conversation between Kouki and Shuurei

Yet another volume 14 translation. This takes place right after Ryuuki and Shuurei have that fateful conversation near the end.

After separating from Ryuuki, Shuurei slowly returned to the Censorate.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a flute from somewhere.

Shuurei was surprised…..there was no mistaking it.

The flute’s sound was classically beautiful, yet somehow, like a cool, polished blade.

(This flute…)

She had not forgotten it even once. So skillful, enough to raise goosebumps on the skin—-a tone of ice.

Feeling, just as she had that time, as though she were being called, Shuurei simply went towards the sound of the flute.

The thin, smoke-like clouds trailed over the night sky, like ragged scraps of cloth.
As mist was faintly covering the moon, the light was somewhat thin. Just like that night, a shadowed moon.

The chill autumn wind whistled through the leaves of the trees. Up to that point, it resembled that night. Then under the leaves of the trees, beside the pond reflecting the moon like a mirror, the one holding the flute stood.

“Chief Ki….”

The sound of the flute stopped.

Just like the first time they had met, Ki Kouki’s cold eyes turned towards Shuurei. In that second, she wondered if Kouki knew about everything, maybe even what Shuurei had chosen that night. Whether Shuurei approached him, or Kouki moved closer to her, she did not know. Perhaps it was on both sides. Before she realized it, Ki Kouki stood right in front of her.

“……A foolish choice. Both yours, and the king’s.”

In that instant, something that she had been suppressing burst loose at once.
Her face twisted, and a sob leaked from her throat. She was crying so much, no matter how much she wiped them away, the tears kept coming. Shuurei gritted her teeth, stopped wiping, and clung to Kouki’s chest and wept. She could smell the elegant fragrance from before.

Kouki did not embrace her back, but silently let her do as she pleased.

She herself did not know why she was crying like this. Was she sad, regretful, or was it something else? She just couldn’t stop the tears from coming.

What she had said to Ryuuki had not been a lie. Nor was it false courage.

For a long time, she had had a dream. For a time, it had come true, and so, it was surely a little difficult to let go of it. That was all there was to it. It was much better than it never having come true ever. For a moment, she had dreamt.

She would no longer work under this person.

—More.
“……more…..”

She had wanted to see many more things with Kouki. Wanted to learn more. About all those things she didn’t know. She knew. Although Kouki had mocked Shuurei in many ways, not once had he said “because you’re a woman.” He had looked straight at Shuurei. He made fun of her and called her a fool, but always as an official. That’s why, no matter what others might say, she did not hate him. She wanted to be recognized by him. Just as he acknowledged Seiga and Ensei. Even just a hundredth of their value, sometime.

“…..You’ll be rid of me….. You must be overjoyed, Chief Ki.”
“That’s right. It looks like finally I’ll be rid of you.”

That was blunt. But, strangely, in his words there was not the usual unpleasantness or coldness.

“…..I always wanted to make you speechless someday!”
“You idiot. Not in a hundred years.”

Was he a good person, or a bad person? What was he thinking? Shuurei would leave without finding out.

“One of your cute staff is leaving! Please, don’t do anything bad.”
“Well now.”
“Promise me, please.”
“I have a policy of never making promises I can’t keep.”

His voice was quiet. Shuurei thought that perhaps this was itself Kouki’s true character.

Kouki looked down at the girl who was clinging to his chest like a small rabbit, crying.

(The king is a fool.)

No one, whether through threats, blandishments, mockery, cold have made this girl quit being an official. Of all the officials that Kouki knew, there was no one as suited to being “the king’s official.” She would singlemindedly risk body and soul for the king, and run herself ragged for him. The king himself had thrown away this “king’s official”, who had showed the utmost loyalty, exerted her ability to the utmost, and protected him with all her might from all comers. With this, Rai Shunshin might also give up on him. The king had discarded her to use her as a pawn, rather than protecting one of the few officials who might have turned into “the real thing.”

“—That’s why, in place of his majesty, an official will do it. Isn’t that what the work of an official is? [quoted from earlier in the book.]

…..The king was a fool. Kouki said that in his head again. In this court, she was a meritorious official, and more than anything, loyal to the king. This was the only time when that girl’s indomitable will had melted, like light snow. No matter how much Kouki or Anju had tried to bend things, if the king had the will to see things to the end, he could have protected this girl. As an official or as a woman? in the end, the choice had always been up to the king. Not to Kouki, nor anyone else. Just that king’s word alone, could sway her.

“This is your final duty. —-Go to Kou Province as an Imperial Messenger.”

Shuurei, surprised, raised her head. Right above, Kouki’s pale eyes looked down on her. They looked somewhat at a loss, but that shouldn’t have been possible.

“….Am I….. alright? Not Seiga?”
“You said you wanted to wash away the shame of your relatives. Until you return, you are under my command.”

Under my command. Those words echoed within her chest.
—-From the beginning, to the end.
Shuurei wiped her tears.

“Yes.”
“There will be four people going to Kou province. You, Ensei, and also Hyou Riou, the chief official of the Bureau of the Sacred Cave.” [I don't like my translation of Riou's office... I must think of a better one. It doesn't exist, that's why it's hard to translate XD ]

Shuurei was faintly astonished at these words.

“…What? Riou-kun is coming with us? Why him too?”
“He’s there to keep an eye on you.”
“An eye on me?”
“I originally intended to send Seiga and you to Kou Province as imperial messengers. Alone, you might have become a representative biased to the Kou clan side, but if Seiga was sent alone, the opposite might happen, and he could have deliberately messed things up and returned—–So, it’s split between the king’s side and the noble side. ”
“…Definitely.”

That caution was exceedingly natural, for there was a high possibility that that could really happen. Perhaps when Kouki had ordered Seiga and Shuurei to investigate the Kou clan together, he from the beginning decided that in anticipation of sending them together as imperial messengers.

However, Seiga had nearly died in the middle of that, and now he was not yet back to full health. So Kouki might have given up.

“….Then, Riou is going in place of Seiga?”
“Yes. The Bureau of the Sacred Cave keeps its distance from politics. It has nothing to do with the struggles over official rank. Sometimes it also acts as a mediator. He will come along with you as an observer, to see whether you conducting negotiations with the necessary impartiality, or are colluding with your clan. He said that since Uu Uu-dono’s health has recently declined, he will go.”
“Riou-kun……is that so?”

Shuurei was rather relieved. ….Before, when she had not felt well, Riou had helped her. She didn’t want to collapse on the journey, so if Riou was there, he could make medicine for her.

“Understood.”
“Although you’re hopelessly naïve and always doing stupid things.”

A barely-there smile appeared on Kouki’s face.

“…..You’ve become much better. But, this is the end. You’re quitting without me getting to kick you out. Too bad.”
“It’s because you’re always saying that kind of thing than you seem like a kyonshi [note: "hopping ghost," or Chinese vampire. I am not sure how I should deal with this in translation. ] or a master of evil! Why can’t you praise me normally?”
“When you return, I’ll think about it.”
When she returned. Up until then, she would be under Kouki’s command.
“I’m going. What should I get you for souvenirs?”
“I don’t need any. Come back safely.”

At Shuurei’s shocked expression, Kouki’s usual sarcastic smile appeared on his lips.

“Shouldn’t you have said ‘what a kind boss I have’?”
“…………Yes…”
“What kind of dissatisfied voice is that? And a boss so kind that he would let you cling to him like a cicada while getting tears and sniveling all over his official clothes without complaining.”
“Didn’t I say it?!”

Shuurei quickly became embarrassed, and flusteredly moved away from him.

“…Wha? But four people, you said…. Who is the fourth?”
“Shin Suou. You’ll meet up with him along the way.”

All of a sudden, Shuurei doubted her ears. –Shin Suou?

“Wh—Whaaaaat? Tantan?!?!”