— — — — — —
Right next to the Moon Lord's grand palace was the modest estate of the Watatsuki family.
After her complete and overwhelming victory in yesterday's war, the new ruler of the Lunar Capital—Her Supre Highness Kaguya Houraisan—was now visiting the Watatsuki residence to inspect the living conditions of her newly acquired prisoners.
"Why the long face? Co on, smile for ~"
Sitting shalessly on the host's main seat like she owned the place (because, well, she kind of did now), Kaguya Houraisan looked down at Watatsuki Yorihi's expressionless face and giggled behind her hand.
"What's the deal? You just naturally hate smiling… or are you saying you're not happy to see ?"
Yorihi forced a stiff, unnatural smile onto her face.
"Tch. You know what? Forget it. That's even creepier."
Kaguya clicked her tongue in disdain. "Let remind you both—when you're standing before , you better show so manners. If I hadn't decided to be generous with you two last night, let's just say... as the defeated princesses of the losing side, you'd already be in the Moon Palace next door, warming up my daddy's bed and being trained until you only knew how to—"
Bonk.
A hand lightly knocked her on the head before she could finish that trainwreck of a sentence.
"Watch your mouth," Veyron said calmly from his seat beside her.
"Okay, okay, I get it! I'll be more careful next ti," Kaguya muttered, sticking out her tongue like a scolded child. Then, without the slightest sha, she threw her feet up onto the short table in front of her and pointed at Yorihi.
"You. Co here and massage my legs."
"..."
"What, just gonna sit there? Do I really need to spell it out for you?"
Taking a deep breath, Yorihi silently knelt down beside her and started massaging Kaguya's legs with a darkened expression.
"Ugh, I love that look—the mix of hatred and humiliation in your eyes while your hands still obey . It's delicious."
Clearly enjoying herself, Kaguya let out a satisfied hum, then pointed toward Toyohi.
"You. My daddy's shoulders could use so work."
"Sure thing~" Toyohi replied with a bright smile and cheerfully walked behind Veyron to get to work.
Once upon a ti, the Watatsuki sisters were among the most esteed nobility in the Lunar Capital. And now? One was massaging legs, the other rubbing shoulders.
That's the scene a moon rabbit walked in on as she knocked and peeked through the door.
"..."
"…Um, did I interrupt sothing?"
Kaguya casually turned her head toward the rabbit frozen in the doorway. "What's up?"
"Uh, those two horned guests who arrived yesterday said they heard our family's known for brewing sake, and asked to borrow a batch for a banquet. They also said if Lady Toyohi or Lady Yorihi—or any of us moon rabbits, really wanted to join in, we'd be welco."
The moon rabbit gave a quick glance at Toyohi, who stood behind Veyron, just far enough outside Kaguya's direct line of sight. Receiving a small nod from Toyohi, the moon rabbit passed the ssage.
…Although now that she thought about it, was that a hint of resignation in Lady Toyohi's eyes?
A second later, she understood why.
"Oh? Looks like this little bunny is pretty close with you two," Kaguya said, her eyes narrowing playfully. "I've heard moon rabbits are often kept as pets, so it's rare for one in your household to have this kind of freedom, isn't it?"
Despite not turning her head, Kaguya seed fully aware of the little glances exchanged behind her back, as if nothing could escape her notice. She turned to Yorihi.
"Care to introduce her?"
"Reisen Udongein Inaba," Yorihi answered calmly. "She can manipulate the insanity and wavelengths that reside in objects. She's also capable of sensing the ntal waves emitted by other moon rabbits, almost regardless of distance. Both abilities are extrely advanced."
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She paused briefly. "Though she's timid and not really suited for combat, her aptitude and talent are easily among the best of her kind."
"Wait—did you say she can sense the others regardless of distance?" Kaguya repeated, her tone turning serious for a mont.
"At least in all the tests we've done so far, her reception range hasn't been limited by distance at all," Yorihi confird.
"So theoretically," Kaguya mused, "even from Earth, she could still connect to the 'Moon Rabbit Network' like normal?"
"That's how it worked during the tests," Yorihi nodded.
"Excellent!"
Kaguya clapped once and waved for Yorihi to stop massaging her legs. Then she jumped off her seat and floated over to Reisen, ruffling her hair like she'd just found a shiny new toy.
"From now on, you're coming with and Eirin."
"Wha—wait, huh?!" Reisen squeaked, staring helplessly at Toyohi and Yorihi as if begging for help.
"Why are you looking at them?" Kaguya snorted, flicking one of Reisen's long ears in irritation. "I'm the ruler of the Lunar Capital. You think I need to ask a couple of prisoners for permission to take a moon rabbit? Please—if I wanted to bring all your kin along to serve tea and carry my fan every day, they wouldn't have the right to say no either."
Poor Reisen could only tear up in silence, finally coming to terms with her reality.
— — —
And so, with her new prize in tow—a top-tier moon rabbit who could act as a wireless signal booster even from Earth—Kaguya left the Watatsuki estate, clearly in a fantastic mood.
She was accompanied by Veyron, as well as Suika Ibuki and Yuugi Hoshiguma, who had also managed to acquire a few bottles of fine sake brewed with "eternal ti" from the Watatsuki's cellar.
Once the courtyard was empty and the visitors were gone, Toyohi and Yorihi exchanged a glance, both catching the weary smile in the other's eyes.
"She really is just like Master Eirin said," Toyohi sighed. "Still just a pampered princess who's been spoiled by both the moon and the Earth, and deep down… hasn't really grown up at all."
She was rembering what Eirin had told them the night before, after the victory banquet had ended.
Yorihi gave her sister a strange look.
'Says the woman who's basically the sa…'
"Yorihi? What are you thinking about?" Toyohi waved a hand in front of her distracted sister's face.
"…Reisen," Yorihi replied after a mont. "Based on the question Kaguya asked after learning about her powers… even though she's the Moon's ruler now, it seems like she doesn't really plan to stay here long-term."
"Yeah," Toyohi agreed with a quiet admiration. "She really is sothing else…"
They were both beings tied to the concept and divinity of the Moon.
Their 'father' had succumbed to that divinity—losing all sense of self, becoming nothing more than a divine husk, imprisoned in the Moon Capital like a lifeless relic.
And yet Kaguya… her Earthly daddy had given her the freedom to carry all that weight without ever being weighed down. Even as the embodint of lunar authority, she could remain completely herself. She could choose to stay on the Moon… or just leave for Earth anyti she felt like it.
No divine chains. No spiritual anchors. Just… freedom.
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