Scripture of the Seal [6] #CreativeAward2025 #EntertainmentOriginalWorkCategory

Synopsis up to the previous episode (Episode 5)
Ritsu, having been shown a German military code, senses danger for Sawada. She writes her usual letter containing the code, but Orikasa discovers it and punishes her. Still, in order to save Sawada, Ritsu offers Orikasa a deal.

6 The Roar of Return

At the garrison where white flags fluttered, I showed Sakaki the letter from Ritsu and spoke with excitement.
“The war is ending.”
“Huh? Wait, am I allowed to read this? A crystallization of love...”
Sakaki hesitantly cast his eyes on the stationery. Where Sawada pointed, letters of the alphabet were written.
“Ah, no way. My English grades were barely passing, and I only got into the elite course by a hair...”
“This is French.”
“I have absolutely no idea.”
Sakaki shook his head.

“Ritsu is saying that we should surrender and end the war.”
“What? If we surrender, the enemy will do whatever they want with us.”
“No, they said they won't cause any harm, they just want us to withdraw from the territory.”
“Isn't that just a convenient lie?”
“Ritsu... apparently heard it directly from Lieutenant Colonel Orikasa.”
“The Lieutenant Colonel has defected to the German army, hasn't he?”
“Yeah. That's why, since it contradicts the order from the Lieutenant Colonel to continue surveillance in this land, Ritsu must be right.”
I smiled.
“Hmm, but we'll lose our achievements.”
“We are currently at a disadvantage. If things go poorly, we'll be wiped out. That is far better than becoming prisoners of war through surrender.”

You want to go home, don't you?

Sakaki didn't say that to me, but I think he knew. He knew my mind was filled with the joy of being able to see Ritsu.

“Well. If the Captain has decided, I will follow. I want to eat something good soon, after all.”

* * *

“Japanese Army Withdraws”
Mr. Orikasa showed me the newspaper headline. Since the Japanese army actually chose to do so, it was exactly as the headline said, but I felt Japan's stubborn pride in the fact that it didn't say “surrender” or “defeat.”

A week and a few days after seeing that headline, I was in front of the mirror in my room, holding up a dress I had pulled out of the closet against my body, looking in the mirror and changing back and forth.

“Tea time... but...”
Mr. Orikasa, who had been peeking in from the doorless entrance of my room, stopped dead.

“It's almost time for the return ship to arrive, isn't it?”
I said excitedly.
“That is true. But there are various military procedures, so you won't be able to see him right away.”
“It's fine. If I wave from the port toward the ship, he'll surely know it's me.”

Since the day we made the deal, Mr. Orikasa had left me free within the mansion and stopped laying a hand on me. We had meals and tea together, but other than that, we spent our time separately.

“...I think this one suits you particularly well, young lady. It's my preference.”
Mr. Orikasa slowly entered the room, took a navy blue high-collared dress from the closet, and held it out to me.

“That's your preference, isn't it? I'm meeting Mr. Sawada after a long time, so I have to wear what he likes.”

Mr. Orikasa, with a languid look on his face, took a beige dress with a ribbon tie from the closet.
“If it's Sawada, it's this one.”
“Why? How do you know?”
I asked in surprise.
“Because it's delicate, girlish, and obviously cute.”
I felt like my lover was being called simple.
“Hmm. Why do you like that one?”
I pointed to the navy dress.
“Do you want to hear?”
He acted mysterious, but I nodded immediately.
“It shows almost no skin and looks ladylike. The neck is covered and tight with a collar, right? If you strip it off, there might unexpectedly be red marks on it, and that stoic coverage makes it worth the effort to undress.”
“Oh, you always say things like that.”
“That's just how men are.”

I held the recommended beige dress to my chest. It was the clothes I was wearing the night this man invaded the mansion. That's why it's a little painful and heavy. Besides...

“But this is short-sleeved, so it's cold now.”
The season was about to welcome winter.

* * *

There was a large crowd at the pier. The ship was already visible in the distance.
It had been a long time since I had gone outside. I intended to rely on Mr. Orikasa from the start, and when I asked, he easily sent me there by taxi.

The sea breeze made my hands numb, so I rubbed them together and held them to my mouth. Mr. Orikasa grabbed one of those hands and shoved it into his coat pocket.
He was tall with handsome, Western-like features. The long black coat suited him well. As we walked side by side, women turned to look. Come to think of it, there were cheers at the ball, too.

—Even though he is actually a cruel sadist.

However, since he stopped doing anything to me, seeing him like this, I felt a thrill, thinking that he certainly had a different kind of coolness compared to Mr. Sawada.


The ship arrived, and the gangway was set up. A great cheer went up. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of the family or lovers who were returning.

I, too, stared intently. Oh, I hurriedly pulled my hand out of Mr. Orikasa's pocket. After all, it looked just like we were lovers.
Mr. Orikasa looked displeased for a moment and turned his face away.

However, there were angry voices mixed in with the cheers. At first, they were small, but they gradually grew louder.


“Who is the commander?! Drag him out! Why did you come back after surrendering!”
It was a happy homecoming for families and lovers, but it was by no means a triumphant return. Formally, they had admitted defeat.

Because of Mr. Sawada's decision.
“Traitor!”

The words pierced my chest coldly.

“Who is the mastermind? Die and apologize!”

I felt like I heard those words, too.

—No, please don't say such things to Mr. Sawada. I am the one at fault.

Suddenly overcome with anxiety, I looked up at Mr. Orikasa beside me.

The corners of his mouth were smiling slightly.

In that moment, I understood everything.

He knew everything and had done it.
“Ah...”

When I opened my mouth and looked at him with a tearful face, Mr. Orikasa slowly looked down at me.

“Let's go home. It just means it wasn't a role suitable for a young lady who doesn't even know the basics of war.”

He pulled my hand firmly.

“No. I'm not going home. I won't go home until I see him!”

“I brought you here. Don't make me go through the trouble.”

It was then that the cheers and angry shouts stopped abruptly. I turned around, wondering what had happened.

The figure I wanted to see most was standing there.
“It is I. I declared the surrender.”

A heavy silence that seemed to weigh the gravity of those words, and a murmur caused by faint sighs.

“Honestly, the Japanese army was at a disadvantage. Rather than increasing the number of war dead any further, I chose unconditional surrender.”

A calm voice. A stern face.

Isn't that enough? Isn't it enough that at least the people here, the people waiting for them, have returned?

“Coward! You made my man's death in vain!”

A woman somewhere shouted.
Ah, it wasn't just people waiting. People who had no one left to wait for were also gathered there.

Starting with that voice, jeers of “Traitor!” flew from here and there, turning into loud shouts.

As I watched with a heart that felt like it was being torn apart, several military uniforms cut through the crowd.

Mr. Sawada saluted.

Silence returned.

“Citizens, we, the Japanese army, fought as one. This time, the crime of acting on my own authority to surrender, against the orders of the staff, is heavy, and I intend to decide on the treatment carefully.”

At the word “staff,” I peeked at Mr. Orikasa next to me.

“But, you are actually...”

“On the surface, I am a Lieutenant Colonel and his superior. Moreover, as a staff officer, I have connections to the upper echelons. He disobeyed my orders.”
“But, but, if he had stayed stationed there, he would have been in an air raid...”
“The only ones who know that are me, and you, young lady. Within this Japan, that is.”
“I, I'll go tell them...!”

I tried to run out in a frenzy. However, because I had hardly moved even in the mansion, my legs tangled, and I was caught from behind by that person.
“What are you going to say? That I'm actually the German army? That you did it to save them from an air raid? Who would believe that?”

“I, if I have the letter...”
“That's the code we're handing over, right? Later, all belongings will be inspected, and unnecessary things will be confiscated. They won't let you bring them into Japan.”
I couldn't find any more words. No matter what I said, it would be useless in front of this man.

“Come on, let's go home.”

He pulled my hand out to the street, hailed a taxi, and pushed me inside.

Even though I looked desperately out the window, I could only see the crowd and the shape of the large ship.

(Continued ↓)

A word

After returning from a business trip to France, I caught a cold due to the dryness of the return flight while handling real-world work, and today, I finally finished this piece. From now on, over the next three days, I will release the story in order all at once until the end. Please follow the developments you won't be able to take your eyes off of!