Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner

"Are you sure?"

Fushimi Roku snapped out of his thoughts, somewhat suspecting that Ono Ken was making it up. The latter indicated that there was no need to lie about this; simply basking in the sun would reveal the truth.

The great fire back then had burned down Wulin Temple, and the survivors naturally wanted to find out what had happened. Yazaki Momo told Ono Ken all the details, and Ono Ken, after filtering through the information, disclosed part of the truth to Princess Nakako.

As the experimental results on Cat Island suggested, Ye Tea had no research value. A single dose wouldn't cause any abnormal effects in the human body; otherwise, Prince Akihito would have noticed something amiss, and Oogami Nui wouldn't have been feeding it to his assistants daily.

Fushimi Roku had nothing to say, so he ushered the two into the living room and asked what exactly they wanted from him.

Having benefited from Ono Ken in some way, receiving help from him could be considered a lifesaver on some level.

Ono Ken and Yazaki Momo were about to speak when they heard a clanging sound coming from Fushimi Roku's room and froze for a moment.

"Don't mind it," Fushimi Roku waved his hand and casually made up a story: "It's just Jun being rowdy in the room."

Yazaki Momo knew he had a Border Collie named Jun, so she took the opportunity to bring up the subject of dog ownership, saying she also wanted to get a puppy but was worried it might be too much trouble and she wouldn't have time to care for it...

As she spoke, Jun trotted out of Minamoto Tamako's room, carrying a chew toy, and pressed the remote to turn on the TV in front of everyone, naturally lying down by Fushimi Roku's sofa.

Whenever Fushimi Roku came home, he'd lie on the sofa and watch TV. Occasionally, if he was too lazy to get up to turn on the TV and Minamoto Tamako wasn't at home, he'd instruct Jun to help.

Over time, Jun developed the habit. As long as Fushimi Roku lay on the sofa and Minamoto Tamako wasn't nearby, it would help turn on the TV.

"So smart..."

Yazaki Momo, overwhelmed with affection, reached out to rub the dog's head.

The next second, another clanging sound came from Fushimi Roku's room, not knowing what kind of mischief Uesugi Shion was up to.

"I recently got a cat," Fushimi Roku cleared his throat, "Don't mind it, please continue."

Upon hearing this, Yazaki Momo and Ono Ken exchanged a glance, sat upright, and explained their purpose for coming.

Before Princess Nakako consulted Oogami Nui, this renowned Spirit Medium had left a few prophecies, all vague but proved true one by one.

Besides the prophecies about stock fluctuations, she left two prophecies regarding Princess Nakako.

The first one was: "On the night the camellias wilt, the tide reverses as if crossing a river, chrysanthemum crest mark."

This one had already come true; it referred to Wulin Temple.

The second was: "The crane roosts in the northern forest with a new moon, seven steps to stone stairs in the snow melting time, double shadow prophecy."

The meaning of this was unclear, but lately, Princess Nakako had been having nightmares repeatedly dreaming of being in the Purple Palace's steps at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, with snowflakes pouring down, while the Nanbo and Mori Clans battled fiercely with swords. She tried to escape the battlefield but would always end up caught and killed by villains.

Fushimi Roku listened quietly, then asked, "So... you want me to interpret the dreams?"

Ono Ken shook her head, thinking these two prophecies were Oogami Nui's tricks. The first prophecy was to scare Princess Nakako, and the second one likely had other motives, which was why Princess Nakako sensed danger and kept having nightmares.

Ono Ken couldn't bear her mistress being tormented by nightmares and wanted Fushimi Roku to decipher what the prophecies referred to, so Princess Nakako could find peace.

Fushimi Roku thought it was all too far-fetched and couldn't help but ask, "You're sure Princess Nakako hasn't been drinking anything strange lately, like Ye Tea or something..."

"I personally taste-test everything my mistress eats and drinks beforehand." Ono Ken said with certainty, "I've completely cleared out the Ye Tea."

Fushimi Roku realized, no wonder Princess Nakako later gifted him a can of Ye Tea as a token of appreciation; he found it a bit odd then... turns out this was the way it was 'cleared'!

"Aren't these two prophecies a bit far-fetched?"

He expressed his doubt: "For example, the first one, 'On the night the camellias wilt, the tide reverses as if crossing a river, chrysanthemum crest mark', what does this say? Is it implying Wulin Temple is going to catch fire? Did Oogami Nui foresee her own death before making the prophecy?"

Ono Ken explained that the chrysanthemum crest is the family emblem of Akihito, 'On the night the camellias wilt' speaks for itself; those in the know understand, 'the tide reverses as if crossing a river' could refer to Prince Akihito being on the brink of death, or it could refer to Ye Tea enabling people to see the deceased... so she believed this prophecy had been fulfilled.

She had similar interpretations for the second prophecy, like the seventh step on the stone stairs referred to the highest step at the Purple Palace in the Kyoto Imperial Palace; the Nanbo Clan crest is the "Hishi Crane Pattern," and the Mori Clan crest is "One Character Three Stars", also known as "Moon Star Pattern", fitting the phrase 'The crane roosts in the northern forest with a new moon'...

As for 'double shadow prophecy,' she hadn't figured out what it meant yet.

Fushimi Roku listened in silence, then asked, "Is Princess Nakako very concerned about these two prophecies?"

Ono Ken nodded; when it involves life and death, how could she not be concerned? Oogami Nui's first prophecy nearly left her destitute and dead at Wulin Temple, so who knows if the second prophecy is good or bad?

Fushimi Roku understood and continued to ask, "Do you often talk to her about this?"

Ono Ken nodded again, resolving her mistress's worries was her duty; otherwise, she wouldn't have made a special visit.

"As the saying goes, 'Daytime thoughts become nighttime dreams.' Princess Nakako is overthinking it, constantly pondering these lousy prophecies; how could she not have such dreams?"

After saying that, Fushimi Roku took out Doctor Arima's business card from his pocket: "Look, I recommend taking her to see this psychologist... just copy the phone number, as I might need to keep the business card."