Chapter 24: Resident of Heaven When
Did it end up like this?
Point Allocation (In Your Head)
Amid the silence and the heated wind, Hexagone Française’s forces got down on one knee to honor their king.
Meanwhile, everyone on the Musashi tried to give their own reactions.
This was a difficult situation to react to.
Mitotsudaira was covered in an unpleasant sweat and turned to Asama, Asama returned the eye contact with a look that pleaded “Not yet! Not yet!”, Oriotorai focused on eating her soba on Murayama, Suzu tilted her head inside Musashino’s bridge, and a sign frame appeared in front of everyone. In that sign frame, Neshinbara lowered down, counted to three, and raised his hands to time everyone’s unanimous opinion.
“He’s a copycat!!!”
“Heh.”
Exiv gave a charming look as his hair blew in the wind.
“Who could be even remotely similar to someone as perfect and befitting of the t.i.tle Roi-Soleil as me?”
“Well…”
Up in front, Adele’s mobile sh.e.l.l turned back and everyone else followed suit.
Something stood directly behind Adele, but it was different from normal. The group split apart in surprise to move away from it and spoke with a tremor in their voices.
“Wh-when did he get here? And he’s wearing clothes!”
A fully dressed Musashi Chancellor Aoi Toori stood there.
Toori scratched his head, but puffed out his cheeks when he saw how everyone was reacting.
He then turned toward Exiv and raised a hand.
“Hey, could you wait a bit? I need to discuss something with my fellow students here. It’ll just take a minute.”
“I see. Well, a king does need patience. I will wait one minute.”
“He’s really doing it?” muttered everyone else, but Toori quickly turned toward them all.
“Okay, time for our discussion! Our topic is as follows: ‘Why are you all avoiding me like the plague!? Tell me why!’ Well!?”
They all exchanged a glance and they answered with Adele going first.
“Because you tend to cause problems.”
“You always show up where you’re least wanted.”
“To put it kindly, you’re in the way.”
“D-dammit! They gave serious answers! What a thrill!”
While the idiot shouted, Tenzou patted his shoulder.
The idiot’s eyebrows rose.
“Oh!? What is it, happy newlywed ninja!? Are you going to treat me like the plague too!?”
“No, but Toori-dono. When we had to soak in the sterilization pool before our elementary school swimming cla.s.s, you ruined it for everyone by raising your hand and announcing you had peed in it.”
Vice President: “There certainly are a lot of unwanted memories about him, aren’t there?”
“Oh, c’mon. None of you get it! That was a way of challenging authority!”
He added “Right?” while elbowing Adele’s mobile sh.e.l.l.
She immediately brushed off his elbow, but he put it back.
“C’mon, Adele. I’m not a good speaker, so you tell them for me. Tell them all the good things about me! There’s plenty of those, right!?”
“Um, where exactly? I’d like to hear about them myself.”
“What!? You can’t tell!? For example, my waist actually fit when I wore Asama’s suit back in England! It was a little tight, though!!”
“Tomo! Tomo! A shrine maiden mustn’t shoot people! Calm down!”
“Umm,” said Adele’s mobile sh.e.l.l while using its large hand to tap Toori’s shoulder.
“Eh!? What is it, Adele? You want me to look forward!?”
He did so and found a naked man surrounded by shimmering heat.
“Heh.” Exiv brushed a hand through his hair and pointed at Adele. “It has been one minute. I a.s.sume you have completed your fulfilling conversation.”
He shifted his pointing finger from her and to the idiot.
“Now, I take it you are the one who has gained the support of his people by copying me.”
“He doesn’t have our support! He really doesn’t!!”
Evix remained unfazed even when faced with a protest from Musashi’s entire population.
On the other hand, Toori’s shoulders drooped. He then crossed his arms, turned toward the others, frowned, and whispered to them.
“Hey, what is with that guy? Why is he naked? It’s kind of creepy.”
“Recheck your memories!! And look in a mirror in the past!!”
He danced out of the way of their retort and faced Exiv again. He stood tall and gave Exiv a completely blank expression.
“This is my Horizon impression.”
He then glared at the man.
“I have determined you will catch a cold.”
“Ah! H-Horizon!? Wait until later to pull out Lype Katathlipse! Later! And Tomo! Why are you looking away and why are your shoulders shaking!?”
Exiv calmly nodded at Toori’s impression.
“Thank you.”
The Musashi group gasped, turned around, and mouthed a comment.
“Is he an idiot?”
Worshipper: “Has there ever been a report saying your brain withers away if you go around naked for too long?”
Gold Mar: “I’m having a hard time reacting after so many surprises in a row.”
Asama: “Still, I’m glad Toori-kun has made a friend. Very glad. Now, try to get along with your first…no, with history’s first civilized nudist.”
“Hey, I think Asama’s getting desperate. Is she okay?”
“Heh. Have your people begun criticizing you now that they see you can never compare to me?”
“What?”
Toori turned toward Exiv and found the man pointing at him.
Exiv shook his head once to whip his hair around.
“Listen, Musashi Chancellor. This shtick belongs to me.”
“Y-you just admitted it’s a shtick! You did! No fair! Are you trying to hog it to yourself!?”
Novice: “Come to think of it, Louis XIV loved plays and even acted in them.”
10ZO: “Th-this is clearly not a part of history that needed to be recreated!!”
But as everyone else grew worried, Toori crossed his arms again and looked to Exiv.
He frowned but still glared up at the distant man.
“In other words, you want to have a nudity battle with me?”
“Heh. Please make no mistake,” said Exiv. “Listen. I would win. …No, it goes beyond that. I am the concept of nudity itself. Are you so deluded that you believe a normal person can oppose an absolute truth?”
“Hey, everyone. Did you hear this guy? He’s a complete nut-job.”
“Umm…”
While the others hesitated to respond, Exiv lightly waved a hand.
“Heh. I do not mind if the ordinary person does not understand. …Listen, Musashi Chancellor. I saw your nudity on the divine television once, but it was not even worth seeing.”
“Huh? When was my nudity sent out to viewers around the world?”
“Heh. Our PR committee recorded Tres España’s attack before you arrived in England.”
“Oh.” Toori gave a nod of understanding. “You mean when that long-eared female teacher of a vice president grabbed my d.i.c.k.”
Juana had been eating at the food stand while looking away from the divine TV, but the Musashi Chancellor’s sudden comment made her spit out the food.
“J-Juana!” cried Segundo next to her. “Are you okay!?”
“I-I am fine! Do not worry about me! But…um…”
She realized everyone was looking her way, so she quickly switched off the divine TV.
“This is banned! Louis XIV is banned! Walking around naked is simply i-indecent!! And the Musashi Chancellor is banned even if he is wearing clothes! We need to obey the history recreation and create an Index Librorum Prohibitorum!”
“Anyway.” Toori pointed at Exiv. “Y’know what? I have a lot more material than just being naked.”
“Oh?” Exiv tilted his head. “You were the one to ask for a battle, but you’re already admitting defeat and running away?”
Asama: “U-unlike Toori-kun, he’s actually being logical while he’s naked!!”
Marube-ya: “Is that supposed to be a good thing?”
Asama: “Um….”
“Heh.” Exiv struck a pose with a hand on his forehead. “Just to be clear, only I am allowed to be naked. After all, I am the Roi-Soleil.”
Wise Sister: Didn’t some silly person just say something about that man being logical?”
Asama: “B-before! He was before!!”
Mal-Ga: “That almost made some logical sense to me. I might be a lost cause.”
“Oh, c’mon,” said Toori with a quick laugh. “And who gave you permission to be naked? Well?”
“Heh. Does truth itself need anyone’s permission?”
“What?” Toori frowned. “You’re a person just like anyone else, aren’t you!? When did you become a G.o.d!?”
“Heh. From the moment I was born, mere human. After all…I was born naked.”
Flat Va.s.sal: “What are we supposed to do about this?”
Silver Wolf: “Shh. Don’t encourage them. It’s dangerous!”
Novice: “Y’know, there’s actually a similar conversation in the novel I’m writing. The situation is completely different, though.”
“But,” said Toori as he shook his head and even sighed toward Exiv. “You’re stupid. You really are. Since you don’t seem to get it, let me explain. Listen carefully now. The truth is…I too was born naked. And that means I too was chosen by G.o.d.”
“Chosen by G.o.d?”
“Yeah.” Toori spoke quietly in the blowing wind. “And that means…we are the same.”
Exiv paused for a short moment.
When he turned back to Toori, he laughed and nodded.
“You really are stupid.”
“H-he said! He just said it!”
Despite everyone’s shouts, Exiv crossed his arms, stood in an S-stance, and took a breath.
“Sorry, but I alone am destined to be naked. When Hexagone Française suggested I inherit the name of Louis XIV, the Papa-Schola said the Sun King had to be someone with sunlight overflowing from his entire body.”
Hearing that, everyone gave a unified shout.
“So it’s his fault!!!”
“Former boy, we are receiving a flood of divine posta from Musashi.”
“Ah? I can guess more or less what they say, so ignore them. Those people will have forgotten all about it by tomorrow.”
“Listen,” said Exiv yet again.
He looked to Toori and shrugged.
“You are not cut out for nudity. For one thing, what is that thing you call a G.o.d Mosaic?”
“What? Don’t look down on Shinto, you Western nudist! Asama put a lot of work into creating that secret technique!”
Asama: “I-I didn’t! I really didn’t! It’s a standard spell! Um, Horizon, please stop removing the wall for your act!”
“Heh,” laughed Exiv with a smile on the corner of his mouth. “It is an Amaterasu-style optical camouflage spell, right? I will admit it has a long history as a Shinto spell, but it is simply too old-fashioned, Far Easterner. …Listen. The age of mosaics is behind us. I am using a higher resolution spell. Yes…this is the G.o.d Fresco.”
Masazumi stood on Musashino’s deck while feeling truly glad she had not gone out there herself. She then spoke to Neshinbara, Kimi, and Yoshinao.
“Isn’t raising the resolution a bad idea? Wouldn’t that be a crime?”
“Hexagone Française is currently ruled by an absolute monarchy.”
“What a pain,” she muttered just before seeing sudden movement on the battlefield.
Someone rushed toward Louis Exiv through the kneeling people behind him. The person wore a female Hexagone Française uniform in a way that clearly did not follow the school rules.
“Is that…?”
Exiv brushed up his bangs in the gentle breeze.
“Heh. Musashi Chancellor, I am sorry, but you are no match for me. After all-…”
Before he could say anything more, an attack reached him.
A girl had rushed up behind him and immediately swung her long hair.
“Get on with the battle, you moron!!”
She sent a straight kick into the side of his back.
With the sound of flesh being struck, Exiv rotated halfway around and slammed into the ground.
“What?”
While everyone from Musashi tilted their heads, the girl casually approached Exiv and looked down on him as he partially got back up.
When he saw her, Exiv frantically got up, looked up at the girl glaring at him with her mouth spread horizontally, and gave a full smile.
“Terumoto! Could it be that you were so worried for me that you had to rush out here!”
“Don’t start it as a question and end it as a statement. …There’s something wrong with your head. You’ve been wasting the world’s precious oxygen by wriggling around and making a pointless speech.”
“Heh. Terumoto, I just can’t help but go a little crazy in front of you. Now…”
He was still collapsed on the ground, but he took Terumoto’s hand, stood up on his own, helped Terumoto back up, and turned to the Musashi group.
“Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Mouri Terumoto.”
On Musashino’s deck, Masazumi observed the enemy through the telescopic sign frame Tsukinowa had opened.
…So that’s Mouri Terumoto.
Next to her, Neshinbara sighed.
“The decisive battle between Hashiba and Matsudaira is the battle of Sekigahara which leads to the attack on Osaka Castle. We will fight for the Eastern Army and the young Mouri Terumoto will command the Western Army. In other words, she is our future enemy.”
As if in response, Kimi sharply narrowed her eyes and bent her body forward to stare directly at Terumoto in the distance.
“So that girl is like the final boss for my foolish brother and Horizon?”
“That’s hard to say since the history recreation depends on interpretation. Hexagone Française opposes M.H.R.R., but Hashiba has joined M.H.R.R. and the Mouri clan is under Hashiba’s control according to the history recreation.”
“But,” said Yoshinao who sat to Neshinbara’s right. He brought a hand to his mouth as if hesitant to speak. “That Terumoto girl loses the Battle of Sekigahara, doesn’t she?”
“Judge,” confirmed Neshinbara.
Masazumi nodded and thought about Terumoto.
…That means she’s being led around by a cruel fate.
She kept that thought in her heart but decided not to sympathize with their enemy.
“Following the Battle of Sekigahara are the winter and summer campaigns on Osaka Castle,” she said. “The ultimate winner is the Matsudaira clan. The Testament Union gave Horizon Ariadust the name of Matsudaira’s heir at Mikawa, so she will be the victor.”
She had been given the name for her execution, but she would become the winner of history now that she had escaped Mikawa with her life intact.
“It’s ironic that their method of execution has made her the ruler of the Far East.”
She then had another thought.
…Does this mean our destination has appeared before us?
The destination of history and the opponent of their greatest battle stood before them.
Mouri Terumoto.
She was the ruler of the Mouri clan which was the western Far East’s greatest power, but she was destined to command a losing army. So why did she have such a strong connection with the chancellor of Hexagone Française, the ruler of Europe?
The man standing with her gave the answer.
Exiv supported her as if pushing on her back as he spoke.
“Terumoto is a wonderful woman.”
“What!?”
In everyone’s sign frames, Terumoto turned toward Exiv with a truly bothered frown.
“That’s just creepy. What are you talking about, idiot?”
Her comment sounded like a complaint or jeer, but Exiv reacted by kneeling in front of everyone and bringing his cheek to the back of her hand.
“Listen, Terumoto. You are a wonderful woman. After all, you never do what I want. That is why- ow ow ow ow ow ow!”
Terumoto reversed her hand and pinched at his cheek. Her face was tinged with red and she sounded annoyed.
“Don’t say that kind of thing in front of people. And besides, Exiv.”
“What is it, Terumoto? Is there something you want me to do? Just ask!”
He looked up at her while still kneeled and with her still tugging on his cheek.
She, however, continued glaring at him as she answered.
“Put on some clothes. That’s just common sense.”
The entire Musashi group lowered their heads and muttered to themselves.
Everyone on the Musashi exchanged a glance.
“Y’know… Getting mad like that is the normal reaction, isn’t it?”
“Our vice president has gotten lax lately, hasn’t she?”
“Is our only hope Vicereine Horizon the crotch-puncher?”
An unpleasant sweat covered Mitotsudaira as she listened to everyone’s reactions and she turned to Horizon who had arrived from the outer edge of the ship. The automaton pulled a cushion from somewhere and began drinking tea.
“Who would have thought I would gain such popularity for nothing more than punching Toori-sama’s p.e.n.i.s. This is quite a dilemma. I must continue p.e.n.i.s punching if I wish for more popularity, but I will lose my popularity if that causes him to put on his clothes. …I will continue punching regardless, of course.”
…Wh-what am I supposed to say to that!?
Suddenly, Horizon turned toward Mitotsudaira and their eyes met.
Mitotsudaira thought during their mutual silence.
…I-I really don’t know how to adlib!
Wondering what to do, she frantically searched for help.
“Umm, Tomo! Tomo!? Why are you turning away from me!? You too, Naomasa!”
Horizon pulled out a charcoal grill and began cooking meat, but that was likely meant to tempt Mitotsudaira over.
…Ah, but this smell. That’s Hida beef!
“Nn.”
Her nose twitched and she detected an odd smell.
…Hm? This smell…
It was the smell of cooking meat, but it came from a different direction.
Is that from the southern woods? wondered Mitotsudaira with a mental tilt of the head.
She could not be sure because the wind had weakened, but the smell of b.l.o.o.d.y meat being cooked was coming from somewhere.
She initially looked across the battlefield, thinking it could have happened there.
…That isn’t it.
There was no fire on the battlefield. All she could see was the faint shimmering heat surrounding Louis Exiv.
As she wondered what it was, Mouri Terumoto opened her mouth on the other side of the battlefield. She also used her chin to indicate the Musashi Chancellor on the front line.
“Look, Exiv. Even that idiot is wearing clothes.”
Mitotsudaira and everyone else looked to the right. Neshinbara had already opened new sign frames for them all and had begun his timing gestures.
“That’s just a fluke! A complete fluke!!”
After speaking in unison with the others, Adele spoke to the idiot next to her.
“I-isn’t that right, chancellor? This was just a stroke of good luck for us, wasn’t it? Wasn’t it!?”
“What!? Adele, if you keep calling this a fluke or good luck, I’ll strip right here! I’ll show you a real fluke! I’ll strip and show you a real fluke! Wait, that sounds kind of dirty, doesn’t it!? Right, Adele?”
“P-please stop talking to me! Just leave me alone!!”
Adele saw Terumoto look at her and sigh. Terumoto then lowered her shoulders and turned to the idiot.
“Sounds like you guys have it rough too. It must be the same everywhere.”
“Do not even think about calling them the same, Terumoto!”
Still kneeling, Exiv brought a pleading hand to his chest.
“Listen! That boy with the filthy mosaic is a fake nudist who wears clothes! I am the real deal! And please listen, Terumoto. My nudity is needed for the history recreation, so putting on clothes would give the other nations a reason to attack! Besides, have I ever worn clothes in your presence even once!?”
“Oh, sorry. I heard everything up to the opening ‘ “ ’, but then I stopped listening.”
“Heh. It delights me to know you heard even that much!”
“Umm…” began Adele while afraid she was being rude. “I’m not sure if this is the best way to put it, but why is…uh…Chancellor Exiv, future ruler of Europe, with…well…the future loser of…”
“Oh, that.”
Terumoto waved a hand and nodded.
She might actually be a good person, thought Adele while Terumoto sighed and spoke.
“Don’t worry about my feelings. Mouri Terumoto is set to become the leader of a losing army. The name was seen as an incompetent figurehead and the symbol of Mouri’s decline, so no one wanted to inherit it. So, well…”
So…
“I thought I’d take on that burden. …That’s all I can do. I’m just meddling, so it’s not like I’ll actually lose anything.”
“But Terumoto.”
Exiv rose, stood next to her, and supported her back with a hand.
“That is exactly why I need you.”
He turned toward Adele…no, he looked across everything in that direction.
“Heh. Fine then. Before the fight, I will make an announcement as Louis Exiv, the ruler of Europe who is currently faultless.”
…Eh?
This sudden announcement brought Adele and everyone around her to a halt.
“Starting now, Hexagone Française will adhere to the history recreation in accordance with interpretations and the trends of the times.”
…What?
Masazumi understood what Exiv had said but could not accept it.
It was true that the history recreation could change at a moment’s notice according to certain interpretations or the trends of the times, but what did it mean for him to explicitly state that here?
…It can’t be…
Words escaped her throat while her pulse raced.
“It’s possible they’re going to ignore as much of the history recreation as they can in the name of interpretations!”
Exiv’s words hinted at two possibilities.
“Yes. As the Roi-Soleil, I will illuminate two paths for those who bask in my glory.”
One was…
“It is possible we will protect the Mouri clan and Hexagone Française from Hashiba’s forces. And the other…”
Once he said that, Masazumi noticed something.
It only lasted a split-second, but Terumoto turned toward Exiv with the ends of her eyebrows lowered. It was a worried look that seemed to be telling him to stop.
But Exiv gave a quick laugh before continuing.
“It is possible I will make Terumoto the victor.”
“This world is filled with delinquents, isn’t it!? Hm!?”
“Are you sure you don’t mean it is filled with your kind of person, former boy?”
Innocentius did not bother responding to Galileo’s comment. He instead looked to the cornice firma.
“Splendid! Now, that is the conceit of a ruler. Isn’t that exactly the choice you’d expect of the nation sent the Logismoi Oplo of Kenodoxia and Hyperephania? Hm!?”
But…
“If they will allow interpretations in the Testament descriptions and history recreation, the Testament Union has nothing to complain about! If they will help curb the growth of P.A. Oda and Hashiba, the Testament Union will borrow their authority as ruler!! And…”
And…
“If their interpretations allow them to crush Matsudaira and turn the provisional rule over the Far East into absolute rule, that too is the guidance of the Testament!!”
“Listen,” said Exiv. “The method is simple. I, Terumoto, the Western Army, Hexagone Française, and the Mouri clan will crush and rule over Musashi, the Far East, the Eastern Army, Matsudaira, and Ariadust.”
And on top of that…
“As long as I take the surname of Matsudaira as a second inherited name, history will continue on its proper course.”
Now they’ve done it, thought Neshinbara.
They had used this short-term battle on the small land of IZUMO.
…He just announced Hexagone Française’s perfection, didn’t he?
He was saying the Testament Union nations no longer had to rely on Musashi to oppose P.A. Oda. He was saying the Tsirhc nations already fighting on the front lines could overcome their battles with P.A. Oda with this new ruler of Europe.
“Musashi Chancellor, do you remember what you said in Mikawa?” asked Louis Exiv. “Let’s see who’s strongest.”
“That’s right,” said Exiv. “The Thirty Years’ War and the Sengoku Period are filled with new rulers, overthrown rulers, alliances, betrayals, rises, falls, life, death, prosperity, ruin, victory, and loss, but there is one thing we can say about all that.”
That being…
“The ruler is the protagonist of history and all others are no more than his foils.”
So…
“History will be created by the two of us: the Roi-Soleil and the moon queen who uses the foundation of my radiance to always insist I accept the opposite of myself. …Therefore, I suggest you find a place for yourselves in the history we will create, Far Easterners. If you are the land of the rising sun, then you can live while looking up at that sun.”
He looked to the Musashi Chancellor who stood in front of him.
“Now, how about you surrender and leave the rest to us?”
Exiv thought to himself.
…There is no way he will accept this offer.
Nevertheless, it was worth asking. This was a possible future, so they would constantly be asking each other the same thing from now on.
And so he held out an open hand.
“How about it?”
As soon as he asked, the Musashi Chancellor played scissors.
Everyone froze when they saw the two outstretched fingers held toward the open palm. They also fell silent.
But the idiot took a victory pose toward the Musashi. He even had a tear-filled smile on his face.
“I wooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnn! Hexagone Française is mine!”
“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”
The first to react was Henri of the Three Musketeers.
“Objection! Objection!” she shouted while stepping forward. “He clearly played after the fact! Didn’t he, princess!?”
“Eh? Oh, I suppose.”
“Hm? Princess! Princess!? Why do you seem so unconcerned!? This is a national emergency!”
“I’m not sure we have to take this seriously.”
“That is correct,” agreed Exiv. “He would need to make such a proposal during an official confrontation. …And I am willing to accept such an offer.”
“Waaaaah!!”
Everyone shouted to stop him, but Exiv only laughed.
“Heh. I am the Roi-Soleil. I would never lose at something as simple as rock-paper-scissors.”
“Is that so?” Terumoto glared up at him. “What were you planning to play?”
“I am the sun, so I always play the spreading paper, Terumoto.”
“Don’t play rock-paper-scissors if you’re always going to play the same thing!!”
Terumoto looked over at the idiot.
“Hey, that didn’t count because it didn’t follow the rules.”
“What!?”
The idiot turned and pointed at her with his eyebrows raised.
“What do you mean!? That’s not playing fair!”
“Go look in a mirror!!”
He pouted his lips toward the countless shouts behind him but soon turned back toward Terumoto and Exiv while taking a breath.
“Hey.”
Before continuing, he brushed a hand through his hair in the wind.
“How about we pretend that whole Mikawa thing never happened?”
Everyone in the main hall of England’s Oxford stopped moving.
Elizabeth, Dudley, Howard who held a bag of sweet breads, Cecil who was sucking out the contents of a cornet, and everyone else were completely motionless.
But after emptying the contents of the cornet, Cecil held it up and looked at everyone through the hole.
“Very interesting.”
Past experience allowed those in K.P.A. Italia to recover more quickly. After a sip of water, Innocentius set the water bottle on the side table.
Unsure what to do, he stood up and began pacing around his chair while groaning.
“If you are angry, you can always shout, former boy.”
The motionlessness reached the Musashi as well.
However, Neshinbara contacted everyone within the blowing wind. After synchronizing with Ohiroshiki, Persona-kun, and all the others, he raised his hands on the count of three.
“Ehhhhhh!!?”
Everyone on the Musashi and everyone deployed in front of it shouted in unison.
“Waaaah! You idiot! You idiot! What do you think you’re saying, you idiot!?”
Masazumi scolded him through a sign frame that suddenly appeared, but Toori tilted his head.
“Oh, c’mon. Look, everyone. This girl is getting mad at me without even saying why. …And Seijun. Why do you keep calling me an idiot?”
“But. You… y-y-y-y-you… Aoi, wh-what are you saying!?”
“I’m more confused about what you’re saying. Besides, think about it logically for a second. This naked guy is using what I said in Mikawa for all sorts of things, so I’ve decided I must have said something I shouldn’t have. I’m trying to stay positive by admitting my mistake and retracting what I said. Yeah, um, like that! Like that!”
“The representative of a nation can’t overturn his international statements at the drop of a hat!!”
“Yeah, but I’m only human. Of course I’m gonna make mistakes. I’ve got humanity to spare. I’m the Renaissance. So shouldn’t I correct that by adding in a little Baroque? Also…”
Still facing Masazumi’s sign frame, he pretended to cry and pointed at Exiv.
“Th-that naked guy’s acting like I’m trying to take over the world. Sob.”
“You said you were! And don’t pretend to sob! It’s creepy! From the world’s perspective, you’re undoubtedly the bad guy calling for world domination!!”
“I hate people who a.s.sume things about people!”
He nodded and pointed at Masazumi in the sign frame.
“You oppressive girl!”
“You’re quick to make a.s.sumptions yourself! And…hey, idiot. Turn me toward Hexagone Française for a moment.”
“Sure, sure.”
Toori turned the sign frame displaying her face.
“Um…”
While she began speaking, Toori circled behind the sign frame, grabbed the edges, and lifted it up so her face aligned with his own.
“I am terribly sorry, Hexagone Française Chancellor and Student Council President.”
With his head hidden by the sign frame, Toori began dancing like the thousand-armed G.o.ddess of mercy and striking s.e.xy or bust-enhancing poses. All the while, Masazumi spoke from where his face should have been.
“The thing is, our chancellor and student council president ate something funny last night and isn’t able to think straight. He has been making odd statements since morning and…”
Just as Toori made a moaning pose, Masazumi stopped talking and glared at Tsukinowa on her shoulder.
“Do it.”
“Maa.”
The sign frame suddenly exploded. The idiot rolled once across the ground but quickly stood back up with a sooty face and curly hair. He immediately charged toward a newly-opened sign frame.
“S-Seijun! What do you think you’re doing!?”
“Oh, I see a performer G.o.d explosion wasn’t enough. Should I take it to the next level?”
The idiot dodged the issue with a quick dance and used a hairdressing comb charm to fix his hair.
“Anyway,” he said while tapping on the sign frame. “I guess I went and admitted I was wrong for nothing. Okay, Seijun, let them have it.”
“Judge,” she said with a nod.
Toori stroked his hands along her virtual body line extending below the sign frame, so she prepared her next spell.
“We will recognize Hexagone Française’s previous declaration as the words of one of the world’s nations. Also, Musashi has something to say to Hexagone Française and the Mouri clan.”
She pointed at them as she spoke.
“Are you listening?”
She took a breath before continuing.
“Musashi will not hesitate to use our right to wage war with any nation possessing a Logismoi Oplo. It was that resolve that carried us through England.”
So…
“It would be best if you treated us as an equal nation, future ruler of Europe.”
I see, thought Exiv.
…Musashi is exactly the sort of nation I thought it was.
That was not a bad thing. After all…
“Heh. So you desire the same path as us, landless wandering nation.”
But…
“That will require an absurd amount of effort.”
It had for his nation. Ma.s.sive amounts of personnel, money, and time had been invested in obtaining his inherited name and expanding the nations’ power. On a more personal level, his life had been targeted more than a few times.
If mankind wanted to limit that kind of effort to just the one instance, he felt it was best for Hexagone Française to bear that duty.
“Your actions will accomplish nothing but doubling the effort, Far Easterners.”
He raised his right hand to stop them.
He was giving the signal for an attack.
And in accordance with that raised hand…
There was wind, there was movement, and there was noise.
The people, automatons, non-humans, and G.o.ds of war kneeling around him all stood.
The wind blew and that movement brought a chill to the air. Everyone remained silent, but…
“Wait!”
A sudden voice came from the northeast.
Those in the east and those in the west continued facing their enemy while turning just their gazes toward the voice and the person who stood there.
A boy stood on the side road cutting through the windbreak forest that separated northern and southern IZUMO.
The wind blew his clothes which bore the emblem of P.A. Oda and the school emblem of P.A.M.
“Hey.”
He wore a coat and had bandages wrapped around his upper body, but that did little to hide his brown skin.
He wore P.A. Oda pants that had been dyed darker than normal and his legs were spread wider than his shoulders. The pants had the number 4 st.i.tched in white.
His black hair blew in the wind and he looked across everything through his black sungla.s.ses.
“Listen, all of you.”
He opened his mouth and spoke with the corners of his lips slightly raised.
“Try not to get so carried away. You have some guts to just ignore me and P.A. Oda.”
His words and appearance brought everyone to a stop, but the Musashi Chancellor looked around and made a show of spotting Mouri Terumoto in the crowd.
“Hey, is he a friend of yours? You act and dress kinda the same.”
“No, I don’t know him. I do know of him, though.”
“Who is he?”
“Testament.” Terumoto used her chin to point at the P.A. Oda boy. “I think he’s one of the two who make up #4 of P.A. Oda’s Six Heavenly Demon Army. His name is Sa.s.sa Narimasa.”
“Yeah.”
Narimasa’s hair was tied back and he brushed it back with a comb he pulled from his vest coat. He then took one, two, and three long strides to enter the battlefield.
His casual actions led the northern parts of Hexagone Française and Musashi’s formations to go on the defensive.
However, he just continued walking.
“Don’t worry. I’m here on my own. I was on my way for some fun at Hashiba’s place, so Toshi’s not with me either.”
He stopped walking about thirty meters from both sides and he stayed there.
Everyone turned diagonally to face both their original enemy and this new opponent.
But despite the two armies facing him, Narimasa kept his expression intact and stuck his hands in his pockets.
The wind blew.
This was the heated wind of the Roi-Soleil and Exiv spoke along with that movement of the air.
“Heh. How cra.s.s. I do not recall calling for the likes of you.”
“Musashi Chancellor.”
Narimasa ignored Exiv and called for Toori with the black eyes of his sungla.s.ses looking directly at the boy.
“I have business with you.”
Hearing that, Toori followed Narimasa’s gaze. He looked down at his own chest before turning around and reaching Adele’s mobile sh.e.l.l.
“Hey, Adele, he says he’s got business with you. Looks like the time has finally come. He’s confessing.”
“Eh? Wh-why are you talking to me!? I was trying to escape reality by reading some manga, so please don’t drag me into some bizarre reality!”
“Judge.” Toori nodded and turned a serious look in Narimasa’s direction. “If you want to raise her affection, give her manga as a present. Remember that, okay?”
“I hear you gave quite a welcome to Toshi.”
Toori froze when he heard that. After a moment, he held out his right palm to tell Narimasa to wait and he opened a sign frame.
“Wait just a moment. I seriously need to ask the others about this. So wait just a little bit.”
Me: “Hey, hey. What am I supposed to do? This sungla.s.ses guy is the type who ignores anything you say to him. What do you think I should do?”
Asama: “Well, I have a good solution for that. Try thinking about what someone should do if they’re dealing with you. Yes, that should work perfectly.”
Me: “Eh? So I should raise his affection by giving him a p.o.r.n game as a present?”
Uqui: “You fool. A p.o.r.n game will lead to catastrophe if you choose the wrong genre.”
Me: “Oh, you’re right. I’ve been playing too many games without choices lately, so I think it dulled my instincts. …But I don’t think I have enough information to play that sungla.s.ses guy’s route.”
Worshipper: “Yeah, all you have is that comment about us ‘giving quite a welcome to Toshi’. It’s going to take some gambling to choose right here. And there aren’t even any walkthroughs on the divine network.”
Wise Sister: “Maybe there’s a character introduction page on the P.A. Oda or P.A.M. sites.”
Silver Wolf: “Um… Ehh? Wh-wh-what are all of you talking about? Is this what happens when you play too many p.o.r.n games?”
After a while, Toori raised a hand toward the sign frame and gave his thanks.
He then turned to Narimasa and pulled a box from below his uniform.
He held it up in both hands with a giant grin on his face.
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it!? This is the magistrate game based on international shudo rules! It’s called Toshi and Matsu! On the second playthrough, there’s even a scenario with you as the lead. The published reviews gave it the super high score of pine, pine, pine, and plum, so…”
He gave a thumbs up.
“I highly recommend it!!”
Narimasa pulled his right fist from his pocket, raised it, and ran full speed toward Toori.
As soon as Narimasa began to move, Neshinbara gave an order to everyone. It was short enough to shout aloud and it was quite straightforward.
“Come on home, everyone!!”
“Does your pathetic nerd pride keep you from telling them to run away?”
“What does it matter!? And we only have five minutes left, so we can endure the rest closed up inside here!!”
And so he yelled one last word.
“Hurry!!”
Everything began to move.
First, the front lines of the Musashi forces turned around and began to run while activating defensive charms on their backs.
Next, Hexagone Française pursued and the warriors with decent initial velocity shot ahead of the heavy G.o.d of war unit.
“Wait, Musashi!”
As soon as they began to run with their acceleration spells, Musashi’s fleeing front line split apart. One of every two running students had moved behind the other.
This opened several one-man paths and Musashi Ariadust Academy’s track team appeared inside them.
“You’re ours!!”
They used all their strength to spin around and throw a spear shortened for throwing. The spears had blades embedded in the tip and tail feathers, so they acted as a counterattack against the pursuing Hexagone Française warriors.
As they threw, the athletes took a light step to send their bodies slightly into the air. This allowed the students pa.s.sing by on either side to hook their arms around the athletes’ arms to carry them.
“Hurry!!”
They rushed onward while still carrying them.
However, the Hexagone Française warriors had not been slowed.
The silver G.o.d of war named Palais-Cardinal standing behind those warriors raised its right arm.
Louis Exiv struck a pose atop the giant silver hand while facing forward.
“Heh.”
As soon as he laughed and nodded, Palais-Cardinal took a certain action concerning Musashi’s flying spears and fleeing students.
It threw Louis Exiv.
The nude ruler flew in a collision course with his fleeing enemies and the weapons they had thrown.
He drew a direct line that was clearly going to hit them.
However, shimmering heat enveloped him in midair and he brushed up his bangs.
“How about I show you the fate you have brought yourselves?”
He flew over the leading Hexagone Française warriors, flipped around in midair, and snapped his fingers.
A light sound and a hot wind travelled through the sky and something appeared behind Exiv. It was a pair of devices that resembled a disk.
“Testamenta Arma ‘Corpus Prudentia – Vetus’. Its effect is simple. It gives destructive power to light in accordance to the intensity of that light. This Testamenta Arma is meant to sweep away the darkness,” he explained. “With my Testamenta Arma, even the smallest light can protect the people from the darkness of the night. Of course, that light is powerless during the day, but…”
Corpus Prudentia emitted light. The light formed feathers and constructed wings with a total of twelve on the right or left.
“If that small light is given my constant divine protection of sunlight, it gains the power to shine even during the day.”
The light formed pressure around Louis Exiv.
It pushed on the air and the wind blew about. Its range extended past ten, twenty, and even thirty meters. It quickly spread beyond fifty meters, devoured the flying spears from above, crushed them, and scattered them.
“The Roi-Soleil has arrived!!”
As he spread his arms and cried out, the color black suddenly raced through the sky.
Darkness swallowed up the small sun descending on daytime IZUMO.
With a creaking sound, the color black rose from Tama’s outer edge, left claw-mark paths behind, and swept over the sun.
“Lype Katathlipse. I have reached sixty percent output with standard usage.”
The cannon sounded like a crying voice as it devoured the sun.
However, a sudden change came over it.
The darkness split open.
Horizon wrinkled her brow in confusion as the tearing strike scattered roughly through the air like a deflected whip.
Lype Katathlipse’s power vanished while leaving claw-mark paths in the sky.
It faded away and revealed the sun which was still descending toward the fleeing students. Exiv remained in the center of the light, but…
“He’s unhurt!”
Mitotsudaira and the others worriedly saw Exiv holding something in his previously spread arms.
It was a two-handed club.
The striking weapon looked like the colors white and black had been stretched, twisted, torn apart, and gathered back together. Everyone from Musashi had seen weapons with a similar texture.
“That looks a lot like Lype Katathlipse and Aspida Phylargia.”
They gulped before raising their voices as one.
“It’s a Logismoi Oplo!?”
“Indeed,” said Exiv within the falling light. “Both Hexagone Française and Tres España were sent two Logismoi Oplo. Both of those pairs are counted as one of the seven deadly sins, but they were originally split apart making eight…no, nine deadly sins. Of course, as they were split, they are weak for a Logismoi Oplo. Mine makes its user’s power invincible so long as he maintains his pride. While the word invincible sounds impressive, it is limited to an individual, so it is difficult to turn the tide of a battle with.”
But…
“This is Phos Hyperephania. When combined with my power as the Roi-Soleil and my Testamenta Arma, no Logismoi Oplo could be more wonderful.”
He smiled and the light grew. The flying spears were no longer simply deflected. They were crushed, scattered, and finally turned to shimmering heat. Loud wind, heat, steam, and shimmering whirled around the light as it arrived above a few dozen of the Musashi students who had failed to escape in time.
“Look up!”
He descended.
“Raise your eyes!”
He dropped down.
“Worship my future great nation!”
He continued on.
“I am that nation!”
The sun struck the earth.