Horizon:Volume 1 Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Usurper in the Street

Something which holds not the figure of a human yet is a human.

Something which takes the figure of a human yet is not human.

What can we call the chance meeting of the two.

Point Allocation (Battlefield)

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In the nighttime sky, the sky in which two moons hovered, a ship had moored.

It was an aerial ship emblazoned with the emblem of the Far East, Musashi Ariadust Academy, the leading ship of the group that had been advancing towards the west. It only had one cannon, which was mounted on its bow.

The ship had stop signals created with illumination Ability placed by its flanks. It stayed unmoving in the sky.

The lights in the bridge, which was located towards the stern of the ship, were lit up.

A flight map was spread out on the work table in the middle of the bridge, and several people, the ship's captain included, were speaking to each other as they stood around it.

A single girl stood amongst them. Her hair was tied up behind her head.

The captain spoke to her.

"Futayo-sama...what should we do? Should we go on ahead to the border or go back? According to the Testament Union's Divine Communications, Mikawa is currently in an emergency situation. The earth pulse reactors have started to overload, and the Testament Union have tried to ascertain the cause. The automatons are resisting their efforts."

"I see."

Folding her arms, Futayo nodded.

I want to reach a decision concerning what we should do now, but we cannot simply move when the Testament Union is involved. I wish there was someone here that was both decisive and good with politics.

...If only Masazumi was here..."

Such a wish will never be fulfilled. Even as she thought of her classmate, Futayo understood this.

If she is a vice-president at Musashi, then as always, she is probably doing her best using her knowledge and decisiveness.

However, at this moment, she was not here.

"Well then," Futayo said. Though she was interested in the fate of Kazuno and her father, she did not show it.

"The important thing is what we should do for the good of the Far East. However, I am unfamiliar with this. Is there someone who could tell me?"

Hearing Futayo's question, the captain looked around at everyone. His gaze landed on the vice-captain of the escort squadron.

"Under your role as an advisor, do you have any opinions, vice-captain?"

The well-built vice-captain nodded in response to the question.

"If the overloading of the earth pulse reactors is intentional on Mikawa's part, Mikawa's status as the Far East's representative will be taken away, or Mikawa won't disappear."

"If what you're saying is true--"

"Jud., there's the possibility that Mikawa has parted with the Far East and will come under the control of the Testament Union. In this event, Musashi will also eventually come under their control, and any real substance of the Far East will be gone..."

Hearing those words and seeing his gaze covertly flick from face to face, everyone looked at each other.

Seeing all those expressions enter her field of vision, Futayo realised that everyone was thinking the same thing. As such, in order to ascertain this, she said this:

"...As regards the current situation, what are the advantages of the Far East taking control of the Far East and Musashi?"

"There are many."

The vice-captain started by saying this.

"This could the solution to the division between the people of the Far East and other countries living within and without the Harmonic Territories. In addition, due to the circulation of money and their complete control, the people of the Far East will be concentrated in certain locations. Also, they'll be able to usurp Musashi's trading powers and technical skills...This depends on the level of their control, but the worst case scenario for us is their best case scenario."

"If so..." Futayo said.

"Then we are the ones that can step between the Testament Union and Musashi...We are people of Mikawa, and because of this, we have the strength to support Musashi's views without colluding with them."

"Then..."

The ship's captain said. He exchanged looks with the on-board head of Divine Communications.

"Probe the Testament Union. Tell them that we want them to use us if there's an emergency. Even if the Testament Union does something to Musashi, they won't want to commit the mistake of bringing people from other countries aboard."

"Jud."

The head of Divine Communications turned towards the Divine Communications systems. It was then that the ship's captain said this.

"Well then, this vessel will wait. We will await the Testament Union's response. Futayo-sama, according to the situation, this may seem like we are going against how we truly feel, but..."

"Jud." Futayo nodded and smiled. A smile that she herself felt was forced. In addition to this, she spoke thus:

"Loyalty...it is in such behaviour that we see its meaning."

Hearing those words, the ship's captain nodded after a moment. Besides him, the sailors and the vice-captain of the escort squadron also nodded and bowed.

...Thank goodness.

Futayo felt relieved that, at the very least, she had not said something wrong.

It was at that moment.

Having intercepted a Divine Communication, the head of Divine Communications screamed its contents at her.

"--Tres Espana's vanguard has entered Mikawa! They're heading towards New Nagoya Castle, gods of war in tow!"

A breath.

"According to their estimates...there's 15 minutes until the overload of the earth pulse reactors is set!"

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