122 5.11 The Visiting Ex Comrades of Hiko Seijuro

I was sleeping when I heard someone's calling Hiko-sama name from the outside. There were exchanges of greetings and soon chatters broke into laughter. Since it was none of my business, I decided not to bother since I knew it was Hiko-sama comrades that had came to visit him.

Soon, I heard Hiko-sama was talking about me and I decided to inch nearer to listen. Fortunately, Hiko-sama did not reveal anything about my secrets, the same way he hid his secrets from others well.

We had a basic understanding of not letting others knew more about us than was necessary. Soon, I heard some yatai passing by near our district calling out for their wares as its past dinner and people were either looking for supper as well as an accompaniment to their merry drinking.

"Hey, kid. Do you want to join us up front? My comrades are here and we are having a small drinking session. Also around this time, there would be yatai passing by the district and there'd be plenty to eat also. You still full or want to get a bite?"

Hiko-sama peeked into my room as he mentioned about the incoming yatai. Although I was full from eating the sweet meat buns earlier, I was also expecting to see what the yatai was selling. Back in modern Japan I always wanted to try every single food that the yatai were selling.

"OK, Sensei... I'd come up to the front and join you. I would want to see what the yatai were selling. It would be fun to see." I replied as I scrambled from my resting place and went to join Hiko-sama and his comrades.

The moment I met the comrades, I bowed slightly to them and greeted them about how they were and to welcome into the household. As I had washed earlier, they mistook me for a girl since my features were soft unlike the time before when I was covered with snow and ashes and had dirt streaked on my face.

"Oh hoy... Little kid. Here you are... Look, I am not taking to heart about the other day, but as you know, we Samurai have to be alert 24/7 even on and off the expedition. As you can see, I still wearing my gauntlet and carries my katana wherever I go." exclaimed Kami-sama the moment I saw him and greeted with a smile. Well, it's a typical edgy man that is wary of every sound and creak around him even in Hiko-sama's house.

"Kami-sama, please forgive me when I did to your forearm gauntlet the other time. I am also like you, and it's not easy for me to take instructions from other people whom I am not acquainted. But now since we are acquainted, I don't think I would burn any more of your gauntlet." I smiled as I spoke softly to Kami-sama.

"Haa... Haa... Haa... I am here to find out how you did that also. By the way kid, I don't take it to heart and am easy to forget about the whole matter since you are now Hiko's disciple."

"Thank you for sincerity Kami-sama. Hope we would be friends after this. By the way, I also did not know what happen during that time, it was as if by luck or something when I pressed my palm on your forearm."

"Ah, kid... Even if you tell me or not, it doesn't matter. But you do have some sort of strength as well as I can see. Come sit with us and join us for some sake."

I smiled back at them and declined the offer since I am not forgetting I am currently an 11-year-old kid and don't divulge in adult manners like drinking sake. Hey Mr Director, how could you let juvenile drink alcohol?

"Thank you Kami-sama but I think I have to skip the sake, but I would like to see what the yatai was selling. It seems a hot favourite here among this district as I could see several yatai on the way here."

"Yes, Himura... These yatai comes from the outer districts where the rest of the commoners and plebs were staying. So their means of income would be selling their food wares from outer cluster till they are into the inner cluster just before the marketplace. Normally that's where they end up before heading back to the outer cluster."

"Oh... I see Sensei. So they won't stay in one place but moved about in the main street if this cluster then. Lucky we are near the main street and they could come and serve us directly like the one selling the Yaki Imo. It's nice to eat during winter time."

"Ah, the Yaki Imo only available in the day time, Himura. Now it's merrymaking and drinking time, so basically what they were selling would be just the right accompaniment for the drinks."

I nodded in acknowledgement and was thinking that instead of buying Yaki Imo regularly, we could make them ourselves and buy some raw ones in the market and store them in the kitchenette. Just throw them into the embers of the fireplace and it would be done in about 5 to 8 minutes.

"So Himura, what have you done so far? Last time I heard you wanted to be a swordsman, did your Sensei here passed you anything good?"

"Miroku-sama, we did a few sessions earlier when Sensei got back from the Mayor's house. At the meantime, I turned the whole house upside down and cleaned it up. By the way, since you are a samurai and mostly out on expeditions, do you have someone at home to tend to your housekeeping? I mean, do any of you guys have someone taking care of you at home?"

"Ah... What my apprentice here seems to ask is what do you live alone or have wives or girlfriends to take care of the housekeeping in the house while you are gone. He is looking for work so he could earn some coins for himself."

"Oh...well, I lived all by myself and so the rest of 4 of us here. I don't really have the time to do laundry or clean the house. Normally I just stack my clothes one side and when I got back, I will hire some help to do the laundry for me. As for cooking, we all seldom cook and eat takeout or just waiting for the yatai to pass by our houses and just buy what they were selling."

One of them by the name of Toshi-sama spoke up. He was the quietest one in the group and only speak whenever it's necessary and when he starts to speak, everyone stops what they were doing and listens.

"So, decide already then. My disciple needs coins to survive, I mean he also has his desires to earn money so that he could buy the things he wanted. He also did a good job for this house within the time I was in with all of you and returned to find the entire interior was cleaned up. My laundry was also done by him."

Hiko-sama supported me by giving the rest of his ex-comrades the assurance that I could do a good job.

"That seems a good idea. In this case, your disciple could come over to our place every three days to clean up the house. Or you have other plans in your mind, kid? Since I saw you the other day, you are full of potential."

Hide-sama spoke up and was happy that I knew how to make full use of my youth. Other kids may just laze around or bury their faces in the books as they might come from some established families where extending one's hand only would they receive a few gold coins to splurge. None of the Samurai grew up with a silver spoon in their mouths so they learnt from hardship.

"I was planning that since there was the five of you which means 5 houses altogether, I would propose if I clean the house rotationally. Like today I had cleaned the house of Sensei, the next day I would go to Hide-sama's, the following followed by Toshi-sama's, Miroku-sama's and lastly to Kami-sama's."

"There are two rest days in the week so I could follow up with my discipleship with Sensei or go for an expedition with him. Furthermore, the first day of cleaning would be tedious as I might stay the whole day and break for lunch and return once more. Once the phase had been completed, the rest of it would be just a touch up here and there and just the laundry to take care of."

"That's true, usually the first day of cleaning would be tedious and rest that follow need to be touched up. Furthermore, our houses are quite nearby and are considered as the front to back with one another, so it cuts down in the travelling time. I am sure this kid would be able to devise a plan somehow. Let him be, these trivial matters are best solved by him alone."

Toshi-sama spoke again and everyone listened intently. There was nothing to argue about it and everyone seemed to be pleased with what he had said.

"Since he would be coming once every week and that makes it 4 times a month, as for the wages I was proposing 2 silvers per week and that makes about 8 silvers for the total of every month. Furthermore, we would be moving out in 2 days time so the house would be empty by then. So what do you think, guys? A payment of 8 silvers per month for the weekly housekeeping? "

Hide-sama spoke up regards to the payment as he took hold of his coin pouch that was tied around his obi. He took out 8 silvers and placed them in front of him. The rest all followed and soon, a pile of silver coins were in front of me as I had become their housekeeper.

"This payment is for the rest of this month, the balance you keep as your savings. Your Mr Director is a useless guy and won't be much help to you in providing coins for you to save and purchase what is necessary."

I can't help but grinned when Kami-sama spoke about Mr Director who was sitting stuffing his face in his director's chair off screen and was having a bowl of steaming Oden as he ignored the remarks made towards him.

"Well, go on and take this money. Keep it, don't spend it lavishly. You can ask from your Sensei money for food et cetera but since he would be here all the time, I'm sure he would supply for your needs."

Hide-sama spoke as he ushered to take the pile of silvers that was before me. I thanked them and received the money and bowed deeply to them to show their appreciation. Although 8 silvers seems a bit too much to maintain the housekeeping for 4 times a week, it's a start. 32 silvers would amount to 3 gold coins and 2 silvers based on the conversion rate.

I excused myself as I went into my bedroom to store the silver coins. I may need a proper coin pouch by next month onwards to store these coins. I returned to the group after keeping the money safe.

Soon a yatai that was selling his wares came to the front of our house. Some men came forward to buy the Yakitori that he was selling. Kami-sama called out the yatai seller whom he knew from his name and ordered 20 sticks of yakitori and the yatai seller responded that he will deliver it as soon as it is done.

The yakitori came a little over 15 minutes later and after 2 rounds of sake that Hiko-sama sama took from his room earlier. I took a stick and soon enjoyed the simple yet sumptuous supper with the men. The yakitori I had tasted before was incomparable to the one that I am eating now.

It was made by a sizeable amount of chicken chunks that had been marinated earlier before. All the sauces that were being used to marinate the meat had been absorbed well by the meat. When it was brought over, the meat was still sizzling and a sauce was poured over it. The sauce had a bit sweet and saltish taste and the yakitori was served and wrapped in a banana leaf.

Soon someone from the group paid and everyone started to dig in. Soon the yatai left and was replaced by another one selling senbei. This was a version of Japanese prawn, squid or fish crackers that were not fried but were grilled instead. It was rather a light snack that was mainly used as conversational starters in this era.

Since this senbei if were to be rolled out thinly and dried in the sun, when fried in hot cooking oil it will expand up to 2 to 3 times depending on the variety of crackers. Since it was summer, this senbei was made slightly thicker than usual with a mix of flour and other ingredients and thus being frilled instead.

Kami-sama called out to the senbei seller and pointed that he wanted 6 of those and 2 of each kind. In winter, this senbei would be served with a dipping sauce of 3 tastes which was spicy, sweet and savoury like Japanese curry. Soon the smell of the senbei grilling over the fire wafted through the air and there were some women queuing up to buy those since it would be able to be kept under normal temperature for some days.

The seller came and delivered 6 large pieces of senbei grilled crackers that had been sliced and three dipping sauces in three bowls that were made from folding banana leaves and skewered to prevent spillage.

There was some yakitori left and yet another snack came. Another sake had been broken in and served around. It seemed that a single jar of sake would contain as much as 2 litres of sake each and that would be enough to share among 5 people with their dainty little drinking cups.

It dawned to me that Hiko-sama's ex-comrades were into food aficionado as well as me. Well, one day I might surprise Hiko-sama and his comrades about my cooking experiences as well.

After finishing up the sake, there were a few pieces of Yakitori as well as pieces of senbei left. The men decided to leave the food behind since they were quite full and had a large bowl of ramen before getting here. So I cleared the food up and placed them in the kitchenette, placed them on a stoneware plate and covered it up with a food cover.

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The men then excused themselves as they wanted to leave for a long rest as they would be going off for an expedition in 2 days time. I told them that I would be adhering to the schedule and would be there to clean the first house. As the men would be heading for the expedition, I was advised to come the day after as they normally would sleep right till midday tomorrow.

I nodded in acknowledgement and bade them farewell. After their backs had turned down the alleyway I closed the sliding main door and went inside and cleared the jars of sake and their dainty drinking cups.

Hiko-sama was still awake and lying down in his bedroom. "Sensei, I'm am going to sleep now. I will turn off all the lanterns except the one in your room. Goodnight Sensei, see you in the morning." I bade him goodnight as he waved me off.

I entered my small bedroom and switched the oil lantern off and soon the room was plunged in semi-darkness. I wondered what the time was and rolled off to sleep soon after.