Chapter 268: Gorou's Decision
"The shogunate army… has retreated?"
The moment he heard the news, Gorou's ears instantly perked up.
Though his clash with the new general of the shogunate army hadn't lasted long, it was enough for him to get a read on her nature. Compared to her elder brother, Kujou Masahito, this Kujou Sara wasn't just someone blessed with a Vision—she was a force of nature.
Decisive. Fearless. Ruthless in battle.
On the battlefield she could stand alone against a hundred foes, and when it came to strategy, she was a nightmare to deal with. If not for the miraculous stratagem gifted by the Divine Priestess, Gorou might've suffered far more than just a few losses.
Retreat?
It wasn't like the shogunate army was on the losing side. Even if the situation had been reversed, Gorou was certain that Kujou Sara wasn't the type to pull back so easily.
Which made this sudden withdrawal… suspicious.
"Yes, my lord," reported the scout. "They retreated swiftly, regrouping near the checkpoint by Tatarasuna."
"..."
Gorou frowned. He'd expected a temporary fallback—a short repositioning. But this? The distance they'd pulled back wasn't just "a little."
The checkpoint at Tatarasuna was the shogunate's last defensive line. Simply put, as long as the resistance didn't push past that boundary, the shogunate had agreed not to invoke the power of the Raiden Shogun herself.
Kujou Sara's move was… strange.
It was like in a MOBA game—you've pushed the enemy all the way to their base, destroyed their towers, and victory's within reach—only for your whole team to recall back to the fountain and turtle up around the core.
Downright bizarre.
"General Gorou, should we take this chance to reclaim our lost territory?"
The question came from his lieutenant, Kaida Ryoma—a man unlike most resistance soldiers. He hailed from Narukami Island and had once served the Kujou Clan.
But Gorou had never treated him with suspicion because of that. Quite the opposite—he valued him highly. Ryoma knew the shogunate army better than anyone else in camp, and thanks to his insights, the resistance had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat many times.
Use those you trust, and trust those you use.
Gorou lived by that creed.
"No," Gorou said after a pause. "Sara isn't like Masahito. That woman is both brave and cunning—she wouldn't act without reason. Don't make any rash moves. We'll observe first, find out what they're plotting, and then decide our next step."
Recapturing lost ground was tempting—an easy win on paper. But Gorou remembered all too vividly the time he'd nearly fallen into Sara's trap at the Musoujin Gorge. Her tactical foresight had left a mark on him.
This strange withdrawal only made him more cautious.
"General, our scouts discovered that a few people from Inazuma City visited the Kujou encampment before the retreat. They weren't soldiers—they bore the insignia of the Tenryou Commission. Shady types, moving quietly. Maybe there's a deeper plot afoot."
That report made Gorou's eyes narrow. His hunch was right.
Something had happened in Inazuma City.
And it might even involve that person—the god who resided high above in Tenshukaku.
If anyone could make the proud tengu bend her knee, it would only be the Electro Archon herself.
"General, should we infiltrate Inazuma City and find out what's going on?"
The scout volunteered eagerly, but Gorou immediately shook his head.
"No. Absolutely not."
It had been hard enough just to gather intel on Kujou's current movements. Ever since Kujou Sara took command, she'd filled the area around her fortress with hidden sentries and traps. Even the water sources were guarded by her personal troops.
Did the shogunate really think the resistance would stoop so low as to poison their wells? What kind of fools did they take them for?
They were the Sangonomiya resistance, born from the sea—no one cared more about the purity of water than they did.
Even if his scouts somehow managed to slip through those layers of defenses, Gorou doubted they'd make it to Inazuma City alive.
That place—Inazuma City—was the very heart of the shogunate's power.
Even if his scouts somehow managed to slip past the countless patrols scattered across Kannazuka, they would still face the perilous stretch of sea separating the island from Narukami itself.
Crossing that ocean unnoticed? That was a gamble far more dangerous than any battle.
As Gorou paced inside his tent, his thoughts began to whirl.
A flash of crimson crossed his mind—the figure of Lord Battousai, that mysterious man. Alongside it, the memory of a letter sent from Inazuma City itself.
Thanks to the blessings of the Divine Priestess, Gorou had a fairly good idea of what kind of place Yae Publishing House really was.
To the public, it was nothing more than a humble printing and publishing company. But behind the scenes… its true master was none other than the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
And if he were to bring that invitation letter from Yae Publishing House, then…
He wouldn't need to sneak through enemy lines at all.
He could simply walk right past the shogunate's checkpoints, cross the sea under official escort, and arrive at Inazuma City with the Tenryou Commission themselves offering him tea.
The only cost… was that he'd have to once again don that outfit, and assume the persona of the beloved "Miss Hina."
Which meant shaking hands, smiling, and chatting with strangers—lots of them.
Shaking hands, sure, he could manage that. But talking?
He grimaced.
There was no way he could make his voice sound like a woman's again—
Wait, wait, no! Why was he even thinking about that right now? The real question was whether or not he should risk sneaking into Inazuma City at all!
What on earth was wrong with him lately? He must have been too exhausted; his thoughts were starting to wander.
"Ryoma," Gorou called out.
"Sir!"
"Send word to all divisions—hold position. No one moves until I return with new information."
"Yes, General!"
After giving his orders, Gorou picked up a paper umbrella resting nearby and stepped out of the tent.
It was modeled after Lord Battousai's own umbrella, which Gorou had always admired greatly. Of course, the imitation wasn't perfect—when they tried to make one exactly the same, it couldn't even withstand a few days of rain before falling apart. And it definitely didn't carry that faint, elegant scent of plum blossoms that Battousai's had.
So Gorou settled for this version instead—sturdier, thicker, heavier.
Hardly "elegant," but certainly more practical than the straw hats and rain cloaks worn by ordinary soldiers.
Raindrops drummed steadily above his head as he trudged through the soaked camp—the endless downpour that had plagued Inazuma ever since the Vision Hunt Decree had yet to cease.
He finally reached his quarters. After making sure no one was outside, Gorou locked the door and the windows, then approached the chest where his personal belongings were stored.
He pushed aside the neatly folded uniforms on top and opened a hidden compartment at the bottom. Inside lay an outfit of exquisite fabric—carefully preserved, untouched for months.
Beside it were the cosmetics, wigs, gloves, and jewelry that Lord Battousai had left for him last time.
His hand brushed across the fabric, and a long sigh escaped his lips.
The texture was soft, the colors radiant.
But his expression wavered between embarrassment and determination.
This time was different.
Last time, he'd worn it in front of a small crowd of eccentric allies.
This time, he might have to wear it in front of ordinary citizens on Narukami Island—people who had no idea that the charming "Miss Hina" they adored was, in truth, the general of the Sangonomiya Resistance.
The pressure was… immense.
Yet when he thought of Her Excellency, the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, and of his comrades—men and women who looked to him for leadership—
Gorou's gaze hardened.
No matter the embarrassment.
No matter the cost.
For their sake… he would do what had to be done.
. . . . .
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