Il Cielo dei Tre Regni
by Lunar Wave
Disclaimer: This story borrows the setting and characters of the Koihime†Musou series and borrows multiple elements from Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I own neither series as they both belong to their respective owners. Also, considering Koihime†Musou could be considered a fanfic of the Three Kingdoms, I'd like to say I don't own anything related to the stories of the Three Kingdoms.
-()-
Promotion
-()-
"Th-that's it!?"
"That is all you need."
"We've been training for barely a month, Tsuyoshi-sensei! You showed me the form once, and then you just watched me try it again and again from memory!"
"That is how Shigure Souen Ryu is taught."
"I couldn't even do some of the forms properly!"
"You did them well enough, without hurting yourself. You have a unique talent for swordplay, Kazuto."
"Also, you only showed me eight forms. Uncle Takeshi has a lot more."
"That's your problem now." Tsuyoshi laughed. "Shigure Souen Ryu is a killing style, Kazuto. You have no real use for it, as you are. All you've been doing is amassing knowledge, without a goal."
"… I…" Denial in his tone, but he didn't finish his words. Silence took hold of the room before the old man spoke once more.
"Kazuto-kun… it is unlikely that you'll ever master the Shigure Souen Ryu."
"Wh-what!?" Indignation filled his tone.
"I don't doubt that you would be capable of great things, but it will not be through my sword style."
"E… eh?" Kazuto said, trying to come up with something to say to that, but the old man cut him off once more.
"Tell me, which of the eight forms I taught you resonated the strongest?"
"Uh… The eighth form, I guess."
"In that regard, you are the same as me and Takeshi!" An old man's laughter echoed through that small dojo behind the sushi shop. "That's good, that's good."
"Umm… what's going on?"
"The eighth form was developed during a torrential rainstorm. The user made it to cut, weaken, the rain itself to try and save a friend's life."
"Th… that's awesome!"
"Yes. Yes. I suppose so." Yamamoto Tsuyoshi laughed, "You are someone who, I can safely say, is ill-suited to taking a life."
"I… is that an insult or a compliment?"
"Depending on who you're talking to, both, I suppose." The man sat down, his sword on his lap. "Kazuto, if you ever were forced to take a life, don't forget something. You are Sawada Kazuto, the son of Sawada Tsunayoshi, who despite being a bullied child growing up, saved my son from a suicide attempt."
"Th-that's!" This time, not a tone of indignation but a tone of surprise. He hasn't heard of that story before.
"When you ever doubt your own kindness, know this well… the form that you said resonated strongly with you, Shinotsuku Ame? It is a technique created, not to kill, but to save."
"That's…"
"I'm an old man, Kazuto so I sometimes ramble." The man chuckled. "Now, I've taught you all that you need to. Leave this old man in peace. The next you come, you'll be a customer or the son of my son's friend. Never again as my pupil."
It took Kazuto months to convince the man to teach him. It took him two weeks to learn and be kicked out.
But the memory of the words spoken to him…
It was a small thing at the back of his mind, but it awakens once more.
-()-
Sawada Kazuto jumps up from his bed, his hand reaching for a non-existent sword. Sweat dripped from his forehead. His eyes darted across the room, as though-
"Kazuto-kun, is everything alright?"
"Sorry for waking you, Touka…" Kazuto muttered. In a bed near his own, Touka sat up, with a small frown on her face.
"The nightmares still haven't gone…" Touka's lips tightened.
"I'm not usually this jittery, but…"
"You are a good person, Kazuto-kun," Touka says with a comforting smile, as she stood up, in her nightgown, walking over to the boy before gently pushing him onto the bed. "You killed the bandit, not out of malice, but out of necessity."
"I killed him to perpetuate a lie, Touka." Kazuto grimaced. "It might not be a malicious act, but it is selfish. All because I wanted to save a girl, I killed a man."
"If the man had not died, then Chihou-chan couldn't be saved." Touka sat next to him. "And, did Shuri not say it? Regardless of whether you killed him or not, the man would've died. Whether it be by Aisha's blade or execution, he wouldn't have lived. Chihou-chan, because of your lie, was saved."
"I know that! I just…" Kazuto held his hands before sighing… "Sorry…"
"Stop apologizing." Touka smiled, as she pushed the boy back into the bed. "Sleep. I'll be here."
"Thank you… Touka-chan… for being here…" Touka held the boy's hand as he fell back to sleep, his own exhaustion working against him. Touka sighed as she sat on the chair next to the bed.
This is not the first time Kazuto and Touka had this conversation. It was during the night they camped on the way back to the main city of Kousonsan's territory that they heard Kazuto's muffled yells.
Kazuto has been having nightmares. Of the man that was his first kill. And none of them were entirely sure how to help him. Aisha and Rinrin's first kills have long past them, neither even remembering their face, being just another bandit. As for the rest… simply put, Touka, Shuri, Hinari, and Chihou all grew up in a world where death is commonplace, and the death of a bandit is not worth noting. But that doesn't mean they do not understand Kazuto's problem. All they could do was stay next to him in his sleep and help him back onto the bed. Each of them took turns, as that person is likely to lose sleep.
And so, on the way back, each slept in the tent next to Kazuto's.
Fortunately, by the time they got back to Kousonsan's home territory of Ryousei, the nightly interruptions have decreased.
Tonight was her turn. The others were rather worried about this, seeing as she should be getting as much sleep as possible, as a representative of the Volunteer Army, but she refused, in the interest of fairness. The previous night, Shuri and Hinari had helped the boy, needing both to force the stronger boy back onto the bed. Aisha will be helping him tomorrow. Rinrin, the day next. Chihou had asked to help as well, but Aisha refused her, citing risk. So Chihou would remain in the room, and help Kazuto sleep by singing a lullaby, before leaving to go back to her room with Rinrin and Aisha.
Rinrin and Aisha have indicated that Chihou herself is battling nightmares of her own, but seems to be instantly quelled after a few minutes, resulting in Chihou waking up with little memory of her dream. Or so she claims, through red cheeks.
"Kazuto-kun…" Touka muttered as Kazuto's breathing evened out, her right hand still holding Kazuto's. "You're not alone. We're here for you." Touka smiled, as her own drowsiness caught up to her. Ah, that's bad… she should go back to her own bed… But there is a comfort in Kazuto's presence that Touka refuses to part with…
"Just this once…" Touka muttered, as she stood up and nudged the boy aside. "Let me sleep with you…" Touka slipped into the boy's sheets, her right hand still pressed onto the boy's left. She then closed her eyes, slipping into her own dreams.
-()-
"…"
"Touka-neechan is unfair."
"Hawawa…"
"Awawa…"
"Unfair, definitely unfair. Even I can only sing for him at night…"
"Rather bold of you, my friend."
"Gentoku-dono is certainly a cunning one."
"Stop looking at me like that!" Touka buried her face into her sleeves as her friends looked at her with varying expressions. From Aisha's unreadable face to Rinrin and Chihou's envious looks to the amused looks on Pairen and Chouun. "Kazuto-kun… help me…"
"I didn't ask you to sleep next to me, Touka-chan. Please reap what you sow." Kazuto said as he eats the meal placed in front of him. "It might be the best sleep I've had in a week, but I did not ask for it."
"Kazuto-kun, traitor…" Ryuubi sulked.
"Then it's settled! I'm sleeping next to Kazuto-niisan tomorrow!" Rinrin declared.
"No." Aisha shortly replied. "You may not, Rinrin."
"But if it helps Kazuto-niisan, then shouldn't we…"
"That's called a dependency, one that I don't want developing," Kazuto replied. "If people keep slipping into my bed just so that I can sleep well, won't I just become a useless human being? No. This is a one-time thing." Kazuto says, amidst a strong blush. "Besides, it is still highly improper for a girl to be sleeping in the same room as a man. That's what I said the moment we got here in Ryousei, and I still stand by that statement."
"Don't act like you don't like it, Heavenly Messenger." Chouun chuckled. "We even asked for a room with two beds just to deal with this."
"…" Kazuto's blush deepened, but maintained the brisk motion of his chopsticks, as he kept eating. "At any rate, Kousonsan-san, is there anything else you would like us to do, today?"
"You keep asking me that every day and the answer is the same, Hongou." Kousonsan replied. "I know you still feel like you're taking advantage of my hospitality, but please, consider yourselves my guests."
"Won't your generals complain?"
"Touka-chan is my dear friend. Regardless of everything, that can't be denied." Kousonsan shook her head. "Just relax, Hongou-kun. You can't be so jumpy."
"… Fine. Rinrin. Let's fight."
"Okay!" Rinrin said excitedly, "You did say you'll use that fire forehead thingy after the Yellow Turbans are defeated! So let's go!"
"Rejected," Aisha interjected. "Neither of you are fighting. Kazuto-sama, did you not say that you can only use that form a limited number of times? Don't waste it on something frivolous."
"If I don't use it enough, then won't I just lose practice?" Kazuto asked. "I need to get used to my new output, or otherwise I'll become an invalid every time I use it."
"Yeah! We need to keep training to become strong, aneja! And Touka-neechan still needs to learn how to use her sword well."
"… I know how to use my sword." Touka said, once more sulking.
"Not good enough! You should try to at least be able to hit aneja, Touka-neechan!"
"Not everyone is a super soldier like you two." Kazuto dryly replied. "Speaking of super soldiers, why not spar with Chouun?"
"Hoh?" Chouun said with a gleam in her eye. "I suppose a spar with Kan'u or Chouhi would certainly be of interest to me. And with the fighting over, I am essentially free."
"I'll allow you use of one of the training fields." Kousonsan chuckled, "A shame that I can't come, but I still have a bit of work I need to get rid of, before the inevitable summons from the capital."
"A shame." Kazuto chuckled. "If you joined us, we might've been able to get a sword instructor for Touka."
"Touka's swordsmanship is not bad," Kousonsan replied with a laugh. "It's just that everyone here is better than her, aside from the military advisors and the minstrel."
'Oh, that was right', Kazuto belatedly remembered in his drowsiness. They had introduced Chihou as a minstrel. It was a slight misdirection, but it worked out well enough.
"Speaking of, Shuri, Hinari, can you help find Chihou-chan a suitable instrument to replace the one she lost?"
"Hai-desu."
"Understood, Kazuto-sama."
"Why do I need an instrument?" Chihou complained. "Is my voice not enough?"
"[Acapella] might be fine, but songs are stronger with accompaniment," Kazuto responded. Everyone simply tilted their head, before Kazuto shook his head, "[Acapella] means singing with no instruments." A look of understanding appears on their face before nodding.
"A minstrel with no instrument. Truly your group picks up the most amusing of members." Chouun remarked.
"She's a good singer." Kazuto shrugged. And no one can really deny it. Everyone in the room has at least heard the girl sing. It's just that the lack of music really is a big difficulty they can't really overcome.
"I want to focus on my voice than on instruments though…" Chihou sighed.
"Then you just need to recruit musicians to your cause." Kazuto shrugged. "But for now, you can't do much without music. And while everyone aside from me and Rinrin can play an instrument, we all have other things to do and can't really accompany you all the time." This is a discovery that both shocked and annoyed Kazuto. It makes sense that they know… for Kousonsan and Touka, it was taught to them by their teacher Roshoku, Shuri and Hinari learned from their own teacher, Suikyou. Aisha learned in her own time, the same with Chouun. Rinrin did not see the point of doing so and avoids it. Although she proclaims that she's fine with drums though… None of them are by any means excellent, but they could get by.
"Hinari-chan and I can go with her on occasion, but…"
"I know…" Chihou nods, before sulking. "This sucks… I wish Renhou was here to do her thing…"
"Who's that?" Kousonsan asked.
"My younger sister." Chihou replied, "She's smarter than me and my older sister, and she managed all our finances before we got separated…" Kazuto instantly translated it as: It's Chouryou, the General of the People, and she's the reason the Yellow Turban Rebellion actually managed to be an actual threat.
"She sounds smart." is all Kazuto could reply to that. Both Shuri and Hinari nodded, both with troubled looks on their faces.
"I hope you can find them again. Your sisters." Shuri smiled. Chihou nodded.
"Alright then, let's get go-" Rinrin says as she began to stand up, eager to spar with her sworn older brother. But then an interruption:
"Kousonsan-sama! A messenger from the Imperial Court has arrived!"
"Finally." Kousonsan nodded. "Change of plans, everyone, come with me."
"That's not fair. Not fair at all!" Rinrin cried as the group shuffled towards the main reception room.
-()-
"… People will not be happy about this, Chouchuu-san. They expect rewards to be handed personally by my sister, not by a mere notice sent by messenger."
"They'll just have to deal with it, Ryuukyou-sama. Regardless of their feelings, Reitei-sama is the Emperor, and she has decided that she will not waste theirs and her time with such needless ceremonies."
"That may be so but…"
"We already capitulated with you so that you may bring Toutaku-dono here, Ryuukyou-sama."
"I merely want to see my dear friend." Ryuukyou grimaced. She had met Toutaku a long time ago, and she wanted to see her again, having been both intrigued and happy to see someone in the court at the same age as herself. "Do you think Yue will be happy about her appointment to be a protector of the capital?"
"Why ever not? A personal appointment by the next emperor is certainly a cause for anyone to be happy."
"… I certainly hope so…" Ryuukyou nodded, with a smile.
-()-
"What is this!?" A general roared. "This is an outrage! The capital would dare hand rewards out through a messenger, instead of a summons?"
"Nothing is said in the letter as to why, but that certainly seems to be the case," Kousonsan replied, looking at the letter on the table. She handed the letter to Shuri, who immediately returned to her place next to Kazuto and Touka, quickly passing the letter to Kazuto. He quickly scanned the letter to see that it was indeed an appointment letter for Kousonsan, giving her a higher position in power. Surprisingly enough, Ryuubi was also mentioned, being given a position in the area next to Kousonsan… The same area they've been holding plus a bit extra. It seems that Kousonsan has informed them of the disappearance and possible death of the administrators of their region, and they saw fit to allow Ryuubi to take hold of the area.
The rest of the letter seems to also list the names of noteworthy individuals and their success. It says nothing about what they received, but Kazuto has no doubt that they did get something valuable. Looking at the list he notes plenty of noteworthy individuals.
Kousonsan Hakukei, with a special mention for Ryuubi Gentoku, an imperial descendant who nobly aided the realm and slew Chouhou.
Enshou Honsho, for the suppression of the Yellow Turbans within her territory,
Sonken Bundai, for aiding General Shushun in the suppression of the Yellow Turbans,
Sousou Moutoku, for the defeat of Choukaku and Chouryou,
Toutaku Chuuei, for the suppression of the Yellow Turbans within her territory,
These were the only names of note for Kazuto. The last two were of immediate concern to Kazuto. Sousou, because the general will know of the fate of Chihou's sisters, and Toutaku, famed for a tyrannical rule that…
No, he shouldn't make judgment calls yet. The Chou siblings turned out to be a trio of singers that couldn't get ends meet, forcing them to make unfortunate judgment calls. Toutaku is still someone who Kazuto cannot judge. It is wrong to judge someone based on future crimes, no matter what. He absently passed the letter to Touka next to him.
In the meantime, the clamor around him suddenly screeched to a halt as Kousonsan raised her voice, "I believe everyone here has made enough noise for today, so quiet!" Most of the noise quieted down but one general still had something to say.
"The Imperial Army did not move at all during the rebellion, and you're telling me the imperial court is unwilling to even give us an audience!?"
"Silence, general," Kousonsan ordered. "It is no good to disrespect the Imperial Kan, lest we become their next target."
"Target?" Kazuto mouthed to Shuri.
Shuri looked before whispering in his ear, "The Great General, Kashin-san, is known to get angry at anyone showing disrespect to anyone in the court."
Kazuto nodded in response, now worried about the future. He looked at the girl who continued,
"Kashin is, according to the rumors, originally a butcher who was promoted to the rank when her sister became the wife of the emperor."
Kazuto nodded before turning back to the discussion on the table.
"Target? What would they gain for attacking us?" A general scoffed.
"Right now, Kashin-dono is spending more time trying to limit the power of the Ten Eunuchs than dealing with the problems of the people. Once that's done, don't you think their next focus would be us, the warlords?"
"The imperial army has become mediocre in recent years, ever since Reitei-sama's appointment of Kashin." Another general remarked, "If anything, even if they decide to attack us…"
"Won't that just make our own neighbors come to the emperor's aid, just to score a bit more land?" Kousonsan rebuked, causing them to go silent. "I am not the only one who is wary of Enshou's army, I hope?"
"Or are you saying we're capable of toppling the largest army under the control of a warlord?" Chouun asked. "The generals may be mediocre, but numbers are still numbers."
"And I doubt Sousou will remain in the sidelines if the Great General were to command it. Not with the boons granted by the crown."
"Excuse me, umm… it's incorrect to say that the Imperial Kan's army did not move at all…" Hinari interjected before animosity quieted her down and hid behind Kazuto. Kazuto adjusted himself to sit straight and glare daggers at the generals. There was no need for this.
Shuri continued for her friend, "According to rumors, Shushun Koui and Kouhosuu Gishin led the charge for defeating enemies in the region around the capital. At the start, it was Roshoku Shikan who led, but she left the battlefield some time months ago."
"Fuurin-sensei is a general now?" Touka said, amazed. "Now I wish we could've gone to the capital if only to meet her…"
"I don't exactly know why Roshoku left the battlefield though…" Shuri says, apologetically.
"Still, it's good to know that our old teacher is doing well." Kousonsan smiled.
Kazuto nodded, having successfully cowed Kousonsan's generals into silence, then interjected, "That's great and all, but I'm more worried about something else…"
"What is it?" Kousonsan asked.
"Toutaku's appointment. Toutaku actually received a summon." He overlooked it before since he was just looking at names, but it was clear that Toutaku was indeed summoned rather than just acknowledged in a letter.
"Ah, that… I think it may have to do with Ryofu." Kousonsan replied with a sullen expression. "Toutaku has under her command the strongest known general. I believe the Imperial Kan wishes to make use of that."
"The strongest general, huh?" Chouhi remarked, "Br-"
"Not now, Rinrin." Aisha rebuked, causing the girl to quiet down in a huff.
"It's not just Ryofu, right? Chouryou Bun'en and Kayuu also serve under Toutaku's banner. And they're fairly strong generals in their own right. Not on the level of Ryofu, but certainly better than most." Chouun remarked.
"I'm impressed everyone here is so well-informed of the generals under Toutaku's banner," Kazuto remarked.
"Hard to not be aware. Ryofu's strength is something of a legend. The fact that Toutaku seems to have tamed that beast is something to be respected and feared." Chouun replied. "Even in the lower ranks of Enshou's army, I was able to hear whispers of Ryofu, during her time with Teigen."
"Speaking of promotions, Touka-chan, it seems you'll be taking control of the area to our east," Kousonsan said, amused. "Would you like to sign an agreement of mutual aid?"
"Of course!" Touka cheerfully says. Kazuto sighs in amusement.
"Don't sign anything that Shuri-chan or Hinari-chan doesn't sign off on."
"That benefits us little, Kousonsan-sama! A small army of commoners will barely serve as any help to us on the battlefield, but they'll benefit from our army aiding them!"
Aisha sharply put her hand over Rinrin's mouth, as she was about to protest.
Kousonsan nodded, "I suppose you're right, but there is another reason why I'm doing this."
"What do you mean, Kousonsan-sama?" A general cautiously asked.
"The thing we are lacking the most right now is a strong alliance," Kousonsan replied. "All the other warlords surrounding us have alliances with each other, but we are practically outsiders. A single friend in court is more helpful than you might realize. Honestly, I'm not expecting much from Touka-chan's help on the battlefield. But…"
"The fact that Touka-chan got mentioned in the letter," Kazuto remarked. "We openly advertise our group as being one led by someone of imperial descent. And yet they still gave her special mention, as if they acknowledge her, despite being a commoner."
"Exactly." Kousonsan laughed. "Touka-chan right now has the potential to be a strong force in court, just due to that. If we can build up relations with someone who can become strong, who knows? Won't we have a reliable ally?" The generals around her sulked as they sat down, conceding the point.
"Is it alright to be discussing this when we're here, Pairen-chan?" Touka asked.
"This way there won't be any misunderstandings." Kousonsan prompted. "Besides, it's not as if your group is a threat to ours, right?"
"Of course not!" Touka nodded emphatically.
"It's not like we're particularly strong enough to threaten you." Kazuto laughed. "An army in the thousands against an army in the tens of thousands."
"Unfortunately, with Enshou at our border…" Kousonsan sighed, "It will be difficult to grow any more than this. It'll be an uphill battle for both of us. She can invest so much more into her army than either of us will ever have in our lifetimes."
"… Is Enshou really that rich?" Kazuto balked at that.
"Her soldiers are very, very well-compensated." Chouun nodded. "Even as a soldier in her army, I received only a little less money than as a general here." Withering glares from Kousonsan's generals looked at the woman who only laughed.
"So, what do you expect from us then?"
"Well, that's something to discuss much later, when you have graduated from the position of an upstart commoner, after establishing yourself." Touka winced, "Touka-chan, you still need to build up your group." Kousonsan replied. "Having only two generals, in a group with two leaders and two strategists, don't you think you're a bit unbalanced? I don't really want to discuss your hiring policies, but… You even hired a minstrel before another general." Everyone in the Volunteer Army looked at her awkwardly.
"Well… that's…" Touka poked her fingers together.
"Aisha-chan needs to approve first." Kazuto pushed all the blame on the girl.
"H-hey!" Aisha quickly exclaimed but made no further comment. Because she can't deny that she'd prefer it if all new recruits go by her first.
"Until then, Shiryuu, please stay with my dear friend."
This sudden request shocked the entire room.
"What!?" Chouun exclaimed upon standing, "but!"
"Shiryuu, I'm not giving you up to my friend." Kousonsan laughed, "You'll still be under my banner. All I ask is that you help my friend out, while their group is still young. While the members of Touka-chan's army are exceptional, their soldiers do not have the training of soldiers. It'll be even more difficult for you to gather soldiers since Touka-chan has not officially sworn fealty to the throne of the emperor."
"I…" Chouun looked at Kazuto and Ryuubi, both looking back without flinching. "… Very well, Hakukei-dono." Chouun nodded, "I'll do my best to keep your friend safe."
"Thank you, Shiryuu." Kousonsan stood up, "I believe that's all that needed to be addressed. Generals, start scouting out the territories that the empire has given us. Touka-chan, Hongou-san, you too should go back to your territory and assert your place."
"Good luck, Pairen-chan." And with that, they left the room.
"Well then, it seems I'll be working with you for the foreseeable future, Hongou-kun, Gentoku-chan." Chouun smiled, as she walked to their group.
"If that is the case, then let's set off home, everyone." Kazuto smiled at everyone, all nodding with a smile on their face.
-()-
"Milady, why did you decide to send Chouun Shiryuu away?"
"Oh? I thought none of you trusted Shiryuu."
"We don't, but we know that you do."
"It's because I trust Shiryuu that I sent her to Touka's side," Kousonsan replied. "Besides, Shiryuu has already told me before: that she wanted to find someone she feels worth serving. Maybe she'll see something in Ryuubi?"
"She's still a powerful general to just let go, ma'am…"
"I owe her that much at least." Kousonsan sadly looked at the door her friend had just left through, "I owe her at least a chance to see something that Fuurin-sensei saw in Touka-chan that she actually decided to teach her despite her commoner background."
"Did she not teach Ryuubi-dono due to her heritage?"
"To be honest, I still don't know what it is. But I can at least see it when Touka's in the same room as me." Kousonsan smiled. "That feeling of strength that I couldn't explain. Even though she isn't strong at all."
'On one level, I'm happy that she's finally stepping up. On the other… I'm jealous that I'm not the one standing in her place.' Kousonsan thought in her mind, before shaking her head, "No matter. Suusei, let's begin surveilling the land given to us. And of course, dealing with the remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion."
-()-
"I'm impressed, Fuurin. Your students have become something impressive." A brown-haired woman laughed, as she spoke to her friend. "One major warlord famous for her cavalry, and the recently promoted lord who managed to slay Chouhou."
"As much as I'd thank you for it, Rouan, their achievements are their own." The woman called Fuurin smiled, her white-hair swaying in her laugh, as she looked at the book in her hand. "In the end, all I did was teach. What they do with my teachings, is their own making."
"You say that, but when you heard of Ryuubi Gentoku's promotion, you were smiling." The woman called Rouan replied in amusement.
"Of course. I honestly expected Touka-chan to have moved forward a long time ago."
"Seems you're rather fond of this student."
"I'm fond of all my students," Fuurin replied.
"But you did not show this much happiness when Kousonsan Hakukei became famous as the White Horse General."
"You do realize that wasn't some one-time great event like this, correct?" Fuurin chuckled, "That is something Pairen-chan worked hard to reach in years, not weeks."
"I suppose so." Rouan sighed, "Although… do you miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"Being a teacher."
"… I don't regret becoming a general of the Kan Dynasty if that's what you're asking." Fuurin smiled, "But yes, I do miss being just Fuurin-sensei."
"Then why not contact them? Maybe they'll take you in?"
"What are you saying?" Fuurin laughed, "I'm not so fallen that I would place my burdens on a regional warlord and a newly appointed magistrate."
"Then I hope your stay in this prison was comfortable." Rouan sighed, as she put the key into the lock of the jail cell holding the teacher, "You're being reassigned as the Master of Writing. Good job, you can now spend your time near those books that you love."
"I assume that the false charges that Eunuch Sahou had placed upon me were dropped?"
"Not exactly." Rouan sighed, "I used my achievements in the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion to beg Kashin-dono to pardon you. What exactly did you do to annoy that man?"
"I did not give Sahou money when he asked." Fuurin chuckled, finally dusting herself off, and standing up from her bed in the jail cell.
"The corruption of the Eunuchs is growing worse," Rouan growled.
"Now, now. Control yourself, Kouhosuu Gishin." Fuurin smiled. "The winds are starting to shift, after all. Now did you say I was reassigned as Master of Writing?"
"You spend too much time on your books." Rouan sighed fondly.
"But of course." Fuurin smiled, "If everyone has the right knowledge and the right power, I think true peace will come from it."
"You never change."
"And you'll never get a boyfriend," Fuurin replied.
"… I'm suddenly regretting giving up my achievements to Shushun for you."
Fuurin only laughed, as she walked. Then she struck up conversation again, "Speaking of, why is only Toutaku summoned? Surely personal gratitude is meant to be given to all participants? Even if it's just territory or appointment, warlords do wear summons to the capital as marks of pride. That their achievements are worth praise by the highest authority."
Rouan looked at her and said, "You really want to meet your students, don't you?"
"Wouldn't you?" Fuurin asked. "I'm just worried that the unequal treatment will unbalance the country more than the Yellow Turban Rebellion already did."
"Originally, all participants would just receive greater territories, generally territories near their current places where the leader is either incompetent, insignificant, or killed in the rebellion. Reitei-sama would only need to make a grand speech to them while giving them their rewards. However, it seems that something happened up top, and Toutaku was required to be summoned. I don't really know all the details. You can probably ask, in your capacity as Master of Writing, though."
"I suppose I'll do just that." Fuurin nodded and crossed the threshold of the jailhouse that she was being kept in.
Fuurin then breathed a big gulp of air, as the first taste of freedom she had in months. Looking up at the night sky, she prayed that everything will go well.
-()-
A redheaded brown-skinned warrior looked up at the tranquil night sky when she heard a new person enter her range. She idly looked at her, taking note of her before nodding.
"Shia."
Shia nodded, before asking a question "What do you think of this summons, Ryofu-chin?"
"…"
"Still silent, huh… Come on, give me something to work with here."
"…"
"You can't just ignore me like that, Ryofu-chin."
"Not ignoring," Ryofu replied, causing the girl to deflate.
"So you're saying you have nothing to say?" Chouryou Bun'en asked.
Ryofu nods in response.
"But seriously, I don't know why we're heading to the capital when no one else is. It's like we're receiving some sort of special treatment"
"Can't be helped." A new voice entered the conversation.
"Ei."
"Yo, Kaku-chi." Chouryou waved.
Kaku acknowledged them with a nod before continuing what she wanted to say, "This is most certainly special treatment. And naturally, 'why' is the question."
"Haven't you and Toutaku-sama been to the court?" Chouryou asked.
"Yue and I have been, but neither of us really has a clue as to the special treatment… It's not like either of us has met the emperor face to face. The most we've seen of her is from a distance, when Yue came to pledge allegiance to the emperor, alongside the other lords. I don't think anyone in that room even remembers us."
"Lords?"
"Enshou Honsho, Enjutsu Kouro, Kousonsan Hakukei, Sousou Moutoku, and a bunch of others. New appointments at the time. Yue was the youngest there." Ei sighed. "Now they're starting to build themselves up. Enshou already inherited her family's vast fortune, along with Enjutsu. And Sousou has been amassing skilled people as well as training her armies. We can't be left behind, or else they will swallow us. Even Kousonsan managed to contribute to the defeat of one of the three leaders of the rebellion."
"Ehhh…" Chouryou nodded, "So where's the princess?"
Kaku's face softened at the reminder, "Yue's sleeping. You all should as well. It's only a day left till we arrive, and I want all of you to be as alert as you possibly can."
"Alright~" Chouryou laughed. Kaku nodded leaving the group back in the direction of her tent. "Well, you heard the woman. Let's get some sleep."
"Okay." Ryofu nodded before closing her eyes.
"Ryofu-chin, I meant the tents."
"Ah," Ryofu says, before standing up and walking over in the direction of her tent. "Good night, Shia." Without waiting for a response, Ryofu left.
Chouryou Bun'en sighed, looking at the sky. "I just hope this doesn't backfire on us."
Tomorrow they arrive at the capital, to receive whatever reward the emperor has decided. This special treatment… hope it'll be good for us in the end.
-()-
"Why is that barbaric Toutaku being given personal attention by the emperor!?" A blonde yelled as she looked at the letter. Her hair coils into drill curls, and.
"Calm down, Reiha-sama. It's no good to get so angry." A dark blue-haired girl raised her two hands to placate the blonde woman.
"Right after that Karin stole all the credit, with that plain girl up north taking the scraps, this is how I'm thanked by the empire?"
"Umm… is Toutaku actually a barbarian?" A light blue-haired girl scratched her head. "I don't really remember."
"Toutaku's from the northwest, what else could she be?" Reiha scoffed. "Besides, in the face of my noble self, are not all warlords barbarians? Ho~hohohoho!" Her laughter echoes in the room. "Anyway, I will address this outrage immediately. Come, Iishe, Toshi."
"Please calm down, Reiha-sama. It's not good if we were to look like we are enemies of the emperor!" The dark-haired girl repeated.
"Let's go, Toshi!" The light-haired girl laughed.
"Bun-chan, don't encourage her!" The named Toshi complained.
"What are you doing, let's hurry!" Reiha says impatiently from the door.
"We still need to prepare things. Like provisions." Toshi called, but it was already too late, her two companions have already left the door. "Mou…!" Toshi then ran after them, before spotting a nearby soldier.
"General Ganryou!"
"Soldier! Go out to town and prepare for a trip to Rakuyou. We need to leave immediately."
"Wait, what!? So suddenly, milady? We haven't had time to prepare!"
"Also, if you find the leaders of our personal platoons, tell them to start preparations."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Hurry!"
"Understood!"
Ganryou sighed before running in another direction, "Mou! Why is everyone around me so selfish! At least help!"
And so, Enshou started marching to the capital. By this time, Toutaku had already arrived at the capital and received her new position as a guard of the capital.
-()-
"Are you really fine not marching to the capital now, Karin-sama?"
"Yes. Tell Shunran to stop getting angry for my sake." Karin sighed. "Also, I want to talk to Choukaku and Chouryou. Get them for me, Shuuran." Sousou says, not looking up from the stack of papers she is working on.
"Understood, Karin-sama." Shuuran bowed, as she walked away. Karin breathed a sigh, before looking at the papers. Most of these have to do with the new areas that she received. More territory doesn't automatically mean better. If anything, it's more difficult. But Karin wouldn't deny the chance to take in new talent, so she is efficiently going through all the papers so that she can begin her hunt for talent. Even recently, she managed to recruit a skilled cook that happened to match Kyocho's strength, maybe even surpassing. Ten'i, also known as Ruru, is Kyocho's friend, too, so it was surprising to her that she only recently found this one. But still, it'll take a while.
"I brought the prisoners, Karin-sama." Shuuran's voice echoed in the room.
"Oh, that was fast, Shuuran," Karin said, pleased. "Oh, and Keifa, welcome back."
"Good afternoon, Karin-sama." Keifa smiled brilliantly at the sight of her master.
"Please don't kill us~" Was the cry of a pink-haired girl, kneeling towards the table.
"Onee-san, please don't make this worse for us." The lilac-haired girl sighed, although she too was kneeling next to her sister. "May I ask what you need from us, Sousou-sama?"
"It seems Chouhou was slain," Karin replied.
"Chihou was!" The pink-haired girl cried out before the lilac-haired girl immediately placed her hand on the elder sister's mouth.
"It's alright, Chouryou." Karin said, "Choukaku's reaction is understandable." Chouryou reluctantly let go of Choukaku's mouth.
"So, Chihou-neesan is dead, is that all you summoned us here for?" Chouryou asked.
"Not quite." Karin chuckled, "The thing is, Kousonsan reported that the dead Chouhou was a man." Surprise appeared on their two faces. "I know, I can hardly believe it. But this is corroborated by the captured prisoners, apparently. They all adamantly declared that Chouhou was the man. The report Kousonsan sent seems to be genuine, otherwise, she wouldn't have attributed the kill to someone named Ryuubi. As proof, Ryuubi is said to have acquired the magic stick that Chouhou used, the same ones you had. They are keeping it for themselves, though. Spoils of war, I guess."
"So, the man had the magic stick that we got?" Choukaku asked, confused.
"There is little else I can infer from this letter. But there is something of note here." Karin said.
"What is it, Karin-sama?" Keifa asked.
"The report indicated that Ryuubi used the stick. However, we already know that only you two can use your respective sticks." Karin said.
"Uh… yeah." Choukaku nodded awkwardly.
"Do you recognize this Ryuubi?"
"We don't." Chouryou shook her head.
Choukaku shook her head alongside. "Umm… are we supposed to recognize that name?"
"No. Of course not." Karin says, dismissively, "So the use of the stick isn't tied to blood, but it is rare. Or… Chouhou is alive and that is how this Ryuubi used the tool."
"Didn't you try that already?" Shuuran asked, "When Choukaku held the tool to you, it did not make any louder a sound."
"It did, but only for a second. It petered off after a while." Keifa nodded. "Repeated attempts didn't work. Whether it be Choukaku or Chouryou holding it or yourself. Everyone tried, and it failed. It only seems to work when Choukaku and Chouryou are using it for themselves."
Karin nodded, "So how did this Ryuubi make it work? To be honest, I don't know. But there is one crucial fact here. Either Chouhou died and the man took the tool before being slain by Ryuubi. Or Chouhou is alive and allowed a scapegoat for Ryuubi to slay, so that she may escape."
"Or she did the same as us, and Chouhou is currently in their service," Shuuran added.
Karin thought at that, looking at the report before shaking her head. "It's a shame that we can't go to the capital and meet this Ryuubi then so that I can ask about how Chouhou was slain." Karin shrugged. "But this means that there is no longer reason to wait for the third to come to our doorstep. You two will be put to work immediately." Karin says. "I don't think I need to tell you the consequences of betrayal, right?" Both nod, Choukaku more vigorous. "Then, you two already know what I want from you. Prepare a list of things that you believe you'll need, with attached reasonings for each, then forward them to my desk."
"Understood, Sousou-sama." Chouryou nodded.
Karin smiled, "Please, feel free to call me Karin. You're now my subordinates, after all. Do your best, Tenhou, Renhou."
""Yes!""
And so, the two Chou Sisters began their job as bards for Sousou. All the while a hole existed between them that they know not how to fill. A hollowness that neither was certain could be erased.
-()-
"Basically, my job is to sing for you when you need me to?" This was Chihou's question, standing in the office of the Chief Magistrate, where Ryuubi and Kazuto had slaved away for over a month. Now they're just doing it officially. Hooray. Fortunately, with both Shokatsuryou and Houtou added to their group, they now have some people capable of helping out and reducing their workload.
One of the first things that Houtou did upon arrival is to call for all the scholars in the area and chose a select few to work on helping with various other papers. They didn't directly work with the army, only in territory management. But still, this means less paperwork for them to work with. Which was good, because there was even more now that they were officially the magistrates.
They also officially hired Chouseihei and Sosou, the merchants that sponsored their army at the start of their campaign. They're their main source of supplies nowadays, and this helped boost Chouseihei's business in the territory.
"That's the only job we have for you." Kazuto shook his head. "As we are, we can't afford more than that. Although we can sponsor events for you to sing for the townspeople too. Kind of like an [idol]."
"Aidoru?"
"It's something of a popular thing back in Japan, my home country." Kazuto replied, "Imagine yourself, on a stage, hundreds of people coming over to watch you and you alone. On that stage, you do whatever you want, you sing, dance, or talk to the audience. But, always, always, to entertain them. After the show is over, people line up to ask for your signature on whatever they happen to have, although, usually, it's something that they bought that was sold to them at the venue itself. You get paid for each signature you signed, for every piece of merchandise you sell…"
"That… sounds amazing!" Chihou says in amazement. "If we can do that, then I'll be able to…"
"I don't know how well it'll work." Kazuto said, "In my home country, you can share videos of the idol. We have tools that record voices, allowing them to listen to your songs without you needing to sing."
"We can make it work!" Chihou argued. "If we can make it work, think about it! I don't need to rely on people giving me money for a song on occasion just to earn money. And using my activities, I can help out with our war funds, beyond just the taxes, right!? With this, we can do a lot more!"
"We'll need dedicated musicians," Kazuto argued back. "We'll need to construct a small stage where people can come to watch your shows. We'll need to pay tailors to make your clothes."
"I only need one outfit for now!" Chihou grinned, "And I know just the thing! Don't worry, I'm the fashionable one of my sisters; I know my way with clothes. Besides, I don't want to always be in my yellow clothes, seeing as… Chouhou is dead, right?" Chihou cheekily said. "We'll worry about more outfits when I get a successful enough event!"
"Guh… But there are the other parts too… The music. The stage."
"Don't you have your divine instrument? There are songs on that, right? Let me listen to it for a while and I'll make it work. Tenhou-neesan is the one usually in charge of this sort of thing, but that doesn't mean I'm bad at it! And I already asked Hinari-chan to help find some dedicated musicians. If we immediately need it, everyone else here can play an instrument one way or the other, so we can make use of that!"
"That's…" Kazuto faltered as everything's starting to click together.
"And, and! For the stage, the town plaza should be enough for now, right? You can clear out the place to set up."
"But it'll still be a foreign concept. We still don't know how to… Wait… what if we make use of the defeat of the Yellow Turban Rebellion… and the announcement… I see I see…" Kazuto grinned. "Okay, you have your one chance. The first event will not have any merchandise yet, but… Chihou, get your new clothes." Chihou grinned, "I'll pay out of my pocket for now. Tell me when it'll be done, but the faster, the better. Because we'll be organizing an event celebrating the defeat of the Yellow Turbans. And then you'll be singing and dancing there."
"Got it, Kazuto-niisan!" Chihou excitedly ran out the door.
"If you see Shuri or Hinari on the way, tell them to come to me!" Kazuto called out.
"Okay!"
"This will be fun!" Kazuto smiled. "More paperwork, but it's more interesting than the number of spears we had to buy for our soldiers."
And so, the celebration in the new warlord's territory has been decided, after much yelling from Aisha for deciding without her in the room and Shuri and Hinari frantically running around to prepare all the things, with Chouseihei and Sosou helping out with the required materials, planning to make a profit on that day.
All the while, Chihou spends her time listening to Kazuto's playlist. Which mostly consisted of JPop and or Anime Songs, seeing as that's the only music that Kazuto has in his song list that Chihou can understand. Kazuto has a bunch of English and Italian songs too, but the most they can do with that is for Kazuto to translate for the listening audience.
And so, a busy day happens on the land acquired by Ryuubi.
-()-
"… And so, the Yellow Turban Rebellion has ended! No more will these bandits waving a false flag will terrorize our lands! So for now, let us rejoice! For tomorrow, we'll be back to our daily lives, where they will no longer exist. But for today a feast has been prepared, so let's eat and be merry~"
Ryuubi's ended with great applause from their audience. Here they stood at the town center, where they had quickly prepared tables of food, for all the villagers to enjoy.
"Is it really alright to waste that much money on food, milord?" Chouun asked.
"Of course, it is. Morale and spirit are of great value, especially in times of crisis. We'll be going to the villages that each contributed to the formation of the Volunteer Army. There are at most five villages: the three initial ones, and the two new ones that we got alongside the territory. Enough for a week. Some villages have requested for a solemn service, so they won't be requiring a feast, so that cuts down the numbers." Kazuto said, "Funeral rites for those who died in service, and then a feast to forget the bad times. After that, avoid spending too much. We'll be living frugally for the next month or so, as we rely on Chouseihei's coffers again." Kazuto chuckled. "Besides, Rinrin will eat most of it before midnight, so I doubt there'll be a waste."
"Indeed. And Sosou-dono seems to be taking whole advantage with all the merchandise that you gave him ideas on." Chouun laughed as she watched the antics of the younger merchant, as he sold little trinkets like wooden models of Kan'u and Chouhi's polearms, Ryuubi and Kazuto's swords, and, newly introduced figurine of Chouhou, introduced as Chihou, everyone's little sister. "Chihou seems to be enjoying the event. People were rather confused when she began singing, but now her songs are being listened to as people eat."
"You aren't upset that we lied to you?" Kazuto chuckled.
"Certainly, it was surprising, but the circumstances just make me want. To. Tease. Her." Chouun emphasized the words, and Kazuto spied the dancing Chihou almost tripping before she corrected herself. Although new, it seems she was a true professional. "So, what do you say to a toast, Kazuto-dono?" Chouun raised her cup to Kazuto.
"Of course, Sei." Kazuto nodded. A clink of the cups and both downed their shots.
Their itineraries were already set for the coming weeks. After that, it's all business. And they have a lot that they have to work with now. Kazuto looked at the sky with a grin.
"Bring it on."
Okay, maybe he was already a little tipsy.
-()-
Chapter End
-()-
Chapter Release Date: August 10, 2019
Last Edited: June 6, 2022
-()-
Beta Reader:
And so, time skip time! Or rather, social links with the new members in town next chapter! Tell me if you want me to flesh out Chouseihei and Sosou a bit more. Also, Kazuto the producer has appeared in this route. The original Hongou Kazuto has so many good parts of him, but the original Shoku route only makes him an idealistic person on the level of Touka. It's in Gi and Go where he shines the most, having his strategic mind put to the test, not as a commander, but as an advisor. Having said that, I still like Shoku route characters more, because, I'm biased toward the original Koihime Musou VN.
I'm going to be slowing down because I'm going to be "playing" the second VN, Shin Koihime Musou. No. I still can't read Kanji. Hiragana and Katakana are my limit. Why I'm doing this to myself, I don't know. I probably wouldn't even pay that close attention to what's going on. All I know is this: I've had this game on my laptop since, well, forever. I just couldn't play it because of the mandatory battle events, in which I have no freaking clue what's going on at all. Only now did I actually get off my ass to try and look at the tutorial, even if I don't understand what's going on. So now… Uh, as of progression… I started Shoku Route, and am currently in the fifth free-time event, right after recruiting Ren and Nenene. As in, the moment when I have to make the tough decision of "which characters' free-time events should I ignore since I can only hang out with five".
New Character Relationships:
So uh… I made Yue friends with Paitan in this story. That's a thing that I don't know if true in canon. But, lacking knowledge on SKMK Shoku Den stuff, I decided to make that the main reason why Yue moved from her original territory to the capital in the short amount of time it took for things to start kicking off for the Anti-Toutaku Event. I don't know what Yue's canon relationship with Paitan is, but that's how this story will go.
Mic Mysteries:
Sousou failed to use the mic, less because she's not the MC and useful stuff for MC is not useful for others, but more because Sousou isn't aware of the willpower (dying will) requirement. Otherwise, she might've threatened to kill Choukaku if it didn't work. The Chou siblings need to feel a strong necessity for the use of the mic for it to activate. Sousou had actively called the testing an experiment, which didn't incentivize Choukaku or Chouryou to put any feeling, and they were more curious if it would work. They have never experimented with it.
Chouhou herself never experimented, using it more to vent than anything, so she became aware of the "really need to want to say it" part of the deal. Which clued into Kazuto thinking of Dying Will, which led him to conclude it's a Lightning Flame-based object.
Army Command Compositions:
Ryuubi Army:
Commanders: Ryuubi Gentoku (Touka), Sawada Kazuto
Generals: Kan'u Unchou (Aisha), Chouhi Yokutoku (Rinrin), Chouun Shiryuu (Sei, Provisional)
Advisors: Shokatsuryou Koumei (Shuri), Houtou Shigen (Hinari)
Others: Chouhou (Chihou, serving as minstrel), Chouseihei (merchant, part-time economic advisor), Sosou (merchant, now in charge of Chihou's merchandise)
Note: although Kousonsan made fun of this army for their unbalanced composition, it's mostly because they had two commanders. Every other army in Koihime Musou, especially at the start, has around this number. You'll see in the other armies they are actually comparable. But that's because the other characters put a better emphasis on skill, over numbers.
Kousonsan Army:
Commander: Kousonsan Hakukei (Pairen)
General: Suusei, several unnamed ones (around 4), Chouun Shiryuu (Sei, technically, currently away)
Advisors: Several unnamed ones (around 3).
Note: Kousonsan has a lot of appointed generals as well as advisors, not because of deep pockets but because she needed them in case Enshou became dangerous. This leads her to mistakenly think that more is better. The question is if we can trust these unnamed random people. Technically at least one of these people should be her brother but…
Sousou Army:
Commander: Sousou Moutoku (Karin)
Generals: Kakouton Genjou (Shunran), Kakouen Myousai (Shuuran), Kyocho Chuuko (Kii), Ten'I (Ruru)
Advisors: Jun'iku Bunjaku (Keifa)
Others: Choukaku (Tenhou), Chouryou (Renhou)
Note: You'll see that a lot of other characters aren't here yet. That is natural. I wanted to spread out the Yellow Turban trio through the three kingdoms, but Sousou has first dibs on them due to her route. I gave Ryuubi Army Chouhou mostly because of mental bias from reading stories where Liu Bei fought Zhang Bao. Whether they stay separated or not… depends on the development of the story. Overall… not bad, I suppose? Ruru's also a recent recruit.
Toutaku Army:
Commander: Toutaku Chuuei (Yue)
Generals: Ryofu Housen (Ren), Chouryou Bun'en (Shia), Kayuu (unknown True Name)
Advisors: Kaku Bunwa (Ei)
Note: Ryofu is a recent recruit. This Toutaku is less cutthroat than Dong Zhuo so everyone's loyalty is pretty natural. Chinkyuu is not here yet.
Sonken Bundai Army:
Commander: Sonken Bundai (Yenren)
Generals: Sonsaku Hakufu (Sheren), Kougai Koufuku (Sai), Teifu Tokubou (Suirei)
Advisors: Rikuson Hakugen (Non), Shuuyu Koukin (Meirin), Choushou Shifu (Raika)
Note: Sonken Chuubou and Sonshokou's group is not here, not yet. Renfa hasn't even beaten up Shishun yet. It'll happen sometime in some time skip or other. Also, Sonken Bundai's army is considered subordinate to Enjutsu's; that's why she wasn't mentioned in the promotions list.
Name Guide:
There will be inaccuracies, especially in backstories. I'm not being one-to-one with the original, and I don't know anything about Shin Koihime Musou Kakumei, just the characters. Just search them up if you want. Ultimately speaking, I don't want to bring all these non-KM historical characters in, but… This series is heavily lacking in support characters that are either male and/or don't have a thing for Kazuto.
Teigen Kenyou. No True Name. Chinese Counterpart: Ding Yuan – Jianyang. No KM Counterpart. An adoptive parent of Ryofu. Deliberately avoided giving a gender.
Suusei. No True Name. Chinese Counterpart: Zou Jing. A lord in Yuushuu. No KM Counterpart. Male in this story.
Roshoku Shikan. Fuurin. Chinese Counterpart: Lu Zhi – Zigan, Teacher of Kousonsan and Ryuubi. From Shin Koihime Musou Kakumei. Female in this story.
Kouhosuu Gishin. Rouan. Chinese Counterpart: Huangfu Song – Yizhen. From Shin Koihime Musou Kakumei. Female in this story.
Shushun Koui. No True Name. Chinese Counterpart: Zhu Jun – Gongwei. No KM Counterpart. Male in this story.
Sahou. No True Name. Chinese Counterpart: Zuo Feng. A Eunuch. No KM Counterpart. Male in this story.