That's right!
Just like Astrid, Domon Kira is also one of the Rose Witches of the Order of the Rose!
The Order of the Rose exists to covertly balance power in the shadows. It includes terrorists like the Golden Rose, Astrid, who stir up horrifying incidents across the globe and command 500,000 Rose Stems. It also includes powerful figures hidden in high-ranking positions of various nations, who secretly control their country's authority from behind the scenes.
As such, members of the Order of the Rose are embedded and lying in wait across all countries. For their own purposes, they manipulate the ruling powers from the shadows.
Domon Kira is one of them. As the head of the Japanese noble clan, she was invited to join the Order of the Rose many years ago and became one of the many Roses.
That's precisely why Astrid knows the truth behind the annihilation of the Akabane clan.
Because... one of the Roses was the mastermind behind the massacre. Astrid, as a top-ranking executive of the Order of the Rose, had long known that intelligence.
It was by forcibly extracting Astrid's memories that Rozen came to learn about this matter—and about the true faces of many Roses within the Order of the Rose.
Domon Kira was merely one of them.
"The head of the noble clan is actually the Violet Rose of the Order of the Rose—I bet the Emperor would be quite shocked to find that out, wouldn't he?"
Rozen said with a faint, mocking smile.
"Of course, even if the Emperor doesn't know, it doesn't matter. Many of the other Roses in the Order already know your true identity. Now that the Golden Rose—a top executive—has fallen, the Roses will be killing each other to seize the 500,000 Rose Stems. If they find out the Violet Rose has fallen too, do you think—even if I spare the Izanagi—that the rest of the Order will let you go?"
No. Absolutely not.
Those old monsters who seek to manipulate governments from the shadows would never willingly give up a chance to sink their claws into this country. They definitely wouldn't let the Izanagi go.
"Surely, with the Izanagi's esteemed status and matchless strength, the Roses will be tempted. If that happens, the Izanagi will become a tool to be exploited by the Order, and this country will fall into the hands of outsiders to be desecrated at will."
"At that point, the proud noble clan will be reduced to mere accomplices of a global criminal organization. A clan that stood as the cornerstone of the nation for over a thousand years would leave behind nothing but a disgraceful legacy."
"But maybe that's not so bad—at least the Izanagi would survive, and your goal would be achieved, no?"
"Wouldn't that be a fine result as well, head of the noble clan? Rose of the Order? Head of the Domon?"
Each of Rozen's words pierced deeper into Domon Kira's heart, shaking her to the core.
As for the rest of the Izanagi, their faces had turned completely pale.
Some of them didn't even know what the Order of the Rose was, nor what Rozen was even talking about.
But the consequences Rozen spoke of—and the sheer terror on Domon's face—clearly told them he was not joking.
"Wait...!"
"We...!"
Kamo and Yuge grew visibly agitated, looking like they wanted to say something.
But before they could open their mouths, Domon Kira screamed hysterically.
"What do you want!?"
She shouted, furious and desperate.
"What exactly do you want from us? Tell me!"
Domon Kira had truly begun to panic.
Death didn't frighten her in the least.
For the sake of the Izanagi, she had been willing to become an executioner, to slaughter an entire clan.
For her family, she became a Rose of the Order, manipulating the government from the shadows.
Domon Kira was never unaware of the sins she had committed—she knew full well just how much blood she had on her hands. She always believed she'd have to pay the price someday. Even if her corpse was left to rot in the wilderness, she could accept that.
But—if the final outcome was the annihilation of the Izanagi, or worse, the transformation of her prestigious clan into a name steeped in infamy—then she truly would lose her mind.
Domon Kira was not a good person. She was someone who would use any means to ensure her family's survival and prosperity.
But that also meant one thing—her family was her weakness.
Her fatal weakness.
Rozen was not at all surprised by Domon Kira's hysteria.
And so...
"If death won't make you afraid, then naturally, I must use what does frighten you to make you atone for your sins—isn't that right?"
Rozen's calm words made Domon's entire body tremble.
With both rage and terror.
"The annihilation of the Akabane clan was my decision! It had nothing to do with the rest of the clan!" Domon shouted. "Everyone else who took part in that operation—besides me—has already committed seppuku to atone. I'm the only one left. If you want revenge, take it out on me!"
Rozen already knew this.
When Domon decided to annihilate the Akabane clan, the top elders of the Izanagi, led by Kamo and Yuge, strongly opposed it. Some outright refused to participate in something so atrocious. Surprisingly, there was a lot of opposition within the clan.
After all, the Izanagi was a protector of the nation. If it had been full of morally bankrupt individuals, it would never have lasted for over a thousand years, let alone remained a noble clan.
Because of this, many within the clan were against Domon Kira's actions. Otherwise, they would have just stormed the Akabane residence from the start and wiped them out—problem solved.
The Izanagi couldn't accept such savagery. So in the end, they struck a compromise: offering their own princess in marriage in exchange for the Calamity Princess of the Akabane.
That way, they could preserve their clan and lessen their sin.
But in the end, the Akabane clan broke their word, attempting to save the Calamity Princess. The Izanagi had no choice. To prevent the calamity, Domon Kira and a group of elders steeled themselves to stain their hands with blood and later take their own lives to atone.
Thus, those who participated either committed seppuku, jumped into the flames to die with the Akabane, or died fighting to the bitter end. Only Domon Kira survived.
But she didn't live out of fear. She lived because she knew that if she fell, the Izanagi would fall into ruin.
That is what it means to be a noble clan of the nation.
That is what it means to be a pillar of the nation.
Such is the Onmyoji—they have a "Yang" side and a "Yin" side.
For the Izanagi, their honor and reputation are the "Yang." But to preserve that light, the "Yin" must also exist.
Rozen was also an Onmyōji. He understood clearly how to make the Izanagi truly atone for their sins.
"I told you—the Izanagi must be annihilated."
Rozen declared coldly.
"Even if you are unafraid of death, the Izanagi name must vanish."