Pathway to Japanese Literature

In February of Keiō 4 (the ninth month of this year would usher in the Meiji era), Kujō Michitaka, who had advanced his army to Sendai under imperial decree to subjugate Ōu, ordered Deputy Governor-General Sawa Tamekazu to dispatch troops at the beginning of April to first defeat Sakai Tadahiro of Shōnai Domain.
...This story concerns an incident that occurred during that military advance.

I

When the Pacification Army that had departed Sendai advanced from Yamagata to Tendō, Deputy Governor-General Sawa Tamekazu summoned Third Squad Captain Nakamura Hankurou, a young commander, and issued him orders.

“Nakamura, you will lead two hundred men from the Third Squad, separate from the main force, cross over from Mount Gassan to Mount Haguro, and launch a surprise attack on the rear of the Sakai army.”

This is my solemn duty.

Hankurou pursed his lips as he steeled his resolve.

“The path is undeniably steep, but there exists a difficulty greater than that.
“That would be the Tsuchi Clan residing deep within Mount Haguro.”

“I am aware.”

“Unless we breach Owl Valley defended by this clan, we cannot advance into Shōnai. It will undoubtedly be an extremely grueling battle, but I want you to ensure it succeeds by all means.”

“Understood.”

“Depart immediately. Three hundred reinforcement troops will follow afterward.”

Hankurou steeled all his men with desperate resolve.

Nakamura's Third Squad immediately separated from the main force there, ascended the Sagae Valley, and pressed forward along Mount Gassan's eastern flank from Aterazawa.
It was a relentless forced march; driving onward without pause, they finally reached Kusakari Pass before Owl Valley on the evening of the third day.

Hankurou halted their advance there and dispatched two scout units to reconnoiter the enemy's position.

Owl Valley derived its name from "Fukurodani" (literally "Bag Valley"), with Mount Gassan spreading its foothills to the left and Mount Haguro looming close on the right. The valley plunged deep between them, its contours forming a perfect sack-like shape.
...And there, for centuries past, a local warrior clan called the Tsuchi Clan had made their home.
A fearless people, they had built their fortress in this precipitous terrain, resolved to deny any invader a single foothold.

The scouts returned after night had fallen.

"We scouted the enemy’s position."
"There isn’t a single person in Owl Valley."

The unexpected news left everyone astonished.

"We checked inside the village itself, but there was no trace of people whatsoever. The houses stood completely empty—not even a single puppy could be found."

“It seems there’s no one at the fortress either.”

The troops stared at each other in disbelief.
…Gun Squad Leader Ishioka Kichijirou was fired up,

“Captain! They’ve fled! Knowing we were coming, they must’ve realized they couldn’t win. If we charge in and seize it now—”

“No—wait.”

Hankurou calmly restrained him.

“The Tsuchi Clan wouldn’t flee without a single battle—I believe there’s some scheme at play here. We’ll bivouac here tonight and advance tomorrow.”

“—Put down your guns and prepare to make camp…”

The order was relayed.
And while maintaining strict vigilance, they bivouacked at the pass that night.

When dawn broke, it was April 15th.

Hankurou had all his troops load their rifles with bullets and continued advancing cautiously through the swirling morning mist while sending scouts ahead.
Nothing happened. As the mist cleared, the early summer sun beat down strongly, and the dew on the young grasses and tree leaves glistened radiantly.
…Birds chirped from branch to branch, and within the thickets, small creatures darted about—a perfectly peaceful mountain landscape.
But,

When and where would the ambush strike from?

The quieter their surroundings grew, the more Hankurou's anxieties intensified.

Nakamura's Third Squad arrived at Owl Valley village.

Hankurou was the first to stand and advance into the heart of the village.
Under a blazing hot sun, fifty or sixty houses lay silent and still. Not a single chicken or cat remained on the wide road that sloped gradually downward or in the square-shaped plaza—only emptiness.

“All troops, rest!”
“Do not release your rifles!”

Having shouted this, Hankurou turned around.
“Gun Squad Leader, come with me.”

“Let’s inspect the village. Something feels off here.”

“There might still be some food left.”

Gun Squad Leader Ishioka appeared to be laughing at Hankurou’s unease.

II

Hankurou, accompanied by five squad members, patrolled throughout the village and eventually climbed up to the central fortress elevated one tier higher.

The fortress built from massive natural stones maintained the structure of an ancient castle compound—complete with watchtowers and defensive walls—its pathways steadily linking one square-shaped bastion to another.

Despite possessing such an imposing fortress, why had the Tsuchi Clan abandoned it without firing a single bullet? To Hankurou, their tactics were becoming more and more perplexing.

“Captain! There are people! People!”

A squad member’s shout came from the direction of the weapons storage.

When Hankurou and Ishioka Kichijirou rushed over, two soldiers were emerging from the armory carrying something—and there she was: a beautiful girl of fourteen or fifteen, her hands and feet bound with a muzzle-like gag stuffed in her mouth.

“When we tried to search inside the warehouse and opened the door, she had rolled right up to that spot.”

“Untie the ropes.”

When they cut loose the restraints binding her limbs and removed the gag, whether from relief or sheer exhaustion, the girl collapsed unconscious right there.

“Someone carry this girl away and tend to her. She seems quite frightened, so treat her kindly.”

Hankurou issued that command and turned around.
“Gun Squad Leader, gather everyone here.”
“Yes, sir—”
“Even if the enemy has some scheme, we should be able to hold out in this fortress until the Reinforcement Troops arrive.”

“Though there should be no need for that concern now.”
“No—it’s still unclear.”

Hankurou muttered this while gazing toward Mount Gassan, his expression unable to conceal his unease.

The entire squad entered the fortress.

Positions were assigned to each unit, and living quarters allocated. As dusk approached, cooking fires began blazing crimson through the valley’s deepening shadows.

“...Captain.”

“What is it?”

“The girl from earlier seems to have regained consciousness.”

“I see. I’ll go see her.”

Hankurou entered a hut that appeared to be the samurai retainers’ quarters.
...The girl sat dejectedly in the deepening twilight.

“How are you feeling? Have you recovered a bit?”

“...Yes.”

“We are soldiers of the Emperor. You need not fear—we’re not villains who would torment you. My name is Nakamura Hankurou.”
“Why were you tied up in a place like this?”
“Um... I...”

Her voice still trembled, but the eyes that softly looked up at Hankurou no longer held the same fear as before.

“Go on, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Yes, I am from the domain of Sakata.”
“My father is a marine products merchant named Ichirobei, and I am called Oito.”

“—Right.”

“On our way back from visiting Matsushima with my father, when we stopped by Mount Gassan to pay our respects, we were captured by the people there under suspicion of being spies. My father was taken away somewhere, and I was bound and confined in that warehouse. When I had given up all hope of survival—yesterday around noon... they said government forces were attacking, so the people there fled, and I...”

“You’re lying!”

Ishioka Kichijirou burst in with a sudden shout.
……The girl jerked her head up in alarm.

“Did they bind you because they thought you were a spy?”

Kichijirou approached with venomous spite.
“That’s our line! You think we’d swallow such tear-soaked lies?”
“But... it really is true...”

“Shut up! You’re from the Tsuchi Clan, and you deliberately stayed here tied up to spy on us—Captain!”

Kichijirou gripped the hilt of his great sword.

“It’s a common tactic—let’s cut her down!”

“Wait.” Hankurou calmly restrained.

“Your suspicion is warranted, but we cannot execute someone without proper investigation.”

“But what if she is a spy?”

“Now wait—we’ve no reason to fear one or two spies. Besides, she’s just a girl. Leave this one to me.”

Hankurou gently,

Hankurou turned toward the girl and said, “—Miss Oito.”

“You don’t need to worry. I believe you. I’ll look into your father’s situation and make sure you can return to Sakata too. Just stay calm.”

“Yes... Thank you very much.”

The girl smiled while looking up at Hankurou with tear-filled eyes.
Ishioka Kichijirou glared resentfully at the glimpse of white teeth peeking between her lips.

III

That night passed without incident.

After the morning roll call was completed and the meal finished, Hankurou immediately dispatched scouts to the mountain path cutting through the east of Mount Haguro.
Then he visited the hut where the girl was.

The girl was sewing the soldiers' pants.

“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Good morning…”
“Thanks to you…”

“What are you doing?”

“The soldiers’ pants were torn, so I found a needle and thread and am mending them now, you see.”

“Thank you for that.”

“But… I’m not very good at it.”

Oito blushed shyly—seeing this, Hankurou felt his eyes grow hot.

Hankurou was a samurai retainer of Mito.

In Mito, he had a mother and a sister. His sister was fifteen—about the same age as Oito. Her round face and the way her pale cheeks flushed so readily reminded him exactly of his sister. His sister was living peacefully under their mother’s care. And yet this girl was here in these remote mountains far from her hometown, enduring hardship in the very midst of war—how sorrowful it must be for her to think of her homeland and parents. “You must want to return to Sakata soon, don’t you?”

“—Yes.”

“You must stay strong—I’ll make sure you can return home soon.”

Oito looked up into Hankurou’s eyes and nodded happily, but—

“But you all are going to wage war here, aren’t you? Would you have time to kindly spare for such matters?”

“No—we’ll only be here a short while.”

Hankurou said reassuringly.

“Once the reinforcement troops arrive, we’ll advance together toward Shōnai. Then there’ll be plenty of opportunities to send word to Sakata.”

“Will many reinforcement troops come?”

“They’ll come in large numbers. With just our current forces here now, breaking through Owl Valley would be difficult.”

“How many is ‘many’…?”

Oito was about to say more when—

Bang! Bang-bang! Baaang!

From the direction of the valley behind the fortress, a deafening gunshot suddenly erupted.

―The Tsuchi Clan attacked!

Thinking this, Hankurou dashed toward the square.

“—Grab your rifles!”

“—To your positions!”

Shouts of orders echoed around them as the soldiers hurried left and right through the fog.

Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!!

The gunfire was coming from the direction of the mountain path where scouts had been dispatched earlier.
Hankurou climbed up to the watchtower and surveyed the area, but the churning fog made it impossible to see anything.

“Ishioka, deploy a squad.”

“Yes, sir!”

“If enemies are present, withdraw without pursuing deeply—never advance too far under any circumstances!”

A squad of twenty soldiers pushed forward through the fog.

The gunfire ceased.

Owl Valley, wrapped in mist, abruptly fell into complete silence—only the crisp sound of a distant mountain stream remained audible.
The soldiers at their posts with rifles, imagining enemies that might strike from anywhere in the thick fog, held their breath while maintaining firing positions.

The squad that went to assist returned.

While helping the four wounded scouts.
...the ten scouts they had sent out were now down to four.
Moreover, everyone had sustained serious injuries.

“—What happened?!”

Hankurou ran up and shouted,

“Captain, it’s a disgrace.”

One of them answered painfully.

“There are enemies on that path.
“They’re in the mountains on both sides—I don’t know their numbers, but there seem to be a considerable amount. They waited until we entered the pass, blocked our retreat, and suddenly opened fire from all directions. That path is no good.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldier fainted.

“Good, treat him quickly.”

Hankurou said this and returned to the square.

The enemy was in the mountains behind them; they were waiting for the right moment to attack this fortress from above—Hankurou immediately dispatched two more scout squads.

One squad to Kusakari Pass.

One squad to Tsukiyama Road.

IV

The two squads set out in their respective directions.

However, before they could wait long, gunfire erupted simultaneously from both directions.

“Ah! They’re getting hit again!!”

The soldiers all turned pale at once.

“—Captain!”
Ishioka came running.

“Let’s dispatch a relief force!”

“No.”

“They’ll be wiped out again! Let me go, Captain!”
“No! Calm yourself!”
Hankurou said flatly.

“They’re waiting for exactly that! If we go to rescue them, we’ll be annihilated just for trying… Now I finally see—this was the Tsuchi Clan’s scheme all along.”

“This is their plot?”

“They deliberately left this fortress empty and schemed to lure us into this valley for a pincer attack.”

Hankurou groaned painfully.

“We’re trapped rats in a sack now.”
“—Captain”

Ishioka's face turned pale in an instant.

The gunfire soon stopped.

However, not a single one returned; the two scout squads of ten men each that had been dispatched were utterly annihilated.

“Ishioka… Assemble the troops.”

Hankurou said this and went out to the square.

In the short span of time, they had lost over twenty comrades and come to realize they were completely surrounded by the enemy—the troops’ unrest was something they could no longer conceal. They must not lose morale here—Hankurou waited for everyone to assemble,

“Listen up, everyone!”

he urged in an encouraging voice.

“We’re surrounded by enemies, but this fortress is strong. We have plenty of provisions and ammunition, and within a day or two, three hundred Reinforcement Troops will arrive—they won’t be delayed by even a moment. Just one or two days—persevere until then. Understood?”

“Don’t disgrace the name of the Imperial Army!”

Ishioka Kichijirou also shouted loudly.

The troops all returned to their posts while mustering a fierce resolve of “Even if we’re annihilated!”

Hankurou remained atop the watchtower until sunset, hoping against hope that even a single surviving scout might return—but it was futile. As evening mist crept up from the valley floor, dusk gradually enveloped the surroundings, and stars began twinkling in the bright sky where the moon must have risen.

Suddenly sensing a presence, he called out, “—Who’s there?” Turning around, he found Oito standing behind him—he hadn’t noticed when she’d arrived. “Miss Oito, what brings you here?” “I… I couldn’t bear the worry—they say we’re completely surrounded now.” “Even surrounded, we’ll be fine.” “Are the Reinforcement Troops truly coming? Three hundred of them?” “—You heard that?”

“When I heard the gunfire during the day, I thought I was done for.”

Hankurou gently embraced the girl’s shoulders.

“It’s alright. Three hundred Reinforcement Troops are truly coming—they’ll arrive by tomorrow. Keep your heart steady and trust me.”

“I want to return to Sakata soon.”
“It’s alright.”

He said firmly, but Hankurou’s chest tightened painfully. Would the Reinforcement Troops coming over Kusakari Pass truly manage to break through the Tsuchi Clan’s encirclement? What if they failed?

That would mean total annihilation!

Even if they weren’t annihilated here, they had to break through enemy lines to Shōnai prepared for total destruction—and when that time came, there’d be no way to bring a hindrance like that girl along.

“Oh, the owl is hooting.”

Oito said.

From behind the fortress’s back mountain came the lonely hoo, hoo of an owl’s cry.—Suddenly, Oito rounded her hands over each other and brought them to her lips,

“Hoo, hoo, hoo”

Oito skillfully mimicked the owl’s call.

“Doesn’t it sound just like them?”

She said with a mischievous shrug and laughed.

“When you do this, they think you’re a friend and hoot back in response! In Sakata, everyone often plays like this, you know.”

“I used to play like that too when I was a child.”
As if recalling the past, Hankurou laughed and said.
“Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.”

When Oito continued, from the back mountain came matching imitations of owl calls... For a while, Hankurou enjoyed this playfulness with a sweet nostalgia that made him feel like a child again—but soon,

“Captain! Over here?”

At Ishioka’s voice, he jerked around.
“Please come—it’s a messenger from the Reinforcement Troops.”
“What? They’re here?”
“A single mounted soldier has reached the vanguard.”

Hankurou climbed down from the watchtower.

5

The messenger was still a youth wearing his forelock.

“Three hundred Reinforcement Troops are advancing under Commander Matsubara Kinoshin’s orders and will arrive here within two hours.—I have come as a messenger by order of the Deputy Governor-General, who commands that we advance to Kurokawa by tomorrow evening.”

“By tomorrow evening?”

“Yes, and we request that you complete departure preparations before the Reinforcement Troops arrive.”
“According to Commander Matsubara’s assessment, it will likely be necessary to depart from here by midnight tonight.”

“Understood. You’ve done well.”

Hankurou thought it was an impossible demand.

The fact that three hundred Reinforcement Troops had arrived unexpectedly early was a relief; moreover, judging from how this young messenger had safely reached here, the enemy forces at the pass might be less formidable than anticipated.—However, since there was no doubt the Tsuchi Clan surrounded this valley, advancing without thoroughly confirming their disposition would be perilous.

But it’s an order—I’ll do what I can.

Having steeled himself with that resolve,

“Commence advance preparations.”

he issued the command.

“Those at their posts—don’t move! The enemy’s right here! Slack off and you’re dead! —Put out the bonfires!”

“Extinguish the bonfires—”

The orders were relayed in rapid succession.

Excluding the soldiers stationed at defensive positions, the remaining ones began packing quickly.
The reinforcements would arrive soon—then it was their chance. They would escape this dreadful Owl Valley and fight a glorious battle against the Sakai army.
The soldiers, now encouraged, hurried their preparations.

Amid the commotion—

Someone scaled the fortress’s rear defensive wall like a shadow—swiftly.
It was the girl Oito.

After exiting beyond the defensive wall, she ran through the thicket—which required clawing upward—like a small wild animal, and upon climbing about thirty meters more—cupping both hands together, she gently pressed them to her lips—

“Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo”

—and let out an owl’s cry.

—Hoo, hoo.

A responding voice came from the right.

Oito ran toward the voice. When she lost her way, she mimicked an owl’s call—repeating this three or four times until, before she knew it, she found herself entering an oak grove. “—Oito?”

While calling out, a man appeared before the girl.
“It’s me.”

Oito was panting.

“Since I’m being watched, I must return at once—the three hundred Reinforcement Troops will arrive within two hours, and they plan to march toward Kurokawa by midnight.”

“Good. Then Screen Rock will serve its purpose after all.”

“Have the explosives been placed?”

“Fifty kan at each of five locations—toss one pine torch and boom! You’ll bury five hundred or seven hundred men alive in one go.”

“Then I’ll take my leave now.”

“Just a little longer. Don’t get yourself suspected.”

Oito ran off without replying.

Indeed! She was indeed a member of the Tsuchi Clan—just as Ishioka had suspected, she had deliberately remained bound to spy on the imperial army’s movements, and all at the tender age of fifteen! Oito was born of Tsuchi Clan blood.

This Owl Valley belongs to the Tsuchi Clan.
It is a land passed down from ancestors who protected it for hundreds of years without allowing a single step of encroachment by others.
—No one, be they who they may, was permitted to enter except the Lord of Shōnai.

This was the conviction of the Tsuchi Clan.

The world had grown turbulent, and now even the imperial army was invading this Owl Valley—but to the people of Owl Valley, who lived apart from society, it remained unknown why the imperial army would seek to attack the Lord of Shōnai. They didn’t know why, but to them, it was an urgent matter they could not abandon.

Those who dare attack the Lord of Shōnai!

Those who encroach upon Tsuchi Clan land!

That alone was enough to make the clan’s people rise up.

“Let not a single one pass alive!”

And they had indeed devised such an elaborate plan.
And Oito splendidly fulfilled that role indeed.

“It’s all right now.”

Oito returned to the fortress with a smile.

VI

It must have been the relief of a heart that had fulfilled its duty.

Oito, who had slid down the thicket, swiftly scaled the defensive wall from her original position, and leapt nimbly into the fortress, was suddenly seized by the right hand and neck and pulled down.

“―Brat! Found you!”

It was Ishioka Kichijirou.

“Ah!”

“Don’t move! Just as this humble soldier suspected, you really were a Tsuchi Clan spy—come here!”

As the girl struggled fiercely to escape, Ishioka dragged her roughly into the barracks’ hut.
—And with a thud, he shoved her down in front of Hankurou, who stood aghast.

“Captain, this one really is a spy.”

“What happened?”

“Since I had my eye on her as suspicious from the start, I kept constant watch on her.
Then I saw her climbing over the rear defensive wall just now.
Using the owl’s cry as a signal, she came to contact her comrades.”

“An owl’s cry?”

Even Hankurou paled.

“You—is that true?”

“It’s true.”

Unexpectedly, Oito answered firmly.

"I am a daughter of the Tsuchi Clan; this Owl Valley is ours. To protect Lord Sakai and safeguard our clan's land—I have fulfilled my duty."

"You!"

Ishioka grabbed Oito's shoulder and,

“You’ve got nerve spouting bold words for a brat.”
“Captain!”
“Let’s execute her!”

“Please execute me.”

Oito said quietly.

“I have fulfilled my duty.”
“Even if I am executed, I have no regrets at all. Oito has protected her ancestors’ land. Please execute me.”

“A blood sacrifice!”

Ishiwaka drew his large sword with a gleaming flash, but even before that, Hankurou—

“Wait, Ishioka!”

shouted and restrained him.

"Why are you stopping me? This brat is—"

“Wait, I said wait!”

Hankurou said in a scolding tone.

“The Reinforcement Troops will arrive soon—listen—until then, this girl will serve as a hostage.”
“…We don’t know what they’ve plotted, but until the Reinforcement Troops arrive and we depart together from here, if the Tsuchi Clan attempts to attack, we can use this girl as a hostage to halt their assault.”

“Oh, right.”

“Tie her up! Tie up her hands and feet, put a gag in her mouth—do it exactly as when you first found her.”

Hankurou commanded harshly.

Ishioka called his subordinates and swiftly bound Oito before tightly gagging her.
Oito remained silent and let them do as they pleased—once they finished, Hankurou ordered Ishioka.

“Enough already—have them light the bonfires. And have rice balls prepared for the Reinforcement Troops.”

“Hah.”
“Are the preparations for departure ready?”
“The packing is complete; the ammunition and provisions are all ready to load onto the horses.”
“Be on guard against night raids.”

Ishioka left with subordinates.

Hankurou stood in silence—stood gazing up at the night sky for a long time in silence—then quietly approached Oito.

“—Miss Oito.”

Hankurou's voice sounded sorrowful.

“Even now, I do not hate you. You have fulfilled your duty; you have accomplished a great feat for the Tsuchi Clan.”
“...But there’s one thing I want to say.”

“...”

“You’re Japanese, aren’t you?”
“I am Japanese too. You probably don’t know this, having grown up in Owl Valley, but the nation of Japan that gave birth to us all is now at a perilous crossroads.”
“From the north comes Russia, from the east America, from the west Britain and France—all the powerful nations of the world are converging on Japan with designs to claim it.”
“For three hundred long years, Japan has lived withdrawn within this island nation due to the Tokugawa clan’s misguided isolationist policy.”
“During that time, the nations of the world have rapidly advanced their civilizations, attacking and destroying weaker countries as they closed in on Japan.”
“...Do you understand?”
“Right now, terrifying enemies who aim to seize Japan and make it their own are swarming in from all directions.”

Hankurou said as if patiently explaining.

Seven

“There is no Tsuchi Clan, no Tokugawa, no Sakai—all Japanese people, samurai, farmers, townsfolk, elders and children alike—the time has come to unite as one and fight for the nation.”
“All the nation’s people must unite as one—now is the time to protect the country from the terrifying foreigners’ grasp.”

“That is precisely why the Tokugawa clan has returned governance to His Majesty the Emperor—there are no more daimyo or shogun now. I, you, farmers, townsfolk—all of us must now dedicate our lives to the nation under His Majesty the Emperor alone. Those who fail to understand this are traitors—disloyal rebels who defy His Majesty’s will. We fight to purge those rebels.”

“If you are truly Japanese, you should understand my words—Owl Valley does not belong to the Tsuchi Clan—it belongs to His Majesty the Emperor. You are a daughter of His Majesty’s nation.”

Hankurou broke off his words and continued.

“I will soon depart from here—we will likely never meet again... If you come to understand what I’ve said... I pray you become a fine young woman for His Majesty the Emperor and for Japan.”

When he finished speaking, Hankurou quietly went outside.

Oito had closed her eyes.

Various thoughts swirled like a whirlpool in her head.
Things she had not known until today had gradually become clear, as if night were breaking into dawn... She hadn’t known—truly hadn’t known.
The Emperor and the nation—she had only ever thought of them as distant matters unrelated to herself.

But now she had come to understand many things.

Even Oito—merely a daughter of the Tsuchi Clan dwelling deep in Owl Valley—was, upon reflection, one of His Majesty the Emperor’s people.
If only I had that spirit, this body could perform splendid service for the nation.
No!
It is precisely for His Majesty and the nation that I must serve.

Only then could I truly be called Japanese.

Ah, I was wrong.

Oito opened eyes wide.

Outside could be heard people's clamorous commotion—apparently the Reinforcement Troops had arrived and were making preparations to depart together.
The clang of weapons brushing against each other and horses neighing reached her ears.

Oh no—they mustn't go! Explosives have been planted at Screen Rock!

Oito shouted frantically.
However, with hands and feet bound and a muzzle gagging her, she had no way to convey this—before long, the order to depart was heard.

“Third Squad, advance—Gun Squad, follow.”

Resolute footsteps resounded.

Oito dragged herself toward the earthen floor.
The lives of five hundred men now rested in Oito’s hands—if they advanced as planned, Screen Rock would collapse from the fifty-kan explosives buried at five locations, burying all five hundred alive.

Wait—please wait!

Oito tumbled into the earthen floor.

She slammed her body against the entrance’s sliding door—when a protruding nail suddenly pierced her arm. Divine aid.
Oito rubbed the rope binding her wrists vigorously against the nail’s pointed tip.

God! God!

Her heart focused solely on prayer to God.
The rope was stiff; the nail slipped repeatedly, piercing the skin of her wrists. [...] The sounds of the advancing troops grew fainter in the distance. Oito screamed with all her might.

God, I offer my life; please protect His Majesty the Emperor’s army.
I offer my life, God!

The results of her desperate struggle showed.

The rope snapped clean through.
Oito frantically freed both hands and, while swiftly untying the ropes around her legs, dashed out of the hut.

――Perfect!

In the plaza, four or five men who appeared to be laborers were in the process of securing the remaining luggage onto the horses’ backs.

Oito ran.

Then, pulling a burning pine branch from the bonfire, she suddenly leaped onto a horse that had not yet been loaded with cargo.—The laborers, engrossed in loading supplies, noticed this and—

“Who’s there?!”

When someone shouted “Spy!”, the clatter of hooves was already racing loudly out of the fortress.

She ran!
She ran!

She was accustomed to galloping horses along mountain paths. Shielding the pine torch at her back to keep its flame from extinguishing, she raced ahead like a gale.

Ah, thank you, God!

She made it.

Five hundred meters before reaching Screen Rock, she finally caught up to the government troops advancing in formation.
―Oito raised the burning pine branch high,
“Danger! Danger!
“Please stop!” she shouted.
Even as she shouted, she did not slacken her pace.
―The soldiers were startled.
“Dodge! It’s a horse!”
“It’s a horse!
“Look out!!”
Shouting, they scattered left and right; through that gap Oito charged like a flying bullet.
―I’ve been captured as a spy—even if I tell them about Screen Rock now, they’ll never believe me—there’s only one way!
She had steeled herself for this.

When she had broken through the ranks of five hundred men,

“Long live the Emperor!”

Oito shouted.
And arriving straight at the base of Screen Rock, she hurled the burning pine branch with all her might toward the rock’s foundation.

Terrifying flames rent the darkness.

Boom!
Boom!
Boom!!

Flanking the road on both sides, the thirty-meter-tall rocks collapsed with terrifying force alongside pillars of fire—it seemed as though the very axis of the earth split apart.

＊ ＊ ＊

Before this spectacle, the five hundred troops stood frozen in a daze, as if they had lost their senses.—Amidst that crowd—

“—Ishioka”

Hankurou looked back at Ishioka Kichijirou.

“You saw her, didn’t you? That girl.”

“……Yes.”

“She said ‘Long live the Emperor’—”

Tears poured from Hankurou’s eyes; he looked up at the night sky as though stifling a sob.

“Oito, you are a splendid daughter of Japan—a splendid [servant] of the Emperor…”

Tears choked the voice.

As if narrating Hankurou's raw emotion itself, the cliff continued collapsing with dreadful force—it was April 17th, 2:00 AM.