CHAPTER 4: THE DRESS

The sun peered down, unleashing rays of uncomfortable warmth. With the woods opening to the main trail, there was less shelter from the heat. That made for one unpleasant ride in the afternoon.

Mine was sweating, and she kept her head down. By now, her resolve was depleted, and she couldn't avoid feeling 'helpless' as Sanfred had mentioned previously. She was a member of Night Raid, and a lethal assassin. A genius sniper. So why? Why did she end up getting captured? Now being taken to be sold for a high reward. Quite unfitting for a genius sniper.

Time passed, and strangely enough, Mine was thinking about Sanfred's partner. She had killed him back there. Certainly, justifiable in terms of self-defense, but she still felt like it must have angered Sanfred in some manner. And yet, he remained as devoid of concern as always.

"I'm sorry," she brought up, breaking what had been a lengthy silence, "For killing your partner."

A quick snap of the reins rang out before Sanfred responded. "Part of the job, I suppose. He knew the risks."

"You're not angry?" she asked, unsure of why she was even pushing something like this.

"Kind of impressed, actually," he told her, giving her an unexpected response. "You've got some moves."

Mine didn't feel like soaking in the flattery. When Tatsumi and the others complimented her, it gave her great pride. That pride was nowhere to be found right now. "So, you truly are a heartless man?"

"Do you give a damn about my well-being?" he inquired skeptically.

"No," she answered quickly, like it was natural.

"Well, there you go. Why should I care about you if you don't care about me? That's humanity for you."

"I don't care because you're taking me to my death," she said with a growl.

"Not necessarily. It all depends on which offer I strike in the end."

"What offers? How much is my reward?"

"Depends on the source. Of course, the Empire sets the number with their initial choice of reward. But there are other people willing to surpass that number, considering what they're after often varies."

This was more complex than Mine had realized. "Well then, what do you think is going to happen to me?"

"I think the most potential is this guy living just outside the Capital. He wants to marry you or something. He's claimed he'll pay double the reward money. That sounds promising."

As expected, Mine's eyes widened in horror. "Married? I'm not marrying anybody! What the hell?"

Even Sanfred couldn't help but shrug at the awkwardness of it. "Yeah, I don't blame you. Anyway, I don't give a damn what you decide to do. Once I get my reward money, you could always refuse to marry the guy. Kill him, for all I care. That's your business."

Mine tried to put everything together. It was strange how Sanfred balanced his affairs, but there was certainly some degree of organization in his mind. "What if they pay you the reward money, then you set me free?"

Sanfred grinned. "I suppose I could. What would you pay me then?"

"Pay you?" she asked, dumbfounded. "Why the hell would I pay you anything?"

"Ooh… you see, that hurt. I am merely making a living. No need to dehumanize me." Sanfred slapped the reins again, causing the horse to jerk forward with an increase in speed. That made Mine fall backwards a bit, crashing against Sanfred's chest uncomfortably. She winced and then brought herself forward again after.

"A stranger I've never met before wants to pay money to marry me? That's weird on so many levels."

"Right?"

"Right. So, why not just rob him instead?"

"That would be quite dishonest," Sanfred brought up.

"And you suddenly care about honesty?" Mine said with a tiny glare.

"I only lied to those merchants because I was trying to save their lives. And yours. There was still a chance they didn't know about your identity. I wasn't about to just blurt it out. For all I knew, they would have just killed you on the spot if they found out. We're both lucky that they didn't. Instead, they tried to take you in alive."

It was impossible for Mine to deny that at least. He had warned her about the merchants. Only now, she was starting to understand that Sanfred wasn't necessarily the worst person to be caught by. Her fate was likely going to be unpleasant wherever she ended up, but at least Sanfred was rather skilled at defending her life along the way.

"Your fighting ability," she said, switching her thoughts to words. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"My father taught me," he replied calmly.

"Where are you from? You're a foreigner, right?"

"Correct. I hail from Spain."

Mine glanced ahead, wondering if any other travelers would show up. To her surprise, Sanfred didn't appear interested in avoiding the open trail.

"Were you really about to abandon your Imperial Arms like that?" He was referencing when she escaped from the cellar the night before.

"I had no choice," she said, almost protesting. "I was going to come back for it with my friends."

"Yeah, I can't imagine you leaving an Imperial Arms behind like that. But then again, you were probably really desperate by then…" Sanfred sighed, looking somewhat saddened, as opposed to overtly bored like usual. "I apologize for putting you in such a maddening predicament."

"Uh…" Mine was more puzzled than anything. Despite her displeasure, she felt motivated to demonstrate gratitude. "Thanks… I guess. For saving my life with the merchants earlier. Even if it was just for your job."

"Sure," he replied, smiling politely. "Anyway, don't worry about Rod. He lived a good life. Dying from getting his face blasted off would have filled his family with joy."

"What?" Mine forehead had a large sweat drop by now. "His family?"

"Everyone has a family," Sanfred brought up. "Including me."

"I don't," Mine argued. "Well, I have Night Raid. But otherwise… no one."

"That's probably for the best anyway. Your family is used to missions with danger and death. They'll be more understanding once they learn of your fate."

Mine just grew silent. She shivered and crossed her arms in front of her, wondering what really did await her further ahead. Would she be forced to marry some creepy old man? Or would they just kill her once she refused?

"Something that's been bothering me about you," Sanfred mentioned. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"Like what?" she asked with a heavy growl and a glare.

"You look like a rich brat. Wearing purple and pink, with that lavish dress. You stand out way too much. Not ideal for your line of work."

"I like to dress like this!" she insisted. "Can't I also have things I enjoy in life?"

"You can," he agreed. "But maybe you should be more considerate of the position it puts you in. These material items leave you vulnerable to the dangers that arise from your occupation. And that's probably why the Empire identified you, and why they put you on the posters. It's all tied into that ridiculous dress you're wearing."

Hurtful words… but strong points. Mine just kept silent, looking down sadly, sensing that she really had been over her head this entire time.

Apparently, that seemed to settle things down. Sanfred slowed the horse and patted Mine's right shoulder comfortingly. "Apologies. Perhaps I was a bit rude there."

"Maybe…" She sighed loudly. "Or maybe… you were correct."

"Doesn't matter now," he said, grunting as he returned his gaze down the road. "We'll see if I can get this reward money, and then we'll see where you're going from there."

The ride resumed, and the silence did as well.

Eventually, Sanfred steered the horse off trail, down a path that seemed to conveniently show up. From the looks of it, he'd been here before.

"Where are we going?" Mine asked anyway.

"I kept some supplies in a shed out this way. It's for long trips like this one. Anyway, we'll need some berries to keep our bellies content for the day."

"What about water?" Mine asked, glancing around, hoping there would be a river nearby.

Instead, Sanfred motioned to the sack hanging from his back. "I have a canister in my bag. Fetch it."

Though the angle was awkward, Mine leaned over and felt for the bag, eventually finding the opening, and pulling out the small canister inside. Before drinking from it, she sniffed it, suspecting that it could just be more ale. Fortunately, there was no scent of alcohol, and she took a hearty drink.

"You were really thirsty, huh?" Sanfred asked with a grin.

"Just a little," she admitted, barely able to catch her breath after consuming so much water so quickly. After taking a moment to think it over, she held it toward Sanfred. "Do you need some?"

"Unnecessary. Finish it off."

Considering how depleted of fluids Mine was, she didn't ask a second time. She chugged nearly the entire canister and exhaled in relief once she had her belly full of water.

The trail was behind them now, and sure enough, a small shed appeared, erected at the edge of the hillside. It was run down, but Sanfred seemed to be expecting that already. He pulled the horses over next to the shed, then climbed down and tossed the rope around a pole set up nearby. From there, he didn't even wait for Mine to be ready, because he just put his hands under her arms and hoisted her down to the ground.

"Hey!" she said in surprise.

"You're welcome," he muttered, tossing the rope for the second horse to her. "Tie them down, will ya? I'll get the gear."

Sure enough, the shed had some packages in it, and Sanfred went through them. He fetched some bandages and tended to some cuts he had on his left shoulder.

Strangely enough, Mine hadn't noticed when he got injured before. "Let me help," she offered, walking over and checking the tear in the shirt. There were a few scratch-marks glowing red, apparently from the swords of the merchants.

Although he grunted, Sanfred didn't oppose the offer for assistance, particularly since he couldn't reach that part of his back very well.

Mine had managed to save some water in the canister, so she used it to moisten the area. Next, she wiped the cuts with a towel, and then she finally patched them up with the bandages. "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Tough guy," she muttered, somehow giving a tiny grin.

"I mean, I do not feel pain," he explained. "Most of my senses are shot."

"Shot?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I lost taste, smell, and most feeling." Sanfred ripped off the piece of his shirt that was partially torn, leaving his left shoulder exposed. The rags he'd been wearing before were slashed up from swords now as well, so he had only a faint piece of a half shirt remaining. Underneath that, there were muscles and scars upon his torso.

"How?" Mine asked, addressing the scars.

"A curse," he answered with a grin. "We often end up caressed by our misfortunes. I chose to embrace mine."

"What does that mean?" Mine reached for Sanfred's chest, where one especially large scar was visible.

Surprisingly, Sanfred appeared distressed by the subject. He seized Mine's wrist and pushed her hand away, then he turned back to the shed. "Worry not about the shit I carry with me. You can help out by collecting berries from the valley just over there."

Mine glanced in the direction he was pointing. "You're just gonna trust me to wander off? You don't think I'll run away?"

"You might," he brought up. "You won't get far without the horse and the supplies. Like I said before, I highly suggest you take your chances with my job. Better odds."

"Fine, fine," she said in acceptance. "I promise I won't run away. But I want you to promise me you'll consider a request."

"Oh?"

"Please… consider releasing me. Something about your story speaks out to me, and I think you're a good person. Don't do this. Rise above it." She stared into his eyes, full of earnest resolve.

Sanfred stared at her… then he just laughed profusely. "Oh man, thanks for that, Mine, I think we both needed that."

She growled as she pouted her lips, then turned and left to go fetch berries.

"Don't forget this!" Sanfred called out, tossing a basket toward her.

Mine turned around just in time to catch the basket. "Thanks…" she muttered, still upset, and then she stomped off to begin gathering the fruit.

Later in the evening, with the sun nearly vanished, Sanfred and Mine were sitting with their backs against the shed, eating some berries from the woods. Although she was eager to be freed from her predicament, right now Mine was just relieved to get some food. Going all day without eating was incredibly difficult. She remembered going through hardship when she was younger, but it had been a long time. That reminded her of just how comfortable she'd been living with Night Raid ever since those old days.

At some point, she decided to bring up some conversation. "You're from Spain?" she inquired.

"Aye," Sanfred answered, finishing off a mouthful of berries.

"When did you come to Japan?"

"Five years ago."

"How old are you?" She looked him over, hoping to guess his age before he gave it.

"Twenty," he replied, although he was counting his fingers as if he wasn't sure. "Maybe twenty-one. Who remembers anymore?"

"You don't remember your own birthday?" She could hardly believe it.

"When you stop caring about things, even routine aspects of life, you'll cease to remember them." Sanfred tossed a freshwater canister to Mine.

At least, she empathized with that. She caught the canister and sniffed it before drinking. "How did you lose your senses? You said it was a curse?"

Sanfred sighed as he thought back to it. "I fought against an Imperial Soldier who was using an Imperial Arms. She packed a good punch."

"What kind of powers did she have?" Mine was listening intently now.

"Her power was to drown her opponents in numbness. Like some sort of whitening wave. Not sure how to describe it. She got me good, though."

"Whoa." It didn't sound like a flashy power, but Mine could see how devastating such a curse would be when it left damage afterward. "So, what happened? Did you kill her?"

"I did," he replied, glancing at his own scimitar. "Never tasted or smelled anything again after that. She took most of my senses with that curse."

It was a strange effect. Mine couldn't imagine losing the sensations of taste, smell, and even feeling pain. Surely, Sanfred felt some pain, although he had a high threshold for tolerance of it. His curse seemed more like a blessing. It made him a more powerful warrior. In fact, it probably was what allowed him to achieve everything.

Then again, there was something more. "You have great speed," Mine brought up. "You're one of the fastest people I've ever met."

Sanfred nodded, somewhat graciously. "I was raised to be a matador."

"Matador?" She stared in confusion.

"Yes," he said, holding his hands up as if he were presenting it. "A matador. A bullfighter. The art of bullfighting was sacred to my family."

"Oh," Mine said, suddenly putting it together. "So… you killed bulls. Innocent animals."

Sanfred grinned as he nodded. "You wouldn't want to let my father hear you say that. He was quite the traditionalist."

"And what about you? That's a tradition you don't find immoral?"

To her surprise, Sanfred didn't really oppose her mindset. "You must understand, the world you're born in doesn't always stand aside for your ideals. We young children of life aren't given the benefit of the doubt. When we voice our opinions, we are disregarded without having experienced life first. Our opinions need to be warranted with these life experiences before we can truly declare them to be what we believe." Sanfred brought another canister to his mouth, taking a sip of what appeared to be ale. After he got a swig, he sighed and lowered it. "When I left home, it wasn't really to avoid killing the bulls. It was to survive."

Mine stared at him, unsure of what he meant. "Survive? Were you going to die as a matador?"

"I would have," he explained. "At some point. My father had his legs torn from under him. He was unable to walk anymore. Were it not for that brutal injury, he would have died against the rage of the Toro Bravo as well. Every relative in our family was killed by the bulls they attempted to defeat. My fate was all but sealed. Instead, I was the one who chose to walk away. I left my family, and made my way to the Empire, here in Japan. This was where I sought to live out my life."

Oddly enough, Sanfred's story was more of a sad one. Now Mine realized that Sanfred was young… and alone. "You left that world behind," she said. "I don't blame you. I left my old world behind, too. There was nothing but torment and abuse in my past. I'm looking to my future now. And it's good that you are, too." She glanced away, suddenly remembering her situation. "I guess."

"Do you have to guess?" Sanfred rose to his feet and approached Mine. He stood over her, while she tried to avoid his eyes. For some reason, he had an edge over her now.

There was… an attraction. As insane as it was. Mine tried not to look at him. "Are we leaving soon? You'll be wanting to deliver me to this creep who aims to marry me, right? I guess we should get going."

Upon hearing that reminder, Sanfred nodded, then turned his attention away again, giving Mine a moment to catch her breath. "May as well spend the night here. It will give you one last chance to sleep alone, I suppose. That may be something of a relief."

It just didn't make sense. This man seemed to have a strong sense of care, given the decisions he made in life. And yet, he was apathetic. Why did she wish to view him as something of an ally? Or even a friend?

"Fine," she just muttered with a humph to follow.

Sanfred cleared some of the boxes from the shed and motioned for Mine to get inside. He'd crafted a makeshift bed out of the bags of salt, and there was even a bag of leaves which served as a pillow. Mine looked it over, then turned back to Sanfred. "Where will you sleep?"

"Nice try," he said with a grin. "I'll be standing guard. Don't worry about me. Just get some rest and I'll wake you early tomorrow to resume riding."

As unpleasant as that sounded, Mine was too tired to argue. She fell upon the makeshift bed and was suddenly collapsing into unconsciousness. And soon, she was in a deep sleep.