Editing Rakuin no Monshou:Volume6 Chapter1 (section)

=== Part 1 ===

Esmena, the daughter of Taúlia’s governor-general Ax Bazgan, was under a canopy that was set up the on the rooftop of the hall.

Dawn was close at hand.

“Princess, won’t you be returning soon?”

The young lady’s maid accompanying her asked while looking as though she was stifling her yawns. It was no wonder.  Upon suddenly awakening up at midnight, her mistress had immediately left her room. Thinking that it might be one of her usual fits, the ladies’ maids had hurriedly chased after her without even changing their clothes.
“I can’t sleep. I will go for a breath of fresh air,” Esmena had said, seeming rather puzzled at their flustered state. In the end, the youngest of her ladies’ maids had accompanied her.

The inner quarters and the palace were connected by a long corridor that was guarded night and day. As had been the custom since long ago, the paths to the inner palace other than the corridor were blocked by the moat, in exchange for which, one could proceed through the corridor into the palace and directly to the throne room. As a relic from when the inner quarters had still been barred to men, when women came to the castle, they tried as much as possible to remain out of sight.

On the rooftop, as well Esmena and the lady's maid, a single guard on night watch stood in each of the parapets on either side.

Wispy clouds drifted across the sky. The stars that were disappearing behind the hazy light of dawn twinkled as though gasping for breath.

Esmena's eyes were fixed on the western direction. At this time, her father would be hurrying on horseback further and further to the west of Taúlia. It was around dusk yesterday that the interior of the castle had suddenly flurried into activity. Soldiers in full armour as well as horses and dragons lined up in rows outside the castle. That war was about to break out – and furthermore one in which would decide the fate of their House – was apparent to all. It had come as a complete surprise to Esmena.

According to what her father had said, the fleetest units would first rush west for a day and night without pause. Straddling his horse, Ax had embraced his wife Jaina and his daughter Esmena to his left and right, and had simply said,

“I'll be back soon.”

It seemed that the preparations for organising the troops had been proceeding in secret until just then. Even her mother Jaina had probably not heard of them.

“We will be awaiting your return, my lord,” Jaina bowed, her bearing exactly the same as it always was whenever she saw Ax off to the battle front. “I will look forward to performing a victory dance for you, my lord.”

“Yeah,” Ax grinned as put on his helmet. He too wore the same expression as usual. He turned to smile at Esmena also, then pulled on his reins and departed at the head of the troops.

Later, when it was already past midnight, the infantry corps and artillerymen had also lined up and left the castle. The units had been separated so as to make it difficult for the enemy to suspect their movements until such a time as the advance party was already upon them.

''The enemy''.

That ominous word flashed through Esmena's mind. She had learned after her father's departure that Cherik had set up camp near the border to the west of Taúlia. It was said that Cherik's aim was to contain them. Because of that, Taúlia had been unable to help the northern Helio, which had apparently been occupied by Garda's forces.

“With the cavalry's speed, they will easily reach Cherik's camp before daybreak,” was what the soldiers who had stayed behind at the castle had said when she asked them about it.

“Will it be war?”

“According to Strategist Ravan, it probably won't go as far as war. For the time being, Cherik should be putting it's all into defence. Meanwhile, the lord's vanguard unit will prevent things from turning into the siege war that Cherik expects.”

Esmena softly bit her lower lip. She knew the name of Garda. The terrifying sorcerer who often appeared in her nightmares and tormented her called himself none other than Garda. However, her encounter with the crown prince of Mephius, Gil and then the notification of his death had driven it from her memory.

Currently, the majority of the troops had left and the number of soldiers remaining within Taúlia did not total three hundred. Esmena had not had the slightest idea that the situation had grown so urgent.

A deep sigh escaped from her rose-coloured lips.

She didn't know when it had started, but right then, Esmena felt like an awfully small, utterly ignorant, worthless human being. The thought of how truly empty she was filled her with fear and tore her sensitive heart to shreds.

It was rare for Esmena Bazgan to take a step outside of this city-state of Taúlia. It could well be said that for the most part, she did not even understand Taúlia itself. As a result, and even if she thought about it, she couldn't grasp the first clue as to what was the full extent of the situation with Cherik, what Taúlia's chances of victory were, or what she, as the daughter of the Bazgan House, should do in this castle now that its lord was absent and that most of its military might had left.

''Nobody tells me anything. They were laughing at me behind my back. It was as good as saying that even if that princess believes that she is living a contented life, she is just a doll whose head and heart are empty''.

Even when she lay between her sheets, she truly couldn't sleep. Instead of worrying about this and that while in her snug and comfortable bed, she had wanted to go outside where she would at least be able to breathe the same air as her father while praying to the Dragon Gods for his good fortune in war.

Esmena was famed as the greatest beauty in Taúlia, and indeed, of the west. She had her eyes closed and her appearance as she let the wind caress her soft cheeks was reminiscent of the sculpted relief widely depicted throughout Tauran of the ancient priestess-princess Meuru offering herself to the Dragon Gods. Unware of her thoughts, the lady’s maid, who was younger than her, was admiring her mistress’ beautiful face when,

“What are you doing? At this hour.”

Hearing a voice raised half in reprimand, Esmena and the lady’s maid turned around, startled. There was Raswan Bazgan, whom the soldiers on duty were greeting with a salute. He was the first-born son of Toún Bazgan, who was Governor-General Ax’s younger brother and the man responsible for the Defence Corps.  In other words, Raswan was Esmena’s cousin.

“You too, Lord Raswan. Why are you…?”

“I’m helping Father,” perhaps because it was somewhat self-mocking, Raswan’s smile turned cruel. “Now that His Lordship is no longer present, we must maintain a strict guard at all times. You too are important, Princess. You should go back to your room now.”

“Thank you. Then I shall do so.” 

Although her wording and manner were courteous, Esmena had always found it hard to deal with her cousin, who never listened to what anyone had to say. Just as she was about to turn back,

“Princess,” Raswan rudely approached her at a distance so close she wanted to scream out loud.

“Wh-What is it?”

As Esmena asked that, opening her eyes even wider than usual, Raswan showed unusual hesitation under the sharply penetrating light in those eyes.

“No… The situation is as you know. Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Esmena smiled, however Raswan did not put more distance between them as one would at the end of a conversation. At the same time, neither did he say anything. Esmena felt it was strange as they had never had a close relationship, and so she was the one to open the distance between them then, with bow, she left the roof. The lady’s maid hurried after her.

“Lord Raswan looked as though he wished to talk a little longer.”

“It’s not that I felt against it,” Esmena put a hand to her cheek, “however, there is no denying that Raswan is at heart a warrior and if we remain too long in the same place, the atmosphere is likely to become unbearably mannish.”

“Hmm. But, Princess, is your father not also a true-born Taúlian warrior? And even though General Bouwen, with whom the princess has a good relationship, is usually a very gentle person, at heart he is clearly a rough warrior.”
“Is that so? And yet, even now I can’t imagine Bouwen fighting with a sword in hand.”

“But if anything, I think that Lord Raswan has the more refined manner and that he does not project such a mannish atmosphere.”

''And his appearance is also good'', she added in a low voice. Esmena laughed softly at her honest way of speaking. Esmena did not have anything like friends close to her in age, but since binding herself in a vow of sisterhood with Princess Ineli in Apta and also, although it was unsure whether Esmena herself realised this, since encountering the insolent masked mercenary after Prince Gil’s death, her connection to those near had grown deeper than before.

Raswan, who had been left behind on the roof, clicked his tongue. The sun was gradually rising and it was the time when the figures of people could start to be seen in the fields around the outer walls. 

Originally, Raswan had also been supposed to rush to Cherik at the head of the dragoon unit. Ax had selected five hundred dragon riders to entrust him with. However, Raswan himself had made a request.

“This time, I would help Father. Since it is my hope that sooner or later, I too will shoulder the important duty of defending the country.”

Raswan’s appearance resembled that of a Garberan knight and he displayed a nobleman’s figure, but he was known to fight like a demon on the battlefield. Therefore, although it seemed slightly surprising to Ax, this request had another meaning. By saying that he would succeed Toún Bazgan, he was also in effect declaring that he would not take part in the struggle for succession to become Taúlia’s governor-general.

Recognising that admirable intention, Ax left Raswan behind as commander of Taúlia’s garrison. Naturally, he never imagined that a viper was building its nest inside the heart of this nephew who was so splendidly growing to adulthood.

A lone shadow quietly stole up to Raswan, who was looking irritability in the direction Esmena had left in.

“Lord Raswan.”  

With a start, he turned to look and saw a short, aged man. A very ordinary man dressed in the garb of a civil servant and with nothing about him that attracted attention. Nonetheless, Raswan appeared nervous and, under the pretence of checking that the guards standing in the parapets on either side of them were sufficiently far away, he averted his eyes.

“Now that things are coming to a head, it’s best that you don’t do anything out of the usual. The majority of the soldiers left in the castle are not our allies. Although no one here has good intuition.”

“I know,” Raswan’s expression turned bitterer. “The girl who is the direct descendant of the governor-general’s lineage is needed in order to govern Taúlia peacefully. Since she will be involved, regrettably I feel that we cannot cut her life down and so I came to check on the situation for a bit.” He felt as though the old man’s eyes could see inside his heart. Having worked up his courage, he had spoken in a deliberately severe tone of voice.

“There is very little time before we rise to action. You must issue a notice to the soldiers.”

In preparation for this day, Raswan had come to an understanding with the commanding officers and high-placed retainers who were dissatisfied with the alliance between Ax and Mephius. Among the soldiers employed by Toún Bazgan, there were also those who had indicated their support. With regards to the essential piece that was his father however, he acted in secret. Raswan knew his father’s timid nature. Risking having the plan come to light because of a failed attempt at persuasion was a folly he would not commit. He had already settled his resolve. And even if it was his own father – 

''If he stands in my way, I will cut him down''.

Nevertheless, Raswan had not revealed the whole plan to those who had joined him. In other words, he had to formally notify the soldiers that, utilising the invasion by Garda’s army, he intended to stage the uprising on this very day.

“I will leave the timing to you.”

“Yes,” the old man nodded his narrow chin. Information about the entire remote western region seemed to be accessible to him without his stirring from Taúlia. Ordinarily, such a thing would be completely impossible to believe, but Raswan had had many a chance to verify it. It was because he believed in his power in the first place that Raswan had decided to stage an armed uprising within Taúlia. There was no room for doubt now.

“Those who do not feel easy with peace with Mephius are pivotal. Naturally, once we obtain Taúlia, next will be war with Mephius. We mustn’t make any mistakes in our preparations in that regards either.”

“Leave it to me.”

“You,” Raswan’s sharp eyes suddenly kindled with curiosity, “you can ‘see’ the west, but what about Mephius? Can you see what is actually going on there?”

“To a certain extent. The vassals grow increasingly dissatisfied at the current emperor’s conspicuous and opinionated self-righteousness. But at the same time, no one knows what kind of treatment to expect if they oppose the emperor, and so the mood is somewhat heavy. In addition, now that the crown prince has died, it seems that there is internal dissent about what position to adopt with regards to his fiancée, the Garberan princess.” 

“Which means that there will be plenty of opportunities to take advantage of.”

“Indeed,” both the old man’s expression and tone of voice remained the same as ever.

Raswan took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, then dropped his gaze to the slumbering streets of Taúlia below. He was young and vigorous, and also proud of being descended from the Bazgan House. But because of the peace that had come from the war with Mephius, that pride – 

''Has been snatched away''. 

He was vexed. Raswan’s youth did not allow him to forgive. Both his violent blood that was always in search of an outlet and the advice of the old man currently by his side spurred him into action.

Raswan trembled. 

Not from fear. When he read of Zer Tauran in history books, when he called to mind how Taúlia must pursue that ideal in the future, when he saw the city of Taúlia before his eyes as he did now – a certain thought would always come to Raswan’s mind.

Always, ever since childhood. That thought having finally taken form, he felt that it was actually within reach, and Raswan trembled.