Kanata seems to be a fan of the daily changing menus prepared by Isokichi, the Head Chef at the Garden.
Having enjoyed drinks with Shuri yesterday, I’m suffering from a hangover today. My life has become quite the thug’s existence, fitting for a resident of the Rose Garden.
This morning, there was no surprise attack from Lilith, rumored to be in a common-law marriage with me (a rumor only, not a fact). She’s probably indulging in deep sleep in room 666 across the way. When she gets like this, she doesn’t wake up until noon.
Her room has a decorative plaque with “Isn’t it okay to be lazy? Because I’m Lilith,” written in elegant calligraphy. The only one in the Garden who enjoys calligraphy as a hobby is that person with the casual expression. It was definitely Rasen-san who wrote it. He’s truly a comical person, though on the battlefield, he’s like an Ifrit emerging from a lamp, wreaking slaughter.
Well, I’ve finished my prayers to the Milk God and eaten breakfast. For now, breakfast will be cornflakes. This is because I’ve set myself a mission to collect the stickers on the suggestive milk cartons. I always set myself missions to enhance myself (and my base desires). Hah, I’m becoming quite soldier-like.
Now, let’s enthusiastically begin today’s training. However, today’s training will focus on mental strengthening, so it will be light and short. After all, the main event of today’s training starts at 17:00, against Tozen-, a perfect match (Hundred). I can’t afford to be fatigued.
After completing my running, martial arts practice, and meditation, I head to the cafeteria for lunch. I’ve avoided the peak time, as usual. It’s great to be able to order freely rather than having a buffet. “What doesn’t fill the belly can’t win the war.” Let’s see today’s special menu. Tempura shrimp, Japanese-style minced cutlet, and a tanuki soba set. Nice, I’ll have that!
“Isokichi-san, one daily special please! With a large portion of rice!”
“Ah, it’s Kanata-san. You always come outside of peak hours. Do you dislike buffets?”
“Nah, I like the buffet here, but I just like the daily specials and recommended menus that Isokichi-san puts so much effort into each day even more.” The buffet at the laboratory where I first worked, I could only appreciate the curry. Even that curry is much tastier here. But that doesn’t mean I want to eat it for every meal like Rasen-san.
“That’s kind of you to say. Shall I put my all into it then?”
“I’m sorry about Lilith saying various selfish things. The sukiyaki and grilled chicken were both delicious, thank you for the meal.”
“Don’t worry about it. But Lilith-chan is truly a genius. The other day, one of our young staff messed up the steaming process for the chawanmushi a little, but she noticed it the moment the lid was opened, without even tasting it. The mistake was barely even a deviation, you know? I think she might be the person with the best taste in the world! I was impressed.”
Huh? … “I was impressed”? That sounds just like Omachi-san of Kenju Komachi’s catchphrase.
“Isokichi-san, do you know Omachi-san of Kenju Komachi?”
“My wife was also impressed with Lilith-chan. She apparently came to buy a brainwave-guided knife, but with an abacus in hand, she did some amazing negotiation. My wife was extremely impressed, saying that girl could become a top merchant.”
So they are a couple. But Lilith is causing trouble everywhere. Hmm, this is the perfect time for that convenient line.
“Isokichi-san, it’s really not that surprising.”
“She’s incredibly talented on top of being a genius, wouldn’t that be surprising to anyone else?”
“Because she’s Lilith.”
“I see, you’ve got me there. It truly isn’t surprising. After all, she’s that Lilith-chan. Here’s your daily special!” I’m confident this magical phrase, created by Shuri, will spread like wildfire through the Garden.
The tempura shrimp had a crisp texture, the soba had a smooth finish, and most importantly, the minced cutlet served with special grated daikon and ponzu sauce was incredibly delicious. My chopsticks and mouth couldn’t stop. It’s common to eat tonkatsu with grated daikon and ponzu, but it works with minced cutlet too. Isokichi-san must have made the minced cutlet to go well with the grated daikon and ponzu sauce.
“Kanata-san, are you having lunch too?”
“Yes, I’m having lunch. Sanpin-san, are you having the daily set too? This is quite a delicacy.”
Sanpin-san chuckled, making a sound in his throat, and sat down in the seat in front of me.
“Kanata-san, I heard you’re a reaction comedian, have you also moved into mimicry? You’re quite talented.”
“People with unique speech patterns like Sanpin-san are easy to imitate. It’s quite a struggle to defend my position as the comedy star of the 1st Unit.”
“While you’re teaming up with Lilith-san for a comedy duo, wouldn’t it be Kanata-san’s reign? … Kanata-san, could I ask you something?”
“Anything. But please, no on your romantic history. I’ve lost count of how many girls you’ve made cry.”
“If you’ve made zero girls cry, there’s no way you’d remember. After all, you wouldn’t have any memory of it.”
“Gyafuun!!”
“I’ve never seen someone literally react with ‘Gyafuun!!’ for real. You certainly earn your keep as a reaction comedian.” I don’t earn my keep as a reaction comedian though.
“You don’t have to say if you don’t want to… Kanata-san, who taught you swordsmanship?”
“Shigure-san, of course. As you know, Sanpin-san.” Sanpin-san’s single eye glinted slightly.
“Kanata-san, I’m asking about the person who taught you swordsmanship *before* Shigure-san.”
Huh? Before Shigure-san? I learned kendo from my Grandpa, who was a Shinto priest, during elementary school… In my false backstory, my Grandpa is said to be dead, both paternal and maternal. If I say I learned from Grandpa, it shouldn’t create a discrepancy, right? Sanpin-san has helped me a lot. Even if I can’t tell him everything, I want to minimize lies as much as possible.
“Before Shigure-san… I learned a little from my deceased Grandpa.”
“I see… Kanata-san, you’re Agito’s elder sister’s son… Does that mean your Grandpa is Agito’s father? Or on your father’s side?” This must be because there’s a similarity between my swordsmanship and Agito’s. If so…
“Maternal side, meaning Agito’s father.”
“As I thought… I understand now.”
“Sanpin-san, what do you mean?”
“I heard about it after you fought alongside Uroko-san during the recent operation. When I heard about it, I thought it was impossible myself, but after our training the other day, I’m convinced. The origin of Kanata-san’s sword style is the Mugen Ittouryu.”
“Mugen Ittouryu? I’ve never heard of such a style!” My deceased Grandpa said it was Ono-ha Ittouryu. He also said he dabbled in Mugai-ryu, but I’ve never heard of Mugen Ittouryu.
“That is a secret swordsmanship passed down in the Yasaka clan of Terukyo’s Imperial Trio, now deceased. It’s said that only the head family of the Yasaka clan knows the ultimate secret technique.”
“A secret swordsmanship of the Yasaka clan? The Yasaka clan?”
“It’s fitting that the bookish Kanata-san from Izuruha would ask. Terukyo has the Mikado clan, doesn’t it?” I know that. It’s a famous family in Izuruha and was once the founder of the martial families that ruled the Izuruha Islands. Although named Mikado, they were effectively Shoguns. They were supposed to be the family that ruled Terukyo, one of the top five prominent city-states in the Alliance Army even now.
“Yes, I know at least that much.”
“There are the Imperial Trio that support the Mikado clan. The Murakumo, Mikagami, and Yasaka. These three families are called the Imperial Trio, prestigious families.”
“Do these Imperial Trio manage swords, mirrors, and magatama respectively?”
“What, you knew after all? Yes, the Murakumo clan has the sword as their crest, the Mikagami clan has the mirror, and the Yasaka clan has the magatama.” Do the Imperial Trio hold the Three Sacred Treasures? Hmm, this chaotic mix… it’s truly another world. …But I need to think about this completely separately from my original world. I’ll get confused if I don’t accept that they are different from the Imperial Trio and sacred treasures of my original world. It must have been a history where three great feudal lords, who worshipped the sacred treasures, supported the Shogunate. Although there are similarities to my original world, it’s completely different. …It’s another world, so it’s natural that history is different. Setting aside the parallel world tropes, the important thing is whether it concerns me…
“The secret swordsmanship of the Yasaka clan, one of the Imperial Trio, is Mugen Ittouryu. But it seems unrelated to me?”
“It can’t be said that way. It’s faster to show you than to explain it with words.” Sanpin-san stood up, drew his cheap sword, rested his chin on his left shoulder, with the blade facing upward and the tip slightly downward, pointed towards me. His hands gripped the sword near his right ear, with his right leg bent deeply and his left leg slightly bent in a stance. …I do recall taking a similar stance yesterday. Huh? Shigure-san taught me various stances, but I don’t remember learning this one.
“From here, Kanata-san readjusted his stance with the blade facing downward, intending to fight with the spine of the sword, but the original stance was like this.”
“I do feel like I took a stance like that. That’s strange, I didn’t learn such a stance from Shigure-san.”
“It’s a stance that comes out unconsciously when you can concentrate your mind well. Uroko-san also saw Kanata-san take this stance during operation SNC. This is called the ‘Heso-dan’ variation of Mugen Ittouryu, a stance not found in other swordsmanship techniques.” The training to approach a mind like “mirror water,” where you concentrate so much that you don’t even consciously try to concentrate, is done every day…
“Why does Sanpin-san know that stance?”
“… I’ve seen it far too closely… over and over again…”
“Then, Agito’s…”
“Yes, Agito was a user of Mugen Ittouryu. I don’t know why he used the secret swordsmanship of the Yasaka clan, but Agito might have been related to the Yasaka clan who were banished from Terukyo. If he came from a prestigious family in Terukyo, his arrogance would be understandable.”
“Hmm, maybe my deceased Grandpa was part of the Yasaka clan, or had ties to them, but I wouldn’t know.”
“I see. Well, it was just something I was a bit curious about, so don’t worry too much about it. Oh, my meal will get cold.”
“Let’s enjoy our meal. Isokichi-san worked hard on it.” However, my natto bacteria in my brain interfered, and I couldn’t quite taste the delicious meal I had. …I am Agito’s clone. I might be unconsciously tracing the sword techniques of the original. But would my body even remember the sword techniques of the original? It’s not impossible. I read in a book that there are cases where organ transplant recipients exhibit the preferences and habits of the organ donors. Like their taste in music changing or foods they disliked becoming favorites… Of course, it hasn’t been scientifically proven. If such cases exist with organ transplants, wouldn’t it be even more so with clones? Moreover, this world surpasses the science of my original world in many ways. It’s a world where not only self-proclaimed psychics who bend spoons exist, but also actual psychics are common. If any phenomenon can be utilized, I want to utilize it. Agito was the worst bastard, but it’s certain that he was called the strongest soldier in the Alliance Army by using Mugen Ittouryu. I wonder if there’s any way to bring out the techniques of Mugen Ittouryu that lie dormant in this body. The person who first ate sea cucumber in Japan was a great person.
