“The decisive battle for the Slate will take place on Christmas Eve.”
The Scepter 4 surveillance network had picked up the movements of the Jungle lower rankers, and that information prompted the Blue King, Munakata Reishi, to draw that conclusion. The other kings arrived to the same conclusion, each utilizing his or her strong points characteristic of them for it. The Silver King, Isana Yashiro, based the conclusion on his wisdom and analysis. The Red King, Kushina Anna, on her sharp intuition and sensitivity. …And the would-be assailant the Green King, Hisui Nagare, on logic and will.
The Tea Table Alliance, uniting the Silver, Blue and Red clans, in preparation to the imminent moment of truth, hurried to reinforce Mihashira tower and set up the defenses. In the meantime Hisui, while knowing that it was perfectly possible for him to hinder them by using his low rank clansmen, deemed such a method unfit as a decisive blow for the grand goal of stealing the Slate. Not only was it meaningless to throw low level ability wielders, however many, at the three kings, adding casual people such as his low level clansmen to the fray would only add to the element of uncertainty, resulting in a disadvantage to Hisui himself.
“I will give the Tea table alliance the time they need and let them arrange their forces in the most optimal way.”
That, in turn, would allow Hisui himself to take the optimal action in the given situation. For the King of Change, seeking to bring chaos into the world, was, in fact, particularly vigilant about any disorderly irregularity that could trip up his own feet.
A short decisive clash with his select few, eliminating as many uncertainties as possible, was Jungle’s strategy the Green King decided upon, deriving it based on his own physical condition and its limitations.
Hisui was fully aware of the peculiarities of his own body - of his massive power and, of course, of his fatal lack of stamina. Isana Yashiro, also in possession of data on Hisui, arrived to the same understanding.
Naturally, the conditions weren’t equal to begin with. But the battle would start with the consent from both sides involved, like with athletes, or with gamblers - or with game players. The kings from both camps, the “three” and the “one”, would duel, sparing no effort, of their own will at the place and at the time they had chosen themselves.
♦
On the afternoon of the day of the battle, at Mihashira tower, a final check was being conducted on the defense system. All the combat essential personnel was to be in position and on alert. Like ants reinforcing their anthill, the members of the Tea Table Alliance were busy with work, not forgetting to coordinating with one another all the time.
Amidst that bustle, the Silver clan, consisting of only 3 members, had finished their preparations before Scepter 4 and Homura could, ending up with a few dozen minutes of free time on their hands in the period between the state of battle preparations in-progress and of battle readiness. It was a borderline moment where one state was about to morph into the other, much like a calm before the storm.
The Silver King, Isana Yashiro, and his two clansemen, Yatougami Kuroh and Neko, went up Mihashira tower to a room inside the residence on its rooftop. In a nook of the mansion where the late Gold King, Kokujouji Daikaku, lived, there was a bedroom.
Compared to the grandeur of the late king’s office or the audience hall, the bedroom, of only 20 tatami mats [*], could be safely called modest. The three had visited the Kokujouji residence a few days prior, but now that all the household belongings had been removed, it looked different, and felt even emptier.
“Nyaa~~ So spacious~~ Perfect for rolling around~~”
Neko, thoroughly excited to find a wide floor like that, jumped in first, performing a forward roll and stretching on the tatami mats like a starfish.
“Every house without its master feels so lonely,” Kuroh commented, surveying his surroundings. “When I think that the Slate the enemy is after is right beneath this house, I can’t bring myself to calm down… why did you want to come here, Shiro?” He didn’t ask what business Shiro had here.
To Shiro, or Isana Yashiro, Kokujouji Daikaku was a friend of many years, and this was his abode. There was no way Shiro wasn’t overcome with certain emotions when being here. However, leaving his post just to come here mere hours before the violent battle between the kings was to break out wasn’t something Kuroh quite understood…
“Mnn, well, today is Christmas Eve, you know.” Answering Kuroh’s perplexed serious gaze, Shiro sat down cross-legged to the floor, putting down a bag he had over his shoulder. “So I thought we should have a little par~ty~.”
“Ahaha, sorry. I mean it as a surprise party, you see.”
Shiro started taking out the contents of his bag: a long box of about 30 cm tall, to be precise. It had 4 small legs and was adorned with gold ornaments. It looked rather old but undoubtedly valuable.
“What, what? Just what is that?” Neko stuck her head out from behind him.
“This was among the possessions of the lieutenant - I mean, of the Gold King - that I took out of here. It’s old, but it’s well maintained and it still works with no problem.”
“It’s a music box.”
Shiro turned the screw at the base of the box, put it on the tatami mat, and the lid of the box suddenly opened. The metallic sound, accompanied by faint reverberation, started forming a simple melody.
“This tune…”
“"Stille Nacht”“… it’s called "Silent night” here in Japan, right?“
“Aha. That’s great to hear, such a marvelous display of religious tolerance.”
“Of course I did, it was a big one, yes. Although it was a fake turkey made from bean curd lees and jelly.”
“Eeh? But the real one is better~”
“I see~” Neko raised her gaze to the ceiling. “I was always alone… so I didn’t eat a big turkey yet…”
“Mh… I see. Sorry. It was insensitive of me to bring that up.” Kuroh made a guilty face, but Shiro only threw both his hands in the air in a surprisingly jovial gesture.
“Me, too! Me, too! The city would be all sparky and glittery! And bells would jingle!”
“The Gold King, Kokujouji Daikaku, was what supported this country, being its backbone in politics, economics and military affairs. For decades, he was leading a life so busy that he hardly had time to even sleep. But only on Christmas night, he always reserved just a bit of his time to be only his alone. Every year, without fail.”
Shiro took out a few more things out of the box: three small cloth-wrapped items and one book with a red cover.
When the cloth wrapper on each of the items was undone, beneath it, wooden dolls small enough to fit into the palm were revealed: one represented a kneeling woman praying and two were standing figures of men wearing cloaks.
“Dolls…?” Neko wondered.
“Yup. And Gaspar and Melchior, of the Three Wise Men of the East.”
“How sharp of you. These dolls - they’re called Krippe - originally were supposed to be a set depicting the birth of Christ, with Virgin Mary, St.Joseph, the Three Wise Men, angels giving their blessings, and also horses, sheep and such. This is only part of the set though.”
“These two Wise Men and Virgin Mary?”
Shiro shook his head. “This Mary is not the original one. I guess he probably asked someone to remake it, long after that.”
“I see…. She was a beautiful person.”
“Yeah. It’s a book I lent him back in Germany. A book that’s being kept because you’re unable to give it back and can’t bring yourself to throw it away… A book or two fitting this description can be found on every bookshelf, no?”
“It’s the first edition of Dickens’ "Christmas Carol” published in 1843. A fairy tale about Christmas Eve. He kept it together with the dolls because of the common Christmas theme, I suppose. And maybe, every year he took it out and opened it. This was what constituted the Lieutenant’s “Christmas set”, probably.“
“Kokujouji Daikaku was a surprisingly big romanticist at heart.”
“Mm? Well, let’s see…”
Shiro’s face took on a theatrical expression as he looked into the space and started recounting, “…The protagonist was a perpetually scowling old man who hated Christmas.”
“Yup, normally, every person likes Christmas. But that old man was incredibly obstinate and miserly, and everybody disliked him. So he disliked people in return and couldn’t stand them having fun. His hate for Christmas was essentially his hate for people.”
“Apparitions?”
“That’s… sad, no?”
“…No, Kokujouji Daikaku and the main character of that book are clearly different,” Kuroh asserted flatly. “Not only did the Gold King not hate Christmas, he even celebrated it in private. You just said it yourself. If he ever saw something of himself in that character, it would be the solemn attitude that awareness of his responsibilities ca—”
“Mm, after that he…” After a short hesitation, Shiro clapped his hands. “He wasn’t. It was a happy ending for him. It’s a fairy tale, after all. The old man changed his ways, becoming a kind and generous person. The city started loving him, and he lived his life happily ever after. The end.”
“No, wait.” This time, it was Kuroh that forced his way into the conversation. “Something’s missing in your story. What would the old man suddenly change his ways? And you said there was another ghost, didn’t you?”
“Scary?” Neko started trembling bodily.
“Yup, that’s how it was.”
“Eh?”
“Yeah… Sorry about that, you’re right, of course.”
“…Yeah. I can’t argue with that, Kuroh.”
“What an idiot,” Kuroh reiterated his remark from earlier.
“I don’t know what kind of person Kokujouji Daikaku was. But if he chose to walk side by side with you of his own will, then what you must do is not lament the past… but keep walking down your own path and living your own life with your head held high because it’s through the deeds of those who are left behind that significance of the lives of those who have already left this world is proven,” Kuroh speeched with assertion to Shiro who was momentarily taken aback. “…And as those who are standing by your side now, it’s our duty as well. Shiro, it’s not wrong to stop for a second and take a look back at your past from time to time. But wallowing in sentiments to the point where you give up on acting in the present is not something that I will ever forg– What’s wrong with you, Neko!”
Kuroh yelped - because Neko went and bit his arms at that moment.
“We’re talking about principles and reason, it’s not meaningless.”
“You little…!”
“Eh? Really?” Neko’s eyes darted between Shiro and Kuroh’s faces a few times, and Kuroh looked away, light pink dusting his cheeks.
"Is that so~ How misleading.” Neko patted Kuroh’s arm where she bit it earlier.
Shiro’s lips curved up in a lopsided smile, gazing at the three wooden dolls lined up in front of him: the kneeling holy mother and the figures of two of the Three Wise Men standing on each side of her.
The conversation had tapered to a stop, and only the sound of the small music box was still heard in the empty Japanese-style room.
It was a fleeting golden moment that, nonetheless, led all the way to eternity.
♦
The silence was disrupted by a PDA ringing. The caller was the Lieutenant of Scepter 4, Awashima Seri, informing them that all the involved personnel of Scepter 4, as well as of Homura, were in position.
“Understood. We’ll proceed to our stations as well then,” Shiro replied and, quickly packing up the dolls and the book back into the box, stood up. “Well then, we’ll have to put this party on hold for now, but let’s continue when everything’s over.”
“Dolls?”
“Where did that come from! And why does mine have to be a horse?”
“You little…”
’…In order for our story to have a happy ending.’