My Happy Marriage (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1  

Snowy Path

Her shoes crunched loudly with each step she took down the paved road, blanketed in white.

The early winter morning sky, like rolling whitecaps, had grown bright. As she let out wisps of breath into the frigid air, Miyo continued marching toward the military headquarters.

There were surprisingly few pedestrians out on the streets; she passed a person or two every once in a while, at most. Though it was still early, she had never seen the capital so quiet before.

It was as if the whole city were holding its breath.

The Gifted Communion had revealed the existence of Grotesqueries to the public at large, sowing an atmosphere of creeping dread in the hearts of the people, and on top of all this, the thick snow was making the streets difficult to traverse.

Though it was understandable why most people wouldn’t want to be out and about, the quiet was still unnatural.

The average citizen of the Empire shouldn’t have known anything about the coup Usui had carried out at the Imperial Palace and the military headquarters, yet perhaps they sensed from the bleak atmosphere that a major event had taken place.

“Hoooh…”

Stopping for a moment, she rubbed her fingertips together, which were freezing even beneath her gloves. When she turned back around for a moment, the only things she saw in the freshly fallen snow were her own scattered footprints.

Miyo was genuinely alone.

Though she had chosen this path herself, she’d ended up keeping the details of the situation from Hazuki, and even if she’d wished to ask the members of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit for help, their activities were being restricted as well. There was no one who would be able to accompany Mito in her foolhardy endeavor right now.

That being said, she had also resolved not to get anyone else involved. Though she wouldn’t have hesitated for a moment to ask for Kiyoka’s help if he had been here.

Even knowing how reckless it was, all she could do was carry on alone.

She faced forward again and marched down the snow-covered road. With each step that brought her closer to her destination, she felt the chill of winter getting closer to her core.

There was very little that she could do. But that didn’t mean she could do nothing.

If Usui’s schemes were an attempt to lure her to him, then diving into his clutches and waiting for her chance to free Kiyoka seemed like the most reliable path she could take.

Miyo continued on until she finally stepped onto the major avenue leading to the entrance of the military headquarters.

But she didn’t just waltz up to the gate. Instead, she observed it from the shadow of a nearby building.

One, two, three…

Even though there wasn’t a soul on the street, security was extremely tight; grim-faced soldiers patrolled along the fence that traced the perimeter of the headquarters.

Miyo counted their numbers. She could see three from her position.

Were these soldiers personally backed by Usui? Or were they simply obeying the orders they’d gotten from the top? Either way, their motives were impossible to discern at a glance.

If the soldiers knew what was going on, then just giving her name might be enough to get them to take her directly to Usui.

Conversely, if they hadn’t been informed of anything, then they would turn her away at the gate, and that would be the end of that.

If the latter scenario happened, then she would have no choice but to force her way through the checkpoint somehow.

…It’s okay. I can do this.

Miyo felt the presence of her Gift inside herself and stiffened up slightly.

There was a way forward. By using the power of Dream Sight, Miyo could put the soldiers to sleep and drag them into the dreaming world.

But that was easier said than done. Dream Sight wasn’t the most convenient of powers since it struggled to induce slumber in many people at once. Plus, if her target was able to resist the drowsiness she inflicted, her plan would fail.

To infiltrate the headquarters successfully, Miyo would have to wait patiently for the gate to open, then swiftly exert her Gift on the guards. In the event she didn’t succeed at putting them all completely to sleep, she would have to dash through the gate while her targets were still struggling against drowsiness.

Miyo concentrated and intently surveilled the area around the gate.

“Huh?”

After a short while, she suddenly felt someone pull her sleeve from behind, and she let out a small gasp.

“Wh-who’s there…?”

Miyo turned around in alarm and was greeted by a sight so shocking that it caused everything she’d been thinking through just now to vanish instantly from her mind.

Standing there was a thin boy who looked no older than ten. He was about as tall as her shoulder, and his eyes were calm as he stared hard at her.

His light brown hair, which seemed almost blond in the morning sun, was evenly trimmed to his shoulders, and his eyes were grayish blue. His clear skin was so pale that it nearly blended in with the snowy street.

The boy’s features, so beautifully androgynous that they gave him the appearance of a foreign-made bisque doll brought to life, seemed vaguely familiar to her.

However, what surprised her more than anything about the boy’s appearance was his outfit.

Even though one could feel the winter chill through several layers of clothing this morning, the boy was wearing only a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of checkered pants; he was without a coat or haori and had neither scarf nor gloves.

Miyo nearly shivered just looking at him.

“Er, um…”

Where had this child come from? From where she stood, she couldn’t see any parents or families nearby.

Unaccustomed to interacting with small children, Miyo nervously knelt down and tried asking the boy about his circumstances.

“Um, are you lost?”

Gazing into his beautiful eyes while questioning him, she realized they were the spitting image of another pair she knew very well.

They’re the same as Kiyoka’s…

It wasn’t only his eyes. The pale color of his skin and his features were also just like her fiancé’s.

Upon closer inspection, he looked like a child version of Kiyoka himself. Kiyoka had inherited his complexion and eye color from his mother—could it mean this boy was a relative of her mother-in-law, Fuyu?

However, Miyo had never heard of anyone of the sort living in the area. And relative or not, was it even possible for someone to look almost identical to her fiancé?

The relative theory held up to even less scrutiny when she considered how Kiyoka had inherited his handsome features from his father.

As Miyo lost herself in her thoughts, the boy finally spoke up.

“Don’t go to the military.”

Miyo stiffened in fright.

While the boy’s voice was fittingly high-pitched, his tone was practically the exact same as Kiyoka’s normal manner of speech, possessing a brusqueness that belied his youthful form.

Was this even possible?

Was it really a coincidence that she had come across a young boy with the same looks and manner of speech as her fiancé, here, of all places?

Kiyoka…

When she looked down, visions of Kiyoka appeared on the plowed road then vanished, one after another.

She was on the verge of tears. The truth was that she’d been incredibly uneasy about marching straight to Usui’s side alone, and during unguarded moments, she felt like she would lose control entirely.

Miyo wanted to turn to someone. She wanted support.

She had swallowed back her feelings of timidity many times.

Though Miyo wasn’t trying to throw her life away, she knew Usui would be satisfied if she came to him on her own. She was the only one who could hope to exploit this hole in his defenses.

Thus, she needed to continue on, no matter how anxious she felt.

Miyo managed to rouse her spirits, realizing she needed to look proper in front of a child, and stood face-to-face with the boy.

“Why shouldn’t I go to the military?”

The boy who resembled Kiyoka furrowed his brows at her question.

“Because it’s dangerous. Going in alone? Way too reckless.”

He seemed to have a complete understanding of the situation. That was enough for even Miyo to tell that his presence was somehow related to Kiyoka.

No matter how closely she looked him over, she couldn’t see anything unusual about the boy.

She had learned from Arata that brilliant arts users could create familiars that seemed wholly indistinguishable from living creatures. Did that explain who the boy was?

Keeping this in mind, she took another look at him and realized that she could sense something vaguely uncanny about him—something she didn’t sense from normal people.

“Are you one of Kiyoka’s familiars?” she asked, not expecting much of an answer. To her surprise, however, the young boy readily nodded his head.

“Yes. I am a familiar of Master Kiyoka Kudou… I appear here by my master’s will.”

The child, who Kiyoka must have modeled after his own appearance in his youth, stared at Miyo and asserted himself.

Kiyoka wanted to stop Miyo from going to Usui.

Miyo had been fully aware of this ever since he had told her in their last moments together to wait for him. If that was what he really wanted, then she should have stayed put.

“I am going to the military headquarters to see Naoshi Usui personally. No matter what Kiyoka may say to me.”

She wasn’t going to put this off any longer. She didn’t want to be someone who only ever took advantage of Kiyoka’s kindness.

As the one set to become the wife of Kiyoka, a military officer who fought as a Gift-user, she had prepared herself long ago to patiently wait for him to return home, but this current problem was not a simple quarrel among Gift-users.

This issue revolved around none other than Miyo herself. Consequently, she knew she couldn’t leave it up to someone else.

If Miyo was capable of taking action, and if being husband and wife meant supporting one another through hardship, then there had to be something she could do herself.

“Don’t go. That’s the last thing you should do.”

“No, I’m doing this. I’ve gotten a handle on using my Gift and arts, so I’ll have plenty of chances to succeed,” Miyo declared, concealing the uneasiness deep in her heart.

“Don’t go.”

“I’m going.”

“Lay low in the Imperial Palace, or go to Sis and stay safe.”

“No. I cannot do that.”

As the boy with Kiyoka’s face pleaded with her, the worried look Kiyoka had given her when he told her he loved her flickered into her mind, shaking her resolve.

She was irritated at herself for having been too cowardly to reply in kind, and she could wait no longer to properly convey her feelings to him.

“I should be the one to speak with Naoshi Usui. If I don’t, no one will be able to move forward.”

That went for Usui, the Usubas, and Miyo. As well as Arata, who had left her side.

Everyone was still caught up in the laws that bound the Usubas and Sumi’s death.

If the Usuba family was to have a new start, then she couldn’t allow Kiyoka to take care of Usui for her and leave it at that.

It wasn’t right for her to pretend she didn’t have a stake in this.

“You there.”

Focused on her conversation with Kiyoka’s familiar, Miyo belatedly realized that one of the guards had called out to her and approached from behind.

“A civilian? If you don’t have business here, then get lost,” the soldier said, looking at Miyo suspiciously.

Perhaps now was the time to tell him who she was and see if they would take her to Usui.

“U-um, so, I’m—”

But just as Miyo turned to the soldier to give her name…

“No! Come here!”

Kiyoka’s familiar grabbed Miyo’s hand. His grip was unexpectedly strong, so she staggered slightly in the direction he tugged her in.

Apart from that, her eyes went wide at the familiar’s abrupt, overbearing behavior.

“We’re leaving!”

“W-wait… I-I’m—”

Miyo may not have been strong, but she was still a fully grown adult—yet that didn’t stop the tiny version of Kiyoka from dragging her away from the military headquarters.

The soldier who had accosted her silently watched them depart.

He made no attempt to pursue her, so it appeared that the guards hadn’t heard anything specific about her from Usui.

After walking for a little while, the tiny Kiyoka finally stopped, letting go of Miyo’s hand.

“What were you thinking? What did you plan to tell him?”

“…That I’m Miyo Saimori, Kiyoka Kudou’s fiancée.”

The familiar let out a huge sigh at Miyo’s timid and honest reply.

“Kiyoka Kudou is considered a criminal right now. It seems like Usui hasn’t filled in the rank-and-file about everything, so you’d just invite unnecessary suspicion on yourself by claiming to be Kiyoka’s fiancée.”

“That’s…that’s true, yes…”

Miyo lowered her eyes, feeling as if Kiyoka himself was scolding her.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t imagined such a situation.

But if that happened, she had been prepared to put whoever questioned her to sleep with her Gift. That was why she had been watching for the right moment to approach.

However, Miyo wasn’t able to come up with a good reply.

The familiar’s concern was justified, and although she may have had some odds of success, she could admit that her plan was imprudent and foolish as well.

“…But this is all I can do.”

She couldn’t conceive of any other way forward. If she tried to ask anyone for advice, they wouldn’t do anything but admonish her to wait like Kiyoka had told her.

In fact, Takaihito had tried to stop her from leaving the Imperial Palace, and Hazuki had also communicated in both action and word that she wanted Miyo to stay at the Kudou main estate.

She was sure that they wouldn’t have treated her like this if her Gift had been like Kiyoka’s, easily understood and destructive in nature.

“You’re not going to listen to me no matter how many times I tell you to go home, are you?”

Miyo shook her head vehemently at the familiar’s exasperated question.

This was one point she couldn’t concede. Miyo didn’t believe that she would be able to solve everything herself, but she still felt it was her duty to free Kiyoka and stop Usui.

“In that case, you should at least look for someone to help you and figure out the enemy’s movements.”

“Wh-what am I to do?”

Miyo didn’t know anyone who would be willing to help her, had some power of their own, and could act freely right now. And besides, wouldn’t heading straight into the enemy’s center be the most surefire way of learning about them?

The tiny Kiyoka looked sullenly at Miyo, his expression seeming to ask if she really couldn’t think of anyone.

“Wouldn’t the Usubas help you out?”

“Oh…”

Her eyes widened. She realized that there was an option she had overlooked.

Miyo had assumed she couldn’t ask her grandfather for help given his old age, but regardless, both Usui and Arata’s origins lay with the Usuba family.

Although she believed she’d gotten the gist of the family’s circumstances from her dreams, perhaps she had been too hasty in that assessment.

Miyo was embarrassed at herself for resolving to take action all on her own and recklessly rushing to do what she needed to do.

I really didn’t think everything through enough…

She clenched her first so tightly that her skin whitened underneath her gloves. A mix of frustration and embarrassment rose up inside her, bringing her to the verge of tears.

In her rush to plunge ahead, Miyo had forgotten to take stock of her surroundings.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Hmph.”

The tiny Kiyoka replied to Miyo’s despondent apology by exhaling sharply and looking away from her.

Miyo took two deep breaths, removed her gloves, and vigorously slapped both her cheeks. The dry smacking sound echoed across the deserted city streets.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

The familiar widened his eyes in confusion. Miyo’s cheeks stung with numbing pain from both the force of her slap and the cold winter air.

Still, this was just fine. She’d psyched herself up anew.

After Miyo had endured the brief moment of pain, she took the familiar’s small hand, placing it inside her glove.

“Huh? What are you doing…?”

“It’s okay. Sorry for holding us up. Let’s go,” Miyo said, taking a step forward as she looked back at the familiar, who was walking beside her with short-gaited steps, his expression slightly perplexed.

Miyo hadn’t visited the Usuba home since stopping by to give her New Year’s greetings.

Things had been busy because of the holidays, so there hadn’t been much time for her to catch up with everyone.

While her grandfather, Yoshirou, had told her she could think of the residence as her familial home, she felt hesitant about coming there on a normal day without a seasonal event as a pretext.

For no reason in particular, Miyo approached the gate stealthily, trying not to make a sound before she rang the bell.

“Glad to see you, Miyo.”

After a short while, Yoshirou personally opened the door, greeting her with a faintly sorrowful yet still gentle smile.

“You must be freezing. Hurry on in; the house is warmed up.”

“…Thank you.”

Sniffling, though not because of the cold, Miyo managed to choke out a reply as her voice caught in her throat.

True to Yoshirou’s word, the interior of the parlor had been warmed with a brazier, and it promptly melted the chill that had penetrated to her core.

She had been in this very parlor during her first visit, when she was nearly ripped away from Kiyoka’s side.

At the time, she would have never imagined herself facing her grandfather again amid such dire circumstances.

Together with Kiyoka’s familiar, Miyo looked at Yoshirou.

“Um, G-Grandfather, it’s good to see you again, after New Year’s.”

She still wasn’t used to referring to him as her grandfather, so she felt a bit bashful.

Yoshirou turned his tranquil eyes to Miyo, who lowered her gaze. Then he looked sternly at Kiyoka’s familiar, who was sitting next to Miyo.

“Who is this, Miyo? He looks quite a lot like your fiancé… No, it couldn’t be—”

Cutting off his words as if choking them back, Yoshirou suddenly widened his eyes then said something more outrageous than she ever could have expected.

“He’s not Kudou’s illegitimate child, is he…?!”

“No!”

Without a moment’s delay, the familiar vigorously interjected, practically barking his refutation.

Illegitimate…child…

Miyo was stunned into silence by both Yoshirou’s statement and the previously docile familiar’s drastic shift in attitude.

The familiar had leapt to his feet as though he were a cat with its fur standing on end.

Confusingly, he was reacting as if he were Kiyoka himself—his face was flushed, and he seemed equal parts angry and flustered.

Miyo had never once suspected Kiyoka of having an illegitimate child, but on second thought, she supposed it wasn’t entirely out of the question.

Kiyoka had turned twenty-eight at the beginning of the New Year.

Normally, a man of his age would have married a long time ago, so it wasn’t at all strange to believe he could have a child the same age as the familiar.

Or if, perhaps, he had spent his student days in debauchery.

Of course, she hadn’t taken Yoshirou’s accusation seriously, but the familiar was glaring sideways at Miyo. He must have thought she looked convinced.

“He doesn’t have any children, okay?”

“I-I know.”

Realizing that she’d lost herself in a reverie, Miyo snapped back to her senses and nodded rapidly.

She didn’t want to consider the idea of Kiyoka having fathered a child with another woman. If anything like that came to light, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

She had no choice but to acknowledge that she felt an uncontrollable possessiveness toward her fiancé.

Yoshirou seemed satisfied, quietly taking in the familiar’s reaction before raising his hand up to silence him.

“Sorry, I was only teasing.”

“There are some things you shouldn’t bring up, joke or not.”

Gently closing his eyes to regain his composure, the familiar sat back down on the floor cushion.

Miyo smiled, charmed by his childishly sullen attitude.

“I take it you’re a familiar, then? Impressive work, I must say.”

As Yoshirou expressed his admiration, the familiar turned to face Miyo; he must have been uncomfortable with Yoshirou’s intense observation.

“That’s not important… I want you to listen to what Miyo has to say.”

How much of the present situation had reached Yoshirou’s ears?

Suddenly, Miyo doubted herself and fell quiet. After deciding that it would be best to explain things from the beginning, however, she stammered and began relating everything that had led her to the Usuba house.

She told her grandfather about when Usui had first showed himself to Miyo and his subsequent schemes. About how Usui had endangered Kiyoka in an effort to lure Miyo to his side, along with how she had been unable to convey something very important to Kiyoka before he was spirited away.

“I’m terribly worried about how much longer Kiyoka can remain unharmed, but…I just don’t what else to do.”

Kiyoka’s familiar was moving around just fine at present, and Usui was trying to use Miyo’s fiancé to lure her to him, so it was difficult to believe Kiyoka was in imminent danger.

Even though she knew this logically, she didn’t know when Usui might change his mind, nor did she have an idea how long the present situation could be maintained.

Usui could grow impatient if Miyo stayed away and harm Kiyoka in retribution.

Her hands tensed in her lap.

Only now did it dawn on her that her anxieties were the source of her restlessness.

Yoshirou never cut in during Miyo’s summary, even when she paused here and there—he simply waited for her to finish.

She was hardly the best of speakers, so she imagined that her explanation was clumsy, especially since she didn’t have the time to put her thoughts into order.

Yet when her story finally came to a close, Yoshirou had very few words to give her in reply.

“I see… That must have been awful. I’m glad you came to me, Miyo.”

“…………”

The tears came bubbling forth. Why hadn’t she come to ask her grandfather for advice sooner?

It was clear just how anxious she had been and how little composure she had. So little, she hadn’t been able to notice something so simple.

“Thank you…very much.”

“It makes me happy that you came to me for help. I mean it.”

Miyo was unable to say anything for a short while.

Nevertheless, she fought back her tears to move the conversation forward, taking a series of breaths to calm herself. When she did, Yoshirou deliberately lowered his head.

“I deeply apologize for what Arata has done.”

Her grandfather wore an expression of deep regret as he bowed to her. Regardless of the fact that a member of the Usuba family had perpetrated all this, Miyo was also linked to the Usubas, and Arata was a full-grown adult who was responsible for his own actions.

In other words, Yoshirou didn’t need to feel guilty about Arata’s behavior, much less apologize for it.

“Not at all. But why did Arata…or rather, Naoshi Usui, for that matter…”

For no reason in particular, Miyo stared at the elegant table in front of her.

She had no doubt that Arata always kept the Usubas, and Miyo herself, on his mind. That alone she was certain of. As such, she had never considered the possibility of him causing her harm.

But if that was the case, then why had he elected to join Usui’s side? What was he after? Did he have some sort of ulterior motive? Miyo didn’t understand why he had done any of this.

“Both Arata and Naoshi’s mistakes stem from problems with the Usubas’ way of life that have persisted to this day. As the head of the family, the responsibility lies with me for my failure to adapt to the changing times following the Restoration.”

“No, of course not.”

Miyo had learned of Usui’s ideas when they’d met in his dream.

The simple fact was that everyone had just wanted to serve their purpose. This was true for Usui, Arata, Yoshirou, and the emperor, who had interfered with the Usubas and the Saimoris.

She could condemn them for being mistaken in their methods, or for being selfish, but that wouldn’t get her anywhere. When it came time for her to oppose Usui, she would need to refute his claims that ran contradictory to her own.

At the moment, however, she didn’t feel inclined to dismiss their feelings outright.

Raising her head, Miyo stared straight back into Yoshirou’s eyes.

“…Please, will you tell me about the past? What happened within the Usuba family?”

Miyo didn’t believe that she could manage to accomplish everything with her power alone. She simply wanted to stop Usui. Yet she lacked the material she needed to stop him, to appeal to his heart.

If she couldn’t make him question what he was doing, then she would find herself being overwhelmed instead. This must have been what the familiar had been trying to tell her before, too.

“Let’s see. Where exactly should I start…?”

Following a few moments of indecision, Yoshirou began telling the tale of the Usubas.

The man named Naoshi Usui had been unruly from his earliest years.

He was violent with other children his age, and he would kill dogs, cats, birds, fish, and all sorts of small animals. He would act with impulsive cruelty for no apparent reason, and he was such a problem child that even the adults didn’t know how to handle him, for when servants would be tasked to watch him, the slightest displeasure would result in kicks and punches.

To make matters worse, he awakened to a tremendously powerful Gift early in life, and before long, no one was able to keep him in check. On the one hand, it was a boon that Usui had been born with the Usubas’ valuable powers, as the number of Gift-users in the Empire continued to dwindle. But if Usui kept behaving as he did, it wouldn’t be long before there would be causalities.

Recognizing this, the adults in the Usuba family arrived at the decision to seal Usui’s Gift while he was still young and inexperienced with his powers.

Then, right as this was set to occur—Sumi and Naoshi came across each other.

Sumi was a bright and cheerful girl with an overly helpful streak. She got close to Naoshi even as he caused problems for the adults day in and day out, and she fearlessly looked after him.

Naoshi found her annoying at first, but he soon opened his heart to Sumi, who would empathetically worry about him on some occasions and scold him harshly on others. Eventually, he grew dependent on her.

Thanks to their bond, Naoshi began harming others less and less frequently.

And the adults didn’t want to let a valuable Usuba Gift-user go to waste.

Bound by their meritocratic focus on whether one possessed supernatural powers or not, they naively regarded the change in Naoshi as a good thing, and they reneged on their plan to seal away Usui’s powers.

The relationship between Sumi and Naoshi eventually developed into one resembling a noble lady and her retainer, or perhaps an owner and their faithful guard dog.

Everyone assumed that they would be betrothed in time and eventually lead the Usubas.

But then came the emperor’s unexpected interference.

The trading firm that the Usubas managed as a family, which served as their primary source of income, rapidly fell into decline, and the Saimoris, enticed by information from the emperor, intervened in the Usubas’ situation. They dangled the offer of providing the Usubas financial support in exchange for Sumi’s hand in marriage to Shinichi Saimori.

At the outset of the crisis, Yoshirou, Sumi, and the rest of the Usuba family rallied together in a desperate attempt to get back on their feet without the Saimoris or any other outside assistance. However, it soon became clear that someone was interfering at every turn with their efforts to escape financial ruin.

With their backs driven up against a wall, Sumi resolved to marry into the Saimori family despite the intense opposition from her family.

Among those against the idea was the matured and now remarkably docile Naoshi.

He asserted that the Usuba blood wasn’t meant to go outside the family, that it was strange for Sumi alone to make a sacrifice, and that if ruin was the Usubas’ only option, then they should face it together as a family.

But his appeals didn’t sway Sumi in the slightest. Her will was firm.

Unable to overcome her resolve, the family reluctantly accepted her marriage to Shinichi Saimori, starting with Yoshirou.

Yet even then, Naoshi remained unconvinced.

He remained unamenable to anyone and everyone’s justifications for the arrangement, whether they were from Sumi, Yoshirou, the other Usubas, or his own parents. Consequently, his former cruelty began to resurface, and as if giving up on everything, he broke away from the family.

“We all tried hunting Naoshi down. Though between our family being on the brink of collapse and Naoshi’s brilliance as a Gift-user, we failed to locate him…”

Yoshirou’s agonized expression, mixed with regret and irritation, grew even more clouded.

Miyo compared the scenes from Usui’s memories she’d witnessed in her dreams and the story Yoshirou had told her.

Tranquil days, abruptly darkened by shadow.

If not for the emperor’s scheming, Usui would have surely remained by Sumi’s side, supporting her for the rest of his life.

That meant the emperor’s acts of self-preservation were squarely responsible for the disaster and disorder currently gripping the Empire.

The same had been true for the previous incident at the Burial Grounds. The emperor’s selfish actions brought harm to innocent, unrelated people and led others astray.

“The Usuba family as a whole is at fault for failing to control Naoshi, so his latest rampage is our responsibility. We were far too naive.”

While it was true that the Usubas had been far too lax and optimistic about tackling the problems they faced, it was undeniable that many aspects of their situation had been out of their control.

After all, they hadn’t chosen to furnish Usui with a powerful Gift—that was pure misfortune.

Miyo felt a terrible gloominess form in her chest, as though she’d been personally involved with everything she’d just heard.

It was then, after quietly listening to Yoshirou’s story, that the familiar spoke up.

“The Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit is also responsible for failing to detect Usui’s movements behind the scenes.”

Yoshirou merely shook his head in lieu of a response to the familiar’s words of consolation. This was an admission of his own wrongdoing.

For a few moments, the room was seized by a suffocating silence.

But at long last, Yoshirou heaved a sigh, lightening the stifling mood.

“Miyo, did that answer your question?”

“Y-yes, it did. Thank you very much.”

This previously unknown bit of Usuba family lore would aid her in deepening her understanding of Usui. Of course, no matter how much she grew to understand him, she still wouldn’t ever be able to side with him.

Perhaps that was because she had been raised outside the Usuba family, despite being of their bloodline.

Yoshirou nodded at Miyo, who had lowered her head.

“I don’t have much I can say myself, but…the Dream Sight Mediums of the past have left behind records and memoirs. I had assumed that you would need them before now, but we can’t afford to think that way any longer. They’ll prove useful in utilizing your Dream Sight powers, so if you need them, feel free to take a look.”

“Thank you very much.”

Up until now, Miyo hadn’t intended on using her Gift to proactively accomplish something. On that note, the main reason she had started training was to get to know her powers and keep them stable.

But if she was going to confront Usui, then it seemed like it would be very important to learn how the Dream Sight Mediums of the past had employed her Gift.

Miyo was very grateful for Yoshirou’s proposal.

“How long will you be able to stay here?”

The familiar answered Yoshirou’s question before Miyo could.

“Two to three days at the most. If Miyo wishes to change something.”

His tone was quiet and frank yet pregnant with hidden meaning.

Two to three days, if she wished to change something… What exactly did he mean by this? Was he saying that something might happen a few days from now?

Though she had her doubts, she decided not to voice them. Yoshirou didn’t mention this, either, and merely acknowledged the reply.

“I see. In that case, do as much research as you’d like, and get some rest.”

“I will.”

With this reply, Miyo and the familiar stood up, and one of the Usubas’ servants led them to a room on the second floor. This was where they could relax for the time being.

The pair were led to the very same Western-style room Miyo had previously spent several days in.

It was very fancy, and the various pieces of imported furniture made it seem less like a guest room and more like a place set aside specifically for Miyo’s visits.

“…Phew.”

The fireplace was already crackling, and when Miyo sat down in a chair, a sigh of relief escaped her lips as it hit her just how tense and nervous she’d been.

The familiar hopped into the chair opposite her. A moment later, he scowled after attempting to rock his legs back and forth—they were too short to reach the floor.

That reminds me…

Miyo discreetly waited so that she and the familiar could regain their composure, then she asked the familiar something that had been on her mind.

“Um, what exactly should I… How should I refer to you?”

She couldn’t help sounding somewhat timid. While she felt it was a bit over the top to speak to a child as she would an adult, when she considered that she was, in fact, conversing with an aspect of Kiyoka, her manner of speaking naturally grew more formal.

But that hadn’t stopped Miyo from asking him the question that had been on her mind ever since she had realized the boy was Kiyoka’s familiar.

The way she spoke to the familiar was one thing, but the name she addressed him with was far more important.

Familiars were distinct entities from their masters. Although the boy moved according to Kiyoka’s will, he wasn’t Kiyoka himself, so she wanted an appropriate name she could call him by.

“Huh? Just refer to me like normal.”

For some reason, the boy tilted his head with suspicion at the question and frowned.

But his response only made things more troubling for Miyo. Addressing the familiar by her fiancé’s name was a nigh-impossible hurdle to climb.

If only there were a nickname she could use instead.

The thought led to a flash of inspiration, and Miyo struck a bargain.

“Then, um, could I call you ‘Kiyo’ instead?”

As far as she was concerned, it was a brilliant idea. Even if calling the familiar by her Kiyoka’s full name was too awkward, she could manage this much. Kiyo was quite an adorable name.

The flames of the fireplace quickly popped and crackled amid the silence between them.

For some reason, the familiar suddenly grew flustered after a moment, and his face turned red.

“Wh-what, that’s, um… Is that really what you’re going with?”

“Would you rather I didn’t…?”

Was something about the name disagreeable to him? Miyo thought it was quite a good idea herself.

But when Miyo grew disheartened and fell silent, the familiar—Kiyo, rather—did a complete about-face and shouted, “It’s okay!”

His pale cheeks were still dyed crimson, like a ripe red apple.

“The name’s fine!”

“Really? I’m glad.”

Miyo felt herself instantly grow brighter and more cheerful. Having her suggestion accepted, she unconsciously raised her voice.

That was why she didn’t pay any attention to what Kiyo actually mumbled quietly with displeasure:

“You still haven’t even given me a nickname yet.”

“Is something the matter?” Miyo asked.

“It’s nothing,” Kiyo denied curtly. Miyo was completely taken aback and blinked in confusion.

His appearance was exactly like Kiyoka’s, yet his mannerisms and behavior possessed the endearing cuteness of a real boy.

Despite his curt attitude toward her, she found herself smiling.

“What are you grinning about?”

It was clear just how serious her condition was, given that she didn’t find it annoying to be viewed like some strange uncanny creature.

Having learned for the first time how truly adorable children were, Miyo realized she was enjoying herself, and her smile grew even wider.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“…Fine, whatever.”

Kiyo wasn’t one for words, perhaps because he was a familiar. Kiyoka himself could also be brusque and inarticulate, but even he was more articulate than this.

She did, however, feel a twinge of sadness when it struck her that Kiyoka could have been like this as a child.

As Miyo and Kiyo engaged in their childish back-and-forth, there came a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

At her reply, the same servant from before excused herself and opened the door.

“Lunch is ready. Where would you prefer to take your meal?”

“What? Oh… It’s that time already…”

She looked at the clock and saw that noon was fast approaching. Much more time than she’d thought had passed since she’d departed the Kudou estate early in the morning.

Though she’d been too nervous to think about it earlier, Miyo was starting to feel hungry now that lunch had been brought up.

“Is it all right if we eat in here?”

The servant acknowledged Miyo’s request and returned after a short while with a tray bearing the day’s lunch. One by one, they laid out plates of Western fare, typical for the Usuba house, atop the imported mahogany table.

Today’s lunch was steaming hot macaroni au gratin with a garnish of boiled potatoes and carrots, spinach and turnips flavored in a French style, and two round slices of bread, smaller than a balled fist.

Every part of the meal smelled delicious and fueled her hunger.

“It looks amazing.”

She leaned in close to get a good look, and the steaming vapor faintly brushed her face, bringing tears to her eyes.

In truth, she hadn’t been able to eat much of anything since Kiyoka was captured. She had been too worried about his safety and too preoccupied with coming up with a way to help him.

During that time, she hadn’t been able to taste anything, no matter how delicious the food looked, and she never had much of an appetite.

Still, she felt guilty about worrying Hauki. Plus, when Kiyoka did return, he would be sad if Miyo was gaunt from malnourishment.

Deciding that she couldn’t let that happen, she’d forced down tasteless food day in and day out.

Perhaps I have an appetite because I feel so relieved.

When last she stayed with the Usubas, the food hadn’t tasted like much to her, either.

Miyo looked at Kiyo across from her and felt tears coming on.

“Are you not going to eat anything, Kiyo?”

Kiyo looked up at her, his cheek resting on his hand, as if to say he never thought she’d ask him such a question.

“Familiars don’t need food.”

“Oh…I’m sorry, I should’ve known.”

Familiars weren’t actually human, so of course they wouldn’t need to eat. Kiyo looked so similar to a normal human boy that she had forgotten that simple fact.

Skillfully made familiars possessed the form of living creatures. They were convincing not only to the eye but also to the touch. However, their insides were completely different from the beings they imitated. They didn’t possess the same organs or internal structures as living creatures, so they could be more accurately described as living skin stretched over papier-mâché.

Miyo slumped, disappointed by her own stupidity.

“It’s okay.”

Exasperated, Kiyo straightened up in his chair and reached out his hand. Then he gently patted Miyo’s head with his soft palm, different from Kiyoka’s.

But the way he rubbed her head was exactly like her fiancé’s; her chest tightened.

“Sorry that I can’t eat together with you. But my master will be relieved that you’re eating.”

His words—faltering yet filled with his best attempts at warmth and consideration—seeped into her heart. They reminded her of Kiyoka’s own clumsy reassurances, which had saved her many times before.

Feeling like she would be brought to tears if she said anything more, Miyo simply nodded then clasped her hands together to give thanks for the meal and picked up her spoon.

When she scooped up the pure white gratin, steam billowed into the air. After blowing on the spoon enough to cool it down, she brought it into her mouth.

“…Delicious.”

Smooth, rich, and just a tad sweet. The gratin melted away in her mouth.

It was still hot, but that didn’t stop her from scooping up her second, then third, bite. Before long, Miyo was eating like her earlier lack of appetite had all been a lie.

“That’s good.”

Hearing Kiyo’s voice, she looked up. The familiar had been expressionless from the moment they met, but now his eyes had softened slightly into a smile, and Miyo found herself beaming back at him.

“Yes, but…”

She’d scarfed down about half her gratin.

Still smiling, Miyo made a mental note to ask how the dish was made before she left the Usuba home.

“I’d like to eat this with Kiyoka next time… He might not be fond of this type of dish, but I’d still like to taste it together with him.”

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Kiyo chuckled, looking terribly pleased for some reason as he squinted his eyes.

Her meal finished and her stomach full, Miyo was guided by a servant and shown to the Usuba family storage room, together with Kiyo.

Though used for storage, the room didn’t come off as unorganized, with there being a great many items tidied and put into order.

Most of the items had been put away in old wooden boxes, and it didn’t take Miyo long to find where the records Yoshirou had mentioned were stored.

Along the wall were large stacks of antiquated and discolored paper bundles.

Some items were threadbound, some were rolled up into tubes, and still others were simply stacked on top of each other. Judging by the degree of degradation, the higher up something was, the newer it was, while the closer to the bottom, the older the document.

It was clear that the papers hadn’t been touched in a long time, as dust clung to everything.

“This area seems to have what we’re looking for.”

Kiyo immediately took a bound volume from the pile and checked it. The first document Miyo picked up, unfortunately, appeared to be the memoirs of a past head of the family because the handwriting clearly belonged to a man.

After doing a quick scan, Miyo and Kiyo picked out a mountain of documents that seemed concerned with Dream Sight and moved them to a separate room.

Borrowing one of the Japanese-style rooms with Yoshirou’s permission, the pair sat down and began carefully examining the papers they had brought with them.

“It looks like moths have eaten through some of these, and a lot have gotten too blurry to read properly.”

“…I can’t really read any of these…”

As she listened to Kiyo’s groans, Miyo dropped her shoulders in disappointment.

Perhaps because there weren’t very many Dream Sight Mediums in the first place, there were few memoirs on the topic, and the ones that did exist were all ancient, penned in flowing cursive characters. On top of this, they also contained many unfamiliar words and turns of phrases.

As someone who lacked a proper education and who had only ever copied printed characters, Miyo found the documents extremely difficult to decipher.

She was totally out of her depth. And given how enthusiastic she had been to finally move forward, she felt even more dejected than she would have otherwise.

“Can you read the most recent ones?” Kiyo asked.

Even the “most recent” documents were almost a century old, dating back to the birth of the previous Dream Sight Maiden. Nevertheless, she found a few sections here and there that looked readable.

“There are several words I recognize…but I don’t know what they’re actually saying.”

“In that case, mark any section that stands out to you. I’ll look them over later.”

“Okay…”

She didn’t have any objections to Kiyo’s decision, but she was ashamed that this was all she could manage. If only she had attended girls’ school and formally studied language, then she might have been able to read it properly.

A sigh escaped her lips as a sense of powerlessness she had felt many times throughout her life welled up within her.

“Don’t be so discouraged. Look, right here.”

Miyo leaned forward to look at the spot Kiyo was pointing out to her. Naturally, though, she wasn’t able to read any of it.

According to his simple explanation, written there was an outline on how to use the power of Dream Sight.

“It appears that Dream Sight has been used for many, many years as an ability to glimpse both past and future. People have also used it to help find lost items or appear in others’ dreams in the guise of a god.”

“Appearing in dreams…”

Miyo ruminated on Kiyo’s words.

The term “appearing in a dream,” referred to a phenomenon where the gods or the deceased appeared in someone’s dreams or at their bedside to pass on a divine message. This phenomenon often cropped up in old tales and legends, so even Miyo was familiar with it.

With Dream Sight, this did indeed seem possible.

She could imagine users of Dream Sight showing up in people’s dreams to direct their behavior or entice them to correct a mistake.

Kiyo continued, tracing his finger along the document as he simplified what he read to make it easier for Miyo to understand.

“Before you activate your power, touching the body of the person you decide to use Dream Sight on will stabilize its effects. After this, you decide on an objective while maintaining awareness of the Gift within you. That means choosing whether you want to see into the past or future or enter into someone’s dreams, for example.”

Miyo had learned the exact same steps from Arata, and she’d executed them to save Kiyoka when he was possessed by the thoughts of the Burial Grounds’ spirits. She’d done the same to save one of the neighboring villagers during their visit to the Kudou villa as well.

During those times, Miyo had felt a clear and certain response within her.

“Finally, you work your Gift on the target you’ve set in an attempt to actualize your determined objective—I guess it works the same as any other Gift.”

“…Arata must’ve read this as well, then.”

The name of her absent cousin escaped her lips.

She looked over the documents they had taken out of the storehouse and piled them up on the table.

Miyo was sure that Arata had pored over these texts again and again, all while waiting for the Dream Sight Medium, who he was meant to protect, to finally appear.

What exactly was he thinking right now, having gone over to the Gifted Communion’s side?

She believed that he wouldn’t consider turning against Miyo or the Usubas, but there was still the possibility that his goals had come to overlap with Usui’s.

Speaking of the leader of the Gifted Communion, it was undeniable that he was also thinking of Miyo, even if only as an extension of Sumi.

“Probably.”

Kiyo looked up from the documents then averted his gaze after staring at Miyo for a moment. There was vague displeasure in his eyes.

Then he returned to his book and turned the page before letting out a slightly absentminded exclamation.

“Oh.”

“Did you find something?”

At Miyo’s question, Kiyo furrowed his youthful, well-kempt brows and murmured in surprise, bringing a slim finger to his chin. A few seconds later, he scanned the text and murmured.

“I see. Here.”

He took his finger off his chin and used it to point to a section of the text.

“This section mentions a Gift-user who had the ability to alter the sensations of people’s ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and skin.”

Miyo looked at Kiyo with a start.

The power to control the five senses. That meant there had been a Gift-user in the past who also possessed the same ability as Usui.

Kiyo returned Miyo’s gaze and nodded slightly.

“It says that it was an extremely powerful ability and that the people who acquired it often had heavy restrictions placed upon it. The Gift-user written about in this memoir was apparently a relatively mild-mannered person, so he was spared the restrictions. Also, as for this Gift’s weakness…”

“Weakness?”

“The Gift can only be used for an extremely short amount of time, an hour at most. Also, if the effect does get maintained for a full hour, the ability can only be used about three times a day. And the range is limited to basically the user’s line of sight. The user will fry their brain if they attempt to activate it any more than that.”

It stood to reason that using such a powerful Gift indiscriminately would take a heavy toll on the body.

However, Kiyo appended a hypothesis of his own to the book’s explanation.

“That said, I think this depends on how it’s used. Even if the Gift is only active for a short while and in a limited range, if Usui can regulate it to use it frequently in minute ways, a bit like turning the switch on a machine on and off again, then he’d probably have plenty of useful applications for it.”

If it was impossible for Usui to use his Gift for extended periods of time, then that explained why he had spent so long studying the science of Gifts and preparing for his rebellion after fleeing the Usubas.

If his powers had been less constrained, he could have simply controlled and manipulated the most important people in the country one by one.

But since this wasn’t the case, he must have decided that he needed military might of his own then gathered a fighting force of loyal artificial Gift-users.

…But if all this is written out in here…

It would mean Arata had known about Usui’s weaknesses all along. Since their first encounter with Usui, he had acted as if he were as equally bewildered by the man’s abilities as everyone else, but that had all been an act.

But for what end? Or rather—when had this all started?

Feeling a chill go down her spine, Miyo adjusted her posture and looked at the open document in front of her.

For a short while, she was unable to focus, but soon she stared hard at the text and got to reading amid near silence, save for the ticking of the clock. Before she knew it, the sun had set.

A servant called for Miyo and Kiyo and showed them to a room where dinner was prepared.

Sitting at the table with Kiyo, who didn’t eat a bite just like at lunch, Miyo finished her warm Western-style dinner without issue. After cleaning her plate, she was summoned by Yoshirou to partake in some after-dinner tea together.

When she stepped once more into the parlor she had first come to on her arrival, Yoshirou was already there waiting for her.

“Ah, forgive me for calling you here.”

Yoshirou’s expression had softened slightly. Miyo was relieved to see his face looking slightly less clouded than it had that morning.

“Not at all. Thank you for all the consideration you’ve shown me.”

Sitting down next to Kiyo on the floor cushion prepared for her, she bowed her head.

Miyo could acutely feel that Yoshirou was showing them the utmost care and consideration he could provide. Her meals today contained much more easily digestible foods than they had had during her previous times there, and she assumed that Yoshirou hadn’t joined them for dinner to avoid making her nervous.

Right now, she was grateful for it.

“You don’t need to thank me for something like that. I just hope you were able to relax a little bit.”

A servant placed a teacup filled with hot green tea before Miyo and Kiyo. They then bowed, leaving the room and quietly sliding the door closed.

Miyo reached out for the teacup and felt its heat seep into her chilled fingertips.

“Find anything useful?”

She nodded slightly at Yoshirou’s question.

“Yes. It was a little difficult for me, but…”

She hadn’t been able to do a thing on her own. It was only because Kiyo was there with her that she’d managed to obtain any information.

Even if she was discouraged by how ashamed she was, she didn’t want to belittle herself. It was impossible to handle absolutely everything herself.

There were some things that Miyo had been able to obtain in her life and some things that she hadn’t. That was all there was to it.

She remembered what Yoshirou had told her during the summer she spent in the Usuba home.

“Wouldn’t you say being able to share the things we can’t endure on our own, like we’re doing now, is what family’s all about?”

She looked around to put herself at ease. Things were different now from when no one ever treated her with kindness. Miyo had a family to share her burdens with.

She had forgotten that in her earlier panic and confusion. Right now, she was feeling calmness in her chest, thanks to both Yoshirou’s thoughtfulness and Kiyo being at her side.

A smile naturally formed on her face.

“Kiyo helped me go through the documents. I still don’t know for certain what exactly I should do, but I was able to read up on some very important details. It was worthwhile.”

“Was it? Glad to hear it.”

Yoshirou nodded with a smile of his own before continuing.

“Ah, right. The bath’s been drawn up for you, so go soak for as long as you’d like. Forgive me for not being able to do anything more.”

“Not at all. Thank you very much.”

Although the room had a brazier in it, the winter cold still chilled her bones, especially after spending all day sitting still, poring over documents. Miyo was very grateful for the opportunity to warm up in the bath.

Then she turned to Kiyo.

“Kiyo? If you’re up for it, would you like to join me in the—Kiyo?” she began to ask, only to stop when she saw his dumbfounded expression.

Kiyo was at a loss for words, his mouth hanging wide open. Tears welled in his eyes, and his cheeks gradually turned pink. Then he abruptly drooped his head, seemingly dejected, only to then vigorously look back up at Miyo and shout:

“No!”

Miyo blinked in shock at Kiyo’s excessive reaction.

She recalled him reacting similarly to the nickname she’d proposed to him a short while ago. It was quite befitting for a boy his age, and Miyo had often witnessed her male classmates act that way back when she attended elementary school.

But Kiyo was a familiar. Miyo had invited him simply because she thought it would be fun to bathe together—was that really something for a being like him to be so embarrassed about?

“Even a familiar must get dirty and dusty from moving around outside, yes? I just thought you might want to wash up…”

Miyo had replied under the assumption that Kiyo’s refusal stemmed from the fact that familiars weren’t people, so they didn’t need to bathe, but he shook his head with tremendous speed.

“No! That’s not it!”

“Huh? Then why not?”

Yoshirou jumped in, a slightly merciful smile on his face, to reprimand Miyo as she grew confused.

“Well, hmm…Miyo? How about you let him off the hook here, okay?”

None of this was making any sense to her. Let him off the hook? Why?

Kiyo slowly regained his composure and took a series of deep breaths before he turned to Yoshirou and nodded. Her grandfather nodded in kind.

…In magazines, they say that young boys and women will occasionally bathe together, so I’m not really sure what the problem is.

However, given that both Kiyo and Yoshirou were against the idea, there must have been some grounds for them to object that Miyo didn’t know about.

Feeling a bit disappointed, she decided not to push the issue any further.

After rinsing herself, Miyo sank slowly into the hot bathwater of the Usuba manor’s cypress-scented tub, feeling so wonderful that it was like she was relaxing to her very core.

“Ah, it’s so warm…”

Miyo breathed out as she sank lower into the bathtub and closed her eyes.

She certainly wouldn’t be spending her time like this if Kiyo hadn’t shown up this morning and prevented her from marching right to Usui’s side. For all she knew, the familiar could have saved her from getting into a life-or-death situation right about now.

Miyo also now understood Hazuki and Takaihito’s apprehensions. Clearly, she’d been so unstable until recently that other people could tell.

Right after Miyo entered the Usuba home this morning, Yoshirou had told her that he would get in touch with the Kudou estate, so she was sure she had worried them sick.

I feel bad for what I did… But that being said…

In the end, Miyo still wasn’t planning to go back.

As the hot bathwater increased her blood flow, she felt the presence of her Gift calmly circulating throughout her body.

This presence, one that she originally struggled to grow accustomed to, but which was now an utterly natural part of her life, reminded Miyo that she couldn’t hide away until everything was solved.

Staring at the waving vapors of steam rising up from the bath, she talked to herself.

“I wonder if the other Gift-users who possessed Dream Sight were troubled like I am now?”

The history of the Dream Sight Mediums recorded in memoirs and records were filled with constant turmoil.

They sometimes confronted Grotesqueries with other Gift-users, while cracking down on Gift-users who wielded their powers for evil. During times of war, they stealthily rendered many stalwart fighters powerless.

If the emperor ordered it, the Dream Sight Mediums wouldn’t limit using their abilities on other Gift-users or bad actors, either.

Though it may not have been clearly laid out in the texts, there must have been plenty of conflict.

“If Mother had inherited Dream Sight instead of me…then maybe everything would have worked out okay.”

Though if that were the case, then Miyo would have likely never been brought into this world.

She couldn’t stop her mind from wandering to scenarios that were pointless to speculate over.

After taking a long soak to warm up her body, she left the bath. Changing into her nightwear and getting her appearance in proper order, she left the changing room to find Kiyo sitting alone in the hallway, his arms wrapped around his knees.

“Kiyo, you must have been freezing out here. You really should’ve waited for me in the room.”

Although she knew that he didn’t feel cold as a familiar, she felt frigid just looking at him. Kiyo had refused her invitation to bathe with her, so there wasn’t anything more she could do about it, but his light clothing wasn’t helping, either.

Kiyo shook his head as he stood up.

“It’s fine. I’m a familiar. My master commanded me to protect you.”

“I see…”

Feeling a twinge of loneliness, Miyo gently took Kiyo’s hand.

His tiny palm hadn’t gone purple yet, but it was still very cold. Though it struck her that familiars may not have had any body heat in the first place, the numbing temperature of his skin amplified her sadness even further.

“What are you doing?”

Upon hearing Kiyo’s objection, Miyo looked down at him and forced a smile.

“I wanted to hold your hand… Can we stay like this until we get back to the room?”

“…I don’t mind, I guess.”

She broke into an honest smile at his haughty manner of speaking, so at odds with his appearance, and returned with him to their room.

It was there that, once again, Kiyo vehemently protested another one of Miyo’s proposals.

“There’s no way we’re sharing a bed together! Don’t be absurd! I don’t even need to sleep at all, you know.”

“But the fire will die out during the night, so I’m sure it will get much colder.”

“I’ve told you already, familiars don’t get cold.”

Miyo had merely invited him to sleep with her because the bed in the room was so large. Yet he’d reacted like her proposition was completely outrageous. A part of her started to believe that maybe, deep down, Kiyo didn’t like being around Miyo.

Kiyo is supposed be acting according to Kiyoka’s will… Does that mean Kiyo’s dislike of me is a reflection of the feelings in Kiyoka’s heart?

No, that couldn’t possibly be it. Just a short while ago, the two of them had slept with their bedding next to each other.

Perhaps this signified that even Kiyo possessed his own unique emotions and preferences, even though he was a familiar, and he disliked Miyo.

That was a sad realization in its own right.

But when Miyo frowned and slumped in despondency, Kiyo began to panic.

“No, wait, er, it’s not like I dislike you, it’s…if anything, my master would be too happy, or how can I put it, um, well.”

Kiyo’s incoherent explanation was barely audible, so Miyo couldn’t really understand it.

There didn’t seem to be any significant issue, so what was the problem then? Swallowing the question on the tip of her tongue, Miyo got up into bed on her own and slipped her legs underneath the duvet.

“I’m sorry, I was acting childish.”

Miyo was fully aware that her immature and pouty behavior was unbecoming, but her loneliness had won out, and she couldn’t help sulking.

Seeing her like this must have made Kiyo have a change of heart, as he let out a low groan before approaching the bed.

“You’re not confusing me for a doll or a stuffed animal, right?”

“Um, well, no.”

Miyo looked at Kiyo and cocked her head, uncertain about what had led him to ask that.

Of course, just because she was dealing with a familiar didn’t mean that she was planning to treat him as an object. If anything, she was conscious of the fact that she was treating him like a human boy.

Kiyo clicked his tongue, as if something about her answer had displeased him.

“You don’t get it at all! You better not regret this, okay?!”

In essence, this meant he had given in and was going to sleep alongside Miyo like she wanted. Miyo smiled at Kiyo’s adorable inability to give her a simple, honest okay.

“Thank you.”

Hearing her gratitude, Kiyo turned his head with a pout, then got into the bed. From there, he immediately rolled over to the far edge of the mattress.

The fire had died down, and the lack of light only heightened the chill in the room.

Miyo curled up under the covers and closed her eyes.

I can’t sleep…

Despite the exhaustion she felt throughout her body, she refused to drift off, even after shutting her eyes.

Awful thoughts and disquieting premonitions raced through her mind, and she grew restless. She forced herself not to toss and turn to avoid Kiyo catching on and waited silently for sleep to take her.

However, her breathing made it rather obvious that she was still awake.

“You need to get some sleep, or your body’ll give out.”

When she heard Kiyo tell her this, a single tear streaked down from the corner of her eye for some reason.

She hadn’t meant to cry at all, so why was this happening?

“I know,” Miyo replied, stealthily wiping the tear away with the back of her hand. Kiyo didn’t seem convinced by this, though. Just then, she felt his small, slightly cold body come up against her back.

“Kiyo…?”

“You’re anxious, right?”

Miyo managed only a simple agreement and nodded at his concise question.

Amid the blackness, she had grown scared that she might lose all the things she held dear. The night and the dark would take all sorts of things from her, leaving only shadows in her heart.

Miyo was convinced of this, so no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t keep calm.

Kiyo’s presence proved that Kiyoka still lived. But that was all—Usui might well have been torturing him to the brink of death at this moment.

Even if Miyo could go and save him, would Kiyoka truly be okay? Would they really be able to return to their old lives? If those days filled with kindness and warmth never returned, then…

The anxiousness, the worry, threatened to crush her. She couldn’t take it.

“I-I know. If I don’t sleep, I won’t be able to save Kiyoka.”

Eating meals, getting sleep. Even these normalities, the natural behavior of every living creature, had grown so trying without Kiyoka’s presence.

“But…but…”

Her voice trembled, and as a sob threatened to escape her lips, Miyo turned over to Kiyo and embraced his small frame.

It was all on the spur of the moment. She simply wished to feel that the tiniest bit of Kiyoka passed through Kiyo’s breaths.

“H-hey now…”

Miyo didn’t pay any attention to Kiyo’s bewilderment.

The boy struggled to get out of her arms, until at last he gave up and went still. Kiyo didn’t have a heartbeat. Despite that, she felt her emotions gradually calm.

I’m so glad Kiyo’s here with me. Truly.

Her breathing grew easier, and her body, wrapped up in the duvet, slowly grew warm.

Before she knew it, Miyo drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

This is what I mean. You just don’t get it.

Kiyoka struggled to hold back the groan that nearly escaped his throat.

The interior of his cell was choked by thick darkness as usual, and since it was underground, it was exposed to intense cold. There were few environments more horrible than this place.

No matter how durable a Gift-user’s body was, it was difficult to hold out for long inside this punishing place, both mentally and physically agonizing.

Usui, or perhaps Arata, knew this and had put Kiyoka here on purpose.

Just getting a sense of time back from my link with my familiar makes it all much better, but that said…

Because of his connection with the familiar, Kiyoka now felt uncharacteristically shameful, the blood rushing to his face. His hair had come undone at some point and was now hanging over his shoulders, as if to hide his blush.

He hadn’t thought he would still be so innocent and inexperienced at the age of twenty-eight that he would get embarrassed over things like these, but the sensation of Miyo pressing up to him was more intense than he could have ever imagined.

Since Miyo was unaware of this, however, a sense of guilt pressed down on Kiyoka, too, along with a strange urge to run that he couldn’t endure. It was as though he was doing something bad and hiding from people. This was all in spite of the fact that he was stuck in a cell.

Still, Miyo might have reached her limits, too.

It was plain to see that she had reached her emotional breaking point from putting on a brave front and holding back her tears. He couldn’t even reproach her for anything.

Kiyoka thought back to his conversation with Takaihito before he had been captured.

“Kiyoka, first, I must apologize,” Takaihito began, when it was just the two of them, before lowering his head. “Forgive me.”

He continued as Kiyoka frowned, unsure what the crown prince was apologizing for.

“From here on out, both you and your fiancée will be forced to undergo many hardships. This is the path I have chosen for you.”

Kiyoka had suspected as much, so he wasn’t surprised.

He’d surmised that Usui was bound to target him next. If suppressing Kiyoka with pure martial strength was too difficult, then this time, Usui would exploit Kiyoka’s social position to undermine him.

Kiyoka was the head of the Kudou family and the commander of the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit.

By pinning false charges on Kiyoka, Usui could essentially hold his house and family against him as hostages, forcing the commander to give himself over.

In all likelihood, Usui would use this method to apprehend him.

“To prevent any casualties, we shall need the Gift of your fiancée, Miyo Saimori.”

Though Takaihito’s expression didn’t change, it was mixed with a twinge of regret.

“…So you’re saying that some kind of trouble needs to befall me to make Dream Sight fully bloom, then?”

“Indeed… Only Miyo Saimori’s words and thoughts will reach Naoshi Usui. No matter what anyone else says to him, it shall surely be in vain. Miyo will need the power of Dream Sight to meet with Naoshi Usui, and to make her powers mature, we’ll need a crisis.”

Takaihito slid his finger through the air, as if counting down one by one.

Kiyoka agreed that Miyo was the only person who could sway Usui.

She was Usui’s sole obsession, his regret, and his future. There was no one else to whom he would speak honestly and show sincerity.

Usui likely controlled the government and military in secret at this point, so it would be extremely difficult for anyone besides Miyo to get near him for a confrontation. He would simply slip away, and that would be that.

One thing about this scenario had thrown Kiyoka for a loop, however—the fact that Usui had brought Arata Usuba over to his side.

In any event, Kiyoka understood the point Takaihito was making, but whether or not he could accept it was another question entirely.

“Is this why you told me you wished to see her character for yourself?”

“Forgive me. Given she is your prized jewel, I did not believe anything strange would come of it. However…if she were to flee in your hour of need, or be reduced to shutting herself away in fear, then everything would be for naught.”

Kiyoka began to object that Miyo would never act like that, but he then realized that there was a chance such a path might have appeared within the futures Takaihito saw.

To be completely honest, the latter scenario could have very well transpired if Miyo were still the person she had been when they first met.

However, Miyo had grown stronger since then, and she no longer hesitated to act on her own now that she’d overcome many hardships. Or rather, it was more accurate to say that she was in the process of reclaiming her innate strength.

Miyo was kind even when she felt worried and lost, and she had gained a support system who she had learned to accept help from.

Takaihito must have decided to put Kiyoka and Miyo through this trial because he felt the same.

“She’s not my prized jewel, but I put my trust and faith in her,” Kiyoka replied, but for some reason, Takaihito looked dubious at the reply.

“You truly think this?”

“…Is there anything wrong with that?”

“No, I do not have any objection to your second point. But I question the former.”

In a rare moment of authenticity, Takaihito didn’t attempt to conceal his exasperation. Kiyoka could only scowl and stay silent.

Kiyoka and Miyo’s relationship was the same as that of any other betrothed couple, nothing more and nothing less. Although Kiyoka felt deep affection for Miyo, these feelings weren’t so special to warrant calling her his “prized jewel” or anything of the sort.

This was why he had rejected the idea, but there seemed to be a discrepancy between his perception of things and Takaihito’s.

“This is why you have a reputation for being cold and unfriendly, you know. Once this is all over, you need to reflect on what you say and do… Let that be all for now, though. Take heed to prepare sufficiently.”

“As you wish.”

Kiyoka gave a short reply and hung his head with reverence.

To abide by Takaihito’s plans, Kiyoka hadn’t been able to tell Miyo the full extent of the situation.

She needed to be stirred to action by watching Usui’s forced capture of Kiyoka while being kept in the dark about the truth of the situation. Otherwise, it would be difficult to make her Gift blossom.

Despite all that, Kiyoka didn’t wish to harm her.

“I’m sorry…”

It was meaningless to apologize to her in a place like this. Nevertheless, Kiyoka couldn’t sit by and let those words go unsaid.

He wanted to end everything quickly, set Miyo’s mind at ease, and make sure she got the rest she needed. He wanted to hold her close.

That was why the familiar was sharing its senses with Kiyoka and supporting Miyo to the fullest.

Once again, Kiyoka linked his senses with the familiar, Kiyo. Enduring the peculiar agony of Miyo wrapping his arms around him, Kiyoka reaffirmed his resolve.

A white fog enveloped everything before her eyes.

The damp mist was so thick that it seemed like just touching it would leave her drenched.

The light of the sun could not pierce this veil of fog, and though her surroundings weren’t pitch black, the world was covered in a faint white, like early dawn.

Miyo stood transfixed before the stone steps that were rising into the mist; she couldn’t see even ten paces ahead.

Where is this?

Despite her confusion, Miyo wasn’t shocked or surprised.

She was in the world of dreams, which she had experienced several times by this point. And this place, neither hot nor cold, filled with nothing but a damp fog caressing her cheek, was part of a dream, too.

This was her first time here. She hadn’t the slightest memory of this place.

The stone stairs, stretching out into the fog, should have struck her as creepy and ominous, yet strangely, Miyo felt neither fear nor anxiety rising inside her chest.

Instead, she sensed the squirming of her Gift, as if the deepest part of her heart, her very core, was being set aflame.

If she had to describe it, the impression she felt the most was a mystical one. Or perhaps otherworldly and mysterious was a better description.

As she closely observed the stairs, suddenly lights shone on the left and the right sides of the steps, one by one.

Small lanterns that only barely reached Miyo’s knees lined the sides of the stone steps. As if to invite and guide her farther, they continued lighting up, starting right in front of her and continuing on ahead.

She didn’t sense any danger. Without any hesitation, she took a step forward.

However, someone’s hand was resting on her shoulder.

“Kiyoka…”

At some point or another, Kiyoka had appeared beside her, dressed casually in his haori coat.

She turned slowly to her fiancé and saw that he wore a gentle smile.

…This is a dream, after all.

He didn’t say a word. It made sense, given that he was nothing more than an illusion summoned from Miyo’s own loneliness. But even so, she couldn’t believe how reassuring it was just to have him by her side.

A large, rough hand took Miyo’s own.

The slightly warm sensation was one she was familiar with.

Holding back tears, Miyo linked her hands together with Kiyoka’s and began ascending the stone stairs.

They advanced through the white fog, taking one step after the other. Miyo didn’t know how long they had been going up before a faint human silhouette appeared amid the fog.

As they approached, Miyo could see that the shadow was clearly a woman’s, and when she closed in even further, she realized to whom it belonged.

“…Mother.”

There stood Miyo’s mother—Sumi Saimori.

She was young, no older than Miyo was now, with long black hair going down her pink kimono. Her expression was very gentle, and she gazed at Miyo with a soft look in her eyes.

This was proof that Miyo wasn’t looking in on her mother’s past through the dream world, but that Sumi was fully present in front of her.

But this is still just a dream, right?

In the past, Miyo had said her good-byes to her mother in her dreams. She’d also said her farewells to her former self, who had wished to die and set off on a journey to her mother’s side.

Miyo hadn’t come face-to-face with her mother since, so why was she here now?

“Miyo.”

Her mother called out to her in a calm, feminine voice, the same as she’d heard in her dreams before. It was soft and gentle, but it had a flat, almost inhuman quality that made it seem somehow unreal.

Suddenly, Miyo gasped.

On the stone steps stretching out endlessly behind Sumi, other shades appeared, one after the other. From what Miyo could make out, there were five in total.

The shades all had female silhouettes and were cloaked in red hakamas. It seemed like they were staring at her and Kiyoka.

What is all of this?

Just what was this all supposed to mean, and to whom exactly did all these silhouettes belong?

She didn’t understand why, but ever since her mother had come into sight, the burning sensation of her Gift in her heart had grown more and more pronounced.

It was so hot. Burning and painful.

There were still three steps left between her and Sumi, but Miyo stood where she was, unable to move.

She put slightly more strength into her grip on Kiyoka’s hand.

Her mother kept her gaze fixed on the two of them as she lightly stepped down the stone steps and approached.

“Miyo. I’m sorry.”

Sumi dropped her eyes slightly as she voiced her apology. Not understanding what she was saying sorry for, Miyo could only stare back in confusion.

“I ended up making you shoulder all the pain, all the heavy burdens.”

The nineteen years she had lived at the Saimori estate and her destiny with Usui— Miyo sensed that these were what Sumi was referring to.

That wasn’t the case at all. None of that was her mother’s fault in the slightest.

Miyo tried to object, but Sumi continued without giving her daughter a chance.

“You’ve had to bear both my share and the Usuba family’s share up until now… That’s why.”

Just a tiny bit. I’ll help you just a tiny bit.

The moment Sumi spoke, the burning sensation of the Gift in Miyo’s chest grew hotter. But it didn’t feel like her insides were ablaze. No, her whole being was burning like a single flame. Slowly, her entire body heated up.

“M-Mother…I—I.”

Miyo closed her eyes. It was hot. The heat continued to increase, but by contrast, she felt the back of her brain drastically cool.

Then it happened.

As her brain seemed to chill completely, her line of sight instantly opened up in front of her.

“What…?”

It shouldn’t have been at all possible, but she could see out a thousand leagues in front of her in all directions. It was as though the past, the present, and the future had surged into the back of her mind.

In a single instant, her Gift parted the thick fog all around Miyo, flooding out of her like a dam had burst forth, as if her mind were filled with crystal-clear water.

“What is this?”

She saw it. A world that she had never known stretched out before her eyes.

It was like she had been cast into a vast ocean.

Scenes of all different kinds floated into view and burst like bubbles. Within the bubbles were the reflections of a naive young girl and boy.

“I’m Sumi, Sumi Usuba. Nice to meet you.”

“Hmph. Whatever, I don’t care.”

“Well, I do care, Naoshi.”

“Ugh, you’re obnoxious.”

“Are you hurt? Were you fighting? There’s blood. You gotta get patched up.”

“Shut up. Leave me alone. What do you care?”

“I do care, though. I told you that already.”

“…Do what you want, then.”

“Naoshi! Not another animal… Don’t you feel sorry for them?”

“Who cares what happens to them? They’re all weaklings, so they aren’t worth much alive or dead.”

“If they’re worthless because they’re weak, then I must not be worth anything, either, since I’m weaker than you, too.”

“I didn’t say that…”

“Why do you harm people? Every time you harm someone else, you get your own mental and physical scars, too. Don’t you see that?”

“They insulted you, said that giving birth to a child with Dream Sight is the only thing you’re good for. They don’t know anything.”

“…I’m sorry. Maybe I need to take on those scars of yours, then.”

“You don’t have to do that. I’m going to protect you, okay? So don’t make that face, Mis—um…Sumi.”

“Someday, I want to ensure everyone in the Usuba family can openly walk out in the sun.”

“Are you going to become the head of the family?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought that far. But I just want everyone to live freer lives. That goes for you, too, of course.”

“Even if I was free to do what I wanted, I’m sure I would still stay here with you. Forever and ever.”

“Tee-hee. Nope, I won’t allow it. You can’t just keep looking at me, Naoshi, you need to—”

“There’s something I have to tell you, Naoshi. I’m going to get married to the Saimoris after all.”

Suddenly, Miyo returned to her senses.

She brought her fingertips up to her cheek—it was wet. She didn’t know why exactly she’d been crying. But she felt distraught somehow, like there was a lump in her throat.

Was all of that just now…?

On the defogged steps ahead of Miyo, the figure of Sumi had vanished, along with the several shades that had been behind her.

The flames from the lanterns had disappeared; now there was nothing here but stone stairs continuing up into the gray sky.

Miyo gazed out on the clear, open world in blank amazement.

Nothing about her had changed at all. Yet in spite of it, she somehow felt overpowered now that the scenery had changed so decisively.

“Kiyoka.”

From her side, her fiancé continued to smile at her in silence.

Thinking to herself that a dream was really nothing more than an illusion, she turned to face him.

“Kiyoka…please, wait for me. I promise, I will come to see you,” Miyo declared, balling her fist and bringing it to her chest. Kiyoka replied with a single nod before he disappeared as well, like a wisp of smoke.

Miyo kept looking down in front of her for a moment, as if reflecting on the traces he had left behind, before she raised her head and descended the stone steps.