Downtown Kyoto
She turned to Aiko, eyebrows still knit together and said to her, "Ketsurui-sama, we should retire to our rooms for increased safety. Do you agree?"
"I will retire to the palace for now," Aiko said definitively. Eden-taii had, of course, reserved an apartment within the
Kaiyo's block for her. But even though it was especially expansive and luxurious, few places befit a Princess of Yamatai like the Imperial Palaces. "I must visit with my clan and hopefully pay respect to the Empress before the
Teien occasion. When I arrive to my home, you and Wil are free to return here and use the quarters provided for me as you see fit. Or do whatever you wish. The castle guards can take care of me during my stay."
On Eden's orders, Aiko was out of uniform today. She wore a rosy red kimono, deep and rich—but not quite as dark as Ketsurui crimson like her eyes—with a pattern of light pink petals that rose up from her feet and dispersed by mid-thigh, giving the illusion that she was walking through a sea of freshly-fallen cherry blossom leaves. A thin black kimono was worn underneath and a wide golden
obi belt fastened with a red cord held it all together at her waist, from which a carved wooden seal of the Ketsurui Clan hung. Her white sword was held in her left hand and the two Imperial Bellflowers adorned her hair, as always.
"I have no qualms with releasing you now, Rei-san," Aiko thought aloud, sounding herself unsure whether the idea was proper. "You and Wil deserve your leave as much as any of the crew. I would not want you to feel absent in your duty, though I am sure I could make it to the palace without incident."
If only Eden hadn't ordered them to wear civilian clothes! Then there would be even less risk that anything could happen to her. She looked over to her friend William and smiled, recalling their "inconspicuous" outing to explore Kyoto's nightlife before shipping off.
"Today, nobody will mistake me for a common Neko," Aiko decided.