Novel 13 Translation - Ch. 0 part II
Title: Reimei ni Kohaku wa Kirameku (Book 13)
Chapter: 0
Ryuuki took a deep breath, standing in front of the Chamber of State Affairs in which the chancellery meeting was going to beheld. Ouki, Riou, Uu Uu, Shou-Taishi, and Sou Taifu should already be waiting for him inside. Aside from the affairs concerning Kouyuu, more importantly, Ryuuki had to apologize to them for abandoning his responsibilities as the emperor.
The door was opened, and Yuushun walked in first.
Ryuuki took a breath, and took one step inside.
Looking around, everyone was staring at Ryuuki. Ever since the previous emperor forbade the exercise of the bowing as a greeting rite on grounds of “I want to see your faces first”, every time Ryuuki walked in had had to face everyone’s stares. Even though they have always looked at Ryuuki in this manner, Ryuuki’s had never looked at them.
Ryuuki let his glance linger on Riou’s face-his eyes were still as deep and tranquil as a forest in the night.
In this forest in the night, Ryuuki became a lost child.
“Is it your idea as a ruler, or your idea as Shi Ryuuki?”
Ryuuki had decided, he would apologize succinctly like when he gave his answer at that time. He didn’t want to run away anymore.
“We apologize for giving everyone so much trouble during the time We were in the Ran Province. We promise that we would never act so recklessly again.”
Sou Taifu’s eyes became a little gentler, and there was a hint of a smile on Shou Taishi’s face. Riou and Ouki slightly raised their brows too.
After letting out a breath, the first person who spoke was Ouki.
“…First of all, it is to be rejoiced that Your Majesty was able to return safely. Oh, Your Majesty is intending to make Jyuusan-hime your First Lady of the harem, right?”
“Uhh, ah yeah, tha-that’s right. And then-“
“Just hearing that is enough. Then, what did Your Majesty obtain in the Ran Province? When will the Ran clan official return to court?”
For a moment, Ryuuki had no answer.
“Uh…”
“Of course You Majesty established some sort of agreement with the Ran clan leader?”
“…”
“It is rumored that Ran Shuuei has been disowned by the Ran Honke, is this true?”
“Umm…”
Ouki’s sharp gaze continued to dig out answers from Ryuuki.
Ouki, whose brows at creased to form a deep wrinkle, uttered a long sigh again.
“…Has Your Majesty returned empty-handed? What was the reason that Your Majesty went to the Ran Province in the first place?”
“It was to bring Shuuei-“
“That is absolutely ludicrous. What value does a person abandoned by the Ran clan, a commoner, have in court? He left court without permission after having returned the Flower, didn’t bring back the title of a Ran Official as a gift, and could not utilize the powers of the Ran clan. Your Majesty is surely not thinking of letting him resume his post?”
Riou’s eyes, which were like a forest in the darkness, dropped too.
“…Thus, the direct line of the Ran clan has disappeared from court…the connection to the Ran clan has been severed completely.”
Ryuuki’s heart wavered as though a clock pendulum. Even though he didn’t go to the Ran Province to obtain the Ran clan’s allegiance, saying so would only seem like an excuse. Even though he chose to rush back to Kiyou, now that he thought about it, perhaps he should have had a talk with the Ran clan leader first, but if he did that, the throne would continue to be empty…
Riou became aware of Ryuuki’s expression, and continued, “…Oh well, it is not news that the Ran clan can’t be depended on, you don’t have to worry about it. But, you had better not use your authority to restore Ran Shuuei to his position as shogun. That would show favoritism. You have the slight tendency of…favoring those you like. It’s alright even if you correct that slowly, as long as you gradually correct it. Personal likes and dislikes are things that one really can’t change, but sometimes one could lose a lot of things in the areas one dislikes. That’s not really a good thing, because your job is to utilize as many talented individuals as possible.”
Ryuuki had nothing with which to retort. In times like now, he really had to wonder who was the emperor, himself or Riou. Just how did Riou learn to do these things?
“Everyone is too wanting of patience. We should all be happy that His Majesty has returned safely.”
Uu Uu said as he moved with small steps toward Ryuuki. Ryuuki was so moved that he almost shed tears, but-
“Was there any advancements in Your Majesty’s feelings toward Jyuusan-hime while Your Majesty was in the Ran Province? Is Your Majesty planning on making her the First Lady of the harem and not a concubine?”
“Uh-uh…”
Hearing his expectant voice, Ryuuki was so scared that he wanted run, but at the same time he realized that if he announced here that he would take Jyuusan-hime as concubine, then the connection with the Ranclan would be maintained.
Perhaps as emperor, he should do that. Just like he had told Shuurei in the Ran Province, he had already made half the mental preparations, but Ryuuki stilled wanted to make a gamble on that last shred of hope.
“P-Please…give me more…time to think about it.”
“Is that so…then Your Majesty…did anything strange happen to you while you were in the Ran Province?”
Riou and Ouki’s eyes suddenly became sharp.
Ryuuki thought about the meeting with Hiou Ruka, but no matter what he could not tell them at this particular time and place that he was almost killed by here. There were Riou’s blood relations to think about, as well as Uu Uu’s deep connections with the Hiou clan. If Ryuuki remembered correctly, the Ou clan should be a branch of the Hiou clan.
“No…nothing important happened.”
Uu Uu looked up at Ryuuki with eyes under snow-white brows. He only dared to lower his head noiselessly when he saw that Ryuuki intended to say nothing, and murmured in a voice that only Ryuuki can hear, “…Your Majesty…is too kind.”
Uu Uu grabbed Ryuuki’s hand before he can respond. Then, a feeling of numbness overtook Ryuuki’s body. It was only an instand, and before Ryuuki can decide whether it was a product of his imagination, Uu Uu had already let go of his hands.
“Then, about the cases we received during Your Majesty’s absence…”
After they finished discussing Yuushun’s decision of having Heki Karin design the new coins that would be put into production and a few other cases, they began talking about Kouyuu’s imprisonment case.
* * *
After the conclusion of the chancellery meeting, Ouki summoned Ki Kouki to his administration chamber, and sent everyone else out.
“…that emperor is too naïve. No, both the lords and the Prince are naïve.” Ouki hissed. During the chancellery meeting, the emperor had the means to turn his defenses into attacks, but he didn’t use them. If he had answered Uu Uu’s question truthfully with what happened in Kyuusaikou, then Kouyuu’s case would have been nothing. As regarding the events that happened in Kyuusaikou, Ouki had already received a report from Shiba Jin.
If he had disclosed that the Hiou clan had ordered his assassination, then Ki Kouki, as the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department, could begin an investigation. That’s a charge of assassinating the emperor, Kouyuu’s case would be nothing in comparison. Even though that would inevitably result in the decapitation of the most literal sense of Riou and Uu Uu, whose connections run deep with the Hiou clan, but on grounds of Hiou Ruka’s actions, that would not be unreasonable. More importantly, this was a good way of allowing the emperor to stall for more time, maybe even enough for him to save Kouyuu. Yet, that emperor had put his feelings first.
(But, at least his expressions are better than before.)
Ouki felt that there were just a few degrees less of that naïve brat look on his face.
(Nonetheless, Hiou Ruka’s actions were too risky.)
A few wrinkles immediately appeared on Ouki’s brows. Only one move of hers could set everything else awry.
Nevertheless, the Ran clan had disowned Ran Shuuei, and thus drew a clear line between themselves and the emperor and court. Then, the other major clan would be next.
“Take down Li Kouyuu, and leave the rest to Youshuu. He should be able to do things well.”
“Yes.”
Ouki closed his eyes. From the distant shores of time past, came a voice that should have long been long gone.
“We are the emperor. You must bow before Us and submit to Us. If you do not like it, come and claim the throne for yourself.”
Along time had passed since the man called the Despot had died.
“Kouki, I trust you know why you were placed on the position of the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department?”
“Yes.”
“Good, then go do the things that you should do. You may leave.”
At first Kouki went out, but he immediately came back again, Moreover, he was holding a plate and a jar. Before a surprised, frowning Ouki, Kouki swiftly got something out of the far and putit on the plate. Ouki had seen those things before, they were pickled blue duck eggs, which were renowned for their nutritional value.
“Please have some. I heard that Your Excellency has not been eating much lately.”
“I’m getting old.”
“Is that so? Regardless of the reason, I will stay here until Your Excellency has eaten some.”
Kouki’s aura suddenly became more forceful. Ouki tightened his frowning face despite himself. Kouki was a person always true to his word. Regardless if it was three days or four days, before he had eaten some, Kouki would stick around him all day with a plate of pickled duck eggs.
Jut thinking about it irritated Ouki-that would just be too foolish. Thus, he had no choice but to unwillingly take the chopsticks into his hands. Blue duck eggs, it had a certain nostalgic flavor when he ate it.
“…did that girl bring all these back from the Ran Province?”
“Hmm, Son Ryouo-sama said that Your Excellency should like it.”
“How foolish. You can ignore the jest that comes out of that guy’s mouth. He only ever say unnecessary things.”
Ouki’s expression became more bitter still, but he did not stop, and gradually ate a whole plate.
As long as Kouki left this room, he will change back to the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department again.
“…please enjoy these slowly. It will trouble me if one of these gets lodged in Your Excellency’s throat and sends Your Excellency to heaven.
Kouki tended to always say one unnecessary sentence. Ouki stiffened despite himself. To have said such a thing without any expression!
“…Go tell that to Shou Taishi and his friends, don’t stay here and make the duck eggs hard on my palate.”
“Why? I don’t plan on saying such intimate things to him, it will be to my pleasure if Shou Taishi is sent to heaven early.”
Kouki was a little unhappy, it seemed that he really thought that was a soothing thing to say. So, his head was a wired a little wrong after all-Ouki smiled lightly, and then thought about Hiou Ruka again. That relentless, perspicacious woman who never overlooked anything…
Ouki was very mindful of the action Hiou Ruka had chosen to take. Hiou Ruka would only act according to her own will, but she wasn’t stupid. Even though Kyuusaikou was under Hiou jurisdiction, but this was Kiyou, and there were no benefits for her if she got in Ouki’s way now. That woman couldn’t mess things up even if she wanted to…
(…no, now that he thought about it, before-)
“…Kouki, Kouyuu should be fine, right?”
“What do you mean…fine? I just imprisoned him. I didn’t interrogate or torture him.”
“I know, but the Hiou clan had already started acting, so I was wondering…even though you don’t know, but I just remembered, that family would employ certain methods at a time like this…even though I think not yet…”
“Assassination?”
“Even though they do agree that that’s the quickest method, but if they wanted to push an official obstructing their way into a dead end, the Hiou clan has a method even easier than killing.”
Ouki put the chopsticks on the empty plate, and revealed that method succinctly.
“Damage the mind, or have the person sink into a state similar to it…they might do that.”
Kouki reverted to his Senior Chamberlain of Imperial Inquisition face, and was lost in thought. After a while, a smiling expression came into his light-colored eyes.
“If that’s the case, then it’s even more convenient for us. No matter what, I’ll let Seiga know.”
* * *
“Uu Uu…do you think that…Oba-sama really didn’t do anything to the emperor while he was in Kyuusaikou?” Riou asked first thing after carrying Uu Uu back to The Cave of the Immortals.
Even though Riou was relieved that the Shuurei and the emperor returned safely, at the same time he felt a certain strange unease. His aunt, who was so skilled in power games, had released them so easily-that was what he worried about most. Kyuusaikou was under the jurisdiction of the Cave of the Immortals. A report should have been sent from the Ran provincial government no matter what happened, but up till now it had not been delivered to Riou. The emperor was escorted back by the Ran navy in the most swift manner, so the report was slower.
“…but, this is Kiyou nonetheless…even if it is Oba-sama, she shouldn’t be able to do too much.” Riou muttered, as though to himself. Riou thought it very strange that he had such hopes. Just what was the meaning of such feelings? He was, after all, just a pawn in the Hiou clan.
At that moment, Uu Uu suddenly looked up with an expression of having had an epiphany, and his snow-white beard trembled.
Riou felt a foreboding feeling overcame him.
“…Uu Uu, did you think of a lead?”
“Well…Li Kouyuu-sama is imprisoned in jail right now…”
Hearing that unexpected name, Riou’s eyes went round. Assistant Secretary Li? Why mention his name now?
“…so? He wasn’t imprisoned for inappropriate reasons.”
Terrifying memories from the past flashed in Uu Uu’s mind. To tell them to Riou was a very cruel and agonizing thing. But Riou was a person who would eventually have to bear the weight of the Hiou clan.
Even though he didn’t know if Hiou Ruka had orchestrated that, but if Uu Uu wasn’t mistaken, to take precautions before hand was already impossible. Thus, Uu Uu started his narration gravely.
He felt as though he could hear Hiou Ruka’s sinister laughter.
A/N: I couldn't fit the entry into one post (which will likely be the case for all subsequent translations), so i split it into two. Big thanks to all those who helped me with all the question, I very much appreciate it :D I translated the opening scene as prologue...and then I ran into the actual prologue...so I ended up titling it Ch. 0....-_-
Tentative release date for Ch. 1: Sept. 19th.
Chapter: 0
Ryuuki took a deep breath, standing in front of the Chamber of State Affairs in which the chancellery meeting was going to beheld. Ouki, Riou, Uu Uu, Shou-Taishi, and Sou Taifu should already be waiting for him inside. Aside from the affairs concerning Kouyuu, more importantly, Ryuuki had to apologize to them for abandoning his responsibilities as the emperor.
The door was opened, and Yuushun walked in first.
Ryuuki took a breath, and took one step inside.
Looking around, everyone was staring at Ryuuki. Ever since the previous emperor forbade the exercise of the bowing as a greeting rite on grounds of “I want to see your faces first”, every time Ryuuki walked in had had to face everyone’s stares. Even though they have always looked at Ryuuki in this manner, Ryuuki’s had never looked at them.
Ryuuki let his glance linger on Riou’s face-his eyes were still as deep and tranquil as a forest in the night.
In this forest in the night, Ryuuki became a lost child.
“Is it your idea as a ruler, or your idea as Shi Ryuuki?”
Ryuuki had decided, he would apologize succinctly like when he gave his answer at that time. He didn’t want to run away anymore.
“We apologize for giving everyone so much trouble during the time We were in the Ran Province. We promise that we would never act so recklessly again.”
Sou Taifu’s eyes became a little gentler, and there was a hint of a smile on Shou Taishi’s face. Riou and Ouki slightly raised their brows too.
After letting out a breath, the first person who spoke was Ouki.
“…First of all, it is to be rejoiced that Your Majesty was able to return safely. Oh, Your Majesty is intending to make Jyuusan-hime your First Lady of the harem, right?”
“Uhh, ah yeah, tha-that’s right. And then-“
“Just hearing that is enough. Then, what did Your Majesty obtain in the Ran Province? When will the Ran clan official return to court?”
For a moment, Ryuuki had no answer.
“Uh…”
“Of course You Majesty established some sort of agreement with the Ran clan leader?”
“…”
“It is rumored that Ran Shuuei has been disowned by the Ran Honke, is this true?”
“Umm…”
Ouki’s sharp gaze continued to dig out answers from Ryuuki.
Ouki, whose brows at creased to form a deep wrinkle, uttered a long sigh again.
“…Has Your Majesty returned empty-handed? What was the reason that Your Majesty went to the Ran Province in the first place?”
“It was to bring Shuuei-“
“That is absolutely ludicrous. What value does a person abandoned by the Ran clan, a commoner, have in court? He left court without permission after having returned the Flower, didn’t bring back the title of a Ran Official as a gift, and could not utilize the powers of the Ran clan. Your Majesty is surely not thinking of letting him resume his post?”
Riou’s eyes, which were like a forest in the darkness, dropped too.
“…Thus, the direct line of the Ran clan has disappeared from court…the connection to the Ran clan has been severed completely.”
Ryuuki’s heart wavered as though a clock pendulum. Even though he didn’t go to the Ran Province to obtain the Ran clan’s allegiance, saying so would only seem like an excuse. Even though he chose to rush back to Kiyou, now that he thought about it, perhaps he should have had a talk with the Ran clan leader first, but if he did that, the throne would continue to be empty…
Riou became aware of Ryuuki’s expression, and continued, “…Oh well, it is not news that the Ran clan can’t be depended on, you don’t have to worry about it. But, you had better not use your authority to restore Ran Shuuei to his position as shogun. That would show favoritism. You have the slight tendency of…favoring those you like. It’s alright even if you correct that slowly, as long as you gradually correct it. Personal likes and dislikes are things that one really can’t change, but sometimes one could lose a lot of things in the areas one dislikes. That’s not really a good thing, because your job is to utilize as many talented individuals as possible.”
Ryuuki had nothing with which to retort. In times like now, he really had to wonder who was the emperor, himself or Riou. Just how did Riou learn to do these things?
“Everyone is too wanting of patience. We should all be happy that His Majesty has returned safely.”
Uu Uu said as he moved with small steps toward Ryuuki. Ryuuki was so moved that he almost shed tears, but-
“Was there any advancements in Your Majesty’s feelings toward Jyuusan-hime while Your Majesty was in the Ran Province? Is Your Majesty planning on making her the First Lady of the harem and not a concubine?”
“Uh-uh…”
Hearing his expectant voice, Ryuuki was so scared that he wanted run, but at the same time he realized that if he announced here that he would take Jyuusan-hime as concubine, then the connection with the Ranclan would be maintained.
Perhaps as emperor, he should do that. Just like he had told Shuurei in the Ran Province, he had already made half the mental preparations, but Ryuuki stilled wanted to make a gamble on that last shred of hope.
“P-Please…give me more…time to think about it.”
“Is that so…then Your Majesty…did anything strange happen to you while you were in the Ran Province?”
Riou and Ouki’s eyes suddenly became sharp.
Ryuuki thought about the meeting with Hiou Ruka, but no matter what he could not tell them at this particular time and place that he was almost killed by here. There were Riou’s blood relations to think about, as well as Uu Uu’s deep connections with the Hiou clan. If Ryuuki remembered correctly, the Ou clan should be a branch of the Hiou clan.
“No…nothing important happened.”
Uu Uu looked up at Ryuuki with eyes under snow-white brows. He only dared to lower his head noiselessly when he saw that Ryuuki intended to say nothing, and murmured in a voice that only Ryuuki can hear, “…Your Majesty…is too kind.”
Uu Uu grabbed Ryuuki’s hand before he can respond. Then, a feeling of numbness overtook Ryuuki’s body. It was only an instand, and before Ryuuki can decide whether it was a product of his imagination, Uu Uu had already let go of his hands.
“Then, about the cases we received during Your Majesty’s absence…”
After they finished discussing Yuushun’s decision of having Heki Karin design the new coins that would be put into production and a few other cases, they began talking about Kouyuu’s imprisonment case.
* * *
After the conclusion of the chancellery meeting, Ouki summoned Ki Kouki to his administration chamber, and sent everyone else out.
“…that emperor is too naïve. No, both the lords and the Prince are naïve.” Ouki hissed. During the chancellery meeting, the emperor had the means to turn his defenses into attacks, but he didn’t use them. If he had answered Uu Uu’s question truthfully with what happened in Kyuusaikou, then Kouyuu’s case would have been nothing. As regarding the events that happened in Kyuusaikou, Ouki had already received a report from Shiba Jin.
If he had disclosed that the Hiou clan had ordered his assassination, then Ki Kouki, as the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department, could begin an investigation. That’s a charge of assassinating the emperor, Kouyuu’s case would be nothing in comparison. Even though that would inevitably result in the decapitation of the most literal sense of Riou and Uu Uu, whose connections run deep with the Hiou clan, but on grounds of Hiou Ruka’s actions, that would not be unreasonable. More importantly, this was a good way of allowing the emperor to stall for more time, maybe even enough for him to save Kouyuu. Yet, that emperor had put his feelings first.
(But, at least his expressions are better than before.)
Ouki felt that there were just a few degrees less of that naïve brat look on his face.
(Nonetheless, Hiou Ruka’s actions were too risky.)
A few wrinkles immediately appeared on Ouki’s brows. Only one move of hers could set everything else awry.
Nevertheless, the Ran clan had disowned Ran Shuuei, and thus drew a clear line between themselves and the emperor and court. Then, the other major clan would be next.
“Take down Li Kouyuu, and leave the rest to Youshuu. He should be able to do things well.”
“Yes.”
Ouki closed his eyes. From the distant shores of time past, came a voice that should have long been long gone.
“We are the emperor. You must bow before Us and submit to Us. If you do not like it, come and claim the throne for yourself.”
Along time had passed since the man called the Despot had died.
“Kouki, I trust you know why you were placed on the position of the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department?”
“Yes.”
“Good, then go do the things that you should do. You may leave.”
At first Kouki went out, but he immediately came back again, Moreover, he was holding a plate and a jar. Before a surprised, frowning Ouki, Kouki swiftly got something out of the far and putit on the plate. Ouki had seen those things before, they were pickled blue duck eggs, which were renowned for their nutritional value.
“Please have some. I heard that Your Excellency has not been eating much lately.”
“I’m getting old.”
“Is that so? Regardless of the reason, I will stay here until Your Excellency has eaten some.”
Kouki’s aura suddenly became more forceful. Ouki tightened his frowning face despite himself. Kouki was a person always true to his word. Regardless if it was three days or four days, before he had eaten some, Kouki would stick around him all day with a plate of pickled duck eggs.
Jut thinking about it irritated Ouki-that would just be too foolish. Thus, he had no choice but to unwillingly take the chopsticks into his hands. Blue duck eggs, it had a certain nostalgic flavor when he ate it.
“…did that girl bring all these back from the Ran Province?”
“Hmm, Son Ryouo-sama said that Your Excellency should like it.”
“How foolish. You can ignore the jest that comes out of that guy’s mouth. He only ever say unnecessary things.”
Ouki’s expression became more bitter still, but he did not stop, and gradually ate a whole plate.
As long as Kouki left this room, he will change back to the Senior Chamberlain of the Imperial Inquisition Department again.
“…please enjoy these slowly. It will trouble me if one of these gets lodged in Your Excellency’s throat and sends Your Excellency to heaven.
Kouki tended to always say one unnecessary sentence. Ouki stiffened despite himself. To have said such a thing without any expression!
“…Go tell that to Shou Taishi and his friends, don’t stay here and make the duck eggs hard on my palate.”
“Why? I don’t plan on saying such intimate things to him, it will be to my pleasure if Shou Taishi is sent to heaven early.”
Kouki was a little unhappy, it seemed that he really thought that was a soothing thing to say. So, his head was a wired a little wrong after all-Ouki smiled lightly, and then thought about Hiou Ruka again. That relentless, perspicacious woman who never overlooked anything…
Ouki was very mindful of the action Hiou Ruka had chosen to take. Hiou Ruka would only act according to her own will, but she wasn’t stupid. Even though Kyuusaikou was under Hiou jurisdiction, but this was Kiyou, and there were no benefits for her if she got in Ouki’s way now. That woman couldn’t mess things up even if she wanted to…
(…no, now that he thought about it, before-)
“…Kouki, Kouyuu should be fine, right?”
“What do you mean…fine? I just imprisoned him. I didn’t interrogate or torture him.”
“I know, but the Hiou clan had already started acting, so I was wondering…even though you don’t know, but I just remembered, that family would employ certain methods at a time like this…even though I think not yet…”
“Assassination?”
“Even though they do agree that that’s the quickest method, but if they wanted to push an official obstructing their way into a dead end, the Hiou clan has a method even easier than killing.”
Ouki put the chopsticks on the empty plate, and revealed that method succinctly.
“Damage the mind, or have the person sink into a state similar to it…they might do that.”
Kouki reverted to his Senior Chamberlain of Imperial Inquisition face, and was lost in thought. After a while, a smiling expression came into his light-colored eyes.
“If that’s the case, then it’s even more convenient for us. No matter what, I’ll let Seiga know.”
* * *
“Uu Uu…do you think that…Oba-sama really didn’t do anything to the emperor while he was in Kyuusaikou?” Riou asked first thing after carrying Uu Uu back to The Cave of the Immortals.
Even though Riou was relieved that the Shuurei and the emperor returned safely, at the same time he felt a certain strange unease. His aunt, who was so skilled in power games, had released them so easily-that was what he worried about most. Kyuusaikou was under the jurisdiction of the Cave of the Immortals. A report should have been sent from the Ran provincial government no matter what happened, but up till now it had not been delivered to Riou. The emperor was escorted back by the Ran navy in the most swift manner, so the report was slower.
“…but, this is Kiyou nonetheless…even if it is Oba-sama, she shouldn’t be able to do too much.” Riou muttered, as though to himself. Riou thought it very strange that he had such hopes. Just what was the meaning of such feelings? He was, after all, just a pawn in the Hiou clan.
At that moment, Uu Uu suddenly looked up with an expression of having had an epiphany, and his snow-white beard trembled.
Riou felt a foreboding feeling overcame him.
“…Uu Uu, did you think of a lead?”
“Well…Li Kouyuu-sama is imprisoned in jail right now…”
Hearing that unexpected name, Riou’s eyes went round. Assistant Secretary Li? Why mention his name now?
“…so? He wasn’t imprisoned for inappropriate reasons.”
Terrifying memories from the past flashed in Uu Uu’s mind. To tell them to Riou was a very cruel and agonizing thing. But Riou was a person who would eventually have to bear the weight of the Hiou clan.
Even though he didn’t know if Hiou Ruka had orchestrated that, but if Uu Uu wasn’t mistaken, to take precautions before hand was already impossible. Thus, Uu Uu started his narration gravely.
He felt as though he could hear Hiou Ruka’s sinister laughter.
A/N: I couldn't fit the entry into one post (which will likely be the case for all subsequent translations), so i split it into two. Big thanks to all those who helped me with all the question, I very much appreciate it :D I translated the opening scene as prologue...and then I ran into the actual prologue...so I ended up titling it Ch. 0....-_-
Tentative release date for Ch. 1: Sept. 19th.