﻿\setgamedatatitle("Shuka  \nShuka, the Flame Empire")

\text("Citizen")
Drive out the soldiers! Drive out the enemies of Lord Winga
from this country!
\endtext

\text("Soldier")
Gwah!?
\endtext

\text("Soldier")
Damn Winga cult...! Hold out no matter what! Until His
Majesty escapes...!
\endtext

\text
The capital, Barathorn, is engulfed in flames.
\endtext

\text
Armed citizens stormed the royal castle, attacking soldiers
everywhere and taking their lives.

\endtext

\text("Citizen")
Kill them! The enemies of Lord Winga! Purge the evil ones
with purification!!
\endtext

\text
Their roars echoed through the burning Kiros.
\endtext

\text
The citizens of Kiros, led by the Winga cult, all cried out
for a purge.
\endtext

\text
Destroy the enemies of Winga. Purify the evil ones.

\endtext

\text
...A fire broke out in the food storehouse a few days ago.
\endtext

\text
The riot sparked by that incident has turned into a
quagmire.
\endtext

\text
It has swept up all the major cities of Kiros, developing
into a massive civil war...
\endtext

\text
....................
\endtext

\text
............
\endtext

\text
......
\endtext

\text("Caym")
...So, in other words, this civil war in Kiros is Shuka's
doing.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Yes, it's also the work of the special unit under the
chancellor...
\endtext

\text("Caym")
On top of that, it seems there was already some discontent
with the military in Kiros...
\endtext

\text("Agri")
If the food storehouse gets burned down, of course things
are gonna blow up.
\endtext

\text
Next to Risbell, who slumped her shoulders, Caym nodded
thoughtfully.
\endtext

\text
The civil war in Kiros and Shuka's movements.
\endtext

\text
These are things the Demon Lord's army, which is pushing for
Nilt unification, can't ignore.
\endtext

\text("Margaretta")
We had spies in both Kiros and Shuka, didn't we? Why didn't
we notice?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I'm sorry. It's my lack of ability...
\endtext

\text("Caym")
...No, Risbell isn't to blame.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
But...
\endtext

\text
For Caym, this was not a problem he could take as lightly as
usual.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
(Inciting civil war... It's just like what happened in
Hados.)
\endtext

\text("Caym")
...They're efficient. Things are going a little too
smoothly.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Even if it's an elite unit, could they really sneak into
Kiros so easily?
\endtext

\text("Margaretta")
Hmm... With the Demon Lord's army in front of them, I'm sure
they've tightened security.
\endtext

\text("Spacchio")
Ah―so that means there's an insider in Kiros?

\endtext

\text("Beatrice")
Who knows. I can't imagine Shuka and Kiros joining forces.

\endtext

\text("Tiela")
Then, is there someone who guided Shuka's troops...?

\endtext

\text
Hmm, Caym pondered.
\endtext

\text
If that's the case, the mastermind would be a country that
benefits from Kiros's downfall, but he couldn't think of
any.
\endtext

\text
Or perhaps, there's another motive entirely.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
(...Well, if I can get my hands on Shuka, I'll naturally be
able to sniff out the culprit.)
\endtext

\text("Caym")
No point in worrying about what we don't know. More
importantly, what happened to the Queen of Kiros? Is she
safe?
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
She's missing. Even now, with the royal castle occupied, no
body has been found, so she must have escaped into exile.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
What...!? If she'd just been made a plaything, that would be
one thing, but exile...!

\endtext

\text("El")
So it's fine if she's a plaything?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Heh... Wouldn't that be exciting? But if she escaped, I
can't even have that...! My ambitions are slipping away...!

\endtext

\text("El")
Sigh... You're as awful as ever.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
What are you talking about? The real scum is the one behind
Shuka.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
They're an eyesore. The worst kind.
\endtext

\text
With those words, the atmosphere in the throne room changed
completely.
\endtext

\text
Even Tiela, who had only recently arrived here, could feel
it.
\endtext

\text
The killing intent was so thick it was suffocating. It felt
like even the slightest sound could get your head chopped
off.
\endtext

\text
It was so intense, so heavy and cold, it made everyone
uneasy.
\endtext

\text("Beatrice")
Now, now. I'll take care of that on my end.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Ngh... But still―
\endtext

\text("Beatrice")
It's fine, it's fine. By the way, did you hear about the
Queen of Shuka? She's supposed to be gorgeous!

\endtext

\text("Caym")
...Risbell. What kind of woman is the Queen of Shuka? No,
show me an image... Even a drawing is fine. Bring it to me
at once.
\endtext

\text
But that only lasted a moment.
\endtext

\text
When it comes to women, Caym is always the same.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...That would be Magahime-san. I'll project her image onto
this illusion stone―
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Good, hand it over. Heh, as expected of my right hand. You
had it ready even before I asked.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Here you go. But don't go running off to meet her just
because she's beautiful, okay?
\endtext

\text("Caym")
I know. Oh... an Eastern woman, huh? She's got some pretty
nice legs...

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I'm serious, okay? It wouldn't be strange if someone was
after your life, Caym-sama.

\endtext

\text
As she activated the illusion stone, Risbell let out a sigh
of relief at Caym's satisfied expression.
\endtext

\text
Looking around, everyone in the throne room seemed relieved.
\endtext

\text
The longer you've known Caym, the more you understand his
anger toward those who started the civil war.
\endtext

\text
And you know exactly what happens when that anger explodes.
\endtext

\text
That's why they all owed Beatrice their thanks.

\endtext

\text
Or so Risbell thought.
\endtext

\text
................
\endtext

\text
........
\endtext

\text
......
\endtext

\text
The shopping district of Shuka was bustling with energy
everywhere you looked.
\endtext

\text
Stalls lined the streets, crowds packed the area, and
cheerful voices reached Itsuki's ears.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
(So many people... Ugh...)
\endtext

\text
Samurai already draw attention as it is. Even more so when
it's a woman.
\endtext

\text
―Being stared at is just not her thing. It's embarrassing,
or maybe just unsettling.
\endtext

\text
Even just shopping for dinner was a struggle for Itsuki.

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Hey there, samurai!
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Ah!?
\endtext

\text
She almost reached for her katana, but quickly let go of the
hilt in a panic.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Uh... um, did you need something from me?
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
How about it, want a quick fortune?
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Ah... oh, a fortune... huh.
\endtext

\text
She was a street fortune teller, well-known in this area for
her readings.
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
I'll give you a discount! No need to worry. My fortunes have
never been wrong.

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
No, it's just...
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
(Oh boy. I'm not even interested in fortunes...)
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Come on, come on, over here. How about a palm reading today?

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Eh? No, I mean―
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Alright, sit down right there. Give me your hand, your hand.

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Ah... uh... okay...
\endtext

\text
Before I knew it, I was sitting down and holding out my
hand.
\endtext

\text
I had no real reason to refuse, and my luck ran out the
moment I ended up talking face-to-face with a stranger.

\endtext

\text
If, for example, this was an enemy... or if we were in a
dojo with bamboo swords in hand, it would be a different
story...
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Hmm, hmm... Ah―well, you, you're never going to get a man in
your whole life.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
I-I see...
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
But hey, samurai. There's a big encounter coming up for you.
Depending on how that goes...

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Hm... nuh... th-this is...!?
\endtext

\text
The fortune teller, who had been smiling the whole time
while reading Itsuki's fortune, suddenly grew grim.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Um, is something wrong...?
\endtext

\text
Did she see something bad? That was what I thought, just as
it happened.
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
A-a bad omen...! A bad omen is coming... misfortune is
coming...!!
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Huh...?
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Shuka will fall! The demons... those Diabolica will turn
Shuka into ashes―I can see that future...!

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Shuka will fall...? What are you talking about?

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
No, this future must not come to pass! Those demons must be
destroyed...! They must be purified... ooooh...!!

\endtext

\text
Suddenly standing up, the fortune teller clutched her head
and started saying such things.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
Are you okay!?
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Shuka... Shuka...
\endtext

\text
But she wasn't the only one.
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller 2")
If we don't purify the demons, Shuka will be destroyed... I
can see it! The future of destruction!!

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller 3")
Destruction is definitely coming... I can see it... I can't
unsee it... Purification... Purify the destruction...

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
What is this...?
\endtext

\text
The other fortune tellers on the street all started shouting
at once.
\endtext

\text
They were all saying the same thing.
\endtext

\text
The bizarre scene threw the shopping district into chaos.
\endtext

\text("Citizen")
H-hey, isn't this bad?
\endtext

\text("Citizen")
What are we supposed to do... Diabolica, does that mean
those guys are going to come after us...?
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
...≪Togakiri≫?
\endtext

\text
Amidst the shaken citizens, Itsuki's expression grew tense.

\endtext

\text
The beloved blade at her waist was reacting―faintly, but it
was definitely giving off magical power.

\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
(So just like the fortune tellers, even Togakiri is sensing
something ominous... A future where Shuka is destroyed...?)

\endtext

\text
Even so, a question came to mind.
\endtext

\text
A crisis looming right before Shuka. And the fortune tellers
all seeing the same future at once.

\endtext

\text
Even someone like Itsuki, just a simple samurai, could tell
this was abnormal.
\endtext

\text("Itsuki")
...What on earth is happening?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
With this, we've prevented Kiros and the Demon Lord's Army
from pincer attacking us... or from increasing their forces.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
............
\endtext

\text
Glancing over the report, Two-Shin gave Magahime a faint
smile.

\endtext

\text
But Magahime neither looked at him nor replied.

\endtext

\text
The decision to attack Kiros had already been made when
Lusario fell.
\endtext

\text
Magahime had agreed to this much. But that didn't mean she
was satisfied.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...If possible, I would've liked to seize Kiros's forces as
well.
\endtext

\text("Wenjin")
It can't be helped, not after things turned out like this.
More importantly, we need to look ahead.
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Yes. The Demon Lord's Army growing bolder will also empower
the Diabolica within our borders.
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
For the sake of future battles, we should forcibly detain
them.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
That's...
\endtext

\text("Honju")
That's a hasty decision. If you do that, you'll just provoke
backlash.
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
I'm not saying we should execute them. I said detain them...
that's all.
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Besides, if they rebel against our decision, that's
convenient. We don't need insurgents in this country.
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
And they could serve as hostages against the Demon Lord's
Army. It's not a bad idea.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
If they'd give in that easily, no one would have any
trouble.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
If possible, I'd rather not lay a hand on the Diabolica...

\endtext

\text
Whether used as hostages or purged, it would only give the
Demon Lord's Army a cause and boost their morale.

\endtext

\text
That said, she could also understand Two-Shin's point.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
(The Demon Lord's Army... and by extension, the Diabolica
growing bolder will make the people anxious...)
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
(There's no denying the possibility that they'll respond to
the Demon Lord's Army and rebel. ...What should I do?)

\endtext

\text
If possible, she didn't want to resort to forced detention.

\endtext

\text
To Magahime, they were all citizens of Shuka just the same.

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Magahime-sama, please excuse me!
\endtext

\text("Wenjin")
What is it!? We're in the middle of a war council!
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
Fine. What is it?
\endtext

\text
The one who came in, out of breath, was the royal palace's
fortune teller.
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Hah...! A bad omen! It's something critical that concerns
the future of Shuka!
\endtext

\text("Honju")
Magahime-sama.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...Speak.
\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
Soon, destruction will come to Shuka... Those demons will
take up swords, set fires, and destroy Shuka from within...!

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Demons... you mean the Diabolica?

\endtext

\text("Fortune Teller")
White skin, jewel-like eyes... twisted horns... It can only
be the Diabolica.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...You saw this future of destruction in your
fortune-telling?
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
Ridiculous... such nonsense...
\endtext

\text("Gate Guard")
Magahime-sama, the city's fortune tellers...!
\endtext

\text("Honju")
What is it this time?
\endtext

\text("Gate Guard")
They say they've seen a future where Shuka is destroyed...
They insist on meeting with you immediately to tell you
about it...
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
What did you say?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
(Oh? This is...)
\endtext

\text
Magahime's eyes widened in shock, while Two-Shin smirked to
himself.
\endtext

\text("Civil Official")
Even the city's fortune tellers? What in the world is going
on?
\endtext

\text("Military Officer")
This is not normal. We can't just ignore this.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
............
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Magahime-sama, we can't just leave things as they are.
Please, make your decision.

\endtext

\text
Two-Shin pressed for the forced detention of the Diabolica.

\endtext

\text
If she nodded, that would settle it.
\endtext

\text
Over 90% of Shuka's total population are humans. In
contrast, the Diabolica don't even make up 10%.
\endtext

\text
But even if they're a minority compared to humans, it's not
a number that can be ignored.
\endtext

\text
This commotion was surely spreading unrest among the
citizens as well.
\endtext

\text
This was no longer just about a Diabolica uprising.
\endtext

\text
At worst, the citizens might panic and oppress them out of
fear.
\endtext

\text
Magahime had to choose one or the other―
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...Detain the Diabolica. At the very least, keep them
isolated until this battle is over.

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
...As you command.
\endtext

\text
Two-Shin's smile made Magahime's blood boil.
\endtext

\text
She wanted to scream at him, but she knew it would be
pointless.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
But don't harm them. Understood?

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
As you wish. I'll make the preparations right away.

\endtext

\text
Two-Shin left with the civil officials, and the military
officers followed after.
\endtext

\text
Left behind, Magahime let out a long, deep sigh.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...What is going on?
\endtext

\text
When the Demon Lord's army appeared, Magahime had been
eagerly awaiting their arrival.
\endtext

\text
These stifling days would finally change. And so would this
country.
\endtext

\text
...But in reality, those hopes were now far out of reach.

\endtext

\text
Even the ominous signs the diviners saw, appearing at such
an uncanny time.
\endtext

\text
And for some reason, Two-Shin trying to get rid of the
Diabolica.
\endtext

\text
All of it was a betrayal of Magahime's hopes.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
In the end, everything went just as Two-Shin planned... He
must be feeling pretty good about it.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
Even if I had no other choice, I'm a failure as a queen.

\endtext

\text
Sitting on the throne, she hugged her knees. She could feel
them trembling.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
What should I have done...?
\endtext

\text
Something big was moving behind the scenes, out of her
sight.
\endtext

\text
On top of that, the civil officials like Two-Shin were
secretly up to something.
\endtext

\text
The real threat wasn't outside the country, but within.
\endtext

\text
When would that blade be pointed at her throat?

\endtext

\text
Even with the title of queen and the power to defeat the
Demon Lord, none of it meant anything.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
After all, there's nothing I can do on my own...

\endtext

\text
She muttered weakly, hugging her knees tighter.
\endtext

\text
There was no one she could confide in, no one she could rely
on. This was simply the price for having pushed everyone
away until now.
\endtext

\text("Honju")
............
\endtext

\text
Right now, Magahime didn't even have the energy to notice
Honju, who had come to check on her out of concern.
\endtext