The Sword of Kaigen

Misaki and Takeru head home together. On the way, they run into Chul-hee, who has been sent to look for them. Then another figure appears. It looks like Mamoru, and Misaki screams. A moment later, however, she recognizes that it is an illusion created by a skilled littigi, as her friend Elleen was. She attacks the figure with ice, disrupting the illusion to reveal a man. Takeru traps the man in ice.

The man, Hadean, wears a gray robe and has strange tattoos on his face. Misaki viciously stomps on the man’s hand and interrogates him. She suspects he might be from Livingston, the only place she has met littigi in gray robes. They worked for the enemies she used to fight with Robin. Misaki threatens to cut off body parts one by one until the man answers her questions. In response, the man says, “Detonate” (512). Misaki throws herself back, pulling Chul-hee and Takeru with her as the man explodes.

The man dies, leaving nothing but a charred crater. Misaki speculates that the man was an assassin meant to kill her. Worried that there might be more spies and assassins in their midst, Takeru orders a search of the entire village. No more spies are found, but a young girl is missing. Takeru uses his ability to connect with the mountain and search for her; he determines that she has been taken far beyond his reach.

That night, Takeru speaks gently with his children and even holds Nagasa. Setsuko is shocked and asks what Misaki did to cause such a change. Misaki does not know how to answer and merely smiles. When Misaki and Takeru climb into bed, Takeru asks if she knows who sent the assassin. She tells him about the men she used to fight in Livingston with her crime-fighting friends and says that he met one of those friends years ago when they first married. Takeru recalls Robin’s visit and nods.

They have another long conversation. Takeru talks about his parents, revealing that his father was abusive to his wife and his children. His mother was weakened by the births of Takashi and Takeru and died several years later after having miscarriages. After Misaki’s miscarriages, he feared that the same thing would happen to her. Misaki admits to fearing that she had killed her children in the womb. Takeru speculates that her blood-related ability might have unconsciously terminated the pregnancies that would have killed her. He knew that she was in pain then, but he never knew what to say, so he said nothing. But for Misaki, silence was the worst thing he could do. She would rather fight than be alone. Finally, they reach out to each other, knowing that a single fight has not fixed them but is a sign that things can get better.

Colonel Song returns with other officials, and Misaki quietly investigates the military's plans. She approaches an apprentice jaseli, playing the role of a grieving mother with a hot-tempered husband. She asks the jaseli for information that she might use to ease her mind and keep her husband under control.

The jaseli tells her that the Ranganese have amassed power and attacked many villages and military installments along the coast to test their strength. They have targeted places where the ancient warrior families resided, hoping to pit their strongest fonyakalu against Kaigen's strongest jijakalu. The Ranganese completely overpowered the military installations. However, the resistance they met in Takayubi shocked them. Kaigen used this incident to force the Ranganese into a truce. Those who died in Takayubi likely saved the entire Empire with their sacrifice, but the public must never know how close they came to war.

Misaki tells Takeru everything she learned. He is angry that she went on her own without consulting him first. Misaki is furious that he still expects her unquestioning obedience but is also glad that she finally feels brave enough to voice this anger rather than burying it. Frustrated, Takeru says he is angry because she did not trust him enough to share her plans so he might keep her safe. Misaki promises to speak with him in the future.

The next day, Takeru attends a meeting with the government officials while Misaki serves tea. She listens as a general condescendingly dictates what Takayubi can expect from the government. The village must be silent and obedient, and the government may consider sending them aid. In a rare show of strength, Takeru says they require no aid from the government. They will rebuild on their own and survive the winter, and the generals are welcome to visit again in the spring. If they are dissatisfied with his leadership then, they are welcome to replace him. Flustered, the Kaigenese general realizes that he has lost control of the situation.

Misaki thinks that Takeru has never been as attractive as he is now, and she beams with pride. After the meeting, Takeru tells Misaki that he is formulating a plan to strengthen the village. He would also like to send Hiroshi to Daybreak Academy when the boy grows older. Takeru does not want to raise another generation as shortsighted as his own.

The officials leave, and Takeru promises to have a full plan to share with everyone the following day. Takeru stays in his office, working late into the night. He writes a speech but knows that he is not good with people like his brother or Misaki. He asks her to read and revise the speech. Though it is beautifully written, she advises him not to use any of it, telling him that he does not need to be like his brother. If he has a good plan, then he should simply share it and let his actions speak for themselves. Then, she leaves him to go rest, impulsively kissing him on her way out. They have never kissed before, and both are surprised by her gesture.

The next day, Takeru shares his plan. Misaki will oversee food preparation and rationing. The Kotetsu family will oversee building materials and plans for rebuilding the village. The first thing they will rebuild is the school because the government is required to pay the public school staff. This will allow some families to start earning an income again. Additionally, they have long ignored their pine forests, which could be a valuable resource. He has contracted with neighboring cities to export lumber. Lastly, he invites those who have come from neighboring villages to remain and make Takayubi their home. Though he cannot pay anyone yet, he is reopening the long-defunct Matsuda martial arts dojo and will begin training new fighters. Misaki knows that this prospect will entice many in the wake of such a violent attack. Inspired and energized, everyone works together.

One night, Misaki wakes to the sound of a baby crying. She walks to Hyori's hut as several other neighbors arrive, and they find Hyori dead by suicide. Beside her is an infant girl. Misaki sees a shallow cut on the baby's neck and understands that Hyori planned to kill the baby as well and then changed her mind. A villager insists that the baby is an aberration and must be killed, but Misaki refuses, stating that Hyori chose to let her live and they will respect that decision. Misaki takes the baby to the orphanage. She does not have the means to support the child but will check on her. Misaki speculates that the village learns to tolerate the girl's presence because she is a "walking memory" (563) of the attack.

In the spring, Misaki returns home one day to find Takeru sitting at a table and drinking tea with Robin. She pauses, disoriented and confused. Takeru invites his wife to sit with her friend and leaves. Misaki realizes that she still loves Robin. She introduces him to Izumo, and he introduces her to his toddler son, Daniel. He explains that Daniel's mother has died. They catch up, and Robin describes his adventures since they parted; he, Elleen, and Koli have traveled extensively. Elleen also has children, and Koli married a man and was exiled from his family.

Misaki apologizes for her behavior when they were teenagers, admitting that she treated Robin and Elleen’s lives like a vacation from her real life and did not understand what they suffered until she suffered something similar. In return, Robin apologizes for failing to save her the last time they saw each other. He did not understand what she needed then. Misaki decides that marrying Takeru was the right decision in the end. After all these years, she is beginning to realize that her husband is a good man. Robin agrees, saying that Takeru personally wrote to invite Robin, which shocks Misaki. That evening, Takeru asks Robin about the littigi assassin, in case it really is related to Misaki and Robin’s time in Livingston.

Robin says that there have been similar cases everywhere, including the missing children. He believes that someone is building an army with powerful children. He tried to fight this unknown enemy once, which is how he lost Daniel's mother. He believes this unknown person can use Blood Puppetry, though Misaki still believes that Blood Puppetry is a myth. Robin tells her to try it, but when she does, she can only control a single finger.

Robin stays for several days. He has been afraid to ask about Mamoru, not wanting to hurt Misaki or relive his own losses, but he finally admits that he is terrified of losing Daniel. He always knew that his lifestyle was dangerous but did not fully understand this fact until he had a child. He asks Misaki how she can live with such loss, and Misaki says that the important thing is to cherish each moment because there is no way to know how long it will last.

Eventually, Robin returns home. Misaki orders him to stay alive, and he promises to visit again. After Robin is gone, Misaki asks Takeru why he invited him. Takeru said she has been stuck in silence for too long and deserved a chance to say goodbye. Misaki is surprised to realize that she can love Robin and Takeru at the same time. She thinks, "Maybe that [is] the 'how' Robin had been looking for" (612). Love is the thing that holds her together and keeps her going. She smiles and reaches out to hold Takeru's hand as she holds Izumo in her other arm, and she finally feels hope for the future.