They've taken the bait?
The Shogun had also noticed the movement. Instead of continuing to watch the resistance soldiers, her gaze shifted toward her own side.
She spotted several individuals looking unusually tense, sweat forming on their foreheads. It was obvious—they had guilty consciences.
The next second, the conflict erupted!!
"Despicable Kujou Clan! You colluded with the Fatui and still dare to seize everything from our Watatsumi Island!!"
One of the resistance soldiers suddenly stepped forward, raising his weapon and shouting toward Kujou Sara's Shogunate forces. He then turned to the soldiers behind him who were in league with him. The plan of these warmongers had begun—and it was falling perfectly into Kokomi's trap.
"Soldiers! The Kujou Clan cannot be trusted! Everyone, with me!!!"
"Ooooo!!!" ×N
The group behind him charged toward Kujou Sara without regard for their own leader's stance.
"Protect Lady Kujou!!!" ×N
The Shogunate forces sensed something was wrong and immediately raised their weapons, forming a defensive line around Sara as they confronted the suddenly rebellious resistance soldiers.
"..."
Throughout it all, Kokomi did nothing. She simply stood there calmly with her arms folded, one hand supporting her chin. She had already clearly identified the soldier who shouted first and the accomplices who followed him.
Now what remained—
Was the Shogunate side.
Sure enough, after this incident broke out, several individuals at the rear of the Shogunate ranks began to panic. Flustered. Nervous. Their guilt was written all over their faces.
Kokomi turned her gaze toward the Shogun, who had already changed into her gentian-colored kimono attire, and gave her a light nod.
"?"
Sara also glanced backward. Even before seeing the Shogun, her eyes landed on those visibly guilty men.
...So that's it!!
She suddenly understood.
So that was why—!
Her gaze fell to the document still resting on the table.
Behind that particular clause, circled in azure ink, another line had been added—
'Point of ignition for the conflict. After speaking, I will remain silent... then wait for the target to erupt. It may lead to both armies confronting each other. Do not worry. It is part of the plan. At that moment, if possible, please look behind you.'
Sangonomiya Kokomi, you—!
"!"
Sara stared at the composed girl before her in shock. Had she predicted all of this in advance?!
"Shogun-sama, I'll leave it to you."
Kokomi addressed the approaching Shogun.
"!"
Sara froze again as she looked toward the now fully dressed Shogun. The kimono-clad woman appeared before everyone once more. Her exquisite legs, wrapped in deep purple thigh-high stockings, stepped forward gracefully. As the Shogun, surrounded faintly by crackling lightning, approached the negotiation table, both the Shogunate and resistance soldiers instinctively retreated several steps.
"What?! The Raiden Shogun?!" ×N
"Shogun-sama?!" ×N
None of them knew why the Shogun had suddenly appeared. The resistance soldiers who had intended to rebel instantly lost their momentum, retreating to the back. Some even shamefully hid behind Kokomi like children seeking their leader to clean up their mess. The sight earned a silent look of disdain from the Shogun, though she said nothing. After casting them a cold glare, she turned to Kokomi.
"Have you confirmed the numbers?"
The Shogun asked.
"Mm. Not a single one missing."
As expected, the infiltrators were numerous—more than half.
Kokomi thought silently.
"Good... handle your people."
After saying this, the Shogun shifted her gaze toward several men on her own side.
"Sara. Detain them."
With a cold command, she stepped away from the negotiation area toward the outer edge near the shoreline to wait.
"Haa... arrest them!"
Sara exhaled softly, suppressing her anger as she ordered her subordinates.
"Yes!" ×N
Clatter~
"Wait!! Please don't!! Lady Kujou!!" ×N
The men were immediately seized by their own comrades and escorted to the beach, where the Shogun stood waiting.
"..."
The Shogun stood with her eyes closed, feeling the sea breeze as if she had not heard their arrival at all.
"(Gulp)!" ×N
Yet that very stillness only made them more terrified.
"Shogun-sama, they are here."
Sara stepped beside her and spoke quietly.
"Mm... you question them."
The Shogun murmured without opening her eyes.
"Yes..."
Sara stepped forward, staring down at the two Shogunate soldiers forced to kneel on the sand.
"Speak. Have you truly colluded with the Fatui?"
Her face was dark with suppressed fury. To have such an incident occur before the Shogun enraged her. Her adoptive father, Kujou Takayuki, had fallen for similar corruption. Why would anyone repeat that mistake?!
"We..." ×N
The two glanced at each other before instinctively looking toward the silent Shogun standing nearby with arms folded.
"Answer!"
Sara snapped impatiently when she saw their eyes drift toward the Shogun.
"W-we... it doesn't really count as collusion..."
One of them trembled as he spoke. The other nodded frantically beside him.
"Earlier, someone from the Fatui approached us, saying they could cooperate with us to continue the war against Watatsumi Island."
The second soldier hurriedly confessed everything.
"..."
The Shogun slowly inhaled. Her fingers gradually clenched into a fist.
"At the time, I thought... well, it wouldn't hurt to try—"
"!"
Sara shot them a furious glare. The Shogun still had not reacted.
"B-but we were cautious! We didn't agree! We just told them they could go cause trouble on Watatsumi Island first, and we'd see how things went!"
Sensing Sara's expression darken, the man hastily corrected himself, desperate to survive.
"Y-yes! Lady Kujou, we really didn't collude with them! We only spoke once not long ago! Who knew those Watatsumi people would find out?!"
The other soldier chimed in frantically. They were bound together—if one fell, so would the other.
"Sh-Shogun-sama, you must believe us! We're innocent!"
Both looked toward the purple-haired woman as she slowly opened her eyes.
"You just said, 'It wouldn't hurt to try.' That is what you said, correct?"
The Shogun suddenly spoke, her voice cold as she stepped forward to stand before the trembling soldiers.
"Eh? Ah... y-yes."
Sweat poured down the man's body, yet under her command he forced himself to answer.
"Fools!"
She rebuked them sharply.
"!!" ×2
Both men lowered their heads instantly, not daring to refute her.
"To speak as though war brings no harm—such words betray both father and sovereign. Utter stupidity!"
Her words struck like blades piercing their chests. Their bodies shook uncontrollably.
"When you uttered those words, did you think of the common people? Do you realize that your selfish desires trample upon the longing for peace held by countless citizens?"
Her violet eyes began to glow with divine radiance, fixing upon them like judgment itself.
"Ahh—!" ×2
The two had already wet themselves in terror, shameful though it was. They no longer cared.
"The people's desire for peace is the cornerstone of Eternity. And yet you would trample upon it so wantonly. Do you intend—before me—to destroy Eternity itself?"
Rumble—!
In the next instant, a thick bolt of thunder split the sky, illuminating the darkening shoreline in a flash of blinding light.
As the thunder roared, the two nearly jumped out of their skin. It felt as though the next bolt would strike them directly, reducing them to charred flesh!
"Sh-Shogun-sama!!" ×2
Thud! ×2
The two men dropped heavily to their knees before her, bowing into a full dogeza posture.
"...!"
Sara cautiously glanced at her from the side.
"The Tenryou Commission's collusion with the Fatui already serves as a cautionary tale. Your master, Kujou Takayuki, was imprisoned for that very reason. And now you shamelessly repeat the same mistake. Should I interpret this as a challenge to my patience?"
"!!!" ×2
Their faces were pale with terror as they dared not move, waiting as though for the next sentence of a nightmare.
"And in a time of peace, you openly advocate for war, attempting to disrupt the order of Eternity..."
Her violet eyes narrowed dangerously as she looked toward the rumbling sky. Her voice carried not a trace of warmth.
"Take them away. Military law."
She closed her eyes and spoke in a low, complicated tone.
"!" ×N
Everyone froze for a moment.
"Shogun-sama!!! No!!!"
"Shogun-sama, spare us!!! Please, have mercy!!!"
The two burst into tears, frantically kowtowing, even smashing their foreheads against the ground in desperate pleading, like sinners clawing their way up from hell.
"..."
She did not move. She did not even look at them.
The surrounding soldiers obeyed and hauled the men up, preparing to drag them away.
"Shogun-sama, please!!! I beg you! Show mercy! I have elderly parents above and children below! I have a wife and children to support! I... I was wrong! I won't dare again! Please, have mercy!!!"
They struggled against the soldiers restraining them, continuously kowtowing, their foreheads splitting open as blood stained the sand.
"Shogun-sama, we were foolish for a moment! Lady Kujou, please plead for us! Spare our lives!"
"..."
Sara felt deeply troubled. She instinctively looked toward the silent woman beside her.
"Shogun-sama—" ×2
"Enough!"
The Shogun opened her eyes and snapped impatiently.
"Ahh!" ×2
The two instantly fell silent, their faces smeared with tears and snot, utterly pitiful.
"Haa..."
She sighed, then looked at the two crying men with a complicated gaze before slowly speaking.
"In consideration of your years of service to the Shogunate—and your attachments to family—I will spare your lives. Strip them of their ranks and imprison them for ten years. They will be released upon completion of their sentence."
She spoke quietly.
"Ah... th-thank you, Shogun-sama, for your mercy! Glory to the Shogun and her everlasting reign!!!"
"Glory to the Shogun and her everlasting reign!!!"
They were dragged away by the soldiers, still shouting the slogan loudly like men possessed.
"Shogun-sama..."
"Say no more. I understand the pain of losing family. Though their crimes are grave, I will make this exception out of consideration for their youthful recklessness. If there is a next time... I will not be lenient."
She said.
"Sara understands."
The girl replied.
—Meanwhile—
After the Shogun temporarily withdrew with Sara and the Shogunate forces, Kokomi let out a soft breath.
"Haa..."
It seemed the plan had gone smoothly...
She stepped toward her chair, flicked the long sleeves of her ceremonial garment, and slowly sat down.
"S-Sangonomiya-sama? What does this mean...?"
"Yes, why were you cooperating with the Raiden Shogun?"
It was as if everything had been planned from the start... Could it be—
The soldier who had taken the lead earlier, named Kouzen, asked nervously.
"..."
Kokomi did not answer immediately. The surrounding soldiers could feel the rare pressure emanating from her.
"..." ×N
The few who had stepped forward exchanged awkward glances.
"Everyone except those who led earlier—stand down and await orders."
Her voice was slightly cold as she commanded.
"...!" ×N
The others retreated, leaving behind the three warmongers.
"Sangonomiya-sama, we—"
"Stand aside. After the negotiations conclude, I will settle accounts with you one by one."
She tilted her chin toward a direction, ordering them to stand aside as punishment.
"!" ×3
The three trembled and obediently moved aside. They knew full well that Sangonomiya-sama in this low-pressure state was dangerous.
Soon, the Shogun returned with Sara. The plan had proceeded smoothly. The troublemakers who intended to sabotage the negotiations had been eliminated one by one. What followed was the genuine negotiation.
Since the two had already aligned their words the night before, the process went smoothly without error.
After several minutes, the negotiations concluded. Sara and Kokomi shook hands as a sign of goodwill before departing.
The Shogun did not return to Narukami Island with Sara. Instead... she accompanied Kokomi back to Watatsumi Island.
Along the way, the punished soldiers attempted to explain themselves, but Kokomi dismissed them one by one, saying only, "We'll talk once we return to Watatsumi Island."
Her tone was cold. She was clearly angry.
Upon returning to Watatsumi Island, Kokomi deliberately chose a secluded location—the open ground in front of Teppei's house in Bourou Village. Teppei's home was at the highest point of the village, and few people came by normally, making it convenient.
Kokomi stood with her arms crossed, gazing coldly at the three soldiers before her. For a time, she said nothing.
Click...
"W-what's going on? Eh? Sangonomiya-sa—"
Teppei stepped out after hearing the noise, only to be stopped by the Shogun.
"Eh? Sho-Shogun-sa—"
"Shh..."
The Shogun gestured for silence and motioned toward the interior of the house.
"Ah, oh... s-sorry for disturbing you."
Click.
Teppei closed the door in confusion.
Kokomi glanced back at the Shogun, who gestured toward the three men, indicating she would leave it to her and step aside for now.
Kokomi nodded and turned her gaze back to the soldiers.
"Sangonomiya-sama, why would you cooperate with the Raiden Shogun...?"
The leading soldier asked softly once the Shogun had moved away.
"Inviting the Shogun here was beneficial to Watatsumi Island's negotiations. It was my plan from the start."
Kokomi replied.
"S-So from the beginning, you let her understand our people's sentiments? Our thoughts?"
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"Correct. It was a necessary step in the negotiation. Otherwise, I could not rest at ease."
She nodded without evasion.
"So... you also knew about us—"
They glanced at one another.
"Your reasons for causing trouble—I heard them from Kouzen."
She explained.
"You believe the Tenryou Commission cannot be trusted, so you did not want a peace negotiation. You wanted the war to continue."
"..." ×3
They fell silent. She had struck the mark.
"Although you accidentally exposed their scheme, I still cannot approve of your methods."
She shook her head coldly.
"But Sangonomiya-sama, we sacrificed so many comrades. If we just stop like this, weren't their efforts in vain? I want the war to continue. Even if I die, it doesn't matter! I want us to win completely!"
Kouzen retorted. The other two nodded in agreement.
"Haa... I've already heard those words from Kouzen. In this regard, you truly are alike—even your explanations are nearly identical."
Kokomi sighed. Whether they had been incited or truly believed it themselves, she could be certain they were wrong.
"It is unfortunate. Those who died did so for peace. And now you, who desire war—what would your lone sacrifice accomplish?"
She criticized him bluntly, disregarding his pride.
"Ugh!"
He lowered his head immediately. It had struck home.
"To put it bluntly, you wish to use your own sacrifice to destroy the peace everyone longs for. Isn't that rather self-righteous? Moreover, life is not a tool for measuring worth. Your thinking only makes you seem unreasonable—and childish."
Her tone grew even harsher. She was not someone who enjoyed belittling others, but at this moment she had to make him see reality and prevent him from straying further down the wrong path.