Volume 3
Chapter 4 Part
1
Eat the
Unrest, and Survive 1
Translator : PolterGlast
―The situation changed a day after Akira was ambushed.
"...... In other
words, we have proof that the Hakudō Province has a lurking force in Karen.
You can't get away
with it, Yuge-dono."
"―Hmm."
A little early in the
afternoon, Banda forced his way over to Kojō and the others, facing them across
a table.
Yuge Kojō crossed his
arms without changing his expression as Banda was eloquent in his words.
―It was hard to tell from the expression on his face,
but Jin's master must be struggling to get a grasp of the situation.
Jin, who was standing
behind Kojō, kept thinking without changing his expression.
He had expected the
mastermind would contact him, but he assumed that the mastermind would send a messenger
to indirectly summon Jin.
―It was a bit foolish of him to come in person first
thing in the morning after just one night.
Jin, who understood
the situation, had decided to not get involved, but he could no longer hide his
irritation at the meaningful glances Banda was casting his way.
He must have had at
least a minimum ability to see through one's face, and he accurately aimed at
Jin.
....... Let's give him
credit for that.
To quiet his
frustrated emotions, Jin focused on distracting thoughts.
"―What do you
want with my disciple?"
"Well. It seems
that your disciple has an idea about this matter.
I would very much like
to hear what he has to say."
Kojō, perhaps noticing
Banda's gaze, turned his attention to Jin in response to the pointed remark.
"Is that so?
Jin."
"―No. I have no
idea."
"What are you
bluffing about?
Yesterday, I was
informed that my men were repelled by you.
I have also confirmed
your face. It would be unreasonable to claim irrelevance now!"
Banda's tone of voice became
agitated in response to Jin's dismissive response.
...... Kojō, perhaps
getting annoyed with Banda's vigor, which was clearly spinning out of control,
threw a question at Jin in a somewhat casual manner.
"―That's what he
said, is that true?"
"Even if you say
so.
...... Ah, right.
Yesterday, I helped a commoner boy escape from a gang of thugs."
"...... I haven't
heard any report though."
"I'm sorry,
Master.
On the contrary, I
only hurt some thugs and I didn't think that their owner would barge in here.
So they were
Banda-sama's henchmen, huh? They were quite the weaklings."
"Damn you
......!!"
In response to Jin's
sneer, Banda almost got up from his seat, but Kojō's piercing stare made him
reluctantly sit back down on the couch.
At this point, Banda
has greatly infringed on the territory of the state council, which has the
right to negotiate with the patrolmen who are in charge of the security of the
city.
Although Banda may
have intended the meeting to be informal, the reality is that he had no plans
and had come to Kojō's doorstep without any plans at all.
Normally, there would
have been no problem if he were to strike back. However, his title as the
general commander of the garrison forced him to hold himself back.
―If he were to go through with it and then lash out at
the envoy from the other province, he would surely have to talk to Kihouin as
well.
Barely able to reason
with that fact, Banda merely glared at Jin.
"I apologize for
my disciple's imprudence.
―So, is that all you have to say on the subject?"
"...... No. Among
the spies Hakudō Province possesses, there must be an old man named Gensei.
We would like you to
hand him over to us."
"First of all,
Hakudō Province does not send spies. Moreover, I can assure you that I don't
know anyone called Gensei."
Although it was
unofficial, there was no way he could declare the fact that he was sending his
spies to other provinces.
Kojō, while making
this part clear, stated the truth.
What he didn't know,
he didn't know. Kojō had no choice but to say so, but Banda, seeking his own
convenience, thought Kojō was trying to hide the truth from him.
"We have been
pursuing Gensei as a spy
"We have been
pursuing Gensei as a spy from another province for some time now.
You will regret it if
you keep it from us."
"Even if you tell
me that, I can only respond that I don't know.
It's quite
unreasonable of you to ask me to hand over something that doesn't even
exist."
"Kuh......!!"
As a result, Banda
stood up from his seat with an angry look on his face, perhaps sensing that
there was no way he could get anything out of the argument.
He left Kojō's
presence with a gait so rough that it lacked courtesy, not to mention a few
abusive words that clouded his view of the situation.
The typhoon had
passed. After the door was closed, Kojō glared at Jin in a room where only
silence remained.
"So what's the
real story here?"
"I had nothing to
do with it. Yesterday, I saw my junior being surrounded by thugs, so I thought
I would lend him a little help.
If it is the old man
that Banda-sama is looking for, I think he has made a mistake.
"Junior? ......
Ah, Akira-kun, huh?
Are you sure that's
irrelevant? Although I don't quite understand what could make one mistake a
child for an old man."
Even with Jin's
explanation, the situation was still not clear at all.
He lost himself in
deep contemplation for a while, but in the first place, he had no information
to connect with the situation.
"―Let's make an
inquiry to Kihoin,-sama.
Although they will
probe our minds, it will be better than dealing with Banda, as long as they can
converse with us rationally."
"Understood, I
will contact the other party and ask them about their schedule.
But, then again, I
also thought about this when I met him the day before yesterday, is that person
really capable of taking on the role of commander-in-chief of the garrison?
Frankly speaking, I
don't think he has the character to head an organization."
Kojō could not hide
his wry smile at Jin's blunt remarks.
He agreed with Jin's
assessment of Banda, but it was a dangerous one that could have been taken as a
criticism toward other provinces.
"There are always
cases where it is more convenient for an organization to have a mediocre person
in charge than an excellent one, no matter where or when.
...... But,
nevertheless, it's certainly odd."
"?"
Kojō stood up, tilting
his head, and, although Banda's fuss took up a lot of his time, the truth was
that Kojō had no time to waste.
He had dinner with the
merchants who connected Shumon Province and Hakudō Province, and he also had to
go to Karen to exchange views with the masters of the Jinroin school.
He wore a haori that
identified him as a guardian belonging to the Hakudō Province.
The crest of the Yuge
family, dyed in white on the back, swayed behind him, followed by Nakiri Jin.
"The most useful
thing for a mediocre person is to sit quietly in his place.
―If they start to make a fuss, that's the end of the
story. It's just that I don't think that Kihouin-sama would sit idly by
either."
――――――――――
Kihoin Shion offered a
couch in her office to the person she summoned.
The old man, with his
dwarf-like frame, sat down on the chair while thanking the person in a
good-natured manner.
"O~o. Thank you,
Shion-sama.
I am ashamed to say
that at my age, I am too old to even stand up.
"Yes. I'm sorry
for summoning you, but I heard that you were visiting Karen, so I thought this
would be a good opportunity to meet you.
It's been ten years
since we last met,
―Venerable Banda."
In response to Shion's
inquiry, Banda Sadakuni, who is in charge of the Banda family, rubbed his
wrinkled mouth in contemplation.
"It seems so.
It has been so long
ago when I attended the meeting for the construction of the highway connecting
the Central Province.
―Well, I was quite hot-blooded back then. All I
remember of those days is my childish and disgraceful behavior."
"Fufu. At that
time, I had just become the head of Kihoin myself and was at an age where I
wanted to stand tall.
Now that I think back
on it, it's rather embarrassing."
"No, no. Tsuguho-sama's
and Shion-sama's sagacity is well-known far and wide in our lands,
―I am convinced that Shumon Province, and by extension,
Kihouin, will be prosperous in the future."
To be honest, Shion
could not help but be at a loss to be described so by Sadakuni, whose position
and appearance have not changed from 10 years ago, but she did not show it and
simply replied with a nod.
The Banda family is a
family that controls a small fiefdom on the border between the Central Province
and the Kabeju Province. On the surface, the Banda family is a family with no
special characteristics other than being old, but in reality, it is the center
of the shadowwork across the Takamagahara.
Because of its long
history, the Banda family has changed its family name and even its origin to
infiltrate every organization in the Shumon Province.
Even the Banda family
itself had no idea of the scale of their infiltration, and Shion was aware that
it would be impossible to practically eliminate them.
Recently, the Banda
family has long since fallen from its former status as an intelligence service
provider to that of a public security agency, but even so, its hidden
organizational power has not diminished in the slightest.
The Banda family is a
family lineage that never comes to the surface, a family of lees that
accumulates in the depths of the water. That is why the Banda family is
troublesome,
―They have many rough edges.
"Now then, we
have an endless story to be told, but let's get down to business, shall we?
You know Banda
Kanosuke, commander-in-chief of the Karen garrison, don't you?"
"Hmm. As you know,
the Banda family has survived by providing a wide range of human resources.
There are a
considerable number of people who bear the name of Banda, so it will take some
time to recall them......"
"I know that you
have something planned behind our backs, Banda.
―I also know that recently, you have thrown some of
your own personal funds into his hands."
In response to Shion's
pursuit, Sadakuni exhaled and rubbed his own chin.
All that the old man's
fingertips felt was his wrinkled, beardless chin.
Although he was not
sure how much information had been passed on to Kihoin Shion, he remembered
that Banda Kanosuke had expressed his desire to run for the state council.
Kihoin's assurance was
that they could not tell a lie. No doubt, Banda would be assured of this.
"You got me.
...... I do remember
that my nephew has that name.
I thought there was no
problem here, but is there?"
"Looks like you
have not received any report yet.
I received a complaint from Yuge Kojō, who is
visiting here as an envoy.
―Somehow he was suspected of having a connection with a
spy."
Shion's smile, which
did not reveal her true intentions, met the old man's probing gaze.
What a fool.
In the old man’s
mouth, he spat a swear word at his nephew, who was not even there.
This is consistent
with the report saying that Banda Kanosuke was convinced that the person he was
pursuing was a spy from Hakudō Province.
He reluctantly
responded with affirmation that there could be no mistake.
"......I heard
that he was certain about the connection between an old man named Gensei and
the Hakudō Province.
This is proof of the
loyalty that the Banda family can show to Kihoin. I gave him a pat on the back
so that he would be able to serve the cause to the best of his ability."
"Seems like your
ears have grown duller, Banda.
―First of all, Gensei is an acquaintance of mine.
And I can assure you
as an objective fact that he has no connection with the Hakudō Province."
"Nonsense.
Multiple reports have confirmed his secret talks with the Hakudō Province.
A fact that he has
committed a crime against Kihouin!"
"If there were
secret talks, it would be easier to maintain silence.
Since Yuge Kojō has
complained to us openly, the possibility of that being the case is low."
"............ Is
that so?"
Kihouin's intention
remained unchanged. Although he did not expect much after receiving the
assurance, Sadakuni decided to give up Gensei's custody.
Even though the old
man could write a high-ranking regeneration talisman, it would not be worth it
to be flanked by Kihoin just because of him alone.
"Also, there is a
noticeable deterioration in Banda Kanosuke's reputation that has been surfacing
recently.
I think he is getting
too old to be the head of the garrison.
...... So, why don't
you suggest him to retire?"
"―It can't be
helped.
I'll order Kanosuke to
sort out his affairs."
"Very well.
I have no intention of
questioning Banda's loyalty, as long as he withdraws without delay."
"Understood. I
will keep Kihoin's kindness in mind."
Sadakuni, who is older
than Banda Kanosuke, feigned ignorance of the strong irony behind these words
about Banda's career.
However, there was no
way he could completely ignore it, and his wrinkled knuckles shook just a
little emotionally.
――――――――――
"―Goodness gracious.
A relic of the past who is only big in stature, and who is so greedy for profit
that he will do anything to get what he wants."
"Thank you for
your hard work."
After Banda Sadakuni
left the office, Shion deeply rested her back on her chair while sighing.
The leather back
creaked and a cup of roasted tea was placed in front of her eyes.
She took a sip of the
tea brewed by her attendant. The heat from the tea, which contained a savory
flavor, flowed down into her stomach and soothed her from the fatigue of the
depressing meeting.
"Well, at least
we can officially eliminate Banda now.
Let the public safety
department take the lead in mobilizing the patrolmen. If he is given
exoneration for his crimes, he will accept retirement to spare his money and
his children."
"What if he
doesn't comply?"
"Then he will be
left with nothing but his old life to worry about."
"But even then,
he may not step down."
As a shade fell on her
hand, she turned her gaze out the window.
She noticed that the
clouds had somehow expanded and thickened, and the wind had begun to pick up a
hint of dampness.
"―At that time,
he won't even have to worry about his old age anymore."
Despite implicitly
making a heartless judgment, Shion also has a concern that she cannot put into
words.
......When she
inspected Banda's reputation, she found that it had deteriorated significantly
over the past few years.
Especially when it
came to his transition to the council, his words and deeds fluctuated wildly.
It was as if Banda
could not be accounted for without the presence of the other two, and the
evaluations of those around him were divided into two extremes.
"For now, our
first priority is to secure Banda's custody.
―Let's hope we can find something useful during the
investigation."
"Understood.
According to the
schedule, Tsuguho-sama should be arriving at the central station shortly. The
car shall be there to pick her up."
"Just perfect
then. Before returning here, please let her meet with the Public Security
Bureau.
―Let's entrust the capture of Banda to that girl."
After giving all the
instructions, Shion let out a deep sigh.
She leaned back and
relaxed her body against the backrest, but she still couldn't clear her mind.
The other party's way
of retreat has been closed. Besides, Banda himself is only a small, powerless
person, and this degree of judgment is not so different from that which she
makes on a whim.
...... That should be
the case, but what clouded Shion's mind was a foreboding that resembled the
swell of a heavy, surging tidal wave.
――――――――――
"―that's why
Banda won't have much time left to worry about us, you know."
"I
see......"
It was just before
dusk when the overcast sky grew heavier and the wind began to make one's skin
feel damp.
It was while Akira was
getting ready for his late shift that Jin, carrying the news, showed up at the
garrison's camp.
He was not aware that
the problem had been resolved in a place he knew nothing about, and replied to
the other party in a curt tone of voice.
"What? You don't
seem satisfied at all."
"It's not that
I'm dissatisfied. It's just that it all happened so fast and simple."
"That's true, I
guess.
...... Indeed. They
could have at least put a little more effort into it."
"Ha?"
"No, no, I'm talking about my part, you see."
In the end, his plan
of postponing his return to Tenryō Academy turned out to be a disappointment,
and Jin hastily disguised his true feelings which spilled out unintentionally.
"Banda, huh?
Isn't he the commander-in-chief of Karen garrison?.......
―Why is he targeting me?"
"No, you had
nothing to do with it.
It was Gensei he was
after."
"Ah, so that was
the case."
Jin did not know that
Gensei and Akira were the same person.
Akira, who tried his
best to keep his tone flat, glanced sideways to scrutinize his new friend.
"The reason Banda
was after Gensei was because he suspected him of being a spy of the Hakudō
Province.
Apparently, from what
I've heard, it was based on the fact that we were together at that time."
"That's
ridiculous.
They already chased me
way before we teamed up. ...... It was totally upside down."
With a sour expression
on his face, Jin nodded his head in agreement with Akira's point.
Although he could not
make it obvious in front of Kojō, it was a question that Jin was naturally
aware of.
"......Hakudō
Province was used as an excuse to get a reason to take Gensei into custody.
That means that Banda
wants to capture the other party for very shady reasons."
"Shady reasons?"
"Kidnapping,
torture, etc. I heard that old Gensei is quite a famous guy.
Is it your
acquaintance?"
I'm the person
in question. Akira responded with a shrug of his shoulders, not in a position where
he could utter such a careless remark.
"Figured. Well, I
heard that Banda will be captured this evening.
Master and Asogi-dono
are being dispatched to the first district to investigate.
―That's why I'm here on Asogi-dono's behalf."
"Despite being an
emissary of the Hakudō Province, you're quite handy to use, aren't you?
Might that cause
problems later on?"
"Master is also
working with that in mind, so don't worry about it."
"Is that how it
is?"
The two exchanged a
few words, and then Akira and Jin went out to the front of the camp.
Ahead of them, they
noticed that Niikura had a complicated expression on his face.
"Vice Captain
Niikura, how can I help you?"
"Akira-kun. We
have just received a request from the headquarters of the garrison for the
cooperation of the protectors.
Could you please
proceed to the headquarters in the 1st district immediately?"
"...... If it's
about sending someone to the headquarters, wouldn't you better suited for the
job, Vice Captain?"
In response to Akira's
perfectly reasonable response, Niikura put his finger on his brow.
He probably felt
ashamed of what he had said. He seemed satisfied with Akira's perfectly natural
response, but still did not change his words.
"I would like to,
but even though it is a patrol mission, it is still a legitimate operational
activity.
The other protectors
are out, and I can't leave this camp to the young Akira-kun.
Yuge-sama should be at
the headquarters, and if Nakiri-dono wants to ask for further instructions, it
would be better to go to the headquarters as well."
The two exchanged
sideways glances at the instructions given to them.
But there was no
reason to refuse. Without thinking too much about it, Akira and Jin both
replied with affirmation to Niikura's order.
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