Hindi na sigurado si Kourin kung ano ba talaga ang dapat niyang isipin sa lahat ng mga nalalaman niya ng mga sandaling iyon. She was already engaged to be married, long before the tragedy? Ano ba naman ang dapat na isipin niya ngayong nalalaman niya ang tungkol sa impormasyong iyon?
“We’re not going to force you to recall something that, perhaps, even Lord Hitoshi had not mentioned to you at all,” sabi ni Hayato bago ito nagpatuloy sa paglalakad papasok sa loob ng cabin at dumiretso hanggang sa marating nito ang glass cabinet.
Iyon ang glass cabinet kung saan naroon ang mga wooden sculptures na kumuha ng atensyon ni Kourin kanina.
“Maraming nabago sa mga nauna nang pinlano para sa ‘yo at sa future Yasunaga clan leader mula nang mamatay ang dating Yasunaga clan leader. His sudden death together with his wife threw all of us off guard.”
Sa kabila ng pagpatuloy na pagtibok nang mabilis ng puso ni Kourin, huminga siya ng malalim at nilapitan si Hayato. “You said it was a sudden death. But what exactly killed them? Pinatay po ba sila?”
Ilang sandaling hindi nagsalita ang lalaki. Nanatili lang itong nakatingin sa mga wooden sculptures. Pero matiyagang naghintay ng sagot si Kourin. Alam niyang kailangan niyang magtiyaga at maging mahinahon na rin kung gusto niyang makuha ang sagot na hinahanap niya.
Then again, whether or not it was indeed the answer she was looking for remained to be seen.
“Yes, the couple were killed. Along with their confidante and his wife.”
Si Kourin na ang nagbigay ng sagot, kahit na patanong niya naisatinig iyon at kahit na ispekulasyon lang iyon. But to actually hear a confirmation… and get some more. Hindi pa rin niya inaasahan ang magiging impact n’on sa puso niya. Yes, she had never met those people. But it didn’t stop her from feeling anger and hatred for the ones responsible for the deaths and pity for the ones those dead people had left behind suddenly.
“But even if they died all of a sudden, they made sure that things would still go their way to make sure that their children would be safe and protected. At least, long enough before another war with the Dark Rose starts again,” sabi ni Hayato.
Ilang sandali pa ay hinarap nito si Kourin. Though the action had startled the said clan princess, she didn’t tear her gaze away from the man.
“Hindi ko naman napaghandaan ang ginawang pagsugod ng mga demonyong iyon sa tahanan ng apat na angkan. Kaya gusto kong humingi ng tawad sa ‘yo magmula nang malaman kong nandito ka sa bansa. Pero dahil na rin sa dami ng mga nangyari, hindi ko na nagawa iyon. Isa pa —-”
“Kailangan n’yo rin pong protektahan sina Ate Yasha at Raiden,” putol niya sa mga sinasabi ni Hayato. She then raised her head and faced the man straight. “Tama po ba ako? You still wanted to do something to protect what’s left of your family kahit na hindi po kayo madalas na magpakita sa kanila.”
Nakita ni Kourin na napailing si Hayato bago ito ngumiti. Wait… that was a weird reaction. Could it be that she was wrong?
“Who would have thought that you’re such a mind reader, young princess?”
“Ha?” Hindi na niya nagawang itago ang pagtataka niya. What kind of question was that? “Bakit n’yo naman po nasabi ‘yan?”
But to her disappointment, Hayato shook his head. Mukhang naisipan nitong huwag sagutin ang tanong niya. Then again, wala siyang karapatang panghimasukan ang personal na buhay nito.
And if the thought that the Wilford siblings were —- indeed —- part of the Yasunaga clan, then that would make things even more complicated for her. Especially when it comes to learning the truth about the existence of the clan.
Ilang sandali pa ay narinig niya ang pagbuntong-hininga ng lalaki, dahilan upang mapatingin siya rito.
“Forgive me if I couldn’t give you any answer to the questions that you have with regards to the Yasunaga clan. At least, I don’t think I could answer them all at once. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang maaari pang mangyari,” sagot ni Hayato at saka ngumiti nang malungkot kay Kourin.
Naiintindihan naman niya iyon. Pero sigurado siya na hindi pa rin nawawala ang disappointment na nararamdaman niya ng mga sandaling iyon.
“I understand. As much as I want to bombard you with questions just to satisfy my curiosity, I had a feeling that my mind won’t be able to take them, anyway. Perhaps in a way, my curiosity about the clan could kill me one of these days if I don’t find a way to stop it. Nagkataon lang siguro na may kakulitan din ako pagdating sa mga bagay na gusto kong malaman.”
Napangiti na rin si Kourin nang malungkot matapos niyang sabihin ang mga iyon. But it was the truth. At isa iyon sa mga gusto niyang iparating kay Hayato. Not only because this man was a renowned master of Shichi RaiRyuuKen, but also because he was the Wilford siblings’ uncle. She felt that she was obliged somehow to be truthful to this person.
“But I’m sure you’re aware right now, Lady Kourin, that learning the truth about the Yasunaga clan is one of the ways for us to discover the Dark Rose’s ultimate motive,” sabi ni Shuji.
Nawala sa isip ni Kourin na nasa malapit pa rin pala si Shuji. Nawala roon ang atensyon niya mula nang makita ang mga dugong tumalsik at ngayon ay nasa damit na suot ni Hayato. Ilang sandali pa ay nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita si Shuji nang harapin na niya ito.
“Hindi lang ang pagbagsak ng Shrouded Flowers ang pakay nila kung ibabase na rin natin sa ginawa nilang pagpuntirya sa Eight Celestial Points sa bansang ito. They had an idea about the existence of the surviving members of the Yasunaga clan already, and so —-”
“They’ve already started dealing with some of those surviving members of the Yasunaga clan even before the Shinomiya princess was born, Shuji,” Hayato cut off Shuji’s words before the young man could say more. Agad na nabaling ang atensyon nila sa sword master. “That’s why the leaders of both the Yasunaga clan and the Shinomiya clan had planned the betrothal of their young children once it was learned that Lady Rina of the Shinomiya clan was pregnant with a baby girl.”
‘So it all started from back then… Pinlano na nila ang magiging buhay ko sa oras na tumungtong ako sa nararapat na edad…’ If Kourin was to be honest, she didn’t know what to say about that. Yes, it would be for her safety. Pero hindi pa rin ganoon kadali para sa kanya na tanggapin ang pagkakatali ng kalayaan niya.
Then again, her life was never really free, to begin with. Sa lahat ng mga panganib na kaakibat ng pagiging konektado niya sa Shinomiya clan at sa Shrouded Flowers, malabong maramdaman pa niya nang maayos ang totoong kahulugan ng salitang “kalayaan”.
It was then that she thought of something nang rumehistro na sa kanyang isipan ang ilan pang sinabi ni Hayato.
“Pero… isa lang po iyon sa mga plano nila para sa aming dalawa ng magiging asawa ko, ‘di ba? There were other plans needed to be set in motion para maging ligtas kaming lahat mula sa kamay ng Dark Rose.”
Tumango si Hayato bilang tugon sa mga sinabi ni Kourin. “You’re right. But if I’m going to be honest, I had no idea what your father had planned. Or rather, I don’t have a clue about what your brother had planned to ensure your safety and also your ascension should anything happen to them.”
Hindi na napigilang mapailing ni Kourin, kasabay ng pagngiti niya nang mapakla sa narinig. “Not my brother planning more things for me again. It’s strange that my older brother was able to actually plan ahead just to… pass something that intense of a responsibility to me. It’s like… he knew he wasn’t going to last long.”
And for a long time, it was the truth that had haunted her ever since learning about Hitoshi’s possible early death because of a sickness that had struck him.
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