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“You may be rejoicing over acquiring a legendary strategist. But that man will be of no use to you. I summoned him, but he refused to work for me. But it wasn’t just because he disliked my character. He is not what he once was. He is useless.”

 

“What makes you say that?”

 

I asked.

 

“He cannot stand on the battlefield anymore. If he does, his arms and legs shake and he is unable to think. It’s an aftereffect. He was one prime minister of the country of Sichuan, but then he went up against a man called Sima Yi, and then he understood his own powerlessness. He’s been useless ever since.”

 

I knew that history already.

 

While Kongming was a genius tactician, he had attempted to invade the country of Wei five times and failed each time.

 

While there were some small victories, he was never able to win against the overwhelming power of that great country. So, had he been traumatized over that?

 

It was possible.

 

I glanced over to Kongming. He seemed calm. But it did seem like his eyebrows had lowered a little.

 

I asked him the truth of the matter, and he opened his mouth.

 

“It is just as Decarbia says. I am no longer a strategist. I’m just a stubborn old hermit.”

 

Decarbia heard this and laughed.

“Hahaha! There it is.”

But I erased his words.

 

I didn’t care about what Decarbia had to say.

I didn’t even care if Kongming could no longer stand on the battlefield.

I hadn’t even wanted him as a strategist in the first place.

It was his skill as a ruler and protector over a city that I was interested in.

And so I told him that.

 

“So, you want me as an administrator, not a strategist?”

 

“Yes. I’ve always believed that you were one of the best.”

 

I declared. And then I continued.

 

“Kongming, you know of Xiao He, don’t you?”

 

“Of course.”

 

He nodded.

 

“Liu Bang of Han gave Xiao He the highest distinction instead of the unbeatable Han Xin, or the master of tactics, Zhang Liang, because he constantly sent supplies to the frontlines.”

 

“You want me to become Xiao He?”

 

“Yes, exactly.”

 

Kongming closed his eyes.

He seemed to be deep in thought.

After about five minutes, he finally said,

 

“You remind of Liu Bei. You have his charisma. I am glad to have been able to meet someone like him in this world.”

 

Toshizou Hijikata joked,

 

“Well, in terms of tricking people, he exceeds Liu Bei and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Seriously, how many more people do you intend to bring in?”

 

Jeanne seemed to be of the same opinion.

 

“Well, at least this one is a man. That is the one good thing about all of this.”

 

Then they all chuckled.

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