The Head Lord and the Rat Thief {Kamisato Ayato FanFiction}

Chapter 9 ~ The Logs and the Duels

Chapter 9 ~ The Logs and the Duels 

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       Caiome slammed a log into a vertical position in the middle of the patch of land, alongside five others. They were not necessarily at a great distance, but varied. And even more, the logs were of different sizes, in thickness and height.

       "I don't understand," Mizuki said, standing on a boulder under the tree where Caiome had hidden from all of Ayato's employees on the first day, which, as seen after it started blooming, was a cherry tree about to lose its petals. "What are we doing? Or, well, what do you want to do?"

       "Well, after your friend opened my eyes yesterday," she said, releasing her hair from its tie, letting it flow in silver waves to the middle of her back, "break time is break time, and we can do whatever we want during break time, whether we eat or just relax, right?"

        "Uhh, yeah?" Mizuki said. "And?"

       Caiome shrugged. "I claim my right," she said. "My feet are numb, and since I'm not allowed to leave this residence's courtyard prison-style," she said, being fussy, drawing her sword from its sheath, and looking along its length, pointing it towards the sky, "I'll do my exercises here." She looked down at Mizuki. "And you, along with me."

       "Excuse me?" he said.

       "I know you like cleaning armor and swords and... feel a strange satisfaction for that job, but weren't you hired as a guard first? That's what your contract says, right?"

       "Well, yes, but I don't mind just being the armor guy."

       "On the contrary, it bothers me. Let's be serious," she twisted her sword in her hand as a kind of wrist warm-up, "given that Ayato paid you the same salary as any other guard when he could fire you and hire you as an 'armor guy,' it means that the salary doesn't differ much. How much? Five thousand mora less to clean that entire warehouse all day? Therefore, I thought and concluded that, given your words yesterday, you wanted and want to be a guard, just that the skills and ability don't help you much. Not to mention the way you stare at the guards during training as if they were stealing your great love. You might pass the entry exam, but you are way behind the rest. Am I wrong?"

       Mizuki kept quiet. "Did you know that your habit of observing things is frightening?"

       "I've been told," she shrugged amused. "Now comes the interesting part where I propose a deal. You spared me from three hundred days of cleaning boots until I get sick. In return, I'll help you become a guard on par. Or at least enough not to be pushed aside to wash the guards' dirty spears. "

       "That... doesn't sound like a deal. It rather seems like a kind of favor or gratitude, which should be the opposite. I should thank you for what you did yesterday, defending me like that. And especially for the fact that Lord Kamisato punished you for it."

       "What your lord did was because I wanted to cut your colleagues' throats. Furthermore, he has his share of justice, and Shikaku as well; I really wanted to fight them. Don't think I did it just for you, so no need for gratitude. As for my deal, it's just starting now. In exchange for my help – and that's because no one would want to waste time with you...

       "Thanks," Mizuki muttered.

       "... I will advance you in rank, one way or another."

       "That sounds impossible," Mizuki shook his head.

       "The highest in rank here is Captain Hirotatsu, right?"