Over the next two hours, Yuji and Kimiko explore the rest of the palace and the surrounding grounds. They only find a couple more pieces of evidence, but it proves to be enough: fragments of a naginata and a sansetsukon that could only come from members of the Jade Alliance.
With the investigation finished, Yuji and Kimiko rejoin Yuka and Sora at the campsite.
"This isn't good," Yuka comments as Yuji and Kimiko approach.
"I take it you found something unexpected?" Sora asks.
"Both the ballroom and the dining hall are damaged, and the throne room's a warzone," Yuji reports.
"What‽" Yuka and Sora chorus.
"It's true," Kimiko confirms. "We're not the first people here since the signing of the Republic Treaty. And judging by the relative freshness of the damage, it was only about four tsuki ago."
"Just half a year?" Sora asks in surprise. "Who could have been here?"
"The Jade Alliance," Yuji answers, showing the shuriken and the recovered fragments of naginata and sansetsukon.
"I guess that means our expedition is over," Yuka sighs in sadness.
"That's up to the Senate to decide," Kimiko informs.
"I'll do my best to convince them to let us remain," Yuji assures, "but I can't make any guarantees."
"…and that's everything we know, Senator Saito," Kimiko finishes.
Senator Akiko Saito pauses for a while to let the news sink in. "This is indeed a shocking discovery," she eventually agrees, her voice slightly distorted by the radio. "Of course, this means that the expedition must be cancelled."
"Please Senator, don't cancel the expedition," Yuji pleads. "I know this isn't what anyone expected, and trust me, however appalled you are, I'm doubly so. But if we cancel this expedition, who knows when we'll be able to recover the lost knowledge hidden within the walls of the Kyuden?"
"Is the Kyuden's library intact?" the senator asks.
"Mercifully yes," Yuji answers.
The senator pauses again. "I will confer with the other senators, then get back to you. Until then, consider the expedition suspended indefinitely. Send me as many pictures of the evidence as you can."
"Very well, Senator," Yuji accepts.
Kimiko ends the transmission. "That went better than expected. I thought we were going to be called back immediately, no exceptions."
"I thought so too," Yuji reveals. "How long do you think it'll take to get a decision?"
"We likely won't know until tomorrow," Kimiko answers. "Until then, we can only wait."
After taking a few minutes to prepare, Senator Akiko Saito of Mizutani calls an emergency Senate meeting via videophone. The first to answer is Senator Mariko Nakahara of Mokuzaihanto.
"Akiko, this is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mariko greets.
"Glad you could attend, Mariko," Akiko replies. "Unfortunately, I bring bad news."
"I feared as much," Mariko sighs. "Otherwise why call an emergency meeting?"
Senator Jiro Kita of Yamakasai is the next to join the call. "I do hope this won't be a waste of my time," he greets gruffly.
"Trust me Jiro, you'll want to hear this," Akiko replies curtly.
Senators Katsu Nishimura of Kinzokumori and Daichi Maki of Tsuchidokutsu join simultaneously.
"What's the emergency?" Katsu asks.
"If it's anything like the last 'emergency', it'll be nothing important," Daichi dismisses.
"The Jade Alliance violating the Republic Treaty by desecrating the Kakusareta Kyuden on Tenshijima is unimportant?" Akiko asks.
The other senators fall silent, shocked at the news.
"That's a bold accusation," Mariko cautions.
"Where's your evidence?" Daichi demands.
Akiko keys in a series of commands on her compact computer. "On its way to all of you right now."
Silence descends again as the other senators receive and review the evidence.
"I uh… I take it the expedition discovered this," Jiro ventures.
"Who else?" Akiko confirms. "They're the only group with permission to be on that island, though now we know they aren't the first since the signing of the Treaty."
"We'll have to call them back, of course," Jiro decides.
"Not so fast," Katsu objects. "If the Kyuden's library is intact, then I see no reason to cancel the expedition."
"The library is intact," Akiko confirms.
"See?" Katsu continues. "I say we let them stay and do what they were approved to do: rediscover our own history."
"I agree," Mariko votes.
"I don't," Daichi decides.
"Looks like the deciding vote is mine," Akiko concludes.
The other senators all try to respond at once, talking over each other, intent on convincing Akiko to vote their way. Akiko makes to interrupt, but decides instead to just hit the 'mute' button. I can make my own mind up, thank you very much. Now, what to do…
Akiko stands and paces around the room. It would be a shame to cancel an expedition from which we could learn so much, but then there's also whether it's right to let them stay on the island given the Jades' violation and desecration. I know I initially told Kojima‑san that the expedition would have to be cancelled, but… This is going to look like I'm supporting my own, but then, that is my job, to represent the citizens of Mizutani. And Senator Nishimura has a point about rediscovering our own history.
Akiko returns to the phone and unmutes it. "I have reached a decision."
The other senators fall silent.
"I vote to allow the expedition to proceed," Akiko begins. "However, they will be asked to perform other duties alongside their historical research. Given the scale of the damage inflicted upon the Kyuden, I feel it's important that we gather every scrap of evidence we can. Therefore, Kojima‑san will now be on a mission to recover this evidence for us."
"It'd be much more efficient to send professional investigators," Jiro objects.
"In my experience, historians are just as careful to preserve evidence as professional investigators, if not more so," Mariko informs. "I approve of Akiko's plan."
"Me too," Katsu agrees.
"And me," Daichi adds.
"Four to one… very well," Jiro reluctantly accepts. "We'll proceed with Akiko's plan."
"Well, with that concluded, I must say, I wasn't expecting this to be over so swiftly," Akiko smiles. "Isn't it the normal habit of politicians to take a week to split a restaurant bill?" she quips.
"Very funny," Jiro growls as he hangs up.
"That was rude," Daichi opines.
"That's Jiro," Akiko shrugs.
"When will you inform Kojima‑san?" Mariko asks.
"I'll give them the full brief in the morning," Akiko decides. "But I will at least let them know they're staying tonight, so they don't have that hanging over them."
"Wise," Mariko compliments.
As the last of the sunlight fades on Tenshijima, Yuji sits beside the fire, watching the line of shade sliding up the walls of the Kyuden. To come all this way, to get so close, and now‑
"Kojima‑san! I have good news!" Kimiko calls as she exits her tent.
"Huh? Good news?" Yuji asks, returning to reality.
"Well, mostly," Kimiko admits. "We've been given permission to remain on Tenshijima."
"Really?" Yuji asks in disbelief.
"Really," Kimiko confirms. "There is one small drawback though."
"There's always a catch," Yuji sighs, a small smile playing on his lips. "What is it?"
"We're being given a mission to complete in parallel to the expedition," Kimiko informs. "We'll get the full briefing tomorrow."
"I was expecting worse than that," Yuji admits.
"You're not bothered by the drawback?" Kimiko asks.
"Nah," Yuji waves in dismissal. "For me, so long as the expedition can proceed as planned, I'm happy."
The following morning, after Akiko has fully briefed Yuji and Kimiko, she receives a phone call from Senator Mariko Nakahara.
"Good morning, Mariko," Akiko greets.
"Good morning, Akiko," Mariko replies. "I trust the briefing went smoothly?"
"Very," Akiko confirms. "Kojima‑san was more receptive than I anticipated. But then I get the impression what really matters to him is that his expedition can proceed as planned."
"Given the wealth of history he's likely to bring back, I think even Jiro would be glad of it," Mariko chuckles. "On a more serious note, have you contacted Mizu‑dojo yet?"
"Not yet," Akiko admits. "And yes, I know I must."
"It's alright," Mariko assures. "I've not contacted Mokuzai‑dojo yet either."
"I can understand your reluctance," Akiko remarks. "Ryoichi Nakano isn't the most co‑operative person in the Gotoshi."
"He's just apathetic. It's Katsu and Daichi I feel sorry for," Mariko replies. "Tsubaki Moto and Kaede Himura are… Well, you know how they are."
"Yeah…"