Chapter 46

Epilogue The gray steel train was undergoing its last checkup at the Fort Yokohama underground railyard. Galerie Berith’s armored train—the Yáo Guāng Xīng. Most of its sixteen cars were armed with heavy anti-Moujuu weaponry, and it was loaded with numerous drones and armored fighting vehicles (AFVs). It could run for two weeks carrying one platoon and without refueling. It was a mobile fortress. The armored train was getting ready for departure. Its destination: the city once known as Kyoto. The Heavenly Imperial House had lands in the mountains north of Kyoto. This was the only place not invaded by foreign armies: the only place in which Japan’s independence was recognized, as it was guarded by Moujuu and Regalia. From that location, a candidate for next head of the House, Karura Myoujiin, plotted the restoration of Japan. Outmaneuvering even its Ganzheit ally. Auguste Nathan brought them that intel, and the twins decided to depart for Kyoto the moment they heard that, in order to check its veracity. If Karura truly could return the Moujuufied Japanese people back to human, then Yahiro and Iroha had no choice but to help them. As for the Galerie—arms dealers—the possibility of connecting with the Heavenly Imperial House was naturally intriguing. After all, the Heavenly Imperial House would need as many weapons as possible if they wanted to take the Japanese land back from the armies of the world. There was also the issue of Douji Yamase exposing Iroha. It was highly likely the Galerie would not be able to protect her from another attack if they remained at the now-damaged base. It was better for them to take her out of Yokohama while the base was under repairs. The trip to Kyoto came at an opportune time. “Hey, why don’t you come, too?” Iroha invited Zen and Sumika at the platform. Three days had gone by since the Moujuu emergence in Yokohama. Since the battle between Yahiro and Zen. Zen and Sumika had stayed with Galerie Berith in the meanwhile, to interrogate Nathan. They needed to be informed of Karura Myoujiin’s plans, as they, too, were Japanese. However, they did not accept Iroha’s invitation to join them on their trip to Kyoto. “A train trip… I’d love to try it out, actually,” Sumika said as she stared longingly at the gray armored train. “We’re grateful for the offer, but no, thank you. We’re concerned about Miyabi Maisaka,” Zen replied with his usual serious tone. Ira’s medium, Miyabi Maisaka, had escaped while they were watching over Sui and Nathan, who’d turned themselves in. They had let their guards down, thinking she posed no danger now that her Lazarus, Douji Yamase, was lost. And she had footage of draconized Yahiro opening the Ploutonion and summoning the Moujuu. It didn’t seem as though the videos had been posted online, but they couldn’t let her go free either way. So, Zen and Sumika were intent on catching her before making their way to Kyoto. “I see, I see… In the end, I couldn’t thank you for rescuing Ayaho.” Iroha sighed in regret. They had kidnapped her, but they’d also saved her from a Fafnir soldier. Iroha’s impression of them changed entirely after Ayaho told her so. Now she was happy to know fellow Japanese people around her age, and she was particularly fond of Sumika. Meanwhile, things were still awkward between Yahiro and Zen. “You really don’t wanna kill me?” Yahiro asked him, completely serious. Zen had his Western sword on his back. Yahiro, on the other hand, was unarmed. Still, Zen showed no animosity. “It’s just a matter of priorities,” he flatly offered as a pretext. “I haven’t forgiven you, but first I must find out whether what that man says is true.” “I’m guessing you mean Nathan…,” Yahiro sighed. Sui Narusawa hadn’t woken up ever since the Galerie took custody of her. According to Nathan, these periodic cycles of coma were nothing rare. Sometimes they were as short as a few days, and sometimes they lasted months. Nathan was able to reveal Karura’s plan to them because Sui went into hibernation. The man was to be given a room in the armored train to accompany them to Kyoto. He would be under supervision, but not under restriction. Keeping him in a cage was pointless when he could use Superbia’s powers. “Even if we know the Moujuu were once Japanese people, do you think we can really turn them back?” Zen asked Yahiro, staring intently at him. Yahiro shrugged. It wouldn’t be strange for there to be a way to turn Moujuu human if the opposite was true. But there was no evidence to back it up. “Either way, I guess we can’t kill Sui until we find out whether Nathan’s telling the truth.” “…Right.” Zen agreed reluctantly. The Moujuufied Japanese people were trapped in an isolated space called the underworld. And only Superbia’s medium could open a path there. Sui was indispensable for Karura Myoujiin’s plan. “So, we’ll let you live until then. You and Sui Narusawa. But if you ever change into a dragon once again, then this time for sure, I will—” “Hee-hee-hee. Stop worrying. I’ll take care of him!” Iroha interrupted Zen and puffed out her chest confidently. Zen appeared worried for the first time, at the sight of Iroha’s incomprehensible certainty. “…Can I really trust her?” Zen whispered. “Don’t ask me,” Yahiro replied as he looked away awkwardly. Iroha’s eyebrows lifted in indignation. “Whaaa? Why do you doubt me? I took care of everything this time around!” “Ah-ha-ha. True.” Sumika laughed out loud. Then she got close to Yahiro and started grinding her elbow into his side. Iroha’s expression stiffened at the sight of that, just as Sumika expected. “She risked herself to save you, man. You’re blessed with a wonderful girlfriend. Take care of her, okay?” “She’s not my girlfriend.” Frowning, Yahiro corrected the girl. “Whaaa? Wait, hold on. Could it be you think you’ve no right to fall in love because you were involved in the J-nocide or some dumb crap like that?” “What?! Really?! You think that?” Iroha looked shocked. She looked a little angry, too, exasperated at the thought of Yahiro’s self-flagellation. Yahiro, however, sighed in annoyance. “Well, isn’t that the truth? Isn’t that why you wanted to kill me?” “Hey, don’t drag us into your pity party,” Sumika replied harshly. “You brought it up…,” was the only thing Yahiro could say in his confusion. Even if Zen and Sumika forgave him, Yahiro could not forgive himself. Millions of people died that day because he couldn’t kill Sui. Even if a percentage of them had survived as Moujuu, it didn’t absolve him of his sins. So he thought. Iroha, though, stared at him and said: “I forgive you.” “Huh?” “Even if you can’t forgive yourself, I forgive you. We promised.” She smiled as she raised her right pinky finger. Her face reminded him of that girl’s, bony and covered in bandages. Iroha said she had no memories of her childhood. She didn’t know her family, and lived in some institution until the J-nocide happened. Now Yahiro knew that institution was likely that lab. The lab Sui went to. Where she stabbed him. Where he met her. “You don’t remember…?” “Hmm? What?” Iroha tilted her head, her face truly ignorant of what he meant. “No, nothing. Forget it.” Yahiro shook his head with an awkward smile. It didn’t matter whether Iroha remembered or not. After all, that day, and when they met again, they’d made the same promise. I won’t kill you. And if you don’t want to be alone, then I’ll be by your side. “Heeey, if it isn’t Akulina! What’s up?” Yahiro was brought back from the sea of memories by the sound of Giuli’s voice behind him. Akulina Jarova, wearing the Guild’s uniform, was standing in the shadow of a pillar of the platform. Giuli’s keen eye found her, and she called out to her. “You came all the way here to say good-bye? How well-mannered,” Giuli said sarcastically. “As an executive of the Guild, it is my duty to observe the arrival and departure of the companies under our wing. I’m not giving you any special treatment,” she said in a defensive tone. Then she cleared her throat and, blushing, turned to look at Iroha. “But I do want to say thanks. The Moujuu attack wasn’t as big as it could have been thanks to you, Iroha Mamana. You have our gratitude.” “Oh, it’s nothing. You should thank the little guys for listening to reason,” Iroha said in a rare display of humility. Iroha sent the hundreds of Moujuu attacking Yokohama back inside the Ploutonion, since there were still some gates left even after Yahiro’s dragon flames burned the earth. Consequently, Iroha herself had saved Yokohama. “The little guys, eh…,” Akulina muttered with a conflicted expression. Iroha had no self-awareness of the oddness of her referring to the beasts feared by veteran mercenaries like they were pets. And Akulina realized how dangerous this was. “However, now people know that the Moujuu were once human. And that there is someone capable of leading them. Keep that in mind.” “Ah… Yeah. I’ll be fine. I’m prepared to go undercover. Look.” Iroha took out a pair of nonprescription glasses from her jacket pocket. Then she puffed out her chest in triumph. The camouflage was too obvious, but for some reason, Iroha legitimately believed it would work. Akulina grimaced outright this time before turning to look at Yahiro. Her face showed pity for what the future would bring for the guy. Then he realized Zen had the same look on his face. Only Sumika didn’t—because she was laughing her butt off. “Looks like we’re ready to go,” Rosé said after seeing the cargo hatch close. “Ciao, Akulina. Thanks for coming to say good-bye.” “I told you that’s not it!” Akulina objected to Giuli’s friendly farewell. Then Yahiro realized Zen and Sumika had vanished. They would be going to Kyoto later on, so they would meet up again eventually. The question was, would it be as allies? Or enemies? “Let’s go, Yahiro.” Iroha entwined her arm in his. “Yeah.” He let her drag him onto the train. Walking like that was hard, but for some reason, he didn’t feel like letting go of her until the end. The gray armored train took off with a loud and heavy clatter. Iroha’s siblings watched the landscape out the narrow windows, standing shoulder to shoulder. They were coming along to Kyoto as well. Ayaho was on her narrow bed, listening to her siblings’ giggling. She had told Iroha she was tired and would go to bed already, but even when she closed her eyes, she didn’t feel like sleeping. Memories ran through her mind from the night the Moujuu attacked Yokohama. Even when Yahiro, who had gone there to save her from her kidnapping, underwent that painful draconization, she could do nothing. She spent the whole time shivering inside the armored car with Akulina. And it all changed the moment Iroha showed up. After she arrived on Nuemaru’s back, she turned Yahiro back into a human, and argued head-to-head with Sui Narusawa. In the end, she even sent the emerging Moujuu back to the underworld and closed the Ploutonions. Meanwhile, Ayaho could do nothing. Nothing but stare from afar as Yahiro and Iroha hugged each other after the battle. Even though Yahiro had come to save her. It should’ve been her by his side. Would things have turned out differently if she had a power like Iroha’s? If she, too, was a dragon medium? “…Huh?” Ayaho opened her eyes when she felt a sudden throb. She sat up in shock and looked at the source. A crimson gem. The one Yahiro had given her when she promised to make it a container. The small rock was vibrating. Throbbing like a living heart.