Family's Secret

"That is..." Jin's eyes went to Takako unknowingly.

"I already told you Jin, I'm doing everything I can to ease your worry. Don't look at him and trist it's alright," Akihiro spoke.

Gritting his teeth, he started telling the story behind the secret of their family.

Back when he was just promoted as the general of the first squad, back when Akihiro was still very young. He was given a mission, his wife then asked him to stay since she had been feeling something else. She felt like something bad would happen. Jin brushed it off as something not happening assuring her that he will be home alive and kicking.

He just never thought that she will be the one placed in a bad situation. Takako who was of the same batch as he was but still remained as squad 7 general used his ability, animal commujication, to make the animals be on guard as he made his way to his wife.

She had shouted and called for his name, asking for help but in the end he was in a mission that he was unable to hear her. Takako repeatedly assaulted her.

"Your husband will be back by tomorrow morning, we still have a long night to enjoy ourselves don't you think?" Takako said as he continued assaulting her.

By the break of dawn, "If you don't bear a child with this, then we can repeat it all over again. I won't let you kill yourself, if you do then I'd kill him as well, and all of your family. If you tell him I'd do the same. If you leave him I'd still dobthe same. Bear my child, and if possible I wish it to be a daughter."

She was left there crying, all she wanted was to die. When Jin arrived what was announced was that thieves came the night before she tried to fight them off, and since her ability is vines at it's lowest level, she was unable to defend.

Months passed, and she found out that she is indeed pregnant, and to her horror it is Takako's child. She wanted to abort it but seeing Jin's happiness upon hearing the news, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

And years passed, Takako returned demanding that Manami shall marry Akihiro or he would kill Tomoka, Jin's wife, whom he had kidnapped and placed under the watchful eyes of the the most ferocious animals. Knowing that if he retaliate, it would be the end of his most beloved life, Jin couldn't do anything but to follow.

Manami could only clench her fists, he is a monster. Her tears won't stop as Jin tells the story of what had happened.

She was momentarily startled when someone suddenly held her hand. Seeing who it was she couldn't help but to hold unto him as she crued even more. He could only hold her tighter, the tears of the woman he had loved since childhood is currently being wasted because of her bastard father.

"His not my father, his not my father," Manami continuously repeated.

"His not, sir Jin will always be your father, no matter what others might say, sir jin is your father," he replied as he hugged her pulling her head to his chest.

"Why do we have to suffer like this... Kunihiko?" Manami asked looking up at Kunihiko.

"We all suffer in different ways, it just so happens that yours is this big. But it will be over soon. Seeing Eureka's attitude I'm pretty sure your mother have told her the story already. It will be over soon," Kunihiko replied reassuring her.

"I'm scared," Manami then said as she hugged him tighter.

"Don't be, your father is strong, the king is strong, and I shall be protecting you," he replied as determination filled his eyes.

He had decided to give up when it already came from Manami that she loves Akihiro, the person both of them treated as their older brother. But finding out the truth he went straight away to Manami's side. He was only watching her from afar awhile ago, but the first drop of her tears caused him to rush towards her.

"You liar, how dare you lie to our king," Takako replied as he looked at Jin, at the same time he had moved his fingers.

Jin's eye grew big. Takako's eyes was suddenly filled with confusion.

"Didn't I say that I killed some insects before coming here?" Eureka said in front of him, her sword still pointing at Takako.

This time his eyes grew wide, he tried moving his hands once again, he also tried connecting to them using his mind but to no avail.

"Now choose, shall we do this the peaceful way? Or the most chaotic way?" Eureka then asked not waiting for Akihiro.

Akihiro could only shake his head as he walked back towards Haruka.

"That girl, she really always makes her own decision. Even now, she seemed like she was the ruler and not me," he couldn't help but to complain upon arriving to Haruka's side.

Haruka despite the situation giggled upon hearing him complain, "I've noticed that already, back in Archic Kingdom. And I think that you should get used to it already."

"Should I now?"

"Do you think we aren't prepared once everything is revealed?" Takako suddenly said taking their attentions back.

Eureka raised her eyebrow, "I forgot to say, I didn't only kill a few insects but quite a lot of them at that."

Everyone was dumbfounded, they never thought that she had went as far as to actually end all their plans on her own.

"And if you're trying to call forth all those stupid vines surrounding the kingdom, even those trees or whatever you had planted all over this place, I suggest that you should not waste your time," she then added and all those who have planted something all over the place, could not connect at all.

"Geez she really loves taking all the fun, don't she?" Hideyoshi said as all of them stood guard on all possible escape routes.

"Peace or war?" Eureka shortened her words a while ago as she look coldly at Takako.

"Who... are you?" Takako could only ask as he had understood that the careful planning they did for so long was ended just like that.

With all the evidence that they have, every conspirator was taken into custody. The minister of the right, Takako and Banri was among who were captured.

"Why did you ended it so fast?" Feena asked as they approach Eureka.

"I don't need to waste more time in such useless people. We have something else to focus on," Eureka replied.

"You never told me about all the traps they have placed all over the kingdom," Akihiro said as they also approach her.

"I was wondering all over the place for a while now even before we went to Archic kingdom, are you saying your highness that you didn't find that highly suspicious?" she then asked.

To be honest he had noticed her behavior, though he only thought that she was surveying the whole place. Even those on the border, she would sometimes disappear for a week and was spotted around the border. In short, she had destroyed everything they had planted not just around the palace and the city but around the whole kingdom.

"Thank you," Manami, Jin and Kunihiko walked towards them as well.

"Why would you be thanking me?"

"You have saved our whole family," Manami said. They were already informed that her mother is in the hospital under Akito's watch.

"I only-" her mouth was then covered by Karen.

"She accepts it, Lady."

Manami looked at Kunihiko, both of them understood what she wanted to say, she was not doing it for them and was doing it for the kingdom. But they also understand, her stance awhile ago when she had pointed her sword at Takako, obviously shows that she is not watching the kingdom as a whole but is actually watching the well being of the people in it separately.

"I too, would like to thank his highness. You have known it already and was actually telling me not to do anything in order for me not to be imprisoned as well," Jin said as he knelt in front of Akihiro, which Manami followed.

"There, there, even though most of the people have left we are still in the middle of a ball, don't be too formal," Akihiro replied as he motioned them to stand up.

"But your highness, how were you able to tell that I am actually not in love with you?" Manami then asked.

"Do you think I wouldn't notice that whenever you follow me your eyes kept wondering somewhere?" Akihiro replied.

Manami could feel her face turned red. That's right, she couldn't help it, whenever she was in the castle her words might be towards Akihiro but her eyes would always be searching for something else.

"Go on, and be happy both of you," Akihiro then said looking at the two of them as he held Haruka's hand tighter.

Eureka then silently left without anyone noticing when they were all engaged on their own conversations.