“Who are you?!” Yahiro reflexively reached for the hilt of his katana. He had met a lot of Moujuu up to now, but never one that spoke. The same seemed to go for Iroha. In stark contrast, Runa and the Moujuu were calm. “Is that how you greet someone? Didn’t you come to Kyoto to meet me?” “What…?” Yahiro was shocked further by the Moujuu’s question. This time it wasn’t confusion for the unknown—he was shocked because he had an idea of what it meant. “I suppose I can’t expect you to not be surprised if I show up like this. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner.” The black Moujuu bowed, still in Runa’s arms. It was too humanlike. “Don’t tell me… You’re…” Yahiro’s voice was hoarse. The black Moujuu cleared its throat before grinning and solemnly announcing: “Indeed. My name is Karura Myoujiin. I am the descendant of the dragon slayer clan of old—the Heavenly Imperial House.” 6 “You’re…Karura Myoujiin…?” Yahiro felt faint as he stared at the black Moujuu in Runa’s arms. Nathan did say that the Myoujiin would send someone to get them, but he couldn’t have possibly expected them to come like this. “Don’t tell me that’s you…” “That? Oh, Kuro?” The Moujuu calling itself Karura seemed to frown. “…Kuro?” “This is one of the Moujuu under my control.” “What? So…you have the same power as Iroha…?” Yahiro looked at Iroha, who shook her head fiercely. “I can’t control Nuemaru like that. I’ve never taught a Moujuu how to speak, either…” “No, I don’t teach them how to speak. I am simply borrowing Kuro’s body. You should be able to do the same, Iroha Mamana.” “I—I can?” “Yes. Perhaps you didn’t have the need to do so because you’re not trapped in the forbidden zone.” Iroha tilted her head, confused by the black Moujuu’s sad comment. “The forbidden zone…?” “I mean the Myoujiin territory protected by the illusory barrier. If I leave this place, the barrier’s blessing is lost.” “I see… So that’s why you called us to Kyoto.” “Yes. As you know, the Heavenly Imperial House’s standing is in peril, although it can’t be helped. We are a pest to Ganzheit, I’m sure.” Karura chuckled dryly as she spoke through the Moujuu. Her mysterious clan, descendants of the rulers of the now-lost country, survived the demise and knew the dragons’ secrets. Ganzheit intended to monopolize such knowledge, so it was only natural that the Heavenly Imperial House would be a thorn in their side. “Nathan said you know how to resurrect the Japanese. Is that true? There’s a way to turn the Moujuu back into people?” Yahiro asked with a serious expression. Galerie Berith had captured Sui instead of killing her and risked themselves on their way to Kyoto for this exact reason. This piece of information Karura supposedly had was the last thing that Ganzheit would want to be known. “Yes. At the very least, I believe there is a possibility.” “Really?” “Really,” Karura confirmed without hesitation, then glared at Iroha, who was reaching out to Kuro’s chin. “Iroha Mamana, why are you petting me?” “Oh, sorry. It just looks so fluffy…” “I am not complaining. Pet if you want. Yahiro Narusawa, you’re free to do so as well.” “Uh… No, it’d feel awkward to do that when it’s speaking like a human…” Yahiro averted his gaze. Karura seemed hurt. “But it really is very fluffy… Oh well. There’s no time. Let’s cut to the chase.” “Please do.” “Now, then. I request that you rescue me.” “…Rescue?” Yahiro parroted in confusion. Karura paid no attention to his bewilderment and continued. “I want you to help me escape Kyoto. I am surrounded by Ganzheit forces inside the Myoujiin territory.” “Wait, you’re under attack?” Yahiro asked with a grimace. If the Myoujiin territory was under attack, Karura’s life was at risk, yet she sounded calm and composed as she continued. “Yes. It’s not fatally urgent, but I cannot escape on my own. The illusory barrier prevents the enemy from approaching, but if an army encircles us, simply muddling their sense of direction won’t be enough to keep them at bay.” “Hold on. Wasn’t the Heavenly Imperial House collaborating with Ganzheit?” “No. At the very least, we cannot call them comrades. We weren’t enemies publicly, but it would be more precise to say a conflict wasn’t possible until now.” “Then why are they attacking you now?” Yahiro tried to put things in order in his head. If Karura was telling the truth, then Ganzheit had overcome whatever discouraged war against the Heavenly Imperial House—something had changed within their organization. “Because that man…Eusebius Berith came to Japan,” Karura replied. Yahiro and Iroha were silent for a second before exclaiming in sync. “Eusebius…!” “Wait, the twins’ dad?!” “Eusebius Berith is part of the warmonger faction of Ganzheit. They intend to use the power of the dragons to rule the world. The Moujuu stampede in Yokohama—they were behind Douji Yamase back then,” the black Moujuu explained calmly. There was no hint of a lie or deceit in her words. Iroha shook her head in confusion. “B-but the Galerie’s Far East Branch was under attack that time. Why would he put his daughters in danger like that?” “Wasn’t it Galerie Berith who attacked the Far East Branch?” Iroha’s eyes grew wide at Karura’s calm remark. The man who attacked the Galerie in Yokohama, Andrea Berith, was an executive for the Oceania Branch of Galerie Berith. “Eusebius didn’t care who came out alive. The only thing he wanted was to show the world the threat of the dragons and cause an international catastrophe.” “…You make a good point, if that’s true,” Yahiro said bitterly. Karura’s reasoning was logical, but there was no proof. Believing her blindly and making an enemy of Eusebius Berith was too risky. “I understand you can’t simply trust my words.” Karura shook her head with amusement. “But why do you think Eusebius came to Japan now? You don’t suspect he might be stalling you there?” “Stalling… You mean that’s why he threw that party?” Yahiro frowned. Eusebius Berith promised the Far East Branch a promotion and a break to reward their achievements. That was the pretext for the extravagant feast. He came across as a nice boss keeping them in mind. However, the Far East Branch would be dissolved, and Giuli and Rosé would be kicked out of Japan. This clearly got in the way of Yahiro and Iroha’s goal of meeting Karura Myoujiin and resurrecting the Japanese. If they meant to destroy the Heavenly Imperial House, that would explain the large army sent from HQ to surround Kyoto Station. “I suspect they mean to keep you there while they end us. The dragon medium and Lazarus are wild cards even for Ganzheit. They wouldn’t want you to interfere.” “…Is House Berith trying to get rid of the Heavenly Imperial House because you want to resurrect the Japanese?” Yahiro’s voice trembled. Karura paused for a moment to think. “I believe you can take it that way. In any case, the Heavenly Imperial House’s Relict Regalia is indispensable for either resurrecting the Japanese or bringing about the worldwide genocide they want.” “The Relict Regalia…” “Yes. A special Relict also called a divine instrument.” Now that she mentioned it, Yahiro remembered Melora’s divine instrument. Ganzheit sent dragon medium Miyabi Maisaka just to collect the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. They valued the divine instrument that much. If the Heavenly Imperial House had a divine instrument on the level of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, that would be reason enough for Ganzheit to attack. “But why now? I’m sure they must’ve had other opportunities to attack you before. Why would they wait for us to come here?” “The situation has changed after what happened in Yokohama,” Karura responded immediately. Yahiro understood right away. “Sui…!” “Exactly. Ganzheit’s warmongers not only failed to manifest Superbia, but allowed Sui Narusawa to be captured.” Sui had tried to summon the earth dragon through Yahiro, the Lazarus she blessed, but Iroha wrecked Sui’s ploy. Ganzheit hadn’t expected that, either. Their plan failed primarily due to betrayal. “Auguste Nathan was supposed to oversee Sui Narusawa, and he turned his back on them. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The warmongers lost control and were forced to take action.” “We gotta stop wasting time reasoning all this!” Iroha shouted, unable to take any more. Eusebius’s forces were advancing into Myoujiin territory as they spoke. They had no time to waste indeed. “Yahiro, where’s Sui?!” Yahiro raised his head and pondered the question. Sui was in a coma inside the life-support system in the Yáo Guāng Xīng, and the Galerie’s HQ was currently in control of the train. The warmongers could snatch Sui without breaking a sweat. Cyrille had sealed off the area around the train to get her back. “Iroha, you stay here! Take care of Runa and Karu…that Moujuu!” Yahiro didn’t wait for her response before jumping out of the motor home. Runa just stared silently at him while holding the Moujuu in her arms. 7 The Kyoto Station blockade was tighter than it had been an hour prior, when they’d turned Yahiro and Iroha away. Still, Yahiro didn’t need to worry about how to get to the platform because the moment he entered the station, the butler appeared with ten or so operators following behind. They were carrying a stretcher connected to a life-support module. Sui was on the stretcher. “Cyrille Ghislain!” Yahiro shouted, his breath short from the running. The operators raised their guns, but Cyrille raised a hand to stop them. He smiled at Yahiro. “Oh, Mr. Narusawa. What is the matter?” “You gotta ask?! What’re you doing with Sui?!” Yahiro glanced at his sleeping sister before walking up to the older man. “Miss Sui Narusawa will be taken to proper medical facilities. We heard that she is in a coma for unknown reasons.” “Medical…?” “Yes. They will give her careful treatment, so please do not worry yourself.” Cyrille’s expression remained unchanged even under Yahiro’s point-blank glare. He showed no remorse or disquiet as he continued. “Superbia’s medium is an important resource for Galerie Berith. Wouldn’t you want your sister to recover consciousness?” “Of course. If you can be trusted, that is.” “You can’t trust us? But we are Galerie Berith, too.” “How can I trust you when you’re taking her away behind our backs?” Yahiro smirked mirthlessly. Cyrille shook his head in disbelief. “That was not our intention. You were already informed that we would be taking over the Far East Branch’s operations, too.” “Sui is a necessary factor in our negotiations with Karura Myoujiin,” Yahiro stated. “We realize.” “Myoujiin said she can resurrect the Japanese, and we need Sui’s power for that,” Yahiro revealed. “That is wonderful. However, we are merchants in the end; we act in our own best interests—profits. Hopefully the Heavenly Imperial House can pay us more than what we would gain from handing her over to Ganzheit,” Cyrille asserted with a chilling smile. Yahiro’s eyes grew wide and he unsheathed an inch of his katana before he knew it. “Please don’t. You mean to become an enemy of the Galerie?” All warmth had disappeared from Cyrille’s voice. The operators behind him were already aiming their guns at Yahiro. He may have been immortal, but receiving a concentrated storm of bullets like this would put him down for the count. Still, Yahiro kept his hand on the katana. They couldn’t shoot him while Cyrille was right in his face. “I can’t let you hand Sui to Ganzheit.” “Well… That is an unexpected request.” “Why?” “I heard you hated Sui Narusawa.” “You got that right. I’d love to kill her here and now,” he spat while lowering into a fighting stance. Cyrille was already within Yahiro’s reach. He could take Cyrille hostage to take Sui back. If he could steal one of the train’s cars, worst-case, he could go to Myoujiin on his own. Decided, he kicked off against the floor. “I can’t have you taking her out of the reach of my sword!” Yahiro drew his katana and circled around to Cyrille’s side. He aimed the blade at the butler’s neck, but winced. His right arm was frozen in the air. His left arm and legs were also no longer under his control. Wires, thin like hair, invisibly bound his body. “Stop it, Yahiro.” “Giuli…?!” Yahiro frowned at the short girl as she appeared from the darkness behind him. Giulietta Berith had wrapped him in wires. Her twin sister Rosé stood beside her, too. He had thought they were unconditionally on his side, but then remembered they were members of House Berith. Yahiro gritted his teeth. “Hand over the Kuyou Masakane. Iroha’s kids won’t be safe if you go up against the Galerie,” Rosé stated matter-of-factly. Understanding the implications, Yahiro’s blood boiled. “You’re taking them as hostages?!” “Why do you sound so surprised? You knew our relationship with them from the very beginning.” Rosé shook her head with a sigh. Yahiro was at a loss for words. “Excellent, Lady Giulietta, Lady Rosetta. No wonder they call you the most excellent of the sisters,” Cyrille praised them apathetically. Then, he looked at Yahiro as though one would a piece of broken tableware. “What a shame, Lazarus boy. We will be detaining you.”
Chapter 67
12 min read