Yes, Tono Makihisa was in a dilemma.
If it was him in his old age, he would not hesitate. He could use his ability to brainwash Kohaku and turn her into a real puppet (Makihisa has this ability, and Shiki's memory was tampered by him). Or he could just kill Kohaku and eliminate the trouble forever. After all, Kohaku is still too young and has no fighting power. It is easy for Makihisa to deal with her.
But now it was different. He was old, no longer strong, physically or mentally.
Someone once said that when people get old, they will start to recall the past, especially the mistakes of the past, and will look down on many things and let go of the obsessions of the past. This is the case with Makihisa. For his ambition, to protect his family, and to gain status, he betrayed and killed many people, hurting many people, and his hands were already stained with blood.
Do you regret it
No, if he were to do it again, he would still do it.
The mysterious world is more naked than the secular world because of the existence of extraordinary powers, with the law of the jungle and strict hierarchy. And Japan is even more serious than Western society because of various reasons such as region and history.
Living in such a world and belonging to such a dangerous family, if you don’t want to be knocked down, you can only try your best to climb up until you become a behemoth that no one can easily shake.
Makiku did it.
He led the Tono family to become the leader of the "mixed-blood" line, became a giant in the Japanese mystical world, and became the manager of the Tokyo area.
He became the most outstanding head of the historic Tono family.
So, he won't regret it.
However, although he did not regret it, he still felt some guilt towards the people he hurt. As time went by, the guilt became deeper and heavier. Although the blood of the "devil" was mixed in, he never lost his humanity after all, which was why Orange finally decided to take action.
This puppeteer who aspires to become an "immortal" and has already entered the realm of the soul and embarked on the path of immortality loves the glitter of humanity, that is, the radiance of the soul. Everything she does is for this radiance.
Makiku, who had walked in darkness all his life, did not disappoint Orange in the end.
After secretly observing his daughter and the sisters Amber and Jade and confirming the relationship between the three, Makihisa made a decision.
He is old and doesn't have much time left. But these children are still young, they deserve a better and brighter future, which should not be ruined by his own darkness and mistakes. He should use his life, which is about to burn out, to do something for these children, which is a small atonement.
That day, Maki left his sickbed after a long absence and held a banquet with his family, clansmen and servants. After the banquet, he invited Chengzi to a banquet alone, and the two of them drank until late at night. No one knew what they talked about.
Then, Makiku called Amber to his room, just like when the nightmare began on the night of his eighth birthday.
The difference is that Makiku no longer does what he did to Kohaku before, but just asks her to sit down and then kneels on the ground with a plop. He begins to tell his past, without embellishment or excuses, but tells it truthfully in an old and trembling voice.
After saying all this, he fell to the ground. He didn't do it to ask for Kohaku's forgiveness, but just hoped that Kohaku would focus all her hatred on him. Whether it was to kill, to cut, or to torture, Makiku was willing to bear it, but he didn't want her to vent her anger on Akiba. Because Akiba treated Kohaku sincerely and regarded her as a family member. In order to protect Kohaku from being hurt again, Akiba appointed her as his personal maid.
Amber sat in the chair blankly, without imitating her sister's smile, her eyes were dull, as if she had become the doll she once was.
She just sat there, quietly, without moving.
Makiku just knelt there, waiting, without moving.
I don't know how long it took, Amber stood up and walked towards the door without saying a word. In the end, she did nothing.
A second before Amber was about to leave the room, Makiku called her. Amber turned around woodenly, and then she saw Makiku lying on the ground in a weird posture.
His right hand pierced through his left chest, with a piece of heart still in his hand - he committed suicide.
On his deathbed, he made his final request: "Don't take your anger out on Qiu Ye, and don't let the fire of hatred get out of control and eventually affect your sister Feicui. Leave a place for yourself and everyone else."
He just fell to the ground and looked at Amber, the girl whom he had sent to hell with his own hands.
Watch and watch... without closing your eyes until you die.
There was another long silence, dead silence.
Amber suddenly let out a shrill cry, and then punched and kicked Makishisa's body like a madman.
Blood soaked her clothes, her hands, feet, face and her pink hair. She was like a vengeful female ghost, constantly venting her hatred on her enemies until dawn, when she was exhausted and fell in a pool of blood together with Makishu, who was no longer in human form.
A long sigh was heard, and the partition door of Makiku's bedroom was opened, revealing two long-haired women, one mature and the other still a little immature, they were Orange and Akiha.
Orange walked out of the room silently, leaving the space to this most innocent girl.
The moment the door closed, she heard suppressed sobs. It was the grief of losing a loved one, and also the relief that the poor girl could finally express her feelings.
A spark lit up, and wisps of smoke filled the air. The puppeteer, whose soul was shining, held his favorite "Dragon Cigarette" in his mouth with his eyes closed.
She saw the final transcendence of the dispersing soul. The chaotic and filthy colors gradually faded away, leaving behind the most authentic determination, which was injected into the body beside her that had already been hurt countless times.
She saw that the soul covered by the fire of hatred had a different kind of coolness. Although it was still very weak compared to the fire of hatred, as long as there was a trigger and hope, she would one day find the direction and no longer be lost.
She saw that the girl with the same characteristics as herself was constantly tortured by the imposed will. Although she endured a lot of hardships, she never forgot her original intention and her true self, and finally blossomed with a different kind of brilliance.
"It's so beautiful."
The puppeteer with his eyes closed pushed open the window, letting the morning light shine into the house, dispelling the darkness that lingered here, and letting the fresh air flow through the mansion, taking away the haze that had accumulated over the years.
This ancient family finally broke free from the entanglement of past karma and embarked on a new path.
The sky was bright and clear as glass.
PS: Anyway, I can't understand some of Makihisa's actions. He has been decisive in killing people all his life, but in the end, he left so many hidden dangers. It's a pity that "Tsukihime" is not popular enough, otherwise it would be Tokiomi's turn to take the blame
PS2: Come, repeat after me—it’s all Makihisa’s fault.