Kuro made sure Gin was kept busy—everyone expected word from Sólstaður saying they were routed or retreated, but Roken Andreas routinely sent updates explaining that his forces were completely fine and relatively untouched unless they actively sought conflict. Kuro was, for better or worse, focusing their full force on Hiroki.

Taiyo tried to think of a reason why they would focus on the border fort instead of just going down south through the sea. Maybe Miss Yanami knew Gin’s royal family was here, so there wasn’t any need to go to the capital—there wasn’t really any way Gin could fall unless they took out both east and west sides or killed all the royal family. They could just want to bide time—that’s what the voices told him—until Miss Yanami and King Shunji actually thought of a plan to succeed. Kuro rarely lost more than half of their force in these kinds of skirmishes.

They left back in June—enough months had passed that some leaves were starting to change color. His family didn’t want him to help—although, between the voices and what he heard at Kuro no Shuto, he couldhelp—so he was stuck doing nothing most of the time. It was frustrating, and he never had as much luck arguing his way into things like Rei did.

Knowing that his family was close managed to silence the loudest, most violent voices; Rei’s presence quieted just about all of them except for Miss Tsujihara and one other. He decided that Miss Tsujihara could talk freely without menacing undertones because she was like him—she was also considered a monster by those who didn’t understand her, and if anyone in Gin was ever asked, they would just say she had done what was necessary.

Taiyo spent a lot of his free time looking at things about Miss Tsujihara and other people who were like her; in his clearer thoughts, he was able to make notes and determine why his and Miss Tsujihara’s experiences were so different. As of now, he decided that the voices were essentially just ghosts that were able to drown out his own thoughts in the name of ending Gin and Kuro—in that case, Miss Tsujihara was one of the only ‘ghosts’ that had not completely consigned to that fate, even if she still begged him to kill when the other voices grew loud enough.

It was kind of funny, actually; Ginshin was told his descendants would end the nation. No one bothered to explain Miss Tsujihara’s tendencies by simply looking at the creation story—the truth was right there, they just didn’t want to apply it. People like him and Miss Tsujihara would keep popping up until someone ‘laid down their life in protection of others.’ The thought was chilling, yet…somehow, it didn’t bother him.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

To keep the voices quiet—they didn’t like him actually researching their nature—he stayed near Rei, who kept himself busy training. Taiyo wasn’t completely sure how, but his brother actually convinced Kyoumi and Sorai to let him fight—albeit in the very back, or else right where their parents could see him. Taiyo hoped that he wouldn’t try to join them.

He read through one of Kinjo Asahi’s records about Miss Tsujihara; the first queen herself often murmured comments. She usually sounded sad or regretful.

It’s strange, Miss Tsujihara mused. The man I loved knew less than a mere friend. I hid things from Asahi, yes—but Masaaki seems to have seen through my lies. I wonder if he believes in my suicide.

“Does it bother you?” Taiyo asked quietly, trying to entertain silent conversation without Rei noticing.

Asahi didn’t mean to offend—he acted out of ignorance, not because he meant to disrespect. The accusation that I was nothing less than sane…to him, that was disrespect. If our roles were switched, I likely would have done the same. Accepting that a loved one ended their own life isn’t easy; Maenomi…had done something similar. She killed herself before the rebels even touched her.

Taiyo nodded slightly, and paused for a minute to resume reading. After a little while, he looked up at his brother. “Hey, Rei? Do you think all these records are accurate?”

Rei lowered his sword and offered a confused look. “What do you mean?”

“Books like Kinjo Asahi’s records of Tsujihara Seiko,” Taiyo explained, tapping the book page. “He’s looking at someone else’s life through his eyes—there’s bound to be stuff he didn’t know or never saw. The records left behind from past rulers are regarded more-or-less as historical fact, but Kinjo Asahi couldn’t have known everything. What if the records that showed a different side of her—like Masaaki’s—were more accurate?”

“You said it yourself—those things are treated like fact,” Rei replied, still not seeming to completelyunderstand Taiyo’s point but trying to entertain meaningful conversation anyway. “I don’t think she would have kept that much from her husband—the two were close. In that respect, any other accounts—especially from Kuro—are probably exaggerated just to point out her flaws.”

Taiyo looked down at the book, listening to Miss Tsujihara’s murmurings for a moment.

“So…what if Masaaki was right, and Tsujihara Seiko wasn’t sane? Or at least, wasn’t always in control of her actions?”

Rei fell silent for a moment. “…Honestly, I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’d rather believe Kinjo Asahi’s account. I know it’s questionable if our family can count as ‘normal,’ but it’s easier to feel normal when there’s no concrete proof of anyone ever losing control of themselves.”

“…Right.”

He wished Rei would understand without hearing the full story. If Taiyo took after Miss Tsujihara, then Rei was Kinjo Asahi in this scenario—his brother probably wouldn’t want to believe Taiyo’s killed dozens of people during those months he was gone. If the voices were right, he’ll go on to kill many more.