Kyoka and Denki didn't move for a long moment, while Sekko looked ready to kill at least one of them.
Then Kyoka decided to take the bull by the horns. "I learned something today, that's all. I have something to ask you."
"And this... male has something to do with it," Sekko said suspiciously.
Denki started to back away.
"Don't run," Kyoka hissed at him, "She'll definitely chase you."
Denki stopped moving.
Kyoka folded her arms, trying to appear more confident than she felt. "Is it true that when you brought me here, my father came with you?"
"The bard?" Sekko said, "Why are you asking about this? I told you never to ask again after last time."
"I want to know if you told me the full truth," Kyoka said, trying to hide that her hands were shaking. Sekko was intimidating.
Denki felt he really shouldn't be here for this. Sekko would kill him, but he didn't dare walk away.
"Why would I lie?" Sekko said.
"So, he really did just get rid of me because of the hassle?" Kyoka said.
"Of course," Sekko said.
Kyoka looked down.
"Did he say that?" Denki didn't know what possessed him to ask, but as a bard, he could read people fairly well if he tried, at least when it came to how convincing their acting skills were, and he didn't think Sekko was very genuine right then.
"Excuse me? You dare address me directly?" Sekko said.
"Uh... yes...?" Denki said, wishing he could drop through the ground.
Kyoka gave him sidelong glance like "are you mad?"
Sekko frowned. "I don't have to answer to the likes of you, boy." Boy sounded like an insult when she said it.
"I'd like to know too," Kyoka said, "what exactly happened."
"I told you already," Sekko said, "And why do you doubt me? Did this bard put ideas into your head?"
"No, he never said anything about it," Kyoka said, "I heard from someone else that it might not have been just how you described it to me. I want to know the full truth. Even if it's worse than that. I can take it."
Sekko regarded her coldy, then she said, "Very well. The full truth is, the man never told me his exact circumstances. He said it was better that we take you, and that his wife died. I know that much. He was a bard-- I know because of his attire and instruments and the annoying tunes he kept breaking into. I could infer the rest. Does that answer your question? Doubting me is an insult. I hope you realize that."
Kyoka was silent for a bit. Then she said, "So you don't know why, exactly."
"I just explained why--" Sekko began, but Kyoka actually dared to interrupt her.
"What you told me before is that he couldn't be bothered! Was that not true?!"
"Don't you interrupt your superior!" Sekko slapped her across the face.
"Hey!" Denki said.
Kyoka held up her hand. She didn't care about the slap-- it was normal for a leader to discipline their subordinates like that-- she cared far more about the lies.
"Was it not true?" she repeated.
"It was true if I know men," Sekko said, "If you mean did he spell it out, I don't think any of them would criticize themselves so honestly, do you? You must have seen how they are, now. You came back here.... Princess Momo leaving is a unpleasant development... but she was always naive compared to you. I blame Rin's instruction-- she's far too easy on her pupils. They don't learn how the world out there really works from her. People are corrupt out there. They make each other wicked. They are petty and spiteful. You've seen it now, haven't you?" She glanced at Denki in disgust, then back to Kyoka.
