"So... you are saying that you are also an enemy of the empire?" Hayato asked after a minute of silence.
"Precisely. I think that should be clear by now, right? I mean, I know my motivations are still fogged, but they don't really matter at the moment. It's nothing too interesting."
'Well, I should be clear about my intentions. I myself never took a bit of my time to think about it, but the circumstances led me to be on the same boat as him, willing or not.'
Hayato stared at his food with a nonchalant face. However, creeping into the depths of his heart was a feeling of disturbance that slowly blossomed into anger. It was too hidden to be noticeable by ordinary people, although Hayato knew that Daichi was aware of his true feelings.
"I am not an enemy of the empire per se. I don't have anything against the empire itself by now. I barely know why other people hate them aside from Mr. Satoshi. However, there is someone I hate within the empire. I want to kill him at any costs, but, if I do, I know I will be declaring war against the empire."
'Yeah... I never thought about it this way, but thinking carefully now, that's exactly what will happen. After all, he is a Royal Guard. He seemed to have a high position and will only get higher and higher within their hierarchy, for sure. We are talking about Trevor here, so it wouldn't be a surprise.
'So, if I was to kill him, the Royal Guards won't search for me only because of inappropriate use of magic or for being a foreigner anymore. Probably, I would be wanted in other provinces, too. So, I would need to keep killing people in order to survive, thus dirtying my name more and more. Once I get to a national level as a criminal, the empire would start moving at full power.'
Hayato could imagine how his life would be, how his journey was going to unfold. It all passed by his eyes so clearly that he even got frightened. It was way too real.
Daichi noticed how Hayato reacted to his own statement and how he got pensive afterward. However, he offered silence in return. He didn't feel the need to talk for a while.
'I get the feeling that this boy just figured out the position he is in. However, he isn't faltering at all. Instead, he seems determined to walk barefoot across this path full of rocks and thorns. I wonder just how much he hates this person in question.'
After a minute, Daichi finally opened his mouth. His carefree and loud tone of voice washed away the tension.
"That's a good thing and all, but you didn't answer the main question, you know? Actually, whatever. Knowing that you aren't someone mediocre and are on my side of the game is plenty enough."
'Of course, I won't affirm I am a foreigner. He may have already figured it out, but I won't confirm anything. It's better to leave some doubt in the air about this matter. Mr. Satoshi taught me to be discreet about this detail with pretty much everyone.'
"I don't see myself as much more than mediocre, though. Aside from the teleport, I am a normal human. Besides, since my stomach and mind only bear to use it twice a day, it's not as useful as it could be."
"Don't worry, man. You can't start the game with all the resources, y'know? That would be cheating. Cheating is not funny."
The old man didn't seem to care about Hayato's disabilities. Instead, the latter felt as if he actually preferred that things were like they were. The fact that Hayato was incompetent was something good for him.
"You don't really need to be so conscious of your flaws right now, because I will fix all of them, boy. I will make you turn into a person with enough power to change something. Since you have the potential and the magic, we can work this out."
Hayato was still in disbelief, but he nodded his head. Someone was offering him help for free as long as he antagonized the empire as well. That was too good to be true. Besides, after Daichi's display of strength out there, Hayato couldn't help but think that he was the perfect individual to guide him.
'If I can get as strong as he is, I bet that I will be able to do it. I don't know about taking down the empire, but I am sure I will accomplish my vengeance, at least.'
He closed his hand into a fist, feeling a wave of excitement running through his body. A smile threatened to appear on his face.
"When do we start, Mr. Daichi?"
"Just Daichi, ok? And, of course, we will start everything once you are done eating. You too, beauty, eat fast."
She glared at Daichi, about to pierce his eyes with her chopsticks.
'She doesn't want to be hurried when eating, I guess. I bet Daichi received a stomp in retribution, even though he didn't express any pain.'
"What is her name, by the way?"
"It's Hina, I guess. I heard the other robbers calling her this when I was slaughtering them."
Hayato nearly spat his food at Daichi's lack of tact.
"You killed her friends. Isn't it cruel to laugh it off in front of her?"
"She doesn't care about it, my boy. They weren't friends, but partners whom she could count on when committing a crime. None of them ever showed any expression of anger or pain when seeing me killing their peers, only frustration because their plan was going to waste. Am I right, Hina?"
She didn't answer again, ignoring Daichi's presence completely.
Hayato paid attention to her face, but she didn't seem to care that much.
'Maybe I assumed things too quickly, though that was common sense.'
His eyes met hers for an instant. Hayato immediately got slightly red... but the same happened with her, unless he was going crazy.
'What? Why? What did I do?'
Daichi sighed at Hayato's ignorance. His confusion and cluelessness showed all over his face, as if his expression was screaming "I am a virgin!!".
"Hehe, she seems to like you."
"What!?" Hayato nearly jumped from his chair. The woman had the same reaction.
"Why are you so surprised, boy? Weren't you trying to seduce her from the start? Or are you this innocent? I mean, you held her hand, intending to save her if I was some perverted old man. Besides, you could have just ignored her, but you asked for her name, instead. Women like thoughtfulness, y'know? That's how I got married three times."
Hina had enough. She broke one of her chopsticks in half, creating a sharper end to it, then stabbed Daichi's thigh.
"Hahaha! See? She is a shy one." the old man laughed to everyone's surprise.
"What is it? Don't look at me as if I am an alien, you idiots. It's just a chopstick", he shrugged as blood gushed out from his wound.
****
Royal guards diligently walked beside a white carriage as it pushed through the crowded streets of the city. As people noticed its presence, they lowered their heads and opened the way for the vehicle to pass. Some rustic but functioning cars and motorcycles went off the road, nearly trampling civilians in the process, only to create more space for the carriage.
Those who refused to do so probably would get scolded or beaten by the guards. Nonetheless, nobody dared to test their patience and know what would happen by acting so boldly. Insubordination towards important political figures was a very serious thing in any province and city. The entire nation was aware that the hierarchy should be utterly respected. Acts against the "natural balance" of society were prone to earn you capital punishment.
The carriage quickly made its way to the staircases of the Daimyo temple. However, from far away the guards could notice that there was something very wrong with that place now.
"Just... what the hell?" One of the guards gasped, his jaw dropped. He glanced at his partner as if he was a cornered kid who just did something wrong.
"What do we do?"
"What do you mean by that!? Did you explode this temple, by any chance?"
"Of course not! But depending on the Daimyo's mood, we can get beaten to death for... I don't know, incompetence? For not predicting that would happen? You remember the episode with Kentaro, right?" the guard explained, flustered and desperate.
"I do remember, but worry not. Today the captain accompanied us on this mission. If Shintaro is here, there is no way we are getting punished for something we didn't do."
The calmer guard turned to the carriage and knocked on its left door. It opened slowly, revealing an armored figure, their captain.
"Why are you two taking so long in this patrol? Did you notice anything strange? I heard you two blabbering out there", although he questioned out of concern, Shintaro's lack of emotion or urge in his voice made it seem like he didn't really care if there were any dangers around.
It was hard to tell whether he did so because he was that strong or just carefree.
"Hmmm... you better come here and see with your own eyes", Shintaro's subordinates showed in their expressions that, whatever they saw out there, the Daimyo couldn't know about it before their captain gave it a check.
Shintaro hopped out of the carriage and followed them, but not before grabbing his katana and gun, which were lying on the floor of the carriage.
"What is it?" For a moment, Shintaro was unaware of what was right in front of him. Instead, his eyes searched for something wrong around them.
One of the guards tapped him on the shoulder, then pointed upward, where the temple should be.
Shintaro cocked an eyebrow once seeing the temple in ruins.
"Oh..."
He went silent for a few seconds.
"What... What a view, huh?" he said while taking a smocking pipe and putting some herbs inside it. He lit it up, then took a long drag.
"What a view... So, that's your declaration of war, huh? Quite shocking, jap."