Volume 5
Chapter 3 Part
1
In the Trading
City , What Kind of Secrets Are People Hiding? 1
Translator : PolterGlast
At six in the morning.
The early morning sea breeze ruffled the city as it sank into a milky white.
With the first rays of
dawn, the fishermen living in the harbor began their busy morning preparations.
The incoming tide
broke into foam, and the night fishing catch was lined up on the bow.
Seizing the
opportunity of the busy fishermen, seagulls snatched away a few small fish.
Ignoring this everyday
scene of the city, a tugboat kicked up waves.
The dense roofs of the
fishermen's houses danced along with the unusually large waves.
Eventually, a huge
ocean liner appeared, pushed by the tugboat.
It was a dull gray, as
if carved from steel, and it let out a long, mournful fog horn.
The fishermen glanced
at the black smoke that was being spewed out and then returned to their normal
routines.
It was just another
ordinary day for this city.
Qingdao, a city known
for its sleepless nights, was beginning to thrive as one of the world's leading
trading cities, not only in the Eastern Continent but also globally.
◇
The end of the
gangplank, which had been extended from the ocean liner, fell onto the
concrete-paved wharf.
The iron-braided
structure creaked and groaned as people crossed it.
"It's only been
ten days since we left Takamagahara, and we're already here."
"It's closer than
I thought. Why did I think it would take so long?"
A journey of only ten
days from a port in Hakudō Province. At the end of the voyage, which was
shorter than they had expected, Yotsurugi Akira and Rindo Saki breathed a sigh
of relief.
A man who followed
Akira and Saki crossing the gangplank laughed heartily.
Despite his stern
appearance, he seemed to enjoy the latest fashions, as his overcoat flapped as
he tapped his shoulder with a fan.
"It depends on
the situation.
If you keep pouring
coal into the engine and cut straight through the current, it's not
impossible."
"―Father. I'm
supporting from behind, so please hurry up and get off quickly."
"Oops, sorry.
—Good grief. My daughter still has a lot to learn when
it comes to being seen by her friends while she's at work."
"...Father"
"Alright,
alright."
Dōgyō Harutane
shrugged off his daughter's displeased rebuke.
Looking around, he saw
people coming and going busily as the unloading began.
Dōgyō Sonomi, the
daughter of Dōgyō Harutane, who was in charge of the Eight Families, gave
instructions to the porters who were coming down next.
"There's not much
luggage, so we can walk if you want.
—Well then, let's leave the harbor for now."
"Understood."
Feeling the presence
of people gathering at the harbor, Harutane turned around with a wry smile.
Shrugging at Akira's
reply, the veteran's figure walked away leisurely.
Without hesitation,
Akira and the others hurried after him.
Eventually, those who
had come from Takamagahara were forgotten amidst the daily hustle and bustle of
the harbor.
◇
Akira and Saki had
visited the Kamotsu concession (residential and trade areas) before, but the
Qingdao concession looked completely different from what they knew.
"Do you want to
buy some fish? These sea bass and cod were just caught this morning."
"Dried abalone
and scallops. —No paper money. This shop only accepts copper coins!"
There were countless
stalls lined up along a dirt road that must have once been a main street.
Passers-by and
merchants were haggling loudly, and then shaking hands in agreement.
With the hustle and
bustle of daily life behind him, Akira whispered.
—Looking around, he noticed that there were too few
people from Rondaria.
"Is this a
morning market?"
"The concession
is under the control of Rondaria, but they're not interested in the commoners.
As long as the contract is fulfilled, they don't interfere much.
Anyway, let's hurry
up. ...If there are too many people, we'll be robbed in no time."
Harutane replied to
Akira's question with a wry smile, scratching his head.
He didn't slow down.
The people of Qingdao were full of life, but on the other hand, the security
was poor.
With pickpockets and
even robbery being common, Harutane wanted to eliminate any worries.
—Mainly, he was worried about the other party, though.
Finally, after passing
through a row of stalls, a trading company building clad in red bricks came
into view.
Harutane pushed open
the front door of the building with the sign "Haiheng Company"
hanging above it.
It seemed that they
were still preparing to welcome customers. The commotion from behind the reception
desk quieted down as the door opened suddenly.
"Yo, yo! Are you
working hard, employees?"
"—President!?
Weren't you supposed to be away this month?"
"Plans are like
fluid. —Isn't that right, Manager Misugi?"
Handing his coat to
the bespectacled man who had rushed to greet him, Dōgyō Harutane headed up the
stairs to the second floor.
As he passed by, he
glanced around.
"How's my
room?"
"Ready to use
anytime."
"Alright. The
kids behind me are my daughter and her guests.
—Follow me. Let's shake off the dust of our long
journey before we discuss what to do next."
They went upstairs and
opened the door marked "President's Office."
It seemed that no one
had used it for a while. The room was clean, but there was no sign of life.
"Make yourselves
comfortable.
—Or rather, you seem eager to ask questions. I think I
can answer them, as long as they don't kill the cat."
"...I had heard
that the Dōgyō family was in charge of the northern defense. But this was
unexpected.
The sign says Haiheng
Company, but what is this place?"
"It's a
corporation, as the sign says. And it's actually quite profitable."
Takamagahara, being an
island nation, was famous as a challenging place surrounded by tidal currents
that were difficult to cross.
However, it was
obvious that one day, the protection of the tides would become useless.
The idea of humans
taking over the responsibility of national defense had existed long before the
rise of foreign powers.
That was the purpose
of the Dōgyō family.
While the Kuga family
controlled the key trade routes to the interior of Takamagahara, the Dōgyō
family effectively controlled the overseas trade.
The fact that Uxsanst
and Tsongma people first thought of the Dōgyō family when they heard of the
Eight Families was proof of their influence.
"It's not just
about shipbuilding technology. It's about money.
After all, in a naval
battle, there is so much distance between the ships that, basically, spirit
techniques are useless. Firepower and manpower cost a fortune. You see, it's
like a money pit."
"So this company
is one of the solutions to that problem?"
"That's right.
Especially in recent years. Like Tsonma and Uxsanst, they usually hire
mercenaries to carry out attacks."
He rummaged around in
the back of a cupboard and pulled out a glass bottle.
He poured the amber
liquid that swayed at the bottom into a cup and took a sip.
"Ah, this is it.
This is the only good thing about this job."
"...Father. If
you don't keep it to a minimum, I'll tell Mother."
"It's a little
late for that now.
Back in the days when
we used mercenaries to do our dirty work, things were so much simpler.
—Well, to put it simply, civilization has changed
everything."
With the rise of
steam-powered ships that were unaffected by tides and winds, the conventional
wisdom of naval warfare was also forced to change.
No matter how many
mercenaries one hired, a single steam-powered warship could completely turn the
tide of a naval battle.
As a result, it became
more cost-effective for the military to take the lead.
"We used to rely
on mercenaries to shirk our responsibilities, but now that the navy has taken
over, conflicts between countries have become more frequent.
As a result, we can no
longer find a solution to a dispute without diplomacy."
The end result was war
between nations, something they had tried to avoid.
The head of the Dōgyō
family looked at Akira and Saki with self-deprecation.
"That's how it
is. Haiheng Company is a corporation that was established for diplomacy and
fundraising. We've appointed a suitable puppet from Tsonma as our
representative and have him navigate the trade routes of the Eastern Continent.
—The future belongs to the sea. Are you interested in
joining us, Lord Yotsurugi? I'll train you on how to sail a ship."
"If the
opportunity arises."
Akira smiled wryly in
response to his casual tone.
There was more to
discuss than just the affairs of the Dōgyō family.
He needed to bring up
the most important matter.
—But the other party hadn't arrived yet.
Just then, the door to
the president's office was knocked timidly.
It was a signal that
Dai Tian Lingying, who they were waiting for, had arrived.
"...I didn't
expect a company with capital from Takamagahara to have reached Tsonma."
"Takamagahara may
not be interested in foreign affairs, but we are interested in money.
Besides, it's not
something a youngster like you would be interested in. Let's get down to
business."
"Alright. —First,
let's clarify our understanding of the current situation."
Dai Tian Lingying,
with a tense expression, nodded at Dōgyō Harutane's words.
Her gaze swept around
the room and stopped in front of Akira.
"First, we need
to figure out how to get on the Eastern Continent Railway."
"It will probably
cost a lot of money, but can't we just buy a ticket and get on?"
"Sorry to
disappoint you, Miss Rindō, but that's too simple."
Lingying shook her
head at Saki's confused expression.
"Unfortunately,
the Eastern Continent Railway is completely owned by a Rondaria company.
Ticket sales are
limited to Westerners, and Tsonma people are generally not allowed to
ride."
"But wouldn't
they run out of money if they did that?"
Saki was genuinely
surprised by Lingying's words.
In Takamagahara, there
were no restrictions on purchasing tickets for the state railway.
Although steam engines
had many advantages, they also had the disadvantage of consuming a lot of fuel
and water.
If there were fewer
passengers than expected, it would be difficult to balance the financial
expenses.
Even to Saki's amateur
eye, it looked like nothing more than a suicidal act.
"—Saki.
Rondaria's goal is not to make money.
No matter how much
they lose, their ultimate goal is to extend the railway to the sacred realm of
Bharatush."
"Ah, I see. If
that's the case, won't we (Takamagahara) be rejected as well?"
"Not necessarily.
Lingying said 'generally' earlier. So, there must be some precedents.
—Isn't there?"
"Yes. To explain
the current situation, Rondaria has not actually won against Tsonma."
"But didn't they
win the Qingdao war?"
"There are many
objections to that one point alone,
...the fact is that
Rondaria only won against the Yuzenma Sect, which ruled Dongling
Province."
Li Fengjun, who seemed
to care for Lingying, looked at her with concern as she spoke bitterly about
the Yuzenma Sect.
It was one of the six
sects said to have been taught in Tsonma. Akira had heard that they had a
certain amount of interaction with the Shinkentenkyo due to their geographical
proximity.
"Since the
concession was established in Qingdao, a huge amount of capital from Rondaria
has been flowing in under the guise of investment.
Thanks to that, the
Yuzenma Sect is more prosperous than ever, and they are very close to
Rondaria."
"In other words,
if we get the Demonic Sect, who are on good terms with them, to mediate, we can
buy tickets for the Eastern Continent Railway.
—What is the relationship between the Yuzenma Sect and
the Shinkentenkyo?"
"You could even
say it's at its worst.
And it's the same with
the other four sects. ...After all, during the Qingdao war, the Yuzenma Sect
called for unity among the other sects, but no one responded."
"Naturally,
they'll hold a grudge. I've heard rumors about it, but it sounds pretty
serious.
—So, if they find out that Miss Dai Tian is in
Qingdao..."
"Without a doubt,
they will send assassins after her.
Our immediate goal is
to find a way to get tickets without the Yuzenma Sect knowing about my
presence."
"I see. Well,
I'll try to find a connection through the Haiheng Company.
Miss Lingying, you
will be staying at the inn. Lord Yotsurugi and Rindō-dono, Misugi will show you
to your rooms.
—Oh, and Sonomi, stay here. Working overtime is part of
your job."
♢
Harutane dismissed
them with a wave of his hand as Akira and the others left.
Sonomi turned to her
father after confirming that they had left.
"—Are they
gone?"
"Definitely.
...So, how did it go?"
"The situation is
worse than I expected, but the plan is flowing smoothly.
Whether or not we can
hook them is up to them."
"...Then, it's
okay. I believe in Akira-san's judgment."
Dōgyō Harutane looked
at Sonomi, who had a faint smile on her lips, with a complicated expression.
Is that so? He said
that as he scratched his white head.
"Fine. Since
you've made up your mind.
—For now, I'm removing you from the position of the
next head of the Dōgyō family. You're free to do as you please."
"Really?"
"I've been
neglecting you for so long. If I say no now, I'd just be acting like a spoiled
child."
Harutane tapped his
fingers on the varnished table in the president's office.
Looking down at his
dull fingertips, he quickly weighed the pros and cons.
Sonomi was in a very
difficult position.
Kihoin Tsuguhō was
considered a strong candidate to become Akira's wife, and Gioin Shizumi was
also in hot pursuit of her.
And Rindō Saki was
considered the prime candidate to be a concubine.
This foothold could
not be broken. With Akira's personality, if he tried to intrude, he would risk
incurring his displeasure.
Instead of going
through the stages of courtship, they decided to establish a marital
relationship.
Thanks to Tsuguhō's
intentions, the relationship between Saki and Akira had grown strong.
"Whether or not
you can become his concubine.
—To be honest, it's going to be difficult."
"I know."
Although he gave her a
bitter warning, his daughter's determination did not waver.
Defeated by Sonomi's
gaze, the head of the Dōgyō family made up his mind.
"Alright. Safety
is a priority, but do whatever you can to join Lord Yotsurugi's journey.
Use whatever means
necessary."
"—Even if I use
'that'?"
Of course. To his
daughter's question, the head of one of the Eight Families, who had protected
the sea of Takamagahara, nodded.
"It's just that
we've been keeping this secret for so long.
—When the time comes, show them the true meaning of
Byakuyadzuki."
◇
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