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

Chapter 38 ~ The Moruga and the Rice Symbol

Chapter 38 ~ The Moruga and the Rice Symbol

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       There were ten days left until the Shakunetsu no Taiyō festival, and it was already past noon when Caiome decided she could still pay a visit to the Commander. Now that she knew she was just playing the role of a bodyguard for Ayato, but wasn't actually one, she could easily refuse to spend the whole day stuck with him in the office. So the rules had changed again: considering that the Shuumatsuban members actually knew her position in relation to both Lord Kamisato and the organization, there was nothing to hide from them; and the employees rarely saw Lord Kamisato leaving his office, and only a few people were even allowed to approach the office doors, so no one would know if Caiome was inside with him or not. And if they saw Caiome outside, knowing everyone was aware of her personality and conflicts with Lord Kamisato, they could only assume she had been sent away or given some tasks.

       So no one raised any questions, and for that, Caiome thought, Ayato should thank her, because she made his theatricals and the strings behind the curtain much easier to manage.

       From what Koshi had told her, Caiome was supposed to find the Commander in Ritou at that hour, overseeing a testing of chuunin-ranked members, so the two of them headed towards the port, especially towards the market near the docks, to a stall selling fresh fish. The vendor was a man just over forty, with short-cropped hair, a haircut that seemed to be the standard for men their age, because even Hirotatsu had the exact same cut.

       Damn, if you tried to look for similarities between them, you could find many.

       He was tall, but not very muscular, probably just so as not to stand out as a fighter or guardian, as Hirotatsu seemed to be. He had a big smile and a cheerful attitude, blending into the atmosphere of the port market, shouting to the other vendors, making jokes, and selling fish to the customers, promoting his products well.

       "Hello!" said Caiome, hopping from one foot to another as she approached the Commander when he had just set aside the payment for some fish he had barely sold.

      "How can I help you, young lady?" he addressed them both with a smile, putting the golden coins into the waist pouch, which was quite full.

       Koshi didn't wear dark clothes, and Caiome tried to dress somewhat normally, like the people here, borrowing a kimono shirt from Chizuru that was a bit small for her, light blue with a few pink cherry blossoms, but at least it blended in better with the scenery; although her features didn't help much, everyone could tell she wasn't from here, but probably a few other itinerant vendors recognized her from her first days when she always came to the port to gather information about the Kamisato clan.

       Caiome looked over the fish stall, carp, sea bass, catfish, trout, and many other varieties.

       "I want two of these," she pointed to the box with blue mackerel.

       The Commander complied immediately and wrapped the fish in thick paper, then tied them with jute twine, and Koshi gave him a few mora.

       "I heard there's a lot of hustle and bustle in Ritou this afternoon," Caiome told Koshi, handing him the fish package.

       "I'm sure it's just your imagination, miss," Koshi replied, taking the package. "It's a busy day today, probably people are out shopping."

       "But don't you find these people a bit strange?" she continued, pretending the Commander wasn't there, while he counted his money into the pouch and arranged the fish in the boxes. "It's like everyone... asks too many questions," she said with a smile, then shrugged. "But maybe it is just my imagination."