“Senseeei! Chiaki-sensei!”
The teachers in the math department office had sour ‘not again’ expressions on their faces as the female student’s voice filled the room. Chiaki was just opening his lunch bento, and he swiveled around on his chair in annoyance. “You again?”
Koganezawa Kyouko didn’t even try to suppress her beaming smile. She had exploited her status as rugby club manager to come up with many an excuse to hang around Chiaki these past few days.
Chiaki was heartily tired of it. “Stop showing up here every recess.”
“I have questions about math.”
“I’m eating my lunch. I can’t answer your questions right now. Go away, shoo.”
“I thought so.” Kyouko placed the wrapped bento she’d been holding behind her back on his desk, and Chiaki straightened in surprise.
She apparently intended to eat with him.
“Oh, is your bento store-bought, Chiaki-sensei? Being a bachelor isn’t much fun, is it? Don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Shut up. If you keep hanging out around here you’re gonna lose all your friends.”
“You know what, I can cook for you, Sensei! A bento made with care every day. You might not think it, but I’m really good at cooking. So let me cook for you, okay? Okay? Okay?”
“Argh, you are so annoying.”
“The inside will match the outside. It‘ll have ’I love Shuuhei’ on it. Like a bento made by a loving wife. Or something. Tee hee.”
His neighbor Yamaguchi looked at him with sympathy. Chiaki was at a loss with what to do with Kyouko, who followed him around all day. If he’d known it would be like this he’d much rather have been a student, Chiaki thought, picking up beans with his chopsticks. Kyouko pulled a chair toward herself, sat down next to Chiaki, and spread out her bento.
“Let’s eat, Sensei!”
“Argh, geez!”
The door opened with a clatter, and a male student entered.
Seeing the slight look of tension on all the teacher’s faces, Chiaki wondered, ‘Hmm?’ and turned to see Miike Tetsuya from Takaya’s class. Kyouko commented with surprise, “Miike? What’re you doing here? How unusual.”
Miike tched. “The new teacher this time? You never learn, do you?”
“What?!”
“Hey, Miike, there you are,” Chiaki said. Tetsuya gave a curt little bow.
“What do you want?”
“Want? Did you ask him here, Sensei?”
“Yeah. Miike, you missed a class recently. I thought I’d give you a copy of the handout.”
Chiaki slipped a page out of his files and handed it to Tetsuya. Tetsuya’s heavy single-lidded eyes peered disinterestedly at it.
“Your marks in math are quite good otherwise. I’m impressed. That is if you don’t miss any more classes.”
“...”
“There’s a transfer student named Ougi in your class, correct?”
The apathetic Tetsuya displayed his first reaction at hearing Takaya’s name.
"His marks in math are abysmal. I was wondering if you would be willing to tutor him.
“...Why the hell would I want to be nice to a guy like that?”
(Man!)
Having somehow expected a positive response, Chiaki looked taken back. Tetsuya narrowed eyes glinted.
My, my. Chiaki pursed his lips. (That’s Kagetora for you. Loses no time, does he?)
“Hey, look at it as friendliness between classmates. He’s a reformed delinquent, too, I believe. I dunno how to put this, but birds of a feather get along well together, no?”
Tetsuya grew tenser at Chiaki’s every word—it was like looking at the old Takaya.
His resistance was probably something in the nature of ‘like repelling like’. On the other hand, he didn’t seem to register in Takaya’s consciousness at all... It was like Tetsuya was tilting at windmills.
Chiaki closed the 2-B class register and turned to Tetsuya, looking a little more serious.
(I see...)
As Takaya had said, none of the miscellaneous spirits haunted Tetsuya, while even Kyouko had two or three with her. Actually, the magnetism pulling in spirits was absent—Tetsuya simply didn’t have it.
Aside from Nezu, Tetsuya was the only one who had not fallen to Mikuriya’s suggestion—that was probably the difference.
(But why only him...?)
What was the reason? Takaya had asked him to put out his feelers. Once they knew the reason, they might be able to use it to free the students from Mikuriya’s brainwashing.
Takaya seemed intent on doing so.
He was probably planning to «exorcise» all the miscellaneous spirits in one fell swoop.
(It certainly feels like all pain and no gain.)
But it would be meaningless if they couldn’t remove the source of the spiritual pull. Takaya was going to thoroughly investigate the ‘head of the serpent’, and Chiaki was helping him.
But first he had summoned Tetsuya to examine him.
“I’ve heard about you from the other teachers. You seem to be quite a problem child. How’s that working out for you? Rebellion isn’t much fun, is it?” Tetsuya’s eyes widened with petulance. Chiaki asked without pause, “You have a twin sister, I believe?”
“...!”
“There was quite an uproar when she disappeared a year ago, but what’s the real story here? What happened?”
“...Did Ougi tell you that?”
Tetsuya’s expression was full of wariness. It was the topic he least wanted to discuss. Damn, Chiaki thought—too late. His questioning had been too point-blank; Tetsuya had already drawn a line against him.
“Sensei,” he questioned in a low deep voice, glaring directly at him with a mean look in his eyes, “What is your relationship to Ougi?”
“?”
“I saw the two of you yesterday. Last night you were eating together in Shinshigai
. What are you to Ougi? You know each other, don’t you?”
Chiaki was blank with amazement. Crap, he thought. (So we were seen...?)
Finally he scratched his head to hide the awkwardness. What Tetsuya had said was true. He’d gone out with Takaya last night. Takaya had been moping for some odd reason—it turned out Kotarou had come for a visit.
Kumamoto was dangerous for Kotarou, given that he was not kanshousha, and Chiaki had used his influence to keep him away. Had some overwhelming necessity compelled him to come anyway? ...Takaya hadn’t said, so he had no idea.
But they must’ve quarreled for Takaya to have been so thoroughly depressed. If Chiaki had been shut in with him his spirits would have been infected too, so he’d dragged Takaya with him for a night out.
(Which means I have no idea where we were spotted.)
Kyouko’s eyes darted about in confusion.
“So what’s that about, Sensei?” Tetsuya pressed relentlessly.
Chiaki was stumped. “He’s...well...er...how should I put this. Just a passing acquaintance.”
“That guy sneaks around the school like he’s searching for something—what the hell for? Are you making him do that? For his grades or whatever?”
“...” He’s pretty sharp, Chiaki thought, sighing. Due to his dislike, he’d apparent been keeping a close watch on Takaya.
“Sensei! Is that true? That you know the transfer student?” Kyouko flared. “What’s your relationship? How do you know him?! It bothers me! How?! Why?!”
“‘Why?’ Now see here.”
—And the door slammed open, and another male student barged in. He looked panicked, pale and out of breath. “Yamaguchi-sensei!” he yelled. One of Yamaguchi’s students, apparently.
“What is it, Kimura?”
“Sensei, you need to come right now! Satou and Kogure...and Miyamoto too! They—!”
“What’s wrong? What happened? Calm down.”
“They’ve...they’ve collapsed! Just all of a sudden! And it’s not just my class, it’s happening in other classes too! People are collapsing all over the place!”
It shocked everyone in the room. Yamaguchi leapt up. Chiaki’s eyes went wide.
“What?!”
It was happening right in front of Takaya, too.
They were in the middle of lunch break. It started happening quite suddenly. Without warning several students cried out in pain and dropped to the floor.
(What...!)
There were screams. Desks and chairs fell over, and the classroom descended into noisy confusion. Friends of the sufferers rushed over to them. Takaya immediately got out of his seat.
“Oi...! What’s wrong?!”
“Uuuugh, uwaaaugh!”
“Oi!”
The male student screamed and writhed in pain as if he’d been possessed. Takaya reached out to help him sit up.
“!”
He flinched.
There on his neck—right near his carotid artery—was a dark livid welt. And that wasn’t all—the boil twitched as if a living thing were squirming inside of it.
(What the hell is that...?!)
It looked as if an earthworm or a lizard were inside it. The student writhed in anguish as if he wanted to tear open his own throat until he finally lost consciousness, foaming at the mouth. Takaya hastily looked around the room. There were fix or six others.
“Oi...oi! Pull yourself together!” Nezu Kouichi yelled. That was when Takaya realized: all the students who had collapsed were—
(Nezu’s followers!)
«Die...»
Takaya spun with a start. He could hear a voice. A dreadful spine-chilling woman’s voice.
It was no auditory hallucination. He knew he’d—
«Die, all you who defy me.»
“!”
The voice sounded familiar. Nezu’s reaction echoed Takaya’s. The woman’s voice was coming from the speakers. Right in the middle of the midday broadcast while the usual Gregorian chant played. But the voice appeared to be inaudible to the other students. Her voice message was intermixed with the male chorus, concealed therein.
«Death to those who obstruct the establishment of our kingdom.»
“Damn you, Ootomo!” Nezu cried, rushing out.
“Nezu!” Takaya shot out of the room after him.
He pursued Nezu to the broadcasting room. Nezu slammed open the door and plunged inside, rattling the staff.
“Wh...what’s going on?!”
He thrust them aside and pushed into the back, where he forcibly stopped the Gregorian chant currently playing and tore the tape from the deck. Written on the tape was ‘Fellowship chant: traitors with gesticulations~anthem: Benedict’s Mode #1’.
“Tell me about this tape! It must be different from the usual! Who told you to put this on?!”
“Um...but...it’s...” The broadcasting staff stammered, intimidated, “The executive office designates what to put on every day...”
“Yes, it was my decision.”
“!”
Takaya and Nezu turned in surprise to the voice from the doorway to see student council vice president Ozaki standing there.
“You...!”
“I see the two of you are together, Nezu Kouichi, Ougi Takaya. So it was indeed ineffective against you. How does it feel to see your subordinates killed?”
(Killed...?)
It meant that the «nue» under Nezu’s command who had taken student-hosts had all been destroyed.
Takaya turned to Nezu, whose hand whitened around the tape as it shook.
“Your charade ends here, Yokote no Gorou—” Thus did Nezu address Ozaki. “I already know your true identity! Curse you! Is your desire to kill me so great that you would ally yourself with Ootomo?!”
(Yokote no Gorou...?)
He’d heard the name somewhere before. They each knew the other’s true identity, it seemed. Takaya saw an intrepid smile rise to Ozaki’s face.
“Hmph, you thought a memorial service for me at a small wayside shrine would satisfy me? I am the human pillar of this castle, and you will not hold it for long.”
“Human pillar...!”
“Shall I lay out the facts for you, my lord? The first fire in Meiji that burned the castle was not set by a Satsuma army spy, but by my grudge. Government forces uncovered the well in which you worked so hard to seal that grudge. It was I, Yokote no Gorou, who burned down Kumamoto Castle!”
(I remember now...!)
Yokote no Gorou was a famous figure of legend in Kumamoto. In order to take revenge for his father, who died in personal combat against Katou Kiyomasa in the first year of Tenshou (1573) during the Amakusa Rebellion, he prayed to Bishamonten and was granted the strength of 75 men. He infiltrated the castle as a laborer in order to kill Kiyomasa but was discovered. Kiyomasa tricked him and buried him alive in the well.
(He’s that Yokote no Gorou?!)
“If you want to kill me, why don’t you face me man-to-man like your father did, Gorou!” Nezu howled, uncaring of what others might think. “Instead you become a minion of Ootomo Sourin, the daimyo senile enough to be influenced by Christians...!? You can’t fight me without his backing?! Am I so terrifying, you coward?!”
“Wh...what did you say...?!”
Nezu’s eyes glittered as he looked upon Ozaki’s fury. The strong aura rising from him and the mass of red flame that flared into being in his hand surprised Takaya.
“! Don’t, Nezu!”
“I will not tolerate this any longer! Damn all of you! Do not think you can do as you like for as long as you like in someone else’s castle! I will expel every last one of you!”
The mass of flame in Nezu’s hand lengthened into a great spear. Everyone screamed as it grew out of Nezu’s hand. Its broad blade had a smaller sickle-shaped blade attached; it was a type of spear called a single-sided sickle spear.
On its shaft the words ‘Glory to the Sutra’ glowed a brilliant gold.
“Prepare yourself, Yokote no Gorou! If you cannot rest in peace unless I kill you by my own hand, then I will part your head from your neck this very minute!”
“Stop, Kiyomasa!”
Takaya’s shout went unheard above the loud crash of broken glass.
Gorou’s «nenpa» had smashed the glass of the booth.
“Eek!” The broadcasting staff screamed and cowered.
“Damn you...!” Nezu raised his spear overhead and rushed at Gorou. Gorou built up his will once more...
At the instant the two collided—!
“!”
Both were flung backwards amidst a shower of sharp sparks: Takaya had established a wall between them. He helped Nezu up from his sprawl, yelling, “You idiot! Are you trying to get students caught in the crossfire?!”
“...!”
They heard the pitter-patter of footsteps rushing towards them. The abrupt cessation of the broadcast, along with the uproar, had brought the patrol committee members racing toward them. They were blowing whistles as if they were police officers, and their faces went pale when they saw Ozaki lying limp in the corridor.
“What is this!”
“You...! Ougi Takaya, Nezu Kouichi!”
(Crap!)
Nezu tched and ran out.
“Nezu!”
“Don’t let him get away! Seize him!”
Crackle!
Sharp sparks scattered. The students in their way cowered with their hands over their faces. Their flinching figures created a gap through which Nezu and Takaya ran toward the stairs.
“Damn you, Kiyomasa! You’re not getting away!” Yokote no Gorou bellowed as he rose, baring his teeth. “Don’t let him get away! Do not let either of them leave the school! Capture them immediately!”
“Get out of my way!” Nezu scattered the students with his spear and ran for the entrance. Students screamed. Confusion reigned. The hysterical shrill of patroller whistles tore through angry roars.
“Students! Seize those two!”
“What?!” Takaya was rattled, for upon the patrollers‘ command, the students’ expressions abruptly changed.
“!”
They charged at Nezu and Takaya in a mass, blocking their way in defiance of Nezu’s spear, while more students threw themselves upon them from behind. There was no place to run. Nezu’s eyes filled with red.
“Damn you all, do you want to die by my spear?!”
“Stop Nezu! Don’t hurt them!”
Holding Nezu back, Takaya blasted his «nenpa» at the students’ feet. They shoved the recoiling students aside and emerged outside from the gangway bridge.
“Don’t let them get away! Capture Ougi and Nezu!”
They dashed toward the schoolyard behind the building with the patrollers at their heels.
As they were about to pass through the back gate, Takaya turned.
“...!”
The patrollers faltered. Takaya gather «power» into the palm of his hand and shot it at their pursuers. Students shielded themselves. Blue plasma flared in front of them with a terrifying electrical crackle. His «nenpa» was dispersed.
“What...!” Takaya’s eyes went wide. (They can cast a «goshinha»?)
Though none of them were possessed by onshou, the students had definitely used «power» just now.
(It can’t be...!)
“Ougi!” Nezu called, and he gasped. Now the students were gathering their will. They were going to launch a psychic attack. An instant later their will assailed Takaya like a shower of pellets. Takaya promptly erected a «goshinha».
“Shit...!”
If they could use «power», then he couldn’t afford to go easy on them. Takaya filled himself with this will while Nezu brandished his spear. The words carved on its shaft glittered gold.
Will and spear attacked the students simultaneously, smashing with a thunderous crash against their «goshinha». The shock wave striped chunks large and small from the asphalt and flung them in all directions. A dense cloud of dust danced in the air while debris rained incessantly down on the students collapsed face-down on the ground.
“Damn you...Nezu! Ougi!”
When the dust had settled, Takaya and Nezu were nowhere to be seen.
“What is the meaning of this?! Did I not strongly warn you against causing a disturbance?!” Mikuriya Juri sharply rebuked Yokote no Gorou once she had received his report in the executive office room.
“My deepest apologies, my lady!”
“While we’re within the school, address me as student council president. How dare you cause such difficulties for me? Have I not told you time and time again not to indulge in your personal grievances?!”
Yokote no Gorou prostrated himself utterly. Mikuriya Juri bit her red lip, a deep line etched between her eyebrows on her mask-like white face.
“There is no use crying over spilt milk. I say this in the strongest terms, Gorou. You must not cause untoward disturbance in front of the students. The eggs are not yet mature. Such violence will cause them to break apart, and we will lose everything.”
Yokote no Gorou bowed so low that his head was in danger of touching his knees. “My deepest apologies. I will take the greatest of care in the future!”
“Even so... As I suspected, the suggestions I performed on Nezu and Ougi were ineffective.” She sank into the leather-covered presidential chair and let out a sigh. “So it goes. No egg could be implanted in Ougi, and Kiyomasa is kanshousha. It would be a simple matter for him to remove the parasite living inside his body. ...It is what it is. At least all of Kiyomasa’s followers have been purged from the school.” Mikuriya slowly crossed her legs and addressed the man in the business suit seated on the sofa. “As you see, the holy crusaders of our school are being nurtured with a steady hand, Dousetsu-dono.”
The man in the dark suit had not been on the roster yesterday. But the man of average height sitting across from him had been with Kaizaki yesterday: prefectural assembly member Umehara—Takahashi Jouun, a ranking Ootomo and lord of Iwaya Castle.
The other looked to be near 40 year of age. He was very composed for his age. There was sharp insight in his eyes, and he brimmed with the generosity of mind of a vigorous man of the Sengoku, strong and courageous with the experience of many battles. Among them, he was clearly of the highest caliber.
His name was Tachibana Dousetsu.
“I am relieved all is going well. I will speak very well of your labors to my lord at Usuki, Julia-sama.”
Mikuriya smiled and bowed her head.
Tachibana Dousetsu.
As one of Ootomo Sourin’s ‘Three Elders of Houshuu’, he was Ootomo’s greatest strategist and right arm. In his previous life, his lower body had been paralyzed by a lightning strike in his youth, but in 37 battles he commanded the vanguard carried in a palanquin on his retainers‘ shoulders, inspiring his troops with his dauntless courage. He never fell behind. His outstanding character and the magnificent way in which he fought his battles gave him a reputation that crossed the ocean and was even spoken of in the Kinai and Toukai, such that even Takeda Shingen sent a letter saying, ’I would like to meet you’. In Sourin’s final years Dousetsu had been the mainstay of the declining Ootomo, securing retainers with his leadership who would have fallen away otherwise.
He was a valiant commander celebrated as being the incarnation of the God of Thunder.
This man had been resurrected into the «Yami-Sengoku» and was now in Kumamoto.
“Please let this be known to my lord, Dousetsu-dono,” Mikuriya said quietly, “—it was for this reason that Ota was resurrected. Ota will fight. Fight to build the Christian kingdom hoped for by my lord. The students of this school are all soldiers made to establish our paradise. Soon they will be able to take the battlefield.”
“Julia-dono.”
“Our utopia will be realized on this land of Kyuushuu.” Mikuriya raised the silver rosary lying against her chest and cradled it in both hands. It had been bestowed on her by Sourin. “We are Christians. Too many of our brethren’s spirits still remain in this land of Kyuushuu—they who lost their lives to oppression in that nightmare age. The earth is indelibly stained with their blood. Can you not hear them? The lamentation of those who martyred themselves for the true faith. Their sorrow. Their tears.”
“...My lady.”
“How did such a terrible age come to pass? All of it was caused by the misrule of the latter conquerors.” Mikuriya’s eyes grew hard and bitter. “History chose the wrong supreme ruler for this country. It should have been our lord. The spirits of our Christian brethren shall be rewarded with paradise. This country shall be a place where all shall live beside the Heavenly Lord in peace. That is what my lord will build—it has been his dream since his previous life. I, too, share the same dream,” she said with a young girl’s sweet expression, the rosary grasped tightly in her hand. “But paradise cannot be built on dreams alone. I work to make our dreams a reality; I am prepared to die a martyr for it. I am creating my own army from this school’s students. I am wife of the ‘Supreme Ruler of Chinzei’ Ootomo Sourin and a soldier for the establishment of paradise. I hope you believe, as I do, in my lord’s dream of paradise on earth.” Dousetsu and Jouun listened in silence. Mikuriya added emphatically in a high flow of spirits, “Let us fight together.”
“...Indeed,” answered Dousetsu, casting his eyes slightly downward. Jouun opened his mouth as if to say something, but he was reined in by Dousetsu, who added with a faint smile, “Julia-sama, I, too, will always follow our lord, unworthy though I am.”
Takahashi Jouun looked at Dousetsu’s profile with wide eyes. Dousetsu nodded gravely at him.
Mikuriya turned trusting eyes on Jouun. “Jouun, what is the status of our search for the ‘skull of the serpent’?”
Dousetsu answered, looking down slightly. “My lady, the object in question is beneath the gymnasium. Based on Aso-dono’s records, ’tis certain Sassa Narimasa buried it there.”
“...Ootomo’s young holy crusaders will protect this school. Please continue your work.”
“And Katou Kiyomasa...” Jouun asked, “what of him? He is a commander of the Oda. I do not believe he will confined himself to simply watching in envy.”
“I will bring Kiyomasa down,” Yokote no Gorou answered confidently. “I will not allow him to interfere. Please leave him to me.”
“Certainly. Dousetsu-dono, Jouun-dono, leave the matter of Kiyomasa to us,” Mikuriya said with overflowing confidence. “This vile Kiyomasa has oppressed our Christians brethren since the beginning. He will not be allowed to interfere with the establishment of our paradise. Neither will those other two kanshousha.”
“...”
“I will drive them away immediately.”
She was speaking of Chiaki and Takaya, whose Uesugi origin had not yet been exposed. They were seen as Kiyomasa’s accomplices.
Tachibana Dousetsu cast his eyes down and smiled, then nodded again. “We can rely on you, Julia-sama. As is to be expected of Sourin-sama’s chosen. We can expect to obtain the ‘skull of the serpent’ soon, I believe.”
“Dousetsu-dono as well. Construction of the «Destroyer of Provinces» is necessary to our battle. I will rely on you in this matter.”
“Once the «Destroyer of Provinces» is constructed, neither Shimazu nor Ryuuzouji will be a threat any longer. You may rely on me.” Dousetsu’s low voice rang with a quiet composure. “For Ootomo’s supremacy.”
“For a Christian kingdom,” Mikuriya said, and quietly stood. “Dousetsu-dono will be meeting with the gentleman from Satomi, I believe? Kaizaki, who sought asylum with Ootomo.”
“Yes. I believe we will accept him.”
“Will it really be all right?” —Signifying she didn’t quite agree. “I have heard he is a zealous Buddhist—completely incompatible with us Christians.”
“He is necessary for our battle strategy. If we are flexible in our stance and make use of those who are useful, then final victory is assured. Ootomo is surrounded by strong enemies such as Shimazu and Ryuuzouji. To surmount those odds, we must make use of all that comes to hand.”
“But...”
“I ask you to trust in me,” Dousetsu urged in a firm tone. “I have obtained permission from our lord. I will arrange all to perfection and see that no drawbacks befall the Ootomo.”
“...Very well. I shall place my trust in you, Dousetsu-dono.” The bell rang to mark five minutes until the start of Fifth Period. Mikuriya tucked her rosary back beneath her clothes. “I shall leave the rest to you.”
Accompanied by Yokote no Gorou, Mikuriya left the student council president’s office.
“...”
Tachibana Dousetsu and Takahashi Jouun were silent for a moment, gazing at the door through which they had disappeared.
Class had started, and all students were in their classrooms, leaving the corridors deserted.
Dousetsu and Jouun were about to get into the car awaiting them at the entrance.
“? ...Dousetsu-sama?”
Dousetsu had paused to look up at the school building. Sunlight reflected dazzlingly from its glass windows. Dousetsu squinted. “Soldiers for the establishment of paradise...hmm?” he muttered, and fell silent.
Jouun inquired in a low voice as he peered at his companion’s expression, “Dousetsu-sama, is it all right? My lady truly intends to create a Christian kingdom. Is my lord in earnest? Is it really all right for us to continue this work?”
“...”
“Does it not concern you at all, Dousetsu-sama?! We were resurrected from the grave wholly for Ootomo’s sake...so that Ootomo may...!”
“I know. Hold your peace, Jouun.” Dousetsu’s parched lips wove a fine steady web of words. “Right now we must band together and work as one to protect Bungo. His Excellency the Taikou will not come to our aid as he did in the past. I understand your feelings, but they should be vented against the aggressor, Shimazu.”
“Dousetsu-sama...!”
“I understand your feelings very well. But I am a retainer of the Ootomo clan. If Ootomo lives, I live; if it dies, I die. ...Death gave me two feet with which I can tread upon the ground.” Dousetsu gave another faint smile and turned to look at Jouun. “This time I will run across the vast land of Kyuushuu under my own power.”
“Dousetsu-dono...”
“It does not concern us what deities our lord believes in. Is that not so? We retainers need only work for the benefit of our lord. ...That is the proper state of retainers. Do you not think so, Jouun?”
“...” Jouun was silent for a moment before nodding.
As he climbed into the car, Dousetsu said, “Whatever form he may take, our lord will always be the King of Chinzei. Let us go forth, Jouun. ...Kaizaki-dono awaits.”
“So we will form an alliance at last?” Jouun cheeks had stiffened slightly.
Dousetsu nodded firmly. “Yes. We will offer our cooperation.” His leopard eyes glittered with a potent will. “We are to meet with Kaizaki-dono’s representative, who will act as his go-between.”
“Do you trust this refugee from the Satomi?”
“I conducted an investigation of him for caution’s sake. For now, I will watch and listen.” Dousetsu added emphatically, “If rumors of that event are true, it will be a massive shock to the «Yami-Sengoku». First we must make certain of it with our own eyes, Jouun. We are Ootomo, greatest of the Kyuushuu. We need fear nothing. Let us join the soldiers of the greatest of the East with the greatest of the West. It will be a historic alliance that will shake the «Yami-Sengoku». Now, let us set forth, Jouun.”
“Aye!”
Dousetsu got into the car and gave the driver the name of the hotel that was to be their destination.
He waited for Jouun to get in; then the car glided through the school gates.