Chapter 41

They descended the stairs and stepped out of the building. The difference in temperature between outside and inside was greater than expected, so Ix pulled his coat tight around him. Shuno told him they were going to take a walk around the area. Ix waited there and heard the door opening behind him. He turned back to see Nova, expressionless as ever. “Why is Yuui here?” he asked without any preface. “I thought she went back to Lukutta.” “This was a condition, for her return.” “I didn’t hear anything about any conditions.” “No, you didn’t.” “…What’s the condition?” “That she participate, in the theological meetings in this town.” “Why?” “I don’t know. But I’ve been told that once this is over, she really will return to Lukutta.” “I don’t get it…” Ix folded his arms and looked up at the sky. “What’s the point of making Yuui participate, and with her true identity hidden at that? Since you’re here, she’ll still continue to cooperate with the New Order, and her having royal blood carries no sway in the Kingdom.” He turned his head and noticed Nova staring at him. Her expression hadn’t changed, but she seemed like she wanted to say something. “What’s up?” he asked. “Did Yuui, tell you?” asked Nova. “Tell me what?” “Did Yuui say she had royal blood?” “Uh, well…” Ix didn’t understand the point of the question but brought a hand to his mouth and searched through his memories. “It was…Tomah I heard it from. I think he just told me she had some noteworthy ancestry without going into specifics.” “Which means, she didn’t speak to you about it, herself?” “Nova, what are you asking this for? Are you saying she doesn’t really have royal blood?” “No, she does. But that isn’t the reason she’s valued in Lukutta. She comes from, another important bloodline.” “Another?” “Yes, she’s…” When Ix heard Nova’s response, he was overcome with a horrible feeling of foreboding. Though he had nothing in the way of proof to validate his hunch, it all fit together too perfectly. He glanced around, but Shuno wasn’t back yet. He didn’t have time to wait. “Sorry, Nova, I’m going back to the dinner,” Ix said as he opened the door. “Tell Shuno that when they get back. They’re the person I was with.” “Okay.” Leaving her behind as she nodded, he ran up the stairs and went back in the room they were in before. Very few people noticed to Ix when he reentered. Most of them were focused on the debate playing out between Rolphie and Seyoh in the middle of the room, the one was already supposed to have been settled. Rolphie was spreading his arms out and shouting. “Guys, I’m both screaming and crying here! How the hell did none of you realize such a simple thing?! He wanted someone to figure it out! That’s why he was so sloppy!” “S-Seyoh, is this true?” said one guest with a shake of their head. “Did you really pretend to attack Minaha to see if there was anyone who bore her ill will?” “It is as you say,” replied Seyoh with a smile. “I assumed that if there was someone among the participants like that, they would attempt to contact me afterward. But no one appeared. I do apologize for testing everyone like that, but this means we are finally ready for the next meeting.” “Ready…?” Seyoh ignored the man who muttered and walked over to stand behind Yuui, the person in the coat. She raised her head but didn’t react beyond that. Everyone there watched him with bated breath. “There is a debate that we must have—a debate for our future. But it concerns an incredibly delicate matter. Some of you may be sickened at the mere mention of it. But first, I wanted you to trust her.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. Then he slowly rubbed her coat and moved his fingers to her hood. “Let me introduce the real Minaha: Miss Yuui Laika.” Yuui didn’t resist. She kept her hands on her knees and her back perfectly straight as he removed her hood. Her dark skin, unlike anyone else’s in the room, had been exposed. “I see, so she’s an easterner,” remarked the elderly vukodrak woman immediately. She waited a few seconds before filling the chamber with her calm voice. “Seyoh, I believe you were overly cautious, but you have magnificently achieved your goal. At this point, no one here has any negative feelings toward her. We can have a rational debate about easterners. Am I incorrect?” She looked around the room, and everyone nodded. There were murmurs of agreement with Mellay and surprise that Yuui had such a deep understanding of Marayism. But Seyoh disabused them of their assumption. “Mellay,” he said, “you have come to the wrong conclusion. It is not the easterners themselves we must discuss, but their faith.” He smiled as he continued. “What I am most concerned with is how we interpret their beliefs when we enlighten them.” “So then we will be hearing from Yuui herself? About the god they believe in and their doctrine?” “No. Yuui is an example.” “An example? Of what?” asked Mellay, her head cocked.