﻿\setgamedatatitle("Shuka\nThe Fourth City, Heiphon")

\text("Honju")
Excuse me, Magahime-sama. May I have a moment of your time?
\endtext

\text
With a stern expression, Honju approaches Magahime.

\endtext

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

\text("Honju")
It's about Chancellor Two-Shin. There's something I wish to
inform you of.
\endtext

\text
Without even checking Magahime's reaction, Honju immediately
tried to get to the point.
\endtext

\text
―The other day, Honju had witnessed a secret meeting between
Two-Shin and someone else.
\endtext

\text
He hadn't heard what they were talking about, but Honju's
instincts told him it was not something to ignore.

\endtext

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

\text
And Magahime herself couldn't ignore anything concerning
Two-Shin either.
\endtext

\text("Honju")
Well... actually―
\endtext

\text("Military Officer")
M-Magahime-sama!!
\endtext

\text
But Honju's words were cut off.
\endtext

\text
By his own subordinate, who burst into the throne room
covered in blood.
\endtext

\text("Military Officer")
The Chancellor... Chancellor Two-Shin has... committed
treason...
\endtext

\text("Military Officer")
Gah!?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
...Let's not use such unpleasant words as 'treason.'

\endtext

\text
―And then.
\endtext

\text
Following after the officer, Two-Shin entered the throne
room, flanked by guards from the chancellor's office.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
Two-Shin...! What are you doing!?

\endtext

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

\text
With Magahime behind him, Honju drew his sword and glared at
Two-Shin.
\endtext

\text("Honju")
Two-Shin, what the hell do you think you're doing?

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
That should be my line. What do you think you're doing,
pointing your sword at the king?
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
The king...?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Surrender. If you don't, I'll execute your subordinates one
by one.
\endtext

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

\text("Two-Shin")
Your officers are already in our custody. I expect you to
make a wise decision, General.
\endtext

\text
In other words, they're being held hostage.
\endtext

\text
There was no reason for Two-Shin to lie in this situation,
and resisting would only lead to an obvious outcome.

\endtext

\text
The tip of the sword pointed at Two-Shin slowly lowered to
the ground, and then―
\endtext

\text("Honju")
...Is this good enough?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Very well. Restrain Honju and take him to the dungeon. And,
Magahime-sama... could you please step aside?

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
You do understand what you're doing, don't you?

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
...Do you understand? That the one who should be sitting
there is me.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...Do you really dislike me that much?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
It's not you... It's the fact that anyone but me is sitting
there.
\endtext

\text
Saying that, Two-Shin took out a vision stone.

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
So, I'm going to have you step down from there...
Magahime-sama.
\endtext

\text
When Two-Shin activated the vision stone, an image of Caym
and Magahime in front of the Hakusha detention center
appeared.
\endtext

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

\text("Two-Shin")
That's not good, Magahime-sama. Even if you have no
allies... to think you'd join forces with the Demon Lord.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
N-No! Meeting at Hakusha was just a coincidence...!

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Yes, I understand. That's why I'll write the scenario
however I please.

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Why did Magahime-sama abdicate the throne? I'll take
responsibility and explain it to the people.

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...So, you drag me down, become king, and then what?

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Heh... That confidence of yours. I can't wait to break it.

\endtext

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

\text("Two-Shin")
My ancestors were royalty of Sun.

\endtext

\text
Sun―To the people of Shuka, it could be called their
homeland.
\endtext

\text
The ancestors of Shuka, who lost the power struggle in Sun,
wandered and eventually arrived here in Nilt.
\endtext

\text
Of course, among the defeated were probably those with royal
blood.
\endtext

\text
So Two-Shin is one of them?
\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
...It was supposed to be my family who became the rulers of
this country... and yet.
\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...So that's it. That's what you meant by 'usurper.'

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
You're not royalty or anything. That power, that
authority―you don't deserve it!

\endtext

\text("Magahime")
...Even a sore loser's whining sounds better than this.

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
You snatched the throne right out from under us, and you
have the nerve to talk?
\endtext

\text
That's not how it was―Magahime let out a small sigh and
looked at Two-Shin.
\endtext

\text
If only he hadn't brought that baggage all the way to Shuka,
none of this would have happened.

\endtext

\text("Two-Shin")
Take Magahime to the dungeon as well. After we defeat the
Demon Lord, I'll give the usurper the end she deserves.

\endtext

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

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

\text
......
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...Two-Shin's ancestors were royalty from the great eastern
nation of San.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
But in San... and even in the newly founded Shuka, they
threw themselves into a power struggle for the throne...

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
They were utterly defeated. They fled from San, and in
Shuka, they lost to Magahime-san's ancestors as well.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
I see...
\endtext

\text("Margaretta")
So, the recent fall of Magahime and the military officer was
payback for that, huh.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Yes... Officially, it's said to be because of secret
meetings with the Demon Lord and repeated defeats, but...

\endtext

\text
Magahime's downfall and the military officer's arrest became
known throughout all of Nilt that very day.
\endtext

\text
Naturally, it also reached Caym's ears.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
So basically, my Magahime is in danger.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
What do you mean, 'my Magahime'...
\endtext

\text
The root cause was Caym himself, but the man in question
didn't seem to care at all.
\endtext

\text("Spacchio")
Still, what's the point of even cutting off the military
officer?
\endtext

\text("Agri")
The military officer basically controls all of Shuka's
military, right? Is that really okay?

\endtext

\text("Beatrice")
It's probably because it is okay. The civil officials must
have that much power...
\endtext

\text("Beatrice")
It means they have a trump card that more than makes up for
losing them.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
...Most likely, that's the dragon's power that Magahime-san
possesses.
\endtext

\text("El")
What's the dragon's power?
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
It's a power that's been passed down through generations of
Shuka's royal family... or so they say.
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
There aren't even any detailed records about it, so beyond
that, I can't say much...
\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Whether it's some kind of blessing or a weapon... Either
way, Two-Shin will probably try to use it.

\endtext

\text("Tiela")
So, that means they won't harm Magahime-san right away?

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Yes... most likely.
\endtext

\text("Caym")
Hmm... As long as I know that, it's enough. As long as I get
Magahime, I can handle the rest.

\endtext

\text("Caym")
Let's go. But first, we have to take Heifon.

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
Then, let's be on our way.
\endtext