Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars: Volume 2 E-Book

Riku Nanano

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Heavenly Swords of the Twin Stars
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 358

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Sekiei and Hakurei have successfully fended off Gen’s assault on Keiyou, but the situation remains dire for the Ei Empire. The country’s former ally Seitou has joined the enemy, and now the western border stands open and hostile. With tensions continuing to rise and infighting commonplace within the capital’s courts, invading Seitou—however inadvisable—has become inevitable. A strategist to devise tactics and navigate the political waters is sorely needed, so when the self-professed ascendant who helped Meirin unearth the Heavenly Swords arrives in Keiyou, the answer has practically fallen into Sekiei’s lap...or so it would seem, were she not absolutely against participating in war. With the odds stacked against them and the armies from Gen and Seitou looming, Sekiei knows that Ei’s and the Chou family’s soldiers will need it all—Ruri’s wisdom, Hakurei’s leadership, and Meirin’s connections, along with his own strength and skill—if any of them are to survive the upcoming battle.

Leseprobe

Prologue

The Ou family’s manor had been built on the finest property that Rinkei, the capital of the Ei Empire, had to offer. Instead of the usual quiet that made it so attractive, however, today it was bustling with activity.

“The ships for Keiyou are leaving at noon, but they haven’t been stocked with food or supplies yet. Where are the people who were supposed to handle that?!”

“Get all the free workers and carriages to the ports!”

“The National Shield never loses, but man, I feel like we’re making a lot more money than usual!”

“Where’s Lady Meirin? We need her orders.”

None of the Ou family workers who walked by noticed that they’d just passed me, Shizuka, Lady Ou Meirin’s personal attendant. They were too busy calling out orders and words of encouragement to each other as they transported the necessary supplies to the port. After Lady Meirin had her talk with the self-professed ascendant, it had been my job to see her off.

It’d been a month since Gen, which ruled over the land north of the great river, launched a large-scale invasion of Keiyou, Ei’s largest, most northern city. Keiyou had managed to fight them off after a vicious battle, but it had not been the National Shield Chou Tairan—the greatest hero of the current empire—who had defeated them. It had been Lord Sekiei, left in charge of the city’s defense in Chou Tairan’s absence, who’d accomplished the task. Not only did Lord Sekiei share the same black hair I possessed, but he was also Lady Meirin’s beloved.

Ever since first meeting him, I’d had the distinct impression that he was no average fellow. However, I hadn’t expected him to be so powerful that he could kill one of the feared enemy generals, the Crimson Wolf, and protect Keiyou until General Chou’s return! One could say that his triumphs rivaled those of a storybook hero. However, despite the victory, I heard that the city itself had suffered a lot of damage thanks to the weapons called “catapults.” That wasn’t all. Seitou—a long-term ally of Ei’s—had revealed itself as a traitor, working with the enemy instead.

Since the victory, there had been no movement from either Gen or Seitou, but that didn’t change the fact that Keiyou needed to strengthen its borders now that it had to face enemies from both the north and the west. It was precisely why the merchant families of Rinkei—including the Ou family—were seeing a lot more business than usual.

“I’d say that from Lord Sekiei’s and Lady Hakurei’s perspectives, things went from bad to worse,” I murmured to myself as I thought of them. Through some strange twist of fate, I’d become acquainted with the black-haired boy and the beautiful silver-haired girl. I imagined that despite defeating a famous enemy general, their battles would only become more difficult from here on out. As I headed to my lady’s room, my thoughts on the two members of the Chou family in Keiyou, I heard someone call out.

“M-Miss Shizuka!” An apprentice attendant, her short brown hair whipping behind her as she ran, hurried towards me. She looked in a panic.

I handed her a paper bag filled with sweet sesame dumplings, a gift that I’d bought for my lady, and used my hands to tidy her. “Your hair is a mess. Calm down. What happened to helping Lady Meirin change her clothes?”

“Ah, thank you very much. Um, about the clothes, well...” The girl held on to the bag but looked down in embarrassment as she trailed off. It appeared that she hadn’t been successful. Normally Lady Meirin was a very lively girl who always kept an eye out on the workers in the house. Lately, though, she’d started to spend more time shut away in her room.

I placed a hand to my forehead and heaved a heavy sigh. “What am I going to do with her? Don’t worry, just leave it to me.”

“Th-Thank you so much!”

The apprentice attendant hurried off to her next task so I resumed my journey down the hallway, making my way to the inner sanctums of the manor. Along the way, I looked at all of the strange and bizarre items that Lord and Lady Ou had collected during their travels around the continent. From the round windows I could see the bright blue sky, with nary a cloud in sight. What nice weather we were having today! Maybe I could take my lady out for a walk later.

I finally reached Lady Meirin’s door, which was decorated with a number of intricate carvings. I gently pushed it open and poked my head inside. As I did so, I heard several groans and mumbled sleep talking from the bed.

“Lord Sekiei... Let me, Meirin, take care of you...”

So, she took advantage of my absence to sleep in? It was hard to believe that she was the one in charge of the family while Lord and Lady Ou were absent. As soon as the battle for Keiyou ended, Lady Hakurei, the heiress of the Chou family, sent us a letter stating: “Sekiei received a wound on his left arm during the battle, but other than that, he’s fine. I’ll take care of him.” Lady Meirin must have been really shocked about that last line.

I sighed and walked past the long table in the room. Upon it I could see the long, narrow wooden box that Seitou’s refugees had given us through the ascendant. Inside, it contained a strange anti-cavalry weapon. I approached the bed and then—

“Lady Meirin, it’s already noon! Wake up!”

I ripped the exquisite silk blankets right off of her and her pale orange pajamas. Her long and loose brown hair was sticking up every which way. Little Lady Meirin blinked her big eyes before she puffed out her cheeks and sat up.

“Whoa! What the heck, Shizuka!” she yelled, waving her fists about. “Announce yourself if you’re going to come into my room! I’m heartbroken right now, you know? I want to go to Keiyou where my beloved future husband is, and yet I’m forced to stay here. Then, as if to kick me while I’m down, that terrible and flat-chested Chou Hakurei sent me a letter saying th— Oof!”

I picked up some clothes that had been folded on a nearby chair and pressed them against my lady’s face. Then I pointed a finger into the air and started my scolding. “First things first: you need to get changed! If you don’t do paperwork this afternoon, then you’ll cause everyone a lot of trouble!”

“Okay,” Lady Meirin replied, still looking a little peevish, before she started to do as I told her.

How come only her breasts have grown larger, but the rest of her body remains so small? Is this some sort of sorcery or magic that’s been passed down through the Ei Empire? This question had bothered me ever since I started working for the Ou family, and it bothered me yet again today. Though I burned with curiosity, I busied myself with tea.

“After you wake up and make yourself presentable, you must drink a cup of tea.” This was a family tradition, according to Lady Ou.

Lady Meirin quickly changed all by herself, then brushed her teeth and washed her face with the cold water that’d been prepared in the corner of her room before sitting down. I’d served Lady Meirin ever since she was a child, so I was happy every time I noticed her growing or becoming more mature. It made me want to spoil her rotten. Granted, I never showed her that side of me; if she knew I felt that way, then she’d let it get to her head.

Maintaining my stoic exterior, I carefully poured the tea into the cup, breathing in the fruity fragrance from the steam. “Today’s tea is from the southern regions. I hope you enjoy it.”

In lieu of replying, Lady Meirin let out yet another unhappy groan. I walked behind her to comb through her hair as she picked up the cup and took a sip.

“Oh, this is good,” she said. It was obvious from the tone of her voice that she wasn’t just paying lip service. “But if I give this to Lord Sekiei, he’ll probably be able to guess it from the taste alone. Hmm...”

And she was so upset just a few seconds ago. How adorable. I smiled and tied up her hair as my lady lost herself in fantasies about her next meeting with her beloved Lord Sekiei. Once I was done with that, I set a document I’d been given at the port on the round table.

Lady Meirin turned and blinked up at me with her big doe-like eyes. “What’s this?”

“It’s from Keiyou. I received it when I dropped by the port.”

“Oh! Could it be from Lord Sekiei?!” Lady Meirin’s face brightened immediately. The sight of her obvious joy and excitement made me smile wider as well. Lady Meirin looked the best when she had a smile on her face. I didn’t have enough words to express my gratitude to Lord Sekiei.

I sat down next to Lady Meirin as she started to read through the document and poured some tea into my own cup. I took my time enjoying it while listening to Lady Meirin’s muttering—“Hee hee... Tsk! I knew it! Miss Hakurei really is my enemy... A cat?” Even just observing her filled me with warmth. As I smiled, I noticed Lady Meirin raise her eyebrows and she made a disgruntled sound.

“Lady Meirin? Is something the matter with Lord Sekiei?” I asked. As I poured more tea into her empty cup, I watched her slowly hand the piece of paper towards me. “May I read this?”

“Yeah. Since it’s you, I don’t mind.”

“Thank you very much. Very well then.” I smiled at the way she said it, as if it were a given that I’d be granted permission to look at such a sensitive document. Then, I started to read through the letter.

***

To the prodigal daughter of the Ou family, Miss Meirin,

I apologize that it has been so long since my last correspondence. I was injured on the battlefield and unable to hold a pen. I hope you will forgive me for my lack of etiquette...

You know, everyone I know keeps scolding me for how I write letters to you, so I tried to be polite in this one, but it just doesn’t feel right. From here on out, I’ll just write in my normal style.

For starters, sorry that it took me so long to thank you for sending father and the others to Keiyou. Sure, I injured my left hand, but that doesn’t mean I can’t write anything. It was impossible to sneak away, though, with the terrifying Lady Chou Hakurei watching over my every move. Sorry. As you know, my dream is to become a civil official in a small local office. I’m not prepared to throw my life away just yet. I’m even hiding out in a storehouse with a cat to write you this letter; that’s how scared I am of dying.

She’s been really overprotective ever since my injury. No matter how many times I assure her that I’m doing fine now, she won’t listen to me. In any case, Keiyou still stands thanks to you and your ships, so I’m truly grateful from the bottom of my heart. I’ll repay you for this debt someday; father gave his word as well. My injury is healed up now, so please don’t worry about me.

Yours Sincerely,

Sekiei, who is starting to suspect that the cat in his lap is Hakurei’s spy

PS: I received the Heavenly Swords and they really saved my life. However, no one knows if these are the real deal and I only have Black Star with me. White Star’s Hakurei’s now. And you know, the Heavenly Swords are a pair of weapons, right? I’ll help you out with most of your requests and lend you my strength if you need it, but you should take some time to think a bit more about the marriage thi—

Oh, crap! Hakurei found me! I’ll write you another letter soon! See you!

***

“Hmm, I see. As I figured, Lord Sekiei’s unharmed.” Upon finishing the letter, I folded it up neatly and returned it to my lady.

About a thousand years ago, the Tou Empire accomplished the unprecedented feat of uniting all the lands on the continent under a single flag. The Great General Kou Eihou helped to accomplish this with his twin swords, and the Imperial Chancellor Ou Eifuu inherited them. Those swords were known as the Heavenly Swords.

Lord Sekiei had given Lady Meirin an impossible task: “If you can get me the Heavenly Swords, I’ll consider marrying you.” In order to locate them, she’d looked through all the historical documents and books she could get her hands on—and even asked the ascendant I’d seen off earlier for help—until finally discovering them in an old temple in the west. Apparently, people in this country believed that the one who held the Heavenly Swords would be fated to rule the lands and would gain unparalleled strength in combat.

How does he know the names of the swords? And both he and Lady Hakurei were able to draw them from their sheaths? No one knew the name of those swords, nor could anyone—myself included—draw them.

“Yep, he’s fine! I’m truly glad to hear that. Even after Miss Hakurei wrote me her letter, I was still anxious... Wait, no, that’s not what we’re supposed to be discussing here!” Lady Meirin shot to her feet, almost toppling over the cups of tea on the table. Then, in a serious voice, she muttered, “It’s so unfair.”

“Excuse me?” I replied, tilting my head even as I picked up the letter so it wouldn’t get wet.

I was waiting for the rest of Lady Meirin’s words when she suddenly looked up and slammed her palms on the table. “I...I...I also want to take advantage of Lord Sekiei’s injury and monopolize his time!” She practically roared the words.

“I see,” I replied, unsure of how else to respond. As Lord Sekiei wrote in his letter, Lady Meirin was a prodigy. Eventually everyone in Rinkei—no, in the Ei Empire—would know her name. However, love truly does make fools of us all. Not even Lady Meirin’s intelligent brain could overcome it.

Lady Meirin continued to slap her hands on the table as she yelled, ignoring the warmth with which I watched her. “She can’t trick me. I know exactly what she’s up to. The Chou heiress may look and act all cool and unaffected, but she turns pathetic when Lord Sekiei’s involved. She’s definitely taking the opportunity to get all up in his business! How unfair! What a dirty cheater! I also want to shut down any arguments with ‘Lord Sekiei is injured, you know’ and help out with his work, or feed him, or sleep by his side!”

“I’m sure that she’s not doing all of that.”

“She is! I know this because if I was in her shoes, I’d be doing all of that!”

From what I could tell of Lady Hakurei, she was able to control herself, and so I didn’t think that Lady Meirin needed to worry so much. However, my lady, her arms crossed, refused to be calmed.

“I even went out of my way to beg Ruri for help when it came to looking for the Heavenly Swords! Lord Sekiei is so stupid! Such a meanie! How can he treat me like I’m nothing?!”

“I don’t think he’s treating you like you’re nothing,” I said with a soft smile as I held my small mistress in an embrace. “Lord Sekiei is a very honest person. He was so adamant about writing a letter to you in his own hand that he even went and hid from Lady Hakurei to do so. Weren’t you happy to receive a letter from him?”

“Well, I, um, was happy, certainly,” Lady Meirin said, each word quieter than the last. Her cheeks flushed as she spoke. When it came to her work as the Ou family’s heiress, she acted much older than her age—but when it came to romance, she was the exact same as she always had been.

I stroked her thick brown hair and continued, “As for the Heavenly Swords we entrusted to Lady Hakurei, I believe that Lord Sekiei has a point. The only people who would know whether those swords were truly the Heavenly Swords themselves are the legendary Twin Eis—Kou Eihou or Ou Eifuu. We’d have to ask them...”

“Shizuka? What’s the matter?” Lady Meirin asked from within my arms. She must’ve thought it strange that I trailed off, my hand stopping in its soothing motions.

“Ah, nothing,” I replied. “I was just thinking that the lady ascendant might have had an idea as to the swords’ true identity.”

“Oh, you’re right! We can ask Ruri! She’ll definitely be able to prove me right!” Her eyes sparkled as she curled her hands up into little fists.

I thought back to the port this morning. Even here in Rinkei, which was full of people from foreign countries, she stood out with her strange hair and eye color. I shook my head and said, “Unfortunately, Miss Ruri has already left Rinkei. She departed this morning, saying that she wanted to see with her own eyes how the Chou family was coming along. There has been some suspicious talk from the palace, so I believe we did the right thing in getting her a boat sooner rather than later.”

“Huh?” Lady Meirin stopped moving and her eyes slowly widened. Predicting what was about to happen, I covered my ears with my hands. Lady Meirin took a deep breath and then... “LORD SEKIEI, MISS HAKUREI, AND RURI! YOU GUYS ARE ALL MEAN DUMMIES!”

Lady Meirin’s scream echoed throughout the Ou manor and all of the little birds in the courtyard flew away as one.

***

“There is no need for any further arguments! Seitou has spit upon our long years of friendship and for that, we must destroy them! I’m sure that morale among the northern horsemen is low too, after suffering a defeat at Keiyou!”

The bellows of Ei’s fat lieutenant chancellor, Rin Chuudou, echoed through the imperial court filled with all the officials of the empire. The lieutenant chancellor was bald and his limbs were thick as logs, but though he was almost sixty years old, he seemed much younger than his actual age. His eyes, however, lacked any thought behind them, so clouded they were by the lust for power. His clothes, too, were overly elaborate to the point of garishness.

He might have been a distant relative of the royal family and did have a few accomplishments when it came to domestic affairs, but he wasn’t the kind of man who should be in charge of a large empire’s politics. I supposed that he wanted to use this opportunity to take the position of chancellor from me, You Bunshou. His right-hand man, who was rumored to always wear a fox mask, must have been the one to plant this idea in his brain.

I glanced over at the dais where the emperor was. The young noble was dressed in bright yellow robes and seated upon a throne engraved with a dragon. He was watching over our debate with a troubled expression on his face. After the death of our wise empress several years ago, His Imperial Majesty had taken on Chuudou’s daughter as his favorite concubine.

If only I had raised an objection back then! That was my mistake. But there was no time for regret. I stroked my white beard and, in a soft voice, chided my political rival. “Sir Chuudou, please calm yourself. I can understand how you feel, but it would cause this country a great deal of trouble if we were to invade Seitou. We would also need to talk things through with General Chou, who is out on the front lines as we speak.”

“Hmph! What is there to discuss with the son of a commoner? That man has no loyalty to this country. He disobeyed His Imperial Majesty and left the capital of his own accord! Even if we were to invade Seitou, we can leave him in Keiyou and have him watch that border like he usually does.”

Chou Tairan’s father and grandfather had both been commoners, it was true. It was also true that until recently, he’d been in Rinkei due to His Imperial Majesty’s summons. After receiving the news that the Gen army had crossed the great river and was invading Keiyou, however, he returned north and chased out the enemy. It hardly bore saying that Rinkei’s citizens and the palace officials had all raised a glass to celebrate his heroics. And yet now, the lieutenant chancellor and his followers would dare to insult General Chou, despite the fact that he’d saved us from a Gen attack!

Though I wasn’t able to keep my voice from getting lower at the sheer audacity of the lieutenant chancellor, I managed to remind him of the truth in calm tones. “That ‘son of a commoner,’ if I am to borrow your words, is the only reason Keiyou avoided falling into enemy hands. He is also the reason we were able to kill one of the Four Wolves that Gen is so proud of.”

“Grand Chancellor, you are much too naive! Every time something happens at the front lines, the Chou army is all anyone can talk about! No wonder they’ve become so full of themselves!”

“So then, what do you suggest?”

Around fifty years ago, even before we lost the land north of the river, our country had been infamous for our weak army. The massively powerful Gen army was always looking for a chance to conduct a southern invasion, but it was the National Shield Chou Tairan and his army of elite soldiers who were keeping them in check.

Rin Chuudou turned to directly address the emperor, his folds of fat swinging about with his movements. “Your Imperial Majesty, I also acknowledge and respect Chou Tairan’s long years of service. However, at the same time, that man has constantly spoken of the need for a northern campaign, which is simply unrealistic. I am starting to suspect that this is due to his personal greed. He seeks the chance to gain more military achievements for himself.”

“Impossible! He would never think that!” I yelled as I stood up, unable to control myself in the moment.

If we suspected Chou Tairan’s true allegiance and intentions, then what other general could we trust in this country? I looked around, but every official in the imperial court was either looking down at their feet or making sure they didn’t meet my eyes. Don’t they know that their philosophy of not rocking the boat can lead to disastrous consequences?

The lieutenant chancellor wasn’t done. He continued to move about as he went on, “Please order me to destroy Seitou, that country of rats! According to my intel, none of the northern horsemen are stationed within its borders. If we don’t make our move now, then Keiyou won’t last either! I will push my own old bones to stand on the battlefield myself, destroy that vile country, and offer you peace of mind! We have the powerful Imperial Guard, stronger than any elite force! If we also include the soldiers stationed in the west and the south, then we can easily amass an army of over a hundred fifty thousand! With that army”—for an instant, Chuudou turned to look at me, a gloating and mocking look in his eye—“we shall launch a surprise attack from Angan, to Seitou’s south!”

The Imperial Guard was a major military force that was under His Imperial Majesty’s direct command. As for the soldiers stationed in the west and the south, they were all highly trained fighters, even if they hadn’t seen any action these past few years. The lieutenant chancellor’s plan was to remove them from their positions so that they could launch an attack? And he didn’t even plan on using Keiyou as the base of operations?!

It was true that if we invested that amount of manpower in an invasion, we’d be able to overpower both the Gen and the Seitou armies. We might even be able to take them off guard with this unexpected attack. However, without the Grand Canal, it would certainly be difficult to transport supplies across multiple fronts. Horses weren’t able to bear as much load as a ship. Even with these difficulties...it was hard to deny the allure of an ambush.

The way that the lieutenant general presented his plan seems off; I don’t believe he came up with this himself. I can’t possibly let this idea go thr—

“Bunshou,” the emperor said in a curt voice.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty,” I replied immediately, turning to face him and lowering my head.

For a moment, a heavy silence reigned over the room. I heard the emperor descend from the dais and walk towards me. I felt a weight on my shoulder. When I glanced at it, I saw the emperor’s hand.

“I believe in Tairan,” the emperor said. “He is not someone who would succumb to avarice. However, Chuudou has a point. Seitou is our enemy now and defeating them would be far easier than crossing the river to conduct a northern campaign. If we can smite Seitou now, then should we not take the chance to rid ourselves of a powerful enemy? I hope you will take charge of the military logistics for this attack.”

It took me a moment before I trusted my voice to remain steady. “Understood, Your Imperial Majesty. I shall do everything in my power to make this campaign succeed.”

Up until this point, we’d used the river as a natural barrier to stave off Gen’s invasion. However, if Seitou, located northwest of Keiyou, was our enemy, then even Chou Tairan would have a difficult time in repelling them. Though it was hard to say if defeating Seitou was possible, I had to admit that the lieutenant chancellor had a point.

His Imperial Majesty removed his hand from my shoulder and sharply barked out, “Rin Chuudou, I order you to lead my army and annihilate Seitou! Do not let your guard down. You may take captains from the southern and western armies with you; they’re accustomed to the savages’ methods and strategies.”

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty, I am grateful for your concern, but—” the lieutenant chancellor started, looking and sounding off-kilter.

“Then may I recommend the Phoenix Wing of the southern army, Jo Shuuhou, and the Tiger Fang of the western army, U Jouko?” I cut in, speaking over Chuudou. I could hear him gritting his teeth, but I ignored him and pressed my fists together in a bow. “It’s been over twenty years since those two started their careers, and I’ve yet to hear of them losing a battle. It will surely boost our soldiers’ morale if they’re able to fight alongside two of the Three Great Generals, who are said to rival Chou Tairan in strength. May I suggest adding a team from the Chou army as well? This will be a major battle, after all. This is naught but the opinion of an elderly man, but I believe that giving Chou Tairan the opportunity to save face is the mark of a true emperor’s magnanimity.”

Chapter One

“Wow, it’s only been a few days since restoration efforts started, but the city’s really coming along!”

I, Chou Sekiei, was the adopted son of the Chou family, defenders of the city of Keiyou. Located in the far north of the Ei Empire, Keiyou was the capital of Koshuu. I looked out over the eastern district of the city as I listened to the rhythmic thumping of wooden hammers coming from half-restored buildings. I was genuinely impressed.

A month ago, Gen had invaded from north of the great river and caused a great deal of damage to Keiyou. However, the holes in the roofs and walls were already closed up, and all of the pillars that had burned and collapsed had been cleared away.

“It is, isn’t it? We’re even ahead of schedule,” the beautiful girl next to me agreed with a nod. Her long and luscious silver hair was tied up with a red ribbon, and her striking sapphire eyes were narrowed. She was Hakurei, daughter of the Chou family. Despite her professional tone, however, her eyes were gentle. I couldn’t blame her for how happy she looked; every day we’d been visiting all the districts to check out the restoration efforts. She must be delighted to see how much progress everyone was making.

I grinned at my childhood friend, dressed in her usual white clothing. “It’s all thanks to father for personally leading the restoration efforts.” Though Hakurei’s father, National Shield Chou Tairan, was a famous general who’d protected the Ei Empire’s northern border from Gen for many long years, he was also a skilled governor. Next time I have a moment, I’ll ask him for some tips.

As I crossed my arms, my mind already set on seeking father’s advice, Hakurei gave me a distinctly unimpressed look. “What a weird expression you’re making. I bet you’re probably thinking about something foolish, like what you should do to become a local civil official. It’s an impossible dream, so you might as well give it up sooner rather than later.”

“Wha—?! You know, sometimes, it’s better to keep your opinions to yourself!” I complained, unable to hold back. My dream was to become a civil official so that I could live a peaceful and relaxing life—I didn’t want to become a military official and go prove my bravery on the battlefield. I wanted to live a simple life with paperwork as my only daily duty. However, even though we’d spent over a decade together since Chou Tairan had taken me in, Chou Hakurei didn’t seem to understand my philosophy.

We were standing close to a bucket full of water, which had been placed there in case a fire broke out. I could see myself and my black clothes in the reflection, but Hakurei, her expression calm, dipped a slender finger into the liquid and disrupted the image. “I finished this morning’s paperwork before you did.”

“W-Well, yeah, but that was because you told me to avoid using my injured left arm as much as possible! If I were able to use it, then—”

“Oh, what’s this? Lord Sekiei, member of the Chou family and slayer of the great Crimson Wolf, making excuses?” Hakurei said, tilting her head to her side as she tapped her pale finger against her chin. It was obvious that she was doing this on purpose. The alabaster sheath of White Star—one of a pair of weapons known as the Heavenly Swords—swung slightly from where it was strapped to her belt.

I can’t believe her! She only ever makes cute expressions befitting her age when she’s poking fun at me! I jutted my lips out in a pout as I thought back to the recent battle.

Nguyen Gui—the Crimson Wolf and one of the most highly feared generals of the Gen Empire—had been a formidable enemy indeed. He’d led his army through the great forest, which no one had ever set foot in before, and crossed the Nanamagari Mountains. After forcing the commerce country of Seitou to surrender and join the Gen Empire as a vassal state, he launched an attack on Keiyou.

A thousand years ago, the Tou Empire became the first country to unify all of the lands in the continent. Back then I’d been known as Kou Eihou, the Great General of the Tou Empire. With my twin Heavenly Swords in hand, I’d been undefeated. In this life I possessed memories—albeit rather foggy ones—of my time as Kou Eihou. Despite that, Crimson Wolf had almost managed to defeat me. We won only thanks to our soldiers’ tenacity and the residents’ assistance. It was also thanks to father’s decision to leave Rinkei and come to our aid, bringing with him the strongest members of the family army. The biggest asset that contributed to our victory was...

I touched the obsidian sheath of Black Star, the paired sword to White Star, to disguise a wave of bashfulness. “I wasn’t the only reason we won against Nguyen. You and father came to help us out too.”

Hakurei sucked in a breath and her eyes widened before she quickly regained her usual cool demeanor and tossed her hair. The silver strands shimmered under the bright sunlight. “Well, of course we did. You’re hopeless without me.”

I shrugged, making sure the movement was exaggerated and theatrical, as I lamented, “Man, you’re so mean. Where, oh where did the adorable Chou Hakurei of the past go?”

“That should be my line. Please give me back the cute and honest Sekiei of the past.”

We glared at each other—a usual occurrence during our fights—when the soldiers fixing the roofs and the familiar residents transporting supplies started to call out to us.

“Lord Sekiei, Lady Hakurei!”

“Young master, has your injury healed up?”

“I’d heard the rumors, but I guess they’re true.”

“They’re really going around the city together! ♪”

“That bullheaded young master has finally understood a woman’s heart!”

I stared at Hakurei, and she stared right back at me. As if we’d rehearsed it, we each took a small step back and away from each other. I wasn’t sure why, but I started to feel my face heat up. Running my hand through my hair, messing up the black strands, I yelled at everyone, “You guys are all so... Ugh, never mind. Just make sure no one gets hurt, all right?”

After the soldiers and citizens waved their arms or slapped their chests with good cheer, they returned to their work. Ever since we’d fought off Gen, people had started talking to me a lot more—like what happened just now—and I was always a little unsure of how to respond to them. I was about to reach up and put my hands around the back of my head when Hakurei suddenly grabbed my sleeve.

“Don’t use your left hand,” she said.

I lowered my right hand as well, since it had just been hovering awkwardly in the air, and touched the sheath again. “So, what are we going to do after this?”

“After we finish checking on this district, we’re done with our inspections for the day.”

“Got it.”

We slowly made our way down an alleyway; I didn’t mind spending time like this. I glanced over at Hakurei by my side and suggested, “Why don’t we take this opportunity and go check out the market? I’m hungry after walking around so much. Thanks to a certain overprotective someone, I always get dragged back to the manor after inspections.”

Hakurei’s face twisted in obvious irritation. “It seems that there’s a difference in how we’re viewing the current situation.” She picked up her pace until she stood in front of me. With one hand on her hip and her other hand pointing at my face, she started, “Listen closely. You’re injured, and it’s an injury so severe that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to hold anything for at least half a year. It’s bizarre that you were able to recover within a month. Please repent.”

“Why do I have to apologize?! If anyone is in the wrong here, it’d be you, because we can all agree that you are being overprotec—”

“Father is on my side about this, as he told me not to let you wander around by yourself. If you have any complaints, why don’t you go and raise them to him yourself?”

“Urk.” That was all I could say to her immediate rebuttal. Father was surprisingly overprotective, even though he seemed the rough-and-tumble type of parent. They really were father and daughter. I looked away from Hakurei’s glare and tried to calm her down. “Come on, it doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m fine. I swear, I’m not always that carele—”

“You are. You always start to push yourself to perform all sorts of impossible feats. How do you think I feel, getting roped into your crazy stunts?”

“D-Do you really have to say it like that?!” You’re a cruel mistress, Chou Hakurei. Absolutely cruel. It was hard to tell from how she acted nowadays, but she really used to be such a cute little girl. She followed me everywhere I went and— Wait. “Getting roped into my crazy stunts”?

Seeing me fall silent obviously made her curious, and Hakurei asked, “What’s the matter? What’s with that look in your eye?”

“Ah, um, I was just thinking that if I ever got into any trouble, you being by my side for it...is a sure thing?”

As I finished speaking a strong gust of wind blew past us, causing her silver hair and red ribbon to billow. Her cheeks and neck growing redder and redder was an obvious sign that she’d realized she misspoke. She had never been the type of person who would intentionally reveal her soft, inner core. Then, with a long growl, she started punching me with both fists.

“D-Don’t aim for my left arm!” I exclaimed as I dodged her attacks. “Did you already forget I’m technically injured?!”

Hakurei puffed her cheeks out to show her disapproval and said in a flat voice, “Very well. Since you’re healed up now, I’ll no longer go easy on you. We will restart our horse races, as well as our swordsmanship and archery training. You won’t say that you don’t want to, will you? After all, your arm is all healed up, isn’t it?”

Wh-What a cheater! Despite my chest burning with the injustice of it all, I knew that there was no point in arguing with her—that was a lesson I’d learned after dealing with her for these past ten years. In this kind of situation, I simply needed to do this!

“So! About those horse races—”

“You. Will. Do. Them. Right?”

“Yes...”

I’d tried to open up negotiations with her, but she was exerting so much pressure that it completely destroyed my plan. Ah. So I won’t be able to sleep in anymore. I was lost in my grief for a moment before I noticed the scent of flowers. “Hmm? Hakurei?”

She’d pinched my sleeve between her fingers, the action so sudden that I was taken aback. It was one thing for her to do this when we were alone, but she almost never displayed affection like this in front of others.

She must have noticed me staring at her because she explained in a hurried voice, “It wouldn’t do if you got lost in the market, so... Is the pain really all gone? You’re not lying, are you?” She seemed anxious that she might’ve been too harsh. I was reminded once again of her kind nature, that she would worry about something like that.

I reached out and brushed off some dust from her hair. “I told you already, I’m fine. Thanks.”

“It was nothing.” With that, Hakurei’s gaze dropped, as if she was too embarrassed to meet my eyes.

***

Keiyou was located at a strategic point on the river that bisected the continent into north and south. It was why the city was able to import goods from many different regions—as well as why the market was always a lively place to be. As per usual, countless stalls were placed out under the clear sky, and I could hear loud conversations from every direction.

Merchants sold large quantities of fresh food such as meat, fish, and vegetables. Some stalls had delicious-looking dishes and desserts on offer. Others displayed bolts of cloth and piles of folded clothing alongside animal pelts, china, pottery, and many rare items imported from overseas. If we weren’t on the front lines, we’d be able to develop so much more as a city, I lamented.

As Hakurei and I walked around the market and chatted, I noticed that the crowd had drastically thinned—we’d wandered into a narrow alley without realizing. Here, I saw a young boy wearing a coat that covered his entire body, head and all. He was sitting on a bamboo chair and snipping at a white flower with a pair of shears.

“Oh, wow,” I said.

We stopped and looked down at the bouquets that were stacked in a bucket. Do these grow around Keiyou?

“That’s not a very common flower,” Hakurei commented.

Curious, I looked down at the small storekeeper. “Hey, little boy, can I ask you a question? Where did you get these flowers from?”

The little boy looked up just before—snap!—he used his shears to bisect the blossom from the stem. He had light hair and emerald eyes, which was a fairly rare combination even in Keiyou. I couldn’t see his left eye with his bangs over it. He looked like he hailed from one of the countries said to exist past the Hakkotsu Desert northwest of Seitou.

“I can’t tell you because then I won’t be able to make a living,” he said, a hint of anger in his voice. “Also...”

Next to me, I could hear Hakurei mutter, “You idiot.”

The little boy stood up from his chair, revealing how long his golden hair was, and glared at me. “I’m a girl. If you’re not going to buy anything, can you get a move on? I don’t like people who participate in wars.”

Shit! I seriously messed up.

Now that she was standing up, it was more than obvious that she was a girl. Her long hair, loosely tied with a blue ribbon, was no longer hidden behind her body. I could see that she barely had any curves, though.

Feeling guilty, I clasped my hands together in a show of sincerity. “I’m sorry!” I exclaimed. “Please forgive me. I’ll buy some flowers off of you.”

The girl with her eye hidden by her bangs continued to stare at me. A cold and heavy silence stretched out between us.

It’s! So! Awkward!

Hakurei sighed, sounding exasperated. “What am I going to do with you? I’m sorry,” she said, directing the apology to the girl. “He’s really slow. I hope you’ll forgive him. These flowers look really nice.”

The girl’s visible right eye blinked and she muttered, “A beautiful girl with silver hair and blue eyes? So then, that black sword is...” She trailed off, looking down at the ground, before she met Hakurei’s eyes again and said in a louder voice, “I think your hair and eyes are really nice, Princess of the Chou family.”

“Thank you very much.” Hakurei gave the girl a gentle smile.

Thanks to her unique appearance, everyone in Keiyou knew of Hakurei. Her polite apology and gratitude softened the atmosphere and I breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how many memories of my past life I have, they’re never of any use in situations like this. I smiled to myself before I noticed that the girl was staring at my waist—and Hakurei’s. Was that curiosity I saw in her eyes?

The girl fiddled with her hair as she said, “Those swords...”