5. SOLITARY ARMY IN THE IMPERIAL COURT ------------------------------ 141. Five - Solitary Army in the Imperial Court ------------------------------ 142. -SiPuXiang: Goshujin... I think you should reconsider. -Taikoubou: Reconsider what? ------------------------------ 143. -SiPuXiang: It's absurd to march into the imperial palace all by ourselves... It's like we're going in there just to get killed! ------------------------------ 144. -Taikoubou: But if we don't get inside the palace, we'll never be able to defeat Dakki! -Taikoubou: Listen carefully, SiPu. The names of 364 Sendous are are listed on this Houshin List. These are probably the ones who are making trouble along with Dakki. -Taikoubou: But is it necessary to kill all 364 people? -Taikoubou: There are some in this list who were forced to be Dakki's servants by her evil spell. Which means, if we defeat Dakki, her spell will be broken and all of the servants will collapse naturally... -SiPuXiang: ... You must be talking about the "aim for the head" tactic you mentioned before... You do have some sort of plan thought up with that sly brain of yours, right? -Taikoubou: I'm not sly, I'm impertinent!! -SiPuXiang: I don't think either of them are really nice words... ------------------------------ 145. -Soldiers: Buseiou...? Is something the matter? -Buseiou: I'll be right back! -Soldiers: W... wait, Buseiou!? -Buseiou: A white Reijyuu... so that means that you're a Sennin, right? -Taikoubou: Who are you supposed to be!? ------------------------------ 146. -Buseiou: I'm the Chinkoku Buseiou, KouHiko! Don't you know me!? (chinkoku - to calm a country) [Buseiou One of the highest ranking government positions along with the Saishou and Taishi. He is in charge of all the military affairs of the Yin empire] [KouHiko is the eldest son of the noble Kou family, and his fighting ablilites are said to be higher than an average Sennin's] -Hiko: ...Are you going to the Empress' place, too? -Taikoubou: ...? Yes, why? -Hiko: To do what? ------------------------------ 147. -Taikoubou: To kill Dakki! -SiPuXiang: GOSHUJIN!! -Taikoubou: What, SiPu, are you going to scold me again? -SiPuXiang: *whispering* He might be one of Dakki's servants. I don't think it was good idea to say that!! -Hiko: HA HA HA!! -Hiko: Sorry, sorry! A lot of people come here wanting to become one of the Empress' servants! If you were one of them, I was planning to kill you!! ------------------------------ 148. -Taikoubou: You! You're not under Dakki's Temptation spell, are you!? -Hiko: Hell no!! I fought off that wierd magic with my spirit!! *Taikoubou: You're huge.* -Hiko: ---so she IS really a Sennyo? -Taikoubou: Yes! -Hiko: Okay... -Hiko: What's your name? -Taikoubou: I'm Taikoubou, a Doushi from KongRong. -Hiko: Taikoubou-dono, now's not a good time. Don't go yet. There are very few sane people in the imperial palace. -Hiko: The palace is filled with the "smell" of the Empress. I try to stay away from the palace because of that. ------------------------------ 149. -Taikoubou: ...is that so? But there's no need to worry. I have a trump card. -Hiko: A trump card? -Taikoubou: I have captured Dakki's younger sister. As a hostage! -Hiko: HA HA HA!!! -Taikoubou: Aaaaah!!! -Taikoubou: You're disgusting!! -Hiko: *laughing* Sorry, sorry! -Hiko: Are you planning to threaten the Empress!? I'm surprised, that's great!!! ------------------------------ 150. -Hiko: I'd like to say I'd give you a hand... but... His Majesty's too busy playing around, so if we don't work, the country's gonna collapse. -Hiko:...... Taikoubou-dono. -Hiko: King Chu was originally a great emperor. -Taikoubou: I know. -Hiko: The Kou family has served the Yin Dynasty for generations. We've sworn our loyalty to the dynasty. ---I won't just watch it be destroyed!! -Hiko: ---Well, if you're ever in trouble, just come to my place! I'll try to help you! -Taikoubou: Thank you, Buseiou! *Hiko: See ya!* -SiPuXiang: ....... Can we trust that man? -Taikoubou: I think we can. He seems to be quite a character! ------------------------------ 151. [Yin's Capital: Chouka Imperial Palace Main Gate] -Guards: A merchant...? -Taikoubou: Yes... I've come into the possession of a very rare stone Biwa, so I thought I'd like to show it to the Empress! -Guard: ...I see. But Her Majesty has a tight schedule. You'd have to wait. ---Let's see... 2 months. -Dakki: There's no need for him to wait! ------------------------------ 152. -Taikoubou: !! ------------------------------ 153. -Dakki: So you're Taikoubou-chan! -Taikoubou: *thinking* Dakki!!! *Guard: Ooooooh, Your Majesty~~!* -Taikoubou: ...Well, you've certainly surprised me... I didn't think the main boss would suddenly come out... -Dakki: I didn't expect a tactician like you would be surprised! But do remember this. -Dakki: I'm a much better tactician than you. ------------------------------ 154. -Dakki: Come, please follow me! I'll listen to your story over there! -Taikoubou: ..... What's wrong, SiPuXiang? -SiPuXiang: !! -SiPuXiang: No... I was just thinking she's much more than what the rumors tell us. -Taikoubou: Yes! She's much stronger than I thought!! -SiPuXiang: ---I'm talking about her beauty! It can wake you right up! -Taikoubou: You think so? Wasn't OuKijin something like that, too? -SiPuXiang: They're completely different! ...I guess there's no point talking about beautiful women with an old man like you---!!! ------------------------------ 155. -SiPuXiang: ...Anyway, Goshujin. Now's your chance, Dakki has her back to us!! -Taikoubou: Chance? Where? -SiPuXiang: You can easily attack her with your Dashinben now!! -Taikoubou: I don't think that's possible. Look what she is wearing! -SiPuXiang: Very showy. -Taikoubou: Those are all Paopeis. *SiPuXiang: Hmm... all of them..* -SiPuXiang: ALL PAOPEIS? -Taikoubou: That's Kinkabou, that's Gokashichikin-ou, etc. etc. She's a human Paopei!! ------------------------------ 156. -Taikoubou: An unbelivable amount of energy is required to use even a single Paopei. It's terrifying that Dakki is able to wear so many of them. -Taikoubou: BUT!! We have her sister as hostage so it's okay!! -Dakki: *thinking* Just hang on a little bit longer, OuKijin. -Dakki: *thinking* Taikoubou... It's a great disgrace for a Youkai-Sennin to reveal their true form. -Dakki: *thinking* I won't forgive you!!! ------------------------------ 157. -Dakki: Your Majesty! A merchant is here to see us! -Taikoubou: ...I sense hatred in this room... -SiPuXiang: They probably know that we're their enemies... -Dakki: Of course they know! Shinkouhyou has been informing everybody saying "Taikoubou is our enemy"! -Taikoubou: Shinkouhyou!! Yes, where is he!? -Dakki: Dakki doesn't know~! He's so whimsical! ------------------------------ 158. -Taikoubou: Damn Shinkouhyou~~~ He always has to get in my way! He's annoying! Unacceptable!! Unforgivable!!! -King Chu: So, merchant... What did you bring us...? -Taikoubou: ! *thinking* So that's King Chu... -Taikoubou: Allow me to explain. There is a demon living inside this stone Biwa. Its power gives the Biwa's timbre a mysterious resonance. -King Chu: A demon, you say! Really? Can you prove it!? -Taikoubou: To turn this Biwa back into a demon, you must leave it in the light of the sun and the moon for several years. -King Chu: I can't wait that long! ------------------------------ 159. -Taikoubou: Then maybe if I scorch it with fire it will emit a scream. -Dakki: Wait!! -Dakki: That would ruin the sound quality! -King Chu: That's true. -Taikoubou: Then let's beat it with my whip. -Dakki: Wait!!! -Dakki: Oh, you're so mean, Taikoubou-chan! What is it you want? We'll give you a lot of money for it! *Right, Your Majesty?* -Taikoubou: Then... -Taikoubou: Please let me work here in the imperial palace. I would like to serve King Chu. ---------- Translations 1999ŠAkane Araragi