Kaguya's daughter

Chapter 15 : Light VS. Shadow

"Master Indra, Lady Nanami! Ashura has finally come back from his journey!" One of Hagoromo's disciples rushed toward them to let them know.

Finally. He was back after one whole year.

Nanami walked away from Indra and his followers to see in what condition he was.

"Hello everyone," he greeted while approaching them, a soft smile on his face and his pace relaxed. 

"You're finally back among us, Ashura," his father stated.

He wasn't alone. There were several people escorting him. Most likely the villagers he was supposed to help.

"Hello Nanami, long time no see," he told her, giving her a quick hug. But it wasn't like one of those hugs... hugs wich he gave with much too enthusiasm and clumsiness... It was not shy either... It was soft yet confident....How weird coming from him... This journey had changed him. But in a different way compared to Indra.

She sighed, remembering what had happened when she had decided to join him on his journey. He hadn't tried to touch her like this again ever since that time, and she was thankful for that. But he hadn't spoken much to her either although he had apologised for his behaviour...

Indra had finished his journey long before his little brother, but that hadn't been a surprise either for her or their father. But Hagoromo had still preferred to wait for Ashura to come back to choose who would be the heir to Ninshū.

She needed to make sure Ashura had really changed. She needed to test him.

"That's all? After all this time we didn't see each other?" she questioned.

His eyes widened a bit, and she definitely hdn't expected that either. He didn't even trail off some awkward apology. No, instead, he hugged her tightly, making her hold her breath.  "I've missed you so much," he whispered, his voice soft.

"I've missed you too," she replied, not meaning it as she should have, leading her to ponder over her own words though. She couldn't deny that it had felt strange not to see him anymore for so long. She had got used to his presence after spending so much time with him. That was normal.

Nanami's lips parted at the feeling of some intense warmth radiating through her, going straight to that beating thing in her bosom.

Ashura held her tighter, seemingly not wishing to let go of her while Nanami let herself get overwhelmed by that weird sensation. She didn't know how she should interpret it.

Ashura finally let go of her and smiled at the rest of the small congregation. "It's nice to see you all again."

She had been right. Ashura would definitely never cease surprising her.

They all gathered inside, forming a huge square around Indra, Ashura and and the Sage. Nanami was sitting between Taizō and a dark-haired woman. Ashura told them about how he helped the villagers to have their own source of water.

"I wish you could have come with us on this journey. Ashura has made a lot of progress," Taizō whispered in her ear.

She wasn't surprised about this. Ashura was for sure a slow learner, but he had his own way of learning that was only his. After all, he was the son of the Sage of the Six Paths as well as Indra.

"That was the aim of this journey," she muttered.

This was the decisive moment. After so much talk, they were about to discover who the Sage would choose as his heir for Ninshū.

"So...I've finally made up my mind about who is going to succeed me. Thus the the name of the heir to Ninshū will be..." Everyone in the room hold their breaths, their gazes intent on the Sage. "My second son, Ashura."