111 Healing a Wounded Heart

The rest of the day was spent on merrymaking as the crowning festival was celebrated in all towns and villages across the group of islands. For some reason, it reminded me of the day when the alliance was formed in Shinka and the celebration that was supposed to only be limited to that town spread all over our allied lands.

"You look too stiff, Nobisuke."

"Hm? Sorry, I still feel exhausted for some reason."

Inside the Star Palace where the delegates and important figures are holding a private party, Chiyo approached me who was sitting at a bench. She has a glass of soda on her hand which she gave to me.

"Why soda though?"

"You said it already, you feel tired. With its sugar, this drink may help you cheer up and get a bit more energetic."

"Well, you're not wrong."

I took the glass and gulped it down straight. Its fizziness bit my throat and tongue which made me perk up lightly, but otherwise, it did make me feel a bit less sluggish.

"Better?"

"A bit, I think. Never mind me, what's happened inside the throne room? How did the settlement and negotiations go?"

"Oh, straight to the point again, huh? Well, there was talk about reparations in the war for both of our sides. I did the math back in Kiko and talked to Ministers Kurogawa and Nagisa and we concluded that our year's worth of national budget is an acceptable number."

"And how much is that?"

"2 Billion Kan or… 6.52 Billion Yen."

"…"

I was dumbfounded after hearing such a number. I know that Kiko has a very large national budget now that infrastructure and public projects are on full swing, but this is clearly something that this small and newly established state will have a hard time on paying back.

"Haha… Relax, that has been lowered to 765 million Kan or 2.49 Billion yen since we accepted to have our side's reparations to be cancelled out. Even Rin-dono seems to acknowledge that that number is manageable. So she made a request regarding their national focus."

"National focus… like how Kusanagi-dono requested for Shinka to be the military center and Koshiro-dono asked for Fuku to be the source of ores and minerals?"

"Yep. She said that you will understand this if I say this to you… "I've spent years under that tree, doing nothing but sketch and see how things work. I want to bring those creations of mine into reality." she said."

"Oh… I get it now. Seems like she needs to have a good talk with Lord Koshiro regarding metals."

"Really? Hmm… I still don't get it."

I looked around and saw local businessmen and nobles alike talking to each other, trying to connect with those from outside and establish themselves in the larger market. For some reason, it reminds me about the things that happened in Kiko while I am away here and waging war.

"Hey, Chiyo…"

"Yeah?"

"The Noble chamber lost a lot of people, right?"

"…Yes."

"I don't get it… Why would those people want to do that thing to the same person who brought them all of these good things?"

Chiyo sat beside me on the bench and softly patted my back.

"Iwasawa-sama… No, Hiroshi knows well that people will one day leave him behind no matter what he does for them."

"…"

"He once confessed about that to me and I still can't forget how much he seems to feel afraid of it. For him, who already faced hardships in his past life, being abandoned again seems to be something that haunts him."

"Is that why you accepted his love?"

"Don't be stupid, Nobisuke. I love him genuinely. It never crossed my mind to love him just because I felt pity for him… For me, Hiroshi's worries are my worries. And it's my responsibility to solve it alongside him."

I looked at Chiyo's face and saw that glum expression on her face again. It has only been a year since they had to say a temporary farewell and stop talking with each other, but the toll seems to be already taking a lot from her.

"How does it feel to love, Chiyo?"

"Huh? W-well… that's a weird question…"

"If you can't answer it, don't mind it anymore. It's alright."

"No, no… I do have a word of two about it."

I raised my head and looked at her as she said it with gentleness.

"I believe that loving someone is to care for them and being strong for them when they are weak. Most people think that just because you liked the other person's physical features or you get the kind words that you desire from them that you already love them, but that is not true at all."

"…"

"I believe that love exists to prove one's dedication for the other person in the sense that even though you have nothing to gain from caring for them, your heart yearns to care for them. That, I believe is true love."

"Haha… To think that something as simple as that requires me to ask it… I feel stupid."

"Not at all. Knowing you, who didn't need it as a soldier, your innocence about love is something that isn't strange at all."

"…"

"Don't feel down about it and have confidence on yourself. Of all the people I know who hasn't felt or had experience on such a feeling yet, you have the most right to one day feel it for yourself."

"…Thank you, Chiyo."

"Hehe! You're welcome, Nobi-kun!"

I stood up just in time for the end of the meeting in the throne room as the last batch of delegates left and the room was about to close for the day.

"Rin."

"H-huh? Oh, General Shimura. Is there something that I can help you with?"

With a smile on her face, Rin asked me which I responded to with a casual and friendly tone.

"Yeah. Can we talk somewhere for a moment?"

"Sure. Let's go to the balcony! I need some air after all of those meetings. It sure is hard to suddenly be a leader of a province."

"Haha… Sorry about that again."

We walked to the balcony of the palace and saw the entirety of the island province's central island. The extinct volcano gave us enough elevation to see the sun setting at the west as the festivities in the city center entered into a livelier level.

"It's amusing how they easily accepted that I am not the goddess that they worship me as. It took some explaining, but I am quite glad that they didn't resort to violence after I proved that I am not someone like that."

"Well, if they did, I was actually ready to invite you over to Kiko."

"About that, I was allowed by the Elders to go to Kiko for a year and study on how to be a proper ruler. They know that I was given this position so suddenly and I have no experience at all regarding it. They promised to look after the island while I'm gone."

I was slightly surprised of that news. She just became a leader so I expected her to be brought immediately to her work. But it seems like her subordinates recognizes her lack of knowledge and allowed her to go to Kiko to study about it.

"Ah! I was speaking too much! This was supposed to be something that you want to talk about. Well then, what is it, Shimura-dono?"

I gulped down for some reason as I was about to say those words. I don't know why but my chest became tight and I felt a bit awkward.

"I…"

"Hm?"

"I have something… to say… to you…"

"Okay. What is it about?"

I suddenly found myself fidgeting and confused… I wanted to speak but I can't find the right words to say…

"Umm… I am…"

"Come on, Shimura-dono. I'm all ears."

With a deep breath that I reflexively took, I said the words that I strangely felt regretful of saying later on.

"I think I love you… Rin."

"Eh?"

"I can't find no other explanation about this feeling that I've been having…"

"W-w-w-wait-! I am-! I don't get why-!"

"Ever since I saw you in those dreams, I felt concerned for you and when I found you, I wanted to save you…"

"S-stop! I can't process all of this so suddenly like-"

"So, I arrived in that conclusion…"

"-!"

I faced her properly and in the exact time as the last sun rays of that afternoon disappeared, I spoke from my heart for the first time in my life.

"I love you, Rin."

That day, the wounds in my heart that I never believed will ever be healed, was restored by a smile and an accepting embrace by the person that I now care for more than anyone else.

Such a feeling and sense of strength arrived just in time. As after we came back to the mainland and I stepped inside Naka castle, a dire news arrived that required me to be strong for my master and our people.

["This is Akizuki Minori or Kuro of the Crows. I am sending this report to the Military Communications center at Naka Castle. We request an immediate reinforcement team to come to Kanae Estuary and link up with our group. Just today, we have received a duel challenge from the Amanogawa Shogun himself. He and Iwasawa-sama will have a duel at the Imperial Capital of Hitachi."]

The last line was what made all of us quickly assemble a team that will rush to our lord's aid.

["Make haste. The duel will be to the death."]