Editing Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 28 (section)

==Chapter 28: Witness in the Sky==
[[File:Horizon10B_p0121.jpg|thumb]]
''Because I can hear you

''And see you

''I want to have my say

''And show you what I think of it

'''Point Allocation (The Usual)

●

“Now they’ve done it.”

Tomoe Gozen stood up on the city wall.

She still couldn’t see the Musashi and Azuchi in the southern sky. Because the Earth was a sphere, its curve blocked the ships from view despite their great size.

But she knew they were approaching.

Their divine transmissions were arriving and, more than that, the eastern sky was stormy.

An enormous high-speed ship had traveled there and back. Several wavy clouds had formed in the east, with a thin layer similar to a parting of the sea.

But she had a feeling their approach now would bring about something unexpected.

“By returning to Europe, Musashi likely intended for the European nations to judge Hashiba now that they provide no political benefits for us.”

“Has that changed?”

Guericke displayed the state of the city’s material distribution on a lernen figur and had their paper stockpiles moved. It was the time of night when late night shifted into morning. The city center was running low on supplies and it was too late to have more delivered from outside the city. Only small-scale deliveries were running at the moment, so they would have to send out the supplies pooled across the city.

Guericke arranged this based on statistics and his own experience as he spoke.

“I don’t like the way this is headed.”

“Testament. Hashiba claims their Ten Spears know what must be done because they came from the future. It sounds absurd, but if it is true we have no choice but to do as they say. Setting aside the veracity of the claim, any group that doesn’t want ‘Matsudaira’ to rule as the Far Eastern representative will use the Ten Spears’ existence as a political card.”

And…

“Musashi won’t be able to find a single nation that doesn’t benefit from holding that card.”

“Even us Protestants?”

“Even us.” She sighed. “We owe them a debt of gratitude. But those debts do not revert to zero when repaid. Because that gratitude creates a relationship which does not just go away. So when weighing someone we hold no gratitude for against someone we do, I will choose the latter. And if I wanted to create a debt of gratitude in the other party, I would instead choose the former. However…”

However…

“While gratitude counts for something, it is nothing compared to an actual substantive benefit.”

“A very Protestant way of thinking.”

“Yes, it’s similar to preferring substantive prayer over hollow ornament. Truly a wonderful way of thinking! I wonder who came up with it, Guericke!”

“Testament! That would be the great Martin Luther of the Age of the Gods!”

She was wearing shoes designed for use by ghosts, so she gave him a solid kick.

It made a nice sound and he managed to stay on his feet for a moment, but then his hips gave out. Some students passing by with stacks of color proofs noticed the two of them and bowed before leaving. ''Do they value him so lowly? Poor thing…

“T-Tomoe Gozen! I nearly passed out there!”

“I feel so sorry for you.”

“Did I miss something going on here!?”

''Whatever,'' she decided.

“Anyway, the Ten Spears’ story is an attractive one. Even I am debating whether I should bring it up first and foremost next time I meet the Musashi group. And…”

And…

“This reverses things. Musashi meant for this return to Europe to give them the advantage, but the Ten Spears have used it against them. It is now time for the Ten Spears to ‘market themselves’. Do you know how they will do that, Guericke?”

“Testament. By convincing us Musashi’s vision of the future will fail.” Guericke tilted his head. “But what does it mean to lose to destiny?”

“You don’t get it?”

Tomoe Gozen had an inkling of what they meant.

“It means your destiny is superior to you.”

●

Tomoe Gozen pointed at Guericke’s face as he looked up at her.

“Let’s make it simple. Let’s say there is another you.”

“There is another me. Now what?”

The rest was simple.

“That other you has destiny on his side. Do you understand?”

“What does…”

Guericke was probably going to ask “what does that mean”, but then he froze.

…''Do you get it now?

“The enemy will be lucky and you will be unlucky. Of course, ‘luck’ is just another way of referring to everything you have built up in the past, but that accumulation will benefit the enemy over you. And what if that applied to everyone?”

“Everyone would be unlucky and the enemy modeled after everyone would be lucky.”

“There’s no way we could win.”

She understood.

They had experienced something similar. They had lost to the age and been driven into an unfortunate situation.

Everything had gone well in Kyou, but that had just caused it all to go downhill even faster. She wanted to believe that destiny hadn’t been responsible and that it was their failure for not striking back at the system, but…

“If you do anything wrong, nothing will work out. Because even your efforts to recover will break down. And if your opponents are doing the same thing…”

The Musashi still wasn’t visible to the southeast. If anything would be visible, it would be the Azuchi.

“The only way to turn this around starts with defeating the Ten Spears, Musashi.”

●

'''Vice President:''' “Are you saying we can’t win if destiny is our enemy?”

Masazumi could tell how much of a disadvantage she had here.

…''This is…y’know.

It was like facing an unverifiable lie.

She considered summoning Neshinbara, but he was currently cleaning up his inventory belowdecks. That was an important job since it would lighten the Musashi and throw out some ether stagnation, so she wondered who could take his place.

'''Vice President:''' “Hey, Ookubo. Any interest in filling in for Neshinbara?”

'''Nagaya-Stable:''' “Huh? You want me to negotiate?”

'''Vice President:''' “No, you can clean up his belowdecks inventory.”

'''Nagaya-Stable:''' “You can get someone else to do that!”

'''Vice President:''' “Good point. Arrange that for me.”

●

Asama heard Ookubo fall to her knees and scream on the front of Okutama’s bow deck.

“Noooooooooo! I just gave myself more worrrrrrrrrk!”

''Being lower on the ladder isn’t easy,'' she thought, but this was also a challenge for her.

“Asama-sama, is making an enemy of destiny really such a big deal?”

“I can’t say for sure without doing some research, but Shinto considers ‘bad luck’ to be the broadest category of things that must be purified away.”

“Then can’t you do something about it?”

“With ordinary bad luck, yes. But I’m not so sure if our destiny itself is unlucky. Bad luck is a temporary thing that can be removed, but your destiny is you yourself and purification can’t alter such a fundamental current. It would actually clear the way for that current.”

So…

“Because purification will not change something so fundamental, there is nothing I can do.”

●

Masazumi sighed at Asama’s conclusion.

…''If Asama says so, it must be true.

She didn’t know how much she could trust what Takenaka was saying, but an ally had just proven what would happen if it did turn out that way.

Even if she could win this negotiation by ignoring that, she had to face reality.

So for now…

'''Vice President:''' “Hey, idiot.”

'''Me:''' “Hm? What? Are ya winning, Seijun?”

'''Vice President:''' “To be honest, no.”

'''Me:''' “But you can stop them, right?”

'''Vice President:''' “I suppose.”

She nodded. Lowering her head like that was a sign of agreement. Agreement meant she wasn’t alone. Not being alone meant she had companions. And having companions meant…

'''Vice President:''' “A winning pattern.”

'''Novice:''' “You called?”

''I’m getting his help a lot tonight,'' she noted.

'''Vice President:''' “Imagine it, Neshinbara. There’s another you. You have bad luck and he has good luck. How are you supposed to win?”

'''Novice:''' “Oh, that’s easy.”

The Secretary paused just long enough that she could imagine him pushing up his glasses.

'''Novice:''' “We just have to become the chosen warriors.”

''Is he even speaking the same Far Eastern language I am?

●

“My turn is upon us. Behold the power of the demon of language.”

Neshinbara sat in a chair and drank some water in the belowdecks incinerator’s office.

He posted a “heh” of laughter on the sign frame, crossed his legs, realized he had crossed them too far, and tried again.

'''Novice:''' “Now, Takenaka Hanbei, I, the Musashi Secretary, will now take over.”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “Must you?”

What a rude thing to say. Regardless, he chose to make the first move.

'''Novice:''' “You just said our opponent is destiny, did you not?”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “Oh, yes, yes. I said that.”

'''Novice:''' “But what does that matter? We have defied destiny in the past. This just makes that a tad more literal.”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “Um, sorry, Musashi Secretary, but could I speak with a negotiator a little more capable of discussing reality?”

'''Novice:''' “How rude! What about me makes you think I am discussing a fantasy?”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “Well, all of you…”

''How odd,'' he thought. ''Has she awoken this far into reality?

So he continued.

'''Novice:''' “Have you seen this ‘destiny’?”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “No, I haven’t. But the others have told me about it. Or rather, I have reached an understanding from the fragmentary statements they have been able to share.”

'''Novice:''' “Then this is no more than hearsay and speculation! And you’re acting like it’s all true! Then you should speak on the same level as me!”

'''Kuro-Take:''' “No, I can’t do that.”

He sensed reluctance in Takenaka’s words.

From the flow of conversation, she seemed to be hiding an effective card to use against him. Yet he sensed reluctance in her. He wanted to know what it was. So…

'''Novice:''' “Let’s hear it.”

“Testament,” replied Takenaka. She took a breath before presenting him with her words.

'''Kuro-Take:''' “In the final battle, all your forces were destroyed and you died there, Musashi Secretary Toussaint Neshinbara.”

●

'''Four Eyes:''' “Why!?”

A glasses girl suddenly interrupted the divine transmission.

''Wow,'' thought Asama, a little disturbed. This divine transmission was open in Europe, but it still had a certain amount of security.

There was only one way this girl had broken in through a wide-range transmission.

…''She used her theatre spell as an author, didn’t she!?

●

“Oh?” said Elizabeth, viewing a light down in the city below from her position in Oxford’s tower.

It was a forest. A kilometer-wide forest made of ether had appeared in one corner of London, which remained active even at night, and that forest was expanding and rising up like a pop-up book.

Everything was bathed in light as bright as day, but it wasn’t the forest that mattered. Her focus had to be on the figure standing up from the stream flowing through the forest.

That 100m tall manifestation of literature wore a white dress, shook her wet blonde hair, and carried flowers. A wet veil obscured the dead face of a noble princess.

“You fool… Do not summon a god just because you learned of your beloved’s death, Shakespeare.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled upwards as she tapped on the window’s partially-raised shutter.

“Besides, you have yet to complete that program – Ophelia!”

●

Shakespeare raised her arms, standing among the grass in the forest with the stream and the princess behind her.

“Ophelia!”

Reach her. Ask her and seek an answer.

“Ophelia! Ophelia!! Ophelia!!!”

She stated her words.

“Ophelia, deceased princess who knew not her love was forbidden, came down with madness yet still sought her answer, and still tried to be with him!!”

Behind her, Ophelia swung her arms. Water scattered from the arms while vines and leafy branches grew from them. They linked with the ether forest and pierced the stream that had grown to the size of a proper river.

“Ophelia! Tragic princess who sank and drowned! Ask the question on your mind, Ophelia! Just as the river water reaches the sea, your question will surely reach its answer!”

As she spoke, Shakespeare stuck a hand in her hair and swept it backwards.

“I have a question for the brutes who have come from the non-contiguous land we call the future!”

Words spilled from her hair. She was in top form today. She had been in a good mood for a while now. Because…

“Toussaint will not die! Because our power is infinite! No destiny can stand up to the creation of words and imagination! The future may be unfortunate and it may disappear, but if we write that ‘it is’, then ‘it is’!”

She swung her hand. She reached into a paper bag and pulled out a bundle of thirty thousand manuscript sheets linked together like a snake.

“This journal describes my future with Toussaint! Even if it does not play out as written here, ‘it is’ that way in here! A power such as that can never be defeated by destiny!”

Ask.

“Ask, Ophelia! Shred the falsehoods you were not taught, tear away their lies, and guide us to the truth!”

She shouted, supported by the thunder of shutters opening behind and all around her.

“Answer me, resident of the future!”

●

“Unfortunately, you have already been given the answer, England’s greatest writer.”

''I can’t believe this,'' thought Takenaka.

If she was going to get a question like this, she honestly wished it could come from someone easier to deal with.

This was too much. Instead of taking on a high risk, she was taking on a persistent weight. But…

“Takenaka-sama! The ship’s divine net is receiving intrusions on all fronts! Shaja.”

…''Are you serious?

Instead of the internal divine net receiving an external connection, it was being intruded from everywhere at once.

The status displayed on her insha kotob said the Azuchi’s divine net was being hijacked by an external intrusion.

As a warship, the Azuchi had excellent security. To take it over so easily would require fully spell-controlled ether manipulation. And…

…''Did she transfer her theatre spell via divine transmission!?

This was definitely something new.

The appearance and the act itself came from the Age of the Gods on which the history recreation was based, so it had likely been a standard occurrence during the Age of Dawn.

But this opponent had renewed it and come with a question.

“Takenaka-sama! Shaja.”

Takenaka understood. This intrusion was searching for her.

Ophelia had gone mad and searched for the truth within herself until she fell in the water and drowned. There were many interpretations of what caused it, but what if her feelings remained even after her death?

“Do you want an answer?”

''I can’t believe this,'' Takenaka thought again before speaking.

“I will say it again: you have already been given the answer.”

The artillery fire from the bows of the Azuchi’s first ships had ceased. The internal divine net had been infected, so the automaton-based control system was no longer functioning.

If this continued, the acceleration system would fail too. Then the Azuchi couldn’t keep up with the Musashi and this would be over.

Of course, England was grossly overstepping its bounds here. It was illegal interference with the history recreation of the Battle of Yamazaki.

But they couldn’t let it end here. Aware of that, Takenaka described what she had once come to understand – the future circumstances she had spent years discerning from fragments of words.

“Shakespeare. Your imagination and the Musashi Secretary’s imagination can be defeated by destiny’s imagination.”

'''Four Eyes:''' “How!? We can imagine our own continued existence! What can defeat that!?”

Takenaka’s words themselves were being picked up by the divine transmission now.

''Is this the power of a true author?'' she wondered as she answered.

“A tragedy.”

She chose her words carefully as she sent an accurate critique of this author.

“There is one thing that can perfectly match and surpass the life, the existence, and the happiness you imagine for yourself: a tragedy,” she said. “Because you and your partner are so skilled, destiny could remake you into a tragedy. Destiny’s fanfiction transformed your real and imagined selves into the protagonists of a tragedy and destiny made that version a reality.”

'''Four Eyes:''' “You mean…?”

“Testament.” Shakespeare had to understand now. “The fifth tragedy you never managed to write. Your destiny finally created your Fifth Great Tragedy by basing it on the two of you.”

●

'''Four Eyes:''' “Lies!”

Shakespeare shouted. She raised her voice with words spilling from her hair.

“Toussaint and I swore to bring each other happiness! We promised our futures to each other! And we vowed to live together! We could never fall to tragedy! With his confession, the two of us have wedded eighteen times now!! Last night, he lay by my side, held me gently in his arms, and kissed me!”

●

'''Almost Everyone:''' “Uh…”

'''Novice:''' “No! It’s not true! I didn’t do any of that! She fantasized it all! I haven’t even filled out a marriage application or been asked to sign one! I swear!”

'''Art-Ga:''' “Wow, that denial sounds suspicious as hell.”

'''Novice:''' “Y-you’re just saying that to torment me, right!? Right!?”

'''Vice President:''' “Look, I let you negotiate in my place, so take this seriously.”

'''Novice:''' “This isn’t my fault! It really isn’t!”

●

''What does this mean?'' wondered Shakespeare.

She had heard the Apocalypse was the process of the ether thinning out until the world was destroyed.

That was like the ink in an author’s pen running out.

But to ensure some form of writing remained, some in the Russia of this era would take notes on birch bark using a bone pen.

Similarly, there would be ways of leaving themselves behind in some other form.

And even if they fully thinned out, as long as they remained…

“We could record that we struggled to the end and never gave up! That is our pride as authors! Even if we were fighting against the world itself!”

But Takenaka said that wasn’t what happened.

…''The Fifth Great Tragedy!?

She had considered it.

Her history recreation only allowed her the Four Great Tragedies. She had frequently considered how she could surpass them. What could she base the story on and how should the story play out? But…

“It was based on us and we opposed destiny but were no match for it?”

That she hadn’t considered.

No, she had only learned today what system would destroy the world.

And she hadn’t thought she would be presented with a plot about themselves.

Given time, would she have come up with the idea? Maybe even something better than what Takenaka had suggested?

…''No.

That wasn’t the point.

Insisting you were secretly better than your opponent was the complaint of the loser.

She hadn’t come up with the idea, so she had already lost to Takenaka and the future she mentioned.

“Damn.”

She hated this. It felt like the destiny described here were already set in stone.

She thought she could come up with a more entertaining story, but…

“I have no intention of becoming a trend follower, Takenaka Hanbei. As much as I hate to do so, I must admit-”

She planned to end her theatre spell after saying “defeat”.

But before she could…

…''Eh?

Overhead, a great tremor ran through Ophelia.

Looking up to see why, she saw what had happened there.

Ophelia had manifested at over 100 meters tall, but her head suddenly came off.

●

“Huh!? What!? What in the world!?”

A glowing attack was responsible, but Shakespeare recognized the color of the light that flew in along a diagonal path.

“Ex. Caliburn!?”

“Practicing for a play tonight, Shakespeare?”

Beyond Ophelia’s collapsing ether light and within the scattering light of the forest, three figures walked this way.

First, the Fairy Queen in a cape and jeans. Followed by Dudley, in her uniform despite the late hour, and Cecil, also in her uniform plus light armor with curved plating.

Cecil looked across the scattering ether light forest and up at Ophelia breaking apart in the sky.

“A full houuuuuse!”

Just as she raised her hands overhead, it all flew into the sky as a glowing wind.

●

''That would be Dudley,'' thought Mary as she held Excalibur at the ready and viewed the light in the northwest sky.

As a floating island even further north than the Far Eastern San’in Region, England had a wide view. It was just as visible from the Far East, so depending on location and altitude, it could be clearly seen north of Hexagone Française.

Like now for instance.

As the Musashi approached Osaka Bay, the mountains of San’in and San’yo blocked it from view here in the Osaka region, but…

“Oh…”

Ahead of Mary, Kiyomasa gasped with Caledfwlch at the ready.

“Is that Excalibur!?”

“No, I think Dudley did that to Shakespeare’s theatre spell.”

A single sword jutted up above the dark mountains visible to the north.

That was Ex. Caliburn.

Or more accurately, a collection of ether light modeled after it.

“Dudley’s Testamenta Arma can use the ether from Shakespeare’s spell as ‘a weapon’ to transform it in that way. Of course, extending it to that height likely required a reversal from Cecil’s ‘distribution’.”

But…

“They have both gotten stronger since I left England.”

●

“Splendid! Splendid, you two! And Shakespeare! I like the audacity!”

The Fairy Queen smiled. Beside her, but kneeling a bit back from her, Dudley exchanged a glance with Cecil seated on her rear nearby, and then lowered her head.

“Y-you honor us…!”

''Yes, truly splendid.

…''I have been blessed with excellent wings!

''And the tail feathers as well.

“Fairy Queen…”

This came from Shakespeare down on the packed dirt street. She brushed her hair back and her shoulders slumped.

“I am sorry, Fairy Queen. I let my emotions get the better of me and suffered a crushing defeat.”

“Shakespeare! Ophelia’s part in Hamlet could still use some work it seems.”

“––––”

The Fairy Queen tapped Ex. Caliburn where it was linked to her hip hard point. A vibration inside resonated with the tap, producing the deep note of a metal musical instrument.

“I recently discovered it makes a higher note if I tap it here. But that is all fun and games. Now, Shakespeare, do not get carried away and show off Ophelia before she is ready. Hamlet is one of your most famous tragedies, is it not?”

“Testament. That is true…”

“Yes. It is a tragedy. But death alone does not make a tragedy. It is an unrewarded death that makes tragedy. But your Ophelia is not yet complete. You failed to convey what reward she did not receive. That is why I beheaded her with Excalibur.”

“I’ve never heard of Ophelia being executed with Excalibur before.”

“Ha ha. You’re one to talk after working with the Musashi Secretary to let Macbeth usurp the throne. …But this was an amusing diversion. Once the play is finished, let me behead her once. That should give the audience a shock. I love things like that.”

“Yes,” agreed Shakespeare. Seeing that put a smile on the Fairy Queen’s lips.

…''So she finally understands what I am trying to say.

Shakespeare fixed her glasses and then spoke.

“That is the nature of tragedy, isn’t it? The tragedy comes from being unrewarded or failing to achieve something. But I will be rewarded. Because I can look to greater heights and hope for even more.”

“Yes, that is what I want to hear, my wing and the greatest author in literary history. Serving me is the greatest reward my Trumps can ever receive. Never forget that even in the pursuit of romance.”

“Testament, I understand.”

“Prove it.”

“Just as the reality of King Lear and the play differ, we will be made into a tragedy. Maybe there is a future where it actually happens that way, but we are someone else as we fight back. Tragedy or not, we will smile and do what we can. Because every card in the Trumps has a use.”

“Excellent.”

With that, the Fairy Queen turned her gaze to the southern sky.

“M.H.R.R. Hashiba!”

She released her voice. And Dudley approached her with head bowed.

Dudley did not turn around. She simply scratched at the dirt road surface with the large gauntlet of her Testamenta Arma, drawing out an arrow pointing left from the direction the Fairy Queen was facing.

After Dudley stepped back, the Fairy Queen turned to face the direction of the arrow.

“My mistake!!”

Honesty was a virtue. Correcting your mistakes was also a virtue. So today she was already twice virtuous so early in the morning. The Fairy Queen was perfect. She wasn’t sure if learning from your mistakes counted as a virtue, so she didn’t bother with that.

“M.H.R.R. Hashiba! Won’t you at least greet me!? The Fairy Queen speaks to you!”

●

“Takenaka-sama! Takenaka-sama! Now we’re receiving a divine transmission powerful enough to interfere with the ley lines!! Shaja!”

“God, I hate England and all its spirits!!”

●

“Hello! This is Hashiba’s current liaison officer! I apologize for our future people being such a nuisance so early in the morning.”

“They have been no trouble at all!” declared the Fairy Queen. “I was able to view one of Shakespeare’s unfinished plays and carry out a beheading! Your provocation was much appreciated, Hashiba!”

●

When Takenaka fell straight to her knees, “Azuchi” saw the forehead of her slumped head smash through the divine transmission insha kotob that happened to be in the way.

“T-Takenaka-sama! Statistically, everyone faces unreasonable circumstances throughout their lives! This must be one of those times! So pull yourself together! Look, I have a new insha kotob for you! Shaja!”

“Nooooo! It’s too much for me! I need to ero!”

“You will have plenty of time to throw a childish tantrum later, so keep it together for a while longer! Please! And, Hirano-sama, you have been looking the other way and trying to stay out of this, haven’t you!? Shaja!”

“Yes, well, I have plenty of reason to keep my guard up right now.”

“Azuchi” knew what Hirano meant.

…''The Asama Shrine Representative!

No attacks had come from the bow deck of Musashi’s second central ship.

But that was misleading. A Musashi targeting spell had turned that airspace into holy ground and another personal-use targeting spell had created some form of spell field.

The spells expressed a clear message: none of your attacks can get through.

“Azuchi” wondered if she found the stance so familiar because she used the surrounding warships to protect everyone here.

But while the Asama Shrine Representative was cautious of them, she wasn’t showing any hostility. Because, according to Hirano…

“We’re still safe as long as she isn’t aiming her bow and arrow this way.”

“Safe? Shaja.”

“Yes. My mom once jokingly said, ‘there was a time when I was known for shooting down a warship’ and everyone was like ‘wow, that’s so cool!’, but since coming here, I realized I must have misheard her. I think she actually said she was known for ‘shooting down warships’.”

“Um, is this really something to tell to a warship like me? Shaja.”

That she wasn’t directly aiming at them meant the Asama Shrine Representative must have been curious about everything happening.

Then Takenaka stood up and tossed a full ero pack into the sky.

“What do you want, Fairy Queen? Interfering with a history recreation is an intrusion on our national rights.”

“This isn’t about that! I am curious about the future you have knowledge of!”

And that curiosity had her ask…

“I too am lost in this future of yours, aren’t I?”

●

The Fairy Queen heard Dudley speak.

“Y-Y-Y-Your Majesty!? That! That can’t possibly be true! I-if such a thing were going to happen, Cecil and I would surely protect you!”

“I know that! Live your lives how you like and die how you like! My reign will bring about England’s greatest period of prosperity, so everyone who serves me can do the same!”

This should have gone without saying. And…

“I will look after all who are under my protection to the very end! And as long as I have a single servant left, I am queen!”

“Then,” said Dudley. “C-C-C-Cecil and I would wish to be the very last of your servants to die!”

“We’ll work hard.”

“Ha ha!” The Fairy Queen laughed. “The Vice Chancellor and Vice President shall remain until the very last moment!? Then England shall continue to function right up to the end. And I will perform my noble duties as England’s queen right up to the end.”

“Y-Y-Your Majesty, you mean…?”

She explained.

“Mary! Mary Stuart! When your child takes the throne, I shall cease to be queen! And I know what I will do then!”

Yes, she knew. She wasn’t certain this was how it was ''meant'' to happen, but she had a feeling everyone had ''done it this way'' after considering the nature of the Apocalypse.

…''Father!

She thought of her parent who she could only picture as an idealized form of himself.

“Before the Apocalypse destroys the world, I shall surely remake Avalon into a shelter that can exist even after the ley lines thin. I do not know if it shall be based on a selection or a promise, but those who can be entrusted with all shall be sent there.”

Who would that be? Avalon had a decent capacity. The final list would definitely contain several people, but she knew who two of them would be.

“Mary! You and your child shall inherit everything we have!”

●

“Me…too?”

Mary felt herself gasp.

She would shelter in Avalon with her child. She felt some guilt there, but it did sound plausible. But it also told her a few different things.

“First, there will be some time between the final battle and the world’s thinning reaching a dangerous level.”

There must be enough time after the final battle for her child to be born and for her to enter Avalon with that child.

Furthermore…

“If many of us are lost during the final battle, what about Master Tenzou?”

“He died,” immediately replied Kiyomasa. “Humanity’s main fighting force was almost entirely wiped out in the final battle. Most of the losses occurred during the retreat, so I heard only a few hundred made it back to the Far East. I was born after that.”

●

Tenzou heard what Kiyomasa said, her head lowered.

“During the retreat, my mother asked him to retreat with her, but he told her not to worry and promised her he would be back. She trusted him and returned to the surface, but…”

She said it.

“She was always repeating his words and waiting! Whenever she tried to get me to listen or was talking about herself, she would talk about old times and say we should ‘wait’! But I knew it was a lie! Time and again I told her he wasn’t coming back, but she never stopped believing in him. But…”

Kiyomasa turned to look at him. Those tear-filled blue eyes were so much like Mary’s. And she raised a sharp yell.

“You lied to her!!”

●

'''Gold Mar:''' “I think Tenzou’s managed a world first: starting family drama with a child who isn’t even born yet.”

'''Art-Ga:''' “Broadly defined, our battles and Futayo’s battles probably counted as family drama too.”

'''Silver Wolf:''' “1st Special Duty Officer, you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep just because they sound good.”

'''Me:''' “Tenzou, why do you always make the wrong choice when it matters most?”

'''10ZO:''' “I-is today ‘gang up on Tenzou’ day or something!?”

●

…''Yes, it’s true.

Kiyomasa could tell she was irritated.

It was true seeing her mother had brought her joy, but the anger was greater.

Who had brought so much sorrow to her mother?

Who had forced her mother to wait for so long?

And who had never returned to her mother and never appeared to Kiyomasa at all?

The answer was standing right in front of her.

…''That boy.

''Yes,'' she thought again. This anger was misplaced. This version of her mother knew nothing of what was to come and she was here to stop it from happening in the first place.

''So calm yourself, Katou Kiyomasa. You’ve found happiness since coming here and gained a new version of yourself, haven’t you?

She had left her parents long ago, so she needed to remain independent now too.

“That’s right…”

She was one of the Ten Spears. If anything, she was the group manager and she had to appear on the front line with Fukushima to support the others.

Fighting a duel out of pure personal spite was far too out of character for someone like that. The others would likely be disturbed by how different she seemed filled with this reckless anger.

''Calm yourself, Katou Kiyomasa. Take a deep breath and refocus.

She looked up to see the ninja pick up her mother while ready to make an escape. Her mother blushed a bit with ether light spilling from her hair.

“Th-thank you, Master Tenzou!”

“Judge. Hold on tight!”

Deep in her mind, Kiyomasa felt like she had been given permission for a great many things related to someone other than her mother. Yes.

“G-get back here!”

She pursued with Caledfwlch in thruster mode.

●

Mitotsudaira was glad she didn’t have to deal with the mess surrounding the 1st Special Duty Officer, or Mary really.

At the same time, Kasuya raised her right hand.

…''What now?

While Mitotsudaira tilted her head, Kasuya checked her nonhuman unit’s invasion report on a lernen figur and sent authorizations. With that done…

“Um, may I speak?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“You and the Asama Shrine Representative were in Avalon as well.”

It made perfect sense and yet it came as a complete surprise.

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    | [[Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 27|Chapter 27]]
    | [[Horizon:Volume 10B Chapter 29|Chapter 29]]
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