Volume 3
Chapter 7 Part
1
Touring the
Central Capital, a Myriad of Flowers 1
Translator : PolterGlast
A
week after Karen's disturbances came to an end, Akira and the others arrived at
the Tenryō station in the central capital city.
A
heavy creaking sound passed, and the huge black metal frame moved through the
smoke.
Coughing
at the smell of burning soot, Akira and Nakiri Jin stretched out their stiff
shoulders.
"―At
last, we've arrived. The train is fast, but it's tough when we can't
sleep."
"You can say that
again. Not being able to find a place to lodge is also a great
inconvenience."
The two young men
grumbled and complained, whilst the two older men shrugged their shoulders in
dismay.
Although they seemed
to be in their thirties, they didn't seem to be tired at all, which was a
complete contrast to Akira and Jin.
"Don't make too
many complaints over a trip on this level, Akira.
It's pathetic.
...... You might visit
the central capital again in the future, get used to it while you still
can."
"Jin, you too.
You're used to
traveling to the capital's center, aren't you? You should already be familiar
enough with this area that you can lead the way."
""........................""
Asogi Genji and Yuge
Kojou.
The two young men
(inexperienced ones), half-heartedly listen to the words of their bosses.
They are a combination
of masters and disciples.
""What is
it?""
""No,
nothing.""
The haves will never
fully understand the feelings of the have-nots.
The true feelings of
the disciples dissipated and disappeared into the blank air.
But, well, like Akira,
who is not accustomed to traveling, Jin is no different in some aspects.
The Nakiri territory,
Jin's hometown, is located at the edge of the Hakudō Province, on the border
between the Central Province and the Shumon Province.
It is also relatively
close to the capital of Hakudō Province, and if one puts monetary circumstances
aside, it is only a relatively easy distance to come and go.
This was the first
time for Jin to experience a journey that crossed several transit stations.
The four of them
passed through the station's ticket gates despite the fatigue that had been
building up.
As soon as they passed
through the station gates, an orderly cityscape spread out before their eyes.
"―What do you
think? This city has a different flavor than Karen, doesn't it?"
Akira's slight
movement of his chin was the only indication of his agreement.
The boy had no words
to reply to Genji's voice coming from behind him.
The mountain ridges
encircling all three sides were visible in the distance.
―The fact that the mountains were clearly visible in
the distance meant that the land sloped down like a bowl.
There are only a few
multistory buildings like Karen in the cityscape as far as the eye can see. It
is easy to see that the surrounding area is nothing more than a historical
cityscape.
However, there is not
as much hustle and bustle as in Karen, where the traffic is very fast-paced,
and to Akira's eyes, there is a sense of a somewhat leisurely pace of life in
the area.
"Well then, let's
go see the garrison first. As for the permission to stay in the central
capital-......."
"―We have plans
to show up at Fuji-no-Morimiya, so we'll make a request on your behalf."
Tsuguho, perhaps
picking up on Genji's muttering, joined in on the conversation from behind
their backs.
The heiress of the
Shumon Province, with her two companions at her back, smiled softly.
"Thank you for
taking the trouble to help us. Hime-sama."
"Don't sweat it,
it's just another one of those introductory things.
I would appreciate it
if you could assist me in explaining the situation to the garrison
headquarters."
"―Leave it to
me."
Tsuguho returned a
light nod and looked around.
After sweeping her
gaze over the men, it was stopped by Yuge Kojou, who stood refraining from
speaking.
A moment of nothing
but gentle smiles exchanged between them, perhaps trying to probe each other's
intentions.
But in the end, they
ended up passing each other without being able to read each other's intentions.
"......I'm
thinking of having Akira-san join the Imperial Guard or the garrison, but I
wonder if Asogi might be interested as well.
I'm sure with your
skills, you'd be welcome anywhere."
The Imperial Guard was
the central capital's defense organization under the direct control of
Fuji-no-Morimiya.
It was responsible for
protecting the center of Takamagahara and was renowned for its strength and
authority, comparable to the military leaders of the eight families.
The recognition of
having been a member of this force, even if only temporarily, was more than
enough of a prestige for any guardians, and they were not to be ignored by any
garrison.
It was clear to Genji
that the recognition of having belonged to the Imperial Guard would not be for
naught.
―But,
"I am grateful
for the generous offer, but I am merely a captain of the garrison at best.
I would prefer it if
you could offer me freedom in the Central Capital's garrison.
...... Although Akira
has one foot in the Chūden, he is still in his initial stages of training. From
the Imperial Guards' point of view, it would be hard to avoid being laughed
at."
Not seeming offended
by the rejection of her suggestion, Tsuguho simply nodded her head in
understanding.
"Very well. I
will ask Fuji-no-Morimiya to give permission to the garrison.
―Is that all right with you, Akira-san?"
"Yes."
Her eyes were locked
with Akira's. She wanted to talk to him, but she couldn't. In the end, Tsuguho
got into the car without saying a word.
――――――――――
"......Tsuguho-sama.
Aren't you a little cold toward Akira-sama?"
"It can't be
helped, the eyes of the Hakudō Province are nearby, you know?
―Even I would have liked to talk to him more."
The car is moving
along the main road toward the center of the city. Tsuguho could only respond
to Natsu Niikawa's reproachful tone with a pout.
Although it was
unclear how, Kojou definitely had suspicions that something was wrong
concerning Akira.
It was no coincidence
that Tsuguho didn't have a chance to speak with Akira, avoiding Kojou's eyes,
even in the 8th garrison's camp and on the train headed for the central
capital.
Although she would be
late for departure, she inwardly regretted that she should have prepared a
separate vehicle for him.
"Yuge Kojou is
well known for his military fame, but it would be troublesome if he also had
good political skills."
"...... It is the
opposite, his main field of expertise is politics.
It is not well known,
but he is very good at using his military reputation as a means to establish
connections with influential people in other provinces."
As Tsuguho said, Yuge
Kojou's strength lies in the abundance of connections he has built up through
his nimble footwork.
His network of
connections is far-reaching, and it is rumored that he has friends all over the
country, even beyond the borders of Hakudō Province.
Of course, there is no
deception in his military reputation, and it is said that his swordsmanship has
become even more refined.
In pursuit of the evil
god who had escaped, there was no better person for cooperation, but she was
concerned that Akira might grown too familiar with him, who was also Jinrouin's
right-hand man.
"I wanted to
spend an hour or so talking to Akira, but it's not worth it if Kojou became
suspicious.
...... At the very
least, we need to steer him away from sniffing that Akira is Kanna-no-Mikura."
"Indeed.
―The only remaining concern is Ugetsu Souma, who is
probably at Tenryō Academy."
"......Kazune.
Can you quietly keep an eye on Ugetsu Souma?"
Nabari Kazune, the
person at the other end of the conversation, kept her eyes down.
She understood what
Tsuguho was trying to say. However, the structure of the Tenryō Academy, where
men and women were divided into left and right wings, made it difficult for
her, as a woman, to follow a man's movements precisely.
Furthermore, because
influential people from all over the country gather together to study, they
tend to be clustered into factions based on their provinces.
As a woman from Shumon
Province, it would be extremely difficult to get close to Ugetsu Souma.
Moreover, the only people who were familiar with Akira's circumstances were all
women.
―Kazune, who was the daughter of the Nabari
conglomerate that had made its fortune in imported goods, was in a better
position to handle it.
"It may cost a little
more money, but we will give priority to imported goods with a high fashion
value.
Kokuten Province is in
a state of disarray due to the descent of Aragami, but they may be generous
enough to purchase some items to keep up appearances."
"Please. At
worst, if you can prevent him from having any contact with Akira-san, that
would be fine.
But if possible, I'd
prefer to send him back to Kokuten Province, even if it means making things
complicated."
"……Understood"
She was aware that
Akira still had pent-up feelings for Ugetsu.
There was no reason to
blame him for that. However, if he were to face the evil god with a blemish in
his heart, he might invoke the worst that could directly affect his life or
death.
Akira was still
unaware, but this was the Central Province, not the Shumon Province where
Shuka's blessings could reach him.
In this battle,
Nurarihyon is not the biggest enemy that Akira will face. Without Shuka's
blessing, he will be helpless if his divine energy runs out.
―The reality is that the inexhaustible power that was
previously given to him whenever he wished for it is now gone.
♢
A person, seemingly
unaware of the hardships involved, picked up the telephone receiver hanging on
the wall and put it to his ear.
In a friendly tone of
voice, he relayed the phone number to the operator who had called the
registration desk.
―After a few moments of waiting in the darkened
hallway, a voice was heard from the other end of the telephone.
"It's been a
while since we've spoken to each other, sister. What is it? Didn't you say you
didn't like to use the telephone and didn't use it often?
I'd like to know why
you bent your beliefs?"
[It's true that I am
not comfortable using it, but to say I don't like it is a bit incorrect.
I just don't believe
in it. How can everyone around be so comfortable with a machine that can be so
easily eavesdropped on?]
The person on the
other end of the phone, Hariin Midori, responded with a sour tone, to which her
sister Homare responded with a wry smile.
There are only a few
telephone lines that can be connected over long distances across the province.
She understands that
the risk of being eavesdropped is high, but even taking this into account, the
advantage of being able to talk to each other without any time difference
cannot be ignored.
For Homare, that fact
alone was worth risking everything.
Well, she doesn't
expect the head of Hariin to understand.
"From now on,
communication will be by phone, sis.
Look at those talisman
marketers, they're bloodthirsty for information one second earlier.
...... I don't want to
be like them, but I don't see why I shouldn't learn from them."
[I understand the
advantages. I just don't think I can entrust you with important information.]
"Hmm."
From Midori's reply,
Homare inwardly drew a red line on the importance of the content.
It was of such high
importance that it could not be ignored. But, since there was no time, she had
no choice but to use the phone to communicate with Homare.
"...... Well, you
don't want to waste time with idle chatter, do you? What's your business?"
[―I need you to go
around the Talisman Association on the northern border of the Central Province.
If possible, I'd like you to carefully select a handful of tight-lipped
individuals.]
"You're asking me
to do something crazy again.
I mean, you don't have
to be secretive about it."
Homare felt a sense of
disappointment at the content which betrayed her expectations.
Even though it was
limited to the northern border of the Central Province, there were quite a
number of branches of the Talisman Association.
There would be no way
she could finish in a few days, so Homare blanked out her own schedule in her
mind.
"Thank you for
being so quick on the uptake.
......What I want you
to look for is a young talisman-user."
"Hmm?"
The unexpected content
of the request made Homare's throat twitch strangely.
In the back of her
mind, the title of a snippet of an article flashed through her mind, something
about an illegitimate child, and so on.
―Sister's?
The possibility that
briefly crossed her mind was quickly discarded.
She was known to be a
stubborn person, so there was no way she would ever do such a thing.
In fact, there is no
way that Hariin's bloodline would be in a position to do such a thing.
Then, does that mean
something else?
Hariin Midori's
husband is a man about to assume a key position in the soon-to-be-established
Navy.
He is a handsome man,
but there was no hint of a concubine in his life, so she felt relieved.
[―His name is Gensei.
His age is now around 13, ...... what's wrong?]
"Sister,
brother-in-law is a man, too.
If you treat him with
tolerance, I'm sure he will understand."
[What are you talking
about?]
"I'm telling you,
don't point your thorns at the child.
I believe that if you
speak your mind, he won't commit such an immoral act."
[Like I said, what are
you talking about!?]
"It's about
brother-in-law's illegitimate child, right?
Don't worry, it won't
be a stain on Hariin's reputation―"
[~~!! That's wrong!
Listen to me carefully!
What I want you to look
for is a 13-year-old boy with a pseudonym of Gensei!]
"Oh? If he's 13,
the age indeed doesn't add up.
...... Then, whose
child is he?"
Midori, who was
listening through the other end of the phone, raised her voice at Homare's
presumptuous statement.
Homare quickly counted
backward in my mind after hearing the number 13. If she traced it back, she
found that it would be impossible since her brother-in-law was still a student
at that time.
Such scandalous news
would surely not go unnoticed by the other families as well.
[Are you sure you are
not being poisoned by the gossip of third-rate magazines?
It's time to move.
...... Besides, it's too late now."
"Too late?
......"
[Yes, we have
confirmed his death.
It's early July. What
I want you to find is the child's belongings.]
Although she did not
know what had happened, she felt regret just from the sheer outcome.
Even though she was
unaware of it, it was not something that should be turned into a frivolous
topic.
"That's, ......
my condolences."
[It has nothing to do
with Kabeju Province, so you don't have to worry about it.
But please understand
that I don't want you to talk about it too much.]
―I see, so there's a reason.
She didn't have any
intention of telling anyone about it either.
She tried to infer the
basis of the matter from her sister's words, but was unable to make a
connection because she was missing some crucial information.
Though, being able to
find out that he was not from Kabeju Province was a good thing.
"Well, although
it may take a lot of effort, a young talisman-user is such a rare thing that
it's hard for people not to talk about it, so we'll find it soon enough.
―By the way. I have something to tell you, too."
[......What is it?]
At the slightest hint
of her sister's readiness, Homare held back the sound of her throat.
Did I perhaps speak
too much frivolous talk?
Although she regretted
it, she had no intention of stopping. That's what Homare believed.
"It's no big
deal.
I talked to Ugetsu
Souma, and it seems that the relationship between Ugetsu and Gioin is going
downhill. I've been probing and it looks like the termination of their
engagement is inevitable.
―How both families will get through the Kannamesai
Festival is the focus of everyone's attention right now."
The Eight Families,
the Four Sovereigns, and the Three Imperial Families.
This festival, which
brings together all of the upper-class nobles who rule Takamagahara, also
serves as a renewal of the decree for not only the upper-class, but also for
many of the noble families.
The Festival, which
may decide not only the year that follows, but also the future of the nobility.
There is no way one can accept the consequences of leaving a stain on the
marriages of the Sannomiya and Shiin.
Although she said it
was no big deal, Homare was certain that Midori must be worried.
......However, her
response sounded cold and indifferent.
[As expected.]
"Huh? You knew
about this?"
[It's a foregone
conclusion.
―Din't you say it's not a big deal?]
"Yeah, but......
well, never mind.
It'll take me a few
days to prepare, so expect me to leave in two days.
I'll call you when
I've secured the belongings."
[Something's bugging
me, but please.
If you find it, let me
know right away.]
Midori hung up the
phone with a hint of doubt in the corner of her mouth, as if she was worried
about something as Homare accepted the task with a smile on her face.
The smile faded from
Homare's mouth as Midori's words were cut off.
This time, she
understood a little bit about what she was being asked to do.
The child they were
looking for was dead. The result should be the same either she did it fast or
slow, but the head of Hariin was still in a hurry.
―In other words, it was the child who mattered, not the
death.
"The same goes
for the miasma outbreak in Kokuten Province, just what the heck is going on
here?"
While thinking about
her sister's request, she also pondered how she could take advantage of the
situation.
After a few moments,
Homare, perhaps having collected her thoughts, made a slight thump on the floor
of the corridor in the direction of the sunlight.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Aiden Elliott
Christian Schaffer
Duncan Rodgers
Elite
Max Kneifel
Swagaraga
[Gold]
-
[Silver]
blue shooting
CoolmanMTD
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Glasses Kun
Pristia
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Hikigaya Hachiman
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
