{THIRD PERSON POV}
The knights were mobilized. The gates were closed. No one could enter or exit Wolkitra until Akegi was located. These thoughts provided no consolation to Zen, Shirayuki, or Shiro.

They were in the war room: a bunker inside the castle built as a safe point and command center in case a war broke out. It was only to be used during crisis. Until now, the door hadn't been opened.

Kidnapping of a princess was that serious. No attempts had been made for five years.

"I want to help with the search too." Shiro said. His hands were shaking. It was his twin out there.

"Don't waste your strength. As soon as she's found, we'll all go." Zen told him.

"About... that." A cool voice said. The door opened. "I... will bring Ane-sama... back."

Zen, Shirayuki, and Shiro looked up in surprise. Miho hadn't been seen since telling a guard that Akegi had been kidnapped in her stead.

Her face was flat.

Fear spiked through them. They worried that Miho had been traumatized again, reverted back to her former apathy. Then they saw her eyes.

Teal fire; blue-green tourmaline gemstones sparking with furious energy. These were eyes of war. They had seen death, and they had caused it.

"I'm not... here for... permission. I only need... one thing." Miho said.

"What?" Zen asked.

"Tell... me you want...them alive. Even if it's... not true. I need... something to hold myself... back. I've... killed enough people... in my life." They all felt her killing intent, almost palpable in the air.

"Alive. If at all possible." Zen said. Miho nodded. As quickly as she appeared, she vanished.

*a few minutes later—a dark room in the castle*
{MIHO'S POV}
Kazuma is waiting for me, his expression grave. "I've labeled the top five places they're mostly likely to hide with her in the city."

He hands a map to me. I glance over it, memorizing the locations. "I'll head... to points one, two... and three... so Kazuma—"

"Four and five. Got it."

"If... there's even... a scratch... on her body—"

"Got it." Kazuma salutes.

We part ways. I head to #1, a toy-making factory that closed down recently.

Multiple people are milling about outside, swords at the ready, though the lot is supposed to be deserted. Either it's a large army of homeless people or Kazuma is really good at his job.

I smile slowly. The more the merrier.

*at the same time—within the toy factory*
{AKEGI'S POV}
When I come to, I'm not shocked that I'm blindfolded. My wrists are bound behind my back, as are my ankles. I'm face down on cool and hard flooring, maybe concrete.

It's dusty, but I hold in my sneeze. No use alerting them that I'm awake. I let them take me so they'd stop focusing on Miho, but I have to escape now.

I strain against the rope. These people don't know who they're messing with! After a minute of this, I stop wasting precious strength.

"Hey Satoshi! Check and see if the princess is up yet. The chloroform shouldn't have killed her."

Chloroform. Ugh. No wonder my head aches.

Footsteps approach. I will my body to be completely limp. The man, Satoshi, kicks me onto my back.

"Still breathing." He expertly diagnoses.

"I'm asking if she's awake, you dolt!" The one yelling directions shouts.

I close my eyes. Satoshi kneels next to me and pulls up the blindfold.

"Still asleep."

No response.

"Nagi-san?" Satoshi calls nervously. He stands, forgetting to readjust the blindfold. "Nagi-san? Hello? You still there?"

A few seconds later, we hear the one known as Nagi-san again. But he isn't talking to Satoshi.

"Who are you?!" Nagi-san yells. There's a sound suspiciously like a sword swing. "Guh!"

"Nagi-san!" Satoshi runs to his superior's aid.

I sit up quickly. I don't know what the situation is, but just because they're my enemy's enemy doesn't make them my friend. Better stay quiet.

Now able to see I look around at my surroundings. Seems to be an abandoned factory. There are lots of conveyor belts and machines.

I lie back down and roll to the nearest machine. It has a nice, sharp metal corner. I reposition myself so my back is against it. I chaff the rope against the metal corner, trying to cut it.

It's slow and laborious. I listen to the sounds outside. Lots of screaming and cries of pain.

The skin of my wrists is torn and burning. My fingers are slick with blood. The rope is fraying. As each strand snaps, I feel it getting incrementally looser.

I pull again. The rope resists, but I'm stronger than it now. The rope snaps completely. I quickly untie my feet and lean my back against the metal, enjoyed the icy touch. I'm hot and sweaty. I close my eyes, resting peacefully in the silence.

Silence? My eyes snap open. The clamor outside is gone. I hear nothing.

A door opens, and a figure silhouetted by sunlight stands in the doorway. I duck back, hiding from sight. The person walks into the factory and looks around in the gloom.

I can't be defenseless. I look around frantically for a weapon. My eyes land on a lever for a broken machine. That works. I grab the top of the lever with my hand and kick the bottom. It snaps, giving me a makeshift club. I lift it unsteadily.

"Ane-sama? Where... are you?"

I let out a sigh of relief. It's Miho!

"Was it... a fake-out? Is....she being held somewhere...else?" Miho wonders aloud to herself.

"Miho!" I stand up, bringing myself into view. I run up to and hug my little sister. She hugs me back, before remembering that she's mad at me.

"Don't do... that again!" Miho says angrily. "I... can care for... myself. I don't need... your protection."

"And I knew you would come for me. Thanks, Miho." I tell her genuinely. Then I grin playfully. "How about we blow this joint?"

Miho looks at the door, then at me. "Uh..."

"Yes?"

"Put your blindfold... back on."

"What?! No way! Why would I do that?" I protest, batting Miho's hand away as she trying to slip the black fabric back over my eyes.

"For your... own good. Don't worry... I won't lead... you astray." Miho promises.

"What are you hiding from me?" I ask suspiciously.

"It's... better you don't... see them."

"See what?" I march towards the door. Whatever Miho is trying to hide, I won't let her get away with it!

I open the the door that Miho came through and suddenly wish I had my blindfold on. I cover my mouth and nose but it's too late.

Corpses.

At least three dozen of them, probably more. They're surrounded by broken swords and lots of blood. I look back at Miho. Not a spot of red on her, even though it's everywhere else. She didn't even lose her breath. She's unperturbed by the high loss of life.

"Miho-sama, by herself and with a rapier—a sword unsuitable for killing because it's so thin and light—was responsible for more than half of the deaths of the losing side. Over 8,500 dead by her blade."

I finally understand what that girl Asahi meant. I retch out the entire contents of my stomach and continue to gag until I taste bile in my throat.

Miho stays back, clearly unsure what to do or say to me. I don't want to push her away. I gesture her over and manage to say, "Miho, help me walk."

Miho looks relieved. She hurries to my side and I lean heavily on her shoulder. She supports me easily.

As we pick our way through the remnants of the bloodbath, I'm careful not to step on the splayed limbs of the corpses. Best not to desecrate the dead.

"You're clammy... and hyperventilating." Miho checks my radial pulse. "Ane-sama... your heart is... racing. You're going... into shock."

Once we're past all the carnage, I sit down and put my head between my knees. This helps with the nausea. Miho rubs my back gently.

"Is that the place, Kazuma-san?" Asahi's high-pitched voice rings a short distance away. "That's the first on the list, isn't it? We're almost there!"

The frizzy-haired twelve year old girl rounds a bend and spots us immediately. She runs up, waving both of her hands wildly.

"Asahi." Miho casually waves back. I'm envious how she can act normal amidst so much death.

"We came to pick you up, Miho-sama!" Asahi grins. "You were taking too long!"

Behind Asahi is the surgeon Kazuma, followed by Mom, Dad, and Shiro. Mitsuhide is there too, though I don't see Obi or Kiki.

"Thank goodness you're alright." Mom kneels next to me, digging in her pharmacy bag.

Asahi whistles long and low. "Wooooo. That's quite the sight, Miho-sama."

The mood becomes somber as everyone begins to notice the bloody wreckage. Miho doesn't seem to understand why everyone else is so stricken.

"I leave them... to you... Asahi." She says calmly.

"Me?" Asahi points at herself in confusion. "I'm a pharmacist now, not a mortician."

"I know." Miho raises an eyebrow, giving Asahi a knowing look. Asahi's eyes widen. I gasp.

"No way." She runs up to the nearest body and puts three fingers against his neck. She grins up at the rest of us in amazement. "He's alive!"

She runs to another person and checks their pulse. "This guy too!"

Finally, I take a good look at all of the corps—no, bodies on the ground. They're shuffling around and repositioning. Somebody groans loudly. How could I not notice all the signs of life before? I really was in shock. I release the breath I was holding.

Kazuma looks across the battlefield in awe. "You didn't kill anybody?"

"Of... course not." Miho tilts her head in confusion. "Dad... said not... to kill them if... at all possible. I just... needed to let off... some steam before... I realized that Akegi... is perfectly capable of handling... herself. She had already... escaped her bindings by... the time I came to... get her."

We all stare at Miho unblinkingly for a second. The precision needed to cut without killing; I'm once again impressed by my baby sister's sword feats.

Miho smiles sweetly. "I did make... it so none of the... bastards can procreate... in the future."

Asahi re-examines her patients. Her mouth drops open in awed surprise. "She cut all of them off."

"All of what?" Shiro looks around. "Oh."

All of them are now eunuchs. The men in our party back rapidly away from Miho. I can't help but burst out laughing. I don't know if I should be scared or amused by the utter bizarreness of the situation.

"As expected of my little sister!" I praise her, standing up and mussing Miho's hair. I feel much better now, plus Mom put ointment on my wrists.

Dad sighs. "I'll call the knights to help deal with all these patients. Let's go home."

I smile brightly. "Yeah!"