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Wednesday, August 21, 2024 @

Volume 6 Chapter 32 I'll Be Seriously Surprised, But...

Volume 6 Chapter 32 I'll Be Seriously Surprised, But...


 Getsuya's eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Rouza, his face averting from mine. He obeyed his master's orders, but his dissatisfaction was plain to see. I, too, let out a small "huh" to prod him further.


 "...Rouza-sama, is what my brother said true?"

 "If we cut through the unnecessary details, it's undeniable that one part of the truth lies with you, Mikage. However, discussing this now would be pointless. Let's prioritize explaining the entire situation first."


 Rouza's calm tone soothed Mikage's puzzled expression.


 Later, when the room fell silent, Karan spoke up.


 "Let's hear the story, then. About the real reason Yukina-kun and the others was attacked."

 "I'll warn you beforehand, but it'll take a bit of time to explain everything in order. However, it's a necessary story, so please bear with me."


 Rouza cleared his throat before continuing.


 "Black Blade might have heard it from Mikage, but in the Egawa household, I have 2 older half-brothers above me. And they're extremely talented, unlike me, who's usually idle. While I'm busy fooling around, they're diligently gathering allies and engaging in serious power struggles every day."


 The way he praised them while heavily lacing his words with sarcasm made my shoulders droop.


 "That being said, my father, the general, has appointed me as his successor. The reason is... well, you know."


 Rouza then rang his azure monk staff.


 'I only acknowledge Rouza-sama as the one and only. Someone like that brat isn't worth discussing.'


 Touga supplemented this with a mental message, as if it were only natural.


 "'Azure Monk Staff (Touga)' has been passed down to successive generations of shoguns, but not everyone who inherited it was able to wield its power. In fact, neither my father nor my grandfather――nor even my 2 older brothers――were able to unlock the power hidden within Touga.


 The Azure Monk Staff isn't a powerful tool, but rather a 'symbol of inheritance' that has been passed down through the Egawa family. And it was none other than Rouza who mastered its use over time.


 "I heard that the last person to wield it was the first shogun, who used it to pacify Sanmoto. Some of the vassals are saying, 'The first shogun has returned!'――it's such a hassle. Honestly, it's a real pain."


 Rouza doesn't hide his reluctance to take on the role of successor. To a commoner, it might sound luxurious, but since Aina, who was part of the royal family, was close to me, I could somewhat understand her feelings. She had told me about the hardships and struggles of being a king, after all.


 "Maybe you were so caught up in playing around and gambling that you got tired of being shogun and decided to abandon the role?"

 "That's just a pure hobby."


 I let out a sigh again.


 "But I can't say it didn't have an impact. When I tried it, it surprisingly suited my nature, so I guess you could say it became a normal hobby for me."


 As Rouza, he didn't have any particular attachment to the position of shogun, and he was fine with pursuing his own interests. Even if the succession was revoked, I wouldn't be bothered.


 "But, it's been about 3 years now. Right around the time Mikage left Sanmoto, things started to change a bit. I won't go into details since it's not really relevant, but I got serious about taking over the shogun's position."

 "Ehhh?!?"

 "...Mikage. I expected as much, but if you're going to be that surprised, it's a bit hurtful."


 Mikage, with a half-hearted apology, couldn't even muster up a decent bow, and Rouza shot her a withering look before clearing his throat to continue.


 "The problem starts here. As soon as I got serious about taking over the shogun's position, a weird atmosphere started to spread."


 I wasn't the only one who felt like something was off. Everyone listening to Rouza's story was thinking the same thing.


 "It was about a year after Mikage left. Around 2 years ago, I started noticing weird movements around me. At first, I thought it was just an increase in petty thugs bothering me at night, but it gradually became more serious."


 Accidents that seemed intentional started happening, threatening Rouza's life. Most of them were cleverly covered up, but some left behind undeniable evidence of human involvement.


 No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't uncover the true mastermind behind it all. But one thing was certain: there was someone out to get Rouza's life.


 "Well, it's probably the higher-ups who are behind the scenes. Not necessarily the masterminds, but they're definitely involved."

 "Logically, I expected as much, but what's the basis for that?"


 Rouza shrugged in response to Aina's natural question.


 "First of all, it's clear that they didn't like me becoming the successor. Until then, I was just a useless, idle son, so they probably thought I could withdraw the succession. I thought the same way, too."

 "Originally, Rouza-sama would travel around the country, listening to the people's stories. Especially, he would go to remote areas far from the capital, and lend an ear to the people's petitions."


 "It's true that it was a trip to have fun, but it was also a visit to directly hear the people's voices," said Getsuya.


 "I'm embarrassed to be praised like that."

 "Rouza-sama's case is a bit different, but it would be better if he advertised his own work more. That way, he wouldn't be looked down upon by those ignorant servants who don't know the situation."


 Getsuya, who was getting frustrated, thinking that Rouza was being too modest, scratched his head in dismay. Rouza seemed to be the type who was embarrassed to show off his hard work and efforts.


 "But anyway, the reason I suspect my older half-brothers is that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that they were trying to harm me."


 Kyunei, Mikage, and I all tilted our heads in doubt. But Aina was quietly holding her breath, her expression calm.


 "The evidence I found was limited to small, insignificant things, and I couldn't find anything that directly linked to the mastermind behind the scenes. In other words, Aina-jou, you're saying that someone with power thoroughly erased the evidence, right?"

 "Yes. It's too well done."

 "That's right. If someone with a connection to them could do such a skillful job... Unfortunately, it's none other than my older brothers. What a pity."


 They're not exactly on good terms, just because they're related by blood, but they're still real siblings. Even as Rouza, he couldn't completely sever his ties, and the lonely expression he's showing right now tells the story.


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