Chapter 1 — The Nobles of a Fallen Empire

Part 1 — Negotiations

“Your Highness! What are your thoughts on this subject?”

“Hari, you seem rather agitated. You have the air of a warrior facing the enemy.”

The emigre noble, Hari, raises her voice to Setenve Arcana. The princess herself is calm; at the very least, she doesn’t seem particularly bothered by the outcome.

“We appreciate your help. That much is true. We find this information to be extremely valuable.”

“...No doubt you are aware of what we truly desire. Please, provide your aid for us to restore the Empire!”

The earnest desire of the nobles that have escaped to Arcana and those biding their time within Domino’s lands... For them, there is nothing other than the restoration of their fallen Empire and returning to their ancestral lands.

“I see.”

There was no need to reiterate such a thing. Setenve is treating Hari rather coolly, but she does, in fact, appreciate the information. That is to say, she appreciates the information, but she also has no intention of going along with Hari’s plan.

“It is, indeed, possible to restore power to your Imperial House. With House Caputo’s ace, there’s no army in the world that could stop him.”

“Yes, that’s right. If you can lend him to us, it would be a simple matter to wipe out the rebels.”

Although sheltering in House Caputo territory, Hari hadn’t realized that there was such a powerful monster lurking nearby. In addition to her shock, she had celebrated when she had learned about his power, and she wasn’t alone. The hated rebels had been destroyed by divine punishment. Along with a sense of catharsis, they felt hope welling up inside them. The new regime was now a mere paper tiger and the emigres were now convinced that their restoration to power was now just a matter of time.

“That is possible, certainly. Then what?”

“We would then raise the child Lain as the new Emperor and restore the Empire!”

“That isn’t a problem. But again, then what?”

Setenve coolly identifies the issue, throwing cold water on Hari’s certainty that they’ll defeat the rebel army.

“With the power of a man like that, a man who is divine punishment incarnate, you render any tactics meaningless. It wouldn’t matter whether they hole up in a fortress or a city; he could wipe it off the map.”

“Yes!”

“But what do you intend to do after? Allow me to state it bluntly: he won’t solve your fundamental problem. How do you intend to address that?”

Solving the food shortage... The shortage was the root cause of everything wrong with Domino. Even the new regime was struggling to solve the issue, despite having deposed the old regime. Indeed, not only are they struggling, but the issue is getting worse.

“W-We would also request your aid for that issue, as well!”

“I see...”

“We are neighbors. We have long mixed and mingled throughout our history! Please, we ask for the greatest possible aid.”

“So, you admit you have no intention of solving the problem on your own.”

Setenve is well aware of the emigre nobles and their problems. Even setting aside her opinion about their worth, vis-a-vis them being beaten curs, she also has a clear idea of their qualitative value. She’s well aware that they lack the power to rebuild their country or, for that matter, even the power to raise an army of their own.

“You could certainly put down the ‘rebel’ army if we were to lend you the Scarred Fool. If we were to provide you with sufficient food, then you would be able to restore the Empire. But what do we gain in exchange?”

“Certainly, once the Empire is restored, we will repay the debt in the long-term. Think of the help we can provide militarily! Please consider the possibilities in a century, or two centuries!”

Well, that might be the case. It’s certainly true that it might be possible to recover the costs in the medium or long term, even if it resulted in a short-term loss. However, Hari doesn’t seem aware that her words are hollow.

“Then tell me, how much of a difference is there between that and our kingdom demanding reparations from the current regime, or obtaining favorable military and economic terms, in the resulting treaty?”

“...There is no comparison, Your Highness! They are rebels! You have seen how they think! They have gone so far as to raise their hands against your kingdom!”

“True, but they are no longer a threat to us. We have no need to fight the current regime.”

If war is a matter of economics, and if providing reinforcements is a form of investment, then the returns on that investment can be quantified. Even if there isn’t any real cost incurred by defeating the current regime, and even if there’s no foreseeable downside, it’s still not worth doing if there’s no foreseeable return.

“Do you mean to abandon us? To accept the rebel as Domino’s rightful sovereign?!”

“That is entirely up to you. If you can find terms that are better than peace with the current regime, we will consider them. Although, I would hope such a proposal wouldn’t be a mere empty promise.”

What she is demanding is for the emigres to produce some form of collateral. Something that would be worth the effort required of the Arcana Kingdom to do as they ask.

“Consider that the consensus of not only the Crown and His Majesty, but of the entire kingdom.”

“H-How... How can a king think in such a way?!” Hari reacts with anger at the conservative, even timid words from Setenve. It made clear that there was a substantial gap in the thinking being done by the two sides.

“How can the royals who command a kingdom behave so timidly?”

“That statement is coming from someone used to the autocratic rule of the old empire. In our kingdom, while they are not quite our equals, we do have four Great Houses, and their lords have influence and authority that rival the Crown’s.”

House Caputo has an ace capable of destroying an army, and employed it openly against the invading forces. As such, Hari believes that their ace should be placed under the command of the crown. She believes this because, in her former country, the Crown commanded absolute authority.

“Our first priority is seeing to the kingdom’s interests, of course, but we must also tend to our own territories, and as such, the Great Houses tend to be last on our list. The Four Great Houses operate under similar logic regarding their own interests. In that sense, House Caputo’s actions are perfectly appropriate. If we were to demand that they hand over the Scarred Fool, they are likely to refuse, and the other three Great Houses are likely to support them.”

“Ridiculous! Who else but the Crown should control that sort of power?! To leave a force unattended that could destroy your realms at a whim, is that not the height of folly?! Do you want to repeat the failures of our empire?! Power that can destabilize the state must all be controlled by the state!”

Hari’s words are, to some extent, correct. Certainly, Shouzo Kyoube possesses the power to destroy an entire country, and that power is possessed not by the Crown, but rather by a powerful noble house. It’s an absurd state of affairs and poses the constant risk of a coup d’etat. However, that’s only true when viewed through the lens of the Empire’s political calculus.

“...Tell me, ‘child.’ Do you have no conception of learning from others’ mistakes, or even your own?”

It’s not the face of disappointment. Disappointment only exists if there was already an expectation of anything better. One can’t be disappointed by someone they expect nothing from in the first place. All she’s doing is dealing with someone she’s considered a dead loss from the beginning.

“Explain yourself, please!”

“There are people on whom you can use force to garner obedience and those you cannot. I’m asking you if you still haven’t learned that lesson.”

It’s true that Shouzo is content to be House Caputo’s ace. But that’s different from whether or not he’d be content to be the Crown’s ace.

“There are individuals in this world who are far beyond the ordinary. Those people have the right to choose their masters, and those masters must build trust with them accordingly.”

“Do you mean to say that the Crown lacks the power to control him?!”

“That’s what I keep telling you, isn’t it, you fool? How do you not grasp this simple fact?”

It’s their choice to believe that people will obey when ordered to do so. However, the reason Hari’s country collapsed is because they were unable to actually execute on that particular idea.

“House Caputo has him well controlled. Even though he possesses the power to destroy the kingdom whenever he pleases, he’s given them the authority to control how it’s used. Which is why they have shown him to the public. They’re showing that they’ve got complete control over the Scarred Fool.”

The ace is their retainer and, so long as they don’t betray him, he won’t betray them. That is an understanding shared by all four of the Great Houses. Even the most dangerous of the four aces, the Thinker, Shun Ukiyo, is understood as being loyal to House Disaea. The Crown shares that understanding. The Four Great Houses can handle these individuals who are capable of destroying the kingdom. They’re certain of that fact.

“The ruler’s commands are absolute and all will obey. Those that disobey will be punished. That you had such blind faith in that truth is why your country no longer exists.”

“Then... Are you content to allow one of the Four Great Houses, House Caputo, to have greater influence than the Crown?!”

“Of course we’re not content. But it’s irrelevant when compared to the broader interests of the kingdom.”

House Sepaeda possesses the greatest swordsman, Sansui Shirokuro; House Batterabbe possesses the universal arts wielder, Saiga Mizu; and House Caputo possesses the world’s most powerful mage, Shouzo Kyoube. Each House possesses an absolute power that the Crown does not. House Disaea’s Shun Ukiyo, though not yet publicly revealed, fills a similarly important role.

The Crown is the only house that lacks such an ace. Both the king and Setenve are not pleased with that fact, which is why they want to draw in Domino’s current ruler. However, that desire is still constrained by the limits of the kingdom’s interests.

“Daughter of a fallen empire, you’re mistaken. Why? Because your empire has fallen.”

The Crown is certainly not happy that its influence is limited. But even then, they’re still better off than emigre nobles like the one standing before Setenve, and much better off than the Imperial House, which is presently being hunted by the new regime. The Empire fell because they put the sovereign’s interests first. That’s the real story behind the fall of the old regime.

“That’s not true! The Empire fell because a man with four of the Sacred Treasures got the idea in his head to destroy our country...”

“So long as you believe that, you will certainly fail, no matter how many times your regime is restored. No matter how much support we provide, your state will continue to destroy itself.”

In theory, if Shouzo or Sansui were the enemy, then there was no fair outcome to that fight. Even the Arcana Kingdom would fall if facing a mage powerful enough to destroy an entire country or a swordsman that no one could contain.

However, the citizens of Domino support the current regime, even though the change in the country’s political system hasn’t solved the problems plaguing it. Still, the citizens were dissatisfied with the country’s previous rulers, and they don’t seem to want them back.

“The real problem underlying civil war isn’t that one individual started that conflict. The actual cause is, in fact, a lack of control.”

“You are saying that we bear responsibility for the civil war?! That the rulers, not the rebels, are at fault?! What does it mean to be supported by subjects who cannot grasp the big picture?! In the end, they fell under the influence of those who claimed all would be solved simply by defeating us! The same people who then decided to invade this kingdom!”

That, too, is true. It would be fair to describe the current regime as one that has failed to deliver after making convenient promises to its citizens. There’s no guarantee that a successful revolution will lead to a successful government, after all, and it is, in fact, not working out well at present.

“The big picture, mm? Then, I would like you to think from our perspective and consider the big picture. Which do you think is greater? What we stand to gain by supporting you, or what we avoid losing if we cut you loose?”

“That’s...”

“I won’t say that your political system is without merit. However, your inability to maintain that system led to your empire’s fall. It’s hard to believe those who failed to govern their own country will ever be able to pay their debts.”

“...”

“In the end, the only way to judge whether or not you’ve successfully governed is whether or not you have the support of your people. The success of a rebellion is proof that your populace is unhappy with your rule and have put their hopes in the idea of having a new ruler.”

The new regime had lost the war, and no matter how much they might try, they certainly won’t be able to demand money or food from the Arcana Kingdom. However, all they’ve done so far is lose a war, and their state is still intact. The true test of their ability is whether or not they can maintain that state.

“If I’m to offer you further advice... Give up your hopes of rallying your people around Lain. House Sepaeda is not the only power protecting that girl. The Lightning Slasher is raising that child of his own volition. Even if you trot out her origins now, no doubt that man won’t allow you to use his daughter as a figurehead.”

“Lightning... Slasher?”

“House Sepaeda’s ace, Sansui Shirokuro. Your father has witnessed his fighting, I believe.”

House Caputo’s ace would be relatively easy to kill, if it proved necessary. However, House Sepaeda’s ace isn’t one that can be so easily disposed of. As such, it’s completely impossible for the emigre nobles to drag out Lain as their figurehead without his approval.

“...I’ve heard he’s powerful, but he’s still a mere swordsman, yes? I can’t believe that House Sepaeda would provide him with enough support that he would be able to refuse the Crown’s demands...”

“I don’t mean to repeat myself. However, allow me to be clear. He has that support, and no one else in this kingdom doubts that. Unlike your lot.”

Part 2 — Value

If there is one thing the emigre nobles do well, it’s gathering information. At the very least, they had discovered that a survivor of the Imperial House was in Sansui’s care. The next step for them was to gather information on Sansui and prepare their arguments to convince him.

Of course, the results of their investigations were so hopeless as to leave them with an intense feeling of frustration.

“An Immortal who has lived for over five hundred years... A swordsman without hunger or lust, who has been working to master his art since before the founding of our empire...”

Just how are they supposed to draw a man like that into their orbit? It’s hard to believe he has any relatives or even a homeland left. Indeed, it’s hard to believe he’d spent five hundred years training if he ever had any attachment to that homeland. He picked up a child deep within the woods, and he left the woods to raise that child. Moreover, by most standards, he’s already at the apex of what it means to be a warrior.

Serving as the bodyguard of the daughter of a great martial house, living at her estate, being betrothed in all but name to a noblewoman also employed by House Sepaeda, and having recently gained permission to take apprentices of his own...

When Hari made the effort to check with her own bodyguard, she received the obvious answer that he ‘couldn’t imagine a better environment.’

“Even then... Even then, we have to convince him...”

Hari and her bodyguards have gone to visit Sansui. He’s currently instructing a group of extremely tough looking men outside the academy.

“Hyah!”

“You’re too tense. Avoid putting unnecessary strength into your swing.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Your swing is getting sloppy. Try to maintain the same arc for your first, middle, and final swings.”

It seems to be very ordinary instruction, having the apprentices practice their swings like this. It did seem a bit odd to have a small child to be instructing such tough looking adults, but the content of the instruction was completely ordinary.

For someone who had seen the ‘claw marks’ left by the world’s most powerful mage, the simplicity of the man in front of her leaves her with a feeling she can’t quite put her finger on. She had certainly expected something like this before coming here, but as someone with no training in the sword, the sight before her doesn’t look particularly impressive.

“Still... The reality is that he is the greatest swordsman and the guardian of House Sepaeda’s princess. We have no choice but to convince him.”

She has no intention of underestimating him, of course. It’s simply that she doesn’t understand what makes him impressive, or how he could have such incredible ability that even the princess of Arcana admits he has the right to make his own decisions.

In which case, she must do whatever it takes to gain his cooperation in retaking her homeland. Having waited for him to finish his lesson, she chooses to approach him as he spends time with Lain. Evidently aware of her presence from the start, he shows no sign of surprise as Hari walks over with her retinue in tow. He does, however, look a bit apprehensive at her approach.

“Pardon me, Master Sansui. My name is Hari, and I am a noble of the Domino Empire.”

“A pleasure, ma’am. I am Sansui Shirokuro.”

“I would first like to apologize for my father’s actions. I’m told he caused problems for you and your apprentice, Tahlan.”

It doesn’t take a great deal of insight to realize that Sansui’s first impression of emigre nobles had been as bad as it possibly could have been. Even if her father had been threatened by a hex, he had revealed far too much in front of such moral people. Of course, the real issues were that he hadn’t admitted fault until threatened with a hex, and that he had tried to make use of a fair duel to assassinate Tahlan.

Either of those things would have been more than enough reason to dislike someone. Even so, she still has to gain his cooperation, which even she admits is likely to be extremely difficult.

“That matter has been settled, so please don’t let it trouble you.”

“I appreciate your generous response... Lady Lain, are you aware of your origins?”

“...Papa, this lady scares me.”

“It’s alright. I’m right here.”

She feels a tinge of irritation at the heir to the Imperial throne calling him ‘Papa.’ However, he’s also the one who saved her from being eaten by wolves while she was alone in the forest. If he has been fulfilling his responsibilities as her adopted father, then that’s not something they can do anything about.

Lain has grown up without want or need, thanks largely to House Sepaeda. While Sansui’s attire is one thing, seeing that Lain is clothed impeccably by this kingdom’s standards is enough to make that clear. Even if he wasn’t aware of it at the time, he has provided her with an upbringing worthy of a member of the Imperial House. It’s more than enough from a temporary parent.

“We have heard about Lain’s origins. That she is a member of the Imperial House of the Domino Empire.”

“Yes, that’s correct. And she is our last and best hope.”

Unlike the King of Arcana, the Domino Emperor possessed incredible power and authority. Without a member of the Imperial House, even the depleted ranks of the emigre nobles are nearly impossible to coordinate. They’re incapable of acting organizationally without someone to stand over them.

“Master Shirokuro Sansui... We would like you to stand up and punish the rebels on behalf of Lady Lain and the Imperial nobility.”

It’s true that the emigre nobles are being protected by the Arcana Kingdom and that, if things were to continue as they are now, they are likely to marry members of the Arcana nobility and be integrated into Arcanian society.

That would be an easy life in its own way, and no doubt the wealth they escaped with would last them that long, but those are the thoughts of a beaten people. The nobles don’t consider themselves beaten, and they cannot stand the idea of other people running their country.

“I’m afraid that I can’t...”

“Your opinion is valued by the Four Great Houses, and even by the Crown. If you were to state that the rebels must be defeated, then no doubt the sleeping giant will awaken.”

“While I hate to disappoint you...Lain... Well, while she has received a certain amount of education, she isn’t prepared to be a leader.”

“As for that, please rest assured, that we will support her as her regent!”

Obviously, they won’t have a young girl of five set policy or lead armies. There will, of course, be nobles with experience to cover for anything she might lack. Such a state of affairs wasn’t unusual in the history of the Empire. The role they wanted her to fulfill was more akin to a figurehead that they could rally around.

“Regent...”

“No doubt you are thinking the worst. Please rest assured that we do not ask for the sake of our own ambition. All we care about is the good of the Empire and, by extension, the good of this kingdom.”

She seems to be speaking honestly. While she might think she has no sinister motives, she still has every intention of exploiting Lain for her own benefit. If Domino remains in the hands of the rebels, then she believes that, in the end, her country will be ruined. Thinking objectively, they will almost certainly try to invade this kingdom again. Then, having been sapped of its strength, the other countries will descend on it like vultures. As a member of the Imperial nobility, she feels duty-bound to prevent this from coming to pass.

“I see...”

“Please, lend us your strength!”

“I am merely a bodyguard serving House Sepaeda, and whatever her origins, Lain is still just my daughter. Even if the new regime targets her bloodline, that is all that is. A matter of blood. At the very least, House Sepaeda will not accept Lain as the new emperor.”

He was correct in this. It wasn’t just House Sepaeda at the very least, either; in fact, all four of the Great Houses viewed the prospect of making Lain emperor with little favor. All of them had agreed that there was no real benefit for the kingdom in doing so.

“And you can simply accept that?! Lady Lain, who should be the recipient of the highest regard from the subjects of the Empire, will instead just be a nobleman’s bride?!”

“She could have been eaten by wolves, and if the Empire was intact when that happened, no one would have so much looked in her direction, no?”

“Th-That’s...”

“I’m content with the life Lain currently leads, and I have no particular issues with her future.”

Hari wishes to negotiate, but Sansui’s Immortal disinterest makes that difficult.

“If you wish to preserve your honor as a member of the Imperial nobility, then you should work to retake your country using your own strength, rather than relying upon a girl raised among another kingdom’s nobility, yes?”

“If we could do that...”

“If you cannot do that, then you ought to let go of that ambition. Desiring things you cannot obtain is folly.”

If looks could kill, Hari would have murdered Sansui with her eyes on the spot. But as they can’t, Sansui calmly lets it go.

If this was the old Empire, it would have been unthinkable for a commoner to go against the wishes of a noble. Whatever steps she was to take to correct the situation, well, no doubt she’d be forgiven by the authorities. But that authority, too, had vanished along with the Empire. Hari has the presence of mind to accept that she currently has no authority. If she was to cause a problem, then she and her fellow emigres would be the ones singled out for punishment. The only option available to her is to plead to Sansui.

“I suppose from your perspective as an Immortal, our problems must seem minor to you. No doubt you can simply dismiss the rightful rulers of a country being displaced as a concern of the mortal world, yes?”

“There is no such thing as a rightful ruler of a territory. No doubt your ancestors took ownership of your lands from the previous ‘rightful rulers,’ yes? I’m not dismissing it as a minor issue. It’s simply a part of the natural order.”

Ultimately, they’d just lost a battle for territory. Like an animal that had lost such a battle, they would have to suffer the inevitable consequences, to one degree or another. That was only natural, and that’s why both humans and animals value their territory. Sure, it’s only natural for those who lost their territory to want it back... But that doesn’t make them special.

“Lady Lain has a responsibility! A responsibility to lead the nobility as a member of the Imperial House!”

“In which case, did you not have a responsibility to fight to the last for the Emperor? When you lose again, what guarantee is there that you won’t abandon Lain and escape to another country?”

“As you are aware, this kingdom possesses the ultimate mage, a mage powerful enough to incinerate an entire kingdom! There’s no possibility that we can lose!”

“Do you wish to burn down ‘your’ country in order to save it? Based on what you have said, I cannot see how you have the ability to support Lain as her regent once she is installed as emperor. As you aren’t able to do anything for her, I would ask that you not make grandiose demands.”

While gently reassuring Lain, who is on the verge of tears, Sansui walks away from Hari.

“What do you know?! What would you know of our feelings?! What would you know of our struggles as we were forced to abandon our homes?! There’s no way for you to understand what we felt when we were forced to flee before the absolute, unjust power of the Sacred Treasures!”

“I fully understand your position just by seeing your faces. You’re throwing a tantrum because you’ve convinced yourself that your every desire is paramount, and you’re not getting your way.”

And this is how the negotiations end in complete failure, with essentially zero possibility of reopening them.

“For you to regain control of the Empire, you have no choice but to rely heavily upon this kingdom. And as depleted as it is, Domino cannot return the aid it receives. That, of course, goes for you personally, as well.”

“We will, of course, offer a reward appropriate to your efforts! It will be on a national level, over the course of the next century! Unlike those rebels, no doubt we will repay this debt!”

“You speak of a national scale, but all you are truly doing is trying to force your descendents to repay the debts that you incur. You are unable to do anything yourself, so you push a reckless debt onto your children. I cannot think that is something a good parent would ever do for a child.”

Seeing him walk off after making that statement, and rather enjoying the sight of Hari now that she’s been rejected, House Sepaeda’s beautiful daughter allows herself a wicked smile.

Part 3 — Simple

The emigre nobles had a secret, or not-so-secret, hope: that a war between the Arcana Kingdom and the Domino Republic would solve all their problems. The Domino Republic has a food shortage, and since that cannot be solved with the resources available within its own borders, there was a high probability that they’d end up invading this kingdom.

Further, they were well aware that their subjects hated them. They ascribed this to a general tendency of rulers always being disliked by their subjects. Of course, plenty of them believed that their ‘foolish subjects’ had rebelled against them, their ‘proper rulers.’

“This is completely different from what we expected.”

Nuri, who had recently caused the issue with Tahlan, had believed that once the Domino Republic declared war upon the Arcana Kingdom, that the Arcana Kingdom would then invade and restore the Domino Empire. After all, he believed, the very ideology of a republic was a threat to the Arcana Kingdom as well, and they would want to put that genie back into the bottle as quickly as possible.

“The fact that it didn’t end up a real war is one thing, but so is the fact that those weaklings in House Caputo had that much power.”

And ordinarily, while there might have been differences in scale, it should have ended up that way. House Caputo’s ace, an enormously powerful individual that by their presence alone can guarantee victory... Unlike Sansui, the Scarred Fool’s immense power is easy to comprehend.

“If we can bring that mage under our influence, we have nothing to fear. We’ll not have to bend the knee to anyone!”

He’s right about that. Shouzo’s personality and his personal skill are both irrelevant. Simply having him would be enough to keep any country from invading them and force the rebels to kneel before them. Anyone else’s individual desires were meaningless next to his destructive ability.

“Kyoube Shouzo... We must make him ours!”

To restore his lost glory, Nuri has been scheming. Scheming to place the world’s most powerful mage under his control. Finding him was simple enough. Shouzo was being kept far from any trade lanes and empty of any valuable resources, in an empty territory remarkable solely for the sheer distance from other people it offered. A single house sits alone on an isolated stretch of land...that’s where Shouzo is.

Seeing that they had relegated him to such simple lodgings, Nuri’s face curls into a twisted smile. Why? Because it’s obvious to anyone who cares to look that Shouzo is being treated badly. It’s as though they’re just begging for the emigre nobles to recruit him.

If House Caputo had offered him the very best hospitality they could muster, even the emigre nobles wouldn’t have been able to provide him with anything better. But as he’s living in such squalid conditions, no doubt throwing him even the littlest bone will please him. No doubt he’ll immediately pledge his loyalty to the nobles and happily throw away his life for them. After all, he’s being treated like a slave.

“May I ask who you are?”

Of course, there are guards stationed there. There’s an entire unit assigned to guard Shouzo operating out of a barracks a little distance away from the house.

“I am Nuri, a nobleman of the Empire. I have business with the man inside.”

“You will not pass here! Please leave immediately!”

In addition to knights capable of using ordinary magic, there were also paladins of House Caputo skilled in mystical defense. Nuri has his retinue with him, but they probably can’t force their way through that.

“Don’t you dare impede us! Are mere paladins going to get in the way of an Imperial noble?”

To him, the most important thing he has is the status he was born with, and he can’t forgive that another kingdom’s knights wouldn’t obey him.

Why are there even guards here?

His rage puts such ridiculous thoughts into his head.

“Huh, what? Why?”

Shouzo sticks his head out the door from the house without much in the way of caution. He might have been cautious if it had devolved into combat, but the argument only seems to have piqued his curiosity.

“Please don’t do anything!”

The guards hurriedly shove Shouzo back into the house. Even if the visitors aren’t planning to assassinate him, there’s nothing good that can come from letting them interact with him.

“I mean, it doesn’t look like there’s a battle...”

“That’s not the issue!”

“Seems like they’re here to see me, too.”

“Just...please, don’t do anything.”

“...Okay, then. I’ll just wait here.”

Because of the urgency in the guard’s voice, he backs down. Seems he’s smart enough to do that, at least.

However, he’s the only one who backs down.

“Please depart!”

“We can’t just leave after coming all this way!”

There’s no way Nuri would ever back down, and the guards are even more motivated to hold their ground. After all, they’re fighting over a bomb capable of wiping out entire countries. The sheer value makes it impossible for either side to give in.

“We cannot let you pass!”

“Why not?!”

“We have orders from the Lord of House Caputo and the Lord Marshal of the Paladins!”

“Fine! How much do you want?”

“No matter how much you offer, you’re not getting through!”

No one can say with certainty that all knights, paladins included, are uniformly honorable. The truth is, most wouldn’t want to protect the Scarred Fool. If they had to guard someone, they’d prefer to guard Paulette.

However, having witnessed Shouzo’s power, they were all very aware of what exactly it was that they were protecting. In the worst case, should they slacken their protection, the kingdom could very well end up a burnt-out wasteland. To hand him over now means handing over the power to destroy the kingdom.

“We’ve been given permission to kill intruders who approach without permission!”

“How dare you threaten me?!”

“Now, please leave!”

The permission to kill was decisive.

“Very well... But you will regret this!”

He would have preferred to convince him without interacting with House Caputo, but that had failed. In which case, he decided to wait for another day. And then...

At the eastern edge of the Caputo realms, a distance away from the fortress city, Nuri stands waiting for Shouzo.

“Hm?”

“A pleasure to meet you. My name is Nuri. I am an Imperial noble.”

Shouzo appears at the same site for his magic practice nearly every day. After learning that information, Nuri arrived first to wait for him. Of course, both of them have their escorts along, but the situation allows for some conversation. Consequently, the negotiations began almost immediately. Reality made it impossible to delay for pleasantries.

“I wish to speak to you.”

“Yes?”

“No doubt you have your complaints with House Caputo?”

“Not at all.”

“I understand that you can’t say them in front of your escorts or, rather, your jailors, but you can’t honestly say that you have no complaints.”

“Nope, got none.”

“There’s no way you’re satisfied with being trapped in that squalid hut and being treated so poorly.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“I’m sure you believe you’re entitled to better as the world’s most powerful mage.”

“...What should I do? This guy’s not listening to me.”

At Nuri’s complete lack of understanding at Shouzo’s three answers in the negative, both Shouzo and his escorts are at a loss.

“You have enormous value. With your absolute power, there’s nothing in the world you can’t do.”

Power is authority, true. If they’d had power, Nuri and the others wouldn’t have needed to flee to the Arcana Kingdom. And in front of him is a power that no one can do anything to oppose. It was only natural that he’d reach out for it.

“No, I don’t think that’s true, either.”

Shouzo answers without artifice. If ‘magic’ in this world was that all powerful, he wouldn’t have the problems he currently has.

“The only thing I can do is destroy. I can’t do anything else.”

“But that’s something only you can do. In which case, you shouldn’t be treated the way you are now. You should be a hero. Why are you satisfied with living trapped in a house like that?”

“Because if I lived in a big mansion, I might blow it up.”

Even Nuri couldn’t help but pause at this answer. The proof that backs those words is, after all, right next to him.

“See, I’ve destroyed that house five, six times already. Like, I was dozing one time and thought ‘hey, it’s cold,’ and just a few seconds later it was all on fire. Another time, I figured it was a bit stuffy inside, so I tried a little wind magic and blew it away over the horizon.”

The escorts cringe, because it’s all true. While he might be capable of producing the overall effect he wants, he has some real difficulty with issues of proportion. In fact, every spell he uses is, by definition, disproportionate.

“If I were in a big mansion, I’d have to live my life on pins and needles. And if I lived in a city, I figure I might destroy everything around me by mistake.”

“I, I see...”

If he hadn’t witnessed this landscape, no doubt he would have offered to provide particularly tough housing or castles. But Nuri doesn’t have the heart to make that offer after seeing this wasteland, because there’s no brick or mortar that can stop this man’s magic.

“Anyway, that’s why I don’t feel comfortable living anywhere but in that house.”

The huge assumption that served as the foundation of Nuri’s case collapses immediately. He had just blithely assumed that Shouzo was poorly treated and as a result, a simple promise of better treatment would easily tip him to Nuri’s side. All of the sweet words Nuri had prepared have all been rendered pointless. However, he’s not so easily dissuaded that this would be enough to make him give up.

“I understand. However... Don’t you wish to use your power for a good purpose?”

“Huh?”

Evidently, that caught his attention, and now he’s clearly interested.

“Currently, this kingdom is trying to end the war. It’s taking actions to that effect.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard.”

“And you’re fine with that?”

Those with power all have their desire to wield it. Whether that’s power in the form of physical strength, or authority, or overwhelming magic, it doesn’t make a difference.

“We, the Imperial nobility, are moving to take back our homeland. If you joined us, we’d give you all the opportunities you could desire to use your power.”

“Which means...”

“Yes. Use your magic, your divine punishment, to bring justice to the rebels!”

Just as Sansui has the nickname ‘Lightning Slasher,’ Shouzo has been tagged with ‘Divine Punishment.’

As the name suggests, it’s a nearly god-like power that rains down from the heavens. However, it also has the connotation of punishing rebels or invaders.

“So you mean, you want me to blow away your homeland?”

“Yes, but there’s no issue. It’s not as though you taint the land when you use your magic, is it? The cities and the castles, they were all built by our ancestors. We simply rebuild them after reclaiming our birthright. Is that not the way of the world?”

Originally, the infrastructure in that country was all built for the Imperial House and the nobility. The rebels are making use of that infrastructure, and that’s reason enough to destroy it.

“No way.”

Shouzo rejects Nuri, clearly displeased.

“I can’t trust you. So I won’t help you retake your country.”

“H-How dare you speak to me that way?! I’m a glorious member of the Imperial nobility! And here I’m offering to hire you!”

“As I’m trying to tell you, I don’t want to.”

It’s true that you can rebuild what you destroy. And even if you kill people, the population will eventually recover. Being from Japan, Shouzo is well aware of how resilient people are.

“H-How... How dare you refuse me! What issue could you possibly have?!”

“I’ve got issues with all of it. I don’t like the fact that you’re trying to get me to attack your own country, and I particularly don’t like the fact you’re so glib about just rebuilding whatever I destroy.”

Even things destroyed beyond repair can be replaced. Workers who are killed can also be replaced by new workers. However, building new things and overcoming the grief of losing a loved one are hardly simple things to do.

Shouzo looks contemptuously at Nuri, a man who’s trying to boil down these complex issues into something idiotically simple. He had no intention of lending his power to a man who, like himself, could do nothing but destroy.

“The reason I leave my magic in the hands of House Caputo is because they understand the difficulty of protecting people and the difficulty of fixing things. I don’t necessarily believe that they’re all good people, but I think they’re all doing their best for the people of Caputo. You don’t care at all, do you, about the people of your country?”

If they were truly saintly people, they wouldn’t have ever ordered Shouzo to kill anyone. But the reason they had ordered Shouzo to kill wasn’t because they were evil or selfish. They asked it of him after struggling with their consciences and coming to the conclusion that it was the only way to protect their territory and their people. No matter how stupid he might be, Shouzo understands that reality.

“How dare you!”

“Look at this. What I ‘created.’ You intend to leave your entire country this way, right?”

The landscape created by a mage with power beyond belief, with magic from beyond this world, was a hellscape that looked like nothing that nature could produce.

“If someone from House Caputo, like Lady Paulette, tells me to do this again, I will. Because that’s what’s best for the people of the Caputo realms. But you’re different. You want me because that’s the easiest way, and the best route for you, right? I’m not helping with that.”

“...Then what’s the point of your power?!”

Seeing this landscape, Nuri believed it all. He believed that he could use this power to one-sidedly incinerate the rebels. He believed that this power was there for his use.

The rebels who had been destroyed on this plain left nothing behind, not even their remains. But for him, that wasn’t enough. He had to bury all of them in a wasteland like this.

“You are divine punishment! Your power is there to destroy those who do evil! Countries that do evil!”

The four aces of the Arcana Kingdom will never betray their masters. Whether that’s the character of their people, or the skill of the nobles in controlling others, is impossible to tell. However, what was undeniably true was that there was a mutual understanding between servant and master.

“That’s what you should destroy! There are sinners, evil-doers, that must be punished! Destroying them should be simple for you!”

The weapon of mass destruction with free will doesn’t deny that. But he had learned through plentiful experience that sweeping actions that seem simple are often difficult to clean up after.

And that making someone else do the difficult things that he can’t do is a wearying, depressing thing indeed.

“The only one who decides who deserves divine punishment is God. Do you think of yourself as a God?”

If Shouzo is divine punishment, then the one who can bring down that divine punishment is God. And currently, the only one he calls God is House Caputo.

“If you’re God, then you should deal with it yourself. It’s ‘simple,’ right?”

Part 4 — Conjectures

Father and daughter, sadly denied the good fortune of announcing glad tidings to the other, reconvene in one of Caputo’s cities, near the center of the Arcana Kingdom. After exchanging updates on their efforts, they must now map out the path ahead, even if there is little to light the way.

“I see. Sansui refused, as expected...”

“Forgive me, Father. How did matters go with the Divine Punishment?”

“A wasted effort... He is fully in the hands of House Caputo and is allowing them to chain him with their hexes.”

“I see... Then he is useless to us.”

Had they gotten the adopted father of the sole surviving member of the Imperial House, the Young Sword Apostle, to join in their quest, then even the ponderous Arcana Kingdom would have followed with an offer of full assistance. Had they been able to pull the Scarred Fool into their orbit, then with him having already destroyed the rebel army once, they would have been able to reclaim the Domino Empire all by themselves.

However, both refused to lend their ears to the Imperial nobility, choosing instead to serve masters who, far from showing loyalty to the Crown, actively questioned it. Neither had understood the sheer honor they had been offered, not only in meeting Imperial nobles, but in being offered a place at their side. Such a momentous event was the stuff of family legend in the Empire. To refuse an offer from an Imperial noble went far beyond mere foolishness, leaving the two nobles uncertain if the commoners in question even understood what was being said to them.

“Hearing of those refusals, our compatriots have already put their own plans into motion.”

“Oh, my... How impressive.”

Yes, capable nobles wove plans within their plans. If the first scheme failed, then there was a second to take its place. The campaign to retake the Empire was already afoot.

“First, we will ‘secure’ Lady Lain. Next, we assassinate the chief rebel, who will be arriving here in Arcana shortly.”

Both are eminently reasonable courses of action. Rebuilding an Empire requires an heir to the Empire, and if that heir is being ‘held’ by House Sepaeda, then she needs liberating. And with the head of the rebellion heading straight into enemy soil of his own free will, there’s no reason not to assassinate him.

“And we will bury the Divine Punishment.”

“...I see. If all of those plans come to fruition, then war between the Arcanians and the rebels will be unavoidable.”

Then there’s getting rid of Shouzo. The likely reason the Arcana Kingdom is willing to settle with the rebels is because they have the luxury of knowing they can destroy the rebels at any time they choose. That luxury would vanish along with Shouzo and leave the kingdom no choice but to use its armies to put down the rebels.

“Quite, quite... We, the Imperial nobility, will rally around Lady Lain. The rebels, without their leader, will be easy prey as the Arcanians are forced to put them down after losing the Divine Punishment.”

On the matter of securing Lain, they simply say that they needed to protect the heir to the Imperial throne. As for the assassination of the rebel leader and Shouzo, well, that can be blamed on extremists among the rebels who were unhappy with the peace negotiations. A master stroke that will arrange things perfectly for their restoration.

“Such fools the Arcanians are, Father... Had they simply helped us to begin with, none of this would have happened.”

“Indeed, my dear Hari. Instead, they will miss the honor of supporting the next Emperor and lose their greatest mage. They have brought it all upon themselves.”

Yes, everything will proceed the way it should. After destroying the rebel army, no doubt the Arcana Kingdom will rely on the Imperial nobility to help them govern the vast lands of the Domino Empire. Without the invaluable and commanding presence of the nobility, any new emperor would be doomed to fail.

“One cannot govern a country with mere ideals. Is that not so, Hari?”

“Indeed. The role of a noble is to do what is necessary to secure power.”

Surely, neither the Arcana Kingdom’s Crown or nobility could comprehend such a grandiose plan. No doubt they will continue to believe they are acting of their own free will, unaware that they’re following a script written by the Imperial nobles. The price of underestimating the Imperial nobility would be paid for by their bloody labor.

Meanwhile, at House Batterabbe’s estate in the royal capital...

Currently, the Lord of House Batterabbe, his daughter Happine, her fiancé Saiga, as well as Magyan’s Sunae and Tahlan, are all assembled in a room together.

“It’s likely the emigre nobles are plotting to assassinate the new regime’s leader, as well as Shouzo, and kidnap Lain in the process.”

They discuss, with troubled expressions, subject matter that would drain the color from the Imperial conspirators’ faces. Everyone present but Saiga appears to find the statement unremarkable. Saiga, however, couldn’t help but furrow his brow. As he was operating from an amateur’s point of view, he couldn’t imagine people being stupid enough to try the things that had just been described.

“Um... Are you serious?”

“Did it sound in jest to you?”

“No, I don’t mean... Just seems pretty ridiculous.”

“No doubt... But they’re already making preparations.”

“But, uh... Just what are they trying to accomplish?”

Honestly, that’s what’s really escaping his grasp. Saiga can’t understand what the nobles think they’ll gain from doing any of these things.

“To maintain the war between Arcana and Domino and force us to take down the new regime.”

“...Would that really happen?”

Even with Lord Batterabbe’s explanation, Saiga still gives a quizzical tilt of his head. If these were manga or anime characters, sure, he could see them trying that sort of cartoonish villainy. But these are people. Surely even they know better.

“Saiga, you’re only saying that because you’ve never met one of these emigres. They’re all pretty much useless,” a faintly irate Happine adds in support of her father’s words. As a daughter of the main branch of House Batterabbe, Happine herself has likely received numerous unsolicited advances from the emigre nobles. Her disdain suggests the advances weren’t particularly pleasant, either.

“They say desperation dulls the wit. Saiga, don’t assume all men are equally wise. There would be no need for laws, in that case.” Sunae, a princess who holds the Royal Presence, also appears to know many such fools. She certainly shows no surprise that the emigre nobles are putting such a harebrained scheme into motion.

“There is no need to go out of your way to understand them. As one tasked to protect the law, you need only focus on doing what’s right.” Tahlan’s words are unvarnished truth. Rather than wonder why they’re going to commit a crime, it’s more important to focus on stopping that crime before it can happen.

“Y-Yes, you’re right... Both assassination and kidnapping are bad. Letting the war continue is even worse.”

“That’s the spirit. They have their reasons for their actions, but we must act to stop them, for the sake of both countries.”

The assassination of two men and kidnapping a girl. Success in any one of those schemes would be a major blow to the Arcana Kingdom. Indeed, the costs would be far graver than the emigre nobles could ever imagine.

“Saiga, Princess Sunae, Prince Tahlan. I would appreciate it if you could make your way to Caputo and protect the summit.”

Which is why failure isn’t an option. Lord Batterabbe prepares to deploy his ace in the effort.

Though the young man is not yet ready to handle this on his own, Lord Batterabbe hopes that, some day, Saiga will become an absolute ace akin to Sansui in capability.

But for that, the most important thing now is to gain experience.