kscans

Chapter 28 - Loss of Fighting Spirit

The land stretching to the north of the Imperial Court was a training ground where the soldiers in service drilled daily. In other words, it was their home turf. They knew every slight incline and every shift of the wind. Moreover, they were all formidable warriors, confident in their skills. Even the way they coordinated was polished, and they had never known defeat. Thus, it was no surprise that they joked about the current situation with an air of composure.

"The Emperor has some odd tastes."

It was a single enemy. All they had to do was strike him down with a thousand allies. They'd been told ten days, but the outcome was sure to be decided on the first.

"They say he's a candidate for Shion-sama's hand, but he's an unlucky man. To be given such a condition, he must have been thoroughly disliked."

Yagami Juzaemon cut into their conversation. "What are you saying? The women of the court are already in an uproar over him, apparently. And he's a renowned swordsman, known by all in the Western Capital."

"Hahaha. Even so, Juzaemon-sama, he's facing a thousand of us. He doesn't stand a chance. On top of that, we've been ordered to fight as if our lives depend on it. It's clear the Emperor has no intention of welcoming this man."

"Hmm." Juzaemon grunted and looked down. At first glance, there seemed to be no room for argument. But he considered what would happen if, by some chance, the soldiers lost. He hadn't seen it himself, but the man was a superman who could supposedly uproot grass with a single swing, leap to astonishing heights, and glide like a hawk. He couldn't imagine him being defeated so easily. But then, Juzaemon tilted his head. A thousand of the court's soldiers a day. For ten days. Indeed, as his comrades said, it read as if the Emperor had no intention of letting him win.

However, when Shintaro arrived at the training ground that would serve as the dueling venue, Juzaemon and all the soldiers under him tilted their heads in confusion. The man had an unparalleled countenance, a perfectly proportioned physique, and it was harder to find a flaw in him than not. If he had a problematic personality, it was unlikely Shion would have brought him herself, and the Emperor had only just met him. It seemed impossible to find fault with his character either.

"What on earth does he not like about him?" Juzaemon muttered inadvertently, and Miyake sidled up next to him.

"He's too good-looking."

"Wha—! M-Miyake-sama."

"Even if we vassals see no issue, it's different for a ruler. Especially when the future of the precious Shion-sama is at stake, he's bound to be cautious."

"I-I see. But... it will be difficult to find any candidates who follow him."

"Mm. That's true. But he won't lose."

"Eh?"

"Shintaro-dono will not lose. That is what it means to be a case of Divine Possession." Watching Miyake, who stood with his arms crossed and a faint smile on his lips, Juzaemon felt a sense of foreboding.

*

It was an unprecedented match: one against a thousand. Though they would use wooden swords, it was possible to kill an opponent depending on how they were used, so they couldn't let their guard down. The first day's battle was led by Yagami Juzaemon's troops.

"Maintain a good defense. It may be a single opponent, but do not underestimate him," Juzaemon warned, but the majority of his men heard it with only half an ear. A thousand soldiers took their positions, surrounding Shintaro. Shintaro touched the tip of his wooden sword to the ground and lowered his stance slightly. There was a unique aura about him. The smile of a child about to enjoy a game of make-believe sword-fighting, and the eyes of a lion hunting its prey for the day's meal. And a fighting spirit that seemed to make the very air tremble. So as not to be overwhelmed by intimidation alone, Juzaemon quickly gave the signal to attack. First, the fifty men in the front line charged. If he was on par with Miyake, he should be able to repel half of them, but he would surely take hits from the other half. That's what they thought, but at the last possible moment, Shintaro leaped into the air. A superhuman jump, just as the rumors said. The strategy was to make the allies collide with each other, but these were soldiers who served the court. While suppressing their shock, they barely managed to halt their momentum. It was only because they had heard in advance that "Shintaro can jump ten meters high" that they were able to do so. But everything else was uncharted territory. As Shintaro landed, he swung his wooden sword in a clockwise rotation, knocking down the surrounding soldiers with a combination of force and wind pressure. Those who had been waiting to attack him as he came down found themselves flat on their backs before they even knew what had happened. And from there, the hell began. Shintaro mercilessly swung his wooden sword at the dazed soldiers, snatching the weapons from their hands one after another. He precisely aimed only for their wooden swords, striking them from their grasp. He tore through them like a gale, carving through the wall of men as a lion bares its fangs. It was terrifyingly fast. He gave his opponents no time to even catch their breath. The soldiers had their wooden swords sent flying into the ground and sky without being able to land a single blow. The area was instantly plunged into a vortex of astonishment and confusion. Of course, Shintaro had calculated this. Even if they weren't as agile or ferocious as beasts, a thousand of them left him little room for error. He had to finish off as many as he could with single, decisive strikes, or the latter half of the fight would be tough.

Watching the match from a distance, Miyake was speechless. The path Shintaro left in his wake was like the trail of a great serpent. The fallen soldiers seemed to have lost even the strength to pick up their dropped swords, remaining face down and motionless. The path snaked with a measured, beautiful curve. While he stood there dumbfounded, the serpent's path extended further. The number of allied soldiers decreased proportionally, and before he knew it, their numbers were halved. And finally, the remaining soldiers began to retreat. Their skills, honed as formidable soldiers, were for naught.

"What are you doing! Attack!" Juzaemon roared, but they didn't stop running.

"W-We'll be killed!"

"You've got to be kidding!" they shouted, their faces pale as they fled in panic, running past Juzaemon. But shortly after, they suddenly turned back. Juzaemon thought they had reconsidered and decided to fight, but he was wrong. Shintaro had circled around and blocked their escape route.

"Done playing already?" Shintaro taunted defiantly as he herded the soldiers. Then, suddenly, his spearhead turned toward Juzaemon. Juzaemon felt like twenty years had been shaved off his life as he braced himself and received Shintaro's powerful blow. His wooden sword was sent flying somewhere far away, and a sharp pain shot through his arm. But he was the commander. He fought the urge to collapse to the ground and writhe in agony like the others, and forced his buckling knees to hold firm.

"...You don't hold back, do you?" Juzaemon glared at Shintaro and said through a groan. Shintaro stopped and grinned.

"I promised I'd win for sure."

"A promise...? To whom?"

"To Shion." At the reply, Juzaemon closed his eyes for a moment and smiled.

"You win, you possessed one."

Shintaro frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said. We've lost the will to fight. The match is over."

*

The battle had been decided in the time it took to go to the privy and back. At this swiftest of defeats, the Emperor clicked his tongue so loudly it echoed through the vast main hall.

"It seems pointless to continue for another nine days, but what do you think, Miyake?"

Miyake wiped away his sweat and replied, "Yes, indeed. Our accumulated experience and our knowledge of the terrain were useless. If we continue this for another nine days, our ten thousand soldiers will be rendered useless."

The Emperor clenched his fist and grunted. "Summon him."

"A-Are you sure?"

"Just summon him!"

"Yes, sir."

Thus summoned, Shintaro faced the Emperor with a tense expression.

"Um... is something wrong?" After a while of silence, Shintaro asked, and the Emperor glared at him.

"What do you think of my work?"

"Huh?"

"You want to marry Shion, don't you?"

"Y-Yes."

"Let me hear your thoughts on my work." Shintaro's gaze wandered, taking in the building's interior for a moment before returning to the Emperor.

"Your work... you're a priest or something?"

"...Eh?" A moment of silence followed. And for good reason. The Emperor had assumed Shintaro had come with a general understanding of the situation, and the rebuke he had prepared vanished from his mind.

"You intend to marry Shion, yet you didn't consider that?"

"Well, no... I was prepared to do whatever work you asked of me. If you don't want me touching family matters, I don't mind working outside." Seeing Shintaro state this so plainly, the Emperor felt the wind taken out of his sails. His presence was still as commanding as ever, but the belligerent sharpness he'd seen at first was gone, as was the suffocating confidence. In truth, Shintaro had never possessed such confidence to begin with; the Emperor had simply failed to notice. They had both been tense during their first meeting, and his good looks had created a preconceived notion. But facing him again now, Shintaro seemed to be a simple, honest young man whose only virtue was his straightforwardness.

Saneyuki sent him here, so it's probably safe to assume there are no major issues, but...

After pondering for a moment, the Emperor dismissed Shintaro and next summoned Shion.

"How much does that man know?"

Shion's eyelashes fluttered with unease. "Actually, I haven't told him anything."

Even the Emperor was surprised by this. "He came here knowing nothing?!"

"Yes."

"Did he not ask?"

"He is not an impertinent person."

"Is it not simply a lack of interest?"

"That's not it. It seems he could tell just by looking that I was the daughter of a wealthy family, and he was apparently trying to keep his distance."

"Most would try to curry favor in that situation."

"Because he didn't, I... Shintaro-sama..." Shion suddenly looked down. Her cheeks colored a faint pink, and she continued, somewhat shyly.

"I... I love Shintaro-sama. He asked me to be with him even though he had no money or status. He seemed to have no intention of relying on my family's power, so I accepted." The Emperor sighed, then opened his fan and snapped it shut.

"I see. For now, we'll keep him here and observe him. He's still young, so there should be plenty of time." Shion was delighted by these words, but the Emperor had a hidden meaning. He intended to see if Shintaro could remain unchanged when faced with true power.

He was able to come here without fear only because he knew nothing.

Of this, the Emperor was certain.