Yes, that's what forbidden means

“I’m going with her.”
“You will do no such thing.”
“I’m not asking.”

My father and I stare each other down, both of our expressions too flat for the other to get a read. It was him I learned my poker face from after all.

“For what purpose could you justify such a foolish decision?”
“To protect her.”
“Protect? How would one devoid of magic protect one who is a master of it?”

I don’t reply with words. I’ve kept this secret for over a decade, but if ever there was a time to tell it, it would be now. I lower myself to my knees and place both baskets on the ground, before taking a deep breath and channelling my mana. After a few seconds, the ground starts to lightly shake, and my father’s composed expression begins to falter.

“Those tremors… those have been not a natural occurrence, but your doing?”
“Yes, dad.”
“Earth magic... no, darkness magic? High level darkness magic in fact? From your family, you’ve been hiding such a thing?”
“Yes, dad.”
“For how long?”
“At least ten years. Maybe eleven at this point. I’d already been practising a while when Ann and Okaa showed up.”

My father, along with my mother and Okaa who had been silently observing from behind him, seem speechless at such a revelation. Suddenly, from beside me, Ann falls to the floor into a deep bow.

“My Lord Kana, I must confess a great misdeed for which I am guilty. I’ve known of young master Kana’s abilities for many a year, and aided his deception of you and your Lady wife. I ask that you please forgive me my sins.”

Dammit, Ann, I was just gonna lie and tell them you didn’t know either, you didn’t have to throw yourself under the bus like that. You’ve changed quite a bit from your rebellious years back on Earth.

“Rise to your feet, young Ann. If such a secret was kept under orders of my idiot son, no blame falls upon you for following them. Your deeds for the good of this island and its people far outweigh a single lie.” Considering how much he dotes on Ann, I’m unsurprised my father is so quick to forgive her. I’m his only biological child but somehow she’s still his favourite.

“You, on the other hand, have much to explain. For what reason have you hidden such a secret from us all these years?”
There’s no answer I can give to this question that won’t get me a belting, so I may as well just be honest.
“Wanted to study the forbidden arts, knew you’d try to stop me.”
“The forbidden arts? We don’t allow their use on Shimatou.”
“Yes, that’s what forbidden means.”

My father’s expression tells me he’s in no mood for my snark. I guess we’re not doing poker faces anymore.
“On Shimatou, darkness magic is a neutered style, bogged down by rules and regulations. The greatest darkness mages of all time used gravity manipulation, time dilation and even wormhole teleportation, but we ban them from even being practised.”
“They pose too great a threat to be allowed!”
“So does throwing flames from your hands or changing weather patterns, but fire and light magic aren’t restricted.”
“The banned darkness styles could tear apart our very world.”
“Only if used wrong.”

Both of our stances are firm, and neither of us are likely to change our mind. We’re at a stalemate. Or at least, we would be if not for the last card I have to play.

“You all want Ann to learn magic properly from the academy, right? Well she won’t go unless I can, and I won’t go unless I’m allowed to practise the forbidden arts. If you want Ann to reach her full potential, you have no choice but to let me reach mine.”

I feel bad about using Ann as a bargaining chip like this. The poor girl’s been so good to me, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t unfairly taking advantage of that here, but my resolution is firm.
My father’s disgruntled expression softens slightly as he heaves a sigh, placing his hand on his forehead as he looks at the ground.

“Your decision is final?”
“It is.”
“Then I have little choice but to accept your terms. But I accept them on one condition.”
“That condition being?”
“You will go on Ann’s journey to the east, and upon your return she will give me a detailed report of your magic usage. If I find that you’ve done anything that could endanger my people, for every minute of every day, I’ll have you watched to ensure you’re not practising those wretched arts.”
“Deal.”

I get to use banned magic and I get to go on Ann’s journey with her? My father doesn’t seem to realise this is the exact outcome I wanted. I didn’t even have to resort to manipulation.

“Both of you, to your rooms, and begin packing belongings for the journey. It’s a three-day ride on horseback, so take with you what you will need. Okaa, prepare our fastest horses. They’ll be riding out within the hour.”

Wait, within the hour? He doesn’t have time to send one of his samurai to prepare for the journey in that time…

“Yes, boy, it’s as you’ve guessed. You two will be riding alone. With powers such as yours, protecting a single girl should come with ease, correct? If she returns with a single scratch, you’ll never use forbidden arts again.”

Rat bastard, I knew there’d be a caveat. He knows Ann won’t be at risk of death, so he’s taking the gamble that she’ll take enough damage for him to label me a failure, but not enough to cause permanent injury. A shrewd play, I’d respect it if it were played against anyone but me.

"Game on, old man."
Without losing my poker face, I give my father a deep nod and leave the room, Ann closely in tow. I’ll have to maintain constant vigilance, I can’t let a single monster touch her. Not that I had intended to anyway.

Ann and I separate at the doors to our rooms and begin gathering our belongings. Several days worth of clothes thrown into a leather bag, as well as my short sword, bow and arrow quiver. I’m unlikely to need them, but they make for a decent back up in the event I run out of mana. I finish quickly and leave my room, and soon after Ann joins me.

As Okaa is busy with the horses, we also pack several days worth of fruit and bread, as well as several flasks of water. I wince a little out of sympathy for the horses who’ll be carrying all of this along with us.

“Master Shiidou, my preparations are complete, what of your own?”
“I’m all good to go. Let’s go see Okaa about those horses.”

We step out of the front door with our bags and walk around to the side of the house where Okaa is guiding two stout kisouma horses from the stables. Much shorter than the kind found in Europe, these horses have somewhat poor stamina, but excellent speed and surprisingly good strength. With Ann’s magic to keep them in good shape, they’ll be a perfect fit for the ride to Shimatou’s east.

“These are our fastest steeds, with them you should arrive at Higashi-chou in under three days.”
“My thanks, mother. We’ll return at our earliest convenience.”
“Keep yourselves safe on the road. I mind not if you return with delay, so long as you return in good health.”
“I’ll keep your girl safe, Okaa. You can count on that.”

Okaa crouches slightly to my eye level and gives me an almost motherly smile.
“I leave my beloved daughter in your hands, young master Kana. I trust you to return alive and well, both of you.”
Both Ann and I buckle our bags to the saddles and mount our horses, and wave goodbye to Okaa as we ride toward the main road. Mum and Dad are waiting there for us.

“Continue to follow the path east until the river. inform him you're on orders of house Kana and the ferryman will allow you passage. So dire a situation this is, you must make haste to your destination. My assessment is that you’ll be needed for a fortnight or more, but even several months isn’t out of the question. Send word upon your arrival and get to work immediately.”
“I’ll do my very best, my lord Kana.”
“And you. Allow no harm to come to her. Our agreement is firm, I will not permit excuses.”
“I’ll keep her in one piece, no sweat.”

My fathers words to me aren’t exactly as soft as his words to Ann, but I at least appreciate that he’s giving me a chance.
“Please return safely, my son. I’ll count the days until your return.”
“I’ll miss ya while I’m gone, mum. See you soon.”

And with those words, Ann and I set off on our journey to the east.