“You were hunting beasts in the wilderness the entire time!?”

Rika shook the entire table as she smacked it for emphasis, nearly spilling tea everywhere. After some brief tension, the group had collectively agreed to deal with Jia slapping Hayakawa by quietly pretending it never happened. Minister Kano clearly knew better than to press the issue if Hayakawa herself was inclined to let it go, and nobody else dared comment. Even Eui had mostly kept her comments to herself aside from snickering quietly and congratulating Jia through their telepathic link.

Now the group had moved to the temple, where Lady Tennin had happily hosted them as guests of honor, while her shrine maidens and monks fussed over her more closely than usual, eyeing Minister Kano and Hayakawa Kaede with deep suspicion. After requesting privacy, the former classmates were left alone to catch up, and Jia had just finished explaining what she and Eui had been up to for the last two years, keeping her association with Jianmo quiet for the moment. She scratched an ear awkwardly, wilting under Rika’s withering gaze.

“Well, not hunting, exactly. They tended to find us whether we wanted them to or not...”

Because Jianmo had been herding the damn things into them! Jia was still annoyed about that, but she kept it to herself. Hayakawa cupped her chin and frowned.

“That doesn’t really explain how you managed to be lost for such a long time. You said you kept moving south the entire time, didn’t you? Even assuming you were bogged down by beast attacks, you should have gotten much deeper into Yamato territory than this by now.”

Jia shrugged.

“We didn’t start from the academy. The technique we used to escape brought us...somewhere, and we spent a lot of time travelling without really knowing how far we were going or in which direction. After that we were pretty thoroughly lost. Also, it’s a lot harder than it sounds to keep moving in the same direction. We, uh, may have gone in a few circles.”

Hayakawa held her head in her hands while Rika snorted.

“Okay, so you were lost in the wilds for two years. What about the stone that Eun-eun gave you?”

Jia took out the speaking stone that Eunae had gifted to her before their separation and placed it on the table.

“I check it every day, but it’s been silent. It still has the same mana signature as when Eunae gave it to me, and I don’t know how to change it.”

Hayakawa took out her own similar piece of jade and reached out toward Jia’s before pausing and meeting her eyes.

“May I?”

Jia nodded and Hayakawa picked up the speaking stone, comparing the two in her hands. After a moment she clicked her tongue in irritation.

“Tsk, the attunement was scrambled—perhaps by Seong Misun at the last second, or maybe it was influenced by something else. This signature is worthless. If you’d like I can reattune it for you, but I’m afraid I don’t know the signature used by Seong Eunae.”

Jia sighed.

“Ancestors damn it. I was so worried about that, and that spiteful bitch just broke it? Go ahead, it’ll be nice to be able to contact someone with it.”

She watched intently as Hayakawa channelled her ki into it, adjusting the flow of essence through the stone’s enchantments until it matched that of her own. Jia would be able to do it herself, next time. Hayakawa shrugged as she handed it back to Jia.

“It probably wouldn’t have worked anyway. These enchantments have limited range and we’re quite far from Songdo. You’ll be able to contact either me or Takeda through this one now, though.”

“Thanks—actually, I’ve been meaning to ask. I get that you were on your way to Goryeo for some diplomatic thing, but why is Rika with you?”

Hayakawa Kaede took a long sip of tea before setting her cup down with a sigh.

“I suppose I should catch you up on everything you’ve missed in these intervening years. First, the appearance of the demons in the academy was not an isolated incident. Around the same time, unknown immortals appeared in both Qin and Goryeo, each led by a deific figure. Collectively, the incidents are being referred to as the descent of the gods. The demons took over the former academy grounds and announced themselves as The Crimson Dragoneye Moons Sect, led by a self-proclaimed god calling himself Sovereign Longyan.

“We don’t know as much about the gods that descended in Qin and Goryeo, the ones in the Empire have been acknowledged by the God-Emperor and have been waging war against the demons. The ones in Goryeo have been mostly quiet as far as we can tell, and we know almost nothing about them except that they are neutral in the conflict between Qin and the Crimson Dragoneye Moons Sect.

“This leaves Yamato in a difficult position. The other nations have patron gods, but we do not—and with the demons acting as a buffer between Qin and Goryeo, the Empire has grown more bold along our borders without fear of reprisal from Goryeo. Currently, we’re in a precarious state of balance, but things are not in our favor. If Qin takes the former academy, if Ienaga Yumi falls or is even grievously wounded in battle, or if Goryeo starts a campaign against us, the equilibrium will break and Yamato will fall.”

Yoshika listened intently, having linked herself in order to process all the new information carefully. It certainly sounded like Hayakawa’s nation was in dire straits—though she wondered who the gods that had descended in Goryeo were. Dragons maybe? She’d have to ask Jianmo later. She turned to meet Hayakawa’s gaze and spoke in Jia’s voice.

“So you want to make an alliance with Goryeo to team up against Qin?”

Hayakawa shook her head.

“It’s more complicated than that. We don’t know what these so-called gods want, or where they came from. If they really did descend from a higher realm, then what do they want from us? Why are they here? Without being able to predict their actions, we have no idea where we stand. We can’t plan for a future that’s so uncertain. In addition to an alliance, I am hoping that this neutral faction of gods will provide context to the descent.”

Yoshika scowled with both faces. She knew those answers, but was hesitant to just give them away. She trusted Rika, but she was hesitant to reveal more than was absolutely necessary to Hayakawa Kaede. Instead she tried to move the topic back on track.

“What does that have to do with Rika travelling with you?”

Hayakawa sighed, and for just a moment Yoshika could feel the frustration bubbling within her.

“Our nation isn’t exactly known for its diplomats. Goryeo has—had The Snake, and the Empire is...well, you know what the Empire is like. Yamato has traditionally resolved our differences through expressions of martial might. My father is currently the Shogun because he challenged Lord Ienaga on the battlefield and won, and when the time comes for me to inherit that title, I will have to fight to prove my worth. I don’t believe that our way of doing things is wrong, but...it’s not compatible with foreign policy. Takeda Rika’s time in the academy, along with the company she chose to keep, makes her the nation’s foremost expert on Goryeon culture and I have enlisted her aid on my diplomatic mission.”

Yoshika paused as she let all of that soak in. She glanced at Rika who was smiling stiffly and frowned.

“That’s really sad, Hayakawa.”

Rika slapped the table, nearly spilling the tea again.

“Thank you! That’s exactly what I said! My entire qualification is having a few half-spirit friends, and not being a complete bitch.”

Rika punctuated her statement by shooting an accusing glare at Hayakawa, who pretended not to have noticed as she responded.

“Be that as it may, I believe that you will be invaluable during the negotiations.”

Hayakawa turned her attention back to Jia and Eui.

“As for you two—this meeting is quite auspicious. We planned on leaving for Goryeo within the week, and I’d like you to join us.”

Yoshika grimaced—this was where she’d wanted the conversation to go, but Hayakawa bringing it up made her suspicious. She responded in Eui’s voice.

“Why? And for that matter, how? We’re both worthless commoners, and in case you somehow didn’t notice it literally written across my face—I’m a convict. I can’t enter Goryeon cities.”

“Neither can we, as foreigners—but I’ll get to that. Commoners you may be, but so is Miss Takeda, and I think we can all agree that she’s not without worth. Officially, I’d be taking you on as guides and cultural experts to help brief our envoy on what to expect during our visit. Unofficially, you two are living symbols of what the great nations can accomplish by cooperating. The message may have been muddied by Do Hye’s betrayal, but you—more than any others—are the ultimate products of the Grand Academy. Your presence will give my petition for an alliance more weight.”

As usual, Hayakawa’s appeals to pragmatism rang hollow to Yoshika’s ears. If she needed guides, she could find better ones in any shield city, and Takeda Rika was just as much of an academy success story as they were. Nevertheless, Yoshika did want to return to Goryeo to see her friends and family again. She could play along with Hayakawa if it meant accomplishing those goals.

“You never said how you’d get us in. My brand isn’t just for show, you know. I’m physically incapable of passing the shield formations.”

Hayakawa nodded.

“Arranging for this negotiation hasn’t been easy—communication by letter between Yamato and Goryeo is painfully slow. We eventually arranged to have a limited supply of single-use keystones that would allow our envoys to enter a specific city on the border. We’ll be met there by an escort that will vet us before accompanying us to the capital where the meeting is to take place. I don’t see why the keys wouldn’t work to allow you entry as well.”

“Maybe, but then we’d still have to get vetted by somebody who will definitely know what the brand means. Do you really want your diplomatic envoy associated with a convicted killer?”

Hayakawa smiled thinly.

“I may be able to do something about that, actually. Have you forgotten who my housemate was in the academy? Sun Jaehwa owes me quite a few favors, and she was very talkative.”

Yoshika grimaced, wondering just how many of those favors had directly caused her trouble back in the academy—but it felt a bit far away now. She sighed in resignation.

“Fine. It’s not like we had anything else planned. After the reception we got here, we realize now that our idea of wandering Yamato and trying to meet up with our old friends was probably naive. We don’t really belong anywhere right now, and it sounds like working with you is our best option to fix that.”

“I’m glad you agree. Admittedly I was a little bit worried about leaving you to wander the countryside.”

Yoshika scowled at Hayakawa.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Hayakawa blushed a bit, averting her eyes in a rare display of uncertainty.

“Just that cultivators like yourselves might cause a panic if people didn’t know who you were. It’s almost a shame you never became my retainers. I think you could have been well-beloved public figures.”

Jia covered her face with her hands and groaned, no longer linked with Eui now that the most important parts of the conversation were over.

“Ugh, don’t remind me! That whole thing was so embarrassing! I almost swore eternal fealty to you!”

Rika snickered, pointing a finger at Jia.

“You were so confident about it too, promising not to beat us up too badly if we ever met on the battlefield.”

Jia’s face became beet red as her most embarrassing moments were rehashed. She had been so desperate to save Eui from Yue’s body manipulation that she hadn’t really given any consideration to her future. She was interrupted by the sound of Hayakawa clearing her throat.

“About that, Miss—Lee Jia, An Eui. I know that I’ve already apologized, and that you’ve...settled the score, so to speak.”

Hayakawa brought a hand to her cheek as she spoke, though it no longer showed any sign that Jia had slapped it.

“However, I feel that I owe you more than that. I’ve had a lot of time to consider my thoughts and actions during our time at the academy. I believe that I allowed my shallow ideas of strength to cloud my judgement, and I am ashamed to admit that I did look down on you both. I was—I didn’t—”

Hayakawa Kaede’s eyes swam as she tried to find the words. She took a deep breath and met Jia’s eyes.

“I am a poor friend, Lee Jia. I know that. Had I been a better one, perhaps Miyata Toshiharu’s death could have been prevented. With your permission, I would like to rectify that—not through cheap words, but by the merit of my actions. I know that I don’t deserve it, but would you consider me a friend?”

Jia blinked, nonplussed. She exchanged a confused glance with Eui before turning back to Hayakawa.

“No.”

Hayakawa Kaede froze, and even Rika seemed taken aback by the response. Jia went on before either could interrupt.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it too, and I don’t think we ever could have been friends, Hayakawa. You’re welcome to try proving me wrong, but friendship means too much to us to be flippant about it now. I can’t afford to be the naive, trusting Jia from two years ago anymore. You’re the one that taught me that. I’ll consider you a friend when you become one, Hayakawa, and not a moment before.”