On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

As the Diviner responded to me at last, even though her words were a little defensive and perhaps a touch defeatist, I couldn’t help but grin victoriously. “Well, you seem a little confused. Either the future is certain or uncertain, it can’t be both can it? And if it’s uncertain, well… we don’t all have your gifts, so everyone sees the future as uncertain. We hope, we wish, some of us pray…” I got nods at that, considering I was at a Conclave of those who worshipped the Gods and kami. “… but I’m done with hopes and wishes, and I’ll leave the prayers to those who are best suited for it.” Damn, I wasn’t really expected to speak until after they’d sorted out all their issues, but I guess this way is better. I don’t have time for them to make a mess of things. There can be more than one leader, but one of them is going to have to be me.

No, my resolve which had been firming up, ever since the idea to form the Ministry, was now peaking. Everyone looked out for their own interests, that was natural, and I did as well. Otherwise I wouldn’t be such a bastard getting the law changed just so I can be a harem protagonist… The difference was, I was prepared to think wider, deeper. After all, Eri, Aiko, my family… even if I could protect them during the apocalypse, take them to safety as the world burned, they wouldn’t be happy. Motoko, Natsumi, Hinata… they all cherished Japan and the traditions nobility protected. If I just saved them and their families, but Japan burned… No, I can’t let that happen, no more than I could let Shaeula lose her family and the Seelie Court, or Shiro die breaking her oaths to that fucking Raven. I still had a score to settle with him. Taking a moment to prepare what to say next for maximum impact, my Majesty and Charm were at their peak, for this was the crux of the matter. “… instead, I’ll plan, prepare, calculate, lay contingencies, make allies, grow strong. Protect what needs to be protected.” My voice carried to the whole room, and I could feel all eyes on me.

This should be less stressful than speaking to the Prime Minister, or big-shots like Fujiwara-san and Ichijou-san, but somehow it isn’t. I guess that might be because there are so many Candidates present, as well as a mixture of those who support me fully… my gaze went to the small cluster of seats, where my allies sat. Those who support me but also have other concerns… That was Hikawa-san and the other members of Susanoo who were still sitting there, though Marika’s Grandfather had followed Shaeula’s will and was in my seats, along with Kana’s grandfather … and lastly, those who have reason to oppose me. Uchida-san, Yamato-san, Saionji-san and others. They were used to being top dogs, being in charge, and so seeing an upstart like me come in must surely annoy them.

“Lady Diviner.” I said, using the honorific that those from the faith did. I strode up to her, close enough that she flinched back a little, and bent down, so my eyes were level with her face behind the silken veil that obscured her features. It was sheer enough for her to see through, yet covered her from view. “The only certainty is that even were you to tell me that we have ten minutes until the end of the world, I’d spend nine of those minutes planning and preparing, the best I could.”

“Why not all ten minutes?” the Princess asked from beside us, tilting her head curiously, her mousy brown braids and red-rimmed glasses she wore giving her the sort of prim, secretarial look that was totally at odds with the flashy way Shaeula presented herself.

I’m glad somebody took the bait. With an alluring smile, I spoke…

********

Perhaps heroes are made, not born. Her friend, the nameless Diviner, had said that to her recently, as she had fretted and struggled at the Grand Shrine at Ise, her blessing from Amaterasu weighing heavily on her. After all, it was Great-Grandfather who had to repudiate our links to Amaterasu after the War. It broke his heart, killed him. But then, who could have imagined it was actually true? Yukiko remembered little of the time Amaterasu’s servant descended, to bestow on her a fragment of the Sun, saying her bloodline was of the purest, and her temperament was a perfect fit for the power. My temperament? I know I’m shy and gloomy, no match for the sun, but… she remembered setting the hall on fire an hour ago, and she flinched at the memory, all eyes on her, making her wish she was anywhere else. Even so…

It was impossible not to ask him that question. The way he had quizzed the Diviner about light, darkness and twilight, it was as if… her train of though shut off as he smiled, and she felt her face heating up.

“Why nine minutes? A great question, Princess Mikasa. I’ll do all I can to face our end, even if it’s impossible. After all, I’d like to think most of us would choose to fight rather than blindly wait for death. But… that last minute is because I don’t want to miss a single second I could spend with those I love. If the world ends despite our best efforts, if the Red Dragon…” at those words she felt her flushed face cool, blood draining from her as she remembered the prophesy of her death. “… manages to devour us all, well, at least I’ll have the pride to know I faced it down first, and that it’ll never touch those I love until I’m dead and gone. We fight better for what we cherish, right?”

He turned away, and Yukiko bit down on a sigh, glad his cool yet passionate gaze was off her. “Everyone here must have family, lovers, friends, siblings, children. This isn’t a game. As close as it seems to one.” Yukiko couldn’t see his face as he had turned away, but from the trembling of his shoulders she could tell he was holding in wry laughter. “This also isn’t your politics of old. The shrines and temples are rising to prominence. I promise you that. Be it a week, a month, a year… no, I doubt it’ll be a year. It’s been miraculous that the world doesn’t know about us already.”

Yes, that’s obvious. No secret can be kept when so many know it. She looked at the Diviner, who was also trembling, though she could tell not from supressed mirth, but from uncertainly, doubt… maybe even fear. Yukiko realised the Diviner had never spoken of her own fate. If Kyoto was attacked, then the Diviner, in Tsukuyomi-jinja, would surely be forced to battle…

“Uchida-san here has realised that. Keeping hidden won’t serve much purpose for long. And well, Saionji-san has made his stance clear. But what won’t change is the mathematics. Perhaps one in a hundred are from the shrines and temples. You’ll never be able to monopolise the Gods and kami, not anymore. After all, I’ve been blessed by a God not of this land. Tyr, God of Heroes. I find that a bit ironic, considering the kanji in my name means hero…” he chuckled, with good humour. “Bright hero of the moon. It’s laughable, but it doesn’t matter.” He was back looking at the Diviner. “Before that day, I was a nobody, a freelancer doing enough work to get by, the only life-or-death struggle I ever had facing off against a dog to protect my sister and her friend. Tyr and I have that in common, we both hate dogs.”

Yukiko let out a gasp, and he turned, puzzled. “Sorry Princess, is there something wrong?”

I’m so embarrassed. As a member of the Imperial Family, I’ve had lessons to keep my cool, but… “My apologies. I just wondered something. You called yourself bright hero of the moon. Why?”

“Yeah, it’s lame, I know. But since my middle name is moonstone… I’m a half, by the way.” He said, embarrassed. “The kanji my mother chose for it, well, combined with Akio it reads that way. Besides the moon seems to be a lucky omen for me these days.” He turned, smiling at the beautiful, petite doll-like girl in a kimono, who had gorgeous golden-amber hair and eyes.

“So you’d say the moon favours you then?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Oh yes. I would say so. but this is a bit off-topic.” He said. “Is there a reason you are asking?”

He shall be blessed by a God not of this land, yet hold the favour of the kami that dwell here, and the favour of the Moon shall be with him. That’s what the Diviner told me about the one who she prophesised, and the Six Princesses of the Six Paths. Is she… Shaking her head, Yukiko was suddenly overwhelmed by feelings she didn’t quite understand. “No. I’m… please do carry on.” She muttered quietly, and after a searching look from his grey eyes, he turned back to the Diviner.

“All I’m saying is, sure, some things are certain. But we never give up. If the hero with a magical sword is needed to defeat the demon lord, and there’s no magical sword around, well, we find one. Or if we can’t, we make one. And if that fails, try a gun, a missile, hell, a bloody nuke. What we don’t do is give in and call it inevitable, stop trying. Because then the demon lord wins, right?” His voice was compelling, and Yukiko found herself nodding, and she wasn’t alone.

Make one. Heroes are made, not born. Could… she felt an urge to speak out, but held it in, as the Diviner was radiating an atmosphere of solemnity. “You seem confident you… you are the one.”

“Hell no.” he shook his head at the question the Diviner asked. “Like I said, I was a nobody. But just like anyone, when the situation called for it, I could act. Just like I did when Aiko and Eri were in danger. And I’m acting now. Just on a grander scale. Tell me. The Hungry Ghost… her fate changed, didn’t it?”

The Hungry Ghost? Another like me? Yukiko concentrated fiercely on the discussion that had no meaning to most of the people in the Conclave, although Kudou-san seemed to understand. No, not just him. That girl, the amber-haired one, she is smirking proudly.

“It did, but that is but one chain, one link in the tangled thread of fate, and to break them all…”

“If I don’t have a magic sword, I’ll look for one, or make one. I didn’t have light element when we spoke, did I? Now I do.” More glowing azure energy radiated outwards, momentarily blinding. “And if I can’t find this twilight, well, if it’s what’s needed to save Shaeula, Shiro…” he then turned to Yukiko, and his expression was resolute, heroic. “… and you, Princess of Heaven. Then I’ll push through until I have it, or if not, then I’ll find something better. I’ve fought more battles against the odds than anyone here, and though I’ve bled, my friends, my lovers, they’ve bled too, we are still standing. As long as nobody dies, we win. No Red Dragon will be eating Japan while I draw breath.”

Amaterasu above, you must be shining on me, I feel so hot… Yukiko gaped at the man who declared he would protect her so boldly from her fate. “Really, you know…” she trailed off, unsure how to proceed.

“Well, I met with the Diviner, but… she didn’t tell me the truth. I get the impression she believes she is going to die.”

“Really?” Yukiko gasped, shocked, standing, forgetting her own worries. She stood, her chair falling loudly to the ground behind her. “Diviner… you too? Are you sure.”

The hall erupted into chaos, and as she questioned her friend whose face she had never seen, she forgot all about her own destined fate…

********

Well, this has derailed rapidly, hasn’t it? I felt a little guilty at turning the meeting into chaos, but it was all related to the goal I wished to pursue, of bringing the faiths into line under the Ministry. Also, if the Diviner is right, Princess Mikasa will be needed to save the world, but someone is needed to save her first. Well, if this hero won’t show up, I don’t mind filling in for him.

“… I fear my fate is certain.” She sighed, before standing, addressing the Conclave once more, quelling them to silence with the force of her presence. “I am the Diviner, Chosen by Tsukuyomi. And the God spoke to me. I will die, that is certain. And soon. A danger approaches us, errant scales of the Red Dragon I see in my dreams, an army of fiery ants spawned from the blood and scales. The danger is real.” Her voice softened. “Yukiko, I have a task too, though mine perhaps is easier than yours. I must not let the blessings of Tsukuyomi pass from the world. Perhaps it was why I was born…”

“Bullshit.” I declared, breaking the solemn mood and silence that had descended over Conclave. “You were born to live your life. Don’t just surrender now. Shiro didn’t, she fought her fate and won. It cost her, it cost her badly, but… well, that’s why she has a friend like me, to help her pay those bills.” I forced a smile, bitter memories of her lost arm and eye and horrible scarring fresh in my memory, unable to be forgotten. “Don’t just give in. Aren’t you trying to change Princess Mikasa’s fate, and that of Japan? Well then, stand up and fight for it!”

“Yes, that’s right!” Eri had stomped forwards, her face pale with anger. “Giving in gets you nothing but regrets. I know, because I lived it for years. I never reached out for what I wanted…” she looked at me, her gaze softening, before she turned to address the crowds below, surprising me. “Some of you know me, such as you Takeyabashi-san. I loved Akio so much, but I never said, and he went away. And on his return, I nearly missed my chance again. But with help…” she smiled at Shaeula, who waved back. “… I changed my fate. I reached out and grasped Akio’s hand. I don’t know what you’ve seen, whether it’ll come true or not, but don’t just sit here waiting to die!” She was frustrated, words cascading from her. “Why not take a trip abroad for a few months, or move out of Kyoto at least? If you aren’t here, danger can’t find you, can it?”

“It is hardly that simple.” The Diviner began, only for Shaeula to leap up on stage, surprising everyone with her incredible speed and power, her grace even restricted by the kimono, utterly inhuman.

“Oh, I think it is very-very simple indeed.” Shaeula snorted. “This white princess, Shiro. I, who you so rudely called the Princess of Beasts…” she sniffed, irritated. “Our fates were to die. I was impaled by my enemy, my life-life bleeding out, and I had no-no reason to believe I would ever be spared, but in desperation I asked, eager to do anything, to try-try anything to extend my life but a moment longer, and…” she spread her arms, long, decorated sleeves flapping. “… I am still here, am I not-not?”

“Even death isn’t the end… of hope.” Haru-san said with a sigh, joining us. “I wondered why I was Chosen. I thought I was crazy. After all…” she smiled bitterly. “Kannon gave me her blessing, but it was nothing but a burden that led to my death.” At her words, Saionji-san, Uchida-san and most of all Yamato-san reacted. Saionji-san seemed amused, while Uchida-san was calculative. There was anger in Yamato-san’s face though. Well, I guess it dilutes the impact of being Kannon’s chosen if there is more than one of you…

Haru-san floated through the stage and up onto it, drawing gasps. “Even in death, I was a slave to a terribly sad yet evil yokai, Kiku, the Widow of Nails, who served the man who killed me. You may have watched the news. Kondou Kazuo. He was like us. Blessed by the Gods. My fate was surely to suffer. But…” she shook her head, denying it. “I struggled, and reached out, and now I can even go home, see my family, go back to my career.” She smiled, sad, shy but still captivating, and I felt so proud of her. “I’ll be working in the Ministry. I hope to work with you all soon.” She bowed politely, before turning to the Diviner. “I could tell you other stories I’ve heard. How they freed the stolen lands of the Fae from their millenniums’ old usurpers, a feat deemed impossible, or a simpler one, how his sister fought to the end against a Fae prince in a battle of archery, despite having not been chosen like I was. I began to think… nothing is impossible. But only… only if you believe, and reach out!”

Everyone said exactly what I wanted to say. I’m tearing up a little here. I was going to speak, but Shaeula was first. “I am Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan. I am a princess of the fair folk, the Fae, the Seelie Court. I have seen-seen Akio go from a puny weakling who could barely defeat one of my weaselkin, to a wielder of wind-wind, to mastering fire as well, which I feared was barely-barely possible. To defeating my brother, making him relent, to facing off against that abominable Kazuo fool-fool and defeating him. He has grown and grown, all because he must. If he does not-not, how can he keep those such as I safe?” she puffed out her chest proudly, and Eri took up the mantle.

“We were poor as children. Akio scrimped and saved half a year of his allowance towards a bow his sister wanted. He put himself through Uni by working hard at part-time jobs. He lived in Tokyo… well, the dingy outskirts…” she smiled, remembering the time she visited my old, pokey apartment. “Then he was offered this chance. He took it. He knows, we know, what it’s like to not have your dreams come true, to be scared to fight for them. But we also know that what seems out of reach can be yours, if you ask for it.” she glared at the Diviner. “So open your stupid mouth and ask. For. Help. Don’t rely on the Gods. Don’t get me wrong, Shirohebi, the Jade Beetle, this Tyr who blessed Akio, Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kannon… sure, I respect them. They’ve given us a chance. But will they do everything for us? I don’t think they even can, can they? But together we can.”

Wow, Eri. That was… powerful. I inwardly applauded. She was red-faced and embarrassed by the attention, but her obsidian gaze was hard, determined. “Yes. Eri is right.” I pulled her into a hug, only for Shaeula to get jealous and grab my other arm. “This Conclave is about more than just who is in charge, what direction we’ll go. After all… even if you all decided now to sequester yourselves, work together separate from us all, the Ministry will still form, laws will still pass, the world will still find out. Break the laws and you’ll still find me waiting at the end for you, and you won’t like it…”

********

Yukiko was stunned by the sudden invasion on stage, but knowing that two of the other Princesses the Diviner spoke of apparently were with Oshiro-san, as well as the fact that the Diviner was going to die… her mind was reeling. Even so, she listened to the speeches given, and found them resonating with her. I’ve always been trapped by a series of destinies I can’t avoid as well. Imperial Princess, Priestess of Ise. Now the Chosen of Amaterasu. Some, perhaps many would envy me, but… her newest destiny was to die. Well, everybody dies. But I wanted to live my life on my own terms, impossible though that was. Although… Yukiko looked at the woman who proclaimed herself dead. She had nearly fainted when the woman had passed through the stage, ethereal just like the ghost she claimed she was. … maybe death isn’t the end. Even so, I still don’t want to die, and I don’t want the Diviner to die either.

“Diviner.” She said, once Oshiro-san finished his speech, which made a lot of sense to her. Even the Imperial Family had to answer to the law now. The faith would be no different, even in these changed times. “You know, I hate that I don’t know your name or what you look like. I hate that you’ve seemingly erased yourself from existence. It isn’t fair. And it’s not fair that you have to die. If the Gods are so powerful, why can’t they stop these unfair tragedies?”

“The Gods are simply beings beyond our comprehension. After all, are we not Gods to the animals and plants of this world, able to change the world to our whims, crushing them carelessly should they be in our way?” The Diviner retorted gently. “They are worthy of our worship and respect, and they have given us some shards of hope. That will suffice. To ask for more…”

“… is perfectly fine.” Oshiro-san declared, interrupting her. He ignored the scowls around him at his rudeness. “Be greedy. Be demanding. You might not get everything you want, but if you don’t ask, you’ll get nothing. You don’t want to die, I get that. You don’t want a life where nobody sees your face or knows your name. So I’m offering to help…” he held out a hand to her, drawing gasps from those around him. “… take my hand, and I’ll see what I can do. And as the girls have said, I can do quite a lot. I’d love to have you as an adjunct to me at the Ministry.” His smile was kind, excited. “After all, your gift, or curse, perhaps, is really great. Although I can see why years of it has worn down your spirit. Time to take a break. Why not shrug off that veil, and come out for a drink with me? There’s a concert on later too, I hear. Some shrine maiden idols. My sis and some of the girls are pretty excited.”

He asks the Diviner to go drinking with him? To show her face? Yukiko was shocked. How can any man be so brazen? But… I’ve longed to do the same. Not the drinking, but to see her, know her. Talk about something other than the sad future.

“From the day my gifts flowered, I was simply the Diviner. None can know my name, nor gaze upon me, for I died then, to become the Diviner. Like a Phoenix.” Perhaps she was smiling under the veil, though her tone was bitter. On hearing Phoenix, the strange young girl Saionji-san had brought with him crawled out from under her chair, curious.

“Well, screw that. I know your name, Matsumuro Tsukiko.” As he stated her name to the hall, everyone froze. Before anyone could respond, there was a brilliant, warm amber glow spreading from his eye, and as Yukiko was looking she caught sight of brilliant amber flecks sparkling like stars in his grey iris.

“I can see your face too. Uh… a bit more as well, sorry. But damn.” He whistled. “You and Shiro could be sisters. I mean, you don’t look much alike, but you both have that too perfect to be real look going on. Those ruby eyes are pretty as hell. You have a cute nose, too. You seem younger than I thought. What are you? Twenty? Damn, that underrobe really has to hurt though, it makes a medieval corset look kind.”

“Ak-i-o!” The dark-haired girl with him rumbled, annoyed, punching him in the arm a few times. “You can’t go doing that! Peeking on a girl is the worst thing you can do! Besides, I know how this ends…” she puffed out her cheeks, before scowling at the self-proclaimed Fae. “As for you Shaeula, stop laughing! I know you know what’ll happen next too! It’s inevitable.” She snorted sourly. “Matsumuro-san…” she used the forbidden name, which judging by the frozen Diviner was indeed hers. “… if you want to know something that can’t be changed, it’s that Akio seems to get involved with the problems of every girl and woman he knows. So you might as well just give up. He’s going to help you whether you want it or not. And then…”

“No way, I told you Eri, Shiro was the last!” he said, panicking, and the Fae girl denied him.

“Hardly. You have me, you have this white princess. I think it only natural to assume other Princesses should-should be yours too. As for this one…” she looked at the Diviner, who suddenly fell to her knees, shaking, trembling uncontrollably. “…why not-not? Your heart ached for her, when you realised her life, her fate, did it not-not?”

“No, we’ve had this discussion, and now, in front of two thousand people, is not the time to revisit it!” Oshiro-san shook his head, flustered. “I’ll help them, sure, but I’ve my hands full and…”

“I shall die. My first prophecy was that if anyone gazed upon my face, my body, spoke my name, my time was up.” She said softly. “To think it would come… huh?” she cried out as she was pulled to her feet, the dark-haired girl and Oshiro-san each grabbing one of her hands and hauling her up.

They touched her! She’s been named, seen, touched! That’s… blasphemous! Yukiko was shocked, frightened, but a little spark within her was happy. At least… at least somebody will remember what she looks like, and now we can all speak her name.

The crowd was turning angry at the situation, but Oshiro-san cowed them with a glare. Still holding the Diviner’s, no, Tsukiko-san’s hand, he addressed her kindly, yet firmly, his eye still glowing.

“I can see you crying. You shouldn’t ruin your beautiful face like that. Besides, it’s stupid. You were dying anyway, right? So what, are you going to die twice? That’s crap. Look. Now I have to take responsibility right? If my words and actions are going to kill you, then I have to save you, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

“He’s right.” Yukiko found herself speaking. “Heroes are made, not born. And if we need a hero to stave off the Red Dragon, well…” she turned to him. “You’ll have to do. Can you do it? Seriously?”

“If I can’t, then Shaeula will help. If we still can’t, Grulgor and Hyacinth can join in, and everyone else too. If it’s still tough, well, shit, I’ll go crawling to Shaeula’s family and the military for help. Still no good and… well, you’ll help your friend, won’t you?” Their eyes met, Oshiro-san’s burning deep into hers, and she looked down, feeling a tension in her chest.

“I… will.” She admitted. “I’m scared, I never asked for this, for Amaterasu to bless me. But the Diviner… she never asked for it either. Nor did you, did you?”

“Nope. But if I’d have been given the choice, I’d have taken it in a heartbeat.” He suddenly tossed off his jacket and started unbuttoning his shirt. Yukiko squeaked in shock, embarrassed.

“What are you doing?” she gasped, covering her face with her hands, though she couldn’t help but peek as his toned torso came into view.

“See here?” he showed her, and then the angry crowd, who had forgotten the purpose of the Conclave and were furious at his treatment of the holy Lady Diviner. “All my battles since, I’ve healed my wounds without scars. Ether Healing is great for that. But these remain.” He tapped a faded set of bites around his abdomen. “I never asked to fight a dog, but fight it I did, and would do a million, a billion, a trillion times again, because there’s no world in which I want them to get hurt. So yeah, you win, Diviner. Some things are inevitable”

Ignoring the black-haired girl who was blushing fiercely, her eyes damp, Oshiro-san turned to address the crowd. “So here’s what I stand for. We kind of derailed everything, and I’m sorry. But… the Ministry is happening. Nothing you agree here will change that. You can choose to take part, or simply do your own thing. But I stand for full integration. That way, like the nobility, you get to decide what’s important, what matters, what’s a treasure of faith that Japan can’t lose. And we can take steps to protect it. I’m doing that now. Matsumuro-san, stop your tears. I’ll punch that Dragon square in the face and render it down to some tasty experience points. You’ve worked hard all these years. Harder than anyone. So now it’s time to reach out a hand for help. How is it? Aren’t our hands warm? There’s no need to bear the weight all alone.”

My eyes feel hot. Am.. am I crying too? Her gaze was blurry, as though she was looking through fog. Still, Yukiko managed a smile. Yukiko and Tsukiko. Quite the coincidence. It is as if we could be sisters… “Tsukiko-san…” even saying a real name made her chest feel hot and tight. “… please. You told me I could be saved. Believe that you can be too. Clasp onto the hand that’s offered to you.”

“You as well, princess.” Shaeula grinned, grabbing her hand. She nearly fainted from the shock of being suddenly touched, but the small hand was warm, just like he said. “Our policy is to protect you too-too. After all, this female believes you are needed to save the world. But before that… us princesses should stick together, should we not-not? I am rather jealous though.” She puffed out her cheeks in a pout.

“Why?” Yukiko was confused.

“Princess of Heaven! It sounds so much more-more noble that Princes of Beasts.”

With that Yukiko gaped, shocked at such a… banal… complaint, despite the heavy weight of the Conclave and the Diviner’s revelations, and she made no resistance as the girl pulled her off the stage, and towards their small area of seats…

********

Pulling the stunned Diviner along with us, Shaeula bringing the Princess, I smiled apologetically at Kudou-san. “Sorry, looks like I ate into your turn quite a bit. You should probably go next, all right? Sorry to you all as well.” I bowed to the amused Saionji-san and the glowering Uchida-san, then Bankei-san, who despite being the moderator had let our ten minutes of chaos happen. I then turned to Takakura-san, only to find he had followed us down, also going towards our seats.

“You sum up the noble point of view very well. We choose what to save, and we wish to work with the faith, the government, the army, business and the Chosen of the Gods. Nobility supports the Ministry, and as a family of faith, I believe we should as well. Better to shape the laws rather than be bound by them.”

Yeah. That’s what I’ve been saying. By stepping in first, I’m going to have an advantage in that the laws are advantageous to me, even stupid ones like the polygamy amendment. The Diviner was still crying, I could see through her veil, though the tears were silent, and her ruby eyes were staring unblinking at me like a doll. I let her sit down, mechanically, and beside her sat Eri, and beside her… Yeah, it’s the Princess. Uh… she should still be up there, she’ll be needed for the debate…

“Well then, it’s your turn to speak, Kudou-san.” Bankei-san coughed. “The revelations have been shocking indeed. This humble one prays… that the ill-winds of death that hover over you may be averted, Princess Mikasa, Lady Diviner.”

“All right then. Well, this old man…” Kudou-san said, taking the microphone. “… has said enough.” With a smile he hopped off the stage, having said effectively nothing, and strode over to his faction. As Saionji-san and Uchida-san watched their wily opponent concede, they weren’t prepared for what happened next, as instead of sitting, he grabbed a chair, before strolling over towards us and sitting down beside us. “I guess you do have the favour of the moon after all, Akio-san.” He grinned, as if a grandfather pulling a prank on his grandkids.

What the hell?