Miryu walked into a tea-house and asked for where Katsura was. It had been a week since Tomoe had came to the Choushu head-quarters, yet she could not find anything about the mysterious woman. Trying to lay her mind off Tomoe, she decided on the coming meeting with her superior, and hoped that nothing would go wrong…

"Why did you summon me, Katsura-san?" Miryu asked when she entered the room where Katsura and Ikkomatsu, his lover, were waiting for her. The latter was holding a flute in her hands, and brought it to her lips the moment Miryu sat down next to Katsura, who poured her some Sake.

"Tsubasa-san, have you heard about the Iron Wolf-Maiden of Mibu?" Katsura asked, with a kind smile on his face. His eyes saw hers flash amber for a second, and returned to their sapphire state. He knew that she has already found out the truth about her heritage, but wanted her to know that she would not be in danger no matter who her parents were with his help.

"I… I cannot say that I haven't, Katsura-san" she said, in a sinking voice. "But… I fear that of my life should I reveal my relationship with her"

"You do not fear to die, Tsubasa-san" Katsura corrected her, "You fear that you will not have the chance to wreak vengeance on your mother's account on the Bakufu if you die"

Miryu's face was filled with shock the moment he uttered those words. Never before has she heard anyone speak of her mother so openly, especially not the leader of the Choushu Ishin-Ishishi faction. Her flawless face looked as if she was struck by lightning a thousand times over. An awkward, suffocating silence soon followed, which she forced herself to break. "How did you know?" she managed to stammer.

"You have your mother's features and her height" Katsura said blankly. "I've heard murmurs that you resemble her the most when you're killing your victims. Still that is unnecessary as to why I've called you here"

Ikkomatsu's playing has long stopped. She was intrigued at how poised Miryu was, despite the fear and shock that overwhelmed her. "Miryu-san, you look frightened" she said.

"I am, Miss, but I cannot run or hide from the fact that I am the daughter of Reiyama Ryumiko" she said, bowing to Ikkomatsu. "Actually, I am proud to be her daughter; it's just that I am afraid of the ate I might face should my identity be revealed"

"You will suffer no consequence, Tsubasa-san" Katsura said calmly. "But, you must promise full loyalty to the Ishin-Ishishi and obey every order that is given to you. Most importantly, you are not allowed to reveal your identity to anyone of the Shinsen-Gumi"

"Which means, I cannot even fight them" she interrupted in an undertone.

"You can, Tsubasa-san" he said, exasperated, "But you must exercise caution so that they will not have a chance to even guess who you are. If there are people who know of your identity other than those in the Ishin-Ishishi, you'll have to kill them on the spot"

"That I can do, Katsura-san" she smiled. A sight that made even a beautiful geisha like Ikkomatsu feel slightly jealous of her. "Katsura-san, remember that day when you asked Kenshin whether he would use the Hiten-Mitsurugi to aid to the Ishin-Ishishi cause, did you know who trained us both?"

"No, but I know it is a very ancient school of kenjutsu dating back from the Sengoku Era. All male heirs of the sect would use the name of Hiko Seijurou, but I do not know the current one personally"

"He was the man my mother loved more than her own life" she said, "The man that she died to protect from the Bakufu… I trust that you will not reveal this to anyone else"

"Your secret is safe with me, Tsubasa-san"