The Yasha’s Princess (5)

“Ugh… wh-what is this…?”

The limp body lying before her was enveloped in light.

Responding to the power Mei poured into him, moisture returned to Jokyo’s dried-out beak, restoring its gleam. His faded, bedraggled feathers regained their luster and fluffed outward magnificently.

Then his dull, lifeless eyes regained their vigor, and his eyelids opened wide.

“O-Oh…!”

With a cry of joy, Jokyo sprang to his feet. His movements were so agile that it was hard to believe his life had been fading away only moments earlier.

“Father!”

“Chief!!”

Kyo and the surrounding Karasu Tengu erupted into cheers.

“Haa…”

Letting out a deep sigh, Mei removed her hand from Jokyo.

Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and she was so exhausted that simply remaining seated took all her strength. She might not have been this tired since the time she had healed that young oni boy.

Jokyo burst out of his sleeping quarters, stretching his arms and legs and flapping his wings. The stagnant heat trapped inside the hollow was swept away all at once, and a cool breeze brushed across Mei’s cheek.

“Wonderful! Power is surging through my entire body! Oh, I feel as though I could fly to the very ends of the eternal realm!”

“Father! Ah, Princess of the Yasha! How can I possibly thank you enough?!”

“Thank you. Truly, thank you!”

The Karasu Tengu all rushed toward Mei at once and began bowing their heads to the floor. Since every one of them was banging their forehead against it, perhaps this was some distinctive Karasu Tengu way of expressing emotion.

“Um, that’s enough, really…”

At this rate, they would injure themselves badly enough that she would have to heal them too. Mei tried somehow to make them stop, but none showed any sign of doing so.

As she wondered helplessly what to do, Jokyo strode briskly toward her.

“Princess of the Yasha—no, Lady Mei. Your power is genuine. I never imagined it would be this extraordinary… Even an old wound in my wing that I have carried for years is gone.”

Seeing the great Karasu Tengu happily fluttering his wings made Mei happy as well.

“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”

“No. If you want to thank someone, thank Kyo. He was the one who brought me here. Please don’t scold him.”

When she gestured toward Kyo, who still had his forehead pressed against the floor, Jokyo furrowed his brow with some discomfort.

“Kyo. I am glad that you acted out of concern for me. I am grateful.”

“Father!”

“But taking the Yasha’s Princess away without permission is another matter entirely. I assume you were prepared to be killed for it.”

Mei’s eyes widened at the suddenly ominous words.

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“I was prepared for that. I had to save you, Father, no matter what.”

“I see…”

The two of them were behaving as though they were exchanging their final words in this life, and Mei hurriedly cut in between them.

“Wait. What do you mean? What do you mean, ‘killed’?”

“Lady Mei, what are you saying? Taking another’s Princess is that grave an offense. Whatever the reason, it is no different from challenging him to a fight to the death.”

“Lord Ryoga would never do something like that!”

“No. I know him. It should be about time…”

Jokyo turned a worried gaze toward the entrance to the hollow. Wondering what he meant, Mei followed his gaze.

At that exact moment, she heard a sharp crack like the discharge of static electricity.

“Eeeek…!”

Then came someone’s strangled scream. By the time Mei realized it had come from one of the Karasu Tengu stationed near the entrance, more screams were already echoing through the hollow.

“The Yasha! The Yasha is here!”

“Run…!”

The Karasu Tengu came racing deeper into the hollow as though scattering in every direction.

“The Yasha…”

(—Lord Ryoga?)

If it was him, Mei wondered why everyone was so terrified. She started toward the entrance, but Kyo hurriedly grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Don’t. It’s dangerous to go outside right now.”

“But…”

Seeing how deathly pale Kyo had become, Mei realized that this was no ordinary situation, and the blood drained from her own face as well.

Even Gen had every hair on his body standing on end as he bared his fangs toward the entrance.

“Princess, you mustn’t. Master is…”

“Even you, Gen…? Why?”

Her gaze darted around uncertainly before returning to the entrance.

“Ah.”

A small sound slipped involuntarily from her lips.

A large human silhouette stood in the entrance, blocking the light pouring in from outside. With his face hidden by the backlight, Mei could not tell who it was at first and narrowed her eyes.

“Lord Ryoga?”

At her call, the figure’s body visibly twitched.

As she continued staring, her eyes finally adjusted, and she could tell without doubt that it was Ryoga. But she still could not make out his expression. Only the eyes fixed intently on her shone with an eerie brilliance.

(—What?)

Ryoga’s eyes, which should have been blue, were golden.

Her heart began pounding strangely, and the image of the young oni boy she had once saved overlapped with Ryoga’s form.

(—No. It can’t be.)

She blinked several times, wondering if she was mistaken. Apparently, the golden color had only been a trick of the light, because Ryoga’s eyes were now their usual blue.

(—Did I imagine it?)

Still confused, Mei tried to take a step forward, but Kyo still had hold of her arm, preventing her from moving.

“No. The Yasha may not be in his right mind at the moment.”

“Kyo. It’s all right, so…”

“Let go.”

A low, heavy voice reverberated through the hollow.

“Who gave you permission to lay a hand on my Princess…?!”

“Ghk!”

Kyo let out a short groan and released Mei’s arm. When she looked, a vivid red gash had split across the back of the hand that had been holding her moments before. Mei caught her breath at the fresh blood dripping heavily onto the ground.

“Oh no…!”

She bent down to help Kyo, who had collapsed to the ground, but before she could, a pair of large hands gently lifted her into the air.

“Are you unharmed?!”

Ryoga, looking as though he might burst into tears at any moment, pulled Mei tightly against his chest.

She could tell that the fine fabric of his clothes was slightly damp with sweat. The hands cradling her back and the rear of her head trembled faintly, and there was something desperate in the way he held her, as though he believed she would vanish if he loosened his arms even slightly.

“Your presence suddenly disappeared. Do you know how worried I was?! Are you hurt? Did they do anything to you?”

She wanted to tell him she was all right, but he was hugging her so tightly that her face was pressed into him and she could barely speak. She made muffled noises and tapped at his arm, but he showed no sign of loosening his grip.

(—Waaah…!)

Mei felt her face grow hot enough to burn. This was the first time in her life anyone had ever held her like this.

And the person doing it was a man.

Ryoga.

Despite the tense situation, her head spun with confusion and embarrassment.

“You…! Do you understand what you have done?!”

A furious roar that seemed to shake her to the core thundered through the hollow. Mei did not even need to think about who Ryoga’s anger was directed toward.

“I am sorry. I truly did something unforgivable. But I had no choice… My father—”

“Silence!”

“Gah…!”

There was a dull impact, followed by the sound of something rolling across the floor.

(—No!)

Mei flailed her arms desperately inside Ryoga’s embrace, trying to make him notice her. At last, his arms loosened.

“What is it?”

“Pwah… Lord Ryoga, you mustn’t. Please don’t be angry with Kyo.”

“What…?”

A vein bulged on Ryoga’s beautiful forehead. Mei, who had only ever known his gentle expression, made a small frightened sound at the sudden transformation.

“What did you just say?”

“Huh? Um… I said you mustn’t…”

“After that. Why are you calling this wretch by his name when you still haven’t even… Damn it!”

The “wretch” he pointed at was Kyo, who was lying on the ground. Whether Ryoga had kicked or struck him, blood was running from his mouth.