She's That Knight Known as Zero 23 Sun's Direction

"Where's my father?"

"He's currently in the dining area with madam."

he sighed to himself as he walked towards the dining area.

"You're here. Come on eat with us," his mother, Mutsumi, invited him.

Upon sitting, Yukimura opened his mouth.

"Why do you have to bring her home?"

"Doctor Akihiko asked me to."

"He asked you, you should have just refused."

"It's not like it's bad to bring her home."

"I have told you a lot of times to keep a distance from her."

"I can judge her personality on my own. And it's not like she did something for the past 7 years she had been here."

"How many times should I tell you that she might just be acting up-"

*BANG*

Yukimura stopped talking upon hearing Raven slam his spoon in the table.

"She is not Chiaki. Go on and judge her but don't push your judgment to me. I can judge her myself," after saying so he stood up and left the dining area.

"This-" before he could follow Raven, Matsumi stopped him.

"Raven is right."

He furrowed his brows upon hearing Mutsumi's words.

"That girl is not Chiaki. I know you've been hearing this for so many times already. But that is the truth. Due to what happened with Chiaki you've lost the chance to trust those who appear in the kingdom, within and outside. But I want you to see what we all see," she paused for a moment and held his hand.

"Eureka ever since she arrived what she did was all for the safety of the people of the kingdom. While with Kaoru, she saved him from assassins. If she weren't there Kaoru would have died back then. While in the academy all she did was study and train. In the graduation competition, she taught Feena and Hideyoshi a new move to improve their attack. And if you didn't notice Raven had moved forward as well after the graduation competition," Yukimura looked at her puzzled.

"Raven, in the past with just the smell of burnt flesh, would lose control of his feelings and ends up losing control of his ability. But somehow after the graduation competition, he started improving he became stable."

"And what does that have to do with Eureka?" Yukimura asked.

"It was Eureka who talked him out of his standstill, I asked him once and he told me how Eureka told him not to forget and to move forward at the same time. She didn't tell him that he should just forget about it and move forward but to always remember each and every person who died in order for him to live. That is our mistake, no one can forget something as simple as the event he experienced."

Yukimura sat there silently, seeing that Mutsumi continued.

"And just now didn't she save not just two but three of the kingdom's knight? Because of our mistake, Azusa reached her limit and ended up doing something that she would regret for the rest of her life. And it was Eureka who helped her," she finished as she stared at her husband's serious face.

She then stood up and before leaving, "You should try and see how much she loves this kingdom."

*****

*knock* *knock*

"Yes?" Raven asked as he sat upon his bed.

"*opens the door* Can we talk?" Mutsumi asked as she entered his room.

"It's about what I did, isn't it?"

"Indeed. I know I've been telling you this all this time, but you also need to understand your father. He is emotionally unstable when it comes to people from the outside," Mutsumi said as she sat down beside him.

"I know that. It's just I couldn't help but be irritated as I hear him antagonize Eureka. After all, everything she did was for the kingdom and after 3 years of shutting herself away from the people, I can see that she started paying attention to everyone trying to get close to her. I don't know why but people just tend to want to get close to her even though she's aloof and cold towards others," Mutsumi stared at him as she listens to his explanation.

"She never tried to get close to anyone but the other way around. Why can't father see that?"

"You've been watching her closely, aren't you?" Mutsumi couldn't help but ask.

Raven looked at her before answering, "It is true that I still don't trust her completely but seeing her being the center of Father's distrust I just couldn't help but watch her closely and prove whether father was right or not."

"I do watch her as well, sometimes whenever I go and visit you or your father. I would sometimes see her within her squad and all I see is someone who thoroughly trains those under her to improve them. And that amazes me," she couldn't help but say as she reminisces the look on Eureka's face whenever she trains the other Knights.

"But," she then looked at Raven. "Your father is still your father try not to quarrel with him so much."

She then stood up and walked out of the door. Raven was completely confused he was prepared from his mothers' teachings and yet she instead listens to him and told him her observation before giving him a light scolding.

*****

The next day as Raven and Yukimura are eating breakfast, "I wanna ask something, father," Raven started.

"After walking out from me last night, you have the guts to ask me a question now?"

"Father," Raven said in a serious tone.

"Yes Raven, what would you like to ask?" Yukimura submissively asked.

In reality, Yukimura is strict outside and towards the topic regarding Eureka but is a very doting father and husband.

"Regarding Uncle Leo."

Yukimura was taken aback upon hearing the name come out from his sons' mouth. Raven never asked about it in the past knowing how sensitive the topic is to his father.

"How did he ran back then?"

"What do you mean?"

"The direction."

"Why the sudden curiosity?" Yukimura couldn't help but ask.

"I just had the urge to ask," Raven answered while finishing his food.

Thinking that it was because of what happened last night he did his best to recall it, "If I am not mistaken it is from east to west, the same as how the sun rises and sets."

"I see, thank you," he said before standing up ready to leave.

*****

Even though Eureka was said to rest for the day, the head knight still asked every knight to assemble. Everyone was baffled, why the sudden call. And what baffled them, even more, was Eureka, who was standing in front. After everyone arrived.

"I asked you here today for one reason. That is the thing that was happening within your squads," eyeing squad 5 he then continued. "You are honorable and you represent the nobility of the kingdom yet you've done so many unforgivable kinds of stuff that puts the title of the knight in shame."

The others realized what was going on. Not just squad 5, but within the other squads as well bullying is present.

"Incidents kept on happening due to all of your doings, this is unbecoming of a knight and you should reflect more on your actions."

"I must apologize to sir Head knight. Shouldn't you include yourself on those reflecting on their actions," Eureka said without any emotions in her eyes.

"Would you like to explain this?" Yukimura asked suppressing the urge to be mad.

"Do you think you are clean in what happened, sir?"

"Are you saying we are at fault?" Hearing such words he could no longer hold back.

She then stared at him, with eyes void of emotions, "You gave her a position she never liked without asking you shoved it to her, it caused her to have the pressure of being accepted just because she was the daughter of the hero. Did ever occur to you that she never liked it? Did you ever ask her how her day is? Whenever you have the chance what did you tell her? Keep up the good work? You're becoming like your father? But did you ever ask if she wants it?"

Yukimura could only stare at her, the same with the other knights.

"You pushed her over the edge. Is that really your promise to your good friend? To allow his daughter to take her own life. But not just hers but those of her friends as well? You of all people should reflect on what you did. You didn't just let her father down, but your most trusted friend at that. You have no right to come out clean right not even trying to apologize to her. You don't know what the outcome of this actions of yours at all. You didn't know how everything will become after this."

Staring at her, Yukimura was speechless. Not once in his life did he ever thought that someone which you could call his daughter would scold him in front of all those under him. What more she shows no emotion at all.

Chapter end