Fear? Or is it...?

"This is absurd!"

"We cannot let this go!"

In the center of the Yukonami province's governmental power, 2 men are shouting while hitting their fists on the table.

"That… is all that I have to report, Your Graces…"

"Hmp… This sure went sour for all of us."

The current formal daimyo of Yukonami and head of the Yukogahara clan, Yukogahara Akira along with his borther and half-brother, Atsushi and Akihiro respectively, are meeting after receiving the news that their youngest brother and half-brother has died while waging war at the borders.

"I heard that while he was fighting off the enemy clan's forces at the southwest border, the Kusanagi clan's warrior princess led her army to the opposite side of the border to conquer the district."

"Indeed, that is what had happened, Your Grace. If the testimonials of the soldiers that deserted from the battle was true, the forces along the border came from a different land. They flew three flags that was neatly tied on the hill fortresses and it is composed of a flag with a flaming sword, a flag of a lotus flower and a flag of a celestial ox horn."

"Those flags… that can't be-"

"It is, my lord. Those flags belong to the Aoyama, Hikigaya and Fumikage clans of Kiko."

Flabbergasted with the news that the powerful neutral clans of Kiko have engaged battles with them, the three landlords looked at each other with doubt.

"That is impossible. The three great clans of Kiko have long been under the toes of the Akizuki clan. If they indeed came here without the permission of the clan leading Kiko, they would become the enemy of the entire southern triad."

"Forgive me my lord, but I wish to correct you on that mistake."

"What?"

"It was only recent news as we weren't concerned about it before, but news suddenly spread that the Akizuki lord has long been deposed from his position and was banished from the lands without being given the right to commit seppuku… The person who replaced him is a nobody that no one has heard before. A man named Iwasawa Hiroshi."

"That name…"

After that name was called, one of the three brothers mumbled to himself as if being reminded of something with that name.

"Is something wrong, brother?"

"No, no… It's just that… I think I heard of this name before… I just can't remember when and for what reason."

"Regardless, whoever this upstart is isn't important. We have lost our brother to this man and avenging him must be our priority!"

"Hold on, we shouldn't be too quick to draw the blade on them. We should send messengers and spies to them to see the situation for ourselves."

"Don't be a fool brother! There is no need for diplomacy and formality! They killed Akihiko and we will not spare them their heads nor honor!"

"I agree! Let us wage war according to the tradition of our fathers! Victory can only be won by the brave! It is their deaths or our own!"

With the words of his brothers and the jeering of the men around them, the current clan leader of the Yukogahara had no choice but to follow their desires.

"I call upon all able-bodied men of Yukonami! Gather under the flag of the united clan army and crush the invaders until none of them remains!"

This was just the first of the many mistakes that the enemies of the Iwasawa clan's army will make.

But the one thing that this one had in common with the others…

Is that they assumed that the young man leading this province and clan is just a weakling.

They could've never been so wrong.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"So… can you tell me what that guy did…"

"He… umm…"

"Speak up, damn it!"

"Y-yes! Shimura-kun killed the District lord and the entire army of this domain."

We marched for four days after the battle at the border where Nobisuke killed Yukogahara Akihiko and I reported to Kyoko who is busy instating her authority on the land.

"Argh… That should've been something that we shared… Now I just lost an easily justifiable reason to rule this land…"

"Y-yeah…"

We were supposed to be two landlords having equal prestige and position. But with what we did, or in this case, what me and my army were forced to do out of pure self-defense, I can't help but bend the knee in front of her for breaking our agreement to battle the enemy army together.

"Haah… what a headache…"

"I…I'm really sorry."

With her usually brutal attitude and the common sense here in the Sengoku period, she has a reason to cut our alliance or even declare us as her enemy simply for that offence.

"Forget about it. You and your men aren't really to blame here."

"Huh?"

"I said forget about it. There's no need to feel so guilty with it."

What? She's not doing anything. No, that is impossible…

"A-are you really sure?"

"I already said that I am, didn't I? What? You want me to change that and behead you and your general?"

"N-no…"

"Then just shut up and accept it. If your story is real, you were forced to kill him on the ground of self-defense. Even I would do the same if he suddenly appeared for my neck."

Weird… when did this girl became such an understanding person?

"Hey. Are you thinking of something rude?"

"N-no…"

"Then get going now. We don't have anything else to talk about."

"Y-yes… see you later then."

After I left the room, I heard someone dropping to the floor. I almost went back and opened the door but their voices from behind the door told me the reason.

"Impossible… In just a single evening in battle…?"

"It is indeed an absurdity, lady Kyoko… Even I can't believe it when I heard about it."

Are they talking about that battle?

"We… we can't lose our alliance with them now… if we do, we may end up like that idiot they killed in a single night."

"…"

Hearing that… It hurt me quite a lot.

"Nobisuke…"

"Yes, my lord?"

"You're strong, aren't you?"

While we are slowly riding our horse on a narrow valley road beside a river, I asked Nobisuke that question.

"I… With all humility, I can say that my strength is only enough to topple 4 men of the same level of ability and wits as mine."

"I'll take that as a yes, then."

With that, I asked him the question that has been bothering me since earlier.

"Does your strength sometimes scare you that people are only staying with you because of it?"

"…Yes."

He knows the feeling, doesn't he?

"It's been always like that, my lord. It is the fate of the strong to bear the responsibility of protecting and it's the fate of the weak to beg for mercy to the protector. For me, both are just the same when it comes to being a pain in the ass. Whether you are someone who has to protect, or you are someone who has to beg for protection, it's just the same feeling of burden and fear."

"I see…"

Kiko is quite a weak province in the first place. The Three Great Noble Families might be an alliance wrought from the bloodline that has stayed for thousand years, but as seen in the current way of governance in Kiko, even the Misanagi clan leader who is the head of the alliance and I, who is the lord of the province, still has to ask or force the three clans to do as we say.

This is a governmental problem.

Kiko too, still runs in the ancient laws from a thousand years ago. Because of this, most punishments like imprisonment and fines has been inadequate to deter criminal actions from both the people inside and outside of the place.

This is a legal problem.

Kiko, unlike most other provinces, has some sort of tribal way of national identity where one identifies and swears their allegiance to the domain that they've been born to, which causes them to have constant clashes with those outside the lands they've been born with.

This is a people problem.

Kiko… has a lot of problems. It is disconnected with the mainland, isolated in all manner of technological and realistic advancements. That is the reason why I did everything that I can do to pull them out of the old ways and bring them to a state where they don't just meet their enemies' level but even overpower them.

And that can be seen with how much Kiko changed in just a single year. Electricity, trade, machines, trains, highways, irrigation canals, factories, clocks, lightbulbs and even these weapons of war… If anyone from my past life sees this, they would probably mistake it as stepping into an oriental-version of 19th century London.

But one problem that I never seen coming… was the problem we will have with being such a strong nation.

"Was it wrong to do all of this?"

This was the question that I kept on asking myself since earlier.

When I heard Kyoko falling down to her knees, shaking in terror after learning that my army crushed the enemy that she was so afraid to face before, it hurt me as I cannot think of any way to tell her that she shouldn't be afraid of us.

"Nobisuke… mind letting me prattle right now about something?"

"Why, never hesitate so, my lord. Never have I thought that your words are a waste of time to listen to."

Hearing his reply, I sighed and looked upwards.

"There once was a nation so massive and powerful. Its military is huge and formidable, its cities boast buildings that touched the skies, its citizens live so freely and comfortably that some people outside of its borders are willing to work like slaves just to have a fresh start in it."

"…"

"For many, it was like a dream land. A perfect place to have a work you can enjoy, have a happy and fulfilled family, raise children that didn't have to suffer in their youth. It was a land of freedom, a land where those who are willing to obey those in power can live in peace and quiet."

I quite fondly remember it. From the pictures I saw and the words on the books that I read. It was like heaven on earth…

Or at least, it used to be…

"But that beauty and freeness attracted a lot of enemies. Many countries and people, unwilling to accept that such a bountiful country exists while they live in the worst corners of the known world, plotted against it. Some went discretely, blending into the normal and peaceful people to sow seeds of hatred and discord using radical ideologies while some went directly, sending their people in to cause chaos, claim the lives of the nation's people and even going as far as justifying their actions on historical records by calling it an act of defiance against the unfairly wealthy without actually doing anything to improve their own lives."

Of course, there are also faults to be found in this earthly utopia.

"However, just like I said before, this country's military is powerful. The reason why the nation became so large after all is because they spread their borders intensively, killing native people and integrating the survivors to their own race, marching to enemy countries to secure their own footholds and justifying it by calling it their right for being powerful and dismissing any kind of resistance or complaint using brute force."

"Those that obeyed, became slaves. While those who did not met the blade."

"That's right."

And the next thing was what scares me the most when it comes to what is happening now.

"Slowly, this country weakened. Not on the outside but from the inside. Political infighting and conflicting national focuses became a web of complicated orders and procedures that no one can easily unravel. Soon, these politicians staged slanderous acts to their enemies that later became a string of assassinations. The people are more or less, in the same boat as their leaders. Those who had their ancestors killed or abused by the pureblooded citizens of the nation cannot forget about the hatred they felt. Even though it happened hundreds or maybe even a thousand of years ago, they didn't want to let go. They used it as a justification to act rebelliously for the most miniscule amount of provocation. They crossed the nation's borders to steal valuables, burned entire settlements, even those that didn't belong to the people they have hatred to. All because of an ideology of hatred that they believed can justify any kind of pain that they inflict upon others…"

"…Can I ask what this nation's name is, my lord?"

I sighed a bit and spoke softly.

"The Roman Empire."

It was the civilization that turned humanity from its ancient past to its contemporary state in my past life. It was known as the first true image of the modern world. It is so great that, if I remember correctly, most of the governments in my past life still adopts their way of governance.

The Roman empire, even with its own magnificence, advancement, strength and resilience, was destroyed by its differences and its inability to choose who is worthy of being its leader. This is the blight of all human governments…

"But my lord, the last part… why does it scare you if Kiko doesn't have a huge non-native population that is hostile and a complicated political structure… wait, unless you are talking about-"

"Yeah. I'm talking about my plan."

I pulled the reins of my horse, Shinzuke and turned around to face Nobisuke.

"Tell me, Shimura-kun. Once the quad-alliance between the Kusanagi, Daigo and Yamaguchi clan is formed and we've provided them the knowledge and technology that we placed as an offer on the table, do you think that they will remain sitting properly on their chairs?"

"That… I…"

"They probably won't."

It is a natural instinct of humans to either run away or confront the things that they fear. And in this case, when we have lost our sole advantage by giving them the same things that we have, what are our chances of being backstabbed or cornered by them? It is probably high.

It scares me the same way as how we are scaring Kyoko right now.

"I see… After all, plots and back stabbings are the life and blood of the Sengoku period. I, who lived as a warrior in it can say that it is indeed like that."

Both of us looked at each other and I nodded to see if he is thinking the same thing as I do.

"But if you are planning to do that, my lord, what would you do to earn their trust?"

"I don't know too… You already know, didn't you? I'm helpless in these situations."

I turned to see the grassy field behind us that is leading to the town we are camping at. In it, I saw my soldiers either resting on the field, tending to their equipment or busily preparing their platoon's lunch as the war kitchen broke their stone stove along the way.

"…My lord, I know that this might be against your and even more so to my own desires as her cousin and elder sibling… but if it's the only way…"

I knew it. That's also the only way he sees that we can do as we want.

"You'd have to break your engagement with Chiyo and marry one woman from every clan that we will be allying with."

"Haah… Nobisuke. You know that I cannot do that."

"I know, but if we are thinking pragmatically and without the constraints of local traditions and beliefs, it is the only way for us to secure our alliances with these people."

Kiko has a monogamist tradition in marriage. One man for one woman, forever bound till one dies. Failure to keep this contract is called an adultery, and in this province and even more so in my army, this crime will claim your life and that of your other sinful lover. Because of this, unlike other armies that has a trail of prostitutes following the march of their men and constant cases of rape committed on conquered enemy citizens, Kiko soldiers are rigorously trained and constantly warned that any case of sexual misbehavior that will be caught and proved can either dismiss you from service and land you on prison or make you meet the firing squad for one last sight of a gun barrel.

This means that even I, because I am the leader of this land and the head of the Kiko armed force, has to obey the rules I set. And personally, I am confident with following it since the only woman that I truly love is Chiyo.

"Call me a fool if you want to, Nobisuke. Call me selfish too, since it is basically just that… but I don't accept this plan of having to give up on the person I truly love just to forward this ambition that may not end well anyway."

"I won't, my lord. You don't deserve such words even if your statements are true."

Since there are no other ways to do this, I have no other choice but to ask him and her that thing.

"Nobisuke."

"I am listening, my lord."

"I invoke the ancient laws of Kiko that bound it on its lands…"

"That-!"

"I want you promise me one thing, Nobisuke…"

It is all for the betterment of this country… This is the only choice that I have.

Later in the afternoon, we marched forward and finally came to the city where Kyoko was keeping her army. In there, my men camped outside the city and helped in the peacekeeping operations around the town.

For us, the high command, we went to the castle and dressed in formal clothes and sat on pillows on the floor. It was a commander's meeting.

"This is the 12th formal war council meeting between the Kusanagi clan and the Iwasawa clan. Both parties, introduce yourselves."

As the meeting officer from the Kusanagi clan spoke, the inviters took initiative and spoke up.

"Kusanagi Kyoko, 74th generation Daimyo of Shinka's Kusanagi clan. Daughter of Kusanagi Kenji and Akiko. It is a pleasure to be seated in this gathering."

"Ayanami Mitsuha, 23rd generation Samurai of Shinka's Ayanami clan. Daughter of Ayanami Reiji and Ritsuko. It is an honor to be seated in your presence."

"Ayanami Mitsuhide, 23rd generation Samurai of Shinka's Ayanami clan. Daughter of Ayanami Reiji and Ritsuko. It is an honor to be seated in your presence."

"Ishigawa Gojo, 12th generation Samurai of Shinka's Ishigawa-Itsuki clan. Son of Ishigawa Goen and Itsuki Akari, it is an honor to be seated in your presence."

The first three was a dignified introduction while the last one gained a bit of confused grunts from my officers. But I don't blame them as they are seeing and hearing a graceful maiden's face and voice, but the words spoken didn't meet their senses.

Regardless, it was our turn now.

"Iwasawa Hiroshi, 1st generation Daimyo of Kiko's Iwasawa clan. Raised by the Kiko Three. It is a pleasure to be seated in this gathering."

"Shimura Nobisuke, 39th generation Samurai of Kiko's Aoyama clan. Nephew of Aoyama Takeshi. It is an honor to be seated in your presence."

"Ishida Takeo, Commanding Officer of the Kiko army. It is an honor to be seated in your presence."

I was about to speak the starting remarks when one person behind the elder Ayanami general spoke up and pointed at Commander Ishida.

"Wait… this person is not a noble?"

I nodded and with that, her face turned into a grimace. I sensed what is about to happen and attempted to speak out but General Mitsuhide stood up and slapped her subordinate on the face.

"Noble or not, you should never dishonor an ally commander who deserves no insults especially in the presence of his lord. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes! Commander Mitsuhide!"

She turned around to look at me and as a sign of thanks, I nodded with a smile which she received with a smile as well.

We began the meeting and the first thing I mentioned is the report I received from deep within enemy lines.

"As a precaution, I sent my covert team to spy on the enemy command and they caught wind of another combined army force marching towards our line. They said that with the lack of communication and the suddenness of the attack, it will take a week for them to assemble into a group that can actually harm us."

"I see… they must've heard about the death of their brother and the fall of the local domain to us."

"Right. As such, I brought this map to show you my proposed battle tactic."

I snapped my fingers and two soldiers spread a map on the floor and placed 7 wooden pieces there that looked like chess pieces. 4 of them are pawn pieces, 2 are knights and the last one was a queen piece. They then gave me a thin baton with a V-shaped puck on the end.

"From the latest reports we received, the army came from the 3 Yukogahara brother's lands and plans to assemble in this place named Kawano lake. There, they will be under the command of the general from the eldest Yukogahara lord and they'd probably rush here to take us by surprise."

"Yeah, but because of your spies…"

"No need to thank me. I'm just doing my end of the deal."

I moved the pieces around the uneven borders of the rectangular shaped domain that we are currently holding. I placed three pawns on the enemy side. One on the north, one on the northeast and one on the east. I placed the two knights on our side. One on the north and one on the east while the last queen piece was on the center of the domain.

"Their plan looks like this… These armies will use the roads leading to the east to assemble in the currently youngest brother's domain. They plan to both reconquer the land and cut off our retreat route by attacking us on the back and later enclosing on us by using their mountainous border with Kise province."

"If I may add, Lord Iwasawa…"

A woman's voice spoke up as she raised her hand. It was Ayanami Mitsuhide.

"Accepted, Commander Mitsuhide."

"Ahem… I think they are planning to use our possible retreat to the mountains as a reason to attack Kise as well."

"Oho? Where does this speculation come from, Mitsuhide?"

"It's from the conversation I had with the Daigo clan's delegate. The ambassador said that they suspect the Yukogahara clan to be planning to attack them until the deceased Yukohagara Akihiko started hostilities with us. Since then, they've calmed down with provocations to the Daigo clan but if we are to be encircled and seek the help of the Daigo clan…"

"They'd force them to either give us up or stop us from crossing their borders or risk being dragged into a war that they never want."

"Indeed, Lady Kyoko."

With the talks about possibilities finished, I thought about it too and simulated it in my mind.

"If that is so, they have to push us away from the east and pressure us from the north. Only then can their encirclement plan work."

"True. That would mean that they'll have majority of their forces on the east and a stop-gap force on the north that will move once they start pushing us further inland."

I used the baton to move the pieces and placed two pawns on the east while the one at the north remained.

"Hmm…"

"You look like you're thinking about something, Iwasawa."

"Yeah… Something about this… looks familiar…"

I scratched my chin and tried to mull over my thoughts as I can't seem to remember what was it that I am remembering with this sight.

"The land looks like a flour sack… it is surrounded by enemy forces… attack from the back…"

This… isn't this looking a lot like a landlocked version of the Incheon landings?

"Ehehe… We won't fall for that…"

"Huh? You saying something, Iwasawa?"

Kyoko spoke after hearing me mumbling and that is when I looked at her and asked for something.

"Kusanagi, you said that Shinka folk are known for offensive campaigns but weak on defending, right?"

"Yeah. I don't know why but that's how we go."

"Then this plan is perfect for you."

I moved the queen piece and one of the knights to topple over the two pawns at the east and threw a coin on the place where the queen piece used to be.

"What does that mean?"

"I plan to have you supported by Commander Ishida in an attack on Kawano lake. With the force not yet complete and the help of Ishida's force that specializes in defense, we can decimate the attacking force partially while using this as a bait."

I spoke and tapped the coin in the castle icon.

"This?"

"A fake daimyo."

"!"

"In short, you will travel discretely with your army and lead them to attack the enemy force that are basically just sitting ducks right now while we fight the enemy at the north and spread word that you are staying here in the castle with only minimal security. If they'll bite it, we will come down from the north while you swerve upwards from the east and we will trap them here."

I spoke and pointed at a road to the northeast of the land.

"That road… you mean."

"We'll pull a reverse card on them. Instead of encircling us, we will encircle them."

It wasn't the most secure of plans, but if this works, we will basically annihilate the armed force of the entire province even with such a gamble.

"Hehe… I like it! Mitsuha! Mituhide!"

""Yes! Lady Kusanagi!""

"Prepare the soldiers for a long march we will set out before dawn tomorrow!"

"As you order!"

"Ishigawa!"

"What may I serve you?"

"Secure the logistics. I want all of our stuff on the carts, ready for transportation!"

"As you command!"

"Ishida, right? I look forward to working with you."

"It is a pleasure!"

Kyoko began giving concise and understandable orders and soon, she had assembled every necessary step for our battle plan.

We concluded the meeting and the Kusanagi clan's officers became busy with preparations. Shimura too, went back to the camp to organize our own offensive and soon, the meeting hall was empty.

"Kusanagi, we'll be fighting from two fronts… so I have something to tell you in private."

I whispered that thing to her earlier and she nodded.

"Hey, you said you called for me?"

She mused and walked in while closing the door behind her.

"First of all, I'm sorry to tell you this. But I heard everything earlier."

"Earlier?"

"After I narrated what happened in our previous fight with the enemy. I heard you falling to the ground and saying that we are monsters."

"That… you…. you heard it?"

I nodded and before I can even blink, she fell down again, shaking in pure fear.

"K-kyoko!"

"Yeah. I'm scared of you. Do you think anyone won't, after learning of the things that you and your army did?"

"Y-yeah… I wasn't being considerate… Come on, let me help you."

"W-W-WHAT?! S-STOP! DON'T CARRY ME, IDIOT!"

"Gah! Stop waving your arms! You can't stand up anyway!"

When I carried her, she began resisting and even pushed my face away even though her hands are cold and shaking. I didn't let go and let her sit by a wall so she can lean on it and calm down.

"Grrr! Why do you have to do that?"

"I'm just being precocious. If someone sees you collapsing from the hallway with me in here, that would be a problem for both of us."

"Still…"

I just sighed and looked at her who is still trembling.

"I don't know how you can keep a calm face in front of the others, but why do you only feel scared when around me?"

"Isn't that normal? You're scary, aren't you? The idea that I am in the same room as a beast like you… it scares me-"

"Hold up right there! That doesn't sound right!"

I protested but she didn't seem to feel any safe and is still shaking.

"It's about me and my army. You should've just said it like that… I understand the feeling, it does feel unfair for things to be like this. You and your people living in the proximity of someone who can level a city in a single day with the firepower of his army."

"…Yeah."

"So, in order to calm you down, I want to ask something from you."

I spoke and took out a knife from my sleeve pocket. It was the one that I got from the time when I got my first belongings. That guy who died from arrow wounds has this knife that I've been keeping ever since.

"If there comes a time when I become the monster that you fear…"

"?"

"Bring Nobisuke under your command and kill me."

"!"

It's another one of those contracts. The ancient war of creating a promise between two people.

"Earlier, I already made one with Nobisuke. I told him that if I become a tyrant or a bloodthirsty monster that fights for no reason other than greed or wrath, he will team up with you to bring me down and kill me."

"Why… why me?"

"Because that is the only way for me to show you that you shouldn't be afraid of me."

Hearing my statement, her eyes went wide in realization.

"I am fully aware of a human's nature, Kyoko. It's possible for everyone to be swallowed by evil and fall victim to the disasters it would bring. So, with that in mind, I want you to be the one who is legally ordained to end me if I fall victim to it."

I extended the knife to her and with shaky hands, she took it.

"I… I don't know much about you Iwasawa… when you walked into my tent back then, all that I saw was a weakling with no other significant quality other than his medical skills… but as time went by and you became a semi-independent daimyo and later on, an ally to me, I'm gonna be honest that I saw you in a new light."

Hearing that, I didn't know if I should laugh or what.

"When my father was dying from his disease, I was out of my proper way of thinking. I was ready to sacrifice anything just to not let him die on me at such a critical time… So, when you healed him, I didn't know the right words to tell you."

I heard her words that meant to show her desire to thank me which made me smile a little.

"But when your army ended the lives of thousands of people in a single week, I was afraid… I was scared of how someone like you who did everything to save a single person can dismiss the lives of thousands of people by simply calling them, "my enemies". It was such a contradiction… something that I can't help but make me shake to my very core."

What she said was true… It did become like that for me. Quite an irony, really… A doctor that saves lives and a daimyo who claims it… it was the peak of hypocrisy.

"I appreciate your honesty… even I didn't think of things like that… I just went on and on and showed the part of my self that people wanted me show."

"…"

"I really wanted to forget that side of me. That side of me who adapts to the situation and acts in a way that I didn't really want to become… but I don't have a choice now… I am the lord of Kiko, the commander-in-chief of my army, the master of Shimura Nobisuke and the ally of Kusanagi Kyoko. I have to do what I am supposed to do by the current situation. Even if it may look wrong later or I regret doing it."

I hung my head and said something to her.

"If we successfully allied ourselves with the Daigo and Yamaguchi clan and the plan to march to the capital under the claim of using Rinne as a prospective daimyo, that is when people will begin to name it as our ambition. With that in mind, I want to clear this now rather than later…"

"?"

"I have no ambition. I just want to protect my people and make them live comfortable and peaceful lives. So, if ever I will attempt to use the child as a puppet to expand my power. Use that and the promise we made earlier to put me down. Can I ask that from you?"

I spoke and she responded with a nod.

"You can count on me."

With that cleared, I saw it. She wa no longer shaking, she wasn't scared anymore. I smiled a bit and bowed to her before leaving the room. Satisfied with the results of our conversation.

Tomorrow morning, we went our separate ways. Her army and my army went to our battle areas while she left a look-alike on the castle to attend to her duties and be the bait that we need.

"My lord…"

"Yeah?"

"We march to victory!"

The soldiers suddenly shouted and it made me smile to see them so lively for an upcoming battle.

"Alright! Forward march!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Meanwhile in the marching army of the Kusanagi clan, the male general who dresses and acts like a woman approached his lord and spoke.

"You look lightheaded, Lady Kyoko."

"H-huh? O-oh… it's nothing."

The warrior princess replied, but even then, the concern of her general was true as even her response sounded like she wasn't in the right state of mind to for the march.

"I passed by the meeting hall yesterday, Lady Kyoko and I think I heard the voice of a man alongside yours, arguing about something."

"W-W-What?! What do you mean by that?!"

"Kuku… So cute. It feel so good to tease you, Lady Kyoko."

"C-C-Can you please stop this at once, Ishigawa?! You're annoying me!"

"My, my… Not so fast, my lady. So, tell me, who was it? Was it a local from here or was it one of our new officers… or is it possible that-"

"NO! NO! NO! NO! Stop already!"

"Muu… no fair, Lady Kyoko. Let me in on a gossip, will you?"

Frustrated with her pushy effeminate general, she finally gave up and spoke.

"It was the lord of Kiko. He was concerned after learning that I fell down shaking after I heard that he destroyed the army of Yukogahara Akihiko. He wanted to talk about it."

Hearing that, the general went stiff and seemed to be surprised of the news.

"I-is that so? I-I see…"

He looked down and never spoke as he thought of something.

"That wasn't a tremor out of fear… Kyoko isn't that kind of a girl. She doesn't even flinch when looking at a tiger dead in the eye… If so, there is only one reason for her legs to lose strength and make her fall down…"

He went near to his lord again and spoke up.

"Lady Kyoko, can you listen to this for a bit?"

"Huh?"

He cleared his throat and spoke.

"You look cute, Kyoko."

"!!!"

It was a perfect replication. A voice that belonged to that person and that person alone. And the result was as he expected. Kyoko's face was blushing redder than a beet.

"W-w-what was that for?! Why do you only sound like a man when teasing me?!"

"Ahaha… Sorry, my lady. Just treat it as some kind of reliever from your tense look. There's a battle soon so I wanted to lift your spirits."

"Argh! Stop it if you're the only one having fun in it!"

He retreated back to the line with a smile on his face after his expectations went right.

"Oh my… Lady Kyoko… Who could've known that a ferocious warrior princess like you would still be such a maiden at heart…? This will become very interesting soon!"

He knew and proved it. Kyoko doesn't know it yet because of her attitude that focuses on her duties as a lord, but her heart is slowly falling for the young lord named Iwasawa Hiroshi.

章節 23: Fear? Or is it...?

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Ephraim_Chronia

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章節 23: Fear? Or is it...?

創作者的想法 Ephraim_Chronia

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Ephraim_Chronia