The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

explanation convincing. Her countenance remained dark. "We anticipated that people taking advantage of the mayhem in the wake of the winter hunt might cause trouble. The rebels in Bun Province were chief among them. We were not surprised that the upheavals occurred first in Bun Province. However, that the rebellion should have broken out in Tetsui, of all places, strikes me as perhaps a bit too obvious."
    "When you put it that way, it does seem strange. There was Bun Province and Tetsui in the middle of it, and so nobody thought was it odd that His Highness should go there. That naturally made Tetsui the logical bait to lure out His Highness."
    Person or persons unknown had intentionally drawn out His Highness. Risai looked at the anxious Kaei, that one thought occupying her mind. "I have a hard time believing that this could be part of an act of high treason against His Highness."
    "Wouldn't you think so? But there are people who say everything's the opposite of what it seems."
    "The opposite? What would the opposite be?"
    "I'm not sure that I can explain it well enough--" Kaei fell silent as she searched for the right words. "Let's say there were people who harm against His Highness. It would be difficult to get to him while in the Imperial Palace. But if he could be drawn away from the Imperial Palace, to a place ravaged by war and chaos, they would have on their hands an unprecedented opportunity. Therefore, the traitors have sown disorder and lured out His Highness. Still, if this chaos simply sprang out of nowhere, His Highness would surely be suspicious. Just because violence breaks out somewhere doesn't mean that His Highness will attend to it personally. So they exploited the rebels in Bun Province. Disorder arising there would look like more of the same. Except that Tetsui is in Bun. Knowing that Tetsui and His Highness share a strong bond together, if something were to happen in Tetsui, then His Highness would want to go there to help. Those planning a coup d'etat would be sure to take advantage of Bun Province and Tetsui."
    "That does seem a strong possibility."
    "But taking the contrary point of view, it was always highly likely that if something happened in Tetsui, His Highness would journey there. In other words, under such circumstances, it would be perfectly natural for His Highness to leave the palace."
    "I really don't--" I really don't understand, Risai was about to say when Kaei interrupted her.
    "To sum up, I have to wonder if His Highness had this in mind all along. He needed some reason to leave the Imperial Palace. By which I mean, the Imperial Court just having been put in order, he had no good reason to vacate the premises. So perhaps he was the one using Tetsui to some advantage."
    "I understand that it'd hardly be unnatural for His Highness to depart for Tetsui in order to counter dangers there. But as you have pointed out, why would he choose to do so at this time? Why would it be necessary for him to leave his home base practically empty?"
    "Perhaps a continuation of the winter hunt," Kaei said in a low voice.
    "That can't be," Risai laughed. "This time His Highness is definitely putting down a rebellion. With the palace left empty, those with treachery on their minds might start something. But I haven't heard of any plans like that."
    "I agree. That's why I'm left to conclude that this is a kind of test. In the worst case scenario, a way to test our mettle."
    "That's impossible!" said Risai, raising her voice. "I can't even imagine--"
    Risai didn't harbor even the faintest of second thoughts about Gyousou. She didn't want any behavior of hers to be taken as harboring second thoughts. She'd come a long way under Gyousou's personal tutelage, and had forged a strong connection with Taiki.
    Kaei shrank back a bit, her face tense. "I want to believe that too. But I'm just saying, look at the people left behind--"
    "The people left behind?"
    "Ganchou-dono and Asen-dono of the Palace Guard. You and Gashin-dono of the Zui Provincial Guard. Of these, Ganchou and Gashin served under the command of His Highness. During the reign of King Kyou, Asen-dono was a General of the Palace Guard of the Right while you were a general in the Jou Provincial Guard. Two generals who were under his command and two generals who were not. His Highness divided Asen's army and took half with him to Bun Province. In short, Asen's fighting strength has been halved."
    "Those are mere suspicions."
    "The Ministry of