﻿\setgamedatatitle("Shuka's Internal Affairs 2")

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News of Hados' restoration had even reached faraway Shuka.
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\text("Two-Shin")
Recently, the restoration of the Demon Nation Hados is
something I'm sure the military officers have also heard
about.
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\text("Two-Shin")
The Demon Lord's Army is far stronger than we expected. The
invasion of Lusario is only a matter of time...
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\text("Two-Shin")
Soon, the whole of Nilt will be caught up in war.

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\text("Wenjin")
If we'd crushed them early on, things wouldn't have turned
out like this...
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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
...Are you saying it's our fault?
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\text("Wenjin")
That's exactly what I'm saying. It's because your general
decided to sit on the fence, isn't it?
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\text("Wenjin")
I hear they've even managed to win over his 'Assault
Princess' in addition to Hados' defense forces.
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\text("Wenjin")
What was once just a band of rebels is now practically a
national army. ...And who gave them that chance, I wonder?
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\text("Honju")
...So, you want us to show an opening to Kiros?
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\text("Wenjin")
No. I'm just...
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\text("Honju")
Hypothetically. If Kiros were to move his army against the
Demon Lord's Army, what would you do?
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\text("Wenjin")
............
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\text("Honju")
That's your answer, amateur. Besides, their goal is to
restore Hados... not to start wars all over the place.

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\text("Honju")
If we make the first move, we'll just be starting a
pointless war.
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\text("Honju")
Magahime-sama wouldn't want that either, right?

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\text("Magahime")
That's right. If it can be avoided, that's for the best.

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\text("Wenjin")
...Tch.
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\text
It's a matter of not making the first move.
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\text
At this point, the Demon Lord's Army has achieved its goal.
There doesn't seem to be any benefit to invading.
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\text
But―
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\text("Magahime")
Even if that's how I feel, we have no idea what the Demon
Lord's Army is thinking. They might attack for some
completely incomprehensible reason.
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\text("Wenjin")
Just as Magahime-sama says. Besides, we can't let our guard
down about the Diabolica within our own borders either.

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\text("Magahime")
Has something happened?
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\text("Two-Shin")
The Diabolica within our country are responding to Hados'
restoration. There are even signs of rebellion.
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\text("Civil Official")
For now, they're still just civilian groups. Their scale is
still within civilian bounds... but soon it will become a
major movement.
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\text("Wenjin")
Oh, that's terrifying. If it escalates into a riot, there'll
be no turning back.

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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
Before that happens, Magahime-sama should make a public
statement.
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\text("Civil Official")
No. The rebels are just like the Demon Lord's Army. We
should simply suppress them.
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\text("Wenjin")
Or maybe you lot are thinking about rebelling yourselves?

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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
You just don't like us, do you? Shut up. We can't get
anywhere like this.
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\text("Wenjin")
Wha...! W-Watch your mouth! Do you know who I am? I'm the
Grand Minister!

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\text("Magahime")
...Enough.
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\text("Wenjin")
Eh? Ah, no... I'm sorry...
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\text("Magahime")
I'll make a public statement to the people soon. That should
calm things down a bit.
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\text("Two-Shin")
Yes, I suppose our most immediate threat is still Kiros.

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\text("Honju")
Shuka has enemies both inside and out right now. It's the
perfect chance for them to attack.

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\text("Magahime")
Who knows. They're probably in a similar situation
themselves.
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\text("Two-Shin")
Exactly. That's why it's convenient for us.
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\text("Magahime")
...What do you mean by that?
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\text("Two-Shin")
The Demon Lord's Army... Hados won't be able to move right
away, not with their internal affairs in shambles and a
shortage of supplies.
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\text("Two-Shin")
Before they act, we should form an alliance with Lusario and
take down Kiros. The Demon Lord's Army can wait until after
that.
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\text("Honju")
That's not easy. They refuse to get involved outside the
forest. It's a problem even before we talk about alliances.
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\text("Two-Shin")
Brightleaf is ignorant of the outside world. ...But if Kiros
is said to have joined forces with the Demon Lord's Army,
they won't have any reason to refuse an alliance.
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\text("Magahime")
Kiros joined forces with the Demon Lord's Army...? That's
news to me.
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\text("Two-Shin")
...We just have to make it a fact. Conveniently, there are
Diabolica prisoners in the detention center.

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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
Chancellor... Do you even understand what you're saying?

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\text("Two-Shin")
I'm saying we should use the Diabolica who turned to crime
for the good of this country once more.

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\text("Two-Shin")
All for the prosperity of Shuka. ...If not, we could always
execute you as a traitor, you know?

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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
I could just cut you down before that happens...!
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\text("Honju")
Sit down.
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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
General...!
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\text("Honju")
That's an order. Didn't you hear me?
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\text("Diabolica Military Officer")
Tch...
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\text("Two-Shin")
No, you saved me, General. If you hadn't drawn your sword to
stop him, I'd be in two pieces by now.

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\text("Honju")
............
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\text
Honju's sharp gaze pierces through Two-Shin.
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\text
The tense atmosphere sends chills down the bureaucrats'
spines.
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\text
The sword that stopped the officer is still in Honju's hand.
No one knows when it might be turned on the civil officials.
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\text("Magahime")
Hey, Two-Shin.
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\text
The one who broke the tense atmosphere was Magahime, who had
been leaning on her elbow, looking bored.

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\text("Magahime")
Now, which country was it that once overreached, lost its
sense of place, and rotted from within?
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\text("Two-Shin")
......Well. I'm not interested in old stories.
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\text("Magahime")
Then let me tell you. San.

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\text("Magahime")
Our homeland, the one our ancestors fled to after losing a
power struggle.
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\text("Magahime")
Are we really going to come all this way just to repeat the
same mistakes ourselves?
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\text("Two-Shin")
...No, my apologies. I may have spoken out of turn.

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\text("Magahime")
If you truly care about Shuka, then stop doing such foolish
things.
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\text("Bureaucrats")
............
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\text("Magahime")
We already have spies in Kiros, don't we? Keep having them
gather intelligence. Report back immediately if anything
happens.
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\text
With that, Magahime left the throne room in a foul mood,
signaling the end of the meeting.
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\text
The bureaucrats hurriedly followed after her, leaving the
room―
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\text
Left alone, Two-Shin sprawled out on the throne as if it
were his own seat.

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\text("Two-Shin")
I am thinking about it, Magahime-sama...
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\text("Two-Shin")
So you don't need to worry about a thing... not a thing.

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