kscans

Chapter 8 - The Rumored Swordsman

Once Saneyuki and Nana's engagement was decided, their travel preparations were quickly arranged. They would be departing before the three-month period was up. One reason was the desire of the Emperor and Nana to show Shion as much as possible while her eyesight was still reliable.

By this time, Sahei had also rushed to their side, and they discussed matters such as their route.

"As we are heading into winter, let's first aim south from the west. We will start by walking along the coast, and on the return trip, we will take the mountain side. When we get back, let's rest in Kyo for about ten days. There are four main routes, so we will repeat this four times. The duration will be about four and a half years. After that, we will head east. We shall pick up the rumored swordsman at that time. By then, the two of them will be of a suitable age."

Spreading out a handmade map and pointing with his finger, Sahei explained cheerfully. After all, Sahei had often traveled alone. He was looking forward to a journey with a large group.

The Emperor was also satisfied with Sahei's explanation. Safe roads, secure inns, famous places, rest stops—he had a grasp of all of these and was impressed by Sahei's meticulous planning.

"You are quite the experienced traveler. At this rate, you won't have any time to serve the Tower."

"No, no, this is the job I've been given by the Tower. To travel to various places, broaden my horizons, meet different people, and gather talent... though I rarely come across anyone who truly stands out."

Sahei scratched his head and laughed in a troubled manner. His good nature was evident in his expression. The Emperor laughed along with him and nodded deeply.

"Masaki has a good vassal in you and a fine son. All that's left is manpower. I hope you will be blessed on this journey."

"No, no, not at all. This is an important journey for Shion-sama. I cannot afford to waste time on such matters. I will do my utmost to ensure it is not ruined."

The Emperor laughed heartily.

"So serious."

Indeed, Sahei was a man whose only virtue was his seriousness. But there was a reason he was being even more serious now. After all, the future of the Masaki family was at stake. He, who had been unable to gather any decent talent, was fired up, thinking that the day had finally come when he could be of use.

Moreover, though the Emperor's daughter was but a child, she was so beautiful that even Sahei, who was approaching forty, felt his heart skip a beat. How much more beautiful would she become in two or three years? The thought made his heart dance. The way she tilted her head and smiled was adorable, and her carefree laughter was healing. Above all, the fact that she was a stunningly beautiful girl with high status, yet was a completely normal girl on the inside, made her all the more charming.

She wanted to hear about his travels every day. When he praised the scenery, she would look off into the distance with longing; when he told her about strange people, her eyes would widen in surprise; and when he recounted his failures, she would laugh or sympathize. The expressive and honest girl was untainted and truly beautiful.

Such a girl needed a man who was worthy of her.

It wasn't that he was following the Emperor's lead, but Sahei sincerely thought so from the bottom of his heart.

*

Three years passed.

During their journey through the south, Sahei was restless. He had heard a rumor that the swordsman in question had entered a dojo. And it was Hokura Saimon's dojo, no less.

It was one of the top five prestigious dojos in the Eastern Capital. They had also served the Silver Tower for generations. If Shintaro, who had joined as a disciple, was scouted and absorbed into the Tower, the Iron Tower would be in a pitiful state. He had been relieved because reliable sources said he had turned down every offer, but if this was true, it was a grave problem.

As he was thinking about this, Shion's hand lightly touched Sahei's arm.

"Is something wrong?"

Shion was now completely blind. That girl was asking him with a worried look on her face. Sahei was surprised. How could she have sensed his anxiety?

"No, um, it's a personal matter."

"Sahei. We are friends, aren't we? Don't keep secrets from me."

"Sh-Shion-sama." Sahei's eyes darted around. He had often seen how Shion treated Saneyuki and Kiku as if they were her real older siblings, not to mention Nana. But Sahei hadn't grown up with her since childhood like Nana, nor did he have a status like Saneyuki or Kiku. He had never expected to be addressed in such a way and was flustered.

"Now, tell me what's troubling you. I want to help."

Sahei trembled with joy and, clenching his teeth, confessed.

"Actually, I've heard a rumor that the swordsman we're looking for has joined a dojo. And it's the Hokura dojo. If he's absorbed by the Silver Tower, there's nothing we can do."

"Oh my... but it's not set in stone yet, is it? Why don't you try to recruit him while he's still at the dojo?"

"We don't have the financial means to recruit such a renowned swordsman."

"I can provide the money."

"Impossible! I couldn't possibly ask for such a thing."

"Are you saying you can't?" Shion raised her eyebrows sharply.

"This was originally something my father asked for. It's only natural that I provide the money. Besides, he might become my husband."

"Shion-sama." As Sahei lowered his voice, Shion smiled softly.

"Now I have one more thing to look forward to on our trip to the Eastern Capital. See?"

Her fortitude was impossible to argue with. Sahei gave a wry smile and bowed his head.

"I'm no match for you. I will make sure to use your precious money wisely."

*

And so, more time passed, and Sahei found himself walking down a street in the town overlooked by the Silver Tower. He had left Shion and the others to rest at the inn first, intending to visit Hokura Saimon himself.

But life is a series of unpredictable events. Sahei never even got a chance to see Saimon's face.

A long wall with tiled roofing. Cherry blossom branches extended over it, laden with flowers. There were few people on the street, a refreshing breeze was blowing, and a gentle sunlight was pouring down. On such a peaceful afternoon, a young man came flying around the corner of the wall with a look on his face as if the world were ending. He was quite tall and wore a white kendo uniform. He immediately recognized it as the uniform of the Hokura dojo, but Sahei pulled his hat down low and watched him from a distance for a while.

His eyes were filled with despair. It looked as if tears were about to stream down his cheeks, but he was somehow holding them back. He couldn't have lost a match, Sahei thought with a smirk.

He was the kind of man who would surely be envied by other men. His toned and well-trained body looked supple and was incredibly well-proportioned. And he had a handsome, manly face befitting such a body. The presence he exuded, with his young and untainted expression, was also something special.

Could it be? Sahei thought, and finally began to walk forward.

In all his long travels, he had never met anyone who surpassed their rumors. The swordsman in question would probably be, at best, as good as the rumors said.

That's what Sahei had thought.

But the swordsman, who surpassed the rumors in appearance alone, had a skill that was extraordinary. Kiku and Nana, who had some training, were no match for him, and even Saneyuki, who had been training since childhood, was defeated in an instant.

Unrivaled.

That was a word that suited this man.

*

Of course, his true abilities were still unknown. As Saneyuki had said, he wanted to have him fight against men from all over the country.

Sahei thought this as he watched Shintaro walk, paying attention to his surroundings.

Saneyuki's occasional bad mood was likely due to jealousy. If Shintaro spoke familiarly with Nana, his face would contort into a demonic expression. And though Nana had made up her mind, she still showed a womanly shyness when Shintaro looked at her. Such things irritated him to no end.

On top of that, Shion, whom he now thought of as a younger sister, would listen intently to Shintaro's voice and blush. He was probably frustrated and restless for various reasons.

Saneyuki-sama still has much to learn.

Sahei let out a quiet sigh.

But the real problem lay elsewhere. The most important thing was the future of Shintaro and Shion. Shion's heart seemed to be mostly won over, so that wasn't a problem, but as for Shintaro... strangely enough, he couldn't figure him out at all.

He certainly thought Shion was beautiful. Beautiful things are beautiful no matter who looks at them. He often gazed at her face in silence. But when it came to whether there was any romantic affection involved, it was highly questionable. Shintaro didn't talk much about himself, which made it even harder to understand.

A deliberate distance. A conversation with a wall between them. The occasional vacant look on his face.

What bothered Sahei was the fact that he was on the verge of being expelled from the Hokura dojo. It was hard to believe that a famous swordsman would be told he was of no use. He could only think that it was a pretext.

One night.

Thanks to Saneyuki's complaint that he was uneasy with Nana and Shintaro on watch together, Sahei had the opportunity to face Shintaro and have a proper talk. Sahei was determined to get him to open up.

"I would very much like to hear the real reason. Why did you have to leave the Hokura dojo?"

Shintaro fell silent, his lips pressed tightly together. Well, Sahei didn't expect to get it out of him so easily. He waited patiently for a reply. He couldn't know what was going through Shintaro's mind as he was being stared at, but the sweat on his brow and his contorted face spoke of his pain.

"...I had," Shintaro finally mumbled.

"I had someone I was engaged to."

Sahei instinctively slapped his own face. He shouldn't have asked about something a person didn't want to talk about.