Chapter 10: Silver Soul (The Era of Expulsion)

This was a rare sunny day in winter. The sky was a deep blue, the sunlight warm, sweeping away much of the season’s gloom. Yet, the shadow of war was not something a single sunny day could dispel. Today, once again, the Celestials were closing in on the Loyalist Army.

With no path for retreat, the Loyalists could only fight their way out. For now, though, Take Kankura remained a humble errand-runner in the logistics unit, her task today to guard the rear and tend to the wounded.

There were many wounded, but only a few caretakers—scarcely two or three. Manpower was dwindling, and after the latest surprise attack, even the cooks from logistics had been sent to the front. Uncle Ueda had gone too. If not for the need to watch over the wounded, Take and her companions would have been pulled in as well. For now, tending the wounded was all they could do.

“Kankura, are we safe back here?” a frail-looking boy edged closer to her. He was a new arrival, Yasuo Kimura. Take had never met such a delicate boy—he couldn’t carry water, slipped while washing vegetables, and fainted at the sight of a fish being killed. Truly remarkable; she thought he seemed more like a girl than she did.

“Kimura, you really are timid. Don’t worry, they won’t reach us here. The Governor and the others are holding the front.” This came from Sota Ando, another boy, sharp-faced and sharp-voiced.

The first time these two had met Take, they’d both screamed in fright, only to be silenced by a punch from Uncle Ueda.

The three of them were new to the logistics unit—young and slight, so the veterans had left them behind.

“Just as long as they don’t reach us,” Kimura muttered, dropping his head.

Ando snorted and darted outside to keep watch.

Take had once wondered why Kimura, so timid, had joined the army. He’d told her it was to toughen himself up; his fiancée thought him useless, and in a fit of pique, he’d joined up without telling his family.

To this, Take could only shake her head. Toughen up—on the battlefield? What was this, a game where you grind for experience points and fight easy monsters?

Still, as the three of them had been left to guard the wounded, they needed to work together.

Take glanced at the injured behind her—so many with broken limbs, so many wounds and illnesses. Not one of them complained of pain; aside from the occasional involuntary groan, they endured with gritted teeth. Take couldn’t help but admire them.

It was time to change bandages and apply medicine. She and Kimura split the patients between them.

As Take was wrapping a bandage, a wail rose behind her.

“Aaaah—!”

She turned to see Kimura frozen, helpless, while the wounded man beneath him twisted in agony.

Take quickly finished tying off her bandage and went to check. Kimura had been too rough removing a bandage, reopening the wound.

Take was speechless.

“Kimura, don’t just stand there. Never mind, go help the next one. I’ll take care of this.” She waved him aside.

Kimura nodded blankly and went to tend another man; fortunately, this time there was no mishap. Take wiped the sweat from her brow.

Just as she finished with her patient, Ando dashed in, shouting.

“Bad news! Kimura, you jinx! You really called it—just now I saw a big squad of Celestials heading right for us!” Ando was breathless.

“What?!”

“What?!”

Take and Kimura cried out in unison.

“What do we do now?” Ando asked anxiously.

Kimura’s face was ashen, sweat pouring down. “How many are there?” he stammered.

“A lot—looks like a whole squad.”

A squad—about seventy or eighty men. Take gritted her teeth.

Seventy or eighty might not sound like much, but lined up, it formed a solid block. And those left here were the wounded and a few raw recruits—hardly a match for the Celestials.

“Ando, how long until they reach us?” Take asked.

“They’ve got weapons and a tank—they’ll be here in ten minutes, maybe less.”

“What?! Weapons and a tank!” Kimura wilted. “Let’s run! We have to run!” he cried.

Take’s temper snapped. She slapped Kimura so hard he fell to the ground. “Run? We were left to care for the wounded! If you run, what about them?” Her strength was not inconsiderable; Kimura was knocked flat.

Clutching his cheek, tears in his eyes, Kimura looked up at her. “Then what do you suggest? There’s only three of us, all new recruits, and they’ve got seventy, eighty men and a tank. If we don’t run, we’ll be killed!” He began to cry.

Take wanted to kick him twice more—crying like a little girl! Enough!

Suppressing her anger, Take turned to Ando. “No panicking. Ando, help me wrap the wounded in blankets, then find a rope.”

“What for?” Ando asked, startled.

“No time. Just do it.” She shouted at Kimura, “Stop crying and help!”

Startled, Kimura quieted, got up, and hurried over.

There were twenty-one wounded. The three of them swiftly wrapped them snugly in blankets. Some tried to ask why, but Take’s fierce glare silenced them.

When they were done, Take grabbed the rope and tied them all together.

“Kankura, what are you doing?” Ando stared, aghast. Was she going to hand the wounded over to the Celestials? Why tie them up?

But Take was not what he imagined. She hoisted the bundle of men onto her back in one smooth motion, as if it were nothing at all. Carrying them was like putting on a coat; she didn’t even break a sweat.

“Good heavens! You’re unbelievably strong!” Ando exclaimed. Kimura, clutching his face, realized she’d held back when she’d slapped him; otherwise, she could have knocked his head clean off.

The wounded, too, were amazed.

“Wow, kid, you’re strong!”

“This ugly kid’s a monster!”

“I can barely carry one man, and she’s just picked up the lot of us.”

Take was irritated. The Celestials were nearly here, and they were still chattering.

“Shut up!” she barked.

Silence fell. One look at her fierce face and they didn’t even dare breathe.

“We’re running, now. Ando, you’re quick—go ahead, try to get around the Celestials and alert the Governor. Tell them our post’s been overrun! Go, now!”

At her command, Ando bolted.

Take turned to Kimura, gritting her teeth. “Kimura, stop quaking. Pull yourself together. I’ll carry them, you take the medicine box. We’re heading for the back mountain. Don’t slow me down—if we run into the Celestials, I won’t save you.”

Kimura nodded, trembling, and darted for the medicine box. By the time he’d picked it up, Take was already running, her burden slung over her back.

“Wait for me, Kankura!” Kimura shouted, chasing after her.

They ran from the temple. The distant thunder of artillery echoed from the battlefield, making everyone even more anxious. Yet seeing Take, they couldn’t help but feel a surge of confidence; she had become their anchor.

Take herself was tense, her heart pounding, but her father had taught her: the more dangerous the situation, the calmer you must be.

She forced herself to be steady. “We’ll hide in the back mountain for now. The front is in the thick of battle—they won’t be able to send help for a while. We’re on our own.”

Kimura nodded, clutching the box.

Seeing he’d finally steadied himself, Take’s anger lessened. “Stay close. We climb.”

They hurried toward the mountain. It had rained recently, and the path was slippery. Kimura fell repeatedly, so Take had to help him up over and over. Finally, exasperated, she scooped him up, medicine box and all, in her arms—the so-called princess carry. One more wasn’t any heavier, and it stopped him from holding them back.

Kimura wanted to protest, but one glare from Take silenced him.

Thus, Take carried twenty-two people up the mountain. Behind them, the Celestials reached the temple and, finding no one, were furious.

Damn it! They’d finally outmaneuvered the Loyalists and circled to the rear, yet found it deserted. Absolutely maddening!

The Celestials raged, turning the temple upside down, but didn’t even find a mouse.

“Captain! What do we do now?” a pig-headed Celestial asked a crocodile-headed officer.

The crocodile-headed Celestial’s yellow eyes gleamed. “This was a secret maneuver. No way Takasugi and his lot could know. They must have escaped. Burn the stronghold, then hunt them down. I want their heads to present to Takasugi!”

“Yes, Captain!” The pig-headed Celestial hurried off to gather firewood.

Minutes later, the temple was ablaze, thick black smoke curling skyward. The glow of fire was visible even from the mountain.

Take, seeing the smoke, bit her lip. Had they not escaped in time, they would’ve died in that inferno.

“Captain! The temple’s burning. Where do we look for them now?” The pig-headed Celestial returned.

“Idiot! Use your pig brain for once. Split into three teams and search everywhere!” the crocodile-headed Celestial roared, kicking him.

The pig-headed Celestial yelped and ran.

The crocodile-headed Celestial stared at the burning temple, a cold smile twisting his lips. “Takasugi Shinsuke, Mad Nobleman, White Demon—I’ve burned your lair. What will you do now?”

From the mountain, Take and Kimura could faintly hear the Celestials’ shouts. Kimura shivered with fear.

“K-Kankura, what do we do? They’re coming up here!”

“Quiet!” Take snapped, then began to think. If the Celestials kept searching, they’d all be caught. Someone had to divert them. She looked at Kimura. “Kimura, I’ve got a task for you.”

He faltered under her grim gaze. “What is it?”

She grinned, a smile that made him tremble all the more.

――――――――

“Just me? No, please! I’m so scared!” In the cave, Kimura clung to Take’s leg, wailing. She kicked him aside.

“Shut up. Someone has to distract them.”

“But…but…”

“No buts. I’m not sending you down there. You stay in the cave and tend the wounded. I’ll draw them away.”

“But by myself…I’m scared…” Kimura whimpered.

Take seized his collar and pulled him up to meet her eyes. “You’re a man, aren’t you? Then act like it. Stop sniveling. Didn’t you want to impress your fiancée? Then start now. If you keep this up, she’ll never like you—no woman wants a coward!”

At her words, Kimura finally mustered a bit of courage. “I understand. I’ll stay and look after the wounded. But come back for me, all right?”

Take set him down. “Fine. Stay in the cave and don’t come out, or the Celestials will find you and chop you up.” She said this on purpose, worried he might abandon the wounded.

Sure enough, Kimura shrank further into the cave, hugging his knees.

“I won’t go out. I promise.”

“Good.” Take turned to the wounded she’d set down. “Stay here. Reinforcements will come.”

“Kid, you be careful.”

“Yeah—if you can’t fight, just run.”

Hearing this, Kimura shot Take a panicked look, afraid she’d abandon them. Take ignored him, waving to the soldiers. “I won’t run.”

With that, she slipped out of the cave.

A cold wind swept by, her small figure bleak and lonely amid the trees.