Volume 4
Chapter 5 Part
3
Playfully
Scheming, with No End in Sight 3
Translator : PolterGlast
A puddle of black
liquid melted and crumbled on the tatami mat, still bearing the scent of fresh
greenery.
That was all. The only
evidence left of Sanezaki Masamichi's existence was the indented mark on the
cushion.
—A hint of a strange odor mixed with the fragrance, and
then quickly dissipated.
"If Masamichi
didn't exist.
—Then, what was sitting here?"
Amidst everyone's
shock, Jinrouin Ko, the head of the Jinrouin family, was the first to regain
his composure.
Ko's question was
perfectly reasonable.
Even if Sanezaki
Masamichi didn't exist, it was a fact that something had moved and breathed
there.
—At least, unless it were an illusion that could
deceive even Tsukishiro, whose golden eyes could see through the truth, it
would be impossible.
But could such an
anomaly actually exist?
But the answer was
simple.
"It was just
Yukitsuna there.
—If you unravel the mythology, you can reach that
imagination."
Divine Artifacts are a
general term for objects that share the mythology of a divine pillar.
Their qualities vary
and are not fixed.
The Nine Dharma
Treasures, in particular, trace a complex mythology.
The concept that
Ravana's divine artifact possesses is that of a brutal act of cutting off nine
of the ten necks.
—Nine of them met death, and in the end, they attained
a human life.
In other words, of the
ten sutras, the Lankavatara Sutra was the last surviving teaching.
A strange concept. It
had almost lost its divinity, yet at the same time independent as a mask and as
a human being.
"Yukitsuna was
kept alive by the divine artifact until a moment ago, but he must have
disappeared when the blessing of the Lankavatara Sutra was lifted.
We basically
distinguish between the Eight Families and others based on the agreement of the
contract."
"...Mother, what
about their divine artifact? Ōhakari-no-Izuru-ho still resides within
Sanezaki."
"At the very
least, he must have hidden someone from the Sanezaki family in order to
maintain the Great Law of the Ten Heavenly Stems.
If one hides someone
from birth and deceives the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, it is not
difficult to trick them into believing the two are one person."
A soul stone is proof
that is submitted after childbirth.
Even a divine pillar
would not be able to pay attention to the daily changes of each individual.
"Why go to such
lengths?
It would be less
troublesome to just brainwash them and make them one's pawns than to deceive
them from birth."
"It wouldn't be
convenient if two people were present at the same time. If the Lankavatara
Sutra were to be exposed, Ravana would have no choice but to retreat.
...Besides, it would be better to have as many ways to destroy the Ten Heavenly
Stems as possible."
For the Lankavatara
Sutra to regenerate as Ravana, it would require an immense amount of spiritual
energy from the dragon vein.
If successful, the
Lankavatara Sutra's power would remain, but it would lose its aspect as a divine
artifact.
In other words, they
would have to carry the extra burden of Ravana, Sanezaki Yukitsuna, and the
brainwashed pawn (Sanezaki Masamichi).
To reduce the
uncertainties, Ravana would have to cover up the discrepancy of having one more
person on the team.
—If it were going to be like that, it would be better
if the extra burden didn't exist from the beginning.
"What do you mean
by 'destroying the Ten Heavenly Stems'?"
"That is
precisely the final reason for targeting the metal element and, more
specifically, the Sanezaki family.
In the Great Law of
the Ten Heavenly Stems, Ōhakari-no-Izuru-ho is responsible for Kanoe (the elder
brother of metal). If one forcibly severs the bonded contract, the barrier will
inevitably weaken."
During the Hyakki
Yagyo, Yamamoto Gorozaemon penetrated the Kanoe Shrine with the Pārijāta, the
backbone of the Five Elemental Barrier.
In other words, even
without the Pārijāta, Ravana had been preparing to break the barrier.
The succession of
strategies, delivered without hesitation, clearly showed that they were
carefully planned, even if they seemed scattered.
"After the defeat
of the Hyakki Yagyo, the Lankavatara Sutra must have been forced to choose
between retreat and continue. The information about Akira's banishment must
have made them decide to continue."
"But there was a
fact that even Ravana didn't know.
—Because they would have decided to retreat if they
knew that Akira was the Celestial Throne. That was why Takamikura-sama didn't
reveal it until the very end."
Akira responded to
Takamikura's words.
A strong reproachful
gaze shot through the great divine pillar of earth element. Akira was wondering
if it was all part of her plan.
The greatest
difference between the Kanna-no-Mikura and the Celestial Throne is that it
allows multiple divine pillars to reside.
Conversely, this also
meant that Akira could stand in the deepest part of the shrine where divine
protection was not granted.
It was all done to
enable the Musubi.
At that moment, only
Akira could defeat Ravana who had invaded the sanctuary.
Was Akira's
speculation correct?
"That's right.
Whether or not one knew about the Celestial Throne would determine Ravana's
(Lankavatara Sutra's) actions.
Therefore, we kept
Akira's true identity a secret until we had lured all Eight Families into the
shrine.
—Are you dissatisfied?"
"No. I couldn't
understand the magnitude of Ravana's power until their hostility was revealed.
Takamikura-sama's
judgment was probably correct."
The reason why she
revealed it during the Imperial Match was to explore Ravana's limits with
certainty.
Takamikura had been
planning to settle the score with Ravana at this moment, but unforeseen
circumstances could always arise.
To a question filled
with such cruel compassion, Akira suppressed the emotions he felt in his heart.
There was no waste in
the plan. Even Akira, who had been elevated as the key to the plan, could not
deny that this was the closest thing to the best solution.
"But I still have
a question.
—When did Takamikura-sama first know about me?"
"Since your
birth.
As long as you are in
Takamagahara, which is protected by the Great Law of the Ten Heavenly Stems, I
too can know where Kanna-no-Mikura resides."
"Mother! So you
knew that Akira would slip through my fingers!?"
"I will not lay
hands on Kanna-no-Mikura. That is according to the oath that you knows, Kuro.
—However, we couldn't stop Ugetsu's rampage if we
remained uninvolved. Therefore, three years ago, I ordered the Ministry of
Humanitarian Affairs to tighten up on the recognition of legitimate
heirs."
Although they were
restricted by the oath and could not interfere directly, they could make
decisions about the operation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs at their
discretion.
Understanding the
reason why Souma's recognition as the heir was delayed, Akira lightly bowed his
head in gratitude.
He had been protected
by the divine pillar during the time when no one else knew about him.
It was only Ugetsu,
who remained unaware, peaceful, and ignorant, that Akira felt pity for them.
---
If we were to compare
this to a war, the current situation would be nearing the end of the post-war
settlement.
Saki looked down at
the Lankavatara Sutra placed on her lap.
The sensation that
returned from her fingertips was simply that of decaying wood.
"—You should be
careful how you handle it."
Raising her gaze at
the falling voice, Saki tilted her head at the golden eyes that the Takamikura
was directing at her.
Given the current
situation where most of the main body and the divine artifact had been lost,
she couldn't believe that even Ravana could interfere.
"Even after being
driven to this point, do you think Ravana can still do something?"
"It's just that a
divine pillar that has wandered the human world for so long is rare.
...And considering the
desires of children, the Nine Dharma Treasures might seem attractive."
Although there are
various obstacles to fully regaining the powers of the Nine Dharma Treasures,
the power to fulfill people's desires is still too great.
The Lankavatara Sutra,
in particular, can connect the dying and even manipulate the age of the body.
It was not difficult
to imagine that those in power would be attracted to this power.
"What should we
be careful of with Ravana?"
"—Although it's
sealed, it's only a rough job.
If they were to be
placed in a Dragon Den, there's a possibility that Ravana will immediately
revive."
Utanomiya Aya answered
Saki's question.
Saki carefully looked
down at the mask she was holding.
The ten or twenty
layers of the seal that bound the mask were of a structure so solid that even
Saki could not penetrate it.
Although it looked
fragile, it was impossible for Saki to break through it.
"Fragile,
huh?"
"Saki, the mantra
that constitutes a talisman is originally from Ravana's divine artifact.
From their
perspective, it must look like a cage full of gaps."
"Really!?"
"At least, they
can control the Pārijata and move it as it pleases.
It's impossible with
human knowledge to interfere with the divine artifacts of other divine
pillars."
At Akira's assertion,
Saki looked at the mask again.
Hearing that, she even
had the illusion that the mask in front of her was about to move.
"...What should
we do?"
"We have no
choice but to go to Bharatush as soon as possible.
What's the situation
over there?"
"—At the very
least, the territory of Baratush seems to be in a state of disarray."
Kuga Houri, who was
most knowledgeable about foreign information, folded his arms and frowned.
Because they had a
close relationship with the Western Continent, information about the hostile
Bharatush was slow to be transmitted.
The information Houri
had was probably several months outdated.
The golden divine
pillar also leaned against the backrest and pondered.
—And then,
"It can't be
helped. We'll have to invite Benedetta Casalini again.
As Ariadne's Miko, she
should have a detailed understanding of Bharatush."
"We've kept her
waiting, but... is it alright?
The moment they see
that we are not good at this, they will raise the price of negotiation."
Houri's worries were
understandable.
But with a faint
smirk, Takamikura simply shook her head.
"That's why I
didn't reveal what Ariadne wanted most.
It pains me to give up
now, but I have no choice."
"—Is it that?
Understood. I'll call her right away."
Realizing Takamikura's
hidden card, Tsukinomiya Shuu nodded in agreement.
This was the main
reason why Benedetta had risked so much to return to Takamagahara in such a
short period of time.
As long as they held
this card, Takamikura would always lead the negotiation.
Without taking much
time, a golden-haired, blue-eyed girl stepped into the hall again.
She frowned upon
realizing that the Takamagahara had lost several of its members, but bowed her
head without mentioning it.
"Thank you for
giving me another opportunity for an audience.
I was getting ready to
leave, thinking there was no more business to be discussed, but was there
something else?"
"There are a few
questions I'd like to ask.
—What is the current situation in Bharatush?"
Completely taken aback
by the direct question, Benedetta tilted her head inwardly.
Basically,
Takamagahara has little interest in overseas affairs.
Protected by the ocean
currents, this island nation tends to view Chintao, which is separated by a
single ocean, as a distant fire.
In fact, the
development of Kamotsu, the gateway to trade, and Karen, the provincial
capital, is rather rare.
—Answering about the situation in Bharatush would be
easy, but without knowing the purpose, it's difficult to determine the price.
"Well, I'm not
relying solely on you, the envoy.
Once we return to
Kamotsu, we can get plenty of information from the ships that have
docked."
"Then, you could
have saved the trouble of calling me.
The fact that you
spared no effort means that you needed more detailed and fresh battle
information than civilian ships could provide, right?"
"—No, no. In any
case, we need confirmation.
A little trouble is
nothing."
Kuga Houri quickly
turned his thoughts and opened his mouth.
The words of the old
and cunning lord of Kamotsu were reasonable. Seizing the gap in meaning that
arose there, Benedetta replied with a broad smile.
"Yes, of course.
If you only rely on
Ronkoku alone, only economic topics will be discussed, and I understand that
even Lord Kuga will have difficulty grasping the situation."
"Haha. That's
harsh.
I heard that Vansuir
was a step behind, but if Miko-sama takes the lead, we'll be in good hands."
In other words, they
wanted detailed information from Vansuir's point of view.
Even if they received
some good news, it's been several decades since the invasion of Bharatush
began.
To find out the cause
of the conflict, it's necessary to combine information from Vansuir, which is
distant from Ronkoku.
Although the main war
faction, its vanguard, has perished, Benedetta has a fairly good grasp of the
current situation in Vansuir.
"There's no doubt
that Ronkoku is at the forefront of extending its influence to Bharatush.
Recently, feeling a
crisis due to Ronkoku's rapid growth, the northern part of the Western
Continent has begun sending warships to Bharatush."
"What is the
purpose?"
"It's varied. It
seems that it's a recent trend to supply funds and weapons to the disputed
countries.
Local people calling
themselves resistance forces and local governors are falling into civil
war."
At first glance, it's
just a roundabout method.
Understanding the
reason, Akira bitterly interjected.
"In other words,
that means Ronkoku's national power is so overwhelming."
"What do you
mean?"
"Just like in the
garrison, it takes six years for a trainee to become a regular soldier.
However, if they only
wanted to learn the basics of being a regular soldier, they could do it in half
that time."
Akira's tone was
bitter as he answered Saki's question.
Even though it's a
period of incomplete physical growth, they're engaged in extreme training with
each battle.
Soldiers that can be
completed in three years are used as long as possible to cut losses.
From the perspective
of troop operations, it's definitely not worth it.
However, if they
didn't do so, the garrison itself would come to a standstill.
This was also the
reason why the captain, Asogi Genji, and his vice-captain, Niikura Shin, were
struggling with finances.
"That's true on a
garrison level.
For a country with a
low national power to compete with Ronkoku, the most efficient way is to
provide weapons to the soldiers of Bharatush.
—Isn't that right?"
"Yes. Even in the
Western Continent, Ronkoku has been one step ahead since the technological
innovation.
It's more economical
than sending troops,
And most importantly,
it has a humanitarian meaning of returning Bharatush to the local people."
Benedetta smiled in
response to Akira's gaze.
In fact, she was not
involved in this plot at all.
Now that the pro-war
faction, which she had planned for, was gone, it was easy to change her policy.
"...Where is
Sita's sanctuary, the great divine pillar of Bharatush?"
"Well? With the
current state of the war, I have no certainty either."
"However, you
have a pretty good guess.
Am I wrong, priestess
of Vansuir?"
"...What do you
mean?"
Benedetta smiled,
revealing nothing of the truth that Tsukinomiya Shuu had pointed out.
Not knowing is not
lying, but if it's a guess, she can certainly make one.
The trick of
negotiation is not to let the other party pin you down.
Facing Benedetta, Shuu
smiled thinly.
"The leader of
the pro-war faction may have fallen, but most of the members remain.
From the nature of the
situation, were they nobles or merchants who had seized control of the
military?"
"Well, even if
they were the pro-war faction, they are important citizens of Vansuir. Vansuir
has no reason to punish them."
"Yes, of course.
They are people who
control wealth. Even the Casalini royal family would have a hard time
eliminating them."
"...I'm glad you
understand."
Smiling with
conviction, Shuu faced the foreign envoy.
Although they probably
weren't involved before, most of the pro-war factions remained intact.
Most importantly, the
reason why the pro-war faction grew rapidly was that they controlled huge
military profits.
The moderate faction,
which is now the largest faction, cannot ignore those who hold wealth in the
capitalist Western Continent.
"Although Ronkoku
is conspicuous, the Western Continent itself seems to be quite anxious.
Is the cause the
advent of the Iron Age?"
"That's certainly
one of the opinions."
"Fufu. You can't
ignore the disappearance of the divine pillar's divine protection, huh?
—How long will it last?"
With her inner
impatience being grasped, Benedetta's eyes twitched.
The effects of the
disappearance of the divine protection along with the sanctuary, were not
immediately apparent.
On the contrary, it
was welcomed because the number of miasma and demons decreased drastically.
—But the effects were spreading steadily.
By the time it
surfaced, it was already too late, and the Iron Age had corroded a fifth of the
Western Continent.
The number of human
births decreased drastically, and the survival rate of children dropped to
one-tenth.
Not only that, but all
life was following the same trend.
Ariadne was
maintaining it by gathering her followers, but the trend was gradually
accelerating.
"According to
calculations, one-third of the continent. Within a hundred years, the Western
Continent will fall into civil war over the divine realm."
"Very well. If
you understand that you have no other way out, then Takamagahara will not
hesitate to cooperate."
"...Threatening
us to negotiate like this, it seems like Takamagahara is also desperate."
"Well, we're just
sending help to our distant allies.
—The knowledge of the Great Law of the Ten Heavenly
Stems, which creates Kanna-no-Mikura that Takamagahara possesses, is what you
need, right?"
"……………………"
Benedetta finally
chose silence at Tsukimiya Shu's information.
By transmitting
printing technology, creating historical books, and exploring the land in the
name of preaching, she had become convinced that there was knowledge of
creating Kanna-no-Mikura (child of grace).
The things she had
worked so hard for were so easily put up for sale here.
It was natural to be
wary.
"It was worth
inviting several teachers to Central Capital under the pretext of teaching the
language of the Western Continent.
By combining the
knowledge they were searching for from time to time, we can also infer the
purpose of Vansuir."
"So, our
objectives were revealed, huh?
...Very well.
Regarding the situation with Bharatush, what does Takamagahara want from
Vansuir?"
"Everything."
Without wavering,
Tsukinomiya Shu's reply was met with mutual smiles.
"Bharatush's
peace. Cooperate with us in all our efforts to assist Sita.
—If you pledge yourself, we will give you the knowledge
of the Great Law of the Ten Heavenly Stems, which can open the closed divine
realm."
-----
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