Volume 5
Side Story 2
Waiting for
the Silence, Spending Time in the Snow Light 2
Translator : PolterGlast
The young trainees
scurried around the dojo floor, mopping it after the protectors had left. The
smooth sound of the mop gliding over the oak wood reflected the boys' figures.
It was a familiar
everyday routine, just like the one in the Karen garrison. Rindō Saki walked
towards Yotsurugi Akira, weaving through the commotion.
She was about to call
out to Akira, who was helping with the cleaning along with the trainees.
"Welcome back.
How was the Shōjinbina?"
"...How did you
know?"
"Well, you can't
hide the presence of the Ezuka hime (the divine spirit)."
—Before Saki could open her mouth, Akira, who had grown
taller, stepped out of the cleaning commotion.
He tossed the broken
piece of bamboo sword that remained in his hand into the prepared hemp bag.
Perhaps concerned
about the silent pleas from the boys around him, he shrugged and distanced
himself from the group of cleaners.
"It's rather
terrible that you have to take away their cleaning duties."
"Since we're new
to Nanatsuo, it's normal to help."
"That's the logic
when one is the same rank.
...Look. The kids
around you are secretly annoyed, even if they don't say it out loud."
Taken aback by Saki's
quiet advice, Akira's gaze swept through the dojo.
In Akira's line of
sight was the sight of the boys hurrying with their cleaning.
Their expressions were
all clearly relieved.
"Cleaning is a
part of the examination to raise their rank.
When you were a
trainee, Akira, didn't you also make backhanded remarks about the regular
soldiers who were ahead of you and bonded with everyone else?"
"That's why I
decided not to stop cleaning even when I got my rank."
The certification of
ranks in the factional school involves a wide range of criteria, from
swordsmanship to daily activities.
Although the criteria
themselves were largely based on experience, they were also solid things that
had been honed over a long period of time.
In fact, the skills of
the trainees, who were lumped together, could not match those of the
protectors, let alone the seniors (above the captain rank).
The cleaning scene,
where collective action and leadership skills were directly tested, was also a
valuable moment to assess one's rank.
—Have you forgotten the time when you were a trainee?
Akira's shoulders
slumped slightly as he was implicitly pointed out that he had deprived them of
an opportunity to be evaluated.
She fully understood
that he had no ill intentions. But it was also a clear fact that Akira, who did
not belong to the Nanatsuo dojo, doing something unnecessary would only end in
self-satisfaction.
"It's not bad,
but as a guest, let's refrain from it.
—The Shōjinbina was no good. The old man blacksmith
gave me a new sword, so I'll have to get used to it for a while."
"A sword? Why not
a naginata?"
"The blade of a
naginata is thin, so it was a bit difficult to forge.
It's okay. I've also
mastered the use of the sword,
—And if necessary, I have the Pārijāta."
In all martial arts,
it was considered essential to practice both the sword and the naginata
simultaneously.
The reason is simple:
many of the swordsmanship and naginata techniques have a lot in common.
Naturally, Saki also
practiced handling a sword. She was still getting used to the decisive
difference in distance from the naginata, and it remained a concern.
Akira did not pursue
the matter any further with the girl's anxiety, and the two of them left the
dojo together.
The sun had fully
risen, but there was still a lot of snow left, and they hurried on their way
home, passing by people in thick clothing.
"About the match
earlier, is it really okay to act so flashy?"
"I had been
warned by Shizumi-sama because there was definitely dissatisfaction on the side
of Kokuten Province.
...I think that the
fact that it was announced that I had mastered the Chuden for half a year was
the final trigger."
"Even so, it's
amazing that you defeated ten people without getting hurt.
Isn't the last person,
Rokugō-dono, an instructor? He's the same as Uncle Asogi, so I wonder if the
Gioin-school really that lenient with ranks."
It was not surprising
because it was a problem that would come at some point. Akira shrugged at
Saki's worried murmur.
It would be easy for
Akira now to simply win, but winning without injuring the opponent would become
more difficult as the number of opponents increased.
Especially the last
person, Rokugō, was an instructor. If Saki's assessment was correct, he should
be in the same rank as Asogi Genji.
"That's not it.
—Actually, I had prepared to win."
Akira handed something
to Saki, and she lowered her gaze to it in her palm.
It was a piece of the
bamboo sword that Akira had picked up. Feeling the sensation of the fibers
being peeled back, the girl tilted her head without understanding.
"A bamboo
sword?"
"During training
with Captain Asogi, I learned that when a wooden sword and a bamboo sword
collide, a bamboo sword which is not designed for spirit techniques, would be
more likely to win in a match.
I thought it was a
common practice, but from what I have heard, it seems to be unique to the
Kihoin-school."
"That's right. A
strike from an offensive step is the greatest strength of the Kihoin-school.
The Gioin-school,
which parries and counters a sword with a heavy spirit technique, would make
that practice almost meaningless."
"Yes. So I
expected to catch my opponent off guard by choosing a bamboo sword."
Just as Akira had
expected, all of those who had wanted to fight him were smiling with confidence
in their victory.
The first person
attacked from the upper stance without even allowing Akira to make his first
move. As the second and third people continued, they must have finally realized
that Akira was from the Kihoin-school.
By the time everyone
had sobered up from their carelessness, it was too late, and he had sunk two
more protectors who were obsessed with releasing their spirit techniques to the
floor.
By the time there were
five people left, they must have realized that Akira was a formidable opponent.
"The true essence
of the Gioin-school is that everyone is an oOnmyoji."
"Aren't they just
able to write talismans?"
"No, the skill of
an onmyoji lies in being able to use talismans freely.
—Simply put, they should be able to rewrite the
formulas of talismans."
While fortifying the
defense with spirit techniques, they would aim to gain dominance by rearranging
the formulas of the talismans. As far as Akira knew, this was the area that the
Gioin-school excelled in.
However, all of that
was based on the premise of starting at a certain distance.
"In formal
matches, we start from a distance, but this match is unofficial and only within
the dojo.
So, the starting point
is set at 9 feet, based on those of the trainees."
"So that
means..."
"Yes, it's the
distance of one step and one sword.
As long as that
condition is absolute, the victory of the Kihoin-school is unshakable."
The weakness of the
Gioin-school is the slowness of its initial move. After ten inexperienced
people who had not overcome that weakness, it was just like having more targets
for Akira to face.
The problem was the
last person, the instructor Rokugō, who had instigated this match.
"I acknowledge
your martial arts, but you're just an opponent that can be defeated if a group
of about ten people banded together.
I think Rokugō
probably wanted to conclude it that way."
By overwhelming Akira
in the initial match, he would mentally subdue him. Rokugō's goal was probably
to win and do Akira a favor.
But he didn't realize
it until the end. What Akira had seized was the distance, and the very distance
that did not allow any tricks. Rokugo was defeated faster than he could
understand because the scene he had always seen in the dojo was a trap.
The first ten were
mere pawns for that purpose. Even though Akira was of the Kihoin-school, he
must have grasped his general skills from his movements.
If he could take
Akira's first move, he would win. Rokugō must have confronted Akira with this
conviction.
The hierarchy of
protectors and soldiers is based solely on ability, no matter how far you go.
If he could infiltrate
the newly established Yotsurugi retainer, Rokugō, who had subdued Akira, would
be able to act as the regent of the Yotsurugi with absolute authority.
Depending on how far
Akira could be weakened, it would be easy to find a way to replace the
Yotsurugi family.
Was Rokugō the only
one who decided on this scheme, or was it the Gioin-school instructors as a
whole?
—To tolerate such recklessness,
"The reputation
of the head of the Eight Families, Ugetsu, who had reigned for 4,000 years, was
admirable, but many must be displeased that they had brought the top ranks to a
standstill."
That ambition was then
shattered by the rise of the Yotsurugi family, a family they had never heard
of.
A trace of pity for
Rokugō and the others appeared and disappeared in Akira's murmuring voice.
After walking less
than 10 minutes from the garrison's dojo, Akira and the others arrived at their
destination.
Near the foot of Mount
Reimei, where the Gioin family mansion was located. They passed through the
gate leading to the mansion in the depths of a residential area for the
nobility.
"—Akira!"
Suddenly, a light
shock ran through Akira's body at the cheerful voice welcoming him.
A young girl of about
ten years old hugged Akira tightly, as if not wanting to let him go.
"I'm back,
Genrei."
Hearing Akira's voice,
Gioin Shizumi parted the blinds in the hallway and peeked out.
"Welcome back,
Akira-san, Saki-san.
Lunch is ready. Will
you have it before you go?"
"Yes, thank you.
Shizumi-sama."
Genrei, who
represented Kokuten Province, was a great divine pillar symbolized by the water
element. Her true nature was said to be that of a divine turtle that protects
the present world. She sleeps in the obsidian sea, where divine power rains
down like stars.
—All of the present world is within Genrei, and
ultimately, the present world is Genrei's divine realm itself.
As if to prove her
extraordinary nature, Genrei's divine realm in Nanatsuo was as vast as the
divine realm of the central capital (Santenryō).
As long as she was
with Akira (Kanna-no-Mikura), she was free to go to the foot of Mt. Reimei,
where the Kuroyouden was located.
Even so, Nanatsuo is a
place where wind holes gather. Naturally, it's problematic to have the Great
Divine Pillar move freely, but it can't be helped. It was a desperate measure
because the renovation of the Kuroyouden had not been completed in time.
"I see. From the
reactions when it was made public, I thought they would take action soon, but
—It seems the instructors couldn't hold back after
all."
"Since we can't
make the information about the Kanna-no-Mikura public, we have to accept it.
There's no way they'll listen if we tell them to just agree."
Clink, clack. Between
the quiet sounds of pottery being set for lunch, Shizumi and Akira had a
practical conversation.
Even though Ugetsu had
died, ―no. It was precisely because he had died, the problems that arose were
endless.
"Do whatever you
like, Akira.
Even if all sorts of
people bark, it is I who will allow you to breathe in Nanatsuo."
"Even if they
hear about your achievements in Shumon Province, they will underestimate you
when they actually see you.
Even I would think the
same if I heard a name and then saw it was a mere young boy."
"—If that's the
case, was it better to say that I killed Ugetsu Tenzan?
If I had, people would
have looked at me a little differently."
"That was
unavoidable. Souma aimed for that because he knew about our weakness of not
being able to reveal the Kanna-no-Mikura."
In the end, it was not
made public that Ugetsu Tenzan had turned into a spider apparition. This was
also in accordance with Akira's wishes.
If it were made public
that Ugetsu Tenzan had fallen into an apparition, it would cause long-lasting
problems for future governance.
"Yeah. So Ugetsu
Souma used the fact that Akira-san was the Kanna-no-Mikura as a shield.
Was it really okay to
show him so much kindness despite that?"
"Regardless of my
likes or dislikes towards Souma, I had already decided to do that.
—Kabeju Province would be reluctant, but I'm sure
Homare-sama readily agreed, so it's fine."
From Akira's original
emotional standpoint, it didn't matter what happened to Ugetsu. To be honest,
he wanted to destroy him with his own hands.
However, at the same
time, it was also true that Ugetsu seen from the outside had not committed any
heinous crimes.
Since the
Kanna-no-Mikura could not be made public, if one only looked at the remaining
facts, Akira would be seen as a wicked person who destroyed Ugetsu out of a
personal grudge and ingratiated himself with the Gioin family.
Since Ugetsu could not
be judged as a genuine villain, one had to construct a story based on the
information that could be made public.
As a result, the only
thing that was made public was a well-written script that said that Souma and
Saki had purified and destroyed a spider apparition that had accidentally appeared.
Akira also rode on the
coattails of the military achievements under the guise of helping out, but he
declined because it would have been too conspicuous.
"It's
frustrating, but I think Souma is definitely a genius.
Even if it was a
coincidence that he was present when Tenzan died, the decision to use the
Kanna-no-Mikura as a shield to extract a promise must have been improvised at
that moment."
As a divine spirit
user, as an onmyoji... and probably as a politician.
He was a brother Akira
could never understand, but Akira had to admit his excellence.
"Ah, speaking of
Homare-sama, there was a message from their side.
—They say they've figured out the schedule."
"I see."
In response to
Shizumi's response, Akira simply said those words.
He poured green tea
into his teacup casually. The heat of the slightly strong tea made the
remaining rice grains in the teacup float.
The slightly bitter
aroma of the green tea washed away the sweetness of the rice from his tongue.
♢
—Kabeju Province, Suzuyashiro.
At the station ticket
gate, the sound of tickets being clipped rang out one after another.
Ignoring the sound,
Ugetsu Souma slowly looked around.
Vigorous men drive by
with lumber loaded on large carts.
The unfamiliar smell
stimulated the back of his nose, a different scene from both Tsudzura and
Nanatsuo.
"What kind of
smell is this? I've smelled it somewhere, but I can't remember."
"It's probably
the tide. I read in a book that Suzuyashiro faces an inner bay."
At Sakou Yasuharu's
murmur, Souma searched his memory.
He readjusted the
baggage on his back and stepped out onto the main street.
"—Hey everyone
passing by, please stop for a moment and listen.
In Kokuten Province,
Samidare-ryo, the hometown of Ugetsu, there's been a commotion of a Hyakki
Yagyo occurring over there. —Are you interested, brother?
Our company's reporter
has risked his life to extract information from Tsudzura.
With this, you can be
sure to become the most knowledgeable person in the city. —Oh, that lady over
there..."
"That guy... he's
making fun of Souma-sama's misfortune."
"—Stop it. If we
make a fuss, it will only cause more trouble."
Yasuharu, who was
getting heated, was briefly appeased, and Souma quickly passed him by.
He endured the
boisterous noise by pulling his school cap low over his eyes.
"—Right, that's
the right thing to do, Souma-kun. It's better not to provoke the intelligence
agency.
I say this even though
I'm using them, but they're like a passing storm."
At the corner, Souma
stopped at the sound of a voice thrown over his shoulder.
Turning around, he saw
a girl with short hair in a sailor uniform.
One of the most
outstanding shrine maidens at Hariin. Hariin Homare waved to him with a smile.
"...It's been a
while. I didn't expect you, Homare-sama, to come to meet me."
"You think I'm
that cold? You're saying a sad thing.
I still thought of you
as a close friend."
"That's why I
thought you would decide to keep your distance."
Guided to a steam car
waiting on the other side of the street, Souma and Homare got in.
Ignoring the driving
sound and the passing scenery outside the window, it was Souma who broke the
somewhat awkward silence.
"We were rivals
in academic grades, weren't we?
—That said, it's true that there was strong
opposition."
"I suppose so.
I couldn't believe my
ears when I heard from Gioin-sama that you had volunteered to be my
guardian."
"I'm sorry to say
this, Souma-kun, but it's not out of charity.
After all, Kabeju
Province is currently facing a severe shortage of manpower. We want talented
people as much as we can."
"I'm grateful
that there's something behind it. It might become my lifeline."
Homare laughed
cheerfully, shaking her shoulders at Souma's short and immediate reply.
Having two sides to things
is not always a bad thing. As Souma pointed out, it often becomes a lifeline
that protects oneself.
To fear the fact that
there's something behind is simply due to a lack of knowledge and education.
—How many people don't understand that?
"Well, Kabeju
Province is eager to establish a navy, but in any case, few talented nobles are
willing to volunteer. It can't be helped because they are tied to their land by
parishioner lottery.
We were in trouble
because conscription like in the Western Continent is tacky."
"A navy?
Honestly, I never thought I would have the opportunity to go on an
expedition."
"You'll be
enrolled in a military academy just for show, but you'll probably be sent on an
overseas training cruise around the New Year.
—We're running out of time in every aspect. Be prepared
to say goodbye to Takamagahara."
"That's
fine."
Homare breathed a sigh
of relief at her friend's unwavering affirmative reply.
There was no hatred
towards Akira in his clear gaze.
She believed that time
would heal it, and she quietly hid the fact that this proposal was at Akira's
request deep in her heart.
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