Editor: Tseirp
“Abel, what a terrible thing to happen.”
“It certainly is.”
“When you do a ‘Denchuu de gozaru~’, it can only lead to tragedy afterward.”
“Denchuu? That phrase… I vaguely rember hearing it once before…”
Once, inside the carriage heading to Twilight Land, Ryo had muttered the phrase ‘Denchuu de gozaru~’… and it seems Abel had rembered that. As expected of a king.
That said, the actual story of Lord Asano Naganori of the Ako domain and Lord Kira Yoshinaka wouldn’t make any sense to Abel.
Denchuu de gozaru is generally associated with the Chushingura tale, or more precisely, the sword incident in the Edo Castle’s Pine Corridor (Matsu no Roka).
During the Edo period, Lord Asano attacked Lord Kira with a ceremonial dagger in the Pine Corridor of Edo Castle.
Naturally, it wasn’t a weapon that could kill soone, and even though Kira was wounded on his shoulder and around his eyebrow, they were minor injuries needing only a few stitches.
Looking at it calmly, it’s difficult to understand why Lord Asano attacked him.
As a result, the Ako domain was abolished.
Its samurai beca ronin, and their families were left adrift.
The consequences were clear—causing a disturbance, let alone drawing a weapon inside Edo Castle, would obviously lead to disaster.
And yet… he did it anyway.
Many theories and stories have arisen over the years, and it’s a tale still passed down even centuries later…
Incidentally, the phrase ‘Denchuu de gozaru’ that Ryo uses cos from a famous scene…
Asano was restrained from behind by Kajikawa Yoritomo, who shouted, “Denchuu de gozaru! Lord Asano, denchuu de gozaru!”
However…
In Kajikawa Yoritomo’s own journal, ‘Kajikawa Nikki’, there’s no record of him shouting such a thing.
Nor is there any ntion of him restraining Asano from behind.
Perhaps both truth and facts are easily swept away by the tides of history…
Ryo thought about such things, but now he had to explain ‘Denchuu de gozaru’ to the swordsman in front of him.
And to keep it simple.
“It ans drawing your sword where you’re absolutely not supposed to—and even going so far as to attack soone.”
“Ah… I see. But it’s hard to believe Lord Von Debout would do such a thing.”
“Exactly. Von Debout is a good man.”
Ryo agreed with Abel’s confusion.
“Wait, didn’t you once say he was trying to fra us for an assassination attempt on the Emperor of Darwei? That he’d use us as scapegoats for his political sches?”
“What era are you talking about? That fear was dispelled a long ti ago!”
“You an three days ago?”
Ryo looked flustered and indignant, while Abel just looked a bit exasperated.
Business as usual.
“Von Debout is a good man. He even gives us pocket money sotis!”
“Co to think of it, yesterday on the way back, he gave you so cash for snacks…”
Indeed, on the way back from the royal palace yesterday, Ryo had been eyeing a beef skewer food stall.
Von Debout gave him a gold coin and told him to buy skewers for everyone.
And that he could keep the change.
Needless to say, Ryo was overjoyed.
Even after buying everyone’s skewers, he had plenty of change left over. So, yes—he got a nice allowance…
He treats them and gives them pocket money.
How could such a wonderful employer possibly be a bad person?
“Abel, you ate those skewers too, didn’t you? They were delicious, right? It’s all thanks to Lord Von Debout. Such an employer deserves due respect.”
“Yeah… I won’t argue with that.”
Ryo spoke passionately, and Abel accepted it.
A al and a night’s lodging form a bond!
Naturally, Ryo would act for soone like Von Debout, who even paid for their lodging.
“We’ve found out where Lord Bashu is staying.”
The guards who had been investigating returned.
“It’s the ‘Moonlight Banquet Pavilion’ facing the Holy Emperor Plaza.”
Nuan reported.
The Holy Emperor Plaza— where Abel had once defeated the Three Colors—is well known for its clock tower.
“I know the place. Ryo and I will go.”
“All right, I’m counting on you.”
Wei Fon frowned.
It was painful to rely on newly hired help when they themselves couldn’t act.
“Since the Lord himself struck out, as his retainers, it would be unwise for us to loiter near Lord Bashu. We’ll wait here—report back to this holding area.”
“Understood.”
All ten of the guards, including Wei Fon, bowed deeply.
Abel and Ryo nodded in return, then left for the Holy Emperor Plaza.
The Holy Emperor Plaza was spacious.
It was often used as a eting place for citizens of the imperial capital, so it was always crowded.
Still, the ‘Moonlight Banquet Pavilion’ was easy to find.
There weren’t too many people directly in front of the Pavilion.
True, compared to the surrounding shops and inns, there seed to be more foot traffic, but perhaps it was because the entrance was wide and large by design.
It didn’t give off a particularly congested feeling.
Ryo and Abel peeked their heads in to look inside.
“There are quite a few people inside.”
“Yeah. That looks like… an argunt?”
When Ryo and Abel looked in, just past the entrance, several people were loudly arguing.
But upon closer inspection, it seed that one person was standing with arms outstretched, blocking the others from entering.
“Looks like he’s stopping people who ca to visit.”
“He’s probably saying sothing like ‘Lord Roche Ten is not in a condition to receive guests yet’. Must be one of his retainers.”
“That’s a problem for us. We ca to visit him…”
“They probably won’t let us through.”
Ryo and Abel let out a sigh.
“Well, we can’t just turn back like this.”
“True, but… what do you suggest?”
“We’ll use the usual trick.”
“Usual trick?”
Ryo said confidently, but Abel couldn’t recall anything of the sort.
Had they ever had a foolproof thod they always used?
“While you launch a solo charge and draw everyone’s attention, I’ll sneak in from the back…”
“Rejected.”
“Why?!”
“I’ll get hauled off to the Censorate.”
“That’s a necessary sacrifice…”
“Rejected!”
Ryo’s plan was flatly rejected by Abel.
The eternal struggle between swordsn and magicians, a clash as old as the world itself.
The fated conflict between front-line and rear-guard.
Maybe it was inevitable.
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Just go around to the back entrance normally.”
“Mrrgh… I suppose that can’t be helped.”
Though not as large as the ‘Ryusen Estate’, the ‘Moonlight Banquet Pavilion’ was still a fairly spacious inn.
It was the kind of place where wealthy rchants and regional lords stayed with their entourages and bodyguards, so it naturally had to be big.
That also ant there were many areas out of sight.
“With this kind of security, an assassin swordsman could sneak in easily.”
“An assassin swordsman?”
“A scary crimson swordsman who wields a magic sword and makes a living off assassinations.”
As Ryo explained, he glanced sideways at Abel.
“Right… You weren’t implying just now, were you?”
“O-of course not! I’d never say sothing like that.”
Even as they whispered to each other, they occasionally ducked into hiding.
Security was lax… though whether the people in the yard were inn guards or bodyguards of guests was unclear—but people were patrolling the garden.
Still, for the two of them, it wasn’t enough to be a real threat if they got serious…
The structure of the ‘Moonlight Banquet Pavilion’ was typical of those found in Darwei—single-story buildings connected by corridors.
Naturally, they didn’t know exactly where Roche Ten was staying.
However…
“”
Ryo used his water-attribute magic.
If he recognized soone’s presence, he could track it.
“It’s the room further down, over there.”
Ryo led the way, with Abel following behind…
Knock knock.
A knock echoed.
“Yes?”
From within ca a wary, but familiar voice.
Ryo opened the door and peeked in.
“Huh? Ryo-san? And Abel-san too?”
Abel poked his head out from behind Ryo.
Inside was Lord Roche Ten, Count of Bashu, sipping tea.
TLN: Please read my translations at tseirptranslations, I did not give permission to any site to host my translations.
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