Rokuta’s shout turned into a shriek. The youma accurately split Ekishin’s throat, and bit off his flesh. Blood and flesh flew. Rokuta was shielded from such a dreadful scene as a pair of arms hugged Rokuta’s body and drew him away.

“Oh no, Taiho!”
A female voice cried. The arms hugging Rokuta were covered with white scales. A pair of white wings enveloped Rokuta and hid his face. --It was Rokuta’s another shirei.

“--Kouya!!”
Even though Rokuta was shielded by the wings, he knew what happened by the ominous sounds of Ekishin’s broken screams and the pungent smell of blood. Then, a loud thud of a body dropping on the ground sounded, and Ekishin’s breath of life vanished. After that, the sound of eating was hidden by the baby's sudden cry.

“--Why, Kouya? ...”
“To take Taiho to the province of Gen.”

The province of Gen, Rokuta whispered to himself.
“Please order your shirei to behave themselves, if you pity for the kid’s life. I have never thought of harming Taiho. I just want to invite you along to meet my master.”

“...Master”
Didn’t Syouryuu mention the province of Gen before?

“He is the vice lord of the province of Gen.”
“--Atsuyu, isn’t he?”

Rokuta pushed off the wings that hid his face. Standing beside the youma, Rokuta stared at the ever-smiling Kouya.

“Oh you know Keihaku (卿伯, the rank of Atsuyu) already.”
“... What is the province of Gen plotting?”

Kouya remained silent to Rokuta’s question. Only the invisible sound urged the people around.

“Taiho,” a questioning voice could be heard from the back. Rokuta shook his head.
“No, Yokuhi (沃飛). Don’t do anything.”
“But...”
“Let me go.”

Rokuta ordered, and the white arms that hugged Rokuta lost hold. Rokuta turned back, and showed a nod to the worried nyoukai (女怪, female monster, such as Sanshi for Taiki).
“Step down, Yokuhi.”

The female with white scales, white wings and lower limbs of a crane looked confusedly at Rokuta. Drawing a deep breath, she shook her snake tail slightly and disappeared. She had returned to Rokuta’s shadow. Rokuta double checked, and turned to face straight at Kouya. Kouya smiled gently.

“That is what I expect from Taiho. How deeply generous you are.”

~ End of Chapter Two ~

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