"Tell me—what exactly happened to the Shogun?"
Kokomi lifted her gaze again, her fingers tightening around Ayaka's wrist as she demanded an answer.
"..."
Ayaka looked into those resolute eyes. Her soft lips pressed together slightly. After a brief hesitation, she still forced herself to remain stubborn.
"This matter does not require Miss Sangonomiya's knowledge..."
With that, she shook off the other's hand and turned away on her own.
"...!"
Kokomi's body trembled at those words. A trace of anger surfaced on her fair cheeks.
"Why? Why does it not require my knowledge?"
She did not turn around. Facing the other's back, she asked in a cold voice.
"...Miss Sangonomiya, please stop being unreasonable."
Ayaka paused in her steps but did not turn her head.
"Unreasonable? The unreasonable one isn't me, is it? You suddenly came to the Sangonomiya Shrine to see me, explained nothing, acted entirely on your own judgment. And now? After I noticed something was wrong, you leave without a word. You clearly know how much I care about this matter."
The moment she heard herself called unreasonable, Kokomi's mood instantly soured. Her voice gradually rose, laced with unmistakable anger. Her brows knitted together, her eyes sharpened, and the arms folded across her chest tightened slightly.
"...Think whatever you like."
Hearing her words, Ayaka's lips pressed so tightly they turned pale. The hand holding her folding fan gradually tightened as well. In the end, she merely threw that cold sentence behind her and stepped forward once more—
"...Kamisato Ayaka!"
The next second, Kokomi sharply called out her full name, startling her into stillness. Her steps halted again.
"Kamisato Ayaka, I know you have your reservations about me. Perhaps you even look down on me. But I am not your clown, nor am I someone who will endure everything in silence. Do not assume that Sangonomiya Kokomi is easy to bully."
Tap tap...
Issuing that warning, Kokomi stepped forward until she stood just one meter behind her, staring fixedly at her back.
"Miss Kamisato..."
She returned to the earlier, more distant form of address. Quietly, she raised her hand and grasped the wrist of the silent figure before her.
"Please tell me about the Shogun. I beg you."
Her tone softened. In that instant, she seemed to return to her former gentle self.
"Haa... Is this how you truly feel about her, Miss Sangonomiya?"
Hearing that plea, Ayaka slowly turned around and gave her a satisfied smile. Kokomi was not surprised by that smile. Instead, she returned it with quiet understanding.
"If you wish to test me, I can accompany you at any time. But the situation is urgent now, isn't it?"
"Good that you know... I'll put it plainly. The Shogun has gone missing."
She told her directly.
"...Missing?"
Kokomi froze.
"Haa... It's somewhat complicated—"
"Then explain it on the way."
Kokomi cut her off and made the suggestion first.
"...I never intended to bring you along—"
Ayaka replied teasingly.
"I'm worried about her. Is that enough?"
Kokomi asked again.
"Pfft... that's enough."
Ayaka smiled in satisfaction. She lifted her hand as if to poke Kokomi lightly on the forehead with her fingertip, but the next second she was stopped. Kokomi pressed her hand down, clearly unwilling. That stubborn expression suited her current mood perfectly.
"Miss Kamisato, please refrain from such jokes."
After blocking her hand, Kokomi folded her arms again, her voice carrying a hint of reproach, as if unwilling to yield even a small advantage before her.
"Hehe... my apologies. In that case, let us depart. However, I expended quite a bit of stamina crossing the sea alone earlier. I'm afraid I cannot return the same way."
She spoke with mild regret.
"Simple. We'll take a boat. Follow me to the port."
Kokomi shrugged and walked past her without concern.
"..."
Ayaka let out a faint breath and followed.
...
Whooo—!
A passenger ship of moderate size sailed across the vast ocean. The sky at the horizon was gradually being dyed in golden-red hues of dusk. The once azure sea was now coated in a shimmering silver veil reflecting the sunset, dazzling like a mirror.
Splash...
From time to time, schools of vibrant fish leapt from the surface. Some larger fish even burst from the water, tracing perfect arcs before crashing back down.
Whoosh...
A cool sea breeze lifted the hair by Kokomi's ears. She subconsciously raised a hand to tuck it back. Her expression at this moment was filled with complexity—perhaps even sorrow. The force with which she gripped the railing betrayed her state of mind.
Perhaps it was psychological, but she felt the wind here was somewhat dry. The sea breeze of Narukami Island differed from that of Watatsumi Island. Even now, she had not fully grown accustomed to it. But that was secondary. Compared to what weighed on her heart, these were trivial matters.
"Shogun..."
She could not help but murmur the name softly.
Ayaka had already explained the general situation to her in full, holding nothing back. That included the Shogun's true identity, and the reason she had once insisted on pursuing the Vision Hunt Decree. At last, Kokomi understood everything. The amount of information was overwhelming—her mind could not yet digest it all—but her worry for the Shogun remained unchanged. The ache in her heart remained unchanged.
At first, she had struggled to believe it. But she knew Kamisato Ayaka would not deceive her. There was no need to lie. The one who needed to accept reality was herself.
The Shogun... was a puppet created by a god.
A god's child.
A god's daughter.
"Well? Now that you know the Shogun is a puppet, will that change how you feel inside?"
Ayaka stepped up beside her, gazing at the boundless sea where the sun was nearing the horizon, and asked.
"Change... how I feel inside?"
Kokomi did not quite understand.
"For example... would you mind her true form? Find it unacceptable?"
Ayaka asked.
"...Nothing of the sort. I'm not that kind of person."
She shook her head.
"If you were, I wouldn't have brought you along today."
Ayaka covered her smile with her folding fan.
"...Miss Kamisato does seem to have certain mischievous tastes. Are they reserved only for me?"
Kokomi frowned slightly and looked at the flawless side profile beside her.
"If I said yes, what would you do?"
Ayaka cast her a sidelong glance, smiling faintly.
"...Nothing."
Kokomi averted her eyes and returned her gaze to the sea ahead.
"You have an honest personality. But some people's 'honesty' is merely a shell. The more honest they appear, the more schemes they hide inside."
Ayaka kept her eyes fixed on her profile as she spoke.
"Haa... If you have something to say, Miss Kamisato, say it directly. There is no need for veiled sarcasm."
Kokomi lowered her eyes slightly, then finally turned to face her.
She had a temper too. Listening to such pointed insinuations, even she felt displeased.
"Your reason for approaching the Shogun—was it because you were drawn to her, wishing to stand at her side, to have someone who would treat you gently and rely on you as you rely on her?"
"...Or was it simply to secure benefits for your Watatsumi Island?"
Facing that icy gaze, Kokomi did not shrink back. Instead, she smiled serenely. She glanced once at the distant sea before meeting Ayaka's eyes again.
"...I think those two reasons are not mutually exclusive."
Yes. She did not believe that gaining the Shogun's attention, wishing to grow closer to her—even to take a step further—and seeking benefits for Watatsumi Island were mutually conflicting reasons.
Moreover, Watatsumi Island had now returned to Inazuma and reconciled with Narukami Island. At this moment, they were all people of Inazuma. Maintaining a good relationship with the Shogun was both necessary and inevitable. And besides... she genuinely wanted to do so.
"What do you mean...?"
Ayaka's expression grew more serious as she asked.
"I admit... that when I first sought to build a good relationship with the Shogun, there was indeed a measure of personal desire involved. However... you misunderstand one thing. That personal desire was not the crude wish for Watatsumi Island to gain some obvious benefit. Rather... it was the hope that Watatsumi Island could endure in the long term, that my people could live in peace and stability."
"That was also my purpose in negotiating peace... I know very well what would become of Watatsumi Island without the Shogun's protection. As the current Divine Priestess, I understand our strength better than anyone. Back when we resisted the Vision Hunt Decree, if the Shogun had personally come to the front lines, we would have lost all hope. The Shogun is reliable. She gives me—gives us—gives Watatsumi Island and its people—a sense of security."
"I know it may sound presumptuous, but I am willing to place Watatsumi Island's fate in her hands. Because I believe in her. I believe she will bring peace to Watatsumi. I do not ask that the island become prosperous or powerful in the future. I only wish for my people to live safely and happily. That is all."
As she spoke, her eyes shone with hope.
"And all of this... is precisely what the Shogun can give me. Some on Watatsumi Island still fail to see it, even fail to understand my decisions. But I see clearly now. I know what it represents. I am grateful to her. I... have even grown somewhat dependent on her. She is important to me—to all of us."
Kokomi looked back toward the sea. She pressed her lips together before finally voicing everything in her heart.
"But that does not mean I am using the Shogun's feelings for me. I truly like her. I like the feeling of being by her side. That warmth is unique. I want her to remain beside me at all times—perhaps even live on Watatsumi Island... to be able to see her whenever I wish. I want her to look at me. I want her to smile at me. My health is poor. I want her to care about me constantly. When I collapse from exhaustion, I want her to cook porridge for me... even... spend the night with me."
Perhaps because her emotions were surging, her eyes reddened slightly. Yet she continued to stare directly at Ayaka, who was visibly startled by such frank confession.
"..."
Ayaka stared at her, momentarily lost. She had not expected this seemingly honest girl to pour out all her feelings so openly.
"But... that is impossible."
Kokomi pressed her lips together again. Her eyes trembled, rimmed red, as if tears might fall at any moment.
"Why should she treat me with such devotion? And who am I to demand such things from her? When I think about it... these desires, these expectations, are merely my own selfishness. She and I... will never truly stand on equal ground."
After saying that, Kokomi shook her head with faint relief. Then she looked back at Ayaka, a trace of envy surfacing in her gaze.
"I truly envy you, Miss Kamisato... deeply envy you. I envy how close you are to her now. When she speaks of you, she smiles unconsciously. What virtue do I possess to make her do the same?"
"I envy you, but I do not resent you... because I know my own limits. I am merely someone who would be sidelined even if written into a novel by its author."
After finishing, she sniffed softly. Without looking again at the stunned girl before her, she turned and walked away, entering the cabin silently and closing the door behind her.
"..."
Only then did Ayaka return to her senses. Her gaze grew complicated as she looked at the cabin door. She flipped her closed folding fan lightly in her palm, pondering for a moment before seemingly making a decision. A relieved smile appeared on her lips.
Click...
She walked to the door and opened it. At once she saw the pink-haired girl sitting alone on the edge of the bed. Kokomi's hands were gently clasped before her, her eyes closed, her back straight, her posture obedient—as though she were praying for something.
"..."
Seeing her like this, Ayaka quietly approached and smoothed her skirt before sitting down beside her.
"..."
Hearing the subtle movement at her side, Kokomi slowly opened her eyes. Yet she did not look over. She simply stared absentmindedly at the wall ahead.
"...I'm sorry. I said so much to you just now. I had intended to bury those feelings forever."
Her lips parted slightly as she apologized in a soft voice.
"It's all right. Perhaps it's because of my duties at the Yashiro Commission. I'm quite skilled at listening."
Ayaka shook her head.
"I said so much only to express that... my feelings for her are no less than yours, Miss Kamisato. Even if you have known her far longer."
She spoke quietly.
"I know. I have no intention of competing with you over anything."
Ayaka looked toward the window as she replied.
"Neither do I... I know I would not win anyway. And besides—"
"The Shogun does not yet understand 'love.' Or rather... she does not understand our love for her."
Ayaka finished her sentence.
"..." ×2
They glanced at one another. A silent understanding passed between them, and neither spoke further.
"I think you misunderstand me in one respect."
Ayaka turned to look at the dreamlike pale profile beside her.
"...Misunderstand?"
Kokomi blinked.
"...It is not that I look down on you. On the contrary, I believe you are exceptional."
Hearing that, Kokomi only smiled helplessly.
"Exceptional enough that you wished to test my skills at board games?"
Recalling something the Shogun had once mentioned while they slept side by side during the peace talks, Kokomi teased lightly.
"...Indeed. How did you know?"
"A guess."
She lied.
"Very well... it is true. When you have time, why not visit the Kamisato Estate?"
Ayaka rose and extended the invitation.
"Since it is an invitation from the White Heron Princess, how could I refuse?"
Kokomi glanced at her as she answered.
"It's a promise then. By the way... were you praying just now?"
Recalling her earlier posture, Ayaka could not help asking.
"Mm... it is a custom on Watatsumi Island, praying for the safety of the one held in one's heart. Of course, that is merely what people say. As the Divine Priestess, I have grown accustomed to it."
Kokomi once again formed the gesture of prayer and closed her eyes.
"..."
Seeing this, sorrow rose once more in Ayaka's heart.
"...She will be all right. The Shogun will be all right. She must be."
With her eyes closed, Kokomi murmured those words.
"I'll take your blessing."
Ayaka nodded slowly. In her heart, she too began to pray.
After all... she was their goddess.