±


    Rei smiled again. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯ll be nice to meet the new cat in person, once I can get back.¡±


    Kyoumi finally relaxed. Maybe the mundane things would distract him for long enough that he didn¡¯t fully consider the war¡ªwishful thinking, considering her own experience, but she couldn¡¯t help falling into it. If nothing else, it would give him something to look forward to.


    While he had her there, it seemed, Rei entertained a little bit of conversation. Not much, but enough to assure her he was doing fine for now; most of it still involved anecdotes Nesshin had compiled for him in the letter, and his responses. Sorai even joined after a few minutes, coming out of the meeting a little later to work out specifics regarding the supply routes.


    A part of her hoped to dare that maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªRei could even live a normal life after this. It mainly depended on Taiyo and whether or not he was still safe, however; Rei could survive the war fine, but he couldn¡¯t get out of his brother¡¯s death unscathed. She knew that for sure.

 Chapter 51: Something Like Luck

    Sukaru expected Gin to take it slow, savor each victory. Maybe she should have guessed that they would prefer to get things done sooner, rather than later. Any hesitance might reflect poorly on the queen¡ªespecially when her father came in and attacked Kuro with little to no reservation in the previous war. S¨®lstaeur most likely played a part.


    Gin only took two weeks to regain their stores and move on, using Kuro¡¯s first base as a checkpoint. She didn¡¯t bother sending soldiers to try to regain it, nor did she do the same for the second fort when it fell only a few days later.


    Of course, Lady Yuneda wouldn¡¯t stop hounding her about it. Sukaru had a small entourage bringing Kioshi his food; Lady Yuneda kept complaining about Sukaru¡¯s tactics and Lady Yuneda¡¯s children tried to get their mother¡¯s attention.


    ¡°You can¡¯t convince me Shunji agreed to this,¡± Lady Yuneda maintained as Sukaru turned a corner. Maybe she would leave when she¡¯s actually in the presence of the ¡®monster.¡¯


    ¡°He did,¡± Sukaru said firmly.


    ¡°Even the part where the battle doesn¡¯t even last three hours? Where we lose our best commanders?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t predict how long a battle will be. Gin and the north are efficient, is all.¡±


    ¡°We lost the same way twice. I think that falls on you, Yanami, and not the enemy. Gin isn¡¯t that strong¡ªthey¡¯re nothing without the north.¡±


    Sukaru sighed and her tail flicked. ¡°Take it up with the king. I¡¯m just doing my job.¡±


    They reached Kioshi¡¯s room; Lady Yuneda noticed and fell back a few paces, but the children happily ignored their mother now that their newest friend was so close.


    Sukaru knocked on the door and waited for Kioshi to slightly open it. Shigeru and Ryobe immediately burst in, leaving her ear to twitch.


    Kioshi half-smiled and accepted the tray of breakfast.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured. He opened his mouth to say something else, but he saw Lady Yuneda and closed it again.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Sukaru asked softly, a far different tone than one she used with Lady Yuneda.


    ¡°...I have a migraine, that''s all. But as long as I¡¯m not going to the field I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Sukaru nodded and pulled away from the door. Kioshi retreated back to his room, the Yuneda children demanding his attention. Hopefully they wouldn¡¯t be too much for him.


    She turned and began going back to her room, but Lady Yuneda tugged on Sukaru¡¯s tail on her way back. She tensed and growled by instinct, earning a chuckle from Lady Yuneda.


    ¡°Sometimes you seem more kitsune than human,¡± Lady Yuneda mused.


    ¡°You¡¯re very close to being sent to an oni cave,¡± Sukaru hissed back. She straightened and tried to shake it off. ¡°What else do you want to complain about? I do have work to attend to.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I¡¯m very aware, Lady Kitsune.¡± She gave Sukaru one of the most prideful looks one could muster. ¡°I want to be in charge of the army when Gin and the north come.¡±


    Sukaru gave her a quizzical look. ¡°Shunji would never let you. He¡¯ll kill me.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t tell him, like I assume you haven¡¯t yet told him that your entire strategy has the potential to easily destroy the nation,¡± Lady Yuneda argued. ¡°We need a good fight, or our soldiers will get rusty¡ªmaybe even start internal conflicts. I won¡¯t go down easily and, if I do, you¡¯re free to tell Shunji that it was my own hubris; he would do the same, if this was his home.¡±


    Sukaru bit her tongue to keep herself from responding the way she wanted to. Shunji wouldn¡¯t truly fight to the death¡ªnot as long as his favorites were still children, at least. Revenge, remorse, or mourning caused most deaths in this family, much in the same way that Gin¡¯s royalty tended to be murdered in a war. It¡¯s what killed Nari, at any rate.


    She thought of a reasonable response, but a noise from Kioshi¡¯s room caught her attention. Lady Yuneda glared at Sukaru before going to investigate. Sukaru followed her out of curiosity and a bit of concern¡ªnot for Shigeru and Ryobe, but for Kioshi. The other two would have all the forgiveness and care in the world, yet the second they thought Kioshi wouldn¡¯t be worth it¡ª


    She got her answer while she still considered the possibilities. Ryobe had a cut running down from the bottom of his eye to his chin, while Shigeru huddled in the corner opposite to Kioshi. Kioshi seemed sincerely ill while the other two were lightly injured at best. It wouldn¡¯t take long for the little ones to recover, albeit with the loss of their latest fascination.


    Lady Yuneda didn¡¯t make the same observation, searching for her knife before grabbing the one discarded halfway across the room and pointing it at Kioshi.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± the boy tried. He hugged his arms, digging his nails into his skin.


    Sukaru stepped quickly enough to catch Lady Yuneda¡¯s hand as she swung towards Kioshi.


    ¡°Let the children explain,¡± Sukaru said firmly. ¡°They must have taken your knife¡ªor picked it up after you dropped it¡ªand showed it to Kioshi. He doesn¡¯t do well near weapons.¡±


    Lady Yuneda narrowed her eyes, tugged her arm free, and slashed across Sukaru¡¯s shoulder. She winced, hesitating just long enough for Lady Yuneda to shove her to the ground. In the next second, the queen consort held the knife to Kioshi¡¯s throat.


    Kioshi¡¯s eyes flitted to Sukaru, terrified; she could only look away and put a hand on her shoulder, watching the ground instead.


    Lady Yuneda wouldn¡¯t listen at this point. All she saw was that the two children with the greatest chance of being the next king or queen were scared and hurt¡ªshe likely wanted to show them what to do with people who worried them, people who could harm them.


    After a few moments, Lady Yuneda turned her attention to Sukaru, keeping the knife position to kill.


    ¡°You are to change your strategies,¡± Lady Yuneda ordered. ¡°I will command the soldiers. Shigeru and Ryobe will return to the palace alongside you and a small unit in a few days, before Gin and the north arrive. Every able-bodied man and woman in the surrounding towns are to come here and fight¡ªanyone who isn¡¯t is as good as dead. If we trigger an especially vicious attack from the north, we¡¯ll claim they provoked it and use it to rally more soldiers so we can hold this fort.¡±


    Sukaru could pick apart the plan and give detailed explanations on why it was flawed. But she wasn¡¯t being asked for her opinions and she would prefer not to be forced into the forests.


    ¡°It will be done, Lady Yuneda.¡± She sighed and slowly rose, keeping her shoulder covered. She hated the feel of blood beneath her hand. ¡°What about Kioshi?¡±


    Lady Yuneda nicked the boy¡¯s throat and pulled away, gesturing for her children to gather their bearings and leave. They obeyed relatively quickly, huddling together and waiting by the outside of the door.


    ¡°I¡¯ll block off the door,¡± Lady Yuneda said firmly. ¡°Meals will only be delivered once a day and all privileges are hereby revoked. Should the fort fall, the door will be opened¡ªhopefully, he¡¯ll kill Gin and the north, but if not he¡¯ll be with his kin.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Good. Go on and do your job, then.¡±


    Sukaru bowed and stepped out of the room. She hesitated a minute to watch Kioshi before leaving.


    Honestly, this could be for the best. He would be miserable for a few days, but after that¡­freedom. At another time, she might have considered it luck or good fortune.

 Chapter 52: Birthday

    Rei had a hard time navigating Kuro¡¯s forts. They were built like mazes¡ªgranted, so was Gin¡¯s capital, but he had his entire life to explore that. Here, every corner he didn¡¯t know worried him.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if he escorted Kasper and Emelie or if Kasper and Emelie were escorting him; they were the ones with knives¡ªand Kasper could probably stab someone with his drawing pencils if he needed to¡ªbut he led them. They regularly passed by Gin or S¨®lstaeuric soldiers in the halls, either going somewhere or wandering just like they were. They could recognize the Roken siblings by now, but all most knew about Rei was that he was someone¡¯s kid. He had a feeling some soldiers assumed he was from Hiroki.


    He brought them back to the camp outside the fort for lunch, almost immediately greeted by Sorai.


    ¡°Hey, kids,¡± he said nicely. To Rei, he said, ¡°You disappeared right after breakfast; I didn¡¯t have a chance to say happy birthday.¡±


    ¡°...That is today, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    His heart ached at the reminder. Normally Taiyo reminded him¡ªand even then, the greatest moments were with friends, Maeko especially. What he looked forward to wasn¡¯t here.


    Sorai gave him a sympathetic look and handed Rei a small package.


    ¡°From Nesshin,¡± Sorai explained with a little smile. ¡°Your mother will be busy until tonight and she planned a nice meal, so just take it easy until then.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Rei murmured, gladly taking the package. It didn¡¯t have much weight to it. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sorai patted Rei¡¯s shoulder, then took a few steps back before leaving. Rei knew he didn¡¯t want to, but work came first¡ªat least for now.


    Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t really alone. No sooner than Sorai walked away that Emelie perked up and came a little closer, pausing an arm¡¯s length away.


    ¡°What¡¯cha get?¡± she asked innocently. ¡°Something romantic, I bet, if it¡¯s from your girlfriend~¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Rei turned so he could lean against the outer wall, holding the package in one hand and opening it with the other. He pulled out a letter first, smiling just seeing Maeko¡¯s flowery handwriting.


    Some things for you to have a normal day. I know it¡¯s hard, but keep your chin up! Snowbell and I will be here when you come back.


    He shuffled around to find a drawing of Maeko and Snowbell, a few dried flower petals, and a komainu charm. Rei showed them to Kasper and Emelie¡ªalbeit mostly the latter¡ªwith a fond little smile.


    Emelie pointed at the charm, but didn¡¯t actually touch it.


    ¡°What¡¯s this one?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a komainu,¡± Rei answered. The siblings seemed a bit confused, so he tried to explain, ¡°It¡¯s a¡­lion dog, kind of¡ªa protector.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Is there a story behind it?¡± Emelie¡¯s eyes shimmered while Kasper waited a little ways away, interested but quiet. He mentioned once that the heat made him drowsy. ¡°Like how kitsune were made by Kuro¡¯s god and tengu were made by Gin¡¯s god.¡±


    Rei nodded. ¡°A kitsune wanted to protect a girl he cared about, so he transformed into a lion dog; he became adored by the townsfolk. Gin also has an additional tale that the first queen was gifted a komainu statue from all of the royal children younger than her, as well as her future husband and the king¡¯s mistress. She gave it little pieces of food every day until her sudden death.¡±


    It piqued Kasper¡¯s curiosity, apparently.


    ¡°Kuro¡¯s side claims that illness took her,¡± he noted. ¡°Is it the same way in Gin?¡±


    ¡°We say that the first queen was murdered,¡± Rei replied, shaking his head. ¡°She went for a walk one night and was found the next morning with a slit throat. There were suspects¡ªher husband, nearly all the servants and guards, and any known rebel leaders¡ªbut none were convicted. Most weren¡¯t even tried.¡±


    ¡°Gin¡¯s first queen is a bit of a curiosity for me,¡± Kasper admitted. ¡°It¡¯s interesting to see how the same history is interpreted differently between Gin and Kuro; our mother taught us what she knew, except for what she thought was questionably false.¡±


    Rei gave a sheepish grin as he closed the package again. He¡¯ll write a letter of thanks as soon as he can.


    ¡°Taiyo knows more about the first queen than anyone,¡± he said. ¡°When we were kids, that¡¯s all he¡¯d ever talk about¡ªevery game involved her, every story that our parents used to get us to sleep, every piece of random trivia, was tied to her somehow.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we could have a chat one day, then,¡± Kasper mused. He looked out towards the camp, a mess of tents and soldiers with Kyoumi, Sorai, and Roken somewhere within it. ¡°A few folktales will certainly liven things up around here.¡±


    ¡°Agreed!¡± Emelie chirped. Rei murmured something of a similar sentiment.


    He glanced at the package, his smile faded but the memories were still playing in the back of his mind.


    ¡­Maybe he should write something for Taiyo, too. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to send a birthday letter out, even if he had no way of receiving it.


    ¡ª ¡ª


    Taiyo hated this. He almost thought that he would be okay here¡ªthat, with Lady Yanami¡¯s help, he wouldn¡¯t be miserable. He would be safe until he figured out how to get the voices out of his head so he could go home.


    You¡¯re so naive, most of the voices murmured. Stuck with us, forever and ever¡­ Only death can free you, child.


    Death. Maybe that was why Tsujihara Seiko died the way she did; she was trying to get rid of the voices.


    He honestly considered it on some days, but between the voices¡¯ insistence that it wouldn¡¯t work, lack of anything efficient, and fearing that his family would follow after, he decided not to. All it meant for now was that his only company was the room full of voices, promising destruction nonetheless.


    Taiyo could almost see them occupying the room, watching him or staring out the window. They faded when something shuffled outside of the door.


    He turned so he faced it, but stayed quiet and close together. The door creaked open and a hand put down a small bag.


    ¡°Books.¡± He perked up at Lady Yanami¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in a few hours; this is the best I can do for you, just keep them hidden.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Taiyo murmured. He shoved off the bed and went to collect the bag.


    Lady Yanami didn¡¯t respond, pulling her hand back and closing the door again. She didn¡¯t waste much time blocking the door again.


    Alone once again, Taiyo pulled out the first book in the pile and read. If nothing else, maybe it would keep him occupied until he was freed to fight.

 Chapter 53: Discovery

    The books helped, but not enough to keep the voices silent.


    You could easily leave, they pointed out. You still have a window¡ªit might hurt to fall, but it wouldn¡¯t kill you.


    It wouldn¡¯t be hard to find a weapon nearby¡­ You can fight back.


    You¡¯re pitiful. A waste.


    Maybe we made a mistake in killing Seiko.


    Tsujihara Seiko sighed. The worst part is that I can¡¯t deny it. I would have finished it along with the war if I had known¡­


    Her death¡ªher real death¡ªplayed in Taiyo¡¯s mind, clear enough that he swore he felt the blade against his neck.


    No matter what, the voices weren¡¯t getting quieter. At this rate, he hoped Gin and S¨®lstaeur were pushed back so he could stay here for a little longer. If he had more time to think, read more books, maybe¡ª


    It¡¯s foolish of you to think we can be ignored.


    Taiyo had to try anyway. He could barely stomach killing strangers, people that had killed or planned to kill those from Gin; he didn¡¯t want to make his worried daydreams a reality. He hated anxiety for that reason alone.


    The voices grew a little louder at the sound of footsteps and swords. Taiyo perked up and shoved his books under his little blanket. He tried to listen to the real people outside the door.


    ¡°Quick, this way!¡±


    ¡°We need to¡ª¡±


    One of the two yelped and there were two thuds. A third person used the shared language.


    ¡°Yuneda is dead. Get out of here before you join her.¡±


    The first two¡ªKuro soldiers, most likely¡ªprobably didn¡¯t understand most words, but from the sound of it they fled. The things in front of the door moved, a S¨®lstaeuric conversation held on the other side. Considering their tone, Taiyo assumed they were discussing something about the battle.


    Taiyo looked up as the door opened and a S¨®lstaeuric man stepped inside. Taiyo shuddered back towards the wall at the sight of the man¡¯s knife, prompting him to sheath it. The man behind him gave the other a quizzical look.


    ¡°Can you understand me?¡± the closer man asked. His eyes suggested far more questions than he asked¡ªTaiyo imagined he wanted to know about his whereabouts, his appearance, his name.


    All Taiyo really knew was that this meant that Gin¡¯s soldiers must be here too. Kyoumi, Sorai, and Rei could very well be nearby. That gave him more dread than joy.


    ¡°Y-yes, sir,¡± Taiyo murmured. ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He turned to the man behind him and gave S¨®lstaeuric instructions, then looked back at Taiyo. ¡°May I ask you to stay here? I¡¯ll get someone to see you soon, we just need to tell the stragglers that they¡¯ve lost.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Taiyo hesitantly nodded. The S¨®lstaeuric man pulled away from the door, leaving it open. Taiyo could hear the noise outside the hallway better¡ªmore talking, less fighting¡ªyet the voices in his mind only grew louder to compensate.


    You¡¯ll wish you left, they warned. There¡¯s still time. You can flee, and they¡¯ll never know¡ªcarry out that ¡®research¡¯ of yours somewhere far away. Who knows¡ªif you¡¯re so determined to evade us, you could even try going north.


    Of course, you will run into the same issue that Seiko did. If you leave one member of the royal family alive, including yourself, we will come back again and again until someone finally frees us¡ªuntil Lady Aimiki has seen enough.


    Despite their claims, he barely had enough time to even seriously consider leaving before he heard that man¡¯s voice again.


    ¡°...He¡¯s in here. He was able to talk to me, at least, but I can¡¯t tell much more than that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a look. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Kuro had drafted teenagers to fight, even if he was isolated.¡±


    He both perked up and pulled away at the familiar voice. His thoughts couldn¡¯t decide on happiness or worry, leaving him in a conflicted state by the time the speaker opened the door.


    ¡°Hello? Sir Roken told me you were here, may we have a little chat?¡±


    She fully opened the door and prepared to say something else, but she stopped. The voices grew a little more excited at the sight of Kyoumi¡¯s silvery-white hair.


    His mother blinked once, twice, then cautiously entered.


    ¡°Taiyo?¡±


    He wanted to smile, but his hand twitched instead. Kyoumi came closer, eventually kneeling down in front of him.


    She didn¡¯t say anything for a minute or two, just¡­taking in his appearance¡ªthe scratches he etched into his own skin to make the voices quieter at night, his thin clothes looking worse for wear, the half-starved frame underneath, his unkempt hair. He didn¡¯t know what she assumed caused everything, but he knew he wouldn¡¯t correct her if he didn¡¯t have to.


    ¡°Were you here this whole time? In Kuro?¡±


    Taiyo nodded, prompting Kyoumi to carry on a bit more hesitantly. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Can you tell me how you got here? What happened in the meantime.¡±


    He remembered just enough of what brought him to Kuro¡¯s palace to make him shiver and bite his lip. Those first few soldiers must have suffered; the voices didn¡¯t know how to show mercy. Shigeru and Ryobe were lucky, honestly¡ªhe could have killed them.


    Just thinking it made him sick. Kyoumi¡¯s expression shifted into regret and she pulled him in for a gentle hug.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything now,¡± she murmured. ¡°Just having you back is enough. We can go over specifics when you¡¯re ready; there¡¯s no need to get caught up in anything within the first hour. It can wait.¡±


    Taiyo flashed her a little smile as thanks, and she let go of him a little bit later.


    ¡°Rei and your father would be thrilled to see you,¡± Kyoumi said kindly. ¡°And we¡¯ll need to introduce you to Roken and his children¡ªlet me know if it gets too overwhelming, and I¡¯ll find a quiet place in camp for you to sit in, all right?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    She patted his shoulder again as she backed away and turned towards the S¨®lstaeuric man.


    ¡°Could you ask Sorai and Rei to come here?¡± she asked him. ¡°And get a fresh set of clothes, if you can. I want to give some time for the camp to settle down before Taiyo goes in.¡±


    The man nodded, questions still burning behind his blue eyes but with enough respect not to voice them for the moment. Kyoumi moved back to the other edge of the room and stood to wait for the rest of the family.


    Naive, naive, naive¡­ the voices whispered. All of you.


    Better naive than dead or hated. Taiyo wanted to do whatever he could to avoid being the monster Kuro meant for him to become.


    He would save this family. He just had to figure out how. No one else should have to suffer like Tsujihara Seiko did.

 Chapter 54: Catching Up

    Taiyo waited in the room for Sorai and Rei. Kyoumi never left, standing just outside the door and occasionally talking to any passerby; she mainly used the shared language. Then again, if the army was made up of both Gin and S¨®lstaeuric forces, that made sense.


    He heard Rei¡¯s voice before he saw him. Taiyo managed to stand up for them, trying to ignore his headache.


    Rei¡¯s eyes lit up and the sag in his shoulders disappeared. He entered the room more boldly than Kyoumi, aware of what he saw. He didn¡¯t need to convince himself it was his brother.


    Honestly, it¡¯s been long enough that Rei might have started wondering what would happen if Taiyo turned up dead. Taiyo could imagine it going either way, at least¡ªTaiyo staying alive just for Rei to be dead, or Rei managing alone only to see Taiyo¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Rei asked. He observed Taiyo¡¯s scratches and frowned. ¡°As much as you can be, at least?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. You?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one that¡¯s been missing since spring,¡± Rei pointed out.


    Taiyo looked away and rubbed his arm. ¡°I know. But you¡¯re the one with the worst history.¡±


    ¡°...I guess. There¡¯s a lot to catch up on, though.¡±


    ¡°We can start with what you¡¯ve been doing?¡± Hopefully by then, the camp would be clear and he could avoid telling them for a little longer. He really hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to explain everything.


    Rei glanced at their parents for permission, and both nodded. He leaned against the wall and Taiyo sat down again.


    ¡°We had the whole Fujita family searching for a while,¡± Rei murmured. It didn¡¯t look like he really knew where to start. ¡°A message got sent out to anyone who would take it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Taiyo replied without thinking.


    Kyoumi shuffled into the room a little bit more to give him a kind look.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. No need to apologize.¡±


    That¡¯s what she thinks, the voices muttered. Those you killed and hurt would say differently¡­


    Taiyo flashed back a smile as if he actually believed her words, then gave his attention back to Rei.


    ¡°It was hard, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Rei let out a grim chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Suffice to say, you¡¯re barely going to leave my sight. Hope you¡¯re okay with that.¡±


    ¡°The company will be appreciated,¡± Taiyo said, managing a genuine grin. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Rei half-smiled back, letting Taiyo lead into a further conversation.


    ¡°Is Maeko here?¡±


    ¡°Just me and Roken¡¯s kids,¡± Rei replied, shaking his head. ¡°She still sends me letters, though.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s my favorite furry niece?¡±


    Joking won¡¯t solve your problems, boy. But at least he could pretend.


    ¡°Snowbell found another stray,¡± Rei said, only partially sheepish. Not that long ago he would¡¯ve gotten embarrassed. ¡°Maeko¡¯s taking care of him.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°A tom? I can¡¯t wait for the furry grandnieces and nephews, then.¡±


    Rei rolled his eyes but his cheeks grew red. Taiyo smiled back with stupid positivity that he missed; even Kyoumi and Sorai seemed relieved, when he glanced over at them. Maybe if he didn¡¯t bring up what kept him here, they wouldn¡¯t ask him.


    Someone else came down the hall, catching everyone¡¯s attention. The S¨®lstaeuric man from earlier came holding some clothes.


    ¡°The camp¡¯s mostly settled,¡± the stranger reported. He handed the clothes to Kyoumi, who stepped further in the room to pass them to Taiyo.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kyoumi replied. She looked at Taiyo but gestured to the stranger. ¡°This is Roken Andreas, S¨®lstaeur¡¯s grand chief. And, Roken¡ªthis boy is my younger son, Taiyo.¡±


    Roken gave a nod in greeting, rather than the usual bow. Kyoumi spoke to Taiyo again after a short pause.


    ¡°Get changed, then we can get something to eat,¡± she said nicely. ¡°If you need anything, please let someone know. Whatever brought you here, I promise I won¡¯t let it happen again.¡±


    He cast her a thankful look, even if he didn¡¯t really mean it. She couldn¡¯t tell the difference.


    So caring¡­yet she overlooks things all the same. She¡¯ll never know your pain. She¡¯ll never forgive your actions.


    Taiyo tried not to let his expression fall until everyone filtered out of the room and he closed the door so he could change. Putting on a smile would be easier than telling them the whole story.


    ¡­


    There weren¡¯t many people out and about in the camp; most that were didn¡¯t even bat an eye towards him. Then again, he just looked like a normal Gin kid. They might¡¯ve even thought he was Rei.


    Taiyo convinced Rei to ramble while he listened and ate. Kyoumi and Sorai had to leave to assess losses, leaving the boys alone. He found it easier to stay in the present when it was just his twin; the voices dulled enough that he could pretend they weren¡¯t muttering It wouldn¡¯t be hard to frame his death as a suicide¡­


    He shook it off every time; Rei noticed and tried to give a friendly smile, assuming Taiyo was recalling ¡°whatever brought him there.¡± Taiyo tried to focus on the conversation more until his attention slipped for a single second and the process repeated.


    Rei gave him a curious look after he finished eating.


    ¡°Are you up for a bit more walking around, or do you want to find somewhere to relax?¡±


    ¡°Keeping my mind on something will help more,¡± Taiyo admitted.


    Rei nodded and stood up, trying to give a little smile. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to the Roken kids, then. They¡¯re the closest thing we have to agemates here.¡±


    Rei gestured for Taiyo to follow him, but ultimately he didn¡¯t take too many steps ahead of his little brother. He seemed to have a good idea of the camp¡¯s layout, leading with little to no hesitation in regards to direction.


    They stopped upon reaching a small sitting area¡ªprobably set up specifically for the younger ones, if Taiyo had to guess¡ªand Rei waved to the two kids already there. Both were S¨®lstaeuric, a boy and a girl, the former drawing and the other noticing the twins first. Unsurprisingly, when the girl chirped a greeting, she used the shared language.


    ¡°Hey! Rei and stranger.¡±


    ¡°Father mentioned something about Gin¡¯s second price,¡± the boy murmured. He half-looked at Taiyo and gestured with his pencil. ¡°Are you him?¡±


    Taiyo nodded and gave a short bow. ¡°Gin-Fujita Taiyo, second prince of Gin. I was in Kuro for a while, but I¡¯m here now.¡±


    The S¨®lstaeuric duo gave silent understanding. Maybe they were told to keep things light if they saw Taiyo, too. Or they hadn¡¯t acknowledged he was ¡®missing,¡¯ per se, just that he wasn¡¯t there alongside his brother. You can¡¯t miss someone you never knew, after all.


    ¡°Kasper and Emelie, by the way; we¡¯re Andreas Roken and Miya Masaaki¡¯s children,¡± the boy said, pointing to himself and his sister as he mentioned their names. ¡°Are you here for company?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± Taiyo admitted. ¡°It¡¯s going to be easier to adjust when I know who I¡¯ll probably end up spending the most time with.¡±


    Emelie perked up. ¡°Oh! Can we play that candy game again?¡±


    Rei glanced at Taiyo for permission, then nodded.


    ¡°Taiyo and I can get them,¡± he decided. ¡°That way I can show him around more.¡±


    Both Roken kids seemed okay with it, so Taiyo went back to following Rei around. He tried to focus on the present, without worrying about the past or future; the voices dulled a bit while he was with Rei, so at least that helped.


    If he was lucky, he might still be able to find a way to get his problem sorted out so they can really go back to normal.