303 - - Behind the Muffles

Above, three people look down from the top of a cavalry boat at a red torii gate in the sea and an island bordered by a white sandy beach that continues behind it. Fuso has a boundary, and one must pass through a gate called Torii to enter.

The sea below them is swirling and breaking into whitecaps, perhaps after the rumored passage of the sea dragon.

"Well. I've heard about it, but this is my first time in Huso.

"Homura said he'd keep in touch, but Fuso doesn't like to interact with the outside world."

"I should visit someone named Sakon first, right?"

It is easy to pass through the torii gate, but I am not sure if we will be allowed to move to the main island after that.

In fact, the merchants have completed their transactions on the small island where the gateway is located, and only a few of them have ever crossed to the main island. Permission to move to the main island requires a recommendation from a resident of Fuso who is of some standing.

"I don't want to be turned away at the gate after coming all this way..."

I don't want to have to go back and report to the old man.

"Master Lancelot, I'm sure you would have come here by yourself if it weren't for the store keeper."

"You said you had a letter of introduction from the previous Sword Emperor Ikaruga-sama."

With a sigh, the three of us drive our riders through the torii gate.

As they land on the beach, several women in scarlet hakama appear to block their way.

"Welcome, it is not the time for trade. What brings you to Fuso?

His voice is cold, even though he says welcome.

When the sea is calm and a stairway appears under the torii gate, it is a short period of trade between Fuso and other countries. Now, the sea swirls, hiding the stairway, and the torii gate appears to be standing in the sea, away from the island.

"Hello. I am Eagle, this is Galahad and Camilla. I would like to visit a man named Sakon-dono in Edo. ......"

He dismounts and says his name.

"Oh. You've been contacted, come this way. The cavalry can't run or fly within the boundaries.

Despite the concerns of Galahad and the others, the woman changed her attitude when they told her what they wanted and readily accepted the three of them.

They followed the woman to a shrine surrounded by trees, an unusual building for Galahad and the three others.

"It's a very tricky place, isn't it?"

"So this is what Master Lancelot said would be good training."

"I've certainly learned to minimize the use of my skills for maximum effect."

"That old man, if you know what you're talking about, you'd better explain it to me."

The permission to move, which I was most worried about, was easily obtained, and although I was unexpectedly restricted from using my skills and magic, I arrived safely in Jiangdu a few days later. It was too late to visit people, so after spending the night, I had just found the house on the map that Homura had drawn for me.

"Leave that aside. Are you sure this is the place?"

The structure was unfamiliar, but the size of the house and its grounds, visible through the gated pine trees, were distinctly different from the houses we had seen before.

"This must be it.

"I think Homura was only in Fuso for a short time, but his friendships are as mysterious as ever."

This convinces me that I can certainly get permission to move.

Again, after informing him of my business, I was easily ushered into the house, and although I had to wait for a while, I was able to meet Sakon.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you.

No, I am indebted to you, Homura-dono. And if you are talking about the fire at the Kaji meeting, the Nishi family has nothing to do with it.

Sakon's "association" corresponds to an organization known as a guild in other countries.

"Amatsu-dono, Ruba-dono, are you here?

We were shown to a quiet house that smelled of charcoal and earth.

"Come in, Sakon-dono."

Inside, a child is sitting on the earthen floor and drooping, and several men with difficult faces, including Luba, are sitting on the wooden floor in front of him.

"We've been given a warning, so we've gathered here."

Tianjin says shortly with a frown.

"It's not a very nice composition for a child to be on the ground, is it?"

No, I did something I shouldn't have done!

When Galahad tried to stand the child on the earthen floor, the child screamed in tears and fell down.

Galahad pulls back his outstretched hand and turns his attention to Luba and the man in the center--Tianjin. Both Eagle and Camilla wait silently for an explanation.

"...... that child is a sinner who has extinguished a precious fire that has been burning since before Fuso was cut off from the world."

An old man in a purple hakama tells us this with a haunting tone. The two young men in pale blue hakama who look coldly at the child are the old man's attendants.

Once a year, we smiths dedicate a new sword to the castle as a guardian blade. It is a part of the ward against the demons. The fire that is used to make the sword has been roughly extinguished.

Sighing, Tianjin tells the story.

"Fuso is a place where two worlds overlap, the world of man and the world of demons. The world of humans and the world of demons overlap in Fusang. If it is broken, half of the people will surely die.

Sakon interrupts with an explanation.

"That's a big deal."

Galahad looks worriedly at a crying child lying face down on the earthen floor and murmurs in a whisper.

"It's a special fire that we can't get here in Fuso anymore, but I thought maybe outside.

Luba says.

"Hmph!　It's not something you can get easily out there either!　How much, how much we of the Fire Company have cherished ......!"

Silence falls on the angry but tearful old man.

"Anyway, just tell me what kind of fire it is."

"Even if you can't, we'll try."

Camilla and Eagle intercede.

"If you want to know so much, I will tell you, the fire that has been extinguished is the fire of .

Silence falls again at the old man's words.

"Look here!　It no longer exists here in Fuso, and even if it were outside, it would not be readily available. Koto will be overrun by demons!"

The old man laughs as he cries, and Tianjin and Luba look aghast.

"Uh, no."

"I'm having a little trouble reacting."

"That fire, that fire, right?　...... in the kitchen."

In the tragic atmosphere, only three people were puzzled.

"If you're a little girl, you can't reach the white tiger's face."

"You're the smallest, just like Atechi, aren't you?"

While I was waiting in my room, playing with the white tiger's chest hair, Peter and Kikuhime brought Kuroten and Shirayuki as promised.

Today is the day to be buried in the promised fluff. Even without the exchange, I probably would have joined in the festivities of the clan, but that's that...that's that.

An Alfa Romeo peeks out from behind Kikuhime and Peter. The red raccoon, Alfa Romeo, with its round ears and fluffy tail, does not look like a fast-riding cavalry animal.

The owner, Leo, seems to have logged out right after calling Alfa Romeo to the clan house due to a toilet problem in the real world. Shin is being interviewed by Ochazuke about the casino girl.

Why don't Shin and Leo just buy what they need and then go on a spending spree?

"Well, here we go!"

Four feather comforters. I'm serious.

"It's romantic to sleep in fluffy beds, isn't it?

A feather quilt was laid out on the carpeted floor, waiting for us. A feather comforter is necessary for an ideal fluffy room, not a waste of money.

The four cavaliers have made a cat dumpling for me, and I am buried in the middle of the dumpling. They usually don't stick to each other so much, but when I asked them to lie down, they looked as if they had no choice. Alfa Romeo usually prefers to be outside than inside the house and sleeps in a tree trunk around the house, so it is rare that he is in the house when Leo is not around.

"Oh!"

They are fluffy, fluffy, fluffy. The white tiger's fur is silky and muscular, while Kuroten's black fur is shiny and a little more supple than the white tiger's. Shirayuki is pure white and soft to the touch, including its body. Alfa Romeo's fur is soft and fluffy, especially his ears are wonderful to the touch.

"Well, my cavalrymen are soft to the touch thanks to Homura's brushing."

Peter lies between the black and white tigers on the outside of the cat group.

The white tiger is especially soft to the touch. And it's a miracle that the Alfa Romeo is so soft!

Kikuhime sits down between Shirayuki and the Alfa Romeo and starts serving sake and knobs.

Oh. I want to be buried forever.

After the appointed time, Kikuhime runs to the production and Alfa Romeo runs out of the house, and the dream time is over. I receive a text message from Galahad calling me.

"Don't get kidnapped. There was a player who was taken away by the guards for messing with a little girl the other day.

"Busted. What are you doing? What are you doing?

Peter left a disturbing note and went with A.L.I.C.E. to the poisonous plant garden.

He pats the white tiger and serves it ice cream. He seems to like any kind of ice cream, from ice cream to just frozen fruit juice. I'll put some of his favorites in the clan's shared warehouse for Shirayuki and the others - I'm sure we can get some meat from the lizard monster drop for Kuroten, right? And for the subtly unfortunate Ochazuke no Kuroyaki and Shin no Takeda-kun.

With Fluffy in my mind, I head for the general store.

"How did you get in here, girl?"

I opened the door to the third floor of the liquor store and was stopped by Galahad.

While I was wondering what to say to him, Kal collected me from the side and while I was puzzled, he made me sit on the sofa and gently handed me a black one that he had caught from somewhere. I'm going to have to take better care of my fur.

"Hey."

"Lord, would you like a cup of tea?"

Galahad looks suspicious, but Cal kneels down by the sofa, looks at me, and asks me about it.

"How can you tell?　Tea, please."

"Yes."

Cal smiles at me.

"Yes?"

Galahad is stunned.

"Why do you look like that?"

Not the black one, but the Aldvaan one?　He's petting me like a big boy. Apparently, everyone can recognize me except Galahad.

"I'm going to play succubus with some friends. I'll be back around tomorrow."

"Homura!"

"You should at least know your Lord when you see him."

With a smile on his face, Cal grabs Galahad by the forehead with one hand and smirks at him.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no!"

I looked at Cal and saw Galahad's head creaking, though he didn't seem to be exerting much effort.

"What's going on?"

Camilla and Eagle came out of the room.

"Sorry, I'm making a scene because I was dressed like this."

"Homura?"

Yes. Sorry it's so late."

I'll go ahead and identify myself before any more incidents occur.

Tea, my Lord.

Thank you.

There's a brief flurry of activity again, and when things finally calm down, I find myself on Camilla's lap. There's a soft obstacle behind me. ...... I shouldn't lean on it, should I?

"You'll be back tomorrow, I wanted to see a little more!"

They braided my hair.

"By the way, what's going on with Luba?"

"Oh, ......."

When I asked, Galahad and Eagle blatantly looked away. I could hear Camilla sighing behind me.

What happened!