Vol 4 Chapter 68 (1/2)

Chapter 68: Observer in the Layers

Why does

Nothing I see

Come to an end?

Point Allocation (Footing)

Futayo felt herself wake up

But she felt it was different fro refreshed fro out after intense training but having her body wake up in order to live

She had experienced this sort of “awakening” a few times in the past It had happened when her father had woken her by splashi+ng ater on her with a bucket and it had happened when she had co in Kazuno’s lap But a certain sensation was always the strongest

…Kh

Pain

This awakening felt like her pulse resetting itself after she accule finger It was like being pasted to the ground Her bones seemed to move before her muscles and her muscles creaked like dry branches

She was dehydrated and her eyes ached when she so much as moved them

But this painful awakening had always been filled with an i her way

“Well done”

She knew exactly why they had said that When she trained until she collapsed and passed out frorasped so her spear techniques, acquiring Soaring Wings, or ht and over several days until it pern it was complete So…

“————”

What would she see when she opened her eyes this time?

Who would she see?

Asa on her lap

Her unbound hair waved gently while her opened eyes tried to focus and stared right past Asama

“—————”

They looked up into the sky

Asa up at the blue sky with few clouds And…

“Did you wake up? Heh heh Or should I say a lovely flower has blossomed? But more importantly and most importantly, I am impressed, Honda Futayo”

Kimi bent over to peer down at Futayo’s face and she spoke with a smile

“You did well, sairl You were the type who could make it up here”

Futayo took a deep breath when she heard that Her back rew stiff as she revealed so to Asama

As she lay on her back, tears dripped from her eyes and toward her ears

Asama too had experienced unexpected tears like that recently She did not know if these were from sorrow or joy, but…

…She was moved to emotion

Futayo then hid her face below her right hand And…

“…”

Her dry and barely audible voice uttered what ratitude

Asaot up Asaer, so she looked back and to her right to ask what to do

“Um”

Yoshi+ki had been there before, but she was gone now

There was no point in wondering when that had happened It si more to teach Futayo at the moment

As Futayo irl’s back and shoulders were surprisingly small

At the san frame appeared next to Asama’s face and displayed some text

Hori-ko: “Asama-sama, I heard Futayo-sama fell into the abyss”

Asama: “Ohh, she’s fine, she’s fine She came back up …And it isn’t often that you contact me like this, Horizon”

Hori-ko: “Judge I heard our divine transmission environment had been set up, so I had to try it out …And to be honest, I do have ht by an auto ability You could call it the probability of rejection and the fear thereof”

“So,” she said

Hori-ko: “Asaer-sama, and everyone else…please help us avoid any rejections”

Asae”

Futayo stood up, faced forward, and spoke that word of acknowledgment And…

“I can answer for myself …I definitely made it back up here”

She faced forward

She continued facing forith Ki her back

They were about one hundred e of the Ariake That was less than two hundredthat Futayo had fallen from

As Futayo stared at that distance as if to judge it, Kimi spoke to her

“Aren’t you scared?”

“O-of what?”

“Heh heh Perhaps I should give you another shove”

With a coainst Futayo’s shoulder and ernail fro to here

“You came all the way here…and all so you could ‘make it back up’”

Yoshi+yasu slowly closed a sign frah the h it

She had received a eneral assembly had ended and the Vice Chancellor and the Chancellor’s sister’s training was over

A group she could call her upperclassmen had achieved some kind of results And in response…

…Dammit

She did not knohat that curse was directed at, but she felt a strange sort of anger toward herself It had been there in her heart since the Battle of Mikatagahara, but it had grown larger and larger since arriving in Mogami

…Dammit

What was this deep in her heart and just above her gut? Soive off a faint light like a charcoal fire that refused to go out

She wanted to grab at it and pull it to the surface, but she also felt like touching it would be dangerous Unsure what to do, it simply remained a question inside her

“Heh heh Satomi…the vassal next to you is worried, you know?”

Yoshi+yasu realized her eyebrows and shoulders were tensed and she turned toward the vassal

“Are you okay, Satoot was Early Morning Asazuke-Gael, a Gaelic i-Coot, Three Minute Asazuke-Celt? Mine’s a leafy one and I got the shi+so-colored art”

“No, Gael just sounds stronger than Celt if you ask me…”

“I see… Sorry I couldn’t be any help I traded all my common ones away before, so all I have on hand are paste ones…”

The vassal see, but it had helped put Yoshi+yasu in a better mood Yoshi+yasu took a breath and Yoshi+aki looked back at her while walking out ahead

“You’re quite the troublesos smolder inside you, don’t you?”

There was no point in denying it, so Yoshi+yasu nodded

“Ever since I got here”

“Oh, how splendid”

Yoshi+aki made a sudden move She nin frame sat on the tip

It displayed the dining hall on the starboard side of Musashi+ Ariadust Academy And at the moment…

…Fog? No, that’s the hidden village’s stealth

The wind around the dining hall could be seen in a white drift that should never have appeared on a summer afternoon

Fujiwara Yasuhira, representative of Oushuu Hiraizumi, had arrived The displayed screen contained the caption “The Vice President: Lunch or the Paranor!”

…Don’t list lunch and the paranorether like that

At any rate, the Vice President and the others would likely begin their discussion with Yasuhira soon

They were on theindividually, but with thiswith the Vice President in the center

…No, the Vice President isn’t the one in the center

Everything the Vice President had advocated and supported pointed right back to that idiot

It pointed back to the idiot that Yoshi+yori had told to smile

The way Yoshi+yasu saw it, the Vice President currently stood at the leading edge of Musashi+’s actions

But it was that idiot that supported her and everyone else from the very back

Even when she searched through her me

Since arriving at the Ariake, he had been the same as always His behavior and actions had been the same He even peeped, didn’t he!? But that held a certain

…He hadn’t given up and he didn’t rush things

The people had been worried, but they had lived dense and busy lives on the Ariake, there had been coiven up They had been defeated in battle and lost quite a bit, but that idiot had simply smiled

He had behaved the same as always so that he would not create any neorries So…

“Yoshi+aki …Why do you think this ser here?”

“Well” The fox sn frame “Wouldn’t it be because you left Musashi+?”

Her old self would have found that ridiculous But…

“Maybe so”

Musashi+ was different from Satomi In Satomi, they had stared down Houjou and the various Kantou forces, secured food, strengthened their weapons, and given their all to ensure their own survival But Musashi+ perforescale trade between many nations, possessed a lot of internal culture and technology, and had a great many people But most importantly…

“Musashi+ is at peace”

“That is partially thanks to the repeated election of the incompetent…for better or for worse”

“Testa about that repeated election of the incompetent

…Has Musashi+ had that at time?

There had to be so unique about the current idiot, but that didhad been completely different before him Just as Satomi had specialized itself toward the survival of a siven up, never rushed things, and yet…

“Hey, Yoshi+aki Do you think a will of resistance is so that everyone has and that never disappears?”

“Anyone from Oushuu could only say yes to that”

“Judge,” replied Yoshi+yasu with a nod

And that brought so to mind: Yoshi+yori

Yoshi+yori He ave up, just like Satomi And as a wonderful place that had peace and did not rush things But if that was all it was, it would have ended there After all, Satomi had no peace and was under constant pressure to be on theto be Musashi+ would only lead to ruin

But that idiot had set Musashi+ in motion

Whether he had understood it or not, that idiot had raised his voice of resistance to reject their destiny of loss But that idiot, still as an idiot, had re by saving others

Yoshi+yasu did not know if Yoshi+yori had predicted that Hashi+ba would soon invade Satomi, but that inevitable event had meant Musashi+’s destiny led them to a fierce battle over control of the Far East

Once that happened, Musashi+ in to rush

…And that’s why

That hy Yoshi+yori told the idiot to smile no matter what

And the idiot had done so He had re and after the defeat that could be seen as Musashi+’s greatest crisis And if Musashi+’s Vice President was right, no greater crisis awaited them afterwards

During and after their greatest defeat, that idiot had maintained his smile just as Yoshi+yori had told him to

Thatwhat Yoshi+yori had said

“Dammit”

That’s not fair, thought Yoshi+yasu to no one in particular

Because it was between two boys? Because it was between tho had been left in charge of a nation? While Yoshi+yasu had only been able to cry and smolder, Yoshi+yori and that idiot had sent out the best they had hoped for and it had been accepted

Yoshi+yasu understood nothing

She placed a hand on Murasamemaru at her hip The hilt did notand that hy she could not draw it It was only natural And now Yoshi+yori was gone, her sister was gone, and the people of Satomi had evacuated to Mito or other areas, so no one served under her So…

“It lightens the load on me”

“You don’t have to be so humble, Satomi President”

What did that mean?

If she had a lighter load on her shoulders, she just had to take on more and more of a load in the future Murasamemaru and Yatsufusa would eventually decide whether that was for the best or not For the ti, she just had to do as needed of her

Then, she thought Now that a Satomi like me has become a resident of that idiot’s nation, what role can I play to ensure that idiot doesn’t stop s? There was only one definite answer at the moment

“I’ht”

“Yes, ill hold it over there …What do you think?”

Yoshi+aki pointed toward the edge of the e wooden elevator that led to the snowy ground far below A large circle had been carved into the ground there

“That is the Great Bowl crossing the provisional border between Date and Mogami It is approximately ten kiloe quantity of Orei Metallo, and…”

And…

“It is said to have been the origin of Novgorod This giant spot is quite the spectacle when the ht How about we have a su it?”

Adele looked to the vast bowl-shaped hole that Yoshi+aki indicated

Adele was used to the Musashi+, but…

“Ohhh…”

Even she saw it as a gigantic white depression As for its shape…

…What cup size is that…?

It’s the difference between the underbust and top ht, but…

“Huh? I thought Novgorod was created in the Harmonic Divine States?”

“It was …I said this was the ‘origin’, didn’t I?” The fox laughed in her throat “You knohat happened in Oushuu before the creation of the Harmonic Divine States, don’t you? And you kno the oldest people of Oushuu – that is, the pure long-lived – live now, don’t you?”

Adele had indeed seen that and Yoshi+yasu nodded next to her

“The people of Hiraizumi have a city on the surface and also use aerial shi+ps like a city Are you saying there was a custo cities?”

“Yes The area between Mogae of Dawn and also where the northern rule was later established”

Masazue space

It was the large dining hall on one side of the school building It had been cleared of people for the , so it was a closed space with several tables lined up As long as they placed directional defense spells on the s and entrances…

“Heh heh This is the perfect place for a break Fine, then I feel like so”

The Aoi Sister entered the kitchen while taking the spell cloth in her hair and rewrapping it to cover her hair like a bandanna She must have known the cook because she held up her chef’s license sign fraredients

Opening the dining hall would reduce the crowds at the food stands outside, but…

…Eating in the dining hall? Such luxury…

A large vegetable dish would be Godlike! thought Masazumi as Asama sat next to her

Vice President: “Satomi President, Balfette, can you see the place yet?”

Flat Vassal: “Eh? Oh, yes! This is Adele Balfette reporting from the scene!”

Righteousness: “Judge I’ll use n frame’s additional divine protection to take photos and send them over It’s what I use for recon with my God of war, so it’s low resolution but easily enhanced”

Nine-Tail Fox: “Heh heh Even if we’ve already given you per that in front of another nation’s ruler”

Righteousness: “If I didn’t go at least this far with you, you’d make fun of me”

Was it a good sign that Asama smiled a little at the Satomi President’s conversation?

When the in fra the precision of the zoomed in version and she showed it to Yasuhira

“Is this giant hole the land your ancestors sent floating into the sky?”

“It is …The records say there was an Oushuu base there during the war And after the war, the suppression army used that base and its ether equipment”

Masazu odd and asked about it

“That’s a lot of hearsay for a long-lived like you”

“Not even the long-lived are immortal My information on the past comes from oral tradition, so it is based in hearsay,” explained Yasuhira “But after the suppression, there is of course a gap in the records …It would seeiance by preventing us fro control of our own history”

“In shi+nto terms, that era would be the chaotic period before the world had settled on a cos in which the Anti-Decline Pro-Tuning Project was developed”

Instead of directly facing Yasuhira’s words, Asama simply spoke the truth Masazu a burden on the girl But…

Marube-ya: “Asa a scene here is sure to be lucrative!”

Asa I should fire an arrow your way?”

At least they have plenty of energy At least they have that Yes

At any rate, Masazuht palm out toward Yasuhira

“The differences in viewpoint and interpretation are not i this land rose fro Project?”

“According to the records, yes The Harid land …The records say the base was returned, floating equipment was built, and that land was sent to assist those in the Har equip else was supplied by the suppression arency fleet centered on an aerial mothershi+p”

Mal-Ga: “Sounds a lot like Hashi+ba’s One-Night Castle”

Flat Vassal: “But, um…”

A puzzling pause filled the sign frairl continued after about three breaths

Flat Vassal: “Why did the Z+++ cup size developed by the people of Oushuu end up being Novgorod? This land is in Oushuu, but Novgorod is in the Kinki region which is a good est of here”

Righteousness: “I knohat the people of Oushuu were thinking …It was to prepare for the Genpei period, wasn’t it?”

“Exactly I am impressed you know that, Satomi President,” confirmed Yasuhira “As the Minamoto clan, the Taira family was our enemy The Taira clan they developed from was created in the year 825 …One hundred years before that, in the year 725, the Testa footnotes) that the people rereat war To determine what sort of war it would be and whether it would be settled via interpretations, our ancestors had to decide whether or not they would return to Oushuu from their northern land”

Yasuhira smiled a little And…

“Nohat do you think they did?”

She asked her question and fell silent with a smile So after three seconds, Masazumi responded

“Eh?”

Asama: “Unexpected quiz time! It’s quiz time! shi+nto and Buddhism really do love their riddles! I was the assistant host of the shi+rasago run shi+nto quiz show Pittashi+ God-God last year!”

Sine division, but did you really have to recreate divine punish answers just cause all the questions were about Gods? Although I’ll ad some rarer divine punish a heavy load’, ‘ju splits’, ‘chopsticks up the ass’, or ‘salt in the wound’”

Silver Wolf: “The Far East really does like that kind of thing… But the first show I got hooked on after coone”

Vice President: “Okay, everyone Are you sure you’re not all changing the subject to avoid ad you don’t know the answer to Yasuhira’s question?”

Wise Sister: “Oh, coirl”

Vice President: “I didn’t mean everyone everyone!”

Oh, no, thought Masazumi as she looked to Yasuhira’s smile

Me: “Seijun! This is the time for that ‘funny joke’ you have in mind!!”

Vice President: “What? That one’s sure to kill, so I’ve got to save it for a better time”

Alerous idea and just use it!!”

I can’t do that! she thought, but there was no helping it

The sed, so she was definitely being tested here Everything was fine as long as Yasuhira reone After all…

…Then on’t be able to get the cooperation of the other nations or advance toward stopping the Apocalypse, just like Ookubo said

While wondering what to do, Masazu a question as a form of diplomacy

“You’re asking what your ancestors did in the Har of the Genpei War …What happens if we don’t know that?”

“You should have had tiht”

…I get the feeling she isn’t going be very forgiving

Next to her, Asain a search That’s kind of like cheating, thought Masazumi, but Yasuhira breathed in

“I see We achieved a consensus last night, but it would seem the short-lived truly are realists if you still did not e to step that far into our-…”

The woman just about finished with the word “past”, but…

“Hold on It’s still our turn to answer, isn’t it?”

A voice reached them

“You want to knohat Oushuu’s long-lived did in the Har the 8th and 9th centuries? That’s easy”

A sudden voice echoed fro hall’s main entrance behind Masazumi

When she looked back, she saw a boy in a sulasses before continuing

“Novgorod’s predecessor was established around the year 854 It was conquered by savages, which actually led to gathering into a proper city in 862 …And in the Far East, the Taira clan was created in 825

“That leads to a single conclusion

“Develop well, but the as a different story So Oushuu’s long-lived sent a floating city to Russia in 825 as Novgorod and then returned to Oushuu with their aerial fleet Then western Siberiacity they had received In 862, it becaorod and supported the develop-lived pursued ro Genpei War and doe of intersecting light and darkness…”

Someone struck a pose next to Masazumi and then named himself

“I am Musashi+ Ariadust Academy Secretary Toussaint Neshi+nbara …Lady Fujiwara Yasuhira, please give raph sheet prepared”

Four Eyes: “Are you still et one foryou from that spell”

Novice: “I didn’t ask you to do that, so I’ back hos, could you pull the porn books out from under the bed for collection?”

Mal-Ga: What do you think you two are doing? This isn’t giving me what I need”

Four Eyes: “Two doujinshi+ ago, I think you could have surprised people one for e 12”

Mal-Ga: “The panel below it shi+fts to Asama’s ass, so I couldn’t focus so much on the face”