Volume 8 Chapter 10 Yamato Country Castle Town
Elk entered the castle town of Yamato Country and stretched his arms up in joy.
He expressed his happiness with his whole body.
"This is Yamato Country's castle town!!"
It was Elk's first time in Yamato Country.
He had heard about this island nation with a completely different culture far to the east. But at 16 years old, he never thought he would actually step foot in Yamato Country. His joy was shown in the way he raised his hands... but the girls were different.
"Hey, don't get too excited."
"Exactly. You'll look like a country bumpkin."
"It's not good for an assassin to stand out."
"Well, well, it's his first time, so it can't be helped."
Yato, Kaya, and Akane looked at Elk with disapproval, while Sophia smiled wryly.
Elk looked back at them with a disapproving gaze and said.
"What's wrong with that? I mean, it's Yamato Country, right? Don't you guys feel anything?"
"Are you stupid? What's so exciting about coming back to your hometown?"
"Exactly. Elk, do you get excited about nostalgia when you return to your hometown?"
"Geez, you're such a child."
"...Fine. I was wrong."
Elk said nothing more and gazed at the castle town.
It was a town with a strange atmosphere.
All the buildings were made of wood. Some had thatched roofs, while others had tiled roofs. There were shops with strange banners and some with just curtains at the entrance. There were signs written in the language of Yamato Country, but Elk couldn't read them.
And everyone walking by was wearing traditional Yamato clothing... kimonos.
Moreover, many of the men had no hair. The women also had hairstyles he had never seen before, leaving Elk only able to tilt his head and ask Kaya.
"Hey, that guy... has no hair."
"That's a topknot. It's a Yamato hairstyle."
"Topknot..."
"It wouldn't suit you, so just forget it."
"I'm not doing it!! And what about that shop?"
"That's a tea house. Over there is a soba shop, and that's a udon shop. That's a weapon and armor shop, and over there is an inn, and that's a vegetable shop."
Kaya pointed at the buildings and explained.
Among them, Elk noticed a particularly large building.
It was the weapon and armor shop.
"The weapon and armor shop... it looks huge."
"People in Yamato Country are born with their skills sealed. Instead, they have high skills in martial arts and weapon and armor crafting. Even though it's an island nation, it has rich mining resources, and weapons made from a mineral called 'Hihiirokane (Red Gold),' which can only be mined in Yamato Country, are traded at high prices in the Galatinne Kingdom. It's a common metal used for making kitchen knives in Yamato Country..."
"Wow..."
"By the way, the assassin's blade is made of high-purity Hihiirokane. I don't know where you got your blade, but it's quite good."
"Is that so?"
As Elk flexed his wrist, the blade popped out. Then, Akane stood in front of Elk.
"Idiot!! Don't draw your weapon in the middle of the town!! You're already an outsider, and if a samurai sees you with an assassin's weapon, it won't end well!!"
"S-Sorry."
Elk removed the gauntlet he had equipped on his right hand and stored it in his weapon ring.
Elk's outfit was a uniform. Kaya and Yato were also in uniforms, while Sophia wore a robe with the emblem of Galatine Royal Academy.
By the way, they had left their carriage at the stable at the entrance of the town. Vehicles were banned in Yamato's castle town because they would ruin the town's appearance. It seemed that 'palanquins' and 'handcarts' were allowed, but Elk and Sophia didn't really understand that.
Then, Sophia cleared her throat.
"Um, let's find a place to stay for today. After that, I'll go to Kushinada Castle to request tomorrow's audience."
"...I'm going back to the Assassin headquarters. Kaya, you should come with me."
"Wait, are you really going to let the person who attacked us just walk away?"
"...I promise I won't harm you again. I swear on my pride as an assassin."
"Lady Yato, I ask you too. Captain Akane is fine now."
"...Do as you like. But if you attack again, I won't hold back. And Kaya, if you go, be careful."
"Okay..."
"You'll probably be asked a lot about me, but try not to say anything unnecessary."
"Yes!!"
Kaya bowed and turned to Elk.
"...Please take care of Lady Yato."
"Yeah. I'll show you around the town."
"That's not what I meant. Seriously..."
Kaya smiled wryly and disappeared into an alley with Akane.
Then, Sophia asked Yato.
"Well then, Ms. Yato. Do you have any recommended inns?"
* * *
They entered a suitable inn and took 2 rooms.
Naturally, it was Yato and Sophia in one room, and Elk in the other.
As soon as Sophia entered her room, she said, "Well, I'll go request the audience," and left.
Elk went back to the castle town with Yato.
"Hey, which do you prefer, udon or soba? Oh, both would be good too!"
"We have ramen too."
"Ramen? What's that?"
"Hehe, want to try it?"
"Sounds great!!"
Elk gave a thumbs up, and Yato chuckled.
Elk leisurely looked around the castle town.
"Still... Yamato country, huh? It feels like a lie that I almost got drugged in the first village."
"...It's not uncommon in those rural areas. Most villages can't live properly because the tax collection is so heavy. Many adventurers and travelers come to Yamato, but hardly anyone makes it to this castle town of Kushinada. The reason is... most of them die along the way."
"......"
"So, we're unusual. Don't you notice?"
"...I do notice."
Since entering the castle town, Elk had felt many probing gazes.
He thought it was because travelers were rare, but Yato's words made it clear.
The residents found it unusual for travelers to make it this far without being robbed.
Yato warned him.
"Elk, be careful. All the residents here have their skills sealed. But the 'Samurai' directly under the Yamato government can use their skills."
"Now that you mention it, I remember that."
"So───Elk."
"Yeah?"
A loud thud echoed as a child bumped into Elk's back.
The child fell, tears slowly welling up in their eyes.
And then── they burst into tears.
"Uh, uh no... Are you okay?"
"Wait, Elk!"
The moment Yato shouted to stop, 4 men and women surrounded them, as if they had been waiting for this.
All 4 had swords at their waists. Moreover, the back of their kimonos bore the emblem of Yamato.
Only those allowed to display the emblem were the Samurai of Yamato.
One of the Samurai spoke.
"Hey, hey, hey, what did you do to my son, you little brat?"
"No, this kid bumped into──"
"I don't want to hear your excuses!!"
"...Huh?"
"Pay up for damages. You don't want to get hurt, do you?"
Hehe── the other Samurai chuckled with smirks. Upon closer look, even the crying child was smirking.
Yato whispered.
"This is what Samurai are like. They're rotten, right?"
"Definitely."
"What are you mumbling about? Come on, hand over your wallet. You don't want to get hurt, do you?"
"Umm..."
Elk started to think about how to get out of this situation.
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