Inside the Grand Imperial Carriage, the air was thick with the scent of jasmine and
silent calculation. Emiko remained a statue of serene elegance, her gaze locked onto
Shin, whose azure eyes were glowing with an ancient intensity. It was as if the infant
were reading the very lineage of the temple through its white marble walls. Lupa held
him with the fierce protectiveness of a wolf, while Tara, Kaori, and Yui watched the
unfolding blasphemy outside through the silk curtains.
Aiko, blissfully unaware of the cosmic tension, giggled as she tried to catch the sun
reflecting off the High Priest's polished forehead. "He's so shiny!" she chirped. "Is he
a god too, or just a very bright bald man?"
Outside, Sora and Ryuki moved like shadows. Ryuki began unloading the massive
trunks, filled with fine silks and the "Monster's" private reserves, while Sora adjusted
his collar and stood beside Jee-shahn.
"Listen, Shiny-Head," Sora whispered, his voice carrying through the terrified ranks of
monks. "The Master said he wants a sofa. When he says sofa, he usually means 'now.'
Unless you want the Lizard to decide your jeweled staff is a chew toy?"
The High Priest turned a shade of purple that clashed with his yellow silks. "You do
not understand!" he shrieked. "This temple honors Virellia, one of the Nine Pure
Dragons! Her beauty is our law! You cannot bring... whatever this is into her
presence!"
Jee-shahn let out a yawn so wide his fangs caught the morning light. He took one
heavy step forward, and the High Priest stumbled back, nearly tripping over his own
robes. Jee-shahn's gaze was bored, but it felt like the weight of a collapsing star."If your Gilded Rose wants to complain, tell her to come down here and do it herself,"
Jee-shahn rumbled. "Until then, Sora... move the altar. It's blocking the sunset, and I
intend to be horizontal before the first star shows up."
The Desecrated Sanctuary
Jee-shahn didn't stop until he reached the center of the Great Hall. Directly beneath
the massive dome sat the golden statue of the Dragon Goddess Virellia, surrounded
by piles of fresh, sacred roses. Without a word, Jee-shahn gently laid himself down
upon the floral bed.
"Sora," he muttered, closing his eyes. "Put the luggage here. Tell the other priests this
room is mine now."
"Yes, Master," Sora replied with a grin.
The High Priest was trembling, his polished forehead slick with sweat. "This is a holy
room! We pray to Virellia, the pure divine dragon! You cannot use our sacred hall as a
restroom, you monster!"
Jee-shahn didn't reply; he was already drifting into the deep, heavy sleep of a being
who had forgotten he once created the very goddess above him. Sora stepped
between the Priest and the altar, bodily hauling the man toward the exit. "The Master
is busy with his 'cultivation.' Let's discuss your complaints outside, shall we?"
As the hall grew quiet, a strange phenomenon occurred. A beam of holy light
descended from the dome, touching Jee-shahn's sleeping face. In that moment, a
gentle, rare smile appeared on the "Monster's" lips—a faint echo of a husband
recognizing the touch of a wife.
The Rurouni's Choice
While Emiko, Lupa, and the other ladies finally exited the carriage and entered the
temple, ignoring the hateful glares of the monks, Sora returned to the carriage one
last time. He found the Silver Rurouni siblings still standing in the dust.
"Hey, ghosts and Silver Sword," Sora called out. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"
"Nope," Nogi replied, leaning against a marble pillar with a mocking smirk. "Shortage
of supplies, no coin, and the Priests don't exactly welcome Rōnin travelers. We're
stuck."
Sora paused, a heavy crate in his arms. He looked at Shizuka, then at her brothers.
"The Priests didn't want us either. They called the Master a 'monster' to his face. But
as you can see, we're in, and they're out."
He began walking back toward the temple, but stopped at the threshold. "If three more
people join us, I don't think the Master will care. The Priests are only silent because
they can feel his true presence—even if they're too stupid to name it. But listen..."
Sora's voice turned deadly serious. "If you come in, don't make noise. The Master is
terrifying when his peace is disturbed. He just made the Empress of Terragorn his
third wife, and a few days ago, he killed a thousand warriors just to get some quiet."
Sora's eyes flickered to Shizuka. "And you, Silver Sword? Keep your distance from
him. The Master has an... interest in women like you. And I can only tolerate one Lupa
at a time."
With that final warning, Sora disappeared into the sanctuary, leaving Shizuka standing
in the silence, her hand gripping her katana as she looked toward the man who had
just claimed a goddess's home as his own.