Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 19 - Chapter 3

The Magical Kingdom of Folsaria

Saturday, September 18th

A few days after Crimson was captured, a careful plan was hatched to move her to Folsaria. The majority of the preparations actually fell on Folsaria—or Rainbow Heart, more specifically—concerning her imprisonment. There were all sorts of safeguards that had to be put in place to receive a leader of Darkness Rainbow.

As for the move, Yurika was put in charge of the operation. As a local operative of Rainbow Heart, it only made sense that they would assign her the responsibility of handling things since she was already involved. And as such, she was currently in the middle of a meeting with the transportation team from Folsaria at the safehouse.

“Koutarou, do you really think we’ll be okay with Yurika in charge?”

Sanae-chan stopped packing her backpack and cast an anxious look over at the busy Yurika. While Rainbow Heart saw her as an archwizard, Sanae-chan only saw her as Yurika... which was precisely why she was worried about her being put in a leadership role.

“D-Don’t say that, Sanae-chan! That’s rude!”

Sanae-san, however, reprimanded her for that. Sanae-san was Sanae’s more mature personality that had developed when her soul and body were split, but both she and Sanae-chan were still Sanae in the end... meaning Sanae-san was actually also concerned about Yurika being in charge.

“Don’t worry. At times like this, Yurika will be fine.”

However, Koutarou didn’t seem the slightest bit apprehensive about it. He knew they could count on Yurika because she always came through when it mattered. He’d seen it firsthand plenty of times already.

“That’s not the face you should be making when you say things are gonna be fine.”

Though Koutarou wasn’t worried about Yurika, something seemed to be bothering him. Sanae-chan, who was sticking out of her body, could sense it clearly.

“Um, Sanae-chan... I don’t think Koutarou-san likes this kind of situations where Yurika has to get serious.”

“Huh... That’s heavy stuff, Koutarou.”

“...It’s not like it’s just Yurika.”

It was true; Koutarou was unhappy that any of the girls had to be doing this. Since moving Crimson would be dangerous, he as well as the nine invaders and a team from Rainbow Heart would be escorting her. Everyone knew what they were getting into was serious business, and no one was their usual cheerful self because of it.

“So Koutarou’s just worried about us...”

Having realized why Koutarou was acting this way, Sanae-chan smiled and happily flew over to him. Sanae-san was happy too of course, but her emotions showed differently—she was blushing slightly.

“It’s not that I’m worried. I know how strong you all are.”

“So you just don’t like us fighting?”

“No, I really don’t.”

Koutarou no longer had any intention of hiding that. He loved seeing the girls smiling and enjoying their everyday lives, and he hated anything that tore them away from that.

“So you’d rather go alone, huh?”

“Well, yeah... But I know that’s not possible.”

“Is it because you think you’re weak, Koutarou-san?”

“Yeah. In the end, it all comes down to that.”

Koutarou nodded and looked to Sanae-san with a bitter smile. She’d hit the nail on the head. If Koutarou were strong enough, the girls wouldn’t have to fight. That said, all the strength he did have came from them. He knew he couldn’t protect anyone by his own power alone, and that bothered him.

“Then let me tell you something wonderful,” Sanae-chan interjected, circling around Koutarou.

“Hmm?”

When Koutarou looked up, he saw a huge smile on Sanae-chan’s face.

“Playing pretend heroes is fun because it’s pretend.”

This was Sanae’s way of cheering him up. Sanae-chan and Sanae-san might express themselves differently, but they were ultimately of the same mind.

“Real heroes have it rough,” Sanae-san echoed.

“Playing pretend heroes is great because you can always stop. You can always just go home... Kabutonga couldn’t do that, could he?”

If there were real heroes in the world, their families would be under constant attack by the bad guys. That’s why heroes always had to hide their identities or leave their loved ones. Kabutonga, who Sanae-chan had brought up as an example, had no family because it was safer that way. Since he was completely alone, he didn’t have to worry about losing anyone. In that sense, he wasn’t all that much different from modern-day special agents.

But Koutarou was different. He had a home and a family. His loved ones—and their countless smiles—would always be awaiting his return. But they too had already been dragged into this conflict. He couldn’t just leave them behind. And Koutarou wasn’t some masked superhero; the enemy already knew his face. It would be pointless to try and hide his identity now. So with no other recourse, he and his loved ones only had one option. There was safety in numbers. They needed to rely on each other. They could work together, and with their combined strength, they would overcome.

In other words, Koutarou wasn’t a hero.

He could only dream of playing pretend. Dream of a world where heroes could safely clock out and go home to their families without worry. Of course, real villains would never let that happen.

“So you’re saying I’m just trying to play pretend hero? You two are pretty harsh...”

Koutarou smiled wryly. He thought they were right on the money. He’d only wanted the fanciful, convenient parts of being a hero without all the baggage and worry.

“Besides, didn’t I tell you before? If you leave me behind again, I’ll put you in a scorpion deathlock. So take me with you everywhere. Out of love, of course,” Sanae-chan said with a boastful smile.

“The same as we share our happiness, we should share our pain. We’re not playing pretend friendship...” Sanae-san said, folding her hands over her heart.

Seeing the both of them this way, Koutarou felt the tension leave his shoulders. Changing gears cold was difficult, but he knew they were right.

“Thanks, you two.”

Thanks to them, the grim seriousness on Koutarou’s face faded. Seeing that, the two Sanaes merged into one and leaned in towards him.

“You can thank me with lots of head pats.”

When it came to head pats, Sanae thought it was more convenient to be one person.

“Okay, okay.”

“Spoil me more.”

The same was true for hugs. Not satisfied with just being pat on the head, Sanae wrapped her arms around Koutarou and embraced him.

“I’m always in your debt, Lady Sanae.”

“I know, heeehee. Now do it again, even more intense and passionate for Sanae-san!”

“Okay, okay.”

“U-Um, I’m sorry, Koutarou-san...”

“It’s fine.”

Koutarou hugged Sanae with one arm and patted her head with the other. He realized that she’d probably been feeling anxious too.

That anxiety was perfectly natural considering the situation. It really had nothing to do with Yurika being in charge; it was because moving Crimson would be dangerous. Making it from the safehouse in Kisshouharukaze City to the passage leading to Folsaria would be no problem with Blue Knight, but after that... They were headed into unfamiliar territory and there was a good chance they’d be attacked by the enemy. They’d been briefed on everything they needed to know about the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria, but there were still uneasy. So much so that it trumped any apprehensions they had about Yurika’s leadership.

“Veltlion, there doesn’t seem to be any disconnect here.”

“Which means it really does lead to a different world, huh?”

“So it would seem. Really, anything goes with magic, doesn’t it...?”

The passage leading to the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria lay in the less populated suburbs of Kisshouharukaze City. It was a permanent portal made from powerful magic, and as long as permission was granted, anyone could use it to travel back and forth between Folsaria and Kisshouharukaze City. Since permanent passages like these were often targeted for their strategic value, both Rainbow Heart and Darkness Rainbow preferred setting them up in out-of-the-way locations.

The portal led directly to Folsaria much the same way Theia’s gate in room 106 led directly to Blue Knight. There was one major difference, however. The target destination could be seen through the portal. Using Blue Knight’s transfer gate was like walking through a glowing green wall, but there was nothing like that with a portal. It was sort of like a magical door that was always open, meaning you could easily see what was on the other side. It also meant you could have something running through it—like cables, for example. It was quite unlike Forthorthian gates in that regard, leaving Clan particularly enthralled with it.

“By the way, Clan-san, why are you putting a cable through the portal?”

Shizuka watched Clan working with her head cocked to the side. She couldn’t understand why Clan, who was always wireless, now suddenly needed a cable for something.

“Radio waves and gravitational waves won’t reach a mystical world that might as well be another dimension, so I’m pulling a cable through so we can have a relay station on the Folsarian side.”

As she explained, Clan held up a metallic box. It was a homemade relay device with all manner of cables and circuits visible, and it was what she would be using in Folsaria to keep them connected to their technology in Kisshouharukaze City.

“Oh, I get it. It’s like one of those thingies you can buy that helps you get a better signal for your cellphone when you’re underground or out in the country or whatever.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Technologically, it was out of Shizuka’s league, but she got the idea. She then began helping Clan with her work.

“So we only need to connect this box and this cable, right?”

“Go ahead and plug it in if you would, Shizuka.”

“Okay.”

Clan was setting up a relay station because she was quite certain they would eventually be attacked. In other words, because she was feeling uneasy. It wasn’t just her and Sanae, either. All the other girls felt the same way. Kiriha, for example...

“If this place is attacked, Theia-dono and the others will be at a severe disadvantage, so make sure you work together with the Rainbow Heart operatives to keep it safe. If something goes wrong, contact me.”

“Understood, Kiriha-sama! We will protect this place with our lives.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Kiriha had brought a group of her subordinates with her. Their mission was to protect the portal and relay station. If they failed, they would lose their connection to Theia and Clan’s ships, and a good deal of their firepower along with it. They were bringing equipment and weapons with them to Folsaria in the event of an emergency, but they wouldn’t be able to use their usual flashy attacks. So in order to stay in top shape, protecting the portal and relay station was a vital mission.

Kiriha had also left additional troops stationed at the apartment. Rainbow Heart was lending aid as well, and several magical girls from other regions would be rendezvousing there. With their combined forces, room 106 should be well protected while Koutarou and company were gone.

Harumi, meanwhile, was worried about something else altogether.

“By the way, Maki-san, will you really be all right going to Rainbow Heart’s base?”

She was worried about Maki’s wellbeing because of her status as a former member of Darkness Rainbow. She had no idea what things would be like in Folsaria for her. Concerned for her friend, Harumi leaned over and whispered to Maki so that the Rainbow Heart agents around couldn’t hear.

“I’ll be okay. It seems like the negotiations went well. Besides, this collar is working out in my favor. But thank you for worrying about me, Sakuraba-san,” Maki whispered back to her with a smile.

“I’m glad...”

Hearing that, Harumi looked relieved.

In reality, they had already come to an agreement with the higher-ups of Rainbow Heart. While it was true that Maki had been part of Darkness Rainbow, she would be receiving immunity in exchange for her cooperation with Rainbow Heart. Mostly, they wanted Maki’s talent and information. Moreover, the collar she wore made them feel better about trusting her. Koutarou and the others knew that there was no way Maki would betray them, but they needed a guarantee for other people to believe it. That guarantee was the collar, which was supposed to keep her in line.

Officially, Maki was a captive in Yurika’s care, and as long as she continued to cooperate, she would be allowed to go free when this was all over. In order to keep her status as the former Dark Navy from affecting Folsarian morale, however, that was being mostly kept under wraps for now. As a result, none of the Rainbow Heart team felt any hostility towards Maki. If anything, they were more suspicious of Theia and Kiriha.

“Your Highness, it’s about time.”

“Very well... Men, are you prepared?”

Hearing Ruth’s report, Theia stood up and looked around. She was already wearing her Combat Dress. This time, however, she didn’t have the heavy-duty firepower accessory Assault Red equipped. Since there was a chance they might end up losing the relay station, she’d chosen Command Green instead.

As its name suggested, Command Green was a commander’s best friend. It would improve her ability to lead by assisting with things like intelligence gathering. In exchange, it was outfitted with weapons that consumed less energy and ammunition. It would be the optimal equipment in the event her connection to Blue Knight was severed. Theia was thinking ahead. She wasn’t about to underestimate her enemy.

“It seems everyone is ready, then.”

Ruth confirmed that all preparations had been complete, and switched her own armor over from standby to cruise mode. She was wearing a powered suit much like Koutarou’s, but hers had a focus on defense rather than offense and made it easier for her to control her automatic weaponry. In other words, it was the perfect match for her. It would keep her safe whether she entered the fray with her beam swords or hung back to operate automated weaponry.

“Good. Now, Yurika, brief us before we leave.”

“Okay.”

Yurika stepped to the front of the group at Theia’s request. In addition to Koutarou and the other invaders, there were also Rainbow Heart agents and Kiriha’s subordinates present. All told, it was a couple dozen people. And Yurika boldly stood before them without even flinching.

“Our mission today is to transfer the captive leader of Darkness Rainbow, Dark Crimson, to Rainbow Heart’s base in Folsaria,” she said in an unfaltering voice.

She wasn’t showing any sign at all of her usual meekness or nervousness. As a result, even though she looked the same as always, she gave off a completely different impression. This was Yurika, archwizard of Rainbow Heart.

“However, don’t think of this as a normal transport mission. The success or failure of this operation will affect the outcome of the battle ahead. Don’t take it lightly.”

Yurika continued with her briefing. And at least for now, she really and truly looked like a leader. Seeing it, however, Koutarou couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

I know people’s lives are on the line, so this is how it has to be, but... it really doesn’t suit Yurika...

Considering the importance of the mission, Yurika taking charge and keeping it together was a good thing. But Yurika simply wasn’t cut out for this line of work. She was playing her part right now because she had to. Really, she was forcing herself. That’s why Koutarou wanted to help her and end this as quickly as possible. He wanted Rainbow Yurika to be able to go back to being regular old Nijino Yurika. So one way or another, Yurika’s briefing did a good job of motivating everyone.

“...Prepare for difficulty at every turn. Don’t let your guard down, even when you near the finish line. Don’t give up when faced with hardship. Work together with your allies to overcome and complete the mission, please... and thank you all. Now, let’s begin the mission! I wish everyone the best of luck!”

Once Yurika’s briefing came to an end, everyone moved simultaneously. They all understood their roles and knew what they had to do. In order to protect the lives of many, now was the time to act.

Folsaria’s sky was a little greener than Earth’s. The atmosphere was different, and there were all kinds of plants Koutarou and the others had never seen before. They truly felt like they’d walked into a different world the moment they stepped through the portal.

“So this is the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria...”

Koutarou surveyed the area. They were surrounded by dense forest, and were standing in front of a stone building erected in a glade. This was where the portal was kept on the Folsarian side.

What is this? I feel like I’ve seen something like this building before...

To most of the group, the building was just as unfamiliar as their surroundings. But Koutarou felt a sense of deja vu when he saw it and cocked his head quizzically. He’d never been to Folsaria before, but this was strangely familiar to him.

“This is interesting, Blue Knight.”

“What is?”

But before Koutarou could put his finger on it, Alunaya called out to him and he quickly put it out of his mind. Surely it just reminded him of something he’d seen in a movie.

“The density of mana here is far more concentrated than in your world.”

“Then does that mean my weight―?!” exclaimed Shizuka.

“It’s currently dropping rapidly.”

“All right!”

It seemed the differences in Folsaria weren’t just aesthetic. The natural mana here was thicker, and its abundance meant that magicians could recover their magic faster than in Kisshouharukaze City. Alunaya was feeling its effects already, and was quickly recovering the mana he’d spent in the battle with Darkness Rainbow the other day. At this rate, Shizuka would be back down to her ideal weight by the end of the day.

“Then will you be able to use some amazing spells?”

Koutarou was imagining a supercharged version of Alunaya’s plasma breath capable of incinerating just about anything.

“No, the potency of my magic won’t change. It’s similar to how you wouldn’t be able to drink more water just because you were sitting next to a lake.”

“I see...”

“Of course, since I don’t need to hold back, I might be able to use something a little stronger than normal.”

Alas, Koutarou’s imagination had gotten the better of him. Alunaya couldn’t cast or use anything more extraordinary than usual. The amount of mana one could manipulate depended on their skill as a magician, and that didn’t change between Folsaria and Earth. That said, the dense natural mana here would allow him to recover faster than normal, meaning that even though he couldn’t cast better spells, he could cast them more frequently.

“Who cares?! The important part is that my weight is returning to normal! Aah, if only we’d come here sooner!”

Shizuka’s current weight was roughly 98 kilograms and dropping. She wanted it back down into the forties, so this was a most celebratory development as far she was concerned.

“But... the denseness of the mana here is directly connected with people wanting to freely use magic.”

In contrast to the rejoicing Shizuka, Maki looked a little sad. The natural mana in Folsaria meant that a single magician could cast exponentially more spells here than they could on Earth. And that had been the cause of their misfortune.

Crimson laughed when she heard Maki’s lament. But that was about all she could do; she was currently bound physically by handcuffs and rope, and magically by several spells.

“Say what you want. This little country would have fallen into ruin even without magic. We needed it just to get by.”

The soil in Folsaria wasn’t very fertile, so the people were dependent on magic to survive. Because of that, status and income were directly affected by the strength of one’s magic. That inevitably created a disparity between those that could use magic and those that couldn’t. It also paved the way for the rise of people who were willing to abuse magic. In other words, the abundant mana and severe environment here in Folsaria had given rise to Darkness Rainbow.

“It doesn’t have to be like that anymore. The time to return power to the weak is coming.”

“I’m surprised you can say something like that when you can control so much mana yourself, Rainbow.”

Crimson objected to what Yurika said, but she obediently got into the vehicle that was waiting for them in front of the building. She knew that it was pointless to oppose with more than just words for now.

Cars were widespread even in the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria, although they were somewhat unique in design. Folsarian cars were modeled after Earth ones, but because Folsaria was rather behind in terms of technology, they largely relied on magic to work. Their engines were magical and they used mana as fuel.

In short, they used magic to make up for what they lacked in technology and other resources. As a result, Folsarian cars were about on par with Earth cars made several decades ago. But operating magically had its merits, too. Folsarian cars were quiet and pollution free. So while they didn’t work quite as well, they were much better for the environment.

Koutarou and company got in to some of these mysterious cars and headed for the capital of the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria, Thorthe. In all, they were divided between three vehicles. The lead car was carrying the strong and tough Shizuka, as well as Sanae and Clan who had the ability to detect danger. The middle car was carrying Crimson, as well as Maki to keep her in line and Theia to keep her restrained if need be. They also had the quick-witted Kiriha with them in case anything went wrong. The caboose was carrying the rest of the group—Koutarou and Harumi who worked as a team with Signaltin; Ruth who was in charge of information gathering; and their commander for this operation, Yurika. It was a rather balanced arrangement that would allow them to efficiently respond to all kinds of situations.

“It looks like we’ll reach the city safely at this rate.”

Harumi smiled in relief when she could see the capital on the horizon through the windshield. Their trip had passed uneventfully so far, and they were most of the way to Rainbow Heart’s base. It seemed highly unlikely that Darkness Rainbow would risk attacking now.

“It’s probably thanks to Kiriha-san’s plan,” Koutarou replied with a smile.

Kiriha had come up with a clever countermeasure to safeguard them from Green’s divination abilities. She sketched out several routes they might take to reach Rainbow Heart’s base, but didn’t decide on one. Instead, just as they were about to leave, Kiriha rolled a die to determine the route they’d take. As a result, the way they moved was essentially chosen at random, meaning all possible options would appear to Green with equal probability. That would make it impossible for her to know where they’d be ahead of time since the decision wasn’t made until the last minute.

That being the case, the most logical thing for Darkness Rainbow to do was find an ideal spot to lie in wait. With all else equal, an ambush would be their best shot at recapturing Crimson. Of course, that was if recapturing Crimson was their goal.

“We can’t let our guard down yet. The real danger is potentially up ahead.”

Unlike Koutarou and Harumi, Yurika wore a stiff expression. As they approached the city, the routes would slowly begin merging since there were only two ways to enter the city: the north and south gates. It would be an incredibly dangerous move when they were this close to Rainbow Heart’s base, but it wasn’t out of the question that Darkness Rainbow might still attack.

“You’re right. Sorry, Yurika.”

“I’m sorry, Yurika-san.”

“No, don’t be.”

Yurika didn’t blame Koutarou and Harumi for being hopeful. She shook her head and then turned to the window. The real question right now was if Darkness Rainbow was hiding somewhere out there.

If Yurika is being this cautious, Dark Green might avoid attacking... But if I tell Yurika that, that might inadvertently increase the odds of them attacking... This future forecast business really is a pain...

Koutarou turned to look out the window as well. They were getting closer and closer to the city by the minute. And once they finally pulled in, he overheard Theia radio Clan via her bracelet.

“...Clan, can you hear me?”

“What is it, Theiamillis-san?”

Neither one of them sounded like anything was wrong, so Koutarou listened in casually without worry.

“Could you take a look outside the car?”

“Outside...? Why?”

“Well... I was just thinking this cityscape looks a lot like Forthorthe’s.”

“What?”

Theia’s words got Clan’s attention. She’d been fixated on operating her scouting drones flying overhead, but suddenly looked up with great interest. Outside was the Folsarian capital of Thorthe.

“You’re right... But it’s more like the millennia-old ruins than anything modern.”

“So you think so too?”

“Yes. What an interesting coincidence.”

There, the conversation caught Koutarou’s attention as well.

Millennia-old ruins?

Since they’d only just entered the city, Koutarou hadn’t realized it yet, but he saw it as soon as Theia pointed it out. Looking at the buildings, they did indeed feel similar to the ones he’d seen in Forthorthe. But that wasn’t modern Forthorthe at all; it was Forthorthe two thousand years in the past.

Ah, so that’s why I felt like I’d seen it before...

He now realized why he’d gotten a sense of deja vu upon seeing that building when they’d exited the portal. Folsarian architecture was similar to what had been used in old Forthorthe, so he was reminded of the time he’d spent there.

“There are actually cities similar to this on Earth too,” remarked Kiriha.

“It’s possible similar styles arise under similar environmental conditions, Kii,” replied Clan.

“I’d like more originality in alien civilizations... How disappointing.”

However, Koutarou regarded the similarity as nothing more than a coincidence. It wasn’t like the buildings were identical, and they had far more pressing things on their minds for now. The transport mission to move Crimson still wasn’t over yet.

In the end, the attack Yurika had been on the lookout for never happened. They all reached their destination without incident.

Rainbow Heart had a total of eight facilities within the capital of Thorthe, all spread out to protect the city. They had seven bases, one for each color of magic, in a wide circle around their headquarters, which was next to the castle. At the center of the rainbow, it was quite true to Rainbow Heart’s name.

For now, Koutarou and company were headed to the Blue Tower. That was where they were taking Crimson. They couldn’t keep a dangerous terrorist like her right next to the palace, so she would be held in one of the outer bases.

The Blue Tower was the base for the Blue Magic Division, of which Yurika was the archwizard. That made her the highest-ranking magician there, so apart from the base commander, she was at the top of the totem pole. And it showed, for when she entered the base, people began saluting her one after another. It had embarrassed her in the past, but she walked with her head held high now. Her strong sense of purpose drove her forward, and her everyday concerns seemed very far away right now. Upon entering the tower’s audience hall, Yurika approached an old woman with a salute.

“Kaera-sama! Nijino Yurika reporting on the success of the Dark Crimson transport operation,” she declared.

“Good work, Rainbow,” the old woman replied as she returned her salute.

This was Kaera, the base commander. She was also a civil officer who held a position similar to that of an elder. There was an elder for each base, and the seven of them often held meetings. They were the supreme decision-making body in Folsaria, making Kaera a rare figure of authority.

“Well done on completing your mission.”

“It wasn’t me. It was all thanks to my friends and comrades.”

Yurika adored Kaera. She was always kind and had helped guide Yurika down the right path. Yurika loved her like her own grandmother.

“You have some wonderful friends, then.”

“Yes! But Kaera-sama... we’ll have to talk later. I still haven’t completely fulfilled my duties.”

“Ah, yes, of course. My apologies for sidetracking you.”

“Once I’m done, I will return to make my report.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Yurika loved Kaera, but she was unfortunately in no position to sit down and catch up with her. There was still work to be done—taking Crimson to her cell. So after one more salute, Yurika turned around and exited the hall.

“My, my. It seems Nana made the right decision after all...” Kaera muttered to herself as she watched Yurika go.

When Nana had first nominated Yurika to be her successor, Kaera had objected. No matter how much she liked Yurika, she wasn’t cut out for fighting. But nevertheless, it seemed things had worked out. Yurika was now boldly standing at the forefront of an important mission, leading a powerful group of allies she’d collected on her own. Seeing this rather unexpected result, Kaera felt like it was the coming of a new age.

“And that’s the Blue Knight, hmm?”

Next, Kaera’s eyes fell on Koutarou, who was walking next to Yurika. She’d already received a report on Yurika’s allies, and Koutarou had piqued her interest most of all. His appearance and fighting style were very similar to the Arbiter that appeared in the legends passed down amongst the elders.

“He’s certainly not the Arbiter himself, but a very similar knight has appeared to us just before the decisive battle against Darkness Rainbow... Surely this was meant to be...”

Kaera felt the gears of fate turning when she saw Koutarou and Yurika together. After all, a powerful magician stood at the Arbiter’s side in the legends as well. It gave her hope. Hope she desperately needed, because more than just Folsaria was at stake.