Published: March 21, 2026
Except for the unexpected incident where Akira returned a national treasure of this country that he somehow had in his possession, the meeting itself concluded without incident. Overall, it went mostly as we’d expected on the airship, so the results were fairly satisfactory.
What remained was to find out how many of the rescued humans were from Yamato Country. It’d be easier if they were all from here. Apparently a considerable number of people who had escorted the treasure Akira returned — and the grandfather of Miki Kaminari, who had carried it — boarded the ship and never came back, so the odds were high. But ultimately that was just luck for the people who’d been saved; there was nothing we could do about it.
Right now we were filing down the main corridor of the castle behind Kanzou to attend a banquet arranged as a follow-up. They had apparently prepared it on short notice despite the abrupt visit. Travel tends to mean lots of stewed foods, so I was really looking forward to eating a proper Yamato meal after so long. Maybe the others felt the same — they walked along the veranda behind me, cheerful — but my thoughts drifted back to the single irregularity that had happened earlier.
When on earth had Akira gotten that thing?
When he pulled it from his pocket it had looked like a necklace with a silver charm, but the instant Miki Kaminari spoke to him it changed into a bronze mirror like those I’d seen in Japanese history textbooks. In classes I’d only ever seen the embossed reverse side, but the front was actually a mirror. The mirror surface reflected the sunlight and made Akira’s shadow look unnaturally dark; that really stuck out.
From what I’d heard, it’s a magical tool that’s considered a national treasure of Yamato Country. Until the previous generation, it had been used by the divine child of the Human race — whose mana is low — to perform a “divine descent.” Apparently there are three national treasures in total, so the remaining two are probably a magatama and a sword. Between the culture, the clothes, the castle — the fourth-generation hero who founded this country must have loved Japan. He must have been heartbroken not to be able to return to his original world.
The moment everyone realized what Akira’s mirror really was, the atmosphere among the heads of the Three Houses visibly changed. The Kaminari family, who had been guarding it, of course reacted, but the Tsukimi and Kohana families also suddenly relaxed, as if a final wall that had steadfastly remained even while I spoke had crumbled. I know my talking had worn down some of their distrust, but Akira’s reveal was the finishing blow. Still, it felt odd — good that we’d earned their trust, but the feeling was unresolved.
“By the way, Sakuya’s killing intent — even seeing her again after so long, she didn’t feel as threatening as before…”
When Amaryllis was crying and recounting events, Kohana Sakuya had become so furious she summoned lightning, but neither Amelia nor I nor Asahina moved an inch. It just didn’t feel instinctively dangerous, not like the Sakuya I remembered.
I’d met her several times during my prior stay in this country, and back then her presence had been oppressive and terrifying. Now none of that was there.
“That’s because you get a stronger sense of mortal danger from when Akira sometimes leaks his power. She’s not necessarily weak, but definitely weaker than Akira — probably below you and Kyousuke right now.”
Nanase, walking a little ahead, shrugged after muttering that.
When Akira had briefly lost control of his shadow magic in the No.7 underground and at the Demon King’s Castle, or when his emotions were disrupted, a pressure had radiated that made people drop to their knees. We’ve probably gotten used to that, which skewed our sense of danger. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but in that sense he’s easy to read.
Anyway—
“Sakuya being below me…?”
My brain froze for a moment, as if I’d heard something impossible. Sakuya had once beaten me down so thoroughly in training I felt like I’d been put in my place physically — she’d always been that far above me — yet now I was being told she was beneath me??