Vol 4 Chapter 73 (2/2)

He was afraid he would have his escape route cut off by some clever words And to avoid that…

“A e Ivan the Terrible’s power…!?”

He felt the hall brighten He e

…Yes

This should return everything to norekatsu

He asked if I had so I wanted to do

But there isand I quite like that

And I havebeen restricted by my path as “The Terrible”

“Musashi+ Chancellor…!”

I e, selfishness, optimism, callousness, or whatever else But…

“I a of Sviet Rus…!”

“But you seeardens and zoos”

With a sn frame next to him It displayed a Sviet Rus site

“What’s wrong with using your power in little ways like this?”

Tenzou felt like the hall had grown dark

Except it had not Ivan the Terrible’s lightning had settled down The bluish-white light which had shot out like a hook instead gently surrounded him Almost like…

“A saint’s halo…”

Tenzou nodded at Mary’s comment

…What does this mean?

He did not know But ever since Mitotsudaira had begun her explosion of destruction, he had gathered all the latest Sviet Rus infored it so even the idiot could understand, and then sent it out

The very latest information had been uploaded to the Sviet Rus site they had been shown before the

The king had decided to add to the botanical garden and zoo as a form of welfare for the children

It did seem very unlike someone known as “The Terrible”, but…

Novice: “According to the Testament descriptions, Ivan the Terrible was a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist and regularly purged or executed anyone he didn’t like He beat to death an heir who earned his wrath and that brought a period of political instability to Russia However, he was devoutly religious, so he protected the activities of the church and always made sure to say his prayers In his last years, he repented and apologized for all the people he killed There are a lot of interpretations of that, but my love of romance leads me to one interpretation in particular”

That being…

Novice: “He was quick to anger, but he repented and prayed…because he understood that he was a tyrant”

S Girl: “That sounds like it would drive you insane …He was in a frigid land that required a powerful state and he are he let his anger get the better of hi”

Novice: “He prayed to God and repented in the hopes that the deaths of the rebels would lead to the develop is a lot like our idea of purification This ht be naïve of me, but my romantic side asks who Ivan the Terrible really was …If he was not truly a king, then he was a short-tempered but stubborn believer He had to have prayed for the people while trying to figure out how to restrain his”

“You say a lot of cool things, but you like to take a break for gardening and to look after the animals, don’t you?”

Kagekatsu’s heart pounded in his chest when the truth was suddenly presented to him like this To secure his position here, he opened his mouth before his subordinates could

“Do not be ridiculous…! That is standard welfare! I a’s kindness to earn the people’s support…!”

“Nah, I bet you’re always thinking, ‘Oh, bunny! You’re so cute, bunny~ Ah, don’t run away, fluffy bunny!’ ”

Musashi+’s Chancellor ekatsu could only respond in one way

…I do think that! I’m sorryyyyyyy!!

“Also” The boy acted like he could see so to bud! This bed is going to look a once they all bloom But it would be a shame to thin them out, so I’ll share some with the children’ …You think that too, don’t you?”

It’s true, he thought just before hearing a voice fro and bowing his head, so spoke loudly toward the floor

“You dareof Musashi+!?”

“That’s not what I’ If this counted as , Musashi+’d be in soonna be the world standard in the future”

“Ho ho? In that case, I shall stop holding back when I speak”

“Wait, Horizon Youback before…?”

Musashi+’s leader briefly lost focus, but he soon took a breath and slapped Kagekatsu’s shoulder again

“This arden and frolic with the animals, but it’d hurt your reputation as a…tire-rut?”

shi+genaga quietly corrected him from below the dais

“Tyrant”

“Yeah, that’s what I ht? And you pray to God, right? If that’s keeping you froize with you And once the whole tyrant thing is gone, you can go arden and raise a rabbit”

…Utter nonsense…

He would love er possible

“I cannot do that …I cannot escape the title of tyrant”

“Huh? Why’s that?”

“Testaorod”

Kagekatsu spoke

“I a to the Testato create connections with other nations To reclaiorod was nearly destroyed and the city was purged until 3/4 of its sixty thousand people were lost”

He sighed

“This was done eight years ago and it doubled as an early recreation of the Kagetora Incident which becaht orod Mayoress Marfa had inherited that name, but as an interpretation of the Testaed for both incidents at once Do you understand?” asked Kagekatsu “Marfa is the immortal type of demon Her body will never vanish until it is naturally destroyed and it can be repaired So she told me to leave it all to her In our discussions, it was decided she would be ‘killed’ as a ‘representative of the city’ That should have been all it was But…”

But…

“When word reached me, it turned out every life under Marfa’s command committed suicide”

Kagekatsu remembered it well

He had received a report saying that even Marfa had almost entirely smashed her own body and remade it

All the people of Novgorod had died and Marfa had remade the people’s bodies

She had used spells to move some corpses and to process other corpses Most of the a single body so that “only 1/4 of the population survived”

…And most of their souls did not remain…

Marfa had effectively been alone The lingering regret would occasionallythe past and not enough for her to speak with

He did not knohy she had done that

But he knew his destiny had taken everything from her and left her all alone

And it wasaround her

The day he had received that report was the day he had decided everything

He had feigned illness in his bed, he had been unable to sleep, and he had siht

…I must become a tyrant

He did not knohy he had beco, but he had known then that he could not beco he had wanted to be So…

“I am…the tyrant who took every last life in a city”

“I see”

The boy nodded in front of him and then forcefully slapped his shoulder

“That settles it then Tell ether and apologize”

“Why!?”

The demon roared and the human answered

“Because I need your power”

“You need a tyrant’s power!?”

“You’re really strong and cool, ain’tcha? So let’s go sweep away the sad part of that If you have to be a tyrant, then you can only cry in your heart like when you adore the flowers or bunnies”

“—————”

“Listen,” the idiot said to the tyrant “If you’ve taken so from someone, I’ll take it back for the that’s been lost, that’s gone away, or that’s been forgotten It ht not be in the sainally…”

He smiled

“But, well, I don’t have that uess? Yeah, that’s it So lenda tyrant? With you helping out, we can get things done way quicker!”

Kagekatsu was at a loss for words as he was slapped on the shoulder again and again

…This boy…

He had cheerfully rejected and cheerfully accepted every part of Kagekatsu

…Will he actually trust in me?

No ekatsu’s power and desires, he would trust him

He illing to go with hi But he could not form the words

“…”

Musashi+’s Chancellor gave an extra powerful slap of his shoulder And…

“Return to your position, Musashi+ Chancellor…!”

Kagekatsu was unable to speak his heart, yet he had to hold down the raging feelings threatening to escape from his mouth

“If you are willing to supportto hear you out Let us discuss how you intend to include Sviet Rus – and its future reduction of territory – in your northern community…!”

“I too aot up and spoke into her sign fraami will lose its status as a clan due to our lack of an heir, so hoill you include us in your northern coht just declare it inadequate and turn against Musashi+”

She glanced toward the vassal and the Sato the corners of her mouth She smoothly held her fan out forward

“Can you see this?”

The festival was approaching its clie dru circles of people, and the voices fro

Yoshi+aki waved the fan to indicate it all, including the original site of Novgorod

“How do you intend to treat all these people?”

Her question received an immediate answer

Vice President: “I know exactly ill do about Sviet Rus’s reduced territory and Mogami’s loss of clanhood”

Musashi+’s Vice President stated her conclusion

Vice President: “We will accurately carry out those Testa the Testament remains Musashi+’s standard policy”

“Then…!” shouted Saitou fro roo from Sviet Rus!?”

Vice President: “Tell me why you think that”

“The development of the outside world!”

Saitou swung his right hand to open a two meter sankt okno Instead of the Far East, it displayed a map of the entire world

“Musashi+ claii clan of Jouetsu loses its territory, Sviet Rus should be able to rule fro Russia’s history recreation! But if you begin developing the outside world, ill be forced to abandon our stable rule of Jouetsu and Kantou as Russia and instead head into the outside world!”

That is their scheht Saitou The Far Eastern land abandoned thanks to the Testaive Matsudaira control of it all And they will do the saami

“You will find a reason to confiscate land or clanhood to gradually take up the Far East’s land and increase Matsudaira’s power! How can we assu else!?”

Vice President: “I agree that re the provisional rule that ould be in line with the history recreation”

“So,” said the Musashi+ Vice President

Vice President: “I have a suggestion here Sviet Rus, Mogaer national bonds with Musashi+?”

“Even stronger…?”

Saitou questioned that and the Musashi+ Vice President responded with the word “judge”

Vice President: “After Matsudaira’s rule of the Far East begins, it will confiscate most of the other nations’ territory That is a path to centralized pohich was used by both England and Russia But the Far East is a large place and the Musashi+ must travel to and from its bases to trade So…”

After pausing for a breath, she continued with the next breath

Vice President: “We will place Moga Matsudaira’s northern land”

Masazue and viewed the festival below

“That ed land will pay taxes to Matsudaira on a yearly basis, whether at a fixed or variable rate Your ional taxes, and other details will be set through discussions with Matsudaira after Sekigahara, but let us treat your previous territories as the standard for that territory”

Tomo-no-Bu: “And if we do not develop the outside world…?”

“In that case, the land you would have received will be taken by the other nations …Matsudaira can only make decisions for the Far East, not for the outside world And if the other nationsthe outside world while you do not…”

Masazumi took a breath

“The Testament Union will strip you of your status as Russia”

Tomo-no-Bu: “Oh…?”

Don’t let that surprise you There’s more to come

“Listen This will be implemented after Westphalia Please understand that the Far East and Musashi+’s influence will have grown considerately by then”

Toth and rebel…ill be attacked by the Testament Union and the other nations?”

“If you do so in the Far East, yes After all, the Far East will have peace”

Masazumi inhaled

“But the outside world’s history is another ht with the Far East or Matsudaira, do so from the outside world If such a history exists between the Far East and the original Russia, then ill respond appropriately …We will take you on whenever you want”

“I see…”

Saitou thought about the Musashi+ Vice President’s proposition

…Could Uesugi remain in control of Sviet Rus’s land?

Currently, Sviet Rus had stable domestic productivity, but the cold land and the terrain prevented the that productivity for trade That was a standard problem for northern nations

What would happen if they could solve that all at once?

“Is it justsuccess’ see suck-sex’!?”

Be quiet, Musashi+ Chancellor

Regardless, Saitou thought this was a good opportunity to e in their rule over this icy land They would never get another chance to fulfill their history recreation together with the rest of the three nations

Of course, that change would require developing the outside world

It would not bring total peace And…

KageV: “Our ahara? …That is an interesting idea”

Saitou ekatsu had realized

Tonore Hashi+ba and coe …And of course, that is not entirely dependent on war We must quickly cultivate the uncertain parts of our borders and build villages there If Date and Mogaes But that is another type of a territorial war The type named prosperity”

KageV: “Yes, that is nice I like the sound of that”

Kagekatsu continued speaking

KageV: “That is a war I could love I could stand in the lead and the people could follow like they were e We could clear the land, control the weather, suhts with hyed”

And…

KageV: “On the borders of the greatest territory I could create, we could plant flowers to show off Sviet Rus’s prosperity to the other nations”

“————”

Saitou gasped

This was likely the first time he had heard this fro No, it was definitely the first tidodom he felt others or history wanted

It had taken until Sviet Rus was losing its shape and beginning to change, but…

Tomo-no-Bu: “…We made it in time”

KageV: “Made what in time?”

Saitou could not i even un to set in, so Saitou did not want to carelessly alter it or prematurely fix it in place

There was only one thing he had to say now

Toekatsu the Terrible…your retainers, Council Heads, and nobles are here to support your desires”

“Testaekatsu with a nod

That settled it There were still some problems left and they would have to solve them quickly, but this settled it

Sviet Rus had decided where it was going After all, their king had seen the kingdo for them to oppose their tyrant

Tomo-no-Bu: “Council Heads, use everyas ahara If any can be immediately implemented, submit them for approval”

After a series of “testament” responses, a few of the Council Heads bowed and left theroom

It had begun

They had otten started They could not step back or come to a stop anymore But…

Nine-Tail Girl: “You seeekatsu boy in the best mood he’s been in for years?”

It was Mogah the text of her divine transmission

Nine-Tail Girl: “As a northern coe Matsudaira’s land As long as we pay taxes, we are effectively free to do whatever ish and ill even receive initial infrastructure support Those are so conditions But…”

The fox asked a question

Nine-Tail Girl: “It’s too bad …Mogami will lose Ko reami and ill simply be absorbed by Matsudaira, won’t we? …Did you really think I would agree to soless?”