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It was two days later that Berta regained consciousness. Ulrike and the other familiars of Yggdra, whether because Hatsune was now dead or because the effect had a built-in time limit, also began moving again.
The murder victims, though—the townspeople Hatsune had killed. They, of course, didn’t come back. Hatsune was buried by the sanctuary, as a nightmarish killer, the people of the town never learning the truth. The story Yukinari told the civilians was that he had used his glory as a god to “seal” her away so that the awful murderer would never return.
It took time, but Friedland slowly returned to normal. And then, three days later...
“I’m sorry for calling you all here so suddenly.”
Yukinari was in the reception room of the Schillings mansion, surrounded by familiar faces. Dasa, Berta, Fiona, Veronika, Arlen, Hans of the community watch—and now Angela, who had begun to obey what Yukinari told her to do. He looked around at all of them before he spoke again:
“I’m going to fight the True Church of Harris.”
Fiona and the others looked at each other.
“Fight?” the deputy mayor asked on behalf of the group. “You mean... do more than you have so far, just rebuffing them when they attack?”
“That’s right. I’m not saying I’m going to run off and attack the capital or anything. But I am going to do more than just turtle down. I’m going to gather the power to purposefully resist the Church, and when the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to fight them.”
“And what’s brought about this change of heart?”
“Revenge. Or, well... I just want to hit back,” he said firmly.
“Yukinari...” Fiona looked weary. To the people in this room, unlike to the rest of the villagers, Yukinari had explained, sparing no detail, the connection between himself and Hatsune and what had really happened in that last battle. So on the one hand, it was easy enough for them to imagine what might motivate him to revenge.
“That’s not true. Yuki made this decision for everyone’s sake,” Dasa said.
“Dasa,” Yukinari said.
“It’s a bad habit of his.” She looked up at him. “He’s only trying... To make it easier to let... you go.”
“What...?” asked Berta, surprised.
Dasa looked around again, then went on. “If he claims he’s doing this for his own revenge, he can go... without any of you getting... involved.”
“I kind of figured as much.” Veronika sighed and shook her head. “If there’s one thing this incident makes clear, it’s that the Harris Church isn’t going to hold back trying to kill you, Yukinari. It’s not like it was with you, Arlen Lansdowne, or you, Angela Jindel. Even the people of Friedland are going to be considered expendable from here on out.”
“That’s...” Arlen and Angela looked at each other.
The Missionary Order had ultimately come to this town in order to convert its populace—to make them into followers of the True Church of Harris. They had not tolerated any resistance, but neither had they been eager to murder civilians.
“The teachings of the True Church of Harris might be perfectly valid,” Arlen said. “But the church that’s been built upon them—the people who run it—they end up making decisions that kill people.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Yukinari said with a sad smile. “I don’t know what the latest Dominus Doctrinae is like, but I don’t think he has the right to teach anybody or offer anyone salvation. That’s my take, anyway.”
If the True Church of Harris had been a real religion—teaching people the right way to live, holding out a hand to help them to salvation—if that had been their real mission, then they should have saved Hatsune. Should have told her to abandon her fixations from her previous world and live in peace. Yet, though they saw that there was a sick soul before them, instead of trying to save her, they tried to take advantage of her.
And such people controlled this world’s largest religious organization. That had to be dangerous. Who knew what merciless and underhanded things they might do next in their attempts to stop Yukinari, to say nothing of his supporters in Friedland? Yukinari didn’t intend to simply roll over and let them have their way.
Then there was the possibility that similar things would happen in other towns where erdgods were venerated. In order to bolster its prestige and increase the number of its followers, the True Church of Harris was prepared to arm itself and to send that armed force wherever it could. Surely other towns would resist, as Friedland and Rostruch had done.
Yukinari didn’t want to let any more Friedlandians die.
It wasn’t just Friedland: he didn’t want to see any more people killed on account of the Church. But no matter how hard he tried to protect everyone, he had no way of defending against attacks like the one the Church had launched with Hatsune. That was why...
“As long as we’re fighting an organization, the resistance needs to be organized as well,” Veronika said.
“You’re right,” said Yukinari. “That’s why I’m going to go from area to area raising forces, and then I’ll try to resist the capital. It’s also true, though, that it was the events with Hatsune that gave me the idea. So this is a private battle, too, spurred on by personal enmity. You all know that, so you all—especially you, Arlen and Angela, because you’re knights of the Missionary Order—have the right to ignore what I say. Fiona, if you don’t want the people of this town to get caught up in my little war, feel free to refuse.”
“Is that what you’ve been thinking?” Fiona nodded, as if it finally made sense to her.
“If we’re going to make our move, we should do it as soon as possible. I’m sorry to hurry you,” he said to the collected audience, “but I’d appreciate if you could tell me by tomorrow morning whether you’re going to join me in this or stay out.” Then he left the room.
As he walked down the hallway, cold air and twilight filtering in through the window, Yukinari let out a small sigh.
“Yuki.”
He turned to see Dasa leaving the room behind him and coming his way.
“Dasa... I’m sorry.” He looked vacantly out the window as he spoke.
“Yuki...?”
“In the end, I’m putting my own emotions ahead of protecting you.”
Protecting Dasa: it was supposed to be the one and only thing guiding Yukinari’s actions in this world. But now he was placing the protection of many over the protection of this one.
“Yuki...” Dasa came up to stand beside him and reached out her hand.
“Dasa.”
“Yuki. I love you.” She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him.
They stayed like that for a long moment. Then she said, “I’m... happy. If I can help with what you want... to do, that makes me... happy.” She backed away from him again and went on: “Yuki. I’m not... your little sister. I’m not just a child who always needs... your protection. I will help you... for my own reasons... For my own happiness. If you want to care... for me, if you want to make me happy... then let me help you.”
She seemed to be declaring that they were partners, equals. That she no longer needed him to watch over her constantly.
For a time, Yukinari looked into Dasa’s eyes. Then:
“Sounds good. The two of us together. Until death do we part—no.” He laughed a little and corrected himself. “Even when we part at death, we’ll be together.”
“...Mn.” Dasa nodded, blushing ever so slightly.
They had no way of knowing how things would be twenty years from that night.
How the Frontier Alliance, led by Yukinari, at the end of a grueling war with the royal army, which was completely under the thumb of the True Church of Harris, would finally reach accord and peace.
How at that time, the alchemists and the existence of the Founder, the first homunculus, would come to light, sending shockwaves throughout the world. How Yukinari and Dasa would be responsible for a wholesale change in this world’s values.
No, they couldn’t know yet. All that was in the future.