NATAPOS na ring magpaalam ni Kourin sa mga monk sa Izumi Temple. Oo at alam niyang delikado 'tong naisip niyang gawin para lang iligtas ang natitira pa sa mga taong naglilingkod sa pamilya niya. Pero may isa siyang matinding dahilan kung bakit pinili niyang patayin ang tunay niyang pagkakakilanlan. Unfortunately, not even her older sister knew that reason.
Sa ngayon, mas mabuti pang kay Kourin na lang iyon. Alam naman niya na malalaman pa rin nito iyon kahit na anong paraan pa niya itago iyon. That was how skilled her Mari-neesan was.
"Do you have to hide that even from us?"
Napatigil si Kourin sa paglalakad papunta sa sariling study room sa lugar na iyon. Since the Shinomiya mansion was destroyed, naroon sila pansamantala sa vacation house na pag-aari ng mga Yumemiya sa isang tagong lugar. It was laid in the heart of an unnamed forest somewhere in Kanagawa Prefecture. Mabuti na raw na magtago muna sila roon habang inaayos pa ang mga kakailanganin sa paglipat na gagawin nila.
Kilala ni Kourin ang nagsalitang iyon. Kahit nasa labas siya ng study room ng kanyang Ate Mari, madali para sa kanya na alamin kung sino ang mga nagsasalita roon. It was a trait that she possessed and was trained to be used to its full potential with the help of her former shadow guardian Tetsuya Kisaragi.
"You know a Knight must not show any sign of weakness, Shigeru. Even though the world doesn't know me as a member of the Shrouded Flowers."
"And now your sister had just done the same sacrifice you did for the Shrouded Flowers' sake, Lady Mari."
Tama nga si Kourin. Si Kuya Shigeru ang nagsalitang iyon.
"I see that everyone had gathered." It was Kourin's sister who spoke again. And by everyone, that means kasama rin sa loob ng study room na iyon ang iba pang Knights na bumubuo sa 12 Knights of the Sky.
Exclusive guardians and bodyguards ang mga ito ng Shinomiya clan, partikular na ng mga miyembro ng main branch. Meaning, Kourin and her sister. Isa pa, sila na lang naman ni Ate ang natitira sa main branch.
"We had to. Now that the princess had come up with this kind of decision."
It was Takumi Miyuzaki, ang kapatid ni Shigeru. Ito ang narinig niyang nagsabi niyon.
"And to think you gave your consent for her to do this. Just what in the world are you trying to do, Lady Mari?"
That was one of the worrywarts of the Miyuzaki clan and Takumi's twin sister, Tsukasa.
"I know it's shocking for the two of you. But I also know that you can immediately figure out the reason why I consented to my sister's decision despite its absurdity, as most of you would call it."
Walang narinig si Kourin na nagsalita matapos sabihin iyon ni Ate Mari. Isa lang naman ang rasong hindi niya ipinaalam sa kapatid tungkol sa naging desisyon niya. As for the rest, she was truly surprised when her sister didn't even hesitate to agree with her plan.
"I have to admit, Lady Mari, that the princess was truly absurd for her to discard her identity as Kourin Shinomiya, as a family princess. Pardon me if I'm out of the line for saying this. But I think that... there is an even bigger reason for you to allow her to do that."
Napangiti na lang si Kourin nang malungkot sa narinig niya kay Amiko. Ito ang pinakabata sa 12 Knights at ang kasalukuyan niyang shadow guardian. At ito lang yata ang nakakapagsabi sa ibang tao, lalo na sa kapatid niya, na nababaliw na siya. That her decision was absurd. But Amiko knew her as well as her sister.
Narinig ni Kourin na may bumuntong-hininga habang patuloy siyang nakikinig mula sa labas ng study room na iyon. Pero hindi nga lang niya alam kung sino.
"You're astute as ever, Amiko. My sister's decision was something that we need to take advantage of, especially at this point. But this is one mission that I'll be giving to all of us. I'm not sure how this will turn out for all of us. But..."
"But whatever it takes, we have to finish it. At least for the princess' sake. Am I right?" This time, lalaki naman ang nagsalita. And Kourin knew that voice.
"This isn't just for her, Chrono. This is for all of us. For the sake of everyone's future that our parents and relatives had tried to defend with their very lives that night," Kourin heard Mari state to the half-Japanese man she referred to as Chrono.
"Ending those wretched Dark Rose members would be the answer to that, huh?"
It was Chrono's cousin Mamoru Yumemiya who spoke this time.
"Does this mean our mission has something to do with them? Is that what you're trying to say, Onii-chan?"
"That's right, Miyako. Of course, I could be wrong. We might be dealing with a different mission."
"No, you're not, Mamoru. It's true. Our mission will go exactly as you stated it a while back," Kourin's sister suddenly announced that she would expect to surprise the others. "We're not going to let another battle with those people end the same way again. This time, as we hunt for the Dark Rose and fight them ー eliminating them along the way, we have to protect what was left of us. We have to make them believe that the princess had truly died with the rest of my family. Whatever it takes, we have to eliminate them ー the same way they tried to eliminate all of us that night."
The way Mari had spoken those words was something laced with pain, bitterness, anger, and determination ー one that Kourin was sure the 12 Knights could tell that had originated from all that had happened since that night they lost everything.
The Shinomiya clan's honor had fallen, and the other three (Azuraya, Yumemiya, and Miyuzaki) were left torn and trampled upon by the enemies. Now they just had to implement the ultimate counterattack to end this battle ー once and for all!
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