Chapter Hundred Fourteen

Blood-born Hira

 

 

Kataji?!

Did Abihiko just say Nekohiko was Kataji?

Of all people in the world...

Though it made sense if Nekohiko thought about it a bit more. But for now, his brain refused to work, and only the vague dread had a place within it.

He was still a bit woozy after the prolonged stay in the Spiritside, so to emerge out of it and straight into Abihiko's arms was like a respite he desperately needed. But to realize that Abihiko was surrounded by Hira soldiers and that right next to them -- was Hira Okinaga himself -- was a sucker punch to his gut.

Hira Okinaga. The man who had sworn to hunt Nekohiko down and murder him.

Right here, so close to Nekohiko...?

And Abihiko had invited him, too.

Ugh, why??? Whyyyy?

"How did you find me?" Nekohiko whispered in horror, lifting his eyes at Abihiko.

The two of them sat atop a horse, but not like when they had traveled together. This time, Abihiko sat in the saddle while Nekohiko sat across his lap like a baby, swaddled within Abihiko's black furry cloak, so heavy and large, Nekohiko felt trapped within a cocoon of warmth and safety.

But -- what cocoon of safety when a person who wanted to murder him was so close?

"Shhh." Abihiko looked aside, guarded against any of the Hira soldiers coming to check on Nekohiko. "I tracked you down with my brand inside your grain, like I always do. Don't worry. We had a bit of a... falling out with the Nagare siblings after I realized Mikawa left you here all alone. I couldn't find any means to come to you sooner on my own, so I did the next best thing."

He turned to Nekohiko, smiling sadly. "I asked my Ward Father for help."

Nekohiko froze. "To... hunt me down like he always wanted?"

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Even trying to lower the volume of his chortling, Abihiko didn't exactly succeed. He hugged Nekohiko tighter to himself and made sure to slide the hood of his cloak deeper over Nekohiko's face. "Yessss, of course. I asked Okinaga to come join me in hunting you down after I wasted so much time to keep you away from him. You do not have much trust in me at all, do you?"

I d-do, but--

At that exact moment, heavy footsteps of armored boots sounded from behind, and Nekohiko shrank inward.

"Abihiko, is your brother all right? Is he wounded?" Okinaga's voice, usually sonorous, now was touched with weariness. "His two companions seemed to have passed out." A pause of thinking. "Likely from the prolonged exposure to the Spiritside."

"Looks like it," Abihiko said with a dismissive note. He directed a small wave of his Binding into the Bound horse, making it shift in such a manner that Nekohiko was kept even further away from Okinaga's sight. "Kata is also unwell and seems to have reactions to light and noise. He needs rest--"

"Let me see," Okinaga said, worried.

Every last part of Nekohiko shuddered.

But then --

"Eldest Brother! Elder Brother! Aaaaaaah, I cannot believe we found him! Abihiko, bring him here, I need to see him right NOW!"

Aomi's voice was so shrill and demanding that even the metallic horse somehow recoiled from it. Let alone Abihiko and Okinaga.

"Aomi," Abihiko grumbled but used his chance and spurred the horse to gallop across the small field and toward the bigger gathering of the Hira soldiers in the distance.

Nekohiko only managed to catch a glimpse of the abandoned Okinaga as he watched Abihiko ride away, and behind him -- several Hira Binders carefully lifting Haehime and Kotone from the grass to put them onto the dummy horse saddles.

The two would be fine, Nekohiko decided. The horses seemed Bound well enough that they could carry an unconscious human on their backs, making certain the human wouldn't fall off no matter what happened. Plus, with such a great convoy of professional Hira Binders...

No doubt they had a healer amidst them, too.

Thus, he directed all his worries and budding panic onto himself.

"Why am I Kataji?!" he asked Abihiko, reeling. "What did you tell Okinaga about me?"

"Not now," Abihiko shushed him. Then added in a much louder and faker voice, talking for show in front of others who might listen. "Well-well, guess who we have here?"

"I don't need to guess!" Aomi cried back. "Get him here -- I need to properly castigate him! Also, scram, everyone. You are making our sibling reunion weird with you all crowding me like that!"

And even though Aomi was next to nobody in Hira household, the soldiers were wary of her enough to... follow her orders without questions. They nodded and bowed to Abihiko, stepping aside from around Aomi who they had been guarding -- and went away.

Now, the two siblings were left all alone. With Nekohiko.

And his utter confusion.

"Neeeeko," Aomi crooned, gleeful, as she leaned into his face.

She also sat on a tall Bound horse and had to force her steed directly against Abihiko's to reach out so far in. And once she did, she just couldn't help but poke a mean finger into Nekohiko's ribs.

"Heyyy," Nekohiko growled, exasperated.

"Oh my heavens, I missed you so much. You and your eternally grumpy yet also somehow blank face!"

"Is this how you treat your Elder Brother?" Nekohiko narrowed his eyes. Then he sat up a bit straighter, peeking over Abihiko's shoulder to where Okinaga and others were. "What the hell is going on with you two calling me Kataji?"

"Ooo, that's a long story, though." Aomi was too busy rummaging in her dress collars for something.

"I have all the time in the world," Nekohiko hissed. Which earned him a bratty eye-roll from her.

"No, you don't."

And indeed, he didn't. Okinaga's forceful orders boomed across the field, gathering his Hira guards into formation, mounting their horses, sharing reconnaissance calls about clear paths. Abihiko tugged Nekohiko by the waist, wanting to reign their horse to join the others. But Aomi stopped them.

"Stop acting so suspicious with him," she told Abihiko. "Pull his hood up so that others can see the lower part of his face--"

"But then they'll see he's not Kataji," Abihiko snapped back.

Aomi didn't engage with him.

From out her collars, she pulled a small glass jar. She dabbed her finger in it, and the fingertip came put smeared with some juicy-red ointment, like grease.

Nekohiko recoiled when she leaned toward him -- because of how scary her expression looked. How predatory!

"We need this." She grinned at him. "Okinaga needs to see the glimpse of you, dispelling all his doubts. Come ON."

And before Nekohiko could protest, Aomi caught his chin in her hand and diligently painted Nekohiko's lips red with the ointment. Or with the rouge makeup. Nekohiko didn't know the difference. His only time with makeup had been years ago, for the Doll Parade in Peaceful -- and he was not in a particular mood to reminiscence about that!

"Mmmm," he complained, finally freeing himself from Aomi's hands.

The girl giggled meanly, showing her toothy smile framed by her red lips as though in a taunt. Yes, Nekohiko knew why she had to do this. Abi siblings had memorable lips, of course. But... ugh, makeup.

He didn't mind it nearly as much when, at some point later, Okinaga did come closer to exchange a few words with Abihiko before setting out to ride on. Because the Lord of the Mountains did give Nekohiko's face a lingering look and did end up mollified with what he saw.

He and Kataji weren't that well-acquainted, after all. Even Aomi seemed a bit skittish when it came to hanging around Okinaga. But just a glimpse of Nekohiko's recognizably red lips from within the shadows of his hood -- was convincing enough that in the deepening night, Okinaga didn't do a double-take.

All was well. Okinaga didn't suspect a trick. Though Nekohiko had no idea how long Abihiko intended to keep the truth hidden, so for now -- he eased down and closed his eyes, comfortable against Abihiko's chest.

"So your unique look can be easily copied by lip rouge, hmmm," Nekohiko sighed as they rode on.

Abihiko didn't reply. But Nekohiko saw: he did curl in his lips as though self-conscious. Endeared, Nekohiko wanted to tell him just how much he liked this bizarre shy trait of his and how drawn he was to his smiles, his sneers, even his disgruntled smirks. And how the bright red of them was definitely part of the appeal.

But no way would he say this to his face. Abihiko was too vain not to puff up afterward, and Nekohiko enjoyed his current shyness. The vulnerable quality of it.

That reminded him that he and Abihiko hadn't seen each other for several days, albeit for Nekohiko, only a few hours passed.

Abihiko had seemed so scared when Nekohiko left him in Nagare... How had he felt throughout these days?

Was he mad at Nekohiko now?

"So what happened after I flew away with Mikawa?" Nekohiko asked, avoidant.

"After you and he abandoned me in the middle of the panicking city, you mean? With constables on my back?"

...

You were the one who had caused panic in the city! The constables were more afraid of you than you -- of them!

"Well...?" Nekohiko cuddled in closer. He was not going to apologize for flying away. Abihiko was guilty; he should know that. "What happened then?"

Rather than reply, Abihiko drew him in close. His arms were so strong and warm, Nekohiko couldn't help but feel safe within them even with Okinaga and dozens of Hira soldiers surrounding them as they rode.

"I was worried," Abihiko simply said. "I went to Kasuga straight away and asked her to get you and Mikawa back. But... ah, it was a bit long and quite boring, if you ask me."

The Utsuro and Hira dignitaries in the Nagare city hadn't been there for nothing, obviously. The two Great Kings had been discussing political issues with Kasuga, and so Abihiko's breaking into the castle and demanding Kasuga's audience was quite a shock for everyone.

Especially since nobody expected to see the Emperor himself wandering around the Empire and ending up in the Nagare city -- of all places.

More than that -- there had been Hisome and Towa delegates present as well, and those did not at all like what they were seeing.

All of that had been moot anyway, because even hours after all those political scuffles between the different Lords and Abihiko -- Mikawa was still nowhere around Nagare. As such, if Kasuga wanted to get him, she would have had to fly all the way across the skies to find him and spend a lot of time and spells to do so...

It was a mess.

Nekohiko listened, stupefied.

He had caused so much drama? Ooops.

But most importantly -- Abihiko had been gallivanting around as the Emperor, without bothering who knew about it and who didn't.

"Will this endanger our defense at the Trial?" Nekohiko asked, hushed.

"Probably. But Sakami knowing we were there would likely do it already, so I didn't see it as such a huge loss of advantage."

"So you do think that Sakami is a loyal Hisome and somehow tells everything to Morokata," Nekohiko sighed.

"Of course. She might not realize it, though. Because I think -- she genuinely believes in Morokata's actions and goals. But oh well. It's not like I care."

...

Oh yes, because all you care about is being dramatic, Nekohiko thought, listening on to Abihiko's dismissive descriptions of how he had argued with Okinaga back in the Nagare castle and demanded Kasuga's help in catching Mikawa.

Tsk, Abihiko did not even seem to realize how aggressive he sounded. His bratty-past did cross Nekohiko's mind more than once as Abihiko spoke. Abihiko had learned to be polite and reserved during his reign, but boy -- did that change whenever Abihiko really, really, really wanted something and knew he could get it without consequences!

Mikawa had resurfaced after a while of Kasuga calling him through the winds. But it had already been night, and the boy had still been shaken after the Black Ship Forest.

He didn't want to go back to the Forest to find Nekohiko wherever he'd dropped him. Abihiko described it in an off-hand remark, saying that he "convinced the two Nagare siblings to do as he said."

But Nekohiko was doubtful about what that must have entailed.

Bullying, probably?

In any case, the two Nagare siblings had attempted to find Nekohiko in the Black Ship Forest at that point, but Nekohiko had already gone into the Spiritside.

And finding him was all but impossible.

That hadn't stopped Abihiko, evidently.

Because after not finding any real help from the Nagare side, the next best bet of Abihiko's was -- Hira Okinaga. Which was how he ended up here, with a full-on searching squad of Hira soldiers scouting the region with him as their head.

Abihiko knew where he needed to find Nekohiko. And Okinaga, loyal and caring as he was about any of Abihiko's issues -- obviously came with him.

The only caveat was how the hell had Abihiko hidden from Okinaga the truth of who he was searching for?

"And now you're Kataji, got it?" Abihiko concluded his hurried and disorganized explanation.

Nekohiko could only blink wildly, unsure of what he was even hearing. "I... have no idea what--"

"Not the time," Abihiko threw at him and turned around when Okinaga's voice called from the back.

"Fall back," Okinaga told the Hira escort, then yelled to someone in the front of their squad. "Escort the Emperor, his siblings, and the Spiritway nuns to the camp. Abihiko, take the lead."

"Mn."

Abihiko lifted his right arm to signal something to the people far ahead. And Nekohiko only now saw that their small convoy had been greeted by an even greater number of the Hira Binders closing in.

Because now, they had come to a... full-on Hira settlement in the middle of nowhere!

The fires glittered all across the valley the Hira Binders had broken their camp in. Yet "camp" was an unfitting word for what the place looked like. It was more of a village -- if not a town that had erupted seemingly from nowhere.

The Hira Binders had always been exceptionally good with creating Bound buildings from rock and heat and dirt. Thus, even though Nekohiko could sense how recent this settlement was, it already looked like a lived-in place. Buildings, perfectly-delineated streets, marked and signed signs pointing out where everything was for ease of use.

Ah... being a Hira Binder was sure no joke!

"You people are fast," Nekohiko said appreciatively when he and Abihiko sped up through the newly-made street to one of the bigger stone houses in the distance.

"We people are focused," Abihiko replied. "And we like having a sense of family and home. Of safety, above all things."

He jerked the reigns, stopping their steed right at the entrance of the building. A rough, but so cleanly cut, almost monolithic slab of rock with tiny windows and a giant-ass entry gate in the front. Impressive, if a bit... ugly.

Nekohiko wasn't alone in thinking that.

"I can't believe nobody from Hiras thinks about the looks of things they make," Aomi drawled, drooping off her horse instead of climbing off. "This place sucks... if I were a Hira Queen, I would have made the Hira Kingdom the awesomest around. The most gorgeous one. I can bet. Please someone help me get down! It's too tall -- I will break my legs, jumping!"

"Yes, yes, yes, Mistress," a few of the servants gushed, running toward her.

Abihiko did not notice if the place was lacking. He hopped off the horse, waving off any of the guards or Binders that rushed to serve him. Business-like, he caught Nekohiko by the waist and tugged down from the saddle.

And into his arms.

"I can stand on my own feet, without being carried all the time," Nekohiko began saying. But it wasn't as though Abihiko listened.

"Home, and family, and safety," Abihiko repeated menacingly.

Then he readjusted Nekohiko in his arms like a bag of rice and headed into the house.

"Welcome to your temporary home, Neko," he whispered into Nekohiko's ear.

...

And, ugly as it was, Nekohiko really did not feel bad about being taken inside. It was warm and cozy, and it smelled of a well-cooked meal already.

Welcome home, indeed.

 

 

---

***

 

 

"Kataji left as soon as he regained his consciousness," Abihiko said once the two of them settled down on the floor of their small room.

Well, Nekohiko knew this already. After he and Abihiko had arrived in Ise, he had a few chances to properly talk and get news from Aomi and Mikawa.

And one of this news had been... Kataji. Back then, Nekohiko really couldn't handle the aggravation he felt about it. So he hadn't attempted to sort it out with Aomi or -- worse -- to try and talk about it to Kataji in person through his many wood chips in his pockets and belongings.

But now... now was definitely the time to address it.

Because after Nekohiko and Kataji had almost wanted to talk face to face for the first time about their relationship, Abihiko had stopped them. And took Nekohiko away. Kataji had ended up unconscious in Aomi's care -- and on the swift road to Hira Okinaga's castle under the Adamantine Mountain.

However -- it could not have been so easy, huh. Kataji hated being put to sleep. Hated being abandoned. Hated being shipped off to the Hira castle.

So he ran away.

"Where did he go, in the end?" Nekohiko asked Abihiko, feeling guilty.

Aomi had told him Kataji left for the Red Stone Estate -- back where the three of them had met in the summer. So, Kataji's very own home. A place he felt safest in.

But Nekohiko hadn't checked in with Kataji himself. Really, Red Stone? Was Kataji finally so sick with the capital life he had left entirely? Should he have gone to Kataji to ask?

So afraid he'd been, he couldn't bear to go. Besides, he hadn't heard or felt Kataji try to prod him in return.

On Kataji's side of Nekohiko's wood chip bodies, it was dead silence.

And Nekohiko had no idea what to think of it. Such a classic Kataji, wasn't this? Yet at the same time, Nekohiko was worried.

"Red Stone," Abihiko answered, putting around the table. "He went back home."

"I see." Nekohiko cleared his throat, trying to not sound relieved. Even though he was. Still... he had been the one to hurt Kataji the most. He did not deserve to feel relief about him leaving. "I hope he will feel better soon."

"Mn."

"I should... check on him, one of these days," Nekohiko added, hesitant.

And once he did, he felt a stab into his heart. A tiny one, but very real and very potent.

Abihiko's gestures over the table didn't change. He was still putting out the dishes before Nekohiko from the food basket -- and even his facial expressions were the same.

Yet this unmistakable pang in Nekohiko's heart through the Marriage Bond...

Nekohiko quelled his shock and looked up, indignant. "I was only going to ask if he was fine."

"Why would I care?" Abihiko said, faking obliviousness. "Do what you want. You are a free person, after all, husband."

"..."

"In any case, for Okinaga's sake, I had to make up a story about Kataji and me having a breakout fight. And how he ran away to the Towa Kingdom, and got lost somewhere in between Towa and Hira. Naturally, I had to track Kataji down and take him back with us to safety. Which we just did," Abihiko ended, looking at Nekohiko with grim intensity. "At least in Okinaga's view. Not that he cares that deeply about our personal Abi sibling issues... but at least he is always willing to help."

Well.

Good. But also, now that meant that Okinaga was painfully close to Nekohiko at all times. And Nekohiko was not at all happy about that.

"I won't let you hurt you," Abihiko whispered as though reading his thoughts. "Never worry about that. You're as safe here as in your own home, wherever that would be."

Technically, Nekohiko had never even had a home, but... perhaps home wasn't a specific place for someone like him.

Perhaps, home was only a specific person. And next to that one person, every place had a chance to feel homey.

The building Bound of stone was too raw to call comfortable, but the softening spells and the harmless Hira flames set in the corner of the room warmed it up and made it feel just like any lived-in house.

Nekohiko sat on the floor before a stone table on which Abihiko was setting the meal the Hira servants had made. Just a small bowl of rice, a few minced octopus meat balls under the sizzling sauce, two bowls of simmered vegetables. Nekohiko sat within Abihiko's great cloak, but he didn't need to.

Nobody would disturb them. Those had been Abihiko's orders -- to "keep his little brother resting and unbothered". And the sole reason of why he was the one to serve the table now.

He threw glances at Nekohiko as though checking if everything about him was all right. At first, he had dared to grope him to get the sense of Nekohiko's health condition, but Nekohiko had quickly realized what was going on!

Shameless.

All right, maybe not. Abihiko seemed genuinely concerned about his health, but Nekohiko enjoyed making him think he hated the attention.

Somehow, the two of them had gotten past their disagreement over Chinatsu and the Black Ship Forest. And Nekohiko hadn't even needed to do anything.

No apologies, no placating, no commiserating. They just... got back to how they had been before.

Was that weird?

He didn't know. So he asked.

"Are we... good?"

Tentatively, he reached out for his chopsticks, fumbling.

On the other side of the table, Abihiko was already digging into his own meal, pouring the sauce over his octopi. "Huuh?"

"I left you. Because you killed Chinatsu. I hope you do understand that I was very mad at you about that, but I can imagine that you were mad at me for flying away, too, so..."

Abihiko put down the sauce jar. "Neko, I was only worried you would get in trouble, that's all."

"Mmm."

Neither of them tried to raise the question of the Black Ship Forest yet. Nekohiko didn't rush it.

It could wait. All the time in the world for coping with the fact that he might have been truly a Monster all this time.

Instead, he focused on his meal. And Abihiko observed him with a hidden intrigue in his eyes.

"Kotone and Haehime told me that I can probably absorb food with time," Nekohiko explained, carefully squaring the small bits of rice into his mouth. "And do... other stuff with it, actually. Because, apparently, I am not really a log or even a doll. I am a sort of a--"

"Demonic Spirit possessing the wood?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

In response, Abihiko only gave him a suggestive curving of his eyebrow. "Just realized that such a description fits you perfectly, you know."

...

"Eat," Abihiko sighed when all Nekohiko did was give him a hard glower. "Your food will get cold."

Nekohiko still acted gingerly around his meal. No octopus, no vegetables -- only rice, and even then -- a bare few mouthfuls. But he chased it down with a delicious cup of jasmine tea, so now it was a waiting game.

To try and find out if his wooden body would accept the meal or not. He didn't exactly have a stomach, did he? But his throat was hollow, so the food did course down it and into the chest cavity. But what would happen to it later...?

Hells knew.

Nekohiko was intrigued, himself.

"Technically, I can Bind for myself the body parts that I am missing, huh." He sat back after the meal, stretching his legs and reclining on his elbows. "But I am in no need of them, really. I think it's just fun, to experiment... what other things can this doll body achieve?"

Abihiko had dropped off the basket with the dirty dishes behind the door and now settled back beside Nekohiko.

"I don't know," he whispered, coy. "Do you want to check?"

Ah, the usual teasing began.

"Not really. This doll body is fine and apparently can mimic most bodily processes so well -- but I have a real one." Nekohiko smiled, cocking his chin. "Have I not? That chest with my body parts... where is it, Little Abi? Please tell me you haven't dumped it midflight with Mikawa when you came to murder Chinatsu."

"Tsk," Abihiko sighed. "You will remind me of this forever, huh. I am sorry about the murder, but she was going to tell you something I really don't want you to know."

"Yet," Nekohiko said. "Something you don't want me to know yet."

Abihiko nodded, with a delay.

"Or ever." Huh??? "Whatever -- the point is -- I shouldn't have. I... just wasn't thinking straight at that moment. All I knew was that I needed her to shut up and get away from you. So, I overreacted."

...

At least he acknowledged that.

"Your real body is fine." Abihiko also leaned back on the floor on his elbows, side by side with Nekohiko. "It's in the safe place. You will find out where very, very soon. I can promise you that. And once you do... ah, we would need just a few more body parts, and then we would revive you inside that body, Neko. Your own. As though the murder hadn't happened."

Nekohiko watched him, distraught, but not sure why.

Abihiko was so sad when he said this -- genuine regret and ache in his words. Plus, his words were somewhat nonsensical. 'As though the murder hadn't happened?'

How naive, Abihiko.

Of course it had. But also... all that had followed it, did, too.

Including this very moment.

"Don't worry about it," Nekohiko murmured, slowly leaning in for a kiss.

But Abihiko was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice. "I want that more than anything," he mumbled under his nose.

And flinched when he realized late how close Nekohiko had crept over him.

Too late for anything other than...

...surrender under Nekohiko's prodding touch.

"Aaaah! Can you not do something so uncivilized while I am here?"

Aomi's sharp voice cut through the intimate ambience of the room, jolting Nekohiko and Abihiko from out of their intense gazing into each other eyes before a kiss.

Abihiko rushed up from the floor, his face stormier than a Demonic Spirit's.

"Aomi! What are you doing in my room?!"

"Duh. I came here to tell you about Kotone and Haehime? You asked me to check if the guards are handling them well for their recovery. So that's exactly what I did!"

The girl slammed the door shut behind her and crossed her arms on her chest. The stare she gave Abihiko was no less intimidating than his. Actually, hers might have been much meaner.

"I ordered nobody to come in here," Abihiko spat, getting to his feet.

Aomi only shrugged. "I am not nobody. Hi, Neko!" She waved at him, beaming, then skittered across the floor, avoiding Abihiko as though in a dance. "How are you doing now that we're away from everyone else, mmm?"

"...I am fine. Albeit tired," Nekohiko said, blank. "Abihiko was helping me relax."

But now you're here, so...

...that's out the window.

"Mn, mn! I saw." She grimaced, then plopped next to Nekohiko as though planning for a long stay. She lifted her face to her brother, expectant. "The Healers told me to make you go check in on the Priestesses. Their Spiritside imprint is very severe, and the Healers are concerned."

"They will be fine," Nekohiko replied for him. "They are much more Spirit-attuned than normal people. If it were dangerous for them to go out into the mortal world at that point, they would have known it and not taken the chance."

"Still," Aomi stressed. She made huge, scared eyes at Abihiko. While, under the cloak Nekohiko was swaddled in, her thin aggressive fingers were stabbing him meanly into the side.

...

A signal? To do what, exactly?

"The Healers really wanted you to go and answer their questions about the Priestesses, Eldest Brother," Aomi went on, fast. "Could you?"

"No, Nekohiko needs me mor--"

"Lord Okinaga was there too." Aomi showed him a very spooked mien. "And he really wants to know what the hell was Kataji doing with two Spiritway Priestesses in the middle of nowhere. So..."

The shadow of pained frustration that crossed Abihiko's face almost felt palpable.

"Damnit," Abihiko groaned. He turned around and went for the door, but not before shaking his finger at Aomi. "Do not abuse him. He is still weak and needs rest."

"Sure sure sure."

Even Nekohiko wouldn't trust such a lame promise, but Abihiko had no choice. Okinaga's curiosity did sound dangerous for Nekohiko, so Abihiko had to go and deal with it as soon as possible.

And once the door closed behind him, leaving Aomi along with Nekohiko in the small and quiet room, it had become clear that the girl was dying to abuse him.

With words, with news, with information that he wasn't so sure he was even ready to hear.

She all but brimmed with giddiness.

"What," he drawled tiredly.

"I need your help with something," she said, secretive. "Eldest Brother doesn't listen to me because he thinks I am stupid and insidious--"

Well, not stupid. But insidious? Ha!

"I want you to convince Abihiko to ask Okinaga for a favor in regards to me. Eldest Brother listens to everything you say because... duh, he's a bit blinded and deafened to any of your flaws, of which you have many. So anything you ask him, he'll do."

"Aomi, you have no idea just how much he denies me," Nekohiko protested.

"I don't care about your bedroom issues," the girl exploded. "Can you focus on something that is not related to that, you animal?"

"..."

"Anyway, just make Abihiko slip to Okinaga something about lifting the Hira seal off me, all right?"

Erm...

Nekohiko frowned, instantly forgetting the previous nonsense she had said. "I'm sorry, Aomi, but your Hira seal seems to be just fine. You can steal Binding spells from other people, and your Hira method is incredibly powerful when you do that. You do not have access to casting spells yourself since your parents sealed that, so I'm unsure of how a Hira seal would do anything?"

The girl watched him in some grim dejection.

"My parents," she repeated. "Are dead. Anything they could have done to my powers should have been lifted. No?"

...

"It is weird." Nekohiko narrowed his eyes, dubious.

"Unless one of them isn't that dead, actually," the girl mumbled. "Which is why I want Hira Okinaga to lift his seal off me. Can you make that happen?"

A hint of understanding sparked in Nekohiko's mind, but too tender and small -- and too fragile to put into words.

He balked, dumbfounded.

"Because after you asked me to gather all the research I could on Morokata and the Great Lords family trees and their past grievances with each other, I did find something. And I think I have some idea about why Morokata does what he does, with you or Abihiko. But to gain the solid evidence, we need a true descendant of the Hira Family line..."

Oh, that would be impossible to do. All blood-born Hiras had been killed years ago, in the budding Civil War.

Only Okinaga was left.

And Nekohiko doubted Okinaga would help with it if was related to scheming and digging in the past or gaining evidence for an open confrontation with another Great House.

Aomi had a different outlook on this, though.

"In other words, you need me," she said with a feral flicker in her eyes.