An Uneasy Respite

"Rai-nii…"

"I'm sorry, Yukari… Rai-nii is exhausted right now."

"Mm… It's okay. Yukari understands…"

"Ehehe… Thank you for understanding, darling."

At first, I thought that I would be spending my time of recovery in the estate stronghold of the Sumeragi group inside Kabuki-cho. But half-way through the trip, the leading vehicle of our line of vans stopped and Kirin-sensei's phone rang up.

"This is Clan Leader Imamura, speaking. Why did you call, Enka-chan?"

After she picked the call up, the voices that I heard informed me of the reason why we would take a detour away from Kabuki-cho estate and into a relatively rural part of Old Tokyo later on.

{"The hardliners are in the estate, Imamura-sama. We cannot accommodate Master Rai and his kids."}

"The hardliners, huh? I guess the General Clan Assembly did slip my mind these past few days… Alright, I'll drop them off to my own estate. Please inform the others in the Onkenha faction that I will be late because of an errand."

{"As you wish, Imamura-sama."}

After that call, Kirin-sensei told me and the kids that we would have to stay in her own house for a while. Because I heard about the details that she must've withheld from me in consideration of how I may feel about it, I nodded in agreement.

Back in the present, I am laying down on a futon inside a spacious guest room where my children are also staying at. Because it's a school day, I knew that the studious and punctual Mio was a bit uncomfortable with having to skip her classes today. In order to comfort her, I called her homeroom teacher, informing her that I caught a cold and because Mio and Yukari insisted to take care of me, they won't be able to make it today.

"Young master, we have prepared food for you in the dining hall. Let us help you up to this wheelchair and bring you there."

"Y-Yeah… thanks."

It might be because it was Kirin-sensei who brought us here and implied that we are very important people to her that the servants were immaculate and courteous in treating us. Even Yukari's loud singing and giggling while watching her magical girl anime on the television received no reprimand from them.

"Do you have the strength to eat by yourself, sir?"

"I do. Don't worry."

"Very well then, sir."

After being helped up to the wheelchair and being taken out of the guest room, I finally saw the inner courtyard of the Imamura clan estate. There is a Zen garden and a pond with ornamental Koi fish in the far end of the courtyard while a spring courses through the open area, bringing refreshing air to the hallway that surrounds it on three sides. Add to this the stone sculptures of local mythical creatures and it sure looks like the epitome of Japanese traditional architecture and landscaping.

This is one of those times when I am reminded about the Imamura clan's traditional and practical importance in the Sumeragi group since the Edo period, and how Kirin-sensei had to had to bear all of these burdens since her husband's death. Although to be accurate, Kirin-sensei is the legitimate Imamura family member, with her husband marrying into the family to take on said internal duties.

"We shall leave you alone to dine then, sir."

"Mm. Thank you for your help."

Inside a relatively small room, a table filled with food was prepared for me and I went down from the wheelchair to sit down in front of it. With that, I was left alone, and I started to eat and regain my strength.

"…I know you're there. You can show up now."

["I'm glad that your senses have become sharpened."]

"Getting through two life-or-death battles let me develop a sense for it…"

["…"]

"Especially the last time when you almost left me to die in the middle of a battle."

Visible to my eyes, but not physically in form, Law appeared in the corner of the room, and we exchanged words. I also fearlessly threw some shame on him after what he did the last time that we talked to each other.

["As I said, you need to fight by yourself in order to gain experience and strength as the Divine Challenger. You of all people should know that those around you can't forever hold your hand for you if you want to truly become strong."]

"That wasn't my point and the reason why I'm mad."

["Then what is it?"]

"I talked with him about a bunch of things… And with him, I meant Spirit Knowledge."

["You did what?!"]

Upon hearing the name of the Spirit that I talked with in Caelestia, Law raised his voice, but never showed any change in the expression on his face. A clear indication of what Knowledge told me about Law back in his domain.

"I talked to him in his domain in Caelestia. And there, I learned some things that you've been withholding from me all this time."

Just in time, I finished eating and I put down my chopstick on the table with force in order to properly show Law the frustration that is welling up in my chest ever since I discovered it.

"How in the hell did my family got entangled with you and had to be the ones to bail you out of your failures?"

["Ephraim… there is a good reason why Cecilia-"]

"I don't care about my ancestor's opinions and convictions! Why does every generation of my family had to be the ones to bear these burdens that you Spirits deserve to bear instead of us?!"

["…"]

"I sided with you because your reason to fight against them seemed the most righteous… but when Knowledge asked me to read and understand the implications of the record that he said you ordered him to keep in his library… I knew that you're not so different from the monsters that you declare as the enemy."

Ever since I became his Vessel and learned all about the history and reasons to fight in the Psychic wars from him, I viewed Law as someone whom I can fight for because the other side clearly started all of this farce and are the least rightful to be followed between the two.

However, the revelations in that piece of parchment that was written by Lady Cecilia, my ancestor who lived at the ancient time when humans and spirits still co-existed openly, allowed me to take a step back and see some inconsistencies in Law's words.

"You are Law, Spirit of Law. Promises and rules is the proof of your existence… and in a world of chaos and anarchy, someone like you would shrivel away and be rid of his existence."

["Ephraim… I have a reason why I did those things. You should know that those times was-"]

"Spare me of your crap, Law… Are you really going to try to justify the fact that you killed your fellow spirits with your own hands…?"

["…I guess justifying it is futile now that you know the truth."]

"And you're not even going to look regretful about it?"

As moments passed by, Law lost his credibility to me bit by bit as he never looked worried nor looked pensive about being reminded that the Spirits who sided with him ended up being killed by him as well.

["I cannot."]

"What do you mean that you cannot?"

["I cannot feel anything about all of this, Ephraim."]

"What on earth are you talking about…?"

["Worry… regret… misery or even guilt… I can't feel anything like that at all about anything that happens since that day."]

"…"

["I felt happiness only once… yearning only once… excitement only once… hopelessness, anger, loss, misery, wrath, madness and lastly, remorse… I felt all of those things only once before all of it was taken once again from me."]

Law's eyes carried no emotions as he spoke those words before turning that gaze towards me.

["The War of Heaven and Earth… The Construction of the Tower of Chaos… The Birth of the Seers of Death… and the Promise of the Otherworlder. Does the existence of even one of these events mean anything to you, Child of Cecilia?"]

"What are you talking about?"

["I'm telling you how these events could've caused you to lose your mind as I once did before your ancestor lent her hand to me and promised me to end this in my stead."]

"How on earth are you going to become insane? You're a Spirit. Your kind can just handwave anything that happens to you."

["Is that really how you see us Spirits? Because if that is so, I find it hard to believe that she would really die just like that and leave me to grieve and wallow in misery like I did."]

"She?"

["…Forget that I said that."]

It was only in that moment that I saw the unmovable neutral expression in Law's face waver for a moment. A clear sign that whatever is making him emotionless isn't as infallible as he makes it to seem like.

"I know that it would make no sense for me to fully trust Knowledge since that was our first and probably last meeting with each other… But you should know that what he told me back there perfectly aligns with my thoughts about all of this."

["…"]

"You may have chosen me as your vessel and the Divine Challenger… but let me assert this fact properly before you begin thinking that I am just your puppet, Law…"

I leaned nearer to him and told him straight what has been swirling in my mind since I learned what kind of being he really is.

"I am the one who choses how all of this will go."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Meanwhile in the command center of the Miyazono Corporation's Psychic society organization, a 10-second video kept playing on loop at a huge monitor before being paused by a man who had a frustrated expression on his face.

"So, tell me… how in the hell did this thing fly under my nose and was approved?"

"""…"""

"ANSWER ME, YOU FOOLS!!!"

The enraged tone he had before literally toppling over the long and heavy table in the meeting room was justified as the content of the video has a road in Sunogahara-cho that was cordoned by men wearing their company's Psychic uniforms before the lifeless body left in the middle of the road slowly stood back up.

"S-Sir… If I may speak…?"

"Do it!"

"Y-Yes! Ahem… it… It was requested by Young Master Miyazono Keiji before he allowed himself to be caught in the previous Music Festival. He said that after a few months in the enemy's prison, a Connection ceremony should be held in there so he can reform his soul and spirit without expending his own life force."

"And you let him get away with that again?! Have none of you idiots learned from the past four times that he did this exact same thing?!"

There is a reason why that ceremony had to be done in the middle of a residential area… and it is a reason that is incredibly cruel and inhumane.

"How are we going to cover up tens of brain-dead people who became the sacrifices for that spoiled man-child's escape from a prison that he willingly went into?!"

"…"

"This has to end! We can't afford to have the people suspicious of us and end up losing credibility with us!"

"…And who are you to decide that for the entire organization, you old fart?"

"Tch! Not you again…"

"I'm not saying that Young master Keiji was right in this, but why are you so concerned about that kind of stuff, old man? They're just residents in the old city. We can just sweep this under the rug as easily as the incident in Aokigahara last time."

"That's exactly the reason why we cannot allow another mass death scenario like this happen! The recent cover-up is still fresh in the news!"

"Uggghhhh… why do you geezers always sweat the small details?"

The one who answered back and was reprimanded by the old man is a relatively young man named Hirayama Taka. His appearance is a slightly tanned young man with spiky hair and a proud and confident smile on his face. As for his body, it was slightly hidden by the suit that he is wearing, but there is a clearly defined build of taut muscles, and his posture accentuates his appearance further.

To put it simply, he would look like the kind of person who would come up if you decide to search the meaning of "ikemen" in a search engine or online dictionary.

"This isn't just a small detail, Gardener Hirayama! This is a matter of great concern not just for us, but for the entire Miyazono conglomerate!"

"T-that's right! The Gardeners and even the Three Heirs are doing too many things that would place our corporate interests and reputation in jeopardy!"

"Uh-huh…"

"Gentlemen! I believe not only us in the Psychic Society organization has these kinds of complaints and grievances. I suggest that we raise this to the Board of Directors and Peers."

"That's right!"

"I agree with the motion!"

As the men around him all complained about them and even praised the motion of one of the officers to have the Board of Directors and Peers, basically the centralized shareholder group of the corporation, to discuss and finally regulate the activities of both the Gardeners and the Heirs, Taka had a sharp look on his eyes upon the surrounding men.

"Oh yeah? I guess you have a point, Officer."

"Heh! I sure do. You and the other Gardeners has thrown their weight around too much. You have done things that are to the detriment of the collective and I believe it is only rightful for all of you to be finally put to your place."

"…"

"Come, my fellows! We have to inform the shareholder about this so that we can have them implement it as soon as possible!"

"Right next to you-"

*Thud-!*

"What…?"

The officer who put the plan forward called to the others who shared his sentiment as he left his seat. However, he would fall to the ground as soon as stood and the others who was yet to stand became frozen in place in that same moment.

"Come on… Don't be shy and stand up as well."

"He… He's dead…"

The announcement of one of the officers who touched the old man's pulse line on his neck sent the room into chaos.

"You cur! What have you done?!"

"So, in the end, you will show your true colors, huh?!"

"You will pay for this!"

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID GEEZERS!!!"

"""-!!!"""

For a moment, the old men who had words of disdain and complaint shouted at him, but as soon as he shouted back in an inhumanly loud voice, silence came back.

"What are you babbling about?! I already told you! Those people are nobodies to us! We control the media, and we can just bribe the local investigators to shut their mouths about it!"

"…"

"Why the hell are you guys so bothered that those peons died to let Master Keiji out of his prison? Isn't it just right? If it would allow our master to escape, those beggars should gladly throw their lives away!"

It was clear to anyone who can hear his words.

The Gardeners, who are the strongest Psychics in their organization, cares not for anything.

"I don't want to hear any more fuss about this! Our activities will remain unchanged, and this event will be hidden from the public eye! Am I understood?!"

They don't care about the implications of their actions, the rippling effects of their decisions, and worse of all, the damages and loss of life that comes afterwards to their victims.

Objectively, it would seem pointless for anyone to choose to follow this this faction... However, the other side of the line is no different from this one.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Turn them away, I say! Bring them back to the hellholes where they came from!"

"That's right!"

"We don't need them!"

Inside an undisclosed location that acts as the meeting chamber of the Sumeragi syndicate, an elderly man gave a speech from a podium in a tone and manner of speaking not unlike a stereotypical politician.

"We cannot afford to have filthy outsiders staining the honor and credibility of the Sumeragi clan! We have already spoiled their rotten souls far too much!"

"Drive them out of our group!"

"Pick off those leeches!"

"…"

One side of the meeting hall was defined clearly to belong to the same faction in the Sumeragi group. With an armband on their traditional kimonos that has the kanji characters "Us First!" embroidered in white from a black background, it would be obvious that this group is not warm to those whom they don't recognize as their fellow countrymen. This is the Sakoku Faction of the Sumeragi syndicate.

"Imamura-sama… this is…"

"I am aware… No need to point it out to me."

Meanwhile, on another side of the meeting chamber are the two groups that are either against the other faction or are non-aligned from the two. And the one who leads the Onkenha faction against the ones currently speaking is no one else other than Imamura Kirin.

"They're trying to raise a concern to Sumeragi-sama about the changes that they wanted to implement since this became a large enough problem to them. They're using their majority position in the assembly to force a voting poll."

"If Sumeragi-sama accepts, everything would be bent to the Sakoku faction's wills. We have to raise our concerns before they do."

"I know. I'll be taking the podium soon, so I'll handle all of this."

"What would be the content of your report, Imamura-sama?"

"…It's better if you hear it alongside everyone. This report isn't like the ones I used to give after all."

Finally, the old man who had given his speech about why it would be beneficial for the Sumeragi syndicate to come back to being ethnically homogenous has stepped down from the podium, Kirin stood up and opened the scroll that contains her report to the assembly.

"…Let me cut to the chase, my fellow clan leaders… what we have been fearing and watching out for has finally emerged and come after us."

"What…?"

"What is she talking about?"

There was an air of confusion in the hall as she opened up her speech in that vague note.

"Just last night, I have confirmed from our shrines in Okinawa and Hokkaido that their Killing Stones has been broken."

"What?!"

"Explain this, Imamura-dono!"

"Not the Killing Stones…"

An ample explanation must be given for this particular event. In Japanese religious and folk beliefs, Killing Stones refer to round, smooth stones that are said to contain the soul of a Kitsune which haunts those that approach. Therefore, having one of them break is a bad omen.

And the fact that this happened across several shrines at the same time wasn't something that can just be handwaved as normal.

"As you may all know, the same things had happened months before the previous world war and before the outbreak of the MB2 virus. Though there do has been several flukes in the splitting of the Killing Stones, I believe that we still cannot undermine the implication of such an event."

"True… even if it may just be superstition…"

"But should this really be something that requires all of our attention?"

"Probably. It's better to be sure that sorry later."

After giving her first announcement, Kirin proceeded to speak about the next subject in her report.

"It has just been confirmed by our allies in the S.S.S. Miyazono Keiji has just escaped his prison cell and wreaked havoc in a residential area in western Old Tokyo."

"That brat again…"

"So even the S.S.S cannot contain him for so long…"

"Should we send a force to patrol the streets of the city and locate him before the enemy does?"

"That won't be necessary."

Kirin's answer regarding a pursuit for the escaped enemy psychic caused some of her fellow clan leaders to knit their eyebrows in confusion.

"Why do you say so, Imamura-dono? Shouldn't one of the most problematic individuals of our enemy be pursued and placed back into a holding facility?"

"It has already been done, my fellow leaders. Someone from our side has already fought and won against him. Sending his soul back to the body in his prison."

"T-That's good news!"

"Someone actually won against him? That's remarkable!"

As the Sakoku faction cheered about the news, Kirin's face drew a grin as if she has expected that kind of reaction from the rival faction.

"This was performed by S.S.S Agent Ephraim Chronia. He reported his triumph over the Miyazono Heir, and this was confirmed by the Agency's Interrogation and Incarceration department chief, who said that Miyazono Keiji is in a comatose state, probably a sign that his soul was sufficiently damaged."

"Ephraim Chronia…"

"Doesn't that sound like a foreign name?"

"Because it is. Agent Chronia is from a southern country. He immigrated here for work before his awakening and for the past year, has served under the S.S.S as their Psychic agent."

The news that it wasn't a local who won against one of their mortal enemies caused a wave of confusion and tense breaths from the Sakoku faction.

"Additionally, he is my student whom I fought alongside with several times. Although I found it hard to believe in at first as well, I have no doubts that this child has enormous potential as a Psychic and a strength of character that can make him one of the most valuable assets in our fight against the Miyazonos."

"If I may interrupt you, Imamura-dono…"

"Haah… Even if I don't allow it, we all know that your faction would still speak in the middle of someone's report. So just speak up, old man."

"Che-!"

From the Sakoku faction, an old man stood up. He has long graying hair and a beard and his face has many wrinkles that showed his age. However, his build is visible even through his clothes, showing that he isn't some frail old person that one can just kick to the curb.

"Not withstanding your report regarding your student who claimed that he defeated the Miyazono Heir all by himself, there is still the issue that the S.S.S has violated our request to keep their noses out of the recent failed offensive in Aokigahra."

"…"

"Although we have indeed learned of the potency of our ally's Psychics, I believe that we still have to question whether or not the S.S.S will cooperate with us and respect our boundaries with each other."

Although it seemed like a reasonable concern on the surface, Kirin is awfully aware of how the old man from the Sakoku faction is hiding their side's intentions in those words.

The Sakoku faction of the Sumeragi group has long fought against the alliance agreement with the S.S.S. With their main concern to sell their disapproval being the fear that the S.S.S may just be a cover group for the government who wishes to disband their group that has a criminal history.

However, after the government formally integrated the S.S.S to the Ministry of Internal defense as a branch to deal with the growing Psychic and Malignance problems in the country, it seemed more beneficial for the Sumeragi group to formally and fully ally with them in order to access the massive information and armament capability of the Agency.

Still, that didn't stop the Sakoku faction to try time and time again to break this agreement that they fear would change the group's identity and inner workings forever, which will make them lose power and influence in the General Clan Assembly.

"Even if you have that concern, what my sister and niece found in their trip in mainland Europe further strengthens the need for our two groups to become allies and work on defeating the Miyazono corporation's agendas."

"And what are these findings that you speak of, Imamura-dono? Why do you make it sound like it is so important that it would counteract our concern for our group's purpose of existence?"

"Because what they found is a clear indication that all us Psychics did not appear just 50 years ago."

"…What?"

"Aer you trying to say that Professor Akari and Kaede has…"

"…discovered the origin of our powers?"

While everyone is still dumbfounded, Kirin signaled to two servants to bring a monitor to the front which is showing the pages of her sister and niece's reports on their academic trip to the European continent.

"Akari and Kaede has found substantial proof that the bodies of land and water in Europe contains more Astra energy than any other part of the world. From rivers that contain ancient stones tainted with Astra energy, to caves that hide fossils of beings that still has trace amounts of Astra energy, it all points towards a far-away past where Psychics did exist way before the Great Awakening event 50 years ago."

"This finding might be remarkable, but it doesn't answer our concern at all about the continuance of our alliance with the S.S.S., Imamura-dono."

"Can you not get a clue?"

"What?"

"This finding means that there might be another faction in our midst. A line of Psychics from the ancient times that has bid their time until now to finally reappear."

"That-!"

"That's right. I wish that this wouldn't be the case… but I fear that the Miyazono corporation and the seven gods of death of the Mori cult wouldn't be the only hostile factions that we have to look out for. Because of this, we cannot just drive our S.S.S allies away. As much as it may hurt the pride of our group, the road ahead of us is not going to be smooth, and it would be to our advantage to have another group looking out for our safety and the fulfilment of our shared goals even if it means being scrutinized or having some of our plans taken over by our allies."

Kirin's words were reasonable. It is indeed to their advantage to have someone else on their side in the arduous fight against their enemies… even if it means that they will have to let go of some things along the way.

"Would that be all, clan leader Imamura-sama?"

"Yes, that would be all from me."

After a question from one of the twins that attends directly to the leader of the Sumeragi group, Kirin finally stepped down from the podium and returned to her seat.

The meeting would go on for the rest of the day, with the Onkenha moderate faction and the Sakoku isolationist faction arguing about their conflicting views on things and how decisions would have to be done for the sake of the group.

""With this, the General Clan Assembly is adjourned. We thank all of you for your time, esteemed clan leaders and representatives.""

"""It is an honor to be at service, Sumeragi Oyabun-sama."""

With the synchronized closing remarks of Enka and Mira, the clan leaders all stood up from their floor cushions where they were sitting and gave a low, respectful bow to the person hidden behind a silk screen in the frontmost part of the room.

As they all left the great hall in the innermost sanctum of the estate, the doors were closed by the twins, signaling the true end of the meeting that has dragged on for an entire day.

"You look exhausted, Imamura-sama…"

"You already know why… those darned old men and naïve young ones from the Sakoku faction is trying their best to drive away our men in Sapporo estate. If we don't step up, Lucas-kun and his boys would be driven out of the group."

Inside of her car, the concerned assistant who is driving her home asked her about the details of the closed-door meeting.

"Sounds like a headache… Say, Imamura-sama."

"Yes?"

"Your student and his children that you are sheltering in your mansion…"

"What's up? Is something going on with Rai and the kids?"

There was a short pause from the assistant who was quite surprised with the curiosity of her master after she mentioned the guests in her house.

"N-Nothing much, Imamura-sama. Young master Rai was noted to be quickly returning to his strength as he also requested me to drive two of his children to their school by tomorrow."

"Little Mio and Yukari, huh? Well, they do need to keep watch on it. They can't afford to miss too many school days or else, catching up will be a great chore."

"He said the exact same things. He said that he can't let them just stay home for too long."

After hearing what her student had to say, an amused smile traced on the face of Kirin as she looked out of her car window.

"I'm getting amazed with that kid more and more as the days go by."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Meanwhile in the classroom of Class 2-A of Miyazono Old Tokyo Academy, an announcement by the class's homeroom teacher became the reason for the cheers of the students.

"Our cultural festival is just 2 weeks away, everyone!"

"Yes!!!"

"The festival is finally here!"

The School Cultural Festival is one of the major school events in Japan. Probably one of the most awaited since it is an experience that people are said to remember by fondly.

However, amidst the cheering students is a young woman who looked at an empty table and chair in the room with an expression of sadness on her face.

"Amakano Sayaka-chan."

"Y-Yes, Maeda-sensei!"

"I'll leave our class's stall planning and management to you, okay? Lead your classmates on whatever stall you wish to make this year."

"Y-You can leave it to us, Sensei!"

Indeed, even though it has almost been a year since that table and seat became unoccupied, it was still an object of concern to her.

"…If only you are also here to enjoy it with us…"

To Amakano Sayaka, the disappearance of the young man who once sat on that now empty seat weighed greatly on her… and even though she has received his disapproval, she still wishes for that person to one day be able to sit there once again.

Such was her selfish wish that did not understand or even cared for the circumstance of the young man.