Volume 3
Side Story 7
The Path is so
Dark and the Destination is so Insidious
Translator : PolterGlast
At the end of the
road, where the night darkness spread out, only gas lamps at equal intervals
illuminated the path unreliably.
Sway, sway. From
beyond the darkness, flickering lights and the sound of footsteps on the gravel
echoed.
"Ijitsu-sama. As
I thought, are we not getting a reply?"
"Indeed. Things
are not going well with Gioin-sama's side.
There really seems to
be a problem going on."
"We've also been
getting a lot of requests from the old families......."
"I understand.
...... I hope we can bring some good news by the end of the year."
Ijitsu Narikane, a
member of the Kokuten Provincial Council, responded bitterly to his secretary's
question as he led the way with a lantern in hand.
The meeting of the
provincial councilors was held to assign tasks to the projects entrusted to
them by the Gioin.
The conversation was
taking place on the way back from a tedious meeting at a ryotei (Japanese-style
restaurant).
One of the largest
privileges held by the councilors in Kokuten Province is the authority to
manage underground water veins.
These rights had been
monopolized by the nobility, but now, under the authority of the council, they
were allowed to make such decisions without waiting for the Gioin's permission.
―The underground water vein in Takamagahara can be
traced back to the Kokuten Province.
The control of the
underground water veins owned by the land of water elements guarantees the
superiority of the provincial council.
Even old families in
Central Province are no exception to this.
Ijitsu had made a
secret agreement to entrust one of the underground water veins leading to
Central Province to the old Mikuriya family, relying on them for support that
was not only tangible but also intangible.
"Good grief. They
are all so conservative.
Can't they have a
little more spirit to seek innovation?"
"The old factions
are too rigid after all.
The flow of gold
produced by the water veins is all it takes to sustain their interests."
"What
incompetence to cling only to the water source!"
Ijitsu's tone was
filled with unconcealed dissatisfaction.
He was unable to get
things to work. Perhaps out of frustration, Ijitsu's gait became impatient.
Beyond the
anxiety-provoking darkness, where not even the stars were visible.
A steam car that had
been left waiting for him emerged, illuminated by a gas lamp.
The distance from the
ryotei should be less than a few minutes.
In the encroaching
darkness, the latest technology, which is still rare in Kokuten Province, gave
him relief.
By now, the light
intensity of the lantern had dropped to the margin of error.
His aide turned off
the light by squeezing the adjustable knob on the bottom of the lantern.
"...... What do
you think about this lantern?"
"Not bad. It
holds more fuel than it looks and burns well.
I wonder how they
circulate the air, and there is no soot on the windshield.
Whether it can
withstand the harsh winters in Kokuten Province will be determined by this
year's winter."
"These lanterns
are imported from Yuki Country (Uxsanst), which is farther north than
Takamagahara, and are said by merchants there to be able to withstand the rough
treatment of sailors."
He looked at the
lantern smuggled from Uxsanst, a large country across the Northern Sea
bordering Takamagahara.
Ijitsu's tone was
happy, perhaps satisfied with his aide's response.
These lanterns were a
source of light that gained explosive popularity during the short period of
time between the days when candles were the norm and the widespread use of
electric lights.
He heard that they are
becoming obsolete in Karen, but they are still in use in Kokuten Province,
which is geographically far away from Shumon Province and is behind in the
civilization process.
"Have you heard
anything from the guys in Uxsanst?"
"...... They said
they are doing fine, but they don't have enough trust to lay the foundations.
Since they were merely
students who were shipwrecked by bad luck, even if they are allowed to learn
about the knowledge of the developed countries, they don't have any diplomatic
authority."
A few years ago,
students directly selected by Ijitsu were unluckily shipwrecked during a
fishing trip, a well-known story that once swept the town.
At the end of last
year, they received word that they had been rescued by a fishing boat from
Uxsanst after being swept away by the currents of the Northern Sea.
Coincidentally, all of
the students were fluent in the language, and they were able to go on to study
abroad as planned, clinging to the generosity of a great nation.
"―Look at this
lantern. The technology used here is on par with that of the Western Continent.
I want to show it to
those fools who see the great northern countries as a frontier buried in
snow."
"I can fully
sympathize with your deep thoughtfulness."
"It's unfair that
they only open their doors to trade with the South, where people are so
obsessed with fashion and so ignorant of the current global development. I just
don't understand it.
Look, Ugetsu-sama has
connected Gioin with the Central Capital.
If we can open a port
on the border of the Northern Sea, Kokuten Province will have a prosperous
future in trade."
"What did the
diplomat over there say?"
"Once the
northern harbor is opened, he would look forward to meeting me.
I have also received a
positive response regarding the relocation of the consulate."
Ijitsu gave the
lantern to his aide and got into the car.
―Steam was being expelled from the boiler, and the
sound of the engine filled the car.
He lost himself in the
sound of the steam engine, whose technology was only just beginning to develop
in Takamagahara, and fantasized about himself overlooking the northern harbor.
The construction of a
city to monopolize the trade routes with Uxsanst was the culmination of
Ijitsu's life-long ambition.
He wanted to reign
over a port that would generate tremendous wealth. Even the Eight Families
would respect him, and the opinions of the Four Families would be hard to
ignore.
Drunk with the
prospect of becoming such a person 10 years from now, Ijitsu sank deeply into
the back seat of the car.
Ijitsu, intoxicated by
this fantasy, was unaware of what Uxsanst was truly seeking.
Even if he did, he would
simply turn his eyes away from reality.
―What would be a good title for the representative?
He pondered aimlessly,
and gently put a string of bubbling letters on his tongue.
"Ijitsu Narikane,
the Northern Audit Supervisor.
―How do you like the sound of that? Hmm."
With a joyful smile on
his face, he gleefully called out to the driver, who had finished his
preparations and climbed into the driver's seat.
Leaving the driver,
whose eyes were black and white because he couldn't comprehend what was being
said, the man sitting opposite the driver, the man with whom Ijitsu trusted,
gave a follow-up.
"It's a title
truly befitting of Ijitsu-sama, bearing great prestige behind it."
"Ha, ha. I see, I
know you would say so."
It was more an
exchange of pleasantries than questions and answers. Ijitsu waved his right
hand signaling to the driver that he was ready to go.
Indeed, this day was
the peak of Ijitsu's life.
His ambition was
almost within reach. Imagining his name being engraved in the history of
Kokuten Province with the accomplishments he had achieved, he heard the
high-pitched sound of the steam-powered car just before it was turned to move―.
"―Excuse me for
interrupting for a second."
The buoyant mood that
filled the car was suddenly dispelled by the sound of the intruder's voice.
Without even a moment
to stop him, the door was pulled open, and with a voice, someone interrupted
Ijitsu.
A short, dark-skinned
man with short hair. He smiled at Ijitsu with an innocent smile, despite his
intrusion into the car.
"W-Who the hell
are you!"
"You don't know
me? Ha~! How lamentable. I'm proud of the fact that my family name is the only
thing that well-known.
―Well. What do think is going to happen now? If you ask
me, I'd say it's just as you can imagine."
The man, who was
wearing a combination of suit and kimono, sneered with a hint of self-mockery.
The collar at the back
of the kimono. A short sword, slightly longer than a dagger, peeking out from
behind it.
Ijitsu and the others,
intimidated by this dangerous presence despite his harmless smile, were forced
into a mute silence.
Perhaps understanding
their feelings, ......or perhaps not interested in such things.
The man left Ijitsu
and the others in silence, folded his arms and lost himself in his own personal
chatter.
"How annoying.
When my daughter was bought out by the main family, I was happy that the sun
would shine on our family, too. But now, she refuses to even come back from the
capital.
Even when I urged her
to visit her hometown at the beginning of the new year, she still had a
troublesome expression on her face.
―Well, it can't be helped, this place is so rural after
all."
There was no way to
react to being told a personal story that no one expected to hear.
The man's off-topic
soliloquy continued.
There was no smell of
alcohol, but given the many ryotei restaurants in the area, he must have been
drunk. After a few moments of tension, Ijitsu and his aide exchanged puzzled
glances, and after receiving silent urging, Ijitsu interrupted him.
"Excuse me, but I
think you've mistaken us for someone else―."
"It was the same
this year. My daughter was supposed to be coming back to report about the
school year, but she went to the Central Capital Academy instead, so it's quite
heartless of her.
―Well, I was so disturbed by the information I heard
there that I didn't notice her absence until a day later."
"Excuse me!"
The man was speaking
in a melancholy tone of voice, and the aide, whose initial nervousness had
faded, threw a somewhat stronger tone.
The man's words were
interrupted and his gaze turned to them.
"What?"
"You must be
mistaking us for someone else. This person is-"
"Ijitsu, the
errand guy, right? I know who you guys are."
With a shrug, the
misunderstanding disappeared.
But after the man
forcing his way in, what they heard was the man’s story that they weren't even
interested in.
On behalf of his aide,
who was forced to remain silent due to his bewilderment, Ijitsu was forced to open
his mouth.
"If you know me,
then there is no way you are mistaking me for someone else.
―I am still quite busy, so I will listen to what you
have to say, as long as you make it brief."
"Oh, I'm glad
that you understand things so well.
To tell you the truth,
when they learned my name, they all wanted to prolong the conversation.
I was just being
considerate, and it became a habit for me to try to conceal it with a long
story."
Perhaps, he did not
like to tell lies. His voice was not sarcastic as he laughed.
But he has no
intention of complying. Ijitsu's eyes grew intense and he silently urged the
man to continue.
Perhaps reading the
air, the man shrugged lightly and turned his gaze toward the ceiling.
"The Sangamisaki
territory.―You're the one who's sending the spies to the northern shore, no?
You're getting in the
way, would you mind stepping back?"
"Ha... That's a
bit of a stretch. Your client is most likely a lord of the surrounding region,
right?
―I refuse. That was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
open up the future of Kokuten Province.
I don't want to be
dictated to by a bunch of insects from the enclosed lands who are bound by
vested interests."
Ijitsu scoffed at the
request of the man with a smug look on his face.
He was prepared that
his ambitions would not be understood by the local lords. And he guessed that
the man in front of him was probably a middleman or a pawn sent by them.
Ijitsu had experienced
this kind of confrontation several times.
He was no stranger to
the heat of battle, so much so that he was no longer intimidated when told to
retreat.
"I think the
vested interests are mutual.
―When you gave up the water rights on your own and
waved your tail to the old families of the Central Capital, you're on the same
side as us."
"The transfer of
water rights is permitted under the authority of the Provincial Council of
Kokuten Province.
You have no right to
speak your opinion."
"No need for
pleasantries then. That land should not be used for a northern harbor.
Even that port is
being funded by the Central Capital and Uxsanst, right? We don't like it when
you ignore the Gioin family and behave like a parasite.
"You, how dare
you sneer at my noble ideas with your mundane standards!"
How much of the truth
do they know? Ijitsu was angered by the fact that he had to be told a fact that
he didn't want to be told.
Not to mention
Uxsanst, the Central Capital also exists outside of the Kokuten Province. It is
a clear betrayal as a provincial council to give rights to those under
different jurisdictions.
―The fact that he is receiving support from Uxsanst in
particular can be seen as a treasonous act.
Facts that not even
Ugetsu had been told were being exposed. Unable to accept the reality, Ijitsu
stared at the man with murderous intent.
He half-way raised his
hips to show his rage at the predicament in which he found himself.
Intentionally letting
his emotions out of control, Ijitsu unleashed all of the intimidation of the
high-ranking spirit on the man.
Intimidation to shut
the man's mouth. The man next to him scoffed at Ijitsu's maneuver of turning
the tables on the negotiation in the limited space of the car without a single
twitch of his eyebrows.
"Is that all your
life's work amounts of? That's why I'm sneering at you, you know.
Do you really think
Uxsanst is seriously supporting you?
All the Northerners
want is an ice-free port with access to the ocean that they can pass through at
their convenience. ―You're nothing more than a useful errand boy, do you know
that?"
"You,
bastaaarrdd!!"
Having his lifelong
ambition laughed at, Ijitsu pulled out the offensive talisman he had been
carrying in his pocket.
A metal-element
offensie talisman. The sudden surge of internal pressure burst the doors of the
steam car open.
Following emergency
procedures, Ijitsu rolled out of the car as his aide pulled out a water-element
offensive talisman.
Metal generates Water.
Using the synergistic relationship to multiply the power is a part of
Onmyoujutsu, but if exercised on the premise of an outburst, it is a method
that can be done simply by activating the talisman.
Ijitsu, who was lying
on the ground preparing for the freezing impact, turned around to find that the
explosion never occurred.
A pale blue flame
licked the door. Ijitsu was stunned by the sight of the talisman that had
indeed activated, but dissipated in vain with no result.
Perhaps due to a
throat slitting, the already dead aide slid off the edge of the door.
Pushing the body out
of the way, a man came down and stood on the ground.
"―Maybe it was a
favorable miscalculation that my daughter was sent to the Central Capital.''
The man stepped out of
the car, making a sound as if to hint at Ijitsu's future.
His tone of voice,
which didn't seem to falter after killing a human being, struck Ijitsu's
earlobe even more eerily.
"This kind of
dirty work is not something I want women and children to see, after all."
"Ku, ku. What
difference does it make if you kill me?
―You all know that the Kokuten Province is a step
behind other provinces.
Even if you claim that
I have sold my soul to Uxsanst or Central Capital, it is still better than a
future in which we will never rise again!"
Against such a
disadvantageous situation with no way out, Ijitsu's rebuttal rang out.
A man who seriously
cares about the future of Kokuten Province ends up on a dark roadside without
seeing the fulfillment of his ambition that lies ahead of him. It was a reality
that Ijitsu found difficult to accept.
"No matter what
criticism I receive, I must prove to the world that Kokuten Province does
exist!!"
"―Yeah. Alright, alright."
Ijitsu's cry, which
concealed his true feelings, was, in a sense, his true intention.
Despite his sincere
cry, the man still annoyingly brushed off his hand in reply.
"In the first
place, I don't give a damn about those things."
"W-What the..."
"I have other
reasons for doing this.
Well, your life is
nothing. You're merely a side character at best."
"D-Don't be ridiculous!
You're going to trample on my ambitions, you know!?
How could I possibly
accept such a ridiculous reason!?"
The man's mutterings,
which seem to make him sound insignificant, nonetheless are not something
Ijitsu can comprehend.
Forgetting that he was
on his deathbed, Ijitsu snapped at the man.
"I don't accept
this kind of treatment!
How can a fool, whose
name I don't even know, treat this Ijitsu Narikane, someone who will be known
throughout the world, as a mere opening act!?"
"Actually, you're
not even a side character.
Once everything is
over,
―I'll forget about you."
No matter how hard he
yelled, the man's tone never wavered.
Feeling the odds were
against him, Ijitsu stood up and took a couple of steps backward.
The distance between the
two widened slightly, but the man's step immediately closed the gap.
His opponent showed an
unwavering step. Ijitsu carefully measured the distance between the two, daring
to ignore the difference in skill.
The distance between
the two was approximately 6 meters, just a little short, but still worth the
risk of a counterattack.
Ijitsu took a shallow
stance, trying not to let his opponent know that he was about to strike.
Waki-gamae. Ijitsu
kept his stance moderate so that he could move either to attack or to defend.
"Oh. You are
thinking of running away?
That's good. Being
dirty is a virtue for the nobility."
"―Running away?
Don't be
disrespectful, foot soldier. Don't think this Ijitsu Narikane would turn his
back on the likes of you!"
Spitting out
determinedly, Ijitsu released a water-element offensive talisman.
As soon as it was
activated, a water ball headed for the man's face.
Ijitsu had already
assumed that a simple talisman attack would be ineffective. Therefore, the
water ball was worth nothing more than a distraction.
―His real target was,
He quickly pulled out
a dagger spirit vessel from his waist and poured in the spirit power he had
kneaded amid his breathing.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Shoden―
"Engetsu!!"
A crescent moon
slashed through the air and sped across the distance between them.
It was such a perfect
surprise attack that even Ijitsu, an amateur in combat, was convinced of
victory.
Even if the man could
deal with the water balloons that blocked his vision, there would be no way to
block Engetsu.
Even if one were able
to ignore the water ball and deal with Engetsu, it would be unlikely to be able
to withstand Ijitsu's follow-up attack if it were still deprived of its vision.
Ijitsu, taking
advantage of his opponent's carelessness, continued his pursuit, and then...
―Scatter.
"........................Haa?"
Ijitsu's thoughts
stopped short, this time for good, as he watched a slash cutting through the
night darkness and disposing of Engetsu, along with the water ball.
The spirit light
danced and scattered without making a sound. Ijitsu's hand stopped as he saw
something he had never imagined before.
"It was
underhanded, but a nice tactic.
At least, I like
it."
Perhaps he exposed it
on purpose, the man's family crest peeked out from the back of his collar.
―Two folding fans and a single branch of plum blossoms.
Unable to comprehend
this reality, Ijitsu fired all the water-element offensive talismans he had.
Each time, his
opponent's white blade flashed, and the talismans were transformed into nothing
but burning papers.
Gioin-style
Spirit Technique, Variant, ―Byakuyadzuki
Eventually, when all
of the water-element offensive talismans on hand had dissipated into nothing
but pale blue flames, all that remained was the man and Ijitsu, breathing
heavily.
"......What in
the world does the Dōgyou assassin want with me?"
Ijitsu muttered,
seemingly realizing everything,
The man. ―The head of
the Dōgyou family, Dōgyou Harutane, scratched his brow as if he didn't give a
damn.
"As for the
reason for your death, please take your time to think about it in the
afterlife.
But the official
reason will be an accidental death, and the most people will be able to find
out will be your secret dealings with Uxsanst."
"Ha, ha. So, you
mean to tell me that my secret dealing with Uxsanst is nothing? You mean to
tell me that my ambition, which was to bet the future of Kokuten Province, is
only worth that low?"
The humiliation of
having his great achievement, which was to be engraved brilliantly in the
history of Kokuten Province, belittled by the mere subordinate of the Eight
Families, even if it was the head of the family himself.
The end result of the
unreasonable cruelty brought tears to Ijitsu's eyes from sheer frustration.
But even that final,
remaining excuse was-,
"The future of
Kokuten Province, huh?
You seem to be
mistaken, do you think this is the first time that someone like you has been
involved in such a scheme?"
"What?"
"It's been a
hundred years since the imperialist Uxsanst launched their policy of conquest
of the south.
Uxsanst's instigation
happens every year, and one out of ten people like you are incited and get
carried away."
With his dagger held
in his right eye, Dōgyou Harutane slowly kneaded his spirit power.
Slowly, so that even
Ijitsu, an amateur in combat, could understand.
"Dōgyou is not a
well-known family name in Takamagahara, but it is notorious on the continent,
especially in the Uxsanst region.
Not to boast, but in
terms of the total head counts on the continent, we have killed more people
than the Kugas."
Dōgyou family is a noble
family whose primary purpose is to prevent the continent from interfering with
the Gioin.
The only reason they
appear to be holed up in their own territory is to hide the fact that they are
basically not in Takamagahara.
All of this is based
on their determination to protect Takamagahara's peace.
Seventh of the Eight
Families, the Dōgyou family.
"Don't joke
w-...!!"
Sorrowful grief at
being his entire being denied erupted from Ijitsu's throat.
But faster than his
breath could be exhausted, Harutane's slash severed Ijitsu's neck.
Spinning. His field of
vision spins around.
"―What a boring
job, seriously.
I don't want to
continue this family business if it's making my daughter hate me."
Harutane's usual
soliloquy was the last thing Ijitsu heard as his consciousness was rapidly
engulfed by the darkness.
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