v3c2 part1-2 (1/2)
Chapter 2 - To the East and to the West[edit]
Part 1[edit]
November 8th, 0:00
It was ht when the date rolled over
Princess shi+ori had gone to visit an old acquaintance
”Our lastwas”
”August this year—Yes It happened to correspond to the tihness returned from the Roman imperial capital”
”Yes, and you happened to be staying in Tokyo at the tiase-sama”
This conversation was taking place at a special sickrooa tutelary fort's medical division
Eighteen hours earlier, shi+ori had been lying on this sau for consecutive days, she had collapsed from exhaustion
Now, her bed was being used by someone else
Akigase Shouzan, Governor General of the Tōkaidō Fiefdo to reports, he had been heavily injured at Nagoya Castle eight hours earlier
”It is far too shahness in such a manner”
”Both victory and defeat are commonplace in war and injuries are often inevitable I believe there is no shame in this” shi+ori politely offered words of consolation, then changed her expression
She smiled fearlessly and revealed the acuity of her intellect
”It is iainst the British Empire Any Governor General would have ase-sama”
The elderly Governor General was on the bed, onlyto prop up his upper body
He narrowed his eyes for a moment to scrutinize shi+ori then smiled wryly
”I aled all of a sudden But it turns out you had simply discarded your facade”
”Oh dear, please call it 'treating others with sincerity' instead”
Akigase Shouzan was a powerful politician and highly experienced as a judge of character
shi+ori had offered honest words to so each other closer
This was not to cultivate personal friendshi+p For a princess seeking ascension and a fiefdom's Governor General, this was simply part of their job
”Strictly speaking, Akigase-sama, you are only to blame for one mistake”
”Waiting in vain for aid from Tōsandō and Kantō until the very end I suppose that should be it”
”Indeed, you should have requested Eastern Rome's aid instead”
After hearing this, the elderly Governor General's wry expression lost its smile
With a bitter face, he said, ”Eastern Rome is japan's ally, indeed, but one cannot consider thereat ar, which hy I hoped forhand All things considered, we are fellow citizens of Imperial japan—”
”Certainly, it would be ideal to prevent Rome's participation in this situation” shi+ori nodded in agreement ”The Restoration Alliance are aided by Edward the Black Prince and Richard the Lionheart, which necessitates Lord Caesar's active participation to oppose the Lord Caesar to join the battle would effectively make him the commander of the 'Anti-Restoration Alliance' forces—”
”Regardless of the Restoration Alliance's success or failure, Tōkaidō would end up owing hie favor”
Imperial japan was divided into twelve provinces, ruled by the Twelve Houses as regional feudal lords The relationshi+p between the japanese Eous to that ”between the shogun and the various feudal clans of the Edo period”
A the twelve, the Kantō Fiefdom held the most special position
While serving as the protector of the imperial capital of Tokyo and the current Empress, they were also extremely wealthy economically
And the one had Eher-ups of the Kantō Fiefdo from his hand” was none other than Generalissi Eastern Roman Empire
Akigase Shouzan had vowed to never repeat the same error as the Kantō Fiefdom
However, the elderly Governor General now sighed in anguish
”Lord Caesar is starting to intervene in the war, yet japan has no one capable of relegating hi role It would appear that Tōkaidō's futile struggle ends here”
”No, it would be i role”
This old man was powerful but he was not a hero of timeless transcendence
His house and territory had fallen into an unprecedented crisis
It was time for shi+ori to deliver her feature presentation to hireater need of Lord Tenryuu's granddaughter and a powerful Resurrectee than him
shi+ori smiled with full confidence
”However, as for relegating hi would be feasible”
”Oh? Speaking of which,” the Tōkaidō Governor General looked sharply at shi+ori ”Lately, a familiar name has frequently come to my ears”
”Please allow me to offer a proposal, which covers this matter too It concerns the future of the Tōkaidō Fiefdooya and met defeat at the hands of the Restoration Alliance”
This was one ite
After the Ro had relayed Generalissimo Caesar's intent, shi+ori had devised ”the next step in the plan” Rikka and Tachibana Masatsugu had agreed as well, which aa side
”How about abandoning Nagoya for the ti to pursue opportunities in the east?”
”East So 'Hakone Checkpoint' is what you are referring to?”
”Yes The Tōkaidō Fiefdoa its temporary provincial capital then take back Hakone from Edward the Black Prince”
”Take back?”
”Indeed This is also the purpose for which we are relying on your Chevaliers to head out to battle tonight”
Hakone Checkpoint was an inable fortress Furtherhold
Currently, the defenses at Hakone Checkpoint were far ase Shouzan widened his eyes, very surprised by the suggestion
Part 2[edit]
November 8th, 00:35
It was late night after the date had rolled over
Headed by Tachibana Masatsugu, the Tōkaidō Chevaliers were out in the field, too busy to take a break yet
They were headed for the regional city facing Suruga Bay—Fuji City
This was one of the towns conquered by the Restoration Alliance a month earlier
”I reo e caht?”
”Yes, though last ti into someone's back yard”
This conversation between the Tachibana siblings was taking place on a wyvern
As the rider in charge, Masatsugu held the reins while little sister Hatsune rode behind hionoura and said, ”Our objective this tiainst”
The Fuji tutelary fort was built as a star fort located four or five kiloonoura Port
Presently, there were 242 Ka the tutelary fort
These 242 Legions belonged to the Tōkaidō ara tutelary fort
However, this army was composed of Kamuys, not the red-purple ”Kanesadas” summoned by the amnesiac Resurrectee
”Will the Nagoya knights be okay?” Hatsune asked in worry ”They're probably very tired They've been fighting since daytia, and now they're on another expedition after almost no rest”
Masatsugu had decided to leave this attack on Fuji to his comrades
He had rescued ten Chevaliers frooya Castle Their naa, Sudo, Ikou, Bizen, Ayase, and Benke
Their total Chevalier Strength was six hundred or so
After the battle at Nagoya Castle, the ions were dead or injured
Fortunately, they still had 242 Ka These forces were now deployed in full for retaking Fuji
Setting off froa tutelary fort, they secretly a Bay—
Then flying along Fuji City's coast, they launched a surprise attack on the Fuji tutelary fort
”Relay orders to the noetic special ops team It's our turn to use noetic disruption”
Masatsugu whispered from his saddle
As the coether with his little sister
”Wireless coer usable in Fuji City Preparations for a surprise assault are aloya Chevaliers”
”The Kurou Hougans I brought could help out too”
”No need Wait here quietly”
”Understood~ Ooh, it's so nerve-racking to watch a battle from the sidelines”
Seventy Kurou Hougans were lurking in the sea as a reserve force
Meanwhile, the 242 Nagoya Kah the air in a spherical formation
As the army approached the Fuji tutelary fort, they raised their rifles to fire in volleys The enemy deployed a do the star-shaped fortress
The Tōkaidō army's volley fire was blocked completely by the noesis barrier
A gigantic eyeball also appeared in the sky over the tutelary fort
With a diameter of sixty meters or so, it was ”the eye of the death Goddess”
”Onii-sama, look It's that eyeball monster we encountered last time!”
”I think the ifrit is called Morgan le Fay Probably an avatar”
The divinity's principal ie was set up at Hakone
However, Morgan le Fay's avatar was as powerful as an ordinary ifrit Such was the astounding poielded by the strongest guardian deity of the British Imperial Forces
Around the giant eyeball was a defense force of 146 Crusades
Hatsune was so nervous that she alasped
”W-Which side has the upper hand!?”
The Tōkaidō arions Nu intensely throughout the day, they were quite exhausted
Against the eneed formation
They forhly two hundred and forty Kaular prisions tall, and six Legions deep
The Tōkaidō ar to fire
They charged straight at the tutelary fort's noesis barrier
The Restoration Alliance on the defending side first had the ifrit Morgan le Fay suht sky This was a mysterious power that controlled weather phenoical decree
Blotting out the htning strikes
Oddly enough, instead of targeting the Tōkaidō ariant eyeball avatar
The Tōkaidō ar at the tutelary fort's noesis barrier
The dense wall of Legions versus the doy—
The two giant walls clashed directly
Of the 242 Kamuys in the wall formation, the forty on the front face, ie 8 x 5, raised their bayonets to stab the noesis barrier before them
Instantly, the barrier shook violently
At the saht sky
'Meteorological decree, activate shi+ning spear Receive the blessing of the death Goddess'
Masatsugu had recollections of this voice It was the genie controlling Morgan le Fay
Next, the giant eyeball in the sky released a powerful flash of lightning
The eyeball had concentrated the previously absorbed lightning strikes into one intense attack—towards the Tōkaidō's 242 Legions
The ”wall in the sky” of 242 Kamuys shook violently
Casualties for Legions on the outer surface of the ere particularly severe
Some of the Kamuys were scorched all over while others were blown back Still others dropped their rifles or staggered unsteadily, etc
There were also Karound
The British side took advantage of the chaos to attack
146 Crusades had been waiting ready behind the giant eyeball in the air Forty of theht side of the ”wall in the sky”
They were targeting the outer surface of the wall fored Kamuys
Confronted with this sudden assault, ht unprepared and were stabbed in various vitals such as the throat, the chest, or the head
The Crusades did not enter any formation
Attacking swiftly with their blades, they sliced through the densely packed Kamuys
Close to twenty of the sions died and crashed down
After the quick assault, the Crusades rapidly retreated back to beside Morgan le Fay's giant eyeball
Once again, the giant eyeball absorbed powerful electricity from the sky
The eneu's cheek twitched in a smile
”I see, so this is what they're thinking”
”Onii-sa?”
”Yes, our victory is assured”
”H-How so?”
”Hatsune, send a pipe fox to infore is as follows: 'All units, keep going as-is and fight'”
”Maintain the status quo? You're not offering strategies to handle the electrical attacks or directions to scatter and fight back!?”
”The way I see it, no need for that” Masatsugu declared firmly and explained to the surprised Hatsune
”The enemy will not last”
Thirty minutes passed
Morgan le Fay's eyeball repeated the sa attack ten times
The Crusades also raided ten times in concert
After every coe But currently, the battle was in favor of the samurai of Imperial japan
The ”wall in the sky” formed from Kamuys remained intact
Seizing opportunities to attack, the Tōkaidō army opened fire to unleash potent firepower
The British Legions and the tutelary fort ahead had no choice but to take on this simple yet powerful attack
The British side's noesis barrier was all riddled with countless holes and cracks, about to collapse The defending Crusades were also down to about fifty
”They're really going to win easily at this rate Looks like the Nagoya knights still have enough energy to last the whole battle, despite fighting nonstop during the dayti”
”Did you forget, Hatsune?” Masatsugu reminded the impressed Hatsune
They were still riding one wyvern together In the end, neither of them went up to the front line personally There was no need to mobilize Hatsune's army either
”Prior to setting off, the Nagoya Chevaliers established their tutelary pacts at Suruga and finished resupplying on ectoplash to recover a Chevalier's stamina”
”Oh right”
Hatsune had experienced the saured it out
Their wyvern slowly fleards the Fuji tutelary fort
”Besides, the Nagoya Chevaliers are fueled by y alone”
”What else is there?”
”Rage”
Masatsugu explained the battle situation while controlling the wyvern
”They suffered a great defeat at Nagoya Castle without getting a chance to go all-out If you give the a carrot in front of a horse's nose Their fighting spirit will be high, of course”
”Definitely, this could be considered a battle to regain their honor”
”Compared to the Restoration Alliance at Fuji, the Tōkaidō side has superior numbers and morale Even if the enemy play little tricks in this kind of situation, they still won't be able to dislodge our side's advantage”
”So that's why you told the as-is, Onii-sama!”
”Well, there was no way to issue any other order,” said Masatsugu indifferently ”The Nagoya Chevaliers are too worked up Besides, this army was assembled from ten Chevaliers in a hurry They won't be able to properly carry out any coe'”
”Your comment is a bit too direct here”
”No enerals are usually people with strong egos”
”But you're so a, Onii-sama The battle really turned out as you predicted”
Hatsune praised Masatsugu with gli eyes
After taking care of Richard the Lionheart, Masatsugu had said during the war council that 'Since Nagoya is going to fall anye should set things up properly for today We just ht be able to retake Fuji City'
Hence, their prioya was not to support a retreat
Instead, they were gathering up the scattered Chevaliers after their defeat so as to deploy them in the battle to recapture Fuji on the same day
Indeed, they were starting a battle the saoya defeat
This was the moment when the eneu was taking advantage of the fact that after Richard's defeat, the British were unable to fully cooya invasion
”It's all thanks to defeating Richard yesterday” Masatsugu oya would've been a dangerous gaht've been very difficult too”
”Oh right, Onii-sao”
Hatsune recalled the conversation from thirty minutes earlier
”You saw through the British ar,' didn't you?”
”Seeing as the enemy did not choose the siuessed that they had probably thought up some kind of smart-ass idea”
”What smart-ass idea?”
”Figure it out yourself We'll compare notes later”
”I can't believe you won't tell me, that's so mean!”
”I' to be busy next”
”Like rushi+ng into the Fuji tutelary fort?”
”That's one of the reasons, but I expect Hakone to send reinforcements soon We need to come up with a solution”
”Just intercept them here!”
”No, fighting should be avoided if possible I wish to enter a dialogue”
”Dialogue?”
Hatsune tilted her head in puzzlement, unable to understand her older brother's words
Her intelligence was still an unknown, but her instincts were very sharp and her ere unexpectedly quick too Soon enough, she would probably understand without needing detailed explanations
Flying on the saht scenery and Suruga Bay below
The tutelary fort was just ahead Reflecting light froht ocean's surface was filled with a fantastical atmosphere
Part 3[edit]
A battle between the Tōkaidō army and the Restoration Alliance had broken out at the Fuji tutelary fort
Just as victory was about to be decided, the genie Morrigan also began to retreat Naturally, this so-called retreat did not refer to physical movement
She summoned her consciousness back from the simulacrum stationed there as her avatar
The spirit Morrigan's principal inable fortress, Hakone Checkpoint
Fuji City was thirty kiloan's consciousness finally returned
”What an, embarrassment”
As soon as Morrigan returned to her usual sirumble about the humiliation of defeat
The intricate doll stood 150c in a rocking chair, dressed in a sailor outfit with a beret
”I am terribly, sorry The Fuji tutelary fort's defense was a failure”
”You have no need to apologize, Morrigan”
The ently
Edward the Black Prince
The ultilish royal fae, he was also the commander-in-chief of the British Imperial Forces stationed in Imperial japan
”Your role is nothing uardian Goddess Humans are the ones responsible for human accomplishments and failuresResponsibility for the defeat lies with Defoe and Chaions and giving you directions”
Edward and Morrigan were currently at Hakone
The location was a adake, inside a room in the command center
Back when this land was under the Kantō Fiefdom's control, the room was the office used by the ”supreed to Britain and Edward the Black Prince
The divinity baseplate of Morrigan's principal ian le Fay was also housed in the command center
Until a few dozenher avatar at the Fuji tutelary fort and participating in the defensive battle Never did she expect failure as the outcome—
Morrigan was gnashi+ng her teeth in chagrin
The ”prince” said to her, ”Knowing you, Morrigan, I aainst a numerically superior ene recklessly Focus on defense together with Morgan le Fay and wait for reinforceht?”
”Precisely”
”However, Defoe and Chanored your counsel”
””
”Since Uncle could not participate in the Nagoya invasion, we had no choice but to send experienced Chevaliers fro over defense duty on their behalf, Defoe and Cha and inexperienced Chevaliers”
Edward closed his eyes and deduced what had transpired
”With Chevalier Strengths around 70, ineligible as Knights of Her Majesty, they are iuish thea attacked Hence, they immediately ordered you to pin down the Tōkaidō army Then they raided the enemy's disrupted ranks”
Edward correctly described what had happened over the course of those dozens of h he had witnessed it first hand
”However, the ene as they calmly maintained the status quo All they needed to do was stay in formation and handle Defoe and Chamberlain's little tricks, then victory was theirs for the taking with numerical superiority on their side”
Morrigan's doll eyes widened Her commander's eyes of wisdom had astounded her
As always, Edward had a full and detailed grasp of what had occurred in a distant battlefield
”Since you know, so well Why not send, other Chevaliers to Fuji?”
”Insufficient hed ”It's not like I am a prophet or have clairvoyance How could I possibly predict everything about the enemy before the battle started?”
”Your abilities approach, clairvoyance already”
Morrigan's tone sounded more like sarcasm than praise
She knew that this was neither ic nor extrasensory perception
In his past life, Prince Edward had accumulated countless experience across hellish battlefields, naturally honing a sharp sense of perception
Perhaps the enehtful?
Meanwhile, Edward fell into deep thought
”Attacking Fuji fros caused by Uncle's defeat that cannot be plugged until tomorrow or the day after”
analyzing the reasons for the defeat, the prince was showing signs of a smile on the corners of his mouth
”He must be the one in command after all?”
At that an sensed noetic waves
A noetic officer had reported the arrival of a ser retainer beast sent fro Commander-in-Chief Edward's decision
”Prince, the Fuji tutelary fort has sent a ue between Hakone and Fuji'”
”Oh?”
The Black Prince s like a mischievous child in tone
”Morrigan, helpcalled a fixed line telephone, is it? Call the command center at the Fuji tutelary fort The other side will pick up right away”
”Affiran nodded and did as requested by themodern contraptions
Hakone Checkpoint and the Fuji tutelary fort
After the British forces captured them, these two places came under the Restoration Alliance's control, and they usually kept close contact through frequent telephone calls
Morrigan operated the telephone on the office desk
She turned on the speaker phone and invited her boss to speak
”hello,” Edward spoke a greeting to the phone
'Are you there?' Soon after, a reply was heard on the speaker Morrigan had recollections of this voice, it was Tachibana Masatsugu She had previously encountered this Tōkaidō Chevalier in the outskirts of Fuji City
'I was thinking—Perhaps you ht come to Fuji yourself, Prince'
”I have some important uard Three hundred Knights of the Garter are headed towards Fuji City”
'Meaning you won't be co in person, Prince?'
”To be honest, I do regret ht you would run all the way over to Fuji”
Edward shrugged
As soon as he received news of a ”surprise attack on Fuji,” he had ihts
With Morgan le Fay's support on the battlefield, victory was assured even without the Black Prince's personal presence Naturally, that only applied against ordinary enemies
Morrigan held back her feelings of hu to her superior's conversation
”I heard you were quite active in Nagoya thiseverywhere in less than half a day, now that is truly elusive No”
The legendary prince seneral over the phone
”Rather, celerity is the soul of warfare, wouldn't you agree? Magnificent Those self-proclaimed military advisers always love to pointlessly deliberate over intricate tactics or unusual strategies Yet the vital principle of celerity is lost upon them where the swift and maneuverable triumphs over the slow and ponderous Tachibana-dono, you are well-versed in the key principles of warfare”
''
”Your trap for defeating Uncle and the constant traveling for the past two days, everyWhat I truly want—”
Edward paused and switched to a provocative tone of voice
”What I truly want is your name and to conduct a bit of research on that”
'Not at all, you praise me too much So, what are your plans?'
”Well, I shall order hts to halt their ht to be the ideal choice”
'The Lionheart last night and the Black Prince tonight Two consecutive evenings of extravagant banquets'
”Indeed Last night, even though Uncle attacked in full force, you were able to achieve victory by using fewer than four hundred Legions Such extraordinary methods”
'I was at wit's end too'
”Quite so However, thanks to your painstaking conservation of forces, I believe you probably hold five or six hundred red-purple swordsmen in peak condition, yes? Or perhaps, even more than that”
Morrigan widened her eyes in surprise
The Black Prince was positing that the u, had a Chevalier Strength surpassing 1000
Edward's own Chevalier Strength reached as high as 1256 He believed his opponent to be a fa the likes of Richard the Lionheart, Julius Caesar, or Admiral Nelson—
”Yesterday, the quantity of your Legions was unnaturally low When I learned of that, I ondering if you had deliberately conserved troops as a precaution in case I attacked Would I be bragging if I said that?”
'No co to say to you' On the other side of the call, Tachibana Masatsugu spoke indifferently, 'My side is prepared to defeat your English longbow foro'
”Oh? My 'lais'?”
'If you cannot wait, I don't ht'
”Superb My blood boils in excitement for the first time since my arrival to japan Since you say so, Tachibana-dono, I shall lish style”
'It's a promise'
”Then today's fighting shall conclude here”
'We will fight another day at Hakone'