Volume 3
Chapter 11
Part 1
Clashing with
the Ladies' Determinations and Schemes 1
Translator : PolterGlast
―How many times have I visited the Central Capital
Station since the beginning of this month?
While inwardly asking
herself this question, Saki absentmindedly slung her bag of naginata back onto
her shoulder.
The crowds around her
passed by, seemingly unconcerned about the young lady of noble birth standing
in a corner of the station.
Steam cars and
horse-drawn carriages. The crowd of people passing by is just too dense to deal
with on a daily basis.
It was only yesterday
that Akira and the others were told that they were going on a patrol mission.
A patrol mission that
would take several days. It was only natural that Saki would not be able to
participate.
She is aware of it. It
is an absurd choice for Saki, as a lady, to be mixed up in a man's party for
days.
It's only natural. She
has already made her decision before she even thinks about it.
―But,
"......Wasn't it
rude of Akira-kun to act as if it was something obvious? He should be a little
worried about it."
Moreover, Kuga Ryota
was chosen as her substitute. Saki could not help but feel a bit uneasy about
this conclusion.
Although he probably
knew that Akira was Kanna-no-Mikura because of the Kamotsu incident, he did not
know the details of the case.
Since Yuge Koujo is
accompanying them, it would be necessary to have someone who could deter them
before he blurts out something bad.
―That's what I think!
Her puffed-up cheeks
clearly showed her impatience.
She knew the reason.
Akira's true identity has probably been discovered by Yuge Koujo.
Rather than continue
to hide the truth and stiffen the relationship, it would be safer to show a
cooperative attitude and make a compromise.
With the Hyakki Yagyo
and the Kannamesai Festival just around the corner, it is safe to say that
there is almost little chance that the other provinces will try to interfere
with Kanna-no-Mikura's second coming.
Even Jinroin Kagura's
recent attempt to seek more than a "friend relationship" with
Kanna-no-Mikura was the utmost that could be hoped for.
Hariin is out of the
question. The rest will depend on how far the Kokuten Province will push the
issue.
The Pārijāta tied to
her school bag swayed as if to encourage Saki's sinking thoughts.
Saki looked down with
mixed feelings at Pārijāta, which she had gotten used to carrying.
"How long do I
have to keep this?"
Although it has
nothing to do with Saki, it is a sacred artifact of a foreign country.
It asserted its
existence at every opportunity, and although it was not a hindrance, it was too
much for Saki to handle.
Saki hoped that Kihoin
Tsuguho, who had entrusted it to her safekeeping, would make it clear to her
what to do with it.
However, no matter how
many times she asked for answers, Tsuguho just kept evading her questions.
Although she knew that
Tsuguho had an ulterior motive, she had been unable to read it until now.
......Each one is a
minor annoyance. But as they accumulate, they become hard to ignore.
While she sighed over
her pent-up feelings of frustration, the whistle of the Shuman Province's steam
train sounded in the distance.
"It's the train,
right on time."
Taking a deep breath,
she switched her mind as the train's arrival echoed through the air.
It was also the sound
that announced the arrival of the other party, the reason why Saki had made her
way to the central station.
People, clad in the
smell of sooty steam, were leaving the station like an avalanche.
As the chaotic flow of
people slowed down, the group that Saki had been waiting for went through the
ticket gate.
A middle-aged man with
a few people in tow, who stood out from the crowd, spotted Saki and turned his
feet without hesitation.
Having caught sight of
this scene, Saki also pulled her back away from the wall of the station
building.
"It's been a
while.
―Father."
"Indeed, sorry to
keep you waiting.
It's been a month. I'm
glad to see you are well."
Rindō Kozaburo, the
head of the Rindō family, stood foremost among the group. He replied to his
youngest daughter's greeting in a calm tone after not having seen her for some
time, and glanced at the huge clock on the wall.
The hour and minute
hands were just about to converge at the noon mark.
The time shown on the
clock was later than the scheduled arrival time.
"The delay was
about ......30 minutes.
I was expecting to be
delayed at least an hour, so I was quite surprised."
The two, each carrying
a pentagonal crest and a single gentian flower on their backs, were facing each
other and smiling amicably.
However, when Saki's
gaze turned beyond Kozaburo, her expression became tense.
Blonde hair fluttered
in the cool autumn breeze, and a pair of blue eyes met Saki's. A beautiful girl
with a radiant appearance, the likes of which one never gets a chance to see in
Takamagahara.
......Although she was
not surprised because she had heard about it beforehand, she still couldn't
stop herself from being on guard.
An official diplomatic
envoy from Vansuir. Saki had heard that she had been granted an audience with
the Three Imperial Families.
The royal lineage of
Vansuir, which is dedicated to the divine pillar of the Holy Church of Ariadne.
The beautiful girl, a descendant of the Miko royal family, bowed with a radiant
smile on her face.
"It's been a
while, Rindō Saki-sama.
This is the first time
I have formally greeted you."
"Welcome to the
Central Capital.
We welcome you Vansuir
delegation, Benedetta Casalini-sama."
At first glance, her
delicate beauty could be mistaken for a doll, but she is not to be
underestimated.
The girl, clad in the
long robe worn by the bishop of the Holy Church of Ariadne, is a force to be
reckoned with, capable of annihilating this entire territory by herself.
Her ability is so
powerful that she can even afford to go easy on Akira, who has exercised
Arawakamioroshi.
Although the head of
the Eight Families was probably sent to accompany her as a deterrent. ―However,
Saki could not be sure that Rindō Kozaburo alone would be enough to subdue her
and the two inquisitors (Alessandro and Salvatore) who stood behind her.
As they greet each
other with only a superficial greeting, Saki's father's eyes sweep over the
surroundings.
Saki followed his gaze
but saw nothing but the flow of people coming and going.
"What's the
matter, father?"
"Well... I was
just wondering where Akira-kun is.
Publicly, I am his
guardian after all.
......But, despite
that, I've never met him face to face before.
I was hoping that we
could finally meet today."
"If it's
Akira-kun you're looking for, he went out on a patrol mission at Sannomiya's
request.
He said it would take
him two days before he returned."
"Hohou~. To think
he would disregard the head of the Eight Families who stood as his guardian.
He seems to be doing
quite well, huh?"
Kozaburo and Akira had
certainly never met face-to-face before.
But Kozaburo is partly
to blame for the lack of opportunity.
"It's Sannomiya's
request, so it can't be helped then.
Besides, wasn't it
you, Father, who avoided Kihoin-sama's attempts to arrange an opportunity and
then simply went back to Nase territory?
I don't think it's
fair to complain about it after all this time."
"Well, that's
true. However, I have my own reasons as well, you see.
There is no other
choice then. I'll rent out a dojo later and ask him to accompany me in my
training.
―All day long."
"Father?"
For some reason, his
calm tone of voice was laced with menace.
*Shiver*. Saki blinked
repeatedly as something demonic rose from her father's back.
"That will be
necessary.
I've stood as his
guardian, and I've put my daughter in charge of his teachings. In other words,
I am just like a father-in-law.
That's why, it is only
natural for me to be concerned about my son-in-law's abilities."
"......I-I see."
Somehow, she couldn't
shake off the feeling that his intentions were something else.
Saki watched her
father's tone of voice take on a heated tone with a resigned expression.
Kozaburo clenched his
fist like a rock as the people around him, including his daughter, kept their
distance.
Moderate, cautious.
Although he might be talked about behind his back in various ways, he is still
the head of the Eight Families.
As the head of one of
the Eight families, Kozaburo's strength is beyond doubt, and his spirit blazed
like a flame.
"―Alright. Everything is settled then.
Even if the training
might get a little heated, or a few bones might be broken.
Exchanging fists is a
natural part of the conversation between father and son."
"Is that really a
training, though?"
Saki questioned her
father's bold and brutal mutterings.
However, as though his
daughter's doubts did not reach him, Kozaburo let out a visible huff of flame
from his throat.
"......Casalini-sama,
what have you told him?
This is the first time
that my father has ever gone mad to this extent."
"I understand
that you don't trust me, but I didn't do anything.
Although I have
brought up Akira-san's topic several times along the way, he has been like this
from the very beginning."
There is no reason to
trust Benedetta, but one can trust her status as a priestess.
Saki replied with a
short apology and then looked at Kozaburo once again.
Connecting the various
pieces of information, it seemed vaguely clear that the reason for his anger
was due to his discord with his wife, Rindō Chikako, who is also Saki's mother,
Moreover, it seemed
that the reason was because he was being suspected of cheating on her.
Even with the
advancement of medical technology, they live in an age where the survival rate
of a child is around 50%. Polygamy is an obligation of the nobility, but
Kozaburo has never had a concubine.
He did not waste money
and devoted himself only to governing his territory. He has a good relationship
with his wife, as evidenced by the fact that they have three children,
including Saki.
They were famous as a
happily married couple, so what exactly happened?
She don't think it's
fair for him to direct his anger toward Akira, who should have nothing to do
with his parents' relationship.
Ignoring her father,
who was losing himself in anger, Saki gazed up at the high autumn sky.
.......It seemed that
they would need some time before they could depart.
Once Kozaburo had
calmed down, the group climbed into the steam car that Saki had prepared for
them.
Benedetta and
Salvatore were seated in front of Kozaburo and Saki, and Alessandro climbed
into the front passenger seat.
"...... This
emblem... a Claudina made by Dalia, huh?
Looks like you spent a
lot of money on a very expensive car just to welcome us."
"Currently,
Casalini-sama has been invited to the Central Capital as an official diplomatic
envoy.
More precisely, under
the custody of the Kihoin family."
"―I see. Even
though it's not acknowledged on paper, contact with Sonnomiya has been
established.
I guess every country
does pay careful consideration to the voices of the outside world."
"I appreciate
your understanding.
......In any case, we
never expected to invite envoys from foreign countries to the Central Capital."
In response to
Benedetta's mutterings, Saki, who had made arrangements for the steam car,
responded in an embarrassed manner.
Currently, the only
official route for contact between Takamagahara and foreign countries is via
Kamotsu, the southernmost point of Shumon Province.
Inviting an envoy from
a foreign country to the Central Capital of the Central Province, the heart of
Takamagahara, would be the first time since the founding of Takamagahara.
However, although it
was a good decision to invite the envoys, the fact that only steam-powered cars
from the Western Continent were available to welcome them was quite an issue.
Whether they would be
impressed by the fact that Saki and the others could provide the most advanced
Western technology or they would discern the limitations of domestic production
depended on the other party's perception.
Perhaps out of
consideration of Saki and the others' situation, Benedetta did not pursue the
matter in any particular way.
However, this fact
proved that Takamagahara was not ready for anything.
Being unprepared to
welcome them is synonymous with being unprepared for the negotiations that will
follow.
"...... I heard
that a few years ago you invited engineers from the Western Continent to begin
domestic production of steam engines, is that true?"
"You are well
informed.
We are proud of our
steel forging technology, but we were behind in the casting technology.
―We are forced to review our plans, including that
technology."
Hearing Salvatore's
question, Kozaburo took over.
He didn't want to be
open about it, but it's not a secret either.
The moment they
invited engineers from foreign countries, they knew that the level of
Takamagahara's technology would be exposed.
The railroad
transportation project promoted by the Kuga family is a major project that is
currently attracting the most attention from the feudal noble families.
However, the fact is
that the domestic production of steam locomotives, which is the centerpiece of
the project, has almost come to a halt due to a lack of basic technology.
"Well, I guess
it's fortunate for us.
Benedetta's face
brightened as she heard Kozaburo's bitter reply.
"Vansuir is
currently involved in a railroad project that will cross the Western Continent.
If you accept our
request, we would not hesitate to dispatch an expert in casting
technology."
―The proposal in itself was gratifying.
Kozaburo hid the
frustration in his gut and gave Benedetta only a vague nod.
As is the case with
negotiations between fiefdoms, agreements made at a certain height are
basically price-neutral.
The reason is that the
only way to measure the values of the two sides is to measure them by eye
level.
The act of writing a
price on a blank price tag is the essence of what is required in negotiation.
This experience was
Kozaburo's weakest point.
"That will depend
on the negotiations with Sannomiya.
......I don't think
it's something we could agree upon at the moment."
"I see, that's
unfortunate."
Kozaburo kept his
mouth shut in response to Saki's helpful advice.
Benedetta withdrew
without any hesitation, perhaps having expected this to happen.
Saki was not
particularly good at this kind of negotiation either.
She thought it was not
the kind of thing one would ask of a girl who had just turned 12, so she threw
the problem to Sannomiya.
―But more importantly, there is something else that is
bothering her.
"I have an urgent
request.
―I would like you to hand over any information that the
[Holy Church of Ariadne] has regarding Padre."
"......Padre,
huh?
I have heard about the
situation, but most of the information was lost with the death of Sir Ambrosio.
My information, which
is not directly related to yours, is not much different from yours, Saki-sama."
Benedetta seemed
troubled as she responded to Saki's request.
Now that she knows
Padre's true identity, she has no intention of protecting him, but that doesn't
mean she has any useful information that she can share.
"―A Divine Pillar who was banished from the Dragon Den.
Takamagahara is currently tracing the history of this Divine Pillar, who used
to call himself Padre.
The most likely
candidate is a Divine Pillar of Tsonma, but the reason why he called himself
Padre and was obsessed with the Western Continent is unclear.
Any information, no
matter how trivial, would be very helpful."
"...... I heard
from Sir Ambrosio that last month's operation was planned with Padre's
knowledge as a basis.
It makes sense now,
despite him calling himself Padre, I have no memory of him ever exercising
sacred arts.
All I can confirm is
that he exercised Kidō (black magic) talismans, which he said he had learned in
Tsonma."
While gazing at the
streaming scenery through the window, Benedetta searched through her already
fading memories.
It's also possible
that even these fading memories are due to some kind of spell or power.
A monster dwelling in
the chasm between memories.
Even after being
clearly perceived as an enemy, its ability to make its recognition seem like a
distant reality is rampant.
"Undoubtedly, his
black magic will be a threat.
It's Tsonma's external
method of consuming miasma instead of spiritual power.
Powerful though it may
be, it is a mere talisman technique that could interfere with a sacred artifact
and rewrite the dragon veins, albeit temporarily."
"......Hold on a
second.
Rewriting the dragon
veins, you say?"
"Yes.
The plan that Padre
and Sir Ambrosio prepared during last month's operation was to connect Tsonma's
dragon veins with Takamagahara in order to project the divine seal technique.
However, it was
obvious that it would fail, so I replaced it with the method of connecting it
with Vansuir's divine realm."
As far as Benedetta
remembers, there are three pieces of evidence that Padre exercised some kind of
spell.
The technique of
damming the village water vein; the interference with Tsonma's dragon vein; and
the aiding in pulling out the Pārijāta.
The village water vein
was vague, but she clearly remembered the Tsonma matter and the removal of the
sacred artifact.
―The reason was that it was Ambrosio who handled those
things, not Padre.
"An evil
technique that uses miasma, even if only temporarily.
Even if he were my
ally, he's not someone I'd want to have any more to do with."
"......Hold on a
sec. Did Ambrosio use Kidou to pull out the sacred artifact?"
Hearing Benedetta's
information, Saki asked back in dismay.
The truth is, Saki has
never witnessed Kidou.
No. This is just an
excuse.
―But if one understands the meaning of using Kidou
correctly, one will be able to see some new information.
"Yes. We have
also confirmed where the miasma contaminates the place, so there can be no
mistake."
"―Please stop the
car!"
Saki's cry brought the
steam car to an abrupt halt.
Amidst the annoying neighing
of the carriage horses, Saki jumped down onto the main road through the cloud
of dust.
Fortunately, the place
where the car stopped was just right in front of the Tenryō Academy.
"What's the
matter, Saki?"
"My apologies,
Father. I've got a few things to look into.
―May I ask you to take care of the rest here?"
"Wait. Are you
going to abandon your official duties?" "I don't mind."
Unexpectedly, Kozaburo
and Benedetta's voices overlapped.
Having someone from
another country talk on his behalf, Kozaburo glared at Benedetta.
However, Benedetta
smiled back at Kozaburo, seemingly oblivious to his anger.
"Rindō-sama, you
are the only one who has been ordered to accompany me on official business,
right?
And Saki-sama was only
ordered to welcome us, so there should be no problem if she were to leave
now."
"That's true,
but..."
Even if that were the
case, the fact that she left her official duties would be regarded as a form of
abandonment.
Diplomacy was a new
experience for Central Capital, and any flaw could be a stain on their
reputation.
Kozaburo's argument
that it is better to be careful is also a valid one.
―However,
"There is no need
to be concerned.
I didn't find any
value in the information about Padre, but Saki-sama seems to find it different.
Hyakki Yagyo, was it?
Now that the decisive battle is imminent, there will be no time to waste."
After bowing to
Benedetta's intervention, Saki turned her body around.
Perhaps she was also
exercising Aragamioroshi inconspicuously, her figure quickly disappeared from
sight.
"......Were you
find it a shame?"
"Of course I am.
The experience in
diplomacy that we ought to have gained this time was more important to Saki
than it was to me."
As Benedetta trembled
with chuckles, Kozaburo, who had returned to his seat, responded with a
disappointed tone.
It is not that
Kozaburo does not envision the future. The feudal nobility, who are confined to
their territories, will come to a standstill one way or another.
It is too late to deal
with it when it happens. If they do not adapt before that happens, their
collapse will be a certainty.
It may be too late for
Kozaburo, but Saki still has a good chance of adapting.
"A child does not
understand the parent's heart, huh?"
"Don't worry.
Saki-sama only did
what she needed to do now."
In response to
Benedetta's smile, which offered no consolation, the head of the Rindō family,
which governs the Nase territory, merely shrugged his shoulders slightly.
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