Horizon:GT3 Chapter15
Chapter 15: Fate and Flowers[edit]
Give an answer that isn’t
A direct answer for either of us
Give an answer in the middle
That binds us together
Point Allocation (Fulfillment)
●
“It’s gotten quiet.”
Mary nodded at Adele’s comment.
They had heard raised voices and yelling outside the tent before, but now it was horribly quiet.
Two articles remained of the 13 Suden had prepared. And they were the two Mary had been worried about.
6. Building new castles and repairing old castles without advance notice is forbidden.
- No building or fixing castles without letting us know, mkay?
8. Marriage without permission is forbidden.
- The buke can’t get married without our permission, mkay?
Musashi’s Secretary viewed a sign frame displaying that same information as he spoke.
“Not only was Stuart-kun concerned about them, but in my opinion articles 6 and 8 are unique among the 13. After all, they are related to national polity and aren’t covered by the academy rules. And to make matters worse, they were both carried out a few times in the history recreation of the Buke Shohatto.”
The Secretary sighed once. Mary thought that was meant to preface something and, sure enough, he opened his mouth to speak.
“The previous 11 articles could be handled by religion or the academy rules and, even if they come into effect, they are no more than guidance or defining a crime. But these two are different. They restrict the bases and marriages that influence the very root and continued survival of the other nations. And these do not just set punishments or provide guidance – they are outright bans.”
Mary understood what he meant based on the discussions reaching this point.
“If these get through, will Musashi be forcing the history recreation onto the other nations?”
“Judge,” confirmed Adele. She looked back and forth between the sign frame and Mary. “It will if they’re enacted as is. And that’s fine as far as making an enemy of the world nations is concerned, but we’ve already decided we won’t use the history recreation to force death or injustice onto others as we take over the world.”
“That means we need to find some way to keep these two articles from causing injustice or being abused, doesn’t it?”
Mary had expressed her concern over her marriage and new home with Tenzou, but this was an even bigger deal.
…I was only thinking about myself!
She was ashamed. But she could correct her faults. And to keep things running correctly…
Silver Wolf: “Secretary? What happens if we do end up forcing this onto the other nations?”
Novice: “For the castles, the other nations generally treat their aerial warships as castles. That makes them count as castles instead of a type of weapon not found in the real history. But this would require them to notify the shogunate whenever they built an aerial warship.”
Asama: “Um, as for the marriage, it isn’t looking like we’ll be able to get out of that one. …Tenzou-kun? Mary? Are you listening?”
“Huh?” said Tenzou, tilting his head forward while Mary squeezed his hand.
Scarred: “What is it, Lady Asama? Will the shrine registration method you mentioned before not work?”
Asama: “No, it won’t. So far, Suden-san has been deciding whether or not to apply the Buke Shohatto based on whether or not the history recreation is involved. In that case…”
Mary knew what Asama was getting at. She knew what the problem was.
Scarred: “If my marriage is considered part of my history recreation, then I will not be allowed to marry a non-name inheritor like Master Tenzou, will I?”
●
Mary thought, This is a lot like fitting puzzle pieces together.
Scarred: “First, if I am to wed Master Tenzou under the Buke Shohatto, I must get Musashi’s permission since I am a name inheritor and a royal and royals are considered equivalent to the buke.”
The Testament said who she was meant to marry.
Scarred: “My third husband is James Hepburn. Master Tenzou would have to inherit his name.”
She felt him squeeze her hand back at this. And…
“If it comes to that, I will do whatever it takes to acquire that inherited name.”
●
Well said, 1st Special Duty Officer, thought Mitotsudaira.
Sliver Wolf: “But does this mean Suden thinks we have that much of a backbone?”
That’s a troublesome sort of trust, she thought, but this involved her as well.
…I am a knight sent from Hexagone Française and the Mito Matsudaira name inheritor.
Novice: “Judge, that’s right. The nations who will be bound by Musashi need to see us an example who will follow the rules even more strictly than themselves. This applies to article 8’s marriages and also article 6’s castle construction. If we are to restrict the other nations, they will demand the maximum restrictions on Musashi.”
“Meaning,” he said.
Novice: “Musashi will be bound by these two articles more than the other nations.”
●
“What will you do, Musashi Vice President? Musashi will strangle itself as the issuer of the Buke Shohatto.”
Masazumi stood facing Suden.
The sun had already set. When did that happen? she wondered, but the sun still set early this time of year.
The lanterns and fires set up around the Asama Shrine were beginning to cast a pale light. It was in that scene that she met Suden’s eyes and opened her mouth to speak.
“Expecting that much of us is a tricky issue. But I will provide an answer.”
“You will, will you? Glad to hear it. I would love to find out if it’s the same one I came up with.”
“Judge. But first, will you keep the promise you made?”
Suden raised her eyebrows with a small smile at this question.
“Musashi Vice President, you said yesterday that you were under my protection, didn’t you? Very well.”
Suden nodded and Masazumi nodded back.
“With yesterday’s promise confirmed, I will give you my answer. Articles 6 and 8 require for castle construction and repairs and for marriages to be fully managed by a Far Eastern representative. I wish to enact those requirements unaltered.”
“Oh, really? And you do know how the world nations will respond to that, don’t you?”
She already had an answer there. Mary had clued her in to the risk there.
“The world will tell us that the Buke Shohatto are a history recreation for the Far East only and thus has no meaning to the world nations. But they will demand the Far East strictly adheres to the Buke Shohatto.”
“Correct. If you try to bind the other nations, they will say the Buke Shohatto do not apply to them while forcing them onto the Far East. It is the obvious response.”
“Then,” began the Musashi Vice President. “Ishin Suden, what should the Far East do if we make an enemy of the world and are permanently bound by the 13 articles? What option does the Far East have then?”
“The solution is simple,” said Suden. “Sakoku.”
●
Suden said it. She revealed the secret she had kept thus far.
“According to a note in the Testament, the isolationist policy that will later be known as Sakoku is completed in the year 1639. But it begins in 1612 with the religious ban we issue. The religious ban cuts off interference by Tsirhc forces and the Buke Shohatto will cut off interference from the provisional ruling nations, but by keeping portals for trade open, a legal and economic Sakoku policy will be completed within the present dual system.”
Meaning…
“Complete isolation of the Far East, Musashi. What you want is found right here.”
●
…Is that really possible!?
Mitotsudaira silently questioned it. She understood what Suden was saying. Once the religious ban and the 13 article Buke Shohatto were issued, the provisional ruling nations would be unable to keep up with them. But…
Silver Wolf: “Sakoku? Will the world nations really allow that!?”
Novice: “It isn’t a question of allowance, Mitotsudaira-kun. Even now, the exchange between the provisional ruling nations and the Far East reservations are an interpretation of trade and ‘items drifting ashore’. Ishin Suden is saying to remove the ambiguity and make it official. So the justification to the provisional ruling nations will be doing the history recreation correctly.”
Tachibana Wife: “Furthermore, if the provisional ruling nations attempt to remain involved with the Far East, the Far East can insist they follow the religious ban and the 13 articles as part of the history recreation. And because the 13 articles ban the hiring of foreigners, the provisional ruling nations strictly speaking cannot directly intervene. There is also a possibility that double name inheritors with a provisional ruling nation name and a Far Eastern name will no longer be allowed after the Sakoku policy goes into effect.”
“Correct,” agreed Mitotsudaira. If some nation attempted to use a double inherited name to interfere in the Far East during Sakoku, the nations that couldn’t do that would protest or punish them for it.
The world nations would join together to attack the Far East for the 13 article Buke Shohatto, but once the Far East closed itself up, the cooperation between the world nations would collapse as they sought Far Eastern interests.
Once that happened, no nation would be able to remain actively involved in the Far East.
…From there, the Sakoku policy would be automatically upheld.
“That’s why.”
Mitotsudaira heard Suden’s voice.
“Now do you see why I asked you to just wait the 20 years until the second Buke Shohatto? If my religious ban and Buke Shohatto put the Far East into Sakoku mode, then twenty years later the world nations will be more focused on their own history recreations and interests than in any interests involving the Far East. That’s why the second one matters. You just have to say the second Buke Shohatto – which will only apply within the Far East – will allow interpretations.”
How about that?
“That will ensure the Far East’s safety and freedom. It’s up to you if you want to remove the Sakoku policy at that point.”
●
Suzu suddenly felt the strength leaving the core of her body.
“What…?”
Suden was being too heavy-handed. And in a different way than Musashi liked. But…
“Why is…Suden-san…helping the…Far East?”
“That’s a good question,” said Adele. “Was she refusing to budge on the 13 articles and refusing to accept any interpretations to leave no opening for the other nations to get in during Sakoku?”
If so, Suden was not their enemy. She might do things differently, but she would be an ally of the Far East. But…
Me: “Seijun.”
The nudist scratched his head and spoke.
Me: “When you started this debate, you said something about making your decision ‘later’. Well, do that now. You need to tell her now.”
●
Judge, silently replied Masazumi as she raised her right hand. She took a breath and then another. And…
“Are you listening?”
With that, she spoke to Suden who was illuminated in the dim light by the pale lantern light.
“Our justice tells us that Musashi will accept the full text of the 13 article Buke Shohatto.”
But…
“We will allow interpretations and leave that decision to each individual nation. That is our answer!”
●
“Are you stupid!?”
Suden’s reaction was expected. Masazumi nodded.
“So now we are stupid as well as cowards? Fine with me. Also, I believe I promised yesterday that we would do everything we can to trip you up and give you a very bad day. That time has come.”
“Damn you.” Suden pointed at her. “Then what about articles 6 and 8!? How do you escape the restrictions on castle construction and repairs and on marriage!?”
“If notification and permission are needed, then so be it. But…that will be an extension of each nation’s existing processes.”
What did that mean? She thought of what they had protected and gained at the Armada Battle and in England.
…If we are to continue forward with Mary and the Tachibana Couple, we need to protect them like this as well.
So she spoke while swinging her right hand forward.
“Every nation and region already provides their land or nation with a notification of construction or marriage and are granted permission as long as nothing about it breaks their laws. A system of notification and permission already exists. So all we need to do is grant those existing system’s the authority to grant permission in our name. And we can grant the Testament Union and religions the same authority. That makes it all entirely fair.”
“You have a chance to claim the other nations’ strength and you would water it down and give it up!?”
“Don’t you get it, Ishin Suden?” said Masazumi. “You are attempting to do the history recreation ‘properly’. But that concept of ‘propriety’ is currently being abused to attack people, leaving them no recourse. The history recreation does need to be done properly, but we will not allow anything to be lost in the process. Whether that loss is to us, to you, or to anyone else.”
“You would throw out peace of mind and freedom after just 20 years of patience for nothing more than your ideals!?”
“We aren’t throwing them out.”
Masazumi pointed at the tent behind her.
“We will bring peace of mind and freedom to the Far East without having to wait 20 years. By working with that idiot in there. And…with our new friends!”
She snapped the fingers of the hand indicating the tent.
“Ishin Suden. I appreciate your concern.”
“…What are you talking about?”
“”Judge, I’m finally certain of it. You have been focused on one thing both as Ishin Suden and as the former Urban VIII.”
“Again, what are you talking about!?”
Suden raised her voice and took a step forward, but Masazumi simply continued talking.
“You have opposed and resisted everything, but today your concern was for the Far East.”
●
Suden gasped. She tried to feign calm, but it wasn’t possible.
She gulped hard, her shoulders shook once, and she tried to purge the feeling inside her by…
“I have no idea what you mean! I am Urban VIII! And Ishin Suden! I manage Tsirhc for the world and the Far East and I am here to pave the path toward closing the Far East!”
“That’s not all, though. You’re a liar.”
“Huh!? Have you forgotten how to show respect, Far Easterner!? When have I lied!?”
Just as she asked that, a single figure emerged from the tent behind the Musashi Vice President.
She wore a blue and white uniform. Her blonde hair swayed as she walked.
“Join us, Mary Stuart. You will find the person you were searching for.”
“What is the meaning of this!?”
“You know what it means, Ishin Suden and Urban VIII,” slowly said the Musashi Vice President. “By issuing the 13 articles, the Far East would be protected by the Sakoku policy and gain 20 years of safety. During that time, all marriages within the Far East would be governed by the history recreation, so there wouldn’t be any problems. Well, there would be some who would have to take on inherited names to marry, but that would be doable with enough effort and preparation. And if any children were born, 20 years is plenty of time for them to reach adulthood. This would provide a certain benefit to a certain person: Mary Stuart who has sought asylum in the Far East.”
The English Princess calmly approached. The sound of her feet in the gravel was drowned out by Suden shouting at the Musashi Vice President.
“What are you talking about!?”
“I am talking about your lie, Ishin Suden and Urban VIII. No, to be more accurate,” said Masazumi, “your true identity is Edward Pole, younger brother of Mary’s teacher Margaret Pole.”
●
Mary came to a stop. She crouched down and faced forward at Suden’s eye level.
She wondered what look she had on her face. She didn’t know. She was too bewildered to know. After all, she had no way of knowing for certain if this was true. But…
“Lady Suden, I have one question. Asking you is the only option because your inherited name data has been hidden by K.P.A. Italia and there isn’t enough time to send a formal request.”
“What question!? I have nothing to tell you!”
“You don’t have to.” Mary nodded. “I can tell just by looking, Lady Suden. You are a reverse ager, aren’t you?”
●
Asama: “A reverse ager? This is getting weird.”
Novice: “That’s an extremely rare ether species! So rare I’m surprised there are any alive right now!”
Art-Ga: “How about an actual explanation?”
Novice: “W-well, it’s exactly what it sounds like. They’re born from the ether looking elderly. And each time they sleep and dream, their appearance gets younger until they finally turn into a child and disappear.”
Silver Wolf: “You mean that’s why Suden looks like a child?”
Uqui: “So Ohiroshiki’s assessment was right for once!”
Worshiper: “See!? Did you see that, everyone!? I told you!”
Almost Everyone: “What a creep.”
Worshiper: “Wh-what kind of reaction is that!? I’m not telling you next time a loli hag shows up! You’ll regret this!”
Gold Mar: “And why don’t you already regret saying that, Piroshki?”
●
Mary watched as Suden didn’t respond.
But while Suden hung her head in silence, Mary took her hand. And she realized something.
“Oh…”
Her hand. While it was young, childlike, and small, there was something familiar about it. Not because it had remained that way, but because it was being maintained that way.
“My teacher taught me how to do housework, how to study, and how to live was naturally. She was a hard worker who did all those things herself.”
The nails were flat and the fingers round. That showed even these child’s hands were used to complete all the daily work of life.
“My teacher had these same hands!”
“Nonsense!”
Suden reflexively tired to tug her hand away, but that was when Mitotsudaira said something from behind Mary.
“Save you from anything.”
…Eh?
“I heard you, Ishin Suden! I heard what you said yesterday in front of the academy. It sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place the words in relation to you. But seeing you with Mary now reminded me!”
Why?
“Why do you know that phrase that only Mary and her sister should know!?”
“Those words…”
Mary did not let go of the hand she held. And…
“My sister and I had my teacher look over those words.”
And…
“She smiled!”
●
“Damn…”
Asama heard Suden speak with her head still lowered.
If Suden was a reverse ager and Mary’s implications here were accurate, then a lot suddenly started to make sense.
…Mary-san’s teacher was a ‘young’ person, but if she was a reverse ager, she must have been quite old by then.
Mary hadn’t realized what species her teacher was. So…
“Tomo. …Now I know what happened to Mary’s teacher after she was ‘executed’.”
The Testament said Mary had a friend: Elisabeth of Valois, who was born in Hexagone Française and married into Tres España.
In the history recreation, she exchanged letters with Mary, but her portrait in Tres España was younger than Mary.
“If her teacher survived and was a reverse ager, then she would have been about that ‘young’ at that time.”
They had no proof, but if that was the case…
“After her ‘execution’, Mary-san’s teacher must have moved to Hexagone Française and worked from there to again support Mary-san.”
She was talented, but she had been “executed” in England. She must not have been able to make her presence known.
That’s right, thought Asama with a nod, but then Suden shouted.
“She was a fool!”
●
Mary heard a trembling voice coming from the lowered head past the hand she held.
“If you closely follow the history recreation but are still ‘executed’ and lose everything, why would you try to help the child who led you to that execution!?”
Suden sucked in a breath.
“I was treated as a man, but my sister’s guidance set me free and I realized the history recreation was an absurd system! I realized you had to be a fool to follow it! But she still obeyed it to the end! And…!”
Mary knew what came after that “and”.
Her – Edward Pole’s – “execution” likely happened when they were still much “younger”. She had inherited the younger brother’s name and, after her “execution”, she abandoned England.
But her sister remained in England and followed the history recreation. That would have happened before Mary was born. And what did the younger brother who fled do for the older sister who remained?
“Urban VIII was pope when England was shaken by the issue of religion.”
The pope when England switched their religion to the Anglican Church was Urban VIII. That history recreation would cast out her sister in the same way that sister had executed and cast her out, but she still made full use of it. And…
“You gave her a path out…but she didn’t take it, did she?”
“She’s so stupid. My sister was a fool. She was bound by the history recreation and it consumed her!” said Suden. As Edward Pole. “If it wasn’t for you, that wouldn’t have happened!”
But Suden did not raise her head. A sparkle dropped from below her bangs.
And she raised her voice.
“But she was so worried about you, you made her smile, and she died satisfied!
“So,” she said. “If I don’t protect you, she truly will die…”
●
So that’s it, thought Masazumi.
…She had a reason to inherit Urban VIII’s name.
Inheriting the pope’s name and applying the history recreation without interpretation to all those around her had been revenge for what happened to her and a way to support her sister. The House of Tudor coming into power and England switching to the Anglican Church had been a rough time for religion in England.
Most likely, she had inherited Ishin Suden’s name once that was over as a way to distance herself from all that. Her revenge was complete and her sister was on her path. She had obtained a way to protect them from the history recreation.
…So was Suden’s path to Sakoku originally meant to help her sister, not Mary?
But her sister had not gone to her, had continued supporting Mary, and had died.
Afterwards, Ishin Suden had not appeared on the center stage of history, but…
“Why did you step onto the stage now?”
“Mikawa.”
Suden smiled bitterly and raised her head.
Tears fell from a weak smile.
But she didn’t wipe them away.
“Until my foolish underclassman was driven away at Mikawa, I hoped Mary Stuart would die. I hoped she too would be killed by the history recreation that had taken so much from me and consumed my sister.”
But…
“I enjoyed your sharp tongue there. You said you wouldn’t allow the history recreation to be abused and that you would prevent any forced deaths. So much was taken from my sister and me, but we weren’t killed. Which is when I realized I had been hoping for the death of someone in an even more tragic position than ours. And I realized that my sister must have done all she could to save that girl because she had realized that same thing.”
So…
“When Musashi arrived at England and saved her, this pathetic little sister decided to follow in my sister’s footsteps the best I could.”
She shook on her feet there.
Because Mary had hugged her. A “heh” escaped Suden as her lips formed a small smile.
“But I guess it wasn’t necessary. …My sister’s student was already working toward her own dream.”
●
“Thank you very much.”
It’s over then, thought Suden when she heard those words from Mary.
How long had it been since anyone hugged her?
…Her chest is bigger than my sister’s.
No, she didn’t know what her sister had been like in her prime. But…
“Mary Tudor Stuart. I have one thing to say as Margaret Pole’s brother.”
She took one of the hand’s hugging her.
“You have the same hands. …So not everything was taken from me.”
●
Mary heard Suden say “now” as she extricated herself from her arms.
Mary understood. Suden was a pure spirit race while Mary was only a half-spirit. She was also “younger” than the portrait of Mary’s teacher in Tres España.
She realized Suden was trembling as she pulled away.
“I’ve been really pushing it these past few days. Musashi Vice President, you took this way too seriously. What is wrong with you?”
Masazumi pursed her lips terribly hard, but Mary was impressed by the self-control it took to stay quiet here.
“I’m leaving. If you saw the name inheritor almanac, then you must more or less know the truth.”
“Judge. You came here after requesting to relinquish your inherited name.”
“Testament. If this went well, I was going to stick with it. If not, I would give it up. That was the plan anyway…”
Suden sat back down in her abandoned chair and tossed a cadena firma to Masazumi.
“This is a summary of all this. I haven’t submitted it to the Testament Union or K.P.A. Italia yet, but I’ve already receive a notice of receipt. And it has my authorization. That means it’s all on hold for now and will remain effective even after I’m gone. No one and no organization will be able to change the 13 articles we’ve made. Take that and continue on.”
“Continue on to what?”
“You still have the next Shohatto, remember? I’ve paved the way. And by the next time you need them, mine will already be out of date. So take this and continue on.”
“Judge. I will take this as a means of protecting Mary.”
“Hah,” laughed Suden. She took a breath before standing up. Mary moved to support her, but…
“Leave me be. I can’t accept help from my sister’s student.”
“What about help from us!?”
“Eh?”
Mary turned around to see Tenzou crossing his arms along with the others. Mitotsudaira, Asama, and some more had prepared a palanquin by removing part of the shrine.
“Tomo? The ships to IZUMO are running 24 hours a day, aren’t they?”
“Yes, there should be one ever twenty minutes even at this late hour, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Y-you fools! What do you think you’re doing!?”
“Hee hee,” laughed Mary. She took Suden’s hand, squeezed it, and guided her.
“Lady Suden, your position is sufficient to ride a palanquin, isn’t it?”
●
On the night of the third day after the end of the Armada Battle, reports came in from Okutama and Tama of a mysterious palanquin racing along the Musashi. This happened at the end of twilight when the streetlights still weren’t all on and it was said a nudist stood atop it shouting orders and it was borne by a ninja and others.
Those who saw it at a distance kept far away from this new form of Hyakki Yagyo and those nearby fled to the nearest streetlight or building, but they all said the palanquin caused quite a stir and…
“Hey…”
The girl riding atop the palanquin appeared to be a spirit because she was wrapped in light even at night.
“That looks kind of fun.”
○
“Sorry to suddenly bring you back to reality, but is there anything anyone isn’t clear on?”
Everyone took a break and began resupplying even though the clock was already pointing to 2.
Masazumi sipped the barley tea Suzu brought her as they all took their seats. And Naruze raised her hand.
“We ended up docking at IZUMO four days after that, right? Meaning we waited a week in all. Why wouldn’t we be allowed to dock immediately after Ishin whoever-it-was left?”
“Oh, there was another reason for that. Related to all docking in Hexagone Française. That’s a long story in its own right, so I’ll leave that for another day.”
“Right,” said a few of them, glaring at her. They must have known what that reason was. And now Naito spoke up.
“Ma-yan, when did you realize Ishin whoever-it-was was a reverse ager?”
“Judge. When I was investigating Urban VIII, I accessed information related to the popes. And…”
“At the time, I guess we have to say now, it mentioned that Innocentius’s stepsister Olimpia was a reverse ager.”
“Judge.” Mary nodded. “And you had more or less figured it out yourself, hadn’t you, Lady Masazumi? During the debate, you intentionally avoided mentioning England a few times and Lady Suden let you. When I heard that, I grew ever more certain I was right.”
The Aoi Sister and Adele slowly took each other’s hand sand hugged in an eerily perfect impression. Stop that.
But Mitotsudaira spoke up while viewing the K.P.A. Italian Chancellor’s Officers site.
“Then perhaps Olimpia is Margaret Pole’s relative or part of her family.”
“Yeah,” everyone said together with a bitter smile. And Masazumi raised her hand among them.
“So who do you think was ultimately behind the attack? Futayo, what ever became of that?”
“Judge.” Futayo raised her hand while eating some dango. “The attackers were released after the Testament Union paid their bail. But since none of them were name inheritors and no actual harm was done, they were only required to repair the site and do some other labor.”
“They were probably mercenaries, Vice President. Most likely K.P.A. Italia’s Kriegs Georgern,” said Adele.
Gin opened a K.P.A. Italia academy organization chart.
“K.P.A. Italia is strictly Catholic, so they do not have their own army. Thus, much like the Far East, they gather their warriors as ‘guards’ and rely on outside help for anything more. One domestic source they rely on is the Swiss mercenary group known as the Kriegs Georgern. But while it is a Swiss group, it has become fairly multinational in the current day and age.”
“Judge,” replied Mitotsudaira. “The attack was probably an act put on by the Papa Schola who would have known Suden’s true age. They were probably meant to stop the confrontation between Suden and Masazumi. But Suden managed to give them the slip and then they spotted Masazumi. The records mention you passing by some people in front of the embassy on the third day. Those were probably mercenaries waiting for Masazumi rather than the embassy staff you thought they were.”
But their ambush failed, so they quickly found some data on Suden and pursued her.
“But they didn’t know what Suden would try to do, so they instead tried to eliminate Masazumi, only to find Futayo was with her.”
“Looking at the records, Suden-san did indeed mention the pope.”
“So if Suden had been captured then, that argument never would have happened?”
“Um.” Asama hung her head and raised her hand. “I think we might have Toori-kun to thank for that…in fact, I’m sure of it. When he arrived at the Asama Shrine, he asked if the confrontation in front of the academy was ‘some kinda game’. He wouldn’t have asked that if he was just talking about Masazumi and Mito.”
“Right,” agreed Mitotsudaira. “That day, my king dressed up as a shrine maiden and helped with the boarding procedure.”
“Is nowhere safe from him!?” exclaimed Horizon.
That made Mary laugh. She then nodded and spoke.
“Lady Suden must have met the Chancellor and confirmed certain things. That was why she could negotiate so strongly right away.”
Then she lowered her head.
“Thank you so much for everything you all did.”
“It was nothing,” they all replied to complete the standard sequence. This is going to require some extra work.
○
After everyone else went to sleep, Asama felt a tap on her shoulder.
She could guess who it was, so she got up. Sure enough, she found Mary kneeling and bowing and accompanied by Mitotsudaira’s mother.
Given the previous discussion, she could guess well enough what that pairing indicated. But just to make sure…
“Mito’s mom, you knew Suden-san when she was Edward Pole, didn’t you?”
“Testament. When she escaped England and traveled to K.P.A. Italia, she took the shortest and cheapest route, which meant passing through my forest. She still looked like an energetic old woman then and we discussed a number of topics late into the night.”
“Then, um, Lady Reine des Garous…may I ask something?”
“Testament,” she replied to Mary and Asama readied a sign frame.
“Go ahead. This is important, isn’t it? Please give us the end of those sisters’ story.”
●
A giant island floated in the night sky: IZUMO.
It was visible from a landport made of a vast stretch of leveled dirt.
The floating island’s port was primarily used by the academy and industrial guilds, so most people used the IZUMO surface facilities and the landport that was shared with Hexagone Française.
Currently, the landport was being used by the workers who would be boarding the Musashi via IZUMO. Those former students were in a sightseeing mood, but they were primarily making this aerial trip for work.
“Hexagone Française has resolved its food supply issues and has plentiful trade, but the people not involved in those industries are losing work. I can see why so many are volunteering for military work.”
That voice came from the gathering area in the forest just south of the landport. That was for people departing for K.P.A. Italia, but with the situation so touchy between Hexagone Française and M.H.R.R., no one was heading that way. The only ones there were…
“But what made you want to return to K.P.A. Italia, Urban?”
The Reine des Garous saw Suden seated on a bench. And in response to the question…
“Some weird people in a weird place took a weird liking to me. I need to head home and make them dislike me all over again.”
“Really?” The Reine des Garous smiled bitterly. “That’s about halfway the opposite of me. I’m about to go to a weird place to meet the daughter who dislikes me and make her dislike me all over again.”
“Wait, mother! I was going to ignore you sneaking around over there, but don’t drag me into this!”
Thinking of her daughter summoned the girl’s imagined voice. I need to absorb some of my husband to fix that.
But she did have one thing to ask.
“Did you complete Anne’s request? She wanted you to check on Musashi before she made her final decision, didn’t she?”
“Huh!?”
“Wow, that was the request!? Sorry for all the complaints about who you were working for!”
Now she was imagining the Musashi Vice President and vassal’s voices.
But that’s fine. What I want to hear is what Suden says as she shrugs.
“Musashi isn’t going to take the easy way out. My sister’s lessons live on with them. When I told her that over divine transmission earlier, she smiled. These Protestant connections are quite useful.”
“I see. …Well, I’m glad she’s doing well.”
The Reine des Garous looked east. There was nothing but forest there, but she knew her friend was far beyond that forest. And she had wanted to ask something else as well.
“Suden? You met my daughter on the Musashi, didn’t you? How was she?”
“Don’t take the easy way out, Reine des Garous. Those kids aren’t going to. Honestly.” She smiled bitterly and adjusted her hat. “I also met the boy you mentioned in your letter. Pretty sure that was him, anyway. The one you met who wouldn’t give up on his dream of becoming a king.”
“…Huh?”
“When I wasn’t sure where to go, he ditched his job to take my hand and show me the way. And you know what he said? ‘Hey, shorty, you’ve got the hands of a hard worker.’ I didn’t think twice about going with him. And Musashi’s residents gave him a wide berth. But that fool claimed it’s because he’s ‘important’.”
“It takes a lot to embarrass you.”
“Testament. Mary managed that too. For some reason, it felt like old times,” said Suden. “Yeah, I should’ve learned to love a lot more things. Then when someone showed me affection, I could’ve returned the favor.”
“I think you were loved by a lot of people. You just didn’t notice it yourself.”
“Yeah, right. You’d have to be a fool to believe that.”
As she said that, she went limp. Her hat fell but she didn’t retrieve it.
“Edward.”
Only after calling her name did the Reine des Garous realize the girl was looking out ahead.
To the south. A ship was visible there. The massive white ship had come from K.P.A. Italia. It was not the pope’s flagship since that had been lost at Mikawa, but it was definitely his ship. It and its escort ships were hurrying this way.
“Edward, I am certain that you taught people a great many things and made many a smile.”
“You fool.”
As the light scattered and vanished, the spirit who had used up her reverse aging viewed the approaching ships and spoke.
“This isn’t part of the history recreation, you fool.”
●
The light rose into the sky. The ether which had formed the spirit was a poor match for the local phase and local spirits, so it first flowed skyward. The ships looking up at it aimed their cannons into the sky.
“Our Catholic Church must use our full strength to clear the way for Her Holiness Urban VIII!”
“Tes, tes, tes.” In the name of the testament, they fired into the sky ahead of the spirit.
And they all saw the figure of a girl ascending into the sky and…
“Is that…?”
Another ether light shape descended from the western sky.
This figure looked a bit older than the girl. They reached toward each other and grasped each other’s hand.
“–––––”
And with a nod of acknowledgment toward the ships, they vanished into the sky together.
○
“Okay, that’s enough! That’s enough mushy stuff for tonight! It is my policy to end these tear-jerking stories quickly! We all need to get to sleep and enjoy a good bowel movement in the morning! Okay!?”
“Um, Horizon? You don’t really need to do that when Toori-kun isn’t around to get sad.”
Mary smiled and waved a hand to brush off Asama’s protest.
“No, this is fine. My teacher was that kind of person.”
She whispered “save you from anything” to herself and pulled up the blanket.
“Thank you.”
| Back to Chapter 14 | Return to Main Page | Forward to Final Chapter |