“No way,” quipped the short, bespectacled young woman in indigo robes. She sat behind an imposing desk that did little to hide her stature.
Yuuichi just stood there after having been denied, thinking of a way to get at what he needed. “I thought you’re my friend, Emi,” he said. His tone of voice carried no semblance of sincerity, and he knew it. It wasn’t that she wasn’t his friend, but rather he knew that saying so would get on her nerves. Her fuse is as short as she is, after all.
“You know how it is when I’m working, Yuuichi. Rules are rules.” The girl named Emi refused to make eye contact, busying herself with some task.
Yuuichi let out a sigh of frustration. Lady Aoboshi Emi was a stickler for the rules, although she was also quite the rulebreaker herself, given enough impetus.
She was preoccupied with handling three scrolls delivered to her office from the Royal Secretary. Her job was to make sure the documents were fit for the Royal Archives, determine the level of secrecy these records needed, and find appropriate storage for them. This, however, proved difficult, as she couldn’t open the scrolls to begin with - perhaps as a practical joke, the Royal Secretary had made them magically unopenable. She was dispelling the enchantment on the scrolls with a knife not dissimilar to Miri’s. The problem, though: Emi was no sorceress. While a sorcerous instrument can be used by anyone with little difficulty, her archivist’s knife was having trouble with the spell cast upon the scrolls. The author of the scrolls was a bit inconsiderate today.
Emi cursed, banging her knife into her desk and muttered something under her breath about some “pompous midget”. “You’re still here? Get lost. I’m busy," She threw her frustration at Yuuichi.
A glowing circle of light appeared in Yuuichi’s palm, inscribed therein a seven-sided star – a Thaumaturgist’s mindgate, as they were called - as he intoned something in a language that was not-quite-human. He tapped the scrolls with his fingers, causing them to shake and shimmer. The enchantment was dispelled with a loud hissing sound.
“What?” Emi reeled. “How did…”
“The most advanced dispelling I know," Yuuichi offered, avoiding eye contact with Emi just in case she was still furious. “It dispels any magic with a Thaumaturgical equivalent of four and a half lines or fewer. So that includes any ‘pre-packaged’ magic meant for non-magicians.”
Emi really hated magicians. They made her feel like some sort of plebian.
“Why do you need to see the Restricted Archives?” She had no more excuse to ignore him as she had been unburdened.
“I want to learn more about the Order of Kuusai. Why did The Incident happen? And what do they want with Lady Watanabe?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “Oh great. You’re curious," She muttered. Living with him in the same keep made Emi wary of Yuuichi and his intentions. The only things that could motivate him is his own twisted sense of duty (which apparently runs down the Morimoto Bloodline), and his morbid curiosity.
“They want to get rid of the nobility. Lady Watanabe is an easy target because of her illness, and unlike most of us, cannot be replaced by a close family member. Take out one of us, and we lose almost all our power. That’s common sense.”
“Is it, though?” Yuuichi expressed doubt. “Why did they return, when all but one of the previous council members are dead?
“Their motives aren’t written down there, if that’s what you’re looking for," Emi replied.
“You learn more from what you accept that you don’t know, rather than what you do,” Yuuichi quoted his mother.
Emi eyed him suspiciously. One day into being appointed Royal Thaumaturgist and he’s already twice as odd. “Miri is not going to like the fact that you’re actually taking your appointment seriously. And yes – before you comment, I know she’s the one who pestered the King to give it to you anyway.”
Yuuichi pursed his lips.
“Why are you doing this?”, the archivist asked.
“It’s now my job. As it is yours to assist me.”
“No way. I’ll get in trouble with His Majesty if I let you," Emi said, her cheeks turning a little more crimson by the second. She had previously been reprimanded by none other than the King, in an incident that involved Court Documents and Hard Liquor.
“He doesn’t have to know. And if he does, we’ll just have to make a sob story about his sister or something.”
Emi raised her eyebrow. The new Royal Thaumaturgist did have a history of being a troublesome rule breaker, but she never considered him to be this diabolical. She groaned, rose from her seat and asked him to follow her.
The Royal Archives occupied a rather modest building close to the East Keep. Lady Aoboshi was named Grand Archivist, a position held by the lords of the Aoboshi clan going back at least four generations; her prodigious memory and meticulousness notwithstanding. She led Lord Morimoto past the shelves of court meeting records, a large glass case containing scores of Oaths pertaining to the nobility, and a pile of ledgers with business transactions that affected the country dating centuries.
Emi watched Yuuichi from the corner of her eye. “You came here for the Restricted Archives," She quipped, taking note at how Yuuichi looked like he was struggling not to grab at the books and scrolls around him and peruse them, even if they were filled with mundane and useless information.
“If you get your grubby hands into anything without my permission, I will personally kill you in the most painful fashion I can think of.” She glared. Yuuichi balked. Aoboshi Emi was notorious for following up on threats.
They kept going into the far end of the building, where a set of stairs led underground to a cavernous vault that contained many more records. These were the restricted records: archives that only the Grand Archivist may enter under normal circumstances.
Lady Aoboshi had decided that Lord Morimoto, one of the more despised people in the palace, getting a Royal Appointment counts as something outside “normal circumstances”.
“This will be the first and last time I’ll let you in here," Her voice was stern, knowing full well that given the opportunity, Morimoto Yuuichi can and will do anything to satiate his curiosity. “Nothing personal, mind you. But who gets to see records is not my discretion. If you so much as attempt to get your hands on some of these without my knowledge, you will suffer my wrath, understand?” She said. Yuuichi nodded in acknowledgement.
The stairs terminated in a small balcony. Beyond its railings, the shelves were so tightly packed that it was impossible for a human to squeeze in between them. Emi detached a bamboo tube - one of many that hung from her belt - from herself, and pointed it into the direction of the records.
The pipe in her hand made a faint popping noise and out came a furry, snake-like creature with what looked like a fox’s head. It swam in the air, dashing in between the shelves at an incredible speed, finally returning with a small stack of paper in its mouth. Emi fetched the papers and pet the head of the pipe-fox, which mewed and returned to its tube.
Yuuichi skimmed the papers in the dim light. “No mention of how many civilian casualties there were.”
“Of course it doesn’t.” Emi’s breathing was ragged, gripping the railings of the balcony tight. All this talk about The Incident were resurfacing very painful memories for her. But she pushed on. She figured that this information would somehow help avenge her parents. “Like I said, they were only concerned with the nobility. There were no civilian casualties, not counting the guards and servants that got caught as collateral damage.”
“There were at least a hundred of them that night,” Yuuichi read from the reports. “But not even the constables patrolling the First District were involved in the conflict. Simply saying they wanted the nobility gone makes no sense. Why go through the trouble of massacring the palace? Wouldn’t it be easier to blow up the place, and seize control in the ensuing chaos?”
Emi looked at her companion. He was uncharacteristically talkative, even though he was talking to no one in particular. Had he always been like this, deep down? “A score of Angyo Onshi worked to write that document. Are you implying they’re wrong?”
Yuuichi shook his head. It wasn’t that he thought they were wrong. The report was incredibly detailed, as expected of the Royal Constabulary. What bothered him was that, detailed as it was, it provided no answers.
One line from the report struck Yuuichi in particular. Most of the Order of Kuusai’s casualties were nowhere near Skysteel Tower until Her Majesty, the Godtamer, killed them. Why not take the throne room inside? Why be spread out outside? Unless, that wasn’t the point of the invasion. They were looking for something, Yuuichi deduced. And they didn’t find it.
“Next I’d like to know if there are any records here about the Watanabe family, going back the last sixteen years.”
Emi regarded him suspiciously, but didn’t pursue much further. Another pipe fox had emerged from a separate tube Emi had in hand. It was slightly larger, with markings all over its head. It took the records about the Order of Kuusai and went in between the shelves, returning the previous archives and fetching a rather thick tome.
Yuuichi took the book and opened it to the section corresponding to sixteen or so years prior. The pages were…
“Singed," Yuuichi observed. He looked at Emi, whose face was completely scandalized.
“How in He-whose-breath-grows-us’ name are these pages burned? Each record is enchanted to keep them from being damaged!”
“The enchantment is intact," Yuuichi inspected the book, feeling for the telltale tingles of spellcraft. “Either it was destroyed from before it was taken here…”
“That’s impossible!” Emi interrupted. “The Grand Archivist is under Oath to protect the integrity of the Royal Archives. I literally can’t just stuff defective records in here. Besides, only I can take records in and out," She gestured toward the shelves. Her pipe-foxes were the only way to retrieve any information within.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“Not necessarily. Is this vault magic-proof?”
Emi flustered. “No. But the records are magically protected.”
“I thought so," Yuuichi reached out, mindgate forming in his palm as he weaved spellcraft. A scroll flew from the depths of the vault into his hand, albeit haphazardly.
“Watch it!” Emi protested, snatching the scroll. “I’ll make sure you won’t get any funding for your new office if you break anything!” she wagged the scroll at Yuuichi’s face. It bore the insignia of the Morimoto family: two lotus flowers in bloom. Curiously, Emi opened it.
“That’s the certification that I am heir to House Morimoto, is it not?”
“Well, no. It’s the certification that you are Lord of House Morimoto. Signed six years ago by Great Lord Morimoto and the Great King," She looked at him incredulously, “Your Father made you Lord even before The Incident?”
“That’s news to me," Yuuichi shoved that revelation to the back of his mind. “Anyway, that means I can access any record that pertains to me. So if I’m right, I can do this," Yuuichi concentrated. In a blank space of the scroll, another insignia appeared: a seven-sided star – the same symbol inscribed in Yuuichi’s mindgate.
Emi yelled, almost dropping the scroll. “You- you’re vandalizing records! I shouldn’t have allowed you in here!”
“It’s not vandalism if the record is about me.”
Emi opened her mouth to protest. “This scroll went through the hands of the Great King. This is an important historical relic!”
Yuuichi crossed his arms. He doubted him being Lord of a family that had been in decline for at least two generations counted as “historical”.
“I, Morimoto Yuuichi, Lord of Bukijima and Royal Thaumaturgist, hereby authorize the addition of my personal insignia into the document that authorizes my Lordship," He said in the haughtiest voice he can muster. “I suppose I am in my rights to do that?”
He looked at Emi, who, while wearing a distraught look, was putting an addendum into the record tag of the scroll using a pipe-fox who transformed into a brush. Apparently, he was correct. Emi couldn’t protest, and in fact, made it official. Yuuichi wondered if this is what having a Royal Office felt.
“Anyway, we have established that even through the protective charm, the records could still be tampered with, provided the person doing the tampering had perfect knowledge of the document," Yuuichi noted. The Second Rule of Magic worked both ways, he thought to himself. One cannot touch what they do not know, for sure. But it also meant that what One does know, they can touch in uncountable ways.
“Magician?” Emi asked.
“Probably, but not likely. Not unless there are any magicians we don’t know about that are in league with His Highness’ family.”
“So you mean…”
“Someone in the Royal Family did this. Someone with a very powerful Awakening." He opened the book to that page, and sniffed it. The pages smelled of brimstone. “Hellfire. His Majesty did this.”
“But why?”
Yuuichi checked the pages preceding the destroyed section. They pertained to the birth of Watanabe Yuriko.
“The Watanabe Family has secrets to keep, that’s why," Yuuichi closed the book, and handed it back to Emi.
Yuuichi turned to leave. “Thanks for the help, Emi. Please don’t tell anyone about what we’ve discovered.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going to be careful," Yuuichi looked into her eyes for the first time since he entered the building. “It looks like there’s more to this crisis than meets the eye.”
-
The Southwestern Garden is always filled with all sorts of red and yellow flowering shrubs, as well as maple trees that shed vibrant orange leaves in the autumn. It also houses several pavilions for the leisure of the aristocrats who call the Royal Palace Home. It has been three days since the attempted abduction of Watanabe Yuriko, and yet she chose to carelessly enjoy tea and play cards with Lady Hibana in one such pavilion.
“You’re always busy, Sakurako. We don’t get to do this often anymore," Yuriko said, eyeing her friend.
“Summer is the season of the vermillion shrines. And many people are afraid of the coming storms, so many more petitioners are visiting us praying for sunshine. I should be less busy in a month or two," Lady Hibana explained in between sips of tea and making plays. The plays were futile, though -one ought to never play games with Watanabe Yuriko. That was an established fact. No matter the game, either she had incredible luck or godlike skill; perhaps even both.
“Well, I’m glad we got to spend time together even though you’re so preoccupied.”
“Wouldn't Rai be busier, too? The dragon god is in charge of the rain, so even more petitioners will be coming his way, by that logic," Said a third person sitting in close proximity to them. It was her turn to play a card.
“Lady Fujimori, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t join the discussion. Who invited you anyway?” Sakurako retorted, pointing at Lady Fujimori and Lord Morimoto.
Yuriko answered on behalf of Miri. “I invited Lord Morimoto along, but it seems like Lady Fujimori invited herself… Well, it’s good then. Ayame serves the best tea, and It would be nice if everyone gets to enjoy it, too," Ayame, a servant girl working for the Western Keep, turned as crimson as the red summer flowers with embarrassment.
“Well, as the Court Physician, I’m here to make sure Lady Watanabe doesn’t get into any distress that might exacerbate her condition," Miri flatly replied.
“That’s so nice of you, but I’m really fine!” Yuriko replied in between fits of coughing. Miri wasn’t sure if sarcasm flew over Her Highness’s head or Her Highness’s was herself very subtle with sarcasm.
“Well, maybe if Lord Morimoto wasn’t around, she wouldn’t be quite as distressed," Shot back the Priestess. The statement bewildered Yuriko.
“I hope he hasn’t troubled you since his appointment?” Sakurako asked.
“No, not at all” Yuriko coughed again. “in fact, this is the first time I’ve seen him since that day.”
“What?” Sakurako was suddenly scandalized. “You left her alone?”
Yuuichi shrugged. “You’d be angry nonetheless if I tailed her," He wasn’t looking at Sakurako, or paying attention to the game, even. He had already deduced that Lady Watanabe was going to win by the fifth turn, Lady Hibana would self-destruct, and Miri would try to cut her losses. His mind was somewhere else… Over the past three days he was trying to piece together a lot of the incongruent information he’d been gathering. None of it… the Order of Kuusai, the details behind Lady Watanabe’s birth, and even his sudden appointment made any lick of sense.
“I guess Lord Morimoto will have to accompany me to Market Day, though," Yuriko mentioned, thinking of the public event she’d have to attend. She played a card, winning the game.
Sakurako almost spit her tea. “Market day is here? Already?”
“Yes! The day after tomorrow, in fact," Yuriko’s voice rang with excitement. “The committee even invited me as Guest of Honor!”
“Lady Watanabe, you’re the guest of honor for Market Day? That’s great!” Miri said.
“No one wants your opinion, Lady Fujimori," Sakurako shot back. “Yuriko, I think you should reconsider. There are people after you.”
“I think it’s too late to reconsider, I’ve already accepted their invitation last week.”
“And you didn’t rescind your acceptance? For. Your Own. Safety?!” Sakurako intoned each word, making sure each penetrated Yuriko’s thick skull.
“I didn’t think it was unsafe since I already have Lord Morimoto, right? Besides, brother seemed to agree.”
Yuuichi wasn’t informed that Yuriko was to appear at the First District Marketplace as the Guest of Honor for one of the city’s biggest celebrations. Even so, his mind was already swimming on how to mentally prepare for everything. Which spells should he have at the ready, should something go wrong? Would he need supplies? Would he have enough time to prepare his sword?
As he was contemplating this, a familiar sensation gripped him. It felt like an insect was tickling him from afar. It didn’t feel like spellcraft, but at the same time it did. Like a hunch that something was amiss in the tranquility. Like feeling a candle’s warmth during a sweltering day. Where had he felt this before?
Yuuichi focused, trying to drown out Miri and Sakurako bickering and Yuriko’s attempts at calming them down. He felt something to his left. It was dull, like a sound coming from behind a dozen heavy curtains. He tried to part the veils with his mind, reaching out with his qi. That’s when it hit him: he felt the same thing three days ago, during his fight with that masked man. It hadn’t occurred to him before, but the masked man’s spellcraft felt off. Like it was trying to be hidden. Was it possible to hide the sensation of spellcraft? And if so, why could he feel it?
Regardless, the first thing he learned from his father about magic was that it had to be anchored to something in order to exist. Thaumaturgists made constructs – flaming birds or spears made of lightning. Sorcerers had sorcerous instruments. Even Angyo Onshi had the trinkets they often wore. So if he was right, then a spell anchor was in the same pavilion as them. It was a shame he left his sword back in his room.
Miri was talking. Yuuichi slammed his hand on her mouth, stopping her.
“HEY, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?” She wrestled his hand from her mouth.
“Miri, disarming blade. At that beam right there.”
Miri recognized the urgency of his tone and the seriousness in his face. While Lord Morimoto was normally serious, there were times that he was deadly so. She complied, extracting a small knife from the folds of her dress, whispered into it, and threw it into the beam Yuuichi pointed out. As soon as it hit the wood, a shrill wailing sound was heard, followed by a large, white spider-like creature dissolving into the blade. It wilted and dispersed into ash.
Yuriko shrieked in alarm.
“Wh-what was that?” stuttered Lady Hibana.
“Tracking spell. Likely left behind by that man from three days ago.”Yuuichi pointed out. “They’ve been monitoring our movements”
“But… Shouldn’t I have been able to feel it?” Miri inquired.
“Somehow, they’ve found a way to hide spellcraft.”
“What?” Miri looked absolutely scandalized. “They know something we don’t about magic? Yuuichi, this is bad.”
“I think I can tell it’s there… I don’t know why, but it doesn’t work on me quite as well.”
“So how were you able to sense it, then?” asked Sakurako, her arms around a very shaken Yuriko.
“I… I don’t know.”
“Well that’s very convenient, isn’t it?” Sakurako hit back. Yuuichi didn’t respond.
“What is your problem? We already know he’s on our side and yet you just dismiss him like that?” Miri quipped.
“My problem is that if he could feel that thing then how come it took three days? He might not be betraying us but that’s quite a disappointment, don’t you think?”
Yuuichi said nothing. He stood up to leave.
“Yuuichi, where are you going?” Miri asked.
“Angyo Onshi’s office. Lady Katagiri should be able to help me sweep the palace for more of those things.”
“Yuuichi, wait," Miri’s voice lost all its joviality. “Lady Hibana is right… This is something way over your head.”
“All the more I should work harder, then," Yuuichi said. There was a palpable excitement in his voice, like this was something he’d been waiting to happen. It was so uncharacteristic, that it was not lost on the three ladies with him. “Please excuse me," He bowed to them, and left.
Lady Hibana sighed, then turned to Lady Fujimori. “Please tell me you don’t like this, either.”
Miri eyed the priestess. “Fine. I don’t like this, either.”
“Good, because this is your fault.”
Miri chuckled. How ludicrous would it be that this is her fault? “Lady Hibana,” she addressed her in a voice that did not befit the station of her interlocutor. “Lord Morimoto could have rejected the King’s offer, and knowing His Highness, he would have had another plan in mind, even if it meant tying a leash around the princess," She glanced at said princess, who balked slightly at the comment, but chose to laugh as if it was some badly-worded joke.
“I am worried about Lord Morimoto, inasmuch as you are worried about Lady Watanabe. But worrying does us little. House Fujimori has always stood by House Morimoto for six generations, and that won’t change while I am head of the family.”
“And how do you intend to do that?” The Priestess asked.
“Oh, that’s easy. I’ll make sure he succeeds.”