Seeing both guys were about to rip each other's face off, Chiaki exuded authority and said,
"Guys, can we put down the sword and talk like a family, please?"
No one budged.
"I thought it was a joke, a filthy rumour irresponsible students spread in the north to ruin my graduation celebration, but this . . . right in front of my eyes . . .," Gin's voice trembled but his grip on his sword firm.
"Why, Auntie, why him?"
"Gin, let's sit down and talk, shall we? Lunch is ready."
"I don't want to eat anything you prepared for him, too," Gin spat.
Wow, that was harsh. Was she this rude when she was his age?
From the corner of her eyes, Chiaki noticed that Lance stared holes into her back as if challenging her to pick one side.
Ha, this disciple of this path won't be so easy to judge.
"You're a grown man and still whine like this to your aunt and uncle-in-law?" With her sternest tone, she scolded Gin.
But a vein in the young man's forehead throbbed, and he moved forward by one step, the 'righteous' kanji engraved on the blade of his Tadasu sword glinted with sunlight.
"Gin . . .," she warned in a low tone.
Unshakeable Tadasu trod farther, slowly eating the distance between its tip and Lance's chest. That new husband of hers just put one hand on his hip, passively watching the scene unfold without a care for his life.
"Gin, what possessed you?" A bead of sweat gathered on Chiaki's temple.
"Auntie keeps defending him as if you've forgotten what happened fifteen years ago! How dare you erase the memories of your beloved sister and now offer yourself on his altar!"
His voice croaked with sadness, his adrenaline-infused body rocked with hatred. With eyes still being trained on the disgusting meat in his opinion, or Lord Lance Hua, Gin's words spat on the air like fire.
"I never thought the development could be like this. This murderer is even welcomed at your sanctuary! Could you imagine how my parents would feel?"
His red nostrils and red-rimmed eyes could evoke sympathy from anyone who saw this. His begging and hoarse voice sounded pitiful. But if anything Chiaki had taught him right since his childhood was his grip on the hilt of his sword never relented.
This man and his sword were one. And that one mission he had today was to seek justice, just as what his 'righteous' Tadasu sword was named after.
"Gin, have you ever thought this through? You spent your time in the academy your whole formative years by plotting revenge?"
"I know the Evil Lord Lance Hua is unbeatable; even the Council couldn't seize power from him, making the entire regions under the Dome still split between ours and his. But it doesn't mean that you can just marry him!"
His hissing fit turned into rage, mouth quivering as each menacing word hit Chiaki's face.
Finally, someone who also calls this lord evil! Not only me!
But as she mentally traced the memory lane to find out why, a chill crept up her spine.
"After all this time, you still think your parents were murdered by him?" she whispered, her hand raised to cover her mouth in disbelief.
Gin Burtenshaw had been an orphan for almost all his life. He lost his parents when he was still learning how to read and write. His well-being and education afterwards were Chiaki's responsibility as the closest adult relative he had from his mother's family.
Due to his aptitude that was more suitable for sword arts, his late father's family considered him a disgrace. A Burtenshaw had to stay in academia or medical professionals, not brandishing killing weapons despite the purpose being to subdue the anomalies.
Chiaki recalled one moment when her late sister talked to her about the Burtenshaw elders' disapproval of their marriage plan. But like young people in love, the two eloped. The Burtenshaws had no choice but to register the new baby as their new family member. However, they kept their distance from the Spring family who produced infamous handbooks on swordsmanship, the art of killing.
When Chiaki babysat the young son of the new Burtenshaw family because his parents were deployed to the northern region in a battle against the anomalies, news came that the husband and wife died in an ambush.
Back then, the threats to their Dome were mainly in the form of strange viruses that made people go rabid and kill each other. With Burtenshaw's medical skills and Spring's war art, the two became the 'it' couple in many battles. Sadly, fame always came to an end.
And this end of theirs meant the eternal separation by death.
"Have you forgotten, Auntie, that the commander of the Northern clans himself set up the death trap of his legendary vortex, crushing every single person who stepped into that cursed area into dust?"
Silver light gleamed throughout the blade.
"Have you also forgotten that despite my father's insistence to find a way to treat the infected and vaccinate the healthy, the Northern clans wanted a clean sweep of the patients? Do you think that's the correct way to manage the battle?"
His shaky words were partially hard to hear between the choking sobs.
"And have you forgotten that clause 98A of our constitution abolished this act of manslaughter, stating that this was considered minor compared to the overall situation and the Northern only did what they thought was necessary to defend themselves?"
"Every morning I woke up in the academy, the sight of the Northern mountain ridge greeted me; it told me not to forget what happened fifteen years ago to my parents beneath that snowy facade!"
"Gin, recite Path of Indifference key points."
"No, the path is yours; it only works for YOU. For ME, it's this," his free fingers traced the soft silver shine emitted by the grooves of the 'righteous' character beneath the guard of Tadasu.
"The path also ensures emotional outbursts won't hinder you from the objective of reaching righteousness. It has been written that one might encounter humane temptation like yours now. All the time in one's life, the journey upward always involves more challenges and trials to break. And the path guides us on the navigation. Your wrath blinds you. Now, step back, and if you want, we can revisit the case from fifteen years ago with the right state of mind."
"No! You're a figure of authority, now, Auntie. And you side with the Council, the Council who had nullified my feelings and endorsed the Northern region's decision. All because I was still a child, I was still two years old, so my disappointment was nothing in the eyes of you adults."
"It's not true. And don't speak about the Council like that. See it from the big picture, Gin."
"Yeah? From the big picture, right? Okay, I'm also an adult and can enlist in Guardianship or the Council membership. How about I start reopening the case and let you guys convene for one more time to execute this bloodthirsty, deranged evil? Even he practises the art of darkness. How much did he bribe all the policymakers?"
"Gin Burtenshaw, have I raised you to become a delusional yourself? Concocting a false assumption like that to accuse the Council and Lord Lance Hua, please say one word of remorse so I won't punish you!"
Although taken aback, Chiaki normalised her breathing and logic using the methods given by the path. Calmness rushed back to fill her neurons, and the level-headedness helped her to talk some sense into her nephew without losing her sympathy.
She started loving this path and embraced it fully.
"Auntie had nurtured me even when you were still a child, taught me when you also still learned the arts of the sword, archery, and the path itself. Auntie introduced me to the tremendous power one could garner from the garden after you rose into the Guardian position. Your friendship with other Guardians also allowed me a front seat live-view of your battles, helping me polish my skills. But you don't do one thing that you need only common sense to do, and do the opposite, instead."
Tears left sticky streaks on his face, the reddish spots blotched on the handsome youth, messing his appearance with salty water and snots.
"You marry my parents' murderer. You marry your sister's murderer."
With a swift swipe of footwork, Gin advanced with his Tadasu, its sharp point and edge targeted at the clean grey shirt on Lance's chest.
But his aunt was no match for this movement she taught herself ages ago. In the blink of an eye, the South Guardian had stood in front of him. Her fair, dainty fingers grabbed the sword's edge that now pointed at her chest rather than its initial target.
"Auntie . . ." As blood drained out of Gin's face, he gaped upon realising his beloved aunt had blocked his advance for Lance Hua. He tried to pull the sword away, but Chiaki's grip was stronger.
Not long after, ruby blood started dripping from her slashed palm. It slipped onto the carpet in a soft pattering noise, reminding her of the crimson rain on the wedding and the reason why she stood here protecting Lance.
"Gin, you're my nephew. But I'm a Guardian with my duties. This marriage with the Lord of the Northern regions is a strategy that benefits both parties. I must do this, and you have to respect us. As for what happened in the Spring family, I'm a Spring first and foremost. I'll take responsibility and decide what I should do during the investigation."
Gin couldn't control his breathing as more tears flowed down his cheeks, wetting the high collars of his training uniform.
"My parents, the heroes of that turbulent time, passed away without bodies to bury. Even years after, the pang of sadness of being unable to leave flowers beneath their tombstones still gnawed me alive."
He continued, but now his eyes were laser-focused on Lance, who had stepped aside to stand next to Chiaki.
"Aunt Chiaki is in the middle of this mess because you're too powerful, I give you that. Our family's Aunt Chiaki, who's always so gentle, ends up with a filthy creature like you. Even if I can't marry her for the obvious reason, it's never you who I had in mind a thousand times over."
Chiaki sighed inwardly for the strange choice of words, but Lance expressed his amusement outwardly.
He laughed as if unbothered by the fact that Chiaki's hand was bleeding to protect him, and the sword was in the hand of someone hungry for his head, if only not for cutting the beloved aunt's wrist.
"Oh, but your gentle Aunt Chiaki has been involved with many men. Whom have you pictured to walk down the Crystal Garden with her, huh?"
He continued cackling until his eyes were shaped like a pair of crescent moons.
Ignoring his commentary, Chiaki loosened her grip. "It's best for us to sort our thoughts first, Gin. Go rest in your room; we can talk again tonight."
Gin did lower down and sheathed his sword. But he walked out of the Sentalu house's main door, leaving Chiaki with more questions.
The following remark from Lance's mouth spun her head even more.
"Why does he look different from you? Nothing of his looks like yours," Lance Hua chimed in after calming down from his waves of laughter. He seemingly took a backseat the entire scene, like the image of one enjoying the drama with a bag of popcorn in their hand.
"And with his statement of marrying you, what the hell is wrong with your family? Come to think of it; I saw nobody from the Springs."
Chiaki gave him a look that said, 'you don't say?'.
"His late mother, Natsuiro Spring, didn't have any blood relation to me. I was the adopted little sister in the family."
"So, that Burtenshaw lad isn't related by blood to you?"
She shook her head. All her anticipated lunch discussions to catch up with her beloved nephew evaporated. She lost the motivation to indulge Lance Hua, who found new material to poke fun at her.