DiMENSIONS [IDOLiSH7]

26: Acceptance

-Majabah, the Nanase Mansion-

Tenn and Iori were still holding onto each other's arms when Riku glared daggers at them.

Perhaps Gaku should not have reported what happened. The butler knew why his lord was so upset. Even if the two did not answer, Tenn must have performed a ritual to share his magic power with Iori. Otherwise, why would he have suffered when Iori's life was in danger? There was no way his lord could turn a blind eye to that. It must have troubled him greatly to have to put his twin brother to death. Plus, Riku was bearing his guilt earlier for having hurt Iori.

Iori's grip on Tenn's arm became tighter. How could a human gaze be so intimidating that both he and Tenn were trembling? The younger boy was thinking of how they could get out of the situation. It was partly his fault that their secret was out. He should have been more careful.

The youngest snapped out of his bubbles of thoughts when Tenn pulled his arm away.

Mitsuki did not know what was going on, but judging from everyone's faces, he knew something was very wrong here.

"Please wait, high lord Nanase-sama." Tenn glanced at Iori before turning to face an angry Riku fully. He bent down on one knee and bowed his head to the lord. "It was me who forced Iori to go through the ritual."

Riku looked down. "What was your reason?" He forced his voice out, trying to hide how broken it was. The lord knew Gaku and Tenn were great friends, so he did not have the heart to put Gaku in charge of this punishment. As a lord, Riku would be the one to shoulder that burden alone.

"I wanted to help him find his brother who was likely in Majabah." Tenn swallowed before continuing. "I made him a magic-user so he could protect himself if needed."

"HAHHH???" Mitsuki was so surprised that he almost fell off his chair. He did not know such a thing was possible and that it was against the law. "Iori can use magic?!?"

Tenn turned to Mitsuki briefly and nodded. By now, Iori's eyes were watery. "So please, Nanase-sama, spare his life." Tenn got down on both knees and bent over until his forehead touched the ground. "I beg of you."

"Tenn-san, no!" Iori jumped out of bed to kneel by Tenn's side. He stared at the lord, feeling defeated and hopeless that he could not even find the hatred in his heart to direct at the guy standing before him. Riku seemed like anything but a human being, and so the only thing Iori could feel was fear. Riku's eyes reflected a yellow glow, dancing like flames in them.

"You've committed one of the biggest sins, yet you are still begging me to spare your lives?" Riku raised his voice. The quicker he got this done, the less everyone had to suffer.

"What's the meaning of this? You're going to kill Iori? You can't!!!" Despite having only one good leg, Mitsuki sprang forward and crawled towards the high lord.

"Step aside, Izumi-ani." Gaku jumped in front of his lord to stop Mitsuki. The butler was in his combat stance, yet his mind was elsewhere. He reached out with his right hand, hesitantly, to grasp the hilt of a sheathed sword at his hip. It was a sword known as 'executioner's blade', which Gaku had not drawn for the longest time. "Or you will be beheaded as well." Even though the two broke the rules, Tenn was his friend. A friend he fought against his father for. Plus, Mitsuki had proven to have more than just loyalty to his lord. Gaku did not want to hurt his feelings by taking away his only remaining family.

Gaku wanted to voice his opinion but knew full well he had no right to. Still, he felt he was the only one with enough influence to ask his lord to spare their lives. After all, Tenn and Iori did have a good reason to share their magic power. "My lord, if I may," Gaku bent down on one knee and bowed his head. "I would like to ask you to reconsider the sentence."