Chapter 111

EPISODE 3 LET’S ALL GO TO THE NEW EMPIRE! The charter bus taking Ryouta and the others out of the Sacred Blood Empire slowly crossed the border and into the city of Oshiro. “Once we get through the mountain pass, it’s a straight shot to central Oshiro,” Ouka murmured to herself as she sat by the window, watching the scenery go by. The bus moved at a slow and safe pace through the cedar trees. Ryouta sat beside her, staring at his hands in his lap. “I wonder how Shiren’s doing…” It had been only a month since Shiren left. But in the meantime, things had started to change. He had a feeling that, if they didn’t see her now, she would transform into someone completely different. When he saw her on TV now, she seemed more mature than she had in those first few days. It seemed like she’d finally accepted her role as emperor. “Why the long face, Ryouta? We’re going for dinner! What’s wrong?” A cheerful voice called out from the seat behind his—it was Alfoncina. She leaned over into his and Ouka’s space. She was cooling herself with a paper fan that was apparently YouRou IKou! merchandise; it was covered in familiar characters. “Alfoncina? You seem like a different person compared with the last time I saw you…” He remembered how serious she’d looked when they’d met on the rooftop. “I said everything I needed to say. All that’s left is see how things turn out.” “I guess so…” Ryouta, for his part, had no plans beyond meeting Shiren. “None of us know how this dinner will turn out~. Though we’ve set things up so every scenario will be favorable to us. Isn’t that right, Ouka?” Alfoncina asked, hiding the curl of her grin behind her fan. “I suppose so. I know what I need to come out victorious, at any rate.” “Oh? And what’s that?” “Once we see that Shiren’s enjoying life in her new country, we’ll all live happily ever after.” Both Alfoncina and Ryouta knew exactly what that meant. If Shiren was happy, then Ouka didn’t need to worry about her anymore. That would mean she could think about Ryouta all day without feeling guilty. And the same went for Ryouta, of course. “If that doesn’t seem to be the case, then what will you do?” Alfoncina asked, a mischievous smile crossing her face. “There’s no need to think about things that won’t happen, Kimmers.” “P-please don’t give me awful nicknames based on my real name! Besides, that doesn’t sound like an appropriate way to refer to a beautiful woman like me!” “Wow, that was effective. I’ll be sure to tuck that away for the next time I’m angry with you.” “Please! Anything but that!” “Shut up, Kimmiserable.” “Gasp, you modified it! At this point, I’d rather you used my real name!” “You should be proud of your real name, Mattie.” “You’re making me sound like an old fishing buddy! Like you’d run into me on the street and say, Hey, Mattie! Let’s grab a pint at the pub later!” “We’re on the bus now, Mattie, please keep your voice down. Don’t you have some squid to munch on, Kimmers?” “Please stop making up a personality for me! I don’t have any squid! And please don’t use two nicknames in one sentence!” At some point in the conversation, the mood had gone right back to normal. “Argh, enough! This whole thing is a mess; let’s clear the air with some karaoke! Bus guide! Can you get out the mic?” “I’m eating chips right now, so can you wait?” said Kokoko. “Munch, munch, munch.” “Hey! Why is Kokoko our bus guide?!” asked Ryouta. She was even wearing a bus-guide uniform. It was too big for her, though, so it was loose in places. “Oh, I chose her for the job to save on costs. She was invited, too.” “Of course it’s to cut costs…” “Now, if you look out to your right, you’ll see a cedar tree,” Kokoko began. “And if you look to your left, you’ll see a cedar tree. This is a forest. We are on a mountain. We can see dirt. There’s a rock.” “Bus guide, please, that’s not necessary! We can see that all ourselves!” “And here, we have a fox.” Kokoko pointed at herself, even though she had rabbit ears on top of her head. “This has to be a joke, right? You’re not still insisting you’re a fox, are you?” “How dare you ridicule me, human,” she spat back in the haughty tone of a god. “Now, please take another look out your window. There’s a cedar. I’d say it rivals the likes of the Tokyo Skytree.” “How, though?! What about it makes you say that?!” “And I’d say the mountains around here are about one-eighth the size of the Tokyo Dome.” “I’m asking why you’re saying that, though! And one-eighth isn’t even very big!” “Here’s an interesting piece of trivia: Cedars produce pollen.” “We know that! Most people know that!” “Here’s another interesting piece of trivia: The first bus guides in Japan worked for the Kamenoi Bus company in Oita Prefecture in the midtwentieth century. They were employed on the Beppu hot-springs circuit. Now there are many more small bus companies than there used to be, quite a few of which don’t have guides.” “Why do you know so much about that one specific topic?!” “All right, here is your microphone. Sing whatever you want, however you want.” Kokoko handed Alfoncina the microphone, the remote control, and the songbook. “All right~. I think I’ll go with this one today~.” Akinomiya Traveling Oh, tell me you love me, even if you don’t mean it Keep me from the cold wind I’ll turn a blind eye to your infidelity Since I don’t have what it takes to win your affections Ahh, the nights in Akinomiya are so much colder than Oshiro The last train comes in at twelve thirty My body’s cold, hold me just for tonight Oh, oh, Akinomiya love “Why are you singing enka like an old person?!” “Nice one, Mattie! Excellent tremolo! You’re the Imperial Songstress!” “Stop calling me Mattie!” “Then don’t sing songs that make people want to call you Mattie, Alfoncina! Sing something a little more modern!” That song had been much more suited to the name Matsuko Kimura than the name Alfoncina. “She can’t, Ryouta. This karaoke machine is pretty old. It doesn’t have any new songs. It only has songs up to the early nineties.” “So we can only sing golden oldies?!” “It’s fine. The only kind of people who sing karaoke on a bus anymore are old people.” “Hey! Ouka! You know I’m still in high school, right?!” Alfoncina protested. “That’s pretty weak coming from someone who just sang enka.” “Everyone has their own interests. As I’ve said before, my real job is drawing manga, but I do archbishop work on the side as a hobby!” “Being an archbishop is supposed to be your job!” Ryouta exclaimed. “It’s not something you can do as a hobby!” Alfoncina’s comment was very unbecoming of an archbishop. “It’s all right, Ryouta,” Ouka said. “Imperial law states that minors are not allowed to work as full-time employees, so legally, both her manga and archbishop work would be classed as hobbies.” “You can’t explain the problem away with legal technicalities! This is about her intent!” “Yes! I intend to keep working hard every day so I can be an even better manga artist. I hope to take YouRou IKou! to very interesting places.” “I wasn’t talking about your manga! I was talking about dedication to your work as an archbishop!” “Lately, I’ve seen a lot more offerings and votive tablets at shrines featuring fanart of YouRo IKou!, so I made a place specifically for people to hang those up.” “That’s where you’re focusing your efforts?!” They really just do whatever they want in this country, Ryouta thought. “I think New Progenitor Alfoncina might be taking believers away from you at this rate…” “Ryouta, the most important thing is not the number of followers I have. I don’t mind if she takes some away from me.” “You probably should mind.” Ryouta wished she would take her job a little more seriously. “Don’t worry about that, Ryouta. According to our constitution, every citizen of the Sacred Blood Empire is a member of the Holy Church of the Sacred Blood, so statistically, the number of believers is equal to our population and is unlikely to go down.” “I don’t care if you’re manipulating the numbers!” “Ryouta, that’s absurd. If belief was all it took to maintain a religious organization, things would be easy. The one who stands at the top doesn’t just need to know how to lead—they need to be able to keep the organization running smoothly, too. Honestly, the ability to lead is pretty irrelevant. Organizational skills are much more important.” “Your opinions are absurd! You can’t just go around saying things like that!” “But the father of management, Drucker, said so himself!” “No, he didn’t! I haven’t read up on him, but I’m sure he never said that!” Ouka rummaged around in her things and pulled out a book. Ryouta spotted the word Management on the cover. It must be one of Drucker’s works. “As the emperor, I have read through this book. I thought I might find hints about how to manipulate the public.” “Couldn’t you have picked a more wholesome reason?!” “Oh, wait. The quote I just recited wasn’t Drucker; it was Truccer.” “This Truccer person sounds like a fraud!” “The author’s history is right here. Want to check it out?” Truccer I chose this pen name because I happened to be watching a TV show about long-haul truckers. During the day, I work full-time at a company, and at night, I publish books on admin and management. Notable works include Administration from the Perspective of Professional Baseball Player Quotes, Management Lessons from Famous Sportsmen, Companies That Could Work in Theory, 150 Start-Up Trivia Facts, Admin Turnarounds à la Sun Tzu, and more. Real name: Matsutarou Kimura. “This guy can’t be serious… He can’t really be taking quotes from baseball players and using them to run a business… And he’s treating it with the same reverence as the one using life lessons from a Warring States–period general…” Ryouta held his head in his hands. “And there’s nothing more suspicious than the fact that he’s using a pen name… Actually, isn’t this name…?” “Matsutarou Kimura is my father…” Alfoncina had raised her hand, obviously wishing they could have steered clear of this subject. Her eyes looked hollow. “I knew it! I thought it sounded familiar!” “He likes enka.” “So it runs in the family! And he even published a book referencing Sun Tzu. Is that…?” “When I saw it, I knew YouRou IKou! could work… This is so embarrassing; please don’t make me say any more…” Alfoncina hid her face behind her fan. For some reason, the group at the front of the bus was getting louder and more excited. At the same time, a great wave of negative energy was starting to waft forward from the back of the bus. “Oh, this feels like…” Ryouta sat up in his seat and saw Tamaki way in the back, her face pale. “Ooh… I don’t feel well… And right when I get invited to a state dinner, even though I am a miserable little peasant who could never hope to influence political affairs… I have no excuse… Where’s my sick bag? Where’s my sick bag…?” “Shijou, are you okay? You don’t look so good… I guess these small mountain roads kind of make you dizzy, huh?” The Sacred Blood Empire sat in a valley, so they had to pass through the mountains in order to reach Oshiro by car. Back when Akinomiya belonged to Japan, there was a highway that ran through the city, leading to a long tunnel through the mountain. But that had been completely closed off and was now off-limits. “I would have brought some medicine for my stomach if I knew this was going to happen…” Tamaki’s response came as a bit of a surprise to Ryouta. “Stomach medicine? Shouldn’t you have brought motion-sickness medicine instead?” Her face wasn’t just pale—it was purple. Her hands were shaking, too. “Did you eat something bad?” “This…” With a shaky hand, she pointed to a big bag. It was stuffed full of jam rolls. “I couldn’t just throw away the hundred thousand jam rolls I accidentally ordered, so that’s all I’ve been eating, and now I feel sick…” “You’ve just overeaten, then!” “That, and it’s almost ten days past the expiration date, which probably didn’t help… Not all of them could fit in the fridge… Though, I guess someone like me deserves to eat expired pastries…” “You don’t need to sacrifice yourself like that! You don’t need to digest any of that food—just throw it up!” Ryouta started slowly rubbing Tamaki’s back. She was hunched over from nausea. “Oh… Ryouta, don’t bother… I can both vomit and die by myself…” “You don’t have to die! Get rid of that old food!” There was still some distance between them and their destination, so it would be much better for her to just throw it up. Ryouta continued to gently rub her back. “N-no, it’s okay… You have Her Imperial Majesty, so…” “Huh? Why are you bringing up Ouka…?” Tamaki’s face went from purple to red. That wasn’t a normal symptom of car sickness. “I feel like I might get the wrong idea again if you keep stroking me like this… I’ll develop weird feelings, even though I know I should give up…” “About what?” Ryouta was finding this hard to follow. “Oh, I suppose even if I tell you now, you two are already a thing… Should I…?” “Do you have some kind of deep, dark secret or something…?” “Yes… I think I can muster a little courage and try again…that is, if I ever get the chance, of course. Though, I feel like I may find myself at the bottom of a ravine instead.” “Can you not say things like that when we’re on a bus?!” That was the last thing Ryouta wanted to hear as they drove up a mountain road. Just then, Bus Guide Kokoko approached. “You’ve grown up, Big Sis Tamaki. Tell ’im how you feel. Go for the killing blow.” “Did we really need more violence in this conversation?” “That’s what her world is like, though. Not that you’d ever understand.” For some reason, Kokoko was acting like a mother watching over her child. She stood with her arms crossed, a proud look on her face. Though, I guess in terms of age, she’s more like an ancestor than a mom… Tamaki stared hard at Ryouta. It was like she was trying to communicate with him through means other than speech. “Okay, I’m going to say it… Ryouta, for a very long time, I’ve—” More and more emotion bubbled up into her words. Then something else bubbled up, too—from her stomach. “…Bl-bleeech! Hurk! Urk!” She threw up. “You okay, Shijou? That was kind of impressive, honestly…” “Ah-ha, ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha… Ha-ha…” Her eyes turned hollow, but there was still half of a smile on her face. It was a rather frightening expression. “Ha-ha… This is just how it goes for me… Do people usually vomit with such perfect timing…? That was enough to kill even everlasting love. Please laugh at me. Spit at me, even. I’m sure it would be much cleaner than whatever comes out of my mouth… You could use your spit to disinfect me… Ha-ha…” “Big Sis Tamaki, let me say this to you as a god’s daughter: You should probably get either blessed or exorcised. You can believe in things like that. I think you’re reaching a limit. Not even someone like me could’ve predicted this.” Kokoko seemed shocked. “Just rinse your mouth out for now, okay? Think of it as a purification ceremony.” “This is who I am, Kokoko… Ha-ha…” “Um, Shijou? Let’s get this wiped down…,” said Ryouta. “I’ll grab some tissues…” Even he was a little shocked after such a grim sight. “O-okay… I’m sorry you have to do all that for filth like me—I’m not better than vomit… I feel so bad for the tissues that must absorb it… Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha…” “Big Sis Tamaki, I know this isn’t the best way to put it, but you look like you’ve just been sexually assaulted… Sorry… I would have stopped you if I had known this would happen…” Ouka shouted from the front, “Hey! It smells like yogurt in here!” Which was just rubbing salt in the wound. “Be a little more considerate, Ouka…,” Ryouta complained as he started to clean up. He used tissues to wipe up the mess, collected them in a plastic bag, then threw it away in one of the garbage cans. “I’m sorry, Ryouta… My head is blank, and I don’t think I’ll be able to move for a while…” Tamaki sat in the aisle, leaning against a nearby seat. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Look at it this way—it’d be completely awful for this to happen at school right in front of your crush, right? Here, though, it’s just embarrassing, and— Hey, Shijou, why are you crying?” Tamaki wasn’t just crying; she was bawling. Even her faint smile had vanished. “You struck the killing blow so smoothly, Ryouta… You’re awful. Really awful. Not even the cruelest god would do this to her…” Kokoko had moved right past criticism and to absolute disgust with him. Her ears were drooping even more than normal. “Kokoko,” Tamaki spoke up. “I’ve put my feelings into words. Will you listen?” “Oh, sure…” My life is a sea of a billion regrets, and I am drowning. Tamaki Shijou This was far too dark. Both Ryouta and Kokoko had no idea what to say. I feel like That’s nice isn’t going to cut it here… “Big Sis Tamaki… I made a vow to do everything in my power until you’re happy…,” Kokoko said with utter sincerity, gripping Tamaki’s hand. “And I will, no matter how much suffering I must inflict on others…” That sounds kind of ominous… *The bus stopped briefly so Tamaki could rinse out her mouth. “Phew, this has been an eventful ride…” The bus was getting ready to take off again, so Ryouta returned to his own seat. “Indeed,” came a voice from the aisle. “I was sitting nearby, so I witnessed Shijou and her determination.” It was Sasara, on her way back to her seat in the rear. She still hadn’t totally recovered, so she was using a cane. “Is that what that was…? Oh yeah, I never got to hear what she had to say…” Whatever it was had eventually been obscured by her incident. “You are truly thickheaded. But I suppose none of us would want you to grow too sharp, so— Urgh—” She seemed pained as she walked—her wounds were still hurting her. Her face twisted unconsciously. She had taken the brunt of Sairi’s full power, unlike Ryouta, so her recovery was going much slower. “Hey, I’ll lend you my shoulder. Hang on to me.” “I can make it on my own…” “But you were injured because of me.” Ryouta’s eyes were earnest, and Sasara grimaced. “I wish you would let me forget, but it doesn’t seem that will be happening… You put Shijou through a lot of pain, too…” “What are you talking about?” “Just speaking to myself.” Sasara’s smile took on a hint of glee. “But if you insist, then I will take you up on the offer. I suppose I’ll be much lighter now without my armor on.” Ryouta took Sasara’s arm and slung it over his shoulders. “Ah, yes. This should do— Oh.” “Is something the matter?” Sasara asked. “No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.” Her chest was pressed right up against him, but he couldn’t act weird about it now. He would hate for her to think that he’d volunteered for that reason. Stay calm, stay calm… I have Ouka… “You move awkwardly, like a robot… Am I really that heavy…?” “Not at all. You’re light. Super light! Light as a, uh…a sick bag!” “What a terrible example!” Sasara complained. He’d expected that. But he couldn’t help it, considering the timing. “Sorry! You’re not heavy, okay?” They slowly made their way toward the back. “Oh, could it be…?” Sasara realized something. “Is it because my chest is touching you?” Bull’s-eye. “Ha-ha-ha, of course no—” “You know I can feel it as well, right?” she said coolly. “Sorry… I wasn’t secretly hoping this would happen… I mean it…” “I know, I know… I do not doubt you, okay?” Ryouta could tell from her tone that she wasn’t angry, but he was still embarrassed. “I’ll try not to let them touch me…” He was unnecessarily conscious of where her breasts were and had started sweating, but Sasara did eventually get to her seat. “Phew. That was only a few meters, but it felt like two or three times that.” “W-well, why don’t you sit down here and rest first before going back, then?” “Sure, why not?” The bus had just started moving again. They’d already crossed over into Japan, but they were still in the mountains, so it didn’t feel much different. They were winding down a mountain road completely surrounded by cedar trees, just as Kokoko had pointed out. “I’ve been listening to all your conversations, by the way.” “I mean, this bus is pretty small, so that was probably inevitable.” Ryouta glanced at Sasara out of the corner of his eye. She was leaning back in her seat, relaxed. “As I listened, I kept thinking how much of a fool you are.” “Yeah, I know…” “But you haven’t changed a bit. And that was a relief.” “Huh…?” There was a gentle smile on Sasara’s face. “I figured everything would change drastically after Shiren Fuyukura left. But it really hasn’t, and things between all of us are already going back to how they were before. People are frighteningly adaptable.” “Yeah, that day was hell. But we’re already moving on, aren’t we?” That was the first time in his life he’d felt such regret and frustration. Shiren had left, right before Ryouta’s eyes. And he was the cause—his own incompetence and powerlessness. If only he’d been strong enough to send Sairi Fuyukura packing, then maybe Shiren would still be with him right now. That said, he wasn’t sure keeping her mother away from her was the right choice, either. Maybe being with Sairi was always what would’ve made Shiren happiest. The meeting they were headed to was basically a means to confirm whether that was true. It’s so hard to know what’s right. If only right and wrong were as clear in real life as they are in kids’ cartoons. Or maybe cartoons are the same, since the villains always think they’re doing the right thing. “If anything’s different,” said Sasara, “I suppose it’s just that there are fewer people on the bus.” Driver aside, the only passengers were Ryouta, Ouka, Alfoncina, Tamaki, Kokoko, and Sasara. They had additional cars escorting them ahead of and behind the bus, but no guests were riding in those. There were only six of them. “Oh yeah, Kiyomizu’s gone, too. I guess it can’t be helped, though, after what happened to the order.” Apparently, Kiyomizu had been putting up a solitary struggle against Sairi’s faction ever since the latter usurped control of the order of the Virginal Father. She was now serving as leader of the resistance. Ryouta explained all this to Sasara. “You know quite a lot of detail about this matter. That alone concerns me.” “I mean, she texts me all the time…” He showed Sasara his phone. A line of messages with Kiyomizu’s name filled his inbox. “Wow, that’s…quite a lot…” “She stopped sending me so many texts once she came to the Empire, but now she’s started up again… She keeps giving me inside info I’m pretty sure shouldn’t be leaked. I might even know more than most of the lower-ranking order members…” A tired look came over Ryouta’s face. He was sometimes overtaken by the urge to delete all her messages and block her, but some of them had important information in them, so he couldn’t. And he had a feeling she would just start texting him from a different number anyway. He checked her most recent text. “Ugh, it says she finally figured out how she wants to use her right to do whatever she wants with me… I thought she’d forgotten…” Back when Shiren fought Kiyomizu, she’d promised her the right to do whatever she wanted to him to shut her up. “What on Earth…? Why now…?” “Your service is appreciated, Ryouta…” “Well, the stuff with Kiyomizu will work out somehow, probably… She’s super strong, and she can be mature when she wants to be. You know, I’m more worried about my sister, who’s an actual adult… I haven’t seen her at all lately…” He hadn’t seen her even once. Come to think of it, the last time he had seen her was when she’d snuck into his apartment and gotten shocked. She’d seemed so her, he’d assumed she’d show up again in no time. “I think it’s unlikely,” said Ryouta, “but you don’t think she actually died somewhere out there, do you…? She’s come close so many times, I don’t know what she could have possibly gotten herself into.” “I’m sure she’s all right, but…have you tried contacting her?” “Yeah, but she hasn’t responded to my messages.” His inbox was still filled with Kiyomizu’s name. “She’s probably fine… And I have worried about her a million times in the past, and even when it seems like there’s no way she could recover, she’s survived every time…” Thinking about it wasn’t going to help, so he decided to give the topic a rest for the moment. “Well, I suppose there are a few exceptions, but things are essentially the same as before,” Sasara said, turning to look ahead. For whatever reason, Ouka and Alfoncina had started singing an enka duet. (Ouka) Oh, the snow in Yamagata (Alfoncina) Is colder than it’s ever been (Ouka) I wish you would’ve said no (Alfoncina) Because now you’ve given me hope (Ouka) Once the cherries start blooming (Alfoncina) Maybe my ice will start to melt (Both) Oh, this is Higashine love “They’re actually pretty good at enka…,” said Ryouta. “I have a feeling it won’t be long before everything is back the way it was.” “I guess so… Or maybe we’re just stuck, unable to move forward…” “Perhaps that’s not a bad thing. My job is to keep the peace in the Empire, after all. It’s important that some things stay the same.” “You know, that’s nice to hear, Sasara.” Ryouta himself had stood up to Sairi in order to keep the things around him from changing. “I only said what I was thinking. To be honest, I wish for things to be even more peaceful, for us to have the freedom to go back and forth across the border as we please. What we have right now is not peace—it is simply a state of no conflict. I will continue to wield my blade and fight for that purpose, even in the face of a powerful enemy like Sairi. I take pride in this resolve.” “Wow…” Ryouta was at a loss for words—he was genuinely touched. Sasara had spoken without hesitation, even after the horrible injuries she’d sustained in her fight with Sairi. “You’re really something, Sasara.” “What does that mean? I-if you’re trying to butter me up, you won’t get anything out of me…” In the face of his earnest praise, Sasara flushed and seemed to lose her cool. “No, I mean it. You’re incredible. You really do have an eye on the future.” “I have to go to Japan, too, you know, so I do not want the border to remain closed forever.” She rummaged around for something in her bag. “There are plenty of establishments I have my eye on. I’ll only have enough free time to visit two during this trip.” “Hmm…? What do you mean by ‘establishments’…?” “Ah, here it is.” Sasara pulled out a book. Top 50 Best Ramen Spots in Oshiro “That’s what you’re after?!” “Didn’t you know? There is a district called Nagase in the north of Oshiro, and it is considered one of the hottest ramen battlegrounds in Japan. There are lines at every restaurant in the area, and the most well-known have even opened branches in Tokyo.” “I’m aware, as a former resident of Oshiro, but I’ve never been out there.” “You’re missing out on seventy percent of life.” “So ramen is seventy percent of life to you?” “I will not be able to visit Nagase this time around, but I believe I can make it to both Oojirou and Kegon. I wish I could go to Fujimoto-ke, too, but I believe there will be a line, so it’d be a bit tight time-wise, don’t you think?” “Please don’t ask me—I have no idea.” “Oojirou’s specialty is their chicken char siu. The soup uses a soy-sauce base and is stuffed with little chicken char siu and scallions—an odd sight, indeed. Unlike normal pork char siu, chicken char siu tastes sweeter the longer you chew on it. By contrast, Kegon is known for stuffing their bowls with a large volume of thinly sliced onion and for adding cheese, of course. Fujimoto-ke is yet another of those house-style places, but I hear the spinach is quite unique—” It sounded like Sasara’s idea of “peace” was eating ramen. “Ramen aside, I agree completely that peace is important. I want a world where everyone has a smile on their face.” Ryouta gripped the scabbard at his belt. “You can’t carry your sword with you now because you’re injured, right? So no matter what happens, I’ll fight in your place.” “Ha. You may not be able to fight, but at least you can talk.” It sounded as though she was poking fun at him, but her expression was bright. “I’ll work hard to fight both as Ouka’s minion and as a part of her guard,” Ryouta replied enthusiastically. No matter what happened in the future, he would always be Ouka’s minion. “Ah yes. Organizationally speaking…” Sasara’s expression suddenly clouded over. “By the way, a thought just occurred to me…” “What is it?” “This is…a bit awkward to ask, but…” Sasara’s face went red, and she squirmed. She kept glancing at Ryouta, looking away, then glancing back again over and over as though she couldn’t make up her mind. “Seriously, what is it…?” asked Ryouta. “Have you…um…deepened your relationship with Lady Ouka…?” Ryouta immediately went bright red. “Don’t ask me things like that! And Ouka’s just over there…” “But y-you love each other, no? Then…that would be the natural conclusion… I doubt you would ever forget the day you decided to c-cross the line together…” “Sasara, come here.” This wasn’t something he could say out loud. He had to whisper it to her. “O-okay…?” Sasara, face still flushed, leaned over to Ryouta. “Listen. We’ve done, uh…nothing. We haven’t even kissed.” “What…? You’ve been living together for quite some time now, haven’t you?” “Hey, could you talk a little quieter…? You’re right, though… We have been living together for a while. Like, two or three days I could understand, but…” “I—I do not understand… It sounds like there is a problem…” Now Sasara was faltering for a whole new reason. “You think so, too, right…? But things just never go in that direction, or she’s just never in the mood…” Pain suddenly shot through Ryouta’s cheeks. Sasara had pinched him. Hard. “Um, Sasara? That hurts…” That put an end to their whispered conversation, and they pulled apart. “I grew irritated listening to you. My apologies.” “If you’re sorry, could you please stop pinching me…?” “You are so unreliable, I am starting to question my own decisions! You need to give everyone a reason to give up; otherwise, you will be the one crying over the ensuing bloodbath!” “Wh-what are you talking about…?” “To put it simply, your decisions never bring peace—they are unreliable and risky! Always!” Finally, Sasara dropped her hand and stopped pinching him. “You will die if you do not hurry up and settle down.” “Whoa… That’s kind of extreme… But I guess I get what you mean…” Ryouta had been gravely injured in almost every encounter thus far. It happened so often that he couldn’t even be bothered to keep count anymore. “You had best take care not to get injured again today.” “What? We’re going for dinner. Why would I get injured? Nothing’s going to happen.” There wasn’t going to be any mortal combat at a dinner party. At least, that’s what Ryouta thought. “I hope so.” Sasara looked down at Ryouta’s sword and knit her brows. “But remember, there are times when one must draw one’s blade in order to preserve peace.” Their bus arrived at the specified hotel without incident. The meeting would be taking place in the restaurant on the top floor, and hotel employees, dressed in suits, escorted them to the elevator. There were not very many visitors from the old Empire attending the dinner, and all of them managed to fit in one elevator. Only a few of their accompanying guards had to go up separately. A view of the surrounding area was visible through a glass window in the elevator. They could see the city of Oshiro below and the mountains separating it from the old Empire. “I guess this is it,” Ryouta murmured as he took in the sight. I hope Shiren’s doing okay. The mountains weren’t even that tall, the forests not even that deep, yet it felt as though they lived in completely different worlds. Please be okay, Shiren. But if she wasn’t— —he didn’t have an answer for that yet. The high-speed elevator reached the top floor in no time at all. “I have been awaiting your arrival.” As they stepped out of the elevator, a girl greeted them, speaking gently and politely. For a moment, Ryouta thought this was a member of the Holy Sacred Blood Empire sent to receive them. But as he realized who it was, he began to doubt his eyes. It was Shiren, wearing an elegant dress. It wasn’t gaudy or covered with glittering gemstones, but it made her look like a refined noblewoman. The ornament in her hair made her seem even more grown-up. If someone told him this wasn’t Shiren after all, he’d probably believe them. The impression she was giving off was completely different than when she’d lived in the old Empire. “Thank you so much for taking the time to visit today. I am Shiren the First, ruler of the Holy Sacred Blood Empire.” Shiren bowed gracefully. “You look like an emperor.” Just as those words left Ryouta’s mouth, he realized how weird a thing it was to say. “Oh, right. That’s because you are an emperor.” This wasn’t the girl he used to share a roof with. What was I worried about? She’s doing fine. Better than fine. But… …soon, however, another thought came to Ryouta’s mind. She looks kind of lonely, though…