Volume 3
Chapter 9 Part
3
The Girl
Comes, Raising the Signal 3
Translator : PolterGlast
―Clack.
In the silence that
reigned, the faint sound of chalk falling on the blackboard was heard.
Clack-clack. The
numbers and the answers calculated by the formula were connected, and Akira's
voice concluded.
"―That concludes
the answer."
"That's the
correct answer.
―You may return."
When Akira returned a
bow in response to the teacher's permission and took his seat, the bell chimed
several times.
After a beat of
silence, the teacher removed his glasses.
"It's time,
that's all for today's lesson.
―Next, we will move on to a new section. Don't forget
to do your homework."
""Thank you
very much.""
A sentence spoken in
unison sent the teacher out through the door, and the bustle of the classroom
took over.
Even with the presence
of a foreign element in the form of Akira, there was no sign of a disruption to
the daily routine of the academy.
As pointed out by
Hariin Homare, it was the advantage of the concealment exercised unconsciously.
Even if his uniform
belonged to the garrison, the presence of Akira would not elevate the awareness
of the targets any further, as long as the spirits inhabiting the other party
remained silent.
Akira was alone among
the students who felt liberated. Akira strapped the textbooks he had been
provided with in a crisscross pattern and prepared to leave.
It was a relief for
Akira that he was assigned to the classroom belonging to Ryota Kuga, thanks to
the consideration of Kihoin Tsuguho and Nakiri Jin.
Ugetsu Souma's
classroom was one classroom away from Akira's place.
―Akira's days at Tenryō Academy passed calmly without
Souma's voice or appearance disturbing his daily life.
"Akira."
Akira raised his face
toward the voice that called out to him.
He looked up to see
Ryota standing in front of him with the same expression on his face as ever.
"The teacher
called and asked you to stop by the teacher's office before you leave."
"Thank you.
―Kuga-dono."
With Akira's back
turned to him, Kuga snorted and wondered what was on his mind.
Akira's feet did not
stop and he disappeared into the crowd that was standing ahead of him.
Rustle. With a slight
rustling sound made by a bundle of paper, the homeroom teacher's regretful gaze
fell on Akira.
The teacher's gaze,
which contained a hint of resignation, was met by Akira's emotionless gaze.
"You won't change
your decision?"
"I am grateful
for your suggestion, but......."
Without leaving any
lasting thought behind, Akira shook his head in response to the proposals that
had been made to him for the umpteenth time.
Yotsukura Matsuhiko,
who had temporarily become Akira's homeroom teacher, looked disappointed
because he knew what Akira's answer would be, but he did not pressure him
further as he watched Akira leave the teacher's office.
On his desk was a set
of documents for transfer procedures.
Akira's position in
the academy is a modest one, with nothing conspicuous about it.
However, it is not
possible to conceal his abilities and the results that come with them.
Even if Akira could
avoid attracting public attention, it would be difficult for even Kihoin to
publicly tamper with the results of an examination.
As a result, Akira was
able to snatch the top ranks across the board in the academic examinations that
were held after he was admitted.
The results were not
limited to Akira's class, but were comparable to those of Ugetsu Souma, the
[Treasure of the North].
It was only a few
months ago that Ugetsu Souma broke Hariin's record by a wide margin.
The teachers must have
been shocked to learn that a boy who appeared so suddenly had come so close to
breaking that record.
According to the
teachers, Akira was well-versed in both the law and arithmetic. In particular,
in classes related to the art of spells and onmyoujutsu, he even seemed to be
one step ahead of his peers in understanding them.
―Even if he were from a commoner background, it would
be a waste to let go of such talent.
It was a natural
conclusion that Yotsukura, the teacher in charge, came to this conclusion.
"―You got
rejected again, huh?"
"So what? There
will be a little more time before he returns to Shumon Province.
―In case something happens, we can make a request to
the Rindo family. If they are his guardians, they will be pleased with his
remarkable progress, and they will not have voices to refuse."
Yotsukura did not make
a fuss over the teasing from the homeroom teacher of another class, who was
eavesdropping in the background, but instead responded with a rebuttal.
...... But,
Unfortunately, Akira
is not free of problems.
In particular, the
fact that he did not show up for morning and evening training classes was a
problem.
In Akira's generation,
the need for physical education was not as well known as it should have been.
The reason for this
was that the factional schools had adopted martial arts training as a
substitute for physical education.
For the nobles, the
purpose of the mind-technique-body technique was to sharpen their pure combat
skills, rather than to cultivate their spirit.
Not only at Tenryō
Academy, but also at the high schools and junior high schools in the province,
morning martial arts training was one of the mandatory courses.
It would be difficult
for a single teacher to nominate Akira, who did not show up to the training
classes, as a student of the academy, even if he had a remarkable talent in
literature.
He switched his mind
even though he felt it was a shame.
―There is other work to be done, Yotsukura spread out
another document on his own desk.
♢
Hurrying down the
corridor, Akira stopped in his tracks when he noticed Nakiri Jin walking
absentmindedly from the other side of the corridor.
"Senior? You look
rather exhausted."
"Yo, Junior.
Of course. With so
many assignments, it's easy to be sleep-deprived.
Just who the heck
invented the lightbulb? It's common sense for people to sleep at night."
"How enviable.
In a tenement house,
we still use kerosene."
Although not as much
as Jin, Akira also had to stay up late every night to make up for his classes.
He knew about the
lightbulbs, but it was only a few days ago that he was impressed by the immense
amount of light they provided.
Incidentally, it is
not the lightbulb that is to blame, but Jin himself, who has been struggling to
make up for missed classes.
Leaving aside the
lightbulb, which had earned him an undeserved resentment from, Akira only
responded with a wry smile.
"―By the way,
Junior. Do you have any plans this afternoon?"
"Let's see.
I have a report to
deliver to Tsuguho-sama, but after that, nothing in particular."
Jin nodded lightly
upon hearing Akira's response.
"It won't take
more than two hours. I've been asked to escort and guide some dignitaries on
behalf of Master after this.
―Come with me."
Hearing Jin's
invitation, Akira pondered for a moment.
He indeed has no
plans, and it's a request from someone he's known for a while. It would be a
bit awkward for even Akira to refuse without any hesitation.
Despite his concern,
Akira did not think too deeply about it and accepted it with a nod.
―Kanna-no-Mikura. Akira had not yet developed an
appreciation for the importance of the absolute right to which he was entitled.
When Akira knocked on
the sliding door of the conference room to report, everyone except Saki was
already in the room.
A conference room in
the central building is not something that one would normally enter.
The dust playing in
the air was creating shadows in the sunlight coming in through the windows, as
if to expose the reality that the room was probably not cleaned very well.
"Sorry, I'm
late."
"Don't worry. We
just arrived ourselves.
―Are you spending your days without problems,
Akira-san?"
"Yes. I, ... I am
enjoying a more fulfilling life than I ever thought I would."
Satisfied with Akira's
reply, Tsuguho smiled and reached for Akira's collar.
After adjusting it,
she looked at the name tag sewn on the collar.
"Have you gotten
used to your new surname?"
"......I still
don't feel comfortable with it, since I used to not have a surname.
Though I'm sure after
a while, the discomfort will fade away."
"It's only a
matter of time then. ...... Also, it is normal for most women to change their
surname at least once."
She tried to calm
Akira, who said he was not used to it, by placing her finger on the surname on
his nameplate.
It is human nature to
perceive options that do not come to mind as non-existent.
She heard that Ugetsu
Souma's relationship with Akira was extremely distant.
If Akira's name stuck
in Souma's memory, they could just use his new surname.
Since it is a
different surname, the other party will assume that he is a different person.
Akira's new surname
would protect him from being recognized.
After that, they
chatted for some time.
And eventually, the
out-of-breath Saki came rushing into the conference room accompanied by a gust
of autumn wind.
"I'm late!!"
"We haven't been
waiting that long.
Saki-san is probably
still tired from yesterday's mountain hunt, so please be at ease."
"Thank you.
―Tsuguho-sama."
Tsuguho, who had been
sitting in the conference room ahead of the others, looked at Akira with a
faint smile that did not make him wary.
Unable to stand
Tsuguho's encouragement, Saki and Akira also sat down in front of Tsuguho
without any hesitation.
"Alright, shall
we begin?
......The Jorōgumo
that had been nesting in the mountains were confirmed to be completely wiped
out.
We'll have to wait and
see for a month, but I think it's only a matter of time before the windhole
returns to normal."
"I see.
―What about the Central Capital's garrison?"
Upon hearing Tsuguho's
opening statement, Akira let out a deep breath.
The fact that the
garrison forced recklessness for the purpose of reducing the mouth to feed,
even if it comes to light, tends not to be regarded as a problem.
The reason is that
there is always a similar case, large or small, in every province.
Even if all the
evidence was in place, they would not take the risk of allowing the fire to
spread to themselves.
Besides, Akira and his
team were after all people of another province.
Even if they were able
to change things, it would be back to the way it was before once they left.
Even so, if they were
able to restore peace to the mountains, there would be fewer incidents that
would leave them with a sour taste in their mouths.
"After complaints
were raised by Captain Shishido, the Chief Captain Ninokuruwa also sent a
complaint to me.
They must be very
determined, since they recommended that we return to our respective provinces
using the power of the five elements barrier as a pretext."
"Are they trying
to defy the Four Sovereigns?"
"It's nothing
unusual.
―For them, the pride of their old family should take
precedence over the Hyakki Yagyo."
The stance of the old
family that borrowed from the authority of Sannomiya is nothing new.
Although its growth
has not been conspicuous because it has not left the Central Capital, its
attitude of disrespecting other provinces has always been regarded as a
problem.
"If I were to be
blunt, I would say that the old family's main purpose is to whistle, so there
should be no problem if we leave them alone.
Rather, Fujimorimiya
has given us permission to participate in the protection of the Central
Capital.
―As is customary for an initial move, direct lineages
of the Four Sovereigns, including myself, will be assigned as the keystone of
the Five Elements Barrier, and we will work on reinforcing the barriers until
the Kannamesai Festival."
"The keystone?"
Hearing these words,
Saki peeked at Akira's expression as if to peer into his mind.
This is because the
existence of the Five Elements Barrier is well-known, but there are
surprisingly few people who know the details of it.
"The dragon veins
in the Central Province are all directly connected to the wind holes in the
mountains surrounding the Central Capital.
It is the duty of the
Four Sovereigns to maintain the powerful barrier through Gozan (the five most
important temples of a region) that spread throughout the five mountains."
"Then,
Tsuguho-sama will......."
After hearing Saki's
explanation, Tsuguho nodded his head in affirmation as Akira turned his gaze to
her.
"I am in charge
of Mt. Kugatachi, which is directly under Kihoin's control in the southeast.
Kitayama in Kayanowa
is Gioin's, and the rest are Higashiyama Shrine, Nishiyama Mitsuzu Torii, and
Seinanyama Bell Tower.
It is probably around
the same time that similar requests were made to Gioin and Hariin, who are
currently enrolled at the Tenryō Academy.
―Jinrouin is just departing from their capital, so it
is doubtful whether they will be able to make it in time for the Hyakki
Yagyo."
"I
see......"
Gioin. A nostalgic
name that came out of Tsuguho's mouth, made Akira's eyes go dim.
Everyone present
noticed Akira's expression,
―They tried their best to maintain a nonchalant look as
if nothing had happened.
"Nurarihyon will
also be aware of the reinforcement of the Five Elements Barrier, and I think we
can at best stall for time.
―Therefore, we must also prepare a counterattack.
To do so, we first
need to know Nurarihyon's true history.
"Isn't he a Marōdogami
(guest god)?"
"Since a Divine
Pillar who has been expelled from the Dragon Den is called Marōdogami, he
surely has a name and a great history from the time when he occupied the Dragon
Den.
―Divine Pillar is the presiding myth itself. As long as
they cannot betray the myth (themselves), the history of defeat should also
remain intact. If we can trace the history of our opponent, our victory will be
inevitable."
After all, Marōdogami
is nothing more than a Deity Pillar with a history of defeat. As long as the
conditions are met, even a Divine Pillar can only comply with the inevitable
outcome, albeit unwillingly.
Tsuguho's words made
sense to Akira and the others.
―However,
"...... Since he
was using the [Holy Church of Ariadne] as a cover, his origin is probably that
of the Western Continent, though."
"That’s true. But
......"
Saki responded wryly
to Akira's thoughtful muttering.
The Iron Age. The
blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl had once mentioned that the control of the Dragon
Dens had been disrupted as a result of the closure of the Divine Realm.
Considering this, the
possibility of his origin from the Western Continent would be even higher.
However, the Western
Continent is vast. Even on a map alone, the size of the continent can be
described as enormous.
In this vast land. If
one were to include the wind holes on top of dragon dens, the numbers would
probably be as many as the number of stars.
Although Akira and
Saki had some knowledge of Takamagahara's Divine Pillars, it would still be
difficult for them to understand the Divine Pillars of the Western Continent
that lay beyond oceans.
Perhaps aware of the
ambiguity of his reply, Tsuguho responded with a nod, without a trace of
disappointment.
"I do hope we can
find some information either in the archives of the Yin Yang Ministry or in the
Central Capital Library."
―Speaking of which, we have an expert from the Western
Continent scheduled to arrive in the capital in a few days' time. She has
assured us of her cooperation, so let's put our hopes on that."
"Understood.
―Umm, may I discuss something else?"
"Yes."
Tsuguho's eyes blinked
at Akira's unusual request.
After clearing his
throat a few times, Akira's gaze shot straight to Tsuguho's, as if he had made
up his mind.
"Is there no
other way to supply Aka-sama's divine energy while staying in the Central
Capital?"
After last night's
mountain hunt, he had a pretty good grasp of his own ability to carry on a
fight.
Unlike Onmyoujutsu,
spirit technique is a technique of directly exerting spirit power.
While the speed and
power displayed were of a different order of magnitude, it also had the
disadvantage of consuming a great deal of spirit power.
When Akira used Chuden
in the battle with Jorōgumo, he was aware of a clear decrease in his spirit
power.
It was easy to imagine
that if he exercised his spirit technique by sublimating his spirit power into
divine energy, the consumption would be of a different order of magnitude.
"Even when I was
in a perfect condition and didn't sublimate to divine power. Even under these
conditions, I can't do ten battles in a row."
"......Kanna-no-Mikura
is a being promised more freedom than everything else in this world.
Please think about the
meaning of these words once again.
―Akira-san, you should already understand it."
After a slight pause,
Tsuguho resolutely turned her gaze to Akira.
She was wondering
whether to tell him or not. But given the current problem with the Hyakki
Yagyo, it is better to have as many means of resistance as possible.
But her advice was too
simple for Akira to follow.
"It's..."
"Since it is
uncertain whether it is possible for your divine power to make it for the
Hyakki Yagyo, let's be prepared in case something urgent happens."
―Although it is limited only to the Central Capital, we
actually have a way to refill your divine power."
The point is that it
is in the Central Capital and it should be equivalent to the Shumon Province.
The method is still
fresh in Akira and the others' memories, as it was shown by their adversary
(Benedetta Casalini).
"Mt. Kugatachi,
which is under the direct jurisdiction of the Shumon Province, is directly
connected to Aka-sama's divine realm.
In other words, in
that area, Akasama's authority would also be able to fulfill Akira-san's needs.
―We are planning to go to Mt. Kugatachi for a
preliminary inspection after this, are you willing to join us, Akira-san?"
"Of course, I-...
ah......"
Jin's invitation came
back to Akira's memory as he was about to accept Tsuguho's offer.
"My apologies. I
have an appointment to meet someone at the train station after this meeting, so
I will pass."
""Ehh?""
Tsuguho was taken
aback by his unexpected response.
Although she did not
know the details of Akira's schedule on campus, this was still unheard-of
information for her. Unintentionally, she glanced at the person on Akira's
side.
The expression on
Saki's face, which was similar to hers, convinced Tsuguho that this was the
first time Saki had heard of it, too.
...... This didn't
give her any comfort, though.
"W-Who......?"
"It's Nakiri-senpai.
An important person is
coming to the Central Capital, and he asked me to make up the numbers."
"An important
person? Nakiri should be one of Yuge's branch families.
A dignitary who
requested to be welcomed, that's it―!!"
Tsuguho was struck
dumb as her thoughts led her to the correct answer.
A request that was
sent via Fujimorimiya to invite the direct lineage of the Four Sovereigns to
the Central Capital to reinforce the Five Elements Barrier.
Three of them were
already enrolled at the Tenryō Academy, but only the direct lineage of Jinrouin
had to travel from the western Hakudō Province, which delayed their arrival.
Although it was known
from reports that Jinrouin would be visiting soon, it should have been
impossible for them to arrive today, the same day as the request was made.
If one estimated
backward from the time and date, they should have started preparations around
the time Akira and the others were heading for the Central Capital.
And, to ask Akira, who
belonged to the Shumon Province, to meet them would be tantamount to declaring
that they had other agenda.
―Tsuguho was aware that she was being suspected. But
where did they get the information about Kanna-no-Mikura?
It was a good move to
use friendship as a shield. It is a pretext that is difficult to refuse, and
the situation is being set up in such a way that Kihoin cannot intervene with
force even if it were to be exposed.
She could have sworn
without hesitation that Yuge Kojou was the one standing behind these plans.
He was probably trying
to set up a situation that would exclude the Shumon Province people so that
Akira could at least meet Jinrouin before the unveiling of the Kannamesai
Festival.
"Akira-kun. He
didn't mention the exact number, right? ......If so, let me tag along with you.
―If that dignitary were to be welcomed by the Eighth
Family, it wouldn't be a disrespect to their prestige, would it?"
"Y-Yes, of
course."
While thinking to what
extent Akira could not read the situation, Saki, whose cheeks were puffed out,
put pressure on Akira.
Given her position as
Kihoin, it would be difficult for Tsuguho to intervene. However, if it were
Saki, who had worked with him on the mountain hunt, it would not be strange for
them to hang out together as friends.
Akira, who was a bit
intimidated, nodded his head in agreement, and Saki finally smiled.
With some relief,
Tsuguho exchanged glances with Saki.
This is women's
battle. Insidious and exclusive, a rite of passage designed to chip away at
what women are supposed to conceal.
Tsuguho has no
intention of pardoning Jinrouin's intrusion before she settles the score with
Gioin.
Since Saki has a
reasonable understanding of the situation to a certain extent, she will be able
to keep things in check.
......If that's the
case, Tsuguho's role is to negotiate with Kojou.
Akira, who has low
self-esteem, had no idea that the battle over him was beginning to spark off a
fierce firework display outside the board.
A young girl who
brings the winds of the west to the Central Capital raises a cloud of dust,
regardless of her intentions.
Several documents were
carried by the wind and spread across the desks in the conference room.
Written on one of
them, Akira's new surname shook with the girl's clamor.
The family name of a
noble family that perished a long time ago.
Oldest and newest.
Pardoned only to Akira.
―Yotsurugi Akira.
That was the ring of
Akira's new home.
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