Ever since this mystery began, one element had kept coming up again and again, almost obsessively: castles. No matter which clans were involved, no matter whether they were allied with us or not, their attacks always converged on these structures. At first, I saw it as nothing more than a classic strategic objective, basic military logic. But looking back… it was much more than that.
I took a moment to organize my thoughts, then finally said aloud:
"The castles… they are centers of power."
Ishikawa listened intently.
"And most importantly, our regalia are hidden in one of them."
The connection was obvious now. These places weren't simply defensive outposts or logistical bases. They were the very heart of our existence within this enigma. To lose them… meant losing everything.
Ishikawa seemed to think for a moment, then suggested:
"We could keep them on us, couldn't we?"
I shook my head immediately.
"Impossible."
My tone was final.
"Carrying a regalia on you is suicide. "
I paused briefly.
"Our only option is to hide them in the castles."
An imperfect solution.
But the only viable one.
I crossed my arms, my expression slightly darkening.
"The problem…" I added, "is that we didn't anticipate one thing. "
Ishikawa raised his head slightly.
"The arrival of these outside clans. NPCs."
The word was out, cold, precise.
"They aren't among the clans we need to defeat, but they're disrupting everything."
I clenched my teeth slightly.
"They're attacking our castles following the historical route.
Ishikawa remained pensive for a few seconds, processing what I'd just explained, then finally asked a question that, at its core, perfectly summed up our problem.
"Is there really no one who knows much about the Sengoku period?"
I shook my head slightly.
"No."
A brief silence followed, before I added.
"But I have another solution."
I was about to explain my idea to him, to reveal this plan that had just taken shape in my mind, when something abruptly interrupted the moment.
A clear voice rang in my mind
{Sae: Bun.}
I froze immediately; Saé had just used the communication mastery.
Why on earth would she have used it?
{Sae: A rebellion has broken out within the clan. You must return. Immediately.}
Her tone left no room for doubt.
I closed my eyes briefly, holding back a sigh. The timing couldn't have been worse, but in reality, there was never a "good time" in this puzzle.
I opened my eyes again and looked at Ishikawa.
"We'll stop here."
He understood immediately.
"Yes, I understand…"
A brief silence passed, then I added, in a more serious tone.
"Make sure no one steals your regalia before then. "
I had already turned away, ready to leave.
When I reached the camp, I immediately realized that the situation had escalated far beyond a simple disagreement. Voices were raised, glances were tense, and above all, the group was no longer united.
Two camps had formed.
On one side, those who continued to trust me, who accepted my decisions, convinced that all of this made sense. On the other, those who now openly doubted me, questioning every one of my actions, every one of my choices… and above all, my legitimacy.
I stood back for a few seconds, observing.
Listening.
"How can you still follow him?" one of them snapped, clearly at his wit's end. "Up until now, he hasn't even managed to give us a shred of hope that this mystery can be solved."
Murmurs of agreement rose.
Another spoke up immediately, even more sharply:
"He said he'd settle all this peacefully."
He paused, his hard gaze sweeping over the group.
"And look where we are now."
Silence.
Heavy.
Accusing.
"Battles. Deaths. Blood."
Each word struck a little harder.
"Is that his plan?"
Eyes met, hesitant in some, assertive in others. The divide was clear now. It was no longer mere concern; it was a loss of trust.
As the voices continued to rise, a familiar presence slipped up behind me, almost silently. Ryo had spotted me without difficulty. It was predictable. He'd always had that ability to observe without being noticed.
I felt his gaze even before he spoke.
Heavy and hostile.
"Looks like your system is starting to crack. "
His voice was calm, but every word was laced with a barely concealed sense of satisfaction.
I turned my head slightly toward him, finally meeting his dark gaze.
He wasn't entirely wrong.
My system, based on merit—on rewarding those who contributed the most—had worked up until then because the group was making progress, because results were coming in. But the moment doubt set in, it became fragile. Unstable.
I knew that from the start.
This kind of structure only holds together as long as people believe in it.
And now, that faith was beginning to fade.
I let a brief silence pass, as if I were implicitly accepting his observation.
Then, very slightly, a smile formed on my lips.
"Perhaps."
Ryo narrowed his eyes, surprised by my reaction.
I turned my gaze back to the divided group.
"But that works out well. I've already figured out how to turn the situation around."
Just as I was about to regain control of the situation, a new window appeared before me, cutting my train of thought short.
[ Main Quest: The Mōri Clan's Rebellion
✱ Background:
Bessho Nagaharu, who had once decided to obey your orders out of fear, has decided to rebel and join the Mōri clan.
✱ Main Objective:
Go conquer western Japan by defending Miki Castle against the Mōri clan.
✱ Failure:
Death. ]
I froze for a moment.
Another quest.
And not just any quest.
I slowly let my gaze drift toward the divided group, the tensions still palpable, their eyes heavy with reproach and doubt. The timing was disastrous. My clan was already fractured, weakened by my decisions, by the battles, by this growing sense that I was straying from my own promises.
And now…
I was being asked to send them to face a new clan.
I clenched my teeth slightly.
If I returned to them with this order…
They wouldn't see a necessity; they'd see confirmation. Confirmation that I was exactly what they were beginning to believe.
A leader ready to drag them into an endless war, a tyrant!
And this time…
They probably wouldn't be content with just protesting; they would want my downfall.
I slowly raised my head, my gaze hardened.
I took a breath, then stepped slowly toward them. Eyes immediately turned in my direction, some filled with expectation, others already closed, almost hostile. The divide was visible, palpable, but I didn't stop.
"I know you have doubts," I said in a calm voice, loud enough to drown out the whispers. "And I'm not going to pretend otherwise."
A brief silence fell.
"That's precisely why things are going to change."
Saé was the first to react. She stepped forward quickly, visibly relieved that I had intervened before the situation could escalate further.
"Well…" she breathed, "What's your plan?"
I turned my head slightly toward her.
"Don't worry…"
Then I turned my attention back to the rest of the group.
"I've just received a new quest."
No sooner had the words left my mouth than I felt the tension rise a notch. Some exchanged glances; others were already sighing, as if there were no doubt about what would follow.
I continued anyway.
"We must face a rebellion from the Mori clan, and Miki Castle is what we must defend."
The reactions were immediate.
Whispers of annoyance.
Suspicious glances.
Some lowered their eyes; others stared at me with open defiance.
I could almost read their thoughts.
I raised my hand slightly, cutting off the whispers before they could grow any louder.
"Enough. "
Silence fell, fragile but sufficient.
I looked at them one by one, taking the time to let my words sink in.
"Don't worry, this time, you'll decide."
A ripple of uncertainty ran through the group.
"Don't worry. I won't force anything on you."
Their expressions changed immediately. Those who had opposed me lifted their heads, intrigued, almost suspicious of this sudden shift.
One of them stepped forward.
"Wait, are you saying we can do whatever we want? Without you interfering?"
I nodded slowly.
"Yes."
A brief silence.
"On one condition."
I paused, deliberately letting the tension hang in the air.
"You'll need a leader for this quest."
I then pretended to think, slowly scanning the group with my gaze, as if I were truly weighing each option. Some sat up unconsciously; others avoided my gaze.
Then I stopped.
"It will be… Shun."
The name fell.
And with it, an immediate reaction.
A few stifled, discreet, almost nervous laughs. Not pure mockery, but incomprehension tinged with something else.
Some had already figured it out.
I saw it in their eyes.
They hadn't laughed by chance.
They had seen beyond the decision.
Saé, for her part, moved slightly closer, her concern visible.
"Bun…" she whispered, "are you sure this is a good idea?"
I didn't answer right away.
My gaze remained fixed on the group.
On those faces torn between doubt, surprise, and, for some, a much darker glimmer.
Because behind those subtle smiles, there were intentions…
And that was precisely why… I had made that choice.