The Other Side of the Sea Was Never Freedom

This was the only line spoken by the Black Emperor recorded in the history books. From this one sentence alone, you could see his loyalty and sense of honor. Later, the people even said, "In the north, there is a king named Duanmu, who can quell a troubled age. In the central plains, there is an emperor named Wenren, who can usher in a new era."

And yet a person like that did something no one could have expected.

Two years after the Black Emperor was granted the title of Marquis of Zhenbei, influential court officials joined forces with dozens of foreign states to launch a political coup and seize the throne. Emperor Wenren was captured because he had failed to take proper precautions.

Fearing the Black Emperor's return from the north, the conspirators kept Emperor Wenren's life in their hands and did not execute him on the spot. During the coup, Emperor Wenren sent for Duanmu many times, asking him to come to his aid. But Duanmu, who commanded a million soldiers, stayed put and did not even send a single reply.

That was right. After hearing about it, the Black Emperor not only refrained from sending his troops—he did not say a word.

Even after Emperor Wenren was executed and the traitors established a new dynasty, he did nothing.

And yet, just as everyone was lamenting Duanmu's ruthless indifference as he declared himself emperor in the north, news of Emperor Wenren's death left him stricken with grief. He ended his own life, proving the loyalty he had held for more than a decade.

No one knew why he had not sent troops to rescue Emperor Wenren, nor could anyone understand what had changed within him.

It was precisely because of this that he was hailed by the people as the Black Emperor.

Ah, after looking back over this story once more, I'm even more certain of my mistake.

Why? Because the boy standing before me had none of the Black Emperor's loyalty to Emperor Wenren.

[At the very least, you need to get him to cooperate with the girl in your class named Ichinose. That's the only way you'll be able to suppress Class D's overwhelming presence.]

Thinking back to his warning, I knew I had to do this. Only by forcing the boy to act could I truly eliminate the threat and secure our eventual victory.

"Do you think you're completely safe right now?"

The boy said this to me without a change in expression. It filled me with fear and despair from the bottom of my heart. From the moment I faced him, he had already shattered my defenses completely.

Any pretense was worthless in his eyes.

His threat was so utterly unconvincing, yet I still felt as if I'd been thrown into an abyss.

From here on, I would probably lose all my freedom and be at his mercy.

But I had no choice. I could only pretend to be strong.

The dice had already been cast, and there was no taking them back. All I could do was grit my teeth and tremble, hoping that he would change as the higher-up had said he would.

Chapter 46: The Other Side of the Sea Was Never Freedom

A city was impossible to understand. Even its makeup was strange.

If the city supposedly couldn't do without you, it still wouldn't lack for people in your absence. But if you grew tired of the fast-paced life, then the city would surely be missing one person.

Over time, people were bound to grow tired of city life.

The endless steel jungle, the deceit and intrigue of the workplace, the traffic streaming through the streets, the dazzling nightlife—all these things stirred not contentment, but an ever-deepening sense of suffocation, confusion, and uncertainty. Competition only amplified the anxiety people already felt in the city.

In time, people would grow weary of city life and begin longing for the sea, far from the hustle and bustle. The free sea breeze could, to a great extent, free them from the grind and release their tense minds.

The tide murmured, the waves rose and fell, and all grew quiet on the horizon where the sea met dreams.

That was why the sea always called to people.

"Wooooah! This place is amazing! I can practically feel the freedom in the air! Whooo!"

"Keep your voice down, Okabe! At least try to have some self-respect!"

"Who cares about self-respect at a time like this? I thought the trip to a southern island was just a rumor. I can't believe it's actually true! Ohhh, the sea breeze feels so good!"

"Whooo! I reject my humanity, JoJo!"

Faced with Okabe's complete loss of reason, Shiratori gave up trying to treat him and could only sigh quietly behind him. Then he joined us in admiring the magnificent view of the sea. On an ordinary day, we probably wouldn't have been able to put up with Okabe's shouting, but right now, everyone was too absorbed in the bliss of relaxation to care.

Compared with everyone else's gaze, I couldn't help taking another look at the sea.

The water was calm as far as the eye could see. I couldn't make out the edge of the sea in the distance, and even when I turned around, I couldn't see the entrance to Tokyo Bay.

A luxury cruise ship seemed to drift aimlessly across the surface.

"The view here is amazing."

After putting her luggage away, Shiranami Chihiro joined a group of girls and came to the section of the deck where our class was gathered. She praised the sea before her from the bottom of her heart.

We were aboard the luxury cruise ship the school had arranged for us. Nearby, a clearly labeled directory showed a map of the ship's interior.

The ship had nine levels and a roof deck: five aboveground and four below.

The first floor was used as a lounge or for banquets, while the roof deck had a swimming pool, a café, and other amenities. The third through fifth floors contained guest rooms. The third floor was for boys, and the fourth for girls. Including the teachers, the boys and girls were kept clearly separated. As in the dorms, there were no specific restrictions on moving between the boys' and girls' areas, but we were asked not to go out around midnight. If there was any difference from the dorms, it was probably just the number of people sharing each room.

Incidentally, the other floors—from the first basement to the third basement—had all sorts of entertainment facilities, such as a movie theater and a stage. The lowest level, the fourth basement, apparently housed equipment rooms like the electrical control room. The fourth basement could be considered completely off-limits to students, and it was also where unexpected incidents were most likely to occur...

Just as Teacher Hoshinomiya had mentioned earlier, after we safely got through the final exams, the school had prepared a two-week luxury trip for us.

A luxury cruise.

At this school, backed by the resources of the nation, the trip didn't cost us a thing. Even all the facilities aboard the ship were free to use.

That went for everything, from famous first-class restaurants to theaters and high-end spas.

For the first week of this extravagantly luxurious trip, we would enjoy summer at a vacation house built on a southern island. For the second week, we would stay aboard the cruise ship.

The trip began today, and everything was wonderful and well arranged. The only problem was that we had to leave far too early in the morning. We'd taken a bus to Tokyo Bay at five o'clock, when we were still bleary-eyed and the sky had only just begun to brighten.

That was why I'd been certain this trip would be full of complications. Just getting up had been a hellish experience.

Still, at least the breakfast on the cruise ship was worth the price.

"Isn't Honami with Raku?" Shiranami Chihiro suddenly came up beside me and asked casually.

"No... Even on an ordinary day, that's not something you'd see very often. Why do you ask?"

"Aren't Raku and Honami really close?"

"Even so, we're not at the point where we have to be together every second. People would think we were weirdos."

"Really? You're not that close? But you two have gone on dates in secret during school, haven't you?"

Dates in secret?

"I don't think I've ever done anything like that..." At least, I was sure I'd never asked her out myself. "You must have heard some rumor that gave you the wrong idea, Shiranami."

"But I saw you with my own eyes."

"...When?" I tilted my head to show my confusion.

"Haha, Raku, you're actually trying to hide how close you are to Honami." Shiranami covered her mouth and gave a little laugh.

Watching her smile from behind her hand, I thought I saw a faint, dark aura around her.

How terrifying! I really had been getting too paranoid these past few days.

"...No, I honestly don't remember ever going on a secret date with her. If you don't mind, could you tell me about the time you saw us?" I thought it over again before rejecting Shiranami's claim.

"Hmm, sure." She nodded, her eyes first shifting to the upper left and then to the upper right. "It must've been sometime in July. That day, Honami asked us for time off, saying she had something to take care of. We were a little curious, but no one thought much of it, because Honami's always so busy."

"After dinner, I suddenly remembered I'd left something in the classroom, so I went back. On my way back to the dorms, I happened to see Honami and Raku sitting together on a bench by the street, chatting. Afterward, the two of you even headed toward Keyaki Mall together. Honami looked especially happy... Did that really not happen?"

Was it really okay to casually describe following us as an accident?

"That did happen, but it wasn't a date. I'd lost something that day, and while I was looking for it, I happened to run into Ichinose out for a walk."

"Out for a walk?"

"That's what she said. Then we went to get a meal together. That's all."

"So we got the wrong idea."

"I'm a little curious about the 'we,' but from the facts, I guess you did get the wrong idea. We weren't as close as you imagined... By the way, were you looking for Class Ichinose's class leader?"

"Yeah. I haven't seen Honami since we got on board. I waited for a long time in the dining room, but she never showed up, so I thought maybe Raku, who's really close to Honami, might know something."

"If you could, please don't go out of your way to emphasize my relationship with Ichinose..."

"Even so, you should've asked one of the other girls in your class where Ichinose was instead of asking me."

"I heard that once a girl has a boyfriend, she tells him first whenever something happens. I guess I was wrong about that."

So were you even listening to what I'd said?

"I'm just an ordinary friend of Ichinose's. There's nothing special between us."

"I know. I mean, that's what I thought before. And I think that's fine too..." Shiranami murmured meaningfully by my ear.

What was fine?

But before I could think through what she meant, she raised her head again. "Even though you've said it yourself, I still want to ask: is there really nothing between you two? When I confessed to her, Honami asked Raku for help, didn't she?"

"If we weren't special to each other, she probably wouldn't have asked me about that—especially since I'm a guy."

Talk about bringing up what shouldn't be brought up. I had to hand it to her for having the courage to revisit the subject after she'd failed. Even though we'd won that battle, I had no desire to talk about it.

"Shiranami, you can just think of it as if I happened to be passing by."

"You just happened to pass by, and then you just happened to pin Honami against a wall?"

"..."

"It was an accident. Yeah, an accident."

Well, I doubted you'd believe that explanation. No one would!

Why did she have to bring that up today? My good mood, finally restored after seeing the sea, had vanished all over again.

"Really?"

"Absolutely. If you don't believe me, you can ask Ichinose."

"We did ask her, of course. But Honami wasn't as certain as you are. She kept looking like she wanted to admit it, but didn't."

"Why would she make that face..."

If that was what you said, what else could I explain?

"Hmm... Setting that aside, do you like Honami, Raku? Do you want to make her your girlfriend, or even your wife?"

Wasn't that question a little too far ahead for a middle schooler, Shiranami?

"Uh, I think most boys feel that way in general."

"What about me?"

"...Maybe I do?"

It was a question with no safe answer either way, so all I could give her was a vague one.

"I see. That's fine too..."

"I get the feeling you're thinking about something really dangerous..."

"Not at all." Shiranami answered my suspicion with a radiant smile.

If you want to date Ichinose, I won't get in your way. Well, I wanted to say that, but until I dealt with the threat, I couldn't say it for sure. Why? Because words carried great power—sometimes even more than actions.

[Attention, students. If you have time, please gather on the deck. We're about to catch sight of an island. I'm sure you'll soon see a truly meaningful sight.]

Just as I was lost in thought about Ichinose and Shiranami, this "strange" announcement suddenly played over the cruise ship's speakers. It might not sound out of place, but there was no need for this sort of thing.

"Then Ichinose will probably come up on deck, so if you're looking for her, you can do it while we're here," I said to Shiranami Chihiro.

"Hmm, it's not like I have anything to discuss with Honami. I was just a little worried because I hadn't seen her."

Then don't go out of your way to talk to me. I was exhausted after being threatened, too.

"In that case, I'll go take a look at the island first."

I could see it from here, but not well enough to make out the details, so I'd have to move closer.

"I'll come with you."

"Are you sure you don't need to look for Ichinose?"

"It's fine. Honami might be busy with something else, and she probably doesn't want to be disturbed."

"...All right."

That was a little strange. Given Ichinose's personality, she should have been with everyone else right now. It was hard not to worry about her.

Still, I should deal with the problem in front of me first.

"Kanzaki, want to go take a look up front? Okabe, you too." I turned and asked the people behind me.

"You! How could you even think of that?!"

"That's rude. Please don't equate laziness with a lack of ability, okay? There are some things I simply don't want to do."