Chapter 222 |
Which Nanban
¹ thinker from which era was it that compared religion to opium? In any case, religion is something that cannot be completely severed from governance. Furthermore, in a world where Mōryō
² and monstrous spirits are real, and where famine and disaster are daily companions, it was impossible to ignore it entirely. People are strong because they gather together, yet as individuals, they remain weak.
Before humanity flourished on the world's main stage, countless existences beyond human logic were worshipped and enshrined. Those beings, who exacted power from all their believers as a price for survival through faith-based covenants, devoted themselves to an endless war over the seat of the One True God. They defiled the earth and scorched the heavens continuously.
...Observing the covenants between humans and divinities, there were those who "invented" a faith of humans, by humans, and for humans. It was the first step toward promoting human independence, casting aside the ancient beings as evil gods, and excluding non-human influence from the affairs of state.
In Nanban, it is also referred to as the 'Ecclesiastical Domain Formula.' A man-made, artificial faith. A temporary devotion. A shared virtual and fictional god. It was a massive paradigm shift.
In essence, it was the redistribution of power. Expand the faith, increase the believers. The collection of power from them. That itself was no different from the conduct of the non-humans. The difference lay in the storage and the targets of distribution.
Dust piles up to form a mountain. If you collect one day of life from ten thousand believers, that alone provides ten thousand days' worth. That accumulated power is distributed to those in need as required. By borrowing this vast, accumulated power, even a mere mortal becomes capable of exorcism, sometimes even purging a divinity. The monk armies of Tenjiku
³ who drove back the yokai, and the chivalric orders of the Nanban church that annihilated the demons covering the skies, are prime examples of this.
...It is not uncommon in the human world for master and servant to swap places, for pretenses to become the essence, or for one to become poisoned by their own propaganda. Eventually, temples and shrines began to appear that forgot their essence and focused solely on desk theories, sophistry, and rhetoric, seeking luxury and decadence in politics. In Fusō, this aspect was even more pronounced.
Unlike Nanban or the Continent, since its founding, Fusō has maintained a relationship of trust and submission between the state and its vassals—the spiritual power holders, the Exorcist Clans—barring a few rebellions. This was because, unlike the Small Saint system of Nanban or the Continent's practice of treating them as mere raw materials for corpse soldiers, Fusō recognized their rights to wealth, life, and dignity. The strong spiritual power holders saw Fusō not as an enemy to be overthrown, but as a target to be utilized, a host to parasitize, yet also a ward to protect and rely upon. Fusō never rejected or denied the temple forces, but it also never allowed one to become dominant.
By skillfully balancing the interests of the temples, the Exorcist Clans, the warrior houses, and the unruly citizens—even manipulating some yokai and lower divinities through clever words in the early days—the imperial court established its definitive reason for existence by uniting and harmonizing Fusō as a single country.
Therefore, they likely did not actively seek power through faith itself. While protecting ancient schools to avoid losing practitioners of dharma power, they also shielded the rhetorically gifted schools that decorated themselves in splendor, using them as pawns to govern the ignorant masses.
Hence, the corruption. In the temples of Fusō, there appeared ruffian monk-soldiers who were soldiers in name only and failed to meet the conditions for power distribution, and even those who called themselves high priests despite being unable to use dharma power. The imperial court deliberately overlooked this rot. It was enough that the temple forces could keep the warrior houses and Exorcist Clans in check. They were left to fall as they pleased.
...On the other hand, the effectiveness of the collection and redistribution mechanism itself remained valid, and among monks who were unwilling to personally pay the price of asceticism and training to receive their dividends, there was a movement to seek out 'exploits.' The precepts of enlightenment that first spread to and took root in Fusō were a particularly old system of faith, and thus, compared to later imitations, they had larger loopholes to exploit.
With Enrei-ji
⁴ at the forefront, the Kōkō-shinjū
⁵ sect, which advocates the ideology of 'Saiei Kyūsei' (Glorious Salvation), is extremely secular. It has strengthened its position by constantly following and complementing the rule of the governing powers. The monks belonging to it were a group of 'corrupt priests' who had deviated so far from the original teachings that they had lost the right to redistribute power. They were corrupt, but they were neither foolish nor powerless.
This extremely specialized sect fostered and adored many craftsmen and performers. Using this talent, they produced many skills, arts, and crafts. They refined techniques designed to poke holes in the doctrines and precepts through occult means.
Take, for example, the Renka-style Fusō Dance. Or the Kōkō Myōō Divine Statues. The former temporarily qualifies one outside the teachings to receive power. The latter are famous combat statues that guard Enrei-ji. Each one can easily drive back a great yokai. Even if the monks themselves were powerless and their monk-soldiers were mere puppets, the talent they surrounded themselves with and the curse-tools they produced guaranteed the protection of the temple and its power.
...The acolyte who studied in that temple knows. He knows the numerous secret techniques of Kōkō-shinjū. The foolish, sophisticated, and cunning arts devised and hidden by the high priests.
A corner of the Gai-kyō (Outer Area). It was an abandoned temple, more than half-discarded. Before the Great Chaos, the Otera-in was grand and solemn, but it had been used as a fortress to hold back the yokai army. The warrior-monks inside had swung their blades while chanting sutras, all perishing in battle.
After the war, the area was swallowed by refugees, becoming the Lower Capital. Falling monks had settled there for a time, and it had even been raided by uncharacteristically serious Kebiishi
⁶ for being a den of gambling. Now, the grounds were renovated at will, with residents' shacks and dubious fortune-tellers setting up shop, and even wandering shrine maidens—or rather, night hawks posing as priestesses—selling their bodies.
...Inside the main hall of the abandoned temple, which had been repaired over and over, people were gathered in numbers that exceeded its capacity. It was dusty, insects crawled on the floor, and spiders spun webs in the corners. Within such a temple, an abnormal crowd had assembled.
Outlaw exorcists, failed priestesses who were more prostitutes by trade, and delinquent monks who had been expelled or had abandoned their training... these were the people he had decorated with top-tier ritual tools. To the eyes of an uneducated amateur, they wouldn't know if the items were genuine or mere papier-mâché.
Gathering followers through sermons filled with sweet talk, lies, and sophistry, and through prayers utilizing drugs and physical acts, he kept them tamed by continuing to provide food every day. Worn out by the coldness of the world, they—men and women alike—sought salvation. They were an easily incited mob.
In the center of the hall, the karmic fires of a homa altar burned fiercely. Fallen monks, dressed in magnificent robes, layered incantations disguised as mantras. Even those speaking them likely didn't understand their meaning. They frequently mispronounced the sutras, causing the rhythm to falter. Relying on momentum and volume, they forced their way through the deception.
The fake priestesses danced around the homa fire. If anyone who had formally studied shrine maiden dances or performing arts—like the Onitsuki's Advisor—had been there, they would have been indignant. Ignoring form and being excessively suggestive, the performance was vulgar and inappropriate for a sacred ritual. Yet, in a sense, it was perfectly suited for this place. No one here cared.
The believers chanted the Nembutsu incessantly. They were made to repeat, with dull-witted obedience, only the Fuumi-ku phrases they had been taught beforehand. The medicinal smoke beginning to fill the room clouded their brains; in a state of euphoria, everyone lost their sense of self as they chanted and chanted. They were becoming unable to recognize what was happening right before their eyes. They were no more than machines. And they were also fuel.
He was there, atop the homa altar. An elegant monk clad in rags. The impudent man posing as a monk looked over the entire scene, looking down upon it. His fixed smile held a trace of mockery.
Even with material and financial support, this place existed because of his words, and it had been all too easy. How many hundreds were there in total? Or perhaps more? The fact that even his current self could move such a mass of fools made him conceited.
This, for now. But what if he climbed higher? What if he gained more power? What if he gained the support of even more people? He could hold a city, a district, a province, and eventually the country itself... he fell into a state of self-intoxication, imagining the ultimate end of that path.
...Directly after, a metallic ring echoed. A shuriken, aimed straight at Sōgai's forehead through a hole in the temple wall, was deflected. The shadow-man serving as a guard whistled, a cold sweat breaking out on his face.
"My, my, how dangerous. ...An early arrival, it seems," the guard said.
"An assassin!? How dare you...!" Sōgai shouted.
Kamui and Sōgai each spoke, sensing the situation. Immediately after, the roar of a commotion began to echo outside the temple.
It was the beginning of the raid on the heretical cult by the outlaw exorcists.
* * *
The Ritsuryō system of the Fusō Nation had a tendency toward bloating and formalization. Complicated procedures, the creation of Fuumi documents for petitions, and the gathering of seals for approval in public councils. It took much time for reports from below to reach the top, and for the top to reach a conclusion and command those below. On the other hand, useless official positions were created for the sake of notables, marked by hereditary succession, nepotism, and bribery... Fuumi documents were approved without checking, and there were even rough cases where deputies of officials stamped the seals.
For the officials of the imperial court, what mattered was not the content of the Fuumi documents, but whether the seals were present and if the format was correct. It was not rare for someone to ignore bad numbers for their own career until their next transfer.
Correct information does not necessarily lead to correct policies. However, it is certain that correct policies cannot be derived from incorrect information. While not collapsing, the governance of Fusō was always lagging behind, and its inefficiency had been pointed out by those inside and out. Though a wise ruler would occasionally reform and restore order, it would return to its original state after a few generations.
Employees of the Hyakuyain
⁷ Family, the People's Exorcism Guard, were merely a private army of a noble house. For that reason, their movements were instead quick. They did not require complicated procedures, and because they had the backing of a noble family, they did not worry about small breaks from the law. By exploiting the favoritism born of corruption, they were able to move just before an event occurred.
"Official inspection! Surrender and accept your arrest!" a guard shouted.
The vanguard kicked open the temple gate along with its bar, roaring. In reality, they were not Kebiishi nor from the Magistrate's office, so they lacked such authority, but in this case, whoever spoke first won. The ignorant masses would have no way of knowing their group details, and because of the Hyakuyain backing, their words would not be questioned later.
...The problem was that the common folk were not in a state to obey.
"Tsk, everyone's high as a kite!" a warrior shouted.
The first to charge in, a man holding a massive ox-knife that looked able to crush a bull, spat out the words. No one obeyed his command. They couldn't even hear him. They just sat in seiza, hands pressed together, muttering chants that sounded like Nembutsu. It was a kind of hypnosis or illusion. Their minds, melted as if drunk, were short on self-awareness, turned into machines that did nothing but pray. Even if those chants were sucking the very life out of them.
"What language is this? I've never heard it...!" another man said.
Running right behind the ox-knife user toward the center of the temple was a man with broad shoulders. Wearing scary brass knuckles and a mask, he glanced at the masses being forced to chant and answered. As he did, in the next instant, he caught a swinging giant arm with his fist.
It was a Buddhist Vajra Warrior. A Nio statue made of Reitetsu iron. An inner-domain statue shaped like the A-gyo. A divine protector statue.
"Another one...!" the ox-knife user shouted.
The ox-knife user met the Un-gyo statue that had leapt toward him with a knee strike amid dust and roar. The collision of massive iron. A piercing metallic screech that shook the eardrums. The wind pressure thundered around them. Both the Nio statue and the warrior pulled back, taking distance from each other.
"So damn hard...! This didn't break it!?" the warrior asked.
The warrior's ox-knife was his pride, a yokai-slaying blade. It was meant to vibrate and shatter any opponent it clashed with. Normally, he wouldn't lose. Yet the statue, regaining its stance, only had a crack in the knee where they had collided.
"It seems to be the work of a very skilled sculptor..." the masked man said.
"Hah! It's a shame it's being used for something like this!" the ox-knife user replied.
The two warriors stood back-to-back as the Vajra statues positioned themselves to flank them. The statues rolled their shoulders and necks as if warming up. They were practiced. They seemed to be copying the movements of highly skilled fighters.
"You've got guts, looking away like that!" a voice called out.
Suddenly, the bronze statues both lost their heads. Emerging through the gateway was a foreign-looking beauty swinging a large scythe like a toy. She had changed her haori, turning it into something that looked like old rags. The two warriors back-to-back glared at her reproachfully.
"What? I helped you out, didn't I?" the woman with the scythe asked.
"You almost cut us too, didn't you?" the ox-knife user snapped.
"Are you trying to hog the reward? How greedy," the masked man added.
In response to the scythe-wielder's pushback, one man stroked the scythe-mark on his already-healing knife, while the other touched the shallow cut on his neck where he had dodged, both hurling insults. This scythe-wielder's technique was not one that could clearly tell friend from foe.
"I just trusted that you'd block it! Look, they told us not to cause any deaths among the civilians!" she claimed.
Glancing at the people who were still chanting, their hearts elsewhere, the scythe-user made her claim. Indeed, despite her rough technique, not a single civilian was hurt. However...
"We can see right through you, you brat!" the warrior shouted.
"Stop saying things you don't mean," the masked man said.
"Hehe!" she giggled.
The insults were born from knowing her true nature. The ox-knife user and the fighter aimed their weapons at the scythe-user, giving off killing intent. The scythe-user likewise raised her blade threateningly. And then... they each swung their weapons. Toward the space behind themselves.
The ox-knife and the fist struck the headless statues that had lunged forward. The side of the scythe blade knocked unconscious the civilians who were approaching like sleepwalkers. The three then stood back-to-back.
The believers stood up and surrounded them like the undead. Even with one arm lost, the bronze statues did not seem to lose their fighting spirit. From the depths of the temple, a further presence approached. A Demonic Aura (Yōki) was drawing near.
"Say, would it be okay if I crushed these annoying humans by 'accident'?" the scythe-wielder asked.
"If you don't mind your reward being cut, go ahead," the ox-knife user replied.
"I'd appreciate it if you crushed our share too," the masked man muttered.
"I take it back~" she said.
Toward the rushing people, statues, and yokai, they met the attack with extreme, extreme caution, picking their targets. Other warriors joined the three, and the battle turned into a chaotic melee.
...This was the event at the North Gate. The People's Exorcism Guard had raided almost all four gates at the same time. Every gate was in a similar state.
The Hyakuyain Family, which cared for the common people, thus maintained an extensive and independent information network. This was to spot the suffering of the masses early and purge threats to them as quickly as possible. One of those networks had detected the strangeness in the Outer Area.
And, taking advantage of the charity at the yashiki estate, they had secretly planted spies among the returning citizens. This was a secret known only to a few. Even Matsumi-hime, who had represented the charity, had not been informed. The same went for the young lady swordsman of the Hotoya Family, a member of the guard. Though she had been told by her father upon her recruitment that something unsettling was being plotted in the Outer Area, she knew nothing of the spy operation. She only learned of the raid, which had been moved forward due to the sudden turn of events, when she was literally shaken awake.
"...!?"
Tamaki, waiting as part of the second wave, gasped and stiffened at the roar echoing from within the temple. It was a sudden scene of carnage after being woken from sleep. Tamaki had not yet sorted her feelings. Her state of mind was floating, not quite settled...
"...Nervous?" a woman asked.
The sullen, giant woman wearing a kasa hat and a glowering expression questioned her. Being looked down upon by Inugoku Ikumi, who held a kanabō loosely in her hand, Tamaki couldn't help but feel the pressure from the difference in their height.
"Um... yes. Or maybe just lack of sleep. I didn't expect it to happen so suddenly," Tamaki replied.
"How have you managed to live this long with that kind of resolve?" another voice asked.
The person who answered Tamaki was not the giant woman, but a small woman. Emerging from the temple gate was a guard whose long hair writhed like a living creature. Behind her followed the civilians who had been chanting in the temple. Walking with their mouths agape and drool dripping, they looked more as if they were being made to walk. That was indeed the case. Kamojiya Misao had been deployed in the first wave specifically for the rescue of the civilians.
A descendant of the branch of the infamous 'Hair-Eating Princess,' who once numbered among the original Seven Demon-Sealing Warriors (Taima Nanashi)...
"Come on, you lot. Move it, move it. ...Group Ten! Hurry up and tie them up!" Misao shouted.
She urged them along with light kicks to their rears. She shoved the civilians forcibly retrieved from the temple toward the members of the tenth group. They were to be bound and held. Incidentally, they also had the duty of evacuating the residents of the Outer Area and driving away onlookers. Those who only had the strength of the 'Yun-shoku' rank within the Exorcist Clans did not actively step forward; their job was the chores of the battlefield. Misao looked down on those underlings, and with the same eyes, she scorned Tamaki. She looked down on her haughtily.
"So naive. Carelessness is a great enemy. Always be prepared for everything, the battlefield is everywhere. ...Isn't that right?" Misao asked.
"..." Tamaki remained silent.
Tamaki had no room to argue against Misao's mockery. It was perfectly correct. At this rate, she would make another mistake. She was still inexperienced. She could only accept it and hang her head.
"Silent, are we? ...How boring," Misao muttered.
However, it seemed that reaction was unsatisfactory for Misao. She moved to return to the temple to lead out the remaining civilians, looking bored, but then hurriedly spun around.
"Tch!!?" Misao clicked her tongue.
"Eh, !? A centipede...!!?" Tamaki cried out.
Emerging through the gate like a muddy torrent was a giant centipede with a black shell and red patterns on it. It got caught clumsily on the gate halfway through, then raised its freed body as if standing up. It looked large enough to wrap around a small mountain once or twice. The residents of the Outer Area, who had been lingering despite being driven away, immediately began to scream and scatter like baby spiders.
"A great yokai...!?" Tamaki asked.
"No way! It's an intermediate-level at best! Gack!?" Misao spat.
Tamaki drew her sword and stepped forward. Misao, who had dodged the giant centipede's charge, spat out the words. She groaned at the same time due to the presence of smaller centipedes climbing over the walls and gate. Though called 'small,' they were longer than three horses lined up. It was a sight that made the skin crawl.
"This is bad! The people inside...!" Tamaki shouted.
Thinking of the first wave of warriors and, above all, the civilians who were completely unaware of the danger, a panicked Tamaki tried to step forward. Rushing past Tamaki's right side was the giant woman. She leapt and struck the giant centipede's face with her metal club. With a metallic 'Goon,' the centipede was flattened. It wasn't dead. But she had seized the lead and forced its attention on her.
Following behind, a ritual beast sprinted past her left. Its blade-like claws tore through the smaller centipedes, and its jaws bit and ripped them apart. Turning toward the presence behind her, she saw the figure of a nervous-looking monk, the master of the beast.
"We'll handle things here. Newbie, guard Kamojiya-dono and go inside," the monk said.
"Hey, baldy. Don't go deciding things on your own!" Misao snapped.
"You're the key to the rescue at this gate. Do you care what your post-mission report looks like?" the monk asked.
"Tch," Misao clicked her tongue.
Misao accepted the colleague's words despite her resistance. Tamaki bowed and headed toward the small woman.
"Kamojiya-san! Can you get up there!?" Tamaki asked.
"Obviously!" Misao replied.
Leaping onto the dirt wall. To the call from the woman perched on the tiled roof, the foul-mouthed senior girl was annoyed. Feeling that the attitude was slightly child-like and cute, Tamaki grabbed a roof tile and punched the face of a small centipede that had approached from behind.
It was a strike boosted by body strength. Even a mere old tile was powerful. A third of the face was crushed, and the centipede collapsed toward the temple grounds in pain. From atop the wall, Tamaki was able to see the inside of the temple.
"This is...!" Tamaki gasped.
It was horrific. There were still more small centipedes. They were pouring out from the main hall. Along the way toward them, there were multiple traces where people had been eaten as if they were mere snacks.
Bloodstains spreading on the floor and soil. Remains of limbs. Unnaturally open spaces... the civilians truly didn't understand anything. They didn't care in the slightest if the person next to them was eaten and vanished. They either chanted the Nembutsu with dull-witted focus or tried to physically block the vanguard of the People's Exorcism Guard who were trying to protect them. The senior colleagues were struggling, unable to kill them...
"Guh!! Again, I am...!" Tamaki ground her teeth.
Her teeth were clenched hard and strong. A bubbling anger rose not just toward the yokai, but toward herself. How many had been lost? Why was she just standing there? Was she helpless again?
"Newbie?" Misao asked.
"I won't... let you do any more!!" Tamaki roared.
Ignoring the call from Misao, who had also reached the top, Tamaki swung her sword. she unleashed a technique she had learned from one of her mentors.
"'Dust Sweeper'
⁸...!"
A basic technique of the Ako-style swordsmanship. The shockwave of the blade, released as if sweeping away dust, tore through the distant centipedes. Its power was not enough against anything above an intermediate-level yokai. However, with its ability to be fired in rapid succession and its excellent range, it was the technique most suited for this situation.
"Ako-style!?" Misao exclaimed.
"Let's go, Kamojiya-san!" Tamaki shouted.
Even as she called out to her senior, whose eyes had widened at the newcomer's skill, Tamaki had already leapt from the roof. She grabbed a few tiles and threw them just before landing. They crushed the heads of the centipedes she hadn't managed to cut. Body strength boost. Cutting through the wind, she jumped in. She twisted her body into the gap between the warriors and the yokai.
"The newbie!?" a warrior shouted.
"I'm helping!! 'Chigirikizure (Shredstorm)'
⁹!!" Tamaki cried.
No sooner had she spoken than she shredded the centipedes trying to approach the warriors into pieces. 'Shredstorm' had a much narrower range than 'Dust Sweeper,' but its density was on another level. For yokai who couldn't be stopped even by being cut in half or having their heads removed, this technique was reliable. Of course, just like 'Dust Sweeper,' the story would be different against high-ranking yokai.
"Ah... ah..."
"...!? 'Empty Strike'
¹⁰!!" Tamaki shouted.
Toward the civilians who approached her like the dead, Tamaki hesitated for an instant before unleashing the move. It was a technique using the guard, the spine, or the sheath of the sword. A skill to reliably knock out an opponent without taking their life or leaving lasting injury, using every part of the sword except the edge. A technique for capturing criminals, taking prisoners, or reclaiming brainwashed allies. In this situation, it was perfect. Combined with the rapid strikes of 'Dust Sweeper,' she knocked out the civilians blocking her and her allies in a flash.
"Good, with this...! ...!?" Tamaki gasped.
A bronze statue had closed in on her as if dancing. A trident spear. She managed to avoid the spear-tip approaching her face by pulling her head back at the last second. She tried to cut down the spear with her sword. However...!!
"It's hard!" Tamaki cried.
A metallic screech. The spear was swung down just as it was. Pouring spiritual power into her leg strength, she leapt backward to escape. No, she hadn't completely dodged it. A cut had appeared in her clothing.
From her navel down to her inner thigh, Tamaki felt a thin slit. It sent a chill down her spine. If she had been a second later, she would have been sliced open from the navel down.
"A divine guardian statue..." Tamaki whispered.
The ritual statue modeled after the Twelve Heavenly Generals, Shaan-tera Taishō, tilted its head while looking at the tip of its spear. It tilted its head and then glared at her. It took a stance as if to welcome her. The divine statue governing the South stood like a gatekeeper. Behind it, the very insects it was meant to purge were swarming...
Surely, even as she stood here, the losses were increasing. At the other three gates, and in the depths of the temple, the same scene must be playing out. Therefore...
"I'll have you move. I don't know what the goal is... but I'll put an end to this foolish conduct right now!" Tamaki shouted.
Gritting her teeth against the mastermind of the event and, above all, her own weakness, Hotoya Tamaki leveled her sword.
To save as many as possible, without losing a single one...
* * *
"What is the meaning of this? Do you know something?" a noble asked.
"Everything is going according to plan. Please trust the Minister of the Left," a Kebiishi replied.
"B-but..." the noble stammered.
The commotion in the Outer Area could be heard even from the North Capital. The noisy presence outside. There, the Kebiishi who had received instructions from the Minister of the Left were calling out to the residents of the streets to stay calm and keep their gates firmly closed.
"The danger will never reach this Inner Capital or the North Capital. The Barrier Curse surrounding the capital is ironclad," the Kebiishi said.
"Umm. That may be so, but..." the noble muttered.
"This isn't some kind of entertainment, is it?" another asked.
"There are reports of the People's Exorcism Guard heading out in formation. Does Hyakuyain acknowledge this?" a third noble questioned.
"Of course. Everything and all arrangements are according to the instructions of the Minister of the Left-dono..." the Kebiishi answered.
The numerous Kebiishi gathered in full armor did their best to pacify the persistent residents. Their presence itself served to ease the residents' anxiety. It was a matter of the heart, not logic. In particular, the estates of noble houses and wealthy merchants sent messengers constantly to express their anxiety to the Kebiishi.
The warrior houses and Exorcist Clans were somewhat better in that regard. Accustomed to trouble, their estates did not do useless things like the noble houses.
"P-Princess... it is dangerous! Please, go inside quickly...!" a maid cried.
"I know, I know♪ ...Haha, another very flashy thing!" Shinobu replied.
Without listening to the maid's restraint, Miyataka Shinobu stood tall on the roof of her own estate, intending to view the situation from afar. Booms, explosions, and flames and black smoke shining in the dark night. A fire...
"...Keep the gates firmly closed. Make it so no one can enter or leave from the inside or outside. Got it?~" Shinobu asked.
"Of course! Both rituals and servants! We have strictly reinforced the gates!" the servant answered.
"That's great," Shinobu said.
It wasn't just 'great'; the maid's wish was for her to come down and hide in the depths of the estate... but she also understood that such a wish was fleeting for a girl notorious for being a libertine.
It was fundamentally impossible to ask her, who lived only for the moment, to behave as a chaste princess.
"Ah, little sister-san. Sorry it's so noisy?~" Shinobu called out.
And from the roof, Princess Shinobu looked down and spotted her. The guest standing on the veranda of the estate in her nightclothes. The girl who had been wandering the estate to avoid the awkwardness of meeting her brother's eyes also had to come out in the face of this commotion.
"Princess... what on earth is this?" Suzune asked.
"What do you think it is?~" Shinobu replied.
She answered with a question of her own to the stunned girl looking up at the roof. Naturally, there was no way she could know. To the girl who knew nothing of violence, who was always swept away, toyed with, used, and kept in the dark while being protected, there was no way she could understand.
"What do you mean..." Suzune trailed off.
"Fufu. It seems a disturbance has broken out in the Outer Area. Isn't your Princess there too? The People's Exorcism Guard seems to have headed there,~" Shinobu said.
"The Princess is..." Suzune whispered.
At Shinobu's words, Suzune looked toward the direction of the commotion with an anxious expression. She seemed to feel a sense of powerlessness at being unable to rush to the side of her mistress and friend.
"...I'll keep the gates firmly shut. If you're anxious, please stay in your room. Surely nothing will come this far,~" Shinobu advised.
"...I will do so," Suzune replied.
The younger sister maid accepted the Miyataka young lady's suggestion simply because she had no other choice. Suzune had never trained. She couldn't be of any use in such an emergency. She just had to make sure she didn't get in the way.
In order to protect her brother at the critical moment...
(Come to think of it... where is Iruka?)
And then the location of her friend suddenly came to mind. Come to think of it, when did she lose sight of her? Was she gambling again with the people of someone else's estate? If possible, she wanted her to be by her brother's side along with her...
"...It can't be helped," Suzune muttered.
Searching for a friend whose whereabouts were unknown would be putting the cart before the horse. It was her friend; if necessary, she would find her. And her friend would surely realize that she would be by her brother's side.
Then what she should do is be by her brother's side. Right now. Not a second to lose. She had to protect her brother. Suzune—no, Yukine—hurried toward her brother. Running down the veranda in an unseemly manner, she stood before the shouji paper door... but for a moment, she hesitated over what kind of face she should make when they met.
...Taking that princess's nonsense after her bath seriously was as immature as a green girl. At this point, she should forget it for a moment and prioritize being by her brother's side. What should she prioritize?
"Brother... yes. It's impossible," Yukine said.
The deciding factor was her trust in her brother. Her brother was neither light-headed nor frivolous. He wouldn't easily be swayed just because a woman showed him her skin. Confident of that, and having made up her mind, Yukine called out. As she called out, she pulled open the shouji paper door.
...There was no response. Only a bulging futon lay in the depths of the dimly lit room.
"...Brother?~" Yukine asked.
A sensation like swinging and missing. Had he fallen asleep? Had he fallen asleep because he was 'tired'? Such an unseemly thought came to mind, and she shook her head to dispel it. Isn't it a good thing for his recovery? Eat well, sleep well. That is the standard way to grow and heal the body. Her brother was not a person to waste oil and stay up unnecessarily late.
...But something felt strange. Something was an anomaly.
"...?" Yukine wondered.
Fearfully, Yukine approached. Stepping as quietly as possible so as not to wake him if he was indeed sleeping.
...Was her brother the kind of person to pull the futon over his head?
...Was her brother's frame always this large?
...Was her brother someone whose breathing was this silent?
"......"
Her hand reached for the futon. The noise outside sounded distant. Conflicted, she slowly peeled back the futon...
And she was stunned by the sight that met her eyes.
"Eh...?" Yukine gasped.
Why? How? Where? Thoughts flooded in like a deluge in an instant. Her thinking almost stopped with doubt and suspicion; she felt sick, and she pushed back her fading consciousness at the last second. She forced her thoughts to spin. She looked around. She desperately scanned the furniture and the interior of the room. The sliding doors. The Fuumi desk. The chest. The circular cushion. The armrest. The hanging scroll. The alcove. The transom. The staggered shelves. The upper cupboard. The floor cupboard...
The floor cupboard, which showed faint traces of having been opened...!!
"A secret passage...!" Yukine whispered.
She rattled open the floor cupboard. She peered into the dark, dark passage that continued into the depths. There were indeed traces that someone had passed through there.
"...!?" Yukine stiffened.
A moment of hesitation. Doubt. But immediately after, a particularly large roar sounded outside, and Yukine instinctively grabbed a small lantern that was nearby. And then... as if driven by something, she crawled inside!
"Wait... wait for me, brother...!!" Yukine cried.
Before she knew it, the country girl had begun to desperately chase after the traces her brother must have left.
It was as if she were being guided by someone...
...
...
...
Inside the North Capital, the Junrin-en. A large, elegant garden with an atmosphere of wabi-sabi (an aesthetic that values simplicity, imperfection, and transience), located right in the center of the wealthy city area. It usually heals the hearts of nobles tired of splendor, serves as a venue for tea ceremonies and garden parties, or is intended as a gathering place for a daimyo's army in times of emergency...
---
Summary:
The People's Exorcism Guard launches a coordinated raid on a heretical cult operating out of an abandoned temple in the Outer Area. The cult, led by the corrupt monk Sōgai, uses drugs and false faith to drain the life force of desperate commoners. Tamaki and her fellow guards face off against both brainwashed civilians and powerful animated divine statues. Meanwhile, in the North Capital, Yukine discovers that her brother has vanished from his room through a hidden passage. Desperate to find him, she enters the dark tunnel herself.
---
Character Insight:
Tamaki shows significant growth in her tactical flexibility, utilizing the 'Empty Strike' technique to neutralize civilians without killing them, balancing her duty to protect with the harsh reality of combat. Her anger toward her own perceived powerlessness continues to be a primary motivator. Yukine (Yukine), conversely, transitions from a passive 'protected' role to an active one, her devotion to her brother overriding her fear of the unknown as she plunges into the secret tunnel.
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Behind the Scene:
The chapter explores the 'Ecclesiastical Domain Formula,' a meta-commentary on how organized religion functions as a system of power redistribution in this game's world. The reference to 'Religion as Opium' is a direct nod to Karl Marx, localized here as a 'Nanban thinker.' The use of divine statues (Nio) as combat golems highlights the corruption of the Kōkō-shinjū sect, turning sacred protectors into tools of oppression.
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T/L:
1↩ Nanban: Literally 'Southern Barbarians,' a term used for Westerners (Portuguese, Spanish, etc.) and their culture.
2↩ Mōryō: A general term for spirits of mountains and rivers; monsters.
3↩ Tenjiku: The ancient Japanese name for India, often associated with the origin of Buddhism.
4↩ Enrei-ji: A prominent temple complex, likely modeled after the historical Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei.
5↩ Kōkō-shinjū: A fictional Buddhist sect in the story known for its secular corruption and magical technology.
6↩ Kebiishi: The police and judicial chiefs of the Heian-style government.
7↩ Hyakuyain: One of the high-ranking noble families in the capital, sponsors of the People's Exorcism Guard.
8↩ Dust Sweeper: (Chiriharai) A foundational shockwave technique of the Ako-style.
9↩ Chigirikizure: (Shredstorm) A high-density, close-range cutting technique.
10↩ Empty Strike: (Karauchi) A non-lethal striking technique designed to incapacitate targets.
Notes:
• Fuumi - One of the playful twin girls; energetic and sweet. Often paired with Shii in mischievous antics, she's reflective and emotionally tuned in, sharing a deep concern for their mother, Amatsuru.
• Sōgai - A corrupt, handsome monk leading a false religious gathering in the Outer Area. Highly ambitious and narcissistic.
• Ran - Seductive southern-born maid with wheat-colored skin and a beauty mark near her lips. Confident, teasing, and warm—mixes mature affection with sultry playfulness.
• Rei - Female. A character who is part of the group with Hana and Shino. Her appearance and personality are not extensively described, but she is involved in the 'medical treatment' scene, showing irritation and engaging in tense conversations.
• Matsumi - The sheltered granddaughter of the Minister of the Left, raised in courtly elegance after being orphaned young. Dutiful and kind yet easily flustered, she struggles to uphold her family’s ideal of benevolence while quietly burdened by politics and an arranged betrothal. Pale-skinned and meticulously groomed, dressed in understated silk and carrying a soft floral scent, she embodies delicate grace shaped by a life kept far from hardship.
• Tamaki - Formerly the male protagonist and now transformed into a woman.
• Inugoku Ikumi - A very large woman and member of the People’s Exorcism Guard who wields a metal club (kanabō).
• Misao - A small woman descendant of the legendary 'Hair-Eating Princess.' She manipulates long hair as a weapon/tool.
• Shaan - The older one of the children. She is a maid, who tries to act grown-up and is part of the young group, proud of her outfit.
• Shino - A maid who twists around Master's left arm, biting and licking his fingers in affection. Her devoted service feels maddeningly abnormal to Master.