???: “Start talking.”

  Jiggo is the leader of the Society, and at the same time he is its founder.

  Kogiri: “First, we need to talk about Liko.”

  Jiggo: “What’s wrong with your little sister?”

  Kogiri: “Somehow… everything.”

  Jiggo looks at his son in disbelief, as if Kogiri had just said something completely insane.

  Jiggo: “You need to be precise. What exactly is wrong with her?”

  Kogiri: “I know we’re in a complicated situation, but a girl her age shouldn’t be going on missions like this or having such strange hobbies.”

  Jiggo: “I see it more as the development of her personality.”

  Kogiri: “No. You’re encouraging morbid behavior. She’s disturbed and urgently needs help.”

  Jiggo: “Please. Liko was away from home for a long time, just like you. You had your duties as well—well, of course your duties were more important.”

  Kogiri begins pacing in circles. His inner pain is clearly visible.

  Kogiri: “How could you do this to her? Why did you force her into things like this?”

  Jiggo: “I simply saw her potential.”

  Kogiri: “I just mean—”

  Jiggo: “Enough. You will not explain to me how to raise my daughter or what I should pay attention to. You are my child just like she is, so don’t put yourself above these things. Don’t forget, you are also a ‘victim’ of my ‘bad’ relationship.”

  Jiggo pours himself a glass of water and drinks it empty without leaving anything for Kogiri or offering him one.

  Jiggo: “What’s your next problem?”

  Kogiri: “This place—and your attitude.”

  Jiggo: “You’ve got a lot to complain about today. What don’t you like about our village and about me?”

  Kogiri: “You let our people live under terrible conditions. The air here is bad, the light is weak, and contact with the outside world is difficult. As a leader, you are clearly failing.”

  Jiggo: “I love good criticism. Yours just sounds a bit strange.”

  Kogiri: “I never thought the village would fall apart like this while I was gone.”

  Throughout the entire conversation, Jiggo behaves uninterested and apathetic. Kogiri notices it but says nothing, since he rarely gets the chance to talk to Jiggo. This is especially noticeable in Jiggo’s long, dry answers.

  Jiggo: “You call it decline. I call it being right before evolution.”

  Kogiri: “Right before evolution? What is that supposed to mean?”

  Jiggo: “Imagine our village and ourselves as worms in a cocoon. We are all in the same cocoon, from which only beautiful butterflies will emerge.”

  Kogiri: “Stop using weird metaphors. Speak plainly.”

  For the first time, the older man shows some interest in the conversation.

  Jiggo: “I actually wanted to keep this to myself, but at least you need to know. Tomorrow I will sign a recognition contract with the Minamotos.”

  Kogiri: “What did you just say?!”

  Jiggo: “I have an appointment with the Family Alliance for contracts and relationships. I submitted a request to the Minamoto family: they are to recognize us as part of their family and officially confirm it.”

  Kogiri: “You did… what?”

  Jiggo: “Tomorrow, we will belong to the Minamoto family. You will feel it. How the power of Jakan’s number one family flows through your veins.”

  To even process what his father is saying, Kogiri sits down on a chair right next to Jiggo.

  Kogiri: “In what world does what you’re saying make sense? We have nothing to do with the Minamoto family, and you can’t just ignore that with a contract.”

  Jiggo: “Who says we aren’t related to them?”

  Jiggo pulls a thick envelope out of a slot in the table.

  Jiggo: “Everything I need for tomorrow is in here.”

  Kogiri: “What is that?”

  Jiggo: “An envelope full of materials, documents, and information that will help me tomorrow. So you don’t need to worry.”

  Kogiri: “But I am worried. Compared to that family, we are nothing but dirt. Less than dirt.”

  Jiggo: “But they are related to us.”

  Kogiri: “How do you know that?”

  Jiggo: “Tests.”

  That single word makes Kogiri hesitate. He doesn’t know what questions to ask his father anymore to understand what is really going on.

  Jiggo: “May I ask you a question, since you doubt this assumption so much?”

  His son nods.

  Jiggo: “Why are we doing so well even though nobody knows us or hates us?”

  Kogiri: “Because… we have a good immune system?”

  Stolen story; please report.

  Jiggo: “Wrong. Even if officially and on paper we don’t belong to the Minamotos, our brain knows what is in our blood. We may not have access to our true strength, but we must be able to use our family’s blood in some way.”

  Jiggo interrupts Kogiri’s objection with a loud cough.

  Jiggo: “To make it easier for you to imagine: you know Shime? She comes from a very ruthless and unknown family. Her family is deeply connected to Jakan’s underworld. If they are known at all, they are seen as bad people who should be dead. Accordingly, her life is terrible. She constantly has health problems and is practically dependent on pills. Her ability is also much weaker than it should be.”

  Kogiri: “Shime comes from a family with a negative reputation?”

  Jiggo: “Of course. How else would she have obtained a Birth Ability? Using her as an example, you can imagine how our lives should actually be if we really were as insignificant a family as you think.”

  Kogiri: “And now you want to strengthen us so we can complete our evolution?”

  Jiggo: “Bingo. Now you’ve finally understood my metaphor.”

  Kogiri: “This is—”

  Jiggo: “Great? Fantastic? Incredible?”

  Kogiri stands up at insane speed and tries to punch his father in the face. A loud bang echoes through the room, and the entire house vibrates.

  Jiggo: “Did you learn that from the Phoenix Whisperers? But why demonstrate it now, in the middle of our wonderful conversation?”

  Kogiri: “Why are you always like this?”

  Jiggo effortlessly catches Kogiri’s fist. Kogiri pulls his arm back and heads for the door.

  Kogiri: “Why is everything here so fucked up?”

  Kogiri leaves the house. He forces himself not to cry until he finds a quiet, lonely place where no one can see him.

  Jiggo: “[He’s still far too sensitive and stupid. Why doesn’t he understand that I’m doing all of this for her? For our great savior.]”

  In the barn:

  Mamoru: “[And what am I supposed to do now? It can’t be that I don’t know my own forest. I can’t contact Najun or any other help. I’m completely on my own.]”

  Mamoru bangs his fists against the hard floor several times. That’s when he notices that the cage is not anchored to the ground the way he had thought.

  Mamoru: “[If I throw myself against it hard enough, the cage might break, and I could hide somewhere in this village until I find a hole in their barrier.]”

  Mamoru steps back and takes a run-up. Just before he crashes into the bars, a loud shout stops him.

  ???: “Stop!”

  He stumbles and falls face-first onto the ground. He quickly gets back up. Angry and hurt, his body tenses.

  Mamoru: “Who was that?”

  ???: “Your lifesaver.”

  Mamoru: “Wait a second…”

  Mamoru moves to the right side of his cage. The cages are separated into individual stalls so the prisoners cannot see each other.

  Mamoru: “Who’s there?”

  ???: “Someone who, just like you, let themselves be captured.”

  Mamoru: “Well, ‘let’ might not be the right word.”

  ???: “In my case it is. I ‘sacrificed’ myself so my comrades could escape. But no one has come to rescue me yet.”

  Mamoru: “That might be because of the security lines.”

  ???: “What security lines?”

  Mamoru: “This village has three security lines to keep intruders out and prisoners in.”

  ???: “Tell me more.”

  Mamoru explains everything he knows about the three security lines: the omnivorous wolves, the multi-layered silver barrier, and the massive mud wall with its pillar attacks.

  ???: “Hmm, I see. That explains why they haven’t come yet. I just hope they didn’t die trying.”

  Mamoru: “[Good. I have an acquaintance now. If I keep talking to her, I might learn something from her as well.]”

  Mamoru: “How long have you been here?”

  ???: “About a month.”

  Mamoru: “That’s a long time. How are you holding up? I mean, mentally.”

  ???: “My mind is fine, but their torture is honestly pushing me to my limits.”

  Mamoru: “Whose torture?”

  ???: “You know. The ‘Princess’.”

  Mamoru: “I don’t know who you mean…”

  The barn gate opens. Two figures enter. The smaller one immediately runs toward the cages.

  Liko: “How is my favorite toy doing?”

  ???: “Fine.”

  Liko: “That makes me happy, even if it won’t last much longer. Show me the wound on your back.”

  She reaches into the cage next to Mamoru. She seems to smear something around. You can hear Mamoru’s new acquaintance trying to suppress her screams of pain.

  She pulls her hand out of the cage. It is covered in blood. She had pushed her hand deep into a wound and rummaged around inside it.

  She moves to Mamoru’s cage and throws herself against it as well.

  Liko: “Hello, my Ranger. Are you ready for your first evening?”

  Mamoru: “What exactly is waiting for me?”

  Liko: “Good question. It’s best if I demonstrate it to you. Shime, take him with you. I can’t wait any longer. Finally, a new toy.”

  Shime opens Mamoru’s cage and puts restraints on him again. She takes him away without saying a word. He tries to catch a glimpse into the other cage, but fails. The last thing he hears is a quiet whisper from his neighboring prisoner.

  ???: “Hold on.”

  Together with Shime, Mamoru is taken into a small cave. The cave is filled with torches, making it feel like daytime.

  Shime: “Princess, your new toy is here.”

  Liko: “I can see that. Let’s begin right away.”

  They are inside a very filthy cave. Blood, dirt, and various bloody tools are scattered across the floor—a perfect place to catch all kinds of infections.

  Mamoru is hung up in the center of the cave by his hands. His legs dangle just above the ground. First, all his clothes are ripped off except for his underwear.

  Liko: “What should we start with today, Shime?”

  Shime: “Whatever you want, Princess.”

  She picks up a knife from the floor. It is covered in dirty blood. A single cut would be enough to cause a severe infection. She slowly approaches him from behind and presses the knife against his back.

  Liko: “And here we go.”

  She gives Mamoru a vertical cut. The cut is short but deep.

  Liko: “Such a beautiful shape.”

  She touches the cut. Just like with the girl earlier, she rummages around in the wound—first one finger, then two. She touches his fresh blood.

  Liko: “So soft. So beautiful.”

  She stabs the knife into the wound again.

  Liko: “I want to provoke an infection. I like observing their development.”

  Next, she picks up a whip from the ground and begins to lash Mamoru. Her strikes grow stronger and stronger. Red marks already begin to form on his back.

  Suddenly, Shime coughs up some blood.

  Liko: “Oh! Shime, what’s wrong?”

  Shime: “Nothing. Everything is fine. Your passion and art impress me so much that my body has to release some kind of reaction. It’s because of your greatness.”

  Liko: “I see. If that’s the case, you’ll soon cough blood all over the cave.”

  Shime takes a few pills and helps Liko place a heavy stone on Mamoru’s neck.

  Liko: “I haven’t used my acid glove in a long time.”

  Mamoru is loud throughout the entire torture session. He does nothing but scream and thrash around. The rope suspending him crushes his wrists.

  Mamoru: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

  Liko: “Do you like my art?”

  Mamoru: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

  Liko: “What’s your favorite color, actually?”

  Mamoru: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

  Liko: “Aha. And your favorite animal?”

  Mamoru: “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

  Liko: “Interesting.”

  Liko carries on a full conversation with Mamoru while he does nothing but scream.

  After about an hour, her torture session ends.

  Shime brings the traumatized Mamoru back to his cage. He can’t even take a single step inside before collapsing. Shime pushes him in with her legs.

  Shime: “Hey, girl, you’re next.”

  ???: “Did you go hard on him?”

  Shime: “The Princess’s passion is an undefined art that can explosively grow in all directions. With you, it will be a fiery passion.”

  Before taking the girl away, Shime grabs a canister full of gasoline. She struggles to suppress her laughter. You can see how much she is looking forward to this torture—especially as she coughs up blood.

  After another torture session, Liko and Shime return to their hut. After such a successful day, Liko believes she deserves proper treatment.

  Shime combs Liko’s long hair. Her hair is black with a slight purple tint.

  Shime: “The Princess’s hair is so smooth and soft. Its scent makes one happy.”

  Liko: “Thank you. I inherited my hair from my mother. She had exactly the same.”

  Shime: “I’m happy for you.”

  Liko: “You shouldn’t be. She was a bad woman.”

  Shime: “Then I’m sorry you share something with a bad woman.”

  Liko touches her face. Her red scar runs across it—from the left side of her forehead to the right side beside her nose.

  Liko: “Father says the scar is a sign of my sacrifice for the great savior.”

  Shime: “Princess.”

  Liko: “My face is disfigured because of a stupid myth.”

  Shime: “Princess, please be a little quieter, or your father will hear you and punish you like last time.”

  Liko: “I know. It’s just…”

  She turns around and hugs Shime tightly, pressing her face into her servant’s stomach.

  Shime: “Please don’t be so sad, or I’ll get sad too.”

  Liko: “May I cry?”

  Shime: “Of course.”