Chapter 111: Mikoshi Declaration
[TN: Mikoshi is is a sacred religious palanquin (also translated as portable Shinto shrine). You will get the use of this word by the end of the chapter. (click Mikoshi to follow the wiki link if you wanna know more)]
While Yellow was getting me ready, I called both Peiyu and Ivy from the inn.
Inside the Governor’s office, I’m facing the two women.
Peiyu was fine, but after seeing me “ordering around” in the Governor’s office, Ivy had that look on her face that she now realized that I am the Emperor after all this time.
“It’s an emergency, I’m going back to the capital.”
“What should we do?”
Peiyu asked.
“You guys will stay here and finish what I was going to do.”
“Ehhh?”
“We?”
Peiyu and Ivy were surprised.
“I-I cannot do that. We can’t take the place of Master.”
“Don’t worry, here are the instructions for what I am supposed to do.”
With that, I showed her five sealed envelopes, sealed tightly with wax.
“Each one is numbered, see? Open them in order and follow the instructions written inside. It’s an emergency, and I’ve made it so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”
“But ……”
“There may come a time when it’s time to let you out, too,’ he said. Like Evelyn and Zoe.”
“Me too!?”
Peiyu was astonished.
It is no longer unusual for my servants and maids to go out and become governors, but Peiyu didn’t expect it to happen to her at all.
“Yes, think of it as a rehearsal for that.”
“But ……”
In terms of loyalty, you’re the only one I can trust with this right now, Peiyu.”
“What the–!!”
Peiyu gasped, with her eyes wide open.
It’s true.
In terms of practical matters, Yellow is more trustworthy than Peiyu.
After all, he is the official governor and Oscar’s retainer.
Oscar also carefully selects the personnel as his retainers, and he does not let any incompetent ones out of the house because they would tarnish his name.
In other words, as long as he is Oscar’s retainer, Yellow is also a competent man, although to a lesser or greater degree.
But even if he were competent, I can’t expect him to be loyal to me.
In terms of loyalty to me and doing exactly what I want, the person I can expect the most from here is Peiyu.
Peiyu’s eyes fluttered as I emphasized loyalty to me.
Then it was the look on her face that …. made me think.
“Peiyu.”
“Y-Yes!”
“The Empire is at stake, do it.”
“–Yes!
Although she felt pushed by me, Peiyu still agreed to do it from her own mouth.
“Ivy, you support Peiyu, too. I may eventually have to do the same for you.”
“U-understood.’
It hasn’t been long since she’s been working for me, and she may not have felt that way in the first place.
Ivy’s reply was soft in contrast.
That’s fine for now.
“I’m leaving Bahamuth behind. My orders and the Bahamuth that I always carry with me. Act as an Imperial messenger with it.”
“B-Bahamuth-sama!? –I understand!”
I thought she would be even more afraid, but Peiyu’s expression straightened up, as if she took me seriously about leaving Bahamut behind, and she responded with a crisp, clear voice.
It was just an excuse to get out of the situation, but I began to think that if I could do this, I would really …… be able to do it in the future.
“Well. Master. May I ask you something?”
“Say it. I’ll answer anything until the Yellow is ready.”
“Can I call John-san for backup?”
“–Ha-ha.”
I naturally burst out laughing.
It was only natural that I found it funny since my expectations were betrayed twice in a good way in such a short period.
“Why John?”
“Because he would never betray Master the same way I do, and he should be able to handle anything that comes his way better than I can.”
“Umu, 99 points.”
“Then–?”
“You’re the Imperial Messenger. Do as you please.”
“Understood!”
Seeing Peiyu responding even more clearly, I naturally burst out laughing again.
☆
I hurried to the capital on the horse that Yellow had prepared.
First were two horses.
I rode one of them and let the other run alongside on a long rein.
Then, without worrying about the horse’s physical condition, I gave them a whip and let them run at full gallop.
Halfway through the ride, the horse he was riding wobbled.
Sensing this, I jumped over to the horse that was “just running alongside”.
The horse I was riding wobbled and collapsed on the spot.
Without paying any attention to it, the other horse galloped further ahead.
This was the super-express on the premise that the horse would be used up.
Riding that horse, I arrived at a ‘Station’ along the way.
Since the contact had been sent by a pigeon, which was much faster than a horse, two horses were prepared for the same purpose there as well.
By the time the second horse started to wobble, we arrived at the station just in time.
I took the two horses and ran further.
{Lord, you should get some rest}
“Silence, I don’t have the energy for questions and answers.”
I silenced Leviathan, who was worried about me, and rode the horses further at a gallop.
The premise is to just use up the horse until the express.
But the express, and the super-express I ordered, are based on the premise that both man and horse are to be used up.
Naturally, I did not rest but simply hurried on and on.
I changed horses at two more relay stations along the way.
In total, I had to ride eight horses.
It would take three days, but I returned in one day.
☆
“Henry.”
“Your Majesty!?”
Inside the Ministry of War, in the Minister of War’s office.
Henry stood up from his chair, surprised to see me coming in, sweaty and with wobbly legs.
“When did you get back?”
“Just a few minutes ago, I came straight here.”
” …you entered Saralaria before here?”
“No, I came back from Leararat.”
“From Leararat!?”
Surprised, Henry broke his fingers and counted.
The express messenger that he send and I who received the messenger, came back from Leararat.
He seemed to be calculating the number of days between the two.
“The calculation doesn’t add up.”
“I came back using super-express.”
“What!?”
Henry is even more astonished to hear that.
“Really, super express?”
“Yeah. I’ll take a seat and water.”
“…… As expected of Your Majesty, I’ve never seen a person who carried something to the Imperial Capital by super-express and remained in such good health.”
Henry was genuinely impressed.
There are many Ministers in the empire.
Among them is Henry, the Minister of Military Affairs who is in charge of military affairs and military news, receives and uses express and super express more than any other Minister.
And he is surprised by this experience.
On the other hand, Henry changed his expression.
He looked at me with a stiff expression.
“I would like to tell you one thing, sire.”
“What is it?”
“I admire you, Your Majesty, but the super-express is not a risk the Emperor should take.”
“……fumu.”
“I would ask that you refrain from doing so in the future.”
“I shall bear that in mind.”
Henry is right.
I decided to keep that in mind.
“So, let’s hear the specifics.”
“Yes”
Henry stands in front of me and without looking at me, opens his mouth.
I guess that means he has the whole story in his head at all times.
“There’s been a rebellion in the west.”
“Who is it? Their leader.”
“Eilat Nuff. He’s a descendant of the Great Imperial Prince, who is the great-uncle of the previous Emperor.”
“You mean he’s royalty?”
“Yes.”
Henry bowed respectfully.
“And why is that?”
“That’s …….”
“Is it something you don’t want to tell me? Even so, I’ll hear about it sooner or later. There’s no point in hiding it.”
“As expected of you, Your Majesty.”
Henry took a deep breath and spoke with a determined expression.
“His Majesty is a tyrant who has continued to break many traditions and is an unforgivable sinner for the Imperial family. And I am here to destroy it— is what he said.”
“I see.”
I gave a small nod.
“It was rather late.”
“You were expecting it……?”
“Considering what I’m doing, it’s inevitable that there will be an uprising of that sort sooner or later. I am already mentally prepared for it.”
“As expected, Your Majesty, I am deeply impressed.”[TN: please do something aside from being impressed]
“How many are there?”
“Surprisingly there are many sympathizers, the first report I received was at least 30,000.”
“That’s quite a lot.”
His expression grew tense naturally.
If there are 30,000 soldiers at the first report, it means–
“Should I estimate 100,000?”
“That might be so.”
Henry quietly agreed.
Henry’s estimation was a valuable reference, as he had been the Minister of War for many years.
“Now, what should we do?”
“Permission for me to go into battle, sire.”
“You’re going?”
I was a little surprised.
It’s a big deal for the Imperial Prince to appear.
“Yes. The other party was a member of the royal family, even though a minor one, and he was the great-grandson of the Great Prince. Against an opponent like this, we would be at a disadvantage due to the difference in morale unless we put someone of extremely low or extremely high rank against him.”
“Yeah, either they fundamentally refuse to acknowledge it, or they will do everything in their power to crush it.”
“It is as you say, sir.”
“Fumu.”
I held my chin in my hands.
Henry has a point.
But Henry still had his reservations.
It was inevitable that it would come out – so I decided to tell him.
“If that’s the way it’s going to be, I’ll take the lead.”
“Your Majesty will!?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s dangerous. Ultimately, the number of the force is so great that it swells up to 100,000. To go there and fight against it would be…”
“There are three reasons.”
I raised my right hand and held up three fingers, gently blocking Henry’s objections.
“First, if what you say is correct, it would be more effective for me to go there than for you.”
I said the first reason and broke one finger.
“That is …… true, but ……”
“Second, it is also a good opportunity to let the whole land know that I am determined to put my hands on this perverse practice.”
“…… By your will.”
Henry nodded bitterly.
He understood the reason, but when weighed against the safety of the Emperor, he looked as if he couldn’t nod.
“The last one–fu.”
For the remaining one, I hold up my index finger without folding it and tell him with a laugh.
“The Empire is a nation of warriors, and I am the Emperor. The master of a warrior nation cannot be holed up like a turtle at a critical moment, can he?”
“—!”
Henry was surprised.
But his eyebrows immediately widened, replaced by a look of admiration and understanding.
“As expected of Your Majesty– I see it now.”
“Well, I’ll go on the expedition, but I don’t have any real combat experience. I’ll be the figurehead, so Henry, you’ll be the general in the shadows.”[TN: Here he says ‘I will act like Mikoshi’ similar to the decorated portable shrine, he will act like the figurehead in similar sense]
“—Yes! I will give His Majesty the victory, even if it costs me my life.”
Although he did not say it out loud, Henry looked at me with growing admiration.
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