The Moon Watch

Surroundings of Vajdahunyad Castle, Aria's World
9:45 PM

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Tamamo's POV
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On a dark night that covered the starless sky, a rather gloomy and unsettling atmosphere for my dear Goshujin-sama, I decided instead to make the moon shine as close and bright as possible to ease his heart a little and let him know that I am here with him every step of the way, that he is not alone as in his hard past. While he focused on the city beyond the forest, I continued to learn a little more about the family party in this splendid celebration, which I must admit also gained my affection and a nostalgia for something not experienced, something that in all my years as a goddess was the first time I experienced the joy of a feast and the grace of community that I did not see in Emperor Konoe's palace. While Maria was busy talking to many people in the great hall as the guest of honor, I preferred to stay on the sidelines, enjoying the atmosphere and seeing how this strange family managed to fill these walls with true joy, with their jokes and stories, with their losses and farewells. At some point in the night, several guests went out to walk around the castle gardens, and I joined them, eager to see more of the place and perhaps find a new environment for myself. Instead, I was surprised to see one of the new vehicles created by the humans that roamed the land, a car, but this one was much more primitive and rudimentary at first glance. Still, I could recognize it as a medical unit by the paint that decorated it. Two people were next to the car; one of them was someone they called Uncle Jose, who was sitting in a chair being treated for a small cut with glass on his shoulder, while next to him was the family's grandmother, who was talking to him, scolding him for breaking a window that had caused the injury, while at the same time treating the wound herself, without letting the paramedics help, as she herself said, "she did not trust doctors with greedy eyes".

As I passed near her, the kind grandmother gave me a few signals to wait. From what I had gathered from the way everyone else talked about her, she must have been quite important, for she was the one who gave advice to others on what to do in their lives, organized important meetings like this one, or even approved such important things as living in another country. Despite her age, I could see in her hands that she still had the ability to treat and heal others; it was clear that she was not someone who was unfamiliar with crafts and medical knowledge, and probably had quite a bit of experience in the field from a long life in the countryside without assistance. When she finished, she washed her hands, dried them with a towel, and immediately came toward me.

"Oh dear! What a surprise to see you here, I thought you were busy with your dear husband."
"Tell me, what happened? Why are you so far away from the party hall?"
"Is my grandson giving you a lot of trouble?"
"Or do you want to talk to me instead of him?"
"Unfortunately, my mind isn't what it used to be, so I don't know how to get back home, but maybe reading a book will be enough."

"But how..."
"I'm sorry, I was just trying to find the best way to introduce myself to the family."
"Since you are so important and loved by everyone, please allow me to introduce myself."
"I am Tamamo-no-mae from the faraway land of Japan. Please accept this humble girl into the embrace and care of your important family, great Obāsama," I said, performing the act of dogeza required for such an important occasion.

"Oh dear, there's no need to be so formal. I'm not very good at important things."
"For people like me, it's all about the grace of closeness and everyday life."
"I'm really not as important as others make me out to be."
"I just devote myself to talking, maybe giving advice, or just offering a warm home for others to enjoy."
"The really important people would be someone like my daughter Adelis, or maybe her son Cesar, although people never talk about him."
"As far as I know, those two are always involved in that complicated mess of politics, old stories, and strange people."
"I, on the other hand, know almost nothing about it, so I just give them the space or the shoulder they need to cry on."
"I just ask God to protect them from people who want to harm them just because they refuse to fall into temptation."
"......"
"Although I am a very Christian person....perhaps I should pray to another goddess for help in their journeys."
"But I would only do that honor of someone who has a true heart."
"Not that nonsense about greatness or eternity, but some motherless goddess who understands the value of humility.
"But what am I saying, forgive me for rambling so much, I didn't mean to bother you."
"My mind is not what it used to be."
"Don't let me wander too much in my conversation."

"I swear to you, great Obāsama, that I will do my best to protect the family you have entrusted to me from all harm."
"With my name as Tamamo-no-Mae, I give you my word and my promise."

"Oh, please, dear, there's no need to be so serious; of course, I know you already are."
"After all, you're doing your best to shine today, aren't you? Oh, you little mischievous vixen."
" Going through so much trouble just to make my grandson feel a little better on this strange night."

Talking to Obāsama was as mysterious as it was fascinating, even for my wisdom and age as a goddess. The strange feeling that she knew exactly what was really going on, with a wisdom that defied her apparent humility, yet at the same time concealed the truth shrouded in a mist of apparent forgetfulness. It was as if each time she spoke, she shifted from one topic to another, showing a subtle control over the conversation, directing it exactly where she wanted, as if she wanted to tell me that she knew everything, while at the same time not knowing it.

"So many happy things happened on this night."
"Not only for us, but for other people as well."
"In that building in the distance, instead of a party, there is nervousness and haste."
"There is a little giant who has only sweet eyes for his beloved."
"All his effort and time is spent in tireless work for the promise of future days of abundance."
"Not that I want to imagine the enormous void in his heart that a sudden parting before the day of harvest could leave."
"Perhaps he needs comfort more than I do, an old grandmother with a fulfilled life who is just enjoying the party."
"But my mind isn't what it used to be; maybe I'm making it all up."

The grandmother pointed in a certain direction; there one could see another tall building, barely distinguishable among the treetops, with its metallic colors and a thousand and one glass windows, a beginning with more in common with today's Tokyo, contrasting sharply with the old, dark, nostalgic and grandiose time that accompanied us in the castle. A place worth exploring at least once on this special night to make sure no detail is missed.

"Forgive my ignorance, but do you know anything about that place over there?"
"I'm not up to date on complicated matters like business or lawyer arrangements."
"Surely you know more than I do, otherwise there's nothing left but to go and ask."
"No doubt that would be much more interesting than sitting and having a boring conversation with me," Obāsama said again.

"Oh no, you are already an important person to me, Obāsama."
"I would like to have the opportunity to talk with you for a longer while."

"Oh dear, you have such good manners; it's a pity they didn't work in the teahouse."
"And I can clearly see why my grandson chose you to be by his side."
"You must also feel the joy of having chosen him."
"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll have much more time to talk much more on another occasion."
"I'm sure the two of you will be happy to introduce me to the beautiful twins you've been caring for so lovingly."
"They are so special; they definitely have more than enough reasons to be proud of their parents."
"When the time comes, my mind may feel younger, and I will stop talking in circles and so confusingly like today."
"Wouldn't you like that instead?"
"I know you enjoy being a lively person rather than a serious one; I'm sure you'd prefer to have this conversation much more lively and cheerful, without so much honorific or formality as today."
"But you'll have to wait for that day to come, when you can really show me the humanity you want so much and have waited so long for."
"You're getting closer; don't falter so near."
"Ha ha ha!"
"Here, take this; I'm giving you this."
"I like to do crafts in my spare time; sometimes I make little animals out of tall grass."
"I wanted to make a fox since you're here, but it's very difficult for me; I need to practice more."
"Take this dragon instead."
"When César was a little kid, he loved it when I made things like this for him."
"He used to ask for all kinds of animals, from a little fairy, a fish, a spider, a snake, once even a demon, I think, or was it an angel? I think there was even a bird once."
"I don't remember well, my mind isn't what it used to be."
"It's best if I go back to the others; see you later," Obāsama said, before picking up the injured man and returning to the castle.

After saying goodbye to her, my curiosity about such a strange building in the distance was strong enough to get me moving. When I arrived, I was greeted by a building with about ten different floors, but like a broken memory, the building was split in half. From one side, I could see the interior of the building with all its lights and furniture. Similarly, I could see a single person in the whole place - a man walking incessantly while examining several sheets in a folder. He was quite focused on his apparent work, rehearsing his future conversation on the other side of a simple door. He had quite a bit of documentation, which he displayed throughout his speech. The man was dressed very formally despite being quite muscular and tall, with a well-groomed appearance despite his masculine and defined face. Nearly two meters tall with a broad build that made him seem closer to an ogre-like Oni in strength, yet still somehow human. A most peculiar person who did not seem to be a guest at the party, so out of curiosity I approached him to try to talk to him and find out what he really did.

"Good day, kind sir."
"I see you are busier than usual today."
"Is there some special occasion today?" I introduced myself animatedly but formally.

"Oh, forgive me, miss, for not recognizing you earlier."
"It is unseemly of me to interrupt your day with my duties."
"It was not my intention to disturb anyone while I was getting everything ready for my speech in a few minutes."
"But right now I am in a big dilemma as the future of the company my wife and I want to start depends on the upcoming meeting. So I am trying to make sure that everything will be ready to please the investors and get their help for our future," the tall man said, checking his documents again.

"Ha ha ha!"
"You're right, my dear, but I don't think that kind of joke is appropriate for this kind of presentation."
"In situations like this, it's better to be as serious and formal as possible."
"Besides, the nice lady next to us is offering to help us, the least we can do is accept."

The man continues talking, responding to the third person with us, the same one I couldn't find anywhere, no matter how hard I searched, not even a simple trace. Part of me thinks the little giant thinks this is all part of a happy dream too, and that he's the only one imagining his wife at his side.

"We are proposing that our company be called the Intelligence Systems Company, or I.S.C., for short."
"Our main focus is to present revolutionary technological solutions."
"From new methods of transportation for the average city citizen to new methods of energy storage, which may be hundreds of times more efficient than current lithium batteries."
"The foundations for these inventions were laid by the idea of my wife and the brilliant Mrs. Raven."
"In addition, we plan to use some of the new technologies to also develop and advance the science of medicine."
"We have compelling evidence that some of the new materials we are developing could be used to create new medicines and improved first aid kits. For instance, we are working on a medicinal gel that can rapidly treat serious injuries from accidents."
"These are not intended to replace traditional medicine or hospitals. However, we believe that they would notably improve the survival rate of patients in cases where blood loss is a major concern, such as the wounds that a soldier could suffer during a battle." "We anticipate that our proposal will garner interest from several governments, which may result in military contracts with multiple countries."
"While our goals are ambitious, the attached documents provide insight into the engineering and processes that we believe will enable us to achieve them."
"The only thing we need to start something at this level is serious funding from people like you, people with ambition and commitment, people who are willing to take care of the land for several years so that when the day is to plant and reap the harvest, it will be abundant and quantitative."
"That and also," the man who had until this moment spoken with serious conviction suddenly broke his voice and seemed nervous about what he had started with.
"We would like to use a small percentage of this funding to develop a passion for the initial idea that started this process."

The huge man seemed very unhappy with what he was saying, he reminded me a little of my Goshujin-sama when I try to tease him a little at school. But he would get over how silly it sounded and how he tried to play it down. That dragons were supposed to be an unprecedented threat? Even though I have never seen them, my Goshujin-sama swore that they existed and almost destroyed the earth, so I believe in him with all my heart. In addition, the crystal in his hair is undoubtedly a terrifying artifact that can serve as proof of the trials he has endured. In addition to the girl's body that he is now using. But why does this Mr. Damien think they are worth investigating, and how does he start doing it now that they are extinct?

"What my wife's enthusiasm means is that a small part of us would like to find out more about them, if possible." He said, looking worriedly to his left into the void.
"But we take our initial suggestions very seriously."
"In addition, we believe that they will be very beneficial both for a sustainable future and monetarily for us."
"So we think this is a great opportunity."
"Thank you."
"...."
"...."
"So, what do you think?"

"It seemed to be a fairly correct and well done presentation"
"But I guess I have to ask the obvious"
"What do dragons have to do with any of this?"

"Well, that was honestly the most subtle question we received"
"Actually, we hardly ever get a chance to finish our presentation when they hear that part.
"The few times they let us continue, they called us crazy and escorted us to the door when we finished."
"Regarding the question"
"Well, my wife wants to be as honest as possible."
"The main reason she became a researcher was her passion for magical creatures."
"Dragons in particular, so she thought that maybe by altering the DNA of a reptile, she could make something similar to one."
"As time went on, more and more ideas came to her mind.
...
...
...
...
He looks to the left again, his gaze is always at the same height, about one meter and seventy centimeters above the ground, he has a worried look on his face, but his smile shows that he is enjoying it. I have the impression that maybe this is the part where Mrs. Raven would talk now that he is silent.
...
...
...
...
"Sorry about the way she behaves"
"But as you can see, she is very passionate about her research"
"Although she is a genius, she will never let go of her passion for dragons.
"That's why we decided that if we carried out this project of creating our own company, we would not lie about this part."
"That way, we would not lie to our employees and earn their trust."
"But so far we have only earned ridicule and threats from other scientists and businessmen to whom we have asked for help".
"In any case, we are determined to continue to pursue our goals despite setbacks.

He collected and checked his documents one more time and put them all into his briefcase, then he saw the void again for a moment and then he quickly saw frightened his watch, then he spoke to me immediately.

"You're right, Rose."
"Give me a moment to say goodbye to her."
"I am very sorry that we have to go this way, but it is time for our reunion, so we have to leave immediately".
"Bye now"

"Bye."
"And good luck with the reunion, good man" I replied as he climbed some stairs to the upper floor.

I followed him a bit from a distance, but he just entered a room where there was no one but him and he spoke again exactly what he had told me before. When he finished, he just sat on the chair and looked left and right. I think this is the part where his wife was talking for sure, trying to convert those other people. For my part, I felt bad to see the poor man alone in the room, acting as if there were more people than just him, but he was the only one there. Since he probably believes that this is a dream, I don't want to talk to him much, in order to prevent him from realizing what is happening in reality. Seeing that it seemed that I would not get any new information that would help me with what happened tonight, and that it would be better to tell Cesar about it since he has more information on the subject than I do, I decided it was better to go back and wait for him to come back.

It took me a while to get back to the castle but when I got back the party was at its best, everyone was gathered in the main hall watching a live magic show, I thought it would be interesting to see an actual magician from modern earth, but it turned out to be just a mirage or quick handed tricks, nothing that would involve real magic, it was just one person doing a show, although it was quite entertaining to see him pretend to do the trick wrong only to do something completely opposite and make a great best trick. Maria was in the front row, watching what the man was doing in great detail, trying to figure out how they really worked. Now that it seemed to be up to me to find out, I decided to take another look around the castle in case I had missed something. But between the decorated halls and the corridors full of statues and armor, I couldn't find anything. I went through the kitchen, but I found Adelis busy cooking various dishes, putting them in a cart and taking them somewhere. There was no one in the front room now, so I approached the tower near the entrance, but the door was locked. But when I tried to open it with magic, I suddenly heard a car approaching at full speed and honking its horn. The car, coming at high speed, crossed the stone bridge, and when it reached the small square, it braked so hard that its passengers almost flew out of the windshield. My father-in-law, who was driving, got out immediately and opened the passenger door, from which two twin girls got out, no, wait, they are not human either. I can feel a strange presence of very strange magic coming from them, but as soon as they saw me they were sad for some reason. They were still getting out when Rafael, without seeing me, shouted at me as he entered the car to try to download something.

"Tamamo!"
"You have to help him"
"He's bleeding a lot and we have to treat him now!"

"It can't be, Cesar!" I ran as fast as I could into the car to check.

"He was injured on the way back."
"He fell from a great height and hurt his head."
"But the only wound is definitely the bullet wound, we have to take care of that now," he said as he made another bandage with a piece of cloth.

Inside was her, unconscious and with a wound in her abdomen, she had no shirt on and had an improvised bandage on her wound, on the floor I could see there were several other bloody gauzes, seeing how they had tried to stop the bleeding with what they had at hand. I quickly moved to her side and checked her pulse. Strange as it seemed, it was quite high for the amount of time she had had the wound due to the loss of blood. But anyway, without wasting any time, I began to use my healing magic.

"Do you know how Cesar is?"
"Could he recover?"
"His mother will kill me if anything happens to him while I was taking care of him!" asked his frightened father.

Although my magic could heal a person quite a bit, it was not a replacement for conventional medicine, much less a rival to what the angels in heaven could do. My magic was much more like first aid, trying to stabilize a patient wound, evite blood lost and then treat them properly. But for some reason, my magic had a much greater and faster effect that even surprised me.

"I think I can do this."
"If she continues to heal at this rate, he might even regain consciousness soon."
"But I must warn you that I do not know what is happening to her and why she is healing at this rate."
"I am not in a position to do something like that."
"It's as if he's being treated by a medical team from heaven."

"So is that good?"

"'That's regood news."
"The best I could give in this situation, really"
"I'm going to stay here and watch her and heal her until she wakes up."
"You look for clothes for her and also something to keep her warm"
"The loss of blood is causing her body temperature to drop."

"All right."
"In a briefcase are the white clothes she came to the party in."
"I'll find something for the cold right away."
"You two, stay here and don't move until further notice," Rafael said to the two girls who were now outside the car.

Despite the questions they had about who these two could be, he had something much more important to do right now. I placed my dear Goshujin-sama's head between my laps and took her hand, concentrating deeply on healing him as best I could. It will take a moment for her to recover, but I want her to know that I am here to support her. Just as I promised that I will I stayed with her forever.