kscans

Chapter 19 - The Past That Leads to Now

The next day, Sahei guided Saimon to a tea room within the estate and personally prepared tea to entertain him.

"Please."

"Thank you for preparing it." Saimon took the tea bowl, drank from it a few times until it was empty, and then let out a breath.

"This is splendid. When my daughter told me about this, I was expecting a much less relaxing New Year."

"Hahaha. The greetings are truly just that—a chance to see His Majesty’s face and offer the usual pleasantries. We dine together on the night before our departure, but until then, we are free. We can even use the facilities on the grounds like this. You should think of it as leisure time and take it easy."

"Is that so? I’m relieved to hear that."

"After this, I shall show you the gardens. Though I imagine your own Tower Master may offer you a tour as well."

"No, I would be grateful."

From there, the two men went out into the garden. Sahei explained this and that as they made their way to a pond where carp were swimming. While discussing which carp were expensive or rare, he looked for an opportunity to bring up the main topic. From the start, Sahei had found the story of Razan falling for Saimon’s daughter suspicious. It wasn’t that he doubted Shintaro. The daughter was certainly beautiful. But the idea that Razan possessed such ordinary human emotions was simply too surprising. Sahei had known Razan since childhood. He didn’t know if the man had a heart or not, but he knew he was a cold-minded individual. Even if the story were true, where had he fallen for her? Had this father perhaps orchestrated it? He even considered that possibility. But that was getting too carried away with suspicion.

"If you would be so kind as to tell me the story of how Kagasaki-sama and your daughter met, it would make for a fine souvenir from my travels," he ventured. Saimon’s face soured.

"It was completely out of the blue. I have no idea where he even saw her. When he told me he wanted to marry Mana, I thought my heart would stop." There was no sign of deceit in his expression. The pained look, Sahei deduced, was either because he felt guilty about Shintaro, or perhaps because the marriage was not a happy one. In any case, letting Shintaro go was a terrible loss. He was a sincere man without fault. If Saimon had just quietly allowed him to marry his daughter, Shintaro might have already been serving at court by now. It was clear the Emperor had been thinking, "If he cannot be my son-in-law, I will make him Imperial Court Chief." The current Imperial Court Chief, Miyake Kanzo, was old enough to be considering a successor. If Shintaro had already been married, he would have been summoned to Kyo immediately to study under Miyake. Even if the engagement was broken, Saimon could have at least shown some courtesy by continuing to value him at the dojo. To cast aside a man he had once hoped would be his son-in-law just because a better offer came along was simply unforgivable.

"Hokura-sama." Sahei’s voice dropped unconsciously. It had been just over eight months since he had traveled to and settled in the Western Capital. A short time, perhaps, but long enough for attachments to form. He and the others were already like family to Shintaro, fully aware of his tendency to close himself off. As the man who had inflicted a deep wound on him, a small bit of hatred began to brew within Sahei. The thought was even stronger considering that as long as Shion loved Shintaro, his wound would become her wound.

"Your dojo is said to have served the Tower for a long time, but tell me, are there any promising young men among your ranks?" he asked, the words propelled partly by anger. Of course, he felt a pang of guilt. But this was all for the Masaki family, for Shion, and for Shintaro, Sahei told himself. Thinking of the future, it was important to learn about Shintaro’s time at the Hokura dojo and to ascertain Saimon’s way of thinking.

"Hahaha. Oh, no. They’re merely decent."

"You’re too modest. I’ve heard rumors of a swordsman said to be second to none." Saimon’s smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression. Well, that’s to be expected, Sahei thought, smiling wryly at his own malice in asking such a question while knowing the circumstances.

"There was one, but that’s in the past."

"Oh? So he established his own dojo, did he?"

"Heavens, no. He was neither old enough nor skilled enough for that."

"Is that so? Another rumor I heard was that in the countryside this swordsman came from, he was renowned for having the gaze of a lion and dancing like a dragon."

"Oh, no, no. That’s how rumors are. I had heard that as well, but… well, he was undefeated. He claimed to have never been taught, so when I immediately taught him the forms, he learned them instantly and made them his own, which was a mark of genius. But that was the extent of it. In the future, he might be able to make a living as an instructor at a small dojo, but he does not possess the skill to achieve anything great." I see, Sahei nodded to himself. So it was true he never showed that sword style to anyone. Not that he had thought Shintaro was lying, but he was impressed that he had been able to restrain himself. And from that, he could also see Shintaro’s true intentions in stubbornly sticking to the forms.

Coming to the capital where he knew no one, being taught the forms at his first dojo, and being praised for being a quick learner—for a simple young man, he would have honestly believed that faithfully adhering to them was the right thing to do. Sahei suddenly recalled Saneyuki’s story about Shintaro saying, "That’s just how dojos are." At the time, he had been exasperated, but knowing the background, it now made sense. But that alone didn’t explain why he hadn’t used his true power, Sahei mused, tilting his head. Shintaro had made the excuse that he didn’t want to be struck down for being too conspicuous, but that lacked credibility, as his skill was so divine that no one could have struck him down. That left a high probability that being told he was possessed by a demon had affected him. Still…

"But his skill must have been genuine enough to start rumors, no? Did you never think to see the sword he wielded in the countryside?" When he asked the question frankly, Saimon gave a scornful laugh.

"Play-fighting with swords… The way of the sword is a lofty and rigorous path. The beginning of one’s training is crucial. I advised him that the sword he wielded freely in the countryside would not pass muster here." Sahei was dumbfounded. So the one who had sealed Shintaro’s sword was none other than his own master. It might be the correct way of thinking for a dojo master who had dedicated his life to the sword, but it left a bitter taste. To have overlooked such skill for three long years was a monumental loss that would be lamented for generations. While thinking this, Sahei crossed his arms. But Shintaro is also to blame for not getting angry and defying him, he thought. Saimon had essentially told him, "Don’t get a big head just because you’re good at sword-fighting games." The younger a man is, the more confident he is in his strength, the more likely he is to feel indignant. But Shintaro had endured it. The reason was likely Mana. He might have been able to vent his frustration by besting Saimon, but getting expelled and sent back to the countryside would have been a poor show. Most importantly, he would have had to part with the woman he loved. Shintaro had chosen Mana over his pride. Sahei wondered what it must have felt like to be abandoned by the woman he had loved so much. In the end, his efforts to respect Saimon and suppress himself for Mana’s sake had come back to haunt him. But then again, if he had shown his true skill, he might have been expelled anyway. In the end, all Shintaro could do was live as a normally strong swordsman and play the part of the ideal son-in-law.

No wonder he can’t let go. No one expects that something they were prepared to dedicate their everything to would not bear even a single fruit. He probably wouldn't be punished for leaving a small piece of his heart behind. With that thought, he may have pinned his hopes on the woman’s love.

Sahei felt a deep sympathy for Shintaro’s plight. But he also wondered if this, too, was his destiny as a "Divine Possession." The term "Divine Possession" literally means a spirit descending into a human body, but here it was just a figure of speech, not a literal possession. It was merely an expression. However, it was considered an essential quality for those who currently governed this country. The Emperor’s right and left hands, Nanafushi and Miyake, were also said to be of "Divine Possession," possessing superior intelligence and skill. It was said that with Nanafushi’s strategies and Miyake’s skill, they would never lose a battle. Shintaro possessed a power worthy of joining their ranks.

When that came to pass, Hokura Saimon would become a problem. Now that he was part of the Kagasaki family, the time would come, sooner or later. A fateful reunion. Sahei debated whether he should warn him. But as a mere vassal, he couldn’t make that call. First of all, for Saimon to know something that Shintaro himself didn’t felt wrong somehow. Sahei sighed, his gaze fixed on the pond.

"Perhaps we should head back to our rooms. I can’t leave my master alone for too long."

"Oh, you’re right." As if nothing had happened, Sahei led Saimon away from the garden. He had concluded that no one but Shintaro could decide what to say and what to do when facing this man.