Child of Silence.Just before a massive earthquake caused by Tenkou brings down Mt. Taikyou, Taiitsukun explains the memory orbs; Miaka and her friends must find the orbs and return them to Taka before the enemy gets his hands on them, or else Taka/Tamahome would disappear forever. As Mt. Taikyoku collapses, Taiitskun uses her power to protect everyone, but Miaka falls. Tasuki attempts to save her, and wakes up in a lake holding an unconscious Miaka. Despite not being a good swimmer, Tasuki manages to pull himself and Miaka to the shore of the lake, and resuscitates her with mouth-to-mouth. Upon reuniting with Chichiri and Taka, Miaka decides they should head to the palace to find their other friends or the orbs. Back in the real world, Yui asks Shigyou why he made her vice president. Unsatisfied by his answer, she leaves. As Yui heads down stairs, a glass window explodes, injuring her. Shigyou then reveals himself as a demon named Renkou, and declares Miaka his enemy. In the world of the book, Miaka and the group arrive at the palace. After explaining their situation to the prime minister, the group are taken to Empress Houki, who is revealed to have fallen ill after giving birth to her son, and has gone mute, seemingly deliberately/by choice. Hotohori, trapped in his spirit form and sent back to the palace by Taiitsukun's power, mourns the fact that he isn't capable of comforting his widow, who cannot see, hear or feel him...