The night had fallen still, the breeze carrying a quiet chill as Kaen and Ryoma stood beneath the open sky. The crescent moon hung low above them, silver light washing over the silent courtyard. The leaves rustled faintly, and somewhere in the distance, an owl called.
Ryoma's gaze remained fixed on the moon, his voice low and grim. "Do you think… we can really avoid the curse?"
Kaen didn't answer immediately. His arms were folded, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he exhaled a slow, weary breath and shook his head.
"No. We can't." His tone was resolute, almost bitter. "That flower… it was once blessed to preserve life but that blessing came at a price. Its petals absorbed the screams of those who died trying to use it… warriors, monks, exorcists… all killed by the same demon. Those who failed to prove themselves worthy of obtaining it."
Ryoma turned slightly toward him, brows furrowed.
Kaen continued, voice darkening. "Now, that flower is used… the curse awakens again. The restless souls of the unworthy those who died clutching that hope are drawn to the one it saves. They whisper. Linger. And eventually… they try to take back what the flower saved."
"Her soul," Ryoma said, quietly.
Kaen nodded. "Piece by piece. They'll follow her until the very end….until they consume it."
Ryoma exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face in frustration. The weight of it all settled into his shoulders as he muttered, "But Kaen… if we can't avoid the curse, then is there really no way to save her from this trouble?"
Kaen turned away, his gaze drifting to the swaying shadows beneath the moonlight. Silence lingered, heavy—until a quiet voice cut through the air like a blade.
"There is a way," Seirou's voice called from the edge of the corridor, his silhouette emerging slowly into the moonlit space. "But you may not like it."
Ryoma turned, his brows narrowing. "What is it?"
Seirou looked at Kaen first—almost asking permission. Kaen gave a slow, tense nod.
Then Seirou spoke. "Unseal her spiritual energy."
Ryoma's eyes widened in disbelief. His jaw tensed as he stepped forward, voice rising in sharp protest. "No."
"Ryoma," Kaen said quietly.
But Ryoma cut him off, his voice firm and furious. "Do you even understand what you're saying, Seirou?! Her spiritual energy was sealed for a reason!"
"I know," Seirou replied calmly, though the strain in his voice betrayed the storm beneath. "But those spirits the ones drawn by the curse can't do anything if her powers are awakened. In the presence of strong spiritual energy, they falter. Their rage weakens. And in the end they can't survive it."
Kaen watched Ryoma grow increasingly frustrated, his fingers clenched into fists at his side. Then Kaen turned his gaze to Seirou.
"We can't take that risk, If we unseal it completely, then sealing it back is nearly impossible. You know what was lost the last time."
Seirou nodded, the memory darkening his expression for a brief moment. His eyes then shifted to Ryoma, steady and piercing.
"Then how about this…" he offered. "Awaken her powers just for a little while, not fully unsealing it. A spark, not a flame."
Kaen's brows knit together. But as he glanced at Ryoma, realization dawned, and he swallowed hard.
Seirou turned back. "What do you say, Ryoma? Do you want to try it instead?"
Ryoma's jaw tightened. His voice was quiet, but the denial came instantly. "I can't do that…"
Seirou exhaled, his gaze steady. "Then there's only one path left. If you won't agree to this… nothing else can be done."
"…Tell me."
Seirou looked toward the distant crescent moon, the faintest gleam in his eyes. "It's the time of Bloom. The mana across the continent is rising rapidly—flowing freely through the land, stirring everything from soil to spirit. Because of that, the spiritual energy is more stable now… even for those who are weak."
Kaen's eyes widened slightly. He turned to Seirou with understanding dawning. "You're saying…."
Seirou nodded. "Among all the lands, the one place with the densest concentration of mana right now… is the Imperial Capital. The source of the Bloom. It's stronger there than anywhere else. If she enters that flow if her body aligns with that divine current the spirits won't last long. They'll dissolve before they can take root."
The silence that followed was heavy. The wind carried a faint, sacred chill from the distant east.
Ryoma sighed deeply, dragging a hand down his face, rubbing his temples. "After all these years… fate's forcing us back to the very place we tried to avoid most."
Kaen's voice was quiet, but resolute. "Then are we going?"
Seirou nodded once. "Before the Third Bloom… or we'll be too late."
Arisu stood frozen for a moment in the corridor's shadow, her eyes wide. She had heard everything—about the curse, the spirits, the journey to the Imperial Capital. Her heart felt heavier with every step she took as she quietly slipped away from the edge of the conversation.
Outside, the night air was cooler than she expected. The stars blinked faintly above as Arisu walked the stone-paved path back toward the city, her steps slow and distracted. She passed by a blooming rose bush, and without thinking, plucked a soft pink flower. With a distant look in her eyes, she began picking off the petals one by one, letting them fall to the ground as she walked.
Just as she whispered something under her breath and dropped the final petal, a quiet crunch of footsteps beside her made her flinch.
She turned—and nearly jumped out of her skin.
"You?!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Were you following me this whole way?"
Shion was walking beside her as if he'd been there the entire time, hands tucked lazily behind his head. "I saw you leaving earlier," he said casually, glancing at the sky. "It's late. Thought I'd follow just in case."
"There was no need," Arisu said quickly, still trying to calm her startled heart. "I can walk alone at night just fine, thank you very much. I'm the daughter of the Defence Minister, after all. This place isn't dangerous. Not with my father's work behind it."
Shion gave her a sidelong glance, smirking faintly. "Really? I always heard Reikoku was the safest city in the empire… but I didn't know it was all thanks to your father."
Arisu cleared her throat awkwardly, suddenly unsure if she'd bragged too much. "A-anyway," she huffed, brushing past him, "you can go back now. I'll walk the rest of the way alone."
Shion didn't respond right away. Just the sound of his footsteps remained, matching hers—steadily, quietly.
They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds accompanying them were the gentle rustle of leaves and the rhythmic tap of Arisu's shoes against the stone path. The street lamps bathed the road in a soft golden hue, and their shadows stretched long behind them.
Finally, Arisu broke the silence with a quiet sigh.
"…I heard you guys are leaving for the capital."
Shion blinked, his brows knitting slightly as he looked at her. "Where did you hear that from? Did Astra tell you?"
Arisu hesitated, her eyes flicking ahead as if searching for a distraction. "No… I… I heard it when the others were talking. Secretly."
Shion's frown deepened for a moment, but it vanished quickly, replaced by his usual teasing smirk. He tilted his head slightly and said, "So, not only do you have the habit of peeking at someone from behind trees, but you also eavesdrop on people's conversations?"
Arisu flushed, glaring at him. "I do not! It just… happened, okay? I was passing by."
Shion let out a small chuckle, amused at her flustered defense. "Mm. Sure. Passing by for exactly how long, Arisu— Miss kaneko?"
Arisu looked up at him, a little annoyed but not entirely. "You can call me Arisu…I don't mind."
Shion arched a brow in mock surprise, then nodded. "Alright then. And you can call me—"
"Uta-rin!"
Their steps froze.
Both of them let out identical groans and rubbed their temples in exasperation as they slowly turned around.
Maihima was striding towards them with a sparkle in her eye and way too much enthusiasm in her voice. "Uta-rin, look! We met again. And this time I didn't even chase you. Fate brought us together."
Shion didn't respond, his expression unreadable, but Maihima's eyes suddenly snapped to Arisu beside him and her whole demeanor shifted like a lightning storm.
She pointed a finger accusingly, voice loud enough to echo, "You! What are you doing with him at night?!"
Arisu blinked. "Huh?"
Maihima gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Oh! It must be you! Yes! It's you!"
"Me what?" Arisu asked, eyes narrowing.
"The wall!"
"…What?"
"Yes! Why didn't I think of this before? It's you! You're the wall standing between me and my destiny!" She pointed between Shion and Arisu as if uncovering a scandal. "And that troublemaker— I mean, Astra….she's the wall builder!"
Shion and Arisu both looked at her, completely baffled, and said at the same time,
"What?!"