Shiro and Yayoi went back to Mihashira Tower. Even though there are no personal artifacts left but there are still a library full of books.

"There isn't much in this library, but I managed to read most of it. I hope there should be at least one with the important information we need.", Yayoi said.

Shiro followed her through the Timeless Palace, she had known her way around it since she has been the resident here all this time.

He looked at the figure walking in front of him. She used to wear the heavy kimono the Lieutenant had it made for her, matched to his tastes. How she is always under his command even though she was actually rebellious. But now the one in front of him is different. Her modern shirt and skirt, how she is doing things by herself.

The library was a medium sized room. Of course filled with bookshelves full of books.

"They should be dusty. Most of them are historical, Slates-related. But this is Daikoku's personal collection, it's best we start here.", Yayoi explained.
"All right."

Yayoi and Shiro went through each book in silence. Kuro had Neko stay at home because he know she'll disturb Shiro if he's intending to do deep research.

"Yayoi-sama."

A figure appeared out of thin air in front of the library door. Yayoi is not new to this.

"Oh, Usagi-dono."

A Gold Rabbit knelt outside the room, to Shiro's surprise.

"Are you in need of any assistance?", the Rabbit asked.
"No, I'm just doing some research..."

Yayoi stopped mid-sentence and turned towards the kneeling Rabbit.

"You know what? Shiro had you relieved of his duty with him. Daikaku has passed away now, so you don't have to keep on guarding me.", said Yayoi.

The Rabbit looked up behind his mask at Yayoi in shock.

"But Yayoi-sama, we have been sworn to protect you..."
"Yes and you did well. All this time. Now Daikaku's gone, so is your powers. I can't have you risking your life on this battle with the Green Clan. I have Shiro now and his clansmen."

Shiro approached the Rabbit as well.

"She's right. You need to focus on the current system, like you said before. Leave Yayoi to me.", Shiro said.

The Rabbit bowed down to his head. Then, he reached behind his black robe and took out a small wooden box. He placed it in front of Yayoi.

"This box has been with me since the Gold King entrusted it to me. No one knows about this box except the two of us. I was ordered to give it to you when the time has come."

Yayoi held the box in daze. Daikaku had left her something. She then hugged the aged figure in front of her.

"Thank you. Thank you for your service to me all this years. Thank you for putting up with most of my demands. Thank you."

The Gold Rabbit bowed down low and long and left the Palace.

Yayoi placed the box on the corner.

"We need to research first, the box can come later.", Yayoi said.


Shiro knew Yayoi's mind was preoccupied with the mysterious wooden box left by the Lieutenant. He can see that she sometimes peek through the corner of her eyes.

"Yayoi."
"Hmm?"
"Go check on the wooden box. It's what the Lieutenant had left for you anyway."
"You sure?"

The box was placed on Yayoi's lap as she sat with her back on the wall. The box was old but it was well kept. There was a paper seal with Yayoi's name written on it. Daikoku's handwriting. She opened the box, tearing its paper seal. Revealing the handwritten papers inside.

The first paper on top of the pile was a letter. A letter so old that she was afraid she'll destroy it if she was too rough.

"What was it?", asked Shiro.
"It was a letter."
"A letter? Want me to read it for you?"

Yayoi hesitated but handed the letter over to Shiro. As Shiro read the letter out loud, she was all ears.

The first letter was addressed to Daikaku from his family member. The contents of the letter was an acquaintance of the family, a girl of the Nakatomi family has mysteriously fallen ill. She suffers from terrible head pain that left her bed-ridden with continuous pain. The mother of the girl described her condition was worse than death and a heart breaking sight. She clawed herself out of pain and are even unable to recognize anyone or engage in any conversations. Their family had tried physician of any kind and hasn't found any cure to the illness. They asked that Daikaku do a research with western medicine to see if he can find a cure to the mysterious illness.

"Hmm.. From the date in the letter, this is written sometime before the Lieutenant went to Dresden. Is there anything else? The lieutenant's reply?", asked Shiro.

Yayoi took out the second paper of the pile.

"This seems to be another letter.", said Yayoi as he handed the letter to Shiro.

The second letter, still addressed to Daikaku. This time the letter said that the Nakatomi girl's illness had changed. Her pain stopped but she went into a sleep-state. No one has been able to wake her up. Rumors said that such illness appeared in the Western countries and are called hysteria. Again, the same favor was asked of the Lieutenant, to find a cure if he can.

"Okay so this is about the same girl with a mysterious illness.", said Shiro.
"Could it be me?", asked Yayoi.
"The Nakatomi girl?"
"The first letter said the girl wasn't able to recognize anyone or engage in any conversation. Maybe the pain fried the brains awry. And she went into a sleep-like state. Coincidence?"
"Well, it can be. But let's not jump into conclusions, right? More?"

Yayoi took out a book. Nothing was written in the cover. She handed it again to Shiro, and he checked the book's content.

"This seems like the Lieutenant's journal."
"Journal?"
"Wait..."

Shiro read some pages quickly and turned to the old letters.

"The dates...", mumbled Shiro.
"What is it?"
"The Lieutenant went to investigate with the Nakatomi family. First out of obligation. But then out of curiosity.", said Shiro.
"What curiosity?"
"The dates when the illness started and when it changed. It connects with the Slates."

Shiro pointed at a letter with the book still in other hand.

"According to the dates from the family, the illness started at the same time I started the experiment on the Slates. Releasing its power for the first time. Then when she fall into the sleep state, it was when ..."
"When?"
"The bomb... My sister died and I become the First King."

Shiro went quiet. Yayoi knew of that bad memory for Shiro and Daikaku too.

"The Lieutenant tried to keep the Slates power in control. It was a tough challenge at first but when he went back to Japan, the weight seems to decrease. At first he thought it was just a mental strength of finally coming back home. But when he discovered the link between the girl's illness and the Slates, he decided to take her with him."
"This was about me, Shiro!"
"As the girl and the Slates become closer to each other, the Lieutenant's weight kept decreasing. That is when he deduced that the girl had the ability to suppress the Slates power."

Yayoi dug up the box and found a small cloth bag. It was quite a heavy cloth bag, and as she flipped the contents out, a stone fell out with a letter.

It was a hanging fan-shaped shokudo decorated with gems and another bigger gemstone was in the sequence. Yayoi flipped the gemstone as she felt rough carvings at the back.

"Shiro.", called Yayoi.
"What is it?"

Yayoi showed Shiro the gem that had some letters carved on it. Yayoi

"Is there more on the journal?", asked Yayoi.

Shiro continued reading the journal, but he made a sad face.

"The Lieutenant told the Nakatomi family that Yayoi-san had died and he buried her. So, they asked Lieutenant to bury the gemstone with her. But he kept her with you. Then, he went to wake you up as the Gold King. You don't remember anything at all. So he gave you the name Yayoi again."
"But just Yayoi.", she continued.
"That is when he made the rule that no one should know about you and your existence since he deemed you very important. You are the only thing standing between the Slates and its full power being unleashed into the world and creating chaos."
"Just like what is happening now..."

Shiro closed the book and placed all the contents back inside the box neatly. He found Yayoi looking blankly at the distance.

"Even if you went and search for your family, they'll probably won't recognize you. You are deceased in the records.", said Shiro.
"The least I can do is protect them. From this oncoming chaos! We need to go back to researching!"

Shiro gave a warm smile to Yayoi.

"Okay, let's start again."


Kuro entered the room with wet clothes as he had encountered one of those unnatural power incidents again as it kept happening all over the place. He found Neko nibbling at some cookies near the kitchen.

"Neko, what are you doing here?"

Neko gave an angry look and threw her head away. Kuro can figure out what has caused it. He stepped into the room and found the table even messier.

Shiro and Yayoi had been going hard on researching this past month. The dining table gets messier day by day, as more papers and notes kept filling it. That is practically what they're doing every day, reading and discussing. No wonder Neko was always in such a bad mood.

Every day, Yayoi came in the morning with anyone from Homra escorting her by Kusanagi's orders and at night she'll go back to Homra base since that's where she's been staying. According to her, she hadn't really talked to Reisi, due to their 'cold war'.

"Public safety seems to be worse each day. Because of the Slates, it fell on the Green King's hand. It kept bestowing powers on civilian that is not even part of a clan.", said Kuro.
"Sorry, I'll come up with a solution quickly.", replied Shiro.

Kuro looked at Shiro diligently writing things. Yayoi was looking down, her hand holding her head.

"Yayoi-san, are you okay?", Kuro asked.
"Oh Kuro. It's fine. It's those headaches again."
"Are you sure you're okay? You keep having headaches every day.", said Shiro.
"No, I'll be fine."

Yayoi suddenly stood up to everyone's shock. She brought a paper with her.

"Shiro! Your sister's notes! We can use the Resonance Hammer Effect on the Slates!", she yelled.
"Wait... By unfolding the Sanctum under special conditions, we'll cause an irreversible change to the Dresden Slates' own Weismann phase."

Shiro looked at Yayoi with sparkling eyes.

"We might have a chance on this."