Under Nakago’s spell…
…Tamahome came to kill Lady Miaka, the Priestess of Suzaku…
…and faced Emperor Hotohori in a fierce battle.
However, he was able to regain…
…both his lost memories and his soul.
After that, Tamahome, pretending to still be under Nakago’s spell…
…successfully recovered Suzaku’s “Universe of the Four Gods.”
Just, this time, stay with me. Don’t leave me again.
Just keep holding me like you’re doing now.
Okay. This time I really promise.
I’ll never leave you again.
The Lady Miaka gave her heart completely to Tamahome…
…and Tamahome responded in kind.
The stars… The stars are moving so chaotically.
Those are the Seven Stars of Suzaku…
Oh, it’s you. And it felt so good to be asleep!
Tamahome?!
256… 257… 258…
Oh, Miaka.
What are you doing?
I’m counting my stash of money I keep hidden under my bed.
H-Hold it… Don’t tell me you were up all night…?!
But every time I count it, I come up one coin short!
Before I left here, I’m sure I had 312 coins here!
Oh…! Now I’ll have to count them AGAIN!
Tamahome… You haven’t changed a bit.
Don’t worry, Miaka.
I’m not going to go anywhere. I promise…
You came running to look for me because you were worried, right?
Ah! I see it…!
Miaka, I found it!
All right, now that I’ve found it, why don’t we get something to eat?
Tamahome’s finally back!
Which means the Suzaku Seven are now all together.
Which means it’s almost time to summon Suzaku!
Which is all hard to think about when the food’s this good!
She hasn’t changed a bit.
The first thing to do when Suzaku appears…
…is to get Yui back from Kutou.
We haven’t been able to make up while she’s been there…
…but I just know if we can talk together, she’ll understand.
And then, if I ask Suzaku…
…if Tamahome and I can be together forever…
Sounds like it was a lot of trouble! What’s wrong? You’re not eating.
I lose my appetite when I’m with you!
Just what is it with that attitude of yours?!
We just met, but you won’t even give me the time of day!
Just met?!
Just met… Why, you…!
Who do you think hurt me like this?!
Ow! Ow! Ow! You’ll pay for this, you little punk!
I’d like to see you try it!
Wow! Those two are getting along so well now!
It just looks like they’re fighting to me.
Say, Miaka. There’s a favor I want to ask you.
When you summon Suzaku in the ceremony today…
…could you ask to make me a woman?
What’ll you do if you become a woman?!
Why, comfort His Highness, of course!
I want you and I to be together.
I love you, Miaka…
MIAKA!!!
I still haven’t said anything to Hotohori.
Even after he risked his life like that to protect me.
This is no time for me to be enjoying myself.
I can’t just make a wish…
…for Tamahome and myself with things like they are.
Come on, everyone! If you have a wish…
…you should ask Miaka to have it granted!
H-Hold on a second!
Excuse me, Lady Yui.
Well? Are you still going to mope about the place?
Nakago, what is this trap you said you’ve set…
…for Miaka and the others?
If you wish to know, then would you please get up?
There’s someone I wish for you to meet.
What do you mean?
I don’t feel like meeting anyone right now.
Would that answer apply to one of the Seiryu Seven?
The Seiryu Seven…?
Yes. Just as the Priestess of Suzaku…
…has seven stars who act as her guardians…
…you, Lady Yui, the Priestess of Seiryu…
…have seven guardians, myself included.
But I thought the priestess had to search for the seven stars.
I haven’t done anything!
The priestess and the seven guardians call out to each other.
The same way I was drawn to you when I found you that time.
Well, then, I’ll bring him to you later.
Miaka… It looks as if I haven’t lost to you yet.
Oh, Miaka.
Tell me, do you know where Hotohori is?
His Highness is talking with Chichiri and asked not be disturbed.
I see…
What should I do?
I’ll can’t wait until the ceremony to talk to him.
It may be a little selfish on my part…
…but if I don’t clear things up with him now…
Then you’re saying that the Seiryu Seven have already gathered?
There’s no evidence of it, but I’m afraid that…
More importantly, the question is how many can practice sorcerery.
I wasn’t able to break through that barrier in Kutou at all by myself.
Meaning there may be other sorcerers there besides that man Nakago.
Exactly.
Until the ceremony is successfully completed…
…I’d like to cast a barrier of my own.
By all means. But don’t tell the others about the Seiryu Seven.
Miaka especially.
She’s so happy to have Tamahome back.
I don’t want to trouble her with these trifles.
You love her, don’t you?
Ever since we first met…
…I’ve understood that she only has eyes for Tamahome.
But still, I…
I still can’t rid myself of these feelings I have for Miaka.
Hotohori…
You may laugh if you think that’s foolish.
No, Highness.
Anyway, I’d best go.
You’re about to have company, you know?
Miaka!
All right!
Tag!
That’s the capital of Konan there.
We have to hurry!
Um, well…
It’s all right, Miaka. This is about your answer to me, isn’t it?
I’m sorry for having troubled you.
My prime minister has been after me…
…to take an empress for a while now.
He must be worried about the need for an heir to the throne.
And so I started to panic about it as well.
Sorry…
I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
I like you, Hotohori! You’ve always been so kind to me!
Always taken care of me…!
I really thought that I could fall in love with you, but…
But I was wrong. I like you, but I don’t love you.
That’s why I…
Miaka, you shouldn’t cry.
Weren’t you the one who taught me, the ruler of a country…
…that you can’t force someone to feel a certain way?
But you’ve done so much for me…
…and I’ve given you nothing in return!
Didn’t you gather the Suzaku Seven?
And won’t you use your power to save my nation, as I wished you would?
But…
Then will you allow a pathetic man like me to love you?
Miaka.
I love you… I love you…
I love you, Miaka…
The Priestess of Suzaku? What’s that?
According to ancient legend, the character which appears…
…on Your Highness’s throat marks you as…
…the protector of the priestess who…
…shall come from another world and summon the power of Suzaku.
The Priestess of Suzaku…
A girl who will appear from another world…
Maybe she will be able to save me from the loneliness I feel.
Maybe she’ll be able to love me as a person…
…and not simply as the next emperor.
Surely…
Forgive me.
Please go on ahead to the temple of Suzaku with Tamahome and the others.
We should start the ceremony.
Right… I’d better get going.
Attendant!
Yes, Highness!
We’re holding the ceremony to summon Suzaku!
Make preparations immediately!
Hotohori… Thank you…
Why don’t you ever notice me BEFORE you stomp all over me?!
Well, what were you doing sleeping there, anyway?!
I can’t say I was wandering around because I was worried about her.
Huh? What was that?
I came looking for you. Where have you been?
N-No place…
PI-NE-AP-PL-LE
Hey, Tamahome. What’s your wish?
You really need to ask?
Want me to hit you?
Just kidding. There’s only one wish I have.
For you and me to spend our lives together.
That’s right. I don’t need to worry about anything anymore.
Once I summon Suzaku, everything will work out.
Lady Yui…
Forgive the delay.
This is Suboshi, the member of the Seiryu Seven I told you about.
How do you do, Lady Yui? I am Suboshi.
This boy is one of the Seiryu Seven?
Nakago, what good can he be to us?
How can he interfere with the ceremony to summon Suzaku from here?
Suboshi, the Lady Yui appears to be in a foul mood today.
Hotohori! Chichiri!
It’s almost time.
Yes.
So, Chichiri, how exactly does this ceremony work?
You could say it’s simple. Basically, we read a spell…
…written in Suzaku’s “Universe of the Four Gods”…
…and then throw it into the fire.
And who’s supposed to read it?
The Priestess, naturally. You know?
HUH?!! I can’t read complicated Chinese characters like these!
Even in my Japanese class, I’d make lots of mistakes…
…and the teacher would always say “Miss Yuki! You have to study more!”
Lady Priestess?
We’ve come as per the order to assist you.
Order? But we just ate a little while ago.
Not that sort of order. They’re here to purify your body…
…and dress you in the reignments of a priestess.
In the meantime, you should think of what your wishes will be.
You’ll only have three to make.
Huh?! Is that all?!
Come, this way, please.
Oh, Miaka! There’s something I want to give you—
Genro is BACK IN ACTION!
You jerk, that really hurt!
Oh, Mr. Tamahome. I didn’t see you standing there.
Mitsukake’s powers have recovered.
Just don’t cause too much trouble.
Oh, great. It was so quiet around here…
…while Tasuki hadn’t recovered from his wounds, you know?
And just what’s THAT supposed to mean?!
Three wishes, huh?
But, still, I’ve done so much to get this far.
I became the Priestess of Suzaku, I found the Suzaku Seven…
…I fell in love with Tamahome, and became enemies with Yui.
Is it asking too much to have both Tamahome AND Yui?
Lady Priestess, this is not a game.
This is for you to cleanse your body and spirit.
Where’d they take Miaka, anyway? I had something to give her…
Tamahome…
Uh, I’m sorry! I didn’t come to spy on you!
W-Well, what are you doing there?!
I guess I’ll come to you, then…
No! Tamahome, I’m supposed to purify my body here!
You idiot. What are you thinking?
I came to give you this.
That’s from when…
This belongs to you, doesn’t it?
I don’t know why I have it…
…but I figured you’d be worried it was lost.
Then… He must have kept it with him…
…even when he was still under Nakago’s spell.
Despite all that, he still…
Tamahome…
Miaka.
Now that’s really strange…
What’s up, Nuriko?
Tamahome. Weren’t you with Miaka?
Yeah. She’s changing her clothes. So, what’s wrong?
Look at this mirror.
While we didn’t have Suzaku’s “Universe of the Four Gods”…
…Miaka got this from Taiitsukun to find the Suzaku Seven with.
And it’s been flashing for a while, you know?
It must be broken, right?
Is it coming?
Lord Nakago, they’re about to begin the ceremony to summon Suzaku.
I see. It’s finally time.
How can he do that?
It’s all part of my strategy.
Strategy…?
Yes. In other words, we’ve planted a spy in Konan.
But the characters on his arm…
Twins aren’t like normal brothers.
They share an exceptionally strong link in both body and mind.
Then the spy we have in Konan is…
…my twin brother.
“The Priestess of Suzaku continued to prepare for the ceremony…
…to summon Suzaku, unaware of the Kutou plot in motion against them… “
But why did you need to be taken to the capital so suddenly?
I could tell by the stars.
If nothing is done soon, the Suzaku Seven…
…as well as the Priestess of Suzaku…
…will be killed!
The Lady Miaka prepares to carry out the ceremony to summon Suzaku…
…unaware that they will be betrayed by one they would never suspect.
Amiboshi, one of the Seiryu Seven.
The ace Nakago still had left to play.
Next time, “Resolution.”
The scroll to a new battle is opened…