[Part 4/4]
Others don't understand. Unlike him, those less fortunate, who have faced shame and envy due to their positions, he knows they are here. At least, he believes that he doesn't hold any grudges or feelings of revenge against his Tribe or clan... if anything, this might have been driven by ambition. A dream that suddenly rolled in, driven by ambitions. Desires that couldn't be satisfied by mere gears. It was a dream that would've been considered impossible. Yet, in this situation, it seemed he had been quite naive.
"Well, things have taken an unexpected turn..."
The death of the Ezo princess on the way. That was supposed to be the key. Using a young pup to willingly lure her out, then having fellow tribesmen who were entrusted with searching for her dispose of her. It was all a staged act.
Creating a rift between the Imperial Court and the White Dog Clan, exposing the fallen god-beast hidden by the princess at an opportune moment. It was meant to sow seeds of doubt and mistrust, causing supporters to rebel amid the chaos, which would be triggered by external forces. Joining forces with dissidents from the Northern region to repel the punitive force in the advantageous mountain range. ...All of it fell apart due to the abduction of the princess.
"At this rate, is it a plot orchestrated by the Imperial Court. huh...? They've gone to great lengths. Thanks to them, everything has fallen apart."
He believed that this was a scheme to bait out dissidents, using the princess as bait. In the worst case, even talks of marriage might have been part of the setup. But the abduction of the princess... that was something they hadn't anticipated. If they had just found a body, it would've been one thing, but she had simply disappeared. And that led to the Imperial Court's investigation, which would eventually expose the manipulation in this city of Shiromoku. That fear had made them deviate from their plans.
They had prepared forces for the upcoming rebellion, assassins to take care of the kidnappers once they found the princess. They couldn't afford to look like they were aiming for her directly. To distract, they had unleashed monsters in various places. The princess's death at the hands of youkai due to the Imperial Court's incompetence... from the Imperial Court's perspective, she had gone missing and been kidnapped, only to be killed by youkai. The conflict between the two sides would surely intensify. Ideally, they wanted to weaken the army stationed in the strategic city during the main rebellion.
But now, everything seemed likely to fail. It was treacherous.
"A dream that won't be fulfilled... No, it's not over yet...!!"
Tomono turned his gaze to the two figures approaching him. They were likely hiding monstrous faces beneath their hoods, his fellow tribesmen turned into minions through the ingestion of the bat god's fluids. Despite their appearances, they retained a degree of intelligence and reasoning, alongside their monstrous strength, and they waited for his instructions.
"Is it just you two left?"
The response was an animalistic growl. An affirmative answer. Then came a distant rumble. The sound of flesh tearing, trees breaking, and the ground being gouged... it seemed the assassins sent after them were causing quite a commotion. Their forces were being rapidly diminished. Yet, fleeing in fear was not an option.
"Since he's the keystone of the barrier, there's no way to escape. We have to take him down right here if we want to stand a chance at making a comeback. You understand, right?"
The two figures, or rather, the two beasts, nodded in response to his question.
"Very well. Once the small fry are worn out, let's initiate it. We can't afford to lose our trump card... at least not now."
The bat god that they had revived with the assistance of their allies. He had his doubts about the rather lackluster method of revival, given his knowledge on the subject... but if nothing else, they could work with a different entity if necessary. As long as it had divine status, it was good enough. Even if it meant dying, becoming a force that brought calamity with divine punishment would make it a valuable asset. They couldn't afford to lose it here. They were out of options, after all.
To kill or be killed, it was really that straightforward.
"When there's no other choice, should I use 'this' too... Oh?"
'Tsuuu'
He reached into his pocket and retrieved a forbidden medicine he had received from his supporters, reserving it for a crucial moment. His fellow who had quickly recognized the true nature of the medicine handed him a weapon that had been hanging at his waist. After finishing the wound sealing, and waiting for the pain to subside, Tomono continued to take deep breaths, his trembling subsiding... and finally, he looked back at his opponent.
"Should I... use this?"
In response to his inquiry, he received another, quiet nod.
"This is quite an old-fashioned... Warabiteto (Curved Japanese Swords), huh?"
It was indeed a blade in an antiquated style. Unlike the mainstream Fusō sword, it had little curvature, reflecting the traditional style that Ezo once favored. Though technically, if one traced it back, it had originated from Fusō-kuni as well. ...Regardless, it was an ancient piece.
"Do you have any other swords... in your possession? Well, it can't be helped."
The answer was obvious even without words. He drew the blade from its scabbard. The blade was quite rough. Its sharpness wasn't anything to boast about either. It was definitely better than nothing...
"...Did my ancestors feel the same way?"
No, most likely they fought to protect. They were probably different from him, who fought to take with revenge as his sustenance.
'Tsuuu...'
"Do you have allies? I see, that's true."
Tomono intuitively understood what his growling companions were trying to convey. He had grasped it.
...He had thought of them as a gathering of individuals united only by negative emotions, but it seemed that without realizing it, they had become surprisingly close.
"Well then, everyone. Shall we go? Compared to the hardships we've faced so far... it's nothing."
He drank the forbidden medicine down and tossed the bottle away. With the weapon in hand, he prepared to strike. Behind him, the footsteps of his two companions followed.
"That's right. It's nothing..."
His determination had been made since he joined the plan, and any lingering regrets had disappeared.
He no longer needed to seek revenge against a grateful lord, no longer needed to bring ruin to the princess he had taken care of, and above all, he no longer needed to betray the companions he had walked alongside.
That's why...
"As a parting gift to everyone in the afterlife, I hope you'll leave behind at least their heads...!!"
In the dark woods, he skewered the monsters one after another and threw them towards the approaching creatures. Tomono wore a grim smile as he thrust his blade forward.
At the very edge of Shiromoku City, there was a mound – like a hill. Long ago, the emperor of the time supposedly buried the head of a local guardian spirit here when he conquered the land. But that's just an old story now, and all that's left is a moss-covered memorial stone on an unused mountain path, hinting at what used to be.
"Still not... it seems?"
All of a sudden, a lady's voice echoed, and a figure appeared in a space that had been empty a moment ago. Well, in truth, she had been there all along. It's just that her partner, her servant, had temporarily moved beyond her control. She can understand this situation now because she lost that privilege and awareness came with it.
"Making a lady wait... not a very kind thing to do. Where have you been wandering?"
The princess, wearing a powerful curse-concealing coat and a hood, didn't seem as upset as her words suggest. She actually seemed quite pleased, as if waiting eagerly. There was still nearly two hours left until the agreed time.
"He's... over there."
And with her keen sense, she located her beloved's position. A well-hidden boundary not far away. Understanding what this boundary meant in this situation wasn't hard at all.
...She cannot help but feel angry that they would do this to him while he is alone and helpless.
"...Hehe, no, no. I shouldn't meet him with such an expression. It wouldn't be appropriate."
Hastily, she concealed her agitated expression behind her blushing cheeks. She couldn't burden her husband any further. Her duty was to be a good wife and mother in the future.
"That's right. I'm the one who'll be a good wife and mother."
Different from her crazy mother. Different from her crazy sister. Different from other crazy women. She believes she's the right woman for him, and that's what she's been aiming for since that day.
That's why she believes. That he'll come. That he'll talk to her. That he'll accept her. So she'll keep waiting here, even if it means taking risks. Even if news spreads that she broke her confinement, it doesn't matter. What matters is being here in this place.
"I believe. Because you are..."
Her soft whisper got lost in the distant noise, and her invisible servant (shiki) by her side couldn't hear what she said.
For a while, the princess and her Servant looked down at the city of Shiromoku, where thin black smoke was rising...
Fan art (AI):
Title: Onitsuki Aoi and Onitsuki Hina with a sword
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Title: Onitsuki Aoi
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Title: Episode 106 Banana Botan
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Title: Shirowakamaru
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Title: Onitsuki Kochou
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Title: Mari
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