Chapter 18: The Divine General Shows Mercy Once More

Minami Mori’s slap never landed. Sakiko Togawa had physically stepped between her and Mutsumi Wakaba, catching Minami’s wrist in a grip that felt as unyielding as a vise. Her slender arm remained perfectly still; Minami could neither continue her assault nor pull her hand away.

"When did you arrive, Sakiko?" Minami was forced to force a smile so artificial it was almost painful. "We have family business to discuss tonight; I don't recall inviting you."

Sakiko looked up. The strands of hair obscuring her eyes lifted in the wind, revealing an unmasked, piercing golden glare. The patterns deep within her irises shifted into a complex kaleidoscope, and the very light of the gala seemed to dim in that instant.

Minami’s heart felt as though it might burst from her chest. She felt an invisible, surging force slam into her, draining her of all strength. Her knees buckled involuntarily, and she collapsed onto the lawn, trembling.

This was what she feared most: the eerie, supernatural eyes of the Grim Reaper.

The first time she had seen them on Mutsumi, they had haunted her for days, keeping her awake as she tossed and turned, the image of those eyes staring into her mind forever.

The pair before her now were even more terrifying, as if a guillotine, a dagger, or a handgun were being pressed directly against her forehead.

Only a monarch could possess such a gaze! When a monarch rages, a million corpses litter the ground, and blood flows for a thousand miles.

Her wrist bones creaked. For the first time, Minami heard the sound of her own bones fracturing. She felt she was dying, but perhaps that was for the best. Death was better than facing those eyes—it was a merciful release.

"Are you drunk? Perhaps it’s best we end this tonight and you go home to rest?"

Just as Minami sank into despair, the terrible pressure on her wrist vanished, and Sakiko flashed a sweet smile. It was a flawless expression, the very picture of the polite, refined young lady of the Togawa family—a mask she wore perfectly.

Sakiko exerted force to pull the weak-kneed Minami up, propping her against her own shoulder.

"You are... a monster, too!" she heard Minami hiss through gritted teeth.

"Yes, I am a monster." Sakiko turned, the smile fading into a cold, sharp glance. "Since you know that, you would do well to show a monster some respect. Monsters eat people, after all."

A chill raced through Minami. This was not the Sakiko she knew—the girl who was always smiling and warm as sunshine. At this moment, she was holding a butcher’s blade to Minami’s throat. The words weren't a threat; they were a statement of a reality already changed.

"Miss Minami is drunk! Could someone help take her back to her room?"

Sakiko called out loudly to the waiters. A young man in a black tuxedo quickly stepped forward to assist. The fury in Minami’s eyes was like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Yet, she dared not say a word. She couldn't even stand on her own. If she were to face Sakiko’s golden eyes head-on once more, her mind might shatter completely. She could only submit as the smiling waiter led her away to the second-floor room.

"Let’s go." Sakiko took Mutsumi’s hand. After what had happened, there was no need to stay. She still had much to discuss with Mutsumi regarding this "Metis."

A figure blocked their path, followed by several more.

It was Inuyama He, his hands tucked into the sleeves of his wide kimono, only the tip of a folding fan visible. Behind him stood three men in black—his driver and his bodyguards.

One of them held a long, rectangular box, likely a gift for the Wakaba family that hadn't yet been opened.

"May we have a chat?" Inuyama He wore a gentle, amiable smile.

His tone was relaxed, using honorifics, but as he spoke, his three attendants moved with practiced synchronization to seal off every exit, turning the space into a hidden human wall.

Sakiko stepped in front of Mutsumi; these people were clearly influential and dangerous.

"Don't be so nervous. I just want to ask something simple, like your name." Inuyama waved his hand, and the attendants lowered their guard, though they did not leave their positions.

"Sakiko Togawa." Sakiko stared into Inuyama’s eyes, withdrawing her golden gaze after the initial display of dominance.

"Togawa?" The surname made Inuyama pause, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "The Togawa of the Togawa Group?"

"That’s right."

"I see. That explains it." Inuyama looked enlightened, seemingly pleased by this information. "If I recall correctly, the current head of the Togawa Group is Teiji Togawa."

"He is my grandfather."

"We have met a few times."

"You know him?" Now it was Sakiko’s turn to be surprised.

"Merely acquaintances. We aren't friends, nor are we enemies." Inuyama tapped his fan, eyeing Sakiko with interest. "I never expected to see his granddaughter here."

"If you are here to visit or have business with my grandfather, I hope you will meet him separately another day. I do not interfere in family business."

"Rest assured, we have no business dealings. I wouldn't stoop to picking on a little girl. I only stopped you because you are trying to take away something of mine." Inuyama gestured toward the person behind Sakiko.

"Something of yours?" Sakiko glanced back. Mutsumi’s eyes darted away like a frightened animal.

"Minami Mori has already agreed to let Mutsumi Wakaba study under me. She is my student now," Inuyama explained. "She will withdraw from her school and undergo two and a half years of intensive idol training. She will debut at eighteen, and I will invest every resource I have into making her the cinematic diva of the new era."

Mutsumi’s mother had actually sold her out? Sakiko felt a wave of dizziness.

She had never liked Minami Mori. Though Minami was always enthusiastic whenever they met, one didn't need a special reason to dislike someone. Some people felt like kin at first sight; others felt like poison. Minami was the latter.

Only tonight had the woman revealed her true face. It seemed her childhood intuition had been right all along.

"Don't you think you should ask for Mutsumi’s opinion before making such a decision?" Sakiko squeezed Mutsumi’s hand, pulling her closer.

Mutsumi sensed Sakiko’s intention. She looked up, meeting the gaze of Inuyama and the men in black. She knew she had to say something; Sakiko was standing up for her.

"I... I still want to stay and play in my band." Her voice was soft, as if it might vanish if someone didn't listen carefully, but she had successfully communicated her wish.

"What could a child possibly decide about her own future?" Inuyama frowned, his face full of disdain.

He wanted to maintain a good image, but Sakiko’s bristling hostility made him uncomfortable, and his tone sharpened.

"Especially girls like you. You are born into families that demand responsibility. Wealth and status are not things you deserve—they are things you must earn by walking the path laid out for you and contributing to your family. This is already decided with Minami. I am not asking for your opinion; Mutsumi is coming with me!"

The attendants stepped forward, a dark pressure rising like a tiger. The long box was opened, revealing a curved, crescent-like blade—a katana. These people were carrying weapons in public.

Sakiko subconsciously reached for her dress, looking for the gun she usually carried, but her hand met empty air. She realized then that she had lost the PPK during the fight with Metis and hadn't seen it in the guest room when she woke up.

The situation was dire. These men meant business. Even if she had the gun, it would only serve as a deterrent; she couldn't actually shoot four civilians. Her half-day of kendo training was not enough to deal with these thugs.

"If you ever encounter the Inuyama family again, remember one thing," Inuyama said coldly, dropping his mask. His eyes were those of a starving wolf. "The Togawa family is merely a minor branch now. Before the Inuyama family, they have no choice but to kneel."

The attendants moved in to pull them apart.

Sakiko bit her lip, her gaze lowered, her fingers locked tightly with Mutsumi’s. Mutsumi clung just as hard, but it was futile against their strength. They couldn't budge Sakiko, so they turned to drag Mutsumi away.

Their linked fingers pried apart, joint by joint. Mutsumi tried to resist, but the attendants pinned her shoulders with a classic restraint hold—if she fought too hard, they would dislocate her joints.

"I understand," Sakiko breathed, as if resigning herself to fate. "Let Mutsumi go with you. But let her return to her room to pack her things first. A girl has many irreplaceable belongings."

Inuyama stared into Sakiko’s eyes. He had expected her to reveal her golden eyes again; he had even prepared for her to use some sort of 'spirit word.'

That katana wasn't meant for his subordinates; it was for him to bear witness. His goal tonight was Mutsumi, but he had also wanted to test the lineage of the Togawa child.

Yet, Sakiko had surrendered? That was impossible. Those with dragon blood did not surrender; they had a combative gene in their marrow. Push them too far, and their ignited blood would become a raging inferno, burning everything to ash.

"Is that acceptable?" Sakiko looked up. She was calm, yet it seemed as if a lion was about to leap from her eyes.

Inuyama was silent for a moment before nodding. It was a reasonable request; he had no reason to refuse. Anyone setting out on a long journey would want to bring their precious belongings. He would do the same.

Sakiko walked to Mutsumi, reached out to straighten her hair, and then opened her arms, gently embracing her.

A faint scent of cucumber and green tea enveloped them. They used the same body wash, a rare brand Mutsumi was fond of, and Sakiko had adopted it as they grew up together.

Mutsumi’s heart felt as though it had stopped. All surrounding sounds faded. She knew this embrace meant farewell. Even her hero was powerless before these men. Heroes had their limits, and Sakiko had already helped her once; she couldn't keep fighting.

The sorrow was suffocating. Mutsumi sniffed, hugging Sakiko back with all her might. She wanted to say, "It’s not your fault, it’s mine, I’m useless, I should have accepted Metis," but she wasn't good with words. She could only hug her, speaking in silence.

The hawks surrounding them watched the scene expressionlessly. Sakiko stood on her tiptoes, leaning close to Mutsumi’s ear. The movement looked like a kiss, or perhaps a secret that belonged only to them—like the summers long ago when they wove crowns of white lilies, lying in dandelions on the green grass, watching the fluffy seeds drift like snow.

"Change into shoes suitable for running, then open your window and look down."

Just as Mutsumi was about to cry, a whisper reached her ear—the greatest secret in the world.

The farewell embrace ended. They pulled apart, reluctant. As their hair brushed against one another, Sakiko gave a clandestine wink. Mutsumi stared at her, her eyes no longer hollow, but bright and vibrant as blooming cherry blossoms.

"Goodbye." Sakiko waved and took a few steps back. The attendants swarmed Mutsumi, hustling her toward the stairs to pack. Sakiko watched her silhouette vanish into the stairwell.

She had never sent Mutsumi away like this before. For the first time, she realized that Mutsumi lived like a puppet at the mercy of others.

"You’ll see her on television in a few years," Inuyama said flatly behind her. "She will be so dazzling you won't believe it."

"Then that Mutsumi will no longer be Mutsumi." Sakiko’s reply was calm. Inuyama couldn't see her face; had he, he would have seen golden eyes more brilliant than before, swirling with a dazzling, fiery light in the darkness, like ancient dragons dancing deep within storm clouds.

Forbearance was a bitter word. Those born with pride never waited.

She turned to leave. Inuyama watched her back. "Won't you wait a while? You could see her off one last time."

"No need. It’s late; I should be going." Her blue hair fluttered in the wind. Sakiko’s voice sounded like it came from very far away. "The Togawa family has a curfew. I must be home before then."

"Is that so? What a pity." Inuyama remained expressionless.