Mob Yandere

Chapter 123.3

[Part 3/4]

"It's simple. It's hard to gather a large group in a place as conspicuous as this without someone noticing."

Iruka's words came out, and they began to appear from within the forest. Numerous figures appeared, resembling Fusō-kuni's army troops, yet also resembling hunters in attire, uniquely distinct and almost otherworldly.

"It's Ezo. ...Ezo captives. Looks like members of the White Dog Tribe."

Observing the Ezo warriors who approached while lowering their weapons, Iruka sneered with a grim attitude, as if spitting out her words...

At the border between the Northern Region and the Central Territories, there stretches a steep mountain range that acts as a natural barrier, not just for humans but even for youkai, known as the Hyouga Mountain Range. This range is so treacherous that not even youkai can easily scale its heights; it's a natural fortress.

The only pass through the mountains was originally a path used by the local Ezo tribes, which was developed into a national road when the Reigning Emperor found it during his northern conquest.

Further conquests subdued the Ezo Tribe, and the establishment of a fortress in their stronghold created an entryway into the Northern Region for Fusō-kuni, greatly facilitating their expansion.

Now, the city road has become the North Mountain Midway, and the fortress has been expanded multiple times to become the Shiromoki city... With a population of over 60,000, it's known as a major artery for logistics and a key point for national defense.

The 3.000 army soldiers tasked with guarding Shiromoki City were currently amassed at the northern gate. They were fully armed, with multiple trebuchets ready on the walls, and the city road and its surroundings were patrolled by foot soldiers, forming a sea of people, horses, oxen, and carts...

"What's going on over there? The road is completely blocked!"

"Hey, soldiers! What's happening? It's the first time we've been stuck like this. Rockslide? Fallen trees? Did a cart overturn somewhere?"

"Refugees, maybe? There's been an increase in people abandoning their villages lately."

A major traffic jam had occurred on the city road. Merchants who were stuck waiting due to the unending congestion vented their complaints and suspicions about the situation up ahead. The soldiers of the court who were patrolling the vicinity sighed as they considered all the possible causes.

"A group of visitors arrived. We're doing our best to handle that."

"Visitors? Could it be the exorcists and the Tachibana Company's entourage we've heard rumors about?"

One of the merchants guessed their identity correctly as if stating a fact and pressed for more details. The merchants' information network was both quick and accurate. News of the Joraku group, numbering over a thousand, had already reached them. There were even individuals who tried to take advantage of their progress by waiting ahead to ambush them and demanding bodyguard fees like a coiled coin shark.

...or rather, they were pursuing a similar goal. In the entire nation, the fees to pay to bodyguards and intermediaries have become astronomical due to frequent youkai incidents. For small and medium-sized merchants, hiring satisfactory protection is becoming difficult. They either have to band together or pool their money to hire a few guards, or they have to do what they're doing now: stick close to Joraku (visiting capital) groups and marching formations. The strength lies in the wisdom to survive.

"They're around too, you know. Bad timing, though. Bigger guests have arrived as well."

"Bigger guests...?"

The soldier's words made the merchants raise their eyebrows this time. A group of a thousand Joraku members was quite a sight. Small daimyos (noble), of course, wouldn't be able to match it, and it's unlikely that even the processions of large daimyos would exceed this. There was no news of any powerful armies being redeployed to the Central Territories. What on earth was happening?

"Who on earth..."

As a merchant was about to ask further, their words were cut short. An answer to their doubts appeared in their peripheral vision.

About ten soldiers, dressed in armor woven from animal fur and metal plates, and carrying bows, formed a group as they passed by the side of the city road...

"What!? Ezo!!?"

The male merchant exclaimed in shock. His expression held a mixture of astonishment, disdain, and fear.

Of course, to the Majority of Fusō-kuni's citizens, Ezo was a disaster. They were seen as marauders who attacked settlement villages and looted them. Especially for people from the Northern Region, they were tales told as bedtime stories since childhood. Naughty children would invariably be taken away by demon (oni), bears, or Ezo.

For small and medium-sized merchants, especially, it was not uncommon for people who understood the risks to visit frontier settlements. There were cases where gamblers lost and were killed by Ezo raiders on the way, losing their goods. Including cases where they barely managed to escape, there were probably ten times as many incidents. These merchants had even experienced a near attack and hastily fled once. Thus, their fear was magnified.

"A... wakizashi!?"

"Wait, stop. Don't draw your weapons!"

The soldiers stopped the merchants who were hastily reaching for their defensive weapons. Then, they began to speak in a forceful tone to the Ezo soldiers at the forefront. After a few moments, the Ezo group started walking toward Shiromoki City. They glared at the merchants with displeased expressions as they went...

"...Hey, hold on. This is going to cause a commotion, isn't it?"

"Hey, wait...!? Is that okay? Sending those guys toward the city, they're Ezo!!?"

The merchants were clamoring in response to the soldier who sighed and spoke. Meanwhile, the soldiers were beginning to explain with an air of annoyance.

"It's the Imperial Order. Besides, they're captives. There's no problem."

"Captives? What's that about?"

"They're Ezo who submitted to the court."

The words spoken by the army soldier prompted the merchants to ask back, showing that they had no familiarity with the term. The next voice to respond came from the back. The merchants turned around. A well-built man stood there, like someone in the imperial service.

"It's only natural that you're not familiar with it. Only some officials and contracted merchants have any dealings with the Ezo captives. Due to legal and territorial reasons, there's no opportunity for unauthorized contact from outside. It's natural that it's rare."

The Ezo clan that had submitted to the court had been granted significant autonomy. Besides the obligation for annual tributes and military service, they had the authority of an independent nation.

"I see, I understand..."

"You seem quite knowledgeable. Um... are you a government official?"

The merchants inquired about the origins of the intruder while expressing their confusion, attempting to discern their social status from the figure. They were considering striking up a business conversation.

"Hahaha..."

The man smiled cheerfully, bowed, and passed by them. Dozens of Ezo followed behind him. They were clad in attire that seemed to combine aspects of Fusō-kuni and Ezo, as well as both styles, wearing clothes reminiscent of courtly garb. They were men and women. All of them directed unfriendly glares as they walked past. The merchants and army soldiers could only watch them in silence, dumbfounded and awkward.

"...They're quite rude. The way they're glaring at us."

"It's like they're looking at rare beasts. As if we're some sort of spectacle."

Ezo's civil officials grumbled one after another in response to the surrounding reactions. While they held a position of submission, that was only towards the court, and there was no reason for them to be looked down upon by the common folk. Moreover, even their attire wasn't particularly strange. While the soldiers were one thing, the civil officials could have chosen clothing that was less out of place if they had wanted to.

But the court's command for them to purposefully wear traditional clothes that clearly identified them as Ezo was intended to hurt their pride deeply.

And on top of that, being treated as captives (prisoner of war)! Even though in the time of Emperor Gyokuro, the official title was removed and they were called "Ezo Officials of the Imperial Court"!! And the ones who said that were soldiers from the army!!? This must have caused a lot of embarrassment for the Tribe or clan that had been loyal to the court for a long time. Many of them were already eager to go back to their homelands.

"Don't get so angry. Our grievances are nothing compared to what the Princess has to bear. ...Endure it, for the Princess's sake."

The man leading them calmed down his subordinates with a wry smile. The Ezo envoy, Tomono Kumo? (攩野君雲), pacified them. His tone was laden with indescribable emotions.

"Respected Envoy..."

The subordinates looked at their leader in shame. That's right, they weren't the ones suffering. Their superiors, and especially the princess, were the ones experiencing the true hardships. They couldn't cause a disturbance over trifles like gossip or glances. They couldn't waste the resolve of the Princess over such trivial matters.

"We apologize. It's embarrassing to lose ourselves over something like this."

The second-in-command representative of the subordinates apologized to the envoy. He bowed deeply.

"I don't mind... However, a sudden problem is troubling. I hope it won't cause distress to the Princess."

And then, the envoy looked toward Shiromoki. The subordinates followed his gaze. They directed their thoughts toward Shiromoki City, toward the inn.

They directed their thoughts toward their lord and the princess who should be safely delivered to the capital.

They directed their thoughts toward the tribute, filled with pity...

"Ezo, huh?"

'(；＾o＾) Ebi sushi?'

"That's not it, stupid."

Standing atop the multi-storied building of Onitsuki Family's central inn, which loomed as if hanging on the mountainside at the heart of Shiromoki City, I, a servant, couldn't help but mutter that word with indescribable emotions. Along with my knowledge of the original work, I muttered it. As an extra, I added a retort. Seriously...

(Minister of the Left, you're really something, huh?)

I knew it from my knowledge of the original work. However... encountering it coincidentally like this, I was filled with mixed feelings about the eventual outcome.

One of the many plots hatched by the group of youkai salvation. The group of Joraku that coincidentally crossed paths with the Ezo group at Shiromoki's border gate would become the catalyst for further conspiracies.