KATANAGATARI 3

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Four days later.

Of course this meant the news had made it to Mansion Negative and the Princess─in fact, she heard the news even before Togame’s latest report and the disassembled Skytron had arrived at Owari Castle. Heard it, that is, from Emonzaemon Soda.

“About Bito the Sundial─”

Princess Negative.

Threw open her metal fan─snap!─and then (after telling Emonzaemon, as usual, that he was late) addressed her counselor, in his nook behind the ceiling.

“They say that Kiki Shikizaki made it in the likeness of his sweetheart─what a laugh.”

“Is that something,” asked Emonzaemon, “to laugh about?”

“How now, are you rejecting what I say? Not bad at all, you’re finally learning how to put me in a good mood.”

Princess Negative laughed like crazy.

In truth, when she wasn’t in the mood she never even cracked a smile, but at the moment she appeared to be in high spirits indeed.

“Bito the Sundial…the Sundial part points at the way it works, while Bito is a subtlety in its own right. Shikizaki could have never written it the other way,1 it would have been embarrassing. Skytron was forged under the premise of humanity, but it’s also the only of the Shikizaki blades to hint at the swordsmith’s own humanity─ta-da!”2

“…”

“Come on, laugh. Why so gloomy? You sure you aren’t darkness itself?”

“Um…I still don’t think it’s anything to laugh at─”

“Why not? Otherwise, it’s just gross.3 Making a doll version of the woman you’re obsessed with? Who does that?”

Princess Negative shut her metal fan.

Without so much as glancing at the ceiling─she stared ahead, into the empty room.

“Although I must say, that nasty woman has outdone herself again, cleverly recognizing what made Skytron tick4─while Akuto the Eel may have served as a precedent, she sure pulled that one out of the blue, considering solar batteries5 haven’t been invented yet. Even if the name Skytron is a bit of a giveaway. Well? What did that nasty woman do next? After sending it home with her report─do they have any plans to come back here?”

“No, it would seem they’re moving on to the next sword,” said Emonzaemon, “in Tendo─in Dewa.”

“Ah yes, may as well, when they’re nearly there. I’m assuming that they found Kiki Shikizaki’s workshop at Lake Fuyo?”

“Yes. Kyotoryu excavated it with his own two hands.”

“That woman is rough with her staff! She could learn a thing or two from me.”

“…They must have found─some information. Though unless it concerns Ento the Bead, we needn’t get excited─hence why they won’t be coming home. They did head straight for Tendo. When they forged their alliance with Hohoh Maniwa, or ‘The Divine Phoenix’─one of the Twelve Bosses and effectively the head of the entire ninja clan, they learned the whereabouts of three of the swords…one on Mt. Shirei, another at Lake Fuyo…and the last of them in Tendo. At first, they had been hesitant to act on any claim from Hohoh alone.”

“Tendo, huh.” The Princess nodded. “Which one was that? I can’t remember.”

“Oto the Cured. If Skytron was a queen, then this sword, in sooth─is king.”

“Quit trying to sound all cool for me, Emonzaemon. It’s aggravating─but Oto the Cured. While it may put them through the wringer, I’m sure that they’ll retrieve it in the end. As long as nothing unexpected happens. Hmm…”

Princess Negative closed her eyes, slipping into a reverie.

“Your Highness?” prodded Emonzaemon, puzzled by her sudden silence, but to no avail─she remained silent for some time.

Then suddenly she opened her eyes.

“What a nuisance.”

“Nuisance? Have I wronged you?”

“At this point your being a nuisance is hardly noteworthy. I was referring to the Maniwa─this alliance between them and the Schemer. It’s made it very difficult for me to guess what happens next.”

“But I thought─your fundamental stance was that the Maniwa posed no threat?”

“I may have said that earlier─but I say we reject the Princess Negative of the past. I think I underestimated6 them, and your killing of Umigame Maniwa has piqued my interest. We must take pains to prevent the unexpected. How many of the Maniwa are left now, three? Well then,” continued the Princess, “I think I’ll lend a helping hand to that nasty woman, from the shadows.”

“Really…”

“I’ve thought of something perfectly negative.”

With that, the Princess gave an order to Emonzaemon─behind the ceiling.