Royal Princess of Blood Vol. 5 Chapter 122: A God Walking Among Men (Part 3)

Miyako and her parents arrived at her father’s office. She was especially unnerved at the mont, severely deliberating on how to properly handle this. She was already here, and she was determined to say what she had to say, but she still couldn’t decide on how to say it in a way that wouldn’t make her family too outraged about what she had done.

That said, from what she had been observing from Estelia, perhaps during conversations, it was good to just go with the flow. No need to overthink it. Thinking about it, there was no point in trying to avoid a scary reaction from her parents, especially from her father. It was inevitable. Therefore, all she had to do was to be honest here and tell her parents what had happened and express her plans for the future.

From the looks of it, just from hearing what happened at Hokunoa already stressed her father so much. She was concerned that it would make his condition worse. But this must be done.

Her father sat down on a chair and let out a long sigh. “I shouldn’t have sent you there.” He was regretful.

“Don’t say that, dear,” Haru softly said to her husband.

“She’s right, Father. What happened to would have happened to you.” And she didn’t think he would have survived.

“Better than you.”

Miyako shook her head. “What’s done is done. Everything went better than it could have because I was the one there. Because it would have beco worse for all of us.”

“... What do you an by that?”

Miyako slowly sat down on the opposite seat. “Mother, please sit down as well.”

Kiyoshi and Haru traded glances for a mont before the latter sat down beside Kiyoshi.

“I suspect the attack on was a big sche to start an early war between us and Hokunoa… And the ones behind it all are… demons.”

Both her parents’ eyes widened. Kiyoshi abruptly leaned forward. “Demons?!” He suddenly choked and started coughing terribly. Haru gently pulled him in and rubbed his back as he wheezed. “A-Are you sure it’s demons?”

“Yes. Demons are everywhere, hiding among us. During our journey to Hokunoa’s capital, we faced a demon leading a group of bandits. He was in human form. It ca to … that demons may very well be on our island doing such things.”

“... We believed demons to be staying mostly on their island. Not ddling with our affairs.”

“I think that’s what they want us to believe.”

“... Are you saying the demons want Hokunoa to fight each other? How did you reach such a conclusion?”

Miyako lowered her head, pursing her lips for a mont. It pained her to tell that part of the story. Clenching her hands, she continued, “... The truth about Yuki’s death… is that… he was killed by a demon to fra .” She closed her eyes and abruptly stood up and faced the window, crossing her arms.

Both her parents fell silent for a mont, noticing the intense emotion coming from their daughter. Like what happened hurt her deeply in her heart.

“Miyako… You t their young lord?” Haru asked.

“Y-Yes… The demon killed him right in front of , and I couldn’t do anything. This demon… he stood among Tobunoa’s entourage.”

“... A demon… And he spared you, letting you escape?”

“Yes, he wanted ‌ to suffer Yoshio’s fury. Which will incite the war that has been brewing for so ti now.” She then turned towards them with a firm expression. “I had to do sothing, I couldn’t let the demons have their way. I had to protect Nishinoa!”

Kiyoshi furrowed his brow. “Miyako, what did you do?”

“... I ordered the assassination of the lord of Hokunoa.”

Both her parents were in shock, Haru placing a hand on her lips. They never could have imagined that their daughter would do sothing so drastic and incredibly consequential. Both of them were speechless.

“All in order to cause conflict within themselves and prevent them from attacking us in any way. I had to take him out.”

“So you caused greater chaos?!” Kiyoshi abruptly stood up, angry. “You don’t know how it could affect us all.” He suddenly started coughing.

“Dear, calm down,” Haru tried to put him at ease.

“N-No. Miyako, this was a decision that should be carefully thought out. Figure out how it will affect us. We might only bring soone in power even more dangerous than the last. It could also drag every other island into this fight. Tobunoa will take the chance to expand its territory! And we are not ready for it.”

“Ti was short, I had to make a decision. I do not regret it. Besides, Hokunoa have been wanting to invade us, they would have attacked us either way. Their lord must be eliminated. I have surmised how the others would act and take advantage of the situation. That is why we must respond accordingly.”

Kiyoshi dropped back into his seat with a tired sigh and a shaking head. “You will cause countless deaths in this civil war you started. This is sothing you will carry on your shoulders.”

“... I know.” And it was a weight she must carry.

“... I shouldn’t have sent you there. We could have prevented this,” he said that again, with visible regret on his face. “You wouldn’t have to go through all this…”

“... How did you even get to kill their lord?” Her mother asked. “You shouldn’t have been able to.”

“Estelia did it, I requested her to do so. She killed their head ninja along with him. Hokunoa is more vulnerable than ever.”

“Unbelievable…” Haru lowered her gaze.

“Father, Mother, protecting the island is not the only reason I did all of that… I…” She was about to say it. The impossible goal. She gathered the courage to speak out the words. “I plan to unite the whole of Shinoroa.”

Kiyoshi’s hand trembled as he placed it on his forehead. “That’s absurd… Do you have any idea how many enemies you’ll have to face? And apparently, demons will be among them.”

“I know.”

“How are you going to achieve such a thing?”

“With your help.”

“Don’t be a fool! If it had been so easy, it would have been done long ago. And I will not allow my daughter to do sothing pointless!” He was already getting tired just from his outburst alone.

“I-It’s not pointless, Father! I have co this far. All the lives lost, I can’t let it go to waste.”

Estelia was right, she had realized it. Deep inside her heart, she wanted to use the situation to get what she wanted. To start the archipelago’s unity at last. And Hokunoa, conquering it was a start. Once it was weakened, they could take it. She couldn’t bear to do nothing.

“You won’t do anything.”

“Please, Father.” She directed a pleading look at him.

“Aargh,” he waves his hand, dismissing her as he stood up and made his way to the door. His legs seed a bit unstable. “I will not let you and this island pursue a pointless goal. I still have to handle this dire situation we found ourselves in.”

Miyako pointed a resolute gaze at him. “I’m absolutely determined about this, Father. There must be a change. I saw many terrible things during my journey. People suffering, people’s cruelty, making unjust slaves of others, abusing them. All of it is repulsive. Shinoroa is repulsive.”

Kiyoshi paused. “Repulsive, you say? It’s all we’ve got.”

“No… It can be better.”

“Many lords had attempted to conquer other islands, in hopes of becoming the Shogun. All of them failed. What makes you think you can beco the Shogun, young lady?”

“I don’t intend to beco the Shogun. I intend to dismantle this system and create Shinoroa anew.”

“There’s no difference.”

“There is!”

Kiyoshi shook his head. “That is a tall mountain you intend to climb, Miyako. As your father, I don’t want it happening to you. As the lord of this island, I cannot let you have your way.”

“That’s the problem, unwilling to act to achieve change. Deep inside, I know we all yearn for a better holand. And yet we do nothing to solve the real problem.”

He shook his head. “My decision, you can’t do anything about it.”

“Please think about it, Father.”

Kiyoshi scoffed and left the room. Now, all that remained were Miyako and her mother.

“Mother, I’m sorry you had to see that.”

Haru’s face showed hesitation. “We all dream of a beautiful holand. But we, despite how much we try, failure is inevitable.”

“Such a pessimistic view, Mother.”

“... Perhaps. Still, I believe it can’t hurt to hope for sothing good. But as your mother, I cannot agree with you. I fear for your safety.”

“Mother… I want to do this. Long have I wished for this.”

Haru lowered her gaze. “Then do what you wish.”

“Help convince Father.”

“That is a heavy thing you’re asking. You’re essentially asking your own people to go to war.”

“Sacrifices must be made.”

Haru shook her head. “We must all rest for now. Let us all think and reflect. Especially you and your father. Let ti pass.”

“... But…”

“Patience is important, Miyako.”

Miyako took a deep breath, closing her eyes. “Okay…”

***

Haru, Miyako’s mother, rushed down to a basent, or rather a vault, where a lone guard stood at the entrance. This basent was a ‌sort of archive where they stored old and ancient items. Ranging from scrolls, small statues, swords, or any other objects of significance. However, right now, she was heading to the part where religious items were stored safely, few as they may be. She just wanted to look at sothing.

Haru was among a family line that valued history, especially those that were connected to the divine. Still, there was not much going on in that regard. Shinoroa had long since stopped believing in gods. However, Haru’s family line and the people connected to it knew so religious practices. Even the blood art that was taught to her daughter. Her family had been the ones to maintain what little remained of that divine art, and to teach those in the line of rulers, even if none of those rulers married those from Haru’s family.

It was traditional, after all. At least it used to be. They were trying all they could to conserve it. But in ti, their knowledge degraded. And thus resulting in the flawed blood art. Belief in gods had long since deteriorated.

That being said, sothing arrived today that reminded her of sothing she had seen in the past. And it shook her to the core. If it were true, then gods were real.

She entered the vault and headed for the back of the chamber. She searched around in the dusty room and items until she found a wide wooden box. Holding her breath, she unhooked the lock. She hesitated for a mont.

If what I think is true, then this ans sothing.

Anxiety built up in her heart. This was significant. She clenched her fist and opened ‌the box. Inside was a dusty parchnt; no, it was a canvas. She gently blew on the canvas, revealing an old, ancient painting that had been drawn a long, long ti ago. When the image beca clear, Haru gasped as she took a step back.

“It can’t be…”

It was a painting, a painting of a woman’s face. The color had faded sowhat, but most of it was clear enough. The woman in the painting had a beautiful smile on her face. She had long white hair, pale skin, and crimson eyes. She was absolutely beautiful. Her face was incredibly similar to their newly arrived guest, although the woman in the painting looked older. But the characteristics were the sa.

Haru couldn’t believe it, her heart raced. This was the painting of a goddess that once guided their people in the far, far past. The one who taught them ways to fend for themselves, to help them survive. Taught them miracles to fight those who cannot be killed by normal ans. She was the goddess they once worshipped.

And a young woman, brought by her daughter, shared a similar appearance. This couldn’t have been a re coincidence. Haru took a breath. It was hard to believe, but the truth lay before her. She had returned.

“A god walks among us.”

She didn’t know what she should feel. How should she even go about this? What should she do? Should she show her respect? She feared offending the gods. None had treated her as she should have been.

Why is she a princess?

She couldn’t understand what was going on. But a person who shared a similar appearance to a goddess revered in the far past, arriving all the way here from another land, was all too significant. It was certain. A god walks among n.

“I-I have to do s-sothing… But I-I don’t know what…”