Will We Die?

Gu Mo's mind was a little muddled. Perhaps because he had strengthened his spirit just yesterday, gaining two points in that attribute, even though a rather lengthy "record" had suddenly appeared in his mind, his brain quickly absorbed and processed the information.

Or perhaps it was because he already had some knowledge of what Saito Dosan wanted to convey. The old man might have been reminiscing about his glorious past, but the information he had conveyed through the Guardian Spirit was nothing more than his former life—

As the leader of the demon hunters in Oni Slaying Village, a place called Soyah, he had become lost amid the year after year of hunting demons and oni. He felt that such repetitive, mechanical labor had no meaning, because demons and oni could never be completely slain. The root cause of the vast proliferation of Aramitama lay within humanity itself, in this turbulent age where neither humans nor oni could find peace...

In his confusion, he met a female demon calling herself Miyoshino. Drawn together by their shared ideals, they resolved to end this world that had been wrong from the very beginning. They hoped humanity would no longer suffer because of war, and that oni could rest in peace forever...

Afterward, Miyoshino left due to certain concerns after giving birth to twins, taking one daughter with her. He, too, changed the guiding principle of his actions. He transformed from a demon hunter into a Sengoku Daimyo, not to vie for power, but to command greater strength, eliminate spirit stones from the world, and create an age of peace...

—The Guardian Spirit's method of conveying information truly was incredibly useful. Normal communication was limited by the means of expression and comprehension of both parties, whereas this was a method of using "Divine Sense" to transmit thoughts, possessing unimaginable speed and efficiency.

Gu Mo felt as though he had watched a movie lasting several hours in that single instant. Although the film's cinematography and editing were terribly clumsy—nothing but emotion, without a shred of technique—it was more than enough to explain everything Saito Dosan wished to express.

He profoundly understood this man's past, his former confusion, his later awakening, and his determination to put it into practice...

Because the information transmitted by the Guardian Spirit contained the most genuine feelings and thoughts its owner had held toward every memory.

It was not merely seeing images and hearing sounds. One could also directly feel the person's "emotions," allowing one to understand everything this "movie" intended to convey without obstruction. There could scarcely be any deviation in comprehension.

Only after a brief spell of dizziness did Gu Mo's thoughts return to reality, though he still sat there somewhat dazed.

Because this development was something he had never anticipated. He had heard Saito Dosan say many times that he would do everything in his power to help him, but he had never imagined such a grand gesture. Under normal circumstances, handing him a castle to manage would already have been an exceptionally generous and easygoing act.

What other Daimyo would be willing to treat a stranger like that? Forget having a daughter involved—even if the other party were their own brother, they would probably remain wary.

All that could be said was that Saito Dosan truly was no ordinary man. Just as in history, even Oda Nobunaga, once his enemy, could receive Mino after earning his approval. He simply did not care for power or status. He had no particular attachment to the Mino he had built with his own hands. None of it had ever been his ultimate goal; it was merely a means to achieve what he truly sought...

—This bold and free-spirited warlord understood the difference between goals and means with perfect clarity. He had not mistaken the process for the result, nor had he gradually become intoxicated by power and lost himself while pursuing his ideals.

So Gu Mo realized that he had still underestimated this Viper. The decision the man had made now left him stunned for a long time. After finally sorting through the entire matter, he felt like his whole world had gone wrong, nearly jumping to his feet.

His head shook rapidly like a rattle drum, and his first reaction was to refuse—

"No, no, I can't do this..."

"..."

"..."

"Hm? What did you say—?!"

Saito Dosan's voice instantly rose several decibels. He had already been full of vigor, showing none of his age, but now his roar was like thunder. His brows drew together, and fury filled his eyes. What had this brat just said?

He was not even asking anything else anymore. He merely wanted him to treat Axiu well, yet he had answered, "No"? "I can't do it"?

Something so natural, and his anger instantly rose by a thousand points!

Saito Dosan's eyes practically spewed flames, as though he wanted to roast the detestable fellow before him with that almost tangible gaze!

"Uh, no, that's not what I meant..."

Gu Mo could not help leaning back, instinctively trying to put some distance between them. The other man's aura, as though he were about to eat someone, was truly intimidating... If there was something to discuss, they could sit down and talk it over properly. Why did he have to yell so loudly?

"Then what do you mean?!" Saito Dosan still glared furiously, his fists clenched.

"..."

"..."

Gu Mo twitched the corner of his mouth and instinctively turned to look toward the Hidechiyo sisters. He could not handle this anymore. Hurry and give him some outside support!

In response to someone's pleading gaze, Saito Yoshitatsu merely tilted her head slightly. After giving him a brief look, she withdrew her gaze, remaining entirely unmoved, as though she had no intention of offering help.

Still, she cast a sidelong glance at the other black-haired girl beside her, who looked like her own mirror image—her sister, from whom she had been separated for so many years.

She did not care about what her father had just said, because it was indeed the truth. She had once had the chance to become Mino's new ruler, but she had ultimately chosen to give it up.

Unlike the suspicion and estrangement of actual history, before Hidechiyo had returned, Saito Dosan had cared greatly for her, the only bloodline left behind by the woman he loved most... Before deciding to abdicate, he had always seriously sought her opinion, because this family legacy should originally have belonged to her.

It had been the same when he assessed that man from Owari Province in the past, and it was the same now that he had chosen this man. Both decisions had been made only after she nodded her approval and stated that she had no objections.

Saito Yoshitatsu had not changed her mind now. She was simply curious—curious about what her sister, from whom she had been separated for so long, would do; curious about how they had met; curious about what sort of story it was... Of course, beyond curiosity, there was also a subtle psychological factor at work.

The twins looked too alike. Facing each other was practically like facing a mirror. It always felt as though the person opposite was not someone else, but her own reflected image. Thus, such a situation was unavoidable—

It was like seeing herself in a mirror, about to be joined with a stranger...

Such a strange feeling was difficult to avoid. Her sense of dissonance was so intense that although she appeared calm and indifferent, she still could not help caring inwardly.

However...

Hidechiyo merely blinked, looking somewhat at a loss. Even when she met someone's pleading gaze, she only hesitated for a moment before ultimately doing nothing. After all, she could not speak, and she felt it was difficult for her to offer any opinion on such matters.

If her younger sister did not care and had no particular thoughts about it, then she, as the elder sister, was much the same. Or perhaps there was another reason... she still did not have much sense of reality.

After all, the family reunion and recognition between father and daughter had happened only recently. Hidechiyo had not yet been able to quickly integrate into this new family environment. She still found Saito Dosan's enthusiasm unfamiliar and uncomfortable. How could she possibly regard Mino as her own property so naturally?

Thus, the girl felt no real attachment to it. She had no objection even if her father gave the family legacy to this man. Her younger sister, who had always been by their father's side, had no objection, so what opinion could she possibly have...? As for her father's request that this man take good care of her and Yoshitatsu, Hidechiyo also found that entirely normal.

Neither she nor her sister wanted to inherit the family legacy. Their father, old and far less energetic than before, could only entrust it to someone else. At the same time, he hoped that person would take better care of his daughters afterward in light of this arrangement. Such a thing—

Even to Hidechiyo, who understood very little about worldly matters, seemed completely unobjectionable and utterly commonplace.

So calm. Had she already made up her mind long ago...?

Watching her sister's calm, unconcerned expression, Saito Yoshitatsu could not help sighing inwardly.

She did not put on the mannerisms of a young maiden even when faced with such a matter. She rather resembled Saito Kicho. When that half-sister of theirs had married years ago, she had also carried herself with poised grace, without the slightest hint of shyness or awkwardness.

Sensing the gaze from beside her, Hidechiyo tilted her head and looked curiously at her unfamiliar yet familiar younger sister, not knowing why she was staring at her.

Saito Yoshitatsu shook her head slightly, withdrew her gaze, and said nothing.

Back on the other side—

Watching the silent exchange between the identical sisters, Gu Mo could not help twitching the corner of his mouth. Why were they merely watching?

It was one thing for Saito Yoshitatsu to ignore him—they truly were not familiar with one another—but why was even Axiu accepting this with such a calm expression...? Wait, wait! Could it be that Axiu did not actually know what the old man's last sentence meant?

The thought flashed through his mind, and Gu Mo suddenly felt that he had grasped the key. Then his teeth began to ache.

The girl herself had probably never considered that possibility. She was indeed very intelligent, but she was unfamiliar with interpersonal relationships and did not possess so many complicated thoughts. Many things, she could only understand at face value, interpreting them literally...

Yet Saito Dosan had overlooked this. He had also assumed from the outset that this was what it was. When discussing the current matter, perhaps Hidechiyo had not truly understood his meaning, so her reaction had been seen by the old man and, in turn, become proof that confirmed his assumptions...

Having roughly sorted it out, Gu Mo felt that things were not looking good. It was like a tangled mess of thread, with everyone caught inside it, and only he could see the loose end.

But there was no way to explain it—

Because the reason this knot of thread had become such a mess was that he had initially wanted to latch onto Axiu and establish a connection with her... Although Axiu had discovered the truth, she had ultimately chosen to trust him and had never exposed him. By a strange twist of fate, things had turned out this way.

Only the two of them knew the truth, yet neither had spoken of it. Instead, the nonsense he had fabricated back then had become an "established fact" accepted by everyone else.

"Hey! Brat, look at me!"

Saito Dosan impatiently tapped the tatami with his index finger joint, still glaring at the detestable young man before him—

"Did you fall asleep? Don't think you can muddle through like this! Stop looking over there. Axiu clearly trusts you so much, yet you brat are still so... so... Hmph!"

He glanced to the side and saw that his precious daughter truly wore a calm expression, seeming to have accepted the decision he had resolved to announce without hesitation. A wave of inexplicable bitterness rose within him. He had treasured and protected her like the jewel in his palm, yet today she was being whisked away... And this brat was still so irresponsible!

"I..."

Gu Mo discovered that in the twenty years of his life, he could not find a single sentence that would deal with the situation before him.

"What about you? Speak!" the Viper said viciously. At this moment, he possessed none of the bearing of a Sengoku Daimyo. He was more like a father-in-law standing up for his daughter.

How was he supposed to explain? There was no way to explain... Gu Mo looked at the enormous white serpent surrounding him, thought of the recorded images, sounds, thoughts, and feelings that had just appeared in his mind, then secretly glanced at Saito Dosan's eyes, which were nearly spitting fire.

The Guardian Spirit had already been handed over to him...

The ideals and convictions that had run through the man's entire life had also been entrusted to him...

There were also his beloved daughter, the family legacy he had spent half his life building, and perhaps even the Document of Abdication had already been written...

The Viper had considered so much before making up his mind. After making that decision, he had done so many things, only revealing them all together today. If Gu Mo explained clearly to him now that this was all a misunderstanding, that there was actually no special relationship between himself and Axiu, and that everything Saito Dosan believed had merely been fabricated by him...

We'd die, right? We'd definitely die, right?!

A few drops of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Gu Mo gave a dry laugh. "What I meant was, I don't... No, no problem!"

"Hmph! Good!" Saito Dosan snorted. "I have seen how you governed Sagiyama Castle. You brat are quite capable. In less than a month, you turned an entire castle upside down and made everything so orderly. Even Mitsuhide says he is far inferior to you. But governing a province is not the same as managing a castle..."

With the change in status, he naturally assumed the manner of a father-in-law. Perhaps he also held some spiteful desire for retaliation, and he began imperiously lecturing Gu Mo.

The latter could only nod repeatedly, feeling utterly tormented. His mind was nowhere near this subject, and he did not absorb a word of the elder's life advice.

A short while later.

Walking down the corridor, Gu Mo swayed like a walking corpse, his eyes somewhat vacant.

He was finally free... He did not even know how he had gotten out. He had not heard anything said afterward, either. The old man seemed truly dissatisfied with him, even more upset than Gu Mo himself about that matter. Once it had been settled, he did not mention another word about it, immediately putting on an air and lecturing him instead.

Like an old child, he had to win back some ground whenever he felt displeased.

What could Gu Mo say? He could only continue agreeing with him, regardless of whether he had listened or understood, until he was finally freed now.

The two girls behind him also walked down the corridor, watching his swaying figure with some curiosity.

After a long while, listening to the crisp, light footsteps behind him, Gu Mo slowly came back to his senses. His expression shifted slightly. Agreeing just now had only been a temporary measure. He had to talk with Axiu now and discuss how to deal with this troublesome matter.

Or could they exploit the time before anything had been announced and create a time gap?

He could grab his things and run while there was still time. Then Axiu could seize the right moment and stop Saito Dosan before he announced the matter to the world. That way, her reputation would not suffer, and he would not have to face the wrath of a berserk father-in-law?

His mind was a mess. Gu Mo stopped walking, took a deep breath, then turned around.

"Axiu..."

He looked at the two black-haired girls behind him. Distracted and irritated, he blinked, his gaze passing over their heads. Then he reached out and took the girl's wrist, forcing an apologetic smile at Saito Yoshitatsu. "Sorry, Miss Saito. I need to talk to Axiu about something. Please excuse us—"

After hurriedly tossing out those words, he pulled the girl away without looking back.

Huh?

The black-haired girl left behind had reflexively nodded, then opened her mouth in surprise. Had he not said he wanted to talk to her? Why...

She saw the girl who looked like another version of herself freeze for a moment when she was grabbed, before immediately composing her expression. As she was pulled away, she even turned back and gave her a mischievous yet amused look. It all seemed so natural that Saito Yoshitatsu instinctively developed an illusion.

After standing stunned for a moment, the black-haired girl came to her senses and hurried after them.