AN: With this update, I've broken my hiatus for all of my fanfics.
In a luxurious room of a mansion, Viscountess Miria Framel was sipping a cup of tea. It should have been a relaxing activity, yet she was constantly on edge.
When a bird screeched outside the window, she feared that harpies had flown into Lescatie.
When she saw a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye, she feared that large mice had sneaked in via the sewers.
When a maid arrived to refill her teapot, she wondered if the maid was actually a doppelganger who'd infiltrated her staff… or a spy from a political enemy. That was the more likely possibility and, in Lescatie, it would be no less dangerous.
What has Lescatie come to, for other humans to be considered potential threats? Are we not all dedicated to fighting the dark hordes of monsters?
Miria would have sighed, but she wasn't about to show weakness in front of a potential spy. And even when the maid left the room, Miria kept up a mask of calmness.
...Still, I'm going to lose my mind at this rate. I have to do something.
The obvious option, the one expected of a Lescatian, would be to confess everything. An army of heroes could crush any opposition, whether it be a traitor hero or monster agents.
But… could we assemble that army of heroes in the first place?
Almost all heroes in Lescatie were aligned with a faction. And with the factions currently fighting for control even as monsters approached, there was no hope of them working together. There were a few unaligned heroes, but commoners and half-breeds would be of little use against the threat that now faced Lescatie.
If I was entirely honest… well, to begin with, that would mean breaking the habit of a lifetime. But even if I was entirely honest, many people would have trouble believing my words… and many would suspect I was corrupted myself.
If I tried being more subtle, passing out hints that monsters had invaded Lescatie… I'd still have difficulty being believed. Most Lescatians think this city is completely immune to attack. If I hadn't seen a monster with my own eyes, I'd still feel the same way…
Miria set down her cup and came to a decision.
I can't make any good decision without knowing more. What is Lescatie truly like?
Miria found her chief butler and announced that she was going for a stroll. But afterwards, instead of putting on a sun hat and heading for the exit, she passed by a certain door and lightly rapped on it with her fist. She walked on without waiting for a response.
Eventually, Miria left her mansion and—while careful to stay out of sight of the gardener on duty—stopped in a small grove of trees in the front yard. It looked purely ornamental at first, but Miria knew from experience that it hid anything within from view.
She didn't have to wait long. A minute later, James arrived at the grove. Instead of his usual guard uniform, he was wearing ordinary traveller's clothes, faded brown and patched in several places. He had a similar garment draped over one arm.
James said nothing as Miria pulled the traveller's dress over her body, as she pulled up the dress' hood to conceal her orange hair. Both of them had been at that… meeting… with Sasha Fullmoon, so he knew full well why she wanted to sneak out.
Then the two of them approached one of the mansion's exterior walls, which abutted the grove. James opened up a hatch in the wall, one so covered by dirt that it was practically indistinguishable from the surrounding stones, and he and Miria bent down to creep through it. It was a secret passage, originally built in the event that the mansion was attacked and its master or mistress needed to escape.
Now that they were out of the mansion's grounds, the unusual pair slipped through the streets of the noble district. There were other people in the streets, but none of them looked at Miria or James for more than a moment. This was thanks to the clothing they wore: magical artefacts passed down within House Framel, imbued with spells that made the wearer draw little attention. It wasn't as good as true invisibility, but it would do for this situation.
Once they left the noble district, they stopped in a narrow alley. And it was only here, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city, that they finally dared to speak.
"What did you want to do, m'lady?" James asked.
"James, I want you to bring me to a tavern, or any other place where I could listen to many people," Miria replied. "With the upper classes of Lescatie paralysed by their feuding, I need to know what the lower classes think."
James' face furrowed in worry. He was clearly hesitant to bring his lady into somewhere as crude as a common tavern. However, he nodded and said, "Understood."
The two of them left the alley, Miria following James' lead. As she walked, careful to use the gait of a commoner instead of a noblewoman, she reflected on their odd relationship.
The high society of Lescatie was… stifling, at times. For all the luxuries, there was also the constant need to show no weakness to one's rivals, while also looking out for their weaknesses to exploit. Sometimes, Miria just had to get away from it all.
That was where James entered the picture. A few years ago, he'd nervously approached her asking for an increase in his salary, as his young son had become afflicted by a dangerous illness. Some nobles would have refused his request, others would have punished him for even making such a request… but Miria had seen opportunity in it. She'd granted his request, on the condition that he help her sneak out into the city whenever she desired.
At first, it was a purely transactional relationship. James performed a service to his lady and was paid for it, not too different to his normal job as a household guard. But over time, and without the usual restrictions of status, they'd become more comfortable around each other. Sometimes, they'd exchange stories about their families or talk about the latest events in the Senate.
Though we still can't let anyone know about these excursions. If anyone found out, we'd be seen as sneaking off for illicit trysts. That would ruin my betrothal to Viscount Marth… while he trusts me, while he wouldn't think I was laying with one of my guards, he could never marry a "fallen woman".
That was why Miria had to be so careful. While in the mansion, she never spoke to James except as part of his duties, and even that was kept to a minimum.
Finally, a tavern came into view. The stench of cheap alcohol made its presence clear from quite a distance away. It wasn't the sort of place that Miria normally visited on these secret excursions; normally, she would browse common marketplaces or simply walk down busy streets. However, it was the sort of place she'd chosen now.
Miria followed James through the tavern doors. The stench of alcohol abruptly became even stronger, and now she could see and hear the rowdy, uncouth patrons. The atmosphere was almost overwhelming, but she forced herself to appear calm.
If I can survive those dinner parties, filled with people looking to metaphorically knife me in the back, I can certainly survive this!
Following James' lead, Mira sat down at an empty table. There were several other empty tables as well.
"It's less crowded than I expected," Miria said quietly, looking around.
"That's because it's still early in the day," James said. Due to current circumstances, he omitted the title when speaking to her. "In the evening, this place would be so crowded that we'd have trouble sitting down at all."
"How does one order food in an establishment like this?" Miria asked. "There don't seem to be any waiters present."
"It varies, but in this one, you order food and drink in person," James said, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards.
"Don't laugh," Miria said peevishly. "In that case, you should order something for both of us, so we don't stand out. Fortunately, I didn't have much for breakfast."
With some reluctance, James stood up and made his way to the counter. And while he was away, Miria listened to the surrounding conversations.
"I swear, Marvin's gone too long without a woman," said one man at a nearby table. "He's actually saying monsters look like beautiful women who don't wear much. Can you believe it?"
Miria would never hear words like these in the immaculate halls of the aristocracy. She was slightly shocked to hear them, and even more shocked by what she heard next.
"Actually, I heard the same thing," said another man. "From two soldiers I know. They couldn't all be lying, right?"
"I've heard those stories too," said a third man. He let out a belch. "Eh, maybe it is true. Could be some trick of the monsters, to make idiots not want to fight 'em."
"But that's the part that doesn't make sense!" the first man shouted. "See, when Marvin was telling this to me, he also thought it was a trick, at first. But you know what he said next?"
"What? Did he wish he had a girl as pretty as a monster?"
The conversation continued like this for several minutes, during which Miria trembled with ever-growing rage. She might not fight monsters herself, but she still had some pride as a human. How could these imbeciles be so casual about monsters?
I talked so confidently to Fallen Hero Sasha, but as long as fools like this are around, Lescatie indeed stands no chance against monsters!
Before Miria could do anything rash, James returned with two plates and two cups held in his hands and elbows. He set them down on the table somewhat clumsily.
Miria looked down at the meal and felt more shock. She'd had low expectations to begin with, but this… fodder was even below what her household servants ate.
"...Miria," James whispered. "Are you sure about…?"
Well, Miria was the one who'd asked for this in the first place. She couldn't just give up the act now.
Thus, a proud noble of Lescatie picked up a piece of jam-coated bread and shoved it into her mouth.
Ugh…! There's hard particles in it… is this dirt, or… or insects!? And the jam on top, it's more sour than sweet!
Despite James' worried look, Miria chewed and then swallowed. If this sort of… food was being eaten on a regular basis, surely it had to be at least technically edible.
But if the commoners are eating this on a regular basis, how in the world have they not revolted yet!?
...The answer is obvious. It's because Lescatie has many heroes, and they overwhelmingly come from the ranks of nobility. Any revolt would be crushed with ease.
Normally, Miria would never have had such thoughts. She would have just thought that the commoners knew their rightful place, like all followers of the Order.
...It's because I went into the slums, met Fallen Hero Sasha… And now I can't help but wonder what the rats—the people of the slums eat…
Miria shook her head slowly. Perhaps the fallen hero might have a point… but would an invasion by monsters really improve the situation?
"James…" Miria said.
"Yes?" James said, perking up. "You don't have to eat it if you don't want—"
"James, I have never seen any monster in person," Miria said. "Neither have most of the people I… usually interact with. I know you have never left the capital, but do you have any friends, even acquaintances, who've encountered monsters?"
James shook his head. "Not really… I do have one friend, Den, who's friends with some soldiers, but I don't know if they've met any monsters."
Miria brought the bread to her mouth again. "Then… I suppose we should listen carefully while we're here. And after we're finished here, we could pass by one of the barracks…"
The two of them ate and drank and listened to the clamour of the bar.
Most conversations seemed to be about the approaching monsters, and the soldiers who'd encountered them. There was much variation in the details, but a few things were fairly consistent.
"Thousands of monsters…" Miria groaned. "That's never happened before in my lifetime, or… the lifetimes of my parents and grandparents. It's… It's the sort of invasion spoken of in legends…"
"I did think there were too many people drinking at this time of day…" James said, glancing around. "It must be to try and… forget about what's happening…"
Our only hope would be for Lescatie's heroes to present a united front, Miria thought. And even then, they might only be able to delay until we can get reinforcements from elsewhere. But… I know too much of Lescatie's situation to think that's possible.
Now, Miria was eating and drinking purely on instinct. She could no longer notice the poor taste of her bread and ale.
"...wish those snobs could just pull 'emselves together already, and send out the heroes."
"Shh! Have you lost it, Hogg? If any of them find out what you—"
"Bah! Those snobs live up in their fancy mansions, they don't care about us!"
Miria paid particular attention to that conversation, more out of curiosity than anger.
"Still, Hogg, you know the stories… the nobles have got spies, even in places like this, to find anyone with… dangerous thoughts."
"Then those spies'll have too much to handle!" Hogg shot back, his voice slurred from alcohol. "What I'm saying 's what everyone's saying! The snobs're eating each other alive, not even looking at the monsters!"
"Sure, but… what can guys like us do?" the other man asked. "You think we should try packing up and running away, hoping the monsters don't catch us?"
Hogg slammed his cup on his table. "Nah, we'd never make it. Chances are all the countryside's been taken by now. Hic… maybe we should just wait here for 'em! Remember what we heard from the army? All the monsters've got looks to die for!"
Those last few sentences were spoken loud enough for the entire tavern to hear. And while they might have earned Hogg a beating in normal circumstances… or so Miria hoped… it elicited a far more subdued reaction now. The others in the tavern just glanced at him and went back to their own drinks.
"Miria…" James whispered. "Do you want to leave?"
"No," Miria replied. "We'll stay here until we finish our meal… no matter what we hear."
-ooo-
Kristoff walked through the halls of Magitec, thinking about what his parents' words from last night.
All of Lescatie seems to be in chaos as well… Father had said.
We're thinking of fleeing to Amalos, at least until things settle down, Mother had said. Kristoff, if you can give the staff at Magitec an excuse for you to leave…
For as long as Kristoff could remember, his parents had been pushing him to seek greatness. When he'd shown a talent for magic, they'd pulled strings to get him into Magitec, the best institute for the arcane arts in Lescatie. And whenever he'd visited home, they would encourage him to both work hard in his studies and make useful connections with elite mages.
For them to change their minds so quickly… Kristoff thought. They must be hearing similar things from others. But… what should I do?
After ten minutes of aimless wandering, Kristoff decided to visit a particular place. He made his way to the training room.
As soon as Kristoff entered, a blast of hot air filled his face. He quickly raised a hand to shield himself.
"Hah… hah…" panted a female mage several years older than Kristoff. "Surely… that must have worked…"
Then the smoke cleared, and the female mage—Sansa, Kristoff now recalled—groaned in despair.
"It didn't," said Mimil Miltie, a pink barrier surrounding her. "You'll need at least an order of magnitude more power to pierce this barrier."
After seeing that, Sansa collapsed. She joined half a dozen other mages who were already lying on the floor, on the opposite side of the room from Mimil.
"Hmm… are you here to train as well?" Mimil said, her eyes turning to Kristoff.
Kristoff waved his hands frantically. "N-No, Magician Mimil! I only wished to watch your spellwork!"
Mimil looked around at the fallen mages. "Then does anyone still want to improve themselves?"
The young prodigy was met by whimpers. Eventually, most of the mages stood up, shamefully answered in the negative, and trudged out of the room. Sansa was among them.
Now only three people were left in the room. The third was a young man with brown hair and grey eyes, who still clutched his short oak wand tightly.
"Magician Mimil, I… I would like to challenge you once more!" shouted Bertus, an heir of a baron household just like Kristoff. "I must grow strong enough to protect Lescatie!"
"Alright, then show me everything you can do," Mimil replied, dispelling her barrier and pointing her staff forward.
Kristoff decided to leave. He knew the outcome already. And, while he'd never admit it to anyone else, he was slightly intimidated by the twelve-year-old who was nevertheless superior to him in every aspect of magic.
As he walked away from the training room, Kristoff thought about what Bertus was doing.
He might be sincere about wanting to protect Lescatie… a few of the others challenging Mimil are like that. Or he might be like I once was… but with parents who aren't as understanding.
Then Kristoff felt a pang of hunger. It wasn't lunchtime yet, but he might as well have a snack.
Kristoff walked to the cafeteria. Along the way, he noted that there were far fewer in the hallways than usual.
Some of the others must be planning to flee too… Perhaps some of them have already left Lescatie.
But did they manage to get out? There's rumours that the monsters have completely encircled the capital now. They certainly have the numbers for it…
A chill ran down Kristoff's spine. He tried to reassure himself that the monsters wouldn't be able to get past the capital's walls and armies.
But when they do get here… all of Lescatie's forces will be sent to the front lines, even apprentice mages like me. And if it's not possible for me to get out… maybe I should be training myself as well?
Kristoff shook his head. When did I start feeling so… patriotic? I never had the stomach for being a combat mage. I only ever came here for the sake of improving House Mellias' status…
But if Lescatie fell to monsters, noble status would lose all meaning. Everyone knew that by now, though perhaps not everyone had accepted that fact yet.
Returning to the present, Kristoff reached the cafeteria. As in the rest of Magitec, there were fewer people here than usual.
Kristoff walked to the counter and asked the chef on duty for two egg tarts, then sat down at a table to begin eating.
Even if I choose to flee with my family, it might be worth training myself… We could run into monsters along the way, and I wouldn't trust the household guards to fight monsters… At the very least, I have to do my duty as a Mellias…
When he was halfway through his first egg tart, someone else sat at the same table. Kristoff looked up to see a man with bright red hair that was reminiscent of flames.
"Hey, what are you moping around in here for?" asked Willem, one of the few people here who Kristoff considered a friend.
"I'm not moping, Will," Kristoff shot back. "And you're the one who's acting weird. Normally, you never come in here without ordering a pile of food."
Willem gazed down at the part of the table in front of him, which was indeed bare. He grimaced.
"Yeah… there's something I have to tell you. Only once you're finished."
Kristoff ate the remainder of his egg tarts as quickly as possible, then stood up and followed Willem to his room.
Willem's room was… rather different from what most would expect from the room of a nobleman and a mage. It was extremely messy in general, with the table covered in food crumbs and the bed looking like a wild animal's nest. The books piled on one shelf didn't include any books on magic, but were about many other topics… and behind them, Kristoff knew, was a bottle of smuggled brandy.
Willem sat on his bed and held his face in his hands. "Alright, here's the thing, Kris. You know how we both agreed, yesterday, to tell our parents what the girl showed us?"
"Yes…"
"Mine didn't believe it at all," Willem said bluntly.
"How is that possible, Will!?" Kristoff demanded. "Every single person in Magitec knows it now! There's rumours that even the other magic institutes know it too, since the archmage taught them the long-range scrying spell! And… And on top of that, there's rumours that the regular army saw the monsters in person! Your parents must've heard of it from their other associates by now!"
"Apparently, they haven't," Willem replied. "Or maybe they have, but they're pretending the monster horde isn't really a threat, since it would distract them from what really matters. And they reminded me, several times, to focus on doing what really matters."
"They're still focused on the Senate, on clawing their way up the social ladder… and they're trying to drag you with them…" Kristoff said. He ran a hand through his hair. "Damn them. And damn Wilmarina Noscrim, for starting this chaos in the first place…"
"Actually, Kris, I'm not too sure about that," Willem said. "Even if we've been living in Magitec for the past few years, we still grew up in Lescatie's aristocracy. Do you really think that this… nest of vipers would've been able to unite to face the monsters, if Noscrim had done nothing?"
Kristoff bit his lip. He wanted to retort that Lescatie would have still united… but it would have been a blatant lie.
"...I guess not," Kristoff admitted. "But it doesn't change the fact that Lescatie is in chaos now. There's… a decent chance… that it will fall to monsters."
The two of them were silent for a while. Kristoff suspected that, in other rooms of Magitec, other people were holding their own hushed meetings.
"My parents… are preparing to run away," Kristoff said eventually. "You… You could come with us."
"Abandoning my family and everyone else in Lescatie," Willem said. He grinned, though there was a sense of falseness to the gesture. "I won't lie, it sounds tempting… and lots of our colleagues have done it already, or are planning to. But… Kris, think about it. In Magitec, some people are running away or planning to, some are planning to fight… and some have another idea."
Kristoff froze in terror. He looked around for any signs of eavesdroppers—when the topic of conversation was this dangerous, he couldn't afford to take any chances.
"Will, be careful," Kristoff warned. "It's true that… some people might be leaning towards that, but there's no way we could… go along with them… It's heretical…"
One memory came to Kristoff's mind: him overhearing several mages in the library of Magitec, asking the librarian for any and all books about monsters. At one point, the title of a certain forbidden book had been mentioned in a hushed voice.
"So is doing anything that makes humanity more vulnerable to monsters," Willem retorted. "That's what you'd think if you actually heard the Order's teachings, actually thought about them. But the priests in this damn country would never admit that. They don't want us to think in the first place."
Kristoff lowered his gaze to the floor. His duty to the Order would be to leave and report a potential heretic… but he couldn't do that. He could never betray his friend like that.
"I've been doing some reading lately," Willem continued, gesturing at his books. "There's a few stories about what happens to a country that's lost in war. It's… not usually very good, I'll admit."
"And those stories would only be about wars among humans…" Kristoff said. "Just what are you planning, Will? I'm just getting more and more confused."
"Well… put it this way," Willem said. "I'm talking to you now, and only you, because I trust you. But if we want to accomplish anything, we'll need to cast some feelers out, see who else agrees with—"
There was a sudden knock on the door, causing both men to jump. They quickly recomposed themselves and approached the door. But before either of them reached it, the door opened and an impossible figure entered.
"M-Magician Mimil?" Kristoff said, trying to keep the terror out of his voice. "What are you doing here…?"
"Violating privacy, for one thing," Mimil said brazenly, closing the door behind her. She looked up at Willem. "If you want to hold secret meetings in your room, you need to get a lot better at spotting eavesdropping spells."
Kristoff froze again. Though while his body was immobile, his mind was racing with wild ideas, of somehow defeating Mimil with a surprise attack, then running far away...
"But the other thing I'm here for is to take charge of that little conspiracy you're starting," Mimil declared. "You'd get caught in an instant otherwise."
Kristoff and Willem could only gape at her dumbly. Her declaration was simply that outrageous.
""WHAT!?""
"Quiet down, you idiots! How is a twelve-year-old better at intrigue than you!?"
-ooo-
While clutching a sheet of paper in her hand, Koyoi walked between the lines of tents that made up the mercenary camp.
Some might have been incensed at not being allowed into the city, even though they were here to defend it. But these mercenaries were used to being looked down upon by high-born employers. Thus, they simply spent the time singing, gambling, telling embellished stories of past battles, and preparing themselves for war.
Koyoi herself had prepared extensively. She'd made numerous talismans charged with her spirit energy, and sparred a few times against her fellow mercenaries—in one recent bout, she'd defeated eight at once. She would not fall short if compared against any of Lescatie's heroes…
...yet right now, she was thinking of something entirely unrelated to war.
It must be a trick, she couldn't have coincidentally come here at the same time I did. Yet… this handwriting, this choice of words… and the way I found it, all are exactly as I remember.
If this was indeed a trick, Koyoi would make the ones responsible pay dearly. Even if she was ambushed by enemies too strong to overcome, she would go down fighting.
But if it wasn't a trick…
"Hey, Koyoi! Where're you off to?"
Koyoi glanced to her right. The speaker was Alzack, a mercenary from the south who wore only leather pants and fought as a martial artist.
"I'm heading out to scout the surroundings," Koyoi replied. "The monsters draw ever closer, after all."
The second part of that sentence was entirely true, which would help make the first part more believable.
"Again? There's no need for that, we've got plenty of scouts already!" Alzack said. He beckoned with one hand. "How about sitting down with us and relaxing?"
Alzack was the sort of person who made advances on any woman who caught his fancy. Koyoi had been unsettled by it when she'd first joined this mercenary band, having come from a culture that was much less… frank about such matters. But she'd gotten used to it over time.
"Unfortunately, this is an important duty," Koyoi said. "Perhaps some other time."
That didn't mean Koyoi ever accepted his advances, however.
Koyoi passed the disappointed Alzack and moved on. Soon, she'd left the camp entirely and was running through the woods.
It must be a trick… I can't let my guard down.
It must be a trick… I can't let my guard down.
It must be a trick…
With her superhuman agility, Koyoi soon reached the meeting place: a pond next to a dead oak tree, located east of the mercenary camp. Waiting here was a nekomata.
Only one…? I can't sense anyone else, so are the others just good at hiding?
Wait, she's… it can't be!
Koyoi slowed to a stop at the edge of the pond. Now she could see the nekomata in better detail. She wore an orange kimono, the traditional dress of Zipangu, along with some non-Zipangu adornments, such as a snake-shaped earring in one feline ear. Her limbs were partly covered in orange and white fur, as was the entirety of her two long tails, and ended in paws. And despite the changes to her body, her face was unmistakable.
"Tasogare!" Koyoi cried out, her eyes locked on the nekomata. "You actually came here!? And… you've been corrupted into a youkai!?"
"Don't talk about it like that!" replied Tasogare, Koyoi's one and only younger sister. "This is something I chose for myself!"
The mysterious letter had been right after all… yet Koyoi couldn't just feel relieved at this reunion with family. The sight of a youkai stirred up her years of harsh training as a slayer. She quickly reviewed the talismans she had on her, considered which ones to use… and then felt crushed by shame.
"So, Koyoi-neesama… are you thinking about doing your duty as an Amanomiya?" Tasogare asked coldly.
"I…" Koyoi murmured, her hands limp at her sides rather than in any kind of combat stance. "I could never do that, Tasogare…"
Tasogare had been putting on a confident expression until now, but then she relaxed and sighed in relief. "Thank you… Thank you… I might've gotten tougher after leaving the family, but I was never a decent fighter… That was scary..."
Koyoi recalled a certain day in the past, the day when Tasogare and her male attendant Bunkichi had gone missing. Most of the Amanonomiya clan had raged at this dereliction of duty, but even at the time, Koyoi had understood why her sister had done it. And she understood it even better after leaving the family herself.
"I also… gave up on our clan," Koyoi admitted. "And… you would not be the first monster I refrained from killing."
Koyoi walked over to her younger sister and embraced her. Tasogare was much larger than when they'd last met, she was now furry in places, and demonic energy poured off her body… yet she was still Koyoi's younger sister.
Only after half a minute passed did they finally separate. The two sisters both wiped tears off their cheeks.
"Both of us ran away from home…" Tasogare said, her tails flicking slightly, as if in amusement. "Then I suppose that means Shinonome-neesama is the clan head now?"
Koyoi stared at the surface of the pond. Hearing that question had dredged up memories of the worst part of her life, overwhelming the joy she'd just been feeling.
"K-Koyoi-neesama!?" Tasogare exclaimed. "Just what's wrong?"
"Shinonome-neesama… it's true that she became the head by default, after you and I left…" Koyoi explained. "But the reason I left… is that the clan became sharply divided into my own faction and Shinonome's. Six months after you and Bunkichi left, our elder sister was attacked and badly injured… by one of my own supporters."
Tasogare staggered backwards until she hit a tree. "That… it can't be…! Then, because I ran away—"
"It is not your fault!" Koyoi said. She approached and placed her hands on Tasogare's shoulders. "The fault belongs to those traitors, those cravens, who tried to kill her! The fault belongs to them and them alone, for trying to kill our sister in secret, for trying to tear our family apart for their own ambitions!" She took a deep breath. "They are the reason I left Amanomiya, left Zipangu entirely… just as you did."
"All of that happened while I was away…" Tasogare said, lowering her head. "I never kept track of what was happening at home… Did Shinonome-neesama recover…?"
"I sometimes get word of affairs in Zipangu, via my mercenary contacts…" Koyoi replied. "About two years ago, I heard that she was doing well as the head of the clan, though not any further details."
Koyoi had heard nothing about the faction that had once supported her. But since this faction consisted of the one who'd hurt her sister and others who'd tacitly supported him or her, she felt no regret over leaving them.
"But what about you, Tasogare? Just what led you to… become a youkai?"
Tasogare rubbed her two forepaws together. "That's a rather awkward story… Koyoi-neesama, you remember that while I was still in the Amanomiya clan, I didn't receive much training on how to fight?"
Koyoi remembered that very well. She and Shinonome were born within a year of each other, so both were seen as potential candidates for the next clan head. On the other hand, Tasogare had been born five years after Koyoi. By the time she was old enough to receive combat training, the other two were already well into their own training. And with two older sisters, no one had seen value in her even as a backup.
Though she was still bound by the strict rules of the Amanomiya… If she'd stayed, she would never have been allowed to be with Bunkichi…
"Because of that, Bunkichi and I ran into danger several times," Tasogare said. "It wasn't so bad when we were still in Zipangu, since it's a fairly peaceful country—"
More painful memories flashed across Koyoi's mind. During her own journey out of Zipangu, she too had seen many examples of youkai living in harmony with humans. That was the beginning of her habit of letting youkai go, instead of attacking them.
"—but when we wanted to see more of the world, it became much more dangerous," Tasogare continued. "Eventually, while we were staying in a youkai village… we agreed to be converted." She opened and closed her paws, and her two tails waved around. "I became a nekomata, and Bunkichi became an incubus. That's helped us survive until now."
Giving in to the darkness to gain power… among the Amanomiya clan, it was portrayed as a horrific sin that eternally damned a person's soul. No doubt the Lescatians had similar opinions.
But Koyoi had already left the isolated garden of the Amanomiya clan and its territory. She'd seen many things in her travels, both wonders and horrors beyond anything her family had ever imagined. So she could no longer fault someone for wanting the strength to survive in this world.
"And… it's also very helpful at night," Tasogare added, blushing deeply. "Sometimes during the day as well!"
Koyoi shivered. Even if she'd decided to accept her long-lost sister becoming a youkai, that didn't mean she was willing to accept everything that entailed.
"If you and Bunkichi chose this path, that is one thing," Koyoi said, trying desperately to change the topic. "But what about the army of monsters now approaching Lescatie? Do you claim they have peaceful intentions?"
Koyoi looked into her sister's eyes. The Tasogare of two years ago would have shrunk away from that gaze.
"Yes, we are," Tasogare replied firmly.
"Tasogare—"
"Think about it, Koyoi-neesama!" Tasogare said. "You've seen how many of us there are, and the kinds of people we have among us. If we were just here to invade, wouldn't we have won already?"
That… was also something Koyoi couldn't deny, no matter how much she wished to. The group that had entered Lescatie's borders didn't just have sheer numbers on its side, it also had multiple individuals who could match or even surpass heroes. In a contest of direct force, they would have already won.
"We're here to help Lescatie," Tasogare said, putting one paw over her heart. "The reason so many of us came is because we need so many to actually make a difference to a country like this. We only have enough fighters to keep the peace! Most are people like Bunkichi and I, here with peaceful intentions! For example, Bunkichi is helping cook for everyone—he's gotten great at cooking now, I forgot to mention that before—and I'm helping them keep track of their records!"
"I… I believe you," Koyoi conceded. "But even if I accept that as true… the people of Lescatie won't change their ways so easily."
"I'm not so sure about that," Tasogare said, though she fidgeted nervously. "We've come across many villages and towns already, and managed to convince the people there we're here to help. That still leaves the two cities of Lescatie, I know… There's a major plan for that, and I know that being seen by your mercenaries and the army was a part of the plan… but that's all I know about."
Koyoi thought about these words carefully. She couldn't detect any hint of deception in them… but in the past, her sister had hidden her plan to elope with Bunkichi right up until the final moment.
Tasogare seemed to notice Koyoi's hesitation. "I know you can't trust me that easily after we've been apart for so long," she said. "So, Koyoi-neesama, what about those mercenaries you've been working with? I assume you trust them at least. What do they plan to do next?"
Koyoi lowered her head. Another memory came to mind, though it wasn't as traumatic as previous ones.
"This is a real pickle we've gotten ourselves into," Doon said. "Mercs like us have almost nothing except our reputations, and running out on a contract is a great way to destroy that. But if we fight, there's not a chance in hell that we can win."
"So you're saying we should run while we have the chance, Boss?" Alzack asked.
"No, you idiot!" said Millet, another of the mercenaries. "He's saying that no matter how stupid it sounds, we're locked by our contract into fighting for Lescatie!"
"Hey, hey, let me finish first," Doon said. "I think our best option is to wait and see how things turn out. If the Lescatian heroes get their act together, then there might be a chance of winning, and we should fight with them. But if that doesn't happen… then we may as well tear up our contract and run. Reputation's not worth more than our own lives. And make no mistake, our lives would be on the line if we fight. Monsters don't normally kill their opponents, but it'd be a different story if we were in an all-out war on the side of the Lescatians…"
The mercenaries around the campfire all fell silent. In this profession, they were accustomed to risking their lives on a regular basis. However, a large-scale war was something none of them had ever participated in.
Eventually, Koyoi said, "Doon-dono… we've only seen a part of Lescatie's society so far. But from what we've seen… it appears unlikely that they'll be able to 'get their act together' in time…"
"Don't we all know it." Doon sighed. "Well, there's still a little time before the monsters reach the capital, which is the only place in Lescatie our employers care about. And we are getting paid for waiting, so we might as well relax until then."
"—oyoi-neesama?"
Koyoi snapped back to the present. She quickly tried to come up with an appropriate response.
"Tasogare, I… this is a complicated issue. I need time to think."
"Of course," Tasogare said, bowing her head. "Then this is farewell for today, Koyoi-neesama." She looked up with an expression filled with various emotions. "Again, I'm glad to see you doing well."
"Likewise. Please… give my regards to Bunkichi."
Tasogare walked away. She slowed briefly a couple of times, but when Koyoi made no move to follow, she continued walking. Soon she disappeared completely into the dense vegetation.
Koyoi leaned against a tree and closed her eyes. All strength left her body.
What am I doing? I've finally found her again… and I'm just letting her go? Because… Because she's a youkai now, and I haven't fully processed that?
I'm a failure… as an Amanomiya youkai slayer, and as a sister…
Minutes passed in this manner. Eventually, Koyoi remembered her mercenary companions. They'd be alarmed if she stayed out for too long on this "scouting" mission. She thus opened her eyes and prepared to return. That was when she noticed something on the ground.
Ah… I don't even remember dropping it…
Koyoi picked up the letter again. The action reminded her of when she'd first discovered it, and a small smile crossed her face.
She still remembers it… that spell she asked me to teach her, all those years ago… a secret beacon of sorts, something that outsiders wouldn't notice...
Earlier this morning, Tasogare had hidden her letter near the mercenary camp in a way that only Koyoi could find. Specifically, she'd cast one weak spell on the letter and half-buried it in the leaf litter. Most other people, even those with keen magical senses, would never have found the letter. But on one of her patrols around the camp, Koyoi had sensed something impossibly familiar from the ground, a spell that wasn't just in the Zipangu style but in the style used by her family…
I was always told that the corrupted are mockeries of their true selves, that they aren't truly the same people as before… After finding this, and meeting her again… I know it to be a lie.
Koyoi pressed her hands to her sides, feeling the talismans packed under her clothes. Before this meeting, she wouldn't have hesitated to use them to protect herself, her companions or her employers.
But now… if she tried using one of those talismans now, the magic would almost certainly fail. Her many years of training had been rendered useless by her sheer uncertainty.
Should I tell the others about this meeting? Should I keep it a secret? Should I try investigating the monster army by myself, to see if Tasogare is telling the truth?
And this inability to make up my mind… is just more proof of my failure, as a youkai slayer and as a sister...
AN: I'm going to make this clear so no one gets any wrong ideas: Miria and James are not going to end up together. The former is betrothed and the latter married, and both are happy with their partners.
Due to the last part of this chapter focusing on Zipangu characters, I included some Japanese terms:
Nee-sama - respectful honorific used for an older sister
Youkai (may be romanised as "yokai" or "yōkai" elsewhere) - supernatural being(s) in Japanese folklore, in MGE it's how the people of Zipangu refer to monsters
