Chronicle Legion:Volume 2 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Knights of Britain

Part 1

"Hohohoho, when I heard there were signs of the Tōkaidō army mobilizing at Motosu, I did not believe it was necessary to rush back."

Riding gallantly on a white wyvern, the young man was the epitome of an aristocrat.

A silver-haired handsome man. The British military officer uniform looked neat and stylish on him, while his poise and comportment conveyed natural and effortless elegance.

"Fortunately, I changed my mind. It was worth it to rush back via transport aircraft and a wyvern. I finally have a chance to meet you."

The English aristocrat looked straight at Masatsugu.

His wyvern was hovering in the air, just like the two wyverns and all Legions on the Japanese side. However, his sharp gaze was fixed only on Masatsugu.

"I apologize for my previous rudeness. My name is Edward and many people call me the Black Prince."

A smile conveying some kind of certainty appeared on the handsome face of the aristocratic Resurrectee.

"Please do introduce yourself today."

"Tachibana Masatsugu."

"I have never heard this name before. May I ask when were you born in this country?"

"Sorry, I can't answer that," Masatsugu replied indifferently. Rather than giving him a cold shoulder on purpose, Masatsugu's inborn personality was to do things at his own pace. This naturally led to a lack of enthusiasm in his tone.

In contrast, Edward smiled cheerfully.

"I understand now! Until a few days ago, I had to live my days under an alias too. I presume the case is the same for you?"

Masatsugu glanced at his companions.

Hatsune, sitting on the Kurou Hougan's shoulder, and the three Chevaliers on a wyvern were listening to the Black Prince questioningly. They did not know that Masatsugu was a Resurrectee.

As for Princess Shiori's reaction...

She was riding the same wyvern with Masatsugu, staring intently at the Black Prince.

"Very well, what I am going to say next comes from a knight's desire for a duel between warriors, rather than being 'flippant' as my guardian spirit Morrigan worded it."

Ignoring the princess' gaze, Edward spoke openly, "Ladies and gentlemen, would you be so kind as to forgive my knights for the rudeness of standing in your way?"

"Whether we forgive them or not, you're still going to block us, right?"

"Hohohoho, you are certainly quick on the uptake. How splendid."

(...Prince. Fuji City and its vicinity, is not your stronghold. Your Chevalier Strength is down to 10%. Should I send, Sir Gary to converge with you?)

This was spoken through Morgan le Fay's noetic waves.

The giant eyeball, "Morgan's Eye," which Masatsugu and company had spotted overhead, was now watching over her smirking commander-in-chief.

Edward rejected her suggestion, "Isn't my uncle currently at the Fuji tutelary fort? Assign Gary to defense. Since Tachibana-dono has made a personal appearance, it is possible the Tōkaidō army might attempt a sneak attack."

(Affirmative.)

"Tachibana-dono... Shall we begin?"

His aristocratic voice almost sounded like an invitation to Masatsugu for a game of chess.

Edward pulled back on the wyvern's reins as one would a horse, distancing himself from Masatsugu's group. Despite the casual tone of his voice, the Black Prince was leaking powerful noesis from his body and soul.

After pulling back a hundred meters, he finally unleashed burgeoning noesis!

Shiori's body also glowed golden for a few seconds.

"Hatsune, take the three Chevaliers and land. I have called for reinforcements on the ground. Use their help to escape back to Suruga as quickly as possible."

"U-Understood. What about you and Onii-sama, Princess?"

"We will follow presently. No need to worry."

Shiori commanded solemnly, preventing Hatsune from asking further questions.

Hatsune hastily directed the Kurou Hougan Legion to descend, taking along the wyvern that was carrying the three Chevaliers.

They disappeared into the Tōkaidō mountain forest below.

With only Masatsugu remaining by her side, Shiori sighed.

"Princess, personally, I hope you will escape together with them."

"If you truly believe that I am of no use, I shall comply."

Having asked unwanted bystanders to leave, Shiori was now retorting nonchalantly to Masatsugu.

Her response brought a smile to Masatsugu's face.

Should one be impressed or exasperated? As a princess, Shiori had no desire to stay in the back ranks to be protected. After comparing Masatsugu and the enemy's combat strength, she made the call to "fight alongside him." She was going to draw upon all her talents to find a way out of the predicament.

This temperament did not suit a figurehead liege, but for a comrade for realizing ambition together, it was pretty good.

"Then please keep me company for now."

"Gladly!"

Unlike these pair of liege and retainer, Edward was making battle preparations of his own.

In a sonorous voice, he commanded the noesis he had released.

"Shame be to him who thinks ill of it. Gather upon my name of Edward the Black Prince to uphold knightly honor—My personal guard, the Order of the Garter!"

A pitch-black army appeared out of thin air next to Edward.

The Black Prince possessed superior Legions in the form of black Crusades while the Lionheart had his crimson knights. Edward's army numbered a round 100 here.

Chevaliers were only able to summon 10% of their limit when outside their stronghold.

In other words, summoning a hundred Legions here implied that Edward's true Chevalier Strength had exceeded 1000!

In contrast, Tachibana Masatsugu's army consisted of merely thirty. Not only was he facing a numerical disadvantage of more than three to one, but the enemy was also a famous military genius from English history. This battle was on a different league than the one just now.

Masatsugu kicked his wyvern lightly.

Understanding Masatsugu, the retainer beast retreated behind the Kanesadas.

Riding the same wyvern, the princess was leaning against Masatsugu's bosom. Her body was stiff from nervousness and fear.

One could hardly blame her. After all, this was her first battle.

However, the smart princess said bravely, "Masatsugu-sama, please do not worry about me. You have free rein!"

"Understood. In any case, I'll just go with the flow and do what's natural."

Masatsugu glanced secretly somewhere.

Hovering over there was a giant eyeball, seven or eight meters in diameter. Morgan le Fay's avatar was overlooking the battlefield.

Masatsugu whispered quietly, "Achieving the objective will require quite a lot of effort."

"...Then I shall inform you when a suitable opportunity arises," Shiori replied naturally, prompting Masatsugu to gaze at her.

Due to the emergency, Masatsugu did not explain his approach in detail, but the clever princess had deduced his thoughts from his gaze and the current circumstances.

It was also possibly due to their relationship of increasing intimacy in various ways.

Embarrassed by his gaze, Shiori blushed and turned her head away.

"Masatsugu-sama, the battle has begun!"

"Excuse me."

Masatsugu ordered his thirty Kanesadas to gather into a packed sphere.

A spherical formation was not particularly interesting, but it did offer defense in all directions. Incidentally, the katanas used at Fuji City earlier had all turned back into bayonet rifles.

The effects of Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada's Feat of Arms had vanished. Conversely, Edward suddenly activated his own!

"The nostalgic Battle of Crécy... It is time to relive that day's triumph. O Knights of the Garter, uphold England's pride and turn into archers!"

Of the hundred black knights, a change occurred to forty of them.

Their bayonet rifles turned into steel longbows, just as the Kanesadas could suddenly turn their weapons into the renowned blade, Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada.

"Archers back away. Remaining knights serve as vanguard!"

The Black Prince's Legions were called Knights of the Garter.

They followed their lord's orders and changed their formation.

In front of the forty archers, the remaining sixty Garter Knights formed a packed rectangular formation in an array of ten rows by six columns.

This closer-order formation was like a "wall in the sky."

The archers in the back were shielded by the sixty Legions in the vanguard.

"Fire!"

"Fire!"

The two Resurrectees gave the command simultaneously.

However, the actions taken by their respective soldiers were completely different.

In the packed sphere of the thirty Kanesadas, only the Legions on the front side fired their bayonet rifles.

The "wall in the sky" of the vanguard Garter Knights took on the barrage. However, they did not return fire, simply deploying a protective barrier to withstand the Kanesadas' shooting—

The British barrier neutralized all the heat beams from the Japanese side.

The archers at the back attacked on behalf of the unmoving "wall."

Nocking arrows of light onto the black longbows, they aimed upwards towards the sky. The released arrows traced out parabolic trajectories to attack the Kanesadas' spherical formation.

The British and the Japanese sides kept firing.

The bayonet rifles used by the thirty Kanesadas were able to fire ten beams per second.

In comparison, the British side's forty archers fired much slower. The whole process from nocking to releasing took at least five to ten seconds. The archers were highly skilled but the speed of modern fully automatic fire was overwhelming.

However.

"O-Our side is losing in the shootout!?"

"As suspected, the enemy's projectiles are stronger..."

Shiori was greatly surprised whereas Masatsugu nodded. They were watching the battle between Legions from behind. The arrows of light were piercing the armor and gigantic bodies of the thirty Kanesadas up ahead of them.

The Kanesada army's protective barrier completely failed to defend against the black English longbowmen's consecutive firing.

In contrast, the beams fired by the rifles could not hit any enemies. The protective barrier of the sixty Legions in the "wall in the sky" remained secure and impregnable.

"Well, I already knew they were no ordinary bows and arrows."

Last time in Suruga, Masatsugu was almost sniped by the same kind of bow and arrow.

Now, he was able to witness the firepower he had predicted back then.

After exchanging fire for a minute or two, the Kanesadas were desperately protecting their master, making use of their helmets and various armor to block the arrows or decrease their power.

However, the rain of arrows continued to fall mercilessly upon the Kanesadas.

Seven Kanesadas had already died, either shot in the vitals through gaps in their armor or succumbing to accumulated damage. These seven crashed down from the sky just like that.

"Do you see this, Tachibana-dono? This is the prided mode anglais formation of my House of Plantagenet—English longbow tactics! How will you respond to that!?"

"I see."

The Black Prince sounded like he was exhibiting a treasure. Masatsugu replied indifferently.

"So using bows for both offense and defense roles is this so-called English style."

Currently, Tachibana Masatsugu was over a hundred meters away from Edward.

Even so, Masatsugu knew what the other side was thinking. It was probably the same for Edward. In an encounter between first-rate chess players, simply looking at the situation on the board would be enough to read each other's minds without any need for redundant conversation.

As expert tacticians, Masatsugu and Edward were on such a level.

"Masatsugu-sama..."

"Looks like we have to give up on shooting."

Masatsugu gently embraced the worried Shiori.

The two of them were riding the same wyvern. The princess' light back and body weight was leaning against Masatsugu's bosom while she was holding his left hand tightly in her hands.

She was touching her trusted knight to relieve the fear and uncertainty in her heart.

"All men draw your swords. The blades will be your shields."

Feeling the princess' delicate body against him, Masatsugu issued a new command.

The rifles of the remaining twenty-three Kanesadas turned into Japanese swords again. They kept their swords vertically upright in front of their faces to guard their bodies' center line.

Namely, the vertical line passing through the forehead, the nose, the throat, the sternum, and the crotch.

Using the sword to guard the center meant that a slight movement of the wrist would be enough to parry arrows aimed at the face, the heart, or other vitals of the body.

The barrier-penetrating arrows were now blocked by Hijikata Toshizō's beloved sword.

"Hohohoho. Not a bad solution, but it is nowhere enough."

"You're right."

The Black Prince smiled while Tachibana Masatsugu remained expressionless.

The battle between Legions gradually intensified. The black archers continued to shoot repeatedly. Although the Kanesadas were using swords to guard their vitals near the center line, their bodies were still getting pierced by numerous arrows.

The most serious wounds were inflicted on the limbs, bleeding blue blood.

Ectoplasmic fluid was the energy source driving Legions. Excessive loss of ectoplasmic fluid would naturally stop movement. Another three Kanesadas fell from the sky due to excessive injuries.

At this rate, defeat was inevitable even if the rate of Legions dying had decreased.

"Charge the defending black knights. Make it quick."

Masatsugu ordered the Kanesadas whose numbers had decreased sharply to twenty.

The Kanesada army executed the command dutifully. Accelerating at the "wall in the sky" formed by the sixty Garter Knights, they unleashed Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship—

Even with numerical superiority on their side, it was possible for normal Crusades to become careless and lose in this kind of situation.

However, the rifles vanished from the hands of the black knights in the "wall" ahead.

What took their place was a rectangular shield as tall as a Legion. Holding shields in both hands, the Garter Knights resisted the Shinsengumi's vicious swords.

The swordsmanship that had sliced through many a Crusade's armor could not cut through these shields!

"Shame be to him who thinks ill of it... My knights, you are protected by the insignia of the garter. Now raise your shields of justice to triump over evil!"

These were the holy words used by the Black Prince to invoke his Feat of Arms.

The short inscription of "Honi soit qui mal y pense," resembling Latin, and a cross appeared on each shield wielded by the Garter Knights.

"The power to block Hijikata Toshizō's sword... A Feat of Arms of the shield, huh?" Masatsugu muttered to himself while observing the battle from a distance.

The army of black knights were hiding behind shields. No matter how fierce, the moves of Tennen Rishin Style could not win so easily. Every free-flowing swing of the sword was deflected by a shield.

Also, while the Kanesadas were busy attacking the shield bearers...

The archers originally in the back had circled behind the army of katana-wielding Kanesadas.

Returning their longbows to bayonet rifles, they attacked the red-purple Japanese army from behind—in melee combat!

...Sandwiched front and back by the Garter Knights, the Kanesadas' defeat was sealed.

Succeeding in their pincer attack, the British Legions swung the blades of their bayonet rifles to slice, stab, skewer, and gouge the bodies of the Kanesadas.

A merciless massacre began.

"Masatsugu-sama... It is almost time..." Shiori whispered quietly at that moment.

The princess had been holding Masatsugu's hand silently the whole time, leaning against his chest. Her posture remained the same right now, but there was a kind of vibrancy in her voice that belonged to someone who had found a ray of hope.

Only nine red-purple Legions remained.

This number was sufficient. Masatsugu's cheek twitched in a smile.

"Howl, my men. The black knights are not your opponents."

Masatsugu's target was "Morgan's Eye" up high.

Compared to the super gigantic eyeball guarding the Fuji tutelary fort, this avatar was only one-tenth in size. Currently, it was watching the battlefield, bearing witness to Edward's battle.

"Take out that spirit. Do it."

The nine Kanesadas followed Masatsugu's orders and roared thunderously.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

This shouting of Legions was known as the War Cry.

The fierce roaring resounded all around. Using their mouths hidden behind their masks, the Legions emitted a unique howling sound.

The War Cry produced effects of noetic disruption and could cancel out electromagnetic radiation and noetic waves.

Previously, the British Crusades had used the same tactic in their attack on Suruga.

(—Prince, reporting. Enemy, starting noetic disruption. Avatar, cannot be sustained...)

The voice reported the situation in fragments. The hovering seven or eight-meter-diameter eyeball—Morgan le Fay's manifestation—slowly vanished.

Seeing his guardian spirit defeated, Edward praised, "Oh? You still managed to blow away Morrigan in an instant despite your unfavorable situation?"

"It worked in one shot precisely because of the unfavorable situation. Otherwise, a spirit of that level isn't going to present any openings."

Edward and Masatsugu muttered simultaneously as though having a face-to-face conversation.

Masatsugu had reasoned that using noetic disruption recklessly would not achieve much.

The enemy was a spirit of the strongest class on the British side. However, no matter how powerful a spirit, it would be only natural for her concentration to slip when seeing her master winning with an overwhelming advantage.

Even if not to the point of carelessness, there would undoubtedly be a decrease in focus.

Shiori had been increasing her senses as a noetic master, looking for an opening in the opponent.

As for Masatsugu—the moment before landing on the ground...

He first had the Kanesadas start a War Cry, then carrying the exhausted Shiori in his arms, he swiftly kicked his wyvern's side, ordering it to make a rapid descent.

The wyvern flapped its wings and landed in the mountain forest.

A giant white wolf was already waiting on the ground.

This was one of the Mibu wolves they had ridden to the Fuji River then dismissed back into the forest. Masatsugu quickly got off the wyvern and moved Shiori, who was unable to walk, to the Mibu wolf's back.

"We succeeded, Masatsugu-sama..."

"Yes, with that spirit gone, we won't need to worry about noetic tracking. Now we can escape deep into the mountains without having to watch our back."

Holding the feebly smiling Shiori in his arms, Masatsugu rode the Mibu wolf.

Once again, the two of them were riding the same retainer beast, except this time they were escaping on land. Hiding in the mountain forest was definitely better than flying in the air since their goal was to evade enemy pursuit.

Weaving through the trees in the mountain forest, the Mibu wolf raced as fast as the wind.

Needless to say, their destination was Suruga City.

"Thank you for your support, Princess. We couldn't have escaped otherwise."

"No... Without you in command, Masatsugu-sama, we would have been wiped out long ago... I should be the one to express gratitude..."

The brave princess had been sticking closely to Masatsugu for a reason.

While relieving her fear and uncertainty on one hand, she was also providing a small amount of ectoplasmic fluid to him through intimate contact on the other. In fact, the Garter Knights' fierce offensive had dealt a heavy blow to the Kanesadas, causing ectoplasmic fluid consumption to be much higher than usual..

Without Shiori's assistance, the Kanesadas might not have had the strength to unleash the final roar—

In any case, Masatsugu "went with the flow and did what was natural" and succeeded in upholding the principle of "escaping as quickly as possible from a battlefield of certain defeat."

"It looks like Tachibana-dono does not share the knightly ideal of putting up a manly fight. He fled with such speed and decisiveness."

On the saddle of his wvyern that was flapping its wings, Edward smiled wryly.

The last of the red-purple Legions had just been wiped out in front of his eyes.

Instantly killing nine survivors was a piece of cake. Only the Black Prince, his wyvern, and the Order of the Garter remained in the aerial battlefield.

"I could burn the whole mountain to conduct a search... but it is unlikely that he would loiter in the vicinity."

Edward looked down at the mountain forest, shrugging his shoulders.

He recalled the girl who was leaning against Tachibana Masatsugu's chest. He originally thought she was simply along the ride for some kind of reason and did not pay much attention to her—

"That girl has an air quite similar to Eleanor's. She seems to be well-versed in noetics too..."

The beautiful maiden's noble and pretty face and platinum blonde hair were very striking.

Edward decided he should investigate her background.

Tachibana Hatsune was running through the forest at full speed.

Of course, she was using a Mibu wolf to do the running, instead of running on foot.

The reinforcements Princess Shiori had mentioned before parting ways were a reference to this white mid-size retainer beast. A second Mibu wolf was carrying the three Chevaliers they had just rescued.

"I hope the princess and Onii-sama are fine..."

So far, there were no signs of the lady she served and the young man from her clan catching up.

Just as she was worrying about their safety, Hatsune sensed someone sneering behind her. She had some recollection of this very sarcastic voice.

Not too long ago, she had heard the same voice prior to activating the Feat of Arms—Kotouhihisshutsu.

...Hatsune had recalled how the voice offered to teach her a good plan. Then the principles to using that secret move had surfaced in her mind. In other words, Kurou Hougan Yoshitsune was giving advice again.

Hatsune focused to listen. Sure enough, the blue scroll appeared in her right hand.

"What's up, Yoshitsune-san?"

The scroll told her that her friends were out of danger... At least, that was the message Hatsune sensed.

"Really!? They still haven't shown up, and I was worried sick. This is great news!"

...Well, with that dead fish in charge, failure would come as a surprise.

"Are you talking about Onii-sama? Well, it's true that he's not a very lively person."

Talking to herself in front of a scroll was quite a bizarre scene.

However, Hatsune was not in the mood to make fun of herself, because she learned a shocking truth without any mental preparation beforehand.

...That isn't what I meant. That man and I are the same. In other words, we were awakened from our ancient deaths.

"Huh?"

Hatsune jumped in shock. Now, she really doubted whether her ears were hallucinating or not.

Part 2

The expedition to Fuji City had unfolded with unexpected developments.

After surviving many trials, Masatsugu finally brought Shiori back to Suruga. Along the way, they met up with Hatsune and the three Chevaliers who had almost ended up as hostages. No one was left behind. Also, they had gathered quite a lot of information—

However, Akigase Rikka could not help but frown after listening to the report.

"Perhaps I should not be saying this after requesting your aid, Your Highness..."

Rikka was in the castellan's office, grumbling to Shiori and Masatsugu.

"What would we do if anything happened to our imperial princess? Please understand the importance of your safety."

"I am terribly sorry. Due to the emergency situation, I overstepped my bounds."

The scolded princess apologized obediently, demonstrating contrition in her words and behavior in a perfect performance of docility. Truly an inexperienced actress. In the end, Rikka did not pursue the matter very far.

Thanks to the princess risking herself, three Chevaliers were rescued.

The three young Chevaliers were named Habuna, Maike, and Tabi, members of the Tōkaidō provincial army stationed at Yamanashi. Each of their Chevalier Strength was about 50.

The noetic officers at the Suruga tutelary fort unsealed their Appellations for them.

"I do appreciate gaining more subordinates, who need to be looked after, in this manner. Until Nagoya issues directions, let them stay in Suruga for now."

Rikka grinned and did not complain any further about the princess' recklessness.

The three new additions to their forces also brought unexpected effects. They excitedly told their fellow soldiers in the Suruga tutelary fort about what they had seen and heard.

Namely, the conversation between Edward the Black Prince and Tachibana Masatsugu during the retreat battle.

'Until a few days ago, I had to live my days under an alias too. I presume the case is the same for you?'

The Resurrectee leading the British forces had said something profound.

Added to the original rumors about Masatsugu's identity, a "certain conviction" began to spread among the Suruga soldiers.

Indeed, everyone was deeply convinced that Tachibana Masatsugu's true identity was precisely Hijikata Toshizō.

The next day after their return from Fuji City—

Masatsugu had accompanied the princess to the tutelary fort. While they were there, they separated at some point.

While he was taking a stroll alone, the soldiers and officers' attitudes towards him was clearly more careful and polite than before. The three Chevaliers, Habuna, Maike, and Tabi even went out of their way to greet him.

At every opportunity, they would discreetly ask Masatsugu, "Tachibana-dono... You are Lord Hijikata, right?"

Every time, Masatsugu reacted indifferently.

"No." "I have no idea." "Not really." "Who knows?" "You've got the wrong guy, I think?" "Don't believe in weird rumors."

Masatsugu simply repeated denials monotonously. He could not be bothered to explain the reason.

Humans were creatures that only believed what they wanted to believe. No matter how much Masatsugu denied it, they always left with a "He is Lord Hijikata..." look on their face.

After handling these questions, Masatsugu ran into the mess hall reserved for high-ranking officers.

The restricted mess hall was only open to Chevaliers and soldiers holding the rank of field officer or above, hence there were few users. Masatsugu took a seat, hoping this should reduce the amount of hassle.

At that moment, Hatsune arrived, wearing an angry expression for once.

Masatsugu expected she had come to talk nonsense after hearing about the Hijikata Toshizō rumor.

"Whether you are really Hijikata Toshizō or not, Onii-sama, I'll save that question for another time. So the real Tachibana Masatsugu who used to play with me in childhood... He's already dead?"

Hatsune pursued the core of the matter right off the bat.

"I see... So you admitted to Hatsune regarding your identity as a Resurrectee?"

"Yes, I told her at my own discretion."

This was the next morning after he had had a good long talk with the young maiden of the Tachibana clan.

Masatsugu had come to the Black Lily Dorm, reserved exclusively for the princess, to meet his liege in the conversation lounge.

"I don't know my real name, I was summoned to the present world by the princess' divine power, the real Tachibana Masatsugu has been dead for years, etc. That was the main gist of it."

"It cannot be helped. The truth had to come out eventually."

Shiori sighed lightly.

In the past, she often drank black tea in the conversation lounge, but currently, all she had before her was a glass of water.

Suruga's food problem was getting worse with each passing day. Luxury items such as coffee, black tea, and alcoholic beverages were in scarce supply. Even the princess could not enjoy them freely.

"That explains why I have not seen her since yesterday..."

"She must be in shock, finding out her relative had died and that I'm someone unrelated."

"That would be inconvenient. It would not do to be distracted by such trivial troubles... She has so many responsibilities riding on her."

Tachibana Hatsune was Princess Shiori's lady-in-waiting, bodyguard, and Chevalier.

Of course, competence and professionalism were essential. There was nothing wrong with what Shiori had said. However, the beautiful princess added dryly, "Well, I will turn a blind eye if she wants some time to put her feelings in order. Showing a bit of leniency to subordinates is a part of employee benefits, after all."

"I see."

"Masatsugu-sama, are you smirking?"

"You are imagining things. I never knew you had a naive side too, Princess."

"Well, it was a slip of the tongue!"

Just as the liege and retainer were having this kind of conversation...

A patter of hurried footsteps approached the conversation lounge and the door was flung open forcefully. Dressed in Haikara-san style, Hatsune rushed in excitedly and said, "Princess, Onii-sama! Maybe Onii-sama's real identity is Oda Nobunaga!?"

Charging in energetically in one breath, Hatsune proposed a bold hypothesis.

After a moment of silence, Shiori remarked with slight disappointment, "...Didn't you say that she was in shock?"

"It seemed that way yesterday," Masatsugu replied expressionlessly.

In any case, they looked at Hatsune, who was acting her usual self. Shiori offered care and concern for the still cheerful girl, "So, have you put your feelings in order?"

"Oh, yes. It's sad that my distant relative had passed away, and I'd like to pay respects at his grave too. However, your ambitions come first, Princess, so it can't be helped."

"...I am certainly grateful you understand that."

"Not at all, this is the Tachibana clan's duty, after all."

The princess was quite surprised by this turn of events while Hatsune responded cheerfully.

The ability to swiftly change mindsets was a warrior's asset too. Feeling impressed instead, Masatsugu said, "Are you going to keep addressing me the same way?"

"Why not? Your name is definitely 'Tachibana Masatsugu' in the family registry. Plus changing the habit will be a pain at this point. Besides, now that I think about it..."

Hatsune lowered her voice as though whispering.

"There are many people with unknown identities among the 'aunties and uncles' who only show up to family gatherings and memorial services. Compared to those relatives, Onii-sama, my relationship with you is definitely more real and substantial. Don't worry, I'm fine."

In a certain way, this happy-go-lucky disposition was also a hero's requisite quality.

Furthermore, it was supposedly Hatsune's father in the capital Tokyo who set up Masatsugu to take over the identity of the original who had died in an accident.

"Back to the main issue here. Why can't Onii-sama's real identity be Oda Nobunaga?"

"What makes you think that?"

"Speaking of Japanese heroes, it pretty much boils down to the trio of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, right? But Toyotomi Hideyoshi looked like a monkey while Tokugawa Ieyasu was a pudgy guy like a tanuki, so their appearances don't match Onii-sama at all. That's why I decided to place my bet on Oda Nobunaga."

"I see, that makes sense."

"Onii-sama, do you remember the Honnouji Incident?"

"Now that I think about it, I haven't visited any shrines or temples for the past two years. Maybe the memories of my death turned into mental trauma, making me avoid shrines and temples subconsciously..."

"That's what they call depth psychology, right!?"

While Hatsune and Masatsugu were discussion the new hypothesis, Shiori coughed on the side.

"Let us carefully examine this nonsen—no, bold hypothesis. Chances are 99% that the possibility of Masatsugu-sama being Lord Nobunaga is wrong."

"Oh?"

"Princess, 99% is going way overboard!"

"Lord Nobunaga was undoubtedly an excellent politician and strategist, but his abilities as a field commander are more inconclusive... Some accounts are rather suspect."

"But he won spectacular victories at Okehazama and Nagashino, right?"

While the knowledgeable princess recounted history, Hatsune tried to muster a small rebuttal.

"The depictions of battles in historical novels or dramas are almost all fake. The surprise attack on Okehazama that defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and the three rows of cannon fire that devastated the Takeda cavalry were all fiction conjured by novelists in the Edo period."

"R-Really?"

"There is a theory that Nobunaga was marching blindly in Okehazama when he chanced upon the enemy. In hindsight, the surprise attack was simply dumb luck."

"That doesn't sound cool~"

"Which is why it was 'embellished' to become an inspiring story of valor. Besides, Lord Nobunaga is often described as an innovative and progressive genius... But in fact, he was very concerned about public opinion. A man who stuck to steady and reliable methods. There are many surviving letters that he wrote to his retainers regarding such matters. He actually had quite a thoughtful personality."

"He's not the Devil of the Sixth Heaven!?"

"When Hideyoshi's legal wife was frustrated by her husband's infidelity, he even wrote letters to comfort her... Do you understand now? Masatsugu-sama isn't someone that thoughtful."

"That's definitely true!"

"Princess, Hatsune, jumping to conclusions is not a good thing."

Offended, Masatsugu objected to Hatsune's agreement with Shiori's assertion.

"I'm actually a man who knows how to be caring and considerate. Assuming the other person is a lady, I think."

"Right, you did mention you were some kind of skirt chaser in your past life, didn't you...?"

"Huh?"

Shiori grumbled with inexplicable consternation, causing Hatsune to react in shock.

"No way! Onii-sama—You're that kind of guy!?"

"What's so surprising about that? Every guy likes attractive women."

Masatsugu's attitude was blasé as always, completely unapologetic.

Hatsune smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Onii-sama. You always looked so serious, that's why I found it surprising... Oh, Onii-sama, don't tell me I've caught your eye too?"

"Nope, I can swear to God and the High Heavens."

"Th-That's pretty rude too. I can't believe you rejected me so directly."

The Tachibana girl hung her head in dismay.

Masatsugu shrugged and said, "Don't worry, I'm talking about before. Since we're not blood related, but you're still willing to address me as your older brother, I suppose we're sworn siblings bound by destiny."

"Sworn... siblings?"

"Yeah, and I'm a guy who finds little sisters irresistible."

"Onii-sama, you shouldn't say that after delivering a touching speech!"

In the end, Hatsune easily got back into her usual stride.

Princess Shiori's immediate surroundings were still secure. However, a formidable foe was still eyeing the Suruga region. Furthermore, the Restoration Alliance had gained the exceptional carnivore known as Richard I.

Perhaps a dramatic change in the battle situation was around the corner.

Masatsugu had this sort of faint premonition.

Part 3

A helicopter took off from Nagoya Castle and finally arrived at the scene.

This was a special transport helicopter reserved for VIPs in the Tōkaidō Fiefdom with a capacity for seven passengers. The seats were made of real leather and the cabin's decor was very high class.

It was around 1pm.

Under the sunny sky, the noisy rotors could be heard throughout the flight.

"The tutelary fort at Higashimikawa is ablaze..." One of the passengers, a Chevalier in his late forties, said in shock.

"Higashimikawa" referred to the eastern part of the Aichi Prefecture in Tōkaidō. This tutelary fort was located in the mountains, right in the center between Toyohashi City and Gamagoori City.

It was a star fort designed with a five-pointed arrangement of fortification walls.

Standing in the center, the nation-protecting keep and various buildings were all on fire.

There were over three hundred crimson Crusades in the air above the tutelary fort.

These Crusades had come from the Hamamatsu tutelary fort on the western edge of Shizuoka Prefecture. Using overwhelming numbers, the enemy had instantly crushed the garrison at Higashimikawa.

"It's a special variant that first appeared at the Fuji tutelary fort three days ago. According to Rikka's report, the enemy Chevalier is a Resurrectee who claims to be Richard I..."

The white-haired old man frowned with resentment in his voice.

His name and title were Akigase Shouzan, Governor General of Tōkaidō.

Akigase Shouzan was dressed in a kimono with an Inverness coat. Slender and crane-like in appearance, he was glaring sharply. A sixty-eight-year-old man who made a striking impression.

Chevalier Akigase Rikka was the eldest child born to him when he was late in his years.

"So the knights of the Restoration have finally encroached upon the land of Mikawa, huh?"

Imperial Japan's military used small and mid-size retainer beasts for reconnaissance.

Of course, Akigase Shouzan could depend on reports from pipe foxes or yatagarasus, but he still chose to confirm the situation for himself at the scene.

The reason was—

Over the past two days, another three tutelary forts in eastern Aichi had fallen.

"Yesterday was Okumikawa, this morning was Atsumi... And this afternoon was Higashimikawa. They are truly doing whatever they please."

In every case, the attacks were conducted by crimson Crusades.

They were the army led by Richard I, apparently called the Escalibors.

Through the helicopter's window, Akigase Shouzan glared at the giant figures of the red knights.

His stronghold of Nagoya was very near Kinai. Going west then crossing the Kiso River would reach Kinai Fiefdom—the land ruled by the Restoration Alliance's leader.

Recklessly mobilizing Nagoya's forces would lead Kinai to attack.

Akigase Shouzan and the Kinai provincial army were restraining each other across the Kiso River. Meanwhile, he requested reinforcements from various neighboring regions such as Tōsandō, Hokuriku, and Kantō. Negotiating between various factions, he sought to regroup and launch a counterattack.

However, the results were not promising.

Perhaps, their plan was to sacrifice Tōkaidō—

"What do you mean by halting the attack for now, Edward?"

"Proper preparations are needed before these conquered tutelary forts of Okumikawa, Atsumi, and Higashimikawa can be used as bases to stage an invasion against Nagoya. A mere half a day isn't enough to complete all requisite tasks, such as having nearby residents sign written pledges to obey the Charter of Chivalry."

A few hours had gone by after Higashimikawa's fall.

The sky was dark and Edward was in the castellan's office, receiving Richard who had returned to the Hamamatsu tutelary fort in triumph. It was for this purpose that he had specially made a trip from Hakone.

The two of them were sitting on separate sofas, facing each other across the reception table.

"A lightning offensive is a good thing, but Uncle, you are causing too much destruction."

"Hmm..."

"How about resting for a week? Come with me to Hakone during this period. It will be nice to enjoy the hot springs and the autumn scenery."

"Hmph." The ancestor with title of Lionheart frowned. "It was the same thing a few days ago. I was pursuing the enemy after my victory at Fuji, but you summoned me back before I could conquer Motosu..."

"There was no need to traverse Mount Fuji to enter Yamanashi territory, after all," Edward explained with a shrug, unfazed by the angry lion. "Even if you conquered the likes of Motosu and Kouhujou, the surrounding area is mountainous and treacherous. Movement of Legions over mountains of that sort, where powerful earth spirits reside, will incur severe consumption of ectoplasmic fluid, and there are no water shrines to use in the mountains."

Daihosatsu Ridge, Yatsugatake, Okuchichibu, Okutama, Tanzawa, and others...

Edward recalled vague impressions of these geographic names. The mountainous region between Tōkaidō and Kantō was vast with numerous peaks. He had long given up on memorizing all of them.

Rather than geographic names, strategic significance was more important.

"If you try to invade Tokyo by traversing the mountains, exhausting your army in the process... You will only play into the hands of the patiently waiting Kantō Fiefdom."

"That is why I wanted to march west now."

"Yes, Uncle, if you were to take care of the provincial capital of Nagoya and deal the mortal blow to the Tōkaidō Fiefdom while I undertake preparations at Hakone to invade Kantō—That would be the ideal development."

Nagoya was both the provincial capital and the beating heart of Tōkaidō.

The Aichi Prefecture centered around this metropolis was home to a population and production capacity far surpassing Shizuoka and Yamanashi combined.

Consequently, the Tōkaidō Fiefdom had maintained ample military readiness there.

The Aichi Prefecture had a total of ten tutelary forts of which six were concentrated in Nagoya's outskirts.

"There are fifteen Chevaliers stationed in this area along with the Tōkaidō Governor General overseeing everything. Although he is not a Chevalier, I heard he is rather shrewd and experienced."

Were he a Chevalier, they would have been able to recruit him swiftly as they did with the Kinai Governor General.

Edward recalled the magical powers of Eleanor who was still in Kyoto. On the other hand, Richard snorted and scowled with displeasure again.

Then immediately, he grinned mischievously.

"Let us be honest, Edward. What you want is to leave this inferior prey of Nagoya to me so that you can have Kantō—or rather, the Roman garrison there—all to yourself, am I right?"

"That is quite a nasty way of putting things," Edward made a wry smile elegantly without confirming or denying it. "Lord Caesar is currently not in Japan... But he is ultimately a great hero. Rumor has it that he has planted a number of schemes to protect Tokyo on behalf of the weak Kantō Fiefdom and the Imperial Guard. Even the Japanese side are kept in the dark."

"Oh?"

"To attack impulsively like a lion would only end up falling into a trap. I choose to attack Kantō only because I believe I am more suited to the task. Uncle, please understand."

"Very well, but I do have a condition." Richard went straight to the chase. "From what I hear, you had yourself quite a bloody good time at Fuji. There is a bunch of interesting Chevaliers at Suruga, valiantly resisting our armies, is that correct?"

"Oh dear, Uncle, so that is what you are getting at."

This fierce ancestor was definitely a short-sighted and impulsive man.

However, Richard's nose and various instincts were exceptionally keen. He must have smelled "delicious prey" this time without even thinking deeply.

Furthermore, it was an exquisite dessert that Edward the Black Prince had specially saved for later.

"Fine, so be it. Uncle, I have two demands."

"Try me."

"The first one is very simple. Before setting off for Suruga, please conquer Nagoya first."

"What bloody rubbish is this? This hot blood of mine is about to erupt right away."

"The risks outweigh the benefits if you intentionally take a detour, only to fall into a trap. So far, the man lurking in Suruga... has yet to reveal the true extent of his powers. His hunting skills ought to be quite exceptional."

"On what grounds do you believe that?"

"A man who excels at escaping will likewise excel at trapping his enemy. In the past, I have faced a similar acquaintance."

Edward recalled his rival of old, a hero of France.

There was something about Tachibana Masatsugu that smelled similar to that man. Meanwhile, the Lionheart dismissed it with a fearless smile. Although deep thought was not his forte, he was a man of extraordinary ability.

"Then I shall attack seriously instead of savoring small bites."

"Apart from him, Suruga has other capable knights. It would be best to take caution."

"What about your second demand?"

"After conquering Suruga, please locate a beautiful princess with dazzling platinum hair. That girl could ostensibly become an interesting trump card. She has an air quite similar to Eleanor's. You will certainly recognize her on sight, Uncle."

Edward recalled the noble lady whom Tachibana Masatsugu was serving in a knightly capacity.

Her name was Fujinomiya Shiori, the shunned princess of Imperial Japan in curious circumstances.

Part 4

October 31.

Half a month had elapsed since the Restoration Alliance's invasion of Shizuoka.

Early this morning, a messenger pipe fox sent by Nagoya arrived at the Suruga tutelary fort, bringing news that three tutelary forts in Tōkaidō had fallen yesterday and the day before.

"This means that Nagoya's situation is getting dire just like ours?"

"Compared to Suruga, which is left alone for now, it might be more dangerous in a certain sense."

Masatsugu was accompanying Hatsune to pay respects at a tomb.

It was 2pm or so. There were no other people at the cemetery apart from them. This peaceful cemetery was located at the Abe River on the west side of Suruga and near the home of "the real Tachibana Masatsugu."

"Onii-sama... Sorry for not visiting until now. The clan's duties and service to the princess will be undertaken properly by me and this Onii-sama here. Please rest in peace."

"That's a really complicated way of putting things," Masatsugu muttered while putting his palms together in front of the tomb together with Hatsune.

Before them was a tomb marker reading "Tomb of the Tachibana Clan." Next to it was a small stone tablet inscribed with the entombed's names.

The latest name was "Tachibana Masatsugu," preceded by Masatsugu's parents, then grandparents—

"When they buried the real one, they still carved his name on the stone... Fortunately, I only stole his identity but not his tombstone as well."

This was probably a tiny bit of compensation secretly provided by Hatsune's father and elders in the clan when they took the name of the young Tachibana who had died prematurely to give to an unidentified Resurrectee.

Masatsugu only noticed this thoughtfulness when he saw the stone tablet today.

After praying for "the real one," Masatsugu said, "Hatsune, please accept my thanks and apologies to the real one. If possible, please stay behind me as much as possible when on the battlefield."

"Oh my, Onii-sama, you're going to protect me?"

Hatsune sounded slightly offended, as befitted a member of a clan of heroes who prided themselves on strength.

Masatsugu shook his head. "No, what I mean is... You should observe me carefully to learn how battles are fought. Until you become full-fledged, I am willing to do what I can."

"That's cool. However, I am a bit surprised."

"Surprised?"

"I thought you'd be more of a lone wolf in combat."

"A fresh recruit can't do everything on the battlefield and needs looking after in the first place. And the one to look after Tachibana Hatsune is precisely me, Tachibana Masatsugu, that's all."

Masatsugu shared his thoughts and came to realize something.

Judging from this, back in the past, did he also follow someone to learn about how battles were fought? Probably... Yes?

Following strong, fierce, and persevering men, he had rode to the ends of the earth on many occasions—

Just as he felt certain he had lived such a life...

"Oh my? It's an alarm!?"

Hatsune jumped in fright. An alarm was blaring through the public speakers all over Suruga City, accompanied by a broadcast message urging civilians to take refuge indoors.

With tacit acknowledgement, the two of them immediately left the cemetery.

Naturally, they were not going to take shelter. Tachibana Masatsugu and Hatsune were Chevaliers defending this city.

"Onii-sama, let's hurry to the tutelary fort!"

"Hmm?"

At the cemetery parking lot, Hatsune hurried Masatsugu, but he noticed something was off.

Something was flying at high speed from south of Suruga Bay, heading straight to the center of town near the train station. A normal person's eyesight would probably mistake it for an airplane.

"A red Crusade... It's King Richard's Legion!"

They had seen this type of Crusade three days ago, but for some reason, there was only a single one flying.

Unlike the capital's city center, Suruga did not have many tall buildings. Hence, Masatsugu's excellent eyesight was able to see the red Crusade from the cemetery in the suburbs.

Another shadow in the sky also concerned him.

A wyvern was flying in front, leading the Crusade.

Masatsugu could clearly see a Chevalier riding on the wyvern.

Part 5

The scene changed to the imperial capital of Tokyo.

The residence of the Empress of Imperial Japan was called the "imperial palace."

Even though it was known as a castle, it was actually completely different from Japanese castles such as Nijou Castle.

Entirely in the style of a European palace, it had been built in Tokyo's Aoyama neighborhood after the Second World War. Constructed with bricks and a steel frame in an imitation of Baroque architecture, the palace was sturdy and beautiful.

The magnificent palace used a large quantity of white bricks, resulting in a stylish exterior.

Somewhere in the imperial palace was a waiting room used exclusively by military officers visiting from the Eastern Roman Empire.

There were all sorts of extravagant furnishings in the room. Most important of all, the room was equipped with a direct telephone line to Roman military facilities outside of Japan.

Currently, Alexis Yang was in the middle of using this direct line.

"No sense of crisis... That would not be a correct description."

Yang was holding the receiver in one hand, speaking in a laid back tone of voice.

He was dressed in the Eastern Roman Empire's military uniform, which was colored blue and featured a blazer-style jacket. The top two buttons of his shirt collar were unfastened and he was not wearing a tie either.

Yang had facial hair on his chin, giving him a wild look that suited his sloppy attire.

"They realize this situation needs to be handled, but have no idea what to do, which is why they procrastinate without accomplishing anything... That pretty much covers the reactions of anyone who matters in the imperial palace."

These scathing words were delivered lightly without any tone of sarcasm.

Yang was a major serving as part of the "Eastern Roman Empire's East Asian Administrative Region Military Staff." The man he was speaking to was not only the most famous person in the world but also the great hero who had founded the Empire.

'Nothing out of the ordinary. The Empress is surrounded by useless ladies-in-waiting.'

The speaker's voice was regal and majestic without sounding pretentious.

This unique diction belonged to Generalissimo Caesar of Rome.

Yang replied, "Those hags—correction, older ladies—only know how to put on airs and bully members of the same sex."

'I really wish the Imperial Guard or the Kantō Fiefdom could show a little competence.'

"Yes, I will check things out later."

Styling himself as Imperial Japan's patronus, Caesar was currently absent from Japan.

A month ago, Rome and the British Empire had clashed at the island of Java. Standing by at Lantau Island in Hong Kong, Caesar had sent Staff Officer Yang to Tokyo on his behalf.

Yang was a noetic master, capable of speaking freely without fear of eavesdropping.

Techniques for sensing electromagnetic radiation and noetic waves allowed one to confirm the risk of being eavesdropped. Invoking noetic waves to cause interference would also counter every type of surveillance equipment.

"By the way, that princess whom you fancy so much—Her Highness Shiori—has been abandoned, clearly left to die without any rescue attempt... It would be scandalous if this rumor leaked out, but in any case, someone will use this opportunity to make her disappear."

'Oh? That is not very good.'

"If the British were to capture a princess of noble blood, there could spell all sorts of trouble. Japan's awareness of this is far too lax."

'How regrettable. By the way, Major Yang, regarding your new mission...'

"...A new mission?"

'The situation has changed over the past few days, hasn't it? I have devised a few countermeasures after being notified. First of all—Please infiltrate Suruga where Shiori is right now. Visit the tutelary fort that has been fighting bravely in isolation and present yourself as a military adviser.'

"...Hold on a sec. I promised my daughter I'm returning home in a week."

Yang accidentally committed a soldier's taboo of defying an order. He was already thirty-four and had a single eleven-year-old daughter in Hong Kong.

"I already bought souvenirs in Japan, like idol concert videos and a rice cooker."

'Just have them sent via air mail. I will have the staff section inform your wife.'

"She's my ex, not my wife, okay! Besides, isn't infiltration the job of the intelligence department? Those guys must have sneaked into Suruga already, right?"

The great historical hero must be snickering to himself on the other side. Alexis Yang was certain of it and tried to argue.

Caesar laughed maliciously and said, 'Your job is to make adjustments to our side's military strategy based on my wishes and local circumstances. Both the commander at Suruga and I need someone to perform this role.'

"Fine, fine. In other words, Your Excellency will not just send troops from Kantō to take back Hakone."

Yang stopped joking around and switched to a sulking tone of voice.

"You intend to negotiate with Suruga to launch an attack from west of Hakone for a pincer offensive, right? I will work hard as though my salary and pension depended on it. Currently, what Japan needs most is undoubtedly Your Excellency... Generalissimo Caesar."

'That goes without saying. Since I do wish for matters over here to be handled well, I will make adjustments.'

Even through the telephone, Caesar's voice still sounded full of vibrancy.

In any case, someone had received orders from Eastern Rome's Generalissimo and was preparing to head to Tōkaidō.

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