Demonic Po*nstar System Chapter 1058: Explanation

Kaiden glanced toward the open doorway before returning his attention to his mother.

"Yunohana came with me. She’s giving us a little privacy."

Around the corner, Yunohana closed her eyes. Now that her hostess knew she was standing in the hallway, waiting until breakfast began to seem considerably less proper than coming forward to greet her.

She took a breath and released her aura suppression. Vespera’s attention went straight to the corner by the stairs, where the shrine maiden emerged with her folded fan held before her.

Each of the few steps to the bedroom gave Yunohana another opportunity to regret coming. She stopped at the doorway and bowed to Vespera, her carefully prepared greeting escaping in a rather smaller voice than intended.

"Good morning, Lady Ashborn. I hope we haven’t disturbed your rest too terribly."

"Tsukikage."

"Yes."

Her son had arrived before sunrise with a beautiful woman in a pale blue dress, and Vespera looked from him to Yunohana.

"Come inside. Explain."

"Of course."

Yunohana entered at the invitation, and Kaiden closed the door behind her. A lamp stood beside the bed; Vespera switched it on, revealing a chair by the window and a low table with papers stacked at one end.

Kaiden glanced at the papers.

"Even in here?"

"What happened?" His question was promptly ignored.

"We found a dungeon on an island. I won a duel with its master, and my dungeon absorbed it."

Vespera’s attention sharpened.

"Another duel?"

"An easy one," Yunohana assured her. "The creature was still developing. Neither of us was hurt."

"The strange part happened afterward." Kaiden reached for Yunohana’s hand as he spoke. "A tunnel formed between that dungeon and mine. We followed it into the Verdant Expanse, then walked through the dungeon to the gate downstairs."

His mother’s gaze dropped to the floor.

"You walked here from Japan?"

"Yep."

He was grinning again. Saying it aloud in his mother’s room made the whole journey feel even more outrageous.

"The new entrance comes out behind the defenses, so I’ll have to build that route up. I’ve asked my subordinates to watch it for now. But when I saw the palace, I thought..."

Kaiden reached over and took his mother’s hand too.

"I wanted to come see you."

Vespera looked down at his hand around hers. The questions about the dungeon could wait a little longer.

"You could have told me that part first," she said softly.

"You were asking about the dungeon."

"I was asking how my son appeared in my bedroom."

Kaiden brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles, earning a look that would have been considerably sterner if she had stopped holding his fingers.

"I missed you. I found a way home. Here I am."

"Yes," Vespera murmured. "Here you are."

Her thumb moved over his hand before she let him go. Only then did she turn back to the woman attached to his other side.

"May I ask what brought the two of you to an island?"

"We went out on a boat," Yunohana answered. "There was a beach where I thought we might watch the sunset together. Then we discovered a harvesting operation and..."

She stopped when Vespera’s gaze lowered to their joined hands.

Kaiden felt her fingers move against his. A moment ago she had been quite ready to explain the illegal operation, the dungeon, and their incredible journey. Now she was looking at his mother as though the correct opening words had deserted her entirely.

"Together," Vespera repeated. "Watch the sunset."

"Yes."

Yunohana glanced at Kaiden. He smiled at her, quite happy to let her keep his hand for as long as she wanted it.

Unfortunately, the smile made her want to stand closer to him, which she suspected would hardly improve her dignity under his mother’s gaze.

She moved closer anyway.

"We were on a date, Lady Ashborn."

Vespera turned her eyes to her son.

"A date."

"A very good one."

Yunohana’s pleasure at his answer escaped in a smile before she remembered whom they were speaking to.

"I was hoping..." She paused, gathering the courage to say the rest properly. "I would very much like to continue seeing your son. If you would give us your blessing."

Vespera sat on the edge of her bed, arranging the hem of her robe over her knees. Yunohana remained standing beside Kaiden, suddenly conscious of how much effort she had put into showing him her own legs today.

"I hadn’t realized you were considering a relationship, Tsukikage."

"Neither had I, until recently."

"You must meet a great many accomplished men through your work. Surely some share more of your experience."

"Your son has been through rather a lot himself."

The answer came smoothly enough that Yunohana recovered a little courage. She could discuss this sensibly. They were both grown women, perfectly capable of understanding that affection sometimes developed in unexpected places.

"Yes," Vespera agreed. "Though he still has so much of his life ahead of him. At our age, I think we have a responsibility to be certain of what we’re asking. Wouldn’t you agree?"

"...Of course."

Yunohana opened her fan.

The bedroom had become terribly warm. Beside her, Kaiden smiled at his mother with such innocent pleasure that she wondered whether they were hearing the same conversation.

She had just been reminded, with flawless courtesy, that she was old enough to have raised the man whose hand she was holding.

"I would never take his feelings lightly," she added.

"I’m pleased to hear that. You’ve gone to considerable trouble to make him comfortable in Japan."

"We were happy to welcome his whole family."

"You have been very generous. The private boat was a lovely thought. Was the evening on the beach your suggestion too?"

"Yes. I hoped we might have a little time to ourselves."

Kaiden stroked his thumb over her fingers. Yunohana looked up at him, grateful for the support, only to discover him admiring her with a thoroughly contented smile.

"She planned a wonderful day," he told his mother.

"So I’m hearing."

The fan moved faster.

She had faced rifles on that island without disturbing her hair. Here, a woman in her nightclothes was politely appreciating her hospitality, and sweat was beginning to gather beneath her dress.

"It must be a comfort," Vespera continued, "to find that you would both like his stay to last a little longer. Japan has been so eager to keep him."

Yunohana’s fan paused halfway to her cheek.

There it was. The date, the careful attention, the convenient desire for him to remain in a country that needed him. Vespera had laid it all before her without saying a single word she could reasonably object to.

"Japan may submit its requests through the Circle," she replied. "I am asking for his company myself."

"Naturally. And when he comes home?"

"I would hope to be invited."

Vespera glanced toward the bedroom door.

"You seem to have managed that already."

"Under rather exceptional circumstances," Yunohana managed.

"Very exceptional. I would appreciate understanding what you hope will follow them."

There was nothing to hide behind in that question. Yunohana could explain her position on the council without hesitation, could speak for her lineage before a hall full of people, yet asking for a place in this man’s life made her feel painfully exposed.