Th-This can't be!

......

This is...horrible...

Sakunoshin, what is this?!

W-Well, warriors from the Tenmu-do attacked...

The Tenmu-do?!

Did Genba stand up to them?!

Yes.

He won the battle, and though civilian casualties were almost nonexistent...

...our nation did not escape unscathed.

At the least, we will have lost soldiers.

How awful...

The Tenmu-do?

The Tenmu-do is an armed faction that conspires to invade our nation.

They have long been a cause of unrest.

The last ruler... My late father eventually accepted many of their demands in order to avoid conflict.

I had continued his policy, but...

...Genba objected to it.

He said I needed to take a stronger stance.

I see.

So Genba actually took a stronger stance...

...and conflict broke out.

......

Oh!

What is that sound? Is that...a flute?

Wh-Who is that man? That's...a flute he's playing, right?

And what's that weird thing on this head? He seems a bit shady.

You have...no need to be suspicious of me.

H-He heard us!

What are you doing here?

I was playing a requiem on my flute.

For those who fell here, in a senseless battle.

......

Curse that Genba...!

This was not only his fault!

This was the price of years spent putting off a solution to the Tenmu-do problem.

...!

Genba is not blameless, of course, given his reckless haste to engage in battle.

Just who are you?

It would seem I've said... too much.

Do not let this lowly hermit's ramblings concern you.

Don't let it concern us? Sure, he says that, but he made his point pretty clear.

Suzune, did you know that guy?

I...don't know. He had his face hidden.

Makes sense...

However, he did seem familiar.

This was the price of years spent putting off a solution...

Had I only listened to Genba and taken his views seriously as I should have...

...this battle might never have happened.

Genba may not have felt the need to stage a coup...

Nonsense!

Both the previous lord's and the princess's acceptance of the Tenmu-do's endless demands...

...was rooted in concern for the people!

Nor does what happened here justify Genba's revolt!

Perhaps you're right, but still...

Oh, so that's them, huh...

Hehehe! This should be fun.