The Camel Cavalry of Sumō

[Core Room]

"Director-dono, from the roadless southwest, a single mounted envoy is approaching, crossing the desert directly."

So Mint's main body reported.

"Southwest? They came straight on, without passing through Fuchū or Kasumigaseki?"

"The southwest is roadless and spreads out into desert, so surveillance there is kept to a bare minimum. Which means a small party goes undetected for a while."

"Well, we can't go pouring infinite labor into it. Marie-san was at the East Gate, wasn't she. Once she's done receiving Oda Nobuharu… there's no gate in the southwest, is there."

"Shall we build one?"

"No, let's leave it. It'd be a waste of dungeon energy. And just because there's no gate, they're not likely to turn back."

"They won't imagine the rampart hasn't a single gate, so they'll make for Kamikochō or Yoshikichō, I'd say."

Meaning the West Gate and the Southeast Gate.

"Then let's have it that General Rāja rides out to meet them once we've seen which way the envoy heads after spotting the wall."

Before long, the envoy came right up close to the rampart.

"The camera resolution isn't quite enough, but it would appear that what they're riding is a camel."

So said Mint, watching the screen.

"A camel-ish horse, like a PM Okeraō or something, or an actual camel?"

"Yes. A camel, with a hump. They're useful in these parts, this being desert, but where could they have got hold of one, I wonder."

"There were no camels in the Edo period, after all. Well, it's another world, so the circumstances must differ."

For the record, there were camels in the Edo period.

[Before the West Gate, Kamikochō]

"I am the tea-monk of Sumō, Daizen-no-suke Nyūdō Shōtō."

A monk with a bald pate, just as his name proclaimed.

"This is the Library-City Dungeon; I am Rāja. This here is Haruna. So you've come from Sumō?"

Rāja dismounted and made her greeting.

"Hmm. So Naiyaku-no-jō-dono was routed."

"You can tell?"

"Your speech differs from that of the easterners."

The eastern dialect has no pitch accent.

"The Tsukuba army, main force and detached corps both, we annihilated near enough to a man. But more to the point, Sumō is farther off than Ke or Sō, and yet you've contrived to arrive at the very same time."

"Because Tsukuba Naiyaku-no-jō-dono was gathering mercenaries and adventurers in great numbers, Lord Sumō-no-kami judged about when the fighting would be over, and laid his plans so that, whatever the outcome, we could come visit."

"So you'd predicted he would attack this place?"

"Nay, not so far as to be certain. There were several candidates, and the possibility of some unknown spot besides. But when a tower piercing the heavens suddenly appeared, we settled on this as our destination. The desert may be roadless, yet Lord Sumō-no-kami, reckoning it might come to that, had a camel made ready beforehand."

"Well prepared, indeed."

"As they say, preparation is eight-tenths of the work. Sō and Ke, most likely, only came rushing over in a fluster after this tower appeared. From Lord Sumō-no-kami I've had instructions in advance, so that I may handle matters whether it be individual negotiations or a conference."