Awkward Position

> Hoshimi is not having a good day.
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## Summary

Princess Abigail asks if anyone knows about the Empire of Kokoria. Nobody knows what they're like since they're mostly isolationist but recently they've had a change in leadership. These new leaders have been open to trade on one condition: locate Hoshimi. Seven asks why they want Hoshimi but she doesn't want Abigail to say anything. Abigail doesn't but says that her hidden truth with damage the others if it isn't told. Hoshimi claims that she doesn't need protection and the party knows that but wonder who she is protecting. Seven helps Flint make Hoshimi confess. She gets Yuuto to come in here and agrees to tell them everything.

Yuuto comes in and is unhappy with the fact that they know. Hoshimi then introduces herself as Shin Hoshimi, the daughter of the current king of Kokoria. She's so well hidden that she has different names. In fact the only people who know of Yuuto's real form outside of the room they're in are Qadir and Yasmin. Hoshimi says that her parent's love is like a poison to strike down everyone. Her defining memory was the night of red sand, her birthday almost eleven years ago.

Hoshimi mentioned how her father was the former king's guardian from the shadows and how Yuuto was trained to replace him. Hoshimi was trained to be in the same profession as her mother, a giver of blessings to the people. However her power could be used for manipulative services such as the previous king, who wasn't a good man. The family managed to live a good life but Hoshimi and Yuuto's parents still hated the previous king. So much so that Hoshimi's mother stopped dancing for the people and her father killed the previous king and his family. Hoshimi's father took down anyone in his way, even as Yuuto tried to stop him. Hoshimi recalled how she saw blood-stained sands while going to the palace worried for her brother. She saw her father and brother fighting, tried to stop them but was nearly cut down. Thier mother when hearing the news simply smiled and apologized for taking so long. Yuuto and Hoshimi then fled west to the Eastern Dominion.

Olwen Edgeworth suggests that they were tracked to the one port town they traded with and fled. Hoshimi said that she can't stand her divine blood because it can be manipulated like that. Olwen sympathizes with Hoshimi saying that her parents were narcisists. The party still sees her as a nice person despite being an informant to not-so-nice people. Hoshimi also kept dancing because she couldn't let her dances go. She also doesn't want anyone to tell her what to use her talents for. Flint tries to say that she is using her talents for good like making money and healing them but Hoshimi said that she intially joined them to find the one who seperated Yuuto from her and kill them. However Adrian Tanlaial and Seven know that her personal goal has changed thanks to them. Hoshimi cries as she didn't want anyone to love her or to love anyone else. Seven confirms this by calling Yuuto her Uncle.

Abigail notes how complicated the situation is and Hoshimi says giving her real name to Princess Abigail in hopes of getting an in with the royal family was the worst mistake she made in 11 years. Abigail promises to not leave Hoshimi and Yuuto high and dry. Hoshimi also mentions that she wants to go home one day but can't. She also talks about how she used her full power unintentionally with the Wraith because of how it attacked Yuuto. It was very likely her mother felt it and she got that very message about Hoshimi that very day. The party promises to protect her physically while Abigail will protect her politically. For now though everyone but Abigail and Adrian head to bed as it has been a long day. As they head for bed, Hoshimi tells Adrian to tell Merylwind that she was right about Hoshimi's fear but she can't discard it so easily. Adrian then asks Abigail in private if the daggers of light are still in operation. He mentions that his father wrote up a pact with help from Mephistopholes to make the dagger's of light neutral information brokers. He was hoping they could give Hoshimi some protection so Abigail decides to pass it along but only as an option. Adrian is satisfied and heads to bed.

## Notable events

* The party learns about the Empire of Kokoria and Hoshimi's past