Home & Kingdom

Home & Kingdom is the second chapter of K -Count Down-.

Summary
The chapter begins with a man observes Mihashira Tower, noting its large size, and talking to himself about Scepter 4 and trailing off over that meaning something. The scene then changes to Himori Akiyama and Yūjirō Benzai noting Reisi Munakata's arrival, with Seri Awashima and Saruhiko Fushimi at his side. Reisi thanks them for their hard work, and the summarise progress of repairs to Mihashira Tower since the Mihashira Tower Incident. Landscape workers are scheduled to come to an afternoon meeting in order to reconstruct the tower's rooftop garden, and that transfers of work the Usagi was being discussed in a meeting, where Andy Dōmyōji and Ryūhō Kamo were. Himori proceeds to bring up another query sent by the Prime Minister, but he trails off.

Reisi assures him that he will personally contact the Prime Minister later. He explains to Himori and Yūjirō that Tatsuya Enomoto and Daiki Fuse are organising everything, but if they request assistance, personnel should be sent over to them, to which Himori confirms they will do so. Reisi then asks about the Dresden Slate, and Himori says that, so far, there have been no abnormalities, and the room it is located in is strictly off-limits. Reisi approves of the information, and tells Seri and Saruhiko that they will check out the situation regarding the Dresden Slate.

In the tower's parlour, an unnamed Usagi Clansman concludes a report and states that what he and two other fellow Usagi Clansmen have said is all they can say. The same Clansman says the Gold Clan will continue to operate, but with SCEPTER 4 as their back-up and support. An unnerved Andy thinks to himself that the Usagi are eerie, and that they should at least remove theirs masks, and he questions as to why they wear rabbit masks to begin with. Beside him, Ryūho asks if the Usagi are really not going to say anything about Daikaku Kokujōji's whereabouts. The same Usagi Clansman from before that, along with Daikaku's absence, they are also keeping the country running smoothly. Another Clansman adds that their inability to defend the tower during 's invasion had been exposed, and they will now accept nothing but SCEPTER 4's control over their own Clan via Reisi.

Andy and Ryūho stare at the Clansmen uncertainly, and Andy wonders to himself if this is just the Usagi's way of saying that their King will not return, and what things will be like here on out.

In the room containing the Dresden Slate, Reisi refers to it as a “treasure” that chooses Kings and bestows those Kings with great power. He calls that power mysterious, one that contributed to Japan's prosperity, but is nonetheless a great danger.

Saruhiko asks if it could do something directly, and when prompted by Reisi to elaborate, he further asks if it's possible to draw out a large amount of power from the Dresden Slate. At that, Reisi talks about how the Gold King was considered the most powerful King due his ownership over the Dresden Slate, and asks if this is the possibility Saruhiko is talking about. Saruhiko makes a face, but doesn't answer. Reisi continues to call the topic intriguing in nature, but uncertain nonetheless. He states that one could say that the Dresden Slate is made out of mysteries, and that mysterises can be dangerous.

Seri and Saruhiko wonder to themselves if - with Reisi currently in possession of the Dresden Slate, a substitute for the Gold King as both the Dresden Slate's owner and Mihashira Tower's commander – it's possible for him to become even more powerful.

Then, a knock on the door is heard, and Akira Hidaka and Ren Goto appear, announcing that there is someone here to see Reisi.

The same man from the beginning chapter appears, and says it's been a long time since he and Reisi have seen each other. He addresses Reisi by his first name, something that shocks Seri and Saruhiko.

Reisi responds by asking what the man is doing here, and reveals that the man is his older brother, which further shocks Seri and Saruhiko. His brother introduces himself as Taishi Munakata. Taishi asks if Reisi has been a bother at work, granted he has changed a bit. Seri, still puzzled, hesitantly says no. Reisi asks if Taishi came to see him because he needed something, but Taishi explains that it's for work, and that the Munakata family specialises in landscaping, so they're here to fix the rooftop's garden, and Seri recalls Himori's report.

Saruhiko asks if Reisi exploited his workers by sending them to his family to arrange this, to which Taishi says that the family has a few connections to the Usagi, because “Grandpa Kokujōji” likes his landscaping. His calling the Gold King “Grandpa” once more shocks Seri and Saruhiko. Taishi moves on and tells Reisi that he should visit the family, because their mother is worried about him. Reisi agrees with Taishi, and says he'll visit soon. Taishi, taking the “soon” seriously, happily says Reisi will visit at evening. This surprises Reisi, but Taishi ignores him and goes on to say that Reisi is someone that has to do things as soon as possible, otherwise nothing gets done. He suggests that Seri and Saruhiko should tag along, and the two are dumbfounded.

The setting changes to a large traditional house, and Reisi, Seri, and Saruhiko stand outside a van labelled with “Munakata Landscaping”. Saruhiko wonders why it ended up like this, and it briefly flashbacks to him trying to leave the tower, and Seri struggling to keep him from leaving, asking if he really plans to leave her alone with Reisi and his family. Saruhiko argues that if she doesn't want to go, she should just refuse as well.

At the house's entryway, Taishi announces that he's back, and brought Reisi and his coworkers with him. Running is heard, and Taishi's daughter and son appear, calling out that their uncle is here. Taishi introduces his children as Umi and Kai, and tells them to greet their guests properly.

The brothers' mother appears, and she tells Reisi that she thought he would never visit, with coworkers, nonetheless. She bows to Seri and Saruhiko, thanking them for everything they have done for Reisi. Seri stutters and says that they should be thanking his mother for the same, whereas Saruhiko goes along with it and mutters to himself that he wants to leave.

Reisi asks Saruhiko how his family is. Saruhiko stares at the calm, happy atmosphere of Reisi's relatives, and simply says that they're rather normal.

At dinner, with Seri and Saruhiko still uneasy, Reisi notices his father arriving, and says it's been a while. His father asks what is going on with so many people in the house, and Taishi explains that he met Reisi at the tower, and that Reisi's coworkers also came with since it's so rare for Reisi to be with the family. Seri introduces herself, and Saruhiko continues to think to himself that he wants to leave, but he bows his head anyway. Kai crawls into Saruhiko's lap from under the kotatsu. Saruhiko is uncomfortable with the situation, and Taishi notes that is is rare for Kai to do something like that since he is very shy around strangers. Reisi jokes and says that Saruhiko's gloomy attitude must be sympathetic to Kai's shyness, which further uneases and disheartens Saruhiko.

Taishi's wife and Reisi's mother announce that dinner is ready, and the family begins to cheerfully eat. The mother asks Seri what she thinks of the pickled eggplant she made, and Seri says it's delicious. Taishi asks why Saruhiko has ate so little, and Saruhiko says that there's a lot of food he cannot eat. Taishi enthusiastically tells him that if he's so picky, he won't grow properly. Reisi's father asks if Reisi is making an effort at work, and Seri exclaims that Reisi is unwavering in his work for the country's well-being. Taishi says he is proud of Reisi for having coworkers who praise him like Seri does, especially given how he was when he was younger. Curious, Seri asks what sort of person Reisi was like then.

His mother says Reisi has always been a capable person, and Taishi says he's been that way since primary school. In a flashback, it shows Taishi giving some kids beetles he caught himself, and he says they should try catching their own beetles since it's difficult, and Reisi should as well. Reisi, with a confident smile, says that after observing Taishi, he agrees the process must be difficult, but the next day in school, he presents his class with a case full of beetles, and his class is thoroughly impressed. Reisi adds he tried catching other sorts of insects, but they only scare his classmates. Taishi concludes that after that incident, children ceased bug catching, and Reisi admits that even he realised the insects were unpleasant, and that he collected too many.

In junior high, the mother says both Reisi and Taishi caused some trouble. Taishi says he was a mischievous student with poor grades, and was often sent to the staff room. Seri asks is Reisi was like that as well, but Reisi says he didn't fear teachers nor the staff room. Another flashback begins, and it shows staff room members stiffen when Reisi appears. Reisi boldly approaches one of the teachers, and begins to discuss many issues and suggestions he has regarding the school, overwhelming the already intimidated teacher. Taishi goes on to say that Reisi was not one to leave room for argument in his discussions, and it was not unheard of for school staff to resign after Reisi made them lose confidence in theselves. Reisi says it was regrettable that so many people quit before they could improves themselves, but Taishi disagrees. Their mother laments in if only Reisi shared his intelligence with Taishi, who points out he has a knack for landscaping. Reisi tells the group that Taishi did have his talents, but he does not elaborate.

After dinner, things have winded down, and Saruhiko has retreated to outside on the house's deck, with Kai resting on his leg. He still wants to leave, and wonders if it would be okay to leave now. Just then, Reisi joins him outside, noting that it has been a long time since he bathed in his own house, and suggests Saruhiko to take a bath himself. Saruhiko declines and decides he'll just take a bath in SCEPTER 4's own dorm bath. Reisi comments that it looks like Saruhiko wants to say something, and Saruhiko replies that he wonders if it's okay for them to ask to leave already. Reisi says that isn't all on Saruhiko's mind, and that he noticed the odd expression he was making at dinner. Saruhiko explains that he just thinks that Reisi said some shameless things, like how he is no match for his brother. He asks Reisi if, from his position, he thinks his older brother is an idiot. Reisi states that this is a misunderstanding, and that he never thought his brother was foolish. He describes Taishi as simple, but driven, something Reisi is not. In reference to the landscaping comment Taishi made, Reisi says that his own landscaping was very methodical and precise, unlike his father and Taishi's, who could impress and amaze people with their skill. He calls it something like creating a small world, which he recognised as something the Gold King was capable of as well.

Inside, Seri is still speaking to Reisi's parents. His mother says that Reisi's judgement of how large a role things played in his life was different from average children. His family was not a large part, but a small part, of his world, something he always knew. Seri looks over at Reisi, and thinks to herself that the same person who thinks of things as smaller than other people would think, is now the person closest to the centre of the country, and also only a small member of the world. He is a guardian of a society made by bringing those smaller points of the world together. Seri wonders about something becoming larger, but Reisi's mother cuts her thoughts off. The mother apologises that, since it's rare for Reisi to be home, she forgot it's already time for them to leave, but Seri tries to assure her that it's fine. Before she can, however, hers, Reisi's, and Saruhiko's PDAs ring. They all read over a report from headquarters regarding a case, and confirm for the rest of SCEPTER 4 to rush to the scene, and Reisi tells Saruhiko to verify the situation with Tatsuya, and Saruhiko says he's already calling.

Reisi excuses them all and explains they have a job, and Seri apologises for the abrupt departure. Taishi mentions Reisi's name, assumingly worried, but Reisi assures him that he will visit home once more soon, and he and his subordinates leave.

The last scene shows Neko noticing that it's noisy in the city, and Kuroh Yatogami says that it seems like trouble is brewing. Neko asks if they should check out what's going on, but Kuroh points out that the Blue King is arriving, so it isn't any of their business. Neko suggest that they should go and buy some food, and Kuroh trails off over how she still feels hungry.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * 1) Taishi Munakata
 * 2) Himori Akiyama
 * 3) Yūjirō Benzai
 * 4) Reisi Munakata
 * 5) Seri Awashima
 * 6) Saruhiko Fushimi
 * 7) Daiki Fuse
 * 8) Tatsuya Enomoto
 * 9) Andy Dōmyōji
 * 10) Ryūhō Kamo
 * 11) Unnamed Usagi Clansmen
 * 12) Akira Hidaka
 * 13) Ren Gotō
 * 14) Umi Munakata
 * 15) Kai Munakata
 * 16) Unnamed mother
 * 17) Unnamed father
 * 18) Unnamed sister-in-law
 * 19) Daikaku Kokujōji
 * 20) Neko
 * 21) Kuroh Yatogami