Volume 4
Chapter 5 Part
1
Playfully
Scheming, with No End in Sight 1
Translator : PolterGlast
"That was,
certainly..."
—The atmosphere across the Ssanten-ryō trembled
slightly.
It was a sensation
that Mikuriya Shishin, who had been rekindling old friendships, had never felt
in the sacred realm. When he noticed it, even the gentle breeze caressing his
cheek felt strange.
—It was the outside air flowing from the mortal world.
"Father, is
something wrong?"
"No..."
"—Hoho, this is
rare. For the retired head of the Mikuriya family to visit.
Are you here to
celebrate my grand occasion with me?"
He stopped Mikuriya
Hirotada (his son), who was dubious, and turned his attention to the presence
that was walking up to his back.
At the end of his gaze
was an elderly man alone. The tension between the two was palpable, a tension
understood only by them, hidden behind a welcome tinged with mockery.
"Haha. My current
head of family recommended that I come at least once before my legs gave out.
Well, it's not a bad
idea to have a conversation with old acquaintances. —Tsuwabuki-dono."
"Is that so?
Having retired from a major role, you're only getting closer to the Provincial
Bureau. I heard rumors that you had lost interest in Central Capital."
"Rare
earth-element users are becoming fewer and fewer these days. I thought the
spirit of the Provincial Bureau was something that Central Capital needed. Oh,
I have heard rumors that the Imperial Guards' performance has deteriorated
considerably. For the Inner Government to protect the Imperial Guards, well, it
seems even they are becoming a burden now."
Behind the polite
conversation, there was hidden sarcasm. Tsuwabuki Samon, the head of the
Tsuwabuki family, whose sore spot had been touched, trembled his lips slightly.
The Tsuwabuki family,
which had served as the chief of the Inner Government (Officials), and the
Mikuriya family, the chief of the Imperial Guards, had always been at odds with
each other, regardless of the stage.
About twenty years
ago, the Tsuwabuki family had ousted the Mikuriya family from the position of
the chief of the Imperial Guards and took over almost all authority.
That seemingly solid
political foundation had been shaken greatly by the ugly incident at the Hyakki
Yagyo.
"—What? The fool
who was the commander-in-chief of the garrison was just about to be beheaded.
He seemed to have felt
a sense of responsibility, so I had him disposed of before he could disgrace
the Imperial Families."
"It's only
natural to dispose of a fool.
—But if it ends there, it won't be satisfying."
"Hmph."
The head of the
Tsuwabuki family snorted at the sarcastic remark from Shishin, with whom he had
once engaged in political struggles.
It was a well-known
fact that the Imperial Guards' position in the Central Capital, as well as the
important positions in the garrison, were all operated according to Tsuwabuki
Samon's intentions.
It goes without saying
that the responsibility for the appointments could be traced back to Shishin.
"It would be
difficult to replace both the garrison and the Imperial Guards.
If we scavenge for
what we deem worthy from our surroundings, we can easily deplete the few old
families we have."
"Is that why you
never bothered to care about it? My, oh my, I'm impressed by your magnanimity,
Samon-dono.
—Come to think of it, the reason I retired from the
Imperial Guards was because someone loudly demanded responsibility for my
appointment."
"...That's only
one aspect. Rather, the main reason was probably that your reputation was
declining."
"What!?"
Shishin's cheeks
flushed as he was reminded of a blunder he had made in the past.
His old body leaned
forward involuntarily, and he stopped at Hirotada's restraint.
"Haha. I
apologize for my excessive words due to the heavy responsibility of being the
head of an old family.
Our main event is
tomorrow. For now, it would be best to rekindle our old friendships."
Sensing a reaction
from Shishin, Samon smiled thinly and turned on his heel.
The Kannamesai
Festival was still in its early stages. For everyone except the Three Imperial
Families, the Four Sovereigns, and the Eight Families, this was a time to
confirm each faction's intentions before tomorrow's inspection by the Three
Imperial Families.
With his back turned,
Samon spoke the main point he had come to convey to Shishin.
"—I am sure you
are aware of the long-cherished wish of all the generations of the old
families, despite being a retired man.
Now, at last, it will
be fulfilled in my generation. If you behave yourself for the next few days, I
will be more than willing to pardon you as Imperial Guards' guardian."
"You. I..."
"Father!"
Before Shishin could
say anything more, Hirotada's restraint came in time.
In place of his
speechless father, the current head of the Mikuriya family stepped forward.
"The Mikuriya
family has taken note of Tsuwabuki-dono's words.
Please feel free to
fulfill the long-cherished wish of the old families."
"Very well.
That's all. Just make sure to find a suitable replacement for the Imperial
Guards."
Ended his speech in
front of Hirotada, who was bowing low and showing a submissive attitude, Samon
turned away.
Not everyone present
was from the old family. Powerful feudal lords from various provinces were also
present.
Although it was to
nail his political rival, he should avoid doing anything that would make people
doubt the unity of the old families.
Glancing back at
Samon's departing figure with resentment, Shishin muttered.
"Thank you for
enduring in the face of our enemy, Father."
"Our
long-cherished wish is almost within reach.
But to think that he
would make so many blunders and then try to seize the rights of the Imperial
Families, his vulgarity sure knows no bounds."
"By making such
concessions to us, his enemies, he's trying to silence us for the next few
days. I think our assumption is likely correct.
If we let the
Tsuwabuki family take the lead in the first battle at the Imperial Families'
inspection, we can then take everything they've gained without
hesitation."
"Hmph. That
sounds delightful.
Don't let your guard
down, Hirotada. Let tomorrow's show be the last time for Tsuwabuki to reach the
peak of its glory."
Hirotada nodded
silently in response to Shishin's voice, eagerly anticipating that moment.
The annual outline of
the Kannamesai Festival is decided on the first day, which only the Three
Imperial Families, the Four Sovereigns, and the Eight Families are allowed to
attend. Participation requires special permission, and opinions other than
those of the Three Imperial Families, the Four Sovereigns, and the Eight
Families are not heard.
—That's right. Even the old families are no exception,
and there are no precedents for them to be allowed to participate.
Although the old families
boast that they are recognized as equals to the Eight Families, this is a
moment when the difference in status is inevitably shown.
It is the
long-cherished wish of the Tsuwabuki family, and by extension, of all the old
families, to be appointed to the position of head of the annual meeting and to
take care of the Three Imperial Families, the Four Sovereigns, and the Eight
Families as an old family.
In this year's
inspection, the Tsuwabuki family is aiming for that position.
There is no reason to think
they won't succeed. The Three Imperial Families have never rejected the
decisions of the old families.
Even the Utanomiya and
the Fujinomorimiya, which own the Imperial Guards and the garrisons, have
transferred their authority to the old families at the request of the old
families without any particular explanation.
One reason for this is
that the Three Imperial Families have not shown much attachment to political
rights over the generations.
Although this request
would greatly encroach on the authority of the Three Imperial Families, the
Four Sovereigns, and the Eight Families, the Tsuwabuki family believes that
they can easily get concessions by exploiting the mistakes made by the Three
Imperial Families.
―And that's why Mikuriya Hirotada's plan comes into
play.
By stripping the
Tsuwabuki family of their authority and then using it as an excuse to dispose
of them as a disturbance among the old families, the Mikuriya family will end
up with all of the Tsuwabuki family's privileges.
This was an impossible
scenario for Tsuwabuki Samon. Even this incident is a maneuver that could only
be carried out by the Mikuriya family, who were ostensibly unrelated.
"Don't worry. The
Tsuwabuki family has made many mistakes lately, and they have been covering
them up by relying on their authority.
This corruption may
have more to do with their attempts to cover up those mistakes."
"How are the
factions being brought in?"
"Aside from the
immediate surroundings of the Imperial Guards, which we approached boldly as a
decoy. —I don't think the Inner Government has realized that we've also drawn
them in, given how unhurried they've been."
"Is it only he
who does not know? Then I will just emphasize the relationship with the Kuga
family as much as I can."
With a thinly veiled
sneer, Shishin began to actively consolidate his faction.
Hirotada, who followed
him, also began to carefully assess the balance of power around him.
For them, the
Kannamesai Festival had not even reached its climax.
♢
Creak. A faint sound accompanied
each step of the bony toes as they fell on the corridor's floor.
The gentle whisper of
the flowing water was peaceful as an old man walked steadily along the edge of
the spreading mountaintop lake.
"The Imperial
Match is probably in full swing. Well, since the opponent is Kanna-no-Mikura, I
should probably start penetrating deeper."
Sanezaki Yukitsuna,
who had finished his secret meeting with Ugetsu, muttered to himself without
revealing his true intentions.
—He didn't doubt that Akira would win the Imperial
Match.
Even if Souma were
superior in skill, the victory itself would surely go to Akira.
That's why the
strategy he had suggested to Tenzan and Souma was to prolong the match, even if
only for a few seconds.
Now that everyone was
glued to the Imperial Match, their guard against the depths of the sanctuary
was extremely low.
As he wandered, lost
in thought, a walking figure came into view.
A girl with an
eyepatch covering her vision. Utanomiya Aya smiled at Yukitsuna with an
innocent expression.
"―Oh, Old Man
Sanazaki. Are you still here?"
"My, Lady of the
Utanomiya-sama, you've caught me at a rather embarrassing moment.
I thought this would
be the last time I would see this scenery after I was relieved of my duties, so
I've been feeling quite sentimental."
"Is that so? How
many years has it been since you started ascending the Santen-ryō?"
"Since my late
teens, so that would be about sixty years. ...A lot has happened.
I suppose witnessing
the succession of Utanomiya-sama will be something to brag about in my
afterlife."
"Fufu. If you
could catch up with the lifespan of the Three Imperial Families, then
certainly."
A slight hint of
caution appeared in Yukitsuna's eyes as the girl smiled slightly.
She had appeared
before him, who was now nothing more than an old man, regardless of the outcome
of the Imperial Match.
Suppressing his fear
of being noticed, he changed the subject casually.
After a casual
conversation, Yukitsuna finally said his goodbye.
"Well then, I
must excuse myself here."
"Oh, have I kept
you here? —I apologize."
"Haha. This will
be a good memory during my last opportunity to be on the Santen-ryō."
The two smiled and
their shoulders brushed against each other.
The peaceful scene
continued until the girl's voice reached Yukitsuna's back.
"Oh, and now I'm
finally certain.
—You are Ravana and at the same time not Ravana."
"...What are you
talking about?"
Pierced by the
seemingly casual words, Yukitsuna felt a chill run down his spine.
It was a fatal gap
that served as a confession.
"There's no need
to hide anymore. Completely sealing your status as a divine pillar and simply
acting as a human. —I had anticipated this, but I didn't know how much
understanding you and Ravana could share."
The sound of
conviction in Aya's words made Yukitsuna give up and turn around.
Before him was the
girl, appearing completely natural.
"Since
when?"
"The moment
Fujinomorimiya was informed about Ravana's oracle, I could calculate backward
to determine the inevitable defeat.
—The information brought by the envoy of the Kuhōin,
no, of Vansuir, was the decisive factor."
Details about the man
who called himself Padre and was active in Vansuir. Although his tracks had
been thoroughly erased, there were still some inconsistencies.
The most crucial one
was the distance between Vansuir and Takamagahara. Three great oceans had to be
crossed to get there, and they were far apart
Even using a
high-speed steam-powered ship, it would take half a year for a one-way trip.
Given the frequency of
back-and-forth travel, it's highly likely that someone is operating
simultaneously in Takamagahara and Vansuir.
Especially considering
that the takeover of Banda's position coincided almost exactly with the Padre's
activities.
It couldn't be a
simple body double. Their thoughts were almost synchronized, indicating a
relationship closer than that of mere subordinates.
—Unless there are at least two Ravanas, there's no
other explanation.
"There's one more
thing. Benedetta Cazarini, the Miko of Vansuir, once met the Padre
face-to-face, but she testified that Padre was not wearing a mask."
Those with half-divine
blood can resist the power of the Nine Dharma Treasures to impersonate others.
When Akira and Tsuguho
unmasked Ravana, they recognized the Nine Dharma Treasures as a wooden mask.
—But Benedetta Cazarini, who is also supposed to be a
Miko, only saw Padre as an ordinary human.
That's why the
contradiction comes to light.
It's one of the
hypotheses that emerges when one learns about Ravana's divinity.
"Since I realized
that Ravana was a guest god, I've thoroughly investigated you.
Especially the divine
artifact. The ascetic concept that Ravana is said to have practiced."
The Nine Dharma
Treasures is a divine artifact that symbolizes the ascetic practice of cutting
off nine of Ravana's ten heads and burning them in a crater.
The essence of the
Nine Dharma Treasures is the ten treasures, each of which bestows the blessings
of a simple human on a separate head.
"The tenth
treasure hidden at the end of the Nine Dharma Treasures. The essence of
humanity, Old Man Sanezaki, is you."
A final resort, hidden
to the utmost limit, for Ravana to revive herself in case she was defeated.
The power of the tenth
treasure is simple. The ability to strip away the status of a divine pillar and
live as an ordinary human.
"...I suppose it
was easy enough to figure out that it was me."
"It took a lot of
work. But you couldn't share direct memories, could you? That gave you a fatal
flaw.
I became certain just
a moment ago. You didn't know that Akira was the Celestial Throne."
—Well, there's no way I'm letting you escape.
As Yukitsuna
understood Aya's words, he couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.
It was indeed a fatal
flaw. If his opponent had been the Celestial Throne, Yukitsuna would have
chosen to retreat at any cost.
The Great Law of the
Ten Heavenly Stems. The moment Akira took the key to the divine realm from
Ugetsu would be the greatest opening, but if that came to nothing, there would
be nothing he could do.
"—Even so, you
couldn't be sure which of the Eight Families was involved, could you?"
"Yes, that's
true. ...But who Padre was remained the last clue."
Even the great Nine
Dharma Treasures cannot create a human being.
So there must be
someone who served as the foundation for Padre.
The records showed
that Padre, in the form of a young man, had made contact with Ambrosio 15 years
ago. —In other words, the last of the Nine Dharma Treasures (Ahankara) was a
young man before that time, and the one who is still standing at the Santen-ryō
as a relative of the Eight Families.
By narrowing down the
possibilities to this extent, the only remaining candidate was you, Sanezaki
Yukitsuna.
"So this is a
checkmate, huh?"
"Yes. A girl who
wanted to catch up with Akira-sama as his equal made a contract with Sita.
—To fulfill her contract, I need to return you to the
Lanka territory."
A contract with a
divine pillar is absolute. Especially a contract with Sita, who embodies
salvation, is a decisive reason that must be fulfilled for a lifetime.
Salvation, once
contracted, is destined to be realized.
At this point,
Yukitsuna made up his mind.
"I'm defeated.
...But even I, as the essence of human nature (Ahamkara), will also struggle
until the end."
"Yes, go ahead.
I've also taken sufficient measures to capture you."
Yukitsuna's old frame,
hunched over, suddenly writhed.
In a flash, his skin
regained its firmness and his features transformed into a thin, but young
figure.
—In no time at all, a young man who was also called
Padre was standing there.
Even if he wasn't
overtly active, Yukitsuna ruled the head of the Eight Families with great
competence.
As a proficient user
of the Jinrouin-school, escaping from a single, seemingly weak girl was not
impossible.
—With that as his only advantage, he drew the spirit
weapon, a short sword, hidden in his bosom.
Utanomiya Aya, who was
facing him, remained unarmed. She smiled and pointed behind her head.
—With a grab, she loosened the knot of her eyepatch.
"—Have you ever
wondered why the divine artifact of the Tsukinomiya is unknown?
This is the
reason."
Swish, swish. Leaving
only a slight sound of silk, the eyepatch coiled at the girl's feet.
Opening her hidden
eyes wide, she fixed her gaze on the Ahamkara at the center of her vision.
Two black eyes blinked
simultaneously at the center of both gazes.
A living artifact with
flesh and blood. Utanomiya, the yin aspect of Tai Chi, unleashes its divine
power.
The double pupils that
foresee the future and seal the past are the embodiment of that power.
"At last, I have
succeeded in sealing you away.
—Good night, Ravana. Sita is waiting for your
return."
The ending was
achieved in silence, and there was no more resistance.
When one noticed it,
Sanezaki Yukitsuna was gone, and only an expressionless carved wooden mask
remained.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
Aiden Elliott
MaxKne
Swagaraga
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
[Silver]
blue shooting
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Gtsfan321
Pristia
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
