The Yamato Dominion
It was just past the peak of spring, when the blue of the sky was growing brighter by the day. The Republic of Elm received a message from the Yamato dominion stating that they wished to discuss the future of Elm’s prisoner Kaguya—one of the last survivors of the Yamato imperial family and the leader of the resistance movement trying to liberate Yamato.
Its contents were as follows:
Kaguya’s accusations are baseless, and there is no truth whatsoever to her claim that the empire oppresses the people of Yamato. The Yamato dominion government’s rule is just and fair, and we would like to demonstrate that fact to you. Instead of listening to Kaguya’s slander, we ask that Elm come to see how Yamato is doing with its own eyes.
In short, they were calling Kaguya a liar and inviting representatives from Elm to verify as much in person. The Elm provisional government had no reason to turn them down, so the Prodigies agreed immediately. Thus, Tsukasa and a group of other officials from the provisional administration got in Ringo Oohoshi’s off-road truck and headed down to the Yamato dominion.
“Ahhh… The breeze feels nice, that it does,” Aoi remarked in an elated tone with her head out a window, hair waving in the wind. “It poured for nearly a week, but the rain clouds parted on the very day of our departure. Surely this is a good omen, Tsukasa, m’lord.”
Tsukasa, who was sitting beside her and driving, nodded. “It really is. Even by truck, the trip to Yamato will take a while. The lack of asphalt in this world makes driving unpleasant under the best of conditions, but it would have been even worse if it were still raining. Of course, the precipitation has left the path in a sorry state, but—Ack!”
The truck’s frame shook, interrupting him. Because the ground was covered in puddles, it was difficult to see where the bumps in the terrain were. Tsukasa grimaced, having almost bitten his tongue, but Aoi didn’t seem particularly fazed.
“Ha-ha-ha. I am well acquainted with poor roads. These remind me of the ones Lady Keine and I traveled on back in the Middle East. That land was full of rocks and cliffs as far as the eye could see; that it was.”
“And sand, I imagine.”
“Indeed, and the heat waves were nigh unbearable. Our vehicles would get as hot as frying pans, and merely touching them would be enough to scald the skin. Compared to that, I daresay this is almost comfortable. The ride is pleasantly bumpy, and the wind is nice and warm… Why, it’s making me…a bit…drowsy…that it is…”
“I’m not enough of a stickler to say that it’s rude to doze off while riding shotgun, but if you’re going to take a nap, you should at least close the window first. Warm or not, you’re liable to catch a cold like that.”
“Zzz…”
“…Out like a light, huh?”
Tsukasa was impressed at how relaxed Aoi looked. Being able to sleep that soundly in a truck that bounced up and down every few seconds was no small feat. Such was to be expected of a Prodigy swordmaster who had fought on battlefields the world over.
However…Aoi Ichijou wasn’t some big, brawny man. She was a young woman—and one who could easily be described as beautiful. Tsukasa gave her a sidelong glance. In his opinion, she could have stood to pay a little more attention to the way other people saw her.
Even now, the vehicle’s shaking was causing her kimono to come loose, leaving her shoulders bare. Each time the truck jolted, the situation worsened. Before long, her robe seemed liable to fall all the way down to her breasts.
Aoi herself might not have minded, but it left Tsukasa with a lack of places to rest his gaze as the person sitting next to her.
“Ringo, would you mind reaching forward and putting a blanket on her? I don’t know how much good sleeping in here is going to do, but if anything happens in Yamato, her combat prowess will be our lifeline. Any rest she gets now may pay dividends later.”
“You…got it.”
Ringo pulled out a comforter from beneath her seat and draped it over Aoi in her unladylike state. Despite the constant jostling, Aoi continued peacefully snoozing away.
As Tsukasa watched out of the corner of his eye, he thought of a question. “By the way, Ringo, I know I asked you to come so I could get an engineer’s perspective on the state of Yamato’s soil and water quality, as well as its infrastructure, but are you sure you have everything necessary to do that? If there’s other tools or anything you need, make sure you speak up before we cross the border.”
Three years ago, Yamato was the site of a ferocious war, and much of its infrastructure had been damaged or destroyed. Checking to make sure it had been adequately mended and was back in good working order was an essential goal of their trip. However, Tsukasa and the others had left on fairly short notice.
It wouldn’t be odd for Ringo to be under-equipped. Tsukasa had inquired just to make sure, but Ringo shook her head no.
“I’m…all good. I gathered up…everything I thought I’d need…before we left.”
“I see you’re on top of things as always. I shouldn’t have even asked… Not long ago, there was a large-scale armed conflict in Yamato. If the empire left the destroyed infrastructure as is—and is letting it negatively impact the Yamato people’s quality of life—we need to know. I want you to be as thorough as possible in your inspections.”
“B-but…even if I have the tools… Will they really…let us do that research?”
According to Kaguya, the empire was oppressing the people of Yamato. If that was true, then the easiest way to prove it would be by examining how healthy the populace was and observing their living conditions. However, the Yamato government was unlikely to cooperate. They might try to sweep all the uncomfortable truths under the rug and only show the Prodigies places that fit their narrative. In Ringo’s mind, that seemed alarmingly likely.
However…
“I’ve certainly considered that prospect, but I don’t think we need to worry too much about that sort of ad hoc trickery,” Tsukasa stated.
“Why…not?”
“As much as politicians might think themselves invincible, it’s always harder to control the citizenry than they think.”
No matter how fiercely you ordered someone to smile, it was impossible to erase fear’s dark shadow from their face. Tsukasa had seen no shortage of those hollow, fake grins in his time as Japan’s prime minister. That was what made him so confident. The possibility that he might fail to spot a facade masking fright and revulsion hadn’t even crossed his mind.
“I won’t let them get away with any sort of flimsy deception. After all, they’re the ones who invited us to see things for ourselves. If they’re going to let me conduct an inspection, then that’s precisely what they will get. Don’t worry, though. I plan on handling all the negotiations myself, so don’t feel guilty about entrusting that part to me.”
“U-um, if I may…”
While Tsukasa and Ringo spoke, the girl sitting beside the genius inventor raised her hand timidly. Her blond hair and blue eyes set off her attractive complexion, but her most notable feature was her long, pointed ears. Indeed—it was the Prodigies’ friend and savior, Lyrule. Those beautiful eyes of hers wavered with uncertainty as she addressed Tsukasa.
“I understand why you asked Aoi and Ringo to come, but why me?”
“As I told you, I want you here as an ambassador of the Republic of Elm,” Tsukasa replied.
“B-but I’m just a simple country girl. I can’t be someone as important as an a-ambassador…”
“That’s not true at all. You’re one of the core members who’s been helping Elm fight for its independence since day one. You’re more than qualified to represent its provisional government. Furthermore, Elm is holding its inaugural elections, which means that the provisional government’s standing is questionable. Suppose the delegation we send to this negotiation is compromised solely of us inhuman ‘angels.’ In that case, Yamato’s government might turn around later and break any agreements we make, citing that, without any mortals, the concerned parties didn’t have proper representation.”
Having accords broken through questionable sophistry was par for the course when it came to international diplomacy. It was best to avoid giving the other side anything to work with.
“B-but…” Lyrule still wasn’t totally sold on Tsukasa’s explanation. “…If that’s the case, then surely Winona or Mayor Ulgar would be better…and more of an adult.”
“Absolutely not,” Tsukasa shot back.
“Why not?”
“To put it bluntly, they’re completely uncultured.”
“Th-that really was blunt!”
Tsukasa went on, not mincing his words in the slightest. “They can’t read and don’t know how to speak formally, and they have no interest in learning how. You certainly could try to teach them, but the moment you blinked, they’d run off chasing wild boars. There’s no way we could let someone like that be the public face of our nation. We’d look like idiots.”
A long, heavy sigh escaped Tsukasa’s lips. Since the very beginning, the villagers had been with the Prodigies, and Tsukasa had made efforts to cultivate them into more refined people. However, each of his attempts had concluded in bitter failure.
“Out of all the Elm villagers, the only ones qualified to be our ambassador are you and Elch, but Elch has his work with the Ministry of Finance to take care of, so I can’t put any more on his plate. And although Heiseraat and Archride joined the revolution partway through, they have the same issue as Elch. You’re the only person I can count on. Besides, we’ll be taking care of the inspections and negotiations. You can just sit back and enjoy your status as a representative.”
“Y-you make it sound so easy, but…” Despite the young man’s reassurances, Lyrule was still worried about a country girl like her being entrusted with such a meaningful title.
Hoping to placate her, Tsukasa offered another explanation.
“I promise, you really don’t need to think that hard about it. Honestly, the true reason I asked you to come along had less to do with filling the ambassador title and more to do with me wanting your help with something else.”
“Huh?”
There was something more important than being Elm’s ambassador? Lyrule looked at Tsukasa with a mix of surprise and confusion.
“Do you remember what happened to you back when Gustav attacked Dormundt with his war magic?”
“O-of course I do,” Lyrule answered with a big nod.
A strange woman’s voice had come out of nowhere and asked her to protect Tsukasa and the other Seven Heroes from Gustav’s war magic. Then, immediately afterward, she became able to use magic and hear the voices of spirits. The strange occurrence was still shrouded in mystery. However, there was no questioning the fact that it had changed Lyrule’s life in a big way. Forgetting it was impossible.
“…And while I don’t remember it myself, there was another strange event just like it in Castle Findolph, right? While I was passed out, I mean,” said Lyrule.
“Exactly.” Tsukasa nodded before continuing. “Based on the information and legends we found while looking for a way to return home, I’ve concluded that there’s a set of three rules that this world operates under.
“Rule 1: There existed some sort of threat to the world referred to as the evil dragon.
“Rule 2: There existed some sort of entity that opposed the evil dragon.
“Rule 3: There existed a group known as the Seven Heroes affiliated with the opposer that was called in from somewhere beyond.
“Of those, we’re the group from Rule 3, and our working theory is that the mysterious voice who keeps using you as a medium to contact us—that is to say, the being from Rule 2—might well be the entity that summoned us to this planet in the first place. Then, this Rule 2 being borrowed your voice and called us the Seven Heroes. Shinobu’s investigations have revealed that they’re the basis of the original Seven Luminaries’ religion that was once practiced across this continent. In other words, there’s an incredibly high chance that this entity from Rule 2 is related to the Seven Luminaries in some capacity.”
If it turned out that this minor tribe of elves was indeed a group of Seven Luminaries worshippers who had avoided the purge, then it stood to reason that the land of Yamato held a close connection to the being from Rule 2. As such…
“By entering Yamato, we might have a chance to make definitive contact with them. And given that all the previous times we’ve interacted have been through you, I suspect that there’s some quality you possess that makes you essential for contacting the entity.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. I requested that you join us as an ambassador so that we’ll know right away if the being contacts you. I don’t know why all our previous interactions with them have been so choppy and fragmented, but if we could hold a solid conversation, I suspect it could clear up a lot of our lingering questions.”
For example, the Prodigies could find out what precisely the evil dragon was. They could determine whether it was safe to ignore it and use Neuro’s power to go back to Earth. That enigmatic entity held all the answers the high schoolers sought.
“I’ve been mentioning a lot of theory and conjecture, and much of what I just said is speculative. However, if it turns out that these rules are literal and not just an allegory, then we can’t afford to ignore that Rule 1 implies that the entire planet is in danger. And we’re not going to take Neuro up on his offer until we get that all squared away. After all…this world is home to people we care about.”
“Tsukasa…”
“I need to find out if it’s really all right for us to achieve our goal through the method Neuro suggested, and I believe that getting in contact with the entity from Rule 2 is the best way to do that. I know how scary it must be to have a strange voice come and talk to you out of nowhere, but would you be willing to set that aside and help me?”
If all the Prodigies wanted was to get home no matter what, then it was as simple as asking Neuro for his help. Yet that’s not what they had done. Ensuring their friends were safe came first.
And because of that—
“Of course.”
—Lyrule had no reason to turn him down.
“I’m curious about who she is, too. And if the woman who spoke to me is the same person who summoned you all into this world, then she might know how to get you back, too.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”
“Oh, there’s no need to thank me… If this evil dragon truly exists, then we need to know about it as soon as possible. And also…I might have been surprised at first, but I don’t think the woman behind the voice is a bad person. I don’t know why I get that feeling, but I do.”
“I share the sentiment.”
When the entity spoke to Tsukasa through Lyrule, he hadn’t sensed any ill will from it. He may have had a few complaints about their turbulent summoning and the way he and the other Prodigies had nearly died when they first arrived here, but compared to Neuro, the enigmatic being had given a much better—
No, that’s enough.
Tsukasa ended that particular thought there. He didn’t have nearly enough information yet to know whether he could trust Neuro or the entity. Rendering judgment now would be jumping to conclusions. After admonishing himself for getting swayed by first impressions, Tsukasa gripped the steering wheel tightly—
“Hmm… Looks like we’re coming up on our destination.”
—and accelerated toward the towering checkpoint that came into view when they broke through the tree line.
The structure was made of white-lacquered walls and burnt timber. A watchtower sat atop its fortified aperture. This was the entrance that led from the imperial mainland to the Yamato dominion—the Rashomon Gate.
“Wh-what is that thing?!”
“Why’s that box moving all on its own?!”
“S-stop right there! Name yourselves!”
Trucks were far beyond anything this world had seen before. Whenever a native saw one, they had pretty much the same reaction. And the imperial soldiers guarding the Rashomon Gate were no exception. They flew into a panic and rushed toward the vehicle with weapons in hand.
Tsukasa got out on his own—
“Lower your weapons. We’re the ambassadors from the Republic of Elm. Surely you must have been informed that we’d be meeting the Yamato administrator here, no?”
—and spoke with the utmost calm and composure despite the spearheads leveled at him.
Upon hearing that, the middle-aged byuma, who looked to be the captain, recovered from his shock. His back straightened, he ordered his men to stow their arms, and he gave Tsukasa a salute.
“M-my deepest apologies…! I’ll call for the administrator at once, so if you wait a moment, you can—”
“Whoa, your carriage is just as freaky as they say.”
Midway through the captain’s sentence, a glib voice cut him off. When Tsukasa shifted his gaze to see who it was—
“Like, bruh, you forgot your horses (LOL).”
—he saw a dark-skinned hyuma emerge from inside the Rashomon Gate and stroll toward the truck. His lips hung in an easygoing grin, while his gaze wandered about listlessly. The gait he carried himself with could only be described as lackadaisical. Simply put, this man conducted himself quite flippantly. However, it was clear from his overcoat and ostentatious adornments that he held a high position in the empire.
Could it be?
As the thought crossed Tsukasa’s mind, the captain spoke up in surprise.
“M-Mr. Administrator. Weren’t you taking a nap?”
“I was, till y’all started yapping up a storm.”
After firing off a complaint, the man walked over to Tsukasa and introduced himself in the casual way that he seemed to do everything.
“Hey, hey, hey! The name’s Jade von Saint-Germain, and word on the street’s that I’m the administrator of the Yamato dominion. Whazzaaaaaap.”
It wasn’t the politest introduction ever, yet while Ringo and Lyrule had since followed Tsukasa out of the truck, Aoi was still snoozing in the front seat. Thus, Tsukasa was hardly in a position to criticize the other party’s conduct. With a smirk, he reached out for a handshake as he introduced his party.
“I’m Tsukasa, the angel of the Seven Luminaries entrusted with matters of state. The two behind me are Ringo, another of the Seven Luminaries’ angels, and Lyrule, an ambassador from the Republic of Elm. The one sleeping in the truck is Aoi, also an angel. We’re counting on your guidance to reach the dominion’s seat of government, Administrator Jade.”
Jade yawned, then replied with apparent disinterest, “Honestly, this is all kind of a pain in the ass, but I guess it’s my job, so I gotta… Huh?” The moment the man returned Tsukasa’s handshake, he spotted Lyrule and Ringo. His previously listless eyes lit up.
“…Is something the matter?” inquired Tsukasa.
“‘Is something the matter?’ ‘Is something the matter?’ My dude, my guy, my pal! Your party’s packed to the brim with hotties! Has Elm always been babeland? See, this is what I’m talkin’ about!”
““Uh…””
“Look, when I heard that a bunch of country randos started a rebellion, I figured they’d all be uggos. My motivation levels? Zero across the board. But if you’re telling me I get to play host to a buncha bombshells, then count me the hell in! Damn, I’m getting hyped already!”
Jade’s attitude had done a complete one-eighty. He strode past Tsukasa and approached the girls.
“Hello, hello, hello! What’s a guy gotta do to get your names?”
“…”
“Uh, um, I’m pretty sure…Tsukasa just told you them…”
“Ah yeah, my B. I got this disease thing—when anyone but a cute girl tells me something, it just goes in one ear and out the other. So I’m begging you here, give ’em to me one more time! I’m on my hands and knees!”
“A-all right, all right. I’m Lyrule, representing the Republic of Elm. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Lyrule! Lychee! Lycchi! Lycchi!”
“L-Lycchi?!”
“What a good-ass name! Whaddaya say, Lycchi? Wanna blow off the snoozefest negotiation stuff and take the Yamato grand tour instead? Act fast, and the offer comes good with a guide who knows everywhere that’s hip and happening in the whole dominion! Girl, I could use both hands, and I still wouldn’t have enough fingers to count all the choice watering holes I know, so you know I gotchu covered.”
“Um, that’s… I’m not…”
It was probably the first time in her life that Lyrule had been hit on so aggressively. As she gave him a stiff smile that did little to hide her discomfort, she shot pleading looks at Tsukasa. And as for Ringo, she had already taken refuge behind Lyrule and kept her gaze firmly fixed on the ground.
“We appreciate the kind offer, but I’m afraid we have to decline.” Unable to just sit and watch, Tsukasa placed a hand on Jade’s shoulder and lightly laid on the pressure to tell him to back off. “As appealing as such recreational activities sound, we have a more pressing matter to attend to—one that we came all the way to Yamato in order to address. I’m sure you can appreciate that, Administrator Jade.”
Thankfully, Jade got the message.
“My bad, my bad. Got carried away there.”
He took a couple of steps back to give Lyrule her personal space.
“Came on a bit strong for a first impression, huh? Sorry ’bout that. I guess playboy just kinda runs in my blood, but I figured it was my duty as an imperial gentleman to keep the ladies entertained. Feels like I didn’t bring the right energy into the room, though… Wait, hold up. Are you and the hotties, like, an item?”
““ !!””
Jade raised his pinkie as he asked, a gesture used in some parts to signal that one was talking about romance.
Lyrule’s and Ringo’s cheeks went bright red at the crass question.
“C’mon, dude, you gotta tell me this stuff sooner. I’ve got mad respect for the bro code, but I can be kinda slow on the uptake, y’feel me?”
“The girls and I don’t have that kind of relationship. We’re just good friends.” Tsukasa’s reply set Jade straight, informing him that he had misunderstood. However, he didn’t stop there. “As their friend, though, and as someone who knows them quite well, I should mention that Ringo and Lyrule don’t respond well to that aggressive style of conversation. The way I see it, you left them fairly frazzled. I appreciate how welcoming you’re being, but I ask that you take their feelings into account as well.”
When it came to telling people off, Tsukasa was nothing if not tactful.
“Gotcha! Consider it done!” Jade replied understandingly.
““Sigh…”” Lyrule’s and Ringo’s shoulders slumped a little as they watched the exchange.
Friends.
They knew that Tsukasa didn’t mean any harm by it. Yet both of them harbored feelings a little more passionate than acquaintanceship toward him, so hearing the young man deny Jade’s statement so flatly hurt a little. Unfortunately, someone noticed that.
“Huh? Did you two just get bummed out by that?” Jade whispered.
““!!!!””
At his inquiry, the girls choked back shrieks and nearly leaped out of their socks. That response was answer enough. Jade gave them a satisfied smile.
“Ah-haaah. So we’re talkin’ an unrequited love triangle sorta situation. I gotchu, I gotchu,” he said softly.
“Ack! Th-that’s not—,” Lyrule quietly tried to deny it, but there was no stopping Jade.
“Well, my dudettes, you came to the right man! Your guy, uh…what was his name, again? Right, right, Tsukasa. Plan is, while we head to the castle, I’m gonna spend that time thinkin’ up some sort of sweet way we can get everyone amped up so y’all can get close to your boy! Make sure you look forward to it, ’cause this party’s gonna be off the hook!”
“I-it’s fine! Y-you really don’t have to!”
“Don’t you worry about a thing! You got me at the helm, and lemme tell you, I can throw a party so litty it’ll turn a pair of shy country gals into regular party rockers! I am on this shit! I mean, c’mon, what sorta gentleman goes and abandons a couple of lovestruck girls in need?”
Jade flashed his pearly whites along with a big thumbs-up. Lyrule and Ringo went pale. They needed to stop him. Who knew what mayhem he was about to drag them into?
Unfortunately, fate was not on their side—
“Mr. Administrator, your horse is ready.”
“Sweet! All right, Elm gang, follow me!”
—as one of the soldiers chose that moment to bring Jade’s steed over and open the Rashomon Gate. It was time to go.
“Plan is: We’re makin’ a beeline straight for the castle. You sure you’re gonna be all right without any horses?”
Jade had seen the truck running earlier, but he asked just to be certain. Tsukasa replied with a nod.
“We’ll be fine. In fact, having horses would only slow us down.”
“F’real? Damn, that’s kinda nuts. Guess that means I’m free to gun it, huh?”
“Be my guest. However…” Tsukasa made his move. “…I do have one request.”
“Hit me.”
“The most direct route from here to the castle has us passing by three farming villages. I’d like to make a small detour to them.”
“What? Why? You tryin’ to get some tourism in? There’s nothing to see there but rice. And heck, this time of year, the rice hasn’t even grown yet.”
“I want to examine what sort of conditions your citizens are living in. Princess Kaguya told us that the people of Yamato were in immediate danger. As proponents of equality for all, we have an obligation to at least look into her claims. I hope you don’t mind.”
…!
Tsukasa was requesting an immediate stop that was not on the original itinerary, and Ringo immediately picked up on what he was after.
If the dominion government was indeed oppressing the people of Yamato as Kaguya claimed, they would have no choice but to deny the appeal. They may have insisted that “The Yamato dominion government’s rule is just and fair, and we would like to demonstrate that fact to you,” but they had likely only tidied up the places they expected the Elm delegation to observe.
Conversely, if Tsukasa’s request went through, it would enable him to glimpse Yamato citizens in their actual environment. No matter how Jade replied, it would provide significant insight into Yamato’s current situation. Of course, given what Kaguya had told Tsukasa, the odds of Jade agreeing seemed exceedingly unlikely.
“You got it. We’ll end up getting in a bit late, but if you wanna take the scenic route to check out the not-rice, then the scenic route it is.”
Huh?
That was how Ringo had gauged the situation, but Jade defied her expectations and readily agreed to Tsukasa’s surprise attack.
“…Thank you. Would you mind leading the way?”
“Roger that!!” Jade replied enthusiastically, then took off atop his horse.
In turn, Tsukasa told Ringo and Lyrule to get back in the truck. Ringo did as instructed. As she returned to her seat, she shook her head in puzzlement.
Why did Jade agree to our request so readily?
If Kaguya was right, and the Yamato citizens were in peril, then seeing them go about their days would make that fact painfully clear. The empire wouldn’t have time to conceal everything. It would leave them no recourse but to confess to Kaguya’s allegations. So why, then?
The question weighed heavy on Ringo’s mind. Later, when she saw Yamato for herself, her confusion only deepened.
To make a long story short, when Tsukasa’s group dropped by the three farming villages, the problems Kaguya described…were nowhere to be seen. The populace wasn’t living like kings, but nothing suggested that they were suffering, either.
Ringo diligently conducted surveys of the settlements’ soil and water quality and checked the status of their buildings and infrastructure, but it all appeared adequate. A common problem in situations like theirs was when the colonizers stole all the fertile land from the native people, but that didn’t seem to be the case here.
Furthermore, the infrastructure they relied on for their day-to-day lives, such as their bridges, waterwheels, and disaster-prevention facilities like dams, had all undergone regular maintenance. Those spots that had been damaged in the war three years prior had all been repaired.
There was no evidence that the dominion government was neglecting its people. In fact, it would be fair to say that they had it more fairly than those in the former Findolph domain.
Verdant expanses stretched as far as the eye could see, and the sounds of children playing happily echoed in the distance. The sight was downright tranquil. There was no gloom or doom anywhere. And that wasn’t just true of the scenery, either. The villagers’ hearts were just as unclouded.
“Huh? Destitute? The hell you talkin’ about?”
“And for that matter, who are you? Haven’t seen you ’round these parts before.”
“I mean, sure, we don’t live like aristocrats or anything.”
“But for us, what we’ve got here is plenty.”
“We got three squares, peaceful lives… What more could we want?”
“Yeah, and it’s all thanks to Lady Mayoi hashing out a fair deal with the empire.”
“Oh, without a doubt. Lady Mayoi has done so much for us.”
“She even opened up trade routes with Freyjagard, and now we’ve got access to all sorts of new stuff.”
“I gotta hand it to the empire. Their bread and their meat ain’t half bad. We didn’t get many goods from them during Emperor Gekkou’s reign, see. Compared to back then, I’d say we’re doing pretty good for ourselves.”
“Bread’s the best!”
While Ringo inspected the infrastructure, Tsukasa canvased the locals, inquiring about their lives and the treatment they were receiving at the hands of the dominion government. However, none he talked to—young and old, men and women alike—had any complaints about the dominion government or expressed any dissent.
It sounded like they held a lot of trust in and gratitude toward the current dominion lord, Princess Mayoi—Kaguya’s younger sister and the girl who helped bring Yamato down by aiding the empire in the war.
There was one person they did have some harsh things to say about, however.
“So in other words, the dire straits Princess Kaguya told us about don’t exist?” Tsukasa asked.
“Lady Kaguya, huh…”
“I don’t know what’s going through that head of hers, but I’m no fan of the way she throws baseless accusations around to try to pick a fight with Freyjagard after they’ve done so right by us.”
“Maybe she’s jealous of Lady Mayoi or something?”
“I dunno, but I like things nice and peaceful as they are now. If she wants to fight the empire, she should go off and do it on her own.”
“You can say that again. That woman needs to control herself.”
Not a single person Tsukasa surveyed sympathized with Kaguya and her resistance movement; most seemed to consider her a nuisance.
“…Tsukasa.”
After completing her survey of the infrastructure, Ringo called the young man over as he finished jotting down the locals’ comments in his notepad.
“Ah, Ringo. What’s the verdict?”
“The village…has been properly maintained…just like the last two. Flooding from the rain yesterday…brought down a bridge, but they’ve already…started repairing it.”
“Twenty-four hours, and they’ve already begun work? Impressive.”
“Yeah…” Ringo nodded…then gave Tsukasa a worried look. “Um, Tsukasa… Did Kaguya…say how exactly…they were being oppressed?”
“After our trip here was arranged, I actually asked her about that when I visited her to pick up a certain something.”
“No matter what I say, you will not believe me until you witness it for yourself. As such, I would send you into Yamato blind, so you might observe things as they truly are. For when you do, you, too, will realize what hath been wrought,” Kaguya had stated. And her comment was not without a valid point.
This was an issue that had far-reaching implications on international diplomacy. Tsukasa wasn’t about to do something as stupid as taking a single side of the story at face value. Kaguya understood that he would reserve final judgment until he’d seen the situation for himself, and with that being the case, anything she told him might just make him suspicious of her.
If Yamato really was visibly suffering, it didn’t make sense to risk earning his distrust when she could simply send him down there to see for himself.
However—
“Are they…really in danger?”
—after seeing Yamato’s present state, Ringo couldn’t help but harbor doubts.
“There is a possibility that Kaguya was lying to us,” Tsukasa replied.
“You…think so?”
“I asked around, and by the sound of it, the Yamato people are more bothered by the resistance movement itself than by anything the dominion government is doing. They think she’s damaging their relationship with the empire. In other words, Kaguya and her supporters have failed to earn the trust of the very people they say they’re trying to save. And that, in turn, limits their options.”
After all, guerrilla warfare only worked when you had support from the locals. The tactics involved required all sorts of resources, from fighters and arms to food and places of operation. Without help from the populace, you would be left with no way to obtain any of those necessities. Thus, Tsukasa had to assume the Yamato resistance forces were in a precarious spot.
“In order to salvage the situation, she might well have twisted and dramatized the truth to fit her narrative in an attempt to get the Seven Luminaries to act. It’s not unthinkable.”
“…”
Ringo understood what Tsukasa was saying…but she couldn’t bring herself to believe it. There was no proof to back up her conviction, but she understood that such a lie would crumble under the slightest scrutiny.
It wouldn’t make sense for Kaguya to do something as risky as crash the election announcement and let herself get arrested if all she was armed with was a weak fib. What’s more, since the moment Ringo had arrived in Yamato, she hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that something was off.
Pinpointing it proved challenging, yet when the shy young woman beheld the tranquil, rural landscape and the smiles of its residents…her heart grew uneasy.
As Ringo tried to sort through why she felt that way—
“I must say, though, I’m impressed.”
—Tsukasa spoke up from beside her.
“About…what?”
“Despite being left as a mere vassal state of the empire, the dominion government was able to earn the people’s trust and rapidly restore their quality of life in a period of fewer than three years. What kind of methods could they have employed to achieve such miraculous results? Strong leadership alone wouldn’t have been able to pull this off—they would have needed to work closely with the imperial government as well.”
That was quite a political marvel.
“As a fellow politician, I’m interested in finding out what kind of leader orchestrated all this.” Tsukasa’s voice rang with excitement.
“Yo, you ready to bounce soon? I wanna get to the castle before it gets dark,” Jade asked as he approached Tsukasa and Ringo, pressuring them.
Sure enough, the sun was well into its descent.
Yamato’s castle was its seat of government, and the dominion lord was expecting them there. It would be rude to keep them waiting any longer on account of Tsukasa’s sudden request.
As such—
“Sorry, of course. We’ll be all set to go in just a moment.”
—Tsukasa agreed readily. He and Ringo made their way back toward the truck where Lyrule and Aoi were waiting.
Suddenly, the villagers began letting out excited cries.
“Hmm?”
They were making such a fuss that Tsukasa, Ringo, and Jade couldn’t help but turn their heads to look.
That’s when they saw her. There was a young woman about their age dressed in a kimono and riding straight toward them on a horse.
“Hoo boy. Welp, here she comes.”
The moment Jade laid eyes on the girl, he let out an exasperated sigh. Atop her steed, she charged straight past Tsukasa and Ringo—
“My booooooo!!”
—then took a flying leap at Jade right out of the saddle.
“Gack!”
Petite as she was, the acceleration she’d built up meant that her body packed a serious wallop. As Jade let out a muffled moan, the young woman laid into him with tears in her eyes.
“You’re late! You promised you’d be back by, like, sundown, so what gives? Why’re you dillydallying all the way out here?! Oooh, I’m so mad I can’t even!”
Her voice was so shrill it caused collateral damage to all within earshot.
Tsukasa and Ringo knitted their brows at the aural assault, but Jade replied with a familiar tone. “Yeah, that’s totes my bad. Our guests wanted to take a detour, so I figured I’d be a good host and show ’em some hospitality. Service is my middle name, y’know.” He gently set the girl embracing him down on the ground as he apologized.
The girl’s pouty expression softened. “Oh, Jade… You’re too darn nice; that’s your problem. But that’s what I love about you.”
The pair exchanged a very public kiss.
Ringo and Tsukasa watched it all unfold in blank shock. The former’s face flushed red at the girl’s bold behavior, but Tsukasa was more distracted by her distinctive physical features—namely, her long ears. They were identical to Lyrule’s and Kaguya’s.
“Administrator Jade. Is she, by any chance…?”
Jade shrugged and gave Tsukasa a pained smile. “Yeah, basically. The plan was to have you guys officially meet her once we got to the castle, but here we are. C’mon, Mayo-Mayo. These peeps came all the way from Elm to see us, so give ’em a nice greeting, ’kay?”
“What’s popping?! I’m Mayoi, top biotch of the Yamato dominion. ☆ But also, like, Jade’s bae? I guess? Tee-hee. ☆ Anyhoo, sweet to meetcha. Like, totes!”
This outrageous young lady before them was Princess Mayoi, lord of the dominion and architect behind war-torn Yamato’s three years’ worth of restoration projects.
It was the same day that Tsukasa and the others left for the discussion in Yamato.
Once it was clear that the Elm national elections would be a battle between the Principles Party and the Reform Party, each side began publicly announcing their policies.
The Reform Party emphasized their relationship with the empire, and the measures they proposed were designed with a peaceful, amiable eye toward international relations.
In contrast, the Principles Party was ready to fight for the sake of equality for all, and they championed the necessity of a large-scale expansion of armaments and patriotic arrangements to help the people realize the pride they held as the world’s moral vanguards.
With Juno and Tetra commanding their respective groups, the two forces heatedly debated their stances all across Elm.
Each faction was utterly convinced that theirs was the side of justice. And they both saw themselves as people fit to guide the path of a nation.
That fact alone marked a significant victory for the People’s Revolution that the Prodigies started.
Unfortunately, a dark presence was budding in the shadow of their radiant zeal.
It was precisely the malice that followed in democracy’s wake that Tsukasa had mentioned in his conversation with Shinobu.
“Long live democracy.”
In the evening, while Tsukasa and Ringo met Mayoi over in Yamato, a man cloaked in a long robe approached a manor in the Gustav province. He stopped before the doorman and praised democracy. The doorman responded with a nod and opened the door.
Those words were the passphrase.
The man hurried inside, then jogged down the hallway. From there, he opened the door at the end of the corridor and entered.
In it, a group of dignified gentlemen was seated around a large round table with the light of dusk streaming down on them. One, an older, tough-looking bald man, spoke to the robed newcomer.
“Good work, Comrade Donitz. I trust it all went as planned?”
The man doffed his robe, revealing the gaunt face of the thirtysomething beneath it. His name was Morgan Donitz, and he was a Principles Party candidate running in the Archride domain who worked as an accountant for a local company.
Donitz replied with a spring in his step and excitement in his voice. “It did! Archride and Buchwald used to be in the Reformists’ pocket, but support is slowly shifting to the Principles Party! It went exactly like you said it would, Glaux!”
The announcement elicited cheers from the gentlemen around the table. As it turned out, it wasn’t just Donitz. Every person sitting there was a Principles Party candidate running in one of the many elections across Elm.
The bald old man from before narrowed his eyes with a grandfatherly look on his face. His plump white mustache quivered as he laughed. “Hoh-hoh-hoh. I told you, didn’t I? If you’re going to run, do it with the Principlists.”
“Yeah, you did. But how’d you know the Principles Party would end up on top?”
“Because nobody wants to treat someone they think they’re superior to as an equal,” Glaux explained.
After winning their independence from Freyjagard in an overwhelming fashion, the people of Elm had grown conceited and began thinking of themselves as better and more enlightened than the imperials. Many of them, the youth demographic in particular, thought it was ridiculous to consider the empire’s whims at all.
“Simply spouting off patriotic drivel gives them delusions of valor and grandeur more intoxicating than the strongest opium.”
Everyone would rather be a hero than a coward. Glaux knew that when it came to matters of publicly debating their platforms and philosophies, the Principles Party’s appeals to bravery and patriotism would naturally give them an edge. The gentlemen around the table applauded Glaux’s prescience.
However—
“B-but, Glaux… Are you sure it’s all right for us to be making such extreme guarantees about liberating Yamato and starting a holy war if Freyjagard resists? The Seven Luminaries gave us mighty weapons, but if the emperor’s main forces come back from abroad, won’t we just get crushed by their sheer numbers?”
—one of them expressed some doubts.
The campaign promises they were making to rile up would-be heroes were dangerous. Fulfilling them meant risking their lives. However, Glaux just scoffed at the dissenter’s concerns.
“Hoh-hoh-hoh. As if we would actually make good on those pledges.”
“What…?! The people will never forgive us…!”
Behind Glaux’s pleasant, grandfatherly smile, his eyes gleamed like a raptor’s as he spoke to the bewildered man.
“So? Why should we need their forgiveness?”
“Huh?”
“Campaign promises are just empty words meant to sway over fools—nothing more, nothing less.
“Once you win an election, you remain in power until the next election rolls around three years later.
“That means that for that entire period, it doesn’t matter if we honor our word or not. Either way, we’ll be protected by the fact that we were ‘chosen by the people.’ As long as we possess that shield, we’re free to drain Elm dry. Besides, even if war did happen to break out…it would be little more than an annoyance. Think about it. We wouldn’t be the ones doing the dying.”
“ !”
“No, that would be the pawns we send to the front lines. Our only task would be to move them about from the safety of the rearguard while sipping wine as we are now. Should the rabble start to demand someone’s head on a stake…we can serve that stupid woman up to them.”
Stupid woman.
Hearing the phrase brought sadistic smiles to the gentlemen’s lips. The one in question was none other than Tetra.
She may have been the Principles Party’s leader, but the men who employed the party to mask their true intentions thought of her as little more than a jester.
The sympathy she felt for the plight of Yamato and her desire to rescue them just as she had been were genuine. Yet as these men saw it, there were far better ways to use political power.
Embezzling funds. Receiving kickbacks. Writing legislation to make their corruption go more smoothly. The list went on and on.
“The election will be moving into its final stage soon. And word is that Tsukasa, the angel who’s been running the interim government, has gone off to Yamato. We need to strike while the iron is hot. It’s time to move the plan into immediate effect. By stirring up a wave of anti-imperial sentiment, we’ll drive the masses toward nationalist beliefs. With that, our victory will be unassailable.
“Hoh-hoh-hoh. Who could have dreamed that winning a few idiots over with platitudes would let us shape the nation and its laws to our will without having to expose ourselves to a shred of danger? I’ve never seen a more profitable business venture in my life. We owe the Seven Luminaries’ angels a great debt for making politics accessible to those like us.”
“You can say that again.”
“Yeah, for sure.”
“The future’s looking bright, gents! I’ll drink to that!”
“Long live democracy!”
“Hear, hear!”
“Hear, hear!”
The conspirators clinked their wine glasses together. Every face in the room bore a sickening smirk plastered across it. Although it was a gathering of people who might soon be responsible for leading the Republic of Elm, there was no concern for the future to be found there—only degeneracy and corruption.
It was precisely what Tsukasa had been worried about. One of the darker aspects of democracy was that anyone could get involved, no matter how incompetent or wicked they were. People would come out of the woodwork who had no pride, no ideals, and no sense of responsibility.
These types were only concerned with how a country’s power could be manipulated to line their pockets. These people were no statesmen—merely vultures.
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