[Labyrinth of Fate; Chapter 4]
Footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as a lone figure wandered aimlessly throughout the imperial castle in the middle of the night. There was a still silence surrounding the area except for the rhythmic steps and the gentle breeze that would occasionally blow from the open garden. It had been well over a couple hours since Kougyoku had returned from the conference with the other members of the royal family, and her nerves were still on end from the topics discussed.
The walkway split into two paths and Kougyoku took the steps down into the garden where she embraced the soothing feeling provided by the small touch of nature within the grand building.
"Hah…" Kougyoku deeply inhaled and exhaled and she closed her eyes to embrace the relaxing solitude. "I can't believe it…"
Kougyoku had been given a mission by her father, the King, in front of all her siblings and relatives. It was a duty given to those in the royal family that had obtained their own Metal Vessels; subjugation of an unconquered region. Fear was prevalent in Kougyoku's mind as she left the meeting room, and still remained even till now.
In any case, it had only been six months since Kougyoku had captured the dungeon and obtained her Metal Vessel. After acquiring the Metal Vessel, she had poured her blood, sweat and tears into fully mastering the abilities that came with it. A mere week had passed since she was able to perform a Djinn weapon equip and now she was suddenly given this pressuring and frightening task.
To initiate the process of Djinn equip, the user must impel their magoi into the Metal Vessel, and compress it into the form of the Djinn weapon that is desired. This procedure grants the user a tremendous power in the form of their idealized weapon. Depending on the Djinn that reside in the weapon, a specific special ability is generally associated with the weapon, and can be activated at will. Kougyoku's Metal Vessel bestows the ability to manipulate the surrounding water in the environment. Whether it be conjuring a water membrane as a barrier, or accumulating water to create a much denser form; the versatility of her Metal Vessel was highly valued.
And for that reason, Kougyoku had been approached by Judal.
Previously, Kougyoku had rarely associated with Judal outside of the formalities during meetings and conferences. But after obtaining her new powers, everything was beginning to change.
"Kougyoku, I think you'd make a great warrior."
Those few words Judal had said to her one day during her training had become her new salvation. It was the first time someone within the imperial castle had truly appreciated what she was doing, and from that point on, Kougyoku devoted herself to that very purpose. She felt useless in all other aspects, but now she was given a reason to live for.
Once in a while, Judal would oversee her training and help develop her skills due to the similarities in their magical affinities. Of course, although Kougyoku saw Judal as one of her closest companions in this hostile building she called home, it didn't seem Judal reciprocated the feeling.
"Judal, a-a-are we friends?" Kougyoku had asked one day during training.
"Hah?" Judal responded as if he just heard the dumbest question. "Why the hell would I be friends with an old hag?"
"Ahh…" Kougyoku could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, but she quickly shook them away while crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks. "You're right; I wonder why I asked such a thing! I'm an old hag, why would I be friends with little old Judal!"
Kougyoku let out a sigh as she recalled that embarrassing conversation she had with Judal. It's not like she wanted to be friends with him or anything anyway!
However, it made sense after all. Even though Kougyoku had gained new powers, in the end she was still a bastard child. She was not one who deserved something as special as a friend no matter how hard she would try.
"I deserve to be alone…" Kougyoku whispered to herself as she stared up into the sorrowful and isolated moon amongst the star-filled skies.
But even with the darkness of the past surrounding her heart, there still remained a glimmer of hope… there was one person she wanted to meet again no matter what.
"Shirou Emiya…" Kougyoku called out to the moon longingly as she wondered if he were sharing the same view she was having at the moment.
Kougyoku could never admit it to Koubun about her desire to see that man again, as she could barely admit it to herself. Day after day, the feelings became stronger as if it were a bottle of wine aging in storage; never being opened and never being touched. The yearning of hers was never fulfilled, and because of that, it was becoming a memory that was slowly fading away. She had called upon the people of the slums to inform her the moment they saw Shirou again, but never were there any sightings of him.
"Where the hell are you, idiot…?" Kougyoku grimaced towards the moon.
The bitter taste left behind from their argument had left a strong impression on Kougyoku's mind. She had gone over their next interaction in her thoughts plenty of times. She would apologize, she would ask about whom he was and what he does, she would question his intentions on why he gave away the treasures like he did, and then they would settle their differences. And finally, after that she would…
She would what? Kougyoku had no idea what would happen after. There was once a time when she had pursued happiness, but those times were long gone. It'd be better for her not to be involved with anyone else.
"Maybe it's pointless…" Kougyoku said tragically as she continued staring wistfully and yearningly at the glowing orb in the sky.
Another month passed by in an instant, and not once had Kougyoku's worries seethed down. It was hopeless; the possibility of needing to wage war on the country if they refused to comply was turning her into a nervous wreck.
Because this was Kougyoku's first assignment, it was not an impossible task for even her. The designated country known as Kouhei occupied a relatively small region of land and was not known for their prowess in warfare or combat. The country of Kouhei had existed for well over a century, and had remained neutral and quiet since its formation. They were a proud nation known for their trade in agricultural goods, and assimilating them into the Kou Empire would surely benefit both parties if handled properly.
If anything, Kougyoku was going to fulfill her assignment not for the empire, but for increasing the quality of life for the citizens of her country. In a way, she was even glad that she was given this particular assignment to convert the people of Kouhei into the Kou Empire, because if this task was given to one of her brothers such as Kouha or even her oldest brother Kouen, unnecessary blood would definitely be shed.
Kougyoku had nothing but the upmost respect for her dear brothers, but even she thought they could go overboard in their actions at times.
"Princess, our envoy has returned from the Kouhei borders, shall I let him in?" Koubun announced as he lightly bowed in front of Kougyoku.
They were currently situated just outside Kouhei territory and had temporarily set up camp. Immediately after, Kougyoku had ordered an envoy to enter into the country's capital. It wasn't the conventional procedure of the Kou Empire to peacefully negotiate with the leaders of the country, but she wanted to avoid any potential conflicts. In the past, her brothers had made it almost a tradition to march into another country with the full might of their warriors, whether the country accepted being ruled under the empire or not. Of course, she did not have the confidence of her siblings to accomplish such a feat.
However, chances that the country of Kouhei would accept the conditions to fall under the rule of the Kou Empire were slim, but Kougyoku still sought out any possibilities where lives would not be lost and everyone would be happy.
The country of Kouhei did have an army capable of defending itself, but it was not by any means a country that possessed an army influential enough to pose a threat towards the Kou Empire. For the most part, their army's might was dedicated to defending the outside area from the vicious monsters and creatures that inhabited it. Their economy relied on the few trade routes that connected them to other major countries, and the beasts greatly hindered their markets and dealings. With Kougyoku's battalion that she was given command of, it was quite possible to stand evenly against an entire country whose military strength concentrated merely on defeating inhuman beasts. Kougyoku prayed to the heavens for that fight to be avoided.
"Yes, let him in," Kougyoku nodded her head towards Koubun, and readied herself for the news that would be brought to her.
A thin man donning the armor of the Kou Empire walked through the curtains into Kougyoku's tent and at once knelt on the ground in front of her. He brought his right fist into the palm of his other hand and bowed in respect.
"Princess Kougyoku, I have returned," the envoy announced.
"What news do you bring?" Kougyoku replied with a strict and commanding tone even though she was riddled with fears of the worst possible situation. Keeping a straight face was a skill she had taught herself and was priceless especially when she was required to remain dignified and composed in front of those who served the empire.
"The leaders of the country have accepted your terms for negotiations," the envoy answered. "As mentioned in the stipulations of your message, both parties will meet at the designated area along the border without the company of their soldiers."
"I see, thank you for your hard work, solider. You are dismissed," Kougyoku casually accepted the man's report, and spun around to walk to the back of the tent.
As soon as she heard the man exiting the tent, she turned towards Koubun.
"YES! THEY AGREED, KOUBUN!" Kougyoku happily stretched both her arms into the air and shouted joyfully. It was the best news she had heard in months! "This is great! What if we're able to get them to join the Kou Empire without any fights breaking out? This is unbelievable!"
Kougyoku twirled around on spot and continued laughing blissfully as she drowned in her fleeting dream.
"Princess, as I told you before, there is a high risk of them setting a trap. You may be powerful, but you have not completely mastered your Metal Vessel yet. I still suggest you follow the protocol given to us, and enter the country with the safety provided by your battalion," Koubun tried reasoning with Kougyoku with his pessimistic rationality. "Excuse me for ruining your hopes, but just what are the chances of a proud and independent country subjugating itself to us without a fight?"
"But we can't just give up the gamble now that it is being presented to us! For one, they wouldn't dare attack a princess of the Kou Empire," Kougyoku said in a much calmer tone. It seemed Koubun's lecturing had somewhat brought her back to reality. "And besides, I'll have you beside me for protection."
"Hah…" Koubun let out a frustrated sigh. "As you wish, but at least allow me to have some men positioned nearby in case."
"Rejected!" Kougyoku sharply proclaimed. "That's not following the terms I gave for negotiations. We can't go back on our words now."
"But…"
"That's final," Kougyoku was not settling for anything else.
"You're too much sometimes, Princess…" Koubun once again let out a long-drawn out sigh.
"It'll be fine, Koubun," Kougyoku replied with a little hint of distress. She could act boisterous all she wanted, but she could still recognize the fact that all talks of peace between the two countries could still crumble, and that a war breaking out between her battalion and the country of Kouhei was still the likelihood. "What's the worst that could happen…?"
For every hastened step that Kougyoku had taken, her heart had pounded against her chest a multitude of times more. No longer was the threat of a surprise attack looming in her mind, but as she approached the designated area of meeting, the thought of failing these negotiations had overwhelmed all other processes in her head. The area was a relatively secluded field right on the outskirts of the capital, and if any enemies tried to sneak up on them, they'd definitely be spotted. Although she was completely absentminded on her external environment, she was confident that Koubun could detect any danger. So instead, she concentrated on what really mattered to her at the moment. Line by line, gestures after gestures, she continued to rehearse her actions and diplomatic strategies that she would present to the leaders of Kouhei.
"Princess, you should really stop biting your sleeves..." Koubun said suddenly to Kougyoku who was deep in thought.
"But I'm so nervous!" Kougyoku said in embarrassment as she shifted her sleeves away from her face and behind her back. "How are you still so calm?"
"Because this peace-talk is completely trivial, and I don't believe it is-..." Koubun voice trailed off into the wind as Kougyoku ignored his voice and immediately returned to her worries.
At this point in time, they were only a few hundred metres from their meeting place. Figures of the leaders could already be seen at the location, yet Kougyoku had still not noticed them due to the intensity of her visual imagination of the scene that could potentially play out.
What if I say something offensive? What if they want something more than the Kou Empire could offer? What if they don't like how my hair looks!?
As Kougyoku fiddled around with her locks of hair and readjusted her bangs, she had finally realized something.
"Koubun...?" she quickly turned back, and noticed Koubun was frozen in spot a few steps back. "What's wrong?"
The calmness in Koubun's face and the professional composure that he usually carried had taken a turn for the worst. He was completely petrified!
Without a word, Koubun lifted his shaky fingers and pointed in the direction of the leaders of Kouhei. With reluctance, Kougyoku whirled back to face forward and finally focussed her vision onto the three individuals that stood there.
Two of them were exactly how Kougyoku had imagined the leaders to appear as. Elderly, long white hair with a beard, somewhat short and stumpy, and carrying a wooden cane; this was how a wise leader of a renowned country should look!
But the last individual... Tall, a well-defined body, piercing gold eyes, burning red hair, and a cocky grin plastered on his face as he watched Kougyoku from where he stood.
Kougyoku's heart raced out of control as she could hear each and every thump trying to explode out of her chest. Her thoughts were becoming a jumbled mess as they oscillated between talks of peace and the man that was standing across the field from her. Her breathing was gradually becoming irregular and rough as she attempted to keep her face from flushing a deep red.
Shirou Emiya... Why the hell are you here...!?
"T-this has suddenly become quite complicated..." Koubun stuttered from behind.
Kougyoku swallowed down a gulp of saliva and she suddenly remembered where she was.
"Hah... Y-yes..." Kougyoku squeaked and forced a crooked smile onto her face. It was quite obvious Shirou was staring right at her face, and seeing his smirk was actually a little annoying. But this was not the time to falter; there were too many things at stake! "Well then, shall we proceed?"
Keep calm! Keep calm! Ignore him for now!
Worry, fear, distress, delight... Kougyoku had never felt so many emotions at once. After desiring to see this man once again for so long, she was now going to meet him in the most peculiar setting. Not to mention that diplomatic negotiations were going to be discussed that would decide the fate of an entire country…
While Kougyoku had kept and maintained the crooked fake smile, the vein on her forehead protruded greater and greater as she approached Shirou. With every step that she took towards him, the wry grin painted on his face grew wider and wider. He was obviously enjoying the prospect of how confused she was at the moment! Screw the emotions mentioned before; she was now more angry and infuriated than anything else.
It wasn't long before the two of them stood mere metres apart with ominous smiles daunting their complexions. Meanwhile, the two elders seemed to be completely unaware as they joyfully hummed at Kougyoku's presence.
What the hell are you doing here? Kougyoku's eyes seemed to indicate as she glared fiercely at Shirou.
Who knows? Shirou casually shrugged his shoulders as if he hadn't a care in the world.
If it weren't for the fact that the country's diplomats were right in front of Kougyoku, there would definitely be fists flying at the moment.
"Princess Kougyoku, it is an honour to meet a young lady as beautiful and humble as you in person," one of the elders bowed his head in respect.
"Pfft!" the red-haired idiot scoffed inconspicuously and quickly coughed into his hand.
"Thank you kindly, I am grateful to meet with you on such short-notice," Kougyoku returned the bow while grinding her teeth. "It's my upmost wish to discover a route that will lead us to a peaceful destination. I hope you share my same wish for negotiations in a diplomatic manner"
"Nothing spells peaceful and diplomacy more than seeing an army outside your walls..." Shirou muttered under his breath, although it was definitely intentional that Kougyoku could hear it.
Kougyoku bit down on her cheeks and desperately resisted the temptation to lash out. Of course, he wasn't necessarily wrong. She was already shamed and hurt by her own underhanded tactics of pushing the negotiations in her favour; she did not need to be ridiculed further... Why did she want to see this guy again?
"Yes, we are glad to see that the Kou Empire still has leaders capable of seeing something outside of war..." one of the elders replied. It was certainly upsetting to hear what the leaders of Kouhei had thought of Kougyoku's homeland, but it was nothing to throw a fit about. After all, it was slightly true. "We have looked over the conditions relayed to us by the messenger you had sent earlier..."
Here it comes... Kougyoku nervously clasped her hands tightly together to hide the fact that they were shaking.
To be completely honest, even Kougyoku had believed that the conditions written down on the documents were inequitable. There were specific goals that needed to be met in her conquest which were mandatory to be established if he family were to deem it a successful campaign. The monetary unit of the Kou Empire would be adopted in their currency, the ruling party would pass over a number of rights, and an alliance would be formed where the Kouhei's army would essentially merge with the empire. There were of course advantages such as the opening of new trading routes, and the sharing of technology, but would a country give up their sovereignty just for that?
It was why Kougyoku had followed in her brother's footsteps of displaying force as a deterrent for disagreement. Although it is worth noting that her brothers completely neglected the negotiating step in some cases.
"There are a couple things we would like to discuss regarding the conditions, but there is also another we would like to include," one of the elders announced as he stroked his beard.
"Yes of course," Kougyoku responded passively as she had expected this outcome. "Please voice to me and my assistant all your concerns."
And so it began… the stressful talk that would require all the ingenuity and processing power of Kougyoku's brain. Or so she thought...
For roughly ten minutes, the two elders carefully went over each and every condition that was set by the Kou Empire and exactly what each of them entailed. Not a single sound was heard from Shirou during that time which was eerie enough for Kougyoku.
After the elders had believed that they had complete comprehension, they were apparently satisfied with what was said.
"Thank you for taking the time to explain the situation to us old-timers!" one of the elders said cheerfully.
"It's the least we can do," Koubun replied courteously.
"Now... there is finally one last thing we wanted to add," the other elder said in a serious tone.
This was going to be the tipping-point of peacemaking-talk; surely they would request assistance in their security against the monsters and beasts that thrive in their territory, maybe even something along the lines of unimaginable treasures and gold, or what if they requested Kougyoku to marry into their family line! She was in no way prepared for marriage...
"Shirou, it's finally your turn," the grim voice of the elder spoke up and Shirou stepped forward.
It had been nagging in Kougyoku's mind the entire time, but just what was this man doing here!? Shirou was obviously an important factor to this negotiation considering his presence here... Everything was going fine so far; she just prayed this man in front of her now wouldn't screw it all up.
A few beads of sweat trickled down the nape of Kougyoku's neck as Shirou took his place in front of the elders. Kougyoku could feel Koubun tensing up from behind with his hand reaching for the inside of his robe to ready his weapon. Koubun was obviously still wary of this individual and he certainly wouldn't take any chances with Kougyoku's attendance.
"This man here is Shirou Emiya, he's actually been a Jack of all trades and a personal advisor to us for the past half year," the elder declared proudly and patted Shirou on the back a few times. "His red hair clearly marks him as a Fanalis, although he always declines that fact, but it's obvious from his strength that he has their blood in him!"
Confusion was once again a resident of Kougyoku's thoughts; were the leaders trying to market off Shirou or something? They even appeared to be on friendly terms...
"You probably won't believe me, but Shirou alone had eradicated an entire nest of monsters that had previously blocked off one of our major routes. We had wasted plenty of resources on those monsters and our markets suffered severely, yet we were still helpless against such massive numbers. Then suddenly, one day, Shirou arrives and waltz straight into the hive of monsters! The few civilians that were there to witness his courageous act had spread the news throughout the country, and now this man here is a celebrity and the country's hero!"
The stories continued on and on to the point where more was discussed about Shirou and his antics than the diplomatic talks... All while Shirou awkwardly stood there with a shy smile as he rubbed the back of his head.
"... -increasing our agricultural productivity by a technique called crop rotation... Shirou is a godsend to a small country like us!" the elders said as he wiped a tear from the edge of his eyes. "Shirou, it's not too late, you don't have to do it!"
Both elders fell onto their knees and sobbed relentlessly as the previous image of them in Kougyoku's eyes crumbled alongside.
"... Come on guys, you're exaggerating everything... and you know this is something I have to do," Shirou had finally spoken up today. "Besides, it's not like I'm dead. I'll be watching from a new place, I wouldn't just desert everyone just like that!"
"You're right... what are we saying? Thank you for everything... Go make us proud, Shirou," the elders stood up reluctantly and bowed their heads towards Kougyoku as if they had come to their senses about what they were just doing. "The forms and contracts regarding our assimilation into the Kou Empire shall be signed and accepted whenever Your Highness is ready to enter the capital."
"B-but wait, did you not have another condition?" Kougyoku asked with puzzlement as she no longer knew what was going on.
"Shirou shall handle the rest... From now on, the country of Kouhei shall join with the Kou Empire. It was a pleasure meeting you, Princess, please take care of Shirou," and with that, the two elders slowly walked away as Kougyoku and Koubun stood still as statues watching them leave.
…
A stoic expression spread across Shirou's face as the three individuals left on the scene stood motionless. He carefully kept his gaze locked onto Kougyoku's eyes as if he were looking straight into her soul.
However, in doing so had made Kougyoku into a nervous wreck. The tower of composure she had built for herself tumbled over, and all that was left was the defenseless and panicked girl who could no longer properly finish a sentence.
"W-what do you want…?" Kougyoku finally stuttered out after realizing Koubun was going to be no help at all in this situation. She couldn't stand the silence any longer as frustration sank into her thoughts. "T-tell me the condition, and let's get it over with…"
The red-haired man before her had done something magnificent. He had somehow convinced an entire nation to give up their independence and follow the will of the empire. It was something Kougyoku had barely any confidence in accomplishing…
She spent many sleepless days contemplating her course of action; she spent every waking hour studying relevant topics that would help her cause, and yet… this man had seemingly done what she couldn't all by himself. The feeling of inferiority, the feeling of being useless, the feeling of being nobody at all…
Kougyoku knew these feelings all too well, and at once, they all came spiralling back into her.
How did this man feel standing tall before her? Was he looking down on her? Was he laughing at her pitifulness? Perhaps he was going to mock her for needing his help to conclude this whole event.
It seemed like no matter how much time passes or wherever Kougyoku goes, she'd always be cursed by her own worthlessness. And right now, it was definitely no different.
I'm sorry, mother… I'm sorry for being this insignificant…
Pain engulfed Kougyoku's hands as she strongly clenched her fists into a tight ball. All she had to her life was her name; there was no other value to it. And for that reason, her mother had passed away…
"What do I want?" Shirou wistfully said with a tender tone. "I'm looking for something…"
The moment Shirou offered that brief response, a tender wind flowed through the empty and plain fields. It was a lingering breeze, one that did not cause discomfort, but instead provided a pleasurable calm.
The softness of his voice drew in Kougyoku to finally look at his face. He was smiling with such a gentle expression that Kougyoku could not help but pause for a split moment.
"… What is it?" Kougyoku asked with curiosity. She was expecting to be mocked, and to be asked for some sort of unreasonable request by the man, but that didn't seem to be the case.
"A world where everyone can smile."
If one were to hear such a phrase during a normal conversation, it wouldn't be strange for the one listening to scoff or even laugh it off. But as Kougyoku looked at the man who had weary and exhausted eyes and a tragic, yet beautiful smile, she couldn't help but think he was completely genuine in what he was saying.
"Is that why you convinced the leaders to assimilate into the Kou Empire?" Kougyoku questioned him.
"That's part of the reason why, but there was a greater objective to doing all this," Shirou answered unfazed.
"And what is that?" Kougyoku further questioned him with interest.
"To prove my worth to you and to gain your trust."
Suddenly, as if Kougyoku was enveloped by a storm of flower petals, the world around her spun brilliantly. She could feel her own cheeks blush a maddening red and she faltered back a step.
"H-huh…?" Kougyoku's breath got stuck in her throat and she let out a little peep.
"Princess?" Koubun asked from behind her back. She could feel his gaze judging her every action… how embarrassing.
In a futile attempt, Kougyoku tried regaining her composure through shouting.
"W-what do you take me for!? A fool–…?" she was interrupted halfway by something completely unimaginable.
"Princess Kougyoku," Shirou said firmly as he knelt to the ground on one knee with his head bowed before her.
Wait, wait! This posture… Is he going to propose right here and now!? I'm not ready for this!
"W-wah, wah—…" Kougyoku could only voice out gibberish and incoherent words at this point.
"Allow me to join your household as your knight," Shirou announced with sincerity.
AHH!
"I'm still too young; I haven't even had my first kiss—!… H-huh?" in the heat of the moment, Kougyoku blabbered out her thoughts before even considering what Shirou had to say. "My knight…?"
"Yes, perhaps that title is no longer used or has been replaced by some other term, but I feel it's the most fitting for the task I'm propositioning for myself," Shirou replied innocently. "You're a King's Candidate, and I would be honored to stay by your side as you walk down the path to rule. I will protect you as your sword and defend you from your foes and miseries."
"You can't be serious?" Kougyoku responded in a hushed tone.
"You're one of the candidates selected to become King, and the one I'm willing to follow," Shirou replied without raising his head. "Allow me to stand by you."
For a second, she had almost agreed to his spontaneous pledge. The clarity of his feelings and the force of his convictions were enough to make her tremble. But because of how authentic and free of lies his words were… it had scared her more than anything else.
"Impossible…" Kougyoku uttered with an unsteady voice.
"…?" Shirou lifted his gaze up towards Kougyoku.
What just happened? How could the attitude of this man change so suddenly? Was he not acting as an antagonist up until now? It was difficult to place her trust in anyone after the death of her mother, and even after a number of years, it was still no different. The man could make her heart race, but that didn't mean a thing when her views of humanity had become demented. She had placed her belief in others before, only to be betrayed in the end.
No more, I can't handle that agony anymore…
"This is obviously some kind of joke, right? You're doing this to ridicule me for my past insults, aren't you?" Kougyoku spoke despondently with her fists clenched to her sides. This scenario was too good to be true. Based on her past experiences, this was definitely nothing but trouble. If she were to get her hopes up now, the pain she'd feel later would only inflict more wounds on her heart. Truth was, she highly respected and admired Shirou, so even she could realize that he was too good to be wasted on the likes of her. Even in her own home, she was nothing but an outcast amongst true nobles. "Me… a king? You've got to be kidding me!"
Tears were brimming on the edge of her eyes as she hastily closed them shut. She couldn't bear looking at anyone at the moment. As a child, she had cried numerous times to the point where her eyes had completely dried out. But ever since she had worked towards the goal of becoming a warrior, she could forget all about her melancholy and worthlessness.
Standing before a man of this caliber as he knelt on the ground had suddenly brought back all those painful memories. Why someone like her? The scene playing out right now was disgusting.
Who in their right mind would follow me out of their own free will?
"You can shake the beliefs of an entire nation, you can single-handedly take on a nest of monsters, and you can even clear a dungeon!" a hoarse cry came from Kougyoku's mouth. She struggled desperately not to cry as all the stress and emotions from the past month and her childhood came crashing back down. "And now you're telling me you want to be reduced to the status of my knight? That makes absolutely no sense to me!"
Nothing was making sense to her anymore at this point. Every sentence was filled with such bitterness that it was becoming hard to talk. It was unreasonable for her to become so upset from hearing a few words from a man she barely knew.
"You're right, from an outsider's point of view, it'd certainly be strange as to why I'm doing this," Shirou steadily explained. "After all, you're naïve, foolish, and quite frankly, you don't appear to value your life much. One would wonder why I would even consider what I'm proposing in the first place."
"…" Kougyoku could not object to what he was saying.
"But even so, you care for those close to you and even those who you don't know," the tone of Shirou's voice gradually grew brighter. "When you were attacked by thieves in the desert, you wanted your assistant to run away while leaving you behind, you had decided to donate your wealth that you risked your life for to those less fortunate, you had even decided upon a risky negotiation with potential enemies for the sake of having peace. To be honest, it would be me who is undeserving of such a title considering my less than normal past. So allow me to ask once again…"
In response to his sudden demand, Kougyoku opened her eyes to take in the image of the man in front of her with a kind and understanding smile.
"Princess Kougyoku, will you allow me to be your knight and to act as your sword?" Shirou repeated his question. "Although it wouldn't be wrong to call me a 'sword', I still have a mind of my own and seeing someone like you unite the world is what I want to see. There is also one more thing I can promise you… As long as you remain who you are…"
She was feeling utterly lost, overwhelmed by the sadness of her past, and confused. However, in the end, all that was needed was just one sentence that no one had ever spoken to her before.
"I won't abandon you."
All this time, she had been afraid of the feeling of being discarded, and eventually, she had decided on avoiding contact with others. In exchange for her fragile 'happiness', she had begun to lose sight of everything around her. That is, until now.
She was still wary of Shirou; however, the fact that someone had reached their hand out to her was the beginning of something new. Maybe just this one time… she would try grasping their hand in return like she had done before in her life.
"You really promise that?" Kougyoku said as she brought up the sleeves of her robe to cover her blushing cheeks.
"I promise," Shirou confirmed.
"Really?"
"Really…"
"Really, really? Last chance to back down."
"Really, really…" Shirou exclaimed with a little annoyance as he scratched the side of his head.
Her face betrayed a hint of embarrassment as she quickly turned her back to Shirou; all while avoiding Koubun's face of aloofness. Behind the covers of her sleeves, Kougyoku could not help but truly smile for the first time in months.
"Hmph—!" Kougyoku huffed out smugly. "Well, I could use someone besides Koubun for activities that require more physical strength; he's always been a little slow in that aspect after all. And also, because you were basically pleading with tears in your eyes, my benevolent nature will accept your request!"
"Yes, of course, Princess," Shirou said sarcastically and got up from his position to wipe the dirt and dust off his pants.
"I'm not confident in myself, and seeing me in a position of ruling is not even something I see in my dreams…" Kougyoku said in a last attempt to persuade Shirou. "I'm a complete idiot when it comes to these things… you may come to regret this."
From the corner of her eye, Kougyoku turned her head enough so she could make out the facial features of Shirou before hearing his answer. The compassion and kind-heartedness captured on his face had warmed her heart.
"I won't regret it," Shirou declared with assertiveness. "After all, I'm an idiot too."
Kougyoku no longer cared whether or not Shirou could see the fiery reddish hue painted on her cheeks, and she placed both her hands in front of her chest. She could hear Koubun sighing contently from behind as she faced towards Shirou with the best smile she could offer him. This moment in time had already become one of the most cherished memories in her life. It was simply unforgettable.
"Welcome to my household, Shirou!"
[Chapter 4 End]
Author Notes:
I apologize for the huge long break, and also, thank you to all those who are still following! I received some PMs asking about the status of my fanfic which made me quite happy to read.
First of all, I wrote this in the A/N of the last chapter:
"For those of you who would like to know the direction of where this story is headed, the last three sentences will give you the answer. If you know what red jewel translates into Japanese, then there's your solution."
'Kougyoku' translates into red jewel in English. So this chapter basically describes the last three sentences.
Secondly, there are some comments from some people who voiced their dislike of me replying to reviews in the A/N, so instead, I'll just combine all my replies in one big blurb. For specific questions, I'll probably just PM you to discuss.
There's some concern regarding how I might have bumped up Kouha's ruthlessness. I find that Kouha only values his family and a certain type of people; those who are willing to forsake everything for their goals. Everyone else seems to be of no concern to Kouha, and this includes the people of the slums. There are always misunderstandings with respect to how someone in poverty ended up in their current predicament, and I wouldn't be surprised if someone of noble standing misunderstood them either. In other words, the people of the slums probably appeared like lazy bums in Kouha's eyes. And the reason why he was so thirsty for a fight with Shirou; I'd like to think of it as him testing to see what kind of person Shirou was. Following that, the reason why Shirou didn't fight Kouha was obviously just because of the consequences. Shirou did not know how strong the royals were, and he was sure not going to risk the lives of those in the slums in the case that he was not strong enough to fend them all off. Of course, I'll gladly listen to any suggestions!
In this and the previous chapters, I've been loosely talking about Kougyoku's past. Now that the manga doesn't appear to be going into much depth regarding her past, I've decided to create my own take on what exactly happened. It'll be up to Shirou to find out all about it.
A lot of talking this chapter, and pretty much just an introduction to Kougyoku's worries and past. I really wanted to portray Kougyoku as a character that Shirou would follow and save. Some of you are probably itching for action and Shirou badassery… it'll happen soon, I promise… I'm thinking one more chapter before we finally get to meet up with the rest of the cast, so stay tuned.
Once again, thank you all for reading my fanfic. Please let me know what you liked/disliked because I'm always down to listen to your thoughts!
Till next time,
Cheers.