"I DON'T think forcing the princess to discard her own identity had truly helped her all this time."
Napalingon ang babaeng nagngangalang Aya Yukimura sa pinagmulan ng tinig na iyon. "She didn't discard her identity, my lord. No one forced her to. She merely wanted the world to discard her existence as the Shinomiya princess in order to let Zeus believe she really died along with the others that night."
"Is that what you think, Aya?"
"That's what I believe, Lord Theron. And I know that's what you think, as well, since you're the one who took her out of the danger."
"I merely protected her from that jerk who nearly succeeded in kidnapping her. Just as someone of a Miyamoto would always do to our masters we've been protecting over the centuries. After all, we are like the Yumemiya clan when it comes to doing our jobs of guarding important people."
Walang imik ang dalawa pagkatapos niyon. Kinuha ni Aya mula sa sleeves ng suot niyang kimono ang isang flute. Ilang sandali pa, pinatugtog niya iyon sa presensya ni Theron. After a few more moments of listening to it, Theron smiled.
"It's no wonder why the former Shinomiya head's wife had truly admired your flute playing," the Miyamoto heir stated.
Though Aya heard of it, she didn't deter from her position and continued playing. Tiyak niyang hindi na lingid kay Theron kung ano ang pinatutugtog niya sa flute ng mga sandaling iyon. But if one would ask her, that soulful song was Riya Shinomiya's favorite. The said woman was the wife of Ryuuki Shinomiya, the previous head of the Shinomiya clan.
But then, who would've thought that the death of the couple would force their youngest child Kourin to come out of her shell and actually decide to finish what had began a long time ago. Pero aaminin ni Aya, talaga nga namang napakalaki ng kabayaran sa desisyong iyon ng Shinomiya clan princess. Looking at the current situation, masasabi niyang wala na nga sigurong ibang paraan si Kourin para ipagpatuloy ang lahat. Laking pasalamat na lang nila ni Theron na nanatili sa tabi ng prinsesa ang 12 Knights.
No doubt that Aya was surprised to learn that the Knights and the loyalty of the remaining members of the Shrouded Flowers stood firm even after Kourin decided to leave Japan to start anew. They remained by the girl's side to protect her, just as they had all vowed that tragic night.
"Do you think Amiko would understand the message I sent to her?" mayamaya'y tanong ni Theron kay Aya na hindi tumitingin dito.
Sa pagtatapos lang ng tinutugtog niya, noon lang sumagot si Aya. "Lady Amiko would no doubt understand it, especially since you delivered the news using the dagger that bears the symbol which has a connection to both of your pasts. It's just a matter as to whether or not she'd seek the help of the Azuraya clan's leader in order to deal with the issue in the fastest possible time."
Napabuntong-hininga si Theron. "If the Dark Rose are truly determined to accomplish the completion of their agenda, I don't think the princess would remain safe any longer even if she continues living as Rin Fujioka."
"You mean... They already knew she survived the attack?"
"There's no telling yet. But learning the fact that the Knights survived and the remaining Shinomiya clan members are still active in missions despite the tragedy, the Dark Rose would be restless until they assure the end of everyone involved with the Shrouded Flowers for good."
Katahimikan ang pumalibot sa dalawa pagkatapos niyon. Ilang sandali pa ay napabuntong-hininga si Aya bago hinarap si Theron.
"What made the Shinomiya princess decide to change her name, anyway?"
Hindi umimik si Theron. Bagkus ay may inabot itong litrato kay Aya. Isang lalaki na masasabing kaeda lang ni Theron ang nakita niya roon.
"What about this man?"
"He was the main reason why the princess did that. She has to find a way to protect him without actually exposing her identity. That man's life since Lady Kourin's assumed death during the attack hadn't been the same, as I gathered."
Kumunot ang noo ni Aya. "What was that supposed to mean?"
"Look at the picture again and tell me what you see," bagkus ay marahang utos ni Theron.
Sinunod naman iyon ni Aya. Pero habang tumatagal ay may napansin siya na talaga namang nagpagulat sa kanya. "Lord Theron, you're not telling me ー"
"Whether or not Lady Kourin knew the truth about that person's possible secrets, there's no doubt that he holds the key for the Shrouded Flowers to have an upper hand in the battle. So far, we only have circumstantial evidence to tell us if that man is also one of those people we're actually looking for."
Hindi na kailangan pa ng maraming salita para maintindihan ni Aya ang nais ipunto ni Theron. "So you're saying that we have to protect this man at all costs, as well."
Isang tango lang ang naging tugon ni Theron.
Pero sa totoo lang, marami pang katanungan ang naglalaro sa isipan ni Aya ng mga sandaling iyon. Idagdag pa ang nabalitaan niyang posibleng pagtatangka na naman sa buhay ng kaibigan niyang si Yasha Wilford. But this time, she knew that the threat would put the entire mission into chaos if it was put into action. Lalo pa't alam niya kung ano ang kailangan ng mga iyon kay Yasha para takutin ito.
However, Aya would make sure she would protect her friend not only because the said photojournalist was her best friend, but also for the reason that Yasha was one of the people who could possibly help the Shrouded Flowers put an end to their five-decade-old sufferings.
Sana nga lang ay matapos na sa kanila ang paghihirap na iyon. None of them wouldn't want to spend another decade waiting and planning to stop all that.
xxxxxx
"SO she's safe?"
Napailing na lang si Ryuuji at napangiti sa pangatlong beses na pagtatanong na iyon ng kausap niya sa kabilang linya. "Mari, kailangan ko ba talagang ulit-ulitin sa 'yo ang sagot sa tanong mo, ha? Kourin's fine. At the very least, Aya made sure the princess would remain unhurt ー in every way possible."
"Pasensiya naman sa walang sawang pangungulit ko. Too bad I won't be able to see her myself kung ganitong tambak ang trabaho ko." A heavy sigh was soon heard from the woman on the other line named Mari. "I'm sorry, Ryuuji."
Kumunot ang noo ni Ryuuji nang marinig iyon. Kasalukuyan siyang naroon sa malawak na Zen garden ng mansyon. Lumabas siya dahil nga kailangan niyang ibalita kay Mari ang kinahinatnan ng trabaho nila ng kapatid niyang si Akemi at ng kaibigan niyang si Shiro.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"For letting you do what's suppose to be my job as Kourin's sister. Pero heto ako, nakaupo sa opisina at 'di mapakali sa paghihintay ng balita. I should be the one fighting those guys, not you."
Heto na nga ba ang sinasabi ni Ryuuji. But he couldn't blame Mari for saying such things. Hindi naman maikakaila na talaga namang frustrating ang sitwasyon nito.
"Mari, you may be the one who gave us the order to help the Blue Shadow and the princess. But we acted on our own volition, as well. And besides, para namang papayag akong may mangyaring masama sa favorite cousin ko, 'no?" A small smile crossed Ryuuji's face.
What Ryuuji said was the truth. Sa lahat ng mga kamag-anak nila ー na karamihan ay napatay noong gabi ng paglusob sa Shinomiya mansion sa Kyoto, si Kourin ang paborito niya. He and his sister Akemi were the maternal cousins of the Shinomiya siblings Mari, Hitoshi and Kourin. Mikazuki ang maiden name ng ina ng magkakapatid na Shinomiya na si Rina.
"I can't believe you still had the guts to say that after all that had happened," komento ni Mari na sinundan ng isang mahinang tawa. "But thank you... for doing all this for me and my sister."
"There's no reason for you to say that, Mari. I'll help you in every way I can. I'll protect the last princess of the clan even if I have to risk my life for it." But Ryuuji soon realized the mistake with what he said. "Wait! Scratch that. There's no reason for me to risk my life. I'll protect the princess as I continue to live and return. Ipinangako ko iyon sa inyong magkapatid at sa harap na rin ng puntod ng mga namatay ng gabing iyon."
At iyon ang pangako na sisiguraduhin ni Ryuuji na matutupad niya ー whatever it takes to do so.
"Ang akala ko, nakalimutan mo na iyon."
Ryuuji chuckled and the conversation between the cousins continued. Pero hindi maikakaila na sa likod ng masayang pag-uusap na iyon ay nakapaloob ang matinding pag-aalala. Hindi lang para kay Kourin kundi para sa dalawang tao pa na posibleng madamay nang husto sa gulong kinasasangkutan nila.
Ryuuji's phone conversation with Mari ended after a few more minutes with a confirmation on the latest update with regards to his other mission. Papasok na sana siya sa loob ng mansyon para tingnan ang prinsesa nang kagyat siyang napatigil.
What Ryuuji saw that made him stop was Mamoru standing just a few yards from his position with a folder on his hand. The half-Japanese leader of the Yumemiya clan waved the item slightly before smiling triumphantly.
At that point, Ryuuji already knew what it meant.
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