Author's Note: Sorry about the length of this chapter, and the lack of introspection. Actually, I'm not sorry about the lack of introspection. Soujirou can't be fond of introspection himself; it cost him his self-control, his sword, and his content life.
I'm working on the next chapter, which has much more philosophy and plot, and have come to the conclusion that Soujirou's motivations are as confusing to me as they are to him. -.-

Thanks to my reviewers, Yami Neko-Kitsune, tocole, and Silver Nightingale! Someone is reading the garbage I put out!

Disclaimer: The village of Sugidani, the Kashiwaya, and its owner Yamamoto are mine. Everything else belongs to someone in Japan.


July 16, Meiji 11

Sleeping in an inn is so much nicer than sleeping on the ground! I'm staying at the Kashiwaya in Shinshuu. The road to Shinshuu from Sugidani was much better than the mountain tracks I've been following since Takayama. This road is free of ruts and is wide enough for two wagons. Who would want to drive a wagon to this town in the middle of nowhere? There aren't any mines here, and what else is in the mountains? I didn't see any wagons or other travelers on my way into Shinshuu, so I couldn't find out.

I've worked out a deal with Yamamoto-san, the innkeeper. If I work all of tomorrow and the morning and evening after tomorrow, I can stay and eat for free. Jobs aren't so hard to find after all. Ara, Yamamoto-san is coming. I'd better extinguish the lamp and go to bed. Tomorrow is my first job, and I can't disappoint him by being groggy in the morning.