Chapter 20
You can stay here

Dinner was relatively quick, considering it was almost a tiny banquet for Miss Kamisato's guests. It consisted of the main course of beef broth and various appetizers. Everything was served at the table in Ayaka's private room, at which everyone sat, Tomo and Kazuha on one side while Ayaka and Thoma on the other. The room was soon filled with the exquisite aroma of food.

"This smells great," Tomo pointed out enthusiastically, instantly allowing himself to pick up some of the noodles with his chopsticks and bring them to his mouth. His face lit up brightly as soon as he tasted it. "And it tastes even better! My compliments to the cook."

The samurai clasped his hands in front of him, let out a quick prayer of thanks into the air, and without further ado, began quickly serving himself to everything in front of him. Kazuha, for his part, was a bit more demure.

"I hope it wasn't too much trouble that they had to cook all this so late," the Kaedehara swordsman pointed out, a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry," Ayaka replied quickly. "There is always someone on call for whatever is offered."

"Always?"

Ayaka nodded.

"But serve yourself whatever you want, please."

Kazuha answered, bowing his head respectfully towards her. He also joined his hands, thanking the food, and after began to serve himself a little of each thing. He noticed that Ayaka didn't take any of the food. In fact, in front of her on the table, she had only a cup of steaming tea from which she took only a sip from time to time.

"Aren't you going to eat, Ayaka?" Kazuha asked curiously.

"Oh no. Don't worry, we already had dinner. Right, Thoma…?"

Turning to her companion sitting next to her, she was a little surprised to realize that he was indeed putting a bit of food on his plate. Feeling watched by his mistress, Thoma jumped a little, smiling nervously.

"Ah... Well, it's just a little appetizer before bed," the servant said, raising his plate slightly for her to see. Although, it seemed much more than just an appetizer.

"I see it's true what they say about boys having a bigger appetite, right?" Ayaka muttered, trying to moderate her impression.

The three men continued to eat animatedly while Ayaka drank from her cup. The atmosphere had become relatively calm, very different from the almost tense Kazuha and Ayaka had fallen into during their talk.

The Heron Princess liked that. Lately, it was complicated for her to have moments as pleasant and calm as that.

"Have you tasted the squid yet, Kazuha?" Tom asked his partner.

"Yes, it's very good…" the young Kaedehara indicated, although he had to shut up almost immediately when a small spike of pain ran through his shoulder, making him reflexively move his hand towards that area.

"Does that wound still bother you?" Tomo asked, seeing him grab his shoulder.

"A little. But it's already much better, thanks to… Ayaka."

A small happy smile graced the lips of the blue-haired girl at being mentioned in that way.

"I didn't do much. What will really take care of healing you is the special medicine."

"In my experience, a medicine applied by the sweet fingers of a beautiful young lady becomes much more effective," Tomo pointed out with a rather playful tone. His comment caused a small startle in Kazuha and Ayaka and a slight blush on their cheeks. Although in turn, it also caused an obvious annoyance in Thoma.

"I'll ask you to moderate your words when referring to Lady Kamisato," the housekeeper stated, not quite sounding like a threat... but almost.

"Did I say something wrong?" Tomo replied nonchalantly, shrugging.

"It's okay, Thoma," Ayaka stated more calmly. "Tonight we are… among friends. We don't have to get so serious, right?"

"Have you heard that, Thoma?" Tomo pointed out, pointing at the servant with his chopsticks. "Don't be so serious."

Thoma didn't reply to his comment, and instead, he continued to focus on his plate. Still, Ayaka sensed that he was not entirely happy. Apparently, he hadn't liked Kazuha's friend very much. She… still didn't have a full opinion of him. He seemed like a nice person, but he also seemed a bit... strange.

Just as Ayaka thought about that, she noticed how the samurai held a piece of fish close to his chest. A second later, Tama peeked out from inside his kimono, sniffed at the morsel for a few seconds, and then hurriedly took it in her little mouth. Tomo stroked her head gently with his fingers as she ate.

Ayaka smiled slightly. Someone who took such good care of a kitten couldn't be that bad. Thoma, who was also very attached to animals, surely thought the same… deep down. Besides, if he was such a close friend of Kazuha's, it must be for a reason.

"Tell me, Kazuha," Ayaka suddenly commented, breaking the silence. The pale-haired young man looked up at her as he swallowed his last bite. "Where did you learn to fight like that? What Katsumoto mentioned is accurate. Your techniques and how you move are now a little different from the style they taught in the Kaedehara Dojo. Clear foundations of this are still noticeable, but it is also seen as something totally independent. Especially the last move where you landed the winning blow."

"The one where he broke that samurai's sword?" Thoma asked, suddenly seeming very interested in the subject. "Yes, I must confess that that was impressive. I didn't think he would be able to land a hit strong enough to break that guy's blade in two. Or maybe it was already a bit worn and old, right? A little luck, perhaps?"

"It wasn't luck, Thoma," Ayaka answered quickly, coming close to a scolding. "And you're wrong about something else, too: Kazuha wasn't the one who hit Katsumoto's sword hard."

That strange statement seemed to confuse Thoma greatly. A similar reaction arose in Tomo and Kazuha, although it was for a somewhat different reason in their case.

"Ah, so you noticed it too, Miss Kamisato," Tomo pointed out excitedly. "As expected coming from a swordswoman from a clan as prominent as yours."

"What are you talking about?" Thoma muttered, still feeling somewhat lost. "Was there something about that last attack that I overlooked?"

Yes, of course, there was. But before saying anything else, Ayaka turned back to Kazuha for a moment.

"Would you allow me to explain it, Kazuha?"

"Go ahead," the young swordsman agreed. "I think you will be much more capable of doing it than me."

Permission granted, Ayaka turned to sit in Thoma's direction so she could describe what he, and surely all the ronin present, didn't notice about that last attack.

"Indeed, there was more on that last move than meets the eye. From the start of the match, it was evident that Katsumoto far outclassed Kazuha when it came to physical strength. He must have quickly caught on with those first few attacks they exchanged, so his strategy changed. Those twists that Kazuha made with his entire body as he approached Katsumoto were not to gain momentum for the sword attack. In fact, all that energy was focused on the final kick. To break the sword, Kazuha used Katsumoto's own strength against him."

"How do you say?" Thoma muttered, still quite confused at this point, but it was understandable indeed.

"Not many swordsmen are aware of this," Ayaka continued, "but every high-level swordsmith knows every blade has a breaking point. A point at which steel is most vulnerable. And if you hit something with enough cumulative force at that point, the blade will collapse."

She then turned to Kazuha again, her gaze searching for confirmation of what she was about to say.

"A few generations ago, the Kaedehara clan engaged in high-level swordsmithing. I suppose that although it is not a task that was developed in our generation, part of that knowledge is with you and allowed you to forge that strategy, right?

"That's true," Kazuha answered calmly.

"Are you saying he hit that samurai's sword at its weakest point?" Thoma asked, finally thinking he understood.

"Not exactly like that," Ayaka replied, turning back to him. "As I said, the momentum building was just focused on the kick that would deliver the finish. All Kazuha had to do was place his sword at the exact point and angle. The rest only required Katsumoto to attack with all his might, as he had done up to that point. And then, hitting Kazuha's sword at that exact spot, he broke his own weapon with his own strength. The next thing was to simply use all the momentum Kazuha had built up to deliver that final kick straight to the jaw, a vulnerable point for anyone, even someone of Katsumoto's size and strength. And the surprise of what happened to his blade did not allow him to dodge. So when he received that final blow, and with his sword broken… Katsumoto already had the duel lost."

"Amazing!" Thoma muttered, totally flustered. "I didn't realize that it had been so complex..."

"Don't feel bad about it," Ayaka quickly pointed out. "It all went pretty fast. And without a trained eye or prior knowledge of sword forging, it was complicated for an outsider to notice all these."

"I dare say even Katsumoto himself didn't understand what happened," Tomo added right after, still chewing half a mouthful.

"That was an incredible tactic, Kazuha," Ayaka stated with genuine emotion, turning fully back to her old friend once she finished her explanation. "But also very risky. With the slightest margin of error, the one that would have been broken would be your sword... and then you."

"I know," Kazuha replied without the slightest hesitation. "But I was confident it would work. And not out of arrogance, but because I already knew Katsumoto's way of fighting beforehand. And this fight, and the one the night before, helped me verify that before I risked such a bold move."

"That's my friend Kazuha," Tomo exclaimed excitedly, throwing his arm up. "Quite brave, right?"

Brave, bold, risky... and a little crazy. All of those descriptions could fit what that technique had been. Still, Ayaka had felt greatly impressed and excited at the time. Before seeing it with her own eyes, she didn't think something like this could be possible, especially with pure physical ability without elemental energy.

"Where did you learn to move like that?" Ayaka murmured, returning to what had been her original question. "It was as if you were propelled along with the wind, even though you weren't using your vision."

Kazuha quickly finished the last bite left on his plate, then promptly placed it on the table. Once he finished eating, he sat up straight at his post, and staring at his hostess, he replied:

"During these years, I have traveled through Inazuma, meeting many people. Among them were different swordsmen of various styles. Of course, Tomo is one of them." He pointed with his hand towards the samurai sitting next to him. He raised his hand in greeting by reflex. "Each one shared with me a bit of the basis that moves their sword, and I took the best of what they taught me. But I also learned a lot living and spending time in nature."

"In nature?" Ayaka muttered. Now she was the one who felt lost.

Kazuha's voice became steady but fluid, almost as if he was reciting one of the usual poems that he made as a child.

"Although at first, in the natural environment, everything seems erratic and without order, the more you observe it, you can realize that it is not so. The wind, the flow of water, the animals, the movement of the leaves… Everything moves in accordance, affecting each other at levels that people cannot visualize at first glance. But once you learn to move with the environment, you become part of that balance, and it becomes a part of you. And no matter how reluctant the man tries to hit the rock, the river, or the wind itself, it will always find a way to return to the original balance..."

Kazuha noticed at that moment how Ayaka was staring at him with her eyes wide open and an expression of slight bewilderment. That made him feel a little embarrassed; perhaps he had gotten a little carried away.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure what I'm saying will seem strange to you."

"No, no, not at all!" Ayaka replied hastily, waving her hands in front of her. "In fact, all this you tell me is fascinating. So, have you spent these last eight years traveling and living all those experiences you mention?"

"That's how it was."

"Where have you been?"

Kazuha took a few seconds before deciding the best way to answer that question.

"I think... practically almost anywhere in Inazuma. In Narukami, Kannazuka, Yashiori, Watatsumi …"

"Even in Seirai?" Ayaka interrupted excitedly, leaning her body forward a bit.

"Yes, but obviously, I couldn't get too close to the storm that dominates the island's center.

"And in Tsurumi?"

"Yes, I went once to explore it. It's a very... strange place. But I think it would be a better story for another time."

"I'd love to hear that story," Princess Heron added with even more excitement than before, "and about all the places and people you've met..." Suddenly, Ayaka's excitement seemed to die down a bit. "I… the truth is that I have never left Narukami Island; the furthest I've gone from home in these eight years is Ritou. That's why I like to listen to or read the stories of those who have seen places far from here. Tell me, have you gone outside of Inazuma?"

"Outside?" repeated Kazuha, a bit unsettled by that question. "No… Even before the Sakoku Decree, navigating the storm surrounding Inazuma was difficult. It takes a big ship and an experienced captain, and there are not many of those these days. And the few that are there have no desire to risk breaking the law and sneaking someone out of Inazuma. That's why many prefer to try it on rafts, but... I've heard that not many make it.

"Yeah, I've heard the same…" Ayaka muttered regretfully.

Every week a rumor was heard about someone who could not resist the current situation of Inazuma and tried to sneak out on a raft to one of the other nearby nations. And once they were gone, it was almost impossible to tell if they had actually made it, or instead, the storm or the sea had claimed them. And even if they could by a miracle arrive safely to their destination, they could never return to Inazuma because having broken the Sakoku in such a deliberate way was severely punished; very severely punished...

Yashiro commission had been trying to stop it, making people aware of the dangers that this implied in many aspects. However, they had not yet been able to avoid it entirely.

But that was a subject that she preferred not to continue touching at the moment. The night had become pleasant enough to change the tone like that.

"And, did your journey bring you to Inazuma City for any particular reason, Kazuha?" Ayaka asked suddenly, trying to continue the original topic.

Kazuha seemed a bit uncomfortable and even tense upon hearing the question.

"We…" he stammered slowly, then fell silent without giving any actual response.

Luckily for him, Tomo immediately jumped to his rescue before it became suspicious.

"We're here for the festival, obviously," the samurai stated calmly. "To enjoy the stalls, the fireworks, the food… and all that."

"The festival?" Ayaka mumbled, a little surprised. "Oh, well, you were a little early since it doesn't start until next week."

"Yes, I know," Tomo murmured between laughs, placing a hand behind his head, embarrassed. "It seems that we overestimated the time it would take us to get here. Right, Kazuha?"

The swordsman Kaedehara glanced at him, apparently not entirely happy.

"It seems…"

Of course, Kazuha knew that this was a complete lie. But he supposed that was preferable to telling her the truth, an option that wasn't even on the table.

"So..." Ayaka whispered slowly, again drawing Kazuha's attention. The young woman looked at him expectantly. "Are you going to be in the city for a few more days, Kazuha? That made me…" She trailed off and quickly turned away. "I mean... it's just that... if you're going to be in town until the festival, you can stay here without a problem on those days, you know? I… maybe I'll stick around until then too…"

"Really?" Thoma questioned in amazement, for he hadn't expected that to be her plan.

Ayaka didn't answer Thoma's questioning. She would have to talk to him separately.

"Oh, of course, the invitation is also open to you, Mr. Tomo," Ayaka added quickly, realizing that she might have been a little rude in not even mentioning Kazuha's friend.

Tomo, however, didn't seem particularly bothered by this; quite the opposite, it seemed.

"That is very kind of you, Miss Kamisato," the wandering samurai replied, leaning his body forward. "But I think I'll take advantage of these days before the festival to take care of some things, see some acquaintances, and buy some things... But I can take care of all that by myself. So if Kazuha wants to accept your invitation, I think it would be no problem… would it?"

Again Tomo flaunting his ineffective subtlety. His intentions were more than transparent. However, Kazuha was very clear about his position on the matter.

"I greatly appreciate your invitation, Ayaka," he answered in a neutral voice, without looking at the young woman. "But I don't think it's good for us to stay here much longer than necessary. Not only because of the danger of the Tenryou Commission, but I don't think it's right that we continue to cause you so much trouble."

"But..." Ayaka stammered, a little eager. "It really isn't any… Why do you insist on say…?"

The presence of someone in the hallway drew everyone's attention, making Princess Heron unable to finish what she wanted to say; maybe it was better that way. The room door opened shortly after, and on the other side appeared one more of the waitresses in purple kimono.

"Lady Kamisato," the girl uttered slowly, leaning her body sharply forward. "Excuse the interruption, but your other guest has already begun to wake up."

That visibly alerted Ayaka, so much so that she stood up by reflex, almost forgetting for a second about what happened a moment ago.

"I understand, thanks…" she whispered slowly, looking consecutively at the waitress and then at Kazuha. She seemed to be debating what to do next, though her duty seemed to win for the time being. "If you could excuse me, I'll go see him," she said just before walking quickly towards the door.

"I'll come with you, my lady," Thoma said, standing up as well. "He got pretty crazy over there, and we don't have to take any chances."

Ayaka nodded in response, and the two left the room. The Kamisato girl did not look at Kazuha again as she left, nor did she say anything else to him. And, perhaps with a bit of paranoia involved, that made the boy wonder if he had made her angry by rejecting her invitation. And equally debated whether it would be right to go after her given that scenario.

"You also want to see that nothing happens to her, right?" Tomo pointed out, leaning toward him a little to whisper softly. "Why do you reject her offer like that? What did I tell you about making a lady beg you?"

Kazuha's gaze hardened with marked anger. That was unusual for him but certainly not unknown.

"You know the real reason we're here," Kazuha told him sharply. "It's bad enough that she's hiding a Vision Capture Decree fugitive without involving her in your purchase of false visions."

"We wouldn't have to involve her in anything," Tomo answered defensively. "The delivery will not be until the night of the festival; until then, we are totally free to do anything..."

"No, it's not like that," Kazuha stated, his voice dull and distant. His gaze had settled on the food in front of them, still steaming. "You don't know how things are when you're a noble. People like Ayaka are never "totally free to do anything." Every action, every word, every rumor… The slightest mistake can affect you in unpredictable ways. Just that someone sees us with her will be enough for people to talk about it. And if something goes wrong and we end up in trouble over this vision thing, we'd be irrevocably linked to her. I'm not going to risk affecting her like that."

Tomo was slightly speechless at these words, especially at the overwhelming worry that accompanied them. So deep down, it wasn't that Kazuha was trying to run away from Ayaka but the anxiety caused by the delicate situation that had brought him to Inazuma in the first place. Tomo couldn't help but feel a little guilty… Of course, if he hadn't brought Kazuha with him, he would never have met Ayaka again in the first place. Could one thing make up for the other?

"I understand your concern for her," Tomo whispered slowly, more moderately. "But I think you underestimate her a little."

Kazuha by surprise, forcing him to look up at him again. Before he questioned what he meant, Tomo hurried to explain himself.

"Noble or not, it seems to me that Miss Kamisato is a really strong and intelligent woman, capable of making her own decisions and knowing on her own if she wants to risk or not to have you close to her."

"She is," Kazuha answered quickly, without hesitation. "That and so much more. But for her to make a real decision, I would have to be totally honest with her and tell her why I'm really in Inazuma."

"Well, if you think it's necessary..."

"Of course not," the young swordsman added sternly. "What right do we have to put such a weight on her? We'd better leave first thing in the morning, collect the visions, and deliver them as planned. And after that..."

Kazuha fell silent, realizing he was saying more than he meant to. And Tomo, of course, seemed to notice that.

"After that what?" he asked with marked curiosity. "After that, do you plan to go back to look for her, perhaps?"

A mischievous smile graced Tomo's lips, while his eyes almost seemed to be silently accusing him of some crime.

Kazuha's cheeks flushed red, and he quickly turned away. Saying nothing, he rose to his feet, holding his sword in one hand, and hurried toward the door. In addition to wanting to end that conversation, the truth was that, in effect, he also wanted to see that no incident occurred with that other ronin.

"Oh, friend, friend…" Tomo murmured in a mocking tone as he watched him leave. It didn't take long for him to get up as well and start following him down the hall. "In the end, you'll decide what's best for you," he murmured slowly as they walked, though Kazuha pretended not to hear him. "Just let me give you some advice based on my own experience. Do not leave these types of things for later; the things that really matter. Right now, she and you are here, together. Tomorrow... you never know..."

Kazuha suddenly stopped, perhaps as a reflex reaction to that "advice." He didn't turn to look at him or say anything, but Tomo knew he understood, maybe quite well. After a few seconds, Kazuha resumed his walk as if nothing had happened.

Author's Notes:

Another chapter with a lot of Blah Blah, huh? I hope you didn't find it too heavy anyway. But don't worry, things will go from low to high from here. The seeds are already planted in both Kazuha and Ayaka; they just have to germinate...