Satou walked up to the tentacle mass. Rikya kept her distance with a strained smile showing on her face that Satou couldn't see. Satou peeked her head inside the tentacles like it was only a bush. Inside, Scipio's body reformed itself, he was pouting like a child lying there naked. As soon as Satou saw him, tentacles covered his body.

"Satou?!"

It's not often your young fiancee sees you naked. Satou eyes went stony as she murmured to Scipio.

"Playing around with Rikya, huh. She had some terrible wounds. What were you thinking?"

A golden shackle ball and chain snapped onto Scipio's ankle. His hands were already out and waving at Satou pleading with her.

"Hey, hey, I thought your families were enemies? What's the Burncastle girl to you?"

Seeing Scipio's confused face let Satou feel joy. Satou smirked.

"Give me a moment." Satou said.

The girl in the black dress with short dull golden hair turned around. Satou spread her hand like wings, looking at Myon and Syon chained on the ground. She half closed her eyes. The dull yellow color of her irises shimmered above heavy eye bags under her eye. She was tired.

"Myon, Syon, aren't you feeling tired?"

Both of them closed their eyes at her words. Satou waited until she saw their chests moving slowly up and down. She walked over to Syon and crouched over her, poking her in the face.

"Rikya. Search her. Take what you want."

"Your eyes are great at seeing where the value is, aren't they?" Rikya said. She hummed as she skipped over to Syon's body and looted her for all she was worth. She picked up a silver glove and an iron fan. Satou's eyes flickered over to the fan.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"That fan is just a fan. Excuse me."

Satou walked toward the mass of tentacles, cracking her fingers. She opened a palm and punched it with her fist. Rikya stayed behind. She pulled out Ichi's shikigami from Syon's clothes. Words were written across the front in a strange language. Tama spoke up in her head, and they held a silent conversation within Rikya's mind.

"Gai Tengu. This can summon Gai Tengu." Tama said.

"Myon and Syon's father. Why didn't she use it against us?" Rikya said.

"Family ties are the worst, aren't they?" Tama chuckled.

Rikya spread an evil grin on her face in the real world. Satou heard malicious cackling behind her. She smiled herself. She kept walking, reaching the tentacles. Her smile faded and went straight, then morphed to disapproval. Pushing through the tentacles she met Scipio who was being dressed by a deep one in a perfect black tux.

Scipio looked in a nearby mirror with a comb in his hand, running it through his hair. He handed it back to the deep one in a tuxedo who bowed and retreated through a blue portal, bringing the mirror with him. Satou stared at him, one of her fingers reaching out and testing the tentacle wall with slight pressure.

"Take these down. First, an apology to Rikya."

"Aren't there three enemies out there?" Scipio asked.

"Your worst one is right here." Satou muttered darkly. Scipio's face flinched as she said it.

Satou felt it was proper to inform him of the situation anyways, so she coughed into her fist and met his gaze.

"Myon and Syon fell asleep on the job."

"And those two? Renya and Ichi?"

"What are you so scared of?" Satou complained. "They ran off in the forest. Last time I saw them it looked like they were going to rip each other apart."

Scipio averted his eyes as Satou said 'scared'.

"Well, it's just..."

Satou walked closer, tugging on his fresh white clothing. She barely reached his waist in height.

"Tell me. After you put the tentacles down."

"But Rikya-" Scipio complained to Satou, but Satou's eyes bore into his.

Scipio sighed as the tentacles retreated back into portals, revealing Satou and Scipio to Rikya and Myon and Syon's sleeping bodies.

Scipio twisted his hand and a dull golden blade condensed out of golden particles into his hand. Scipio handed the sword to Satou.