Chapter 13: Year 5 Begins, P5

~13.5~

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“Shiori, this is awful.”

A black-haired and brown-haired duo walked the streets not far from the imperial palace. The black-haired woman grimaced as she saw starving people scattered about and even some dead lying on the ground.

“Surely the emperor can do something about this!”

As they continued walking, the look on Shiori’s face slowly shifted from a sour grimace to clear anger.

“Look! It’s Lady Shiori!” “And Lady Sayaka!” “The emperor’s retainers are here?” “What wrong have we done?”

The children were happy to see the duo, but the adults were terrified, which only served to anger Shiori more. She wasn’t angry at them, rather that they were in such a state that the mere presence of the emperor’s retainers was a terrifying sight.

“Everyone, it’s okay! We’re not-”

“Listen up!” Shiori commanded their attention. It was then that everyone saw the anger in her eyes. It’s like this everywhere we go. Every city, every town, every village! The wealthy class holds all the power and has left the people in a state where even surviving is merely a chance. “Everyone, I...” She hesitated, but Sayaka’s hand on her shoulder gave her reassurance. “I will not abide this!”

“““What?””” “What do you mean, Lady Shiori?” “Are you going to-?”

“I will do everything in my power to grant all of you at the bare minimum enough food to eat. On the Sakaguchi family name, I swear this!”

Over the next few years, Shiori used her family’s wealth to provide for as many people as possible. Sayaka wanted to help as well, but she had no wealth to rely on. She could only be moral support for Shiori. Not only did Shiori use her wealth, she traveled the world to teach more people how to farm. In the first year, the supply of rice, wheat, potatoes, and corn increased dramatically.

She worked not only to provide food and water, but also shelter. She taught the people how to work with wood and metal to build proper homes. In more populated areas, many apartment buildings were needed. The people needing homes helped build them so that they would have a place to live. Shiori wanted to work on the electric infrastructure next, but she was summoned to the imperial court before she could begin.

Shiori had been helping the people without the emperor’s permission. She was placed in chains and brought to trial before Emperor Shiro Shikigami and his retainers.

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Shiori was in anti-mana chains. In only a few years, she managed to grant a modicum of relief to some of the starving population by providing food, water, and shelter, but her actions earned the ire of the emperor. Sayaka watched with an emotionless expression. She cared greatly for Shiori, but Shiori told her to act neutral in case such a trial ever happened. The chancellor is serving as adjudicator. This is really bad.

“Henceforth, your status shall be reduced to that of a commoner. The Sakaguchi family shall be dismantled, and your estate shall be confiscated by the imperial court.”

“Why? Why go so far? Do the people mean nothing to you?!” She ignored the man reading her sentence and addressed the emperor. “Shiro! You could have been the greatest emperor in history! You started off so well! The previous emperor peacefully passed, you became the emperor, and Yamato prospered. But in ten years, the people have fallen into despair! Use what I’ve done to regain the people’s faith! You need only say I acted with your blessing, and they will-”

“Silence, wench!” The chancellor ordered. “His Majesty is the greatest emperor in the history of Yamato. We will not stand for a traitor’s blasphemous cries! And you will address him as ‘His Majesty’.”

I hate this. Shiro, why are you doing this?! On the outside, Sayaka maintained a blank expression the same as the other retainers, but on the inside, she was upset.

“Master, are we going to-”

“No, Kaede. Shiori wanted to make sure we were not implicated. We can’t act carelessly.”

“Understood.”

Shiori laughed hysterically. “You are so wrong, it’s hilarious. You pitiful brainwashed fool!” Suddenly, aether burst from Shiori, breaking the anti-mana chains and throwing the chancellor and nearby guards through the stone walls. The guards rushed her, but even without a weapon, Shiori was easily able to handle them. Only when she rushed the emperor did the elites, the Imperial Guard Knights standing near the throne, take action. Shiori weaved through them, and almost reached the emperor, but one guard was able to land a kick on her and another knocked her back.

She landed next to Sayaka, who barely maintained her outward emotionless expression, along with the other retainers. Shiori stood up and yelled, “Shiro. Whatever it takes, I will return. Your tyrannical rule will not be tolerated! When I return, you will either abdicate your throne or you will die.”

Shiori turned to flee, but the emperor did not let her simply leave. He unleashed an incredible blast of mana, forcing the retainers and guards to leap out of the way. Sensing the impending danger, Shiori turned to block the attack, but she knew it was too much. The emperor’s mana was abnormally strong. Even with aether, she knew she wouldn’t survive it. She had no chance to dodge, so she tried to block it, vain as the attempt might be. As her barrier began to fail, Sayaka jumped in and added her own barrier. Together, they blocked the attack. Shiori was overjoyed to see her brown-haired friend come to her rescue. Sayaka smiled at her before addressing the emperor.

“Shiro, please reconsider!” Sayaka pleaded. “Shiori is only eighteen! She is young and naïve! She truly did not mean any harm to your image! You were like an older brother to her!”

“So, you are a traitor as well, then?”

“What? No! I am no traitor! And neither is she! Shiori only wanted to help the people!”

“Enough. Guards, seize them. Before I change my mind about launching another Mana Wave. The next one will be much more powerful.”

“At once, Your Majesty!” The guards rushed the duo, and an intense exchange of blows began. Sayaka, with her katana, and Shiori, with a katana she took from one of the weaker guards, defended an onslaught of strikes from the dozen knights surrounding them. The Imperial Guard Knights numbered thirteen, with a captain and twelve knights. They were the strongest force in the Yamato Empire. Alone, none of them could take on the likes of Shiori or Sayaka, but together with their teamwork is where they shined. It was enough that Sayaka resorted to using her real weapon.

She quickly summoned Kaede and shouted, “Kaeshi, awaken!” An enormous burst of pink aether knocked the Imperial Guard Knights back. Sayaka’s hair turned the same pink as her aura.

What? That’s... soul aether! How do I know that?

A flood of memories washed over her mind. Memories of some fifteen hundred past lives, and memories of her true self. She focused and peered into the girl’s soul, something she could not do before recovering her memories.

Maya!

Sayaka unleashed her aether around her and Shiori in all directions and pinned the knights to the wall before facing the emperor. “I hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but you’ve forced my hand. You have betrayed your people. You are no emperor. You are nothing more than a tyrant. On the name of Elysia the Creator, I swear your time will come.” The emperor didn’t respond, only glared at them. Sayaka smirked and poured aether into her blade as she sheathed it. “<<Tenken>>!” She drew her blade and unleashed a massive blast of aether.

The emperor raised a barrier to block the attack. The force behind the attack was so massive that he had to put everything he had into it. The barrier cracked under the pressure, but held up just long enough to survive the attack. When the blast of aether was gone, so were Shiori and Sayaka.

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Revision: 2024-4-25