"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Oh, konichiwa, sensei. What do you need? Clothes? Utensils? I have them all."
Ryo was surprised by the merchant's sudden change in demeanor, completely different from how he treated the vendor, who was crouching in a corner. He followed the merchant to the door.
"Dozou, dozou," the merchant said, inviting him inside.
Ryo didn't dilly-dally and asked the merchant a question that doused his mood.
"What do you know about the incident in the mountain years ago?" Almost immediately, the happy and excited expression on Shinjiro's face contorted back into the angry one he had worn moments ago when he was scolding that vendor.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he scorned.
"Come on. Everyone knows you were the one who found the survivor," Ryo insisted.
"I don't know what you mean. If you're not buying anything, please leave," Shinjiro said disdainfully as he slid himself behind the counter. Ryo didn't respond.
Instead, he stood firmly and pulled the edge of his hakama to the side, revealing what looked like a seal. Shinjiro's eyes widened, and his face paled. He quickly returned to the aisle, knelt, and bowed down.
"Let's go," Ryo told the boys.
"What happened?" Noboru asked.
"Nothing. I just bought a knife," Ryo replied.
"A knife? Don't we have enough sharp things already?" Noboru countered.
"Stop asking questions. Keep walking," Ryo answered, annoyed.
The sun had finally overcome the mountain when the team reached the outskirts of the village. It became quieter as they moved further away from the community. What remained was the sound of rustling leaves dancing with the autumn breeze.
They trod the final stretch of footpath until the exit loomed, a towering opening created by trees consoling each other that led to what looked like a clearing.
Ryo paused and sighed, scrutinizing his resolve. He watched the young boys walk innocently in line abreast, then looked up to let dapped sunlight warm his face.
"For the country, huh. Is this really your will?" he mumbled under his breath.
"Sensei?" Hiraoki, the most well-behaved member, nudged him when he noticed the sound of footsteps behind him vanish.
Ryo came to his senses and pressed onward. One by one, the boys stepped out into the light like dough entering an oven. The clearing was a rice field in the aftermath of harvest.
The addicting smell of freshly cut rice stalks filled the air, reminding the boys of their delicious supper. The rice field extended for about 40,000 shaku and edged along vegetation that seemed like the entrance to the mountain. Mt. Minago was still far ahead.
Ryo surmised they'dreach the foot of the mountain by sundown, although he had his reservations ashe hadn't been in this area before. He had heard stories about it, but nothingas disturbing as Himiko had told him.
The lingering anxiety grew as themountain drew closer, but he seemed to have lost control of his feet. They keptgoing as if being chased by invading Mongols.
YOU ARE READING
Saving Touma
Mystery / ThrillerWhen the past and the future collide, chaos follows. Lives from different worlds intertwine and dance in a perpetual loop. The victim? An innocent child whose future would remain uncertain and cost many lives to retrieve. The key to all of this is a...
