The group of roughly a hundred people had, at some point, tacitly approved Misono Mika as their leader.
Whenever the Kabane charged toward them, one glance at that beautiful figure leading the way was enough to dissolve the rising fear in their hearts. What they felt was an unparalleled sense of security they had never experienced before.
In these days of living hand-to-mouth, constantly at edge, this was a feeling they had never experienced before.
It was like drug. Once tasted, they couldn't bear to let it go.
In contrast, the Shogunate authorities only knew how to exploit them. The armies they raised served only the elite, never sparing a thought for the commoners at the very bottom of society.
Some began to wonder.
If someone must be chosen to rule us, why shouldn't it be Lady Mika?
The security the Shogunate provided wasn't even a ten-thousandth of what Lady Mika offered! She was the emissary of God, a being of miracles! No one was more suited for the position than her.
As this thought took root, the seeds of ambition began to sprout in the hearts of some. Some wished to follow Misono Mika, overthrow the Shogunate, and become the beneficiaries of a new order—like the group of samurai up front. Others hoped to receive a blessing from her to obtain power beyond that of ordinary mortals—like the ignorant who had successfully brainwashed themselves.
However, most simply sought her protection to ensure the survival of themselves and their loved ones. They might be simple-minded, lacking ambition or a grander vision, but they were the true reflection of the masses. Opportunity, after all, is always reserved for those brave enough to take risks and savvy enough to seize the moment.
These people are so interesting!
Misono Mika saw it all. The wings behind her back trembled with excitement, and she couldn't help but let out a delighted laugh. "Hahaha..."
"Lady Mika? Why are you laughing? Did you think of something happy?"
"It's nothing, nothing..."
Misono Mika waved her hand. Seeing the cautious, hesitant looks on their faces, she said in a relaxed tone, "I'm just so lucky to have met such interesting people like you right after arriving in this world."
She had only saved them on a whim, never expecting such diverse thoughts to bloom in their hearts.
I have a feeling these people are going to provide me with a lot of entertainment later.
This is truly wonderful.
"The honor is ours!"
"You're being too kind, Lady Mika!"
"Meeting you is the blessing of a lifetime! If you hadn't intervened, we would have been dead long ago!"
The crowd looked overwhelmed by her favor; some were so excited they nearly jumped for joy.
Just then, with the addition of several dozen more Kabane, the defensive line of the samurai clearing the path began to buckle. But they weren't afraid, because they knew someone would act on their behalf.
Suddenly, a succession of crisp gunshots rang out. Bullets tore through the air, whistling as they pierced the hearts of the Kabane. Blood-red flowers bloomed across the Kabane's chests until they finally slumped to the ground, motionless.
The crisis was averted.
The samurai gathered at Misono Mika's sides, guarding her like personal retainers.
Misono Mika lowered her gun—which seemed to have infinite ammo—and shot a playful glance at the samurai. Then, without warning, she looked up, locking eyes with Mumei, who was peeking at her from a rooftop. Mika waved at her.
"Aren't you coming over? Mumei-chan~"
"!"
The moment their eyes met, a cold sweat broke out across Mumei's body. Her heart felt as though it were being squeezed by a giant hand, making it hard to breathe.
The impossibly beautiful Misono Mika, surrounded by the crowd below, exerted a massive amount of pressure. In that split second of eye contact, Mumei felt as if she were being stared down by some ancient, prehistoric predator.
She couldn't resist. She couldn't escape.
Even though Misono Mika had lowered that absurdly powerful gun, Mumei didn't think her own agility would be enough to dodge the woman's bullets. Furthermore, the woman clearly wasn't human. Those snow-white wings and the beautiful halo above her head weren't things a human could possess. With current technology, no one had the means to "play God" to such a convincing degree.
"Sigh..."
Mumei let out a long breath of resignation. Since the other party was inviting her, she couldn't refuse—she couldn't run away anyway. Mumei leapt from the roof and landed in front of Misono Mika.
"Who goes there!"
Seeing someone jump down, the surrounding samurai reflexively aimed their guns at Mumei.
Misono Mika raised a hand to stop them. Seeing this, the samurai withdrew their hostility and lowered their weapons. Mika looked over the black-haired girl in front of her and smiled. "Mumei-chan seems very hostile toward me. Did I do something wrong?"
"...It's my own problem."
Mumei's body remained tense, unsure of what Misono Mika intended to do with her.
"It's okay. If you don't want to talk about it, forget it. Just walk with us for now; we can talk once we reach the Koutetsujou. Hinomoto will soon be overrun by the unknown number of Kabane outside. Time is running out for the Koutetsujou."
Misono Mika reached out and took Mumei's small hand, leading her toward the Koutetsujou without giving her a choice. The "Zuan Brigade" followed closely behind.
Mumei didn't dare resist and walked along passively. Feeling the softness of the palm enveloping her hand and catching the occasional scent of fragrance, Mumei's mind grew hazy. It felt like a surreal dream.
The two didn't say much on the way.
It looks like she just wants to bring me into the group. She doesn't have any immediate hostility toward me.
Realizing she wasn't in immediate danger, Mumei felt a sense of relief. She stole a glance at Misono Mika beside her.
The woman was beautiful—so much so that even as a woman herself, Mumei wanted to keep looking. Her aura was in a league of its own: elegant and noble. Mumei had seen many young ladies from great families before, but none could match the aristocratic air of Misono Mika.
"Was Mumei-chan just peeking at me?" Misono Mika looked down at her.
"N-No..." Mumei quickly looked away, her reply lacking any conviction.
"I'm not some moody, unpredictable person. Mumei-chan doesn't need to be so afraid of me. To clear up the misunderstanding between us, how about we talk about something else?"
Misono Mika thought seriously for a moment and then asked, "For example, what kind of person does Mumei plan to become in the future? What's your type for a partner? How many children do you plan to have?"
"W-Why are the subjects of these questions all about me? Why don't you talk about yourself?"
"Oh? Is Mumei-chan that eager to get to know me? What are you planning to do with that information? Could it be... you've fallen for me and want to pursue me?"
"I HAVE NOT!!!"
Mumei shouted a denial, her face flushing red. Everyone else in the vicinity stared at her in shock.
'What is wrong with this person! She looks so well-mannered and refined, so why is everything she says so out of pocket!'