The Beginning of the Fourth Heir

The Bakeneko Clan

Chapter 2

Riyui woke up the next day while Tamazuki is staring at her. Our heroine was scared. She was crying and begging for them to take her home. That's when Kagibari-Onna slapped Riyui in the cheek.

"Stop your whining, you stupid girl!" she said. Riyui whimpered in fear. Tamazuki gave her a grim smile.

"Finish her off." he ordered. Poor Riyui was beaten with no way to fight back. They left her on the streets to die. But Fate was smiling down upon our heroine when Ryota-Neko, leader of the Bakeneko Clan, found her and took her in.

After three weeks, Riyui woke up but she has no recollection of who she is. It's because of the head trauma she sustained after the Shikoto Yokai beaten her half-dead. Ryota-Neko decided to raise her as his own. He calls her Yui-chan because she became a common denominator of the whole clan. Whenever they were down, Yui-chan cheers them up.

"Ryota-Neko, did my parents love me?" Yui-chan once asked. The bakeneko turned to face her while polishing a glass.

"Yui-chan, I'm sure they did. Parents would do anything for the sake of their children." Ryota-Neko answered. Yui-chan never spoke until dinner. That night, our heroine climbed the roof and stared at the stars as if that swarm of celestial bodies held the answers to her questions.

Back at the Nura Clan mansion, Wakana was serving tea to the council members. Rihan was getting restless since his daughter's disappearance. He couldn't get any sleep, worrying about his little Riyui. Daruma and the others were anxious to get the business done today. However, Rihan was not paying them any attention.

"Nidaime-sama, you need to pull yourself together. You're our leader. We need you to lead us. If you think we're not affected by your daughter's disappearance-" Gyuki trailed off.

"Shut up, Gyuki. I don't want to talk about that. I don't even know where Riyui can be. I'm afraid that I will never see her again. Continuing my duties and responsibilities as leader of the Nura Clan at my condition is really hard. I hope my little daughter is all right." he said.

"Nidaime-sama, she's your daughter. I'm sure she can rise up to the occasion." Daruma said. Hitotsume scoffed at his comrade's statement.

"She doesn't have any yokai blood within her. She's of no further use to the Nura Clan." he spoke. This made the Second Heir angry. He grabbed Hitotsume by the collar while staring at him menacingly.

"You have no right to speak such things about my daughter, you hear me? She maybe a full-fledged human but she's still my daughter." Rihan said angrily and released him.

"You're both wrong about Riyui." Nurarihyon spoke. Everyone turned around to the former Supreme Commander's direction.

"What do you mean by that, Father?" Rihan asked.

"Riyui is a special kid. Within her lies the power of light and darkness. She's a special kind of yokai. She may have human blood flowing in her veins but underneath that human vessel lies the strongest yokai ever lived. I know that because of careful observation." he replied.

Everyone was speechless. Rihan didn't know that about his daughter. He thought Riyui is a full-fledged human. It turns out he was wrong.

That night, Rihan was looking at the night sky when Kurotabo woke him up from his reverie.

"Pardon me for the intrusion, Rihan-sama. You seem deep in thought." Kurotabo said. The Second Heir smiled at him sadly.

"I miss my daughter. I...I wonder if I'll see her again." he replied.

"You'll see her again, Nidaime. Don't forget, you have a son."

The child in question appeared from the corner. He looks up to his father and smiled to encourage him.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll find her and bring Riyui back." Rikuo spoke. Rihan just looked up but he held his son.

"I'm sure you will." Rihan replied.

Four years later....

"Oh no..." Ryota-Neko spoke disbelievingly as he finished reading the letter from the main house. Subaru-Neko saw the face of his boss.

"What is it, boss?" he asked.

"The Second Heir was killed, Subaru-Neko. Lord Rihan's dead." he announced. Yui-chan heard it all. She was curious as who the Second Heir is.

"Ryota-Neko, who is the Second Heir?" Yui-chan asked.

Ryota-Neko's grief was evident when Yui-chan mentioned the Second Heir. He knows that Yui-chan is none other than Riyui, Rihan's daughter but he can't bring that subject up. He can't bear to lose her because he loved her like she was his own. He couldn't tell her the truth just yet. So he waited until nightfall. Just as he expected, he saw her sitting on the rooftop of the Bakenekoya. 

"Yui-chan?" he called. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"What is it, Ryota-Neko?" Yui-chan asked.

"There's something I need to tell you. It's...about your parents." he began.

"What about them?"

"Remember the news I received from the main house? The Second Heir's death?"

"Yes. What's going on?"

"I lied to you. I lied about you being abandoned by your parents. The truth is, I found you lying on the road and you were badly hurt. You almost died but good thing I managed to save you."

"Then...who am I? What am I? Ryota-Neko, tell me who I am! I need to know!" she said.

"I'm sorry. Only you can answer that." the Bakeneko leader replied.

"I must figure it out on my own, right? Then, I'll travel to distant lands and discover who I truly am. I will never give up. I'll leave as a stranger but I'll come back as the person I meant to be." Yui-chan promised to herself. Ryota-Neko was surprised to see the Second Heir standing behind the little girl. He was smiling at him.

"Then take this short sword. You'll need it." he said. 

"Thanks for taking care of me. Yoshii! Iku wa yo! (All right! Here I go!)" the girl said and began her journey for self-discovery.