" 'When the red moon fills, a great power shall dwell within the sword. Should the Seven Stars be defeated by this, a world ruled by darkness shall begin'... huh?"
Krieg finished his meal—some ingredients he'd received from Maya, roughly chopped and grilled—and sat reflecting on the passage from Izaya's story.
Maya had headed home shortly after delivering the food, saying it was time for her own family dinner. She promised to return afterward for their "story exchange," provided Izaya didn't stop her.
"A red moon, eh? 'A red moon that purifies the filth of those who have sinned,' was it?"
Personally, I feel like that moon contains more filth than it purifies... but let's think about this seriously.
The "prohibition" Izaya mentioned likely referred to the Assembly Ordinance applied to areas near Marine facilities.
Let's see... I studied this for my promotion to the rank of General...
"The names of the speakers, the location, and the date and time of the meeting must be detailed and reported to the jurisdictional Marine office for approval; however, this is limited to indoor gatherings.
The Marines may station regular officers to monitor the event. Stationed officers may order dissolution if the presentation of the permit is refused, if the lecture or discussion involves acts other than those reported, or if it is deemed harmful to public order."
That was it. It's an ordinance designed to prevent sabotage and subversive activities against the Marines. The previous commander of this island likely found the village rituals troublesome or "suspicious" and used this law to shut them down.
In that case, I should confirm the details of these rituals. If I can report their safety to Fleet Admiral Sengoku and secure an exemption from the Assembly Ordinance for this specific case, I can use that as leverage to negotiate with Izaya.
Having made up his mind, Krieg pulled a full-sized Den Den Mushi from his large rucksack. Unlike the portable "Baby" versions, these were heavy and cumbersome, but their signal range was far superior—essential for reaching across the sea.
He connected to the Beatrice's communications room, informed them he'd be staying in the village for the night, and ordered the crew to take rotating shifts for a day of rest tomorrow. Just as he hung up...
"Misteeeer!"
He saw the indigo-haired girl walking over from the direction of the village. He stood up to meet her.
"Hey there, Maya-chan. It's dark out, so be careful, okay?"
He held out a hand to steady her, but she simply placed a piece of fruit into his palm.
"...I didn't mean for you to give me more food."
"It's dessert for after your meal! So, what did the Marine Mister want to ask me?"
Since she was eager to get to the point, they moved closer to the campfire he'd built for cooking, and he asked about the rituals.
"Even if you call it a ritual, we don't do anything too scary. We all just pray to the gods."
"Just praying?"
"Yeah. We do it once a week, but there's also the big one that happens once every hundred years."
"The content of the big one is different, right?"
"Um, the one where we all pray together is what we usually do. The hundred-year one is where we choose a 'Shrine Maiden' to place the 'Orbs' into the towers and perform a dance to create a barrier."
"I see. So, you place the Orbs in the towers, and the Shrine Maiden creates a barrier through her dance. Is that right?"
"That's it! Right now, Grandma is the Shrine Maiden, but I'm going to be the next one!"
I see... Wait, is she the heroine from the movie?
Regardless, the ritual didn't sound dangerous. It seemed worth talking to Sengoku about. If he could grant a special exception, the Marine Dojo could finally operate in peace.
"Okay, I told you my part! Now tell me stories about the outside!!"
Maya grabbed his coat and started tugging on it. Krieg smiled and began telling her tales of a whale larger than a mountain and an island where dinosaurs still roamed.
Krieg carried the sleeping Maya on his back—she must have tuckered herself out listening to his stories—and headed toward the Elder's house.
To the soft rhythm of Maya's breathing against his shoulder, he knocked on the door. After some rustling inside, the door creaked open, revealing Izaya, the Elder of Asuka Village.
"…Oh, it's you. What do you—hm, you've brought Maya back."
"Yes. It seems she fell asleep while we were talking..."
"You've gone to some trouble... I thank you for bringing her home safely. However, that is a separate matter from your proposal. Unless you agree to our terms, we will not give our consent."
"Actually, about that... but before we talk, may I carry her to her bed first?"
With her permission, Krieg laid the sleeping girl down and returned to the main room where Izaya waited.
"As I was saying, I am considering a special exemption from the Assembly Ordinance for the rituals held in this village. Would you be willing to reconsider the Dojo if that were settled?"
"Hmm... if that were truly the case, we would have no reason to refuse. But can you really push such an exception through?"
Izaya looked skeptical, to say the least.
"I'll be contacting the head of the Navy tomorrow to confirm. I'll do my best to negotiate."
"Then it depends on your tongue, does it? Very well. You should rest for the night."
"Ah—then I'll just borrow a spot on the porch."
"Don't be ridiculous. You are technically a guest. Wait here, I will show you to a room."
Krieg was led to a guest room. As he sat on the bed mentally drafting his arguments for Fleet Admiral Sengoku, exhaustion finally caught up with him, and he drifted off.
The next morning, Krieg set up his Den Den Mushi. Sitting across from him were Izaya and a curious Maya.
『What is it, Krieg? Have you made progress?』 Sengoku's voice boomed from the snail.
"Yes, sir. After listening to the local history, I have a proposal..." Krieg detailed the ancient legend and the specific nature of the rituals.
『I see. Ordinarily, the Assembly Ordinance would strictly apply to any gathering near a base... and while the revival of the Dojo is a high priority for our 'Standardization' plan, granting an exception is a delicate matter.』
"Is there a particular hurdle, sir?"
『I want more details on this Seven-Starred Sword. If it truly is a source of unrest, it might be better for the Navy to take it into custody for analysis. That would solve the villagers' anxiety permanently.』
"The Admiral has a point, Elder," Krieg said, turning to Izaya. "Could you let us examine the sword?"
"But... the legends say it cannot be destroyed..."
『Elder,』 Sengoku interjected through the snail, 『even if it is 'indestructible,' there are many ways to handle such an object. Is it physically hardened, or does it possess a supernatural regenerative ability? Do you know the difference?』
"…No. We only know it cannot be broken by the strength of men."
"If the sword possesses an ability similar to a Devil Fruit, we can analyze it," Krieg added. "And if destruction is impossible, there is always 'containment.' We can sink it into deep-sea lava or seal it in a permafrost glacier. There are ways to ensure it never threatens anyone again."
Izaya blinked, seemingly struck by a thought that had never occurred to her. For generations, they had simply followed the tradition of 'sealing' it; they had never considered a modern, scientific solution to remove the threat entirely.
"I see... I suppose we have never looked at it that way. Very well. I will let you examine the Seven-Starred Sword. Will that suffice?"
『It's a start,』 Sengoku replied.
"Thank you, sir. I'll report back after the inspection."
Krieg ended the call and stood up, following Izaya and Maya as they led him toward the hidden location of the legendary blade.
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