[The Unlucky Game Master]

Arc 2.4 End

Leisurely he dips his white feet in the koi pond while leaning back with his right hand as he fans himself with the gunsen fan in his left, a singed black tassle swaying lightly with each movement.

Three years ago with the rising discontent and fearful uncertainty among the people except for the samurai class, it caused them to reinstate the imperial power.

Their spiritual pillar, the emperor being all they can turn to.

The shinto priests escalated it, by all of them unanimously saying it's a bad omen and that we've angered the wrath of the gods.So the kami have been acting on behalf of the gods to cause suffering, before finally setting fire to the shoguns castle and demonstrating their wrath with the shoguns head placed for all to see.

The people all wanted the emperor to perform a Niiname-sai ceremony to appease the kami, but when they grew impatient and barged into the Chiyoda palace they were shocked.Nobody was inside and the palace was empty with not even a servant present.

The priests said the reason why nobody can stop the rebels is because the kami have sided with them and helped them, by getting rid of the palace residents.Just as the priest was going to continue, he suspiciously paused while looking at the palace and started saying it's a miracle while crying.

"The gods and kami have not abandoned us!"

Everyone turned and saw a devilishly good looking man in a silk purple kimono, walking out from the empty foreboding palace.It was unknown who said it first, but they chanted prince Koizuma over and over again.

At this moment the rebels were long forgotten and they only hoped that this "miracle" can solve their problems and bless them.They contributed the reason why so many high ranking officials were mysteriously missing to the same reason as the palace incident, of course there were some who tacitly understood the real reason but kept silent.

They felt a chill of apprehension when knowing that if he had the ability and ruthlessness to silently get rid of the palace and kill the shogun, then he could have easily forcefully taken control.They only relaxed when they realized that what he wants is wholehearted devotion and not forced subservience.

Reen was slightly amused when he recalls how his soul match partner for this game resolved himself to burn him alive with the shoguns castle, only to feel relief when he saw him otherwise fine except for his clothes being slightly burned.

The shoguns wife thought he told him his plans to burn the castle or she wouldn't have only warned him to be careful.Being the sister of the emperor, she of course knew of his prince identity and only warned him because of his duplicity.

What moment or stall?He only wanted him to stay in the castle thinking he won't deal with the shogun yet.

Athough it's slightly inconvenient gathering information with it only being recorded and written, but it becomes easy once it involves his soul match partner.

When Zuma took up his reign, he unexpectedly gave him two choices.He can choose to remain in the palace with him but he will never love him, or he can choose to travel on one of the foreigners ships and never come back to this wretched place.

With the help of the foreign powers and shrines, he started slowly changing the peoples beliefs.Nagasaki port became more open and changed to become the main port for foreign trading and travel.

The science and battle tactics of the foreigners greatly interested the past emperor, but he was against their books and culture influencing them and revoked them.

With isolation and boredom caused from the strict Neo-Confucianism rules, the arts flourished, giving rise to ukiyo-e and kabuki theater, but also gave rise to increasing hedonism.

He opened the walls and welcomed foreign trade and travel.Opening the schools to better teach them what they acquired from intercultural exchanges and revoking the legal licenses of the various teahouses, kabuki theaters, and pleasure houses.

He allowed women to learn how to read and write, while being able to have the same rights as men.This gave rise to an increase in divorces and women in various fields, increasing the efficiency of the society.Useless men were treated especially harsh and often were reduced to beggars.

He created special institutions for the fifth class of the society, the ones considered with impure professions.With the merchants, peasants, and artisans thriving, the warriors ended up sinking to the bottom of society.

He gave the warriors a stable job at the palace to be strictly trained and refused all the ones who couldn't fully submit.Though they protested, but it was a futile struggle.Most couldn't adjust to the sudden change in status and were arrested or tattooed to be exiled in Miyakejima island.

Glancing to his right he can see Zuma watching him in the shade of a tree with fascination, but not daring to get too close to him.

Guilt, regret, fear, and admiration are clear things he always shows subtly to him as more time passes.

He glances at the koi fish swimming in the pond with lowered thick black eyelashes.

As he chose his choice, the shoguns wife tried to stop him and take him with her as she creates her own legendary tale of a female warrior, looking at her he only smiled faintly before turning his head away slightly.

With his eyes looking at an unknown place and with his black hair flowing he murmurs indiscernibly.

"Perhaps the greatest freedom and yearning, is being able to decide your own fate."

The only historical records found of Ishikawa Hattori are written by a close male attendent by his side from when he entered the shoguns castle.

An onnagatta who was closely linked to both the shogun and the legendary emperor Koizuma Matsuba.

Many often speculate about the cause of the shoguns death and why the emperor never had anybody close to his side except for the onnagata.

In the end the legendary emperor died shortly after the onnagata with no heirs.

The former emperors sister/shoguns wife and close friend of the onnagata was given control until her son born from a foreigner became the new ruler of the flourishing country.

The only personally written record they could find left by the legendary emperor is a note.

"Day and night he watches the pond,

Yearning for the moon forever out of reach,

When will his suffering ever cease?"