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Yūrei makes his way to the Red Dragon, on the way he exchanges his masked and Madam Orchid is happy to take him to the lady and she informs him the woman is with child and refuses to tell her who the father is. She shows him in to a back room where a young lady is seated with her hands rested upon her slightly swollen abdomen. The Masked Warrior quickly stops her from rising and asks, “Is the father Fukuda Hirohito?”
Natsu nods and her eyes fill with tears. “He would take me to this old house that had a Zen garden and surrounded by trees. Once there we had constant sex. I was told by a Healer that I might never be able to have children and as a result my own family disowned me.”
Yūrei takes a seat in front of her. “I am sorry to hear that. Might I ask you were sometimes a witness for him?”
“Yes, I was. He wanted this Kawano Hiroki to burn down his business before someone else did. I just did not understand why he would do such a thing, nor did he ever fully explain why he wanted to be rid of his business. Was he in debt?”
“No, Hirohito was very well off… however, he was willing to sell his wife and daughter.”
“Oh, that is because both of them disappointed him. The reason he was having sex with me was because his wife no longer wanted it and his daughter he was angry she had married a simple farmer. He just wanted them out of his life. When I told him I was carrying his baby he was so pleased and of course shocked. Hirohito gave me the old house and the only reason I am still here is because I need to be close to a Healer.”
“I cannot fault you as I was informed the place is isolated.”
Natsu’s eyebrows rise when she stresses, “Too isolated.” She giggles. “Still it was the perfect place for us to be together. We went around naked and had loud sex. It was great fun.”
“I can image. May I ask how many times did he take you there?”
“Twice a month and we would stay there for two days. In truth it is no wonder he got me with child because we did not just do it one way, we experimented and had fun, which he didn’t get with his wife. Do you know who killed him?”
“Not yet.” Yūrei sighs and shakes his head. “I thought I was getting close to uncovering who ordered the stinky oil and slam it turned out to be a false lead, which led me to you. Did Hirohito tell you who he thought was behind the fires?”
The lady has a think and answers, “I never told him I was a member of the Hosokawa family and that’s why, I can see clearly you are clenching your jaw and the corners of mouth have gone down. That can only mean one thing, you have dealt with my family before, right?”
The Great Warrior bows his head and sighs. “I know from experience your family tend to not like competition when they think there business are the best when in some cases they are just awful. Like Karē gyōza (Curry Dumpling) for example is just dreadful.”
“That would be Tenkyū my seventh brother, who is totally blind to the fact that you are absolutely correct his dumplings are just terrible and that is why he is unable to keep his business going. It has nothing to do with the other establishments around him. Now Tenkyū is not one for starting fires nor would he have any clue to obtaining the dreadful oil. However, my eldest brother Kazuhiko would. The problem is he is serving time for raping his own cousin and getting her with child.”
“Ah, I see. Can you think of anyone else in the family who might have that knowledge?”
Natsu shakes her head and her face fills with disappointment. “I am afraid I was sixteen when they kicked me out. It was Kazuhiko who convinced our own parents I was no good because I could not bare any children. Boy, I cannot wait to show him he was wrong. I have no idea who took over the family business once he was serving time. I think though, going by what I have been told it might be my second brother Shin’ichi. I would say he is worse than Kazuhiko.”
Yūrei decides not to ask the lady to tell him any more about her family as he does not want to upset her so instead he folds his arms and questions, “Please tell me more about the house? Where exactly is it?”
“It lies out of town not far from a shrine that is upon on the hill surrounded by trees. It is in walking distance from here and the entrance to the drive could be mistaken for an entrance to a farm rather than a Nobleman’s house. I will say this, the bathroom was in full working order just like the kitchen. They just had not been updated and the kitchen had a bit of a Chinese vibe about it. Ooh I can also say that about the gardens they had moon entrances.”
“Satō,” responds the Masked Warrior and his lips form into a smile.
The lady is a little surprised to hear such a noble name and asks, “What makes you say it belongs to them?”
“I should explain the Satō were originally from China and their family name was Sòng. At the time of the Clan Wars they were trading a lot with Edo.” He giggles and quickly says, “Japan. They became members of the Yamato Clan and began to settle here. That is why their houses are filled with a mash of both cultures. Even to this day they have moon gateways and carved flowers around the doorways of their homes along with statues or paintings of Chinese gods to having a raised stove.”
“Ah, that explains it. In a way it is nice they held on to there Chinese roots. Even I know the Satō family is huge and still connected to the Yamato… I am beginning to wonder how on earth did Hirohito get the house?”
The GreatWarrior’s eyes open wide and mutters, “Wedding gift.”
Natsu’s head tilts slightly to the left and starts to giggle. “He only said that to shut Kawano-san up. He told me it would never be handed over to his family… that is when he said something quite strange and kind of made sense why the house is untouched. He said, ‘they will destroy the evidence’, and told me to not go pocking around. Of course I did as I was told… I just wish he had told me more.”
Yūrei rises and begins to pace as he mutters, “A house from the Clan Wars based in based Izumi near a shrine. Tell me, my dear, is it near two ponds?” The lady nods and smiles and the king continues, “No, it cannot be… Captain Satō’s home.”
The lady heard the sadness within the king’s voice and it makes her asks, “Did something happen to him?”
The Masked Warrior nods. “The poor man was murdered in his own home.”
Natsu places a hand to her chest and gasps, “Oh, my!”
“Hmm… I need to check if it is his home before I inform my love for the case was never closed. Just like the house it has been lost to history. Thank you for your insight in to things and I am going to ask the Healer to move you to one of his homes as this is no place for a baby.”
The lady strokes her swollen abdomen and answers, “You are right. Thank you, your highness.”
The Great Warrior gives her a soft pat on the shoulder before he leaves the room and trots down to the entrance, where a lady helps him with his boots before he opens the door and steps out into the cold. He quickly makes his way back to Dōng cháo to inform him of Natsu.
“Leave it to me,” answers the Healer, “I will sort it.”
“Thanks,” says Yūrei, patting him on the arm before he trots off and continues over to the police station. Once he tells Detective Saitō of the house he is happy to accompany him.
They set off down the east road and it is not long before they see signs to Kotohira Shrine. Then Yūrei spots the entrance which the lady described and points it out to the Detective who gives him a sharp nod and they carry on. They continue a long the snow covered drive that begins to open out to a courtyard and lying at the far end is a large house. The thick snow covers the steps and part of the walkway.
“Chinese Rose around the doorframe and two stone dragons guarding the entrance. I am going to drop the portal stone here and fetch Einar for he will have a better idea. Please do not do anything whilst I am gone.”
Akito stands to attention and answers, “Yes, your highness.”
The Masked Warrior gives him a pat on the shoulder. “At ease. I know I can trust you.” He goes on to open a portal to Tower Island and steps through. Yūrei makes his way inside to find his love is in bed asleep. “Einar,” he whispers, “Einar, my dear, I have found something you thought was lost.”
Suddenly the Soul Drinker grabs him and pulls him on top as he gives him a kiss. “My sweet Ink Summoner, what are you on about?”
“Ah, come back with me and find out. Also you are not allow to scan me.”
Einar’s eyes narrow and he responds, “Oh, now you have got me intrigued. All right I will get dressed and come with you.”
Yūrei helps him to rise and put on his clothes, once his love is ready to brave the cold they make their way down to the entrance hall to put on their boots and the Great Warrior opens a portal and allows his lover to go first.
Detective Saitō bows to the Ink Heart as he emerges from the portal pointing his hand at the house. “My sweet, you need to do some explaining.” The Masked Warrior quickly informs about how things led him to the house and the Soul Drinker frowns and asks, “Evidence? What evidence?”
“I am afraid Hirohito never told her.”
“Ah, I see. Well, in that case, Detective, am I allowed to check the place?”
“By all means, Ink Heart, for you know this place?”
The Westerner nods. “I got to know Captain Hifumi Satō when we were dealing with another rival clan that was coming in from Nara when the Yamato were based in Kyoto and Osaka. Hifumi had a stunning map made for him… come, the library is this way.”
Yūrei and Akito follow him around the left side of the building to a set of double doors which begin to open before they reach them. Einar slips off his boots as he continues inside to be soon join by the others. He walks around the long table that is covered in an old map that dates back to the Edo period when Nara was new territory.
“I think the Captain had spies in the mountains of Nara or perhaps he was friends with Rì chū,” expresses the Westerner. “The problem is he never told me how he was able to obtain so much information about the approaching clan when he never left his home. It is why he was murdered.” Then Einar points his hand at a small red flag and announces, “That’s new… also that is marking the shrine which lies across the road. Someone has wrote sword on it. There was no family sword on display here.”
Detective Saitō is a little baffled, giving the Satō’s history they always have weapons or armour on show. “That seems strange.”
“I agree it was very odd,” responds Einar, folding his arms. “Even though he was a Satō it was clear he was not happy to have a family sword on his hip. Nor would he wear the armour he had inherited. The other thing that was strange for the time, he only had a single child, a son he barely had anything to do with and he lived in this house alone. This was nothing more than a base for him and his spies…” he clears his throat and continues, “and I should add to that a place for them to bring women. I was not only smelling them, I was also sensing them. Let’s just say they were keeping his men very happy.”
Yūrei and Akito look to each other and smirk. Then they giggle and the Masked Warrior asks, “So he never took another lady?”
The Westerner’s eyes open wide and he shakes his head. “No, he was too busy being Captain. That man did not even have time for his own wife let a lone a lady on the side. To be honest I do not know how he came to have a son. I swear I did not know anything about them until Hifumi funeral. Only then it came to light the reason he was here in this remote place, was to be as far away from his family as possible. You both can image me blinking my eyes to show I was shocked for the Satōs are a very close family.”
“Let me guess she was not able to tell you why?”136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYoPxj7SlN
“You are correct, my sweet Ink Summoner. All she was able to tell me was they were forced together all because they were hitting their twenties and single. Sadly I discovered through his older brother Ijuro, the reason Hifumi ended up with Ōno Fuyugiri was all because he kept meeting a man at an inn. It turned out his parents were jumping the gun and the man was in fact a prince of the Sasaki family. They got to know each other after the prince’s cart, carrying supplies for the people who were struck by the devastating earthquake, had got stuck in the mud. Hifumi strapped his steed also to cart to help pull it free and journeyed with the prince to his destination and back to the castle. The prince was of course horrified when he discovered what had happened to his friend, but sadly it was too late to tell Hifumi the matter had all been cleared up because no one in the family knew where he was stationed, here at this lonely house.”
Detective Saitō shakes his head. “The poor man, I think I would have done the same if my family did that to me.”
“I feel the same way,” remarks Yūrei, pointing his hand at the red flag. “I think I will see what has been left at the shrine.”
“All right, my sweet, and I will make some tea and we will noisy around a bit, right, Detective?”
Akito performs a slight bow. “Yes, Ink Heart.”
The Great Warrior gives his lover a kiss before he makes his way outside, puts on his boots and trots off through the deep snow. He is pleased to discover the steps to the shrine have not only been cleared, salt gravel has been poured over them to give them a nice grippy surface. When the Ink Summoner reaches the top he sees the shrine is a little wooden building with a cute prayer bell hang in the canter of a piece of rope that is strung above the doors. Looking through the square holes all he can see within is a small statue of Buddha. Then the clouds part and the winter sun reveals something glinting behind the statue. The Masked Warrior is about to open the doors when he hears a man call, “What are you up to?”
Yūrei turns around to discover it is a late middle aged man who turns bright red when it dawns on him who he has confronted. The man bows and apologises, “Please forgive me, your highness.”
“It is quite all right. From the back I just look any other person. Perhaps you can tell me, how long has his shrine been here?”
The man puffs his cheeks and answers a moment later, “A very long time, your grace. It may have been fixed over the years, but that’s to be expected. As far as I know, though what is inside is all original.”
The Great Warrior opens the doors and reaches inside. “Ah, then hopefully the shinny object is what was marked on the map.” His long fingers come into contact with something cold and smooth. He gently takes hold of it and begins to pull it out to find in the light it is a highly decisive sword. “Now that is interesting, and odd at the same time. Why leave a sword this valuable in a shrine?”
“Well, no one would think to look there, your highness.”
“True. Well, I had better go and show Einar, Kodokuna senshi what I have discovered.”
The man releases a shocked cough as he enquires, “He is also here?”
“No, he is at the old Nobleman’s house down there, hopefully keeping warm. Good day to you sir.”
The man does not even get time to respond for the king vanishes before his eyes and all that is left is a perfect ring of fine snow. “Wow! Amazing,” he gasps and counties to pray at the shrine.
136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATmxhy2N0l
Einar and Detective Saitō have been taking a look around to see if they can find anything to uncover why and how the house ended up in the Fukuda family. They return to the library just as Yūrei comes trotting inside and shows them what he discovered within the shrine.
The Westerner reaches for it but instead his fingers slowly caress the light grey stones. “Chén chén,” he whispers with a heavy sigh. He goes on to walk over to the open doorway and gaze out in to the snow-covered garden.
The Great Warrior and Akito give him a moment. They look to each other when the black sand begins to circle around the Ink Heart’s left hand.
After a few minuets Einar emits a soft chuckle and looks at the black sand that is weaving in and out of his fingers. “You are right, old friend,” he says softly in Nordic, then he turns around to face the others and clears his throat. “Shadow is right, the evidence is a separate case we do not need to focus on that now. Why and how did this house fall into the Fukuda family? It cannot be through marriage…” he looks once more to the sand and chuckles. “Sorry Shadow keeps calling it a sex house. He’s right though, when all Hifumi’s men used this place was for that and so did Hirohito.”
“I could not agree more, Shadow,” remarks the Masked Warrior with a slight laughter to his voice. “The big question is why is all of this connected to the stinky oil?”
Detective Saitō strokes his beard and takes a look at the map. “To day there are farms around the second pond and beyond. This is on route to Hatsugano… well kind of.”
“Wait, that is it,” whispers Einar looking at the map. “This village is perfect for sneaking in some barrels and sneaking out again and all you need to do, my brave adventurer, is sniff them out.”
“Sniff what out?” comes a man’s voice from the open doorway.
Yūrei trots over and calls, “It is good to see you again. Is there something wrong?”
“No, not at all, your highness, I just thought I had best bring this to you,” says the late middle aged man holding up his scarf.
The Great Warrior pulls back the folded section and replies, “That is awfully kind of you. Einar, does this belong to the sword?”
The man watches an attractive Westerner come stepping on to the covered walkway. The tassel rises into the air and gets turned around. “Yes, that once hung from the hilt… Chén chén I cannot believe your tomb has been raided… I hope to one day reunite you with these.” The tassel then falls down on to the scarf and the Soul Drinker walks off towards the end of the walkway.
Again the others leave him to it and the Grate Warrior asks, “Tell me, have you seen anything suspicious around your small village?”
The man gently places the scarf down a writing desk and answers, “Yes, there are these Sumō wrestler men who only appear once every five years to move barrels, that smell dreadful. The stink is so bad it makes your eyes water. They have the old farm building that lies on the far side of the pond. From here that would be the one on the right. Back in it hay day it grew the finest black rice.”
“The best,” remarks Einar as he returns to the room. “Sometime during the Clan Wars all production stopped and it was because the farmers feared the approaching clan and they did not know who to side with. So unfortunately it was lost to nature. You say Sumō men have it?”
The late middle aged man emits a nervous chuckle and there is a light squeak to his voice. “Well, they are just large men who never say a word and give you a cold stare… or that could just be how I am interpreting it.”
“It is quite all right,” says the Westerner, patting the man’s shoulder. “It sounds like you live close by?”
“Forgive me I am yet to introduce myself, I am Koyama Yū,” informs the man, performing a deep bow.
The others are not expecting Einar to clap his hands and gets the man to stand straight. “Koyama, your family make the best Mochi I have ever tasted.”
“Yes, you were the inspiration behind the Shadow Delight, because you brought the family a seed mix, is that true?”
The Soul Drinker emits a soft, playful groan also a soft smile now graces his normally straight feathers. “Yes, indeed I did, it was a mix of poppy seeds, sesame seeds and nigella which turned the once white rice flour to a purply black.”
The man watches the lovely Ink Heart wink his left eye and is pleased he is not about to revel the secret ingredient which actually turned it black. He just smiles and nods. “Oh, my, it is nice to know it is really true you helped my elders to come up with their signature dish.”
“I sure did. Tell me, Yū, are these big men there now?”
“Yes, along with the stink,” answers Koyama-san, pinching the end of his nose.
Detective Saitō adjusts his Katana and suggests, “Wonderful we can capture them before they set fire to the temple. Einar, w-why are you shaking your head. That is still going to transpire?”
The Westerner’s eyes narrow and he informs them, “The reason I am using a barrier is because fire arrows are raining down on the village. I think that is why mother is high up, he is trying to locate them. From what he describes, I fear it is too late. I still have no idea why it is going to happen come the new moon.”
Yūrei pulls him close and says in a soft voice, “At least we can stop the oil.”
“We?” Einar questions, stepping back. “Is my brave adventurer wanting help?”
The Great Warrior puts up his hands in front of his chest. “Only if you are feeling up to it.”
“I seem to be doing all right. So, have you come up with a plan, my sweet Ink Summoner?”
“No, for I was just going to walk up to the farm and see what happens. Why are you hinting they will attack their own king?” For a moment there is no change within his lover’s face then there is a hint of a smile and a slight shake of his head. “Ah, good to know then I will be… wait, just what are you up to?”
Akito points his head at the Ink Heart and declares, “Careful, your highness, he’s got that mischievous look in his eyes.”
Yū does not see any expression upon the Soul Drinker’s handsome, straight features and starts to realise they are just pretending to see something. Yet he begins to wonder why he is braving such cold weather which can cause his race to have not only trouble breathing but it can also cause them to constantly cough. “Hmm, I agree he is far too calm. It is clear he has already got a plan in mind.”
Einar shakes his head. “Oh sorry to disappoint you all, I am here to merely remind, Mèng, my sweet, these men are against you and everything you represent.”
The Masked Warrior’s eyes open wide, then they close and he remarks, “He’s right.” His eyes snap open. “Wait, are you suggesting they will fear you?”
Koyama-san points his hand at the Westerner and responds with a more confident voice, “Yes, for he is the Ink Heart. Those men have been coming in to this village long enough to know everyone here respect him and even to this day he is our saviour. If it were not for the brave and handsome Kodokuna Senshi our little village would have been lost.”
Einar leans down so he is level with the farmer’s face and raises his left eyebrow. “Saviour? Hmm, I would not go that far. I just did what I am known for stopping unnecessary battles.”
“Yes, and in doing so you helped this little farming community to remain on the map. And I for one am grateful you did.”
The Westerner pats the man’s head and responds, “All right, leave those big men to me.” Before anyone can stop him the Soul Drinker vanishes to reapear on the street, he pulls his hands up inside the sleeves of his topcoat to keep them warm as he makes his way to the farm.136Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEhCiVEtCH
