Chapter 34:

A Clash Between Father and Daughter

The Pride of A Banchou


I hugged Ryuu’s body tightly while trembling in front of my father. His body was slowly getting colder as he lost more and more blood. I wanted to call for help immediately, but my voice wouldn’t come out with my father glaring murderously at me.

Kazami raised his blood-soaked katana and swung it again toward Ryuu. He seriously intended to sever Ryuu’s neck with this blow. Upon realizing that, my body moved faster than my mind.

Clang!

My dagger—which I hid under my kimono—met his katana and managed to block it. However, the impact from blocking just one blow made my arm numb. I couldn’t imagine myself fighting my father and winning under this circumstance, but I had no other choice.

Before Kazami could make another move, I roughly shoved Ryuu behind me and launched a counterattack. I felt guilty when I heard Ryuu’s pained groan, but I couldn’t afford to look after him now.

Kazami clicked his tongue and suddenly kicked me aside. “Move!”

Unable to react in time, I was blown away across the room. My back hit the wall painfully and I nearly lost my consciousness.

“Gakh…!” I groaned in pain.

Within my blurry sight, I saw Kazami approaching Ryuu’s defenseless body, his katana poised to reap his life.

“No…!”

The memory of my father severing my brother’s neck overlapped with the scene in front of me.

“No more…!”

Adrenaline rushed through my body, pumping me with the strength that I desperately needed. I went back on my feet and dashed toward Kazami, picking up the tea table in the process.

“Stop it!” I shouted as I threw the table as hard as I could at my father.

The desperate attempt evidently caught him off guard. Kazami yelped as he got blown aside from the collision.

“Ryuu! Can you hear me?!” I called out his name frantically while pulling his body upright. “I’ll get you out from here, so just hang in there!”

I supported his limp body and headed toward the hallway. Normally, it would be impossible for a petite girl like me to shoulder a growing male like Ryuu, but it was my inhuman physical ability that allowed me such a miraculous feat. I reluctantly thanked my parents for giving me this convenient body.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one with enhanced physical abilities.

I sensed a terrifying killing intent rapidly approaching us from behind. I let out a curse and turned around, just in time to parry Kazami’s katana.

“Ugh!” I grimaced as the force behind my father’s swing nearly made me lose my grip on the dagger.

Kazami took that opening to keep mercilessly pressuring me with his longer-reaching katana. With Ryuu weighing me down and my arm hardly able to move, the katana was gradually soaked in my blood as well. Despite all of those disadvantages, I refused to back down. I desperately held on to my dagger with a trembling arm and glared at my father.

“…how stubborn.” Kazami spat out with disgust on his face.

“I won’t give up.” I told him sternly. “I refuse to be like you, obsessed with power to the point of forsaking everything else.”

For generations, the head of Kagura Family always sought power like they were obsessed with it. It didn’t matter what they had to do to obtain it—be it killing and torturing other people, trampling on the weak, or even forsaking their own family. This trait was what made Kagura Family a symbol of fear and resentment.

“It’s only right to forsake useless things.” Kazami’s glare was locked on to Ryuu. “Even if you protect them, what can the weak do for you? They’ll only weigh you down and become your weak point—just like now.”

He swung his katana once again, forcing me to block it. As both of my hands were occupied, Kazami drew a throwing knife that he had kept hidden and threw it straight at Ryuu’s head.

In a split second, my mind calculated all the possible ways to get out of this situation. If I used my dagger to deflect his knife, his katana would cleave me apart. But it was also impossible to move away, since it would break my stance and Kazami was waiting for any opening I made.

“Damn it! I’m sorry, Ryuu!”

I chose to let go of Ryuu, resulting in him crashing down to the floor—producing a loud "OW!!!" from him—and narrowly avoiding the knife. With my now freed hand, I grabbed Kazami’s sword-wielding wrist and twisted it.

“Argh!” Kazami let go of his katana and staggered away from me.

I quickly snatched Ryuu back and made my escape—or that was what I planned on doing.

Before I knew it, the hallway was blocked by Tetsu and his men. There was nowhere to run. Even worse, they had Ouji and Hiiro with them. The two were badly beaten up, but thankfully still had their limbs intact.

“It’s a checkmate, Ojou-sama.” Shin stepped out from among the yakuzas. “There’s nothing else you can do now.”

I ignored him and glanced around, desperately trying to think of something. My gaze lingered at the open window next to me as I briefly wondered if I could escape from there.

“It’s impossible.” Shin announced, as if he could read my mind. “You might’ve gone out from your apartment using the same method, but it won’t work here, Ojou-sama. We had men ready to apprehend you the moment you landed down there. And you can’t possibly abandon your friends here, can you?” He gestured toward Ouji and Hiiro, who were glowering at him.

I hated to admit it, but I was truly cornered here. And Ryuu’s condition was getting worse, as he kept losing blood.

“…I understand.” I lowered my dagger, signaling my defeat.

“Kill them all.” Kazami gave his order without any hesitation.

Before his subordinates could answer, I spoke first. “Are you absolutely sure, Otou-sama?”

I leaned on the open window with my dagger resting on my neck. Kazami’s eyes widened in alarm as he gestured at his men to stop.

“There’s only one fate for a checkmated king—death.” I told him lightly, as if I was only talking about the weather. “I don’t mind chasing after my friends to the afterlife, but I don’t believe you think the same. Aren’t I still your precious doll, having been painstakingly raised to be your killing machine?” My lips curled into a cold sneer.

Kazami glared at me, his gaze told me to stop joking around. But I remained calm and unmoving, cementing my stance on this matter—I would kill myself if he killed my friends.

“…fine. What do you want?” Kazami finally relented, having established this as a deal between us.

“A guarantee.” I stared straight at him. “Your guarantee that you won’t touch my friends, their family—all of them.”

Kazami raised an eyebrow. “Hou? That will cost you quite a great deal. What can you possibly offer to convince me of agreeing?”

“I’ll give you my life…” My gaze drifted toward Ryuu, who was slumped quietly at my feet, and toward my two trusted subordinates, who were violently shaking their heads. I pointed an apologetic smile at them as I said, “…and my freedom.”

“What?” Kazami narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

“You wanted not a daughter, but a doll that moves according to your will, right? That’s why you persistently searched for me these two years. So, I will give you what you want.” I raised my chin defiantly. “I’ll be a good girl and succeed this family just as you wish. I won’t defy you nor try to run away anymore. That should be more than enough, don’t you think?”

“No!!”

The first one to react was Hiiro.

“Sakuya-chan, you can’t…gakh!”

He was quickly silenced by Tetsu’s punch to his stomach.

“Kagura-san, think about it again.” This time, it was Ouji who spoke up. He looked at me anxiously as he begged, “Please don’t do this for us. None of us want you to do this. Not even Ryuu…”

“Pochi.” I cut him short. “I’ve made up my mind. I will protect all of you, no matter what I have to do.”

“…ha!”

Everyone was startled by the loud sound coming from Kazami. He had been listening to me quietly, but now his shoulders were trembling as if he was trying to hold back something.

“Haha…hahahaha!” Finally he burst out in laughter. “How ironic! To think that these brats barged in here, fully intending to save you, but they turned into your shackles instead! How laughable, if I knew this much will be enough to make you crumble, I would’ve done this from the start!”

Hiiro gritted his teeth and lunged toward Kazami—or at least tried. He was easily held back by Tetsu as he shouted and cursed at my father. Ouji, on the other hand, hung his head and fell completely silent. But his fist was clenched so hard that it drew blood.

“Yes, I’ll accept this deal of yours.” Kazami grinned in a good mood. “For you to inflict despair to people who are trying to save you…you are indeed my daughter.”

I lowered my gaze, suppressing the guilt and fear that encroached on me. I’d chosen this myself—I had no right to complain nor blame others. It was to protect everyone—to protect Ryuu from this twisted, monster-like household. It would’ve been better…if he hadn't gotten involved with me from the start.

Just as I thought of that, a hand weakly grabbed my ankle.

“Sakuya…don’t…” A faint voice, almost like a whisper, reached my ears.

I turned my gaze toward the person holding on to me desperately, despite his injury.

“Ryuu…I’m sorry.” I flashed him a soft, yet bitter smile. “I choose to do this. If I have to see someone precious get killed in front of me again…I don’t think I can handle it.”

I crouched down and gently clasped his hand in mine. It was terribly cold and weak, but he still grasped my hand with all the strength he could muster. It was a testament to his feelings of not wanting to let go.

“I’m really sorry.” I closed my eyes and brought our linked hands to my forehead. “You’ve come so far to pick me up, but I can’t come with you. I’ll make sure you get treated immediately, so don’t worry.” I whispered.

I couldn’t see Ryuu’s expression, but I felt him shaking his head. “That’s…not…it. Look at…me…Sakuya.”

I hesitated for a moment. I was scared that if I saw Ryuu’s face, my resolve would waver. I might beg him to save me, even though he was the one who needed help right now.

“Sakuya…please…”

I finally relented and opened my eyes. The look of sadness and bitter frustration on Ryuu’s face punched me harder than my father’s fist. I could see him silently pleading at me to rescind my deal with Kazami. He was telling me to get angry at him for weighing me down, to throw him away for my own sake, just like what I did to him when we first met.

“I’m sorry, but…I can’t.”

Ryuu’s eyes widened at my answer, as if I’d just read his mind.

“Thank you for coming to save me. That much is enough to make me happy. However…” I tried to smile, but my face contorted as tears started blurring my sight. “…I can’t accept your feelings. Please forget about me.”

Ochroleucous
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