v1c1 part1 (1/2)
Chapter 1 - Invading Legions (1)[edit]
Part 1[edit]
Second-year student in high school Male Living in Suruga City of shi+zuoka Prefecture in the Tōkaidō region
If one had to explain his identity, the previous sentences were enough to describe Tachibana Masatsugu, as neither a celebrity nor an elite national athlete
Bluntly stated, putting aside certain idiosyncrasies, Tachibana Masatsugu was nothing h school student
However, the ordinary Masatsugu still had his own ambitions
”Speaking of the final event to be held before the end of the second term, Taisei, do you knohat that is?”
”Of course the final exau-kun”
”Wrong, it's the beauty contest held in Dece place on the last day of the school festival”
””
Masatsugu's friend, Okonogi Taisei, reacted with silence somewhat akin to consternation
They were currently at the cafeteria of Rinzai Private High School Masatsugu was drinking a juicebox of green tea while Taisei was having canned coffee The cafeteria was always packed during lunch time, but quite unoccupied now because it was after school
As a side note, Taisei had a head of brown hair, dyed, and a face whose features could be considered handsome
Unfortunately, perhaps due to his excellent character and upbringing, co common sense, he was not a particularly conspicuous person And now, Taisei spoke gently as always, ”By the way, Masatsugu-kun, I heard you're serving as part of the school festival's executive committee?”
”Yeah I' in for Takeda who transferred out at the end of the first term”
Cou seeid in comparison
Occasionally, Masatsugu would give off an impression like some kind of samurai This was actually correct since the Tachibana faawa as jikisan hataunate
Even though his disposition did not steu as hard or soft in an analogy, he was clearly the former
Masatsugu spoke in soleht He never clamored in restlessness, seldom told jokes, and rarely broke school rules Consequently, he did not have many friends in class
Including Taisei, he had only three or four close friends
If he were to stare in a loohtly furrowed brow
Unexpectedly, contrary to such a hardline disposition, Masatsugu took out fro the list of beauty contestants
”To be honest, when I first started serving on the executive coeant, I found it a hassle and thought I wasn't suited to it However, after looking at these contestants who either volunteered or were recommended by friends”
Masatsugu browsed through the file
There were roughly twenty girls planning to participate Each profile included the girl's name, portrait photo, self-introduction and swi the candidates coh
Revealing a nihilistic se of an evil homicidal samurai
”I discovered that this isn't actually half bad No, I should say I' it I didn't realize that for the past two years—I irls quite a bit”
”I guess so I never noticed before either”
”I'd like to liven up this beauty contest, but unfortunately, there's no one good enough to give the shoo-in candidate to be queen, Matsuki-san, a run for her money”
”Oh, you're talking about the girl who's getting scouted by talent agencies”
”I want to find one or two more contenders for the top spot”
”Hey, Masatsugu-kun, if you're going to talk with such a dour face, could you at least discuss a topic related to the nation's future? Like the hike in various taxes next year or the large sums of tribute that japan pays to Rome for undisclosed purposes”
Seeing Masatsugu with arms crossed and a solemn expression, his friend poked fun at him
Okonogi Taisei's father worked at the shi+zuoka branch of the Tōkaidō News Agency Perhaps due to his fa up social issues to discuss despite being a teenager This was probably the reason why he got along with the ”overly serious” Masatsugu
Incidentally, it was October 1 today, still quite some time before the beauty contest in December
”By the way, Masatsugu-kun, are you returning to the dorm now?”
”No, I'”
”It's very easy for messes and dust to accuuess If you're okay with it, I'll go along and help out? Since there's no student council work today, I happen to be free”
”I' to help Thanks a lot”
Taisei held the job and title of Student Council Vice-President
Manners were essential even when dealing with close friends After Masatsugu bowed his head in gratitude, the two of theether
Rinzai High was located in the eastern outskirts of Suruga City near the mountains, quite some distance from the city center
In fact, since their school was known as a place where prestigious families attended, there were many students who came to enroll from far away
Most of these students lived in the doru was one of thea City, like the school, but he did not have farandparents had all passed away and he did not have any siblings
Thanks to the inheritance and orphan's annuity left frou could still live without financial worries
He could have lived alone in his house, but he chose the convenience of dorm life which included domestic help
”Getting away fro of 'visiting the city'”
”Since the school is so close to the mountains, there are very few residences nearby”
Suruga City was located on a coastal plain facing Suruga Bay
On this coastal plain was a quiet regional town But along the way, there were two shtly abruptly and standing at an elevation of roughly three hundreda reenery
Masatsugu and Taisei's school was located on the west side of Mount Kunou
The two of them took a bus to the city center
This route led to the coa Station On the way, ain the school's direction, probablyits way to the military installation known as a tutelary base
”Did you know? Tokugawa Ieyasu once said that 'Kunou Castle is the inner citadel of Sunpu Castle'”
”Kunou Castle Are you referring to the fort that used to stand on Mount Kunou?”
”Yeah, it's now a set of castle ruins that has al its place is the tutelary base—so like a castle—built nearby, so it ht”
After Tokugawa Ieyasu stepped down froun of the Edo bakufu, he returned to his hoa and built Sunpu Castle as his retirement residence
Suruga City here was a land with intiawa Ieyasu
While the two of thea City There were hborhoods near the station but far less bustling than Tokyo This was an idyllic regional town Masatsugu and Taisei did not get off even when the bus neared the station
The bus continued for ten-odd minutes when they finally disembarked at a stop near the Abe River
After walking through a residential neighborhood for five u's house
It was a one-story house built in japanese style Theroom and at least five spacious japanese-style rooms In addition, there was an earthen floor area There was a ate with a thatched roof
This place ay too big for a single high school boy to clean up
Opening the ancient wooden gate, Masatsugu looked at the entrance up ahead, not too far away He frowned
”Hmm?”
He noticed that the entrance door was open
He had clearly shut the door properly when he came by last month to clean
”Did a burglar leave the door open?”
”I'll go in to check it out Wait outside for me”
Directing the surprised Taisei to go out, Masatsugu went into the entrance himself
Suppose a trespasser had left the door open, a burglary was very likely to be in progress Masatsugu did not want to expose his friend to danger Taisei iate alone
Well aware of his special skills, Masatsugu's friend did not nag
Rather than calling the police, it would be u confront the criminal
”Boots?”
As soon as he entered the entrance, Masatsugu muttered to himself
Arranged neatly there was a pair of wonificant heels
This was not the only suspicious part Masatsugu would only clean this house once aclean, obvious frolance that it had been carefully wiped with a wet cloth
Furtherrance of incense from inside the house—
Masatsugu took off his shoes and went to the Buddhist altar roo a closer look, he found a girl kneeling before the altar with her palether in prayer
She was dressed like a student in japanese style with a hakama This look was supposedly commonplace in the capital
The girl's gorgeous black hair was tied with a scarlet ribbon She was looking at the portraits of Masatsugu's late parents—nau's childhood and his father who had fallen in battle three years ago
The girl was around fifteen or sixteen Though some childlike elements remained, her face was very beautiful and adorable
Before Masatsugu could speak, the feu's arrival
”Welco since we last met Twelve years, I believe?”
The girl su did not recognize her Speaking of which—After giving the ht, he nodded and said, ”I see now I have a long lost little sister, is that it?”
”No, that's wrong”
”Then who are you?”
After calu's speculation, she mused, ”Hatsune's relationshi+p with Onii-sa it?”
”Were you a childhood friend who used to live near e difference?”
”Wrong again Childhood friends or close relatives would've been easy, but the truth happens to be more subtle than that, which makes it hard for htly more removed than cousins”
ChronicleLegion 01 BW02jpg
”Meaning partially cousins or soht?”
”Yes, that's right, pretty much I'm sure you can find a link if you scour the family tree carefully, but that takes too much work, so I'll just call you 'Onii-sama' directly”
”Definitely, addressing you as 'possibly a distant relative' would be a hassle too”
”I know, right? So this is what the two of us decided long ago, fufufufu”
Masatsugu was conversing with the trespasser in the Buddhist altar room whose floor was laid with tatami
The s posture in seiza, so Masatsugu sat down in the sairl was apparently a relative with a first nau had no recollection at all, so he continued his inquiry
”What's your name? I want to know your full name”
”Oh, you are so awful, Onii-saot Tachibana Hatsune, who's in the same clan, that's so awful of you”
Miss Tachibana Hatsune began to pout like a child Masatsugu bowed his head in apology
”We lived very near each other back in kindergarten and we played together all the time”
”Really? Then allow me to ask a question, sister—Sorry, I mean Tachibana Hatsune-kun”
”Feel free to call me whatever you prefer Go ahead and use 'my little sister' I don't mind”
”Then let's go with Hatsune Is there any other special relationshi+p between us? Like an old s of love for each other”
”Feelings of love?”
”Yeah Actually, I've been wondering a lot lately Like whether a girl would suddenly fall froht suddenly show up,” said Masatsugu in a halting manner
Hatsune clapped her hands together in front of him and replied, ”I've read stories of that type too Like in Weekly Shounen Junk” or Shoujo Margarita”
”You can find siaers”
”Is that the type you enjoy, Onii-sama?”
”I took a brief look when a friend recoo Thanks to those stories, there are sohts when I feel painfully aware of how unbearably lonely it is to be single”
”I see now, you poor thing!”
”That's why I wanted to ask about our past”
”Yes, understood There's absolutely nothing like that in our past!”
”Such sad news”
Although Hatsune denied it outright, Masatsugu remained unfazed
”No helping it, the past cannot be changed Oh, but I remember now I think you did propose to ”
”Then why did you say 'absolutely nothing' just now?”
”Sorry, but I'm careless sometimes”
”I see, that does seem to be the case”
”There's more This is how I answered: 'I'll seriously consider it if you grow up to beco as a yokozuna-ranked sumo wrestler in the future'”
”Why a yokozuna-ranked sumo wrestler?”
”The ones I used to like were powerful men like yokozunas, no holds barred champion wrestlers, or lethwei masters In fact, they're still my type even now, you know?”
”I sense some kind of insider obsession in your last example”
Myanmar in Southeast Asia was currently part of the Eastern Rou was very iendary ibility
Mediuht of 175cm Slender physique with virtually no fat
He had been working out,muscles
”Looks likefuture happiness has failed”
”First crushes from childhood never bear fruit, Onii-sama”
”By the way, Hatsune, why did you come to my house?”
”I came to pay respects to my late Uncle and Auntie It's only ize for co in without permission”
”If memory serves me correctly, I did lock up”
”Don't worry, I'm very resourceful That kind of lock only takes me sixty seconds to open”
Hatsune puffed out her chest proudly Despite her childlike face, she was extre on the tatami floor
Her pale and slender fingers took out a hairpin that had been deliberately stretched into a needle-like shape
”Meaning you used that thing to pick the entrance lock”
”That's how I opened the door and came in”
”Then the one who cleaned up the house was also—”
”I noticed the house was a bit messy, so I helped clean up”
”I thought so Thanks But you do know you are currently caught in the act of trespassing, right?”
”You're so mean, Onii-sa doesn't apply to family!”
”I wouldn't bet on that It's e to decide”
”Huh, really?”
”Excuse u-kun and Tachibana-san”
Masatsugu's cal arrived at the Buddhist altar room unnoticed some point earlier, Taisei interrupted them
Taiseithe sound of conversation
He said tactfully, ”Sundoill be here soon if your cos in”
In any case, this was the encounter between Tachibana Hatsune and Masatsugu—Or rather, their reunion
Part 2[edit]
In early October, Rinzai High gained a new transfer student co from the capital Tokyo
She was pri and lively, virtuous in conduct while innocent and pure Such was her peerless beauty that one could apply every flowery literary device to describe her—A beautiful maiden practically loved by everyone in the school
The new Goddess of the caiven name of Hatsune
Reportedly, she was a well-bred young lady hailing froious saa City, and had served at the imperial palace at Tokyo to learn all kinds of etiquette
”Everyone is talking aboutThese kinds of cos correct!”
”In other words, they approach 85 in accuracy? I think your self-ie is overrated”
Despite saying she felt troubled, Hatsune looked quite happy When Masatsugu tried to warn Hatsune, Taisei also nodded on the side and concurred, ”If a girl fitting this description actually existed, she'd have becoo”
”Sheesh Onii-sama and Taisei-san, you're far too obsessed with numbers!”
Mocked by Masatsugu and Taisei, Hatsune grumbled unhappily
During the lunch break, the three of the their u's house, Hatsune had transferred to Rinzai High
As a first year, Hatsune was a junior student relative to Masatsugu in the second year
While eating the daily special, a hauess Everyone is overreacting to the detail about 'a well-bred young lady who had frequented the i their fantasies on you, thus resulting in the illusion of a school idol”
”T-Taisei-san, sometimes you really speak without any delicacy”
”Don't let it bother you, Hatsune Taisei doesn't s like this All he did was share his deductions”
After offering reconciliatory words that totally did not patch up the situation, Masatsugu picked up a rice ball and took a bite
He had bought a pickled plum rice ball at the snack shop This was his entire lunch He was actually not a small eater, but he did have an odd natural habit where he felt uneasy unless he ate humble meals that only made him 60 full
”When youand lively,' I believe it did match your self-proclaimed 85 accuracy”
”Really!? I'm so happy, Onii-sama!”
”As for virtuous in conduct or school idol, I'd say let's forget about that”
”Y-You should've kept that comment to yourself, Onii-sama!”
Alternating through joy and despair, Hatsune was having a lunch co raw tuna on a bed of sushi+ rice, a seaweed salad, mini udon, as well as meat and potato stew
This was quite a hearty appetite for a girl Naturally, Hatsune did not wolf down her food like an unrefined boy
S cheerfully, she carefully savored every dish
It was obvious at a glance that she sincerely enjoyed her mealtime
”However, your faain access to the imperial palace”
”This isabout it too Previously, I only knew that our ancestors were saunate”
”Our clan merely holds empty status without any wealth Fortunately, we are valued for our skills and valor, which is what allowed us to have dealings with the upper class”
In more recent times, there was no one more famous as an example of a samurai in the service of upper society than Yamaoka Tetsushuu
A renowned rapher, he had served in the Bakuunate vassal then as a retainer of the imperial family after the Meiji Restoration The Tachibana clan must have had individuals with similar exploits
”My father cautionedtrainee, to learn etiquette and how to get along with upper society, as a part-time job after school”
In fact, Hatsune's use of chopsticks during meals was very pretty
Sitting on a cafeteria chair, her posture was very upright Although she was a very friendly and approachable girl, her behavior and poise hinted at excellent upbringing
”Then as expected, that ru special treatment, Hatsune-san?”
”Special treat Taisei to explain immediately
”Uh, basically Hatsune-san's uniform”
”Is it not allowed? This older style of female unifor in the school rules forbidding it either”
As before, Hatsune was dressed in a retro style like in the Haikara-san a
This combination of meisen kimono with a hakama was the female student look prior to the Second World War
”There's a retro wave of fashi+on over there recently and I liked it a lot after trying it out”
”Unfortunately, this counts as a nized However, the school has given tacit consent since they did not reprimand you, Hatsune-san”
Five days had gone by since Hatsune's transfer, so the excuse of not having a uniforer justified Taisei continued
”During this aard ti here froa?”
Hatsune shuddered It looked like Taisei's hunch was correct so Masatsugu asked his friend, ”Who are you referring to?”
”According to ruhborn daughter of House Fujinomiya—has recently left the capital to coa”
”A princess of House Fujino his head in puzzleht, apart from the current Empress—Her Majesty Teruhime—I've never heard the name of anyone else in the imperial family”
”Members of royalty in certain countries would take part in public events or diplomatic occasions, but it seems to be different in japan”
Due to certain circu in ould be considered coe Well aware of this, Taisei patiently explained in detail
”Her name and information about her have been released to the public to some extent, but there are no photos Theabout her in the same manner they do celebrities, so the policy of confidentiality is upheld very thoroughly”
Prior to the Second World War, back when japan was still the ”Great Empire of japan,” even ordinary families would put up portraits of upper society but now, the situation had completely reversed
After their defeat in the war, japan had undergone es
The original japan was transfor the Godlike sacred beast Lord Tenryuu as their guardian deity
Nowadays, it was the Empress—the priestess whose destiny was intertwined with Lord Tenryuu—who ruled the nation of japan
”shi+ori-sa abroad in Rome until recently, so that's probably one of the reasons In addition, this so-called studying abroad is actually closer to being a hostage”
”A tool of diplomatic relations, in other words”
”Perhaps weary of such a life steeped in politics, she hoped to spend her life somewhere peaceful This is what I hear occasionally”
Taisei's father worked at a news agency, hence as his son, Taisei would work part-time there whenever there was a lull in student council work He often picked up insider information at home or in the workplace
Meanwhile, Hatsune coughed lightly and said, ”Ahem, in any case, the reason why I came back is top secret Onii-sama, could you two not start any weird rumors, okay? Please!”
The school idol (tentative) siu with a cold expression without bothering to deny anything, apparently
A few more days passed Rumors about Fujinomiya shi+ori the mysterious princess were the talk of the town Just like Taisei, countless people were discussing information about her
The princess who had returned from Eastern Roa City—
Masatsugu also heard girls in his class discuss the ”Return of the Princess” story
However, everyone still did not know anything detailed about shi+ori's past
There was a dearth of released infor princess, currently sixteen years of age, while her er sister of the second Empress
”Hatsune, what is the princess like as a person?”
After school, Masatsugu inquired of his relative who happened to be on her way home with him
Masatsugu lived at a boys dorm twenty minutes away froirls dorm in the same area
Her father, Tachibana Genzou, was currently still in Tokyo
His workplace was House Fujinomiya's imperial villa—In other words, Hatsune was here on a work assignment alone
”The princess is very pretty and s about this, Onii-sama? It's not like I have a chance to be particularly close to VIPs like her”
Noticing his distant cousin u pressed on
”Taisei speculates that you ca to attend to her everyday life, is that right?”
”La la la! I can't hear you Onii-sa else!”
As expected, the naive Hatsune was not very good at hiding things She forcefully changed the subject