EngelReise - Chapter 9

**Chapter 8 < | > Chapter 10**

With Tomako having been introduced to the Council of Five—a council of Great Lords trying to keep traditional Imperyea alive—the woman quickly becomes the answer to their long desire to capture Korion. The plan is to dress Tomako up as the Queen of Krucifix and fake a treaty which gives Swatsland the right to make a vassal out of Krucifix. Unknowingly to the Swatslandic, this is to be a ploy to get the army intoxicated under celebration and thus weaken their defenses. It is up to Tomako to prepare for such a mission and for Daigon to aid her through every step, though he is reluctant to do so...

## Chapter Reading

== Chapter 9 - *Taiji* =

The Council of Five—retainers of the fallen Imperyean Empire and Great Lord claimants to the islands. Tomako was reluctant in helping the Council in their conquest of Korion, the promise of safe travel to Krucifix was practically the only bargaining chip she’d work with. Additionally, this arrangement would have her reach Krucifix without spending much money, just what she needed given a time of low funds. As to what *exactly* she needed to do to help seize Korion from the Swatslandic remained a mystery for the time being.

Tomako walked alongside the samurai hero, Daigon, with the two differing in attitudes. The woman was welcoming to the Council’s invitation and just as much to Daigon being her tour guide. The same could not be said for him, who left a discontent face easily visible.

“Listen to my words, woman.” The two stopped moving in front of the many souls of the enclave. “What you see here are the elites of our organization. These men and women chose to leave their homes and come live in the very heart of what they consider to be *true Imperyea*.”

“Do they often return home?”

“Never.” Daigon crossed his arms and with a straight posture. “Those living here have conceded their regular lives to Imperyea, Puritonism, and the Council of Five. Any who dare break their pledge to us may suffer death by a *thousand cuts*.”

This claim led Tomako to both widen her eyes and gasp, “One thousand *literal* cuts?”

But with passing moments, Daigon lowered his chin and replied, “…well, most often, we cannot find them after they run away…” He brought a fist up. “…but if they were to ever return, they would die by a thousand cuts..!” An almost cute grin came onto him as he dipped his head and admitted, “…then again, most would not be so foolish as to return with the threat of execution lingering…”

“I see.”

They resumed the tour, Daigon leading her with a strong posture. All the while, Tomako’s eyes darted around in a frenzy. She was eyeing up anything of interest to her, which in this case was just about everything. Soon enough, her eyes caught sight of something truly interesting.

“May I inquire what that is?”

They again stopped this time next to a structure and gate.

“The area you speak of is our cavalry breeding ground.”

Tomako turned her whole body to face a very diverse group of horses, some with military saddles on. Seeing horses fitted for war was nothing uncommon for the Angel, for even she had trained horses for cavalry purposes in the past. Still, even today, the sight of these animals waiting for an inevitable battle was a bit hard for the woman to stomach.

Daigon continued, “We gather most of our war horses from farms throughout Imperyea, many farmers even pledge their services to us and follow. Now, these particular horses here are for the most elite riders in our arsenal.”

“Hm…” Tomako squinted at some of the animals. “I cannot say I’m familiar with their build and color. Are these foreign?”

“Admirable attention to detail.” He offered her a single eye. “These are horses from the rocky hell lands of the peninsula, Krucifix. They’re credited for being the best in all of Shimua for their terrain negotiation.”

“Astonishing!” Tomako smiled at the horses. “These should be bred and sent to populate our islands.”

Daigon grimaced, “What? And let the Swatslandic collect them? Think before speaking, woman.”

Without a comeback to make, Tomako followed the man away from the breeding ground. Their walk continued to a more populated part of the encampment; here there were two structures of moderate size. Daigon took her two the largest structure of the two and opened a door.

As the woman entered, she took immediate note of the lack of space. Around her were tools, weapons, and resources of immense quantity. To her, the greatest bit of interest came from the racks of gelatin before her.

Daigon moved past her and explained, “Here we have created a stockpile of supplies. Believe it or not, though, these supplies are not for us, but rather the general populace. If a settlement is willing to rebel, we will help make it happen.”

Tomako approached the racks of gelatin with a finger out, “What are -”

“Stop!” Daigon forced her hand away from the gelatin. “That is the extremely flammable material used in the burning of structures and flaming arrows.”

“Oh, really?” The woman widened her eyes at the gelatin and began humming. “…so, say I manage to obtain some of this. Could I start campfires more easily?”

“Don’t even think about it…”

He turned her around and walked back to the entrance but Tomako stopped herself to look back at the weaponry. Daigon stopped as well and joined her.

“Were weapons distributed to the people of Boshtang?”

“Obviously.”

This response provoked the raising of a brow, “What might ‘obviously’ mean?”

Rather than responding, Daigon urged Tomako out the structure and closed the door behind him. He pointed to an adjacent structure that was more residential in appearance.

“That is our structure of worship and healing. If you find an arrow in your chest, you will receive treatment and prayer there.”

Tomako turned to the structure and tapped her chin. This was unlike any place of worship she had seen before, as it lacked the appearance of a temple nor was it large. Daigon moved up by her shoulder as she contemplated on entering.

“You said that it is a place of worship?”

He added, “And a place of medicine. Both healing and childbirth occur there.”

Again, Tomako raised her brow, “Childbirth? Here?”

Daigon put both hands to his waist and explained, “While this encampment serves those who accept a warrior life, we still promote the birthing of children. Children will be taught from birth to respect the ways of *old* Imperyea, not Swatslandic Imperyea.” He looked to the sky for a moment. “As the Puritonist faith is under fire by the Svatpeans, we do not criticize pregnancy out of wedlock here.”

“Well, that doesn’t concern me,” Tomako claimed, quickly moving away.

Beside these two structures were several more which housed the men and women of the encampment, also acting as barracks. An explanation of these structures was not needed, hence her reason to pass by without question. Daigon, however, had a nearby structure to direct her to.

Tomako eyed up the structure in question. There stood a somewhat tall building with stairs leading to the entrance; if anything, *this* was what she thought the place of worship would look like.

With slight pace, Tomako and Daigon walked up the stairs and moved to the entrance. This time, Daigon walked in before her.

“Here we have our educational facility.”

“You mean, school?”

Tomako brought herself inside and took up a serious interest in the many books before her. It was not a school, rather, a library. There were a handful of avid learners seated around the building, each with a book and good concentration. This place, naturally, didn’t appeal so much to Tomako for obvious reasons.

“I assume that literate characters of your faction often study here.”

“Correct,” Daigon affirmed while nodding. “Those blessed with advanced language skills—myself included—will come here to better understand concepts.” He crossed his arms while leaning against the wall behind him. “I respect those who spill the blood of our enemies, but even I must contribute respect to those who seek greater knowledge. Greater knowledge comes from reading, and as anyone will tell you, reading gives you a whole new insight into reality.”

“Now I know.”

“Indeed.”

With a little more time, the tour began to fold. Now all that remained was a tour of the organization itself, found in the very center of the encampment. Here, *many* souls came together for a multitude of reasons. Some were conversing, others practicing with swords.

Daigon led the woman along the groups of people and was teaching her how to distinguish the groups.

“Red robes, red armor, and red banners all represent members from Dayaking.”

Tomako said nothing for a few moments but soon winked at him. “So, you’re from Craykon.” Daigon looked down at her with a serious face. “Blue, the color that represents the island of Craykon, correct? You are wearing blue?”

Soon enough, Daigon nodded, “Correct. I lead the men and women of Craykon into the meat of battles, if not the Great Lord of Craykon himself.” He suddenly felt an additional need to brag, “Did I mention that I’m a Hero of the Imperial Court?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, good.”

They continued to walk and examine the groups of people. Now that Tomako understood this concept of identity, her eyes searched around for purple—Kushyrin. Sure enough, one corner of the encampment had countless men and women in purple.

“Eyeing up Kushyrin, are you?” Tomako ceased doing so and looked at Daigon. “Interesting, hm? That so many of your fellow islanders have sworn to give their life to the true Imperyea. Just some of the countless honorable inhabitants.”

Tomako admitted, “I didn’t know that so many minded any attention to the Swatslandic occupation.”

And then an insult, “Only fools would disregard the humiliation of our society.”

The woman blocked any offense from taking place, perhaps even acknowledging what he said as partly true. Either way, she looked back at the Kushyrian reactionaries with great interest, wondering if she could recognize anyone from Boshtang. With enough searching, her eyes landed on someone special, someone she indeed recognized. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

“By the gods, it can’t be…”

Daigon quirked his mouth at her before looking at the purple group. In a matter of seconds, the woman became lost with an obsessing stare. Idling around with a companion stood a young man with black hair and purple upperclassman robes. His face could be best described as having dark eyes and beautiful eyelashes. Tomako had become completely absentminded while staring at the man, Daigon soon caught on to who she was eyeing up. It was while the two stared that the young man brushed his hair to the side, conveniently revealing more of his face to Tomako.

The woman, dumbstruck, tilted her head and blinked. The silence she was creating soon became awkward.

Daigon finally spoke, “What?”

In a soulless tone, she explained, “I know him. I’d recognize that face anywhere.” A second look wasn’t needed to tell it was him, yet she did anyway. “From Boshtang, he is Takeda Nagano. He is the son of a very rich father; they administer countless farms on Kushyrin.”

“Ah, so you know him well, then.”

Tomako nodded with a disturbing loss of expression. “I’ve always been fascinated by him.” Then, in an almost bragging tone, she explained, “He studied *math..*.”

The young man, Takeda, briefly laughed with his counterpart before speaking. Neither he nor his counterpart was aware of Tomako’s blatant staring. The woman swallowed and turned her head slightly, but retained her stare.

“I could never forget his face, he stole something precious from me…”

This claim led Daigon to widen his eyes and grunt, “What? Stole? What!? Him!?” The Imperial Court Hero turned a glare onto Takeda. “We can’t have a thief here. That cannot possibly be correct.” Unbelieving of this reality, he turned a paranoid glare onto Tomako. “What did he steal?”

“My heart…” she said with a pathetic face, hands over her chest.

A few awkward moments passed of which Tomako spent with the same pathetic face; Daigon with a slight cringe. Soon, he tilted his head and groaned.

“Eugh… I was in love once…”

Tomako opened her eyes and faced the man, “You were?”

“During our latest war with Krucifix. While on the peninsula, I met a woman while out drinking. Most beautiful human I’ve ever met.” Tomako stood still, blinking with interest. “We drank, we kissed, and we departed for my place of stay to share a night.” Tomako glanced away for a moment, then looked back with a nod. “Hearts raced as we shared a bed. But then I woke up the next morning, no longer intoxicated… I found myself lying in bed with not one, but *two* men… then I realized I wasn’t even in *my* place of stay, I was in some stranger’s house…” A panicked Daigon reached for his head. “Some days, I don’t even think there was a woman at all… …by the gods, what did I do that night..?”

Tomako, with puckered lips, slowly turned back to Takeda, “I had the pleasure of knowing Takeda as a child. Every time I came to Boshtang I would desperately wish to talk to him, those many days I could not tormented me.” She sighed. “If there was *one* thing my father and I agreed on wholeheartedly, it was that I should one day marry him. The Angel family was doomed to lose our farm, at the very least my father would have loved for his daughter to marry into the Nagano family and pass it down to them. As for me, well… just look at him. Wouldn’t you agree he’s perfect?”

Daigon silently replied, “Whatever you say.”

The moment Tomako and Daigon shared was soon cut as both their shoulders were grabbed. As both turned, the blue Great Lord—Great Lord of Craykon—greeted them. Daigon gave his liege a swift bow, as did Tomako soon after.

“Daigon, have you shown Togami the camp?”

“Yes, Great Lord.”

The Great Lord’s eyes went onto Tomako, “In that case, we must get to work immediately.” He pointed to the woman. “Can you or can you not read?”

Tomako, with honesty, shook her head, “I haven’t the slightest knowledge of reading or writing. I am sorry.”

Daigon had nothing to say but did leave her with a discontent stare. Nonetheless, this didn’t seem to affect the Great Lord’s mood in the slightest.

“In that case, we must prepare you for the simplest part of the mission.”

“Uh oh…”

She knew that the *first part* pertained to literacy.

Tomako was soon on her knees before a leveled table. Her face spelled ‘discomfort’ as she was presented with a single sheet document. This forged document was better than gold for the Swatslandic Empire but merely incoherent ink on paper for Tomako.

Daigon remained by the library entrance, still under order to reside by Tomako. The Craykon Great Lord, meanwhile, charged himself with instructing the adventurer on what to do.

“There,” he said pointing to a line on the document. “Perhaps the most vital part of this mission is for you to be able to write ‘Taiji’ over this line.”

The woman looked up with wide eyes, baffled by the instruction. “Did I forget to mention that I am perfectly wordless?”

In response, the Great Lord pointed to a group of written characters out of place from the rest of the characters on the document. Tomako studied the single word with quivering eyes. The man proceeded to circle around the word with his finger.

“Such is how one spells the house name ‘Taiji.’ You must memorize this *one* word, for it is all you will need to know.” The man raised his chin to get a better look at her. “When Viceroy Harling presents you with their document, you will be expected to sign it with the name of the ruling dynasty of Krucifix.”

This led Tomako to gawk, “Huh? Viceroy Harling?”

“Harling is the highest authority in the Viceroyalty, present in Korion. No doubt you will answer to the demon himself.”

She couldn’t burden herself to think about this additional pressure. “And where would I write this ‘Taiji’ name?” she asked while scanning the paper.

Again, his finger came down upon an empty line, “You will likely write the name above such a line. It would not be foolish or suspicious to ask Harling for direction though.”

Finally, a very thin brush was placed into Tomako’s hand. The woman stared nervously and with intensity at the brush for several moments. She hadn’t picked up a brush in a long time, and even so, she never did for writing.

“Go ahead and try to replicate the name over the line.”

But Tomako’s gaze remained on the bristles of the brush, becoming lost in thought. The wet black paint hanging from the very tip forced various images into her head pertaining to the past. Not a single one of those thoughts pertained to writing.

Given a few more moments, the Great Lord put Tomako out of her trance with a touch to the shoulder. She whipped her head up at him, now attentive again.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Your fearful silence is justified. Anyone unfamiliar with language would fret.”

Tomako looked back down at the paint, “No, it’s not that…”

A little more silence ensued before putting aside her thoughts of the past for good. With the simple instruction in mind, Tomako placed the tip of the brush down and proceeded to put thin lines together. She looked back and forth between the word ‘Taiji’ and her own attempt at the word. The woman hadn’t a clue about the characters she was printing, only that they came together to spell a name.

The Craykon Great Lord watched while humming with interest. His humming suggested approval but inevitable criticism to give. With close to a minute passed, Tomako raised her brush in conclusion.

Daigon, from the far back, looked at his liege in search of a reaction. As the Great Lord’s humming continued to imply, there were ups and downs to what he witnessed.

“Wonderful handwriting,” he cleared his throat quickly after, “However, you spent too much time writing the single word. Such would appear strange to anybody.”

Tomako placed a finger over her lip, “Oh my…”

“It is of no consequence. You will pick up speed given more practice. More important for the moment is the process of memory.” He flipped the document over, thus leaving a blank sheet for Tomako to work from. “You must teach yourself to write ‘Taiji’ without looking.”

She stared at the blank page in horror. “How will I ever teach myself to write without reference?” The Great Lord’s answer was to simply flip the document back over. “Wha—a..!”

“Practice writing the name until you can do so without reference, neatly, and also quickly.” Tomako nodded with grace. “Do not worry, you have days to prepare.”

Of course, this concluding note brought about a familiar issue Tomako had with Otomo.

“*Days?*” she asked in a dull tone.

“We will require time to prepare you *and* prepare for an offensive. We’ve already dispatched emissaries to gather faction members from nearby villages, but between traveling, training, and equipping—yes, days.”

Tomako was left giving the Great Lord a disapproving face, as always, impatient. This time she was in no position to challenge her host, for she was faced by a council of Great Lords. To dishonor them by leaving would be just as offensive as abandoning her parents, if not worse. Her pot of honor required her to put through the patience.

The Great Lord grabbed her attention by thumping a finger down over the paper, “Let’s continue, Togami.”

Closer to the evening, Tomako moved away from writing and onto storytelling. This process was performed elsewhere in an empty structure. Daigon remained appointed to Tomako as a guard for reasons he did not understand nor like. He couldn’t complain, the Great Lord of his island was the one instructing. The Great Lord of Craykon continued forth with training Tomako.

“Listen carefully,” the Great Lord instructed. “You are the Queen of Krucifix, current wife to the reigning House of Taiji in Krucifix.”

Tomako raised a finger, “I simply fear that I may not come off to the Swatslandic as royalty.”

“Silence.” Tomako took no offense at the demand. “Amounting together the pressure of inevitable Swatslandic invasion, you speak on behalf of the King of Krucifix, seeking to become a vassal of the Swatslandic Empire just as Imperyea is.”

She replied, “Yes.”

“Vassal. Imperyea is currently a *vassal* of Swatsland, meaning, Swatsland is the *master* of Imperyea. Our people take orders from the Swatslandic, we pay the Swatslandic in taxes, and our military serves the Swatslandic as they see fit. We have no say in the matter. Vassal.” Tomako gave a nod. “Now, you will be requesting the same for Krucifix. You will have them believe that, in a bid to avoid a Swats-Krucifixan War, Krucifix instead wishes to peacefully surrender itself. In a sense, you come forth offering a peace treaty to a war that doesn’t exist.”

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“Yes…”

The Great Lord eyed Tomako for several moments before closing his eyes. “I would like to believe you regard this mission with the best interest and therefore with undying effort. After all, it is the first step to freeing your fellow Imperyean from the Swatslandic, and of course, getting you to Krucifix.”

A few moments were taken to gather thoughts and information; Tomako put everything together in her mind with closed eyes.

“As I understand the fabrication, I come on behalf of Krucifix, seeking the best answer to an otherwise bloody situation. The solution is to become a vassal of Swatsland, therefore, sparing the horrors of future war.”

“Good.”

Daigon, leaning by the entrance, spoke up, “If anyone *should* have been made a vassal, it is the Krucifixans, not us. They deserve Swatslandic mistreatment for fighting off our rightful claims so many times.”

The Great Lord turned and waved off the jingoist attitude, “Our conquest of Krucifix is a matter we mustn’t look into right now. First, we must regain control of our own nation. Let the Krucifixans keep the peninsula for now if it will satisfy their narcissism; the hungry goat strikes when the fat sheep is turned away.”

Tomako had no input for such politics but retained a mind on the topic at hand. “Will the Swatslandic really believe in a reality where the Krucifixan queen comes forth seeking to surrender their own nation?”

“This may be a fabricated event, but it is no less realistic.” The Great Lord moved around the room and did so with a hand to his face. “The Krucifixans know they’re next. The fall of the mighty Imperyean Empire means that the Kingdom of Krucifix is the next realistic target if Swatsland is truly trying to create an Eastern Empire. The Swatslandic, for this reason, would not be surprised to find Krucifix seeking to join who they cannot defeat.”

Daigon added, “If the great samurai could not defend their islands from the Swatslandic, what chance do robed Krucifixan archers have?”

The Great Lord nodded but with an offended brow, “Yes...” He turned back to Tomako. “The Swatslandic will fall into the trap, as long as you play your character correctly.”

Tomako responded with an honorable bow, “Very well.”

With the name writing a work in progress and a story to use under Tomako’s belt, the day was concluded. With a hand on his belt, the Great Lord turned back to Daigon.

“Daigon.”

The man stood tall, “Yes, Great Lord.”

“You are officially assigned to Togami for the week.” The samurai widened his eyes and with a sound gasp. “Act as a guide and advisor to her as we move toward the execution of this operation.”

Still surprised, Daigon looked back and forth between Tomako and his liege. Tomako made very little of this assignment to him, though she acknowledged it as an awkward one given their past tension.

The Great Lord moved toward the door, “I will be residing with the other Great Lords if you need me.”

“Ho- Honorable Great Lord,” Daigon called. “Surely, you may consider giving the woman a more fitting servant, perhaps one of a… lower… rank…” He rubbed his bald head while shaking. “I am a Hero of the Imperial Court; I should be serving the country with high honor, not following this… woman with -”

At the door, the Great Lord turned back and lectured, “Do you doubt my judgment?”

Daigon rolled his eyes up for a moment, “I do not doubt your judgment. I merely suggest -”

“You have your assignment, as does she.”

With this being said, the Great Lord walked out of the building, leaving Daigon and Tomako alone. The samurai, naturally, had an irritated look. The latter stood with an awkward feeling, knowing of Daigon’s disapproval with this arrangement.

“Erm…” After darting her eyes left for a moment, Tomako extended a hand for the handshake she had been denied the other day. “Well, it would seem we have more than enough time to bond and become companions, given the days I’ll be here, and the fact you’re now assigned to me.”

“Don’t remind me…”

Day two—Tomako accustomed herself to the female living quarters but ultimately isolated herself from the others as best she could. On this day, she worked on reinforcing her understanding of the language portion of the mission, believing this to be the simple part.

Again Tomako worked over a table in the library, and again, Daigon stood in her presence, but not at all by choice. Keeping guard of the Council of Five had long been his duty, but for this particular week, it was to keep a farmer from Kushyrin safe.

The woman practiced writing the name ‘Taiji’ over a hundred times. As expected, the characters making up the word was burned into her mind. The challenge at this point was cementing the memory, picking up the pace, and presenting quality calligraphy.

Tomako couldn’t have guessed, but the disgruntled samurai behind her did have respect for her determination in that she wouldn’t stop practicing. To him, respect was easier earned through means of combat resolve, but there was prestige to be found in what she was doing as well. For all he knew, Tomako—or Togami Legend—could be the name attributed to a historical capturing of Korion.

She continued her practice until deciding to turn her body and ask, “Why do these three symbols connect as a group, but not to the other group of three?”

Daigon raised an intrigued brow but remained still with crossed arms. “You’re asking *me* why there are separations in a word?”

“Well, considering you wrote me that letter, I know you to be of a more literate class.”

Several moments of silence ensued, most of which Daigon spent juggling emotions. Said emotions ranged from irritation to flattered feels. He only felt obligated to respond as Tomako’s eyes soon turned to him.

“The connection of symbols suggest a smooth conversion in vocals. In your case, ‘Kush-’ in ‘Kushyrin’ sounds smooth, hence the connection. ‘-yrin,’ however, is an entirely different sound from the first, hence the separation between the two.”

“Um… um…” This explanation was intimidating, yet the woman placed a finger under her chin and spoke, “So, with your name…” A brief silence passed as she problem solved. “The symbols making your name are all connected?”

“Wrong,” he answered harshly. “Dai-gon. Those two parts are clearly different sounds.” Tomako responded with a silent nod, then turned back to her work. Daigon, after looking away for a moment, kicked his foot down. “But… that was a good guess,” he admitted.

For that following moment, Tomako gazed upon the many shelves of books surrounding her. The literature left her with fascinated feelings but also envious ones. She could only imagine what knowledge this structure contained; knowledge that she, unfortunately, could not know.”

Still hesitating to resume practice, Tomako soon murmured, “I wish I could read…”

Daigon moved his eyes off Tomako once more, but with hesitation decided to move away towards her. The sound of samurai footsteps indeed raised her attention.

“The ability to read surely expands your interests, brings new experiences to your life. It allows you to enter mystical realms you could only dream of, allows you to enter the world of the past, teaches you concepts and practices.” The samurai positioned himself beside Tomako, where he proceeded to wave his hand at the many books around them. “Puritonist lore, war journals, romantic diaries, even make belief writings. Those fortunate enough to read hold a certain talent over the rest, and it’s one to admire.”

Tomako turned her body, “What have you read?”

The man smirked, “Well, I’m of the one percent to have knowledge on wars our ancestors fought. Did you know that our second invasion of Krucifix was fought with axes, throwing stones, and daggers?”

“Really.”

“It’s true, as I understand it. Additionally, animal husbandry had yet to advance, so cavalry was completely absent from the earlier wars.”

Tomako felt her cheek, “Horses were excluded from warfare? What a magnificent era!”

“Indeed.” He thought for a moment. “Oh, here’s one. Before there was a unified Imperyea, the islands were divided by four chiefdoms. Kushyrin, Imper, Cheypri, and, uh… I forget the fourth one.” Tomako presented herself as confused but interested. “The chiefdoms eventually united as a Puritonist theocracy familiarly known as Imperyea. Religion is what brought us together under one banner; a united loyalty to the gods!”

The woman childishly answered, “I like that story!”

Even Daigon found himself with an amused smile, “Oh, here’s a piece of information you might like. Supposedly, before geography became prevalent, it was believed that your island of Kushyrin made up over sixty percent of our world.” Tomako widened her eyes. “This was only later dispelled after it was revealed that our first cartographer made a navigational mistake, thus leading him to believe that the island was far bigger than it actually is.” He concluded this point with a shrug. “This, of course, was centuries before we knew of the existence of mainland Shimua.”

“What magnificent discoveries you’ve made. I had no idea that horses were once safe from spears and arrows.”

With a continuing grin, Daigon looked down at her many attempts at writing ‘Taiji.’ From oldest to newest, there was an obvious improvement in her handwriting. It was only now that the samurai felt like easing up with his insulting character.

“You’re doing a fine job,” he complimented. “Written like true Krucifixan scum.”

Tomako smiled, then took immediate control of her brush. From that point forward she continued to practice without Daigon’s insults. Finally, a break for Tomako.

Day three—Tomako had essentially mastered the replication of ‘Taiji’ and was now seeking to cement her acting and understanding of the vassal story she would be using. On a more personal front, Tomako had seen a drastic reduction of hostility from Daigon. His disinterest in watching over her, however, remained strong as ever. This day made for no exception, as she dragged him into a less than desirable situation…

Near the Kushyrin section of the encampment, Tomako grasped the end of a small structure and peeked around its corner. Following a brief scan of the area, the woman found herself with a warmed face. Daigon put himself behind her seconds later and observed with her. He did so with a more than irritated expression.

“Look, there he is,” Tomako acknowledged.

Sitting alone with a book in his hand was the man Tomako knew as Takeda Nagano, her childhood love. The woman knew this to be the most opportune time to reunite with him, the question was how to do so professionally. She had a history of making a fool of herself in front of her crush.

With a gentle hand to Daigon’s armor, she said, “Okay, let’s go through the plan again…”

“Eugh… Come on…”

“You will walk up to Takeda and ask if he’s seen your female counterpart. When he asks for a description, explain that I am an avid fan of the horse and -”

“You’re working me like a horse.”

Tomako widened her eyes in response, then covered her mouth as she broke out laughing, “Oh my - I’ve never heard that joke before… that’s a good one..!” She turned her head while continuing to laugh. “Oh, now I’ve the giggles.”

Daigon rolled his eyes, “In short, you wish for me to speak of you, then you walk by *coincidentally* and meet him.”

“Yes, yes! It’s a perfect plan.”

The samurai followed up on this, “And what if he already has a lover?”

“*No—o..!*” Tomako hissed. Daigon grunted at her in horror, honestly curious if a demon had suddenly possessed the woman. “I mean… surely that cannot be the case.” With a gentle shove to the frightened Daigon, she urged, “Now, go!”

The samurai let out a power sigh, then walked forward with pocketed hands. Tomako studied the situation from the background, preparing for his mark to move in. The operation to speak with Takeda was in motion, and for some reason, she was overcomplicating everything.

Takeda flipped a page of his book and placed down a small wooden measuring tool. He was studying the mathematics behind catapult construction. Soon, Daigon approached the young man and cleared his throat; Takeda looked upon the Craykon samurai with both respect and fear.

“Oh..! Uh..!” Takeda marked the page of his book and put it aside. “Greetings, Daigon!”

The Imperial Court Hero looked away from the man while making a hand gesture from behind, a signal for Tomako to approach. Then he looked upon the humble servant with strict eyes.

“Ugh… uh… Have you seen my woman protégé?”

Takeda blinked a single time, “I was not aware of any woman in your life.”

Daigon grunted, stomped, and sent a clenched hand forth, “Th- That is merely because I am too busy with important samurai matters to pursue romantic -” He squinted off the topic, shook his head, then returned to the *mission*. “She is an avid fan of the horse, clothed in brown, from the island of Kushyrin, like yo-”

Both men were alerted by the sound of suppressed giggling from behind. Rather than continue, Daigon turned to find Tomako already standing behind them. She was left giggling and now exposed to Takeda. Daigon had no idea what she was doing.

She explained, “Sorry, I- I just remembered the horse joke you made…”

Takeda’s gasp was slow, “Tomako Angel? Could it really be you?”

“It’s me!”

Daigon bit his lip and moved aside, “That’s it. I’m taking a dump.”

Tomako’s heart beat for a moment, especially frightened to see Daigon leaving her. Then came the frightening feeling of being left alone with Takeda, who easily placed his fullest attention on her. With a swift hand, she offered a weak wave of greeting.

“Um, hello, Takeda. Fancy chance seeing you here.”

“You said it.” He then raised an eyebrow. “You’re… quite literally, the last person from Kushyrin I thought I’d ever see again.”

Tomako looked to the sky with bloated cheeks. *By the gods, this is so romantic..!*

She kicked a foot around, “I am on a quest to Swatsland, to retrieve my family. But first, I am here to help restore order to the city of Korion.”

The man raised his other brow, now expressing plain surprise, “You? I thought we were assisting a ‘Togami Legend’ with that quest.”

“Uh, uh. I am Togami Legend... Heh…” She fought a continuous battle to keep eye contact with him. “That is my secret name…”

“You take your identity after your mother’s name?”

*Wow, he knows so very much about my family. I never realized he cared so much about me…*

Without receiving an answer, Takeda continued, “Interesting… So you’re walking alone to Swatsland?”

The woman, growing ever more nervous, faked a smile and nodded, “Um, yes… it’s a fool’s quest, I know…”

“But an honorable one, at that.”

Tomako beamed, “Yes..!” Her face began to redden a slight bit. “I am on a righteous mission to free my parents and discuss Imperyean freedom with the Swatslandic emperor.” The second part came out of nowhere, a subconscious desire to impress the man. “Uh… Yes, that’s what I’m going to do… for all Imperyeans.”

“How wonderful of you.” He glanced away from her for a moment, then returned a solid stare. “Oh, uh, Daigon seems to want you.”

“We are not lovers..!” she panicked.

Takeda, with an awkward feeling, continued, “…he seems to be *looking* for you, perhaps for a job?”

“Oh… yes… heh…” Tomako lowered her brows and looked down. “I suppose I should receive him then, yes?”

“And I must soon resume work on your carriage.”

Tomako looked up at him with the same nervous eyes, “My carriage?”

“All bodies in this camp with construction expertise have been assigned times to work on a special carriage to be used on your negotiation trip. It’s being built and painted to appear like Krucifixan royalty. I am part of the afternoon shift of workers.”

“Well, if you’re working on it, it’ll look splendid!” With another forced smile, almost crazed, she reminded him, “You studied mathematics..!”

“Yes...” Afterward, Takeda grabbed his book and opened it back up. Tomako took a reluctant step back in response. “I hope to see you at the Moon Dance in two days.”

Tomako jumped back into position in front of him, slipping a finger slightly into her mouth. “Moon Dance? Like, the Sun Dance?”

His eyes came back onto hers, “Very similar. Instead of an annual celebration, this one is monthly. You and I could celebrate together before -” She interrupted him with a loud gasp. “- before you leave Imperyea. You brought along a dress, correct?”

*Thankfully..!* she spoke in her mind.

“I just so happen to have my very expensive kimono. It’s black, blue, and gold, like Imperyea, and is -”

“Great, I’ll see you there.”

“Okay..!”

Tomako bowed and departed in a hurry. She moved away from the center of camp, now moving toward the library again. The look on her face conveyed many positive emotions after this encounter, despite how awkward she made it seem. It was the darkest time of her life, yet at the same time, in her mind, she had a romantic date of sort established with Takeda, the man who owned her heart for decades.

*That’s what I call… elite romancing…*

Day four—the pieces were coming together. Tomako now grasped a good understanding of how to write ‘Taiji,’ she understood and rehearsed her Krucifixan queen story well, and many volunteers from neighboring villages had gathered for the approaching battle. On a more personal level, Tomako was adjusting to the enclave, calmed Daigon down, and essentially established a date of sorts with Takeda. Tomako had, for the most part, played her part in preparations to the letter, now it was up to the enclave and Council of Five to do their part. With four days of idling around, Tomako would ordinarily become aggressively impatient, but this time was different. A Moon Dance with Takeda Nagano was all it took to tame the girl’s patience.

Tomako, Daigon, and the blue Great Lord of Craykon faced a carriage of amazing detail. It was nearly complete after very few days of work, but very hard work at that. Painted a creamy white with pale green trimmings, it was a glorious horse device Tomako couldn’t believe she was seeing. The quality of the carriage was nothing to gawk over, in fact, it was more of a stage prop than anything, but the presentation was all that really mattered.

The Lord of Craykon explained, “The carriage is not an exact replica of the actual one, we haven’t a clue what a Krucifixan carriage looks like, let alone a royal one. Regardless, it bears the appearance of royalty, including the white and green royal colors of the Taiji Royal Family, and enough carriage space to host a king, queen, and their guards.”

Tomako took several moments to examine the quality carriage, then playfully rolled her eyes up, “Who will my king be?”

“Have you been paying no attention? There is no king in this operation, only his humble wife on a mission to Viceroy Harling’s court.” Tomako looked down in humility, ultimately shaking Takeda out of her mind. “Have you not been rehearsing your story correctly?” he lectured.

“I- I simply -”

Daigon intervened, “Forgive her obnoxiousness, Great Lord. As a witness to her rehearsals, I can assure you that she has become the most qualified woman for this job.” He then turned an aggressive eye onto Tomako. “At least, let us hope so…”

The Great Lord, in turn, put both Tomako and Daigon under fire, “Remember, the slightest stutter could have the Swatslandic seeing through our trap. You will lose your life and our attack on Korion will be made premature, no intoxication at all.” He pointed to Daigon, “We may fall before the enemy without a chance if Togami does not execute the negotiations with perfection. We need the defenders of Kori Castle drunk on their backs.”

A nervous Imperial Court Hero looked down at Tomako and nodded, “She *will* hold the wellbeing of our people in her best interests.”

Tomako soon moved past this lecture to further examine the carriage. It remained without wheels and any horse mechanism, but aside from this, the carriage was a day or two from completion. Looking inside, Tomako was surprised to find cushioned seats, a luxury she could never have envisioned being put into a carriage. It came off to her as needless.

“This is a magnificent craft. Should I conduct the negotiations within this?”

“Stick to the plan, Togami. You will make your appearance in this, then take your business into the castle. Remember, the *master plan* behind this operation is to unleash the Swatslandic tendency to celebrate with mass drinking. Such will occur in the castle, not in a carriage.”

She slowly turned away from the carriage, “Should I be the one to propose the beer festivity?”

Daigon and the Great Lord exchanged glances, both with conflicted feelings on the matter.

“Ee—ehye—err…”

“Eu—um…”

The Great Lord tapped Daigon, “What say you, Daigon?”

The samurai swallowed, “A foreign monarch suggesting alcoholic festivities? Such seems a bit… unorthodox.”

“A bit too obvious?”

Daigon shrugged, “Maybe..? Or perhaps it would work perfectly and have everyone in the castle drunk on their backs. If she doesn’t propose it, there’s a chance that some other form of festivity will occur that does not benefit us.”

With a serious face, the Great Lord pointed up and warned, “Cake.”

“Cake!” Daigon cringed. “If they celebrate with cake and not beer, we’re in trouble.”

The Great Lord looked up at Tomako with a very uncertain face. “You will need to use your greatest judgment when the time comes.”

“Very well.”

Turning around, the Great Lord pointed to a particular structure and said, “Come, it’s time you’re shown your apparel.”

The two men moved forward together, but Tomako remained still.

“My apparel?”

A few minutes later, Tomako, Daigon, and the Great Lord stood before a series of clothing of extreme quality. Bright red and blue in material along with many golden symbols and trims along each sleeve. This was no kind of dress Tomako had ever seen. It was so beautiful but so radical that it almost intimidated her.

“We made it especially for you,” the Great Lord explained. “Isn’t it magnificent?”

“Splendid dressing…” Tomako felt a single sleeve, then turned her head with a nervous face. “But is my regular kimono not enough to persuade the Swatslandic?”

The Great Lord approached the dress as well, “Togami, this is the selling point of the mission. If anything is to convince the Swatslandic of your supposed legitimacy as royalty, it will be the quality of the dress. *No one* could look at this dress and suspect you a fake.”

Tomako continued to feel the dress. It was thick, colorful, and candy to the eye. Still, she feared the dress because of its complexity. This was not a dress one could simply slip on and run in, it would require extra hands to help put on. What was worse, there would be little arm mobility in this, meaning no way of defending herself should danger come her way.

Daigon put a hand on his sword, eager for Swatslandic bloodshed. “There’s no doubt that you will succeed in fooling them. Put on a convincing performance, and we’ll obtain control of Korion in a matter of days.”

“Oh, no doubt. It’s just…” Tomako grimaced at the dress, “The many layers…”

The Great Lord added, “Walk slowly in this, preferably in an etiquette fashion for the extra convincement.”

“Very well.”

Moving away from Tomako and Daigon, the Great Lord proceeded to rub his hands together quite devilishly. “You know how to sign the document, we’ve got a carriage almost ready, a convincing dress for you to wear, and thousands of men and women ready to strike the Swatslandic. All is going better than we could hope.”

Tomako turned with a sharp chin, “And what of my part of the deal?”

“Eh?”

Her expression became dull, “Krucifix. I’ve been promised a safe travel there.”

“Ah, yes. We have not forgotten our part of the deal, Tomako.” The woman widened her eyes and gasped, followed by a strong chill in the spine. “You will be in Krucifix within a few days, should we succeed.”

With this, the Great Lord turned to the door and departed, intent on regrouping with the Council of Five. Daigon remained with her, simply following orders to keep her company. Tomako, however, was left with a beyond stunned face over a very simple matter.

*He addressed me as Tomako…*

Day five—an entire day had passed with much of the same. Practice with writing and rehearsal, some time with her horse, and further instruction on the mission at hand. On this day, the carriage had been completed but required testing. With this said and done, the mission could be executed any day now. For now, Tomako was unintentionally rewarded for her hard work, hard work of the past and present. A childhood dream was being realized.

Within the center of the enclave, various Puritonist shrines had been set up along with over twenty torches. Men and women gathered in traditional garb to celebrate the monthly Moon Dance Festival, a lesser celebration of the yearly Sun Dance Festival. The point of this celebration was to raise morale, create lovers, and praise the gods.

For Tomako, now garbed in her kimono, this was more than a reward for her life’s efforts. With fires raging and people celebrating in all sorts of ways, Tomako moved around the countless participants over her horse, flanked by Takeda Nagano. This was the closest and most personal experience she ever had with Takeda, and the heartbreaking reality was that she would soon be leaving Imperyea, possibly for good. Such thoughts were cast aside, instead, she focused on the present.

The two sat together over her horse as they slowly moved around the torches. Tomako did so while kicking her feet back and forth in a happy manner.

Takeda chuckled, “I see you still have amazing chemistry with your horses, considering you’re riding it sideways.”

Tomako turned a shy smile onto him, “This is an astonishing horse who looks after my best interests, as do I with him.”

“Respecting and admirable as always, Tomako.” The woman turned her head away from him in order to slip out a joyous face. “I’m glad I was able to see you one last time before you leave.”

She turned back to him with slight shock, “One last time? What do you mean? I intend on coming back.”

Takeda tilted his head with a doubting smirk, “Swatsland? E—Eh, you have looked into the length of this trip, right?”

Then, with a heartfelt gaze featuring low eyelids, Tomako murmured, “Why don’t you tell me? You’re the math student…”

With that coming moment, Tomako’s blood began to sizzle with warm feelings as the man put an arm around her shoulder. She tensed up in response with many affected feelings of romance. The Angel did not like being touched, and in truth was very uncomfortable by it, but her feelings of affection defeated discomfort.

“Takeda…” she muttered, hoping for something to happen.

He took a slow breath and explained, “A journey to Swatsland is over six thousand miles. Without shipping, you’ll be walking for a *long* time. Even by horseback, you’re looking at a very, very long journey.”

The woman, distracted by desire, muttered, “…and I’ll make that long journey back, given the perfect reason to return…”

“Yes, but let’s be realistic now, Tomako.” This was what brought Tomako back to reality, evident by her slightly frustrated look. “Six thousand miles to and from for a total of twelve thousand miles!”

She rather childishly replied, “So?”

“So, by the time your journey ends and you’re on the complete opposite end of the world, you may not have the will to come back. It might not be a good idea to even try and come back.”

The woman appeared half offended and also confused, not even regarding the gentle hand over her shoulder anymore. “But I am Imperyean… and this is Imperyea…”

“What of it? There are Swatslandic living in Imperyea, perhaps you will choose to be an Imperyean in Swatsland.”

Tomako’s eyes quivered for short moments until finally, she called her horse to a halt. The romantic moment was becoming complicated. She wished for a romantic setting with a man eagerly awaiting her return from a journey but was receiving very much the opposite.

“Takeda, are you implying that I should bid farewell to Imperyea for good?” She followed this up with a hurt face. “Don’t you want me around?”

He shook this accusation off, “I am not saying you ‘should,’ I am saying you ‘probably will.’”

Her eyes watered angrily, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“How much clearer must I be? I honestly don’t believe I will see you again after you leave Imperyea.”

To this, Tomako looked to the ground. Her mind raced around wildly as she thought over his sayings. There was logic in what he was saying, though a part of her was being resistant, wanting to believe there was a chance that she would find herself back in Kushyrin one day with a husband, family, and Otomo.

The woman turned an almost aggressive face on, “Then why do you not help give me a reason to return, Takeda?” The man’s brows arched. “If you claim I will not have the willingness to come back, why not help provide me with reason to return home? Give me something to fight for on the way home. Give me… I don’t know…” she crossed her arms.

A very suspenseful and somewhat awkward silence ensued as the many enclave members continued to dance around them. Two great friends had quickly gone from celebrating to arguing, and Tomako was turning the fire on him in a surprising twist of events. Unlike before, Tomako was imposing a solid stare on him, but he did not fear it.

He read into exactly what she was suggesting, too, and with that reading came an answer. “If you are to leave in a few days, I may not hear from you for a long, long, long, time. As far as I know, you could be dead.” Tomako’s eyes quivered in gentle motions. “With all due respect, Tomako, I cannot burden myself to wait for your return for so long. By the time you return from such a journey, I could already be an experienced father. These are my younger years, Tomako, the years I should be womb searching, not sitting around wondering where you are on this journey.”

Tomako remained silent but still accepted his hand over her shoulder. Her mind had been blown far away by his words, some of the most powerful words she had received in a long time. The only visible reaction she made was a hand to her heart.

“Do you understand what I’m saying, Tomako?”

Her eyes watered up, but she repelled this without much work. Finally, she forced his hand off of her. “I understand. I wouldn’t wish to burden you for so long by making you wonder about my wellbeing, not when you could be out with…” her lip quivered with great sorrow, “…someone else..!”

Tomako then positioned herself more accordingly, her back to Takeda. The man didn’t speak a single word past this point. After taking hold of her horse, the woman made a backward hand gesture.

“I won’t burden you any further, in fact, never again. Go out and try to find a lover who can satisfy you.”

Takeda swallowed and explained, “Tomako, I’m not declining your heart, I’m simply asking you to choose between this incredible journey and the sacred friendship you and I hold.”

Still facing away from him, Tomako looked up at the moon and said, “That… would be impossible. My pot of honor would never recover for choosing romance over family.”

“Yes, it would!” he argued.

She made the same hand gesture to him, “You’ve made your decision.”

“Tomako, please don’t be upset.”

The woman proceeded to stare at him with a frown, “I have one question for you, Takeda.”

The man opened his arms and answered, “Ask anything. Let’s have a civil discussion about this.”

“Won’t someone as brave and smart as you come along?” Takeda puckered his lips with wide eyes. “If you come with me to Swatsland, you’ll know that I’m well. We could help each other so much; protect each other, make each other happy…”

Takeda was left gawking, struggling with the words to come, “I can’t do that, Tomako. It’s a foolish quest I wouldn’t survive…”

This conclusion was beyond shocking to Tomako, shocking and offensive. At that moment, Takeda knew a point of no return had been reached. She said nothing more, and so the man blinked helplessly for a few moments, and following a sigh, chose to dismount. Tomako immediately ordered her horse forward with an upset frown.

Now that the love of her life had been surrendered, she knew she had to rescue her parents. The sacrifices she made were too high at this point to give up.

In a section of the Moon Dance, a robed Daigon spotted a figure with long hair and a fancy robe. With a courageous nod and strong figure, he approached said person. A hand was placed over the figure’s waist.

“Can I have this dance, m’lady?” Daigon requested.

The figure turned, revealing the Great Lord of Dayaking with wide eyes. Both men grunted loudly and backed away from each other.

“Daigon!?”

“A- A thousand apologies, m’lord! I- I thought you were a beautiful woman -”

“What!?”

“U—Uh…”

To Daigon’s great fortune, Tomako came to save him just in time, as she approached the man over her horse. The samurai hero looked up to Tomako with gritted teeth and found her tapping a hand on her horse’s back.

“Daigon,” she requested. “Come help me finalize rehearsal. I’ve had enough… of the festivities.”

A startled Daigon quickly nodded and jumped on her horse, “With pleasure..!”

With this, Tomako and Daigon departed from the Moon Dance Festival over a horse, Daigon turning his back on an awkward situation, and Tomako turning her back on the love of her life for perhaps the last time.

At the end of day five, Tomako had become very familiar with her mission and even made a belligerent companion out of Daigon. But with it came harsh support for the idea that she may never return to Imperyea, a reality she was choosing to ignore. What was worse is that she had to choose between parents and her childhood crush. She viewed it as a choice between honor and romantic interest. At the end of the day, she had to leave things at that. A lifetime effort in romancing Takeda was outmatched by a pious Imperyean’s endless search for more honor…

To be continued!

**Chapter 8 < | > Chapter 10**

## Author Notes

#### Tomako's Sacrifices

One thing I really wanted to showcase in this chapter was just how far Tomako is willing to go to get her old parents back from Swatsland. I wished to make clear as day to the reader that even though this plan to walk all the way to Swatsland is still rather new, Tomako is so delusional and committed to the idea that she would essentially reject the hand of her childhood crush, the very same that she had been blushing over in Chapter 1 during a conversation with her mother. While Takeda is a newly introduced character, it was not the first time we had heard about him and Tomako's infatuation with him, and it certainly would not be the last, despite the tragic end to their brief relationship.

## Chapter Illustration

This chapter illustration depicts the moment that Tomako and Daigon spy on Takeda, granting the viewer a rare look at Tomako in a more carefree state. This drawing featured the debut of a new experimental style of hair that consists of adding texture via spray. This experimental look would not last long, only appearing in this illustration and then a few F-Zero: Seppuku pieces.

Created in Adobe Photoshop, this illustration also saw the return of the generated trees, however, this time the trunk was erased, and the leaves used for the rooftop of the structure the characters are hiding by.

## Characters Introduced

#### Takeda Nagano

Takeda was first mentioned in Chapter 1 during a discussion between Tomako and Togami, but only now makes his appearance. Born into a family of wealth and hailing from Boshtang just as Tomako had, Takeda had much of what Tomako always desired in life: Freedom, education, siblings, and a fine relationship with his parents. Having studied Mathematics, Tomako grew up obsessing over Takeda and looking for every possible opportunity she could get just to talk with him. Tomako's great interest in mathematics is solely attributed to the fact that it was Takeda's field of education, therefore something she wanted to know more about. Most of Tomako's life and dreams involved her shy pursuit of Takeda's heart, but only now in Korion did she finally have the opportunity to express her romantic affection for him. Incredibly, he revealed some mutual affection for her, especially now that she holds the Council of Five's favor. As the two spent a festival together, introducing themselves to the possibility of a love life, Takeda takes his shot at dissuading Tomako from going on her mission to Swatsland, unfortunately going so far as to define this as a deal breaker due to his belief that she will die or simply not return from her adventure. Heartbroken over his refusal to play along with her quest, Tomako rejects his heart once and for all.