I spent a number of hours practising False Void Motion, until I had a basic grasp on it. The efficy was truly lousy running it off verted aether, but it was definitely a trump-card type of ability. I could safely teleport a couple of times without draining my stocks too low for bat, and I had also experimented with using Void Motion on my sword or other items, in a simir way to how I had moved my spear in the past. It wasn’t cheap in terms of aether either, but the accuracy had increased signifitly since my st effort that had missed a fatal blow on Kondou Kazuo. Again, in a bat situation I use it to turn battles around in an instant…

  Shaeu had been practising with her earth element, and was finding it rather erhaps due to her nature, or her mi, but in time she would likely grow more profit. I then checked my Territory build queues, and they were tig along slowly, but since most of the accumuted ether was currently being transported to Haru-san’s Territory to push her Ether Spires to Rank 3, there was no notable progress. Although there is one useful side-effect…

  The adherence demands on me by the Divine Favour of Laverna was manageable, I was still bleeding out my limited adherence slowly, but with the extra tithed from Haru-san’s number of additional Spires, I was able to sustain it, and hopefully by the time all her Spires were Rank 3 in a couple of weeks, that trickle would be flowing iher direy reserves slowly replenishing. I really do have to find someone who use it, though so far, no luck… I was due to meet another number of potential didates, this time from trusted Gover staff and children of nobility who had the most promising answers on a questionnaire ut together, but I wasn’t holding out much hope. It’s a very specialised Divine Favour, patibility is going to be hard to find… well, perhaps if we searched for thieves and yakuza… That might have worked, but it wasn’t something I repared to tenanot with the experiences some of us had suffered with under criminal Chosen.

  With that done, I returo the Material, having skipped out on sleep. Since I had rested after my mishap with my buffed Eye, I was feeling rexed aed enough, and the successes that Shaeu and the trainees had experienced only lifted my mood further. It was f to know that Shaeu was growing stronger almost as fast as I was. While a small part of me wao keep all the girls I loved away from battle, I was mature enough to know that was not only impossible, but doing them a grave disservio, they want to grow stroo protect themselves, each other, ahey aren’t birds to be kept in a cage. Though I won’t promise on doing my best to keep them as safe as possible…

  To that end, I had a number of pns. But most of them would have to wait until after the weekend. I took quick shower, ged into a fortable casual suit, and after cheg in on Eri, who was doing her schoolwork remotely to keep up with her attendance requirements, and then Shiro, who was having a zy m, I headed out to my first of maings, this o the Ministry…

  ********

  “None. As I expected.” I sighed, going over the files in front of me. None of the people that we had sidered were suitable to take the Divine Favour from me. “It’s annoying. The Favour isn’t a long term solution to our problems in terms of manufacturing and trade, but it would certainly push us ahead in both those areas as an effective stopgap.”

  Haru-san, oop, fingers moving like lightning, her stats allowio do the work of three or four secretaries, which she pined was handy, as that was what I often asked her to do, let out an exasperated sigh. “Of course we won’t find anyone. We’re one in a huhousand, aren’t we Akio-san? If it was that easy, there’d be no way I’d have ever been chosen.” She shook her head meaningfully. “Well, we have a very limited pool of didates, even most of the applits haven’t been told a majority of the details. We ’t trust people that might leak our secrets o to the press. The protests are still simmering, it wouldn’t take much of a spark to make them explode into genuine riots or civil u.” She rubbed at her temples. “Really, I’m searg so many minds with Telepathy, it’s like I’m going mad again.”

  I felt a surge of sympathy at that. “If it’s too much, then we scale back our efforts…”

  “No.” Haru-san disagreed. “I’m just feeling sorry for myself. I mostly trol my Favour now, it’s only when I’m under a lot of stress or exhausted it sometimes activates unwillingly. Really, ’t a girl vent to her boss? I’d say you’ll never be popur with women until you learn to listen patiently, but I’d clearly be wrong.” She smiled, reassuring me she was fine, just letting off some steam. “Really, I think the way the world is now is far stranger and madder than any of my delusions when I thought I was crazy. But this is our reality now, so we make the best of it.”

  “Yeah, I’m just feeling a bit frustrated myself.” I admitted. “There’s still a lot to do. The Chirurgery on the military, building up your Territory, mine and then pushing to Rank 4, rest Eri to health and Tsukiko-san to life, sealing an alliah Princess Eleanor, beginnis on Material to Boundary version, the joiure with Ichijou house, more… the list is endless.”

  “Yes, which is why we are trying to push on as quickly as we with the Ministry and other matters, without sacrifig safety.” She soled me. “We are making progress. Why not treat the weekend as a break? You’ll be in good pany, right?” she winked.

  “Yeah. I guess so. Well, I was just spoiled in how my sis and Kana mao take Favours. I guess I ’t expect that sort of luck to hold forever.”

  “You’re alsetting that Kana- didn’t just take the Favour, she had to prepare herself for it, gainih element and more, right? Don’t worry, we’ll find someone. For now, just focus oask at a time. Leave the trying to do twenty things at oo your overworked and underpaid vassal, who you are tirelessly trying to work into an early grave. I swear I’ll haunt you when you work me to death. Wait, I am already!”

  “Yeah, very funny.” I ughed, my good humour restored once again.

  “So what’s on yenda?” she asked, going back to her typing.

  “I’m meeting Ixitt and Ichijou-san as well as several tractors out on the nd we’ve earmarked for the new Ministry building, and our joint factories. That’s not for a few hours though…” I said, cheg my watch, before realising I had put on a rather expensive one, out of habit rather than i. I guess I’m definitely ging. Well, with my girls, I ’t look shabby and show them up when I’m with them, I’ll always have to keep retively well turned out.

  “In that case, I’ll have a car ready for you. While you wait…” she poio her s. “Tsumura-sama has some of his pilots stationed nearby. You always make a start on the Chirurgery?” She smiled happily, getting her revenge.

  “Fine. You win. You take a break. I’ll get to work…”

  “Aren’t you such a good boss?” her ughter followed me out…

  ********

  “We do it.” The tractreed, a big bear of a man, massive for being Japanese, and with a thick bck beard, also unusual. “In fact, I’d love to take this job!” he boomed, his voice as loud as his scale.

  “Well, I would also like to get started. My Mayumi is eager for this joiure, to work with Hinata-. Oh, and you of course, Akio-san.” He was keeping his less warm manner of address sihe meeting where Hinata and I had pushed back against the nobility, but I found that tiresome.

  “Akio-kun is fine. I am a lot younger.” I said. “And since Mayumi-san is keeping her word and treating Hinata properly, I think we be proper partners. So long as you remember that most of the effort es from our side.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of fetting that, Akio-kun.” He grinned wolfishly. “But versely, you’re a very wealthy man just from the share in the Ichijou house industries you accrued by agreeing this joint project. So I think you could stand to be a bit mrateful.”

  “Oh, I am.” I said, a it. “Your name also opens a lot of doors. I don’t deny it. But… well, I suppose arguing over the profits is premature.”

  “Hardly.” Ixitt rubbed his hands gleefully. “We all know we shall be fabulously wealthy soon. But that is hardly all. Mortal Engineering, Sce… all shall be advanced.”

  The tractor looked a bit bemused at his enthusiasm, but the detailed pns resented him were holding his i.

  “Fabulous wealth, you say?” Ichijou-san ughed. “Really, I’m still curious as to what we’ll be doing here.”

  “Well, now is not the time to speak of it.” Ixitt eyed the tractor, and taking the hint, we headed to another room. “You asked for ons, the means to protect your try from war and woe, correct?”

  “Well, it makes sense. Ichijou Heavy Industries does manufacture a number of crucial military assets, as well as export to allied tries around the world. Though I hardly think we want to be exp anything involving these new abilities.” Ichijou-san replied.

  “Well, perhaps not for now.” Ixitt allowed. “Mortal Engineering moves on, and what was oreasured works of artifice bees old and antiquated rather quickly. Well, so much more so now.” he grinned. “As for the future…” he poio our set of blueprints. “… we should first work oermediary steps, that which makes us our wealth.”

  “The Alchemy devices, right?” I said, and Ixitt ughed happily.

  “Yes, I believe you have a saying here. Trash to treasure.” Ixitt intoned. “We source a signifit portion, if far from all our needs, from using Alchemy to recycle matter, ohe first hurdles are overe. Instead of paying for resources, we be paid to take garbage, and recycle it into useful raw materials, and have many that we do not require left over for sale. Hehe scale of these warehouses and s facilities. I do fess, sces such as Chemistry have far deeper depths than even I fathom, so I had to seek… expert… help.” He paused. “Well, have no fear, on some of the forums and chat groups I frequent online, I merely posited some thought experiments, and had many marvellous responses.”

  “Well, we have the nd. And having it in the shadows of the Ministry building, which also doubles as an emergency fortress… even so, it looks te a scale.” Ichijou-san mused.

  “Hardly. We shall stabilise the underground and create subterranean stores and assembly lines as well. Though I believe that will require notable invenience. But with careful application of earth element we dig deeper and safer than otherwise would be feasible. And the rubble be recycled, metals and valuable minerals extracted, so no useless waste.”

  “I’m not spending all my time doing that…” I protested, and Ixitt flourished his phone.

  “Of course not. But… well, if we had a ready source of earth element wielders, with a little training…” His grin was wicked, and I saw that he had been messaged by Shaeu bragging about her many successes with earth element, the traioo.

  “Shit.” I sighed. “I know the ao that one. Looks like Tsumura-san might get his wish after all. But I’ll squeeze him hard for it…” Actually, using elements oerial isn’t as difficult as usiher. It’d be good training…

  “On another note…” Ixitt ughed happily. “Here are some pns Hinata asked me to draw up.”

  “Hinata-? How iing…” Ichijou-san leaned in, curious. “These look like…”

  “Yes. Luxury apartment blocks.” Ixitt ughed. “Well, we do own a lot of nd, do we not? So they would be from your Territory. Besides…” he pointed out the unique features. “… they would be rgely self-suffit in terms of power and other utilities…”

  “Well, they would be valuable, but persuading people to move further out of Tokyo, even for such luxurious aodation would be a hard sell. So… just what is this geor that supplies the power and also the water?”

  “That’s another project.” I said, unwilling to share all the details of Ixitt’s research. “But I think the aim isn’t so much as sell to high end rich people, as to make plenty of room for ordinary people to live in safety. Kyoto proved the need for that. And if we make money doing it, or even not lose mohat works.”

  “Quite. Hinata has pns for true luxury for the wealthy, but as, we o y the groundwork first.” Ixitt rubbed his hands together. “For now… we o begin work on the first foundations and more importantly, the underground portion.”

  “It won’t be cheap. Though I get the pnning permission.” Ichijou-san mused. “But you get those earth element users you say we require?”

  “I’ll see what I do…” I promised. Oh well, we’re finally starting to move on ref and developing the nd we own in Tokyo. I g the tower-block designs again, sleek, attractive and spacious, made to repce old blocks like where Karen- lived. I sidered how much she’d love it, and the respeoboru-san would get from his unruly daughter Sana- that he talked about often at work, if he lived in such a pce. Ahere’s the security features too, they wouldn’t stop a Chosen, but… they could at least buy time…

  ********

  “Akio!” Hinata greeted me happily. She was there with her father and grandfather, and oddly enough, with Sakura-san, who was looking at us with cold eyes, and her younger brother Minoru-san, who was rather excited, and their father and grandfather. “How’s your day been?” she asked brightly, ign her sister.

  “Busy. Though I did get to see your proposals for the neartment blocks.” After that I gave polite greetings to all uests, and Kana’s mother, Nagi-san, was serving tea and treats. Good. I know Hyath loves being a servant, being mostly a brownie, but it doesn’t help with the way the nobility thinks, it weakeanding and my position. This is better.

  “What did you think?” Hinata said when I was done greeting uests. “I think they are rather impressive.”

  “She’s n, though we’ll be operating at an initial loss. Even ating for… teological improvements.” Her grandfather said. “Over time, sihey will be leased on y-nine year agreements, you’ll recoup and even make profits, but the upfront cost itment is rge, sidering…”

  “Well, we earn gratitude as well. And that is valuable.” Hinata smiled at her new brother and sister. “Isn’t it, Minoru-kun?”

  “I want to see the stones again!” he said, eyes bright, and Hinata pulled out several pretty quartz rocks, shining white and pink. A faint aura of red shimmered on her palm, and chips of stone fell away, crudely shaping them inth marbles. “And then…” she used more of her earth element, and the balls u me like slingshot pellets. They were easily slow enough for me to catch, which I did, then passing them to the eager Minoru-san, who took them, eyes wide.

  “I want to be able to do that too!” he crowed. “That’s so cool!”

  “Yes, your new sister is very cool, isn’t she?” Hinata pressed him. “I learned how to do it st night. And if you work and study hard, you’ll learn too, and much better things as well.” She turo me then, leaving him pying with the stone spheres. “I think it’s time to make good on our promise. Minoru-kun wao learn. As long as we take it slow aays in the heart of your Territory it should be fine. I’ll get Shaeu to assign a Kamaitachi or some weaselkin to watch over him while he’s here.”

  “I do not agree to this!” Sakura-san said, gl. “It’s far too dangerous for Minoru to do such things! Besides, he should be learning his duties as the heir of Takatsukasa house.”

  “Oh Sakura, my dear sister.” Hinata sighed, a little exasperated. “I believe having such skills is going to be more valuable for his future than learning to be heir. And he’ll enjoy it more, too. Leave the b stuff to me, right, Minoru-kun?”

  As he agreed happily, I held in a grimace. Damn, Hinata already has Minoru-san pletely in awe of her. Well, Sakura-san still seems bitter, but then, it’s not been long at all since she was forced to see her cousin as a sister, and ohat will likely surpass her, ahe Takatsukasa name while she loses hers te. Well, it’s a bit cruel, but I know Hinata will make sure Sakura-sas a suitable fate that she appreciate in the end. “So anyway, what brings you all here?” I asked the Takatsukasas and Fukimotos.

  “They wao see just how we run our Healing services. Both my grandfathers already know how valuable and powerful your aid be…” They both agreed at that, Fukumoto-san ughing happily, Takatsukasa-san looking a bit vexed. “… and sihis time as well as some fn visitors, we have some Japanese guests from the world of nobility and business, their presence smooths matters along. Well, we aren’t going to gouge our fellow nobility, that would be bad form.” Hinata giggled. “But we do io make some profit heless! I hope you still have some strength left after your day.”

  “Yeah, thanks to Shiro’s buffs I regee aether pretty quickly. I ha. I’m not going to do much training tonight anyway, I still have a lot of matters to prepare. So, who is on the agenda?”

  “Well, firstly we have another Southern Afri businessman. Apparently word has spread regarding miss Lindiwe’s miraculous recovery. He has a simirly inoperable cer, one particur to males, I’m told, and while his prognosis is that he likely has years of life ahead of him… well, the fear of eventual death is a powerful motivator. We will receive the equivalent of two million Ameri dolrs, which isn’t a lot, but not bad for a few minutes of work.” She paused. “He owns a famous jewellery pany, so… well, we need wedding rings right?” she winked. “He’s promised me a magnifit one for my aid, and any others at cost.”

  “Well, that’ll please the others. I was thinking we o look into that. Anyway, who else…?”

  Going over the information, this time there were a pair of South Korean teology moguls, oh lung cer from smoking, the other with heart disease. We would receive small stakes in their business, a few pert of the shares in each, as well as cash settlements and their unspecified support in any expansion we made into Korean markets with our own products. There was also an Australian mine owner, opals and copper mostly, though there were potentially other sites to be explored there, who had been involved in an act and paralysed from the waist down. Again we would receive a stake in his pany, cash and apparently Hinata was being given a number of beautiful opals.

  Lastly, there was a Fren, Mr Arnault, who had brought his son. The young boy had been injured in a freak act when a kettle of boiling water had exploded right o his face, and even after a number of operations and painful skin grafts, the boy was still horribly scarred, and blind in his right eye, as well as deaf in his right ear. As the major shareholder in the famous fashion pany LVMH and chairman of another equally famous one, he repared to spare no expeo heal his son, but modern medie had failed him, until word amongst the rid powerful had led him to Hinata’s door. “… so yes, fifty million euros total, ten million for the scars, ten million for his hearing, thirty million if you fix his eye. In addition, well, our wardrobes could use a refresh, right? You have a lot of women, and they need clothing.” She grinned. “He promised that aside from the money, his gratitude would be eternal, and we would never want for champagne again.”

  “I see. Well, you’ve certainly done well.” I praised her. “I thank you too, grandfather, I know you’ve been lending an air of authenticity to her role here.” The money is nice, ut that to use immediately. The shares in various panies are only valuable if the world remains stable… but I’d rather have them than not. The other bonuses, well… why not?

  “As for our esteemed Japanese guests…”

  ********

  “… ’t believe it.” The man, head of one of the Three Hundred, was saying to Takatsukasa-san, tears in his eyes as he rotated his arm freely. “I hought it would move again, my doctor had given up on it.”

  “That’s right.” another man said, looking at his wife, eeping soundlessly, hugging her own body. “It… it’s impossible.”

  “I’m happy for her, I really am, but that one retty much torture for me, especially in front of Hinata.” I pihough my tone was light. Seriously, I know I actually regrow damaged tissue now, especially when I called in Shiro to ge my buff over, but regeing breasts lost to a cer mastey was extremely embarrassing for me.

  “I shall never fet this favour!” Her husband was g too now, caught up in the emotion. “I’m not sure what use my pany has, but as promised…”

  “Oh, well, as a Takatsukasa, I believe I should follow the lead of my grandfather, Ichijou-sama and Fujiwara-sama and protect the nobility.” Hinata id it on thick, just as she had with the other half-dozen members of the Three Huheir families, and also one son of a truly major house, nearly as high in standing as Tsumura house, who had been born with a deformed hand. Yeah, that was harrowing in a different way to the breasts. Having to break his hand apart and rebuild it retty gruesome.

  “I shall do as promised, of course!” the man said between tears. “Anything you need, at cost, as well as the nd we were pnning to sell when we build our new offices.” After that, Hinata’s adopted father escorted the nobles and their family out, leaving us alone.

  Overall, from the Japanese nobility we had gained a number of plots of nd in Tokyo, most of them unfavourable, but still of use to us, as well as trade agreements and some mohough that was only a side be, and nowhere near what we were charging the fn nationals. More iingly, Hinata had mao gain ownership of a rather nisen inn in Hakone, somehow, and when that was added to the budget hotels I had extracted from Kondou Kazuo, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say I was in the hospitality trade. Though the hot springs are likely a lot haels… I had transferred trol of the hotels to Hinata retly, and while she hadn’t made any ges to their ma or operatio, I had a feeling she wasn’t satisfied making modest earnings.

  “Well then…” my father-in-w said, looking at his daughter with a happy but plicated expression on his face. “The fn patients and their families have been moved to a private hospital, where doctors will check your work and ehat they are satisfied with the results. Then payment will be collected. You’re rather riow, son-in-w.”

  “He’s a marriage parthat will not shame Takatsukasa house.” Hinata smiled at Sakura-san and her family. “You see that nht Sakura? And with all the support behind me, I’m a worthy granddaughter of Takatsukasa-san. I’m sorry, but things have ged. I’m no lohe troublemaker you o look out for. I appreciate it, even if I didn’t always show it, found it annoying…” she took a long breath. “Minoru-ku want to be heir. I don’t bme him.” She ughed. “It’s hard work. But I’ll make sure he gets to be the hero he wants to be. Safely.” She met Sakura-san’s wavering gaze. “So, now I look out for you. Really, is there something you want out of life?”

  “I… I am a daughter of Takatsukasa house. I will marry, start a family and…”

  “If you want to, great. Being in love is sweet. Find yourself a good matd I’ll be the first to gratute you. But if you want more out of life, you o decide soon. Well, if you don’t want to talk to me about it, then what about Motoko or Miyu?”

  “randdaughter is alive with passiht now.” Fukumoto-san grio his opposite he old man had no ao that. “Times are ging.” He tinued. “The nobility… they have to ge too. You three old geezers know it, why else form the Three Hundred after the War? The only way to stop a dee is fresh blood, fresh ideas.” He turo Sakura-san then, who was looking a little distressed, biting at her lip softly in a rare dispy of immodesty. “Why don’t you listen to what Hinata has to say?”

  “I know you think I’m flighty and unreliable, alushing too hard, trying to be what I’m not… and you were right.” Hinata agreed, looking at her cousin early. “I brought you here to show you how I’ve ged, though you really should have noticed by now. It’s a funny thing, love.” She smiled, and I found it stunningly pure aiful. “Now I’ve stopped w about chasing after Mayumi, or being equal to you, Sakura. Well, I still want respect, but now, not for vanity, or to make me feel better, but because… I don’t want Akio or the others being looked down on! It’s not for me, that makes all the differehough…” her beautiful smile turned wicked. “… I do fess, I rather enjoy being seen as a daughter of Takatsukasa at st. But Sakura… look, this day alone, I’ve garnered support for Takatsukasa house from both many of the Three Hundred, as well as fn allies. I’ve got a rich husband. Takatsukasa house needs moo rebuild itself, but more than that… it needs a reason.”

  “A reason?” Sakura asked, uo fight her curiosity.

  “Yes. Fujiwara house is the true guardian of the nobility, and is ied in our security and stability against threats within and without. Hence Fujiwara security, Hanafubuki academy and more. Ichijou house is invaluable to the try with the Military and Heavy Industry. Takatsukasa house… well, what do we have, Sakura? Old glories, the oldest lineage… nothing else. No, we’ll be the house mediating the Chosen. Sure, there’s overp, such as Tsumura house in the military, and Takakura house with the faith, but even so, we’ll stand above. Look…” she said seriously. “You would have married Akio here if ordered, right? I know it was mooted at one point. It made sense, really. Hence why I’ve stepped in and taken that role.”

  “I would have, though his pedigree would have been a shame…”

  “You don’t get it. His pedigree is that he’s the leader of the Japanese Chosen. Perhaps oronger will e along in time, though I have my doubts about that…” her wicked, sly griurned. “…but even then, our influence is solid. There will be no disgrace from Akio taking the reins. Far from it. Takatsukasa house will be revitalised, and live on for as long as Japan does. Seriously, Sakura… you o find something you want to do. Well, if you want to help me rebuild Takatsukasa house, I’m all for it. If you want to marry out, as long as the man is good for you, I’ll support you all the way. If he's trash though…” she g me, and I took the hint.

  “I see you as family, Sakura-san. After all, you’re Hinata’s cousin, sister or whatever. All I know is… we didn’t do this to hurt you, or ruin your family. So if you have worries, you e to us. But… I know it won’t be that easy to ge your mind about us. Even so, if you’re ever in trouble, we’ll be there.”

  “I…” she looked at us then, before fixing her gaze on Hinata. “… it is very frustrating. You have always caused me problems, embarrassed me so many times in front of our peers. The way you fawned over Mayumi-sama, not realising she saw you only as an amusing toy… yet somehow now you are standing beside her! The others of the Three Hundred mocked you for foolish pride, while the Fifty-Seven ughed at your overinfted ego and pride. Now nobody ughs, everyone wants to curry your favour. I simply ot fathom it. How did it ge? Am I the fool?”

  “Not a fool.” I said gently. “Merely seeing Hinata ge. Hell, I’m struggling to keep up with her ideas myself!”

  “Hardly!” she ughed at that. “I couldn’t put any of my pns into motion without your support, and those of the others. Sakura… this is what you o know. As nobility, the higher you are, the lonelier you are. Miyu, Motoko, you… even me… we all are princesses in our own walled gardens and the bigger garden that’s Hanafubuki. But we’ve shattered our walls. I shall run Takatsukasa house as an empire, supp Akio financially and with political influence. Motoko and Natsumi are finally gaining their independehe freedom to wield their ons as their heart desires. Even Miyu is free to dance as muo, more than she wishes.” Hinata giggled. “She is starting to pick up some colourful nguage from the others, and uses it to describe you sometimes, Akio.” She paused, reorientihoughts. “So, Sakura, step out from the walled garden, the birdcage. And find what you want to do.”

  “All right, I think that’s enough.” Fukumoto-san said. “I think she uands, but for a sheltered girl such as your cousin… no, sister, you’re right, Akio-kun, this is rather awkward.” He ughed good-naturedly. “… such thoughts run ter to her upbringing and nature.”

  “Yes. Take all the time you need. Just rest assured, Takatsukasa house is safe in our hands, and we have no iion of gutting its legacy.” I promised. “Only restoration, and a new purpose, for a nean, and a new world.” It’s easier to build when the foundations are already in pce…

  “All right. Well, I’ve said my piece, Sakura. You’ve seen what we do, the tears, the gratitude. Think about what you do to match that.” She smiled at Minoru-san then, who had been watg quietly, careful not to interrupt. “Well, Akio has more visitors to deal with, so why not e with me, Minoru-kun? We’ll start your raining regimen. Sakura… no, I’m not going to rush you.”

  “Yes, I will take my granddaughter home.” Takatsukasa-san said, a touch ruefully. “We both have much to think about. Perhaps I have misuood your iions a little.” He looked at me then, and I shrugged.

  “Maybe so. Well, that’s the beauty of family, and we are family. There’s always time to talk things out. But for now…”

  “Yes, I know. I’ll send Kana- to yht?”

  I nodded. It’s been a while, the ral shrines and their trainees have barely been here since Kyoto. It isn’t that I don’t uand why, but… time to clear the air…

  ShipTeaser