Fourth Cup: Expecting Someone Who May or May Not Come

...

Sannan! You're here!

I see you haven't changed a bit, Akesato. Although, my name isn't Sannan. It's Yamanami...

Oh come on, don't you mean, "Wow, Akesato, you look beautiful"? Ooh, by the way, could I have some of your rice, Sannan?

Oh, sure. I'm not too hungry, anyway. It's still Yamanami, though...

You're kind of a weirdo, huh, Sannan? Most people would never ask for a country bumpkin geisha like me.

Oh? Yeah, well back in my unit they know me as a pretty normal guy.

Also, my name isOh, forget it. Sannan is fine.

What's your group called again? The Shinsengumi? Not a great rep, you know. Some of those guys who come here tend to be pretty rough.

Not much for mincing words, are you? I'll tell them to mind their manners.

Aww, you're the best, Sannan. And not just because you leave rice for me. Ooh, can I have your pickled veggies, too?

...You know, I've been having doubts lately.

Huh? Does that mean no pickled veggies?

Oh, no, those are fine. Help yourself.

Yay, thanks! Mmm, yummy!

...

I keep asking myself things like, "What are we doing?"...

...and, "Where should we be going?"

Why not just go home?

Home?

Where else is there when you don't know where to go?

I mean, that's not really an option for us anymore, but, you know.

Home, huh? I see.

You really are smart. Compared to you, we might as well be

Oh, don't be silly. Me? Smart? I still can't speak a word of the Kyoto dialect.

Thank you, Akesato. I think I'm going to call it a day.

Huh? You're leaving already? What's the rush?

Can't you stay longer? It'd really help me out. You're my easiest customer by far.

I'm sorry. I just remembered something important I need to do.

I see. Well, make sure you come back again soon, okay? Better promise me!

I will.

Goodbye...

...!

So, you finally woke up.

The arm Okita cut off... It's back?

That's one hell of a technique. Destroying part of a curse-strengthened Spirit Origin is no small feat.

Although, these marks... Did you always have these wounds on your arm?

Yes, I did. I'm impressed you could tell these were old scars. Even now, I can't always use my arms how I'd like.

So you can't escape the karma you built up in life, even now that you're a Heroic Spirit. Must be difficult, that.

I didn't know you were so kind.

It's hard to believe you're the same dreadful creature from back then.

...

...You used to work for Serizawa, right?

Yes, that's right. He was the Shinsengumi's other commander.

Why did you kill him? Because he was in your way?

It was our way of showing our sincerity.

Sincerity?

I still think we made the right choice.

...

But, it's also possible we didn't.

Hmph. As I thought. You're just another traitor.

Yes, I am. I'm just another traitor. What about you? What are you?

...

...

...All right.

(Yawn...) Man, yesterday sure took a lot out of me.

I'm still a little sleepy...

You can keep sleeping if you want, Shusha.

I'm fine. I wanna hear Iyo's story!

I feel fine now that I've had some rest, but it's clear that we'll have to be careful when dealing with Kunakoku curses.

So, picking up where we left off last night.

You said that woofhead guy was your teacher, Iyo?

Yes... That's right.

But that Kukochihiko person is also from Kunakoku, right? Yamataikoku's enemy?

So how did you end up studying under him? Besides, I thought Himiko was your teacher.

Yes, well... The truth is, I'm not originally from Yamataikoku.

I was born to serve as a shrine maiden to Kunakoku's beast god.

Beast god? So how'd you go from that to queen of Yamataikoku?

Lady Himiko discovered me during a battle between Kunakoku and Yamataikoku, and convinced me to go over to their side.

You said Yamataikoku won the war with Kunakoku, right?

That's right. Lady Himiko's power was unmatched. She used it to form a coalition of a few small kingdoms...

...and together, they wiped out the much larger kingdom of Kunakoku.

Well, that kind of thing happens pretty much all the time. The question is, how did you end up as Himiko's successor?

Well...

Because she truly is the shrine maiden of ruin, and a traitor to her kind.

Kukochihiko!

When did he get here!? Stay behind me, Master. Please keep Shusha safe.

Well, speak of the devil. To what do we owe the pleasure?

I'm here on behalf of Jibu-no-Shou. He would like to speak to the Master of Chaldea.

A meeting place has already been arranged. It is not far. Come with me. I will personally guarantee your safety.

You really think we'd let our Master just waltz into such an obvious trap?

Silence, Servants. I'm speaking to the Master of Chaldea, not you.

Besides, Jibu-no-Shou never lies; he always honors his promises.

Hmph. Even if your boss has the best of intentions, how do we know your subordinates won't pull some crap again?

Like at the teahouse.

So you knew they weren't acting under Jibu-no-Shou's orders?

If he'd wanted to crush us, he would've sent a proper army, not a handful of thugs.

Exactly. Jibu-no-Shou has already personally seen to their punishment for acting out of turn.

Still doesn't give us a reason to trust you.

Then what would?

If your boss wants to talk to ours, how 'bout he comes meet him himself?

...Good point. All right, I'll tell him.

Wait, really!?

And now, you'd like to use my teahouse as your meeting place?

Sorry, we don't really have another option. Would you mind making the arrangements?

Not at all. The tea ceremony is all set and ready to go.

But if you're going to be meeting with him, I think it'd be better if I excuse myself.

How come?

As you may know, my death was a result of Lord Kanpaku and Lord Ishida charging me with crimes I never committed.

Truth be told, I don't particularly want to see Lord Ishida's face.

Were I to attend the meeting, there's a good chance I end up ruining your discussion.

In fact, I'd call it a certainty.

Sounds like if someone asked me to entertain Micchi. Wahaha! You're right. That'd piss me the hell off!

So on that note, I leave the rest of this matter in your capable hands.

...Hey, Okita. Keep an eye on Rikyu.

Huh? Why?

What are you, stupid? The whole bad blood thing with Mitsunari is obviously just an excuse.

She's obviously hiding something, and until we find out what it is, I want her watched. You're good with that, right, Master?

Good.

I AM Oda Nobunaga! I'm as Oda Nobunaga as they come!

？！

Anyway, if it turns out I'm worried about nothing, that's fine.

As for the actual meeting, I'll sit in on it too, and I want you there as well, Iyo.

Fine with me. I have questions of my own for Ishida.

Mr. Ishida...? I mean, I guess he IS Ishida, but still.

What about me?

You stay here with Shusha and hold down the fort. It looks like they're after them for some reason.

I don't think anything will happen during our talk, but in case they decide to take extreme measures, I'm counting on you to keep them safe.

Got it. Stay close to me, Shusha.

Okay, Alter! I won't go anywhere without you!

I can't say I love that you're suddenly running things, Nobbu, but I don't disagree with any of what you've said, so I'll go along with all this for now.

See you all later then, everyone.

Now we just need to see where the chips fall...

All right, Chaldeans, Lord Jibu-no-Shou has arrived.

Here we go...

It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ishida Mitsunari, Jibu-no-Shou of New Yamataikoku.

...

...

...

Please, enjoy.

Oho. I see you know your way around a tea ceremony quite well.

Don't worry, Fujimaru. These tea sets are all ours.

No matter. Please, sit comfortably.

？！

Well, this tea sucks! Just kidding. It's not bad.

Little lukewarm though, no? Kinda nice, actually, since I was thirsty.

You seemed tense, so I thought I might begin by helping you relax with some thin, lukewarm tea.

Once your insides have settled, we can move on to some stronger, hotter tea.

Aha, now I got you. So the lukewarm tea followed by hot tea was an intentional choice.

Now that I think of it, Monkey used to brag about a young ward of his who liked making tea that way.

I must admit, I never expected to see you again in a place like this, Lady Nobunaga.

Did you forget about me?

Oh, like I'd remember the names and faces of all Monkey's pages.

You may not remember me, but together, His Imperial Majesty and I achieved what you could not.

Bearing that in mind, I would prefer if you refrained from speaking as though you were in any way Lord Taikou's superior.

Can you hold fire with the snide remarks? You're making already nasty tea taste even worse.

Would you trust someone who changed how they spoke for any given audience? I doubt it.

Got a snappy comeback for everything, don'tcha? But, okay, fine. I'm not the one you came here to talk to anyway.

That would be Fujimaru here.

Then allow me to properly introduce myself once again. I am Ishida Mitsunari, Jibu-no-Shou of New Yamataikoku.

I apologize for my subordinates' crude and unsanctioned attempt to interfere with your teahouse business.

Oho. Mighty gracious of you.

Unsanctioned?

？！

They broke my laws, so I had them punished accordingly. I believe that concludes this matter.

I don't suppose you'll be compensating us for the damage they caused too, will you?

Of course I will. I have a form for you to fill out later.

Th-this isn't how I pictured this going at all, Future. I thought he would seem more, well, evil.

Now, let me get to my real business. I don't care for mind games, so I'll be blunt.

Master of Chaldea, I want you to withdraw from this Singularity. Leave peacefully, and no harm will come to you.

I see. I appreciate your clear and unambiguous response.

What a childish refusal.

？！

Then there is nothing left to discuss. Our conflict must be resolved by force from this point forward.

Whoa, whoa, slow down. Mitsunari, right? You must've known we'd never agree to leave when you came here. So why'd you show up anyway?

There is an order to all things. I'm simply following the steps I must.

No matter how much of an obstruction you may be...

...here in New Yamataikoku, all must abide by the laws I have passed, myself included.

Hmm, that so. You learn that from MonkeyI mean, Lord Taikou, too?

No one could ever take His Imperial Majesty's place. Not me, and certainly not you, Lady Nobunaga.

You saying Monkey was better than me? Man, you have a real talent for pissing people off, huh?

I've heard similar claims all my life. I am frankly tired of listening to them.

If you're trying to get under my skin, you'll have to work harder than that.

Geez, you're boring. Are you sure you used to work under Monkey?

Excuse me, could I say something, too?

What is it you're trying to accomplish in this borderland, Ishida?

I-Ishida...? Is that any way for a former queen to speak?

What? Did I say something weird?

I see someone forgot we're not in the Yayoi period anymore.

More importantly, what are you planning to do with the souls of Yamataikoku's

No... The souls of all the innocent people who have wandered into this land?

Make them the foundation of New Yamataikoku, of course. These souls are lost, with nowhere else to go.

So I'm going to gather them together and present them to my lord as faithful subjects.

Your lord?

Indeed. The king of our New Yamataikoku...

...Lord Toyotomi Hideyori.

Did you say...Hideyori?

I did.

Not a name I ever expected to hear here.

Who is that?

Beats me.

If you're knowingly making light of him, there will be hell to pay.

Yeah, that's right. Chacha told me about him before. I was just messing with Mitsunari there.

Do you know who this Hideyori person is, Future? Is he a big deal?

Like, as big a deal as Lady Himiko was? If so, I'm sorry.

？！

...Never mind. I can feel myself growing dumber with every word spoken.

We're done here, Master of Chaldea. We will settle our differences on the battlefield.

How do his feet touch the ground with a stick that big up his ass?

Guy can't possibly have any friends. He's too good at pissing everyone off.

He was weirdly honorable about coming to talk to us before fighting, though. Even if it was a dumb idea.

I mean, I know if we can't resolve our differences peacefully, it means fighting is our only choice, but...

(Sigh...) If only Lady Himiko were here.

Well, she's not, and wishing she were isn't gonna help us. Come on, Fujimaru, let's head back and plan our strategy.

Yeah. Especially since it looks like we'll have to do something about Ishida before we can move on.

He's probably got what he figures is a surefire plan to win.

？！

Anyway, he certainly acted the part of one of Monkey's retainers...

...but let's see if he's got the goods Monkey did.

...I see. So that's what he meant. There really is a literal beast god.

And then there's this lord of his... It looks like I'd better hurry.

...