LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 249.2
Chapter 249.2. Scheme
Caught off-guard by these unexpected words, she instinctively turned her gaze toward where her mother was seated.
She had heard that the Kyushu region was in a dire situation, but no one had mentioned that they would be going there on an expedition.
It felt like water suddenly thrown on her unsuspecting ears. Her hopes that her mother might intervene were, however, quickly dashed. A short distance away, her mother watched the situation unfold, lightly placing a hand to her cheek with an expression of mild amusement. There was no sign that she intended to come to her aid.
On the contrary, her mother’s gaze seemed to say: Go along with it.
If she did, it would elevate both the power of the Taira family and the prestige of the Jester Knights even further.
“…Y-Yes, precisely. Our first goal for this year is an expedition to Kyushu. We will provide relief to the region and save the people living there.”
Though it should have been delivered with a triumphant laugh, she could only manage a faint chuckle under her breath.
An expedition to Kyushu… Would she need to take a leave of absence from school next semester?
Konoha’s gaze drifted into the distance.
“Oh, the Jester Knights is heading to Kyushu this year!”
“I heard it’s a really tough region to deal with.”
“After all, it’s a land ruled by magic.”
Those listening from a distance found the conversation fascinating, and the room buzzed with excitement. At this point, there was no way to deny the claim.
Konoha knew she would have to secure her mother’s full support for this endeavor.
The New Year’s gathering quickly became filled with lively discussion about Kyushu. After all, Amano Sakimori was apparently dispatching the Jester Knights to that region. Surely, there must be some profitable reason behind it.
People began raising their hands one after another, eagerly offering their support. Konoha would later remember the devilish smirk that tugged at the corners of Amano Sakimori’s lips.
Oda Nobuhiro hurriedly left the Taira family’s New Year’s gathering. Standing by the front entrance, he tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for his limousine to arrive. The sun had already set, and the night sky was pitch black. Streetlights illuminated the road, and light leaked out from the Taira family’s mansion behind him.
“Damn it. Why didn’t Rei show up? I never expected Amano Sakimori to attend…”
He had been certain that Rei would be present at the Taira gathering. Instead, Amano Sakimori had appeared, completely disrupting his expectations.
[What are your orders, Nobuhiro-sama?]
A male voice reached him through telepathy, and he responded without bothering to hide his irritation.
[The plan is canceled. There’s no issue.]
The original plan had been to unleash the Machine-Heaven Unit on Rei. They were supposed to attack Konoha during the gathering, and Rei would defend her. The attackers were nothing more than hired hands, skilled only in concealment, without any real power.
It was always intended to be a plan that Rei would foil. Afterward, they had intended to discreetly hint that the attackers were agents of the Earth Federation Army hiding in Kyushu.
The Earth Federation Army had taken refuge in a fake dungeon within the Kyushu region. If the location were leaked, the Jester Knights would undoubtedly head there.
But Amano Sakimori’s appearance was completely unexpected. It was as if he had already uncovered the hidden fake dungeon in Kyushu and was planning to send the Jester Knights there.
“No… He must have realized it. But how? How did he figure it out?”
He tilted his head, pondering the matter, before deciding that this was merely a minor adjustment to the plan. After all, this would also make it harder to trace any connection back to the Oda family—a favorable outcome.
Since the New Year’s gathering had already announced their mission to Kyushu, many factions within the city were offering their support without hesitation. This meant the Three Great Families would likely back the endeavor as well. It would no longer be just Amano Sakimori’s corporate soldiers fighting the Earth Federation Army.
“Well, it can’t be helped… Sakimori’s reach is longer than expected. We’ll have to be content with absorbing only the Earth Federation forces.”
Now that their strategy had been exposed, there was no other choice. Nobuhiro adjusted his approach, deciding to at least absorb whatever they could from this operation. A limousine pulled up in front of him, and the driver opened the door. Nobuhiro climbed inside, leaned back in his seat, and suddenly felt an odd sensation.
The Earth Federation Army…
It was true they had seen the Federation forces hiding within the fake dungeon in Kyushu. And yet, something felt off—something strange about the whole situation.
“No… It’s nothing. It must be my imagination.”
He shook his head and dismissed the thought.
“More importantly, I need to figure out how to put Amano Sakimori’s soldiers on the front lines.”
The Three Great Families would certainly find a subtle way to reduce Amano Sakimori’s forces.
That would most likely be their strategy. Clutching the mental resistance amulet hanging from his neck, Nobuhiro contemplated his next move.
Everything hinged on how he could maneuver things to benefit the Oda family. And so, Oda Nobuhiro set off toward home.
[Turning Point: Change]
“Mission accomplished!”
Somewhere in the darkness, a girl whispered triumphantly as a thread of gold shimmered in the void.
But her words reached no one’s ears.