Chapter 4: Saito Hajime
Why did I even bother to ask that chicken-face? I just wasted my time when I could've done some real investigating.
By evening, I had visited friends, colleagues, and henchmen of the already murdered officials and asked then why they would possibly be killed. It turned out that the officials were corrupt, harsh on the poor, cruel on punishment, or unfaithful to their wives.
How did I know this? I shoved a sword in front of their faces. With some, I had to shove it in their shoulder.
Now knowing a common theme between the assassinated officials, I had a lead. But it didn't seem enough...
"Good evening sir! Would you like to try our new herbal noodle? It relieves stress."
I looked around to who said that. A moon-pale girl was standing outside a shabby entrance of what looked like a noodle house. She had her white hands folded in front of her, which didn't have a single vein on them.
She noticed that she got my attention. "Please, do come in," she said, coming near me to escort me in.
I hesitated. But who cared about politicians anyway? One more death won't hurt. It would actually help. It would add more clues to my investigation too. So, I consented and went in.
The place wasn't so bad in the inside, but there weren't any people. More appropriately, there weren't any customers. There was only another woman, older than the girl who escorted, that I saw.
The girl escorted me to a table next to the wall under an orchid potted in a hollow bamboo stick. She then left and disappeared behind a curtain while the older woman brought me some tea.
"The child made it. I'm sure you will like it," she said.
I waited for her to pour me some. When I drank, I noticed a hint of sweetness. The tea contained honey, which was unusual for Japanese tradition. Honey was used in Western tea...
It suddenly occurred to me. Why haven't I noticed this place before? It might be because it was so run-down outside. But there was something about the place that made me cautious. I had a feeling something was very dangerous, and very close by...
"Here is your noodle sir."
The girl was behind me, carrying a tray with newly cooked noodles. I didn't notice her, so my first impulse was to unsheathe my sword. Good thing I got control of myself before I slashed her, and before she could notice. She set the bowl in front of me. I studied her carefully. How could she have snuck up on me? She didn't look like she had any experience or skills of any sort that related to stealth, or anything dangerous for that matter. Her hands were clear of any blemish or mistreatment. This girl must know how to turn off her presence. But that means something, doesn't it?
I took her wrist and held her pulse. She was so surprised that she dropped her tray. She was frightened and she made feeble attempts to pull out of my grasp.
"Sir, what are you doing?" she asked softly but frantically.
"Do you know anything about the recent killings of the local politicians?" I asked in a suddenly harsh manner that surprised her as well as myself.
Her pulse quickened, not because she was lying but because she was getting very frightened. The girl was already sobbing and tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Sir, please let go of me. I don't know anything or what you're talking about!" she cried. "If you don't want to eat you may leave without paying!"
I let her go. She quickly picked up her tray and was about to run to the curtain. I quickly got her wrist before she could.
"Stay here," I said.
She turned to face me again. I could see her tears falling down her porcelain face. She was quite beautiful, and very much enticing.
"No!!! Don't harm the child!!!"
We both turned to see the older woman blocking the door and get slashed by some townspeople who were charging to get inside. Some had swords. Most had torches.
"Kill the witch!" they said in unison. "Burn her!" some said apart from the main chant.
The girl was stricken with horror. She abandoned her tray and ran though the curtain. The people were on the verge of running after her. They didn't seem to notice me.
Usually, in situations like this, I don't do anything. But that's because those whom I've seen that were killed by mobs are people who deserved to be killed. This was a different story.
I stood up in front of the mob. In fury, some tried to slash me. I easily turned the tables. Anyone as foolish as them would die quickly like them.
I was still in my police uniform, which the mob noticed. "Get out of our way, policeman!" one said. "This doesn't concern you!" another said.
"It concerns me very much, since I just witnessed your first murder tonight," I said, referring to the older woman.
"You won't get out of here to tell that to anyone!" yet another yelled.
"Oh, I will," I said, smiling, "And I'll do it the easy way by killing you all."
Brutal as I am, you can think about it this way. Population depletion isn't such a bad idea. There'd be more fertilizer to go around. And besides, people who don't have anything else to do but go after a waitress in a noodle house don't have much going on with their lives.
Why did I even bother to ask that chicken-face? I just wasted my time when I could've done some real investigating.
By evening, I had visited friends, colleagues, and henchmen of the already murdered officials and asked then why they would possibly be killed. It turned out that the officials were corrupt, harsh on the poor, cruel on punishment, or unfaithful to their wives.
How did I know this? I shoved a sword in front of their faces. With some, I had to shove it in their shoulder.
Now knowing a common theme between the assassinated officials, I had a lead. But it didn't seem enough...
"Good evening sir! Would you like to try our new herbal noodle? It relieves stress."
I looked around to who said that. A moon-pale girl was standing outside a shabby entrance of what looked like a noodle house. She had her white hands folded in front of her, which didn't have a single vein on them.
She noticed that she got my attention. "Please, do come in," she said, coming near me to escort me in.
I hesitated. But who cared about politicians anyway? One more death won't hurt. It would actually help. It would add more clues to my investigation too. So, I consented and went in.
The place wasn't so bad in the inside, but there weren't any people. More appropriately, there weren't any customers. There was only another woman, older than the girl who escorted, that I saw.
The girl escorted me to a table next to the wall under an orchid potted in a hollow bamboo stick. She then left and disappeared behind a curtain while the older woman brought me some tea.
"The child made it. I'm sure you will like it," she said.
I waited for her to pour me some. When I drank, I noticed a hint of sweetness. The tea contained honey, which was unusual for Japanese tradition. Honey was used in Western tea...
It suddenly occurred to me. Why haven't I noticed this place before? It might be because it was so run-down outside. But there was something about the place that made me cautious. I had a feeling something was very dangerous, and very close by...
"Here is your noodle sir."
The girl was behind me, carrying a tray with newly cooked noodles. I didn't notice her, so my first impulse was to unsheathe my sword. Good thing I got control of myself before I slashed her, and before she could notice. She set the bowl in front of me. I studied her carefully. How could she have snuck up on me? She didn't look like she had any experience or skills of any sort that related to stealth, or anything dangerous for that matter. Her hands were clear of any blemish or mistreatment. This girl must know how to turn off her presence. But that means something, doesn't it?
I took her wrist and held her pulse. She was so surprised that she dropped her tray. She was frightened and she made feeble attempts to pull out of my grasp.
"Sir, what are you doing?" she asked softly but frantically.
"Do you know anything about the recent killings of the local politicians?" I asked in a suddenly harsh manner that surprised her as well as myself.
Her pulse quickened, not because she was lying but because she was getting very frightened. The girl was already sobbing and tears trickled down her cheeks.
"Sir, please let go of me. I don't know anything or what you're talking about!" she cried. "If you don't want to eat you may leave without paying!"
I let her go. She quickly picked up her tray and was about to run to the curtain. I quickly got her wrist before she could.
"Stay here," I said.
She turned to face me again. I could see her tears falling down her porcelain face. She was quite beautiful, and very much enticing.
"No!!! Don't harm the child!!!"
We both turned to see the older woman blocking the door and get slashed by some townspeople who were charging to get inside. Some had swords. Most had torches.
"Kill the witch!" they said in unison. "Burn her!" some said apart from the main chant.
The girl was stricken with horror. She abandoned her tray and ran though the curtain. The people were on the verge of running after her. They didn't seem to notice me.
Usually, in situations like this, I don't do anything. But that's because those whom I've seen that were killed by mobs are people who deserved to be killed. This was a different story.
I stood up in front of the mob. In fury, some tried to slash me. I easily turned the tables. Anyone as foolish as them would die quickly like them.
I was still in my police uniform, which the mob noticed. "Get out of our way, policeman!" one said. "This doesn't concern you!" another said.
"It concerns me very much, since I just witnessed your first murder tonight," I said, referring to the older woman.
"You won't get out of here to tell that to anyone!" yet another yelled.
"Oh, I will," I said, smiling, "And I'll do it the easy way by killing you all."
Brutal as I am, you can think about it this way. Population depletion isn't such a bad idea. There'd be more fertilizer to go around. And besides, people who don't have anything else to do but go after a waitress in a noodle house don't have much going on with their lives.