Act Two: The Audience, Part Three

...(Cough). Are you sure about this?

Ugh... Why would you even ask such a boring question?

Of course I'm sure. Why did you think I would say otherwise?

...Forgive me. I could not help but inquire, given what an unusual looking sort they were.

You're quite the worrywart, aren't you, Matsudaira?

It doesn't matter what someone may be like before they enter this Tokugawa Ooku. Once they do, there's only one way forward for them.

And I don't just mean physically. I explicitly designed it so one can only proceed by behaving in a certain way.

So of course I'm not going to have second thoughts about the innermost chamber I created myself.

...Yes, my lady.

That said, this is a little unexpected. They're not enjoying themselves as much as they're supposed to.

(Sigh)... Maybe it's because that romance-addled goody-goody Pārvatī is there with them...

...

But that's fine. Who cares? I sure don't.

Anyway, that reminds me. How are things going with the one I left in your care?

...(Cough). I'm afraid there has not yet been much progress.

Hmm, is that so? Well, that's okay. Just keep at it until you're satisfied.

Still, don't you think it would be faster to cut your losses, crush them, and make them a pillar already?

I do not. I appreciate the suggestion, my lady, but I would like to keep trying for a while longer. They are useful as they are now.

Hey, I left them in your charge for a reason. If that's what you want to do, go right ahead.

Just because I think you're wasting your time on that piece of trash doesn't mean I'm not rooting for you to succeed.

Hehe. Hehehehe. In the end...that is what I am, after all.

Which is why...I'm going to do the same thing to all of them.

Pārvatī may make me sick to my stomach, but I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't extend a hand to her anyway.

Teehee. Yes, why beat around the bush when there's no need to? I should go out there and greet them as soon as I can.

Yah!

Phew. Another battle over.

？！

They're no stronger than they were before...but it's still hard dealing with so many at a time.

All their remains are literally starting to pile up.

Talk about a critical hit with that last one! Did you see the way its head went flying? Very, very nice!

Oh...

I'm sorry to ask this, Fujimaru, but could you give me a few minutes?

？！

Is she...picking up all of their heads...?

Oh my. She appears to be gathering them together so she can pray over them.

？！

Okay, all done. Sorry to keep you waiting.

I know these are our enemies, and that they're nothing more than automatized familiars...

And maybe there's no point in doing this, since I know they aren't even alive...

But, I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to do something... Is that strange?

Oh good. I'm relieved to hear that.

I don't think it's especially strange either, but I am curious why you did it.

I-I don't blame you! I mean, first I defeat them, then I pray for them? I'm sorry for being so weird...

P-please, you don't have to apologize for it.

I think I speak for Master too when I say I'm just a little curious as to why you did it...

？！

Teehee. Is it because the Buddha resides in all things, living and otherwise?

I suppose you could say that's part of it...but it's really much simpler than that.

First of all, seeing their heads fly like that got me thinking about my son.

Even if they are only dolls, the idea of letting them lie there like that just didn't sit well with me.

You are talking about Ganesha, huh? I see...

Apart from that, I mostly just felt like it.

After all, I'm Pārvatī, the goddess of beauty and benevolence. So of course I would pray for my enemies.

Oh, though of course, that's not to say I would do that for anyone and everyone.

I'm sure you've realized as much from our battles so far, but I don't feel the need to pray for them every time.

I understand that the enemy would see that as naivete and weakness.

But still, when I do happen to feel a desire to be kind to them...I don't want to ignore it.

Maybe that really is my naivete and weakness speaking...

...but even if it is, I think that's an important part of who I am.

I'll never forget how you saved me without any ulterior motive back when I was utterly helpless, Lady Par.

I'm sure you did so because you weren't able to ignore your kind nature then, either. I can't tell you how grateful I am for that.

Oh, uh... You're welcome.

In that case, I pretty much just acted without thinking, but I guess it does boil down to that when you put it into words.

You're right. I couldn't ignore my desire to help.

An important part of who you are, huh?

That's true. The greater a Divine Spirit you are, the more unavoidable that problem becomes.

To be a deity is to contain multitudes, after all. Put another way, which version of you is here right now?

Right. For example, Kālī or Durgā would never do anything like this.

If they didn't crush the dolls' heads and remains beneath their feet, they'd probably wear their remains as trophies.

Kālī, the god of fury, and Durgā, the god of war... I remember someone once told me that they're like different sides of you.

I think they also said that your Spirit Origins may be different, but you all share the same Divine Core.

I see. So the fact that you're like this is specifically because you aren't in their Spirit Origins right now...

As you know, I'm manifesting right now via the innate goodness in this girl I'm using as my avatar.

That goodness also repels any disposition that can't acclimate to it...

...so right now, I really am just Pārvatī, and nothing more.

Well, there might still be, um... What's the expression for this sort of thing? The yin in the yang? The yang in the yin?

Either way, there might still be a tiny drop of that in me...

...but it's so small that I couldn't worry about it even if I wanted to.

？！

...That's true. Or at least, it usually would.

But I think the important thing is that I'm still here despite that.

And I think the fact I'm here even though I'm not well suited for fightingthat I'm here even though I had to borrow part of my husband's power to manifest...

...I can't help but feel like that means something.

There's some sort of reason why I need to be here, rather than Durgā or Kālī.

It's significant, somehow.

Or at least, that's how it feels to me. I'm afraid there isn't much else I can say beyond that at this point.

Of course, I'm sure you would have all preferred I manifested with a side that was a little better at fighting...

I know it would make things at least a little easier for all of you if I had, so I am sorry about that...

？！

I'm relieved to hear you say that.

And I can promise you I'll at least do my best not to get in your...

No, I have to think more positively than that. I'll do my best to be as helpful as I can!

I want to be sharp and ruthless in battle, not just kind outside of it.

Anyway, I don't know how helpful I can be, but I promise you all I'm going to try my best!