“Looking at my son like this…” Uchida-san said, swallowing reflexively, his mouth w as he was struggling for the words to say . “… I think, how long he stay like this? Why won’t he wake up?”

  Yeah, the curse surprised me too. Battle in the Boundary is going to bee ever more uable, and likely extremely dangerous. “It’s plicated to expin, but essentially the Night Parade have a curse that tinually supplies energy to the astral body, preventing a return to the Material.” Well, there’s another pooo, preventing williurn, but there’s no point going into details.

  “So… how long will that persist?” he said, trembling, as more faint wounds opened up on Yamato-san’s skin. “I… hate seeing him like this. But eventually this curse will wear off? There… there was nothing else you could have done?”

  At his tone, which was mhan accusatory, uhe anger I had faced during cve earlier, I felt embers of guilt within. Pushing them dowermio own my decision, I shook my head. “Eri was already badly injured, and we were outnumbered thousands of times over. Worse, they weren’t just weaklings, but there were dozens as strong or even strohan we were. Fighting would have left us all dead or in a simir state to your son. I made a choi who I had to protect. I’m sorry.”

  “I uand.” Uchida-san groaned. As we watched a deeper wound opened on Yamato-san’s leg. Knowing that injuries weren’t fully reflected betweeral and material bodies, I couldn’t help but feel for him. Yeah, I ’t five Yamato-san for his arrogand carelesshat cost the lives of so many, but… this isn’t justice, it’s cruelty. Once more I’m remihat creatures of spirit have a very different sense of morality than we do. I’m sure Hyath wouldn’t have any issues perf suent if she thought it was in our best is or what I wanted…

  “I am a leader. I uand what it is to make hard choices.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “While as a father I want to scream and n you, howl with rage and hatred, as a leader, I know throwing your lives away would have been meaningless. That… that doesn’t make it hurt any less. Oh my son…” he started to weep. “Kannon, show him mercy! Wake him from this endless nightmare!”

  Damn, this is painful to watch. Even though I was tired I reached out and started to trickle aether in, closing up the wounds, leaving only faint white lines of scarring. There’s no point w about healing the skin. Uchida-san was surprised by my as, but seemed grateful.

  “I grieve for your loss, Uchida-sama.” Hikawa-san said, finishing watg over his peacefully sleeping son. Ren-san had woken earlier in the day, and when he discovered his sisters had been saved, he fell into an exhausted slumber, his own wounds mostly healed. “It could well have been Ren or the twins in such a state. I’m sorry. I feel guilty that Oshiro-san was able to save my children and not your son. But I’m sure he did his best. And… while he lives, there must be hope, right?”

  Every time I hear that, it’s like nails dragged ay heart. No, even from the perspective of the greater good, Aiko put Kannon’s Divine Favour to better use than Yamato-san ever could. And really, though I hate being powerless, I couldn’t defeat Nurarihyon. His League alone would have made my attacks rgely iive. As for hope… I ’t say there’s none, but unless Nurarihyon allows him to wake…

  “I don’t want to give out false hope.” I said, and Hyath, surprisingly, spoke up in support.

  “Dooo not g to sweet fantasies. The wooorld is cruel. Bad things happen, painful things, and they ooot be turned aside.” She sighed, looking down on Yamato-san. She had no fondness for him, but even so, there was a trace of sympathy in her silver-violet eyes. “I have experienced suents for many, many looong years. Nooobody ever saved me.” I reached out and grasped her hand, surprising her.

  “Those days are over.” I promised, and she nodded.

  “Yet, in the darkness, I saw light. My booox, my prison, cracked open, and I emerged, seekih, aooo pai, a hand reached ooout to me. Master’s hand.” She tightened her grip, before tinuing to address the two men. “Do nooot seek false hope, yet nooothing is set in stone. Accept that sorrooow is the likely oute, yet perhaps… there is sometimes light oooutside the box. Perhaps yooou should seek so what blessings you find. I dooo not know if these wounds cause him pain.” Her gaze flickered to me, along with a slight, almost unnoticeable smile on her bnk face. “But perhaps by sooome fortune, he might nooot be able to suffer.”

  Oh Hyath. Seeing her heartbreakingly pure smile, the pain in my heart started to dissipate, like mist under sunlight. If it came down to Hyath, Shaeu and Eri against Yamato-san, it would be a betrayal of them, and a betrayal of my heart, if I chose him. Taking the Divine Favour, I was seeing it as an immoral act of harm, but really… I don’t think it was. Hyath knows that. Not only did I give Yamato-san a ake amends, by passing his gift to other hands… the injuries forcible removal of his Divine Favour likely caused ’t be any crueller thaortures the Parade are inflig. Perhaps, if he’s lucky, his sciousness is gone, like Kondou’s was.

  “I pray that is so, and Kannon is indeed merciful.” Uchida-san said, reag out for his son’s pale hand, hesitating, before lying his hand over the cold flesh. “It has only been a day, yet…” his chest heaved, taking in lungfuls of air as he held in more tears. “… already he’s required a blood transfusion, the number of small injuries he has suffered seemingly endless. If this tinues, day in, day out… well, I wonder, perhaps if…” his expression was full of grief and self-loathing. “… it might be better to just let him die. To end his suffering.”

  “It’s too soon to give up!” Hikarotested loudly, before realising he was in a hospital with patients, and lowered his voice. “It’s been a day, just a day! I know Oshiro-san said the situation was grave, and he’s a captive of the Night Parade, but… isn’t there hope, any at all? ’t we bargain, or barter, or persuade? As the maid says, we ’t have false hope, but we also shouldn’t give up all hope either! After all, we are the faith, we believe!”

  There would likely be many people who failed iure. Either through carelessness, greed, or any number of other reasons. I wasn’t going tive them, just as I couldn’t five Yamato-san, seeing the faine-san as she died in my arms, the young men and women of the shrines who perished, the scars on those who survived, both physical aal. But not fiving them didn’t mean I had to abandon them. After all, when one does wrong, one has to apologise and make amends. Though it also meant I didn’t have to shoulder their safety, put others at risk for them.

  “I holy don’t think it’s likely that ersuade Nurarihyon to return him.” I admitted. “But if there’s a ce… well, I’ll see what I do. After all, we do have some on is.” The Night Parade needs Shiro’s aid it seems, and we have to defeat this golden-eyed creature anyway to save Yukiko-san. We use that to our advantage. But I’m not going to sacrifice for him. If I bring him back, great. If not… well, I tried, and that will be his ato. “Just, like Hyath says, don’t expeuch. While there’s life there’s hope, but holding too much will only break you if it doesn’t work out.”

  “The Night Parade, the Hyakki Yagyō…” Uchida-san mused. “They wander Kyoto, don’t they? Well…”

  “Don’t.” I warned. “I know I performed Chirurgery on you, so you should be able to access the Boundary. But even if you did, finding the Night Parade would be difficult, and surviving the enter long enough to eve with any of the Hundred Demons… no, you’d be throwing your life away. Imagine what your son would think if he woke up iure to find you dead so foolishly.”

  Uchida-san bit his lip, before managing a bitter nod. Turning to Hikawa-san, who had seen his son was resting peacefully, I gestured for us to leave, and we did so, departing silently while Uchida-san watched his atose son. As the door slid shut, Hikawa-sa out a long sigh.

  “So, is there really any hope for his son? I do uand Uchida-sama. A father should never outlive his kids. And worse, seeing him in a state between life ah… when someone’s dead, you grieve. When they linger like this… it’s impossible to give up hope, yet also impossible not to feel the pain.”

  “Hope? A little. But…” I sighed myself, matg Hikawa-san. “… this may sound cruel, but I have to put others first. If I help, and it doesn’t e or those I protect, then I will. That’s all I promise. You should have quite the aowards Yamato-san too. Your kids could well be dead like the others. It was a miracle they weren’t. Ren-san did good.”

  “Yes, my boy did. He’s growing up. I expect this experience will ge him. As for my feelings towards Yamato-san…” he looked flicted. “Of course I’m angry. But… I’m a father too. Besides, I’ve known Uchida-sama and Yamato-sama for years. And my daughters lived, thanks to you. So I put my anger aside. You have tht? You looked like death all of yesterday, hollow-eyed and pale.”

  “Yeah. I ’t wallow is. Tsukiko-san and Yukiko-san need me. Eri too. Shiro as well. Besides, I have to prepare. We have information, we o use it.”

  “Yes, you’ll be busy. Well, I‘ll leave you to it. But first…” he hesitated, and I knew what he wao ask.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll speak to the others. We’ll keep a wat Uchida-san so he doesn’t do anything stupid. But for now…” I looked at my watch. “Damn, it’s already m. I have to get ready for my return to Tokyo. Are you taking the shinkansen?”

  “Yes, apparently the twins will be well enough to travel, thanks to you…” we exged our final words, and then I headed back to the ryokan oskirts of Kyoto, which I had barely any time to enjoy. Damn, I could really use a soak in some hot springs, but as, that will have to remain a dream…

  ********

  “Thanks for s this out.” I said to the Major, who was here to see us off, as he would be remaining in Kyoto for a little loo coordihe efforts to tain the media. “Eri, how is it?”

  “It’ll do for now. Though I was hoping you’d princess-carry me everywhere.” She grinned. She was sitting in a military-grade electric wheelchair, and was capable of trolling it well enough with her good arm. With a hum of motors, she moved forwards and backwards, even spinning around. “Well, this’ll do for now. See mother, father? I’m hardly useless. And I’ll get my mobility back soon enough.”

  “I see. Yes, I’m sure you will, my little Eri.” Auntie said, her expression a smile tinged with sadness. Auntie Hana turo me then. “Little Aki, look after my girl, all right? She’s not used to the big city, and being away from Aiko will be difficult, to say nothing of beiely schooled. You’re her fiancée, you have to support her.”

  “I will. I promise.” I bowed deeply, surprising them. “Auntie, uncle. I’m sorry Eri got hurt. But… I ’t promise that she won’t get hurt again in future. The world isn’t that kind. What I promise is I’ll do everything in my power to prevent it, and help her recover. Just as I will now.”

  “I see.” Uncle Junpei grimaced. He seems hungover. I’ll show a little mercy… Walking over, I relieved his hangover, and he gave me a grateful nod, before steeling himself to speak. I waited, remembering what Eri had told me st night.

  “Well, Akio. I know you tried your best. No father… no father easily watches his daughter suffer sujuries. One day you’ll uand that. Well, assuming you have daughters and not just sons, of course. Looking at the number of women with you, I’d say it’s a certainty…”

  “You are rambling, Junpei.” My father chimed in, and uncle flushed.

  “Well, look. Seeing Eri so wounded, fearing she might die… we’re not like you, Akio. We aren’t able to fight, to accept injury ah. So you uand ere angry, right?”

  “I get it, but I think you misuand me. I don’t accept injury or death. I hate them! I want everyoo be safe, to live happily. But the world isn’t that kind. Eri… Eri has accepted the risks. As leader, I accept my responsibility to make sure those risks are justified, but it’ll never be risk-free. We fight, and any of us could get hurt, die…” I made sure to be clear, nlossing over the realities of what was effectively the apocalypse that was heading for our p. “… but that’s why I io be as strong as I , and help others to grow their own strength. This is the start of a war, a war for the future. In wars, casualties are iable.” I hate it, but denying it won’t make it less true.

  “So you are resolved, son?” My father asked, my mother looking on, her eyes, so simir to Aiko’s, looking sorry. “This will be hard. I must admit, I have hought of you as particurly resolute. You were capable, in an emergency, when you did not have to think too much, such as when you protected your sister and Eri from the dog. But you also ran away from your problems and anything you felt was too heavy to carry. Why else would you have abandoned Nishimorioka so easily? It was hardly to have a fulfilling social life iy, was it?”

  “Darling, don’t be so harsh on Aki…” mom began, but he waved her to silence.

  “No. it o be said. I have accepted him as a man. He has ged. But even so, what makes up the core of a person does not ge so easily. you hahis?”

  “I .” I said, determined. “Look, I know I was running away from Eri’s feelings, and my own. I did it more than once. I preteo ignore Shaeu’s until it was impossible to avoid…” Shaeu smirked at that from where she was carrying s along with Hyath. “… and I hid deep my own feelings for Shiro. I… well, I just felt so ie, not good enough.”

  “That’s not true…” Eri began, but at my look her words died on her lips. She could see how serious I was.

  “Well, then, it was only hurting me, I thought. Sorry Eri, I was a selfish jerk and a coward back then. But now… if I’m not good enough, it hurts everyone, and might lead to the end of everything. So I’ve stopped running. And now I’ve been forced to front failure. And I hated it. So I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure I never have to taste that sense of defeat again. I may not succeed, but I’ll know I’ve done all I , and stopped running. So, leave Eri to me.”

  “Fine. So long as you have. You are a man now, with responsibilities. So I shall trust you.” My father finished.

  “Aki, we’ll visit.” Uncle said, and Auntie Hana agreed. “So please just look after Eri.”

  “Aki, I know it’s tough, and, well… we didn’t uand just what yoing through. But now we know. It was shog, but… I’ll always be your mother, and no matter what I’m on your side!”

  I guess Eri was right. they did want to apologise. Even so, I don’t bme them. It was terrible. I never want to put them through that again.

  “Don’t fet me!” Aiko piped up. “Eri, I’ll tell everyo school you were caught up in the events at the Imperial Pace, but that you’ll be okay. Expect a lot of calls as, Yae- and Rika- will be worried for sure!”

  “Hmph.” Eri moved her head a little, embarrassed. “Well, if I get time, I’ll answer. But you o be careful too, Aiko. You’ve seen what getting careless and overestimating yourself brings. And you won’t have Akio to bail you out.”

  At that our parents exged fused looks, but Aiko smirked, eyes gleaming with excitement. “Of course I know that. Big bro told me all this when… well, anyway. I’ll do my part, don’t worry. Eri, Shaeu, I won’t leave you to fight alone. I’ll catch up. Oh, you too, Hyath.” She giggled, seeing the fleeting look of disappoi on her face at bei out. “Kana-, you’ll look after Eri tht?”

  “Sure.” Kana agreed. “Not that I’m worried about her at all. She’s quite the stubborn woman, after all.” her smile was wicked. “No, I’m more worried about Keomi-. So, you girls o snap out of it.” She directed her ire to her friends Asami-san, Mio-san and also Takagi-san and Maiko-san. “This isn’t a game. You should know better than anyone else, sidering what happeo your father, Kikuchi-san. But… that won’t happen to you guys. Akio will be sure to use us wisely.”

  “Yes. If you want to quit the training school, I’d uand, but… long-term, you’ll regret it. I don’t want ao wish if only, when something bad happens iure that could have beeed with more power.”

  “That’s right.” Major Sasaki agreed. “It’s hardly my pce to speak in a gathering of family and friends, but I think personally, not taking an opportunity when offered only leads tret. Even in the JSDF, there are many roles that don’t involve bat, but everyone has some basic training, and learning is never in vain.”

  “Well said.” Shaeu approved. “I do not-not bme you for your fear and sorrow. You are young, and uo battle, and the sequences of failure. I envy you, in some-some ways.” She smiled sadly. “When I was but-but a young female, I was sheltered, insuted from the world. I did not-not see the efforts of those that kept me safe, our Seelie Court protected. I was like you all. Noe know. Time frief and refle, I accept that. But like Akio, do not-not run from this.”

  “Now, don’t be so intense.” I went over and rubbed her head. “Calm down.” I turned back to the girls. “Shaeu means well, okay. Look, we’ll be talking about how we are going to take the school forwards whe back to Tokyo. And… well, I’m hoping Haru-san help with the distress. Look, we live in Japan, we aren’t used to death, not sudden, violeh. But we only have that luxury for now. It may seem cruel to say, but you might be thankful you’ve experiehis early, a few years from now.” Haru-san was getting the train back to Tokyo ter, she still had matters to take care of.

  “He’s right.” Maiko-san spoke up. “You never know what might happen. When my father was in his a, my life seemed like it was over. If it wasn’t for my brother taking a leave of abseo look after me, I might not have survived.” She said softly. “It was o see him again here in Kyoto, even if he was more ied in sightseeing and drinking than spending time with me…”

  It was then our final guest spoke up. “Yeah, death e in an instant. Poor Daizen found that out.” Suzu-san shrugged. She was in a different bck gothic-lolita dress, a purple parasol over one shoulder, her usual lollipop protruding from her mouth. For some reason she had tched ontroup, though she was making her own way back to Tokyo. “Well, I just wao see Red and White on this trip, and see some of the sites of Kyoto, like Ginkaku-ji and Kinkaku-ji. I hought I’d have so much fun.” She slurped at her dy. “Well, all good things have to end, right? Uh… when you see the Boss, put in a good word for me, okay? I think she’s mad I left without saying anything.”

  I had exged numbers with her, figuring since she was w with Shiro it couldn’t hurt. Though I have to say I’m worried. Shiro’s allies sound rather… problematic, ea their own ways. The man Suzu-san called Bunta-kun arently blessed with a powerful ability, but was shogly nervous and cowardly, while Arisu-san was supposedly vengeful and angry, easy to provoke. And I don’t eveo say anything about Suzu-san and her… etricities.

  “Well, I’ll tell her, but you’ll have to apologise yourself, all right?”

  “Well, we o this up.” Trey said, his sister and the other two ready to go, esc my family back to Nishimorioka and guarding those taking the train back to Tokyo. “Time is wasting.”

  “Yeah. Looks like we’re done here. A shame, this was a really nice ryokan. I didn’t get my money’s worth…” I mented. Well, I made new allies, found new information and the shrines and temples of Japan are on-board with the new Ministry. Yes, there were bitter disasters and losses, but… well, we’ve cleared this hurdle. Now, the step is to improve my Territory, tio grow stronger, and… face whatever is ing for Tsukiko-san. I have a meeting with Tsumura-san, to sider our tactical options and the information that points towards a…

  “I don’t know.” My sis pined. “It sure sounded like you had fun ih in your room that time…”

  As ughter echoed, I shook my head wryly, letting my sis make me the butt of her jokes. Right then. It’s time to go. Eri smiled at me, moving her wheelchair, and we headed for the ardens, where a helicopter was waiting to transport us home…

  ShipTeaser