Chapter 17 – At the end of the stream

I remember those distant days. The world consisted only of magnificent buildings and noble mothers.

We received advanced education from our teachers, cultivating the refinement befitting aristocrats. Occasionally, we would have tea parties and play with siblings.

Living such carefree days, I had neither anxiety nor dissatisfaction about my future.

When the crest appeared on my left eye at the age of eight, it caused a bit of a stir at the time. The captain of the Imperial Guard remarked that it was an unusual manifestation and the Emperor himself came all the way to the imperial palace just to see my crest. That turned out to be the first and last meeting with my father.

I wondered what kind of crest I had awakened to. Even the civil servants who had recorded the imprints of the imperial family were deeply intrigued.

Well, the manifested ability was nothing more than black gauntlets appearing on both hands, enhancing my physical strength to some extent.

However, it was suitable for battle. Although it was already decided that I would be sent to a territory or another country in the future, there was also the possibility of leading a knight order and my sword training became more serious.

Those days were unexpectedly shattered without any warning. No, perhaps I just failed to notice the signs. Even if I had noticed, at that time, I didn’t have the strength to overcome it.

And once again, in my second homeland, the Amatsuki Empire, I lost everything. This time, it was the Empire that came.

I decided to spend my entire life here as a warrior. That was the decision made just before the incident occurred.

What the hell…What have I done…

What was lacking? At which moment, if I had done something differently, could I have changed the future? 

I don’t know…I don’t know anything…

Becoming strong as a warrior alone wasn’t enough. Would things have been different if I had a strong position?

What does that strong position mean? Who does it refer to as someone capable? I am painfully aware that there is strength and weakness in positions. It was because of that that I lost my mother in front of my eyes.

I don’t want to lose any more of what’s precious to me… my place. I want answers and meaning to the strength I’ve acquired so far.

When I saw the pursuers from the Imperial Army, I made up my mind. I will stay here and continue to fight to find answers and meaning. And my mentor responded to my feelings and stayed with me.

Have I already found the answers? Has meaning been born? Is everyone…safely heading towards the grasslands?

“Gu…gh!”

A dull pain surged through my entire body. I slowly opened both eyes.

“Ga…haa…haa…”

Where am I…? What is this place…? Why does my whole body hurt so much…?

“That’s right…I…at that time…swept away by the river… and then, ended up in the sea…”

It seems I was carried away by a muddy stream and ended up in the sea.

I am currently fixed to the rocky surface. The waves relentlessly crash against my body, and honestly, it’s quite salty.

“How far.. have I been carried away…?”

Considering I was swept into the sea from a river, all that surrounds me now are cliffs. They continue endlessly and it seems impossible to climb.

“Hmm…?”

Suddenly, as I turned my gaze to the side, I saw a sword wedged between the rocks a little ahead.

No mistake. It’s the mysterious sword, the Sakura Moon Katana, bestowed upon me by my master. 

To be carried to the same place…

No, perhaps that sword surprisingly protected me. The Sakura Moon Katana is said to harbour the special power of the imperial family in its manufacturing process.

“Mo…ve…!”

Even with a slight movement of my body, it screamed in protest. It must have been quite a long time since I had been able to move my body.

My muscles were stiff and the skin had become wrinkled from being immersed in seawater for so long.

“Guh…!”

Slowly and carefully, I manoeuvred along the rocky surface, managing to retrieve the sword.

“Haa, haa, haa, haa…”

Just doing that took a considerable amount of energy.

This is bad…I regained consciousness, but I need to secure food and water quickly. I’ll die if I stay like this.

“Haa, haa… Nn…?”

Moving to retrieve the sword, I discovered a depression in the rocks ahead.

It wasn’t visible before due to the angle. And beyond that depression, I could see a cave.

“What… a cave… why…”

Well, it’s a part of nature, so caves are to be expected. Anyway, for now, I need to move to a place where I can stand on solid ground.

With that in mind, I slowly began to move across the rocky surface. Eventually, I managed to reach the entrance of the cave.

While the entrance was submerged in seawater, the ground was visible beyond. I felt relieved to have made it that far.

“Haa… somehow… can I rest…”

My whole body felt heavy. It’s a miracle I survived…

“………..?”

It occurred to me, belatedly, that my field of vision was wider than usual. When I touched my left eye, I realised that the eyepatch I usually wore had come off.

“As expected… swallowed by the sea, huh…”

Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now. Moreover, once I became aware of it, the sudden increase in the breadth of my vision felt strange.

Now that the Empire is gone, is there even a point in hiding this eye anymore…?

“Haa… for now… rest… already…”

Feeling relieved to be sitting on solid ground, fatigue hit me all at once. Unable to resist drowsiness, I succumbed to sleep.

■

“Hmm…”

What’s this… my body… is wet?

I wake up to the sound of waves so loud it feels like they’re shouting. And in surprise, my thoughts momentarily freeze.

“……..!”

My body is immersed in seawater. I was carried to the wall and now my body is clinging to the rocky surface there.

There was solid ground just a moment ago…!

“The tide…is rising…!”

Damn it…! This place is not safe either. I need to get out of the cave before the seawater rises…! 

With that thought, I look at the entrance.

“Uwoah…!?”

The entrance has already become smaller. To get out of the cave now, I have to swim to the entrance. But…

“I can’t… swim…!?”

That’s right. I’ve never swam before, let alone had any training.

Moreover, trying to move this stiff body in the seawater, I know I won’t be able to make any decent movements. I vividly see a future where my legs get entangled and I sink.

“If only my body was fully recovered…!”

If it were, I might have clumsily attempted to swim.

However, the rise in sea level has created a platform leading up into the depths of the cave. Luckily, it seems like a place where I can calm down and gather my composure.

“Guh…!”

Moving in the opposite direction of the entrance, I climb up the platform. The entrance is now completely blocked by seawater. Since no light is coming in anymore, it’s pitch-dark.

“At least, it shouldn’t rise any further, right…?”

Looking down, I notice a lot of seashells on the lower ground. Touching the dark surface, I feel fewer seashells than on the upper ground.

“There might be some drift but… it doesn’t seem like I’ll be submerged in seawater, right…?”

Thanks to a short nap, my stamina has somewhat recovered. I use my head to think about what comes next.

‘If I wait, will the sea level drop again…? If that happens, should I go outside? No, outside is just a continuous cliff. Climbing is impossible. Should I move along the rocky surface? But I don’t know how far it goes. What about food and water in the meantime? Can I sustain my stamina without proper footing?’

Perhaps due to losing consciousness on the rocky surface for an extended period, my entire body hurts. I likely suffered contusions in multiple places.

But if I stay here like this, I’ll just decay. Taking a risk and moving outside seems to be the only option.

‘Yes… besides, Mayo-sama and my master, guided by Karan-dono, should be heading to the grasslands. If I can get there… I can meet everyone again…’

Suddenly, the question pops into my head. What’s the point of meeting them?

Feeling the fear of losing my place to the Empire, living my entire life on the grasslands? If the Imperial Army appears again, where would I run this time? Should I run again at all? Can someone in a position of being seized escape from that position forever?

“………………!!”

Among those I know, my master is the strongest swordsman. Yet, even my master  couldn’t protect the Empire from the Imperial Army. At best, he could protect a few citizens, including Mayo-sama.

Why? It’s probably because my master, despite being individually strong, didn’t have a strong position.

The strongest position. It’s not the Emperor of the Amatsuki Empire but the Emperor of the Zeltreich Empire.

If the position is strong, even individual strong individuals can be used as a part of one’s strength. Just like the Black Iron Heavy Infantry that invaded the Empire.

“Damn it…”

Before I knew it, tears were flowing. I’m exhausted. Exhausted from continuing in a position of being seized. Unable to escape from there.

I think of Mayo-sama. What is she thinking now?

She must be the same as me. Seized and lost her precious place. But when I talked to Mayo-sama at that time, she seemed like a small but very resilient woman.

Surely, the promise with her brother…and the days in the Empire so far continue to shine strongly within her.

“If I also… if I also had that shine…”

Surely, people call that shine something they want to accomplish even if they have to bet their lives or call it the meaning of life. At that time, it’s what I wished to find on the bridge.

“No, not yet…”

I can still find it. It’s not the time to cry and lament life in a place like this…! First and foremost, I have to somehow survive and get out of here…!

“That’s right… I can still do it…! I can do it…!”

Putting all my strength into it, I managed to stand up. The surroundings are already pitch-dark and I can’t see anything, but first, I need to secure a space where I can sleep for the night.

With that in mind, I move forward, trying to find as flat a space as possible. And then…

“Hmm…?”

Confidently stepping forward, there is no ground where I expected and with my body balance greatly disrupted, I fall straight down.