Red Data Girl - Series 1 & 2

My First Familiar - 13

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
By Noriko Ogiwara
A Translation

Translation notes:Miyuki is learning "old martial arts". The word used in the book is kobudou. Kobudou, also known as koryu, refers to martial arts used before the Meiji era. Some of these arts, to name a few, include archery, staff work, and jujutsu. Read more about kobudou here.

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
Chapter 3: Yukimasa
Part 1 (1 of 3)

"Is that the letter for your mom?" Miyuki asked suddenly. They were walking down the path to the parking lot.

Izumiko nodded.

"Yeah, it's a letter. It's the best way to get in touch with my mom. Her email changes whenever she moves for work, but if I send something to her address in Tokyo, the post office will forward it to wherever she is."

After Miyuki had said that Sagara would only listen to Yukariko, they had decided to contact her and ask for help.

"Yukariko isn't in Tokyo now?"

Izumiko waited for him to make one of his usual scathing remarks, but Miyuki didn't seem to be in the mood that morning.

"Well, that's alright. It'll take a while, but it's not like we have any other way to get in touch with her."

Miyuki was in a good mood that day because he had gone to the hospital the day before to have his bandage removed. His attitude had improved drastically. Their class might not have noticed this change in their honor student, but they certainly noticed that he was spending time with Izumiko.

"From today on, I'll be participating in gym class. It'll be the first time since I transferred."

Today, Izumiko had been given an idea of just how depressed boys could be when they couldn't move around. Indifferently choosing to read during gym class had apparently been another one of Miyuki's ruses.

"I can finally do things I like. I can hike in the mountains. Or Mr. Nonomura could teach me the old martial arts."

"Old martial arts?"

"Didn't you know? Mr. Nonomura is a master of old martial arts,"

His tone was mixed with his usual scorn, but the anger that usually colored it was gone.

"Mr. Nonomura offered to teach me. I accepted his offer gratefully. Martial arts will be necessary if I'm going to beat Yukimasa."

Izumiko also knew about Mr. Nonomura's skills. She had even come across him practicing with his bow. However, he had never once talked about what he did. While Izumiko might have spent a lot of time with Mr. Nonomura, they weren't close. She was inwardly surprised that he had offered to help Miyuki.

"You're going to challenge Yukimasa to a martial arts fight. Does Mr. Nonomura know that?"

"I don't think there's any reason to keep it secret," Miyuki said without much thought, but he seemed to consider her words.

"I'm not worried, but as of right now, Yukimasa is too strong for me. Mr. Nonomura knows that too. For mountain monks, practicing in the old martial arts is a part of our spiritual training."

In other words, Mr. Nonomura was also a mountain monk, Izumiko thought. She had never considered that. It was strange to think about it now. Miyuki seemed proud to have been taken on as his apprentice.

"He said he could find an hour or two to work with me after school. I won't be able to join any clubs as long as I'm living at the shrine, but that's fine."