"Saori!" Her father's voice cut through the entire crowd's whispers. A voice filled with shock and disbelief.

  She did not acknowledge it. Exactly because of those emotions, she could not. To even look at him right now was beyond her strength, so to hear him say anything about her would only make it worse. Saori did not want to meddle with him. She only wanted to take care of the man who had spoken to her with such rash disrespect; regardless of whether he knew who she was or not. The princess knew a lot of the girls who worked at the castle. Was it alright to speak to them like that, just because he had the power to?

  "What did you just say, princess?" The husband growled, "You might be the star of today's gathering, but that does not change what you have done. You dare raise your voice against me after doing something like this, like an...animal, with my wife? Who do you think you are, Kawashiri Saori!? Just a little girl, and a whore at that."

  She flinched. The words still hurt her, but she had to accept them. Her anger was stemming from something else. That, she could keep constant, "Animal? I hid, I kept quiet, I tried to get away from this, and you call someone praying to defuse the situation an animal? While you bark like you can't control a single word that comes out of your mouth, while you resort to violence just because those words don't seem to work, while you parade around your mindless ideals of righteousness without anything to support them. Yes, I am a whore. I did make your wife cheat on you. But if you consider yourself to be a better person for even a second, I'd say it is clear who the animal here is."

  "Saori...it is not worth it. Apologize and leave. You have a lot to lose." Marina whispered, looking back at her.

  "I'm sorry, for doing all of this." She looked at the crowd in general, trying not to meet her father's eyes for too long, "There. Apologized. But I am not leaving. Not right now, while I still have so much to say to this man."

  "You have things to say to me?" The husband ughed, "Of course you do. You've been raised like that, after all. You say not to bring your father into this, but he is absolutely the one who is responsible. Do you think any of us here even care about what he is saying or doing? He refuses to marry, he refuses to get you married, he might be a competent daimyo, but he cannot see the future at all! All that freedom he has given you in the name of love has only jeopardized all of our futures. You steal from us, and all you have to show for it is having sex with other women?"

  Saori took a few steps forward, until she was right next to Marina, "About time, isn't it? It is about time all of you showed yourselves for who you truly are. Fucking vultures trying to scavenge my father, filled with nothing but greed and hunger for power. Stop talking about futures when you yourself can't secure yours. You need to rely on him to make sure you have a better life? Then don't go around acting superior. Stop trying to convince yourselves that you are better than me."

  The ministers gasped, started to whisper.

  "Yeah, yeah, I can hear you all too. Don't worry, I'll get around." She snarled, "What do you all even do, except shuffling around the corridors of my house and plotting how to get rid of my father? All of that, only to circle back around in the night and beg him for money so that you can feed your families. You lean on him, you beg to him, you have nobody else to believe in. Guess who that sounds like? A fucking daughter, you braindead vermin. Get yourselves married off to some lords if you care about the people so much."

  To her right, a short ugh escaped Marina. A silence followed, and then she gave up on trying to hold back. The short giggle turned into a full ugh, flying freely through the night air. Saori wanted to follow her too. She hadn't felt so free in a long time now. To be able to convey her feelings to these assholes was a medicine she didn't even know existed. But it worked rather well. However, there was no time to ugh right now. She had bigger things to attend to. Marina could handle the ughter for her.

  "Princess, do not say things you will ter regret." One of the ministers tried to speak up.

  "Huh? I am sorry, I don't know who the fuck you are. Stop talking to me like you've known me for years. Never even saw you in my life, so get out of my face. As for the rest of you, if you can't stomach the simple fact that I am allowed to do whatever I want, then feel free to join him and jump off this balcony. Stop trying to think of yourselves as above everyone and just trust the fact that if Kawashiri Seiya is such a competent daimyo, then he probably knows what he is doing." She sighed and started panting. The exhaustion was slowly starting to get to her, especially after all this shouting. Her throat hurt too. But she couldn't stop now, "Do you think he is unaware of the fact that he has no heir? Do you think it never crosses his mind? He isn't that blind, you know. Did you all even ever ask him what he is thinking when he gives me all that freedom?"

  More whispering; louder this time. Probably about how rude and insensitive she was being. Probably about how nobody would ever marry her now. Probably about how they were going to take advantage of this whole situation from tomorrow onwards. She couldn't care less anymore, though. Let them say whatever they wanted. It was already too te.

  "Saori, do not say anything else, dear. Please." Her father, whispered, "Go to your room."

  "No." She looked at the floor, still not able to meet his eyes, "Sorry, dad. But no, not today. How...can you take all of this from them? How can you just stand there and let them come up with ways to kill you, all while you suffer and do all the work? All of it just because of me. Because I am too much of a problem to everyone here. How can I not say anything, when I know for a fact that none of this would have happened if I wasn't like this?"

  "Now you get back to the crux of the matter, you bitch." The husband jumped in again, "Don't try to twist the situation. You are running away from what the problem here actually is. You were fucking my wife, right here in this pce, so close to so many important people! Don't try to gain sympathy by trying to act all high and mighty. Answer me. How are you going to pay for this?"

  "Oh god, just shut up, will you?" Saori rolled her eyes, "I told you already, didn't I? I did it. I fucked your wife, and she wanted it too. Instead of bming me and telling me about how wrong I am to like what I like, maybe think about why she would cheat on you in the first pce. With a woman, on top of that. Maybe you don't give her enough respect, or love, or care, or attention. Or hell, maybe your cock doesn't work anymore. I wouldn't know. Either get aside and keep to yourself, or leave. Because I will be changing the conversation, like it or not. A little fucking drunk on anger right now, so might as well get everything out."

  He opened his mouth, but one look from her and she shut it again. The point got across to him, clearly. She looked back towards the ministers and waited to see if they had anything to say. But it did not seem like it. All of them were just waiting for her to continue. It was ironic. But she didn't dare point that out. Some of them might get insecure enough to take out their swords and start fighting. They were more childish than her, after all.

  "I'm addicted to sex." She decided to start with that and get them uncomfortable, "Every single day, I do it with my attendant at least five times. I can't control it, so I satisfy it. That is why I cannot leave my room. Because if I sat in court, I would need her by my side at all times, pying with me to make sure I can pay attention to work."

  She finally looked at her father, but saw no change in his expression. Seems like he already knew. She expected nothing less either. Of course he knew. Even Marina had found out, so why wouldn't someone living in her own castle. Why wouldn't her own father?

  "I was about to ask if you all would be fine with me doing that. Having someone fucking me there at all times." She sighed, "But you perverted, voyeuristic fucks probably would, so let's not go there. Especially since I am the same, so who would I be to judge. See, we share some things!

  "Father, I am going to ask you a simple question. Do you intend to have me married off to some guy I don't know, now that you know everything I am?"

  "Saori...I..." He was the one not looking at her now, "I don't know. I don't want to, but there are rules."

  "It is because you're scared of them, aren't you?" She went up and stood right in front of him, looking up at his face, "Why? You are the one in power here, so why are you so afraid of them? Because of me? Do you worry that if you keep me here forever, then I will become victim to all of their pns as well? That's it. I know that's it. But I've never known you to follow rules for the sake of them, so don't do it now."

  "He holds the power to make decisions across the nd. Not to change the rituals and righteousness that have been common sense for hundreds of years!" A minister shouted from the back, and other murmured words of encouragement and support.

  "And what do you hold, pdog? Come here and speak to my face if you want to say something. Don't hide behind your friends. What are you, a woman?" She chuckled, "Looks like there's a whole lot of challenging these common sense rules going on tonight. You yourself do not seem to care enough about them. Because go ahead, use all the rights you have been given by your forefathers. Why don't you? Come here and sp me to show me my pce."

  She felt a rough, but warm hand on her cheek. Her father caressed her face and spoke, "Saori, dear. Please stop. Don't worry so much about me. It is not your age to be thinking of all this. You don't to get married? You won't. I'll make sure of that. But don't make enemies for my sake. I know they all dislike me and my actions; I know it very well. But I'll handle it, somehow. You could never bother me, Saori, so do what you want. It is alright. Just...calm down."

  Saori put her hand on his, "But I...I've done nothing to pay you back. I am just a...just a useless little brat who does things without a single thought. And you are getting punished for it by all of these insects. You deserve better, father. You deserve better than me, and you definitely deserve better than them. So cull it all. Why stick with these backstabbers even now? Get rid of them."

  "It's not that simple, dear. They are hardworking people. They get the job done and make sure it is of the highest quality, no matter what they think in private. Our territory reigns peacefully and efficiently because they are here. I wouldn't repce a single one of them, even if they were to make attempts on my life every single day. It is the way things work, Saori. Do not bme yourself for even a moment. It is my choice to stay like this. Not just for you, but also for those people down there."

  "I am nothing...more than a slut." She whimpered, "They all know it now. They wi-will ruin your life, and mine."

  "Do not use that word!" For once, he spoke with anger, "Never use that word lightly, Saori. You are young, and you followed your whims. Marina-san, you should have known better. To do something like this, at a time like this was not wholly appropriate. But what is done, is done. All we can do is accept who everyone here is, and go on like that. Ministers, I apologize for my daughter's behavior. I'll make sure to teach her better from now on. Everyone, I am really sorry this night turned out to be like this."

  Marina bowed, "I apologize too, Kawashiri-dono. It was not my intention to get your daughter into trouble. I was out of control and made mistakes. It shall not happen again."

  Seiya nodded, and patted the princess' head, "Saori, look at me."

  She did; her eyes watery.

  "I am proud of you, got it? I might not approve of what you did tonight, but you spoke your mind just now. I did not expect my daughter to have so much courage. Of course, you need to learn a lot about reading a room, but I...I feel like I understand you a little better now. Your attendant should be here soon. I have sent for her. Just go back to your room and rest. I'll handle everything else."

  "Just clean up after me again?" She murmured, "I am tired of that."

  "Saori!" He bellowed, "It is my job as your father. To clean up after you is a duty I am more than happy to fulfill. It is an honor, to be able to do it. Now, stop throwing yourself down over everything and go. Leave the diplomatic matters to us."

  From the crowd, Saori heard Nobuko's soft voice call out to her. The ministers gave way and the attendant appeared, heaving and sweating. She stood and looked at her princess for a while, then at Marina; almost immediately understanding the situation.

  "K...awashiri-sama." She panted, "Please, come here."

  "Nobu." Saori mouthed. All her courage vanished. All her anger dissipated. Seeing her again was like taking a dip in a cool stream. She felt herself getting weak and vulnerable. If everyone wasn't looking, she wouldn't have taken a second to colpse in Nobuko's arms.

  "What about the disrespect I have endured today, Kawashiri!?" The husband shouted, "You think you can let that bitch get away with doing something like this. You allow your own daughter to take part in things like these, and you tell her you are proud of her? A man like you does not deserve to uphold the beliefs of our nd. Harboring whores and then allowing them to conduct their business!"

  "Uchitomi Toshiro!" Seiya's voice boomed once more, "I have apologized to you, and I shall apologize again if you please. There is nothing we can do about what is over. Take your wife and go home. Resolve your matters yourself. We are not here for such petty issues. And do not speak in such a vulgar manner in my castle again. I have been tolerant, but that can change if you force it to."

  "So you will do absolutely nothing about your daughter's scandalous behavior, then?" He stepped forward, and his hand ended up on the princess' face, grabbing and turning her to face him, "She can break the ws of our nd and get away with it because she is your daughter, is it? A whore is a whore, whether it be my wife or a commoner. Both of them shall receive punishment for what they have done!"

  "Kawashiri-sama!" Nobuko ran forward, ready to help her get out.

  But before she could get there, a simple swing of a sword cut the hands of the man off. Blood spttered on Saori's face and the ministers close to them. Seiya's bde, now in the air, stayed stationary as the man started shouting. Marina rushed forward, trying to get to him. But she did not.

  There was no time to react, for anyone. Toshiro's screams did not even leave the castle's boundaries before the sword came down once more, and sliced through his neck, making another pool of blood gush out and paint the entire corridor. His wife howled out of horror, and sat down, looking at the man's dead body. Saori watched on without a clue, even as she felt Nobuko hold her body and pull her backwards. Her father's face did not show even a hint of anger, but she could see his hand shaking with the sword.

  "I warned you, Uchitomi Toshiro." He spoke in a calm demeanor, "And yet, you crossed your boundaries."

  "Saori, step back. We need to leave." Nobuko whispered in her ear.

  Beyond that, all the princess would parse was babble. Her ears closed off. The man's neck, still spraying out blood, was the only thing she could see. She had caused this, once more. All of that, for nothing. She had just gotten her father in even more trouble. Saori felt like ughing; ridiculing the nonsense of the situation. But it all got to her at once, and she did not get any time to react to things. Her eyelids, heavy, closed by themselves. Her body flopped over on Nobuko, unconscious.