Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 72

　Inoue Kehiko is a member of a daimyo (feudal lord) family and is a mere mortal without spiritual powers.

　Just as the warrior class in the real world originated from self-defense organizations formed by peasants and local leaders to combat thieves and disputes over water and land rights, the existence of warriors, or samurai, in Fusō-kuni also began on the fringes as self-defense groups for pioneer villages and wanderers. The difference is that, unlike historical fact, even if the warrior class were to emerge in Fusō-kuni, the imperial court would continue to maintain substantial power.

　The reason is "Youkai." They were absolute enemies without compromise or negotiation. To survive against these large groups of supernatural beings, a centralized government with significant military power was far superior to a feudal state with regional decentralization, where mobilization of large troops was difficult. Unlike in the real world, there were means of long-distance communication including shikigami, and the existence of opposing forces such as exorcists may have been one of the reasons. So, in this world, the human powers that could not centralize their power have perished or declined, so most of the surviving nations are centralized even if they do not want to be...

　Anyway, in the end, the warrior class in this world never managed to expand their authority to the point of becoming a de facto state organization. Instead, they remained as a supplementary force to the official army, consisting of quick-response local militias in frontier areas and conscripted soldiers. They also maintained their position as a group of military aristocrats and middle-ranking commanders.

　Now, this 'Ikaku clan' is one of the largest feudal warrior clans in the southern region, renowned for its skilled warriors who had experienced numerous battles against both human and youkai enemies. Although calling the clan with 'Ikaku Musha Sanzen ki (A troop of 3,000 samurai/warriors with boar crests)' is an exaggeration, the clan was indeed so powerful that it could gather an army of that size if it mobilized all of its soldiers, including foot soldiers, support personnel and those of the "geta" (a small group of people who were not members of the clan).

　And Inoue Kehiko, who came from this Ikaku clan and served at the Imperial Court, rose through the ranks to become a Nando-bounin (defender of the southern regions), a commander of the Nisshiro Army, and a first lieutenant in the Kebiishi (police and judicial chief) office, and was of perfect family background and talent, and could have risen to an appropriate position at the Imperial Court in the future. However, this would have only been possible if he did have a common personality...

　The people of the southern region, even the peasants and women and children, were known for their straightforward and chivalrous nature, but also for their impulsiveness, recklessness, and rebellious spirit. It is said that there are many brave and courageous soldiers, warriors, righteous men, and chivalrous men, but there are just as many troublemakers among them. And Inoue Kehiko is no exception.

　Although he is an upper-echelon member of the Kebiishi (police and judicial chief), which is in charge of maintaining the capital's security, he openly enjoys drinking in bars during the daytime, gambling, going to brothels, and getting into fights. He must have caused headaches for his superiors. But he was full of righteousness and fortitude, and he was popular among his subordinates and the people because of his character of going up against thieves, bandits, and youkai, cutting them down, defeating them, and buying drinks and food to those around him without any concern for his own pocketbook, but this was of no concern to his superiors. Because he caused problems time and time again, despite receiving warnings every time.