Chapter 95: Reporting the Results and…

Five days later.

Ryu and his party had returned once more to the bustling streets below Edo Castle.

At this moment, they were walking through the lively inn district.

“It feels… almost like home, doesn’t it?”

“I know what you mean. There’s something comforting about a city you can use as a base while traveling.”

On either side of the street, prestigious inns stretched in neat rows, their signs swaying gently in the breeze. Thanks to the generous allowance granted to him as an ambassador, Ryu could stay at even the most luxurious lodgings without hesitation.

“So… which inn should we stay at tonight?” Ryu mused.

“Hold on. Now that we’ve successfully negotiated with the Tosa Clan, the Tokugawa will officially recognize us as allies. That means there’s a good chance we’ll be hosted inside Edo Castle itself,” one companion reminded him.

“A chance to enjoy open-air baths and gourmet meals to our heart’s content, then,” Ryu said with a wry grin.

“Exactly.”

Some might argue that the castle wouldn’t let them stay inside, fearing the secret of the shogun’s death might be discovered. But in practice, a castle as vast as Edo had guest quarters for dignitaries, so staying there was perfectly feasible.

Moreover, Ryu had subtly hinted during their previous visit that he was aware of the situation, instructing, “Princess, please continue ruling Edo as usual, and make absolutely certain that Tokugawa’s secret is never exposed.” How the shogunate chose to treat them could shift depending on whether they saw him as trustworthy or dangerous.

Would they integrate the empire’s ambassador, who had discerned the truth in mere minutes, into the inner circle—or regard him as a threat and keep him at arm’s length? That decision rested entirely with Princess Kagura.

A samurai gatekeeper noticed their arrival.

“Are you… the empire’s ambassadors?”

“You remember us well,” Ryu said with a smile.

“Haha, it would be difficult to forget,” the guard chuckled.

As had been explained before, it was rare in Hinomaru for anyone to travel with a familiar spirit, and a dragon hatchling like theirs was nearly unheard of.

Ryu raised the imperial ambassador’s emblem from atop his horse and passed through the gate.

“Thank you for your efforts,” the guard nodded.

“And to you as well,” came the reply.

Watching them vanish toward the castle, the guard murmured to himself.

“Wait… that warhorse… is it the same one as last time? Was it really that big…?”

“The color is slightly different… maybe it’s a different horse?”

“That makes sense…”

The horse, Axel, had evolved recently from a Senrima horse into a Black Obsidian steed. The conversation reached Ryu’s ears, prompting him to muse quietly.

“I wonder… what rank does a Black Obsidian horse fall under?”

“Senrima horses are C-rank, right? Logically, Axel should be B or maybe even A,” came the thoughtful reply.

“Hmm… Axel, what do you think?”

*”Bururu…” the horse rumbled.

Once back in the empire, they would have to register Axel’s new rank at the adventurer’s guild as a newly classified magical beast.

“Ah, well. After all, no one else in this world has a Black Obsidian horse like Axel,” Ryu shrugged.

“Indeed. As long as I can at least harvest Axel’s mane, I don’t care about the rest,” Esther remarked.

They arrived beneath the castle’s main keep. Ryu and his companion separated from Axel and Homura, heading toward the entrance.

“Please wait here until your guide arrives,” a castle attendant instructed.

“Understood.”

A few minutes later, the gate creaked open with a low rumble.

“Thank you for waiting. We will escort you to the princess,” said Sakai Tadami.

“You again…” Ryu muttered.

“‘Again’ what? How rude…” Sakai replied with mock offense.

They followed Sakai into the castle.

Inside, Sakai spoke up—a rare move for her.

“You arrived remarkably early,” she observed.

“Thanks to my familiar spirit’s efforts,” Ryu replied simply.

“I see… that day, a sudden storm struck just as you departed. The princess was terribly worried.”

“A storm…? Ah, yes, that’s true. We owe her our thanks,” Ryu said, recalling the incident.

“It was quite a tempest,” Sakai murmured. Ryu and his companions exchanged nervous glances, knowing full well the storm had been caused by them.

“How did things go in Tosa?” Sakai asked.

“I’ll leave the details for later—it’ll be less interesting if I reveal everything here,” Ryu said with a faint grin.

Sakai nodded. (Did it really succeed…?) she thought, recalling their early arrival.

They navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the castle as before, eventually arriving at the princess’s chamber.

And then—

“We’ve been expecting you, ambassadors of the empire,” Princess Tokugawa Kagura greeted them, meeting them for the first time in a month.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the meeting commenced.

“First, let me thank you for your expedition to Tosa. That must have been difficult,” the princess said.

“Not at all—we’re used to travel. Princess, were there any issues in your absence over the past month?”

“None. Edo remained peaceful as usual… Now, may I hear about the results of your expedition?”

Her question cast a heavy shadow over the room. Success or failure—this answer could determine the fate of Hinomaru.

Ryu took a slow breath, gathering his words.

Sakai swallowed nervously.

“…The Tosa Clan… will fight alongside the Tokugawa.”

“What…!” the princess and Sakai exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Did you truly persuade Itagaki Taisuke himself?” Kagura asked in disbelief.

“We have the paperwork to prove it. Please, take a look,” Ryu said, handing over a single sheet.

Princess Kagura examined it carefully.

“The seal… it is indeed from the Itagaki household…”

Sakai’s eyes flicked toward the princess. (You did it…!)

(Yes. Nothing could surpass this achievement.)

“How did you persuade them?”

“We’ll discuss that in due time. For now, there are other matters that demand attention,” Ryu replied.

“Indeed… the real battle begins now,” Kagura said.

The meeting continued. The princess informed them that the Choshu and Hizen forces were expected to attack in roughly two months.

“We should send messenger pigeons so the Tosa Clan arrives in Edo within a month,” she said.

“Yes. We’ll send a few from the Tokugawa side,” Ryu agreed.

Next came a discussion of troop deployments.

“Tokugawa, Satsuma, Tosa versus Choshu, Hizen, and the Principality. If we pit Sakamoto Ryoma from Tosa against the Principality’s hero, the rest should balance out evenly. After that, it’s all about which strategy prevails. Any notable forces on your side?”

“Notable forces… just Sakai Tadami, Tokugawa retainers Ii Naomasa and others, and Admiral Togo,” Kagura replied.

“And the enemy?”

“Okuma Shigenobu from Hizen, Yoshida Shoin from Choshu, and… the demon Hijikata Toshizo.”

“One-on-one matchups should suffice then,” Ryu said.

“Yes. That is the plan.”

“Who is this demon Hijikata?”

“He is said to be the second-strongest samurai in Hinomaru, after Ryoma.”

“I see… if he learns Ryoma is here, he’ll likely attack with absolute fury.”

“Indeed…” Kagura said quietly. Being second only fueled Hijikata’s desire to claim Ryoma’s title of strongest. That was the nature of a samurai.

“Shall we play a little trick on them? A straightforward battle seems boring,” Ryu suggested.

“A trick…?” Kagura tilted her head.

“We’ll set traps along the marching routes of either Choshu or Hizen.”

“I doubt traps alone would slow them… And if so, shouldn’t both routes be trapped?”

“No, the purpose isn’t to defeat them or inflict damage,” Ryu explained.

“Then what is the purpose?”

“Simply… to slow one side down.”

“Slow them down?” Kagura tilted her head curiously.

“Assuming the battle takes place in Edo, the two armies will likely march separately and converge near the city. If we plant traps only along Hizen’s route and delay them, what happens when they don’t arrive on the expected day…?”

“…Choshu will think Hizen betrayed them. Is that it?”

“Exactly. Rumors of betrayal will unsettle the Choshu army, creating confusion. While they are unsettled, we strike. They’ll expect the Tokugawa to remain holed up in the castle.”

In siege warfare, the defenders typically need only one-third the number of troops to hold a city, so the enemy would never expect an offensive from within. Delaying Hizen and striking the Choshu army at the right moment would maximize disruption.

Kagura murmured, “But… is it right to fight like that…?”

“Princess, most people in Hinomaru fight honorably, adhering to the samurai code. They even talk about giving salt to the enemy. But this time, we must discard that mindset and use everything at our disposal. Otherwise, when we face the world, we’ll be caught off guard.”

“…”

“No matter how honorable the fight, in the end, the victor is right and the loser wrong. Ideals alone cannot protect people—or a nation.”

“Th-That’s…”

“Princess… that is war.”

War, in essence, was killing in order to enforce one’s ideals. Victory was everything; the honorable often suffered the most.

Plans were drawn up, and the traps were hurriedly set by the Tokugawa forces.

Two hours later.

“Thank you for today,” Ryu said.

“Not at all. It’s our pleasure,” Sakai replied.

“During the two months before the war, there will be many meetings. We invite you to stay in the castle to attend. We will host you to the fullest,” Sakai added.

It seemed Ryu had succeeded in gaining their trust sufficient to participate in military councils.

Under Sakai’s guidance, they moved toward the guest pavilion.

“Apologies… we should have brought you here on the first day,” Sakai said.

“I understand not letting someone whose loyalty is uncertain stay immediately. Don’t worry,” Ryu reassured him.

Sakai bowed and departed.

Several servants welcomed them; Ryu, Esther, and Homura entered the main building, while Axel went to the stables.

The pavilion, though grand in name, was a traditional wooden Japanese structure. They were shown to a room with sliding screens that opened onto a beautiful garden.

“Meals and baths will be prepared here, so call us whenever you need anything,” the servant said.

“Understood,” Ryu replied.

“Understood indeed,” Ester echoed.

“Gyau!” Axel chirped.

“Please, enjoy a leisurely two months here,” the servant said, smiling.

(The baby dragon is adorable…) 

Esther’s gaze was fixed on the tabletop, where Japanese sweets awaited.

“…”

“Of course, everything here is yours as well,” the servant added.

“Nuuuooo!!!” Esther squealed, devouring the treats with delight.

“Ufufufu,” the servant chuckled, amused.

“Well then, we’ll be in your care for the next two months,” Ryu said.

“Yes, thank you,” Esther responded, licking her fingers.

That night, lavish dishes were spread across the table, and the trio’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Ryu reached for his first bite—but

“Ryu, wait!” Esther commanded.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Sniffing the food carefully, she declared:

“Without a doubt… this dish… has been poisoned…!”

“!?!”

—Thus, the first problem of the evening arose.