The silence that followed was unbearable. Kaen's gaze faltered, dropping to the ground.
He didn't deny it.
Akira continued, his voice low but unwavering. "And more importantly… our core energy matched. You know that, Kaen. You know exactly by whom our spirits were blessed. In every century, only three bear that mark."
Kaen slowly looked up, his expression unreadable. "Then that means… there's still a third," he said. "We can find them."
Akira nodded once. "His Majesty has been trying for years. Trying to replace me. Trying to undo what's already set in stone. It means we're not the only ones who know the truth, Kaen. He knows too. That's why he's searching. For the other one."
A tense beat passed.
"Knowing all this… why did you plan everything to bring her inside the Imperial Capital? Did you think I wouldn't notice your little tricks?"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Akira's lips. He tilted his head slightly, "No," he said softly. "I was wondering why it took you so long to finally ask."
Kaen stood, dusting off his sleeves with a calm precision that felt anything but casual.
"I had my doubts the moment you first arrived in Reikoku," he said coolly. "And when I discovered you were the one with Astra when she was lost in the forest, those doubts only deepened."
He took a slow breath, eyes narrowing slightly as if sifting through layers of memory.
"It was clever, introducing yourself as Kriya. Just enough to keep suspicion at bay. But then… your actions didn't line up. You started moving suddenly, unpredictably. That's when I told Astra you may have died in that cave."
He stepped forward, voice tightening.
"Because I needed time. So I went there myself. And I had a little chat with that demon—That's when I found out you traded the last teardrop of a demon fox… for that flower."
Kaen's gaze sharpened, cutting through Akira like a blade.
"And knowing you, the kind who never gambles unless the stakes are worth it—you wouldn't have made that trade unless it was absolutely necessary. And I don't believe it was. Not when you could've taken that flower easily. But what's bothering me is… that you without treating her after obtaining it. You vanished from there… leaving Astra behind with the flower."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"Not long after, Daita showed up in Reikoku… and I'd wager you're behind that too. His arrival wasn't coincidence. And what followed? Astra went missing again."
Kaen began pacing, hands clasped behind his back. "While everyone else was out searching for Astra, I went to Arisu. She mentioned that both she and Astra had wine—sent from the capital. A gift, she said. But when I looked deeper…" He turned, eyes narrowing. "I found out that wine came directly from the royal palace. So let's not pretend. I know this was your doing again."
He glanced down, the corner of his mouth lifting into a knowing smirk.
"So I pieced it together. Those two—must have invited Daita. And Daita, that ever-curious mischief-maker, couldn't resist playing along. He probably agreed just to watch the chaos unfold."
His voice dropped, the teasing edge fading into something heavier. "Later, Astra gets drunk. She follows Daita, insisting he take her to that cursed mountain to the very source of her suffering. And somehow, she returns… bearing the curse. And now, she's here in the capital to be free of it. And that can't be coincidence?"
Kaen stepped back, his gaze as sharp and unwavering as ever.
"Most of all, I firmly believe you're behind this… the Imperial Capital opening its gates to commoners after all these years. Answer the questions I've wrestled with—no matter how many times I turned them over in my mind. Then stand up, Akira. Tell me… how did you pull it off?"
Akira slowly rose, brushing the dirt from his knees. His voice was calm, low but it carried.
"You want to know why I traded it? Why I didn't use the flower the moment I obtained it… why I vanished instead? Why I sent Daita next with a mission? Why the rarest, most expensive wine in the realm somehow ended up as a gift in the Kaneko mansion? And above all… who it was that helped me orchestrate all of it from the shadows?"
Kaen's lips parted slightly, a flicker of realization in his eyes. "I have a guess," he said, voice low. "But no matter how I piece it together… it still doesn't align."
Akira whispered his name. "Kaen... I'm innocent."
Kaen turned fully now, eyes locking onto him calculating, relentless. "No you are not. You wove it all like a web, Akira. Each move was just a thread. Thin. Almost invisible. One could dismiss them as coincidence… But when those threads pulled together, they created a design."
He stepped closer, voice tightening. "Akira… You pulled strings in every direction just little threads, subtle moves, hidden beneath layers of misdirection. But when they all moved together, they became something much bigger. But underneath… it was calculated. Intentional. Genius. All of it… to bring her to the capital."
Akira tapped his chin with exaggerated thoughtfulness. "Hmm… maybe, if you say so."
Kaen stared at him in disbelief. Then, with a sharp exhale, he marched forward, grabbed Akira by the collar, and shook him hard.
"Idiot! Stupid! Dumbass! Absolute moron!" he snapped with each shake. "You might be of a genius, but in your head you're still a reckless child! What the hell were you thinking, bringing her here of all places knowing full well the threat that's looming over us!"
Akira flailed helplessly in his grip, arms waving as he tried to push Kaen off. "Kaen—Kaen, wait! Listen to me! There was more danger outside than inside! I swear! You have to trust me!"
Kaen froze mid-shake, breath heavy, fists still gripping his collar but his eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Akira adjusted his now lopsided collar, muttering under his breath, "Well… trust me. There's more danger coming for her than you realize. I can't explain it yet, but… Kaen, you trust me, right?"
Kaen sighed and let go, muttering under his breath, "I trust you when it comes to her, More than anyone else—after Ryoma."
Akira paused mid-step, shoulders stiffening. He turned away, voice low and sarcastic, "Ryoma—that true block of ice."
Kaen's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?" Akira scoffed without turning back. When Kaen said, " Maybe, I trust Ryoma more than you when it comes to protecting her."
A soft voice drifted on the wind.
"Kriya…?"
Akira's eyes flew open. His head snapped toward the sound, heart lurching in his chest.
Astra.
She stood at the edge of the trees, her silhouette painted softened by the bruised violet glow of dusk. Her brows were creased, eyes still heavy with sleep—but wide with concern.
"What are you doing at the cliff—"
She stopped mid-step. Her gaze had shifted—past him. And when it landed on Kaen, her breath caught in her throat.
"Kaen…"
It wasn't a question. It was a whisper of disbelief. Then, in the next heartbeat, she surged forward, feet barely touching the ground, arms flying toward him like gravity itself had let go.
Before Kaen could brace himself, she crashed into him—arms locking around his chest with such force it nearly sent them both over the cliff's edge. Kaen staggered, catching her just in time.
Astra clutched him tightly, her entire frame trembling. "Am I dreaming?" she whispered. "Is it really you, Kaen? Or is this your ghost… come to haunt me?"
Kaen's hand slowly rose, resting gently against her back.
"It's me," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Not a dream. Not a ghost. Just… late."
Astra pulled back, lifting her tear-streaked face to his.
"Thank the heavens you're safe… you're alive!" Her voice cracked, raw with disbelief. "What about the others? That demon—it said it killed you all!"
Kaen's eyes scanned the bruises and cuts on her face, a storm of guilt flickering behind his gaze. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, hand lingering. "They're alive," he murmured. "We made it out."
Astra's breath hitched then, a sigh of relief escaped her lips, as if her soul had returned to her body. "I knew it," she whispered. "Somewhere in me, I couldn't believe you all left me behind. I was scared… but I couldn't accept it."
She threw her arms around him again, holding tighter. Kaen returned the embrace, but his eyes drifted over her shoulder—to Akira, who stood a short distance away, back turned, unmoving. The silence thickened between them.
A moment passed. Astra, noticing Kaen's gaze, turned to follow it. Then she smiled faintly and pointed. "Kaen," she said softly, "that's Kriya. He was with me all this time." Her eyes glimmered. "You were wrong… he wasn't eaten by that fox demon. He escaped. And somehow, I was lucky enough to find him again."
"…Is that so?" he murmured, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.