"So what you're saying is—" I paused, trying to recollect the words that had been spoken prior. We sat at the back of Yuri's home, our legs planted against the wooden porch. The gentle morning breeze provided no distractions, and the only sound was the soft clink of tea cups.
"You were overthrown under the guise that you were waging a head-on war with the Daimyo's army, got your lord and princess kidnapped after they made the mistake of revealing the heir—"
"He's not one of us!" Rika snapped, her voice trembling with rage. The teacup in her hands creaked under the pressure of her grip.
"Right," I murmured, holding up a hand in a calming gesture before continuing. "And because of that betrayal, you were forced to retreat here, hoping to capture one of their key allies to negotiate for the youngest lord?"
Lothar nodded gravely, his eyes heavy with frustration and shame. "That's correct. What's worse, before the ambush, we realized only a fraction of their army was even present. A fraction! They never would've overpowered us without the leverage of our lord as a hostage."
"Not only that," Natsuki added, his voice quieter but just as resolute, "Haruki is scheduled to meet the usurpers under the next full moon. That's when he'll solidify his claim to our territory." He took a measured sip of his tea, his words deliberate.
Full moon… That's in two weeks!
[Notice: With what we have now, overthrowing their nation is possible, though the chances are slim.]
"The leader behind it all goes by the name of Marline," Natsuki continued. "She alone cut down over eighty of our men during the chaos—Her skill with a sword is far beyond her years."
"I see," I muttered, processing his words.
[Notice: Marline is a high-ranking Samurai under the rule of The Scarlet Dominion; the faction ruled by Haruki Sato, a devoted follower of an incredibly strong Daimyo.]
So, is she the only threat there?
[Error! To my knowledge, Marline carries no armies under her.]
Well, that's just great…
"If I may, my lord," Utsusuki, who had been quietly listening, rose his hand to speak.
"Please, go ahead," I urged, my hand outstretched toward him, signaling that he had our attention. He smiled gratefully.
"To our knowledge, no one outside this village knows about the current state of Tsukikage," he said, recalling the last group we defeated.
"Your point?" Rika asked, the others listening keenly to his proposal.
"The point being, they still think I'm a part of their ranks," Utsusuki explained, his hand over his chest as he addressed me. "If you would have me, lord, I could guide these warriors back, under the pretense of having been found hiding away in our carriage—"
"And why would we trust you enough to let that plan fly?" Rika practically exploded, her voice sharp. The others tensed, trying to calm her down.
Lothar and Natsuki exchanged a wary glance, their postures tense. Utsusuki's calm expression didn't waver under the weight of her accusation.
"Rika," I said firmly, trying to defuse the outburst. "Let him finish."
Utsusuki bowed his head slightly in gratitude before continuing. "I understand your doubts. They're not unwarranted. But consider this—if we do this, we can not only save the Daimyo and his daughter from the inside, but we can also potentially catch Marline off guard. If we do nothing, Haruki will consolidate his power, and she will continue to run unchecked. This may be our only chance to gain the upper hand."
His words hung in the air like a blade poised to strike, the weight of the decision pressing down on us.
"Though that may be true—" Lothar spoke up, his hand reaching to scratch at his scalp. "What would happen if Marline overpowers us?"
I nodded in agreement, my arms folded as I listened. "That's true."
"Say—what about the heir?" I asked, turning to the others for input. The mere mention of him seemed to rub Rika the wrong way.
"We have no clear idea of his intentions," Natsuki replied, setting his cup down lightly on the oak wood floor. "But we do know his position hasn't changed. He's to take over the throne."
That makes no sense! Why overthrow them just to name the rightful heir the next Daimyo?!
[Notice: He's most likely a puppet leader.]
Puppet leader…
[Affirmative: A puppet leader is common, often using someone of high status—like a Daimyo—to control and cast a veil over the people of their nation. It's easier than dealing with the consequences of future rebellions.]
I see…
"So, a puppet leader, then?" I murmured, though the others heard. Natsuki nodded at my suspicion.
"That may be the case, but we don't know for sure," Lothar pointed out, which added another wrench in things.
"Still, that doesn't answer the question of what we should do." Rika groaned in frustration, muffling the sound with her palm. Though her impatience was frustrating, she did pose a valid point.
I let out a sigh before continuing, my hand outstretched lazily toward Utsusuki. "While Utsusuki's plan wouldn't work, it still can be useful to some degree."
"What does that mean?" Rika asked, her tone sharp.
"It means that Utsusuki will take one of you with him, but Mi will also accompany you. Your job is to save the Daimyo and his daughter, while avoiding all fights if possible." I folded my arms thoughtfully. "If their defenses are as small as you say, we can place our pawns strategically and use all of our resources. We should be able to take them down, although…"
"Although?" Lothar urged, his voice filled with intrigue.
"This will merely bring your nation back. It doesn't ensure the return of the younger lord, not unless we hold Marline hostage somehow to negotiate. That would be left up to me…" Though holding a warrior like that captive is much harder than simply killing them—the act of continuously trying not to kill someone in battle leaves openings they can exploit easily, and since we're already so outmatched—
"I trust that Utsusuki and the others fighting by my side will carve that path for me to cross," I grinned, Utsusuki nodding in agreement and offering me a reassuring smile in return.
"Very well," Lothar spoke, all three of them bowing slightly before me. "We're in your debt."