Chapter 345: The Woman of Fate and the Woman That Wasn’ (1/2)

“Are you sure about this?”

“I promise.”

“Alright. I shall tell you everything, then.”

“Sto—-”

Shirokiyami moved, trying to stop Sakura, but Taiyou firmly held her close to him. He could tell that this was the greatest sign of a struggle she had ever displayed. If he had yielded even a bit, she would have escaped from his arms. He hugged her even more firmly so as to prevent that from happening. He was after all more powerful than Shirokiyami. She fidgeted a bit more before halting altogether.

“Tengai Ruri. That is her real name.”

“Ruri, hm? A fine name.”

“It’s written as ‘wanderer’ (流離) and pronounced ‘Ruri’. This was decided before she was born.”

“Mm?”

“To elaborate further, this name was decided before her parents even met.”

Sakura sighed, her expression slightly changing. This was probably the first time sympathy had shown on her face.

“What are you talking about?”

Taiyou blurted out.

“We’re talking 150 years ago. One man in the Tengai lineage had a dream. It was apparently very vivid.”

“You don’t say…he was an oracle?”

“Correct.”

“Agh…”

Kohaku groaned.

“And the vision the man had was of taking in the plate of every woman down to the fifth generation. One who could not see, one who could not speak, one who could not hear…He took their plates in the designated order.”

“And then she was born…?”

“It be like a game, ja.”

Kohaku’s voice sounded a bit unpleasant for once.

“And why was there a need to do that?”

“More like her objective. You know of her power, yes?”

“…And that’s why he did all this?”

“Indeed.”

“…”

A heavy silence drifted over the living room. Not just Taiyou and Kohaku, but Aoba, Akiha, and even Juurokuya were unable to say anything. Time drifted by, and the only audible sound was that of everyone’s non-uniform breathing.

“And the reason why her sister hates her.”

“Ah-”

Taiyou gave a start. He remembered what they had been getting at this whole time.

“Her name had also been decided beforehand.”

“Ruri?”

“Yes, and—-”

A long time passed. Or maybe it hadn’t actually been that long. But that was how everyone in the vicinity felt. It was the sort of silence that follows when someone is telling a ghost story.

“The name of her sister was also already decided.”

“So their names were both decided at once.”

“Yes.”

“So that means her sister also has some sort of power?”

“That is actually the main issue in question.”

Sakura said with a “pffft”.

Her eyes were not happy. Only her mouth twisted into a smirk.

“Tengai Yuri has no powers. Other than her name, she is just your average girl. On the other hand, Ruri was intentionally made to be the greatest master in the world…I assume you are beginning to see where this is going.”