Chapter 287: The Castle Keep

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Sumiko Sumimura
 * Yoshimori Sumimura
 * Tokine Yukimura
 * Hakubi
 * Madarao
 * Lamp Seller
 * Lizard Man

Summary
Sumiko Sumimura enters the black castle, followed by Yoshimori. As he begins to look around, Tokine crashes into him from behind, accompanied by Madarao and Hakubi. Tokine explains that the entrance suddenly sealed itself. They find Sumiko with a mysterious man selling lamps. Though Sumiko claims not to need one, she gets two for Yoshimori and Tokine. Tokine mentions that the castle seems larger inside than it did from the outside, and Sumiko tells her that logic doesn't apply in the underworld.

When the path splits, Sumiko suggests that they separate, with the first to find the lord being the winner. Tokine decides to follow Sumiko, wanting to ask her some things. Yoshimori encounters a man with an umbrella and a lizard-like tail, who is searching for a woman.

Tokine catches up with Sumiko and asks how much she knows about the situation. Sumiko admits to knowing all the steps to completely seal the lord of Karasumori, but will not reveal Tokine's or Yoshimori's roles just yet. Tokine admits there is one more thing she wants to ask, something she must know before she can cooperate with Sumiko. Elsewhere, Yoshimori slips in something. Finding it to be blood, he follows the trail to a man collapsed on the floor, directly in front of him.

Tokine asks Sumiko for the details of the night her father died, since Sumiko was with him. Sumiko asks outright if Tokine suspects her of being involved in Tokio's death.