309 - - 307. All Joined

We get off the cavalry horse and walk down the stone steps, admiring the snowy landscape. The stone steps are covered with snow, revealing their wet black color. The steps are not a straight, square staircase, but a series of stones of different shapes and sizes, and camellias with snow-covered leaves extend their branches from both sides of the staircase.

I like the shrine maiden's costume in this scenery, though Amane is wearing it.

Welcome!

Ukon smiles atop a single-paneled wooden platform in the spacious foyer.

"Sorry to disturb you."

You don't seem surprised.

"You said you could get away for a night or so."

As expected, and there's still not enough food.

No problem... we'll set the table for you. We had breakfast and dinner at Sakon's house too, except for Shiramine's.

Cal met you on the way back to Fuso, didn't he?

After Peter and Luba greeted each other again, they introduced Cal.

"This is Red Plum.

Koumei was not sure whether he should introduce them or not, but they seemed to settle for a slight nod of greeting without lowering their gaze at each other.

"I thought there would be more people here, but there are relatively few, aren't there?　Sakon isn't there either."

"I think they will come later. Sakon knows about this place, doesn't he?"

We head for the room as we speak. There is a lady in front of the wooden or latticed door that blocks our way, and she opens it at the right moment, but Ukon does not seem to be concerned about it. He walks at the same speed as if the lady were not there, and does not look at her.

"I thought it would be better to stay in the remote area near the hot springs."

We crossed the corridor and finally reached the goal. Spacious, Rikyu!

The room has a view of the snow-covered garden through a small sliding snow-shoji door. The tatami mats are a light green, as if they had been replaced, and a brazier is placed on the floor for warmth.

The tatami mats are a light green, as if they had been reupholstered, and a brazier is placed in the room, making it warm and inviting. There seems to be a hall and several rooms.

"Now that you're settled, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Ukon says as the lady puts down the tea and sweets and steps back.

"What?"

He undoes Shiramine's sash and the cord tied around my wrist.

First of all, what is that cord?

"That's a bracer cord Tianjin gave me."

Peter had given it to me when he had rolled it up from Tianjin. , usually tied to a sword.

Why else would you be wearing a Shiramine?

"Yeah, I just felt like flying."

It was difficult to hold hands on horseback.

"Are you trying to prevent me from getting lost, ......?"

"Wait!　Is it possible that that is Butterfly's work in Tianjin?

Amane screams from next to a bewildered Ukon.

"Yes, that's right."

Hu Chou is a girl who is a blacksmith apprentice in Tianjin. She must have made the sword, since it bears her name when it is examined.

"What a waste of an item that is coveted by those who take up the sword in Gangtou. ......

"Amane, it's not too much to say that it's a waste since it's tied by Lord Shiramine."

"The way you use ...... is messy."

"I can't deny that either."

Ukon and Amane, the tempo of their conversation is indescribable. Amane is expressive and exaggerated, while Ukon's facial expressions and inflections hardly change at all.

"My next question is, how did Peter come here?　You can't cross by boat this time of year, can you?　I'd like to ask this from a defensive standpoint and to help us deal with the increasing number of gentiles we will be dealing with in the future. Is it a flying type of cavalry animal?"

"Oh. I'm just experimenting because my A.L.I.C.E. can float a little. I was going to give up if it didn't work, but I bribed a seal to give me a foothold."

"What kind of situation is that?"

"Two seals poking me up the nose, hop-step-jumping."

When I poked at him, he gave me a surreal answer. I wondered if the seals were those two accompanying the sea dragons.

"If you tell me..."

"I'm also going to do some experiments on my own. It's better if I can come and go on my own."

Peter with a fresh smile. I just wanted to take a look at the seal's picture because it's hilarious.

"You're crazy!"

"Well, if you came through the Otorii gate, I don't see the problem."

--Ah. I look away for a moment at Ukon's words, wondering if it's bad to call him without going under the Otorii gate. He knows that I can call Peter on the way to Fuso, so I'll take it as a nail in the coffin for me.

The sweets served were soft rice cakes topped with a sweet, slightly purplish red bean paste. The plate and the three-inch-long black toothpick attached to it are beautiful, though not showy. Everything in this detached house is seamlessly maintained, and the absence of any obtrusive remarks makes you feel at home.

I think this is the ideal residence for Kuzunoha. Or should it be a little more flamboyant for a woman?　It will be hard to reach this level in production.

Excuse me.

I was drinking a cup of hot tea while looking out over the snow-covered garden when a voice called out to me. When Ukon answered, the fusuma (sliding door) opened, and a rush of people came in.

"Ukon-sama, I apologize for my late arrival.

"Grandpa!　What a place to fly!"

"It was cold!　I'm tired. ！！！！"

"I was totally caught up in it."

"Master."

Homura!

"So this is you."

Suddenly it became noisy.

"And de de de de!"

"I thought you were following the Lord?"

Galahad eats an iron claw to a smiling Cal.

"It's really noisy. You two should have never come back at all."

"What?

"You have no part in the conflict, and yet you stand by your master's side with an innocent face. ......!"

Sake-drinkers and red leaves are being shot at by the red plum blossoms.

"Is dinner ready yet?"

"Don't make too much noise or you'll be sent to Shiramine again."

While serving Shiramine zoni and pickles, he warned him not to make any more noise.

The silence that had just been so quiet, as if the sound was being absorbed into the snow, was now replaced by a sharp contrast.

"I've been having a quiet time. ......"

"It was a brief silence."

Luba and Peter apparently felt the same way. Peter, however, is used to the noise he makes with Leo and Singh every time, so he half-smiles.

"No, wait. Who's there?"

There is one face in the mix that I don't recognize.

A child of unknown gender with a pretty face but a cold impression--perhaps an ogre.

"What? You're not related to Homura?"

We've never met before.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are one or two more demons now."

Amane is surprised and Ukon is taken aback.

"I have nothing to do with this demon, okay?"

Why do I look like I'm in charge?

"This is Kaja-dono, ......."

Sakon introduces himself with some difficulty.

"I am the lord of Ki no Shiro, to whom you have sent a troop."

"Tai?"

Hmm?

Why do Galahad and the others blatantly turn their heads away?

.......

"Uh . Maybe these guys were causing trouble. ......"

"Oh!　And I dropped a castle on the way!"

A sake drinker with a good face.

You dropped it!

"Homura, I'm sorry. I was surrounded by demons with spears when I left.

"Sake-drinker and Momiji started fighting, so I thought they were enemies. ......"

"I thought I'd been thrown right into the middle of the enemy."

Galahad and Eagle, Camilla says. So you just went and fought with all your might.

"Of course there are guards in the castle.

The crown prince says coldly. He seems so wise for a child. I guess he's not as old or strong as he looks.

What's the damage?

Or is he going to pay for it? The ogres will come back again even if they are defeated, but how many castles have they destroyed?

"Homura-sama, please bring me the book of Enma, the book of the drunkard."

I was thinking that I would have to visit Onino Castle and fix it with my skills, but before I could get an answer from Kaja, he urged me to get the out of Beni Ume.

"My side again!"

I had nothing to do with any of this.

The drunken man shouted, and then he was given a glance by Red Plum, who sat down and scratched his head.

"What?"

"The crown prince was defeated by the one sent by Homura-sama. This is the story of your becoming a demon.

Red Plum explains the situation to me, and I'm about to blow up.

Peter: More and more, more and more.

Homura: Why, why is this happening?

Peter: The owner is responsible for the WWW.

Homura: vomiting blood

That's why we have more demons.

"Are you a demon whore?"

Ukon's one word sticks in the mind. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Peter laughing, and out of sight, I hear Galahad screaming as he is being punished again.

"Well, aren't you glad we made it back together?"

"Onino Castle is half destroyed."

Amane tries to forcefully summarize the situation, and Kaja puts on a cold voice.

"Now that we're all here, I'll have them set the table."

Ukon claps his hands.

"Oh, Kojiro's going to start yelling, so we'll get one more.

I had already told Sakon about this, but just in case he hadn't been able to join us until just now. I'm afraid that Beni Ume might not like it, but I'll let her give up on it. It seems that Kojiro does not intend to take the first demon away from her, but I wonder if that is not the reason why she does not like it.

"I'm going to call Ibaraki Doji, too, since I've come all this way. Is it okay if there are two more?

It seems that Peter also calls for a loincloth girl.

"I'd say it doesn't matter if we have one or two more. I'm not sure about the appetite of ogres - do you think they'll last?"

Ukon gives instructions to a lady who appears while worrying about the kitchen situation.

"Oh, after the first meal, I'll serve snacks and drinks too.

Don't worry, I have a bottle of strong sake for the demons in my pocket for today.

While the food is being brought in, we summon Kojiro. Come to think of it, I haven't summoned Mr. Kagewani yet. I've been treating him as one of the others, but I'll summon him for battle next time.

"Did you call him?

Yes, it's the feast I promised you. Kojiro has helped (・・・・・)me (・・・・)with it."

"Kya!　Sake-drinker!　Sake-drinking!"

Ugh!　Thorny!"

As soon as he arrives, Ibaraki-doji flies not to Peter but to Sakutomo. He's wearing a happi (happi coat).

.......

"Peter, shouldn't you make him wear it a little more?"

My efforts to persuade him were limited to the happi coat, but I think he would listen to Peter, who had a signed bill of exchange.

"I plan to get a quieter demon."

"He's not going to call up the thorny child."

"Huh."

If it is convenient, he will call out in any attire, but a noisy one would not fit Peter's fighting style. But he does call out at banquets, so he must be doing well. Maybe.

At any rate, everyone is here. You didn't forget to call them, did you?　

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