The Samurai That I Loved

第10章

By the end of the second week of traveling, Eliza began to feel world-weary, exhausted, and quite homesick. Having only a mostly-silent Samurai as company for days on end had left her longing for conversation with...literally anyone else.

Shojiro seemed to share this sentiment whole-heartedly. After a couple days of trying to learn each other's languages, he had picked up a great deal of words and knowledge from the foreigner, although some of it was helpful, plenty of it was simply a complete waste of his time.

She only wanted to speak about a man named Ernest Fletchum whom he presumed to be just another white man who had snuck into the country.

When he heard the word, "Missionary," he knew his presumptions were correct. Foreign missionaries were constantly trying to sneak into Japan. A more common reason was also the opium trade, but he doubted Eliza-chan even knew what that was.

In his deduced opinion, Eliza-chan must've been a very sheltered girl in her country of England. She seemed to only be able to talk about one thing; Ernest. It was as if her very life revolved around that mystery white man. She constantly spouted nonsense, such as her "undying, unwavering, unshakable love" for the man.

She even went as far as to hold her hand over her own heart at one point while proclaiming in a jubilant voice, "I shall find him and be his wife!"

Once you find him, you're both getting arrested.

Shojiro thought to himself with a smirk. He wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but he got the idea enough from certain words, the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice and the expressive way she always used her hands whenever she talked.

He rarely responded to her hours-long stampede of words, but he did listen attentively. To his vast satisfaction, he was beginning to understand her. Eliza-chan, however, couldn't seem to ever follow anything he said in Japanese, which was a pity because he specifically tried reitering certain words over and over.

Words like: Doko ka ni itte. Shizukani shite ojōsama. Anata wa hanashi sugidesu. Hottoi te.

(Shut up. Go away. Be quiet, girl. You talk too much. Leave me alone.)

Walking along the path now, he was thankful for the blessed silence.

Eliza suddenly stopped walking and slumped down onto the ground, catching her breath and wiping the sweat from her forehead. She ignored the scowl on Shojiro's face as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"No. Up." Shojiro said in english as he walked towards her, motioning her to stand up with his hand.

Her eyes opened as she glared back up at him. "It's hot. I'm tired. I smell. You smell. I think I have a bug in my teeth. I'm not moving until I bloody well feel like it!"

"Eriza-chan. Up."

"Oh bugger off!" She waved a flippant hand at him as she lay down onto her back and closed her eyes.

Shojiro emitted a sigh before saying in Japanese, "Alright, you little imp, you leave me no choice." He immediately leaned down and grabbed her up before tossing her over his shoulder.

Eliza shrieked in surprise before her loud antics were bombarding his sore ears once again. "Put me down, how dare you touch a lady so! If Ernest were to see you holding me like this right now, he would most likely challenge you to a duel over my honor!"

"Lady? Hahahaha." Shojiro laughed as he ignored Eliza's fists whacking his backside.

She gasped audibly at his insult and froze in his hold. "Are you laughing at me? You don't think I am a lady? I'll have you know, sir, I am the daughter of a Duke!"