Chapter 2 - To the East and to the West[edit]
Chapter 2 - To the East and to the West[edit]
Part 1[edit]
November 8th, 0:00.
It was midnight right when the date rolled over.
Princess Shiori had gone to visit an old acquaintance.
"Our last meeting was..."
"August this year—Yes. It happened to correspond to the time when Your Highness returned from the Roman imperial capital."
"Yes, and you happened to be staying in Tokyo at the time, Akigase-sama."
This conversation was taking place at a special sickroom at the Suruga tutelary fort"s medical division.
Eighteen hours earlier, Shiori had been lying on this same bed. Supplying ectoplasmic fluid for Tachibana Masatsugu for consecutive days, she had collapsed from exhaustion.
Now, her bed was being used by someone else.
Akigase Shouzan, Governor General of the Tōkaidō Fiefdom. He was Rikka"s father and according to reports, he had been heavily injured at Nagoya Castle eight hours earlier.
"It is far too shameful for me to meet Your Highness in such a manner."
"Both victory and defeat are commonplace in war and injuries are often inevitable. I believe there is no shame in this." Shiori politely offered words of consolation, then changed her expression.
She smiled fearlessly and revealed the acuity of her intellect.
"It is impossible for a single fiefdom of j.a.pan to stand against the British Empire. Any Governor General would have met the same outcome had they been in your place, Akigase-sama."
The elderly Governor General was on the bed, only managing to prop up his upper body.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment to scrutinize Shiori then smiled wryly.
"I almost thought your personality changed all of a sudden... But it turns out you had simply discarded your facade."
"Oh dear, please call it "treating others with sincerity" instead."
Akigase Shouzan was a powerful politician and highly experienced as a judge of character.
Shiori had offered honest words to some degree, hoping to bring each other closer.
This was not to cultivate personal friendship. For a princess seeking ascension and a fiefdom"s Governor General, this was simply part of their job.
"Strictly speaking, Akigase-sama, you are only to blame for one mistake."
"Waiting in vain for aid from Tōsandō and Kantō until the very end... I suppose that should be it."
"Indeed, you should have requested Eastern Rome"s aid instead."
After hearing this, the elderly Governor General"s wry expression lost its smile.
With a bitter face, he said, "Eastern Rome is j.a.pan"s ally, indeed, but one cannot consider them a friendly nation after all. Recklessly inviting a great army from Rome would very likely turn Tōkaidō into their dog, which was why I hoped for my compatriots in eastern j.a.pan to extend a helping hand. All things considered, we are fellow citizens of Imperial j.a.pan—"
"Certainly, it would be ideal to prevent Rome"s partic.i.p.ation in this situation." Shiori nodded in agreement. "The Restoration Alliance are aided by Edward the Black Prince and Richard the Lionheart, which necessitates Lord Caesar"s active partic.i.p.ation to oppose them. The problem here is that allowing Lord Caesar to join the battle would effectively make him the commander of the "Anti-Restoration Alliance" forces—"
"Regardless of the Restoration Alliance"s success or failure, Tōkaidō would end up owing him an excessively large favor."
Imperial j.a.pan was divided into twelve provinces, ruled by the Twelve Houses as regional feudal lords. The relationship between the j.a.panese Empress and the houses was a.n.a.logous to that "between the shogun and the various feudal clans of the Edo period."
Among the twelve, the Kantō Fiefdom held the most special position.
While serving as the protector of the imperial capital of Tokyo and the current Empress, they were also extremely wealthy economically.
And the one had Empress Teruhime and the higher-ups of the Kantō Fiefdom secretly "feeding from his hand" was none other than Generalissimo Caesar of the neighboring Eastern Roman Empire.
Akigase Shouzan had vowed to never repeat the same error as the Kantō Fiefdom.
However, the elderly Governor General now sighed in anguish.
"Lord Caesar is starting to intervene in the war, yet j.a.pan has no one capable of relegating him to a supporting role... It would appear that Tōkaidō"s futile struggle ends here."
"No, it would be impossible to relegate Lord Caesar to a supporting role."
This old man was powerful but he was not a hero of timeless transcendence.
His house and territory had fallen into an unprecedented crisis.
It was time for Shiori to deliver her feature presentation to him. Currently, there was no one in j.a.pan in greater need of Lord Tenryuu"s granddaughter and a powerful Resurrectee than him.
Shiori smiled with full confidence.
"However, as for relegating him to second billing... I do believe that such a casting would be feasible."
"Oh? Speaking of which," the Tōkaidō Governor General looked sharply at Shiori. "Lately, a familiar name has frequently come to my ears."
"Please allow me to offer a proposal, which covers this matter too. It concerns the future of the Tōkaidō Fiefdom now that it has lost Nagoya and met defeat at the hands of the Restoration Alliance..."
This was one item on the agenda during the war council this morning.
After the Roman military"s Staff Officer Yang had relayed Generalissimo Caesar"s intent, Shiori had devised "the next step in the plan." Rikka and Tachibana Masatsugu had agreed as well, which amounted to consensus on the Suruga side.
"How about abandoning Nagoya for the time being to pursue opportunities in the east?"
"East... So "Hakone Checkpoint" is what you are referring to?"
"Yes. The Tōkaidō Fiefdom will first make Suruga its temporary provincial capital then take back Hakone from Edward the Black Prince."
"Take back?"
"Indeed. This is also the purpose for which we are relying on your Chevaliers to head out to battle tonight."
Hakone Checkpoint was an impregnable fortress. Furthermore, it was Black Prince Edward"s stronghold.
Currently, the defenses at Hakone Checkpoint were far more secure than even Nagoya Castle. Akigase Shouzan widened his eyes, very surprised by the suggestion.
Part 2[edit]
November 8th, 00:35.
It was late night after the date had rolled over.
Headed by Tachibana Masatsugu, the Tōkaidō Chevaliers were out in the field, too busy to take a break yet.
They were headed for the regional city facing Suruga Bay—Fuji City.
This was one of the towns conquered by the Restoration Alliance a month earlier.
"I remember it was roughly ten days ago when we came here with the princess, right?"
"Yes, though last time was on the level of sneaking into someone"s back yard..."
This conversation between the Tachibana siblings was taking place on a wyvern.
As the rider in charge, Masatsugu held the reins while little sister Hatsune rode behind him. Masatsugu gazed down at Fuji City"s port of Tagonoura and said, "Our objective this time is to conquer this land. Let"s check out what we"re up against."
The Fuji tutelary fort was built as a star fort located four or five kilometers east of Tagonoura Port.
Presently, there were 242 Kamuys approaching the tutelary fort.
These 242 Legions belonged to the Tōkaidō army that Masatsugu had taken from the Suruga tutelary fort.
However, this army was composed of Kamuys, not the red-purple "Kanesadas" summoned by the amnesiac Resurrectee.
"Will the Nagoya knights be okay?" Hatsune asked in worry. "They"re probably very tired. They"ve been fighting since daytime, then crossing mountains to escape to Suruga, and now they"re on another expedition after almost no rest."
Masatsugu had decided to leave this attack on Fuji to his comrades.
He had rescued ten Chevaliers from Nagoya Castle. Their names were Tana, Kamaru, Kusudou, Rio, Toraga, Sudo, Ikou, Bizen, Ayase, and Benke.
Their total Chevalier Strength was six hundred or so.
After the battle at Nagoya Castle, the majority of their Legions were dead or injured.
Fortunately, they still had 242 Kamuys in reserve when they retreated last evening. These forces were now deployed in full for retaking Fuji.
Setting off from the Suruga tutelary fort, they secretly marched underwater through Suruga Bay—
Then flying along Fuji City"s coast, they launched a surprise attack on the Fuji tutelary fort.
"Relay orders to the noetic special ops team. It"s our turn to use noetic disruption."
Masatsugu whispered from his saddle.
As the commander of the operation, he was observing from the back together with his little sister.
"Wireless communications and airwaves are no longer usable in Fuji City. Preparations for a surprise a.s.sault are almost in place. The rest is up to the Nagoya Chevaliers."
"The Kurou Hougans I brought could help out too..."
"No need. Wait here quietly."
"Understood~ ...Ooh, it"s so nerve-racking to watch a battle from the sidelines."
Seventy Kurou Hougans were lurking in the sea as a reserve force.
Meanwhile, the 242 Nagoya Kamuys were advancing through the air in a spherical formation.
As the army approached the Fuji tutelary fort, they raised their rifles to fire in volleys. The enemy deployed a dome-shaped noesis barrier, completely enveloping the star-shaped fortress.
The Tōkaidō army"s volley fire was blocked completely by the noesis barrier.
A gigantic eyeball also appeared in the sky over the tutelary fort.
With a diameter of sixty meters or so, it was "the eye of the death G.o.ddess."
"Onii-sama, look. It"s that eyeball monster we encountered last time!"
"I think the ifrit is called Morgan le Fay... Probably an avatar."
The divinity"s princ.i.p.al image was set up at Hakone.
However, Morgan le Fay"s avatar was as powerful as an ordinary ifrit. Such was the astounding power wielded by the strongest guardian deity of the British Imperial Forces.
Around the giant eyeball was a defense force of 146 Crusades...
Hatsune was so nervous that she almost gasped.
"W-Which side has the upper hand!?"
The Tōkaidō army on the attacking side had 242 Legions. Numerical superiority was on their side, but after fighting intensely throughout the day, they were quite exhausted.
Against the enemy"s noesis barrier, the Kamuy army changed formation.
They formed a "rectangular wall." The roughly two hundred and forty Kamuys arranged themselves into a rectangular prism—in other words, a "wall" eight Legions wide, five Legions tall, and six Legions deep.
The Tōkaidō army advanced as a wall, meanwhile continuing to fire.
They charged straight at the tutelary fort"s noesis barrier.
The Restoration Alliance on the defending side first had the ifrit Morgan le Fay summon thunderclouds in the night sky. This was a mysterious power that controlled weather phenomena—The meteorological decree.
Blotting out the moon and the stars, the thunderclouds kept raining down lightning strikes.
Oddly enough, instead of targeting the Tōkaidō army"s "wall in the air," the lightning struck Morgan le Fay"s giant eyeball avatar.
The Tōkaidō army pressed forward, finally arriving at the tutelary fort"s noesis barrier.
The dense wall of Legions versus the dome-shaped wall of noetic energy—
The two giant walls clashed directly.
Of the 242 Kamuys in the wall formation, the forty on the front face, i.e. 8 x 5, raised their bayonets to stab the noesis barrier before them.
Instantly, the barrier shook violently.
At the same time, a girl"s adorable voice resounded throughout the night sky.
"Meteorological decree, activate. Shining spear... Receive the blessing of the death G.o.ddess."
Masatsugu had recollections of this voice. It was the genie controlling Morgan le Fay.
Next, the giant eyeball in the sky released a powerful flash of lightning.
The eyeball had concentrated the previously absorbed lightning strikes into one intense attack—towards the Tōkaidō"s 242 Legions.
The "wall in the sky" of 242 Kamuys shook violently.
Casualties for Legions on the outer surface of the wall were particularly severe.
Some of the Kamuys were scorched all over while others were blown back. Still others dropped their rifles or staggered unsteadily, etc...
There were also Kamuys that lost consciousness and crashed to the ground.
The British side took advantage of the chaos to attack.
146 Crusades had been waiting ready behind the giant eyeball in the air. Forty of them charged the right side of the "wall in the sky."
They were targeting the outer surface of the wall formation—in other words, the more seriously damaged Kamuys.
Confronted with this sudden a.s.sault, many of the Kamuys in the Tōkaidō army were caught unprepared and were stabbed in various vitals such as the throat, the chest, or the head.
The Crusades did not enter any formation.
Attacking swiftly with their blades, they sliced through the densely packed Kamuys.
Close to twenty of the small blue Legions died and crashed down.
After the quick a.s.sault, the Crusades rapidly retreated back to beside Morgan le Fay"s giant eyeball...
Once again, the giant eyeball absorbed powerful electricity from the sky.
The enemy was planning to repeat the same offensive. Masatsugu"s cheek twitched in a smile.
"I see, so this is what they"re thinking."
"Onii-sama, did you figure out something?"
"Yes, our victory is a.s.sured."
"H-How so?"
"Hatsune, send a pipe fox to inform all Chevaliers in battle. The message is as follows: "All units, keep going as-is and fight.""
"Maintain the status quo? You"re not offering strategies to handle the electrical attacks or directions to scatter and fight back!?"
"The way I see it, no need for that." Masatsugu declared firmly and explained to the surprised Hatsune.
"The enemy will not last."
Thirty minutes pa.s.sed.
Morgan le Fay"s eyeball repeated the same lightning attack ten times.
The Crusades also raided ten times in concert.
After every combo attack, the Tōkaidō army suffered significant damage... But currently, the battle was in favor of the samurai of Imperial j.a.pan.
The "wall in the sky" formed from Kamuys remained intact.
Seizing opportunities to attack, the Tōkaidō army opened fire to unleash potent firepower.
The British Legions and the tutelary fort ahead had no choice but to take on this simple yet powerful attack.
The British side"s noesis barrier was all riddled with countless holes and cracks, about to collapse. The defending Crusades were also down to about fifty...
"They"re really going to win easily at this rate. Looks like the Nagoya knights still have enough energy to last the whole battle, despite fighting nonstop during the daytime. Their stamina is too amazing."
"Did you forget, Hatsune?" Masatsugu reminded the impressed Hatsune.
They were still riding one wyvern together. In the end, neither of them went up to the front line personally. There was no need to mobilize Hatsune"s army either.
"Prior to setting off, the Nagoya Chevaliers established their tutelary pacts at Suruga and finished resupplying on ectoplasmic fluid. Doing this is enough to recover a Chevalier"s stamina."
"Oh right."
Hatsune had experienced the same thing at Nagoya Castle so she immediately figured it out.
Their wyvern slowly flew towards the Fuji tutelary fort.
"Besides, the Nagoya Chevaliers are fueled by more than energy alone."
"What else is there?"
"Rage."
Masatsugu explained the battle situation while controlling the wyvern.
"They suffered a great defeat at Nagoya Castle without getting a chance to go all-out. If you give them a chance to fight after the fact, it"s like dangling a carrot in front of a horse"s nose. Their fighting spirit will be high, of course."
"Definitely, this could be considered a battle to regain their honor..."
"Compared to the Restoration Alliance at Fuji, the Tōkaidō side has superior numbers and morale. Even if the enemy play little tricks in this kind of situation, they still won"t be able to dislodge our side"s advantage."
"So that"s why you told them to keep going as-is, Onii-sama!"
"Well, there was no way to issue any other order," said Masatsugu indifferently. "The Nagoya Chevaliers are too worked up. Besides, this army was a.s.sembled from ten Chevaliers in a hurry. They won"t be able to properly carry out any command other than "charge"."
"Your comment is a bit too direct here..."
"No matter how obedient Legions are, knights and generals are usually people with strong egos."
"But you"re so amazing, Onii-sama. The battle really turned out as you predicted."
Hatsune praised Masatsugu with glimmering eyes.
After taking care of Richard the Lionheart, Masatsugu had said during the war council that "Since Nagoya is going to fall anyway, we should set things up properly for today. We just might be able to retake Fuji City."
Hence, their primary purpose in taking an expedition to Nagoya was not to support a retreat.
Instead, they were gathering up the scattered Chevaliers after their defeat so as to deploy them in the battle to recapture Fuji on the same day.
Indeed, they were starting a battle the same night as the Nagoya defeat.
This was the moment when the enemy would be the most complacent. Furthermore, Masatsugu was taking advantage of the fact that after Richard"s defeat, the British were unable to fully compensate for the forces deployed in the Nagoya invasion.
"It"s all thanks to defeating Richard yesterday." Masatsugu muttered. "Without that victory, the expedition to Nagoya would"ve been a dangerous gamble. The attack on Fuji might"ve been very difficult too."
"Oh right, Onii-sama, you said something weird a while ago."
Hatsune recalled the conversation from thirty minutes earlier.
"You saw through the British army"s plan and even said "So this is what they"re thinking," didn"t you?"
"Seeing as the enemy did not choose the simplest and wisest course of action, I guessed that they had probably thought up some kind of smart-a.s.s idea."
"What smart-a.s.s idea?"
"Figure it out yourself. We"ll compare notes later."
"I can"t believe you won"t tell me, that"s so mean!"
"I"m not toying with you on purpose. We"re going to be busy next."
"Like rushing into the Fuji tutelary fort?"
"That"s one of the reasons, but I expect Hakone to send reinforcements soon. We need to come up with a solution."
"Just intercept them here!"
"No, fighting should be avoided if possible. I wish to enter a dialogue."
"...Dialogue?"
Hatsune tilted her head in puzzlement, unable to understand her older brother"s words.
Her intelligence was still an unknown, but her instincts were very sharp and her wits were unexpectedly quick too. Soon enough, she would probably understand without needing detailed explanations.
Flying on the same wyvern mount, the two of them gazed upon Fuji City"s night scenery and Suruga Bay below.
The tutelary fort was just ahead. Reflecting light from the moon and the stars, the night ocean"s surface was filled with a fantastical atmosphere.
Part 3[edit]
A battle between the Tōkaidō army and the Restoration Alliance had broken out at the Fuji tutelary fort.
Just as victory was about to be decided, the genie Morrigan also began to retreat. Naturally, this so-called retreat did not refer to physical movement.
She summoned her consciousness back from the simulacrum stationed there as her avatar.
The spirit Morrigan"s princ.i.p.al image was located at the impregnable fortress, Hakone Checkpoint.
Fuji City was thirty kilometers away from Hakone. After spending twenty minutes, Morrigan"s consciousness finally returned.
"...What an, embarra.s.sment."
As soon as Morrigan returned to her usual simulacrum, she could not help but grumble about the humiliation of defeat.
The intricate doll stood 150cm tall and looked like a living girl. Morrigan was sitting in a rocking chair, dressed in a sailor outfit with a beret.
"I am terribly, sorry. The Fuji tutelary fort"s defense... was a failure."
"You have no need to apologize, Morrigan."
The man commonly referred to as prince replied gently.
Edward the Black Prince.
The ultimate military genius born to the English royal family in the medieval age, he was also the commander-in-chief of the British Imperial Forces stationed in Imperial j.a.pan.
"Your role is nothing more than a castle"s guardian G.o.ddess. Humans are the ones responsible for human accomplishments and failures . Responsibility for the defeat lies with Defoe and Chamberlain—the Chevaliers on the field who were commanding Legions and giving you directions."
Edward and Morrigan were currently at Hakone.
The location was a military facility near Komagadake, inside a room in the command center.
Back when this land was under the Kantō Fiefdom"s control, the room was the office used by the "supreme commander of the Hakone tutelary fort." Now, it belonged to Britain and Edward the Black Prince.
The divinity baseplate of Morrigan"s princ.i.p.al image Morgan le Fay was also housed in the command center.
Until a few dozen minutes ago, she was still possessing her avatar at the Fuji tutelary fort and partic.i.p.ating in the defensive battle. Never did she expect failure as the outcome—
Morrigan was gnashing her teeth in chagrin.
The "prince" said to her, "Knowing you, Morrigan, I am certain you warned them prior to the battle. "Against a numerically superior enemy, it would be wise to refrain from attacking recklessly. Focus on defense together with Morgan le Fay and wait for reinforcements from Hakone." Right?"
"Precisely."
"However, Defoe and Chamberlain ignored your counsel."
"......"
"Since Uncle could not partic.i.p.ate in the Nagoya invasion, we had no choice but to send experienced Chevaliers from areas adjacent to Hakone, which includes Fuji City. Taking over defense duty on their behalf, Defoe and Chamberlain are both young and inexperienced Chevaliers."
Edward closed his eyes and deduced what had transpired.
"With Chevalier Strengths around 70, ineligible as Knights of Her Majesty, they are impatient to distinguish themselves on the battlefield. Coincidentally, an army from Suruga attacked... Hence, they immediately ordered you to pin down the Tōkaidō army. Then they raided the enemy"s disrupted ranks."
Edward correctly described what had happened over the course of those dozens of minutes as though he had witnessed it first hand.
"However, the enemy commander knew very well that," Edward shrugged, "as long as they calmly maintained the status quo... All they needed to do was stay in formation and handle Defoe and Chamberlain"s little tricks, then victory was theirs for the taking with numerical superiority on their side."
Morrigan"s doll eyes widened. Her commander"s eyes of wisdom had astounded her.
As always, Edward had a full and detailed grasp of what had occurred in a distant battlefield.
"Since you know, so well... Why not send, other Chevaliers to Fuji?"
"Insufficient manpower. Besides, don"t be silly." Edward sighed. "It"s not like I am a prophet or have clairvoyance. How could I possibly predict everything about the enemy before the battle started?"
"Your abilities approach, clairvoyance already."
Morrigan"s tone sounded more like sarcasm than praise.
She knew that this was neither magic nor extrasensory perception.
In his past life, Prince Edward had acc.u.mulated countless experience across h.e.l.lish battlefields, naturally honing a sharp sense of perception.
Perhaps the enemy general tonight was equally wise and insightful?
Meanwhile, Edward fell into deep thought.
"Attacking Fuji from Suruga at this point in time. The strategic openings caused by Uncle"s defeat that cannot be plugged until tomorrow or the day after..."
a.n.a.lyzing the reasons for the defeat, the prince was showing signs of a smile on the corners of his mouth.
"He must be the one in command after all?"
At that moment, Morrigan sensed noetic waves.
A noetic officer had reported the arrival of a small messenger retainer beast sent from the Fuji tutelary fort and was requesting Commander-in-Chief Edward"s decision.
"Prince, the Fuji tutelary fort has sent a message. "Requesting dialogue between Hakone and Fuji"."
"Oh?"
The Black Prince smiled in amus.e.m.e.nt, sounding like a mischievous child in tone.
"Morrigan, help me dial that thing... called a fixed line telephone, is it? Call the command center at the Fuji tutelary fort. The other side will pick up right away."
"Affirmative." Morrigan nodded and did as requested by the medieval hero who was unused to operating modern contraptions.
Hakone Checkpoint and the Fuji tutelary fort.
After the British forces captured them, these two places came under the Restoration Alliance"s control, and they usually kept close contact through frequent telephone calls.
Morrigan operated the telephone on the office desk.
She turned on the speaker phone and invited her boss to speak.
"h.e.l.lo," Edward spoke a greeting to the phone.
"Are you there?" Soon after, a reply was heard on the speaker. Morrigan had recollections of this voice, it was Tachibana Masatsugu. She had previously encountered this Tōkaidō Chevalier in the outskirts of Fuji City.
"I was thinking—Perhaps you might come to Fuji yourself, Prince."
"I have some important matters to handle at Hakone, but I did dispatch my personal guard. Three hundred Knights of the Garter are headed towards Fuji City."
"Meaning you won"t be coming in person, Prince?"
"To be honest, I do regret my decision. I never thought you would run all the way over to Fuji."
Edward shrugged.
As soon as he received news of a "surprise attack on Fuji," he had immediately dispatched an army of black knights.
With Morgan le Fay"s support on the battlefield, victory was a.s.sured even without the Black Prince"s personal presence. Naturally, that only applied against ordinary enemies.
Morrigan held back her feelings of humiliation while listening to her superior"s conversation.
"I heard you were quite active in Nagoya this morning too, Tachibana-dono. Appearing everywhere in less than half a day, now that is truly elusive... No."
The legendary prince smiled while he conversed with the mysterious enemy general over the phone.
"Rather, celerity is the soul of warfare, wouldn"t you agree? Magnificent. Those self-proclaimed military advisers always love to pointlessly deliberate over intricate tactics or unusual strategies. Yet the vital principle of celerity is lost upon them where the swift and maneuverable triumphs over the slow and ponderous. Tachibana-dono, you are well-versed in the key principles of warfare."
"......"
"Your trap for defeating Uncle and the constant traveling for the past two days, every move of yours has been profoundly fascinating. What I truly want—"
Edward paused and switched to a provocative tone of voice.
"What I truly want is your name and to conduct a bit of research on that."
"Not at all, you praise me too much... So, what are your plans?"
"Well, I shall order my black knights to halt their march while I take to the field... A duel with you ought to be the ideal choice."
"The Lionheart last night and the Black Prince tonight. Two consecutive evenings of extravagant banquets."
"Indeed. Last night, even though Uncle attacked in full force, you were able to achieve victory by using fewer than four hundred Legions. Such extraordinary methods."
"I was at wit"s end too."
"Quite so. However, thanks to your painstaking conservation of forces, I believe you probably hold five or six hundred red-purple swordsmen in peak condition, yes? Or perhaps, even more than that."
Morrigan widened her eyes in surprise.
The Black Prince was positing that the mysterious general, Tachibana Masatsugu, had a Chevalier Strength surpa.s.sing 1000.
Edward"s own Chevalier Strength reached as high as 1256. He believed his opponent to be a famous general on the same level, a mighty hero rivaling the likes of Richard the Lionheart, Julius Caesar, or Admiral Nelson—
"Yesterday, the quant.i.ty of your Legions was unnaturally low... When I learned of that, I was wondering if you had deliberately conserved troops as a precaution in case I attacked. Would I be bragging if I said that?"
"No comment. I have only one thing to say to you." On the other side of the call, Tachibana Masatsugu spoke indifferently, "...My side is prepared to defeat your English longbow formation at Hakone, the one we saw a few days ago."
"Oh? My "mode anglais"?"
"If you cannot wait, I don"t mind demonstrating it at Fuji tonight."
"Superb. My blood boils in excitement for the first time since my arrival to j.a.pan. Since you say so, Tachibana-dono, I shall meet you in battle in perfect English style."
"It"s a promise."
"Then today"s fighting shall conclude here."
"We will fight another day at Hakone."
"Yes, this is the promise between you and me."
The conversation ended and the other side hung up.
The effect of the Feat of Arms—Archers of Crécy was to switch the Garter Knights" weapons to bows to create a team of longbowmen. This Feat of Arms was virtually synonymous to the name of Prince Edward.
And defeating this formation had been brought up in this conversation between two master generals.
In other words, this was a preliminary skirmish where knightly and samurai honor were at stake.
"Perhaps... Tachibana-dono isn"t actually a "samurai"?"
Once again, his whispered comment shocked Morrigan.
Meanwhile, at the castellan"s office in the Fuji tutelary fort...
Just earlier, this room had still belonged to two British Chevaliers.
Sitting on a rocking chair in the room was a doll resembling a living girl. It had the appearance of a pet.i.te Caucasian blonde beauty, dressed in a sailor outfit.
According to speculation from noetic officers, this was a genie"s simulacrum.
"Hey Onii-sama."
"What"s up?"
Masatsugu had just ended his conversation with Prince Edward at Hakone.
After winning the battle between Legions, taking Hatsune and ground forces along, Masatsugu had entered the Fuji tutelary fort and captured various facilities.
Securing the office took first priority.
After doing that, he had sent a message demanding to speak with Hakone.
"The Black Prince thinks you"re conserving the Kanesadas... But actually, Onii-sama, you don"t have many troops left, do you?"
"I don"t."
Legions that fall in battle near their stronghold would resurrect in roughly a day.
"Near" specifically referred to within ten kilometers. But last night, Masatsugu had gone beyond the ten-kilometer range to engage Richard"s army at Mount Satsuta.
Back then, he lost a hundred and sixty Legions whose revival would take at least a week.
It is particularly easy to replenish troop numbers when fighting at one"s stronghold.
This was the greatest feature of home advantage.
Moreover, Masatsugu was handicapped by the inability to replenish ectoplasmic fluid the normal way. At the present moment, the maximum number of Legions he could summon would be around a hundred and twenty.
"Onii-sama, it"s because of your various ingenious moves that the legendary Black Prince thinks you"re his equal, right? This is part of your power, I guess?" Hatsune commented poignantly. "It"s just that it feels like scamming."
"Don"t put it like that. There are three main points to remember when confronting a major nation"s army with a smaller force. First of all, deception. Secondly, intimidation. Finally..."
"Don"t tell me it"s bluffing?"
"Correct. You"re good at figuring this out."
"Luckily, the prince really fell for it."
"Now that"s not really correct." Masatsugu told the naive little sister. "The English formation is actually more suited to defense than offense. This is why he didn"t take the bait when I tempted him to attack Fuji. Instead, he said he"d meet me in battle at Hakone. That was a declaration made with absolute certainty of victory."
"More suited to defense than offense?"
"That"s right. Before the actual battle, I"ll need to come up with a solution."
"W-What? Even the mention of a way to defeat them was a bluff?"
"Exactly. Anyway, there"s no need to fight again tonight, so that"s pretty good already."
"I suppose. Worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes."
Hatsune drew upon the bold and unfettered nature unique to her clan of larger-than-life characters and agreed with Masatsugu.
Masatsugu slowly said to his little sister, "By the way, Hatsune. I"ve been meaning to ask you for a favor, so let me take this chance to tell you."
"What"s the matter? You look so serious, you know?"
"You still remember there"s a school festival to be held at the beginning of next month, right? I"m a member of the executive committee after all, and in charge of the beauty contest to boot. There aren"t enough contestants and I"d like your full support..."
Hatsune stared at her older brother in rare gaze of criticism.
Masatsugu felt quite troubled and wanted to know the reason.
"What"s with you?"
"We are currently fighting the Restoration Alliance. Aren"t you way out of line for bringing up a beauty contest?"
"Excessive suppression of entertainment during times like these would not be a good thing. People have to find chances to relax. The other students and I all need to take a breather."
"Onii-sama, you"re really looking forward to it, aren"t you...?"
"Suruga"s situation will be improving now that the Tōkaidō Fiefdom has retaken Fuji City. Events like the school festival or the beauty contest should be able to proceed without problems."
"Why does it feel like you specifically recaptured Fuji City for the sake of the beauty contest?"
"......"
"O-Onii-sama!?"
Masatsugu invoked his right to silence to avoid putting his foot into his mouth.
Part 4[edit]
November 12th.
Four days had gone by since the fall of Nagoya and the recapture of Fuji City.
"I"m so touched. I haven"t seen shops this packed with merchandise for so long."
"Supplies are coming in every day from Yamanashi after all."
Hatsune and Masatsugu were chatting inside a supermarket in Suruga City.
The two of them had gone out for shopping.
This was a large store not far from the student dormitories. Just recently, the food and drink sections had been cleaned out with almost no merchandise at all.
Although supplies could not be considered abundant at the moment, at least half the shelf s.p.a.ce was being occupied by merchandise.
Fresh food such as meat, vegetables, or fish, and other goods such as instant food or sweets were finally replenished.
"My days of dest.i.tution, forced to water down flour, then bake and flavor it as a subst.i.tute for snacks, has finally come to an end..."
"I can"t believe you went that far."
"Man does not live on bread alone, Onii-sama."
Suruga and its surroundings had been blockaded by the Restoration Alliance for over a month.
Neither people nor goods were allowed to flow, thus interrupting all logistics. Thanks to the munic.i.p.al government and the tutelary fort managing and rationing of food, crisis was narrowly averted.
After revealing she had moonlighted as a crisis pastry chef, Hatsune said solemnly, "I can"t say there"s an abundance of goods, but being able to shop is a good thing at least."
"Yes. The earlier situation was like those countries whose economies collapsed from hyperinflation."
This social commentary came from Okonogi Taisei"s mouth.
"It"s like having money but no goods to buy... I"m so touched that there"s bread for sale at the school snack shop today."
Taisei was the student council vice-president and also one of Masatsugu"s few friends.
Both Hatsune and the lady she served, Princess Shiori, were living in the Black Lily Dorm reserved for the princess" exclusive use. After school today, Hatsune and Masatsugu had gone shopping for dorm supplies and food.
Before returning to his home in the city, Taisei tagged along with them to stroll around.
"Masatsugu-kun, this is all thanks to you guys for taking back Fuji City."
"The many Chevaliers brought back from Nagoya are a major reason too. Now we"ve got a lot more troops and commanders."
West of Suruga City was Kakegawa City and its tutelary fort.
East of Suruga City was Fuji City and its tutelary fort.
For the past month, both sides had been occupied by Restoration Alliance forces. Railways leading east and west were completely shut down while roads were blocked too.
However, north of Fuji City was a usable national highway.
This highway led to Yamanashi Prefecture, which was part of the Tōkaidō Fiefdom.
After recapturing Fuji City, vehicles could finally come and go through the "Shizuoka to Yamanashi" route along Suruga-Fuji-Fujinomiya-Koufu.
Of course, ordinary cars were still restricted from free pa.s.sage.
However, protected truck convoys transporting supplies were allowed to travel without impediment.
The various tutelary forts in Suruga, Fuji, and southern Yamanashi were responsible for protecting the truck convoys.
A defensive line had been set up by deploying the Chevaliers whom Masatsugu and company had brought from Nagoya and previously rescued from the Fuji tutelary fort.
"The land of j.a.pan has mountains everywhere." Masatsugu muttered, "Hence, the first priority in ground transportation is to secure mountain routes. Regions like the plains of Kantō are actually exceptions..."
"But it"s too early to celebrate the current situation, right?"
"You"re right. Starting from Kakegawa, everywhere west of Suruga is within the Restoration Alliance"s sphere of influence. On the east, Hakone and the Izu Peninsula are also captured by the Alliance. They also have command of the sea in Suruga Bay."
Taisei was not too optimistic and Masatsugu told him the truth.
"The east and west are under enemy control. This situation hasn"t changed very much."
"Yeah."
"That sounds kinda like the game Reversi. Surrounded by enemies up, down, left, right, it feels like it"s almost game over."
Hatsune"s comment prompted Masatsugu to nod.
"Ultimately, this is a game of capturing castles. The more tutelary forts you have, the greater the advantage. You"re instantly disadvantaged if you get surrounded or caught between two fronts. It"s admittedly similar to Reversi in a way."
ChronicleLegion 03 Map2.jpg
"It becomes very easy to understand if I use this kind of mindset... Oh right, Onii-sama." Mid-sentence, Hatsune pointed at the top shelf. "Help me get that, will you? It"s a special okonomiyaki sauce that Kansai people like to use."
"This one?"
Masatsugu"s height was 175cm while Hatsune was around 160cm tall.
Fulfilling his duty as a taller man, he took the required item and handed it to his little sister. Dressed in Haikara-san style, Hatsune smiled tenderly.
Watching their interactions, Taisei suddenly said, "Recently, you two have a different vibe going there."
"Eh?"
Hatsune jumped in surprise at the unexpected observation.
Taisei continued, "You seem to be closer than before. It"s like you"re real siblings now."
"W-Well of course. Onii-sama and I are together—uh, working hard together. For the princess and Suruga"s safety, we"re working our b.u.t.ts off."
"So your tacit understanding has improved too, I see?"
Taisei showed a look of comprehension whereas Hatsune looked extremely shy.
Listening to their conversation, Masatsugu thought to himself.
Okonogi Taisei was a high school student with handsome facial features.
However, he was a blockhead and never the subject of romantic gossip. The fact that he failed to use words like "couple" or "newlyweds" as description here was fully indicative of his true character.
This friend left the supermarket alone to return to his home in the city.
"Onii-sama, let"s go to the tutelary fort next."
"Sure."
Left alone as a pair, the Tachibana siblings exited the store and went to the parking lot.
Getting around the Suruga suburbs was very inconvenient without your own car. This was quite different from the suburbs of Tokyo. Parked inside the parking lot was a car kept in "reserve" at the princess" personal dorm.
According to Imperial j.a.pan"s laws, sixteen was the minimum age for a driving license.
Hatsune was in charge of driving while Masatsugu sat in the front pa.s.senger seat.
"Sheesh, that Taisei-san. I can"t believe he blurted out something like that. My heart almost jumped out of my mouth," Hatsune said before starting the engine.
"He just said we seem to be close, right?"
"T-True, but we have many special reasons behind that."
"And they are?"
"Think about it. Every morning lately, the two of us have been together..."
Hatsune was referring to her job of supplying ectoplasmic fluid to Tachibana Masatsugu.
This role had currently fallen upon Hatsune. Princess Shiori had secretly provided the service before, but the heavy strain had taken a toll on the princess" health.
For this purpose, Masatsugu had been going to Hatsune"s personal room for the past few days.
Inside the princess" dorm, there was a bedroom used by the lady-in-waiting and bodyguard.
Every morning, Masatsugu would quietly visit her room where Hatsune had risen from bed early to engage in intimate skin contact with him, allowing him to absorb warmth and ectoplasmic fluid from her body.
Hatsune had her duties as lady-in-waiting so her mornings were quite busy.
Hence, Masatsugu always visited at around 5am while the sky was still dark. Today was no exception.
Having got up already, Hatsune was wearing just an undershirt, shyly welcoming Masatsugu"s arrival.
The two of them started by drinking green tea first, sitting together on the bed"s edge—
Only after chatting awkwardly for a brief while did Hatsune finally speak up timidly.
"O-Onii-sama, it"s time to start..."
"Yeah."
With Hatsune"s permission, Masatsugu reached out.
He would skillfully take Hatsune into his arms without being too forceful.
"It"s my fault that the princess had to endure excessive strain. I need to be careful from now on to avoid the same mistake."
"Don"t worry, my body is very healthy."
"That"s true, you"ve got a great body."
"I know, right? I work out diligently."
Hatsune had misunderstood Masatsugu"s comment.
Her build was slender but the bust and hip areas were quite voluptuous.
In the beginning, woman was the sun—Hatsune"s figure reminded Masatsugu of this quote. Embracing her body, he enjoyed an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Hugging her tightly against his bosom, he could feel a clear sense of elasticity and tactile feedback.
Furthermore, Hatsune"s body was always fiery hot rather than just warm.
Perhaps it was due to excellent blood circulation or her younger mental age. Recently, Masatsugu had been hugging Hatsune"s body every morning.
Needless to say, their behavior was not limited to hugging alone.
Masatsugu brought his face against Hatsune"s body and kissed the little sister"s tender skin and neck.
"Mm, mmmmmm!"
Lovely moaning escaped from her lips.
Perhaps she was startled by Masatsugu"s cold skin and the physical pleasure. However, she still accepted Masatsugu"s embrace wholeheartedly...
Hatsune"s undershirt opened up in front of Masatsugu.
He would enjoy the close-up view of the little sister"s deep cleavage at every opportunity.
He could even remove Hatsune"s undershirt. Whether to do so or not depended entirely on his choice. Initially resistant, the little sister would waver and grumble, but she probably would not refuse.
Finally, Hatsune was guaranteed to yield obediently, actively offering her tender skin to warm up Masatsugu...
However, Masatsugu did not actually do it. It would be best to save this sort of behavior until their relationship had progressed even further, such as when this maiden accepted Masatsugu"s marriage proposal.
Such a moment was expected to be in the near future.
In any case, Hatsune tolerated Masatsugu"s behavior, ending up disheveled and moaning. Then she would grumble quietly in a submissive voice.
"Sheesh... Onii-sama, your hands are so naughty, every time..."
With her cheeks reddened in shame, there was reproach in Hatsune"s tone.
Most people probably would not find Tachibana Hatsune very feminine as a girl.
However, these expressions of hers shown only to Masatsugu were truly too innocent, adorable, and endearing.
West of Suruga City was the mountainous region formed by the adjacent peaks of Mount Udo and Mount Kunou.
Driving swiftly along the mountain road, Hatsune soon reached the Suruga tutelary fort.
"Hatsune, you have many duties in the mornings, right?"
Masatsugu spoke up from the front pa.s.senger seat. He believed that the daily resupplying of ectoplasmic fluid did not necessarily have to be done in the mornings.
"Why don"t I switch to visiting your room at night from now on..."
"N-No way. If it"s at night, the princess might not have gone to sleep yet. If she were to notice sounds or other signs of us doing that..."
Hatsune shook her head, refusing to perform the ritual at night.
"If we"re discovered, that"d be pretty embarra.s.sing—no, it"s extremely embarra.s.sing..."
"Oh?"
"S-So that"s why it has to be early morning. The princess is still sleeping at that hour."
"I see."
Speaking of which, their lady liege had a number of special powers.
Shiori"s sixth sense or intuition was apparently quite sharp. Precisely because of that, she seemed more sensitive to secrets than the average person... Something like that.
Take this morning for example.
When Masatsugu was heading to the dorm entrance after leaving Hatsune"s room...
He had encountered the princess by chance. She was dressed for bed in a nightgown.
"W-What is the matter, Masatsugu-dono?"
Shiori was already up at 6am.
Masatsugu did not know if she happened to have gotten up early, or if she secretly rose from bed only because she sensed something. In any case, the princess" countenance looked quite fl.u.s.tered.
"Why are you returning—c-correction—Why are you coming to the dormitory at this hour...?"
"I left something here."
"Oh... I see."
After the conversation, Shiori had hastily returned inside.
Was it possible that the princess had noticed signs of her two personal subordinates secretly sharing ectoplasmic fluid, and thus beset with mixed feelings, she was pacing back and forth inside the dorm in agitation?
This could very well be true.
"By the way, Onii-sama, I"d like to talk about the princess with you."
Unexpectedly, Hatsune brought up the lady they served.
"Recently when the princess is with us, have you noticed she"s got this vibe like she wants to say something but can"t? Like there"s something she needs to get off her chest."
"......"
"Sometimes, she gives off this kind of "I can"t bring myself to say it despite this burning urge!" aura."
"Maybe you"re not imagining things."
"I know, right!? Surely, it"s because she has too many worries about the futures of j.a.pan and Tōkaidō and it"s weighing on her heart, which is why she wants to confide in us."
"Oh?"
"Onii-sama, let"s work hard and help lift the princess" spirits!"
"Got it."
Tachibana Hatsune"s benevolence and naivete was not quite the same as Okonogi Taisei"s obliviousness.
Masatsugu found his little sister"s brand of liberal-mindedness quite adorable and endearing. In contrast, their lady liege"s personality was much more complicated.
Simultaneously good and evil, willing to resort to ruthless means, yet she had an innocent maidenly side to her.
Fujinomiya Shiori was smart and eloquent. There were very few matters she would have trouble broaching. Perhaps he should approach her to have a detailed discussion some time soon.
"Onii-sama, we"re almost there."
But before that, Masatsugu and company had to take care of a matter at the Suruga tutelary fort first.
Today, they were having a meeting with the Governor General, Akigase Shouzan.
Part 5[edit]
"Retirement?"
Princess Shiori had trouble hiding the surprise in her tone.
However, she immediately understood the underlying reason and asked the old Governor General, "Is your intention to resign as Governor General to take responsibility for Nagoya"s fall?"
"It is exactly as you say, Your Highness." Akigase Shouzan admitted it readily.
They were conversing in a special sickroom at the Suruga tutelary fort"s medical division. Governor General Akigase Shouzan was currently still here, recovering from heavy injuries.
The elderly man had used the princess" visit as an opportunity to declare his intention.
He had said he was going to relinquish the position of Tōkaidō Governor General in the next few days. At this moment, Masatsugu was standing behind the princess while Hatsune had left to wait outside the sickroom.
Currently, Masatsugu"s lady liege was not showing any signs of the "anxious" demeanor that the siblings were discussing earlier.
With a brilliantly intellectual and dignified countenance, she was facing the Tōkaidō Governor General.
"I failed to repel the Restoration Alliance and even lost the provincial capital of Nagoya. My disgrace knows no bounds..."
Akigase Rikka"s father spoke in self-mockery.
He deliberately got up from the bed and sat down on his wheelchair to greet the princess. The elderly Governor General narrowed his eyes and looked resentfully at his beloved daughter who was by his side, looking after him.
"I am supposed to disembowel myself and apologize to the people and my retainers through death."
"I have said this already. Doing something like that would do irreparable harm to people"s impressions of the Tōkaidō Fiefdom."
Rikka interrupted her father unceremoniously.
She was here as a daughter to look after her hospitalized father, but she remained in her black military uniform.
"Even back in the Sengoku period, few daimyo actually went that far. Since we are no longer the Great Empire of j.a.pan either, no one would think of a captain going down with his ship as an inspiring story. Of course, there might be some Chevaliers who would share your sentiments deeply... But the civilian populace and the media will be horrified."
Rikka explained her opinion at length.
"The people nowadays are very realistic. Besides, House Akigase only came to rule Tōkaidō for the last fifty years. The previous rulers were part of the southern court—in other words, the Empire"s administration, who were preceded by a daimyo whose clan traces back to the Tokugawa lineage. Even if you commit suicide, Father, chances are unlikely that people will feel touched."
"Hmph..."
House Akigase"s eldest daughter pulled no punches against her injured father.
However, the father and daughter got along with a harmonious vibe without any feeling of ill will. Perhaps this was simply a natural "family discussion."
To have discussions of this sort between parent and child, House Akigase truly lived up to its name as a prestigious samurai family.
After some contemplation, Masatsugu spoke up, "Well then, Your Excellency."
Everyone"s gaze gathered upon him. In terms of status, he was actually the most respected here. Openly without regard for details of etiquette, Masatsugu asked a direct question.
"May I ask who do you have in mind as your successor?"
"Certainly, Masatsugu-dono." Akigase Shouzan was willing to speak as equals too.
He looked squarely at Masatsugu then sneaked a glance at his daughter standing on the side.
"I have three children... Rikka has two younger brothers. Unfortunately, they are not even half the man my daughter is. Although Rikka is a woman—"
"You wish for Rikka-dono to succeed you, right?"
"Precisely."
Masatsugu read the intent of the elderly Governor General"s gaze and he admitted it solemnly.
Shiori raised her worries, "I believe that Rikka-sama is undoubtedly the best candidate for leading the fiefdom out of the currrent predicament. The problem is, will your two sons—especially the eldest son—have any objections...?"
"Indeed, Your Highness, your worries are perfectly logical." Akigase Shouzan grinned slightly mischievously and laughed. "Fortunately, they are rather weak in personality and completely submissive in the presence of their elder sister. Furthermore, unlike Rikka, they would not be considered first-rate generals of Tōkaidō. Consequently, I do not expect them to stubbornly press the issue. On the other hand, the ones likely to complain are..."
"Certain retainers, perhaps? For example, your sons" closest advisers."
"Hahahaha, you are truly perceptive, Your Highness."
The elderly Governor General narrowed his eyes, quite amused by the princess" intelligence.
In Imperial j.a.pan, the position of Governor General was hereditary while male succession was an unwritten rule. For those who cling stubbornly to formalities and traditions, it would be very displeasing for Rikka to succeed to the position as a woman.
Needless to say, this was even more so for guardians of the Governor General"s sons—
This was what Shiori was worrying about, but Rikka"s father laughed with fort.i.tude.
"The previous Governor General, Akigase Shouzan, will become the shield to back the new Governor General and watch those retainers carefully... This is already my plan. As long as these old bones of mine remain and the Restoration Alliance"s uprising persists, Rikka"s position will be secure."
"In practice, things will be hardly any different from before," Rikka finally spoke.
She had remained silent ever since the matter of succession came up.
"My main role is a general. Moreover, Tōkaidō currently cannot afford the luxury of leaving a Chevalier like me back in the castle to conserve forces."
Rikka praised herself in partial jest then smiled proudly.
"I will continue to manage military matters as the premier Chevalier, and while I am at it, I will also carry the promotional banner of "the new Governor General" in an effort to win as much popularity as possible. Ch.o.r.es on the administrative side will be handled by my father."
Rikka"s explanation drew a scoff from her father.
However, Rikka bluntly stated that her father had nothing to do after retirement anyway.
"After the recent fiascoes, it is imperative for the Tōkaidō Fiefdom to regain the people"s trust and support. To do that, we need to craft some good scenarios, such as "the daughter of the previous Governor General, a lady Chevalier who holds her own against any man, shall lead the Tōkaidō Fiefdom to drive out the Restoration Alliance"..."
"I now understand your concerns. In that case, I would like to make a request here."
Shiori smiled demurely and said to the father and daughter of House Akigase.
"Please allow me to deliver a "sales pitch" here."
"Oh? What would a n.o.ble princess like you be selling, Your Highness?"
"Strength and wisdom."
Shiori replied without a moment"s delay to the elderly man in the wheelchair. "I have a proposal for the new Governor General of Tōkaidō and the Governor General"s father. Are the two of you willing to seek a.s.sistance from us—Fujinomiya Shiori and her retinue? If you were to hire us in some form, we would render services commensurate to our remuneration and status."
"In other words, a.s.sistance from Your Highness Shiori, Masatsugu-dono, and Tachibana Hatsune?" The Chevalier princess, who had decided to succeed as the new Governor General, murmured to the smiling imperial princess.
Fujinomiya Shiori and Akigase Rikka faced off squarely.
"I have personally witnessed the power all of you have exhibited... Regardless of a retired old man"s opinion, you are all talented individuals whom I am willing to hire at a premium. However, the issue here is..."
Rikka first cast a gaze to restrain her father, who evidently had words, while voicing her concerns.
"Wouldn"t the act of hiring a vaunted imperial princess be far too disrespectful...?"
"If an employment contract does not work in this case, I am amenable to alternate t.i.tles such as consultant, house guest, or freeloader. The main point here is that I will enter a contract with House Akigase on a personal basis, unrelated to the imperial family—That is the kind of relationship I wish for."
"Unrelated to the imperial family, a relationship between Your Highness Shiori and House Akigase?"
"Indeed. To elaborate further, it is also my personal relationship with you, Akigase Rikka-sama."
"I see."
Exhibiting fort.i.tude no less than her father"s, Rikka smiled cheerfully.
"Well, it is understandable. The imperial capital of Tokyo is definitely not a comfortable homeland for Your Highness Shiori."
"Perhaps it might be inappropriate for me to say so myself, but the presence of a princess like me is nothing more than a nuisance that n.o.body wants."
After making fun of herself, Shiori added confidently, "However, that only applies during times of normalcy. I believe that I possess irreplaceable talents needed by the current Tōkaidō."
"This I do not dispute... Father, what are your thoughts?"
"Recruiting someone of such exalted status, it is precisely as Her Highness described, a load of "nuisance" beyond a doubt." Akigase Shouzan shrugged with a wry expression. "Unfo