Horizon:Volume 8C Chapter 81

Chapter 81: Confessor in the Sky

Uh, oh

I thought I was used to this

But it feels weird head on

Point Allocation (Everyone Feels That Way)

It was past 4 o’clock.

Passing below the Musashi was a strange feeling for Masazumi.

As their ship traveled to Kyou, she saw the Musashi’s hull above them. The city of Kyou was out ahead.

Their transport ship was passing through the outskirts of Protestant Saxony and crossing the border with P.A. Oda.

Evening was approaching. The sky was colored somewhat yellow, but that color was fading.

…The sun started setting a lot faster while we were gone.

Out on the deck, she sensed the change the past week had made.

The change in the wind seemed the most significant to her, but was that due to being a Musashi resident?

The Musashi was turning toward Kyou overhead. They were continuing on to Kyou instead of rejoining the Musashi. That was partially to save time, but also because leaving from the Musashi would put their opponents on alert.

After all, there was nothing to hide them from Kyou. P.A. Oda had to be monitoring them.

So they kept going in the one transport ship.

The transport ships carrying the warriors were waiting atop the Musashi overhead. If something did happen, those ships and the Musashi would arrive to rescue them.

Everything was ready to go in case the Honnouji Incident really was happening today.

They only needed to relax and fly to Kyou. But Masazumi did have one concern.

Vice President: “Ookubo, has Kyou contacted us?”

Nagaya-Stable: “Only to say they are awaiting your 5 o’clock arrival.”

So no limit on numbers and no demand to see specific people.

…I guess it would count as harassment to send all our people in.

They had decided to harass P.A. Oda and Hashiba, but she wasn’t sure how far they could go with Akechi Mitsuhide here.

She didn’t want him to cancel their meeting out of anger, but…

“Vice President.”

While everyone made preparations and chatted behind her, the Tachibana Wife raised her hand.

She had repaired and maintained all of her cannons while they were in Hexagone Française and now she had them all out for one final check.

“There are Tres Españan ships in the landport north of Kyou.”

“Probably the baseball and track teams heading back from the nationals,” replied Noriki. He opened the tournament brackets on a sign frame. “The baseball team made it to the final 4. I was following it on divine radio. They could have continued in overtime if not for the 5 seconds taken by that foul, but that ref was strict.”

“Are you sure that was baseball?”

“Well, they were playing other things too. I ended up staying with you all, but the Valdes Brother sent an invitation and Ujinao took my siblings to watch the games.”

“Huh?” Naito tilted her head while attaching decorations to her Technohexen outfit. “Noririn, where is your wife living now?”

“With me ever since we returned from Kantou. The room across the street was available.”

Everyone exchanged a glance. The arms mimed blowing a whistle to get everyone lined up in two rows and then waved an imaginary baton to count down from three.

“Tell us these things!!”

Art-Ga: “So much material I could have been drawing! I’m suing you for damages! Don’t you think I won’t!”

Vice President: “You mean Ujinao came here when her business with Houjou isn’t complete yet!? If this leads to an international incident, I’m Ookubo-ing you!”

Nagaya-Stable: “Don’t use me as a verb!!”

Asama: “W-wait, she never showed up on any of the immigration checks.”

Laborer: “Because she took on a completely new body and gave up her inherited name. Houjou counts as…ruined I think they called it? So she counts as an ordinary person now. And she looks different, so I doubt anyone would know it was her at first glance. Speaking of, did none of you see her when she was waiting in our line at that Ariake porn festival?”

Gold Mar: “Ga-chan, Ga-chan. You’ll hurt your hand if you punch the floor like that. And don’t blame Bara-yan for distracting you by talking so much.”

Me: “Y’know, Noriki, you should spend more time with your wife.”

Laborer: “Ha ha ha. I have a whole lifetime with Ujinao ahead of me, but summer break of the third year, and what we’re doing now, only happen once. Ujinao could have enrolled in our academy, but she has her position as a Houjou to think about. And once that’s through, I can enjoy listening to her all I want.”

Flat Vassal: “I think that’s the longest thing Noriki-san has ever said.”

Bucket: “…”

Gold Mar: “Ohh, Pe-yan agrees!”

Masazumi sighed at Noriki’s revelation. She had some thoughts on the matter, but…

“Well, one of Musashi’s strengths is its ability to accept people with complicated backgrounds.”

But now she could guess why Noriki had undergone such a disturbingly rapid change of character. Ujinao probably told him not to feel any regrets.

After all, she had caused them a lot of trouble.

She had completed her task as the final leader of a dying nation, but just because the official work was done didn’t mean everything was gone. To her people who were moving elsewhere, Ujinao would always be important to them until the day she died.

Some of those people had come to Musashi.

She could not remain “Ujinao” to those people. To help them get a new start, she had chosen to lead the way by changing her appearance, changing her lifestyle, and not involving herself in politics.

However, Masazumi couldn’t say if that was what she had wanted to do.

That said, Noriki was enjoying the remainder of his school life as best he could.

That suggested his wife did not envy him of that. So…

“She’s through being a burden on people, is that it?”

“She’s apparently smiling a lot more now. I don’t know how much she smiled when living in Houjou, but that’s what she said.”

Naruze immediately began redrawing whatever she was working on, but Masazumi chose not to ask about it. Actually, shouldn’t you be preparing for Kyou?

Then Noriki looked to the idiot, Crossunite, and Urquiaga.

“I’m not much different from you three, huh?”

“You think about things too much.”

“Judge. None of my thinking ever gave me an answer. I only found the answer once I did something about it.”

And…

“I decided I was through thinking so much.”

“So what will you do now, Noriki-dono?”

“Well.” Noriki nodded and smiled. “Staying on the Musashi would be fine, but my siblings are close to supporting themselves now. So after graduating, I was thinking of leaving the Musashi and listening to what Ujinao has to say. And once we’re through with that, we can think about it again.”

“Masazumi, that makes your upcoming job all that more important,” said Urquiaga.

Masazumi had to agree.

“Noriki’s life on the surface won’t be easy if I don’t give the Far East equal standing with the other nations.”

“I’m used to hard work, but I wouldn’t argue if you made things easier for me.”

The way Noriki said that with a smile really made her notice how much he had changed. But since he was here now, he had to be preparing to fight.

…It really is a group effort with us, isn’t it?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a question from Noriki.

“Anyway, is everyone ready for Kyou?”

That smile still looks wrong on him, but maybe that’s more of a me problem.

Naruze took another look at herself and Naito after Noriki asked his question.

They were summoning their Technohexen outfits separately and attaching decorations because they might participate in the Kyou meeting as bodyguards.

…Our mobility lets us carry Masazumi and the others back to the Musashi.

In the worst case, they could rescue the Chancellor, Horizon, and Masazumi. Those three would be enough to keep morale up. But is it worth rescuing the ones who would only lower morale?

“Wh-why are you staring at me, Naruze-kun!? Oh, did you want to read my new book!?” said Neshinbara.

“I warn you, Naruze-kun! I am impervious to those come-hither eyes when they belong to an old hag like you!” said Ohiroshiki.

I should draw up a priority list later, she decided. Meanwhile, Narumi and Urquiaga had finished preparing their equipment and had begun checking over the map of the imperial palace and surrounding area that Azuma had given them. The Tachibana Couple and Futayo were helping there and Adele was providing strategy support using the detailed model Suzu had created using the terrain data Tenzou had supplied.

…Huh.

“This is basically the same thing we always do.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the color red ascended into the sky to the east.

It was evening and the setting sun was changing from yellow to red, but this red was much more vivid.

“Fire!?”

“Musashino” checked on it using the sight devices on every Musashi ship.

Fire was rising into the sky near the center of Kyou.

She considered sending an emergency request to Suzu for confirmation, but the 1st Special Duty Officer’s report arrived first.

“This could be the result of a riot!”

Even as he spoke, fires erupted on the south and west sides of Kyou, followed by dark smoke. These weren’t just explosions. The smoke billowing into the sky meant this was a spreading fire. Which meant…

“Kyou is under attack by an unknown force! Over!”

As soon as she sent out the divine transmission, another divine transmission arrived.

Someone appeared on the sign frame in the center of Musashino’s bridge.

They were lit from behind.

The skinny man had a turban pulled down over his eyes. He was…

“Akechi Mitsuhide! Over.”

The Reine des Garous had finished cleaning up and was just about to leave the candy house when an emergency divine transmission arrived from Mouri-01.

The Catholic signe cadre displayed a skinny man. She did not recognize him. But…

…That man…

Maybe it was the setting sun shining in from behind him, but he looked like a silhouette cut out of the background. That made him seem isolated from everything else. Just like she had once been.

Then he spoke.

“Good afternoon. No, I guess that should be good evening by now.”

He bowed.

“I am Akechi Mitsuhide of P.A. Oda. Oh, did everyone receive the Ariake souvenirs I sent?”

Mitsuhide relaxed his shoulders.

Everyone was watching him from insha kotobs spread across the land. They were all people he would speak with when he ran across them and exchange greetings with when he noticed them nearby. So…

“I see you’ve returned, Shibata-kun.”

“You bet. I had time to think about some things and my shoulder’s doing a lot better.”

“Glad to see you haven’t changed. I sometimes wish I could be more like you.”

“Can’t blame you there. I am pretty badass,” said Shibata. “But I still haven’t stood on as big a stage as you.”

“Thanks.”

A smile escaped onto Mitsuhide’s lips. So he moved on.

“Niwa-kun.”

The screen showed Niwa looking at him from what looked like a ship’s dining hall.

She said nothing, so…

“I’m counting on you for a lot.”

“Shaja. You’ve forced a lot onto my plate before too. Honestly, I apologize for making it so easy for you.”

“I’m not sure what to say when a woman apologizes to me. I’ve screwed that one up bad in the past.”

“That’s news to me,” she said with a smile.

Oh, what a lovely smile. Sorry for sending you such a weird book. I am truly sorry. After reading it, I went to the author’s site and posted a comment: “If only the real one was like that.” I bet your subordinates are going to wish I hadn’t done that. I just know it.

…But it’s my duty!

“Are you there, Maeda-kun?”

“Um, yes, I am. Na-chan isn’t since he’s still in the mountains, so I can pass a message along to him if you want.”

“You go to so much effort for me.”

“Well, um, in that case, why not become a ghost? I’ll help you?”

He’s serious, isn’t he? But…

“No, thanks.”

Because…

“I am about to go where I have long wanted to go.”

“Well, good. You can leave things here to us. I’ll tell Na-chan to do his part. I know he’s said some nasty things about you, but if he didn’t like you, he wouldn’t say anything at all. He doesn’t understand you, but I think he sees you as an extremely culture-oriented person.”

“And I see him as an extremely athletics-oriented person. And very easy to understand too.”

“I think he’ll enjoy hearing that.”

“Okay,” Mitsuhide said.

…Takigawa-kun isn’t around anymore.

She had a powerful personality, but she observed the people around her carefully, he thought. What are they going to do about the Battle of Shizugatake without her? Well, that’s not my problem to worry about.

“Sakuma-kun.”

“Yes, yes, yes? You’re addressing me personally?”

“Of course. You have several important roles to play from here on.”

“That’s true.” The short girl with two prosthetic arms smiled.

She had been defeated at Novgorod and had been forced to sit back and watch at the Kantou Liberation, so he couldn’t say “keep up the good work”. Instead…

“Go out there and do your job, Retreating Sakuma.”

“Yes, yes, yes. I’ll play the Retreating Sakuma role to the end.”

Just the answer he wanted. And…

“Hashiba-kun.”

“Why?”

An immediate question. And…

“Why have you started this unplanned action, Akechi-sama!”

In the Azuchi’s dining hall, Takenaka heard Hashiba raise her voice.

…Oops.

This had come as a surprise, but Hashiba’s response was not something they could let people see. But…

Kimee: “What does she mean? Does this mess with today’s plans?”

Kuro-Take: “Our plans are fine. It’s just that Akechi-san’s move here was unexpected.”

AnG: “Yeah, this isn’t at all what I had heard. So what do we do? What do we do?”

Angie’s question seemed to force a question out of Hashiba.

“Why, Akechi-sama? Why have you attacked the imperial palace!?”

Akechi nodded at Hashiba’s question.

“Because this was my only opportunity to make up for an old regret.”

Speaking the words were enough for his heart to quaver.

He was removing the self-imposed rule that had long bound him. He had told himself he must never do this, but the reason why was now fading away within him.

“I have to wonder if Carlos, Henry, William, or our teacher realized this. Our teacher may have even hoped for it.”

If so, he thought.

“I am the only one who managed to surpass our teacher’s expectations.”

“What do you mean?”

“A portion of this world has already surpassed his expectations and may be headed toward ruin. And you may try to stop it. So go fight it out.”

Yes, he thought.

When Mikawa had collapsed, he had heard a certain phrase on the divine network. He was leaving the fate of the world in these people’s hands, so he would say the same thing here. He didn’t know what would happen and it was terribly irresponsible, but what did that matter? Before, he had only been tricking himself into thinking he was responsible. So…

“And we’ll see who’s the strongest.”

“Now,” said Akechi, raising his right hand.

Masazumi saw the screen move, bringing an automaton into frame.

“Good evening. I am Reizei, manager of Kyou’s imperial palace. Akechi-sama is currently rebelling and intends to destroy the imperial palace, use us to conquer Kyou, and ultimately…”

She explained what was going to happen.

“He plans to hold a public audience with the emperor.”

Reizei threw off her restraints.

As an automaton, she served Akechi as her master.

But she had been created to manage and protect the imperial palace – she existed for that purpose.

Akechi’s actions conflicted with her purpose. But if her master ordered it of her…

…I have determined this will only last a short time.

The contradiction was spiraling within her. The more Akechi commanded her, the more she would shift in his direction. So there was something she had to say while the needle of her decisions could still swing in the other direction.

“The imperial palace requests assistance from an external force to deal with this emergency.”

They were about to open up the imperial palace, destroy the autonomous defenses, and fight their way inside, but…

“Musashi, Akechi-sama is calling you. Please stop us and protect the imperial palace.”

It was an absurd request.

But she was about to head there herself. So she spread her arms.

“We have our own mercenaries, so do be careful.”

Gin saw it.

Reizei gestured behind her where the sky was shimmering from smoke and heat. Some figures stood there, silhouetted by the sunset behind them. They were…

“Tres España!?”

The baseball and track teams.

Takakane, Fusae, the Valdes Siblings, and…

“Lady Juana!”

Juana stood there in her summer uniform. And she held a giant sword in her right hand.

Gin knew exactly what that was. So…

“This is a job for us,” said Muneshige.

Gin agreed. Juana’s shimmering silhouette was holding…

“Her Logismoi Oplo – Akedia Katathlipse!”

“You have a time limit.” Akechi snapped his right fingers. “According to Reizei-kun’s calculations, it will take us about 42 minutes to destroy the interior defenses, which not even she and the other automatons can control. Then we can enter the palace. And…”

The deck opened behind him and a device emerged from below. It was a metal cylinder about 2m in diameter and 3m tall.

“This is a dragon line reactor. I used my methods to make it a bit more compact than usual. Kyou’s ether had been gathered inside, so it should be rather destructive. What will I use it for? Well, I don’t want the other nations interfering in the imperial palace, so wiping it off of the face of the earth seems like the best method. I am destroying the palace and revealing its secrets because it is so important to the Far East, but I also don’t want the other nations getting their hands on it.”

“Akechi-sama, you are taking too long.”

“Oh, whoops. I’m pushing back that 42-minute limit, aren’t I?”

Just then, a divine transmission arrived.

“Lord Akechi!”

Next to him, Reizei wrote “It’s Musashi” on a sign frame and held it up for him. That was close. I nearly panicked because I didn’t know who this was. But now that he knew…

“What do you want, Musashi Vice President?”

“What will we discuss if we meet you there?”

“That is simple enough.”

There was something deep in his heart he wanted to support. And he intended to solve that issue now.

“I will tell you how I have surpassed my teacher and classmates and I will irresponsibly demand that the entire world solve a mystery not even I know the answer to.”

…That’s right.

There was something he had always wanted to be. It was not a part of a system or an occupation.

…A teacher.

He wanted to be someone who taught people and tried to save them from their worries and any serious threats they were facing.

“Now, then.”

He knew exactly what to say here.

“Class is about to begin.”

“That idiot! What is this about!?”

A bell rang to indicate a level 2 alert on the Musashi.

Ookubo ran up the stairs to the academy while surrounded by that ringing and other rushing people.

…Damn!

She had strengthened her body, but she still couldn’t run at the speed she wanted. She had planned to do some physical training after the Siege of Odawara and the Kantou Liberation, but she had enjoyed herself a little too much dealing with the politics and economics of Satomi. So now I’m out of shape! But…

Nagaya-Stable: “Kanou-kun! Get Principal Sakai and Vice Principle Yoshinao’s permission to deploy the warriors on my authority as Representative Committee Head! I’ll open up the student council rec room!”

She needed to summon the committee heads and ensure they could respond in full force.

…It’s like Mikawa.

Never again could the Musashi be helpless during an emergency like they had been at Mikawa. They had trained for these things and built up combat experience too.

CAN: “Milady, I have determined you have the authority to ask the warriors to prepare for combat. Actually deploying them would be more difficult since we can contact the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Vice President via divine transmission.”

Nagaya-Stable: “Then ask them to prepare. You can hear that, can’t you!?”

Far to the east, the direction the evening sun was shining, she hard a high-pitched sound. She knew what it had to be.

“Tres España’s transport ships and gods of war are attacking the Vice President’s transport ship!”

The first thing to fly their way was an artillery shell.

A steel ball was made extra hard and accelerated using spells.

“This is the Tres España baseball team’s multistage accelerated pitch artillery!”

Three baseball players lined up about 20m apart and the farthest back one threw a full-power pitch toward the next in line. Instead of catching it, the 2nd player made a full-power pitching motion.

They had no ball to throw, but by matching the timing perfectly, they ended up pitching the ball that flew in from behind.

That accelerated it. Then the player in front joined in with…

“Spell hardening!”

The three pitchers’ spell boosts increased the ball’s acceleration in stages. And with all the spell acceleration given to the artillery shell…

“It has an effective range of 8km! We can reach them in west Kyou all the way from north Kyou!”

“Testament! Our warrior athletes aren’t allowed to bring weapons when we visit other nations, but our sports themselves are our combat techniques!”

The metal balls and the physical boosting acceleration spells were both used in ordinary matches and training. But…

“No hard feelings, Musashi!”

“Yeah,” said the players adding to the pitch. “Tres España’s peace is riding on this mercenary job!”

Hashiba was facing down their home nation.

It had been big news in Tres España when Hexagone Française managed to stop Hashiba’s invasion at Paris and make peace.

Because Tres España was the only nation still untouched by Hashiba’s westward conquest.

Kyushu had been conquered and Shikoku didn’t have a developed economy yet. If Hashiba was looking for someone to invade and reap the benefits, Tres España was nearly defenseless while they tried to recover from their defeat at the Armada battle.

That was why they were working as mercenaries here.

According to the Testament, Spain and Germany became brother nations in the age of Carlos I because he was sovereign of both. This relationship continued, with both nations assisting each other and acting as a deterrent to growing France and plotting Italy by making moves to attack them from two fronts.

That cooperation had continued after the fall of Carlos I and they both joined the Catholic side of the Thirty Years’ War. So…

“Let’s do this.”

Tres España was not an enemy of the M.H.R.R. Catholics, but how could they demonstrate that?

“Sorry.”

They would stop Musashi.

Of course, Hashiba didn’t want this. But they were working with P.A. Oda and the only ones who could protect Akechi were Akechi’s own group and the Tres Españan mercenaries he had hired.

After this, Tres España would have room for negotiation if Hashiba did try to invade them. That negotiation might not go well, but…

“Our Chancellor and Lady Juana can make it work out at Westphalia!”

The players threw their pitch.

The blazing fastball flew and they heard something from behind.

“Let’s go!”

They had received this mercenary job shortly after the event on the Ariake. Their equipment had been brought in later and, just last night, they had managed to put together and perform some tests of their Cavaleiro Azor midsize aerial gods of war which were designed for localized use. If the El Azors were stable high-power models which could swap out their equipment for almost any scenario, these were…

“Midair martial art models with a focus on acceleration!”

Three gods of war flew out after the artillery shells. They flew toward…

“Oh.”

Musashi’s transport ship ascended while turning. Choosing not to stop moving was the correct one for a battlefield involving gods of war.

“Musashi’s aerial combat knowhow can’t be beat!”

That comment coincided with light erupting all around the transport ship.

The pitched shells had shattered against the defense barriers erected by the transport ship.

At a distance of 8km, the sound of the hits hadn’t reached the Tres Españan group yet. The manager, who was acting as observer, gave a report.

“Three hits! I’ll send you a diagram of their defense barrier density!”

Cheers and comments of appreciation blurred together, but by then everyone was already taking their pitching stances for the next round.

“The next ones will get through!!”

The battle began entirely one-sided.

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