116 5.5 Making a Home in Kitakata Village

I opened up the sliding windows apart and a fresh breeze blew in, ventilating the stuffy house immediately and brought the stale smell of old clothes off to the other exit. Soon, the rays of bright sunshine poured in, lighting up the house further and lifted the gloominess of the house.

Once the rays of light penetrates the darkness of the house, I could well see that as a single man living alone, there were quite a number of crockery that needs to be scrubbed, unwashed stone plates that need to be washed and the floor that needed a good sweep and scrub.

A pile of clothes was seen on at the corner of his bedroom, and judging from the small mound, it would be at least worth a few days of soiled linen. I sat down in the middle of the house and wondered which part of the house that I should start first and since I'm not allowed outdoors yet, I better leave the sweeping of the small yard and the scrubbing of the external floors to be executed once a green light was approved by Hiko-sama.

"Haizzz... So many things to do, and I don't even know where to begin. I would usually start from the exterior this ending the last one in the kitchen but since I am not allowed outside for the moment, I think I would start from the insides then move slowly to the outside."

I thought to myself as I planned how to start working in this little household. I went to the other bedroom and was found that it was unoccupied and assumed that I would take occupancy of the smaller room instead.

I began to start cleaning up from the bathroom onwards, before heading to the kitchenette and cleared up those pots and pan and dirty cutlery as well. In an hour or so, I managed to clear up the mess from those two places.

I then moved to the two bedrooms and placed the dirty linen in the bathroom which I intended to scrub them clean after numerous times of rinsing after some time soaking them first. There was a hard yellowish soap and a washing board in the bathroom which seemed to be used for clothes and I soaked the soap to give a sort of suds in a small basin.

I left the clothes there and began to pick up a broom and sweep the bedrooms and living space. I can say it's pretty hard work for an 11-year-old kid like me, but if I regard this house as part of mine, cleanliness is a must. Scrub... Scrub... Scrub... Clean... Clean... Clean...!

---Meanwhile in the Mayor's Castle---

"Your Excellency, your patrol team wishes to report in the findings of the pillaged Village 3 days travel from here."

Hiko-sama and the rest of the group knelt before the Mayor and the Imperial Guards that were guarding the Castle.

"Go ahead and report. Any findings of survivors and anything of valuables that the bandits did not manage to pillage?"

The Mayor spoke as he sat in his Majestic Throne with two of his concubines beside him, fanning him despite it was winter time.

"Your Excellency, we had found a nearly dead male child of 11 years of age. The rest of the children and babies in that village was exterminated along with the able-bodied men as well. As for the women, we were too late and it seems that they had been taken away by a wagon. A trail of wheels led away from that village and the track had already been set in heavy snow about 2 days before we had arrived."

Hiko-sama explained to the Mayor of his findings during his expedition and that he had found me half buried in the snow.

"Hmm, is the male child in this compound? What use would the male child be?"

"Your Excellency, the male child had suffered greatly due to the extermination of the villagers. He was left to die in the snow and I learnt that his stepmother was taken away. By the time we found him, he was half frozen and suffered from frostbite."

"Your Excellency, the male child is not here in the compound but he is now at my household. I wish to take him under my care as well as my student. If Your Excellency gives me your blessing, let me nurture this boy to serve the militia when he comes of age."

Hiko-sama explained carefully of his intention about the findings of me and intend to nurture me to be a shadow of his and serve the Imperial Army when I am old enough. Although I knew nothing about this, he later explained in detail what had happened.

"Hiko-san, in that case, I place that male child under your care and responsibility. As for your early retirement from the Samurai Clan, I had it reconsidered and approve of your retirement. The Imperial Army's bookkeeper had prepared your remaining remunerations. You, however, will continue to serve the Imperial Army when the time is needed from time to time, understood?"

"Thank you, Your Excellency. I can now concentrate being a Swordsman instead and set up a dojo to teach students who in turn will be of service to the Samurai as well as the Imperial Army."

Hiko-sama thanked the Mayor and bowed deeply to show his appreciation. He knew that he had taken a step that he truly desires most.

"Now listen carefully, Hiko Seijuro-san, from this day forth, you will set up your own dojo and be a Master. Do not fail me or the Imperial Army. Any changes in your plans are to be reported to me directly. Your earnings of 10 gold pieces would be paid in full for this month and the for the months towards the proposed retirement which was to be 36 months from now. Go to the bookkeeper to receive 370 gold coins to start your life anew."

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for your great kindness and considerations towards my retirement. I would like to take my leave now and report to the bookkeeper to settle the accounts and make good of my retirement."

"You all may go now since there was nothing else to report. For the time being, Miroku-san would be in command of this expedition group and Kami-San would second this team. You go and find a replacement Junior for your group."

"That is all, you may take your leave now."

The group bowed deeply to the Mayor and slowly walked out of the castle and escorted by the Imperial Guards. This was a norm practise as it was a general security measure in case someone turned tail and went up against the unguarded Mayor.

"Hey Hiko-san, so what are you gonna do now? Setup a dojo and be a Master Swordsman? That kid is going to be your first student I suppose?"

Hide-sama spoke first since he was also fond of me due to my improvisations and life hacks to make life a little bit easier.

"Yup... Hide-san. He's going to be my first student. Its time for me to retire and pursue my dreams. With a little over 370 gold coins to start with and with some gold coins that I had saved along the way working along with you guys, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a swell start, don't you think?"

Hiko-sama explained about his future plans to the group and a twinkle appeared in his eyes as he thought of the early retirement.

"You have some wealth there, it's sure is a good start. By the way, I was interested in how he could have burnt through my gauntlet by using only his hands. One day, when I'm free I'd come over to your house. By the way, since you retired, are you going to move into your own house or continue in current place?"

Kami-sama explained truthfully about his intent to learnt about the tricks I had performed on him and wanted to somehow learn from me. Somehow this skill was not a trick that can be learnt by any Tom, Dick or Harry.

"I don't intend to move and I find it comfortable in that little house. Yes, come and visit me whenever you're free guys. You're still my friends and your welcome to come over anytime. We can have sake and some yakiniku, yes? Come by tonight."

Hiko-sama replied in a solemn manner about his accommodation.

"Sure... Sure... Don't forget about us, my good friend. Take good care, off you go to the bookkeeper to collect the rest of your pay."

Kami-sama tapped the shoulders of Hiko-sama as he walked to the Imperial Army headquarters to meet the bookkeeper and collect his new found wealth. Definitely, he would keep a hush over it so that I would not know anything about it.

Upon meeting the bookkeeper and settling the rest of his salary and his retirement package, he had quite a considerable amount with him. The bookkeeper even handed him a small chest that would be easier for him to carry and deposit in the local treasury since there was no point for him to carry so much gold coins with him.

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Since he had started his savings of 8 gold coins every month for the past 18 months, the local treasury would have 144 gold coins in his savings. In this era, the calculations of currency would be as follows:

10 bronze coins = 1 copper coin.

10 copper coins = 1 silver coin

10 silver coins = 1 gold coin

Since most of the tradings were mainly through bronze, copper and silver coins; he decided to exchange 5 gold coins to be used for the daily necessities for the next one or two months. Since he had his idea of me working for my own bronze and coppers, his flow of cash would be used for the marketing and other needs.

Hiko-sama deposited all his 365 gold coins into the local treasury and that amounts to 509 gold coins altogether. This would be enough to last him till his old age. With the current interest rate of 1.5% per annum, he would have a turnover of 516 gold coins by every 12 months provided he didn't draw any of it.

He now had 5 gold coins and he exchanged it all for 50 pieces of silver coins. He took 5 silver coins and turned them into 50 copper coins and he then took 5 copper coins and turned it into 50 bronze coins.

In total the moment he stepped out from the local treasury, he had the following:

50 bronze coins

45 copper coins

45 silver coins

The local produce such as grains, vegetables, fruits and meats in the marketplace mainly uses bronze and coppers while sake was traded in copper and silver when bought in bulk. With just the two of us in the household, daily marketing would only require at most 2 copper coins and there would be a return of some bronze coins at the end of the day.

---Meanwhile at the home of Hiko-sama---

I had swept the two bedrooms and it was now free from dust and dirt. I had also swept the furnace area and brought all the ashes into a small bucket which I intend to pour ours near the path where there were some flower beds that lined both sides of the path.

I had scrubbed the bedrooms and the living space clean and now left were the small terrace space outside the house and the clothes that were in the bucket, waiting to be scrubbed on the corrugated washing board and then rinsed and dry out on the clothesline at the side of the house.

My whole kimono was wet with perspiration even though it was end winter and I had opened up the windows to let the draft in. I had no clothes on me, no money and right now I had no food since breakfast. My stomach growled in protest as I entered the bathroom to look at the pile of clothes in the bucket.

To calm my growling stomach, what I could do right now was to drink plenty of water to replenish my loss of fluids. The water that flowed from the sink in the kitchen tasted sweet and sparkling and I realised that the water that was pumped into the tank had several layers of filter in it thus making it potable to drink straight from the tap.

However, the other source of water that ran through the furnace for bathing was non-potable and no one in the right of mind would drink water while showering right? We are not fish that was out from the water for chrissake! And you Mr Director, don't you have any funny ideas on asking me to drink from that tap! It's a sure fire way to get dysentery and diarrhoea!