Prologue: Part 2

What about that hoodoo voodoo guy? What was his name again? The one with the pretty white hair. Oh yes, Mikage.

Hinata is horrified. Well, the “night” stuff might be referring to the evil spirits he has to get rid of. She concedes that he is, at least, nobility. One point for me.

I’m not sure if I should consider him a possibility or not, though. We didn’t have a very warm-and-fuzzy meeting.

He simply “hrrrrmphed” and wanted to know if I was afraid of him. I’m not sure why. The only thing scary about him so far is the fact that his hair is nicer than mine. He concludes from this that I am new here. Well, I could have told you that. Oh, he means the rumors.

He’s surprised that I’ve actually heard people talking about him. Maybe they think that I’ve lived in a tiny shed my whole life since I came here from the country? I don’t know. But jeeze, even us country folk have heard people talk about Mikage having drinking parties with dead people.

I tell him all of this, minus the commentary on my country roots, and he says that those rumors are all true, and he is indeed pretty awesome if he may say so. This means I can conclude that all the rumors are false.

Aren’t I a nice person? I think so, at least. He says he thinks I’m funny, and as a token of our new friendship (?), he gives me a water lily. There must be something about this court and lilies. I’ll look it up on my PDA later.

Water lilies are out of season right now, so… he does at least have flowermagic. He says no, this just means that the flower is an illusion. What? I look down at the flower and nearly faint.

What. The. Shit! How could I be holding a sheep and not even realize it?! I flip out and drop the damn thing on the ground, luckily managing to not have it land on my feet.

…. You know, you’re kind of an ass, Mikage. Of course I don’t say this, since he could probably turn me into a sheep without even trying. He notes that this shows how powerful his magic is. Of course, not wanting him to use any of said powers on me, I agree with him pretty fast. I mean, I just had a demonstration, I’d be an idiot not to. I also add that it’s probably a good thing he’s the Emperor’s advisor, but don’t mention that that’s mostly because I don’t want to think about him using stuff like this against us. He’s actually speechless for a second, then he repeats that he thinks I’m funny.

I ask if this is some kind of compliment.

Yep, I was right. You are kind of an ass. But then he laughs and says he likes me. So it did end on a somewhat good note.

I make sure to point that out to Hinata.

… You’re probably right, now that I think about it. She asks if those are all the people I can think of. I’m not sure how many admirers you think I have, Hinata, but…

Hinata cuts me off to say that we have a visitor. I figure it can only be one of two people, and one of those people is probably out wandering the hills, so that leaves…

Make sure you make him the same tea that made me think I was hallucinating when I saw Kuze-sama, Hinata.

However, when we get back to the house, I see that it is not my uncle, but my old friend Yui. Oh god, I hope Hinata didn’t really make that tea. I actually like Yui. Most of the time.

So I decide to greet him with a friendly insult.

He says that he just dropped in on his way back from a trip with the Emperor. Wait, he took a trip? Now I’m confused again. Did he just get back when I saw him, or was I actually hallucinating? That’s it, I’m not drinking any more of Hinata’s tea ever again.

He asks how my new life is going, and I tell him to stop worrying like an old woman. He tells me I look smoking hot good, like usual, and I thank him. We make more small talk for a bit.

Ahaha. Hinata, go get him that tea I had you make earlier. To be a smartass, I tell him that no, of course not. He’s unsurprised, but actually looks sort of upset. I have no real idea why, but then he starts telling me how he turned down all kinds of people’s invitations just so he could come see me. What? He said he was just stopping by earlier! He says you don’t just say something like that right away. Yui, stop it. Us women are the ones that are supposed to be giving out mixed signals like this, not you.

He mutters something about having grown up and how I’ll stop seeing him as a little brother, soon, but Hinata cuts him off by bringing our tea. Hopefully his is the special stuff. This will be fun.

Hinata starts freaking out.

A. You let him in, you should have noticed who he was by now.
B. “D’you”? What?
C. He should know where he is unless you already gave him some of your special tea.
D. Haha, Yui, everyone thinks you’re my uncle.

I’m still not naked. You keep telling me this, and I keep checking because it keeps making me think I’m having one of those dreams, and I do have my clothes on. Jesus.

Yui smiles and says that his time with me is precious. Awwww! I secretly swap our tea cups while no one is watching. I just have to make sure not to drink mine.

Hinata starts talking about how she’s heard a lot of stories about Yui’s “court adventures.”

…. I wonder if it’s too late to switch our cups back.

Naturally Yui denies it all, saying they just say stuff like that to give him a bad reputation. He gets upset when I mention that it sounds like he’s getting popular, but before we can continue this…

Who let him in? I accidentally say something like this out loud, and Yui echoes it pretty quickly. I see I am not the only one who thinks this guy looks fishy. Guy says that he followed Yui here since he was acting suspicious. Thanks a lot, Yui.

Feel free to tell the blue guy to leave. My feelings won’t be hurt. In the hopes of speeding his departure along, I figure I may as well start the introductions and ask this guy who he is.

He continues to say that the reason I should remember him is because he’s going to be a minister soon. Unlike Yui, who is too much of a country boy to get the subtle nuances of jobs like that. I wonder if he knows I’m from the country, too. He brags about his family name for a minute or two, and I pretend to be impressed, hoping that he’ll just go away.

Yui tells me to not bother being polite, since Hisame’s just trying to pick a fight anyway. Hisame remarks that he’s just trying to get me to understand how much better he is than Yui. How did this whole thing turn into a… men are so stupid sometimes.

Hisame wonders aloud if Yui’s being so feisty because I’m here, and if I’m his girlfriend. Both of us gape and make noises that are almost words.

Everyone keeps making comments like that and it’s making me feel really self-conscious, dammit. I say the first thing I can think of, that Yui is my friend. Hisame says that naturally means I am his to be taken. Yeah. I’m not sure what kind of logic you used to get that conclusion, but it must not be from this planet.

Him and Yui bicker a bit more, with Yui bringing up my new position, then threatening that Hisame better not touch me or else. Or else what? Yui is very good at musical instruments and dancing, but that wouldn’t really help him, here. I think. Whatever, Hisame finally leaves. Good riddance.

I yell at Yui for bringing this man here, and he yells back that he didn’t see Hisame following him. How could he not see someone following him the entire way to my house? Oh well… we yell a little too loud because guess who shows up?

Continued in Part 3