Horizon:Volume 1 Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Musashi's Knights

That existence.

Was it sentimentality?

Or certainty?

Point Allocation (Chivalry)

In front of Musashi Ariadust Academy, Mitotsudaira, standing above the bridge, took one breath.

...I asked for a challenge. Now let's see, who will they pick to fight against me.

She looked at everyone thronged in the other side, and speculated their possible decision. Since she asked for a challenger, someone should step forward soon.

...I doubt it would be the Chancellor.

No matter how you think about it, he is a person not suited for combat. And even if he were to step in, everyone will certainly stop him.

Shirojiro and Naomasa are unlikely possibilities either. Speaking of combat-types, the best choice would be Tenzo or Ulquiaga. After all, those two are undertaking combat training and had experience exterminating Youkais.

Back in middle school, Mitotsudaira took similar battle training as well. Every once a year during Musashi's docking in Mito's territory, where it is known for wastelands and marshes (the type of habitat Youkais are fond of), she had taken up many extermination quests there.

Also, supernatural phenomenas were abounding recently.

Youkais, are like undead zombies, so fighting them isn't that much different than fighting a real human. Fighting a warrior who had underwent and survived those kinds of job, would prove to be a trouble in battle.

...Yes. I am fully prepared for that. There's just one thing troubling me...

"...What are you all doing?"

Everyone in the Academy side were hunkered down in front of the entrance. They seem to be gravely discussing something. No one is stepping forward.

...I even read the atmosphere and waited, but this is what I get!?

"Hello...?"

Mitotsudaira sloped her neck, from among the scrum, only Toori turned to look here. He said,

"Ah, Nate. Give us a moment to decide this. It's a timeout! You heard that? Timeout!!"

Mitotsudaira nodded. For a moment, everyone wheeled their head round and cursory looked at Nate, but went back butting their heads at each other.

"Hey, hey. What now? Nate seems fired up.", Toori.

"Hmm... I have poison darts here. You want me to use it?", Tenzou.

"No. Mito is a mid-to-close range type. It's rather advantageous if I handle this with my bow and ZUDON!", Asama.

"I think we should wait until Shirojiro comes back and purchase silver bullets...", Ulquiaga.

"If 2 vs. 1 is fine, me and Gacchan can handle this. We'll fly in the air and pepper her from unreachable range with BANG!", Margot.

"Mitotsudaira-san isn't really my type, so I'll pass.", Ginji.

...You guys, except for that last line, aren't you guys the one who's fired up!

Rage seethed inside Mitotsudaira, but stave it off after realizing it was just unreasonable venting of anger. She knit her brows.

"---Uhh, can you make this quick?"

●

Everyone pressed their foreheads on each other from hearing the female knight's demand, who's standing above the bridge as if to block the roadway.

Within the scrum, Toori said,

"I just thought up of something brilliant! Tenzou, step forward and kowtow in front of her."

"Kowtowing without a particular purpose is a terrible idea! Specially to someone like Mitotsudaira-dono who has a problem appreciating gags!"

"Hmm... Should I handle this then?"

Ulquiaga fumbled on his waist for something. Metal rattlings resounded. After a pause, he said,

"In case that things took for a good turn and we had everyone came round to our side, I don't think I can join you in saving Horizon. I am an inquisitor officer but, K.P.A. Italia or Tres Espana are neither heretics. I can't fight them."

"I can say the same for myself."

Adele raised her hands. She continued,

"I am a thegn, and thegns serves knights. A thegn opposing their superior flies in the face of their own raison d'etre."

"You two have it tough."

Toori folded both arms, cocking his head repeatedly. He faced Neshinbara and said,

"Neshinbara. You've been making a difficult face all the while. What's the matter?"

"Ah, yeah. Something is bothering me."

Neshinbara said, facing everyone after giving Mitotsudaira a brief glimpse.

"Why does a knight need to fight a civilian?"

"I can answer that. It's because... I don't know. I'm an idiot."

"I know right. Hahaha aren't you pathetic."

"Nobody's denying it!? Ah, what are those eyes? No!! Stop that sympathetic look!"

Everyone restrained Toori. Beyond the bridge, Kimi said to Mitotsudaira,

"Fufufu, Mitotsudaira, getting scared now having no idea what everyone is planning?"

"Not really. It's just seeing everyone gathered like this makes you notice their singularities."

Everyone butted their heads once again upon hearing Mitotsudaira's words.

"Mito just don't realize it, but she has her own share of singularity as well.", Asama.

"Hearing that from a cow-tits shrine maiden with an artificial eye, it sounded like a hypocrisy.", Adelle.

"You, a meganekko wearing an armor bigger than her body, are saying that?", Ulquiaga.

"Hahaha Ulqui-dono, and you, a half-dragon and also an inquisitor officer person, are saying that?", Tenzo.

"Fufufu, this ninja doesn't see his self like the others. Why are you blatantly ninja-ing your own character?", Kimi.

"Hey hey, why is everyone ostracizing me from this talk. What is this fun atmosphere in the air I'm smelling!? I'll sniff all of it! *Sniff* *Sniff*"

Everyone glared at the idiot. In response, Toori opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he just hung his head, and laid his body down on the floor.

Everyone endeavored to act as if the idiot never exists. Asama clapped her hand and,

"A-All right everyone, let's resume our discussion while we don't have interruptions. Neshinbara, you were saying something a while ago about Mito?"

"Oh yeah. I am an expert in history so I know the details..."

"Oh? A new talk starting? Neshinbara, can you make the explanation simple so that an idiot like me will be able to understand? You know, you have a habit of expounding details until you get to the point. Seriously, I'm begging you to make it short."

A vein in Neshinbara's temple popped up upon hearing the done-with-emoing idiot's words.

Kimi lightly smacked Toori's head and said,

"Fufufu, silly brother. Let him speak as much as he likes. These history-nuts types are fond of flaunting their repository of knowledge, so you should not say something like that. If you keep spouting weird things, don't blame me if you get hated."

"Sis! Go look in front of the mirror and find out who is the one spouting weird things!"

"Haah. Well, I'm already used to these two so it doesn't bother me at all."

Neshinbara waves his hands as if to dismiss the two's conversation.

"If you look at it in historical perspective, knights are above the rank of citizens."

"...Huh? What's your point?"

"I mean", Neshinbara said and squatted down. Everyone else except Mitotsudaira followed suit.

"Knights are people with privilege right? At the very least, they are positioned higher than normal people in social rank."

"You mean?"

"Don't you find it strange? Why are the knights confronting us? Their status should be above us, almost similar to the rank of people who rules us. Yet, they are actually here. What is the need of confronting us? It will put a dent in their dignity if they lose."

In Neshinbara's doubt, everyone turned their heads towards Mitotsudaira. Mitotsudaira tensed up upon realizing herself becoming the center of attention.

"W-Why are all suddenly staring at me?"

I see, everyone cocked their heads. After Ulquiaga surveyed everyone with his sharp gaze, he said,

"Can we think of it this way? Upon trying to confront the crisis Musashi is currently facing, the violent passion kindling inside Mitotsudaira had ablazed, and for the meantime she just want something to rampage on."

"That's... amazing. I wonder what kind of reasonings did you take to arrive in that conclusion -de gozaru?"

"The ninja is right. That's a bit harsh. First of all, Mito is just a representative. The Musashi's knights can't go gung-ho all at once."

"Umm... That sounds like if she's the only knight, then she will go rampage.", Adele, making a difficult countenance, inclined her head. "But indeed, it is weird. I wonder what was the reason?"

"Heeey, Nate! Adele said that you're weird and mpfhmfph---!"

"I-It's nothing, Mitotsudaira-dono. ---Kimi-dono, can we knock this idiot out to sleep for now?"

"Uhh... can you all hurry up and decide which will be my opponent?"

Everyone pleads, spare us just a little more time!

"Adele-dono... you may continue -de gozaru."

"Jud. As stated by the secretary earlier, I think that there is no reason to fight us, because Knights and thegns do not fight their allies."

Adele tilted her head the second time, resumed,

"The point the secretary made regarding social rank difference. Why do the knights with superior social status wishes to fight someone under them? That, and this fight is strange if you consider the knights obligation."

●

Everyone's movement went still upon hearing Adele's words.

And then everyone silently turned their heads the second time towards Mitotsudaira.

"...A-As I earlier asked, why are you all suddenly staring at me?"

Everyone nodded at each other, and then returned into butting their heads at each other.

"...So you were saying this confrontation is strange because of the difference in social rank, as well as the knight's obligation?"

"Jud. Well, this might become a long discussion, as it includes the circumstances of knights in Musashi. According to the history written in the Testament, in the late Middle Age period --around 200 years ago in our current time--, the feudalism had been pretty much abolished. This feudalism system conveys land ownership to feudal aristocrats or knights by the king. But the current age right now grants authority and financial power to court nobles."

That's right, Neshinbara nodded. He glanced at Adele once, and said,

"In the late Middle Age period, in order to resolve the issues regarding the exhaustion of crusade armies, and the rising of people amassing money upon the inception of monetary economy, as well as the turbulence caused by the reformation of religion, most kingdoms began centralizing their power by making their king as the central authority figure. Moreover, the power of knights alone were unable to protect the land anymore because warfare is now executed in a large-scale battle. The mercenary system took over, finally giving rise to the current age of national military today. Every nation except Far East, all of the Academy students were required to take combat training as part of national military forces."

"Fufufu, four-eyes. You're doing a good job in explaining. Although I would appreciate it more if you would reduce the digression."

"...But there's many more explanation coming."

Neshinbara smiled, even though there is a vein popping up on his temple.

"...The knights, who used to be feudal aristocrats, had cast aside their weapons. They started running the nation's administration, and thus became court nobles. The most influential court nobles were given a special title, but those who did not, were still called knights as of today."

But.

"The feudalism here in Far East is extant at this time period. The Far East doesn't have national military, so the knights who were dispatched to Musashi were the same as the feudal aristocrats in medieval period. Musashi's sharing of management cost by privatization is one thing, but they were also appointed the duty of keeping the residential district's (predominantly where their kinsmen resides) security and welfare. During times of emergency, they are obliged to sortie for defense. In short, that is how they organize non-Far East people here in Musashi. Right now, the knights have become Far East naturalized but, to show their cooperation and non-hostility towards the Testament Union, they used the system of feudalism and remained feudal knights. In other words, the same knights of medieval period. "

Jud., Adele agreed.

"The Far East is under disarmament status, but knights are a rare type that were allowed to wield weapons that were inherited from their ancestors because they gained cooperation with the Testament Union. ---The knights that were living in Musashi, are not court nobles under the protection of nation's military, but feudal knights who vowed to protect its citizen."

However,

"Now that we have discussed the obligation of the knight in Musashi, why does a knight, who is supposed to protect its citizen, wants to fight someone they are supposed to protect?"

Adele inquired, in response, Toori answered.

"That was one bloody explanation, but to summarize what Neshinbara and Adele said... Basically, Nate's a higher rank than us, but she also has a duty of protecting us, right?"

"Eh? Ah, Jud. Well, Mitotsudaira-san is a knight after all. "

Hearing Adele's answer, Toori nodded his head twice. And with a bright smile he said,

"Then that means, he has a reason for facing us. If we can manage to clear that reason, she will join us."

Toori straightened his back, and deepened his smile. Everyone looked at him, but Toori didn't look back at everyone, instead he faced Nate. He said,

"That's a relief. It will be problematic if Nate has to become our enemy."

From Toori's word, everyone opened their mouth as if to say something, but

"......."

Everyone remained silent. Toori on the other hand faced Adele and said,

"Adele, how many knights are in high school?"

"...Only Mitotsudaira-san."

Adele, made a troubled face,

"There are a total of 31 knights in Musashi but most of them are elderly, elementary or middle schoolers. Once we graduate, there will be a 4-year period of absence of knights. Compared to knights, we thegns are significant in number. There are like 6 thegns that are high school students."

I see, Tenzou, Asama, Ulquiaga, Naruze and Night all nodded together.

"A rare character, huh..."

"Umm, I think those 5 people are sufficiently rare as well."

"No, speaking of really rare..."

Everyone directed their attention towards the end of Asama's gaze ---towards inside the school building where Persona-kun, Itoken, Nenji were all drinking a cup of Hassan's curry.

"Mmm! This is quite good, Hassan-kun! I am so glad to be Musashi's citizen!"

"Indeed. There is no complete satisfaction than living a life full of curry."

"I'm also the one who welcomes this kind of pleasure as an ordinary citizen."

"..........."

Everyone cast off their gaze at the four. They started whispering to each other.

"I wonder how Persona-kun drinks that? Don't his mask get in the way? And don't ya think it would be rather fitting if we call him Helm-kun instead?"

"Nai-chan thinks, looking at Nenji-kun after gulping curry, doesn't he look like a vomit-filled-uirou?"

"Margot! Apologize to the citizens of Nagoya! And you know, Nenji-kun will always look like that regardless of whatever he eats."

"Hey you two, why are you two doing the job of digressing topic in my place? Don't take away my character!"

Toori said, and started rolling on the ground. As he stared at the sailing clouds, he resumed,

"So in other nations, the knights had became power-hungry aristocrat, while here in Musashi, they are the same as the old knights. However, Musashi's knights are fighting its supposed-to-protect citizens. Why is that? Something bothers me... At any rate, we should choose now who is going to be Nate's opponent."

"...That's the big problem. Who will it be? -de gozaru."

"All the conditions had been laid on the table. What's left is someone to volunteer for it."

Toori grinned, and said,

"---We'll have Nate do some reflecting."

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