Chronicle Legion:Volume 2 Chapter 2
Chapter 2 - Soldiers of Fortune
Part 1
The First Expeditionary Brigade of the Far East Fleet.
These was the British Empire's armed forces led by Edward the Black Prince.
The Anglo-Japanese Restoration Alliance was formed from this brigade and Imperial Japan's Kinai Fiefdom.
The combat units attacking Tōkaidō were manned half-half by the British and the Kinai provincial army. However, the majority of Chevaliers were British and 80% of the Legions were Crusades.
Kinai knights were treated as "honored guests" and seldom sent to the battlefield.
Control was held fully in the British Empire's hands.
"There is a proverb in Japan... Lend them some eaves and they will take the main house, was it?"
Lieutenant Colonel Grayson muttered.
"The description aptly captures our relationship with the Kinai Fiefdom."
The elderly gentleman of a soldier was speaking solemnly with polite tones.
However, there was a hint of sardonic bite in his words. This old man was always sharing his cynicism with a completely straight face. Perhaps he was the role model responsible for the genie Morrigan's harsh tongue?
Edward kept his guess to himself and said, "Why not? The Kinai's top brass have accepted it too."
"Indeed, thanks to the blessings of the Three Lions and the British royal family."
"Well said. When they provide incredible and convenient miracles from time to time, we'd better perform our duties as loyal subjects to the best of our ability."
"The Kinai Governor General must have been moved by our princess' sincerity and grandeur."
With straight faces, they were exchanging false platitudes.
The young medieval prince and the elderly man of the modern twentieth century both smirked at the same time.
"Well then, Grayson, I must head over to Kyoto to cheer up our princess and handle a few sundry tasks while I am there. I am counting on you to hold the fort."
"Affirmative."
The elderly soldier accepted Edward's request like an experienced butler.
Also serving as the captain of the destroyer Tintagel, Grayson was dressed in a naval officer's uniform of a white shirt and tie with black pants. However, his current assignment was not on the ship.
Instead, it was Hakone Checkpoint in the western part of Japan's Kantō region.
As the commanding officer Edward's adjutant, he must first secure their control of the Hakone area to serve as a forward operating base to advance on Tōkaidō. This was his latest job.
The purpose was to build up a foundation to support invasions into Tokyo and the Kantō region, the heart of Imperial Japan.
"How will you travel to Kyoto?"
"First along the sea then entering Kinai through the Shima Peninsula."
Today was the second day after the fall of Hakone.
There was a helipad at the second tutelary fort, located south of Lake Ashi.
Hakone was originally defended by the Kantō provincial army. After conquering the tutelary forts, the British forces claimed the large transport helicopter of American make that was there. The helicopter was currently ready at the helipad.
Furthermore, British and Kinai forces had been assigned to various positions at Hakone.
The plan was to subjugate military and administrative facilities and demand civilian factions to provide "voluntary assistance."
After Edward's return, the hectic situation should subside somewhat. The capabilities of the veteran Graysan and the First Expeditionary Brigade were beyond reproach.
Their commander, the Resurrectee, still had other duties to fulfill.
Just as Edward walked to the helicopter, a young girl called out to him.
"Prince, if it pleases you, kindly take this along."
It was a blonde little girl in a sailor outfit and beret—Or rather, a doll.
The doll possessed by the genie Morrigan was standing behind Grayson.
The doll stood at 150cm, roughly human in size. In her hand was a figure version of her that Edward had used during the Hakone siege.
Every time she moved her body, the joints would produce noise, hinting of her non-human identity.
"Morrigan, there is no need for you to accompany me this time."
A genie's support made everything convenient, but Edward still declined.
"You should focus on the Hakone mission."
"Not a, problem. I am a high-level spirit. Simulacra can be sent to multiple locations... Multitasking, is possible."
"I know, but playing with dolls is not my thing."
Early twenties in appearance, Edward sighed.
"If I keep bringing your small version around with me, I am afraid weird rumors will start springing up."
"Please, relax. According to research conducted by the British forces... Many adult men in Imperial Japan, enjoy this type of doll."
"I am not looking for fellow enthusiasts here!"
The spirit offered her counsel expressionlessly but Edward rebuked her and boarded the helicopter alone.
Thus an air journey began. An ancient person from the fourteenth century was sitting in a block of metal to soar the sky. To be honest, Edward found riding a wyvern to be quite similar to a horse so it did not feel weird.
That being said, mechanized locomotion was not bad too.
After all, speed was one major advantage. The transport helicopter flew from Hakone to the air over Numazu Port, passing through Suruga Bay to enter Pacific Ocean airspace.
Then the helicopter went west along Japan's island coastline.
The British armed forces had established naval superiority over virtually all of Tōkaidō's offshore region—from Nagoya and the Atsumi Peninsula to Izu and Atami.
Chances of being attacked were very low. In the event that an enemy showed up, he could simply engage using Legions.
Edward enjoyed the leisurely flight.
The seats in the transport helicopter were hard and not very comfortable. However, horse riding consumed even more energy, so taking a helicopter was still more relaxing.
They entered Kinai through the Shima Peninsula then went north, in other words, inland.
A few hours after taking off, the helicopter reached the sky over Kyoto City. Prior to Japan's name change to "Imperial Japan," Kyoto had been the ancient capital where the royal palace was located.
This was Edward's second time in Kyoto.
Before the Tōkaidō invasion operation, he had disguised himself as a foreign tourist to visit this place and hold talks with key figures in the Kinai Fiefdom.
"Kyoto is such a cramped city..."
Edward's mode of locomotion had switched from a military helicopter to a black luxury vehicle.
As before, operation of the vehicle was left to the driver. Although Edward was talented at controlling mounts such as wyverns or horses, he was not good at handling mechanical contraptions.
Fortunately, as a Resurrectee and Chevalier, he would never find himself without a driver to use.
In the afternoon of the same day, Edward was in the back seat of the luxury vehicle, a paragon of elegance as befitted his title of prince, looking out quietly at the streets of Kyoto.
"Surrounded by mountains, narrow roads. Well, I don't dislike the atmosphere."
Kyoto was rich in classic Japanese tradition, but was not a major metropolis.
Nijou Castle, constructed on Tokugawa Ieyasu's orders, had been remodeled many times over the years. Nowadays, in the twentieth century, it was being used by the Kinai Fiefdom as a "palace."
In addition, there was Kyoto Gyoen, a vast garden belonging to the imperial family.
Inside was a palace from a past age where predecessors of the imperial family had lived and old houses that served as "official residences" of the ancient privileged class, a reminder that this place used to be the political center of Japan.
Edward disembarked near Kyoto Gyoen.
He wanted to march through the streets gallantly in military uniform and relive his glorious adolescence as a knight in the past... However, he was dressed in casual clothing today.
A white shirt with black pants and a gray coat on top, rather plain in appearance.
With the British Empire's invasion of Tōkaidō under way, the position of an Englishman living in Japan would be rather awkward. Given such an environment, there was no need to go around in military uniform to attract extra attention.
Yet here in Japan, the appearance of a tall and handsome silver-haired man still made him stand out.
His conspicuousness could not be helped. Like a soldier, he walked with his head up and chest out, unfazed by the gazes of Kyoto's residents.
Soon, he reached an old-fashioned western mansion.
It was said that an American had ordered its construction in the Meiji period—during the nineteenth century.
Rather than the Kinai Fiefdom's Nijou Castle, today he was visiting a special person whose temporary residence was here. Ten-odd minutes later, Edward was in the mansion's reception room, keeping his appointment with the lady in question.
"Greetings, Princess. It is surely the blessings of the Three Lions that have allowed me the good fortune of surviving combat to meet you once again."
"No, this fortune stems from your personal capability, good brother."
The girl's blonde hair reached waist length. She was smiling elegantly.
It would not be an exaggeration to compare her delicate and lovely facial features to that of a goddess. That being said, her temperament would not match Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
Strictly speaking, she would bear a greater resemblance to Hecate, the goddess of the moon shrouded in transient darkness.
Hecate was the terrifying progenitor of black magic, an ominous deity with significance as the guardian of witches.
"It has been a while, Black Prince. I am sincerely delighted for the chance to see you again."
The beautiful Princess Eleanor greeted him.
She was wearing a one-piece dress with puffy sleeves. Fashionably black, its texture was reminiscent of a witch's black robe.
The two of them were sitting in a sofa in the reception room.
Edward went straight to the point, "I heard you were hurt. Thank goodness it was nothing serious."
"You should know that with the powers granted by my father—the sacred lion sovereign—healing minor wounds poses no challenge..."
At Edward's request, Princess Eleanor had infiltrated the Suruga tutelary fort.
It had happened only five days ago, an operation aiming to recruit Chevalier Akigase Rikka, the eldest daughter of the Tōkaidō Governor General, by putting a "charm curse" on her.
However, the operation failed and Akigase Rikka stabbed Eleanor with a sword, forcing her to flee for her life.
Her stabbed left shoulder already showed no signs injury, recovering in merely five short days, but Edward shook his head and said, "Princess, I am quite aware of the source of your miracles. However, we should not abuse powers that require a price to use."
"Indeed, I shall take your words to heart."
Princess Eleanor nodded obediently. Smiling, she said, "However, making progress without relying on the blessings of miracles would require superior guile and competence. Good brother, I look forward to the fruits of your labors."
"Understood, I will commit this to memory," Edward replied with a wry smile to the princess who addressed him as "brother."
"First of all, I need to meet the Kinai Governor General, is that so?"
"Arrangements are all in place. I made him cancel his entire schedule for tomorrow."
"Hey, a princess of the British Empire should not be speaking like this. He is going to be the prime minister of Imperial Japan eventually, so remember your manners."
"Well... My apologies. I was imprudent." Eleanor widened her eyes ostentatiously and said mischievously, "Please forgive me for speaking so unladylike. Allow me to change my wording. Thanks to the Governor General's kindness and generosity, he is willing to set aside time to meet you, good brother."
"Now that is our good princess. Next... How to best handle the matter of reinforcements?"
Edward recalled a certain handsome man's face.
It was the young man he had spotted that night when he sent the Kinai Chevaliers to attack Suruga.
"The war effort is expected to progress mostly within expectation. I heard that negotiations with Tōsandō are in good shape. However.. Some unexpected elements have surfaced. As a precaution, it would be best to reassign a few obedient knights from Australia."
"...Why not reassign personnel from Britain?"
"I would rather not. That man happens to be sitting back home in boredom. Even now, he still cannot shake off his mindset from the medieval Crusade campaigns. He even wanted to take my spot and head to Japan personally. However, history has proven him unsuitable in the role of top commander."
Edward spoke elegantly as a knight to express some of his dissatisfaction.
"Consequently, the decision to send me was swiftly confirmed. If he were to come, it would make my job very difficult. News of this must not reach Britain. Well, I do concede that he is very charismatic as a general."
In all of English history, that man could very well be the most valorous king.
The drawback was that he was hard to use.
Edward shrugged and said, "Simply stated, I would rather find an excellent hound than put a collar on a rampaging lion."
"My condolences, good brother."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Richard strongly petitioned the higher-ups in the military. The gist of it went along the lines of 'It is my greatest wish to render assistance to Edward, my kin of blood. Please be generous and understand my chivalry.' He is expected to arrive at the Port of Kobe today."
"...I was not informed of this at all."
"He rushed off and departed England during the night before the commander-in-chief—Admiral Nelson—gave authorization. This forced the higher-ups' hand, leaving them no choice but to authorize dispatching him to Japan."
"Damn them for foisting the burden of taming the lion upon me..."
Edward's noble and handsome face instantly turned gloomy.
While Black Prince Edward and Princess Eleanor were conversing...
The large British destroyer Camelot was sailing towards Osaka Bay. Measuring 180m in length, it was the sister ship of the Tintagel managed by the genie Morrigan.
This military ship was about to reach the Port of Kobe in Kinai.
Under the sunny sky, a man was standing alone on deck, enjoying the sea breeze.
His fine blond hair fluttered in the wind like a lion's mane. His muscular body was clad in Britain's black military uniform... That was not all.
On top of that, he was wearing a flashy crimson cape, giving an impression of excessive accessorizing.
"My boy Edward... will surely be in for a big surprise when he sees me."
Laughing to himself, this man was around forty years of age. His countenance was full of majesty.
He was probably the only person in the contemporary world who would refer to the Black Prince as "Edward." Despite being the King of England in the past, he did not feel bound to using the English language or following British norms.
"Having lead an army of crusaders to besiege Acre in the past, I now head to the island nation of the Far East to demonstrate knightly justice... Oh how my blood boils in excitement."
Reciting the name of an ancient city east of the Mediterranean, he quietly ignited his battle spirit.
At the same time, his body released noesis. This vast amount expanded and naturally took physical form in the atmosphere amid the sea breeze.
An army of British Legions appeared in the sky over the destroyer Camelot as it sailed into Osaka Bay.
A total of two hundred Legions, but this was not all of them. This puny number was definitely not his limit. His Chevalier Strength was not that weak.
"O wind of the Far East, mark my words. I, Richard, shall step foot in Japan. Let the name of Coeur de Lion shake the world once more. Behold my way of life!"
His voice was filled with the elation of a narcissist.
The two hundred Legions in the air above howled in response to their master's declaration.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—
They were identical in appearance to the British mainstay legion, the Crusade.
However, the color was totally different. These Legions were crimson from head to foot. They were also equipped with bayonet rifles larger than that of typical Legions, with ornate decorations as well.
The master said to this army of crimson Crusades, "Thank you, my swords. Present to me a Feat of Arms worthy of the name of Escalibor."
In legend, King Arthur of England was served by the Knights of the Round Table.
The name Escalibor was equivalent to the "Excalibur" that appeared in the stories of King Arthur.
This man had named his Legions after the legendary king's magic sword. Known as Richard I in English history, his nickname of the Lionheart was also very famous.
Richard was a knight of outstanding martial prowess and a rare general of incomparable ferocity.
At the same time, he was the King of England in the twelfth century and the Black Prince Edward's forefather.
Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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Part 5
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