Decision

“Hey, Aki. Time to get up.” I felt a light tap on my shoulder as a soft harmony entered my ears.

The monotonous rattling of the evening train, along with the soothing orange hue of the sunset, had lulled me to sleep. No one was left on the train aside from me and another person.

“Sorry, Natsu. Today was especially tiring.” I apologised, looking straight at my childhood friend’s radiant silver pupils. Her long silver hair fluttered in the wind, shielding her pale skin from the harsh sunlight. She smiled softly at me, making my heart skip a beat.

“You can say that again. It's unusual for our Volunteer club to get so many requests today. This was a new record.”

“But everyone's smiling faces were worth it,” I recalled the students and teachers we assisted today. Whether it was helping with paperwork, carrying loads, or taking the place of someone, we put all of our effort into our work. The reward was their happiness and gratitude. It made such back-breaking work fun instead of torturous.

“I'm glad we started the club. We get to make as many people as happy as possible.” Natsu glanced down at the bustling town below. Men and women of all ages were going about their lives peacefully.

“No matter what, I want to be there for others. No one should be alone and hopeless. I'll support as many people as I can.” I gripped my hand tightly, my determination leaking from my words.

“And I'll be your pillar, Aki. We'll make this world a better place together.” Natsu gently placed her hand on top of mine. Time was at a standstill. I prayed that this moment would last forever.

That was the last time I saw Natsu.

—

“Fight in the name of Aogiri and win the Sovereign’s Tourney.”

Those words reverberated in my skull endlessly, bouncing around my cranium. Their weight made my head ache like a sledgehammer cracking my head.

I stood there blankly, unable to give any response. The words made sense individually, but they couldn't connect. No, I didn't want them to connect. Though my pupils weren't focused, I could barely distinguish the Emperor and Empress looking at me with worry, while Princess Yukino stared with contempt.

“Dear, this may be too much for the young boy. Why not give him some time to think?” Empress Hikari’s soothing voice brought me back to my senses.

I had many questions. My mind was overfilled with doubts that needed to be organised. Only time could let me do that.

“That makes sense. I realise this is too much to ask of a child like you,” the Emperor rose from his seat.

“We don't have much time till the tournament, so I will ask for your answer tonight. In the meantime, spend some time getting to know Ryushima, the capital of Aogiri. I sincerely hope seeing the people here will influence you in some way.”

The royal family floated across the sparkling wood floor towards the entrance. The tension in the air followed them like an impenetrable barrier. But before they crossed the entrance, the Emperor spoke with his daughter.

“Please give a tour of the city to Mr Kurokawa. You're the only one I can trust with this duty.” The Emperor said while patting her head.

She couldn't hold back her expression of disgust.

“But why Father!? I don't want to spend even a split second with this disappointment of a man! He disgraced the royal family with his behaviour!”

“Please give him a chance, Yukino. There's a reason our summon chose him as our champion. Have some hope. I'm sure he'll impress you.”

Yukino winced at me. I was afraid she was gonna throw another knife at my face. She continued to stare before she finally sighed. She bowed to her father and walked up to me. Shivers ran down my spine as her steps grew louder and louder.

“Don’t take my father’s kindness lightly. Betray that kindness and I’ll slit your neck myself.”

“I understand, “ I said with a serious tone, slightly surprising the young princess. If I don’t treat this matter with utmost importance, my life will disappear. I turned towards the Emperor and bowed.

“Thank you, sir, for giving me this opportunity. I’ll make sure to give you a proper answer soon.”

The Emperor once again bowed and floated out of the building with his wife. Princess Yukino, two guards, and I were the only ones left in this temple. The atmosphere had frozen to sub-zero temperatures.

“So you do have a backbone,” Princess Yukino broke the chilling silence.

“I’ve calmed down a little now. But that doesn’t mean I still want to fight for your country. I need to see for myself what I’ll be fighting for.”

“Very well then. Let’s head to the centre of Ryushima. Then you’ll understand the state we are in.”

Her eyes stared solemnly at the floor. Was Ryushima, or even all of Aogiri, facing some issues? Could that be the reason the Emperor was so desperate to win the Sovereign’s Tourney? I had to obtain the answers to these questions tonight.

After I was given some traditional attire, the two of us crossed the door, causing a flood of sunlight to barrage my eyes. Silence was replaced by the bustling sounds of cart wheels rolling over gravel and the chatter of pedestrians. Traditional-style buildings from Edo Japan sandwiched the road. They had white walls stained by dirt and mud, and were covered by chocolate-brown roofs. It was as though the images from my history books had come to life.

Men clad in dirtied kimonos worked hard at either manning their shops or doing hard labour. Women in similarly dressed clothing supported their husbands' work. Children ran along the streets, greeting their elders and playing with one another. It should have been a happy scene. Everyone was living their life with their best effort. However, something wasn’t right.

Every single one of these people was pale. Too pale.

Every single one of these people was skinny. Too skinny.

Hardened men were struggling to carry their belongings. Fair women could not even stand straight without support. Children would begin panting just from a little running. No one in my sight could be called healthy.

“What’s going on? Why does everyone look so sick?” I asked the princess beside me.

“Ever since the current winner of the Sovereign’s Tourney took the throne, Aogiri has not been getting any resources. Food, materials, money. None of these have been provided.” Princess Yuki was holding back tears. Her hand was curled into a fist, blood slowly dripping from the sharpness of her nails.

“We have been trying to survive by ourselves for so long, but it’s not enough. Father and Mother have been working tirelessly, managing our current resources just so that people can survive. If we go on like this, there’s no chance this country will exist in the next 5 years.”

Princess Yukino turned towards me, her eyes soiled with tears. Her strength and willpower prevented them from dropping.

“This Sovereign’s Tourney is our last chance to save this country. I’m ready to give up my life so that we win.”

“Give up your life?”

She was ready to sacrifice herself for the sake of her country. I was amazed at her selflessness, but worried at how determined she was. Blind determination was equal to recklessness. As a princess, her life was not just her own; it was equal to her own people. Losing it was a greater burden than she thought.

“I’m ready to participate in the Sovereign’s Tourney. I don’t care what anyone says, even Father. I can’t let my parents handle the country’s burden all by themselves. If my fighting prowess can even give us a glimmer of winning, then I’ll fight with all my heart.”

Her tears had dried, and her eyes had sharpened. The girl in front of me was not the spoiled damsel I had originally thought. She was a selfless warrior ready to lay her life for her country, even if she was alone.

Everything about her made sense now. The reason she had been so mad at my reaction was that I was basically leaving the lives of the people she cared about to die. I felt like punching myself to death. How could I have been such a fool?

“Greeting, Princess Yukino! What a wonderful day to see you! Would you like to see my wares?” A man from a certain shop had noticed the princess and greeted her.

Soon, the rest of the public greeted the Princess in the same way. Though they were suffering, they smiled brightly when looking at her beauty. She smiled brightly at her people, waving and greeting them. I could feel how much she cared and loved her people.

The rest of the day went similarly; the people greeted Princess Yukino with open arms while she visited each stall one by one. It wasn’t just the centre of Ryushima; all of the city was suffering in the same way. However, no one shouted out their plight. Each person continued to smile as though they weren’t starving or ill.

As the sun drooped down, revealing a blanket of stars, I leaned on the frame of a bridge, overlooking the mirror-like river. It copied the beauty of the universe above and replicated it for us humans to behold. Princess Yukino was still greeting a few commoners and chatting with them.

Suddenly, I felt a tap on my legs. I looked down and saw a young boy, about 7 years old. Just like the other children, he was pale and skinny, just like the others. I crouched down and looked at his eyes. Unlike the others, it lacked a light of hope.

“What’s wrong? Do you need any help?”

“Mommy is gone. I can’t find her.”

My heart sank to the depths. Without a second of thought, I ran to Princess Yukino, carrying the child in my arms.

“Princess! This child has lost his mom. I’m gonna look around here for her.”

“Gosh! I’ll check the other areas. Guards! Spread out!”

We searched high and low for the child’s mother, but she was nowhere to be found. Even retracing his steps didn’t work. I decided to check his house. The young boy, holding back tears, guided me towards his home. The weather was unbearably chill, especially when wearing such thin fabric. The previously filled streets were now abandoned. The bustle had completely disappeared.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed a young woman sitting by her lonesome outside a house. As soon as the young boy noticed the woman, he dashed towards her, leaving a trail of tears behind him. The woman immediately noticed her son and hugged him tightly. The two of them squeezed each other, making sure they never leave each other's grasp ever again. It was a sight for sore eyes.

“Thank you, young man. Thank you so much for bringing my young boy back to me,” the woman said through her cries.

I felt my heart burning up inside me. I had forgotten this feeling. The empathy of human emotions when helping one another. Coming from another world changed nothing. Humans were humans no matter where they were from. And humans needed to help each other.

Princess Yuki soon caught up to where we were. She greeted the woman and chatted with her and her child before leaving. Just as I was about to leave as well, a young voice shouted from behind me.

“Thanks, mister! I won’t forget this!”

—

Just as we were at the entrance of the temple, Princess Yuki grabbed my arm. I shiver ran down my spine, but then I calmed down and looked towards her. Her admonishing glare had slightly warmed up compared to this morning.

“Thank you, Mr Kurokawa.”

“For what? All I did was help a lost child. Anyone would have done that.”

“Not just that. I saw how much you cared for these people. You were worried about their condition and genuinely wanted to help that boy. I’m sorry I misjudged you.”

She bowed towards me.

“Please raise your head, Princess! I don’t deserve such respect.”

For the first time since I met this girl, she gave a warm smile towards me. My heart was in full bloom, unable to control my happiness. I decided to reciprocate her feelings.

“Actually, I wanted to thank you, too. Because of this little trip, I’ve decided what I want to do.”

“So you’re ready?”

“Absolutely.”

My thoughts were complete. I knew what I had to do. After meeting the people here and listening to Princess Yukino, there was really only one option.

With my back straight and my eyes forward, I opened the doors of the temple. It was time to decide my fate.