Horizon:GT2 Chapter17

Chapter 17: Hope and Distance

It only pretends to be a memory

It has simply seeped into your current self

And should be stripped away

Point Allocation (Face Forward)

●

“Not so fast!” hurriedly shouted Mitotsudaira. “The Honda Masazumi name was inherited by an automaton after everyone else was exiled from Mikawa.”

“Hence the split inheritance,” said Neshinbara to support Arima’s statement. “Listen. No one knows anything about the Mikawa name inheritors after everyone was exiled. Because everything happens inside New Nagoya Castle. And this serves to weaken the Far East, just like the Testament Union wanted.

“But if the Testament Union tries something, we could insist Mikawa’s Honda Masazumi only has a split inheritance and we have one as well, preventing the Testament Union from running a history recreation that benefits them.”

Mitotsudaira understood what Neshinbara was saying. It did seem like the Testament Union had allowed Mikawa’s exile policy because it let them to keep all the Far East’s powerful name inheritors isolated in Mikawa.

…But what if we could manage to drag one out of there?

“There would be chaos in Mikawa. Especially if Lord Motonobu didn’t take it well,” said Adele.

Mitotsudaira had to agree. But…

“She should accept.”

Shirojiro’s voice arrived via divine transmission.

●

Heidi nodded in agreement with Shirojiro while she brought in equipment next to the festival stands.

“That’s right. Why not go for it!? Split or not, you don’t get recommended for an inherited name every day!”

Hinoe was a reservation, but in terms of trade, Hinoe’s Shimabara Peninsula was right next to Nagasaki, a major Dark Continent trade port. Nagasaki was used as a spare reservation and, despite the provisional rule, it had a lot of influence with Tres España due to the many Catholics living there.

Kyushu was home to a lot of Far Easterners, so Musashi could do a fair bit of Far Eastern trade there. And more than just acquiring Far Eastern products, they could also acquire trade goods from the Dark Continent while they were at it. Ores and gems used in spells were worth a lot and were of particularly high interest.

But the Testament restricted the European powers to coastal trade, so the Musashi’s ability to fly over the land was a major advantage. So…

“We’d make so much money if we had close contact to a name inheritor from a major Dark Continent area! And just think of the connections!”

What did she mean by that?

“What a name inheritor needs most of all is money and connections! Both are practically assured from the beginning! It’s like a new player deal! Register now and you get some free money and connections!”

“Your brain is still stuck in game mode, isn’t it, Heidi-san!?” accused Adele, but it was true.

“Besides, didn’t this Honda Masazumi try and fail to inherit the name? If I was in that situation, I know I would leap at the chance to try it again now.”

She was probably saying some unpleasant things here, but Shirojiro replied.

“Indeed. We will gladly ignore the feelings of others if it will make us money. You understand that, don’t you?”

“It’s true, you know?” added Heidi. “I don’t care what anyone else is feeling. I just know the more money the better! So what’ll it be!?”

She was answered by a sign over the divine transmission.

“C’mon, Auge-chan. You too, Shiro. The supply line I’m in isn’t moving, so what’s the hold up there? Is something wrong?”

That was Toori. Heidi internally reacted with a “Ahhh, sorry!” because Circle Be had underestimated demand and was having trouble handing out so much coolant at once.

So she hurriedly created sign frame fences between the supply lanes the major merchants had created. The adjacent merchants glared at her and stomped over to protest, so Shirojiro ran over with an armored candy box. He would never lose one of those battles.

But Toori was still speaking.

“Also, Auge-chan. I only just joined the conversation, but based on what I heard, you’re all excited and feel like you don’t have to care about anyone else’s feelings. Y’know, the kind of thing you’ll want to laugh at yourself for when you remember it in the bath tomorrow evening.”

“M-maybe I did say that.”

Toori-kun is bound to show up later to make fun of me and do an impression of me. He might even show up at a Circle Be event with Kimi-chan and a guitar and do a comedy routine based on it. But…

“Now, I’ll admit I don’t get what other people are feeling a lot of the time,” he said.

But…

“I don’t get this money stuff either, so I’ll let you two handle that.”

“You will?”

“Of course. Would you let me handle your money?”

“I’d rather die.”

“So,” said Toori. “When we don’t get what someone else is feeling, we can leave that to them.”

●

“Listen,” the knight heard her king say. “You’re already in sight of your goal, right? So leave it to me. And if it looks like I’m gonna screw it up, do everything in your power to stop me. Got that?”

“Judge,” the knight replied. “I will, my king!”

●

＊Correction by Asama.

“In fact, you should probably just stop me regardless. But I can’t join you this time, okay? Hm, but on the other hand, maybe I can make it after I finish my preparations here. How does that sound?”

Everyone responded in unison.

“Don’t you dare!”

○

Horizey: “The truth can be so cruel, can’t it, Asama-sama!?”

Asama: “Honestly, if Mito wasn’t here, I’m afraid I would end up highlighting only the positive parts. This way is more balanced.”

Silver Wolf: “Could you not add to my sections without asking first!?”

●

Masazumi clenched her fists atop her lap. She considered what she should ask Arima who was bowing her head to the ground.

“I suppose I don’t need to ask you why.”

“You mean you understand?”

“Judge,” Masazumi replied. “The Hinoe Domain and Arima Harunobu were responsible for the Nossa Senhora da Graça Incident and the Okamoto Daihachi Incident. The Testament says the two incidents led to a certain decision by the shogunate.”

That decision had been mentioned several times already.

“The banning of foreign religions. This has already begun in the Far East since the Shimabara Rebellion was completed in advance, but the idea had its origins in Arima Harunobu’s two incidents. The Okamoto Daihachi Incident is particularly notable since the shogunate announced the ban on the day of Okamoto’s execution.”

“Testament. The ban has been applied in advance, but it will soon officially begin in both the Testament Union and the Far East.” Arima kept her voice low. “And while the ban is already in effect, it is loosely enforced most of the time. The Testament Union has attempted to change that, starting in K.P.A. Italia, which means the current state of affairs is not to their liking. Thus, if they have a chance to apply the ban anew, the heavily Catholic reservations and their ruling nations will have to reassess the situation and the ruling nations will undoubtedly rework the situation to their own advantage.”

What did that mean?

“You mean the Catholic nations enforcing the provisional rule will grow more powerful, don’t you?”

It used to be that the residents of the Catholic-ruled reservations were mostly required to convert to Catholicism. But that changed when the ban on foreign religions was carried out in advance.

That let the Far East avoid Catholic intervention and it let the ruling nations avoid intervention from the Far Eastern powers growing during the Warring States period.

For the Catholics in particular, allowing intervention from the Far East would mean a Mlasi invasion of Europe as P.A. Oda’s Hashiba worked to unify the Far East.

…That has to be part of the reason Hashiba joined with M.H.R.R.

If their interests were aligned with the Catholics, their work became a lot easier. It seemed like a flexible way of thinking to Masazumi.

That said, the ban on foreign religions had its pros and its cons from both sides, so she saw it as both sides having their bargaining chips they could use. But…

“If the ban is renewed, you are right that the Testament would work that to their advantage.”

“Testament. The current ban works more to protect the Far East than anything. It is said that is because Matsudaira put it in motion and secured the current state of affairs in their later conflicts.”

“So…are you asking me to betray the Far East?”

“This is all none of your concern since you are moving to the Musashi.”

Masazumi’s immediate thought was “that’s true”, which made her wonder whose side she was on.

But Arima said more.

“Honda-sama. If you were to side with the Testament Union, I am sure they would be willing to make you a name inheritor. It would also give Musashi an advantage in trade with Kyushu.”

So…

“Isn’t this win-win for us, Honda-sama? So will you choose your feelings for the Far East, which you hold for no more reason than being born there? Or will you choose what benefits your and Musashi?”

●

Asama gasped as she listened to the conversation in the adjacent room. She wasn’t alone. The others here did as well.

…This is getting serious!

What would happen if the ban on foreign religions was renewed?

…We would have to rework everything that makes use of the ban!

The hidden setting that Shinto used when dealing with Catholicism and everything of that nature might need to be remade with the Testament Union in charge.

They likely wouldn’t need to remake everything, but their mutual interests and stability would be reworked because “Catholics can no longer function in the Far East”. If that happened, the Testament Union was bound to demand conditions that benefited them. And more than that…

“The Testament Union could use the ‘possibility’ of change as hope to dangle before people like bait.”

Yes. Everyone would dream of being able to redo things the way they wanted. If it created that opportunity, the odds were good Honda Masazumi’s split name inheritance would be approved even if the recommendation came from a backwater reservation like Hinoe. And simply put…

“Isn’t this a crisis for the Far East?” asked Tenzou. “Principal Sakai dealt with a possible renewal of the ban when he was Chancellor, so I thought this was already settled…”

No one responded. Asama hoped that was because they recognize the gravity of the situation and not because they were ignoring him.

But he was right. With the Apocalypse approaching, the Testament Union nations would likely celebrate this if it happened.

On the other hand, it would be nothing but a source of unease for the Far East reservations.

Some reservations would have the status of their provisional rule reworked and Shinto would have their work cut out for them remaking the hidden setting and more.

…Which isn’t to say the current system doesn’t have its problems.

“But a renewal like this would be done cooperatively between the two sides, so wouldn’t it turn out differently if the Catholics took the lead?”

“Yes, but they would have control of everything from the day it went into effect.”

Everyone had to sense the concern in the air.

“Now I see why Mikawa and Tres España’s Rodrigo were afraid to say this out loud,” said Naito.

Asama reluctantly had to agree.

This was too big a problem. Talk about it and some might suspect the Far East and the Catholic nations were plotting something together. An investigation would be immediately launched.

A representative of Mikawa or of Tres España was in no position to make a decision there or even reveal information about it.

“This could work to the Catholics’ advantage, but it can also be used as a political tool,” said Neshinbara, sounding a bit irritated. “Every nation would want to take control. And even if a nation provides protection to Hinoe and Honda-kun, the nations who dropped out of the race would likely join forces in secret to attack that lead nation both physically and economically. This is a troubling bombshell even for the Catholic nations.” He shook his head. “But now that the bombshell is in their hands, the Catholic powers are bound to make use of it. Tres España, Hexagone Française, and the M.H.R.R Catholic principalities have the authority to do that. K.P.A. Italia will be especially eager to do so since they attempted to rework the ban in the past. And help from any of them would be a good deal for Hinoe and Honda-kun.”

“So what’s this Honda’s situation right now?” asked Naruze. “Aren’t we in trouble if she feels no real attachment to the Far East or only has bad memories about it?”

Asama nodded.

“Um, to sum up Honda Masazumi-san’s situation…her mother died, she failed to inherit her name, she was attacked last night, and she decided to move to Musashi to get away from Mikawa and all its mysterious phenomena.”

“We’re screwed!”

Asama hated that she was tempted to agree with the others.

●

I see, thought Masazumi. She had to honestly admit the setup had been done brilliantly.

The way things were, she and the Hinoe Domain only had to make the first move. Once they did, the powerful Catholic nations would start fighting over the potential benefits and take care of the rest.

Then she and Hinoe would be safe and could reap the benefits.

“Thank you for telling me that much,” said Masazumi, lowering her gaze to kneeling Arima. “Now allow me to tell you that much as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t worry about it. To be honest, I’m not all that attached to the Far East.”

That was true.

“I failed to inherit my name, I lost my mother and I still don’t know why, and I feel like my father is keeping me at arm’s length. My hometown is flooded with mysterious phenomena and I’m moving to Musashi, the Far East’s only independent territory. I am a Far East citizen, but I’ve never left Mikawa, which is neutral ground where you see other cultures a lot. If you’re telling me to feel attached to the Far East in my situation, I’d think you were nuts.”

“Then…?”

“Judge.” Masazumi nodded. “That’s my that much. Since you only told me that much, I’m only telling you that much.”

I didn’t really say very much, she thought. I feel like I’m making childish complaints to someone who carries the weight of a nation and the world on her shoulders.

But she had to say what had been left in her hands, so she opened her mouth.

“I can’t accept your proposal, Arima Harunobu.”

●

“Why not?”

“Then tell me this.”

Masazumi asked to receive confirmation.

“Why are your people here to stop you? And why are they willing to harm me to do so?”

“Well…”

“This incident is a source of hope and of misfortunate for the Hinoe Domain.”

It made sense when you thought about it.

“The Shimabara Rebellion has already been completed in the Shimabara Domain – that is, the Hinoe Domain – so a renewal of the ban would place a certain restriction on you.”

What might that be?

“A true ban on foreign religions. The Hinoe Domain would be forced to abandon its Catholicism and operate as a Far Eastern reservation.”

●

Eh? thought Adele as she viewed the exchange with a Catholic directional microphone spell she was using with the hidden setting.

She initially didn’t understand what Honda Masazumi was talking about.

But after a moment of thought, she could see the logic of the argument. Even if the Catholics were in charge of renewing the ban in the Catholic-controlled regions of the Far East, Hinoe would be viewed most strictly since it had all begun there.

The Catholics would no longer be able to treat Hinoe as separate.

Hinoe would become the most isolated group under the provisional rule of the European powers.

Hinoe benefited most from preserving their current cooperative relationship with the Catholics.

But Arima Harunobu’s decision could easily shake the very foundation of the Far East and isolate Hinoe.

And if the Hinoe people were trying to stop Arima…

“Why would Arima-san want that?”

As soon as Adele asked, the Extra Special Duty Officer gasped and raised her head. Her animal eyes with excellent night vision were directed straight at those two as she spoke.

“She’s changing sides, isn’t she!?”

●

“You’re changing sides, aren’t you?” Masazumi asked Arima. “You’re using the ban to release your domain from Tres España’s rule and gaining another powerful nation’s protection instead.”

Another powerful nation. One that had a close connection to Mikawa.

“P.A. Oda. Or more accurately, its Hashiba-ruled territory.”

●

“That is correct.”

Masazumi saw Arima nod with her head still bowed.

“Kyushu will soon be under Hashiba’s control. It will be unified after two years of war and negotiation. But Tres España and Portugal have to reorganize their own nations, so they have been unable to stop Hashiba’s invasion.”

○

Tachibana Wife: “Wait a moment. It is true Tres España was unable to directly support its Kyushu territory back then, but that is why we provided trade using imported goods acquired in the New World. I want to make that clear.”

Vice President: “Judge. I know that. And I imagine Arima Harunobu did too since she was actually there. I’m sure she appreciated it too. But…Tres España was preparing for the Armada battle the following year and the entire nation was feeling blue since you were required to lose that battle.”

Silver Wolf: “By that time, Hinoe’s neighbors like Ryuuzouji had already sided with Hashiba and Hashiba was receiving their mechanical dragon production tech. So from Hinoe’s perspective, remaining Catholic would mean their neighbors were all enemies. They couldn’t hope to regain their lost land then.”

●

So it was the decision of a small nation, thought Masazumi.,

“It can’t be easy when a Far Eastern reservation is dragged to the front line of history.”

“Testament. I sometimes wish we had more power…but since the Shimabara Rebellion required us to give up most of our arms, we have no choice but to get by with trade. But the history recreation will soon have Hashiba’s power reach Kyushu while Tres España’s power wanes. However…”

“A lot of people aren’t hoping for major changes as a result and are working to preserve what they have now?”

“To our shame, yes. Of course, they all know they are simply clinging to the current stability for as long as possible before they run out of time.”

That had to be why her former comrades had attacked this place and attacked Masazumi. But…

“Why me? Couldn’t you recommend someone else who agreed with your plan?”

“With a Mikawa name inheritor, the natural route would be to approach an automaton, but Mikawa is cooperating with Tres España and is working to cover up the issue. So we instead chose you because you are from Mikawa, you have the name already, and you began gender reassignment surgery. Besides, if we had chosen someone else, our opponents would have used you as an alternative. And since you sought that name in the past, you would have a much easier time getting through and have more openings for negotiation once you had some real support.”

“I did not expect that unpleasant chapter from my past to have so many weird advantages here.”

Masazumi smiled bitterly and Arima laughed a little too. But soon afterwards…

“I-I apologize. I should not have laughed at that.”

“I don’t mind. But now I have told you ‘this much’. Which means it’s your turn.”

Or…

“Should I explain for you how this isn’t just Hinoe’s problem?”

●

Masazumi looked straight at Arima, who stiffened a bit.

“Regional reservations are a good place for trade and provide some insight into what the other nations are doing. This is especially true for the Hinoe Domain which is considered a spare trade site and still enjoys a decent amount of prosperity. You should be able to monitor the actions of the European powers from a detached perspective.”

So…

“If Hashiba and P.A. Oda conquer Kyushu, the history recreations will intensify as the next era begins. Real progress will begin on the Thirty Years’ War and the Keichou Campaign. In P.A. Oda, they’ll have to start working toward the Honnouji Incident. The Thirty Years’ War in particular affects the later status and importance of Catholicism. The world will no longer be run by religions. We will reach a world run by nations and kings with absolute authority. With that on the horizon, being ruled by Tres España, who will soon fall into decline, is a dangerous position to be in. And that doesn’t just apply to Hinoe.”

“What do you mean?”

You know the answer to that, don’t you?

“I suppose saying it applies to the Far East as a whole would be an exaggeration, but every reservation under Catholic rule will remain under their rule as the world changes around them. In some cases, they could be bled dry in the process. So you wanted to hit the reset button.”

How was simple enough.

“The Hinoe Domain would use Honda Masazumi to ask the Testament Union to enact the ban on foreign religions which would give the Catholic nations an advantage in the coming changes. But if the ban did go into effect, the Far East isn’t stupid. Once they had a right to refuse Catholicism, they would make sure to claim that right from Shinto and Buddhism.

“What happens then? If the reservations are prepared for some hardship, they could escape from Catholic rule and either wait for the world to change and a new ruling nation to arrive, or, by refusing the protection of the Catholics, they could construct a somewhat equal relationship with another ruling nation. And as a result…”

Masazumi took a breath before continuing.

“They will have taken the first step toward escaping the provisional rule altogether. That is the secret objective of the next ban on foreign religions. And Hinoe would use their relative fortune to prove it possible. That is your true intention and purpose, Arima Harunobu.”

Arima sucked in a breath.

“You…are making a lot of speculation. Where did you get all of this information?”

○

Gold Mar: “It helps that she’s telling the story with knowledge of the future.”

Flat Vassal: “Flashbacks are like cheating cause you already know all the answers.”

Vice President: “N-now, hold on! I don’t think I changed all that much!”

●

“I didn’t have to speculate at all.” Masazumi replied to Arima’s concern. “It’s simple, really. When I failed to inherit my name, I spent a lot of time thinking about why. Setting aside the exile policy, I couldn’t accept that I wasn’t good enough, so I soothed my ego by foolishly imagining there was some other reason. And this was one of the ideas I came up with. Yes, I could renew the ban on foreign religions, which would flip the Far East onto its head, so the Testament Union refused to give me the name and gave it to an automaton instead.”

“Then…?”

Arima didn’t have to say anymore. Because…

“I told my mother about my idea. And I asked her if my father, who had moved to the Musashi, would finally believe in me if I told him. But my mother told me to forget about that and go grocery shopping. Because dinner would be a lot better that way.”

She had been flabbergasted at the time. Because she was convinced her speculation was true. It was all perfectly logical, after all. So she had tried to convince herself it had to be true. But…

“I still remember that dinner. It was miso chicken and eggplant stew. Maybe it was all the walking I did while out shopping, but I was really hungry and it tasted great. When my mother asked me if I was going to tell my father about my theory, I lay down and shook my head. I told her my speculation and conviction could stay there inside me. About three days later, I remembered it all in the bath and just about died of embarrassment.”

“But all of that is about to become true?”

“You’re right,” replied Masazumi. “I envy you. You have an objective and you’re working toward something you believe in. If you had asked me to join you back when you first started, things might have turned out differently. I might have shared your objective and would have a better idea now what I should do.”

“Why?” asked Arima. “Why do you remain so loyal to the Far East? No, if you were loyal to them, why don’t you agree to renew the ban and set most of the Far East free?”

“Because you reminded me. And I remember now, Protasius.”

“I…reminded you?”

“Judge.” Masazumi nodded, aware she had a hopelessly troubled smile on her face. “My mother said ‘have a good day’ when I left for school. Even on the day she died.”

She didn’t always know how to make a day a good one, but she did know one thing.

“My mother trusted me to get by on my own, which is why she felt comfortable seeing me go. And,” she said to Arima. “Isn’t it the same for everyone?”

In fact, most people were better off than someone as inexperienced and full of doubt as her. But…

“Everyone has to live their own life. They might not know what that means now, but they’ll figure it out eventually. And I’m starting to think I will too.”

So…

“The people who can choose to act will do so even without the ban. Just like you did.”

“But what about those who can’t?”

“True. That’s a trickier issue. But…”

She had heard something like his earlier.

“But when that happens, the people who can, like you, just need to help them. But what you are doing now is building walls between parts of the world. Ultimately, that’s no different from having the Catholic nations rule the reservations. What you need to do is save the nations in need of help. Isn’t that what you should be doing?”

“Then,” said Arima. “Then was everything Paulo and I did for nothing?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Eh?” said Arima, finally raising her head.

She had tears in her eyes.

Masazumi didn’t know why , but she thought she knew the meaning behind those tears. This was “checkmate” for her and she was the one who had put herself in this position. And now she was trying to return it all to nothing, but…

“Your comrades have been captured by Musashi, but they aren’t speaking a word. Do you know why? Because ‘someone other than us’ is here.”

Masazumi snapped her fingers before continuing.

“Tres España. You’re here, aren’t you? To keep an eye on things. And if I had agreed to this plan, you would either have put a stop to it all or made sure you were in control of the ban’s history recreation.”

“You overestimate our abilities.”

Several people suddenly appeared at the entrance to the garden.

The group all wore Tres Españan uniforms and had been hiding themselves with stealth spells.

“I am Inquisitor Don Rodrigo. I have been given authority here. Now,” said the girl in the lead. “What will you do, Honda Masazumi? How will you, a non-name inheritor, handle this situation?”

“That’s simple enough.” Masazumi turned to face the girl with short brown hair clearly visible even at a distance. “I will do what Arima Harunobu here wants.”

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