“I’m sorry about my brother.” The man in front of me said, his face set in a frown. “I think father will certainly speak to him, so I hope you haven’t taken any unnecessary offense.”

  Beside me, Miyu, still in her school uniform, and Michiru-san, also dressed in the elegant Hanafubuki clothing, albeit with a long red scarf c the lower half of her face, both pulled strange, unpleasant expressions. Seeing that, the man in front of me, Miyu’s father Fujiwara Kazuhito looked at his daughter quietly. “Miyu, I uand you don’t care for me, but in front of Oshiro-san…”

  Miyu tossed her head, her expression one I hadn’t seen sihe first time I had met her, when she was desperate, angry and bitter, wishing that Ame-no-Uzume had passed her by. “My retionship with Akio is between us, and is none of your business, father!” Her tone was cold, and he winced.

  “Akio? Retionship?” His gaze flickered to Michiru-san, something none of us missed, and Miyu’s expression somehow became sterner. “You seem very intimate. sidering your tastes…” he trailed off, before tinuing. “I admit, when father expihat you were one of the Chosen, I could hardly believe it. You’ve ged.”

  “Or perhaps you simply never knew me.” Miyu shot back. Michiru-san looked like she wao fort her, but in front of Fujiwara-san, she held back. “This is the lo versation we have had in years. Of course I would ge.”

  “You’ve never respected me as a father, have you…?” he began, and she snorted, an i noise quite unlike her.

  “I respect grandfather deeply, as head of Fujiwara house. But when it es to raising sons… I suppose I should be grateful I am not Honoka. If she was here she would be mortified…”

  I cast my mind back a few mio when I had been perf Chirurgery on a number of high-ranking nobility, as well as the en to joiraining sostly sons this time. Though there were those two sisters who seemed almost pathetically grateful, the older one shedding tears, and I don’t think they were from the pain of Chirurgery. Admittedly, they were both geous… That aside, Honoka-san’s father, Fujiwara Hidemasa, a man who gave off a rather oily feeling, with his dyed hair and expensive suit that somehow made him appear older than his mid-fifties age would suggest, had beeremely desding, and talked down to me as if I was a servant. He hadn’t even noticed Fujiwara Shige-san looking at him coldly. I was tempted to refuse him, I’m doaking disrespect, but…

  I also remembered Hinata’s teags. Always collect what we’re owed… Instead, I would extraore cessions to cover my magnanimity. And Miyu’s father, he works for…

  As I pohat, I utting a lot of my attention bay sed self, which was ba the Boundary again, training. The Tsumura Arts were deep and plex, even as a martial art without any added powers, and the more I practised them, the more I grew to enjoy it. I certainly see why Motoko and Natsumi wished to preserve them… Unfortunately, the situation at this meeting was getting rather tense.

  “Miyu, I uand. I didn’t want to be tied down by Fujiwara house either, so I bzed my own path…” he began, but Miyu snorted again.

  “Bzed your own path? Father, you are an unpleasant man, but I hought you a fool. You think your position and success i is down to your talents? How many times have people listeo you, or let your ideas pass, simply because yrandfather’s son?” Her s was withering, and I was surprised. I do remember she told me she hadn’t spoken to her father in years. I never k was this bad. I mean, my retionship with my own father was plicated, but I knew he cared, even if he was bad at showing softer emotions…

  “Really, grandfather spoiled you both.” Miyu tinued. “But even Hidemasa-sama has a better grasp of his position than you!”

  Miyu’s father froze, surprised, before his face paled with anger. “Daughter, you go too far! I uand you loathe me, though I have dohing to earn your ire. You think you are aer? All you have is due to your lineage! Without our wealth and prestige, you would just be an ordinary girl, the sort of mediocre ohat be found anywhere, a oner.”

  I find that a little offehere’s nothing wrong with ordinary girls. My sis, Eri… Kana, even irls like Hisano-san, Yae, Rika-san…

  Miyu looked at me then, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, before she fronted her father once more. “You think I am not aware of this? I have had my tantrum, father. Though I have to shoulder a weight that you never had to bear. My life has been hard, but everyone has their hardships, a a on girl, a bodyguard like Michiru, irl living in both worlds like Hinata, there are always worries, hardships, trials. I had this pointed out to me, and it ainful lesson. But I feel much happier for it.” She looked at me again. “But now, I do bear a burden that you ot uand. Fortunately I was able to say the magic words, so now I do not have to carry it alone.”

  “Magic words? What stupidity is this? I uand that you are a Chosen, and it be frightening, but you…”

  “You uand nothing, father. Not your own role, nor mine.”

  “Your role? You would say that to me? You made no effort to do what a noble daughter should. I uand your… proclivities…” he looked at Michiru-san, shaking his head. “It isn’t unon, finding someoo fort you, g to… I admit being a noble daughter is hard. But you were supposed to be obedient, marry for the good of Fujiwara house and bear heirs. And now…”

  “Noble? You cim you have given up the Fujiwara name, and succeed on your ows, yet you demand your daughter acts as a noble, and sell her the same athetic.” Miyu said sfully. As she did so, Michiru-sa my eyes pleadingly, and I nodded.

  “All right.” I held up a hand. “Miyu, I get that you have grievances, but… this isn’t helping. As for you, Kazuhito-san… I call you that, right? Since you are the father of my precious Vassal…”

  He grunted an affirmative, looking sour at being interrupted by me, and I did uand a little of where Miyu was ing from. For someohat cims he’s free of the nobility, he certainly has the arrogance of someone who expects to be obeyed, which far outweighs his position as a high-level bureaucrat i. “Good.” I said mildly. I see why Fujiwara-san is skipping over his sons and having Honoka-san or her prospective future husband i. Though if the Chirurgery he’s now had helps him live longer he might not have to hurry so… “Miyu ’t escape her birth. Nobody . A child born to a poor family has tle against their poverty, while someone born sickly and frail has their options limited. And someone born to wealth and privilege has to py their part. But that’s not to say Miyu hasn’t her own value.”

  With my Majesty captivating him, Kazuhito-san was uo look away, listening to my words. “Miyu’s love of Japanese dance, her piano… her grades at school, the fact that the irls at Hanafubuki respect her as a good senpai and a polite kouhai. Those are all her own achievements. And more than that… she may have been terrified, may have wished none of this came to her, but she does her duty. She stands in the Boundary and she Dances for the Dawn, giving strength to her allies, and wheime es…” I looked at Miyu fondly. “… I know she’ll Dance for the Dusk too, if it’s to protect others, and the promises she’s made.”

  As Miyu looked down, embarrassed, I tinued. “… so I think you should respect your daughter’s choices. Just like you chose to follow your own path, so has she. Well, her choices might have been limited thanks to being Chosen, but then, doesn’t everyone in life have their choice restricted by circumstance?”

  “Father…” Miyu said, her dark eyes hard. “…it is too te to take an i in my life now.”

  “Miyu, I have always tried to do my duty as a father. But…” he tried to apologise, but she shook her head.

  “Even grandfather arranged my fiancé, you had no say. If you wao be ordinary, you should have pletely abahe Fujiwara aken me away, and lived a normal life. That erhaps we could have been a family in truth, rather than just in name…”

  “I couldn’t do that…” he said, and she smiled sadly.

  “I know that. Fortunately now… there will be ne for me.”

  “Yes, it was called off. It is good fortuhe fiancé for you and Honoka-sama wasn’t announced publicly, so there is no shame, although, for you to be the Vassal of this man… what will you do? The higher nobility of the Fifty-Seven…”

  “Fifty-Eight.” She corrected. “Even though Hinata is Takatsukasa Hinata now, grandfather and Itsuki-sama decred that Fukumoto House met the criteria to be true nobility. Thanks to Akio here.” she smiled at me.

  “The Fifty-Eight then.” he said, exasperated, and while he wasn’t as annoying and rude as his brother, I once more felt sorry for Fujiwara-san, having such sons. Maybe I uand at least a little of how father felt now. I may have disappointed him in some ways… “Despite your lineage, i in you as a bride has dropped. Sure, some would want to tie closer links to Fujiwara house, or please father, but… the better options have passed you by.”

  “I hardly care.” Miyu said calmly. “I am a Vassal. I hardly marry and be beholden to my new husband. You think that any noble son worth the name would allow me to spend my time obeying Akio’s orders? In fact, would any maisfied with such a retionship, knowing I will prioritise Akio’s will?”

  “Obeying orders? Prioritising him?” he said, gring at me.

  “Oh please, father.” Agaione was cold. “You care about my wellbeing now? Akio is hardly unreasonable.” She paused. “Except for making me danany hours. It is almost enough to make me loathe dang.” Her smile was gentle. “But it is true that I am bound to obey. It is hardly any different to the past of Japan, is it? Vassals obey their noble masters…”

  “He is no noble…” her father began, and Miyu sighed loudly, frustrated.

  “How foolish you are, father. You and Hidemasa-sama are definitely brothers. Even if you ighat he will i Takatsukasa house through Hinata, in this nean, power matters. Political, financial and most of all, spiritual. And he has it all. So you should be satisfied that I am under his prote. A clever man would be taking advantage.”

  I wi that. Ouch, that putdown was brutal. It’s amazing that when Miyu gets angry or upset, her cws e out. I suppose she’s repressed a lot of hurt over the years…

  “Seriously, it is best you remain uninvolved in the running of Fujiwara house, father. You are better suited as a bureaucrat.” She finished, and he visibly held in his anger after looking at me.

  “I see. In that case… don’t you need a marriage partner, Miyu? If it was Oshiro-san here, then your flict of i would be eliminated, and you seem tent to follow his orders, despite your long-standing distaste for men. Don’t you want children?”

  “Perhaps in future.” She sighed. “But if I do, I shall speak up then.” Behind her Michiru-san flushed, possibly remembering what nonsense she had spoken when we first met. “As for marriage… that is for Akio to decide. The master dictates the life of the Vassal.” She eyed me, willio keep silent, so I swallowed my words that it wasn’t, or at least I wasn’t so ined, or trolling. “Also, you should have uood his distaste for political marriage…”

  “That makes no sense, what with the Tsumura girl, and Fukumoto Hinata…” he began, only to stop as his daughter looked at him with further disdain.

  “Old news. It so happens that Hinata, Motoko-san and Natsumi appealed to him successfully in their own ways. If he did not find them worthy, then they would be deed.” She smiled at me then. “Otherwise, I find it hard to believe you could have resisted those Elves. Putting aside Moira, Soliteare and Belera are incredibly attractive, and have made it pin they are there for a political union, and have no pints. Really father… Akio needs no further ties to Fujiwara house, instead we ies to him. I hardly think he needs me, nor lusts after me enough to take me as a wife.” Her face turned pink, now her turn to remember her accusations on our first meeting. “If that was his i he has innumerable options. No… do you not see your opportunity?”

  “I’m not a fool, my daughter.” He sighed, f down his annoyance. “I just worry…”

  “So you say. I have never seen any real evidence of that. But I am not here tue, I am here to apany my master. So…”

  “I know.” He turo me then. “The charity cert aival is under purview of MEXT. It just so happens that I am one of the people in charge. I acceded to your request to pce this Suzanne girl as one of the opening acts, despite her being an unknown. But other matters… I want this to be a success. And not just in terms of the stated goals, of soothing the popuce, raising awareness and showg Japan’s strength.” He paused. “I admit, I was a fan awa Arisu-sama…”

  Arisu-sama huh? Well, that’s certainly apt. She’s definitely someone who ands respect. “I’m sure she’ll be pleased to hear that.” I said, and he tinued.

  “… having her reappear to host, in addition to being like you, a Chosen… it will certainly cause an impact. But…” he looked at Miyu, befiving me his attention. “My daughter is right. Thinking politically, what do you want to achieve as well? If you have any other requests I likely aodate them.”

  Requests, huh? “There is one… I’m not sure how feasible it would be, and the people involved might well say no, but…”

  As I outlined my ambitious ame, Kazuhito-san actually offered some useful suggestions, and soon we had our ideas fleshed out…

  ********

  “I am deeply sorry about that.” Miyu apologised.

  “I too offer my apologies.” Michiru-san followed up. “As our master, you should not be drawn into our quarrels. It is a grave failing as a ninja. If I did not have to guard Miyu-sama, I would atoh my life!”

  “Don’t be stupid.” I sighed. “You know that’s not necessary…”

  “Then punish me as you see fit! I shall endure any punishment, no matter how painful or shameful…”

  “Miyu, you stop Michiru-san? Her delusions are running away with her.”

  “Of course. Michiru, stop making Akio unfortable. If anyone should be pu would be me, si is my father and uncle who have annoyed him so. But he is kind, and would not bme us for our family and their rude as, no more does he hold you responsible for Kozue’s ongoing disrespect…”

  As they debated that, I went over the agreed improvements. To show unity, I had wondered if perhaps we could have a British presence, and it would be ideal if such rincess Eleanor. If she was introduced along with Yukiko-san, it would have a worldwide impact, as well as calm the popuce of both tries. It would also get them used t together. If Eleanor and Yukiko-san, as well as Shiro and Shaeu, are four of these six Princesses, we o get everyone on the same page…

  As Miyu finally calmed Michiru-san’s mood, I mused about the other idea. Inviting some South Korean idols as well? With tensioween our tries high it might be a good idea to show that we still pull together, with the ese threat looming… But what are we going to do about the ihat’s happening over there? It certainly wasn’t my problem from any reasoandpoint, I couldn’t solve every problem in the world, but if Chosen ended up being reviled, feared and even hunted worldwide due to the as of some irresponsible idiots, then that would cause me and mine a number of problems…

  “I am sorry about that.” Miyu repeated. “At least I hope father was helpful? He is a weak, foolish man, thinking he has cut his own path through life with his own power. Does he really think that his suggestions do not get prece because he is the son of Fujiwara Shige? It makes me feel foolish. Perhaps I am more like him than I care to admit.” As she looked saddened, I told her to cheer up.

  “Don’t worry about it. I was a rather patheti myself in the past, running away from what I found hard to deal with, rather than fronting my issues. But like you, I ged when I got this power. So we’re quite well suited to be allies after all.” I promised her, and her gloom lifted, and she gave me a pretty smile, a relieved Michiru-san nodding to me approvingly.

  “It seems so. But… I feel that with your Tree, my abilities are far less useful than before.” she admitted. “Perhaps you do not need my dang…”

  “Is that wishful thinking?” I grinned, amused. “Sure, we’ve done great work with Asha’s Tree and Shiro’s buffs and will tio do so… but think of it like this. We’re spending a bit uwo millioher rush building each Ether Spire to Rank four. We do that, expehough it is, and in a reasoimescale it’ll be a profit for us. But what about a Rank five? Even the base cost is three and three quarter millioher. To rush build it is twenty-two and a half million. Sure, that’s in reach of what the Tree provide, but… what about Rank six? Over a hundred and thirty millioher for the rush build? Sure, you could say that we still do it… but it quickly reaches the point where it’s more effective to load four queues with them, ahem tick dowime, using the remaining queue to do other quick builds. And at that point, your dances signifitly shorten their build times, if we upgrade in localised clumps. So…” my grin broadened. “Don’t worry, my Vassal, you won’t be out of work any time soon!” No, just like these gacha games, we have to spend more and more for each upgrade, and it's not like we just sck off, else we’ll fall behind, or when we finally enter other worlds and other threats we’ll be easy prey…

  “I am not sure whether I feel reassured or just weary.” Miyu said, the stress of the eveniing to her a little. “But suffice it to say, I will tinue my dang so long as you require it.”

  “It’s te.” I checked my watch. “That ran long. Dealing with you nobles always does.” I smiled to rob that of the sting. “And I wish that was the end of my meetings, but I still have to check the details of the Pilgrimage route Yasuhide-san and Saionji-san are finalising, have a meeting with my at ma Midas Gold, gather some information on the group Mary Stuart beloo as well as possibly the situation in South Korea with Yasaka-san, and…” The worst task of all, one I’ve been putting off…

  My face must have shown my regrets, as Miyu smiled gently. “There is o strain yourself. You are doing your best, and many people support you. I go to grandfather if I o…”

  “It’s fine. But thanks.” I said, a bit touched by the younger girl’s kindness. “No, I was just thinking we have to e to a decision on Nie Ling soon. Though it’s not just us…” Eleanor’s situation is worse. She has traitors as well as a legitimate enemy… or is it? At least her situation is more clear-cut. Nie Ling may have doerrible things, but she was coerced, threatened, ensved… ugh… I holy don’t think there is a solution that is fair and offers justice to all. In the end, it might e down to the least bad decision…

  “I think you should sider it tomorrow. You may be strong, but you are not used to the many burdens of leadership.” Miyu advised. “And while I have not seen it, I have heard of your new ability to split your body from Motoko-san and Hinata. Surely that means you are just w twice as hard?”

  I winced. Guilty as charged. Even now I was going up against a score of the Bck Wolf pany with training ons, tinuing to try and refine my Tsumura Arts into something usable.

  “… bastard, I’ll get you ime…” Aliyah anting, lying on her back, her rge chest heaving as silvery steam rose from her dark, coffee-coloured skin, some blood on her face where my practice sword had nicked her. All around us y defeated meraries, while Trey was ung an attack from my blind spot, while Travis and Lua were distrag me. Lua is a fiend with that knife, she’s got a lot of natural talent…

  As Trey was sent flying, since I had no blind spots when I used aether to expand my vision, I tialking to Miyu. “I’m afraid so. Ideally, having two bodies should have halved my workload, but instead now I just be more effit at getting things dohere really aren’t enough hours in the day for me right now…”

  “Michiru, seize him!” Miyu ordered, surprising me, and the ninja agreed, leaping forwards and grabbing my arm, as I was unsure of how to respond.

  “I have captured him!” she said, suddenly winding her scarf around my wrists, bindi was futile, as I could easily have escaped, in fayone could have broken the scarf, though an ordinary person might have been surprised by Michiru-san’s many hidden ons.

  “Good. Akio, you should go home a.” Miyu advised me. “Part of being a leader is always taking care of your health aal state. Grandfather knows this well. Father and uncle… please do not take them as a representative of powerful people. But if you break, it will cause trouble for those that rely on you, whi this case is the whole of Japan, no, not just Japan, but Britain too, no?” she lectured me.

  “Fine. I admit all these meetings stress me out more than even fighting does, hard as that is to believe.” There’s just so much to pn. Sure, I’m delegating a lot to Haru-san and others, but… “I’ll take it easy for the rest of the evening, I promise!”

  “In that case, Michiru, we shall lead him back to his home, otherwise he might slip away again, and find some other task to strain himself with.”

  “A Koga ninja never lets slip her prisoner!” Michiru-san said happily. “You know, Miyu-sama, father has often showhe reverse of this sario. If I was to be captured and tied up, then…” As she began to describe what was essentially just porn with a shitty plot, I once more thought that the day I met her idiot father, I would give him a good pun the mouth…

  ********

  “I’m home.” I said wearily, Michiru having untied her scarf finally once we reached the training school, where she and Miyu went to their room to enter and practice. Since I was still in the Boundary as well, I khat Eri and Hyath weren’t back yet, and I hadn’t seen Daiyu for a while either. I know Daiyu’s been practising her new Foundation, she might have returned for a break…

  “Wele home, Akio.” Eri called in from the other room. As I opehe door, I paused, greeted by a shog sight.

  “Does it looooook strange on me?” Hyath said, blushing furiously, and as my eyes took her in, her usual maid attire absent, instead her excellent figure ed in a bination of green and purple jeans and woolly jumper, I shook my head dumbly.

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“No, not at all. You look great. It matches your hair, right?”

  “See, I told you he’d like it.” Eri said smugly. Beside her, Daiyu was sitting, and she was wearing casual clothes as well. “So, the new house… it’s incredible.” Eri smiled. “I ’t wait for Aiko to move in.”

  “Won’t she be staying with our parents iher house?” I asked, and Eri ughed.

  “Maybe. But they’re all on the same nd so does it matter? But that aside… you look tired.” She said, looking at me, ed.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” I yawned, running a hand through my hair. “Mostly mentally exhausted really, getting physically fatigued would take some doing now.”

  “Even if you split your body and sciousness safely, stress accumutes.” Daiyu agreed, following along with the Japanese as best she could. “So Eri suggested…”

  “It’s been a while. I was going to wait until I was fully better…” she smiled, lifting both hands, albeit one dragging a little. “…but after watg Daiyu…” her onyx eyes were ear. “… I think I want to push myself. Besides… you still owe me that trip away together, right?”

  I did agree that, but right now… “Don’t look so guilty.” Eri smiled. “I know now isn’t a good time. But… I’m tired of waiting.” And as she smiled, I felt the amusement of Ginneka in the bonds I was holding, and also… is that Tsukiko-san? It’s faint, but… I feel her stirring…

  ShipTeaser