CHAPTER 4
RULE NUMBER 10
CONVERGENCE
The Kingdom of Elkia. The capital, Elkia. Elkia Royal Castle. Another day with the monarch siblings sitting on the throne, busy with their games. But, today, there was one new face.
“—Why—why can’t I beat you assholes, please?!”
Thus shouting, tearing at her black hair, sitting in front of the throne, was a young animal-eared girl in traditional Japanese-style clothing: Izuna. In her hands was a DSP, the game system Sora and Shiro had brought from another world.
“Hah-hah-hah, these are games we brought from our world. We’ve even analyzed all the variables like a goddamn TASer; we’ve maxed ’em all out, literally. You think you can beat us that easily?”
“…Izzy, if this…discourages you…you’ve got, a long way…”
Sora and Shiro, laughing at her, had one side of their DSP in Shiro’s had as she sat in Sora’s lap, while Sora operated the other side, playing in the manner of a three-legged race. This situation necessitated by the fact that Sora and Shiro had each brought only one system from their old world. Though normally this would have been a handicap, for Sora and Shiro, it allowed them to show their full potential.
“Like hell I’m discouraged, please! Come on, one more time, please!”
“Sure thing. We’ll take you on as many times as you want, right, Shiro?”
“…Izzy…you rely, too much…on your eyes. You, gotta…read ahead…”
“Hey, Shiro, don’t spoil Izuna like that! That’s the kinda thing you gotta learn for yourself!”
Into the boisterous throne room burst a person of ghastly visage.
“So—So-So-So—Sora! They got us!”
—Steph had for the past few days been running around frantically, facilitating the incorporation of the continental domain into Elkia. As Steph flew in short of breath— hff, hff —Sora raised his eyes from his portable game.
“Oh, what is it, Steph?”
“Why are you all relaxed? They got us! The Eastern Union!”
Seeing Steph obviously out of sorts, Sora merely smiled thinly and spoke.
“So before the game, the Eastern Union pulled all their major personnel and technology out of their continental domain —did they?”
“…Uh huh…uh?”
…That was it exactly. Having been told exactly the news she was trying to convey, Steph froze. Yes—the Eastern Union had indeed, per the covenant, delivered to Immanity “everything on the continent.” However, now it had become clear that as of the start of the game, the Eastern Union had already taken the technology and machines that Immanity would need to make use of the land the Eastern Union had developed and utilized and moved them off the continent . Indeed, it did not infringe upon the covenant. Sora was the one who had demanded “everything on the continent,” and as such, anything not on the continent would not be included. But as Sora laughed even this off, Steph whispered.
“You—you knew?”
As usual, not taking his eyes off his game, he answered absently.
“Yeah, I mean— that’s why I said ‘everything on the continent,’ right?”
“—Wh-what do you mean? What are we supposed to do with this territory now?”
Then they’d only taken back the borders of the continental domain. They could barely do anything with the farms and other facilities that the Eastern Union had developed. It was true that the knowledge Sora and Shiro had brought from their world could address it, given enough time. But considering the food financing crisis Elkia faced, these resources definitely would have helped. But Sora mumbled shortly thereafter.
“Eh, don’t worry— the game’s not over .”
“Not—not over…?”
After going through that kind of hell, it was not over —? As Steph considered whether, depending on the meaning of his statement, it might be advisable to give him a good faint.
“…King Sora, may I have a moment?”
Yet another person appeared in the Presence Chamber. A traditionally-clad, aging, white-haired Werebeast—Ino Hatsuse.
“Oh, here you are; I was waiting for you.”
“It sounds as though you knew why I was here.”
“It’s not ‘as though’—I know . You’ve got a letter from the Eastern Union, right?”
“Y-yes…delivered using the fastest service…”
Sora opened the letter he was handed. It was written in Immanity. In contrast to Shiro, who studied it, Sora just glanced.
“Jibril.”
“I am here.”
Jibril answering Sora’s call by materializing out thin air to kneel before him.
“You can shift to the capital of the Eastern Union, right?”
“Yes, I can—but how did you know?”
As Jibril gaped, puzzled, an amused Sora continued without explanation.
“We got a call—straight from the Shrine Maiden, the agent plenipotentiary of the Eastern Union, so here we go.”
At Sora’s careless declaration, Ino and even Izuna, who had been playing a game, stopped their hands and stretched open their eyes.
“Th-the Holy Shrine Maiden—has summoned you?!”
“Yeah, what, is that, like, a big deal or something?”
“A big deal—?”
—The “Shrine Maiden.” The one whose true name no one knew, who had brought together the Eastern Union from a mere collection of countless island tribes. The one who had elevated them to the status of third-greatest country in the world in a mere half century, a god among beasts. She—had called upon them directly? But Jibril answered that with disbelief of an entirely different nature.
“It is what you should call a ‘big deal,’ Master. Now that the tables are turned and they have been cut off from their continental resources, for them to summon you is a ludicrous proposition. If they have business with you, good sense would dictate that they come themselves.”
At Jibril, beaming as she said this, Ino and Izuna thrust a glare. It spoke to the Shrine Maiden’s status among Werebeast. But Sora—
“Nah, see, they must be asking us ’cause they know we’ve got you, Jibril. In other words—they’ve got something so urgent they need us to come stat, get it?”
As Sora chuckled, Ino, hesitatingly, said once again.
“—It sounds as though you know why she calls.”
But Sora just flashed a smile, grabbed Shiro from his lap under his shoulder, stood, and ordered:
“Come, clutch onto Jibril and let us go! To the paradise of this world—the animal-girl empire!”
In answer to these words, Jibril spread her wings.
“Now—this will be a long-distance shift, ladies and gentlemen, so please hang on. Please sit up in your seats and fasten your seat belts securely. Should you experience nausea during the shift, unless you are one of my two masters, please take advantage of the compartments of your clothing. Ah, but Masters, please feel free to—”
“…Jibril, enough of that; come on, let’s go.”
Jibril displayed the array of knowledge she had acquired from Sora’s tablet, but Sora hurried her, fidgeting as if he couldn’t bear the siren’s song of the animal-eared kingdom.
“Please forgive me, Master. A long-distance shift such as this requires some preparation.”
With this, Jibril opened her wings wider. Her geometric halo increased the speed of its revolution dramatically, and her palely sparkling feathers clearly emitted light. Everything started to warp as if in a heat haze—and space began to fold.
“—!”
“This—can’t…!”
Izuna and Ino each used their hands not touching Jibril to cover an ear against the torment. Sora and the other Immanities, unable to sense magic at all, felt suffocated, as if the air had been compressed. It was beyond their ability to know how it felt to the Werebeasts, whose senses were sharp enough to pick up magic. But if someone who could clearly use magic—say Fi had been here, then probably…
…she’d faint from all the spirits that conglomerated and surrounded them. And then Jibril, her amber eyes open slightly—clearly not looking here but someplace far away —said:
“With that, ladies and gentlemen, we will be on our way to Kannagari, capital of the Eastern Union—landing in the Inner Garden of the Central Division of the Shrine.”
Upon Jibril’s casual declaration that she’d jump right into the heart of the Shrine, Ino—
“Distance: 4,527.21 kilometers. Time to destination: 0.023 seconds. It is expected that for the two Werebeasts onboard, it will be an exceedingly uncomfortable flight, so please relax and enjoy the trip.”
—there was no chance to speak. As as a sound like glass shattering assailed their ears, like photos in a slide show—
—their surroundings flipped.
“Agh…”
Holding his head which ached slightly, perhaps a side effect of the long-distance shift, Sora looked around.
—It was a place somehow reminiscent of the Japanese gardens of their old world. Wooden buildings suggesting Southeast Asia enclosing them. All that lit them under the black sky was reddish lamplight. Jibril had apparently jumped right into the middle of the Shrine, but the shrine grounds must have been extensive for just barely visible beyond the structures and fences surrounding them was what appeared to be a city. Countless high-rise buildings, emitting the red flickering of paper lanterns. Trees blocked the light to create a pattern of irregular black contrast that swept across the scene.
“Oh, I get it. It’s a different time zone.”
Sora realized, a little late, that it was night.
“—What’s this?”
Then something caught his eye: Izuna and Ino, keeled over on the ground. Shiro and Steph, also holding their slightly aching heads, imitated Sora as they looked around. Jibril stood with her hands together before her, as if to convey wordlessly to her lords, We have arrived.
“…Hey, Jibril, what’s up with Izuna and Ino?”
“As I mentioned, I expect that the trip was remarkably uncomfortable for the Werebeasts, with their fine senses. Perhaps what we are seeing is the effect of hearing the super-ultra-high frequencies created when a hole is opened in space .”
“…Hmm, I’m glad we as a race are just dense enough not to get how nuts you are.”
Holding his ears, Ino stood up with a pained face that suggested a swollen blood vessel.
“What are you, a disaster on wings?! Use some common sense in mocking the laws of physics, you antique bitch! And then you barge right into our Maiden’s Holy Shrine without authorization! Just how far do you intend to screw with us, you little shit?!”
Sora chastised the screaming Ino, while secretly thinking to himself, “Is that something you want to word as a question?”
“Old man, keep a lid on it. I mean, cool it. It’s just—”
Though thoroughly disgusted by Ino’s outburst, Sora quickly changed his tune when Izuna painfully muttered moments later:
“…This blows, please… I wanna barf, please.”
“Jibril, think of Izzy! What are you doing to one of the world’s greatest treasures?!”
“Ah, I do apologize, Master! Frankly, those other than my masters never even entered my consideration! I repent!”
Ignoring this commotion, Shiro and Steph took in their surroundings.
“…This, is…the Eastern Union?”
“Quite old buildings for such an advanced civilization. With that sort of an embassy, I thought—”
Jibril answered their mumblings.
“This Shrine itself was built 920 years ago. If you exit, you will find a number of fascinating buildings which include high-rises such as the embassy. As I can best gather from the tablet, to put it in terms of my masters’ world—what we have here is the culture of the 1900s.”
Sora called up the knowledge from his memory. When he’d seen the embassy of the Eastern Union in Elkia, his first impression had been of something akin to the Empire State Building, which was built probably sometime around 1930, and that it was representative of their architectural state of the art.
“…And yet they have perfect VR in their games. Shit.”
“Now then, Master, though this may remind you of your world, you must remember it is a different civilization.”
Unable to accept the fantasy elements, the groaning Sora went on.
“Hang on, Jibril. You sure know a lot here. From books?”
“That is one factor, but also I’ve flown over the Eastern Union many times.”
To Jibril as she declared this with a smile, Ino shouted as if still holding a grudge.
“How many times must I tell you it’s a violation of our airspace ?!”
“I beg your pardon, sir, but if you intend to make such declarations, I suggest that first you develop flight technology so that you can reasonably claim control of the airspace. I might also add that, considering that we have been summoned by the Holy Shrine Maiden (lol), it hardly strikes me a violation. If it were, then surely the Covenants would disable its execution?”
“Hey, you greasy pigeon! There was clearly an insinuation in the way you mentioned the Holy Shrine Maiden just now! Why don’t you—”
As the bickering continued, suddenly from out of the darkness:
“…Oh, my. Aren’t you all having a jolly old time. Might I be included?”
— Ring. Soft like a bell drifted in the dulcet tones of old Kyoto, stilling the group’s exchange.
—How long had she been there? A bewitchingly golden girl sat on the railing of a red bridge over a garden pond. Wearing the kind of garb expected of a shrine maiden, woven of the three colors of white, red, and black, a golden…two-tailed fox. In the garden lit only by the moon and the vermillion lamplight, the long hair and ears that asserted that she was a Werebeast glistened all the more strongly. Her eyes, which were like gold itself—full of inorganic light, reflected images of Sora and Shiro.
“You from Elkia, who have come from beyond the sea, welcome to the light of the spirit of the moon—O king and queen of people . I’m the lady of this garden—heh, the one they call the Shrine Maiden. A pleasure.”
The Shrine Maiden, smiling disarmingly with her cheek supported by her forearm. This was the agent plenipotentiary of the Eastern Union—practically speaking, the queen of Werebeasts. At the sight of her, Izuna and Ino promptly got down on the ground and lowered their heads.
“O-o Holy Shrine Maiden, I beg you to forgive our gross misconduct. Having allowed the continent to be taken, even our selves to be taken, and ultimately this outrage, I know nothing I can say or do—”
“W-we’re real sorry, please…”
“I-Izuna! Talk in Werebeast, not Immanity! Who do you think you’re talking—?”
“Ah dear, how tiresome. Relax. I’ll be exhausted ere too long.”
As the two Werebeasts deferred with all their might, Sora regardless stood proud as ever.
“Woo, you’re the Shrine Maiden? Man, you look the part. Hey, hey, can I get a pic?”
—But how could her beauty be captured with a cell phone camera? Sora cursed himself for not bringing a DSLR. Meanwhile, a panicked Steph stammeringly attempted to upbraid him.
“H-hey, this is an ultra-important foreign dignitary here! Mind a few manners, would you!”
But the siblings and Jibril all gaped at the kneeling Steph blankly.
“Huh, why? Isn’t the host the one who has to lower her head?”
As Shiro and Jibril nodded to indicate perfect agreement with Sora’s interpretation of the etiquette of the situation, Steph held her head from a pain that was clearly not the result of teleportation. Seemingly without paying much notice to this exchange, the Shrine Maiden pleasantly and courteously capitulated.
“You certainly are an amusing lot… Well, ’tis true I was the one who called upon you. I suppose I should be greeting you properly on my knees with my head low—
“—but when I’ve called you to complain, can you understand how bowing my head might be difficult?”
“Oh? I can’t really remember doing anything to give you cause for complaint.”
In contrast to Ino and Steph, who wanted to scream How dare you? , the Shrine Maiden merely countered in a tone reminiscent of wind chimes.
“Aye… Well then, shall I put it to you straight?”
Her golden eyes, narrowed by her smile, were narrowed for another reason as well.
“You’ve really done it now , you hairless monkeys.”
The Shrine Maiden delivered this insult without even compromising either her grace or refinement, prompting in Sora an ironic smile.
“Ha-ha, so they did. Nice, Elf. You guys work faster than I thought.”
Those who understood what he meant were Sora, Shiro, and Jibril. And Izuna—who had been filled in later, probably alone. At the bewildered Ino and Steph, the Shrine Maiden only sighed as if laughing.
“Well, I imagine you know by now, but without the continent, we can’t do anything. We’ve got to get it back if it costs us our lives. If we don’t, our administration and finance will be in shambles. Even so, to mount a challenge from our side—Eh, you know it’s no good. And another thing—”
Grinning frivolously, Sora finished her words.
“Just in case, you moved your core technology and engineers, key staff and vital materials off the continent.”
—Yes. As if in answer to Steph’s gaze, wondering how he knew, Sora explained.
“That’s what anyone with half a brain would do first if someone demanded the whole continental domain. For insurance.”
With a little chuckle and a nod, the Shrine Maiden continued.
“There can be no value in land you can’t steer, so Elkia has to come challenge us to another game if they want the tech to use it. You’ve got no choice. The rest is simple: You fall into our hands and get your rump pounded, roasted, and served.”
—In other words, they’d bring them into a game where no monitoring could enter, a game full of all the cheats they wanted, and finish them off for sure. But…the Shrine Maiden finished, cheek in hand, with a cloudy grin that said, “You got us.”
“—But you knew I’d figure that, didn’t you?”
“Of course. I mean, that’s what I do.”
“Aye…that you would use so little time so well…”
The Shrine Maiden sighed.
“That you had the forethought while we were pulling our important materials off the continent to make contact with Elf—and to expose our game through a spy…to use Elven Gard to lay siege to the Eastern Union, good heavens.”
“Sorry, we’re starving bums with no time to spare.”
“Wha—”
Ino stood dumbfounded. But let’s go ahead and say it—this wasn’t the time to be going dumb.
“—Righto, but I saw that coming, too, you know?”
Now it was the Shrine Maiden’s turn to stare back at Sora smugly.
“Never mind that I took you yourselves for agents of Elven Gard.”
“Guess you would. Definitely more sensible than believing someone who says they’re from another world.”
“Aye, it’s a sensible idea. Indeed, getting hung up on it must’ve been what led to my downfall.”
With a heh , the Shrine Maiden closed her eyes and turned her face to the sky.
“—So when Avant Heim showed up, that was the end for us.”
Now this was the appropriate moment—Ino went dumb and shifted his gaze. Jibril, her eyes also closed, stood wordlessly as if in awe of her master’s stratagem. Gulp , swallowed Ino. Just when—when in the world had he fallen into this trap? But judging by the Shrine Maiden’s account, Sora had had it all set up from the beginning . Which meant… By the time he’d come to Ino, he’d already—(This is a battle of wits between one who intends to swallow up the world and one who’s built the third-largest country in half a century…) Ino shivered.
—Yes, Jibril was on the Council of Eighteen Wings—a member of Avant Heim’s government. Though she might have been excluded from her seat having become Sora’s property, that didn’t remove her clout. All they had to do was ask her to give Flügel this simple message:
—“We’ve uncovered the Eastern Union’s secret. If you want their knowledge, we’ll tell you how to beat them.” As for the rest, knowing those knowledge-thirsty Flügel, the result—didn’t need to be spelled out.
As if cross she’d been outwitted, the Shrine Maiden dangled her legs with a pouty smile. Bonking her wooden sandals against the bridge railing, the golden fox spoke sulkily.
“Elven Gard, Avant Heim. And Elkia… Under siege by so many nations with their shields together, our game exposed plain as daylight—no struggle can save us from this… Ah, dear me.”
She quit her repetitive clomping, kicking off lightly from the bridge railing upon which she sat.
“…As such—”
That one movement was enough to instantly close the distance between Sora’s group and the golden fox. With those inscrutable eyes of hers, she peered into Sora’s.
“The Eastern Union, as of now—challenges Elkia to an immediate reprisal.”
“Wha—?!”
Ino doubted his ears while Izuna kept her eyes downcast. As far as Ino knew, the Eastern Union had no way to take the offensive. Even if they did, their opponent—was Sora and Shiro. Who had defeated Flügel. Who had legitimately defeated the Eastern Union at their own games. The Werebeasts were hardly in a position to initiate a challenge against those two at all, even assuming that there was the slightest chance of victory—But the Shrine Maiden continued, her expression a mask of resolve as if she were well aware of the circumstances.
“This is the man who’s blocked off our escape, eh? Now that our hand’s open, we can’t even defend anymore. It’s only a matter of time before he concocts all manner of tricks to create a situation in which we have no choice but to ask for a game.”
“…Just like you did to Elf and Flügel—Now you’re trapped.”
The Shrine Maiden laughing mirthlessly as Sora grinned from ear to ear.
“Shall I be frank? Of the three countries we now face, the only one we still have a chance at beating is Immanity—Elkia.”
Even that mirthless laugh fading—
“And you have the bait of our assets and technology. We must reclaim what you took so our country can stand. Else we’ll be in the gutter, poised for destruction… Shall I say it again, lad?
“You really did it now, you hairless monkeys— we won’t die without a fight, I’ll have you know .”
From the Shrine Maiden, glaring daggers at Sora as if to stab him to death, there was no longer any tone of conviviality. Only an extraordinary determination—to kill—radiating toward the man before her.
— If we’re going to die, we’re taking you scum with us! —At this lethal mood pervading the very air, Ino’s spine froze. The Eastern Union. The third-largest country in the world. A race a full two ranks above Immanity. (This man immobilized us in a single move?!)
—At this unbelievable scenario, his hair stood on end. The plotting that transcended wisdom. The calculation like a devil’s. The malice, the hostility the Shrine Maiden exuded. Though such thoughts were impertinent, disgraceful—still, Ino could only see it now as futile clambering. The Shrine Maiden, the living legend, who had built up the world’s third-greatest nation in only half a century. Now everything she had created was poised to crumble—at a single move by a mere pair of Immanities. But bearing her gaze head-on, Sora opened his mouth.
“Oh that, that… That’s the part I don’t get…”
Words that took the air, swelled like a balloon, and deflated the tension in an instant.
“Why should I destroy this awesomest-in-the-world animal-eared paradise?!”
Dumbstruck at these words: Ino, Steph, and—the Shrine Maiden herself.
“This is animal-girls we’re talking about! Here we’ve got a buttload of super-cute furries, and to top it off, a hot golden fox shrine maiden! D00d, the very fact you exist is a cheat!! What kind of failsauce would that be if I were to destroy this worldly treasure?! Losing Werebeast would be a loss for the world…for culture! What the hell is even wrong with that asshat Tet for not putting you on a protected species list?!”
. The surrounding atmosphere suddenly devoid of all hostility. Ino, Steph—and even the Shrine Maiden—could only stare in shock.
“So with that in mind—what was it, ‘reprisal,’ you said? Sure thing, let’s do it.”
With these words, Sora took out—a coin.
“Even I’m tired of playing all those complex diplomatic games by now. Let’s just get this over with, shall we?”
The game he suggested with the coin—was clear.
“I’ll toss the coin. You call heads or tails before it falls. I’ll take the other side. If I win, the Eastern Union’s gonna be annexed into Elkia. What do you think?”
Sora showed both sides of the coin as he spoke.
“I’m the one who declared the reprisal. You’re the ones who get to decide the game… But a coin toss, really?”
“What, you got a problem?”
At Sora’s dismissive smile, the Shrine Maiden raised a voice and a grin.
“—Nah, it’s fine.”
—Why wait?
“…Tails, lad.”
The recoil from having exceeded her limits barraged her body at the same time as she recalled her bloodbreak. This wasn’t a game world as with Izuna; it was a bloodbreak in reality. Just as the name indicated. It would break her blood—in some cases even take her life with the power it cost. If she used that and still lost…
(—A right ass I’d be. ’Twould be a droll jest if aught.) The coin, arcing gently, beginning to fall.
—If it was tails, the Shrine Maiden would win. If it was heads, foul play would be proven, and Sora would lose. All she’d have to do was present the evidence, and then Sora shouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning. Opening eyes clouded by the recoil from her bloodbreak, taking care not to miss the moment of falsehood. And as the coin turned gracefully—
—it fell toward the stone pavement, hit the stone, and—
— stayed . Wedged between the stones—on end.
……
……What?
“Oh my God, does this mean it’s a draw?! Like, holy shit, amirite?!”
At Sora’s insincere query, everyone but Ino, Steph, and the Shrine Maiden—even Izuna, who until that moment had had her head downcast—let out a smile.
“Whoa, man. If the coin stands , does it mean we both win or we both lose?”
Theatrically, Sora put his hand to his chin and acted as if thinking as he asked.
“If we both win—it means both of our demands go through, so then…? You come under Elkia’s umbrella, yet Werebeast gets guaranteed rights, continued self-governance, and a share in the continental resources…so it’s like…
“The Eastern Union becomes part of the ‘Commonwealth’ of Elkia, right? ? ”
As Sora blithely proposed a multiracial national federation , the Shrine Maiden found herself at a loss for words.
—The Shrine Maiden knew. That Sora knew that the stone he was standing on could move and stood there intentionally. Tossing the coin so that just before it fell—he could shift his weight upon the stone a bit and let the coin fall into the gap. A blatantly—practically insultingly—obvious “impropriety.” By the Ten Covenants, an impropriety discovered meant a loss. All the Shrine Maiden had to do was point it out, and she would win. But a question that assailed the Shrine Maiden prevented her from making the point—
“My—my dear…you… Aren’t you giving me more than I sought?!”
…Yes, were she to accept the “win-win” Sora had presented, the Shrine Maiden would walk away with more than she’d asked while Sora’s benefit from his demand would fade. However one looked at it, he was cheating to the Shrine Maiden’s—to the Eastern Union’s—advantage.
—For that reason, the Shrine Maiden couldn’t easily point out his duplicity. She had to figure out Sora’s true motive—but the king of Immanity just continued playfully.
“Uhh, so you’re saying a girl probably lording it over the Eastern Union, a smart chick so über-hot she’s like the alpha and the omega, still won’t frickin’ listen ? So now she’s got the clumsy-girl status, too, making her basically a moe goddess?!”
—Won’t…frickin’…listen? Had she, out of the entire assemblage, missed something? The Shrine Maiden widened her eyes, reviewed everything that had led up to the present. And immediately these words caught. This is animal-girls we’re talking about?! Here we’ve got a buttload of super-cute furries , and to top it off, a hot golden fox shrine maiden. D00d, the very fact you exist is a cheat —
—“So, with that in mind”—
“…You…were always…?”
“Huh, what’s this now? I mean, you want it to be win-win? Or you want it to be lose-lose? Which do you prefer? ”
Sora twisted his body frivolously and put the question to the gaping Shrine Maiden.
(…He really… He really had me dancing to his tune from start to finish… I see now.) The Shrine Maiden, muttering silently—found herself out of options. In all likelihood, no one would ask why by this point, but the Shrine Maiden chuckled to herself and thought. (It…goes without sayin’…) If these people— came to win for real …her confidence she could win was nonexistent.
“…You dirty knave… Let’s say it’s win-win, then.”
Smiling thusly, she sat down on a nearby rock out of the exhaustion from the bloodbreak, and she clutched her belly.
“Heh-heh, hee-hee-hee! You really…you really amuse me! You wags! Eh-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
What a joke, what a joke of a game. What a joke of a trick! What a farce of a fraud! These rascals who’d wagged the Eastern Union, wagged Werebeast—wagged me! Good Lord! They’d taken her so sweepingly, all the Shrine Maiden could do was laugh. Even her doubtful Can I really trust these folks? —had flown. If this had been Sora’s aim from the very beginning, his true purpose —was plain to see.
—That is. (This chap doesn’t even—want the Werebeast Piece.) That could mean…only one thing.
This man—truly intended to take on the God. And that was why he realized.
—A Race Piece…was not to be taken —
And, thereupon—with the fullest of smiles, Sora stretched grandly.
“Mmmmm! So basically, we become the ‘Commonwealth of Elkia.’ Can I take it we’re good ?”
Having come this far, still—with a face that said he’d give the Shrine Maiden a special shocking jack-in-the-box—Sora spoke.
“You know Elven Gard? We used the Covenants to alter their informant’s memories before she reported . Elven Gard’s—heard the Eastern Union’s game wrong.”
“Wha—…?”
With that, Sora stuck up his thumb and stuck out his tongue, and with an expression that alleviated all the tension a funny face could, he casually uttered something unbelievable.
“So—I’m—saying, when those d00ds come for you, lead ’em on— and then kick their asses . ? Might even help you out if you give me a call… Hit me up; we’ll separate those fools from their territory, yeah?”
—At this point, finally, Steph and Ino understood. The true reason Chlammy and Fi— had had to be there . To study the Eastern Union for foul play, to bluff that they had the Eastern Union on its knees, and furthermore—to undermine.
(—Even this, was part—of the game?) What crossed Steph’s mind was a resounding “yes,” as she recalled Sora’s assertion before coming here that “the game’s not over.”
“Oh, and Avant Heim, that was just something Jibril instigated using her clout. The nation itself doesn’t have any ill will toward the Eastern Union. Anyway, we’re in the countdown before Avant Heim falls under Elkia’s umbrella, so you can just ignore them… Anyhoo—”
Sora, having successfully baffled everyone gathered there, firing off one incredible utterance after the other, finally let out one big breath so as to move on.
“—And ? so! We’re good, right? This wraps it all up, right? Right?”
Steph could not help but comment on the manner is which her master fidgeted at this last line.
“Wh—why you so nervous?”
It was as if she’d triggered a land mine.
“Whaat?! Why the hell do you think I went through all this tedious bullshit?!”
Like a broken dam, Sora poured out his heart.
“I did it all so I’d get to pet animal-girls ! I can’t take it anymore! Shrine Maiden!”
“Uh, eh, what?”
“It is time you allow us to pet you!”
“…Pet you—!”
Sora and Shiro scrutinized the Shrine Maiden with steel in their eyes. Still, she responded with a very kind smile.
“While you may pet me as you like by mutual consent, long as you do no harm— I’ll pass .”
“You—what?!”
“You should have thrown in the unconditional right to pet me with that coin toss… Now if you wish to pet me, you’ll have to take me on again?”
As the Shrine Maiden grinned ear to ear, crossing her legs on the crag, Sora asked hastily:
“—Y-yo, Jibril, what time is it now?!”
“Sir—let’s see… It is around eight o’clock.”
…Crap! If he started playing the Shrine Maiden again now, there wouldn’t be time!
“Damn, we have no choice! Let’s hit the town and pet some animal-girls, Shiro!”
“…Golden…sparkly fox…fluffy…!”
Nghh , Shiro reached out her hands for the Shrine Maiden as Sora dragged the reluctant girl away.
“Fear not, Shiro, this is not a surrender! We shall return in order to discuss self-government within the Commonwealth and other bor—sorry, important matters! Prepare—to have your ears and tail petted, Holy Shrine Maiden!!”
Sora made this declaration with a finger smashed toward the Shrine Maiden, apparently convinced. Shiro’s eyes glinted keenly as she followed Sora’s lead in bashing out a finger.
“…Get, ready, bitch… We’ll, fluff you up…!”
Picking up Shiro and running, Sora called over his shoulder by way of an aside.
“Oh, Steph, we’re not coming back to Elkia until we’re satisfied, so take care of the country for us!”
“Huh?”
Sora and Shiro noisily dashed away at full speed, yelling chaotically. Jibril followed uninstinctively, and Steph panicked and chased after them.
“Wai—! This must be a joke, some sort of jest! I’m already dying working to incorporate the continental domain, so surely you don’t mean to dump the entire task of establishing an unprecedented multiracial commonwealth on me! Do you?!”
And so—the calm after the storm enveloped the garden. Izuna flicked her gaze restlessly after the departed tempest called Sora and Shiro as they faded into the distance. Composing herself once more, the Shrine Maiden broke the silence with her voice like bells.
“…Ino Hatsuse, Izuna Hatsuse.”
“Y-yes, Your Holiness!”
“What do you want, please?”
“I said, Izuna, how dare you!”
“Now that both our demands have gone through—your possession has been released.”
—Yes, the guarantee of the rights of Werebeast . Now that Sora had taken that on, the two were no longer the property of Elkia. However—
“—As the Shrine Maiden, agent plenipotentiary of Werebeast, I command you. Go with them.”
“Understood, please!”
No sooner had the Shrine Maiden issued her orders than Izuna was tilting full speed after Sora and Shiro without asking for further explanation. Meanwhile…Ino wondered: was she telling them to spy ?
“Learn as much as you can from that amusing lot. ‘The way of the weak’ and all. Also…”
The precaution slid from the Shrine Maiden’s lips informed mirthfully from her heart.
“Mind you don’t make enemies of those two.”
—Just as Sora and Shiro had promised, they would no doubt return in the coming days to flesh out the details of the “Commonwealth.” And certainly, they would challenge her to settle issues by means of the Covenants. And almost as certainly—she would lose. The Shrine Maiden considered this with something approaching conviction…and a chuckle.
“I’ve never felt so glad someone wasn’t my enemy. These folks truly—”
And with a face that seemed to speak to something more fun than she’d ever experienced in her life. With a gaze full of giddy anticipation. Watching the backs of Sora and company as they left, the Shrine Maiden spoke:
“—might take down Tet himself, you know?”
The street was lined with architecture that to Sora and Shiro felt a mite old-fashioned, nostalgic. The neighborhood lit in lantern scarlet, in fantastic neon.
“…King Sora.”
“Huh?! Don’t tell me you’re gonna get in the way of our petting spree, old fart.”
Ino caught up with Sora and Shiro a step faster than Izuna. At the sight of the two promptly setting about molesting a bunny-girl, he momentarily fumbled for words.
“…Your swiftness inspires awe, sir, but have you obtained proper consent?”
“Hnh? Oh, yeah. I don’t know what the deal is, but all Izuna has to do is tell all the girls around, ‘These assholes are damn good at petting, please,’ and they all just let us pet them. I wonder why?”
Watching a rabbit-eared Werebeast let out a Hffmmm , Ino thought—
—that he knew the reason. No one ever before had had the petting skills to make Izuna sigh aloud . This was a famous anecdote at large within the Eastern Union. If Izuna said they were good—
“…Well, there is just one thing that puzzles me.”
Wary of the idea of telling them this, Ino went about his original question.
“Okay, sure, make it quick. We’re in a hurry here!”
To Sora, who answered without stopping the gliding of his hands, Ino continued.
“…If the Holy Shrine Maiden hadn’t challenged you —what did you plan to do?”
—That was the one unresolved question still hanging on the old Werebeast’s mind. However cornered they might have been, he couldn’t fathom the Shrine Maiden initiating a challenge so easily.
— Learn as much as you can from that amusing lot. ‘The way of the weak’ and all. Through the back of Ino’s mind flitted the Shrine Maiden’s words. Indeed, he had been shown that “way so no one would die” that Sora had confided to Izuna. However, Ino was neither so unskilled that he could accept such improbable perspicuity blindly nor, unfortunately, so skilled as the Shrine Maiden, who could see the Immanity’s true purpose completely. But Sora answered his question casually.
“In that case—we probably would have rolled out our extraspecial ultimate troll.”
Namely—
“—We would have actually told Elven Gard and Avant Heim the details of the game.”
—At this revelation, Ino couldn’t hide his wince.
“We’ve got Chlammy in Elven Gard and Jibril in Avant Heim. We just tell them, ‘Give it to us,’ and we’ll probably get it back . That said, it would cause some significant damage to the Eastern Union, so we didn’t want to do it that way.”
Plus—he continued…
“—The Shrine Maiden could probably see that coming , and that’s why she got on board.”
—Yes, to the Shrine Maiden, who had supposed Sora and Shiro to be agents of Elven Gard, that must have seemed the worst conceivable outcome. And that was why, before that happened , she’d have to grab the territory to fight back…or she’d be trapped, she must have figured.
“Hey, Gramps, you know what ‘checkmate’ means?
“It’s not like shogi where you only say ‘check’ as a warning—‘checkmate’ is an announcement you’ve won.”
Forming a humongous smile that drained the blood from one’s face…
“When I met you for the first time, I told you that anything you did would be useless, didn’t I ?”
Through the back of Ino’s mind flitted Sora’s prediction that day he bet the Immanity Piece.
“I said—‘check mate .’”
—Yes, by that day. Everything was already over.
(—O Holy Shrine Maiden, do you tell me to trust this man?) It could indeed be said that this Immanity made a decision to our benefit. But to be outstripped so easily, so spectacularly—(Does it not mean…that we may be stabbed in the back at any time…?) While Ino was thus preoccupied with doubt, Sora changed up the pace and dropped his serious face, saying to the bunny-girl he’d been stroking the whole time:
“Welll then, I hate to say it, but it’s time I go look for a place to sleep tonight!”
“…See you, later…bunny- chan …”
And so Sora, casting a sidelong glance at the bunny-girl strolling away while looking back at Sora and Shiro as if she really hated to go, turned his attention to the matter at hand.
“Okay, Izzy, for now we gotta set up our fort. You know where we can stay around here?”
“…? Why don’t you just stay at my place, dumbass, please?”
“…The sleepover, event…woot…”
“Izuna’s house must be loaded with games! Amirite?!”
“No shit, please. So you’ll take me on, please?”
“Of course! So first, let’s play games all night, and then in the morning, let’s go back into town! Oh, Izzy…if this country has video games, does that mean there’s also porn—?”
“…Brother…”
“What! What possible problem could there be with me playing them secretly?”
As the three bickered, one who’d been observing from a slight remove now wove her way through Jibril and Ino—
“I—I finally caught up to you! Y-you two…just what do you think it’s like to have a country with no—”
Though the first in pursuit, Steph had been left in the dust by everyone, only now breathlessly catching up.
“Jibril! Take Steph and fly to Elkia! Then come back!”
“As you wish.”
Jibril grabbed Steph’s shoulder lightly. Steph, certain she’d be able to resist the Flügel taking her by force, paled.
“Oh, take Gramps while you’re at it! It would probably be tough for Steph alone.”
This time it was Ino’s face that paled.
“Wha—? D-do you mean I shall have to endure that noise again?!”
“Excuse me, but that’s not even the issue! Hey—what—this must be a joke…this—”
“Well then, you two, I shall escort you to the Elkia Royal Castle!”
Jibril made her exodus, leaving only this “tweet” in her wake and the wind that stirred filling the void created by the sudden absence of large masses. This breeze hitting him, Sora sighed— Hff —and muttered as if truly tired.
“…God’s not gonna smite us for taking a little break, is He?”
Shiro nodded in agreement. Oookay , Sora prepped himself.
“So, why don’t we enjoy the animal-eared paradise for a bit?!”
……Steph and Ino, deposited within the Elkia Royal Castle.
…With too many different things to think about, Steph abandoned thinking about anything. In the back of her mind, Sora’s words surfaced.
“No one will die… Just a game .”
Chewing over statements that in the past had made her doubt the man’s sanity, Steph perceived a glimpse of something radical at the edge of her consciousness. If you conquered this world… They must have been misunderstanding something. Having seen the Eastern Union swallowed up without any actual damage, she considered.
—Could it be, of all things, that they intend to take over the world bloodlessly . To bring all the races— into a single harmony against the God ?
…The Tenth of the Ten Covenants.
—Let’s all have fun together!—
“Th-that piece of shit—! No, the man who ordered her, too—! Next time you show your face, you’d better be ready, asshole!”
Glancing a Ino beside her, writhing and holding his ears, Steph muttered softly.
“…You’ll get used to it.”
Apparently finding some kind of special meaning or comfort in Steph’s reassurances, Ino followed the girl’s lead in slumping to the castle floor, remarking:
“We have our work cut out for us, don’t we, Miss Stephanie?”
“…That we do, and that we shall, Mr. Ino.”
No one knew that at that very time and place, the Society for Victims of Sora and Shiro was in the midst of being quietly established…
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