Putting a hole in the half-wrecked ceiling was not very difficult. First, they opened fire on the ceiling struts to cut them, then climbed up the pillars to prise open the roof timbers.
However, as they hacked away at the support frame of the crudely-built cottage, the walls that had felt sturdy until just now began to waver. It would seem this house was supported by that frame. Without it, the hovel began to shake like a two-bit stage prop.
In addition, the Chinook conducting the helicopter casualty evacuation seemed to have gotten the monsters' attention. Monsters flooded toward the house from all sides, and a rain of 120mm mortars pelted down on their heads.
Dust flew everywhere, and these fiends of the Special Region were blown to smithereens and buried under the dirt.
The airborne Cobras fired their rockets, raking them over the armored Ogres.
In the face of the spine-chilling explosions and the no-longer reliable wall, Komurasaki covered his ears and shouted, "Son of a bitch, it won't hold!"
The snouts of the Black Dogs began poking in through the gaps in the walls. The startled cameraman scrambled back in fear and fell flat on his butt.
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
Tomita raised his rifle — with bayonet affixed — and fired it as soon as the blade bit into the beast's flesh. The recoil helped him wrench his bayonet loose, and it had certainly dealt his foe a wound.
Tomita and the others opened fire through the walls — at the beasts poking their noses
through it — to keep them away.
"You're up next."
Komurasaki raised his head as he heard Nishina's voice. He saw Tozu, carrying Tuwal from behind, being winched into the Chinook.
"You, go!"
Komurasaki pointed out Matsuzaki the sound technician as the next evacuee. Nishina passed the rope under Matsuzaki's armpits and secured it.
"Fukushima, your turn."
"Ko-Komurasaki-san, what about you?""
"I'll be the last of the civilians to go. Say what you will, I'm one of the people in charge here. Make sure you get a good shot of me coming up."
Before he finished, there was a sound like a dump truck smashing into the shaking house.
Dust and wood chips rained down from above. The walls creaked and split, and a gigantic monster which looked like a rhino was visible through the gaps in the wall. It was trying to break through the walls with its thick and sharp horn.
Tomita deftly changed out his magazine and fired on it.
The rhino-like monster was riddled with bullets and fell back as a corpse. However, the hole in the wall it had made became an entry point, and the monsters swarmed in. Among them were the forms of the rare Trolls and Kobolds.
Private Azuma pulled his trigger and ran dry of rounds in no time.
Panicked, he worked to change his empty magazine, but as he did, an axe-wielding Goblin closed in on him.
Tomita drew his sidearm and fired at the Goblin's belly over Azuma's shoulder. Once it was on the ground, he kicked and kicked at it, then raised his pistol at the Troll crawling over the corpse into the breach.
Azuma had finished reloading in this time, and renewed his shooting. He and Tomita covered each other while they were reloading, in a spectacular display of effective support fire.
Fortunately, their enemies were not that smart.
Now that there was a gap, they single-mindedly tried to break through it. Thus, all they had to do was hold the line there and they could keep them at bay.
"All right, we're next."
He glanced behind him, seeing Komurasaki's legs vanish through the hole in the ceiling.
"Rope extraction! The two of you are going up together!"
With that, Nishina tied the ropes to Azuma and Tomita, who were too busy shooting to do it themselves.
"All right! Do it!"
In response to Nishina's roar over the radio, the Chinook suddenly ascended at a speed of 600 meters per minute.
The three of them soared into the air above the little house at an alarming rate.
They pointed their muzzles down, expending all their remaining ammunition in their former perimeter. Then, as a farewell gift, they dropped all their grenades below them.
Below their eyes, the little cottage collapsed under the explosions, burying many monsters underneath.
An F-4 Phantom passed Tomita and the others as they rose. It dropped napalm bombs, instantly turning the battlefield into an inferno.
The stench of monsters burning and their cries of pain echoed through the land.
If one looked into the distance, one could see 403rd Squadron heading toward the place where the monsters had come from. From the air, there was a formation of Imperial troops with their banners waving.
The Imperial troops knew that the operation was a failure, and decided to flee.
Their plan was to attack the frontier village, then attack the Japanese troops that showed up while posing as traders and villagers, and then bring in their monster army during the confusion.
However, the technique had only worked the first few times they tried it. The enemy had instantly improved their response rate, and even their main force had been discovered. Now, they were the ones being hounded instead.
Helm, the guerilla leader, had no choice but to find another way. He spurred his horse on as he agonized over the problem.
"Flee into the forest! You'll be found more easily if you scatter!"
That said, the soldiers naturally wanted to run in all directions. They felt that since the enemy was hunting down their formation, then leaving the group might give them a better chance of survival. However, once they dispersed, they would not be able to participate in future battles.
He felt that the monsters running beside his horse were an eyesore, but at the moment they were necessary for Zorzal's forces.
"Eh, it can't be helped.'
Helm stopped his horse and produced a flute from an inner pocket.
"General, do you plan to use the trump card you have in store?"
One of his adjutants asked him that as he bellowed at his men not to scatter.
As Helm played an inaudible note, he paused briefly to respond, "This is to save our lives too. It might not do much, but I want to give the enemy some trouble."
After saying that, Helm continued playing the silent flute.
After being taken into the Chinook, Tomita was so tired that he was laid out and panting on the floor of the cabin, but he managed to proudly ask Komurasaki: "Heh… how about that? ...Did you see that!?"
A visibly displeased Komurasaki replied, "Aye, I did. I saw it all. The soldiers don't protect the people. That's what I believe, and I won't back down on it. But you guys aren't regular soldiers. To be precise, you're men of the JSDF… oi, what are you filming? Don't film me!"
Komurasaki glared at Fukushima the cameraman, who was grinning while training the lens on him.
He was probably upset by someone recording himself agreeing with Tomita, and gently pushed the camera away.
However, the cameraman instead continued filming the floor of the Chinook.
"Oi! What's going on?!"
Fukushima stared at his camera. His entire body was stiff, fresh blood leaked from his mouth, and he collapsed onto the ground.
As Komurasaki looked at the spreading patch of reddish black, he screamed,
"What the hell is going on?!"
At some point, a large monster had appeared behind Fukushima the cameraman.
The monster had plunged its thick claws into Fukushima's back. It was croaking and screeching even as it grew larger.
Its limbs were sheathed in rippling muscle, and its claws were growing ever longer and sharper. It was clearly bad news.
Its fur was brown and tan. Its face was savage, a carnivore that was neither feline nor canine. However, its chest was a clear sign that it was female. That strangely human-like feature made them think it might have human blood in its veins.
Kucy had been a little girl until recently, but her head now touched the ceiling of the Chinook, forcing it to hunch over as it grew to a great size.
The Chinook's ceiling had never been high to begin with, and this forced the large monster to curl up into a ball. There was no trace of reason in its eyes, only base savagery.
Nishina and the other servicemen could only stare dumbfoundedly, unable to move as the girl turned into a monstrous beast.
They could not open fire from this position.
The creature was coming from the front of the aircraft, where the cockpit was. If they missed, they might end up shooting into the cockpit, where they would most likely hit the pilot or an important flight system.
The monstrous Kucy swiped with her powerful limbs at anything she saw.
Matsuzaki was still cradling his boom mike when he was knocked back by the fearsome power of that hand, and he flew out the rear door of the cabin, which had not yet been fully closed.
"Ah, aieeeee!"
Scared senseless by this scene, Komurasaki collapsed just as he was about to rise.
Fortunately for him, it meant that the monster's arm swiped a head's distance above him. It would seem the creature prioritized nearby targets over distant ones, and Komurasaki
was next.
The monster raised an arm, and it whistled through the air to carve a chunk out of Komurasaki's flesh...
Just as that was about to happen, the sound of a heavy metallic impact rang out, and Komurasaki's body slid toward the back of the cabin.
Kuribayashi warded off the monster's claw with a reverse-gripped knife.
"Ku-Kuribayashi!" Tomita shouted.
"Protect Tuwal and Komurasaki-san!" she shouted back.
Tomita picked up his rifle and grabbed Tuwal, while Nishina dragged Komurasaki by the lapels toward the rear of the craft. Still, they could only bring them to the rear hatch; any further and they would be outside, which meant an assuredly fatal fall.
Kuribayashi cast aside her gouged helmet and faced the beast head on. The helmet could not stop the creature's claws, and blood dripped from her forehead, down her cheek, and stained the tip of her combat boots.
Kuribayashi wiped the blood from her forehead with her sleeve, standing with her knife ready as she carefully studied Kucy for weaknesses.
"You looked like such a cute kid… to think your true form was a monster like this. You really pulled a fast one on us, huh?"
Confused, the monster looked at the tiny female human fighting back against it.
The difference between their physical statures was readily apparent. The conclusion was clear to all, even if they did not fight. Still, that little body did not flee, but strode forward in challenge. The creature could not understand that.
"Haaaaaaaaah!"
With a great cry, Kuribayashi brandished her knife and lunged in for an attack.
A high-pitched sound rang out as the knife hit the beast's claw.
Kuribayashi worked her knife again. That shrill sound echoed through the cabin once more, and sparks flew as steel met claw.
The monster bared its fangs to frighten its foe, swinging its arms with brute force.
Kuribayashi dropped to the ground, rolling to avoid the steadily advancing swipes of its
claws. She slipped past the thrust of the attack and worked her way into her opponent's reach before initiating melee combat, slashing and stabbing at her foe with her knife.
Every time they clashed, new wounds appeared on both sides, and their blood flowed freely.
Kuribayashi's arms and legs were covered in injuries.
Similarly, the monster's hide sprouted cuts and stabs, its purplish-black blood staining its fur.
Kuribayashi stripped off her heavy body armor, as though finding it bothersome. She toyed with the beast with nimble movements, feinting several times and taking advantage of her foe's momentary openings to close the distance and go for the kill.
However, the monster swung its mighty arm, and tossed Kuribayashi into the wall of the cabin like it was brushing the dust away.
"Kuh!"
Unable to defend herself, Kuribayashi slowly slumped to the ground after hitting the wall.
The monster's left armpit seemed to have been cut up, and unable to bear the pain, it went to one knee while moaning.
Then, it pounced on Kuribayashi, as though saying, "You put up one hell of a fight!"
However, Azuma, Tozu, Tomita and the others raised their bayonets and counter-charged it.
Their lunge did not harm the monster, but it protected Kuribayashi.
Angered by the interference of the three males, Kucy released a deafening ululation, flailing its arms wildly. Those sharp claws broke the Chinook's windows and slashed through the interior of the cabin.
After shaking her head dizzily, Kuribayashi swiftly inverted her hands like a gymnast performing her floor exercises and shoved up from under the monster's jaw. The beast's head collided with the low ceiling, while its chin was wounded from being attacked from below.
Kuribayashi then continued her combination attack. Unable to bear it, the creature drew its arms back to defend itself. It was then that Kuribayashi drove her knife's blade into the tip of its elbow.
"The ulnar nerve, or the funny bone… Well, if you cut that on a human, their arm becomes
useless. What about a monster like you?"
Even when a person fully relaxed their arm, there was still a bit of tension in their muscles. This was called muscle tone.
An arm could move freely because of the balance between contracting and relaxing muscles. If one severed the relaxing muscle fibers, then all the contractile muscle could do was kink up, unable to perform any movements. The reason why people with neuromuscular paralysis had their strange, hook-handed posture was because of this reason.
The monster, whose arm was curled up into what looked like an eagle's claw, swung at Kuribayashi with its left arm. However, with only one usable arm, more openings appeared in its stance.
Kuribayashi leapt back to avoid the beast's claw, and then shouted: "Pilot-san! When I give the signal, reverse the chopper!"
"...What do you plan to do?!"
"Shut up! Just back it up! I'm going to toss this bastard out!"
As Nishina heard this, he clutched Tuwal tightly, and indicated that Tomita, Komurasaki and the others should hold on tight so as not to be thrown out.
Kuribayashi stood on her palms like a gymnast, and her swinging legs swept at Kucy's left arm, which was braced against the ground.
With all her weight on that arm, Kucy found itself striking the ground. It hurt so much that it grit its teeth in pain. However, it immediately rose to its feet while extending that arm; it planned to seize Kuribayashi with that arm.
That was the moment Kuribayashi was aiming for. She charged into the creature's unprotected bosom.
"Now!"
With that, she executed a shoulder throw toward the rear of the Chinook.
However, Kucy pressed her weight on Kuribayashi's body, squashing her from above.
Kuribayashi could not finish the throw, and ended up being pressed from above by the monster's massive body.
As the ground suddenly pitched under its feet, Kucy scrabbled at the craft's interior to avoid being tossed out. Then, it bared its fangs at Kuribayashi and drew close, intending to
chew on her head.
"However strong you are, I'm still not lez!"
Kuribayashi desperately pushed Kucy's face away.
"Gaaahhhh, if you want a kiss so bad, go find a man to give you one!"
However, Kuribayashi could not defeat that preternatural strength. She twisted her head aside to avoid that drooling tongue and that lower jaw covered in sharp teeth, screaming "Noooo!"
"Kuribayashi!"
Now that the helicopter was canted back at an angle, it was all Tomita and the others could do to keep Komurasaki and Tuwal from falling. They could only watch all of this impotently.
Just as those teeth were about to touch Kuribayashi's face, she delivered a mighty head butt to the universal weakness of all monsters — their snouts.
"Ahhhhh, what a pain!"
Agony coursed through Kucy's nose, and it could not help but twist its head aside. In the moment that it jerked its body away, Kuribayashi scrabbled free of its vast body, then twined her legs around its neck and executed a choke from behind its back.
"Fall, damn you!"
In the face of this sudden reversal, Kucy tried to shake Kuribayashi off. It suddenly rose up and bashed its head against the ceiling.
Kucy's head and Kuribayashi's body collided with the ceiling. As that frightening sound rang through the cabin, Kucy's massive body slid toward the open rear hatch.
The unconscious Kuribayashi fell toward the outside as well.
Tomita desperately lunged at Kuribayashi. Azuma and Tozu reached out to grab Tomita's legs. By the narrowest of scrapes, Tomita's fingertips touched Kuribayashi's bandolier and tightened around it.
Perhaps it was because of the shock of the impact, but the pilot quickly levelled out the Chinook.
The monster was still gripping at the cabin, hanging from the edge of the hatch. It looked like it was trying to climb aboard with just its left arm.
Tozu and the others saw this and tried to kick it off, lashing out repeatedly with their combat boots. The monster struggled desperately to resist in its desire to not be thrown off, but then Tomita aimed his 9mm pistol at it.
"So long!"
The series of bullets turned Kucy's face into a pomegranate. Even so, it emitted a mighty bestial howl, its limbs flailing as it fell.
As Kuribayashi came to, she was congratulated by everyone in awestruck tones: "You really are one hell of a woman."
"Where is this?"
It would seem she had bumped her head, so her memories were unclear. Her vision was blurred and her head was spinning.
"Are you all right? Do you remember us? Who am I? Don't be like that!"
Tomita and the others showered Kuribayashi with thumps on the shoulder, until she winced in pain. However, that brought her memories back to her in short order, and she remembered where she was.
"Ouch! I hurt everywhere, don't be so rough with me!"
"Sorry, sorry. But really, you were amazing out there."
Kuribayashi smiled as she heard Tomita's words.
"So you've fallen for me? Why don't we go out?"
Kuribayashi said this in a joking tone, because she knew Tomita was already attached. This was not just because it was alright to be rejected, but because she wanted to gamble on a million to one chance that he would be up for it. However, the answer was evident enough; yet Tomita responded in a way which Kuribayashi had not expected at all.
"Ah, I can't. You see, I'm going to get married after this war is over."
The cabin fell into silence.
"Eh…"
Nishina and the others went pale. Kuribayashi shivered as she realised the dire situation her careless words had wrought.
"You… you!"
"That… that's a…"
"Death flag!"
Indeed. It was an ironclad rule that anyone who said "I'm getting married after this war is over", "We're having kids after this" and the like would undoubtedly meet a tragic fate. Then there were things like, "I'll hold them off, you guys go ahead first", a line which was widely known to spell certain doom for the speaker.
Itami had forbidden these words; he had banned them with all the censor-happy fervor of the People's Republic of China. It was on the level of receiving a "this search result has been removed due to relevant legislation" when Googling it. Yet, Tomita had uttered that line in the end.
Kuribayashi realised that she was responsible for that, and naturally, she cowered in fear.
"What, what should we do?!"
She was more panicked than she had been while fighting the monster. As he saw her like that, Tomita replied:
"Ah, don't worry about it. We'll be fine. It's just a superstition, nothing more."
"That's no good. We have to get back to the el-tee."
"Him? You mean Itami? Wha? Why?"
"Itami will surely know a way around this!" Kuribayashi declared. A man who lived a hacked life like his would surely be able to snap a death flag like that in half while chuckling.
The more she thought about that, the more Kuribayashi obsessed about the death flag she had raised with Tomita.
Chateau Formal had never been this busy before.
"Zorzal imprisoned the Emperor and Princess. They were rescued with the aid of the JSDF, and now Italica is officially the new Imperial Capital." Because of that pronouncement, the chateau was now a temporary royal palace, which meant that the senators and their families flocked to the new capital in great numbers.
The first thing that the legitimate government of the Empire would do was build an army to retake the Imperial Capital.
However, the pro-peace faction and all their banner lords could not scrape up enough troops to resist Zorzal. Thus, they had sent envoys to all manner of nations and former vassals, and even to the demihumans that they had formerly scorned. The government promised to elevate their status in exchange for military aid.
Now that Italica was a temporary royal palace and also a military headquarters, a massive tent garrison had sprung up outside the city. The canteens and taverns lining the streets were filled with soldiers of every race and species. While they could be more relaxed with the enlisted ranks, commanders and other high-ranking senior officers had to be treated politely, so the maids of House Formal were kept busy round the clock, with hardly any time to catch their breath.
The few human maids of House Formal were hard-pressed to handle the tasks of proper service by themselves. So the demihuman maids — not very presentable in Imperial high society — were mobilized to help them. The cat-eyed and bespectacled Persia, the Warrior Bunny Mamina, Aurea the Medusa and so on had to receive guests of all sorts and complete various tasks.
Aurea the Medusa's crimson hair snakes twisted back and forth like tentacles as she rushed into the kitchen and shouted, "Head maid, it's terrible! It's horrible!"
The head maid was commanding from the kitchen, alternating between castigating the chefs for insufficient skill and scolding the maids receiving guests for being improperly dressed.
"Head Maid, His Majesty is looking for you!"
It would seem the "terrible" thing had nothing to do with the withered man enfolded by those crimson hair snakes.
Was he young, or was he old? He was mummified now, so that could not be seen. However, his sex could at least be told from his clothing. A careful look at his face would tell that there was no misery or fear on his face; he had gone to the gods with a look of supreme bliss on his face.
The Head Maid wrinkled her brows.
"Aurea, have the mice been getting in again?"
Catching the mice was all well and good, but that meant the kitchen would get dirty. How could she bring a corpse here? The Head Maid delivered all this and more in a quiet voice.
However, Aurea did not seem to mind and delightedly replied:
"I found a mouse and caught him and drained him dry. I'm so happy I got to eat my fill!"
How much life-force had she absorbed? Aurea's skin was shiny and radiant. Her crimson pupils were narrowed and she was all smiles.
"Please do so in moderation. Once you're used to gourmet meals, it will be hard to bear when you can no longer indulge yourself."
"I understand. I'll try to hold myself back."
Aurea's hair drooped, as though displaying her depressed mood. She dumped the mummified man to the ground, where the maids would dispose of it as a piece of litter.
"Then, who sent this one?"
Aurea looked like she could not harm a fly, but in truth, she was a vampire — or rather, she was a thief of "essence".
She did not feed using brute force and sharp teeth to tear her prey to shreds. Instead, she used her doll-like beauty and cuteness to lure her prey, before binding them with her serpentine hair tentacles and sucking them dry, much like an insectivorous plant.
Without sharp claws or fangs, she instead used pleasure to keep her prey from fleeing.
Once those tentacles touched her victims, they would drown in that hellish pleasure and lose the ability to fight back. By the time they realised the fact, their souls would have been squeezed dry and they would shortly become residents of the netherworld. In addition, Aurea could look through the memories of her victims. There was no way to hide anything contained within the mind from her. That said, Aurea could not memorize every single detail, so she only remembered the information she was concerned about.
"This man was the minion of someone called Bouro. He was planning to poison the food."
The Head Maid sighed as she heard Aurea's report. "As I thought…"
"It seems we can't do anything before catching this Bouro person."
Aurea nodded in agreement.
The Head Maid sighed again, and then she pulled herself together.
"Anyway, you came here because His Majesty was looking for me. I shall go at once. Mome, Aurea, you two will follow me as well. Hurry!"
As the aged Head Maid said that, she forcefully gathered up her skirts.
Then, she sprinted through the hallways with a vigor that did not match her age, as though something terrible had happened. She was trailed by her trusted Mome and Aurea.
Mamina the Warrior Bunny hurriedly ducked out of her way along the corridor.
Persia the bespectacled Catgirl maid was sending dirty dishes back to the kitchen. She swiftly stepped around them with a spectacular pivoting turn, maintaining her balance on the stacked dishes as her skirts fluttered up around her. Her comrades applauded this feat, which would not have been out of place in a talent show or a circus act.
Like a rising tide, the Head Maid ran to the door of the suite on the top floor, and then took deep breaths to calm her panting. She swiftly wiped her sweat and inspected her bearing to ensure she was presentable.
Mome and Aurea also helped adjust each other's clothing.
Pina's female knights stood guard on either side of the door, without moving a single muscle.
Though they looked at her with sympathy, the Head Maid swiftly regained her serious demeanour. Perhaps it was a natural born ability or some sort of special skill, but her sweat immediately stopped flowing, as though a tap had been turned off.
She opened the door, first announcing, "Your servant presents herself in response to Your Majesty's summons" before entering.
Emperor Molt lay on the large bed. Count Marx, his regent and the Japanese ambassador Sugawara stood by his side.
"Your servant presents herself in response to Your Majesty's summons."
The Emperor looked to the Head Maid who served him, and then introduced Sugawara to her.
"This is Sugawara-dono, the ambassador from Japan. He will be staying here for some time, so I hope you will arrange quarters for him. I understand that this is an imposition, but I hope you will find a way to accommodate him."
Those were the Emperor's words, but still, the Head Maid's expression quivered.
Chateau Formal was already home to far more guests than it had been designed for. They had run out of space to accommodate the Imperial senators and various nobles, so the government had begun requisitioning the homes of wealthy farmers and nobles in the city, as well as those civilian homes which looked presentable.
Even the tent city outside the walls of Italica was emblazoned with the banners of the various nobles in residence.
Though Sugawara was only one person, arranging a room for him under the present circumstances was still very difficult.
Therefore, when Sugawara said, "There is no need to worry, Your Majesty. I have already found a room of my own in the city", even the Head Maid sighed audibly, a clear breach of etiquette.
"Oh? May I know where you are taking residence?"
Still, nobody noticed the head maid's gaffe. This was because Count Marx's question drew everyone's attention. The way he asked his question seemed to be a clear attempt to ask if an outsider like Sugawara could find a place to stay in Italica. It was highly discomforting.
"Well, we are quite hampered ourselves. If there is a large place like that around, I was wondering if you could share the details with us."
"The truth is, I reached out to a merchant I knew and borrowed the corner of a warehouse from them. Under these circumstances, being able to sleep without fear of wind or rain is the most important thing; all other considerations are secondary. Granted, it is somewhat cramped, but it is still better than my dormitory as a student.
The Emperor nodded in relief.
"Wonderful. I feared that slighting the emissary of Nihon would result in our reputation being dragged through the gutter, so I made an unreasonable request of yourself, Head Maid. Now, there is nothing to worry about, so I rescind that order of mine."
With that, the Emperor permitted the head maid to leave.
"Still, you must not act incautiously around the Nihonjin. They have secretly forged relationships with the merchants of our Empire. We must be on our guard."
"Ah, Count Marx. That's enough of that sort of thing."
"But we've been surrounded by the pro-Nihon faction before we knew."
"What are you saying at this point in time? Ever since we asked the Nihonjin for help in fleeing the Imperial Capital, have we not already been in their midst? Am I wrong, Head Maid?"
"Of course not, Your Majesty. That is exactly the case."
The Head Maid turned back to confirm that just as she was about to leave the room.
"Look now, Italica is now heavily influenced by Nihon."
The Head Maid explained herself as she saw the upset and angry look on Count Marx's face.
"The blame for that can be laid on the ones who snuck their filthy rats into House Formal, pardon me for being blunt, in the hopes of doing ill to Your Majesty. If I may dare to say so, perhaps the good Count might do well to work with Nihon to fight against these petty villains."
Delilah's attempted murder of a Japanese citizen had put House Formal in a dilemma. The only way for them to clear their names was to root out the underground organization responsible, which meant working with the Japanese. As a result, the House had built a close relationship with the Japanese, to the point where they could be considered representatives of the Japanese government.
Count Marx was clearly displeased by this, but in the end, he could only say "Forget it" and show how he was swallowing that bitter pill.
The fact was that the Imperial administration had found its footing due to the cooperation of House Formal and the Japanese government.
"Then, how goes the war? Can we retake the Capital?" the Emperor asked.
Marx reported that the loyalists were mounting an attack to retake the Imperial Capital. The 5000 prisoners of war released by the Japanese government formed the core of a semblance of an army.
However, Zorzal's troops were regulars, boasting superior fighting ability. They could not make any progress even if the path to attack the enemy was clear.
"We are reconstituting the 2nd Army. Once we can get our reinforcements to the frontlines, we should be able to bring our elites near the Capital."
The Emperor chuckled at Marx's overly optimistic statement, even though he knew that there were things that Marx could not mention.
"And what of the battle in the shadows?"
The Head Maid reported that over 50 people had tried to infiltrate the Chateau or incite an uprising in Italica ever since Emperor Molt had made his base in Italica.
"We've already discovered several rats trying to infiltrate the feast. Just now, we caught someone trying to poison the food in the stores. However, Aurea was waiting there and eliminated him."
Aurea nodded in silence. She looked like nothing more than an adorable blossom of a girl, so long as she held her peace and kept to herself. The Emperor was captivated by her charms, but his knowledge of the Venus' flytrap nature of Medusas put a complex expression on his face.
After that, he considered why the previous Lord Formal had taken this Medusa into his household. If… perhaps… yes, that must have been it. If one could arrange for her to siphon essence under the conditions of "don't kill your partner" or "don't harm them", surely one would be able to enjoy the most exquisite ecstasy. It would certainly be worth it.
The hellish pleasure of legend. It held a demonic charm; the temptation of experiencing sex which would drain one's strength dry, to the point of death.
"Aurea, is it? Could you tell me about the relationship between yourself and your previous master?"
The Emperor was unsure of how to bring the subject up.
Depending on her answer, he might consider keeping her around to serve him.
"We are currently keeping an eye on spies in the chateau. We shall exterminate them when the time is right."
However, the Head Maid seemed to have sensed the Emperor's intentions, and interrupted his train of thought.
If she were a human noblewoman; no, even if she were a demihuman maid, she would have sent them over to serve the Emperor in his bed if they caught his interest. However, Aurea was the only person that she could not permit to go.
"Are these people Zorzal's men?" the Emperor murmured.
Count Marx nodded.
"They might be agents of other countries, but in all likelihood, it is as Your Majesty says."
Italica — the temporary Imperial Capital — was the target of a clandestine campaign by Zorzal. There was an offensive underway, and the fighting was intense. Thus, Aurea was a valuable combat unit; she could not be removed from the frontline.
That said...
"Your Majesty. There were those with incurable illnesses, or wounds which would not heal, who feared death, or who were in pain… the old Master gave me the task of laying them to rest with the tenderest of mercies."
Aurea sensed the look in the Emperor's eyes as he looked at her.
Sadly, many people looked at her the same way. More accurately, it had been like this before she came here. This was the reason why Medusas were treated as an unclean race; why they were ostracized and disdained.
"Is that so. Sooner or later, the day will come when I will fear for my own end. When that time comes, I hope you will aid me as well."
"I understand."
The Emperor sighed deeply, and said, "Go then. Do battle with the enemy."
"There's someone who's not on the guest list. He's currently in the western corner of the great hall."
The Warrior Bunny Mamina heard the voice in her earpiece, and led her subordinate battle maids to quietly encircle the rats who had snuck into the feast.
With cultured, practiced grace, Mamina shrouded the murderous intent in her heart with a tender smile. Balancing a drinking-laden tray in one hand, she approached her target and asked, "Would you care for some refreshment?"
Panic flashed momentarily across the man's face, but Mamina's warm smile seemed to put him at ease.
"Thank you," he said as he helped himself to a wineglass of amber-colored liquid.
"It's quite rare to see a Warrior Bunny as a maid."
"About four-fifths of House Formal's maids are demihumans. If I may be so rude, may I ask whose household you hail from?"
"I am Nikas. I am a butler of Baron Monterey."
The man glibly answered Mamina's question — it would seem he had prepared for this.
Baron Monterey was one of the few members of the neutral faction, but he had declared his loyalty for the Emperor. He and his personal troops had arrived at Italica recently. Since he was new here, nobody recognized him. Thus, most people would let him off after light questioning because of that.
"He's lying. Baron Monterey has a man called Nikas on his staff, but his face is completely different from this guy."
A man's voice pointed out the lie through the background radio chatter.
Looking up, one could see countless cameras installed in the chateau's ceiling, observing every corner of the building. The computer located in a different room compared the guests to their mugshots, picking out anyone suspicious.
To the enemies who did not know of such technology, Italica and Chateau Formal were nothing less than the gates of hell. Spies checked in — they did not check out.
Mamina smiled. "Nikas-sama, you're quite a handsome fellow. Would you mind sharing a word with me in private?"
She closed the distance between the two of them, until their chests were almost touching, and whispered sweetly into his ear, as though her voice was going to melt into it.
"M-me?"
"Indeed. Do you know of a custom of the Warrior Bunnies? When we see a handsome man, we won't let them go. What do you think of… tender love in a private corner?"
Mamina turned pleading eyes on the man, who was immobile on account of being charmed by her.
The pain in his belly told him to keep still and remain silent, and that he had better be careful even of his breathing.
The man's eyes slowly left Mamina's and wandered downwards.
Past those ample peaks, he finally saw the tips of a pair of daggers pressed against him.
The man was encircled from the front and rear by maids, as though he was their plaything. One might envy his position, but the truth was, he had blades resting on him from three different directions. His situation was dire indeed.
"Then, please come this way."
"...Is, is there some kind of mistake? I'm not into this sort of play…"
"There's no point acting dumb. I hope you'll tell us your name and who sent you. Let me get this out of the way first; our house counts a Medusa as one of its vassals, so resistance is futile."
And so, yet another spy was brought out of the great hall with a stiff smile on his face.
If he were a rookie spy who yielded quickly to torture, he would probably be sentenced to forced labor in the quarries or in some mine. If he was a hardened agent who refused to talk, he would be fed to Aurea, where he would be squeezed dry even as he rolled around in pleasure.
The man began trying to explain himself once they reached the empty corridor.
"Wait, wait a minute. I am a spy, but not from the Crown Prince. I've always wanted to pledge my loyalty to His Majesty. It's true. I can hail the Emperor if you want, or curse Zorzal's name for as long as you like."
"So stop wasting time and give us your name and allegiance."
"I can't do that. My job is to sweep the interior for traitors. It's true. Your sentries do good work; they found me out right away. Well done. It was a flawless display, I'd give you full marks for it."
"Thank you for your praise. However, if you don't tell us who you work for, we can't trust you. Do you think we're stupid enough to be content with that?"
"Is that so? Yes… all right, I got it, I got it. My name and allegiance, is that it?"
Mamina stopped, and waited for the man to speak.
"My name is Nora. In truth, I am one of Count Marx's men."
Count Marx? If that were the case, then he was an ally. But why did this man's voice suddenly sound like a woman's?
As they paused to think for a moment, an opening appeared.
The man took advantage of that opening and slipped the cordon of Mamina and her people. No, the man's body and clothes tore apart, and a woman emerged from within. Mamina and her fellow maids were a second late in reacting to this unexpected development.
"Ah, stop!"
Mamina and the others hurriedly gave chase.
"As if any spy would actually stop when told to!"
"A shapeshifter?!"
That woman was a demihuman.
Her bestial athletic ability allowed her to rival Mamina's feline jumping power. Everyone was cowed into submission by the frightening experience that her battle-hardened and scarred body gave off.
Mamina tossed a series of dirks at her. Many of them were deflected with the sound of high-pitched metal, but several of them struck home in the flesh of the woman called Nora.
"Kuh!"
The woman pulled out a knife and grabbed at her wound.
"You'll pay for this!" she cursed, before leaping out of a window in the corridor.
"Cheh! Dammit, she got away. After her!"
"No, it's fine. The transmitter's already planted on her. Let us handle the tracking."
Just as Mamina and the others were about to give chase, the voice that blended into the background chatter halted them in their tracks.
"Trance-meet-her?"
"Did you use the throwing knives I gave you? They're the sort which leave their tips in the body even when you pull them out. Unless she cuts herself open and digs them out, the transmitter will tell us where she is, no matter where she flees."
Mamina smiled.
"Which means it's gone well, then?"
"Indeed. It doesn't matter if she has to lick her wounds or report her failure, she still has to return to her hideout or base to do so. We can follow her trail from there to her nest. That's our plan."
"Then, can we leave the rest to you, Yanagida?"
"Ah, yes. Leave it to me… I'll make sure they suffer."
At the same time, there was the sound of a long-range remote-controlled drone taking off from somewhere within the courtyard of Chateau Formal.
"Do you understand, Delilah?"
A voice came from the speaker.
"Leave it to me, Master Yanagida. I will do anything you ask of me."
As this shadow war unfolded, the pro-peace senators continued discussing the future of the Empire. To them, their tongues were weapons, while the great hall was the battlefield where they fought their war of words. Although it was not a matter of life and death, they were all struggling in their own way.
Cicero was feeling conflicted as he took a mouthful of wine as the bespectacled Catgirl maid Persia served him. His friend who was seated beside him chided:
"The taste doesn't change even if a demihuman serves it, no?"
Indeed, this was terribly uncouth behavior for a guest. His friend saw this, and decided to warn him against it.
Cicero seemed to be trying to exonerate himself as he replied, "No, no, it's not like that. I'm just wondering why the previous Count Formal would go against our tradition and hire demihuman girls. I used to think demihumans and the like were savages… forgive me. I had no intention of denigrating you."
After Cicero said that to Persia — who was still serving him — he continued, "I used to think that hiring demihumans signified a lack of taste. But after coming here and observing them, I feel it would be better for me to change that line of thought."
"Indeed. They are the equal of any human maid, be it in terms of etiquette or personality. In some ways, they are superior to human maids."
"That's right," Cicero nodded as he observed the demihuman maids working in the great hall.
The truth was, the maids of House Formal were not only capable, but beautiful. In addition, their ears were very keen, and they hardly missed anyone calling for them. In that respect, they were fundamentally different from human maids, who were very noisy
and would not pay attention to people unless one shouted at them.
"Still, I can't get used to it. It just feels wrong to me."
Cicero shrugged as he revealed what was in his heart.
"Well, if it's a matter of getting used to it, then it's just takes time. Our armies would not even exist without demihumans. I heard that Zorzal's even been enlisting Giant Ogres into his battle lines."
"Ah, I know about that. Well, since I'll become accustomed to it sooner or later, I should probably bear with it. Still, can the maids here bear with me while I adjust?"
"It'll be fine, they're all very well-mannered. They will wait for you to become used to them. More importantly, we should listen to Sherry-san's report. She's returned after so long — shouldn't we hear what she has to say?"
Cicero nodded, and then he asked the scion of House Tuery before him:
"Forgive the delay. I hope you will tell us about what you saw in Nihon. Why don't you start from the impending change in regime?"
"Yes, Cicero-sama."
Sherry did not blanch, even while under the eyes of the senators.
She spoke directly and openly to the senators surrounding her.
"Firstly, I would like everyone to understand that the Prime Minister of Nihon is chosen by the senate. After that, the Prime Minister chooses his cabinet."
"In other words, the Prime Minister represents the nation, and he is the man who is in charge of policy?"
"Yes. Japan's current Senate is about to reach the end of its terms, and so they are preparing to select new councillors."
The senators had bitter expressions on their faces. After all, they were in a similar situation.
"In other words, if the selected councillors change, then the nation's policies might change as well?"
"Yes. In Japan, the senators are chosen by the people. Thus, it is possible for the makeup of the senators to suddenly change."
Sherry had a bitter smile on her face as well, revealing her complex emotions. She knew that her fate depended heavily on the results of the change in Japan's regime. Sherry had returned with Sugawara to impress this fact upon the senators.
"What an outdated institution. There were times when our Empire was a republic, but every time the office-holders changed, our diplomatic stance changed as well. This might be a big problem. This is why we're pursuing the maintenance of the status quo."
Perhaps it was because Sherry was still a child that Cicero's explanation ended up sounding like that of a teacher. And perhaps it was because of that explanation that Sherry's answer sounded like that of a model student answering her teacher.
"Indeed, the first citizen should hold the highest office."
"Hm, it seems you've learned quite a lot. Then, can you summarize the Empire's leadership for us?"
"Yes," Sherry nodded. Then, she began narrating, as though from a textbook.
"The Emperor is responsible for the overall policy of the nation and its diplomacy. Domestic affairs are managed locally, by governors selected by the Emperor to administer domains on his behalf. In addition, the Empire has permitted certain cities with long and distinguished histories to rule themselves. Certain places which are not suitable for a limited-term regional governor, but which require long periods of acclimation — such as House Formal's domain, which counts many races and tribes among its denizens — have been ceded to individuals who possess the requisite adaptability. This is the reason for the Empire's centralization and compartmentalization of power."
"Marvellous. If I were your tutor, I would praise you. Why did the Emperor of the time choose compartmentalization? What was the name of that Emperor?"
"Unfortunately, governors serving a limited term must sometimes leave their domain, and this leads to poverty and starvation more often than it does to prosperity. Thus, insurgency and insurrection breaks out. However, if that domain were to be part of one's fortunes, one would have a vested interest in administering it carefully. This was the conclusion of Emperor Kaulas."
"That is correct. Full marks."
"I am very grateful."
Sherry had a bashful smile on her face, like a student who had passed an interview.
"I did not expect a young girl like yourself to know that much. Governance is much like that; the key is to maintain coherence and continuity. Of course, there are many ways to do
that, but to people who must live on someone else's domain in difficulty, this is the most ideal method. Thus, a government whose national policies change with the wind is quite flawed. In particular, fickle diplomatic stances are quite disagreeable."
The hitherto silent Marquis Casel raised his hand.
"That's not right. One cannot say that democratically elected representatives are backward. After all, sometimes the Imperial succession comes into question."
"That's right, that's right," the surrounding senators nodded in agreement.
"You have it at that," Cicero nodded. Then, he countered:
"Well, a man ruling other men is bound to be flawed. Perhaps the pursuit of that nonexistent perfection is the very proof of our immaturity, as human beings."
Case's own rebuttal addressed the same topic Cicero had brought up.
"In any case, whether we are an Empire or a Republic, we must accept the flaws of both approaches as unavoidable. Since we value the continuity and instant deliberation of imperial rule, we have chosen to be an Empire. One could say that compensating for the flaws of such an institution is our duty as those who support it."
"I'd like to ask the two of you something. Do you consider the inability to prevent the rise of someone like Zorzal to be a flaw of the system?"
Cicero sternly answered the question from the floor:
"Do not try to foist off your flaws as the vulnerabilities of the regime. These matters have to be considered separately. Evaluating the Emperor's successor is our duty, after all. We ended up getting stuck in a vicious cycle of avoiding trouble and did not try hard enough to keep that man from the seat of power, instead taking him lightly."
"And we have paid for that in blood and suffering. The best proof of that is how we are looking dumbly at each other here."
However, Cicero shook his head and said, "No, not yet."
"We have not paid it off yet. We are not even close. We must take the Empire back and return it to normal. Only after we do so can we say that we have paid the price for our failure."
The senators immediately launched into a flurry of conversation.
"But how can we take the Empire back? Zorzal says he has abandoned the Capital, but he still controls the administration and the armies. His Majesty has declared that Zorzal be
removed from the succession, but the men and generals of the armies still obey him."
"He's merely coercing them into servitude through force! All we need to do is inform the loyalist generals of His Majesty's will and they will surely recant their ways."
"No, don't try to force the issue. Zorzal's installed his 'cleaners' throughout the armed forces. They say that even the rank and file are under close scrutiny, to say nothing of the generals. Pointless rebellion against them will only result in the separation of head from body. It nearly happened to us too."
The "cleaners" were the ones who denounced those who spoke out against Zorzal's policies, analogous to political commissars. They were officially known as the Oprichniki, and they belonged to the Oprichnina. The pro-peace senators here had nearly been captured and purged by them.
"Then all we need to do is defeat them, right? Let's all take the field and settle it once and for all!"
"But we are too few. The lines of battle are holding for now, but don't forget that this is because Nihon is keeping Zorzal at bay."
The resentment here fed off itself, and just as it looked like it was coming to a boil, Sherry asked, almost as though she were grumbling:
"Are the other countries and the vassals willing to help us?"
The girl's voice was vastly different from the adults, so everyone here clearly heard her words.
Ordinarily speaking, they would tell her to shut up while adults were talking. However, she felt like a student to them, so Cicero could not help but answer, though he felt it was a rude question.
"Naturally, we have sent envoys out. But all the other countries remain noncommittal. They appear to be content watching us beat each other up."
In this way, the girl Sherry received the freedom to speak her mind in this place where she should have been forbidden to interrupt. In order to make sure of things, she purposely asked a question whose answer was obvious:
"His Majesty has taken a side, but the other countries have not done so. Why is that?"
"That is simple enough. If they stand by us and Zorzal wins, anyone who supported us will be destroyed. It is plainly obvious. This is a decision made with the fate of a nation at stake. It is only natural for them to be cautious about this."
"In other words, we must show that we are able to win in order to obtain allies, then?"
"Correct. However, it is said that His Majesty's health is failing, and we do not know when he will collapse again. In addition, Zorzal commands the armies."
A noble by the side took a swig of wine and added:
"The regional governors are also following him."
"How unfair," Sherry pouted childishly.
"Zorzal holds the advantage, no matter how you slice it."
"That much is true. However, the reason why the other nations have not joined Zorzal is because of the element of Nihon. Making an enemy of Nihon would be inadvisable, to say the least. However, Zorzal is obsessed with defeating Nihon. Thus, anyone joining Zorzal will end up at odds with Nihon. Every nation dreads that prospect."
"Which is why they are not siding with him," Cicero shrugged as he ended his lecture.
"Thus, Nihon's importance is rising rapidly, no?" Sherry continued on the topic of Japan.
"Correct. We know that Nihon has no intention of dominating the Empire. Fundamentally, they wish for us to rule the Empire, and maintain peaceful relationships with the other nations. I understand that this is not purely from the goodness of their hearts. After all, ruling a foreign people is a tiresome and expensive process. However, they are currently in the process of changing their Prime Minister. If that is the case, the attitude of that Prime Minister toward us is a matter of great interest. Sherry-kun, tell us honestly; what does Nihon think? Is there anything you have seen or heard that could shed more light on the matter?"
"Hmm~" Sherry hummed as she poked her face with her index finger.
"The people of Nihon are very angry with what Zorzal-sama has done. After all, the news of Zorzal-sama's men attacking villages all over and trampling the innocent is common knowledge."
And then, someone from the floor raised a question:
"However, I seem to recall Zorzal turning around and censuring Nihon, saying that the Imperial massacre of villagers was a fabrication and they were all done by the Jayesdeef."
In truth, the news of soldiers in speckled green uniforms attacking villages had been spreading, and several nobles nodded as they heard this.
"They say that, but at the very least, the people of Arnus do not believe them. This is
because there are many witnesses and pieces of evidence stating that Zorzal-sama was using bandits and demihumans to do his dirty work."
"But the people of Arnus are all closely linked to Nihon. Can the words of these people be trusted?"
Nobody here was willing to believe that a fellow Imperial citizen like Zorzal would shamelessly accuse others of his own sins. Scorched-earth tactics were vicious, but they were also necessary. If they had to be done, then they had to be openly conducted. Nobody here wanted to believe that Zorzal had fallen so low that he would try to push the blame for that upon others.
However, Cicero raised a hand to quiet everyone.
"No. Piña-dono received a warning that Zorzal's men intended to commit such deeds. Thus, though I find it hard to swallow, it was most likely his doing… I see. So he really does intend to defeat Nihon."
Morality aside, sowing chaos with his attacks against the invaders was the correct answer.
When there was an overwhelming difference in combat ability, there was no other choice.
His willingness to do anything for victory spoke of his determination to win.
However, this method would destroy everything.
This was because this strategy of deceiving people by pushing the blame to others would shatter the faith of the people and they would never again have faith in the nation.
Even if they had to resort to cruel methods, the Empire had always adopted the attitude of "Yes, I did this. Do you have a problem with that?" Although this might make people hate the Empire, it would also make them fear it, and thus they would submit.
But what if they used deception?
The contradiction in what they had experienced and what the Empire said would make them doubt everything. Indeed, they would not be afraid, but apprehensive. Once that happened, ruling the country would be very difficult, even if they won.
If one wanted to rule a country by force, then a nation would need to adopt a policy of sealing the mouths of the people. It would need to trample on the hearts of others in order to keep the doubts in the people's hearts from turning into hatred and resentment. Thus, the nation had to make the people blindly believe that everything was the fault of external enemies.
The government would have to prevent the people from spreading hearsay, restrict idle
conversation, tear out any insurgency by the roots and thoroughly dominate the people.
But such a nation would certainly have no freedom. Even drawing a breath would be difficult.
A lie had to be repeated often enough to be taken as the truth. The government would be forced to use all its strength to have a falsehood be taken as reality.
The government would then have to unceasingly attack anyone who spread the truth, and continuously spread its lies to the people.
Censorship of speech was the proof that lies were in circulation.
"What a frightening prospect."
Cicero sighed as he despaired for the future of the Empire. Even if they could weather the storm that was Zorzal, he could not help but worry about how to rebuild the desolated Empire.
"If that is the case, we should hand the weighty duty of resisting Zorzal-sama to her Imperial Highness. May I know what Piña-sama is doing now, then?"
Sherry sought out Pina's form among the people around her. However, depressed looks bloomed on the faces of the senators, and their representative Cicero.
"Her Highness has lost faith in the matter of politics. 'Do you intend to have me commit fratricide?' she said before leaving Italica."
A shocked expression came over Sherry's face. "So the great Imperial Princess was such a person?"
She knit her brows in displeasure.
"This is nothing short of desertion," she continued. However, nobody heard that, because she spoke too softly. Then, she nonchalantly put on a cheerful smile.
。
"Where is Her Highness now, then? Has anyone gone to fetch her?"
Fortunately, everyone who saw Sherry thought that her change of expression was the result of their failing vision.
Cicero seemed to be one of them. He wiped his eyes, and answered:
"No, His Majesty ordered us not to bother with her for the time being. Her Highness should be travelling with the Men In Green now."
"The Men In Green, huh…" Sherry mused as she tilted her head.
