I know I am horribly late in updating this chapter. D: I am super sorry! I was busy planning a surprise birthday party for my dear friend and a bunch of other stuff that I couldn't manage to update earlier.

I could have written a longer stay for Reika at the Nura House but I was afraid that it might ended up quite draggy and boring. I wanted to get on with the whole revealing she-is-actually-Otome stuff instead hehehe. :P

Thanks a lot to those who left reviews for the previous two chapters. It made my day and really boost my motivation a lot! And of course, I am also grateful to those who favorited, followed as well as the silent readers who actually took the time to read this. :D

Hope you guys are enjoying the chapters as much as I enjoy writing them! I am also trying to write longer chapters now. ;) And could you do me a huge favor by favouriting, following or leaving reviews? I thank you in advance!


Rihan was in his room, running his fingers across the blade of Nenekirimaru when a neckless youkai with glossy blond hair entered.

"Nidaime."

He looked up and nodded at him. "Hey."

Kubinashi walked over to him and glanced at whatever he was doing. "I heard about the Yami Clan from Karasu Tengu," he said. "Do you think that Hagoromo Gitsune is back? She might have gotten herself a new host and set up this new clan."

"Yeah," Rihan agreed, but he raised his eyebrows a little. "But why does she need a new clan when she already has one? Don't you think that maybe there's a rise of a new potential person who could be the next leader of the youkai world? We can't rule out that possibility either."

"But if the latter is true, I have to say that this person is quite bold." He gave an amused smirk, looking as though he was unaffected by this whole issue. Kubinashi sighed tiredly at him.

"Please be more serious about this, Rihan-sama."

"I'm serious." Rihan's head snapped up and his fearsome eyes held Kubinashi's in a strong gaze, conveying the message across to him that he meant every word he was saying. Kubinashi tore his eyes away because he could sense his Fear very strongly when his commander looked at him like that.

And then, Rihan cracked a smile. "Jeez, I was trying to lighten the mood here. Why are you always so stiff?" he joked. "You won't be able to make any ladies like you if you're continuing to be so cold like this." Kubinashi shot him a look, which made Rihan cough to hide his laughter that was threatening to spill out.

In the next second, his expression turned serious and his voice was determined.

"But whoever the leader of the Yami Clan is, we have to defeat her and destroy the clan. Obviously, they are just another bunch of ruthless youkai who detests the humans. And for that, we can't let them rule over us."

Kubinashi nodded his head in agreement. "Oh yes, Nidaime-" he has something to say to him. "-if you're planning to leave unnoticed alone AGAIN, I want you to take me along. How could you even think of leaving without any of your guards!?" He was ready to launch into one of his scoldings but Rihan held up both his hands in mock surrender and cringed at him.

"Alright, alright!" he gave in dramatically. "I promise you, but spare me your long lecture, okay?"

Sorry, Kubinashi. It is more exciting for a man to travel on his own.

Kubinashi paused and threw him a sceptical look. He knew that Rihan wouldn't promise him that easily, but he decided to let it go. There was something else that he has to say. Something important. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his shoulders as he thought hard about something. A few seconds of silence passed and Rihan soon realized that Kubinashi has more to say since he wasn't intending to leave the room.

"Is there something else you wanna tell me?"

Kubinashi hesitated, afraid that his next few words might anger his commander instead. However, he really wanted know what Rihan thought about it.

"You know, that girl..." he saw Rihan's fingers stopped moving on the blade but he continued slowly. "That one who looks like her..." Rihan was like a ticking bomb right now and Kubinashi didn't dare to speak the name of his first wife because he was afraid that he might set the bomb off.

"Don't you find her suspicious? I-I mean, don't you find her reason for staying here seems a little...weird?" Ever since Hanako or whatever-her-name-was entered the house, he hasn't been getting good vibes from her. Something about that girl seemed off.

The Second Commander remained quiet and only the sound of their breathing was heard. Kubinashi got off the wall and approached him with a questioning look.

"Is there something you know about her?"

Rihan blinked once before waving his question away. "Don't worry, she's not gonna be a threat to us." He resumed playing with his sword. He hasn't told anyone that Hanako might be his child. But he hasn't confirmed that yet, it was just a possibility.

"How do you know that she's not a threat? You let a stranger into our house when you knew that we're always being targeted! For all we know, she could be a spy or something!" Kubinashi threw him a frustrated look.

Rihan just shook his head, disagreeing with him. "She's sick, Kubinashi. What harm can she do to us?"

"Oh yeah, about THAT! She doesn't appear sick to me. I don't hear her coughing frequently. No fever, flu or whatsoever," he argued back. "This is weird, Nidaime. She's definitely acting it!"

Sometimes, Kubinashi would catch Hanako staring at Rihan for so long with a dangerous look in her eyes. Her smiles, they looked quite forced too. "Nidaime, don't you believe my words? I know that she looked like Otome-chan but please, don't be deceived by her-"

Rihan shoved Nenekirimaru back into its sheath loudly and this interrupted his subordinate. Kubinashi shut his mouth and kept quiet when he knew that he had struck a nerve. Crap, he accidentally said out his first wife's name.

Rihan stood up silently with a dark look on his face. "Kubinashi." He took a step forward with his cold eyes fixed on him.

"Enough saying already, alright? Just leave it."

He left the room and headed outside. He knew that he shouldn't be acting like this when Kubinashi was just worried about him. Moreover, he knew that whatever his subordinate pointed out was true and he wouldn't lie to him.

But I just can't...

He didn't want to interrogate her or chase her out of his mansion. He wanted her to stay.

Oh shit...

He was starting to harbour selfish thoughts.

Rihan sat down on a veranda outside one of the rooms in his house and sat there idly. His mind was in a mess as he tried to figure out his thoughts and emotions. This was the first time that he was actually confused with himself.

"Oi, Rihan."

Nurarihyon addressed his son and smacked him on the head using a knifehand strike. Rihan didn't notice his father sneaking up from behind and yelped in pain.

"Dammit, old man." He rubbed the spot on his head where he was hit. "Where did you go?"

"Tsk tsk. Don't let your guard down, Rihan," Nurarihyon shook disapprovingly at his son. "I went to visit Hihi. He seemed a little better."

Rihan smiled in relief. Hihi has lost his wife after she had given birth to their child, Shoei, a couple of years ago. He was still in a bad state as he couldn't get over the loss of his wife. He knew how Hihi felt since he had actually went through the same situation. But to be honest, he felt that Hihi was stronger than him mentally.

"You know, I was very surprised to know that we have a guest in our house." His father rubbed the grey stubble on his chin thoughtfully.

"Don't let yourself get to attached to her, Rihan," he warned. "She looks like Otome, but she isn't. Keep this in mind, you have Wakana and Rikuo now." He patted his son's shoulder gently before leaving him alone.

Rihan kept quiet as he pondered over his old man's words that replayed in his mind over and over again. He knew that Nurarihyon was right and he shouldn't be acting like this when he already has a family.

It was time for him to let go of the past completely.

And right now, he should be figuring the bigger problem instead - the Yami Clan. He knew that they were coming for the Nura Clan and he was expecting them to have arrived Ukiyoe by now. However, there was a delay in their arrival due to some unknown reasons.

A soft thud behind him followed by a female voice startled him while he was lost in his thoughts. He turned quickly and realized that it was just Hanako. She sat beside him and they spoke to each other for quite a while. While she was talking, he was uncontrollably enraptured by how much she resembled Otome.

His fingers reached out to touch her, but Kubinashi's and his father's words made him stop in time. He pulled back his hand and stared straight ahead to avoid looking at her. Hanako didn't utter a single word and an uncomfortable silence filled the air between them.

A few minutes later, a frantic-looking Kubinashi came running to him with bad news - the Yakushi Clan was attacked.

Zen! Rihan stood up instantly and ordered Kubinashi to call the rest and get ready to set off immediately. He hoped that they would be able to save the rest of the surviving members of the Yakushi Clan and especially, Zen. They played an important role in the Nura Clan as they were the ones who provided medicine and first aid whenever fights occurred.

He turned back to Hanako, who was surprisingly calm, and urged her to stay in the house as it was the safest place. After that, he hurried off to get his Nenekirimaru before meeting up with his subordinates.

He was absolutely clueless that he was actually leaving the house behind in the hands of a killer.


He was in a dream.

Finding himself in a room that he remembered it all too well with a heartbreaking love poem in his hand that was left behind by his first love, he knew that he was brought back to the past. This was the moment where his blissful world was shattered to pieces.

Setsura stood before him with tears cascading down her cheeks. Her trembling hands covered her mouth to muffle her sobs. She drew in a shaky breath when she finally mustered her courage.

"...she's dead," she choked out, her voice tremulous.

"I'm sorry, Rihan." Her remorseful eyes begged him for forgiveness. Tears rolled off her cheeks and formed tiny flakes of snow. It fluttered to the ground and piled around her as she continued crying.

"I'm sorry..."

"...so sorry..."

Sudden winds swirled around her thickly along with the snow flakes and took Rihan by surprise. Setsura let out a painful cry before her knees gave out and she collapsed on the floor, as though all her strength was drained out of her body. Her shoulders were slumped and her hands that were supporting her trembled.

"Nee-san!" he cried out, while shielding his face with the sleeve of his haori from the misty winds and icy snow flakes. When it died down, he reached out towards her and grabbed her shoulders to hold her upright properly.

"Are you alright, Nee-san? NEE-SAN!?"

Her head hung low and black-blue wavy hair hid her face from him. He couldn't get a good look at her face and this made him anxious.

"Nee-san? What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. When there was no reply, he shook her lightly once. When she didn't react, he repeated her name again and drew the black-blue curtain aside. Her face was exposed when he locked thick strands of her hair behind her ears with his fingers.

At last, she looked up slowly. And instead of amber eyes, he met coal-black ones. His jaw dropped in disbelief and his body froze completely. His brain was no longer functioning well anymore when he realized that the woman who was sitting before him was no longer Setsura but his deceased wife.

No, he thought, this is just a dream. She isn't real.

"Rihan..." Otome stared straight at him, her loving eyes were filled with such sadness that his body trembled involuntary. When her hand reached out to touch his cheek, his heart stopped as warmth seeped from her smooth fingers to his skin. Her touch was starting to ignite a spark within him again.

He closed his eyes and placed a hand over hers as he remembered how it felt like to feel her warmth. He missed her so terribly much that no amount of words could describe it. He didn't want to let go of her hand anymore, he just want to stay here forever with her.

If this is really a dream, he thought, please don't wake me up from it.

Warmth fingers touched his other cheek and a thumb ran over his skin just right below his right eye. He opened his eyes and realized that his cheeks were wet. He didn't even notice that he was crying until Otome started wiping his tears gently. His eyes welled up even more when he was reminded of how she died. A kind-hearted and gentle person like Otome didn't deserve to end her life in that way.

And she was alone, all by herself! He wasn't there by her side.

"I'm so sorry, Otome! It was all my fault that you died!" Words started spilling out of his mouth quickly when he couldn't hold himself back anymore. Guilt and anger gnawed at his insides. His feelings that he have bottled up within him for many years all started pouring out.

"I'm useless! And weak! This is all my fault, I couldn't save you!" He became even more agitated as he spoke every word. "Please, just scream at me or hit me as much as you want! Do whatever you want to me until you're appeased!"

Otome's expression remained unchanged. Her body shifted forward and she embraced him. Rihan's eyes widened in surprise, but he shut them slowly afterwards and hugged her back tightly.

"Otome..." he cried her name softly, afraid that she would leave again. "Otome..."

A stab of pain in his stomach startled him unexpectedly. He moaned excruciatingly and clutched at his stomach. He felt something warm and slick oozing out of his wound. Pain contorted his face and he started to see black dots. However, he forced himself to look at the person who did this to him.

Otome moved away from him and stood up. A dark look crossed her face and her hand was holding onto a knife that was dripping crimson blood.

No, it couldn't be... "O-Otome?" he gasped. His mind was in complete shock.

Her mouth curved into a smirk and she made no move to help him. To his horror, his dear Otome has transformed into a completely different person. The aura that she was giving off now was cold and evil.

"You did tell me to do whatever I want to you until I'm appeased, right?" she spoke coldly. Her black eyes turned into a dark ruby color and she smiled icily at him, or rather, at his pain. "How did that feel, Rihan?"

He didn't reply her as he was still dumbfounded and at a loss for words. He couldn't believe what she actually did to him. His mind was filled with turbulent thoughts as he started to deny the truth.

She kneeled down in front of him and held his chin tightly with her fingers. She made him look straight at her while she hissed at him.

"Your Otome... She's dead. Because of YOU!"

She let go of him and he collapsed onto the hard ground as his deep wound was causing his energy to seep out of his body fast. His consciousness was drifting away but he forced himself to stay awake as he stared after Otome, who was walking away from him. Before she left the room, she threw a cold smile over her shoulder. She vanished into the darkness of the night slowly, leaving him to die there alone.

Wait! Don't leave, Otome!

"Nidaime?"

Please...

"Nidaime? Wake up!" A distant voice called him. He felt someone shaking his shoulders and he awoke with a jerk. Kurotabou called him worriedly, his forehead creased in concern. However, Rihan didn't hear him as he felt his stomach for the wound . The pain that he was still feeling right now was distinct.

But there was nothing. There was no blood and a deep cut.

His mind was in a whirl. But she was real, the pain was real, and that wasn't a dream at all.

Besides, this dream was different than any other ones he had. Otome has never once appeared as a terrifying youkai who was full of hatred until the one he just had. He could still vividly recalled the gleaming look in her eyes as she smiled coldly at him. When her coal-black eyes changed to a ruby color, she looked identical to Hanako.

This reminded him, how on earth did he fall asleep on a giant flying snake youkai when he clearly remembered that he wasn't tired at all?

"We've arrived, Nidaime."

The flying snake youkai, who was carrying Rihan and his subordinates, stopped on a mountain where the Yakushi Clan resided. Even before they got off, they could already see the terrible destruction of the place.

The sight was a bloody mess. Bodies were scattered everywhere and the stench of the dead and blood was nauseating. The home of the Yakushi Clan was blown to pieces and neighboring trees were snapped in half. Rihan, shocked at the scene before him, regained his composure and ordered them to search for anyone who was still alive. They have to save as many as they could.

He clenched his fist tightly. Who was the one responsible for all this?

He searched around for Zen, hoping that the leader of the Yakushi Clan was still alive. They mustn't lose him, he was a precious subordinate of his. He was growing even more flustered and anxious when he realized that he couldn't find the person that he was looking for.

"Nidaime!" Tosakamaru and Sasami of the Sanba Garasu flew down and landed swiftly. They dropped down to their knees and bowed in respect to their commander. The only sibling missing was Kuroumaru, who has yet to arrive.

"Have you done what I've asked you to do?" he asked. He had ordered them to send word to every clan under the Nura Group as there was a likelihood that they might be attacked too.

"Yes, sir."

He nodded and was about to wave them off to help the rest when a black shadow flew down in lightning speed and landed hard on the ground. Kuroumaru has finally arrived but his face was slicking with sweat and his breathing was ragged. He looked as though he has met trouble while carrying out his task and ended up rushing here in a hurry to deliver a bad news.

"Nidaime, the One-Eyed Demon Clan has been attacked too! The Yami Clan is behind this!" he exclaimed edgily.

Rihan grippped his sword tighter as he received the news. The Yami Clan... He narrowed his eyes and tried to figure out their real motive for doing this.

"And I have brought word from my father." Kuroumaru went on telling him the description of the leader of the Yami Clan that Karasu Tengu has found out. Every word that he spoke made Rihan looked even more horrified. The energy in his body seeped out of his body and he grew numb.

It dawned on him how terribly wrong he was. Kubinashi's and his father's words, the Otome in his dream earlier on who looked like a certain someone when her eyes changed color... The answer was just right there in front of him.

Oh no...

Without uttering a single word, he spun around and dashed to the flying snake youkai while the Sanba Garasu were baffled by his reaction and shouted after him. But he didn't stop because he has to get back to his house as soon as possible.

He hoped that he would be able to reach in time to stop the mastermind behind all this.