A/N: I do not own anything related to Kamen Rider Gaim and Koihime Musou. I only own my OC and the modified plot.
Chapter 8: A Moment of Reprieve
The atmosphere during the post-battle debrief was very tense and could make any lesser man choke. The reason for this was very simple. Right now, Yamato, Sousou, and Renfa were glaring at Enshou who was trying to appear as haughty as usual, but she failed as she was visibly cowed by their combined glares. Her advisors, Bunshuu and Ganryou, were also present and shifting uneasily in their seats as did Pairen.
While the Alliance had won the battle and taken Hulao Pass, the loss they suffered was simply too big. There were various factors that caused the loss, such as the soldiers' exhaustion from the rapid deployment and the Inves summoned by Toutaku's Army—including the four Evolved State Inves Chinkyuu set on them. But what had upset them was the blunder Enshou had made during the beginning of the battle which caused the rest of the army to suffer with hers and Pairen's taking the brunt of it all—although the Ryousan Commandery force took considerably less casualties than the En Clan Army.
"So, Enshou," started Yamato, breaking the tense silence. "What will you say in your defense for your insubordination in the last battle?"
Enshou looked startled at the Supreme Commander's question. "Insubordination?! For what!?"
Sousou narrowed her eyes when she heard the response. "I know that you are stupid, but to miss something so obvious is more than pitiful."
"E-Excuse me!?"
Renfa sighed as she spelled it out to Enshou. "What Yamato-dono meant by insubordination is about your actions during the beginning of the battle. You were supposed to bait the Tou Army along with their general and lure them away from Hulao Pass. Instead, you allowed yourself to be provoked by the enemy general's taunts and had your men attack them. Your rashness nearly cost us that battle."
"We won, didn't we? That's all matters right now," Enshou clarified, only to receive yet another glare from Renfa.
"But at what cost?" the queen of Son Go asked coldly, causing Enshou, her advisors, and Pairen to flinch from the coldness of her tone. "Our army took considerable large losses in the last battle. 8,000 good men were lost in the last battle. Most of them were your men and Kousonsan-dono's who were dragged along thanks to your impulsiveness. Your army now only has a third of its initial numbers while Kousonsan-dono lost almost half of her men. Alongside with other losses we'd suffered in the last battle, our army only has three-quarters of our men remaining. Like Yamato-dono had said, what will you say in your defense?"
"I can't believe you!" Enshou slammed her hands to the table as she stood up. "Are you saying that I should ignore any insult to myself!?'"
"You can always insult Chouryou back. Then again, I doubt you have the mental capability to do that," Sousou sneered derisively.
"What did you say you—!"
"That's enough!" Yamato cut Enshou off as he exerted his pressure.
Enshou recoiled and began to sweat when she felt a familiar feeling of a metaphorical sword being drawn and pointed at her. Renfa and Sousou shivered upon feeling the pressure Yamato exerted, not in fear but something else. Pairen flinched even if she wasn't the target of his ire. Bunshuu and Ganryou, as this was their first time of being exposed to this kind of thing, shuddered as they inched closer to each other for comfort.
"The plan Yuki formed for us was meant to prevent these kinds of losses happens as she knew how tired our army is with the rapid deployment and with the possibility of Inves being summoned to attack us. With precise and proper timing, we can adapt to any wild card the enemy throws at us, the timing which you had ruined with your impulsiveness." Yamato narrowed his eyes at Enshou. "It seems that you haven't realized it so let it me spell it out to you Enshou Honshou. You are now a part of this alliance and your actions will affect all of us without exception. So whether you like it or not, you cannot act as you please like when you lead your personal army. I don't expect you to follow my orders to the letter and I respect that. But if you disregard the safety of your men and jeopardize our chances of victory just to satisfy your ego, then you have crossed the line. I will have no choice to punish you for this, Enshou."
"Y-You can't do that! What about Kousonsan here!?" the said girl winced when she heard her name mentioned. "She was the person you appointed as the commander of the first wave, so she has to take responsibility as well!"
Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say as Enshou suddenly choked on her own breath as the pressure intensified. It felt like the sword being pointed at her was now held to her neck, the cold steel of the blade being pressed against her throat
"…I think I have just lost what little respect I had for you," stated Yamato coldly.
"Do not blame your mistakes on another to save face. That is not what a respectable warlord would do," added Renfa with an equally cold tone.
"While I believe Kousonsan could have done better to rein you in, you were the one who dragged her along with your stupidity because you needed to stroke your own ego. I knew it was a mistake to send you in as one of the frontliners," finished Sousou, glaring at her fellow blonde.
Enshou tried to say something in her defense, but she was unable to do so as she stumbled on her own words. Pairen however, stiffened and steeled herself as she made her decision.
"…As much as I hate to say it, Enshou is right. Like Sousou-dono said, I could have done better to rein her in and stop her from making such mistake. As a commander of the first wave, I will accept whatever punishment you have for me."
Silence followed Pairen's admittance. Most of them looked at her in surprise, but Sousou stared at for a moment before she nodded approvingly.
"I'm glad that you are taking responsibility for what happened in the last battle, although it wasn't fully your fault to begin with." the Empress of Sou Gi then glanced at Enshou before she drawled in derisive tone. "Unlike someone else who shirked away from her responsibility."
Enshou fumed silently in her seat, clearly insulted by the not so subtle jab from Sousou. She wanted to scream and rant about the unfairness of this situation, but she really couldn't do anything lest she wanted the ire of the rulers of the Three Kingdoms on her.
Yamato looked at Pairen who unflinchingly stared back at him. There was a hint of resignation and guilt reflected in her amber eyes, but with the steely determination she had silently declared, she was ready to accept whatever punishment awaited her. The King of Shoku eased his pressure and sighed.
"Alright, you will also be punished along with Enshou," he then shifted his gaze toward Ganryou and Bunshuu who shuffled uneasily under his scrutinizing gaze. "Both of you are Enshou's officers, correct?"
"Y-Yes, that's right Kusanagi-dono," replied Ganryou while Bunshuu gulped nervously. The black-haired girl shared a glance with her partner-in-crime and seemed to steel herself as she spoke, "I-If we may make a request, Kusanagi-dono, could we share Enshou-sama's punishment?"
"…Is it because you feel responsible for going along with her orders?" inquired Sousou curiously.
"It's more than that actually," answered Bunshuu sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head. "Enshou-sama maybe the most spoiled, illogical, immature, self-centered, stubborn, arrogant, and stupid warlord ever…" Enshou looked as if she was being stricken physically by her advisor's words as Bunshuu went on with her list.
Other warlords at this point were looking at her with varying degree of pity and ridiculousness. Not even her officer thought highly of her? Ouch.
"…But she's the one who took me and Toshi in. She was the one who showed mercy to us when we were bandits from the north and gave us home and a sense of purpose. That's why I follow her," finished Bunshuu with an honest smile, causing everyone present to look at her in surprise.
"…Although it was unnecessarily harsh of Bun-chan, but I have to agree," added Ganryou with a light laugh. She then added with a smile, "Enshou-sama is kind in her own way and it was her kindness that makes us loyal to her."
Enshou looked at her attendants with no small amount of surprise and awe, "Bunshuu-san…Ganryou-san…"
Renfa shook her head and smiled bemusedly. "You sure have some loyal officers in your care, Enshou."
Enshou seemed to recover her haughty posture and harrumphed in response. "But of course! Only the best and the most loyal shall serve the mighty En Clan!"
"You meant the best of average," snorted Sousou, causing Enshou to slump slightly. The Queen of Sou Gi glanced at Bunshuu and Ganryou for a moment and said, "Well, I guess it's not a really bad thing. Having them with you ought to curb some of your nonsensical ideas."
"I try, Sousou-sama. I try," chuckled Ganryou mirthlessly. If only Sousou knew how hard it was for Ganryou to be the voice of reason in Enshou's happy triad.
Yamato looked at them for a moment before he nodded. "Very well. Then the both of you will be share Enshou and Kousonsan's punishment. I promise that it won't be anything too harsh or too embarrassing."
Pairen, Bunshuu, and Ganryou nodded, but Enshou narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Yamato. "Just what are you planning, Kusanagi?"
"That would be telling," answered Yamato with a mischievous smirk. "Anyway, this is a rare moment where the leaders of the Three Kingdoms are together in a civil situation, right? Then why don't we do something to celebrate it? Also, we could use it as a form of celebration for our success so far."
Sousou raised one of her eyebrows curiously while Renfa voiced her question, "What do you have in mind, Yamato-dono?"
"I'm thinking about a dinner between us, the rulers of the Three Kingdoms and our officers. This way, we can learn more about our fellow rulers like what drives us, how we view our lordship, our ideals, and our goals for the future. That said, I would like to extend the invitation to Sou Gi and Son Go to attend this dinner."
Sousou hummed thoughtfully before she nodded. "Very well, I gratefully accept this invitation," she then added on with a smirk. "I look forward to learning more about you, Kusanagi. You're the first man I am truly interested in and I hope you don't disappoint me."
"As do I. Hopefully with this dinner, it will help me to decide which path I should take for Son Go's future," said Renfa, smiling as she referred to the hopeful future alliance she wished to form with Shoku.
"Then it's settled," replied Yamato as he clapped his hands together and smiled. "We will take a day off tomorrow so our army can rest before we storm the capital on the following day. Is there anything else you want to ask?"
Enshou raised her hand and asked, " Where will you get the ingredients for the feast? Surely you don't expect to make this dinner between lords using the meager soldier rations, do you?"
"We'll receive our ingredients from a generous donation, of course," answered Yamato. The mischievous smirk on his face suddenly made Enshou feel uneasy. "That donation will come from you, Enshou, and you can think of it as a part of your punishment. Also, think of it as a real contribution to this alliance."
"W-What!? But that's not fair!" protested Enshou. "I was the one who started this alliance and I already risked myself in the last battle! Those are also contributions, right?"
"Anyone could've started this alliance and you just happened to make your intentions known first. As for the last battle, it doesn't count since you messed it up," remarked Sousou mercilessly. "Besides, I know you too well, Reiha. You must have brought enough supplies to feed a whole village just for yourself."
"…U-Uh…T-That's…" Enshou shifted uneasily in her chair, seemingly busted.
"If what Sousou-dono said is true, then you should share it with us. I have the feeling that the dinner Yamato-dono is graciously hosting will be a turning point in history. Who knows, maybe you will be remembered as a generous person who made peace between Three Kingdoms is possible," suggested Renfa, using the promise of glory to bait the blonde warlord.
Enshou fell for it as she got this faraway look in her eyes before she laughed. "Ohohoho! Very well! Then I shall be very generous and give whatever you need! You better have a good cook so my generosity will not be wasted Kusanagi!"
"You do remember that this is a part of your punishment, right?" asked Yamato rhetorically, causing Enshou to deflate. "And don't worry about the cook, Shun can handle it."
Sousou looked at Shun, raising a delicate eyebrow as she did so. "You can cook, Baron? Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Of course! I am very proud of my cooking! Once you taste it, you will be demanding for more!" stated Shun proudly. "Besides, you never asked about what I'm good at, Your Loliness."
One of Sousou's eyebrows twitched when she heard that accursed title. Damn Baron, damn him for his penchant of nicknames.
"If anything, Shun is one of the best cooks I know. Give him any kind of ingredients to work with, he could whip out dishes that make the best chefs green with envy," Yamato vouched for his friend. For all of his antics and silliness, Shun was a culinary prodigy. Not only could he whip up dishes worthy of royalty, he could also discern the ingredients used for a meal with just one taste and give his own input on how to improve it.
"Is that so?" inquired Sousou as she sent Shun a challenging look. "Then you better live up to Kusanagi's word, Baron."
"Heh! Consider your challenge accepted, Your Loliness!" smirked Shun as he punched his open palm.
"If that's the case, then maybe I should—" whatever Yuki was trying to say was immediately cut off by none other than her own friends.
"NO!" the frantic tone from Shun and even Yamato surprised everyone.
"I didn't even finish yet!" retorted Yuki indignantly.
"If you're thinking of helping Shun cook, then the answer is no," deadpanned Yamato.
"While I'm happy you want to spend time with me, it's for the best of everyone here that you don't come anywhere near the kitchen," added Shun, shuddering.
"But I have been practicing and have improved since the last time!" insisted Yuki. The fact that her tone was close to whining surprised Renfa and Ryomou. What in the world happened to the cool and composed Unrivaled Green Marksman?
"…Do you think I didn't notice the stains in your kitchen? Or the weird smell?" asked Shun blankly. Yuki shifted uneasily, unable to meet Shun's gaze.
"We don't want to repeat the incident at Summer Camp all over again, Yuki," added Yamato before he shuddered violently. "Please don't make me order you to stay away from the kitchen."
Shun curled up in his chair and sucked on his thumb as he muttered, "Think of happy memories… Think of happy memories… Think of happy memories… Think of happy memories…"
Yuki hung her head low as a thick aura of depression emanated from her. "…I knew it…I'm a failure as a woman…A woman who cannot cook can not be considered as a real woman…"
The other occupants of the room watched the three Messengers of Heaven in sheer disbelief and curiosity. What had happened at that so-called Summer Camp? Was Yuki's cooking that bad?
Seeing Yamato and Shun's reaction, Renfa made a mental note to have Yuki stay away from the castle's kitchen. While she was partly curious, she didn't want to know how bad Yuki's cooking was. Curiosity killed the cat, they said.
Yamato cleared his throat and spoke again to disperse the awkwardness. "Anyway, if there is nothing else to add, then you're all dismissed. Take a good rest for today and tomorrow. All of you have earned it."
The other warlords nodded and stood up from their seats before exiting the tent along with their entourage. Just as Enshou and Pairen were about to leave, Yamato called out to them. "Enshou, Pairen, please wait a moment."
Enshou stopped before turned at him and huffed in irritation. "What is it, Kusanagi?"
"The rest of your punishment will be revealed tomorrow. Just prepare yourself for it," answered Yamato ambiguously with a smirk.
The haughty blonde shuddered upon seeing that expression on Kusanagi's face. She really didn't want to find out what he had in mind. Without even waiting for his dismissal, she left with Ganryou and Bunshuu frantically following after her.
Pairen shot him a curious look before she sighed and nodded. "Alright. I will be seeing you tomorrow, Gaim."
As soon as the red-haired general left, Yamato let out a sigh and slumped in his chair, looking as if some burden was relieved off of him.
"Are you alright, Yamato-sama?" asked Touka.
"I'm alright Touka. I'm just tired and stressed," answered Yamato as he massaged his right shoulder.
"You must take some rest, Yamato-sama. Today's battle must have been taken a lot out of you," suggested Aisha.
"I agree with Aisha-san. It's not only Yamato-sama who needs some rest here, all of us need it too. I'm sure everyone is tired as well, right?" inquired Shuri as everyone nodded.
"Yeah. I feel so tired that I could sleep all day long," said Touka as she slouched in her chair.
Rinrin yawned as she rubbed her eyes. "Rinrin is tired too."
"But what about our prisoners, Ryofu and Chinkyuu? We should tighten up the security around them, especially with Kayuu coming," Aisha pointed out.
"They won't be a problem. They're not going to try to escape anyway," answered Yamato, rolling his neck as he did so.
"What do you mean, Yamato-sama? How can you be so sure that they will not try to escape?" asked Hinari as the rest of his generals looked at him curiously.
"To be honest, I'm not sure why. I just get the feeling that they won't try anything funny. Especially Ryofu," answered Yamato.
"Um…What do you mean by that, Yamato-sama?" questioned Touka.
Yamato ran a hand through his hair as he tried his best to explain. "When I fought Ryofu, I think I caught a glimpse of her personality. She is loyal, steadfast, and caring to those she regards as friends. She is also…Well, for the lack of better words, pure, if not a little naïve. The only reason she was aggressive when we fought was because she perceived me as a threat to her friend, Toutaku most likely, and that I helped Aisha to defeat Kayuu. When she learned that I have my own doubts about Toutaku's 'tyranny', she no longer viewed me as a threat to her friends. I could see it in her eyes."
While the other generals looked at Yamato with a degree of puzzlement, Aisha caught on quickly. "Ah, it's like what Sensei told me once. She said, "When two warriors clash, they can understand each other better than with words. As they trade blows, they also trade their feelings, beliefs, and emotions."."
"It's also like what my grandfather said," nodded Yamato.
"Well, if that's the case, then I will trust Yamato-sama's decision. Who knows, maybe we will get another comrade after we speak to her," beamed Touka, being optimistic as usual.
"While I can't get a clear picture of Ryofu's personality like Yamato-sama, I know the feelings that come from exchanging blows in battle can not be faked. I will defer to your judgment," nodded Aisha, smiling slightly.
"If Onii-chan trusts Ryofu Onee-chan, then Rinrin trusts her too!" grinned Rinrin brightly.
"Yamato-sama is a good judge of character, so I will defer to his decision too," said Shuri.
"I believe you, Yamato-sama. You never led us astray before," replied Hinari shyly as she played with her hat.
"Thank you, everyone," smiled Yamato in reply. "Right, shall we retire for the day then?"
His generals nodded before they bid him goodbye and left him as they went back to their respective tents. A long rest was what they needed after this tiring and stressful day.
As morning came, the day was still early when Aisha walked out from the tent she shared with Touka and Rinrin. While her sworn sisters were still asleep, she had already woken up thanks to her upbringing and her teacher's teachings. Thinking of the family and teacher she had lost still hurt, but she couldn't let the pain or regret hold her down. She had to live and move on for those who passed on before her. Just like Yamato said when he led the mass funeral after his first battle.
Aisha smiled when she thought of the honorable lord she had sworn her loyalty to. It felt like it only was yesterday when she first saw him driving off some Yellow Turbans in his armor and he accepted to be the First Messenger of Heaven. He then led the villagers of Xizang to defeat the Yellow Turbans that had attacked them and carved his name in history as a major figure. Despite the lack of a noble lineage or upbringing, Yamato proved to be a capable leader and fit into his role almost seamlessly. It was as if he was born to be a leader with his natural charisma and the calm confident presence he exuded—subconsciously or not. Even the other famed warlords such as Sousou Motoku of Gi and Sonken Chuubou acknowledged him as one of their peers and a rival by naming him as the Supreme Commander of the Anti-Toutaku Alliance.
While she was elated with this acknowledgement, Aisha knew that they, Shoku, still had a long way to go before their dream of bringing peace to the land by uniting it under their banner came true. They had also made it their personal goal to destroy that rule of reality that enslaved the world. Also, when the time came, they would stop the Helheim Forest's invasion to spare this world from the horrors it contained.
Her smile never faltered as Aisha entered her liege's tent, but not before announcing herself. "Yamato-sama? Are you awake? It's me, Aisha. I'm coming in."
Soft snores answered her as she entered the tent. Yamato's tent was pretty spartan for that of a ruler's since he was a pragmatist when it came to certain situations. Aside from the table and chairs in the center of the tent where the war council usually took place, there was also a chest where Yamato kept his spare clothes as well as his Sengoku Driver and Lockseeds when he was asleep and a bed where Yamato slept soundly. His sleeping clothes consisted of a simple white shirt and navy short which were unseen due to the blanket that covered his body.
'He must've been very tired,' thought Aisha as she kneeled next to his bed. Her lord was an early riser like her thanks to his own training. She often saw him training before the sunrise, doing some forms of his kenjutsu before proceeding to his daily work as the ruler of Shoku. Aisha's smile widened slightly as she gently brushed a lock of Yamato's hair. 'Then again, he was also the one of those who fought the hardest yesterday.'
Yamato's role in yesterday's battles was very significant in her eyes. He was the one who lead the advance force to lure out the enemy in Shisui Pass and also the one who dealt with the Inves summoned by Kayuu and her men. Also, he assisted her in the defeat and capture of Kayuu. Yamato also led the second wave of the Alliance Army to bolster the first wave after the mess Enshou caused and defeated three of the Evolved State Inves before fighting against Ryofu Housen who was regarded as the strongest warrior. Aisha might have helped, but he had already been fighting Ryofu for quite some time before her arrival and was the one who hatched the plan to defeat Ryofu .
Coupled with his role as the Supreme Commander of the Anti-Toutaku Alliance, Yamato must be tired not only physically, but also mentally. If that was the case, Aisha would let him sleep longer. She and Touka could handle the matters that didn't require his immediate attention.
"Rest well, Yamato-sama. You deserve this," whispered Aisha as she gently brushed his hair.
Aisha was about to leave when Yamato stirred to consciousness. His gray eyes fluttered open and caught the sight of his trusted general next to his bed.
"…Aisha?"
"A-Ah! Yamato-sama!" Aisha stammered in surprise. "My apologies. I did not mean to wake you up."
"…That's alright," replied Yamato as he sat up and rubbed his eyes to get rid the sleepiness. He then stretched his arms up before he cracked his neck to the sides. "So, what do you need?"
"I-I'm just seeing whether you were up or not," answered Aisha as she blushed and looked away. "…And I…I…"
"You watched me while I was asleep," finished Yamato causing Aisha to nod and looked down guiltily.
"…I apologize for my rudeness…"
She didn't expect for Yamato to place a comforting hand on her shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze. "It's alright, I don't mind. In fact, I feel safe with Aisha watching over me while I sleep."
A prominent blush appeared on Aisha's cheek as she smiled at him. "I thank you for your trust, Yamato-sama."
"You're welcome," replied Yamato before he stood up and did some stretches to work out the kinks in his body. He sighed as he massaged his stiff shoulder. "…I must've been more tired than I expected."
"Then maybe you should get some more rest, Yamato-sama. You fought so hard yesterday. Besides, today is supposed to be our day off, correct?" suggested Aisha.
"While I'd like to do that, there are some issues that I have to address today, like our prisoners and the truth about Toutaku," replied Yamato as he kept massaging his shoulder.
"Be it as it may, you cannot neglect your own condition because of your duty," rebuked Aisha, frowning.
Yamato stared at her in surprise before he chuckled. "Wow, it's surprising to hear that from you, the straight-laced and I'm-all-about-work Kan'u Unchou."
The black-haired girl's cheek reddened again, either from embarrassment or anger he didn't know. "I am worried about you Yamato-sama, but you make fun of me instead."
"Sorry, sorry," he raised his hands in surrender. "I guess I should take it easy for today since I did say today will be our day to recover from our recent battles."
"That's better," smiled Aisha in triumph. An idea then popped up in her mind. She knew how to help her lord ease his tired body. "Yamato-sama, please lie on your stomach."
Yamato turned to her and blinked in confusion at her strange request. "Aisha?"
"Please just do it, Yamato-sama. I think I know something that can help you," she insisted.
The King of Shoku was confused, but obeyed her request. He lied facing down on his bed and was surprised to feel a weight settle on his rear before tender yet strong fingers started to massage his shoulders.
"Aisha…What are you…?"
Aisha smiled as her fingers worked on the tense muscles on Yamato's shoulder. "Sensei didn't only teach me how to fight, she also taught me several other things such as how to give massage to help relieve stress."
"Is that so?" asked Yamato, looking over his shoulder and Aisha nodded.
There was a comfortable silence between them as Yamato enjoyed Aisha's ministration. He let out a pleased groan as the girl on his back worked on a particularly tense spot between his neck and shoulder.
"You're so good at this, Aisha," groaned Yamato as she chuckled and kept on working the sides of his neck.
"It pleases me that you're enjoying this, Yamato-sama," replied Aisha as she smiled fondly in reminiscent. "…This reminds me when I was still under Sensei's tutelage. Usually after an intense spar, we took hot water baths together as we massaged each other. Rinrin will usually join us and offer to massage us, but we declined after a massage from her caused my shoulders to become so stiff that I was unable to move them for days."
It was Yamato's turn to chuckle when he heard that. "She must've done it too hard and ended up spraining your shoulders." He then groaned again as Aisha hit a spot on the base of his skull. "Ah~, that's the spot."
Aisha only smiled as her fingers moved from his neck to his upper arms and she had to hold back her blush when she felt Yamato's muscles. She might be a warrior, but she was still a girl despite how hard she tried to push her femininity aside. His deceptively slender build hid a firm and athletic muscle tone which he no doubt gained from his training. And she liked it just like that, not overly muscled like those men she had seen during her journey.
Damn his jacket, his long coat, and his armor for hiding such magnificence!
'…Where in the world did that thought come from?' Aisha wondered to herself. That wasn't a proper way for her to be thinking about her lord, right?
"Say, Aisha?" Yamato suddenly asked, derailing Aisha from her current thought.
"Yes, Yamato-sama?" she responded quickly.
"Can you tell me what kind of person your teacher was?" asked Yamato out of blue, surprising Aisha. He then added, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories, but I'm really curious about the person who taught you to become a peerless and honorable warrior. She must have been a great person."
"That she was. And I don't mind answering your question, Yamato-sama," answered Aisha with a fond smile. "Sensei was once a general that served the Han Dynasty. She was chivalrous, honorable, with a strong sense of justice, and was the kind of person who refused to stand idly by when she saw a person who needed help. She left the Imperial Army when she became disgusted with how corrupt and stagnant the Han Dynasty was becoming."
"Rinrin and I met Sensei first when we were lost in the forest as little girls and she saved us from a pack of wolves. I asked her to train me so I can protect myself better, which she agreed to and Sensei also took Rinrin under wing. She taught us everything she knew, not only about fighting and martial arts, but also about other things she knew. To us, Sensei was more than our teacher, but also our role model and another part of our family like an elder sister…Our stepmother even."
Aisha then paused for a moment before she continued, "Our weapons, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and Viper Spear were supposed to be our graduation gifts, but the bandits ransacked our village before that happened. As powerful as Sensei was, she was only one person and couldn't defeat all of those wretched beings by herself. She did manage to force them to retreat, but her wounds were too fatal. She gave us our weapons and her last message to bring peace to the land like she always wanted. She even admitted that she thought of us as her own children…"
Yamato was silent as Aisha grabbed a fistful of his shirt, trying to get her emotions under control. Those memories must had been very painful and affected her so much to cause her, the Black-Haired War Goddess of Shoku, who was known for her cool head and good emotional control to lose her cool like that.
After managing to regain control over her emotions, Aisha then spoke in hushed tone, "…I am sorry for showing you my weakness like this, Yamato-sama."
"That's alright, I should be the one apologizing to you for bringing up those painful memories," replied Yamato. "But that's why we can't afford to fail, right?"
Aisha blinked once before she smiled and nodded. "Yes, we cannot. We're not only fighting for the future, but also to carry on the wishes of those who passed on before us." Her hands moved to his back as Aisha spoke again. "Thank you, Yamato-sama."
"What for?"
"Because you provided a way for me to honor Sensei's last wish. By serving under you, I finally feel that I am moving forward with the dream she entrusted to me. I am very grateful for that," she answered with all honesty she could muster.
"There's nothing to thank me for, but if it would make you happy then give it your best to achieve our goal," replied Yamato, smiling. "Our fight will be long and arduous, but as long as we carry on with steel-clad resolve, we will definitely obtain what we desire."
"As you wish, Yamato-sama," Aisha smiled back at him. "I will follow you to the very end, and I intend to fulfill that vow I made to you when we first met."
Yamato smiled one more time at her as he continued to enjoy her ministrations. Her hands continued to work on his stiff back and Yamato groaned again when her fingers massaged several tense knots in his back at the same time. He offered a mental prayer for Aisha's teacher as a sign of gratitude for her teachings.
Another comfortable silence descended between the two of them as Aisha continued on with her massage for some time. It was so good that made Yamato felt really relaxed and almost dozed off.
The keyword being almost because someone else entered his tent just before Yamato fell asleep again.
"Excuse me, Yamato-sama. Are you awake?" it was Shuri who entered the tent. "I'm here to—EEEEP!"Whatever she wanted to say was cut off by her squeak when she saw the position Yamato and Aisha were in. "H-H-Hawawa…! I-I'm s-sorry! I d-didn't mean t-to—!"
"It's alright, Shuri," Yamato sighed while Aisha got off from him, her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. Yamato then sat on his bed and asked, "So…Why are you here?"
"A-Ano…I made something for you," she answered as she offered the clay cup in her hands. "T-This is a special herbal tea that can help you to relieve your tiredness and stress. I made this because I know you must be tired and stressed after yesterday's battle."
Yamato took the offered cup before peering into it. The tea was steaming and it was pale green in color. He then turned to Shuri and asked, "You made this for me?"
"Y-Yes," she answered shyly. Yamato smiled at her in response.
"Thank you, Shuri," he watched as her face went red as she stammered out her reply.
"H-Hawawa…Y-You're welcome, Yamato-sama. Please drink it while it was still hot and it may taste bitter, but it will work wonders for you," she replied with a shy smile.
Yamato smiled again before he drank the tea. It was still somewhat hot, so he blew on it gently before he took a sip. It was as bitter as Shuri warned him, but he drank it anyway and controlled his gag reflex so he didn't spit out the tea and made his little strategist upset.
Besides, Yuki's cooking was much worse than this tea. Much worse. He tried to not shudder at the thought of that Summer Camp. Or her subsequent attempts at cooking. It was for the good of everyone that she was banned from cooking, even if it hurt her feelings.
Shuri watched as Yamato drank the herbal tea she made nervously. She had woken up early just to make the tea for her lord, hoping that it would help him with his fatigue. She couldn't get all the ingredients needed, but she did have some substitutes and hopefully they wouldn't cause too much of an unpleasant change.
"…How is the tea, Yamato-sama?" asked Shuri nervously.
Yamato took another sip of the tea before he answered, "It's bitter like you said, but I feel a bit better after drinking it."
"Thank goodness," Shuri breathed out in relief.
Aisha spoke, "You must have woken up really early to prepare this tea, Shuri."
"I actually brought the dried ingredients me with me from our village and I gathered enough as we marched on. I didn't get every ingredient I needed, but I do have some substitutes with me," smiled Shuri in response.
"If it's not so troubling, could you make this tea for everyone?" asked Yamato before sipping some more of the tea.
"Well…I think I have enough ingredients for our generals, but not enough for everyone else," answered Shuri thoughtfully.
"That's alright," replied Yamato as he got off from the bed and placed the teacup on the table. He did some stretches and smiled as he felt his that body wasn't so tired anymore. "Looks like the tea really does wonders. Thank you again, Shuri."
"H-Hawawa…Y-You're welcome, Yamato-sama," stuttered Shuri in reply. "I-I think I should start making more tea for everyone, s-so please excuse me."
Shuri bowed before she left the tent with an extra spring in her step. Yamato smiled and shook his head before he continued his stretching.
"It looks like you feel better already, Yamato-sama," observed Aisha.
"Yeah, thanks to your massage and Shuri's tea. I feel a lot better already," replied Yamato, sipping his tea.
Aisha's cheek flushed at the reminder. "W-Well, if that is all then I will be taking my leave, Yamato-sama."
Yamato nodded as Aisha bowed. Just before she exited the tent, Yamato-called out to her, "Aisha, wait."
She stopped and looked at him questioningly. "Yes?"
Yamato scratched his cheek and said, "If you ever feel tired and stressed, don't hesitant to visit me. I may be nowhere as good as you are at giving massages, but I can give you one if you want to."
Aisha smiled and felt her cheeks reddened upon hearing her lord's offer. "…I-I would like to offer you the same, Yamato-sama."
"Deal," replied Yamato with a smile as the blush on Aisha's face grew brighter.
The Black-Haired War Goddess of Shoku walked out from Yamato's tent with a smile on her face. She looked forward for another massage session with her lord.
It was some time later after lunch when Yamato decided to meet up with his prisoners: Ryofu, Chinkyuu, and Kayuu. Kayuu had joined the first two sometime yesterday after the battle of Hulao Pass. The three of them were placed inside the barracsk inside Hulao Pass with a pair of soldiers guarding the entrance. It may sounds inadequate when they were supposed to guard one of the most powerful warriors in China, but Yamato assured them that the prisoners wouldn't try anything. True to his words, neither Ryofu nor Kayuu tried to escape despite Chinkyuu's urging.
Yamato returned the salute the guards gave him before he entered the barracks with all of his officers present. Inside were Ryofu lying on a bed with her hands folded behind her head, Kayuu was glaring at the entrance with her arms crossed over her still bandaged torso and one leg propped on another, while Chinkyuu paced around the room like a caged tiger before she stopped when she saw Yamato enter the barrack.
"Ah! Kusanagi!" said Chinkyuu, pointing at Shoku entourage.
Ryofu sat up as she regarded Yamato with her usual neutral look. "…Gaim," she nodded at him which Yamato returned.
"About time you got here, Kusanagi," said Kayuu.
Aisha frowned at her words. "Yamato-sama has been generous enough to show you some hospitality despite being our prisoner, Kayuu. Do not presume his generosity allows you to make demands from him."
Kayuu huffed and looked away, clearly didn't like being reminded of her current status. Ryofu kept looking at Yamato while Chinkyuu fidgeted a little where she stood. With Kayuu wounded and Ryofu unwilling to fight any further, she realized her chances of escaping were practically nil—no matter how much she hated to admit it.
The green haired girl then took a deep breath before she asked, "What do you want with us? What will you do to us afterwards?"
"Right to the point, huh?" inquired Yamato. Chinkyuu was silent, prompting the First Messenger of Heaven to continue. "Like I said yesterday after I defeated Ryofu, I already know from Kayuu that there are people who are pulling the strings behind Toutaku's tyrannical regime and it made me suspicious. I was hoping that any of you could tell us what is truly happening and what kind of person Toutaku really is."
There was a moment of silence before it was broken. Surprisingly to Yamato, it was Ryofu who spoke.
"Yue is a gentle and kind person. She is not a tyrant." Ryofu's tone was soft, but the conviction it held was unyielding.
"Is this Yue Ryofu-sanis talking about is Toutaku?" questioned Touka.
"Yue is Toutaku-sama's real name, so you better use it sparingly," answered Kayuu with a scowl. "Like Ryofu said, Yue-sama is not a tyrant. She is the kindest and most gentle person you'll ever meet. I really doubt she could even harm a fly. She also hates unnecessary violence and conflict. But now, she has become known as a tyrant thanks to those bastards in white clothes!"
"Then, Yamato-sama's suspicion about Toutaku being blackmailed is true?" inquired Aisha with narrowed eyes.
"…Yes," nodded Ryofu.
Chinkyuu then elaborated more for Shoku's officials. "Before this, Yue was the Chief Magistrate of Bingzhou, her hometown. The village was one of the most prosperous villages in the whole of China under her leadership with the help of her Vice Magistrate, Kaku, or Ei as we call her. Yue-sama and Ei-sama picked us as their personal guards and it was Yue-sama's kindness that won our loyalty to her. We, along with Ei, did everything we could to help her and everything was fine," here Chinkyuu's expression darkened. "Until they came."
"The White Clothes," added Ryofu, her red eyes simmering with unbridled fury.
"What happened? What did those White Clothes do to force Toutaku to become a tyrant?" asked Hinari curiously. This was it. The turning point in which painted Toutaku's image as a tyrant.
"That four-eyed son of a bitch, his foul-tempered boyfriend, and their lackeys appeared out of nowhere in Yue-sama's castle in Bingzhou, the day after you defeated the Yellow Turbans together with Kousonsan," answered Kayuu, scowling heavily. "They told us about your victory and how they needed another pawn for whatever scheme they have planned. Of course Yue-sama refused, but they had already taken Yue-sama and Ei-sama's grandparents as hostages before they met us. Both and Yue-sama and Ei-sama love their grandparents very much, so they have no other choice but to follow their demands."
Needless to say that none of the Shoku officers were pleased with the underhanded tactics and blackmail done by the mysterious White Clothes group.
"…T-That's…!" gasped Shuri.
"…H-How horrible!" finished Hinari as she covered her mouth with both of her hands. Shuri mirrored her action.
"…Those cowards…!" snarled Aisha through gritted teeth as her hands balled tightly into fists.
"When I get my hands on them…!" Rinrin swore as her hands made some strangling gestures.
"B-But why? Why would they do that?" questioned Touka, her hands were shaking in disgust and anger she felt at those White Clothes.
Yamato narrowed his eyes as his steely gray orbs gleaming sharply. It took no genius that he wasn't pleased with the manipulations of the White Clothes. "…I see…So that's what happened with Toutaku."
The generals in captive nodded as Chinkyuu continued on. "Those men in white clothes then told Yue to follow 'the scenario' and you know what happened next. But the truth was, those guys killed Liu Xie, Empress Dong, and the Eunuchs once we defeated He Jin's faction. They then made Yue the empress all the while spreading rumors about her being a tyrant."
"As if it wasn't damaging enough," added Kayuu with a dark scowl. "They are also masquerading as Yue-sama's men and acting as if they were following her orders, enforcing her image as tyrant even further. And you know what pisses me off the most? Everything they did to make Yue-sama take the blame was because they wanted to lure out the Messengers of Heaven!"
The Shoku officials gasped in shock as Yamato closed his eyes as forced himself to calm down. He was apparently failing it as his anger was rolling out of him, causing everyone in the room to sweat in nervousness—even the ever so neutral looking Ryofu.
"…So it's me and my friends they have a problem with …" said Yamato in low tone, thick with the cold fury that coursed in his veins. "…I have no problem if they choose to confront me upfront. I will accept their grudges and have them settle things with me. But to manipulate an innocent girl is already crossing the line."
Ryofu silently regarded Yamato for a moment before she asked, "…What will Gaim do?"
"It's already obvious, isn't it Ryofu-san?" it was Touka who answered for her lord. She turned to him and said, "We will rescue Toutaku-san from those White Clothes' clutches! Isn't that right, Yamato-sama?"
"Damn straight we will," replied Yamato determinedly. "I'll even provide asylum for Toutaku and all of you when everything's over."
The former Toutaku generals looked at Yamato with wide eyes, surprised that he was going that far just for them.
"Y-You'd to that for us? S-Seriously?" asked Chinkyuu, almost in disbelief.
"Is it really that hard to believe? Do I need a reason to help people in need?" Yamato asked back as he pushed up Chinkyuu's cap slightly and ruffled her hair. His expression softened, but the determined gleam on his eyes didn't fade.
"But we are your enemies, Kusanagi! Wasn't this Alliance formed to kill Yue-sama? Then why are you granting asylum to us!?" demanded Kayuu.
"Correction, you were my enemies. And this Alliance was formed to defeat and dethrone Toutaku the Tyrant, not Yue the girl who is your friend," answered Yamato.
"Wha—? What are you talking about? You're not making any sense," replied Kayuu, befuddled.
"Ah, I understand what you mean, Yamato-sama," said Shuri with an understanding look.
"Does anyone in our alliance know what Toutaku-san looks like?" asked Hinari to Chinkyuu and Kayuu.
"W-Well, Yue-sama never really showed up in public very much thanks to those White Clothes…" the green-haired girl's eyes widened in surprise as she connected the dots. She whirled at Yamato and asked disbelievingly, "Y-You'd lie to the members of your Alliance?"
"It's not going to be much of a lie. Besides, I already told them there are other people pulling the strings behind Toutaku, but they don't know if Toutaku isn't guilty," answered Yamato.
"…You're willing to go that far for your former enemies?" asked Kayuu incredulously.
"Is it really hard to believe?" Yamato asked back and the silver-haired woman snorted.
"Of course it is. I doubt you're doing because of the goodness of your heart."
Aisha bristled at her accusation and snapped, "Yamato-sama is being generous with you and your friends! How dare you make such accusations?!"
"It's alright, Aisha. She has the right to be suspicious, after all," Yamato placated her by placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're right. I do have some other intentions by granting asylum to Toutaku. I want you to join my faction as my generals."
"So it really came to that, huh?" grumbled Kayuu discontentedly.
"It's not a bad deal, isn't it? I mean all of you and Toutaku-san will have a place to stay under Yamato-sama's protection and we will get new comrades!" Touka persuaded.
"What Touka-san said is true. It does benefit either of us," Hinari agreed with a nod.
Ryofu regarded Yamato silently before she stood from the bed and approached him. She kept her burgundy gaze steady on him as Yamato gazed back at her, his steely gray eyes regarded her actions curiously.
She stopped at an arm length and asked, "…If I join you, will you save Yue?"
"I give you my word and honor as the King of Shoku that I will do my best to save your friend," answered Yamato firmly.
Ryofu stared him again once more before she spoke again. "I have other conditions." The Peerless Blue Swordsman arched a curious eyebrow at her, but was willing to listen to her. He nodded for the redhead to continue. "…Don't destroy my home. Give me money."
Aisha looked indignant at Ryofu's request. "You want to be paid like a lowly mercenary? How dare you make a mockery of Yamato-sama's generosity!"
"Calm down, Aisha-chan! I'm sure Ryofu-san has a good reason behind her condition!" chided Touka.
"That's right! Ren has a lot pets to take care of!" supplied Chinkyuu as she rose to her friend's defense.
Aisha looked abashed and turned away, unable to look at Ryofu after her uncalled outburst.
"Pets? Just how many we are talking about here?" inquired Shuri.
"Don't know, but she has a lot of pets," answered Kayuu wryly. "I think there are around fifty or so. Birds, cats, dogs…You name it."
Yamato stiffened when he heard the list, but he quickly regained his composure. It wouldn't do for him to lose his cool in front of his generals and possible new allies. It wasn't like that one thing was here anyway.
"Well…" Hinari adopted a thoughtful look as she ran some calculations on her mind. "I think it won't be a problem. Feeding animals won't cost us too much even with those numbers."
"You heard what Hinari said. Besides, I allowed my generals to have some pocket money so they can buy things for themselves—including foods for your pets, Ryofu-san," added Yamato.
Ryofu smiled and nodded. While it was small, her smile looked so bright to Yamato and his officers. The Ryofu Housen in his world might be known as the Treacherous General for his penchant for changing his allegiance at the drop of a hat just to satisfy his greed and lust for glory, but the Ryofu Housen in front of him was nothing like that man. In fact, she was the exact opposite of him. She treasured her friends and the bond they shared so much. She was also…Pure, for the lack of better word, like what he said to his generals. Maybe this was a side effect of being genderbent?
"…Okay, I'll join you….And call me Ren," said Ryofu, revealing her true name to the Shoku officials.
Chinkyuu shuffled in her place. "Since Ren trusts you, I guess I can trust you too. You better not betray our trust, got it?" she glared at Yamato challengingly as she said the last part.
"I won't," he promised. The green haired girl nodded at Yamato's decisive answer.
"Alright. I'll join you. I may not look like it, but I'm also a strategist. Besides, I follow Ren wherever she goes to keep her safe," the girl then paused for a moment. "…And call me Nenene. It's my true name."
"What will you do now, Kayuu-san? Your friends have made their decision to join us. What about you?" inquired Touka.
The silver haired warrior looked at Ren and Nenene for a moment before she sighed. "Like I have a choice. I might be known as many things in the past, but I will not abandon my friends." She then looked straight at Yamato's gray eyes. "You better fulfill your promise and prove yourself to be a good leader, Kusanagi, or the deal is off."
Yamato nodded. "Done. Welcome aboard, Kayuu, Ren, Nenene." The three new generals nodded back at him, with a slight smile in Ren's case, and neutral look for Nenene and Kayuu.
"I look forward to working together with all of you!" beamed Touka while the rest of the Shoku generals nodded, smiling as they gained new comrades.
"I hope you are alright with your current rooming. I'd like to arrange a new one for you three, but we are rather short-handed right now," said Yamato.
Ren shook her head and so did Nenene.
Ren answered, "…I don't mind."
Nenene added, "Me neither."
"Meh, I've had worse," scoffed Kayuu.
"Alright then. You may walk around Shoku's camp to familiarize yourself, but please don't wander too far or enter the other factions' camps. I want to avoid answering any unnecessary questions for now," explained Yamato as the three nodded. "And don't worry about food. I will have one of my soldiers deliver your lunch and dinner later. While I'd like to stay and chat, I still have some business to attend to. I will be taking my leave for now."
"…Visit later?" asked Ren.
"I will try if I'm not busy," answered Yamato as the redhead nodded.
Yamato and his officers then walked out of the barrack, informing the soldiers of the new status of their ex-prisoners. They were surprised, but followed his orders to leave their post and inform their comrades.
"So…what do we do now, Yamato-sama?" asked Aisha.
"Let's pay a visit to Enshou. I think it's time to talk about her punishment," Yamato said with mirthful tone. "But before that, I need to get something first."
Yamato had sent his messengers to Sousou and Renfa several hours earlier about the details of the upcoming dinner. Yamato decided to use the conference room inside Hulao Pass as the place to hold the dinner since it was large enough for all of his officers and his guests to sit together. Shuri and Hinari volunteered to coordinate the soldiers in arranging the room so it would become a dining room fitting for the Dinner of the Rulers of the Three Kingdoms while Touka and Aisha helped Yamato to appear at his best in front of his guests.
They managed to finish everything an hour before the appointed time and the Shoku officials sat on their chairs around the dining table, chatting idly as they waited for their guests to arrive.
The door of the makeshift dining room was opened and the officials from Gi and Go entered. Yamato smiled as he stood up to greet his guests with his generals following his example.
"Welcome, everyone. Thank you for coming tonight," he greeted before he gestured toward the empty chairs. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you for inviting us, Yamato-dono," replied Renfa as she and her entourage took their seats.
It was the first time for Shuuyu Koukin to be sitting close enough to Yamato Kusanagi. And now she understood why Chuubou admired (read: was smitten by) him. Kusanagi was a natural born leader and a leader of his own caliber, matching even her beloved Sheren. He even exudes the aura and charisma of a leader without him noticing it. He had proven his worth when he delivered his speech before the battle of Shisui Pass and when he made his snap moment decision during the battle of Hulao Pass to save the first wave from being decimated thanks to Enshou's blunder. His prowess in battle was also unquestionable. Kusanagi had assisted Kan'u in apprehending Kayuu and defeated three of those beasts, Evolved State Inves—as Chuubou called them, before subduing Ryofu Housen. And if the words her men heard were true, then Kusanagi had recruited Ryofu, her aide, and Kayuu from Shisui Pass to join his cause.
While it was admittedly hard to impress her, Shuu the Fair couldn't help but feel wary around Kusanagi. Was he a threat to her beloved Sheren's dream? Or was he truly an ally like Chuubou naively believed?
"Is there something wrong, Koukin?" she heard Renfa call out to her. The younger sister of her lover was looking at her with a worried expression. She must've been so deep in thought that she had forgotten about her surroundings.
Shuuyu shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about." She then turned to Yamato with an amicable smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Yamato Kusanagi-dono. My name is Shuuyu Koukin, the senior strategist of Son Go, as well as Sonken's primary advisor and her sister before her."
"The pleasure is also mine. Your reputation has preceded you, Shuu the Fair," replied Yamato, smiling back at her.
"Thank you for your kind words, Kusanagi-dono," she then gestured to the busty green-haired girl next to her. "This is my apprentice, Rikuson Hakugen, also a strategist of Son Go."
"Good evening, Kusanagi-sama," Rikuson inclined her head as she smiled. "I have heard amazing things about you from Ryugen-san."
"Is that so?" the King of Shoku arched a curious eyebrow at Yuki who only chuckled in response. "Then I'll try to live up to whatever expectation you have of me."
Sousou noted something was missing and frowned. Turning to Yamato, she asked, "Where is the food, Kusanagi?"
"It should arrive soon. Shun must have been having some trouble with his helpers," answered Yamato, causing Yuki to look at him in surprise.
"Helpers? I thought Shun is very territorial when it comes to kitchen."
Her reply caused the Shoku officials to smile or giggle behind their hand as their lord smiled bemusedly. "They didn't help him cook, but they are helping him serve the food. Trust me, Sousou-dono. You'll enjoy this part particularly."
The blonde queen of Sou Gi raised curious eyebrow at his statement. But before she could ask what he meant, there was a knock at the door with Shun's voice calling out.
"Yo, Yamato! We're here!"
"Come in!" replied Yamato.
"W-Wait a second! D-Do I have to enter too!?" Enshou's panicking voiced called out from behind the door.
Everyone heard Pairen sigh as she admonished the En Clan's head, "You have to deal with it, Enshou. This is a part of your punishment."
"B-B-But this is embarrassing! A-And humiliating! I thought Kusanagi promised my punishment will not be too embarrassing or harsh!"
"Kusanagi-sama didn't say anything about humiliating though. And it could've been worse, really," Bunshuu's voice was heard next, successfully causing Enshou to shriek.
"What could have been worse than this!?"
"Come on, Enshou-sama. We can't make everyone wait since it will reflect badly on Kusanagi-sama and us," sighed Ganryou exasperatedly.
"To hell with Kusanagi! Where will I put my dignity after this!?"
"Oh, for the love of—! Stop stalling already! I'm opening the damn door!"
"W-W-Wait—!"
Enshou's attempt to stop Shun from opening the door was ultimately futile and she nearly lost her balance before managing to straighten up. Unfortunately for her, she was the first one to enter the room thanks to her own action, and gave the occupants of the room a sight of what she was wearing currently.
Her gaudy armor set, cape, sword, and jewelry were gone. In their place, Enshou was now wearing a frilly white apron over her standard apparel plus a frilly white headband which was commonly associated with maids—how the people of this world, the ones who lived over 1,800 years before his time, knew of western maids will always be a mystery to Yamato.
Enshou apparently noticed and blood rushed up to her face as she started babble incoherently.
As the occupants of the room, save for the Shoku officials who were too busy giggling, were stunned into silence, Yamato's voice rang clearly, "Ladies, may I present you one of our waitresses tonight, Enshou Honshou."
The silence remained for about three seconds before chuckles were heard from Sousou before she erupted into full-blown laughter seconds later. Her laughter was followed by a series of chuckles and snickers from the other occupants of the room. Enshou continued to look embarrassed as Pairen, Ganryou, Bunshuu, and Shun entered the room. The three girls were wearing apron and headband like Enshou and were pushing carts filled with foods.
Sousou managed to get a hold of herself and wiped a tear from her eyes. "Ahaha…! So this is what you meant, Kusanagi. Very well, I will indulge myself tonight."
The way she smiled at Enshou caused the other blonde to cringe. She had a bad feeling about this…
"Was this your idea for Enshou's punishment, Yamato-dono?" asked Renfa in-between her chuckles.
"Somewhat. I already planned for the dinner, but because of Enshou's insubordination I made this plan on the spot. Besides, there are some lessons for her with this punishment," answered Yamato.
"And those lessons are…?" inquired Shuuyu curiously.
"One is humility, and the other is to work together with and for another person," Yamato counted. "What happened in the last battle was because Enshou's pride and stubbornness. I couldn't think of a better way to curb it, so yeah, I made her one our waitresses for tonight along with Kousonsan-dono, Ganryou-san, and Bunshuu-san."
"I see your point. By having her as our waitress, Enshou would have to learn to swallow her pride and learn how to work together properly with and for others," nodded Sousou respectfully before a smirk adorned her features. "My, you really are a shrewd man, Kusanagi."
"I'll take that as a compliment," replied Yamato. He then turned to Pairen, "Kousonsan-dono, if you would?"
"Certainly, Yamato-dono," she replied. Unlike Enshou, she, Bunshuu, and Ganryou were more accepting of their punishment. The red-haired general did worry that Yamato wouldn't view her the same way again, but the King of Shoku had assured her that he wouldn't think any less of her after this.
For some reason, his assurance made her heart beat faster for a moment.
She mentally shook her head to dismiss the issue before she turned to Enshou. "Come on, Enshou. Let's serve the food. We can't make everyone wait."
"I-I won't do it! I-It's too demeaning!" refused Enshou.
Shun rolled his eyes as he sat on an empty chair across from Yuki. "This is your punishment, remember Princess Obnoxious? So deal with it."
"B-B-But—!" Enshou tried to retort, but the looks she received from everyone else, especially Yamato, caused whatever she was going to say to die in her throat. She slumped in resignation as she forced her body to work.
That didn't stop her mind from scheming her eventual revenge, though.
Ganryou and Bunshuu lifted the tray lids and immediately everyone smelled the delicious aroma of Shun's cooking. They started to subconsciously salivate as they saw the food in the plates and bowls. Bite sized, stir fried chicken breast with oriental sauce dressing and vegetables, chopped beef meat dipped in spiced soy sauce and sesame, vegetable salad with olive oil dressing, beef stew with potatoes and carrots, chicken and corn creamy soup, and many more. The dishes looked truly fitting for a dinner between rulers.
Pairen, Ganryou, Bunshuu, and Enshou went to work as they placed the foods, and eating utensils on the table. It took them about two minutes to set everything and by then, Rinrin looked ready to jump and scarf down the whole thing and throw all table manners out of the window.
Yamato chuckled when he saw the reaction of his youngest general. He turned to his guests and gestured to the foods, "Everyone, please help yourself. Itadakimasu."
At his permission everyone started to put rice into their bowls and took a bit of each dish into their plates and bowls. When they took the first bite, they all froze save for Yamato, Shun, and Yuki who went on as it was a usual occurrence to them.
"T-This is…!" stuttered Touka with wide eyes.
"IT'S SOOOOOO DELICIOUS!" exclaimed Rinrin, her eyes sparkling in delight, before wolfing down her food.
"Amazing…the texture of the meat is really tender…" commented Shuri.
"And the sauce is perfect…The taste is perfectly blended and the texture is just right…" added Hinari before she took another bite of the chicken.
"…W-What is this feeling…?" uttered Aisha in disbelief and confusion. Her feminine pride which she often pushed aside for her pride as a warrior suddenly felt like it had taken a mortal blow.
"…Is this how it feels to be utterly defeated…?" asked Renfa rhetorically in dejected tone. Even her cooking was nowhere as good as this!
Yuki listlessly ate her food as her depression returned full force. Sure her cooking was less than stellar, but this…Defeated wouldn't be enough to describe what she felt right now. Utterly, thoroughly, and completely beaten, crushed, and thrashed were more like it.
Her depression was shared by Rikuson and Kannei who suddenly felt that their feminine pride took a critical hit. Both of them had pushed it aside for their respective reasons, as Renfa's bodyguard for Kannei and pursuing knowledge for Rikuson.
"Remarkable," commented Shuuyu grudgingly while she was crying inside. There was no way a man could cook this well!
"…I-Impossible…This is just impossible…" denied Kakouton and Jun'iku at the same time while still eating. That idiot Baron could cook something like this? Impossible!
"It's even better than Ruru's," commented Kakouen absentmindedly as she took another bite from the beef stew. Maybe she could ask Shun to teach her later?
Sousou swallowed her chicken before sipping the cream soup. She then gave Shun an unidentified look which unnerved the brunette. There was this gleam in her blue eyes that really unnerved him.
"Baron, after the whole mess with Toutaku is over you will move into my palace. You will work together with Ten'i as my cooks and you will be paid double of your usual fee every week. Is that clear?"
"Are you hooked to my cooking already, Your Loliness?" asked Shun, trying to put on a brave front. Eventually it crumbled as Sousou's borderline-manic-gleamed gaze bored into him.
"Is. That. Clear?"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Shun even saluted at her.
Sousou returned to enjoy her meal without even batting an eye at the particularly out of character moment she had earlier. Wait, was she purring?
Yamato only smiled as he watched everyone's reaction to Shun's cooking. He did tell them his friend was a great cook. He might as well enjoy this small moment of peace as it wouldn't last long. Not with the enemy they would be facing tomorrow. Or even sooner with the upcoming discussion between him, Sousou, and Renfa as the Rulers of the Three Kingdoms. When ideals were to meet each other, conflict was bound to happen—just like what his books taught him.
And that's wrap for now. No action or lengthy chapter like Chapter 6&7, but rather some developments here and there. The discussion and the battle in Luoyang will be in the next chapter, I'll call it "Ideals and Truth". Also, I will add an omake on the next chapter and you will decide what it will be. The choices are "Ryofu Joins the Dinner" or "On That Summer Camp". The first is self-explanatory while the second will feature Yuki's disastrous cooking attempt that had traumatized Yamato and Shun. See you on the next chapter and Happy New Year to my loyal readers!